Chapter Sixty-Two: Panzi’s Three Bows, Chenxing’s Dark Past

Not far away, two jade-like children with rosy cheeks were walking toward Chen Xing. They came before him, bent at the waist, and saluted, saying, “Greetings, Senior! Master is currently in seclusion and cannot come in person, so he has sent the two of us to offer congratulations. We hope you will forgive him!”

Chen Xing understood that Hongjun was at a critical juncture; with the boundless merit he had gained from the war between gods and demons, he was not far from achieving sainthood. Smiling, he motioned for the two to rise and spoke gently, “You have come a long way; you must be weary. Rest for a while, and later you may join everyone in tasting the spiritual fruits of the island.” The two bowed and withdrew.

At first, Chen Xing thought only these two parties would come to congratulate him on his wedding, for he had few friends in the vast wilderness. To his surprise, not long after, gifts arrived from both the Dragon and Qilin clans, leaving him somewhat astonished.

It was only after Feng Ling’er explained that Chen Xing understood the reason. Though he had once given the Ancestral Dragon and Qilin Ancestor a sound beating, during the catastrophe of the dragon and phoenix, out of regard for Feng Ling’er’s friendship with Nuwa’s little demon, Chen Xing could not bear to see the Phoenix Ancestor perish. He secretly offered a hint, which indirectly saved the other two races as well. Such a great favor could not be forgotten, and the two clans naturally remembered it.

With everyone working together, the wedding ceremony formally began. Chen Xing’s parents emerged slowly from a small building, followed by three unfamiliar faces—two men and a woman. The elderly man was none other than Gu Tianshan, the patriarch of the Gu family to whom Chen Xing had once granted the aura of the Great Dao on Earth. The middle-aged couple behind him were Chen Xing’s birth parents on Earth, Gu Ke and Yun Ke.

Previously, the two women had placed all the people of Earth into a small world created within the Chaos Pearl. Naturally, the Gu family was among them. Nearly ten thousand years had passed since then; those from that era had long perished, and the people within the Chaos Pearl now regarded the small world as their homeland. Earth itself had become a thing of legend.

But because the passage of time for Gu Tianshan and the other two had been frozen by the aura of the Great Dao, they had survived, though ever since they had lived in a state of confusion, not understanding why they were immortal, yet knowing well enough not to reveal this secret. Thus, they lived in hiding for millennia, constantly changing names and homes to avoid those who might recognize them.

They had thought this would be their fate forever, until Chen Xing’s mother brought them out of the small world. With the kindness unique to women of Chinese heritage, she felt that since they were Chen Xing’s birth parents and grandfather, they deserved to know he was alive, especially now that he was to be married. Her heart would not be at ease otherwise. So she asked Nuwa to send her into the small world to bring them out.

As for Chen Xing, he was not overly concerned with blood relations. It was not that he was cold-hearted; with his status and abilities, blood ties could no longer bind him. What weighed on him was that, though it was family strife that led to him being lost, had his parents not found him, he would have lost his life long ago. He could understand, but that did not mean he could forgive.

Now, Chen Xing wished to let go of past grievances. Since his mother wished him to acknowledge them, he would do so. To him, his current parents and sister were his true family.

The elders invited Old Master Gu Tianshan to sit in the center. Chen Wei and He Ying seated themselves to his left. Looking at Chen Xing and the two women before her, He Ying’s eyes revealed satisfaction.

Gu Ke and Yun Ke sat on the old man’s right. Gu Ke gazed at Chen Xing with a deeply complicated expression—who could have imagined that the son he thought long dead was now an exalted immortal? Beside him, Yun Ke’s eyes brimmed with tears, full of regret, pain, and comfort, which stirred something within Chen Xing.

Sitting at the center, Old Master Gu suppressed the joy of regaining his lost grandson, stroked his beard, and said, “The auspicious hour has arrived. Let us begin!”

The plump man acting as master of ceremonies shouted, “The auspicious hour is here! The bride and groom, kneel and bow!”

