NOVEL NEXT Chapter 125: The Divination
Chapter 125: The Divination
“Brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts, don’t let those four bad guys spoil your mood. Let’s continue playing games!”
“Hide-and-seek and peach pits are over. Now let’s play the last game – Playing House. How about it?”
Soon, the ghost children returned to their giggling, carefree selves.
The group exchanged glances… Who exactly were the villains here?
However, everyone’s tense bodies relaxed because the house game was harmless. There would be no deaths.
Moreover, many of the men couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. What if they were chosen by the ghost children to be Jiang Xianyu’s destined partner? It would be a stroke of luck.
Even though the chances were slim, there was still a glimmer of hope, right?
Everyone agreed and said, “Okay.”
“Then let’s begin.”
Like magicians, the ghost children took out a divination stick holder from their pockets. “Each of you will draw a marriage stick to see who is most compatible with whom.”
Zhou Xin frowned and looked at Xu Lian before addressing the ghost children, “Little friends, have you forgotten something? I heard that in the past, when we played House game, the couples that were already in the group were first filtered out before the marriage sticks were drawn.”
Everyone broke into a cold sweat for him. He actually called the ghost children “little friends”… In order to exclude Xu Lian, he was really going all out.
But it made sense. Among all the men in the group, Xu Lian was the only young genius, the only one who could pose a threat to Zhou Xin. As long as Xu Lian was excluded, Zhou Xin’s chances of being chosen as Jiang Xianyu’s partner would increase slightly.
The ghost children didn’t seem to be upset by this statement. They looked at Zhou Xin curiously and said, “I know the rule, but there are no couples among the brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts here.”
This statement left Zhou Xin stunned.
Everyone was confused.
Even Xu Lian and Xiao Xixi were confused. Weren’t they considered a de facto couple?
Zhou Xin pointed at Xu Lian and Xiao Xixi, “He and she have been together during the journey. They’re already a de facto couple. We can all testify to that!”
The ghost children shook their heads, “You are wrong. This brother has had many sisters, and this sister has had many brothers. Because of their many relationships, even though this brother and this sister are together, they don’t count as a couple. They can still participate in the game.”
The fact that the ghost children could sense this was truly impressive… Xu Lian and Xiao Xixi exchanged glances, both of them feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Zhou Xin’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected Xu Lian to be eligible for the game as well. This was beyond his expectations. Xu Lian’s strength was no weaker than his, which made him worry about potential complications.
Xu Lian also felt uneasy. Xiao Xixi could also participate. What if she was assigned to another man? What would he do then?
Besides, Xiao Xixi’s goodwill towards him had already reached 90/100. After surviving the ordeal of hiding together, this was the perfect time to earn progression points. He absolutely couldn’t let her go.
Even putting aside the matter of goodwill, he had already grown fond of Xiao Xixi and would never let another man take her away from him.
Seemingly sensing his concern, Xiao Xixi said with determination, “Brother Xu, don’t worry. If I’m assigned to another man, I’d rather die than agree.”
Everyone was moved. Who would have thought that a woman from the red light district, once determined to turn over a new leaf, could be so devoted to Xu Lian, willing to die rather than change her mind?
Xu Lian opened his mouth, wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent. He wanted to tell Xiao Xixi not to go to such extremes, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He also wanted to make an equivalent promise to her, but he couldn’t, as he wasn’t willing to die for her… He could only remain silent, like a scoundrel.
Not taking the initiative.
Not making any promises.
Xiao Xixi understood his dilemma. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Brother Xu, you don’t need to say anything. I know that I am a fallen woman, and I don’t dare hope to be your only one. As long as you have me in your heart, I’m willing to do anything for you.”
Xu Lian was deeply moved. If she were truly assigned to another man by the ghost children, he would do everything in his power to prevent her from seeking death. He had to find a way to break the rules of the ghost children.
Xu Lian refused to believe that these ghost children were invincible. Was there really no one who could subdue them?
“It’s time to draw the marriage sticks!”
The ghost children giggled as they shook the divination stick holder in their hands.
In reality, it made no difference whether they shook it or not… Xu Lian noticed that each stick was blank, with no distinguishing features.
“Brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts, draw your sticks,” the ghost children said, stopping the shaking.
And so everyone began to draw their sticks.
Perhaps afraid that someone else would take the “good” stick, Zhou Xin deliberately went first and drew one from the middle.
After that, Old Yun squeezed in to draw the second one and chuckled, “This old man still has some strength left. I can still find a destined partner.”
Then, the haughty female cultivator drew her stick.
Xu Lian and Xiao Xixi were in no hurry. They waited for everyone else to choose before they stepped forward and casually picked one.
Jiang Xianyu also seemed unhurried as she took the last remaining staff.
“The two whose staffs show a divination phrase are destined to be partners,” the ghost children said with a smile.
The staffs in everyone’s hands began to glow.
“My staff only has the word ‘none’ on it.”
