Chapter 91-100  

Ch.91:‌ ‌Temple‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌Thousand‌ ‌Lights‌ ‌Endlessly‌ ‌Illuminating‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lingering‌ ‌Night‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌really‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌think‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌would‌ ‌actually‌ ‌pass‌ ‌the‌ ‌wine‌ ‌cup‌ ‌to‌ ‌him.‌ ‌

Unfortunately‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌he‌ ‌reacted‌ ‌too‌ ‌fast‌ ‌and‌ ‌took‌ ‌the‌ ‌cup‌ ‌without‌ ‌thinking,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌

moment‌ ‌he‌ ‌did,‌ ‌he‌ ‌froze.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌when‌ ‌he‌ ‌looked‌ ‌to‌ ‌who‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌that‌ ‌passed‌ ‌him‌ ‌the‌ ‌

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cup,‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌party‌ ‌was‌ ‌also‌ ‌dumbfounded‌ ‌–‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi.‌ ‌

Turns‌ ‌out,‌ ‌earlier‌ ‌when‌ ‌the‌ ‌wine‌ ‌cup‌ ‌made‌ ‌it‌ ‌into‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan’s‌ ‌hand,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌

thought‌ ‌it’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌funny‌ ‌and‌ ‌purposely‌ ‌passed‌ ‌it‌ ‌on‌ ‌to‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi‌ ‌was‌ ‌busy‌ ‌

stuffing‌ ‌his‌ ‌face‌ ‌and‌ ‌drinking‌ ‌his‌ ‌wine,‌ ‌and‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌even‌ ‌bother‌ ‌to‌ ‌look‌ ‌up‌ ‌before‌ ‌he‌ ‌

passed‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌wine‌ ‌cup‌ ‌randomly.‌ ‌Only‌ ‌after‌ ‌the‌ ‌cup‌ ‌was‌ ‌passed‌ ‌did‌ ‌he‌ ‌realize‌ ‌what‌ ‌

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had‌ ‌happened,‌ ‌and‌ ‌also‌ ‌became‌ ‌speechless.‌ ‌Right‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌time,‌ ‌the‌ ‌thunder‌ ‌

stopped‌ ‌rumbling,‌ ‌leaving‌ ‌only‌ ‌the‌ ‌two‌ ‌staring‌ ‌at‌ ‌each‌ ‌other‌ ‌blankly.‌ ‌

Although‌ ‌the‌ ‌one‌ ‌who‌ ‌received‌ ‌the‌ ‌wine‌ ‌cup‌ ‌was‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌everyone’s‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌moved‌ ‌to‌ ‌

Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌and‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌instead.‌ ‌It‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌hard‌ ‌to‌ ‌understand‌ ‌why;‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌had‌ ‌not‌ ‌been‌ ‌

heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌for‌ ‌eight‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌years.‌ ‌If‌ ‌this‌ ‌was‌ ‌eight‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌years‌ ‌ago,‌ ‌there’d‌ ‌naturally‌ ‌

be‌ ‌plenty‌ ‌of‌ ‌plays‌ ‌depicting‌ ‌his‌ ‌heroism,‌ ‌but‌ ‌they‌ ‌were‌ ‌long‌ ‌lost‌ ‌to‌ ‌time.‌ ‌Besides,‌ ‌no‌ ‌

one‌ ‌would‌ ‌pick‌ ‌such‌ ‌a‌ ‌day‌ ‌to‌ ‌set‌ ‌up‌ ‌a‌ ‌stage‌ ‌especially‌ ‌just‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌up‌ ‌a‌ ‌play‌ ‌for‌ ‌him.‌ ‌

Thus,‌ ‌if‌ ‌they‌ ‌had‌ ‌to‌ ‌find‌ ‌something‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌character‌ ‌‘Crown‌ ‌Prince‌ ‌of‌ ‌Xianle’‌ ‌in‌ ‌it,‌ ‌then‌ ‌

it’d‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌plays‌ ‌with‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌or‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌starring‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌protagonist.‌ ‌