Chen Xing led the two women forward, kneeling before their elders as arranged. In all the myriad worlds, these were perhaps the only people before whom Chen Xing would kneel.

Because of Chen Xing’s mysterious status, his mother had revised the wedding procedures repeatedly. Upon reflection, she realized that even Pangu was apprenticed to her son; thus, bowing to Heaven and Earth seemed unnecessary. Yet a wedding ceremony required someone to bow to, so after much deliberation, it became the odd custom before them now. Seeing his mother so enthusiastic, Chen Xing let her be. As long as she was happy, that was enough.

“First bow to your grandfather—begin your journey as a father!”

Chen Xing rolled his eyes at the chubby officiant, knowing these absurd congratulatory phrases were his and his mother’s handiwork. Helplessly, he and the two women bowed.

“Second bow to your parents—may children come early and bring joy to your parents.” Feng Ling’er let out a giggle, only to quickly cover her mouth when Chen Xing glared at her.

The assembled guests were stunned by the outlandish words. No one in the prehistoric world had ever held a wedding before, and curiosity was high, but the unconventional blessings left everyone baffled.

Chen Xing turned to look at the two women beside him, their faces hidden under veils. Both were trembling slightly—he knew they were laughing.

He looked helplessly at his mother, but saw her gazing at the three of them with shining eyes, exchanging glances with Yun Ke from time to time. Chen Xing understood then: they truly wanted grandchildren.

So be it! Let the embarrassment be. With a wry smile, Chen Xing bowed again with the two women.

“Husband and wife bow to each other—may children come soon!” the chubby officiant called, unable to hide his amusement as he looked at the kneeling Chen Xing.

Chen Xing twitched his lips—how eager they were for grandchildren! Alas, they might be disappointed, unless Nuwa and her little demon could reach the peak of the Great Dao Saint, there was but the slimmest of chances.

With a sigh, Chen Xing shook his head inwardly. Let things take their course, he thought, and bowed once more with the two women.

“The ceremony is complete—serve the tea!” the chubby man called out again.

Niu Zhengwei approached, holding a tray with five cups of spiritual tea, green as jade and exuding a refreshing fragrance. Chen Xing picked up the central cup and respectfully offered it to Gu Tianshan. “Grandfather, please drink the tea!”

A flicker of sorrow appeared in the old man’s eyes before he burst into hearty laughter. “Good! Grandfather will drink!” He took the cup, brought it to his lips, and slowly drank. Behind the shield of the teacup, two streams of tears slid down his face, mingling with the tea as he swallowed—a blend of bitterness and sweetness, the taste of which only he could know.

Setting down the cup, the old man took out a jade pendant and handed it to Chen Xing, saying warmly, “I once found this jade by chance on Earth. It may mean little to you now, but I have worn it for countless years. Today I give it to you as a wedding gift.”

Chen Xing received it with both hands, bowing respectfully. “Thank you, Grandfather. I will cherish it.” He had seen the old man’s tears and felt a pang of discomfort. After all, they had not abandoned him intentionally, and they had searched desperately for him afterward. Had he been too indifferent to them all these years?

He sighed inwardly and put the thought aside. There was still plenty of time in the future.

Taking the second cup, he hesitated, but finally handed it to Chen Wei. In that instant, he caught a fleeting look of disappointment in Gu Ke’s eyes.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Chen Xing accepted a gemstone from Chen Wei—a Star Heart, a rare treasure in the prehistoric world.

When Chen Xing offered the third cup to Gu Ke, the man’s hands trembled as he took it, and without regard for the heat, he drank it down in one gulp.

After setting down the cup, Gu Ke’s expression was complicated. He took from his breast a small silver lock on a chain, its surface smooth and worn with touch.

His voice quivered slightly. “When you were a child, I had this peace lock made for you. After you went missing, I kept it with me always. I never thought I would see you again. Today, I give it to you, and fulfill a wish of mine.”

When he finished, Gu Ke’s eyes were brimming with tears, though he tried hard not to let them fall.