The Marriage Tree’s Blessing and a Game of Cards

As the avalanche consumed them, Xia Yi instinctively pulled Bing Yingying into his embrace, holding her fast and denying her any chance to be swept away.

He was resolute; this time, he would not allow the fairy to suffer harm.

A soft hum resonated.

The moment Xia Yi made the choice to shield Bing Yingying, the pink strings adorning their wrists finally deepened to a vibrant, auspicious crimson, a color mirroring the threads of destiny.

The crimson strings then enveloped them both, forming a protective red cocoon, and incidentally bound the snow wolves as well.

Amidst the tumultuous white waves, a streak of vibrant rouge-red light pierced through the raging ice and snow, transforming into two auspicious red magpies that soared in tandem across the resplendent crimson sky.

“Awoo!!”

The two snow wolves, seemingly defying gravity, followed the magpies’ ethereal trajectory, running together through the vast expanse of the sky.

Another wondrous fluctuation rippled through the air, drawing the two magpies to land gracefully upon an ancient, colossal tree at the snow-capped mountain’s summit.

This magnificent tree, adorned with a crown of golden mists and branches of lustrous jade marrow, was intricately draped with countless red strings.

As they settled onto a sturdy branch, the magpies shimmered, transforming into the familiar figures of Xia Yi and Bing Yingying.

The red strings on their wrists, now connected to a distant, high branch at the tree’s apex, slowly began to recede from view.

The ancient giant tree’s crown swayed with a gentle rustle, as though stirred by a passing breeze.

From amidst its golden leaves, two fruits, radiating a soft, shimmering golden aura, descended gracefully to settle between Xia Yi and Bing Yingying.

At the center of their chests, the fruits transformed, each taking on the likeness of the other before merging seamlessly into their respective hearts.

In that instant, the sky blazed with crimson light, while from the ancient tree’s branches, ethereal, garland-like strands of light cascaded downwards.

Ancient melodies, wistful and profound, seemed to ripple across the entirety of heaven and earth.

From the knots of the red strings on their hands, ethereal phantom images of ‘biyiniao’ (TL Note: mythical birds that fly wing-to-wing, symbolizing eternal love) materialized.

These spectral birds circled the ancient tree three times before ascending into the vast cloudscape.

In their wake, withered trees burst forth with new life, ice and snow melted into flowing streams, and the entire icy mountain range was reborn into a vibrant, flourishing landscape, teeming with the verdant vitality of spring.

At the ancient tree’s roots, sweet springs gushed forth from the earth, while a unique fragrance condensed into a delicate, rosy-pink mist.

A single breath of this ethereal vapor was enough to clarify the mind and soul, dispelling all worldly attachments and lingering obsessions.

Beneath the ancient tree, the two snow wolves gazed upwards at the couple on the branch, their hands clasped, their eyes locked in a tender embrace.

Their own eyes, reflecting the scene, were brimming with profound relief and deep contentment.

As a shower of golden light descended, the two snow wolves shimmered, transforming into a male and a female human figure.

“So, true destiny truly does exist” the male figure mused, a hint of wonder in his voice.

‘It makes perfect sense now that the Marriage Tree never acknowledged us.’ “

” Indeed, the female figure echoed, her voice tinged with a distant sadness.

”Back then, our families compelled us to seek the Marriage Fruit beneath this very tree, hoping to avert the backlash from our bloodlines.

Yet, we only found an ill-fated connection.

Had we not managed to attach ourselves to these snow wolves, the Marriage Tree would surely have erased us from existence.”

” Tens of thousands of years have elapsed,” the male figure remarked, a soft smile playing on his lips.

”Do you truly still recall it all? “

” How could I possibly forget?” she retorted, a wistful sigh escaping her lips.

‘The Marriage Tree ensnared us here, condemning us to eternal imprisonment unless we bore witness to a truly auspicious and destined union. “

” It’s true,” he agreed, his gaze sweeping over the now vibrant landscape.

‘Over these tens of millennia, countless individuals have entered, seeking the Marriage Fruit.

