Chapter 132: The Covenant

Life drifted by in a blend of chaotic excitement and mundane tranquility, and soon, the end of the year arrived.

Zhou Jingchen had hoped to use the New Year holiday to strengthen his relationship with his future parents-in-law, but plans rarely survive reality. While Wen Xiu had no objections, Yu Qian certainly did. Dating was one thing, but meeting the parents was entirely another. How could she not know her own parents' tempers? If Zhou Jingchen were to win them over, those two darlings would absolutely help him pressure her into marriage. Thus, the idea of spending the New Year together was promptly discarded.

Left with no choice, Zhou Jingchen booked a flight back to Hangzhou for the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. The Han family and Han Su had also been urging him to spend the holiday with them. He kept their kindness close to his heart, planning to follow Wen Xiu’s lead and formally request to become a godson to them upon his return.

Before the New Year festivities began, however, there was one major event: Erlang Shen’s bonding ceremony.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Yu Qian and Wen Xiu turned down Zhou Jingchen’s request to hang out, opting instead to huddle together in a room, watching the livestream of the wedding. To ensure they could witness every detail of the bonding ceremony, Wen Xiu had personally sponsored several high-definition cameras, providing a comprehensive, 360-degree, unobstructed view of the proceedings.

At ten in the morning, Tiantian was already dressed in her makeup, waiting in her immortal dwelling. For this occasion, they were wearing Western-style wedding dresses. Because it was intended as a surprise, the dresses had only been delivered to Tiantian the night before.

Another camera followed Erlang Shen. Since it was a Western-style wedding dress, the flow of the event naturally followed Western customs. He followed the procedures Yu Qian had suggested to come and collect his bride. His groomsmen were the Meishan Brothers and the God of Cookery; his bridesmaids were the three sisters of Xuanyuan Tomb, Sanxiao’s new apprentice Danzhu, and the Brocade-Haired Mouse.

Collecting the bride was simple enough in theory, but the difficulty lay in the bridesmaids’ antics beforehand. While Danzhu was a sincere child, the Su Daji sisters and the Brocade-Haired Mouse were anything but. They had consulted Yu Qian for numerous ways to torment the groom and his groomsmen. From forbidding the use of immortal arts and forcing them to do push-ups using pure physical strength, to demanding red envelopes and singing "Conquer," they went through the whole gamut. In the end, had Tiantian not defected and helped him herself, Erlang Shen would never have been able to find the shoes and carry her off so quickly.

Upon arriving at the Jade Pool, the venue was decorated much like a garden wedding in the mortal realm. Roses, arched flower bridges, a dais, and guest seating—all made breathtakingly beautiful by the enchantments of the gathered deities and immortals.

The officiant for the day was the Heavenly Dao itself. Ever since it had manifested, it had grown bored of its own void. With it present, no one else dared to claim the role of officiant, so it fell to the Heavenly Dao alone. Because there had been no rehearsals, the scene was quite chaotic at first, but once they spotted the Heavenly Dao standing on the dais in a suit, everyone immediately quieted down.

Tiantian was nervous. When it came time to exchange rings, she didn't understand what was happening and burst into tears. Erlang Shen was just as anxious; not knowing how to comfort her, he simply ducked under her veil and kissed her.

"Wow!" Yu Qian gasped, stunned. The scene felt strangely familiar, as if she had seen a similar moment from a celebrity couple’s wedding in her past life.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" The guests were equally shocked. Whether they were ancient deities or sages of old, none had ever seen such a public display of intimacy. They were all incredibly excited, erupting into cheers and applause.

Only when the kisses stopped her tears did Erlang Shen pull back to slide the bride’s ring onto her finger. Tiantian followed suit, placing the groom's ring on him. Because of the public kiss, Tiantian remained flushed for the rest of the day, her face still burning red even when serving tea to Yaoji and the Great Witch Yang.

