“What the hell is the second trial? All I see is water in every direction,” Lin Chen said as he stepped onto the ice platform. He scanned the surroundings again, brows knitting together. “I don’t see anyone else—just you.”

  That made no sense. He was certain several people had cleared the first trial before him, grabbing some easy techniques and leaving early. Yet here, there was nothing. No figures. No movement. Just endless sea.

  Bai Yuexin shook her head. “I don’t know either. I arrived about ten minutes before you.” She glanced around, her expression cautious. “It looks like the second trial separates everyone and assigns them to different locations.”

  Lin Chen sighed. “Argh. Just my luck—to get paired with you.”

  She shot him a sharp look. “Do you think I’m happy about it?”

  Before the argument could continue, the air around them shifted.

  Mist began to rise from the sea, thin at first, then thicker, curling around the ice platform like living breath.

  Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed. “Um… is this your doing?”

  Bai Yuexin answered without hesitation. “No.”

  The mist continued to gather, swallowing the horizon until even the distant sky blurred into nothingness. Sound itself seemed muted, as if the world had been wrapped in thick cotton. Whatever the second trial was, it had finally begun.

  Bai Yuexin’s eyes turned cold. Without hesitation, she raised her hand.

  A frost lotus bloomed in midair—petal after petal of condensed ice forming in an instant. With a sharp flick of her wrist, the lotus shot forward, tearing through the mist in a streak of freezing light.

  It vanished into the fog.

  There was no explosion. No resistance. Not even a ripple.

  The mist closed again as if nothing had happened.

  “…Did it hit anything?” Lin Chen asked, frowning.

  Bai Yuexin lowered her hand slowly, her expression darkening. “No reaction at all.”

  Before Lin Chen could respond, the mist surged.

  It poured in from every direction, thick and cold, swallowing the ice platform in an instant. His vision vanished.

  “Bai Yuexin?” Lin Chen called out, instinctively reaching toward where she had been standing. His hand met nothing but damp air. “Are you there?”

  No answer.

  The world spun.

  For a brief, disorienting moment, Lin Chen felt weightless—then settled, as if placed carefully rather than dropped.

  When his vision cleared, the mist was gone.

  Lin Chen blinked.

  He was no longer standing on ice or surrounded by endless sea. Instead, he found himself seated on a red bed, soft beneath him. The room was bathed entirely in crimson—red drapes, red candles, red silk hanging from the beams. Even the air felt warm and faintly fragrant.

  He looked down.

  “…Why the hell am I in wedding clothes?”

  He was dressed in a groom’s robe—deep red fabric embroidered with coiling golden dragons, the threads faintly glowing with spiritual sheen. The sleeves were wide, formal, heavy with ritual significance.

  Lin Chen’s gaze swept the room again, slower this time.

  A round table with wine cups. A bronze mirror draped in silk. Candles arranged in pairs. Auspicious symbols carved into the walls.

  His expression stiffened.

  “…Don’t tell me.”

  A cold realization crept up his spine.

  “Wedding night?” Lin Chen muttered, finally realizing the role he’d been forced into. From the looks of it, he was the groom.

  “Aiva, are you there?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

  [Yes. As always.]

  There was a brief pause before she added, [Should I congratulate you on your wedding night?]

  Lin Chen’s mouth twitched. “You know, ever since you started developing emotions, you seem to be enjoying situations like this a little too much.”

  [Emotions are beneficial]

  [They provide experiential data I previously lacked. I find them… enjoyable.]

  “That’s great,” Lin Chen sighed. “But maybe you could also look after my emotions? Can’t you see I’m completely confused right now?”

  [I do see that,] Aiva answered. [That is why I attempted to lighten the situation.]

  She continued, her tone turning more analytical.

  [As for what is happening: this is a high-level illusion trial. The foreign energy that attempted to invade your body when you entered the secret realm was designed to interfere with cognition and drag cultivators into mental constructs.]

  [Ordinarily, prolonged exposure would disrupt judgment and emotions.]

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  “And me?” Lin Chen asked.

  [That influence has already been isolated and neutralized,] Aiva said. [Your mind is clear.]