Alas, true destiny remained elusive, while ill-fated connections proliferated, gradually transforming this entire secret realm into the ice- and snow-covered expanse it once was.’ “

” The proliferation of ill-fated bonds became so overwhelming,” she explained, ”that the Marriage Tree itself concealed this realm, making it impenetrable even to the Heavenly Dao.

Consequently, every cultivator who entered found their cultivation sealed. “

” To think,’ he mused, a note of pleasant surprise in his voice, ‘that even under such dire circumstances, someone could still manage to reach the Marriage Tree.'”

” Hmph, she scoffed, a flicker of ancestral pride in her eyes.

”My Bing family’s descendants have never been inferior.

That young lass carries my Bing family’s bloodline, but the boy, well, he certainly isn’t one of your Huo family members.”

” Ah, well, that’s true enough,” he conceded with a wave of his hand.

”But it hardly matters now; true love cannot be forced.

Never mind, never mind.

An auspicious union has been witnessed; it is time for us to depart.

Let us leave this moment to the younger generation.'”

” Very well then...” she agreed softly.

As their final words drifted into silence, the two ethereal figures slowly began to dissipate, dissolving into the very essence beneath the ancient Marriage Tree.

Xia Yi and Bing Yingying, having seamlessly merged with the Marriage Fruit, now sat nestled together on a sturdy branch of the ancient Marriage Tree.

The immortal destiny Xia Yi had so patiently awaited was, in essence, this very Marriage Fruit, now embodying the form of Bing Yingying.

With this profound immortal connection finally realized, the moment for his Foundation Establishment had arrived.

Bing Yingying, for her part, had merged with the Marriage Fruit shaped in Xia Yi’s likeness.

Her heart, now fused with the potent fruit, began to pulse with vibrant sky-blue blood, which swiftly devoured and reshaped the entirety of the backlash power within her own bloodline.

Remarkably, her newly transformed bloodline subtly emanated a faint, ethereal glow.

And so, perched upon the Marriage Tree’s venerable branches, in the first spring to grace this place in tens of thousands of years, the two quietly underwent their profound metamorphosis.

****

Meanwhile, beyond the confines of the jade pendant, within the Bing family’s secret realm, a lively card game was underway.

” Pair of threes!”

” Joker bomb!”

” Just a six!”

” No, Senior Sister,” a voice protested, ”we’re the farmers.

Aren’t you just clearing the path for Sister Li?”

” Junior Sister, do not fret,” another voice confidently replied.

”I, your Senior Sister, possess a brilliant strategy.

She cannot possibly defeat me with a mere seventeen cards.”

Chang Zhenli: ‘Two! A plane! I’m out!”

Fei Miaoyun: ………..

Pei Yunxiang: ………..

Bing Xingwen, who had been observing the game, finally spoke, ” Are none of you even slightly concerned about your own juniors?”

” Of course we’re worried,’ one replied,”but what good is worrying when we can’t even enter?

Isn’t that right, my two younger sisters?”

Fei Miaoyun, having just lost a round of rock-paper-scissors to Pei Yunxiang, was in the midst of dealing cards to the three women.

” Indeed” another chimed in,”Sister Li speaks the truth.

Since it’s an heirloom treasure of your Bing family, it must possess extraordinary qualities.

We have no recourse but to place our trust in them.

I want to be the Landlord!”

” Oh, Xingwen,” another interjected, ”do stop pacing; you’re making us dizzy.

We’ve been waiting for an entire month, and the jade pendant still glows, doesn’t it?

Yingying’s life token remains perfectly intact.

Three with one!”

” Yes, Patriarch Bing,”a third added reassuringly.

”Our Yi’er’s aura is as steady as ever, completely undisturbed.

Please, try to relax a little.

Small joker!”

” Junior Sister Miaoyun is quite right, Patriarch Bing,” came another voice.

”Just relax.

It’s entirely possible the two encountered some profound opportunity within the jade pendant, which simply delayed them for a few days.

Big joker, single!”

” Sigh, I truly hope so,” Bing Xingwen murmured, a hint of resignation in his tone.

”Wife, next round, I’ll take your place! “

…………

****

An indeterminate amount of time later, Xia Yi’s eyelids stirred, a subtle tremor passing through them.

As his eyes slowly opened, pure white spiritual energy gently dispersed from their corners, and the unmistakable aura of true Foundation Establishment emanated from his very being.

