Chapter 387: Grown Up

Mizushui Pass was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. Feng Xiuyun was efficient, and soon Si Yunxiang was beautifully dressed by a group of female soldiers, donning a phoenix coronet and a bridal gown. Qin Mu also wore a large red flower and was forcibly made to bow his head, completing the marriage ceremony with Si Yunxiang.

"That little girl Feng is quite good; she works quickly. I don't need to bother myself."

The blind man couldn't help but grin, thinking, "I wonder if she's married..."

At the wedding banquet, the little girl transformed from Fox Ling'er cried profusely, her face streaked with tears like falling pear blossoms. Leaning on a wine jar, she couldn't straighten her back, repeatedly accusing Blind Grandpa of being a liar whose words couldn't be trusted.

The many soldiers from Mizushui Pass who came to offer congratulations exchanged bewildered glances, not understanding why the six or seven-year-old girl was crying so bitterly.

After much revelry, the newlyweds entered the bridal chamber. Si Yunxiang secretly hid a dagger on her person, intending to stab Qin Mu as soon as he lifted her bridal veil, thus fulfilling her long-held wish as a Saintess: to assassinate the depraved and unprincipled cult master.

She waited for a long time, but Qin Mu never came over. A bitter feeling rose in her heart: "Am I not as good as that chubby girl Ling Yuxiu? Blind Grandpa's eyes might be blind, but his heart isn't. But some people are blind in both eyes and heart, only preferring those with bigger chests?"

She waited a few more moments, but Qin Mu still didn't sit next to her or lift her veil.

She secretly lifted her veil and saw Qin Mu sitting at a table, deeply engrossed in a book. Si Yunxiang felt exasperated. On their wedding night, with a beautiful woman sitting by the bed, the "idiot" was reading. What a waste of time!

Si Yunxiang removed her veil, tossed it aside, and walked closer, asking with a smile, "What book is the Cult Master reading that he's so absorbed?"

"The Xuan Nü Calculation Sutra."

Qin Mu looked up, invited her to sit, and said with utmost sincerity, "Blind Grandpa is always playing pranks, and he's caused you and me to go through this marriage ceremony. I know he's worried about my safety; he wants me to marry and have children, to tie me down with a wife and kids, so I won't return to Yankang and face future dangers. Sister Xiang, I apologize for making you suffer with me on this journey." After speaking, he stood and bowed.

Si Yunxiang quickly returned the bow and said earnestly, "You have treated us with respect like honored guests throughout this journey, and you didn't take advantage of the precarious situations involving the Princess and me. I've seen all of this, so I naturally know what kind of person the Cult Master is. You are the Cult Master, and your seniority is half a generation above mine; there's no need for such formality."

She was even younger than Qin Mu, just a little over fourteen, with bright eyes and white teeth. Originally, Si Yunxiang had a somewhat cynical approach to life, but now, when she became serious, she exuded a dignified, graceful, and elegant demeanor.

The Saintess of the Si family was a potential successor to the Heavenly Devil Cult Master; if the Cult Master unfortunately died, the Saintess would succeed, thus naturally possessing an extraordinary aura.

"The Cult Master still hasn't said why you're reading the Xuan Nü Calculation Sutra," she said with a smile.

Qin Mu continued studying the Xuan Nü Calculation Sutra. "To escape from Blind Grandpa's grasp, simply running away won't work. Poisoning him isn't really an option either, since he's my grandpa. So, I plan to use teleportation divine art."

Si Yunxiang was surprised. "Has the Cult Master's mastery of arithmetic reached this level already?"

Teleportation divine art was extremely difficult to cultivate; very few in the Heavenly Devil Cult had mastered it. The hall masters all used teleportation banners and garments. To master teleportation divine art, one needed astounding mathematical prowess!

The difficulty of this divine art was no less than that of the Daoist Sect's Dao Sword. To use teleportation divine art, spatial mathematics had to be cultivated to the extreme. Otherwise, a miscalculation in space could send one to a dangerous place, which was minor. What was terrifying was being teleported inside a rock, merging one's body with the stone.

