After hours of checking my body, especially my lower half, the women finally relaxed.

"You're so pure. He will surely favor you."

"Listen carefully to what we say next. This is the key to gaining the god's favor. Every step must be done perfectly."

They kept me busy until midnight, going over every single detail.

The next morning at eight, I was led to the ancestral hall.

The hall stood at the center of the village. Normally, only men were allowed inside. Women were not even permitted to bow at the entrance.

The chosen Blossom Bride was the only one who could enter.

The moment I stepped over the threshold, my thoughts swirled.

It was like I had experienced this same thing before, but the details were hazy, slipping from my memory.

"Don't daydream. Bow to the ancestors and ask for their blessing."

"Yes."

Half an hour later, the tedious rituals were finally complete.

One of the women guided me to the backyard.

She was about to help me into my bridal robes under the sun.

I clutched my chest, reluctant to undress. "This isn't right. There are men nearby, and my body is only meant for the god. Why should they see it?"

The women's eyes flashed.

"They're just the men who check the god's brides. You will only be allowed up the mountain once you pass their section of the ritual."

I let go of my hands silently.

Even though I had watched countless videos, I could not stop myself from blushing when my last layer of clothing hit the ground.

Half an hour later, I emerged from the back fully dressed in a dainty crown and ceremonial gown.

I looked up and caught the eyes of several of the village men. Their eyes were red, and their throats were bobbing as though they were swallowing hard.

The village chief nodded approvingly. "Let's go."

He raised his hand, and suddenly, music swelled outside.

Unlike the festive tunes of a normal wedding, marrying a god was solemn and grand.

The music was ancient, almost sacred, and listening to it twice made it feel like my soul had been cleansed.

My head was dizzy. I remembered nothing except following the procession out of the hall.

Halfway along the path, I accidentally tripped over my own feet.

I fell to my knees. My palms scraped hard against the rough stone, leaving a trail of blood behind me.

"Blood on such a joyful day is a bad omen!"

The village chief's face turned gloomy.

I quickly pulled a charm from my chest.

"Chief, this is a talisman from the fortune-teller. It ensures my wishes come true and everything goes smoothly.

"The fortune-teller predicted my day would start with sorrow and end in joy. See? Though I'm bleeding now, everything will turn out well."

My words seemed to satisfy the chief and the elders, and the procession continued.

However, for some reason, the cut on my hand would not heal, leaving streaks of blood along the path.

The pain made it impossible to focus on the sacred music.

As soon as we began ascending the mountain, a blindfold was placed over my eyes.

The village chief said that the god favored pure eyes, so I must not see the spirits of the mountain.

Otherwise, I would be rejected.

With my vision taken away, my other senses sharpened.

I could feel the uneven ground beneath my feet, and the music behind me seemed to seep into my bones, intruding everywhere.

The air, once thick with the scents of village smoke and cooking, was now cold and empty.

I clenched my hands tighter as the pain in my palm seared.

…

I had no idea how long we walked for. The sun seemed to have climbed to its peak.

I was finally allowed to remove the blindfold.

Before me stretched a winding, narrow path that ended in a bottomless cave. Beside it stood a towering, ancient tree.

Its scent of osmanthus drifted even from afar.

The villagers said the tree had absorbed the essence of countless Blossom Brides. That was what made it so tall and fragrant.

When we were thirty feet away from the cave, the procession abruptly stopped.

The chief's small, cloudy eyes fixed on me. "You really plan to go in?"

My cheeks flushed red, and I lowered my gaze to the cave. "Yes."

"I've waited my whole life for this. Our god is so tall and imposing, a match for me unlike any other. Despite my age, I've never known a man's touch."

The villagers frowned at my blunt words, and even the chief looked displeased.

However, I had already passed all the trials that morning.

I possessed the blessing of fertility they had long desired.

Even if the chief did not want me to go in, he could only turn a blind eye. "There are no unmarried girls left in the village. This difficult task falls to you, Josie.

My cheeks burned.

"Don't worry, Chief. I'll bring back the god's blessing. Our village will thrive again!"

No one else was allowed beyond this point.

They could only accompany me to the entrance.

I moved quickly, stepping onto the narrow path that led to the cave.

The sweet scent of osmanthus and the warmth of sunlight faded behind me.

They were replaced by the musky, earthy smells of decay and foliage.

My heart raced.

When I finally saw the muscular man at the end of the path, my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.

"Are you the god?"

He remained motionless and stayed silent.

Only when I drew closer did I see him resting on a stone chair.

His chest slightly rose and fell.

I knelt, just as the women had instructed, offering myself in devotion. "I offer myself to you as my gift.

"I am Josie. I'm twenty-eight, and tonight I come before you as your chosen one."

They had told me that the god would not react, and that it was my role to offer myself fully.

Even as a single woman with no real experience, I was familiar with every step of the rite.

With each step I took forward, a layer of my ceremonial robes fell away.

By the time I reached the god, I was left wearing only the simplest undergarments beneath my outer cloak.

The cave was cold, sending shivers down my spine.

The women's voices echoed in my mind. "Though the god does not move, his presence is warm. You must engage fully, or you will not survive the first two days."

I loosened the god's ceremonial robes.

"God…"

I leaned close to his ear. "It feels so warm here. Can you please hug me?

"I didn't expect you to be so impressive. If I had known being chosen as the god's companion would be like this, I wouldn't have let my sister go last year.

"She didn't last even three days. Don't worry. I'll do better. Whatever the god demands, I can endure it."

I noticed that, contrary to what the women had said, the god did not seem stiff at all.

Perhaps it was due to the day's heat?

According to the chief's rules, it was time for me to take the next step.

I removed the god's ceremonial garments without hesitation, letting them fall to the ground.

He was stripped of all unnecessary layers, now bare and unadorned like me.

In the dim light, I could make out the contours of his body, and I instinctively moved closer to him and pressed my face to his abs.

"Have previous brides ever touched here?"

I moved my hands to his lower abdomen.

"How about this part? Did the previous Blossom Brides attempt this step? Did they ever marvel at the god's power?"

I was not sure if it was just my imagination, but it felt as though he was trembling ever so slightly.

However, the women had said the god would not move.

Only our own efforts could complete the ritual and bring the blessing.

I took a deep breath and prepared to continue.

The next moment, the space around me suddenly seemed crowded with unseen observers…