Chapter 228: Forced into Service
Inside Ping'an Alley. Chen Chang'an stood in the room wearing a great red wedding robe, embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns in gold thread, with a jade belt dropping tassels at his waist.
This attire made the originally plain appearance of this Avatar look increasingly handsome. Yet at this moment, he was like an ant placed on a fire, pacing back and forth inside the room. His fingers unconsciously rubbed his cuffs, and a thin layer of sweat seeped into his palms.
Three days ago, he had just awakened from a long sleep. Out of a strange mindset, he did not immediately tell anyone, but instead spent a whole day in a daze.
He then secretly separated an External Avatar and, inexplicably, came to Ping'an Alley. Standing at the entrance of the alley, he felt momentarily lost.
Ten years ago, this was merely an ordinary market alley; the bluestone slab road was worn smooth by time, and low brick and tile houses lined both sides.
One could smell the fragrance of soy milk and fried dough sticks in the morning and the aroma of meals from various homes in the evening.
But now, the bluestone slabs beneath his feet were still there, yet they possessed a greater sense of ancient charm. Fine, intricate runes were carved into every stone slab, and spiritual energy vaguely circulated through them.
He squatted down, and as his fingertip lightly touched a slab, he actually felt a gentle force of protection. "This is... a City Protection Great Formation?" he murmured, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Looking up, the houses on both sides were no longer the way he remembered. The originally low brick houses had become well-arranged towers and pavilions with raised eaves and carved wooden windows.
Although they were not luxurious, they exuded refinement everywhere. What surprised him most was that spiritual plants were planted in front of nearly every household—either a few Heart-Cleansing Bamboo plants or a wisteria trellis.
There were even a few courtyard walls climbed by the rare Moonlight Splendor Vine, which gleamed with a faint silver light in the sun. "Ping'an Alley... when did it become like this?" he muttered softly.
The magnitude of this change was no less than the transformation of his old home on the Blue Star in his previous life.
The shops from his memory were still there, but the stalls were no longer simple wooden racks; instead, they were elegant little shops, with various names written in vigorous, sweeping calligraphy on their signs.
What shocked him even more was the center of the alley. This was originally an old well where neighbors often gathered to chat.
The old well remained, but it had been transformed into a small lotus pond. The pond water was crystal clear, and several ornamental carp swam leisurely within it.
A stone tablet stood by the pond, inscribed with the characters "Ping'an." The handwriting was slender, yet a Dao Rhyme faintly circulated through it.
Chen Chang'an approached for a closer look and found a line of small text carved beneath the monument: "May this alley be forever safe, and the old friends often return."
...
Just as Chen Chang'an was staring at this small line of text, Aunt Zhang (Zhang Shen) of the embroidery shop let the wooden ladle in her hand drop with a "clang," and her voice abruptly rose: "Mister Chen?! You, you aren't..."
Before she could finish, the entire Ping'an Alley erupted like a boiling pot. "Mister Chen is back!" "Quick, quick, quick! Block him!" "Don't let him run away!"
Thanks to the Immortal Venerable Stage cultivation of his true body, this Avatar now also possessed Longevity Stage cultivation. Yet he, a dignified Longevity Stage cultivator, was pressed down by a group of mortals using all their hands and feet.
What was even more ridiculous was that the neighbors pulled out a set of great red wedding clothes from somewhere and forcefully put them on him without explanation.
He could have easily broken free, but looking at those familiar yet unfamiliar faces—Old Li, the candy maker, had deeper wrinkles, Uncle Wang (Wang Dashu) from the blacksmith shop had white hair, and A'mao, who used to chase people for candy, was now a young man...
He suddenly found himself unable to exert any strength. "What are you doing...?" he tried to explain.
"Shut up!" Aunt Zhang (Zhang Shen) slapped him on the back. "You ran off for ten years; do you know how bitterly Miss A'li waited for you?"
Chen Chang'an was stunned. Ji Hongli... was waiting for him?
Alright, even if she was waiting for him... why did all these people know about it? Before he could figure it out, he was shoved into this side room.