Even more terrifying was a malfunction in the teleportation divine art, causing one's entire being to be disintegrated in space!

The most challenging aspect was that teleportation divine art required instantaneously calculating countless teleportation nodes, with no room for error at any node, and continuously performing calculations during the teleportation itself. The sheer volume and precision of these calculations made it almost impossible to achieve!

In the history of the Heavenly Devil Cult, not a few powerful individuals were crippled, killed, or went missing due to cultivating teleportation divine art, and many more were disintegrated.

What was even more frightening was that these powerful individuals all possessed astonishing mathematical achievements!

Qin Mu studied the calculation sutra while constantly performing calculations, attempting to compute spatial teleportation nodes. "Dao Master Lin Xuan gave me the Xuan Nü Calculation Sutra several months ago, and I've been studying it ever since. I've also almost completely mastered the Tai Xuan Calculation Sutra. The Daoist Sect's mathematical achievements are arguably the best in the world. Combining these two calculation sutras can unlock the mysteries of teleportation divine art. Don't worry, tonight I'll thoroughly understand the Xuan Nü Calculation Sutra. Tomorrow morning, when the darkness of the Great Ruins recedes, I'll be able to leave using this divine art. Once Blind Grandpa sees I'm gone, he naturally won't bother you."

Si Yunxiang's expression was complicated. She softly said, "Why are you pushing yourself so hard? While Blind Grandpa did forcibly abduct us and compel us to marry you, you're only thinking of us. But have you ever asked if we were willing to marry you?"

Qin Mu stopped calculating and looked up in surprise. Under the lamplight, Saintess Xiang appeared both reluctant and shy.

"Sister Xiang, are you willing to marry me?" Qin Mu asked, his eyes wide.

Si Yunxiang lowered her gaze, her head bowed shyly, the beads on her phoenix coronet gently swaying, reflecting the alluring colors of jewels in the candlelight.

"I don't believe you."

Qin Mu lowered his head to his book, continuing to study intently. "You had a dagger hidden in your sleeve just now, ready to stab me as soon as I approached. I don't believe you."

Si Yunxiang clenched her fists, cracking her knuckles, and ground her teeth. Suddenly, she furiously drew the small dagger and lunged at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu laughed, leaped up, avoided the dagger, and flicked it with his finger. Si Yunxiang spun rapidly, her large red bridal gown twirling like a crimson lotus. A cold glint flashed in her hand as she fiercely attacked Qin Mu.

Inside the bridal chamber, there was a series of loud bangs and crashes as various pieces of furniture were smashed to splinters.

"Quite lively."

The blind man put down his wine cup, his ears twitched, and he looked perfectly at ease. Smiling, he asked Feng Xiuyun, who was accompanying him, "General Feng, are you married?"

Qin Mu and Si Yunxiang fought for a moment, and he finally gained the upper hand, snatching the dagger and flipping the Saintess onto the bed. He then spanked her backside a few times, getting revenge for her looting his small personal treasury, and continued to immerse himself in his studies.

Si Yunxiang huffily burrowed under the covers, turning her back to him.

Unbeknownst to them, the sky gradually began to lighten, though the world of the Great Ruins remained intensely dark. Qin Mu had read all night, yet he still felt energetic.

Si Yunxiang woke up and found herself, at some point, turned to face Qin Mu. She couldn't help but let out a huff.

Qin Mu turned back and smiled. "You snore when you sleep, but the sound isn't loud, like a cat. It's likely some minor throat issue, probably an aftereffect of qi deviation during cultivation. I've refined a pill for you; take it morning and night, and it should clear up."

Si Yunxiang got out of bed, stretched, and took the spiritual pill.

Qin Mu exhaled slowly, his eyes gleaming. "This time, I'll definitely escape. However, Blind Grandpa only unsealed my Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure, so my magic power isn't enough to teleport very far. That's why I need to use the Dragon Taming Art from the Dragon Husbandry Sutra, to have the flood dragons coil around me and lend me their magic power!"

Si Yunxiang was startled. "You're still leaving?"

