Feng Shui Chapter 146: A Significant Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Cultivators couldn’t afford to delay their seclusion. It was always best to find a quiet spot nearby. Since this was only a breakthrough from the eighth level of the Golden Core stage, a minor one compared to greater realm leaps, it didn’t require elaborate preparation. So, Xi Yunqing simply chose a quiet, secluded chamber within the garden to avoid being disturbed.

The duration of a breakthrough in seclusion was unpredictable. Sometimes it took just three to five days, other times two to three months wasn’t unusual. There were even unfortunate cases where people entered seclusion and never emerged, turning it into a death seclusion.

This breakthrough had much to do with his mental state. For Xi Yunqing, the key was stabilizing his mindset; progress in cultivation was secondary. Even with confidence in his abilities, it would take him at least five days. If things went slower, it could stretch into several months.

If it did take longer, he might miss the chance to present his gift. Just the thought of this brought a faint shadow to his mood. Such emotional disturbance could interfere with the clarity required during seclusion, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease. In the end, Xi Yunqing made up his mind: he had to deal with this matter before shutting himself away.

Under the cover of night, Xi Yunqing came to Chen Xiao’s room. Sitting at the round table, his posture was unusually straight, his expression solemn. The seriousness in his demeanor made Chen Xiao nervous, thinking something important was about to be entrusted to him before Xi Yunqing's seclusion.

Xi Yunqing was silent for a while. Finally, under Chen Xiao’s increasingly puzzled gaze, he spoke:
“Brother Chen, I remember your birthday falls in the fifth month. Or have I misremembered?”

Chen Xiao paused before nodding. “That’s right, it’s in the fifth month.”
This birthday was the one recorded in the household registry, not his real one. His own birthdate had long been forgotten due to being trafficked as a child. After being adopted by Fang Gu, he used the last day of the year as his birthday. And after coming to this world, he naturally followed Hanwa’s recorded birthdate.

Xi Yunqing continued slowly, “This fifth month, you’ll be turning twenty, it’s time for your coming-of-age ceremony. I wonder… would you be willing to let me serve as your officiant?”

Chen Xiao had lived in this world for several years now, but there were still many customs he hadn’t fully grasped. He understood that turning twenty meant adulthood, but he hadn’t thought it was something especially important. In previous years, he had even forgotten his own birthday. Among his companions, he’d never seen anyone make a big deal out of theirs. So this year, even though he’d reached the age of adulthood, he thought at most there’d be a simple birthday meal.

Only now, upon hearing there would be a formal coming-of-age ceremony, did he realize how negligent he had been. He quickly said, “I don’t know much about this sort of thing, big brother. Could you explain it to me in detail?”

Xi Yunqing gave him a look and said,

“On the morning of your birthday, the coming-of-age ceremony will be held. You’ll need to wear formal attire, cultivation robes are fine. You bought a few in Hanshan City, didn’t you? Just pick one you like. At dawn, you’ll fast. Your first meal at mid-morning will be plain cold food, symbolizing the hardships you’ll face as an adult and the endurance to bear them.

Afterward, you’ll bathe, wash your face, and comb your hair. Then, at midday, you’ll draw a bow and shoot three arrows at wild geese. Hitting all three is best. This symbolizes strength and independence as an adult.

At the formal noon hour, I will help tie up your hair into a topknot and place a coronet upon your head. That completes the ceremony.”

Chen Xiao was overwhelmed. He had never imagined the coming-of-age ceremony could be so complex and grand. Even for families with few resources, he could see how they would still go through the formal steps. That he knew none of this was certainly suspicious.

Feeling uneasy, Chen Xiao shifted in his seat and said with guilt,

“Big brother… you may not know, but I once suffered a serious injury. I had a high fever and it left me a little… muddled. I can’t remember much of my past. That’s why something as important as the coming-of-age ceremony completely slipped my mind until you mentioned it.”

Xi Yunqing gazed at him deeply for a moment, then said,

“There’s a reason for your memory loss, and I won’t press you. But the coming-of-age ceremony is one of the most important milestones in a person’s life, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Chen Xiao had experienced Xi Yunqing’s keen insight many times before. He knew his excuse likely hadn’t convinced him. Still, Xi Yunqing didn’t push the issue, and Chen Xiao felt like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. His heart was uneasy, but he dared not tell the truth, unsure how Xi Yunqing would react to the idea of reincarnation in another’s body.

In a low voice, Chen Xiao said, “Thank you for the reminder, big brother.”

Xi Yunqing pressed his lips together slightly, blinking twice. He looked at Chen Xiao and asked softly,

“Now that you understand the significance of the coming-of-age ceremony, would you still be willing to let me serve as the officiant?”

Instead of answering directly, Chen Xiao asked a question in return:

“For that same reason… I want to ask: after the ceremony, does it affect the officiant or the one being honored in any way? And if so, how?”

