As soon as he submitted the request, a dark light flashed, swallowing the entire cavern for a moment.
Then the lake started boiling.
SV could hear cries of anguish mixed with joy coming from the lake as its volume started to dwindle.
He once had an idea to evaporate the lake, but it wasn't possible at the time. Now it seems that the approach was indeed correct.
Suddenly, several figures appeared at the edge of the lake and started blasting it, accelerating the process.
Yun Jierou and her group had woken up.
It didn't take long for the lake to disappear. As soon as it did, a system notification flashed in front of SV's eyes.
[Your 'Quest: Nightmare' has been completed.]
Just as SV wanted to check on his reward, the group gathered around the formation.
SV wondered whether they have dealt with the BOSS yet. But he didn't have time to dwell on the thought as the group started blasting the formation.
It wasn't long before the formation was wiped out and bluish-white particles floated from it.
The group wanted to blast the particles as well, but Yun Jierou stopped them, and when the particles coalesced into SV, the group breathed a sigh of relief.
SV smiled and waved at them before frowning as he looked at the grey hair on Yun Jierou's temples. He wondered whether it was always like that before quickly dismissing the thought. He was certain there were no whites in her hair before, so it probably had something to do with the force that released him.
She wasn't so useless, after all.
Yun Jierou's eyes crinkled as she cupped her hands and bowed, "□□□". Her group followed her motion.
SV was speechless as he returned the courtesy, then said, "I don't understand you."
Yun Jierou simply shook her head in wry amusement. After all, how could she not know that he wouldn't understand her?
SV chuckled, "no matter. Anyway, the BOSS, the BOSS." He repeated, knowing that she knew what the BOSS was. Then he did a questioning gesture.
Yun Jierou nodded and then shook her head.
Eh, what was that supposed to mean? SV titled his head in confusion.
Just then, the space around them started to collapse, the ground started to shake, and the sky cracked, letting chaotically colored fog seep in.
Before he could even begin to understand what was going on, Yun Jierou gave him a look and then turned into a stream and disappeared with her group.
SV was stunned for three seconds. So he was just left behind like this? He looked around at the rapidly collapsing space and simply sat down.
Anyway, he had no way to escape, so he might as well wait to see if Yun Jierou would ask her master for help. That was, after all, the plan.
Just as he wanted to check on his reward to pass the time, he felt a strange sensation wrap around him as he turned into a stream and disappeared.
A magnificent hall with an otherworldly aura and the smell of incense and agarwood in the air greeted his senses.
[You have discovered Primordial Star Pavillion.]
[A quest has been generated.]
SV blinked and found himself standing in front of a hunched-back old woman with Yun Jierou standing to her right. Her group, on the other hand, stood at attention to his right.
The old woman held a cane; her grey eyes were unfocused, and she was dressed in the same colors as Yun Jieoru.
SV immediately cupped his hands and bowed.
The old woman remained motionless for a few seconds, the silence in the hall strangely stiffling.
SV wondered what the silence was for and whether she was divining him, and if she was, then why was it that he received no notifications? SV looked at the stiff group and then at Yun Jierou, only to see her avert her gaze, her fingers pinching her sleeve.
SV raised a nonexistent eyebrow, a bad feeling creeping up on him. Surely, she wasn't planning on defaulting on her debt, was she?
Just then, the old woman tapped her cane once and sighed. She turned to Yun Jierou and shook her head.
"□□□," Yun Jierou hurriedly wanted to argue. But the old woman simply looked at her, and Yun Jierou wilted. But then she seemed to gather her courage and argued her case back.
SV raised a nonexistent eyebrow at the back and forth between the master and her disciple, wishing he could understand what they were saying.
He looked at the group on the right as they were trying their hardest to be like air and pretending that they hadn't heard anything, and it simply fueled his curiosity further.
No matter. SV simply waited.
The argument continued for a while until the old woman tapped her cane once more, causing Yun Jierou to flinch and stop. She turned away, her figure the definition of dejection.
The old woman looked at her disciple for a moment and sighed, seemingly relenting, "□□□."
Yun Jierou's eyes brightened as she stared at SV with hope.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" SV said.
The old woman tapped her cane once, and a light suddenly enveloped SV.
SV felt a slight headache.
He then heard the old woman speak, "young man, this old woman has a question for you."
He still didn't know what language she was speaking, but he could somehow understand her words. He seemed to know how to speak in that language too.
He blinked and said, "please."
The old woman seemed to want to say something but then remained quiet. Yun Jierou on the side had her head lowered once again at some point, and she was pinching her sleeves.
"Say, young man," the old woman spoke gently, "what do you think of this old woman's disciple?"
SV was stunned for a moment, the topic catching him off guard, "sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean."
"It's a simple question, young man."
SV was confused for a moment, but he said honeslty, "she's clever, strong, and beautiful."
The old woman nodded gently then continued, "say young man, if this old woman were to betroth her to you, would you agree?"
SV was stunned, the hall became eerily quiet. He looked at Yun Jierou, and he could see that her head was lowered even further; the group on the right was pretending to be dead.
He pointed at himself, then at her, then said after a moment of silence, "I cannot feel sexual attraction to women."
