Chapter Eighty-Eight: The Trial of the Mission Board

Although Hua Feng had already endured his parents’ pressure to marry during earlier video calls, facing it in person still weighed on him. Especially with Yun Meng beside him, and with less than three years left before he would have to contend with the apocalyptic calamity brought about by the collapse of space and time, he could not help feeling the urgency of time pressing in on him. Many things, he thought, were better settled as quickly as possible.

“In my opinion, if you two won’t go through with it, then I’ll have the marriage registered right now and leave the wedding for later,” Hua Feng’s mother said, pushing her pressure for marriage to the limit.

“What? Register it now?” Hua Feng was a little stunned. What had gotten into the two elders today? Why were they suddenly so anxious to see him married?

“Xiao Feng, don’t blame your mother for urging you,” his father said, his hair already showing more than a little gray, and Hua Feng felt a pang of sorrow. He remembered that the last time he had come home, there had only been a few strands. “We really are afraid. We heard before that you went to Australia and even fought those aliens there, and all sorts of assassination attempts kept happening around you. We’re old now. We can’t take too much excitement anymore. If you could get married sooner, one stone in our hearts would finally be laid to rest.”

Seeing the trace of silver in his father’s hair, Hua Feng felt a little heartache. He could not bear to see the two elders so troubled.

“Brother Hua Feng, are you willing to marry me now?” Yun Meng suddenly asked, looking at their pitiful reaction.

“Of course I am willing... It’s just, Xiao Meng, I haven’t even proposed to you yet. Isn’t it too hasty to marry like this?” Hua Feng was deeply grateful to her, but this was not a trivial matter.

“It’s fine. As long as Xiao Meng knows Brother Hua Feng has me in his heart, that’s enough. Whether there’s a proposal or not doesn’t really matter. Besides, marriage is so convenient now. As long as you apply online and the identity information for both people checks out, you can get an electronic marriage certificate. How wonderful! Let’s apply now and fulfill the elders’ wish!” As she spoke, Yun Meng opened the marriage application page.

“Mm, Xiao Meng, since you’ve said so, then let’s apply now. In the future I’ll treat you well, I promise! And I’m going to hold the best wedding, so that you become the most beautiful bride in this world!” Hua Feng opened the marriage application page at the same time.

“Xiao Meng is the thoughtful one. Your uncle and I don’t even know what to say anymore. From now on, we’ll treat you as our own daughter. If Xiao Feng ever bullies you in the future, just tell Auntie, and I’ll give that boy a proper lesson!” Hua Feng’s parents were overjoyed. They had never imagined the turn of events would come from their future daughter-in-law.

“Do you confirm marrying Shangguan Zuo Meng?” the system prompt sounded.

“Confirm!” Hua Feng answered aloud, his voice carrying emotions too tangled to name.

“Do you confirm marrying Hua Feng?” the system prompted.

“Confirm!” Yun Meng replied, her voice tinged with excitement.

“Congratulations to you both on officially becoming husband and wife. May you grow old together in harmony and remain forever united in heart!” The system prompts rang out for both of them at once.

“Dad, Mom, from now on I’m your daughter-in-law! Starting today, we’re a proper family! From now on, I’ll honor and care for you just as I would my own parents!” Yun Meng suddenly rose from the sofa and knelt to bow deeply to Hua Feng’s parents.

Hua Feng’s mother and father hurried to help their daughter-in-law to her feet. “Good, good. As long as you two live well together, we can take care of ourselves. Xiao Feng finding a sensible wife like you is a blessing earned over several lifetimes. We’re happy for him, and we bless your future days together to be sweet, loving, and lasting all the way to old age!” Hua Feng’s mother said brightly.

“Today we must celebrate properly. I’m going to bring out the Maotai I’ve been saving. Xiao Feng, you must drink with your father today,” Hua Feng’s father said, rising from the sofa to fetch the liquor.

“Dad, take it easy. Xiao Meng and I will just eat something simple,” Hua Feng said. He knew his father, who had trained since childhood and was now at the peak of the Grand King realm, had an astonishing tolerance for alcohol; if he drank with him, he was likely to end up thoroughly drunk.

“Mom, don’t make so many dishes either. We’re just a family eating a home-style meal together and talking. That’s enough.” Hua Feng hurried to stop his mother, fearing she would overwork herself by adding more dishes.

“All right then. You’ve been on the road, so you must already be hungry. I specially prepared salt-baked duck for you today, a hometown flavor you both loved when you were little. Come on, Xiao Meng, Xiao Feng, let’s go eat!” Hua Feng’s mother called.

By the time the family had passed through several rounds of drinks and tasted dishes of every kind, Nanjing glittered under a sea of lights, with countless households glowing warmly. In home after home, families were gathered together, savoring the joy of being with their loved ones.

Late that night, Hua Feng lay on the bed a little dazed from drink, while Yun Meng poured him a cup of hot tea and brewed him some orange peel to help sober him up.

“Brother Hua Feng, does tonight count as our wedding night?” Yun Meng teased as she looked at the hastily arranged bridal room.

“This... if you want it to, it can be, I suppose,” Hua Feng said. His face was flushed by alcohol, and with Yun Meng saying that, a restless heat stirred in him along with the drink.

“Mm, but not tonight. I don’t like being with you when you smell of alcohol...” Yun Meng mentioned such things with a shy voice, so soft it was like a mosquito’s buzz.

“Oh, haha... I was only teasing you. Don’t fuss about it. Let’s have a proper sleep tonight, wife! Who would have thought that coming home once would make you my legal spouse, Xiao Meng?”

Yun Meng leaned against Hua Feng and lay down beside him. Her white silk nightgown with lace trim made her seem like a lotus just rising from the water. Hua Feng suppressed his most primal impulses and simply held her quietly, savoring this rare moment of peace.

The next morning, a message from the Flying Dragon Camp woke them both.

“Message for Hua Feng:

Please go to the reward mission release hall of the Huaxia Cultivators Association and take on an A-rank mission. Raise your reputation at a startling speed. After that, attempt more complex missions and use the mission board trial to enhance your standing in the cultivation world. Time is running short. If others cannot affirm your strength, then the cultivators of Huaxia, as well as certain independent cultivators, will not be able to unite around Huaxia, and we cannot unite every force that can be united to resist the apocalyptic calamity.

Proceed as appropriate. — Flying Dragon Camp”

After reading it, Hua Feng replied: Understood. Please rest assured. I will complete the mission.