That day, a heavy snow fell across the Upper Realm.
From then on, Xu Wanci, who had once been wholly devoted to cultivation, seemed to have awakened to a new understanding. Whenever she had a spare moment, she would drag Xiao Yuyan around to admire the scenery of the Upper Realm, ensuring neither of them had a chance to idle.
Such precious time should not be wasted on…
No, it was far better to wander and take in the beauty of the world.
In just half a month, the vast, desolate landscapes of the Upper Realm were now dotted with spiritual plants flourishing by lakes and seas.
As a Divine Venerable, Xu Wanci could travel freely between the Upper and Lower Realms as long as she restrained her aura and avoided reckless use of spiritual power. Xiao Yuyan, meanwhile, was entirely unbound by the barriers between realms.
Thus, she often took him down to the Lower Realm to search for seeds of spiritual plants she fancied, bringing them back to the Upper Realm.
The abundant spiritual energy of the Upper Realm allowed these plants to ascend to celestial-grade—or even semi-divine—the moment they took root.
Their frequent travels between realms also accelerated the flow of spiritual energy, enriching the Lower Realm’s vitality.
Now, many long-lost spiritual plants had revived in the Lower Realm, and even the Spirit-Nurturing Secret Realm had grown livelier than before.
Once a lonely place where only a single Mystic Cloud Orchid remained, the secret realm was now a flourishing garden, vibrant with spiritual flora.
Gazing at this sight, Xu Wanci’s eyes brimmed with delight.
Then, a hand reached from her side, firmly encircling her waist—though the voice that followed was anything but assertive.
"Wanwan, it’s been half a cup of tea since you last looked at me."
Xu Wanci had long grown accustomed to Xiao Yuyan’s newfound clinginess, though she couldn’t pinpoint when it had started.
She patted the back of his hand lightly, watching as the Mystic Cloud Orchid swayed in the breeze, as if welcoming her arrival. Casually, she remarked,
"If not for the Spirit-Nurturing Secret Realm back then, I might have failed my breakthrough to Divine Transformation."
Her tone carried a hint of nostalgia, though her gaze flickered subtly toward the man beside her.
"I remember leaving behind a Rain-Transforming Ephemera molded from my spiritual energy here. After all this time, it must have dissipated by now, right?"
Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, the arm around her waist loosened almost imperceptibly.
The man who usually clung to her like a shadow silently retreated half a step.
Xu Wanci’s eyes softened with both exasperation and amusement.
Did Xiao Yuyan really think she wouldn’t notice? That she wouldn’t recognize the Rain-Transforming Ephemera he had painstakingly reshaped and hidden among the vast field of them surrounding their courtyard?
It was her spiritual energy, after all. Given her sensitivity to it, she had sensed the anomaly the very same day.
But back then, she had only found it endearing—how carefully he had preserved something she had casually crafted.
Love truly reshaped one’s principles.
Things she once would have never tolerated now seemed utterly charming when it came to him.
With this thought, she took Xiao Yuyan’s hand, cutting off his hesitant words.
"We’ve come all the way to the Lower Realm—let’s visit the city."
Xiao Yuyan let her lead him away from the secret realm.
Bathed in their spiritual energy, the Spirit-Nurturing Secret Realm thrived like never before. Given time, it might even develop sentience.
Back in the Upper Realm, Xu Wanci rested her chin on her hand, frowning at the unusual quiet around her.
Something was off.
Very off.
This time, Xiao Yuyan had gone an entire incense stick’s worth of time without so much as glancing at her.
Normally, he’d have been glued to her side by now.
Suspicious, she turned her head, studying his profile as he stood beneath the Joybloom Tree, his gaze distant.
Even after all this time, the sight of his refined, otherworldly features still made her heartbeat stutter.
She steadied her breath before walking over to him.
Following his line of sight, she "coincidentally" glimpsed what held his attention:
The Lower Realm.
There, amidst a hall filled with well-wishers, a pair of cultivators were exchanging vows, binding themselves as Dao companions.
Xu Wanci’s fingers twitched in realization.
At last, Xiao Yuyan seemed to snap out of his thoughts, turning to her.
He hesitated, as if wrestling with unspoken words, but in the end, he only smiled lightly and asked,
"Wanwan, aren’t you cultivating today?"
Xu Wanci flicked his forehead.
"Wasn’t it someone who kept complaining that I cultivated too much and neglected him?"
She sighed dramatically.
"Now that I’ve finally made it a habit to seek you out in my free time, you’re trying to shoo me away?"
Xiao Yuyan knew she was teasing, but his voice still carried a playful note.
"I’ve just grown so used to seeing you immersed in cultivation that this change caught me off guard."
He didn’t elaborate further, simply admitting defeat.
"My mistake."
Xu Wanci shot him a look before turning her gaze forward.
"What were you looking at just now, A’Yan?"
Xiao Yuyan peeked at her cautiously.
"Just… the scenery."
Xu Wanci’s eyes lingered on the newly sworn Dao companions below. She tugged lightly at his sleeve, feigning nonchalance.
"The Dao companion bonding ceremony in the Lower Realm is quite captivating, isn’t it?"
At her words, Xiao Yuyan stiffened almost imperceptibly, his eyes darkening with restrained emotion. He ventured carefully,
"Does Wanwan… also like bonding ceremonies?"