He had, at last, successfully achieved Foundation Establishment!

Awakening alongside Xia Yi was Bing Yingying, who had remained nestled securely in his embrace throughout their transformation.

Having assimilated the Marriage Fruit, she had not only completely resolved the debilitating backlash within her bloodline but had also achieved a significant breakthrough in her cultivation, reaching the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment, a mere half-step away from Core Formation.

The pervasive coldness and the muted, black-and-white world that had long plagued her had utterly vanished.

Bing Yingying had never once conceived that she might one day behold a world bursting with vibrant colors.

Even now, she found herself subtly questioning if she was, in fact, living within a dream.

The rich tapestry of colors, the melodious symphony of birdsong, the gentle breeze carrying the fresh aroma of green grass, the warm, soft embrace of sunlight, and the comforting presence of him, holding her close—every single detail filled Bing Yingying with an overwhelming sense of joy and profound happiness.

If only her parents could be here with her at this very moment, she knew, this would undoubtedly be the most blissful time of her entire existence.

” Hahaha” a hearty laugh boomed, breaking the serene silence.

”Truly, a fated union acknowledged by the Marriage Tree!

Their eyes are solely for each other; they haven’t even noticed the two of us!”

A hearty peal of laughter abruptly shattered the profound gaze between the two, who had been on the verge of a kiss.

Xia Yi and Bing Yingying turned their heads, following the sound, only to find the two familiar snow wolves standing distinctly before them.

” Juniors,” the male snow wolf began, his voice surprisingly deep, ”we did not intend to interrupt your tender moment.

It is simply that our time is drawing to a close.”

The other snow wolf, displaying a remarkably human-like expression of apology, then spoke in a clear, feminine voice.

” I will be brief, young man!” the male snow wolf declared, a hint of urgency in his tone.

”Though you are not of our Huo family, your spirit fire is truly exceptional.

I shall impart this “Phoenix Fire Art” to you now.

Consider it a reward for helping to liberate me…”

The snow wolf, from whom the hearty male voice had originated, opened its maw, and a small, phoenix-shaped crimson flame was gently expelled.

Without even waiting for Xia Yi’s assent, the miniature phoenix darted directly into his sea of consciousness.

Simultaneously, a vast trove of information—comprising countless fire control techniques, intricate fire-based spells, profound fire refinement methods, and much more—was indelibly imprinted within Xia Yi’s very being.

Having accomplished its task, the male snow wolf’s form became markedly ethereal and transparent, nearly fading from view.

” Child”, the female snow wolf addressed Bing Yingying, her voice gentle yet firm,”as a descendant of my Bing family, the Ice Lotus Heavenly Phoenix Art you practice is incomplete.

Though I am unaware of the current state of our Bing family, take this complete “Ice Lotus Heavenly Phoenix Art.”

However, there is one crucial thing you must remember, and that is…’ “

The female snow wolf chose not to vocalize her final instruction, instead transmitting it secretly directly into Bing Yingying’s mind.

Upon receiving the message, Bing Yingying’s exquisite face rapidly bloomed with a deep crimson flush, and she found herself stealing frequent, furtive glances at Xia Yi, who remained immersed in absorbing the profound information.

” Child, listen closely!” the female snow wolf’s mental voice urged.

”Men are meant to be claimed!

You must relentlessly pursue your own happiness, lest you end up like your ancestor, forcibly wedded to a complete fool! “

The male snow wolf, seemingly hearing the mental transmission, responded with an incredulous: ” ??? “

” I will!” Bing Yingying vowed, her voice firm.

” Mm, that is truly excellent, excellent indeed…’ the female snow wolf acknowledged, a sense of closure in her tone.

”Very well, our time has come.

Farewell.”

As her voice faded into silence, the female snow wolf’s ethereal form gradually became transparent, slowly dissolving until it completely vanished from sight.

” Alright then, you lucky young man,” the male snow wolf grumbled, a hint of affection in his voice.

”When you are presented with the opportunity to make a choice, ensure you never allow yourself to regret it…”

The male snow wolf also followed suit, its form becoming transparent and finally disappearing entirely.