This‌ ‌was‌ ‌because‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌plays‌ ‌written‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌two‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌mortal‌ ‌realm,‌ ‌

there‌ ‌were‌ ‌times‌ ‌they’d‌ ‌bring‌ ‌out‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌usually‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌foil,‌ ‌a‌ ‌minor‌ ‌character,‌ ‌or‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌

sake‌ ‌of‌ ‌making‌ ‌the‌ ‌play‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌exciting,‌ ‌some‌ ‌would‌ ‌write‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌villain,‌ ‌

arranging‌ ‌for‌ ‌plots‌ ‌like‌ ‌how‌ ‌the‌ ‌lonely,‌ ‌abandoned‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌bullied,‌ ‌or‌ ‌how‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌

Lian‌ ‌would‌ ‌rob‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌of‌ ‌his‌ ‌beloved,‌ ‌etc.‌ ‌If‌ ‌such‌ ‌plays‌ ‌were‌ ‌really‌ ‌performed‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌

Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Banquet,‌ ‌it‌ ‌wouldn’t‌ ‌matter‌ ‌if‌ ‌the‌ ‌characters‌ ‌in‌ ‌question‌ ‌would‌ ‌be‌ ‌pleased,‌ ‌

the‌ ‌rest‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌audience‌ ‌would‌ ‌definitely‌ ‌enjoy‌ ‌it.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌held‌ ‌that‌ ‌small‌ ‌jaded‌ ‌cup‌ ‌in‌ ‌

his‌ ‌hand,‌ ‌and‌ ‌some‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌were‌ ‌already‌ ‌urging‌ ‌him:‌ ‌“Your‌ ‌Highness,‌ ‌come‌ ‌

come‌ ‌come,‌ ‌down‌ ‌the‌ ‌cup!”‌ ‌ ‌

A‌ ‌few‌ ‌joined‌ ‌in‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌urging,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌spoke‌ ‌up‌ ‌from‌ ‌far‌ ‌away,‌ ‌“His‌ ‌highness‌ ‌can’t‌ ‌

drink.”‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌crowd‌ ‌was‌ ‌growing‌ ‌restless,‌ ‌“Just‌ ‌one‌ ‌cup!‌ ‌It‌ ‌won’t‌ ‌do‌ ‌anything.”‌ ‌ ‌

Jun‌ ‌Wu‌ ‌had‌ ‌been‌ ‌sitting‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌hand‌ ‌supporting‌ ‌his‌ ‌temple‌ ‌without‌ ‌a‌ ‌word,‌ ‌but‌ ‌now‌ ‌he‌ ‌

too‌ ‌slowly‌ ‌straightened,‌ ‌as‌ ‌if‌ ‌to‌ ‌speak.‌ ‌Beside‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌also‌ ‌asking,‌ ‌

“Can‌ ‌you‌ ‌do‌ ‌it‌ ‌or‌ ‌not?‌ ‌If‌ ‌not‌ ‌then‌ ‌whatever,‌ ‌I’ll‌ ‌help‌ ‌you‌ ‌throw‌ ‌the‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌

merits‌ ‌to‌ ‌drop‌ ‌the‌ ‌curtains.”‌ ‌

“...”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌afraid‌ ‌she‌ ‌really‌ ‌would‌ ‌just‌ ‌throw‌ ‌out‌ ‌a‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌merits‌ ‌

impulsively.‌ ‌No‌ ‌matter‌ ‌how‌ ‌generous‌ ‌she‌ ‌was‌ ‌that‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌the‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌it.‌ ‌Besides,‌ ‌he’d‌ ‌

seen‌ ‌pretty‌ ‌much‌ ‌every‌ ‌play‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌anyway,‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌anything‌ ‌worth‌ ‌paying‌ ‌

attention‌ ‌to,‌ ‌so‌ ‌he‌ ‌hastily‌ ‌replied,‌ ‌“No,‌ ‌no,‌ ‌a‌ ‌cup‌ ‌shouldn’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌problem.”‌ ‌Then,‌ ‌he‌ ‌

emptied‌ ‌the‌ ‌cup.‌ ‌

Fine‌ ‌brew‌ ‌entered‌ ‌his‌ ‌throat,‌ ‌the‌ ‌area‌ ‌the‌ ‌liquid‌ ‌slid‌ ‌past‌ ‌was‌ ‌first‌ ‌cool‌ ‌then‌ ‌hot.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌

Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌feeling‌ ‌a‌ ‌little‌ ‌dizzy,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌taste‌ ‌of‌ ‌that‌ ‌refined‌ ‌drink‌ ‌pushed‌ ‌that‌ ‌dizziness‌ ‌

down‌ ‌in‌ ‌an‌ ‌instant.‌ ‌The‌ ‌curtains‌ ‌all‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌small‌ ‌pavilion‌ ‌slowly‌ ‌lifted,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌crowd‌ ‌

moved‌ ‌their‌ ‌gaze,‌ ‌ready‌ ‌to‌ ‌focus‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌play.‌ ‌

They‌ ‌were‌ ‌amazed‌ ‌by‌ ‌what‌ ‌they‌ ‌saw.‌ ‌Two‌ ‌figures‌ ‌stood‌ ‌on‌ ‌stage:‌ ‌one‌ ‌was‌ ‌in‌ ‌white,‌ ‌

face‌ ‌covered‌ ‌in‌ ‌foundation,‌ ‌looking‌ ‌windswept‌ ‌and‌ ‌dusty,‌ ‌a‌ ‌bamboo‌ ‌hat‌ ‌on‌ ‌his‌ ‌back,‌ ‌no‌ ‌

doubt‌ ‌he‌ ‌must‌ ‌be‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian;‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌figure‌ ‌in‌ ‌red‌ ‌robes,‌ ‌hair‌ ‌black‌ ‌like‌ ‌raven,‌ ‌

handsome‌ ‌and‌ ‌brilliant,‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌bright‌ ‌and‌ ‌lively,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌snake‌ ‌wrapped‌ ‌around‌ ‌his‌ ‌arm‌ ‌

was‌ ‌stripped‌ ‌away‌ ‌by‌ ‌‘Xie‌ ‌Lian’.‌ ‌Instantly,‌ ‌that‌ ‌red‌ ‌robed‌ ‌man‌ ‌snatched‌ ‌that‌ ‌snake‌ ‌

back,‌ ‌ditched‌ ‌it‌ ‌aside,‌ ‌then‌ ‌held‌ ‌‘Xie‌ ‌Lian’‌ ‌hand‌ ‌without‌ ‌any‌ ‌intent‌ ‌of‌ ‌letting‌ ‌go.‌ ‌

Watching‌ ‌that‌ ‌scene‌ ‌play‌ ‌out,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌like‌ ‌a‌ ‌knife‌ ‌violently‌ ‌stabbed‌ ‌his‌ ‌heart.‌ ‌

That‌ ‌scene‌ ‌astonished‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌waiting‌ ‌to‌ ‌watch‌ ‌a‌ ‌good‌ ‌show,‌ ‌and‌ ‌of‌ ‌

course,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌himself,‌ ‌too,‌ ‌was‌ ‌astonished.‌ ‌Just‌ ‌then,‌ ‌Jun‌ ‌Wu‌ ‌who‌ ‌was‌ ‌seated‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌

head‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌feast‌ ‌chuckled,‌ ‌“What‌ ‌play‌ ‌is‌ ‌this?‌ ‌Seems‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌never‌ ‌been‌ ‌seen‌ ‌before?”‌ ‌ ‌

Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌immediately‌ ‌sent‌ ‌for‌ ‌someone‌ ‌to‌ ‌investigate‌ ‌then‌ ‌replied,‌ ‌“It‌ ‌seems‌ ‌this‌ ‌play‌ ‌

is‌ ‌called‌ ‌“Adventures‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kingdom‌ ‌of‌ ‌BanYue”.‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌newly‌ ‌written‌ ‌so‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌never‌ ‌been‌ ‌

shown‌ ‌before.‌ ‌Tonight‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌time‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌performed‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌mortal‌ ‌realm.”‌ ‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌turned‌ ‌to‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌“It’s‌ ‌probably‌ ‌written‌ ‌by‌ ‌those‌ ‌merchants‌ ‌after‌ ‌they‌ ‌

returned‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kingdom‌ ‌of‌ ‌BanYue‌ ‌that‌ ‌last‌ ‌time.‌ ‌The‌ ‌merits‌ ‌are‌ ‌saved,‌ ‌there‌ ‌won’t‌ ‌

be‌ ‌a‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌pull‌ ‌the‌ ‌curtains.”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌comment.‌ ‌For‌ ‌mortals‌ ‌to‌ ‌know‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ ‌affairs‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kingdom‌ ‌of‌ ‌