“Mine too – it is a ‘none’ stick. Whose stick has a phrase?”
People looked around, checking each other’s sticks.
Zhou Xin looked at the “none” stick in his hand with disappointment. This meant that he had no destined connection with Jiang Xianyu; he was not her fated partner.
“The wind plays with the bamboo, sounding like the chime of golden pendants,” Jiang Xianyu murmured as she read the phrase on her stick.
Her eyes turned slightly red. “I have been the captain of this caravan for over three years, traveling the Ghost Child Ridge Route. Have I finally found my partner?”
The group fell silent, their eyes suddenly fixed on her-or more precisely, on the stick in her hand, which bore the phrase: “The wind plays with the bamboo, sounding like the chime of golden pendants”.
After the silence came an uproar. Many of the men’s eyes turned red with envy.
“Miss Jiang’s fated partner has appeared?”
“Who is the lucky one?”
Upon hearing these words, Zhou Xin felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned pale. Jiang Xianyu’s destined partner had appeared, but unfortunately, it wasn’t him.
Xu Lian looked at the stick in his hand, feeling as if it was a hot potato. He wanted to hide it, but he didn’t dare. He wanted to throw it away, but he couldn’t. These ghost children were not to be trifled with.
Xiao Xixi noticed the stick in his hand and softly read the phrase aloud, “The moon’s shadow shifts with the flowers, as if a jade beauty approaches”.
The group fell silent again and their eyes turned to Xiao Xixi who had just read the phrase. Everyone was stunned.
Was Jiang Xianyu’s mate… Xiao Xixi?
No way!
Xiao Xixi blushed and waved her hands quickly. “It’s not me. It’s Brother Xu.”
Xu Lian?
The group was shocked. They looked at the stick in Xu Lian’s hand and indeed saw a divination phrase written on it.
Was he Jiang Xianyu’s destined mate?
Zhou Xin laughed bitterly, his face turning pale. “Of course. In this caravan, he is the only one who can surpass me. Is this fate, or is it just a cruel twist of fate?”
Jiang Xianyu stared at Xu Lian, her gaze becoming complex.
Her first impression of Xu Lian was that of a novice just starting out.
Then, this young man had spent thirty Spirit Stones to spend the night with Xiao Xixi, giving her the impression of someone careless and frivolous, wasting his youth. She had felt a sense of pity for him.
Later, at the Poison Dragon Pool, this young man had revealed his true strength by killing the Black Scorpion.
Although she had expressed her gratitude, she had never held a favorable impression of people who constantly hid their true abilities. Generally, she kept her distance from such individuals.
From the bottom of her heart, she preferred men with sunny dispositions, not those who were overly cautious.
Now, the ghost children’s marriage stick had revealed that her destined partner was Xu Lian. This was unexpected, and her feelings became complicated.
“Now that the marriage sticks have been drawn, it’s time for the wedding ceremony,” the ghost children said, pulling out a red veil and a red silk cloth with a large flower from their pockets as if performing a magic trick.
Everyone’s eyes turned curious, wondering how much the ghost children’s pockets could hold.
Without any visible movement from the ghost children, the red veil was placed on Jiang Xianyu’s head.
The red silk cloth with the large flower appeared in Jiang Xianyu’s hand at one end and in Xu Lian’s hand at the other end. Both of them froze.
Xu Lian looked at Xiao Xixi with a hint of guilt. If she were the bride, the atmosphere would have been perfect and her goodwill toward him would likely have skyrocketed.
Xiao Xixi smiled softly and shook her head, indicating that she was fine. “Congratulations, Brother Xu. This is a fated marriage on Ghost Child Ridge, which means that you and Miss Jiang are truly a good match.”
Xu Lian could only promise, “When we return, I’ll hold a proper wedding ceremony for you.”
Xiao Xixi smiled and nodded. “It will surely be more grand than this wilderness.”
Seeing that she wasn’t upset, Xu Lian felt a little more at ease. After all, this world didn’t place much emphasis on such matters, and given her background, she was naturally more accommodating than most women.
“First bow to Heaven and Earth.”
The ghost children didn’t care about anyone’s thoughts. They just giggled and began the ceremony.
Holding the red silk cloth, Xu Lian and Jiang Xianyu had no choice but to bow stiffly.
“Second bow to the ancestors.”
“Bow to each other as husband and wife.”
“Ceremony complete.”
With the wedding ceremony over, the household game also came to an end.
The ghost children waved goodbye.
“Goodbye, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts.”
“We had a lot of fun playing with you.”
With that, the ghost children, still giggling, held hands and skipped away, disappearing into the forest in an instant. No one knew where they lived.
The group was left in complete silence, all eyes on Xu Lian and Jiang Xianyu, the “newlyweds”.
A marriage ordained by Ghost Child Ridge was no trivial matter. Even after leaving this place, the two of them would have to become true partners within a hundred days. Otherwise, they would face punishment from the ghost children.