When she received the red envelopes from the couple, she looked at Erlang Shen, feeling at a loss. "It’s a gift for the change in address, go ahead and keep it," he said, his voice gentle as he ruffled her hair.

Yaoji beamed, unable to hide her joy. Her son had been single for ten thousand years; he was finally married off, and now she could look forward to holding a grandchild. If it were a granddaughter, that would be even better—she was truly tired of stubborn, smelly boys. If she had a little granddaughter, she would pass on everything she knew to her.

The group celebrated until dusk, the time for the formal bonding ceremony. In the Rites of Zhou, weddings took place at dusk, hence the term "dusk ceremony." The Jade Pool had long since been restored to the solemnity required for the bonding, with a touch of traditional Chinese festive flair.

At the entrance to the Jade Pool, Erlang Shen led Tiantian in by the hand. The handsome young man wore a black base garment beneath a red robe, making him look exceptionally heroic and dignified.

"Xiu Xiu, Second Brother looks so good. If he entered show business, those male celebrities wouldn't stand a chance," Yu Qian remarked, completely smitten by Erlang Shen’s face.

"Don't forget that your Zhou Jingchen is also a male celebrity," Wen Xiu said with a laugh.

"Zhou Jingchen isn't as good-looking as Second Brother."

A fan of beauty is nothing if not blunt. Although Zhou Jingchen’s looks were her preferred type, that couldn't hide the fact that he wasn't as handsome as Erlang Shen. Wen Xiu couldn't help but laugh out loud. If Zhou Jingchen knew she was swooning over another man, he would probably explode, right?

After entering, they performed the ritual of hand-washing. One held the ewer to pour water while the other held the bronze basin to catch it. Washing with clear water symbolized purity and being free from defilement. The only thing to note was that the groomsmen washed the bride’s hands, and the bridesmaids washed the groom’s. They had actually fought over these roles, with the winners—the God of Cookery and Su Daji—taking the honors.

Following the hand-washing came the sharing of the meat and the nuptial wine. In the mortal realm, this was known as drinking the "crossed-cup wine," but it was different here. Instead of crossing arms to drink from separate cups, a single vessel of wine was poured into a gourd split into two halves. After bowing, the couple exchanged the halves and drank. Once finished, the two halves were joined back together, symbolizing that they would share both joy and sorrow and become one.

Finally, there was the hair-tying ceremony. "To tie one's hair together as husband and wife, with mutual love and no doubt." This wasn't the version seen in dramas where hair is cut off in the bridal chamber; instead, they each took a lock of hair and bound them together with a red thread. This was the authentic ritual.

With this, the majority of the ceremony was complete, leaving only one step. Witnessed by the Heavenly Dao, the two voluntarily pledged themselves as Dao companions, promising to love and support each other, never to be parted by life or death. The bond certified by the Heavenly Dao created a special connection—what mortal cultivation novels would call a "soul contract." If you die, I die; if you live, I live. A true, inseparable union.

With that, the bonding ceremony officially concluded. As for the bridal night, there were no annoying games common in the mortal world, nor did the groom have to stay out entertaining guests until he was drunk. The couple returned to Erlang Shen’s dwelling at Mount Yuquan to enjoy their own private world. As for the Jade Pool, Yaoji and her husband handled the hospitality.

By the time the entire ceremony was over, a whole day had passed. The two of them hadn't left their room all day; they ate at home, and even the calls to Yu Qian and Wen Xiu’s partners were brushed off with a few perfunctory words before hanging up. Zhou Jingchen had knocked on their door several times, but aside from Auntie Chen, no one came out to see him.

The last time Zhou Jingchen knocked was at 6:30 PM, hoping to catch a meal. But this was exactly when the "dusk ceremony" was beginning, and the two had no time to spare. He had no choice but to finish the meal in silence with Chen Ying before leaving.

Having not seen her all day, he missed her. As the saying goes, "A day apart feels like three autumns," and by his calculations, that was three years without seeing her—he missed her all the more.