BanYue‌ ‌the‌ ‌source‌ ‌could‌ ‌only‌ ‌come‌ ‌from‌ ‌those‌ ‌merchants.‌ ‌He‌ ‌recalled‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌

boy‌ ‌named‌ ‌Tian‌ ‌Sheng‌ ‌in‌ ‌that‌ ‌caravan‌ ‌who‌ ‌did‌ ‌indeed‌ ‌say‌ ‌something‌ ‌along‌ ‌the‌ ‌lines‌ ‌of‌ ‌

worshipping‌ ‌him‌ ‌as‌ ‌thanks,‌ ‌so‌ ‌perhaps‌ ‌this‌ ‌play‌ ‌was‌ ‌commissioned‌ ‌by‌ ‌him?‌ ‌However,‌ ‌

he‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌tell‌ ‌Tian‌ ‌Sheng‌ ‌his‌ ‌name,‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌young‌ ‌boy‌ ‌shouldn’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌ability‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌

something‌ ‌like‌ ‌this.‌ ‌

On‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌side‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌stage,‌ ‌although‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌see‌ ‌the‌ ‌play‌ ‌they‌ ‌

expected,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌performance‌ ‌before‌ ‌them‌ ‌was‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌exciting.‌ ‌After‌ ‌all,‌ ‌if‌ ‌the‌ ‌

rumours‌ ‌were‌ ‌true,‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌role‌ ‌that‌ ‌red-robed‌ ‌man‌ ‌played‌ ‌was‌ ‌none‌ ‌other‌ ‌than‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌

Cheng!‌ ‌ ‌

There‌ ‌were‌ ‌plenty‌ ‌of‌ ‌plays‌ ‌about‌ ‌Crimson‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Sought‌ ‌Flower‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌mortal‌ ‌realm.‌ ‌

However,‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌usually‌ ‌something‌ ‌like‌ ‌“The‌ ‌Red‌ ‌Demon‌ ‌Burnt‌ ‌the‌ ‌Temples‌ ‌of‌ ‌Thirty-Three‌ ‌

Gods‌ ‌and‌ ‌Not‌ ‌Even‌ ‌The‌ ‌Heavens‌ ‌Could‌ ‌Do‌ ‌Shit”,‌ ‌“Crimson‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Sought‌ ‌Flower‌ ‌Hung‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌and‌ ‌Civil‌ ‌Gods‌ ‌and‌ ‌Slapped‌ ‌Them‌ ‌Around‌ ‌with‌ ‌But‌ ‌One‌ ‌Hand”,‌ ‌etc.;‌ ‌the‌ ‌kind‌ ‌

of‌ ‌plays‌ ‌that‌ ‌would‌ ‌make‌ ‌those‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavens‌ ‌cry‌ ‌silent‌ ‌tears,‌ ‌not‌ ‌wanting‌ ‌to‌ ‌find‌ ‌out‌ ‌

just‌ ‌how‌ ‌those‌ ‌plays‌ ‌turned‌ ‌out.‌ ‌In‌ ‌any‌ ‌case‌ ‌the‌ ‌protagonist‌ ‌this‌ ‌time‌ ‌was‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌and‌ ‌

for‌ ‌everyone,‌ ‌it‌ ‌never‌ ‌felt‌ ‌like‌ ‌he‌ ‌blended‌ ‌in‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌counted‌ ‌as‌ ‌‘one‌ ‌of‌ ‌us’,‌ ‌so‌ ‌just‌ ‌

watching‌ ‌the‌ ‌play‌ ‌did‌ ‌no‌ ‌harm.‌ ‌Besides,‌ ‌the‌ ‌stage‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌play‌ ‌was‌ ‌intricate,‌ ‌the‌ ‌

production‌ ‌exquisite,‌ ‌the‌ ‌actors‌ ‌extremely‌ ‌well‌ ‌made‌ ‌up,‌ ‌truly‌ ‌a‌ ‌great‌ ‌work‌ ‌of‌ ‌