Qin Mu chuckled. "Of course. Blind Grandpa always thinks I'll die in Yankang. So, I'll prove to him that if I can escape from his hands, I can also escape from the great catastrophe in the future! There's no one in the world who can kill me!"

Full of confidence, he pushed open the door. Si Yunxiang walked out with him, only to see the blind man standing just outside the round, arched garden gate, watching them with a half-smile.

Si Yunxiang quickly looked at Qin Mu, who also had a smile on his face.

The blind man raised an eyebrow and produced a bamboo staff from somewhere, gently tapping it. "Mu'er, granddaughter-in-law, it's time to eat."

Qin Mu chuckled. "We were just about to eat."

Si Yunxiang felt as if sparks were constantly flying between the two men. Even though the blind man had no eyes, it felt as though their gazes met, creating a silent, intense rivalry.

At the dining table, Ling Yuxiu, as an "old acquaintance," also appeared. The little girl, Fox Ling'er, ate silently with her head down, her displeasure evident on her face, her cheeks puffed out, fuming about something to herself.

"Fatty Dragon, I'll beat you if you're picky!"

The little girl suddenly flared up at Dragon Qilin, scaring him so much he nearly knocked over his food bowl. A group of small flood dragons found it amusing and chuckled.

Dragon Qilin forced a laugh. "Sister Ling'er, I'm not picky. Look, I've even lost half a tael!"

After breakfast, the blind man smiled again, raised an eyebrow, and leisurely said, "Mu'er, the Great Ruins are ahead. Do whatever you wish to do."

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed. "Blind Grandpa sealed my Five-Star Divine Treasure; how could I dare to do anything?"

The blind man chuckled, then extended a finger and tapped Qin Mu's glabella. "Don't say I didn't give you a chance."

Two loud bangs echoed from within Qin Mu. His Five-Star Divine Treasure and other divine treasures burst open, and magic power surged forth. He immediately felt power coursing through his entire body.

"Blind Grandpa is very confident," Qin Mu murmured, narrowing his eyes, his fighting spirit blazing.

The blind man, leaning on his bamboo staff, chuckled. "It's nothing, nothing at all."

Suddenly, Qin Mu stamped his foot heavily. Immediately, incredibly ornate teleportation array patterns materialized around him, glowing brightly, and his figure vanished with a whoosh!

Teleportation divine art!

No sooner had he vanished than the blind man suddenly raised his staff and pointed. Qin Mu instantly fell from mid-air, but as he was falling, incredibly ornate array patterns spun rapidly around him again, and his figure disappeared once more.

The blind man tossed his bamboo staff into the air. Green as jade, it moved and transformed like a coiled dragon, repeatedly tapping into space, interrupting and breaking Qin Mu's teleportation divine art again and again, forcing him to continually reappear.

Qin Mu's figure flickered erratically, but he was forced closer and closer to the courtyard. Finally, the bamboo staff compelled him to land back inside the courtyard.

Before his feet even touched the ground, a flute sound suddenly rang out. Several flood dragons swiftly pounced on the blind man, instantly coiling tightly around him.

The blind man paid no attention. His bamboo staff flew to him, lightly tapping beneath the necks of two flood dragons, which immediately went limp like dead snakes.

At the same time, two more flood dragons flew and landed at Qin Mu's feet. Qin Mu instantly felt a surge of magic power and rapidly made cutting gestures forward with his palms!

Swish, swish, swish! Countless teleportation array patterns erupted wildly, appearing between him and the blind man. The space between them rapidly expanded, making their distance greater and greater. The area between them was entirely filled with shimmering array symbols of various colors!

The blind man's expression subtly changed. He raised his bamboo staff and pursued, tapping it repeatedly to break through array symbols. Suddenly, the surrounding array patterns coiled inwards towards the blind man in the center.

The blind man stopped, allowing the array patterns to engulf him. A look of gratification appeared on his face. "Mu'er, you've won..."

A flash of light occurred, and he was teleported away by the divine art.

Outside Mizushui Pass, the blind man emerged from a flash of light. He looked at Mizushui Pass, remained silent for a moment, then smiled. "You've grown up."