The door closed with a bang, and the clanging of iron chains sounded from outside—they had actually locked him in with a copper lock!
After a long time, Chen Chang'an, still utterly confused, walked to the window and looked out through the carved wooden lattice. In that short period of time, Ping'an Alley had already been decorated with lanterns and colored streamers.
Every household's door was hung with red lanterns, and even the flagstone road was sprinkled with cinnabar powder.
Children laughed and ran through the alley, clutching wedding sweets; women were busy hanging red silk under the eaves, and men carried wine jars in and out.
The entire alley was steeped in festivity. He could not help but touch his chest.
His Longevity Stage cultivation meant he could easily shatter the lock, or even knock out everyone in the entire alley with a single thought.
Yet, the spiritual energy that gathered at his fingertips flickered several times before finally dissipating.
This was not only because he did not want to act, but also because an unfamiliar, fiery emotion was surging in his chest. "Ah'li..." he murmured the name, his Adam's apple bobbing.
He was suddenly startled to realize that since waking up, he had not yet seen Ji Hongli. This thought was like a basin of cold water poured over his head.
Ten years ago, before falling into slumber, he had indeed shouted the heroic words, "When I wake up, I will come to marry you."
But the girl had only glared at him with red-rimmed eyes, never even consenting with a "Yes." What if... what if this was just his wishful thinking?
The image of Ji Hongli's cold face appeared in his mind—although his daughter called her Teacher Little Hei, she habitually wore white clothes after the first time he saw her.
Her brows and eyes always seemed to be frosted with snow, her outer eye corners usually lifted slightly, and her crimson lips were pressed into a thin line.
Chen Chang'an's Adam's apple bobbed, and a thin layer of cold sweat seeped onto his back. "No matter what, it's best to apologize first when we meet..." he muttered to himself.
The spiritual energy on his fingertips subconsciously circulated, only to quickly retract the moment it touched the door lock. —Click.
The sound of the copper lock falling to the ground made his heart jump. While he was lost in thought, the doorway had somehow become crowded with people.
Aunt Zhang held the golden brocade shawl wrapped around scrolling branches, Uncle Wang carried a horsewhip tied with red silk, and even A'mao, who used to have a runny nose, was wearing brand-new indigo long robes.
Seeing him push the door open and step out, everyone's eyes lit up, and the cheers instantly exploded: "The groom is out!"
Chen Chang'an was so stunned by the fanfare that he took half a step back. Before he could speak, he was grabbed by multiple hands and seated in front of a dressing table.
He refused to use rouge and powder, but he couldn't stop Aunt Zhang from insisting on tucking a gold-threaded Chinese flowering crabapple blossom into his temple, and his waist belt was swapped for one decorated with a pair of twin phoenixes holding pearls.
When he finally came to his senses, a bronze mirror was shoved right up to his face. The person in the mirror had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, clad in brilliant red, truly possessing the gallant spirit of a groom.
However, the trace of panic hidden deep in his eyes was clearly visible even to himself. "Ah'li, she..." he tried to ask, but his voice was drowned out by the deafening sound of gongs and drums.
An eight-bearer sedan chair had been prepared at the alley entrance at some unknown time. The sedan curtain was embroidered with twin lotus patterns, and gilded bells hung from its four corners.
The white dragon horse leading the procession, adorned with a red jade on its forehead, even gave a friendly snort upon seeing him.
"Mount the horse!" Amidst the deafening cheers and clamor, Chen Chang'an was pushed onto the horse's back.
The white horse shook its mane and started walking on its own without needing anyone to lead it. His hand clutching the reins trembled slightly. Unknowingly, they rode out of the city.
He looked at the misty mountain road ahead and suddenly realized: Where was this wedding procession taking him?
The sound of string and wind instruments faintly drifted through the morning mist. The sedan bearers walked briskly up the mountain steps, as if walking on clouds.
Chen Chang'an gazed at the increasingly dense fog, when he suddenly heard the clear chime of bells carried on the wind from afar—
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