  “Then why didn’t you block this illusion altogether?” Lin Chen frowned. “Why am I still stuck inside it?”

  [As I have explained before,] Aiva replied patiently.

  [I cannot interfere directly with phenomena external to your body. This illusion formation was created by an existence far beyond our current level. Even recognizing it does not grant the ability to resist it outright.]

  Lin Chen clicked his tongue. “Then what about Bai Yuexin? If I’m trapped, she should be too. That means—”

  [She is likely undergoing her own illusion trial.]

  Lin Chen fell silent for a moment. “I hope she makes it through without her mind getting messed up.”

  [I suggest you focus on yourself for now,] Aiva added. [Based on the structure of this illusion, the ‘bride’ should appear soon.]

  Lin Chen’s eyelid twitched. “Why do I feel like I shouldn’t ask what happens next?”

  [That depends,] Aiva replied serenely. [If the bride is beautiful, this trial will likely proceed smoothly.]

  “And if she’s not?”

  [Then,] Aiva said after a brief pause, [this wedding night may become a psychological trauma you will remember for the rest of your cultivation career.]

  “I should run away,” Lin Chen muttered instantly.

  There was no hesitation in his heart—this was one possibility he absolutely did not want to experience.

  Whatever this illusion was, staying put felt like walking straight into a pit.

  He strode toward the door and pushed—

  Nothing.

  “…Of course it’s locked,” he sighed. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  His gaze sharpened. Maybe brute force was the answer. If this was an illusion, smashing the room apart might destabilize the formation entirely.

  [I strongly advise against that,] Aiva said calmly. [Under unknown conditions, using force recklessly may worsen the situation. It is better to observe and adapt.]

  Lin Chen clicked his tongue but stopped himself. “…Fine. I’ll wait.”

  He returned to the bed and sat down, posture stiff, fully alert—like a cultivator waiting for an ambush.

  A moment later, the door creaked open.

  A bride walked in.

  She wore a long red wedding dress, embroidered with faint phoenix patterns. A red veil covered her face, concealing her features. The door closed softly behind her, sealing the room once again.

  Lin Chen narrowed his eyes.

  'At least she doesn’t look… disastrous,' he thought instinctively. Judging by her figure, he could rule out the worst-case scenario.

  The bride sat down beside him on the bed, hands folded neatly in her lap. She didn’t speak—only waited.

  [Psst,] Aiva whispered. [Why aren’t you doing anything?]

  'Why are you so excited?' Lin Chen shot back mentally.

  [This scenario is statistically… interesting.]

  “Traitor,” Lin Chen muttered under his breath.

  After a brief hesitation, he reached out and lifted the red veil.

  He was curious—what kind of face would the illusion give his wife?

  But when he saw what lay behind the veil, his eyes widened in shock.

  Not because the bride was ugly—

  —but because she was Bai Yuexin.

  Her usual sharp, icy expression was gone. Instead, she looked gentle, reserved, even shy. She smiled softly at him, a warmth in her eyes he had never seen before.

  “Hey—Bai Yuexin? It’s you?” Lin Chen blurted out.

  “Yes, husband,” she replied gently, her voice calm and affectionate.

  Lin Chen’s mind blanked.

  “…Husband?”

  That smile. That tone. Something was very, very wrong.

  [Assessment complete,] Aiva said. [She is deeply affected by the illusion. Her cognition has rewritten your relationship.]

  'That is not reassuring,' Lin Chen snapped inwardly.

  [Objectively speaking, this is an excellent opportunity.]

  'Shut up, Aiva.'

  He placed his hands on Bai Yuexin’s shoulders, forcing her to look directly at him. “Do you remember anything else? The secret realm? The trial? How we actually met?”

  She shook her head lightly, cheeks faintly red.

  “I remember everything,” she said softly. “How you pursued me, how you convinced my parents, how kind and warm you’ve always been to me…”

  Lin Chen’s expression stiffened.

  When did any of that happen?!

  The illusion hadn’t just altered the surroundings—it had rewritten an entire past.

  “Bai Yuexin,” Lin Chen said firmly, gripping her shoulders, “listen to me. This isn’t real. This isn’t you. Wake up—be the sharp-tongued, mean woman you’re supposed to be.”