Xu Wanci studied the intensity simmering beneath his gaze and felt a quiet sense of confirmation.
She had never cared much for formalities. In the past, survival had demanded her focus on cultivation, leaving little room for rituals.
But now, she realized—they were missing something.
A ceremony.
One recognized by the Heavenly Dao.
Yet…
A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes.
"For Dao companions to bond, they must receive the Heavenly Dao’s acknowledgment."
She gave his sleeve a little shake.
"A’Yan, if I recall correctly, your relationship with the Heavenly Dao is…"
"Not exactly harmonious, is it?"
From his past remarks, she could guess—their relationship wasn’t just strained. It was likely outright hostile.
Xiao Yuyan hurried to reassure her.
"The Heavenly Dao and I share the same origin. Our relationship is…"
He paused, then settled on a diplomatic answer.
"Tolerable."
"So Wanwan needn’t worry."
Now that the world was at peace and the Heavenly Dao’s consciousness erased, "tolerable" was an apt description.
His usual restraint slipped slightly as he looked at her, anticipation barely concealed.
"I only feared Wanwan might find the formalities tedious."
Xu Wanci coughed lightly, avoiding his gaze as if her next words were nothing more than an idle thought.
"They’re not so bad."
"A bonding ceremony isn’t all that troublesome."
Upon hearing her reply, Xiao Yuyan's eyes suddenly brightened, as if countless stars had fallen into them.
His voice was hoarse:
"Wanci, you mean…"
He grasped the hand she had hooked onto his sleeve, his movements trembling faintly:
"You’re willing… to form a covenant with me, is that it?"
Xu Wanci was already familiar with Xiao Yuyan. Sensing the sudden surge of frosty aura around him, she easily detected his nervousness.
At this moment, the crowd below that had gathered to witness the covenant ceremony finally dispersed, and she turned her gaze back to him.
Her lips curved slightly, her eyes filled with sincerity:
"If it's you, no matter how tedious it is…"
"I’ll still look forward to it."
Xiao Yuyan busied himself preparing invitations for his and Xu Wanci’s covenant ceremony.
Though their ceremony could only be held in the Upper Realm due to their cultivation levels, nothing could dampen his boundless enthusiasm, as vast as the mountains.
If possible, he would have loved to send an invitation to every cultivator in the Lower Realm.
They couldn’t come to the Upper Realm?
No matter.
He embedded an indestructible array into each invitation.
On the day of the ceremony, they would transform into water mirrors, reflecting the events unfolding in the Upper Realm.
He wanted everyone to witness their covenant ceremony.
Their… wedding.
And so, a great snow began to fall in the Lower Realm.
Every sect and noble family in the cultivation world received an invitation descending from the heavens.
Some rejoiced in anticipation, some forced themselves to show only reverence and eagerness, some sighed in resignation, and others—in their fury—smashed their palaces to ruins.
Yan Shuo watched the snowflakes drifting through the Demon Realm, his eyes crimson without a trace of impurity.
His grip on the invitation tightened, his voice laced with icy malice:
"Xiao Yuyan."
He didn’t dare utter the other name on the invitation. He had forced himself to forget for so long, only for this piece of paper to tear open his wounds, leaving him no room to hide.
Bowing his head, he channeled all the pain in his chest into rage.
Glancing at the still-pristine invitation, he narrowed his eyes:
"Someone, throw this into the Abyss of Demons."
Useless trash belongs where it should be.
Days later, no matter where the invitations had ended up, they all transformed into water mirrors.
Even if some shut their eyes, unwilling to see, the scenes within the mirrors still materialized in their minds.
Willing or not, everyone witnessed it.
The water mirrors revealed a scene entirely foreign to them.
Even through the reflection, they could feel the overwhelming spiritual energy radiating from it.
But what was even more breathtaking was the winding staircase, formed from a "sea" of Rain-Bloom Ephemerals, leading to a cloud-shrouded platform.
Upon the stairs, two figures walked hand in hand, ascending step by step.
Clad in blue robes embroidered with lotus patterns that embodied the laws of heaven and earth, each thread seemed to carry an ancient blessing.
Yet no one could spare them more than a glance.
With every step they took, the scenery around them shifted.
From spring, summer, autumn, and winter to storms and sunshine; from endless deserts to sapphire seas; from flower fields to dense forests…
This staircase seemed to encapsulate their long, intertwined lives.
And finally—a sky filled with snow.
The snow settled on their hair, composing a poem of "growing old together, never to part."
Atop the platform, Xu Wanci did not look back at the path they had taken.
This celestial stairway was laid by her and him together.
It was their past, and their future.
She tightened her grip on his hand and, amidst the immortal clouds, solemnly carved her soul mark.
Xiao Yuyan mirrored her movements. His breath was ragged, but his hands were steady—not a single mistake made.
This was the moment he had dreamed of since the day he first saw her.
He had rehearsed it in his heart a thousand times. Of course, he wouldn’t falter.
The snowfall ceased.
A sea of radiant light pierced through the clouds.
The ceremony was complete.
Under the oath of Heaven’s Will, they would never be parted.
In the cultivation world, all bore witness to the awe-inspiring covenant ceremony of the Divine Lord of the Firmament and the Immortal Venerable of Clarity.
This grand wedding added another vivid stroke to the love story already whispered across the realms.
Millennia later, their tale would still be remembered.
