Alternative timeline AU where Hua Cheng gets so excited to see Xie Lian again that he just swoops them both away on a cloud of butterflies from Mount Yujun to ghost city and just accidentally sets off a series of events in which the heavens genuinely believe that the ghost groom kidnapped Xie Lian.
Fengqing are sent on a man hunt after the ghost groom -> wait itβs a bride -> wait itβs a ghost under Qi Rong -> Qi Rong whereβs Xie Lian, like full on insane comedy of errors.
Meanwhile, Xie Lian is like, "Cool, Iβll pretend to be the doting bride whoβs shy,β but oh, this ghost is handsome, but oh, heβs being so nice and kind, and I should play the part right? Heβs clearly so strong I should lull him into a false sense of securityβ¦ Iβll keep up the bride bit for a while. I have enough leftover spiritual energy to switch to a female form and be stuck like for a while, but itβs fineβ¦ Iβll kill him when his guard is downβ¦ oh wait, heβs giving me space?? Heβs confused and doesnβt want to rush the wedding night?? He knows Iβm a man??? Heβs giving me enough spiritual power to change as Iβd like and also wants to dote on me??? He didnβt kill those girls?!? Well fuck I'd better find out whatβs going on then. Oh San Lang you want me to call you San Lang you say I can stay here and use your library to figure out a game plan and also rest up and oh well I guess Iβm in no rush Fengqing probably have the ghost groom thing covered after all I Xie Lian am just a worthless god anyway so Iβll stay here and continue acting as like Hua Chengβs wife. Hell, the whole city already sees me that way since Hua Cheng brought me into the city in a wedding gown. This is fine, Iβm totally fine, my cultivation is not even at risk, itβs fineβ¦..
Hua Cheng, of course, is just constantly going wtf wtf dianxia, but no, her highness, she's so beautiful, I can't believe I didn't know she was a she now I've missed so much, wait, it's a ruse? Wait, me no ghost groom, why would you think I'm the ghost groom? Oh, the butterflies ahhhh hahaha wait, you thought we were married? I hahaha I need to go lie down, omfg. I need to explode into butterflies every 15 minutes, omfg. OMFG Dianxia is in my house!!!! Like, no thoughts, just Ahhhhhhhhh.
I donβt know how Iβd end this as it is a 4am brain worm I just had but it is fun to think about.