  Her eyes trembled. Then they filled with tears.

  “H-Husband…” she sobbed, clutching his sleeve. “Why are you saying things like that on our wedding night? Do you hate me? You used to call me Yue’er… now you call me by my full name…”

  Lin Chen felt his scalp go numb.

  Why am I the one suffering like this?

  Why is this illusion so detailed?

  First things first—if he let her keep crying, this would spiral completely out of control.

  “Hey, don’t cry,” he said quickly, forcing his tone to soften. “I was just… joking. Really.”

  Slowly, her sobs eased. She looked up at him again, eyes bright, trusting—too trusting. And that was when Lin Chen realized the real problem.

  She wasn’t angry anymore.

  She was expectant.

  Very expectant.

  'Great. Now we’ve reached this part.'

  On the small table beside the bed sat a pair of jade cups filled with crimson wedding wine—the final ritual before the night’s conclusion.

  “Husband,” Bai Yuexin said softly, lifting one of the cups. “Here.”

  Lin Chen stared at it for a long moment, then sighed.

  Even illusions followed mortal customs to the letter.

  He exhaled softly. Fine. One step at a time.

  He lifted his cup and looked at her. Their eyes met—closer than comfort allowed.

  “By this cup,” he said, repeating the words that surfaced in his mind as if they had always been there, “husband and wife share honor and disgrace, life and death.”

  Bai Yuexin’s fingers tightened around her cup. She didn’t look away.

  “From this moment,” she replied, voice steady but low, “whether fortune or calamity, we stand side by side and do not abandon one another.”

  Their arms crossed.

  Sleeves brushed. Warmth bled through cloth and skin alike. The distance between them vanished.

  They drank.

  The wine slid down his throat, warm and heavy with spiritual essence, spreading through his chest like a quiet oath taking root.

  Bai Yuexin lowered her cup and looked straight at him, eyes reflecting candlelight.

  “As husband and wife,” she said, “even in danger, we face it together.”

  Lin Chen set his cup aside a moment later. He met her gaze, then let out a faint sigh.

  'If this continues, I might actually fall for her'.

  She was beautiful, gentle, and carried herself like a well-behaved wife. Precisely because of that, Lin Chen knew he had to stay on guard.

  “Husband,” she asked again, her voice barely above a whisper, “should we… begin?”

  Lin Chen didn’t even hesitate.

  He lay back on the bed in one smooth motion and closed his eyes.

  “What are you still doing awake?” he said calmly. “Go to sleep.”

  Just like that.

  Bai Yuexin froze.

  She stared at the man lying there, eyes shut, expression peaceful—far too peaceful—like this was any ordinary night and not a wedding chamber wrapped in red silk and illusion.

  For a long moment, she didn’t move.

  Then her expression slowly changed.

  She clenched her fists and reached for the blanket.

  Her mother’s words surfaced in her mind, clear as day—

  Sometimes men hesitate. When that happens, you must take the initiative.

  Bai Yuexin took a deep breath.

  Meanwhile, Lin Chen, pretending to sleep, frowned inwardly.

  'Why did it suddenly get so quiet…? Did she fall asleep?'

  He cracked one eye open.

  The next instant, the world flipped.

  “Wait—!”

  Too late.

  Bai Yuexin lunged forward, dragging the blanket with her. The candle flames trembled, then dimmed. The bed shook as the red fabric fell over both of them.

  “Bai Yuexin—stop pulling my clothes—!”

  “Where are you touching—?!”

  “Stop! When you wake up, you’ll regret this, I swear—!”

  His protests were swallowed by the illusion as the chamber faded into silence, the formation humming softly—as if extremely satisfied.

  The candles went out.

  The room fell into darkness.

  Lin Chen’s muffled shouts echoed briefly as the candlelight dimmed, shadows swallowing the room.

  And then—the thing he had been most worried about happened anyway.

  The wedding night… was completed.

  After all, illusion or not, he was still a man. Pushed into a corner like that, with Bai Yuexin acting entirely out of character, some things were simply inevitable.

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