benevolence.‌ ‌Thus,‌ ‌there‌ ‌were‌ ‌many‌ ‌who‌ ‌inwardly‌ ‌enjoyed‌ ‌the‌ ‌show,‌ ‌commenting‌ ‌as‌ ‌

they‌ ‌watched:‌ ‌

“Is‌ ‌that‌ ‌true?‌ ‌It‌ ‌must‌ ‌be‌ ‌made‌ ‌up.‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌would‌ ‌never‌ ‌talk‌ ‌like‌ ‌that‌ ‌to‌ ‌anyone!”‌ ‌ ‌

“Nonsense!‌ ‌Pure‌ ‌nonsense!”‌ ‌ ‌

“Who‌ ‌do‌ ‌they‌ ‌take‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌for‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌play?!‌ ‌Wake‌ ‌up!‌ ‌This‌ ‌isn’t‌ ‌a‌ ‌romantic‌ ‌play,‌ ‌

goodness,‌ ‌how‌ ‌daring!”‌ ‌ ‌

This‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌play‌ ‌written‌ ‌especially‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌after‌ ‌all,‌ ‌so‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌watched‌ ‌it‌ ‌attentively.‌ ‌If‌ ‌

he‌ ‌must‌ ‌say‌ ‌so‌ ‌earnestly,‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌a‌ ‌bad‌ ‌play.‌ ‌The‌ ‌actors‌ ‌looked‌ ‌good,‌ ‌the‌ ‌story‌ ‌was‌ ‌

good,‌ ‌just,‌ ‌as‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌ones‌ ‌portrayed,‌ ‌he‌ ‌had‌ ‌a‌ ‌very‌ ‌very‌ ‌small‌ ‌criticism:‌ ‌the‌ ‌two‌ ‌

protagonists‌ ‌seemed‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌overly‌ ‌close.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌one‌ ‌who‌ ‌played‌ ‌him‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌really‌ ‌good‌ ‌actor,‌ ‌but‌ ‌every‌ ‌time‌ ‌he‌ ‌opened‌ ‌his‌ ‌mouth‌ ‌to‌ ‌

call‌ ‌“San‌ ‌Lang”,‌ ‌while‌ ‌the‌ ‌tone‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌up‌ ‌and‌ ‌down‌ ‌and‌ ‌full‌ ‌of‌ ‌yearning,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌

thought‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌unsettling‌ ‌than‌ ‌when‌ ‌‘Lady‌ ‌Wind‌ ‌Master’‌ ‌called‌ ‌‘Lord‌ ‌Water‌ ‌

Master’‌ ‌“hubbyyyyy”‌ ‌earlier.‌ ‌Also,‌ ‌there‌ ‌seemed‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌too‌ ‌many‌ ‌little‌ ‌gestures;‌ ‌hooking‌ ‌

arms,‌ ‌hugging‌ ‌shoulders,‌ ‌carrying‌ ‌him;‌ ‌somehow,‌ ‌there’s‌ ‌something‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌not‌ ‌right.‌ ‌

However,‌ ‌if‌ ‌he‌ ‌really‌ ‌thought‌ ‌about‌ ‌it,‌ ‌when‌ ‌he‌ ‌called‌ ‌San‌ ‌Lang,‌ ‌that‌ ‌was‌ ‌indeed‌ ‌the‌ ‌

way‌ ‌he’d‌ ‌call‌ ‌him;‌ ‌those‌ ‌intimate‌ ‌gestures‌ ‌really‌ ‌did‌ ‌seem‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌done‌ ‌too.‌ ‌He‌ ‌

didn’t‌ ‌think‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌anything‌ ‌wrong‌ ‌with‌ ‌it‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌time,‌ ‌but‌ ‌watching‌ ‌it‌ ‌now,‌ ‌technically‌ ‌

there‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌anything‌ ‌wrong‌ ‌still.‌ ‌Looking‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials,‌ ‌although‌ ‌they‌ ‌

condemned‌ ‌it‌ ‌as‌ ‌nonsense‌ ‌on‌ ‌their‌ ‌lips,‌ ‌they‌ ‌seemed‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌fully‌ ‌enjoying‌ ‌the‌ ‌show,‌ ‌

