"Moon Shaluo Tree, branches too high to climb. Borrowing a tooth comb, the hairpin returned after use."
The voice of Chen Danqiu, the Academic Palace Sacrificial Official serving as the master of ceremonies, resounded through the wedding scene, amplified by magic.
At the end of the felt carpet, Li Leqing, dressed in a wedding gown, sneakily glanced at Li Ang next to her with the corner of her eye, her gaze filled with shyness and happiness.
Seated at the main seat, Emperor Yu and the Empress exchanged a knowing smile, while Aunt Song clasped her hands over her knees, her face radiating satisfaction.
The Crown Prince and Prince Yue smiled in congratulation. Friends like Yang Yu and Li Wei softly clapped. Yong Hongzhong urged the painter to capture this grand scene. Seniors from the Academic Palace, like Cheng Juxiu and Sui Yi, unleashed brilliant magic, lighting up the night sky.
"Sigh, cheers."
Qiu Feng and Ji Linglang listlessly touched their glasses. He Fanshuang wore a cold expression, silently sipping grape juice. The sword at her waist humd subtly, revealing the turbulence in her heart.
"Heaven weaves and the Weaver crosses the river port, coming to the human world solely for humanity."
Li Ang turned around, his eyes reflecting the figure of Li Leqing. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then hesitated.
"What’s wrong?"
Noticing his subtle expression, Li Leqing asked softly.
...
"What are you doing?!"
In the tense atmosphere of the Mountain Master’s study, Xi Yangyu shouted in accusation.
The Ink Silk Clone did not answer but instead allowed its arms to dissolve, turning into black sludge that covered the surface of the Glazed Tile Box.
The seemingly liquid black sludge actually possessed a strength comparable to solid muscle, squeezing the lid of the Glazed Tile Box hard enough to cause it to crack.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
The sound of cracking intensified, the cracks multiplying.
Drops of sludge seeped through the cracks into the box, exploring downward like the roots of a tree.
BANG!
Finally, the lid of the Glazed Tile Box burst apart, and the Ink Silk tendrils picked up all the bronze box fragnts, holding them in its palm.
At this mont, personnel from the Supervision Departnt were rushing over, their whooshing approach audible even without careful listening.
"You must have foreseen all this, haven’t you?"
The Ink Silk Clone completely ignored external influences, speaking to the bronze box fragnts in its palm, "I know you can. The two Illusion Realms at Luzhou Inn existed for this reason, right?"
"The first Illusion Realm told that a sacrifice must be made. The second Illusion Realm told that a choice must be made between two worlds."
"You took sothing very important to . Return it to , and I shall revive you."
Xi Yangyu leaned against the bookshelf, his face pale. He pressed down on the severed surface of his shoulder with his still-intact left hand. Combined with the weakened telekinesis suppressed by the study’s prohibition, he barely managed to stop the bleeding.
"What are you muttering about?" he rasped. "The Dream Eater won’t respond to you. With the bronze box shattered, it too has fallen into a slumber, unaware of anything in the outside world. It cannot fulfill your desire. The Mo Family has been extinct for hundreds of years. Now, there is no one who can perfectly repair this box integrated with the Dream Eater..."
His words abruptly stopped.
Lying in the liquefied palm of the Ink Silk Clone, the bronze box fragnts emitted a SZZZZZ noise, sending up a lot of bubbles and smoke.
Li Ang could feel a faint will emanating from these fragnts.
He released his hold on the Ink Silk, allowing it to surge towards the bronze box fragnts.
CRACKLE! SNAP!
The fragnts floated, regrouped, and joined together, each crack healing at a visible speed under the effect of the Ink Silk.
Seconds later, a fully intact bronze box erged, as good as new. The price was the Ink Silk Clone being reduced to just one percent of its original mass, becoming a pitiful, palm-sized puddle of sludge sprawling on the ground.
THUD!
The bronze box hit the ground. Its surface bore no obvious traces from the repair. Instead, the entire box was as polished as when it was first made, its many ti-worn inscriptions now fresh and clear.
The Ink Silk Clone, using the last of its energy, extended its delicate tendrils and opened the lid of the box.
...
At the wedding venue, Li Ang smiled complexly. "I am delighted to be with you."
"The Weaver crosses the river at a shallow ford, coming to the Human World just for..."
Chen Danqiu suddenly stopped. The Academic Palace Jade Pendant at his waist was vibrating. Cheng Juxiu, Sui Yi, and others also received an alert from the Academic Palace and looked down at their pendants, causing so disturbance at the scene.
"Eh?"
Li Leqing blinked in confusion.
SNAP.
Ignoring the strict ceremonial protocols and wedding procedures, Li Ang opened his arms and embraced Li Leqing, deeply inhaling the scent of her hair.
"Eh?!?!"
Li Leqing’s face flushed red, and she flailed her arms helplessly. "Put down now! We are in the middle of getting married, stop fooling around!"
...
The mbers of the Supervision Departnt who had remained at the Academic Palace soared through the air toward the academic building, heading straight for the Mountain Master’s study.
So of them hadn’t had ti to put on their hoods, and so weren’t properly dressed in their Supervision Departnt uniforms. They hastily stopped on the top floor of the academic building, gathering in front of the study door.
Then, they saw this scene.
A red long spear was stuck in the glass window of the study facing the mountain forest. Mind Study Master Xi Yangyu’s right arm was severed, and he stood leaning against a bookshelf.
On the floor of the study, the lid of the bronze box was slowly opening, continuously emitting pure darkness.
The light in the entire room seed suppressed, dimming dramatically. A strong sense of dread lood over the Supervision Departnt mbers.
"What in the world is going on, Mr. Xi?" a mber of the Supervision Departnt urgently asked, his gaze unconsciously drawn to Xi Yangyu’s severely mutated left hand.
"Close that box!" Xi Yangyu, preoccupied and clutching his shoulder wound, urgently warned them.
But before he could speak, Ren Xin had already rushed into the study, reaching for the bronze box on the floor.
Then, he reappeared outside the door.
Without any delay, and with no discernible movent, he was simply back outside the door.
What happened?
The mbers of the Supervision Departnt watched Ren Xin instantly return to their side. Belatedly realizing what had occurred, they squeezed through the doorway, rushing towards the bronze box.
Then, they were instantaneously teleported back to the doorway, the corridor, and even farther parts of the Academic Palace.
From the darkness-emitting bronze box, a pair of dark brown beastly eyes slowly rose, eting the gaze of the Ink Silk sludge.
"Sothing is missing..."
"Sothing precious..."
"Why can’t I rember..."
"You took sothing important from ," the Ink Silk sludge issued in a faint voice, murmuring lowly. "Give it back to ."
"...As you wish."
The dark brown beastly eyes slowly nodded.
SNAP.
The talisman lamps and candles in the study went out, then those in the entire academic building, the entire Academic Palace, and the entire Chang’an City.
Darkness spread rapidly. Wherever it reached, everything was engulfed in absolute blackness.
The people at the wedding venue saw the changes in Chang’an City from afar and cried out in shock. Li Ang just held Li Leqing tightly, gently saying, "Thank you, and I’m sorry."
In the next instant, the moonlight and the stars all extinguished simultaneously.
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