Chương 19: Frozen wedding

We didn't go to the Frozen Pavilion immediately, because I want to get equipped with Core artifacts and talismans, and perhaps gain another level or two as to not be too weak. I may need to fight someone for prestige, or just because. Cultivators were dicks, even the women. So, two weeks later I was ready, and removed the Heartstone plate from the inn, then embraced my wife for a quick flight to her sect. Nascent Souls can move very fast, so the trip didn't take weeks, or hours. Minutes... at most.

We arrived at the ice spires marking the entrance into the sect, and I noticed a long line of women waiting their turn. Most of them will not qualify as an outer disciple, that was the harsh truth of this world. And the Frozen Pavilion standards could not even compare with the harsher requirements of the Central Continent. A Nascent Soul would barely qualify as an outer disciple there. I scanned the faces below, and recognized someone.

"Let's go down. I saw a friend." I asked Quinhue, who coughed in warning. The woman whom I saved from slavery had just arrived to the main sect, among thousands others.

"Hello, my lady. We meet again..." I said with a grin. I was also flying one foot above the ground, and without a sword this time.

"Errr. When did? Oh. You're that hero..." she remembered and smiled kindly. I touched her forehead and scanned her body, making sure her meridians were in good order.

"Yes, I am Pef Tian, the hero without a map, as they call me. I never learned why..." I whispered in a secretive voice. The woman laughed in return." I am Mina. And I won't tell you why you have that nickname. It's fits though." she added for no reason.

"We should go, Pef Tian. My Sect Master sent a snowmind to let me know we are seen." Quinhue spoke in a low voice.

"Until next time, Lady Mina. When I have time, I'll come find you and beat you up with a stick." I offered politely, then flew up to be grabbed by my wife and rushed into her sect.

"Who is that friend of yours?" my wife asked a bit jealous.

"Just a woman I saved from slavery. Her name is Mina." I said with a calm voice.

"... Hmmm. Scumbag..." my wife guessed at my reasons. Sadly, we just arrived in the main hall, where 4 other Nascent Souls and dozens of Core Realms were waiting for us. Having a marital argument could wait. Right now, we had other marital issues.

"Venerable Quinhue, is this your heroic husband? We heard so much about him..." another old woman asked in a teasing voice.

"Pef Tian is the man I love, yes. Our first meeting was... complex and full of misunderstandings, but we solved all of our problems since then. He is also a Tier 3 Alchemist." my wife introduced me to her peers, with a small bow. I nodded and smiled. What else could I say? My introduction was perfect.

"Indeed. I once found this man charging head first into a slaver camp near the border. Outnumbered and outmatched, he fought with skill and bravery while he cried for freedom... and still killed 3 stronger cultivators. I can vouch for his bravery." a certain fairy argued on my behalf, which I guessed was Fenghue.

"Pef Tian made some pills in front of me. His Alchemy is excellent." the Sect Master vouched too. Another Core realm woman with an azure veil stood up, and pointed at me.

"I remember him too. He saved a young woman from slavery, near the border. She joined our sect since then." I just waited, curious what this was about. Some rite of passage? A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Testimonies aside, we still need to test him. The trial of the sword!" the second Venerable demanded out loud. I took out my wooden sword.

"No problem. I can beat up a few women if you want me to. I prefer a different arena with women, but you are the hosts." I offered politely. Quinhue burst into laughter, and her sister Fenghue followed as well, although nobody else laughed. My Core Realm friend jumped in front of me, and measured my wood sword with a glare.

"We can give you a better sword if you are poor..." she offered with pity. I just moved, using Tian's skill to blur ahead, sling into the Wind and severed her veil with sword qi, then rested my wood sword on her neck.

"The sword is only a tool, fellow Daoist. The hand that guides the sword matters more. Still, you are quite pretty. No need to hide behind a veil like some ugly woman..." I continued with a wry smile. I could hear my wife groan in embarrassment, while her friend laughed again.

"I should have mentioned that our hero is really funny. Now you learned it too..." My defeated opponent blushed hard, and patted her face.

