In the yard of a house decorated with red lanterns and flowers of different vibrant colours, loacted near the center of crouching fish village.
People were sitting on wooden stools, watching the grand wedding of the former village chief's son with the village's most beautiful girl.
"Didn't i tell you? They were fated to be together"
"Oh shut up old Lao! You were always trying to set up mie'ren with your youngest "
"Oh my goddess! They look so good together. Childhood sweethearts to husband and wife, thier story like a fairy tale. Finally a happy ending"
"I wish old jiu were here to see his son on this auspicious day. He would be shouting from joy."
Old people of the village were gossiping while looking at the couple standing on the stage.
Young men of the village were sending envious gaze directed at the groom. While the maidens were holding back thier tears and shooting envious looks towards the bride.
Standing at the wedding stage were the childhood sweethearts that the villagers didnt get tire of talking about all the time.
The groom with black hair and sharp jawline wearing a white robe embroidered with silver threads, a crown adorned on top of his head.
The girl wearing a red traditional dress with golden threads highlights adding to her beauty. Her face while covered with a veil couldn't hide her beauty. Her deep blue eyes showing her happiness.
"Bow to your parents" said the priest standing on the stage.
The couple bowed, thier eyes holding a tinge of sadness as the priest mentioned thier parents.
"Bow to your ancestors
"Bow to the earths and the heavens "
The couple bowed as they follwed the ceremonial traditions.
"As a witness under the heaven and the earth, you both will become husband and wif"
The priest wanted to finish the sacred ceremony but was interrupted by a sudden flash of light before he could complete the ceremony.
"Oh my! What talent! Girl, you have immortal fate, do you want to come with me to my sect and become an immortal and soar to the heavens"
A woman with white hair and light blue eyes wearing a white veil and classy robe appeared out of thin air above the wedding stage. Her body like the goddess love, drawing attention of everyone present.
Getting thier bearing back, the people present in the wedding started screaming and suddenly bowed down towards the woman hovering in the air.
""Oh Immortal goddess! We pay our respects to the immortal""
The fairy ignored them and looked towards the bride to be.
Bing mie'ren put on the spot, pointed her fingers towards herself and asked stuttering
"Y..y..you m..ean me?"
"Yes my child, you." The woman replied, her ethereal voice ringing throughout the yard.
"D..dd...do i have to follow you for cultivating?" Asked Bing Mie'ren, confused and carried along the flow of the immortal woman.
"Yes child. The qi here is very poor and my sect can provide you with resources that one cannot even dream of. Your spiritual roots are of heaven level. You fate is far beyond what these mortal can comprehend. " she said camly but her voice betraying a hind of greed and obsession.
"I don't want to follow you, I love my husband very much. If becoming an immortal means separating from my beloved then I don't want such immortality." Finally getting her bearing Bing Mie'ren answered without stuttering.
The fairy finally glanced at the man standing beside her future disciple. She frowned.
" Child, while this boy here has some potential to cultivate he is nowhere near you. Even if you both cultivate, you will leave him in dust. Moreover with your talent it's a miracle that no one has noticed you yet.
"If people with bad intentions find out about you, your fate will be worse than death."
The woman said to Bing Mie'ren then looked at the man once again and asked
"Can you protect her from the other cultivtors? Can you provide for her cultivation needs? Even if she refuses to cultivate, someone will definitely notice her talent and take her away from you.
"Tell me boy can you protect her?"
Jiu Xian clentched his fists tightly and thought about what the immortal had just said.
While he could fight back mortals he could not defend against the ones that immortal woman called cultivators.
While he could keep her happy, he could not provide her immortal her with the resources that the woman mentioned.
Feeling anger and annoyance at the situation, he took a deep breath to calm down then looked at his bride to be.
"Immortal fairy, can I talk to Mie'ren alone?"
"Hmm" the woman nodded.
He held Mie'ren's hand and led her inside the small house.
Inside of the house, the hall was decorated with rose petals and candles.
"What do you want Mie'ren?"
"I... I don't know Xian. I love you and want to stay with you while a little part of my heart wants to go out with the immortal fairy and explore the world."
Jiu Xian heard her words and went deep into his own thoughts.
He remembered back when they were little kids, how Mie'ren used to excitedly talk about the world outside thier village. The legends of immortals and the beasts they slew. The rumored tower of immortality.
He remembered how the villagers forced Mie'ren to grow up and give up her dreams. How they tried to mold her into a 'normal' member of the village.
He remembered his father saying to him
'Son, when you find someone you love. You have to support them with all your being. If you can't support them then you have to make sure that you should not be the shackle that holds them down.'
He looked at Mie'ren with an affectionate gaze and finally decided to free her from her shackles.
"Mie'ren, i also love you very much. And as much as i love you , i dont want to be the reason that holds you back. You have always wanted to get out of this well, known as crouching fish village."
"Xian..." Mie'ren hugged him while tears bawled out of her eyes.
"Don't cry Mie'ren. It's not our final good bye. You can write me letters and maybe you can even visit me sometimes."
They both hugged for a long time. A thousand words left unsaid between them. A love that was supposed to be a fairy tale destroyed by a fairy appearing out of nowhere.
"Come on Mie'ren, lets go to the immortal fairy." Jiu xian held Bing Mie'ren's hand and started to go back towards the yard when the fairy suddenly appeared inside thier house.
"No need to seek me. I am already here." The fairy said looking at the couple with a astonished look.
"I have to admit. I have traveled far and long but rarely have I seen a youth as calm and collected as you. While I cannot take you with me to my sect as it is a female exclusive sect, i will give you this jade and this ring. This can give you some hope.
"If you have the fate and reach golden core before 100 years then you can find Mie'ren at Ice Jade Palace."
The immortal waved her hand and Bing Mie'ren hovered towards her slowly. She took her and and dissappeared with her. The rose petals flew away and the candles extinguished.
Jiu Xian now alone in the house. The house that he decorated with rore petals that now flew away and the candles were now extinguished just like his heart.
While he talked big and supported her, it did not mean that he did not feel any pain. His heart, broken like shattered glass.
He looked at the spot that his beloved and that immortal vanished and forced his tears back, did his best to put on a smile and walked towards the yard.
"PEOPLE! My Mie'ren is going to become an immortal. It calls for celebration. TODAY WE DRINK TILL WE DROP DEAD!!! A TOAST TO MIE'REN "
Jiu Xiu addressed the people at the wedding and poured himself a drink from the ceramic bottle.
The elders of the village looked at him with pity. The young men of the villaged were gloating and the single women' eyes were filled with some hope?
At a long distance from the village.
"Child, don't cry. You are lucky to have someone who loves you and understands you like this, but he doesn't have the strength to protect you.
"Hmm... How about this. You become strong so you can protect him" Bai ruexue said to Bing Mie'ren. While fully aware that they are going to be part of different worlds and that time is a cruel mistress.
"Hmm." Bing Mie'ren nodded holding back her tears.
"let's go to the sect and perform the initiation ceremony "
They both flew off to the distant horizon.
Meanwhile at the village Jiu Xian kept on drinking. Each glass of wine helped him drown his sorrow. The pain becoming numb and his eyes losing thier clarity.