A faint, nearly imperceptible trace of approval flashed across Xi Yunqing’s face, approval for Chen Xiao’s caution and meticulousness. After carefully considering his words, Xi Yunqing said,

“The officiant of a coming-of-age ceremony serves as a guide who leads the celebrant into adulthood. It’s not a role that just anyone can take on. The identity, status, and background of the officiant will directly influence how others perceive the one undergoing the ceremony.”

In this world, the coming-of-age ceremony is one of the few formal ways a person can acquire a new layer of social standing. If one’s background is lacking, the right officiant’s prestige can compensate and elevate it. Therefore, most people choose someone of high moral standing, strong connections, or powerful influence within their network to serve as the officiant, someone whose support could shape their future.

After the ceremony, the relationship between the officiant and the celebrant becomes one of mutual rise and fall, second only to the bonds between master and disciple, or between blood relatives. That’s why both sides approach the choice with such caution. Unless there’s deep trust and familiarity, no one agrees to it lightly.

Xi Yunqing’s desire to serve as Chen Xiao’s officiant was his way of forging a deeper bond between them.

Within Chen Xiao’s network, Xi Yunqing believed himself to be the most suitable person to guide him into the world of cultivation and genuinely look out for his well-being. However, Chen Xiao was no longer the nameless, penniless youth he once was. If he wanted to, he could easily invite Shen Yonghe or even Han Yuanchun to serve as his officiant.

A celebrant can only have one officiant, but a single officiant can preside over the coming-of-age ceremonies of many others, combing their hair into a topknot, crowning them with a ceremonial hairpiece. Having witnessed the marvels of Chen Xiao’s feng shui abilities, both Shen Yonghe and Han Yuanchun would likely be eager to honor him and build such a bond.

If Xi Yunqing ended up in seclusion for too long and Chen Xiao had to choose someone else, he would deeply regret missing the opportunity. That was why he brought it up now.

Through Xi Yunqing’s explanation, Chen Xiao realized that while the ritual itself was important, what mattered more were the long-term consequences that followed.

If someone were to ask who the most important person in this world was to him, Chen Xiao would, without hesitation, say Xi Yunqing. He couldn’t imagine anyone treating him better than his elder brother, and no one else even entered his mind as a potential officiant. He immediately said, “If you don’t mind, Brother, I would be honored to have you as my officiant.”

Xi Yunqing’s mood visibly brightened at Chen Xiao’s response. His eyes and lips softened with a rare smile. Having achieved his first goal, he moved on to the second, preparing for the possibility that he might miss the ceremony due to seclusion. He didn’t want Chen Xiao’s important life event to be delayed on his account.

Even if he missed the ceremony, knowing he had Chen Xiao’s trust was enough to satisfy him. Still, just in case, he had prepared a gift that would serve in his stead.

From his sleeve, Xi Yunqing took out a jade hairpin. It was finely crafted, elegant in design, its surface a translucent, verdant green. The moment Chen Xiao saw it, he had a strong feeling, and his heart gave a heavy thump. Xi Yunqing held the hairpin before him, eyes lowered as he explained, “This Lanwei Jade Hairpin is a spiritual artifact. It carries the essence of earth and wind, nourishing the wearer and allowing for a lighter, more graceful gait. In combat, it can form a protective barrier and enhance agility. I offer it to you as a birthday gift, meant to be used at the moment your hair is tied into a topknot during the coming-of-age ceremony.”

A tightness rose in Chen Xiao’s chest. He forced himself to remain composed and said, his voice steady but low, “So that’s why you’ve been coming and going so early these past days? All for this hairpin?” His voice was soft, as if afraid that speaking any louder would shatter the beauty and emotion of the moment.

Xi Yunqing didn’t answer. In that moment, standing before Chen Xiao, he found himself even more nervous than he had been during his first major sect competition. He shifted the topic lightly and said, “If I do end up in seclusion and can’t attend, you may ask Shen Yonghe or Han Yuanchun to act as officiant. The coming-of-age ceremony mustn’t be delayed. I hope this hairpin can serve in my place to convey my blessings.”

Chen Xiao nodded solemnly and carefully accepted the hairpin. “I love this gift. But I still hope that, when the time comes, it will be you who places it in my hair.”

After Xi Yunqing entered seclusion, Chen Xiao was left in a daze. He often stared into space, a mysterious smile tugging at his lips. The next day, he subtly probed Shen Yanxing for more information about the coming-of-age ceremony and learned that the bond between officiant and celebrant was even more intimate than he had imagined.

The more he thought about how much effort his brother had put into this, the more Chen Xiao couldn’t help letting his mind wander in a particular direction. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop himself from wondering about the possibility of developing... another kind of relationship with his brother.

Perhaps the world couldn’t bear to see him so idle. Just a few days later, Chen Xiao received an invitation from the royal palace to attend a council meeting and discuss strategies for dealing with the recent sinkhole disaster in the capital.