"You are skilled indeed, Pef Tian. It is my honor to lose at your hand." I nodded gravely.

"Now you know, Elder. Who else wants this honor? I can do this all day..." I asked with a grin and drew back my sword.

"Enough! Don't shame our sect with your petty games, Venerable Long. Unless you want all our Elders to unveil for this man?" the Sect Master argued with the second old hag. Ah, politics. I... loved them a bit. When they benefited me. The last Nascent Soul remained silent, but I felt her qi moved around me and test my core.

"I like him. Not a proper hero, but an honest one." Eh? What did that mean? I faked my heroic acts so hard! Did she see through me?

"You stay, Elder Zhang. The rest can go!" the Sect Master demanded, making the other Core cultivators fly away.

"Pef Tian! Do you know what it means to unveil a Frozen Elder?" the third Venerable asked, with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"It means... I have better skills?" I offered with a shrug.

"Haha! So honest. It's an old custom our sect had, for finding a good husband for our female members. That's why the Sect Master chased the other women away. You would take them all in your bed otherwise..." the Venerable explained with a giggle, then coughed in pain. Ah, the 'hard to cure illness' plot. Tian, you're the expert on those. The Immortal Emperor did encounter all the cultivation plots you could think of, which was quite natural for a karmic hero.

Following my instincts, I walked next to the sick Venerable and grabbed her wrist. Blood curse? Or some demonic poison? Maybe both... yeah.

"I can't heal you yet. Keep yourself on ice for a year or two, to stop the spread." I demanded with a medical voice, then walked away and returned to my wife.

"Sure. I was going to do that anyway..." the Venerable woman muttered and sped away, so fast I could barely see it. Still, I couldn't see anything before my Core, so... progress!

"... Right. So, I guess we can have two weddings then. Unless Elder Zhang is opposed?" the Sect Master asked the unveiled woman.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Pef Tian, you are indeed a source of constant amazement! If only I was 200 years younger!" Fenghue proclaimed in a silly voice.

"You're the same age as me, idiot!" Quinhue muttered in a low voice.

"I know! This is too funny! Let's go and get you dressed in red, my dear sister. And... Elder Zhang too, right?" Fenghue asked in a teasing voice. My unexpected second (sixth) wife nodded slowly, while her face and neck turned red.

"I lost fair and square..." she whispered in a daze, then walked after the two Nascent Souls into a room out back.

"Are you upset, Pef Tian? I heard you have more wives in your sect. One more should not be a problem." The Sect Master asked as I looked a bit sad.

"It's not that. Fenghue was more fun and interesting. We liberated a slave camp together, you know? A friendship forged in battle is different. I barely know Elder Zhang..." I said with a disgruntled voice.

"..." The Sect Master glared at me with deadly eyes.

"Oh? Do you think your candidate is acceptable for one Venerable, but not the other? Despite them being friends for centuries?" the second Venerable interjected with a viper voice.

"... On the contrary. Fenghue did seem interested. And a trial was held. However... I sense there is something more at work here. Am I right, young hero?" The Sect Master asked frankly.

"You noticed Quinhue has gained two levels since we met. I can help Fenghue too. In a year they could both reach Peak Nascent Soul." I offered as trade.

"And Quinhue's pure Yin is still intact. It's not a demonic technique, is it?" the second Venerable asked in a harsher voice. I shook my head.

"Not demonic. I have a special body too. Women grow stronger... if we make love." I whispered as my neck blushed hard. The two old hags glanced at each other.

"Maybe I should call the Core Elders back." the Sect Master spoke with the same viper voice.

"Maybe. But we will wait... and see." the Venerable said cautiously, then turned to me." Why do you want to beat up that outer disciple, Pef Tian? I thought you were friends." I nodded kindly.

"Because of that, Venerable. I don't want Mina to die at Foundation."

"Very well. I'll have young Mina brought to your yard tomorrow. Until then... your wedding night is upon us! Let's have some fun!" the Venerable cackled like a crazy witch.