This was one of his defects. He did find women attractive, but they didn't attract him sexually. To give an analogy, it was like someone appreciating a piece of art; they would find it attractive, but they wouldn't think about mating with it.
The old woman nodded, "she knows."
"Then what is the point?" SV frowned.
The old woman looked at her disciple and sighed, "it's a long story, young man. Forget it, let her tell you herself. So do you agree or not?"
SV's frown deepened, "but I won't be able to love her."
"She understands."
"This isn't my true body."
"She understands."
"I am technically not human."
"She'll agree even if you were a pig!" The old woman said with bitterness, eliciting an admonishing "Master!" From Yun Jierou. The old woman waved her hand airily.
SV speechlessly stroked his beard and looked at Yun Jierou. She seemed to sense his gaze and gave him a furtive glance.
This didn't make sense. She suddenly started to like him? Wasn't the shift a bit too abrupt?
"Does she like me?" SV asked.
The old woman smiled, "you are very blunt, young man. I understand your concern. I assure you there is no ploy involved here."
SV's frown deepened, "is there a catch I'm not aware of here? I don't understand the etiquette around here. Heck, I don't understand much of my own world's culture."
The old woman sighed, "young man, you don't have to be so guarded. It is a simple question."
SV stroked his beard and sighed, "this is too good to be true. I only have one final question: Will my freedom be limited?"
The old woman shook her head, "fret not; you are free to go wherever your legs take you."
SV remained silent and sighed, "I don't understand. You're brining up such a topic all of a sudden. This whole thing is making me confused." He paused and then continued, "but, no matter. I don't see myself losing anything here. Heck, I stand to gain everything." He looked at Yun Jierou for a moment, "I have no reason to refuse."
He then cupped his hands and bowed, "it would be my honor."
The old woman tapped her cane once, and a parchment floated in front of Yun Jierou, who unhesitatingly wrote something on it.
Then the parchment floated in front of SV. He looked at it and saw that it was a pretty simple contract. It stipulated that the people on this document are legally married. Yun Jierou's name was written under the wife section.
"Write your name with Mana," the old woman said.
"I don't know how to," SV said.
The old woman smiled, "simply feel your Mana and guide it. You should be able to grasp the feeling quickly."
SV closed his eyes and tried to sense the Mana within him. Surprisingly, it was indeed very simple. He could feel a strange lump of energy gathered around his core.
He thought for a moment before writing his name as it appeared on the panel, 'SV#479'.
The parchment turned translucent, and an identical copy appeared, one entering him and another entering Yun Jierou. A system notification flashed.
[You have entered a marriage.]
SV paused for a moment, surprised that it was actually approved by the system.
He turned to look at Yun Jierou, who had also looked at him with crinkled eyes, her joy palpable. The scene was frozen for a moment.
The old woman tapped her cane, attracting their attention. She looked at the two of them and sighed as she turned around and slowly walked deeper into the hall. "Jierou, don't forget to consolidate your gains."
Yun Jierou cupped her hands and bowed. "Yes, Master." She then turned to look at SV. "Husband, please follow me."
SV raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "You're quick to change your form of address."
Yun Jierou's eyes crinkled. "This Y—I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Does it displease you?"
SV shook his head and followed her to a side door, "No matter."
The door closed, leaving the petrified four alone in the hall.
Yun Jierou led the way, walking to SV's right. The walk was strangely awkward.
"You don't have to walk behind me now?"
"Husband is naturally different from other men now."
"Then why don't you walk in front?"
"I want to walk by your side."
"Such a strange thing to say."
Yun Jierou remained quiet for a moment before whispering, "I hope that one day you'll feel the same way."
SV shook his head. A strange, somber quiet descending on the couple.
He looked at his surroundings to keep his mind away from the somber atmosphere. He had to say that this place was massive. They had passed several rooms by now walking down this massive corridor. He suddenly thought of something to break the silence.
"How long to reach there?" He made the same old gestures he once did to signify distance.
Yun Jierou's eyes crinkled, and she chuckled; it was the first time SV heard her laugh.
"We're almost there, husband. Please be patient."
A minute or two later, the two arrived in a room, and Yun Jierou entered. SV followed, and Yun Jierou closed the door.
SV looked at the room. A simple bed, a wardrobe of sorts, a rack of swords and other strange items, and a cushion at the center of strange patterns.
A clear, soothing, and refreshing fragrance hit his nostrils. A bit girlish, too flowery for his tastes. SV felt a slight aversion but didn't show it.
There was a window to the side displaying the adjacent mountain tops and buildings, displaying clearly their current height.
SV approached the window and looked around. Surprisingly, they were far above the clouds, as the dense white fog at the bottom of the mountains indicated. He looked around and could see some figures going here and there. Some dojo-like buildings and houses were scattered along the steep faces and tops.
SV had to sigh that this place was truly unfriendly to non-avian creatures.
He turned to look at Yun Jierou and saw her sitting on the bed.
He went ahead and unceremoniously sat on the bed too, "I want my explanation."
Yun Jierou paused for a moment before nodding.
"It is long overdue."