watching‌ ‌with‌ ‌their‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌unmoving,‌ ‌their‌ ‌interest‌ ‌enthusiastic,‌ ‌so‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌kept‌ ‌his‌ ‌

mouth‌ ‌shut.‌ ‌ ‌

As‌ ‌they‌ ‌watched,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌spoke‌ ‌up,‌ ‌“Who‌ ‌are‌ ‌those‌ ‌two‌ ‌little‌ ‌squires‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌

back?”‌ ‌

Hearing‌ ‌the‌ ‌word‌ ‌“squire”,‌ ‌both‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌and‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌inconspicuously‌ ‌froze.‌ ‌

“They’re‌ ‌not‌ ‌squires.”‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌replied,‌ ‌“They‌ ‌should‌ ‌be‌ ‌two‌ ‌junior‌ ‌martial‌ ‌officials‌ ‌from‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Middle‌ ‌Court.‌ ‌They‌ ‌were‌ ‌appointed‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palaces‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nan‌ ‌Yang‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xuan‌ ‌Zhen‌ ‌to‌ ‌

help‌ ‌His‌ ‌Highness‌ ‌out‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌time.”‌ ‌ ‌

That‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palaces‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nan‌ ‌Yang‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xuan‌ ‌Zhen‌ ‌would‌ ‌actually‌ ‌send‌ ‌people‌ ‌to‌ ‌assist‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌

Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌truly‌ ‌extraordinary‌ ‌news,‌ ‌as‌ ‌impossible‌ ‌as‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌courteously‌ ‌rejecting‌ ‌the‌ ‌

advances‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌rare‌ ‌beauty,‌ ‌and‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌turned‌ ‌to‌ ‌look.‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌added,‌ ‌

“They‌ ‌went‌ ‌willingly.”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌smiled,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌forgot‌ ‌to‌ ‌ask,‌ ‌how‌ ‌are‌ ‌Nan‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌and‌ ‌Fu‌ ‌Yao?‌ ‌How‌ ‌come‌ ‌I‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌see‌ ‌

them‌ ‌come‌ ‌out‌ ‌to‌ ‌play‌ ‌today?”‌ ‌ ‌

“Nan‌ ‌Feng...‌ ‌is...”‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌said.‌ ‌

Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌said‌ ‌flatly,‌ ‌“Fu‌ ‌Yao‌ ‌is‌ ‌in‌ ‌detention.”‌ ‌ ‌

Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌immediately‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“Nan‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌in‌ ‌detention.”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌“Oh”-ed‌ ‌and‌ ‌commented,‌ ‌“Both‌ ‌of‌ ‌them‌ ‌are‌ ‌locked‌ ‌up?‌ ‌What‌ ‌a‌ ‌shame.”‌ ‌ ‌

Whilst‌ ‌they‌ ‌conversed‌ ‌the‌ ‌curtains‌ ‌dropped‌ ‌on‌ ‌that‌ ‌exhilarating‌ ‌play.‌ ‌Although‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌

determined‌ ‌by‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌that‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌written‌ ‌by‌ ‌an‌ ‌ignorant‌ ‌believer‌ ‌with‌ ‌obscene‌ ‌

intentions,‌ ‌watching‌ ‌an‌ ‌obscene‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌was‌ ‌still‌ ‌fully‌ ‌entertaining,‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌crowd‌ ‌

applauded‌ ‌in‌ ‌cheer.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Su‌ ‌was‌ ‌exiled‌ ‌because‌ ‌of‌ ‌what‌ ‌happened‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌

BanYue‌ ‌Pass,‌ ‌so‌ ‌after‌ ‌the‌ ‌entertainment‌ ‌was‌ ‌over,‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌still‌ ‌had‌ ‌to‌ ‌mind‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming.‌ ‌

“How’s‌ ‌your‌ ‌Little‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌doing,‌ ‌General‌ ‌Pei?”‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌inquired.‌ ‌

Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌poured‌ ‌himself‌ ‌a‌ ‌glass‌ ‌and‌ ‌drank,‌ ‌shaking‌ ‌his‌ ‌head,‌ ‌“How‌ ‌well‌ ‌can‌ ‌he‌ ‌do?‌ ‌His‌ ‌

heart‌ ‌isn’t‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌right‌ ‌place,‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌care‌ ‌anymore.”‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌listen‌ ‌anymore‌ ‌and‌ ‌jeered,‌ ‌“So,‌ ‌in‌ ‌General‌ ‌Pei’s‌ ‌eyes,‌ ‌where’s‌ ‌

the‌ ‌right‌ ‌place‌ ‌for‌ ‌his‌ ‌heart?‌ ‌Your‌ ‌Little‌ ‌Pei’s‌ ‌future‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌future,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌little‌ ‌lady’s‌ ‌future‌ ‌

is‌ ‌nothing?”‌ ‌ ‌

Her‌ ‌tone‌ ‌was‌ ‌rude‌ ‌and‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu’s‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌swept‌ ‌over,‌ ‌“Qingxuan,‌ ‌mind‌ ‌your‌ ‌manners!”‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌moment‌ ‌he‌ ‌reprimanded,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌lowered‌ ‌her‌ ‌head‌ ‌demurely.‌ ‌Seeing‌ ‌this,‌ ‌

Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌laughed,‌ ‌“Water‌ ‌Master-xiong*,‌ ‌your‌ ‌little‌ ‌brother‌ ‌is‌ ‌quite‌ ‌impressive,‌ ‌and‌ ‌only‌ ‌

you‌ ‌can‌ ‌keep‌ ‌him‌ ‌in‌ ‌line.‌ ‌Him‌ ‌messing‌ ‌with‌ ‌me‌ ‌isn’t‌ ‌really‌ ‌anything,‌ ‌but‌ ‌if‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌future‌ ‌

he‌ ‌messed‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌wrong‌ ‌people,‌ ‌they‌ ‌won’t‌ ‌let‌ ‌it‌ ‌go‌ ‌so‌ ‌easily‌ ‌for‌ ‌your‌ ‌sake.”‌ ‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌opened‌ ‌his‌ ‌fan‌ ‌and‌ ‌continued‌ ‌to‌ ‌lecture‌ ‌his‌ ‌little‌ ‌brother,‌ ‌“Did‌ ‌you‌ ‌hear‌ ‌what‌ ‌

General‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌said?‌ ‌Also,‌ ‌how‌ ‌many‌ ‌times‌ ‌do‌ ‌I‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌tell‌ ‌you‌ ‌not‌ ‌to‌ ‌walk‌ ‌around‌ ‌outside‌ ‌

in‌ ‌that‌ ‌form‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌time,‌ ‌what‌ ‌a‌ ‌disgrace.‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌care‌ ‌what‌ ‌appearance‌ ‌you‌ ‌like,‌ ‌you‌ ‌

must‌ ‌use‌ ‌your‌ ‌true‌ ‌form‌ ‌when‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌out!”‌ ‌ ‌

Although‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌loved‌ ‌her‌ ‌lady‌ ‌form‌ ‌passionately‌ ‌and‌ ‌wouldn’t‌ ‌stand‌ ‌for‌ ‌his‌ ‌

reprimand,‌ ‌still‌ ‌she‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌dare‌ ‌oppose‌ ‌her‌ ‌brother.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌thought,‌ ‌‘The‌ ‌Wind‌ ‌Master‌ ‌

says‌ ‌she’s‌ ‌not‌ ‌afraid‌ ‌of‌ ‌her‌ ‌older‌ ‌brother,‌ ‌but‌ ‌that‌ ‌doesn’t‌ ‌seem‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌entirely‌ ‌true.’‌ ‌Yet‌ ‌

unexpectedly,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌ended‌ ‌the‌ ‌lecture‌ ‌with:‌ ‌“What‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌bump‌ ‌into‌ ‌someone‌ ‌strong‌ ‌

in‌ ‌both‌ ‌spiritual‌ ‌power‌ ‌and‌ ‌ill‌ ‌intent‌ ‌like‌ ‌General‌ ‌Pei!”‌ ‌

Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌laughed‌ ‌unkindly,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌almost‌ ‌spat‌ ‌out‌ ‌his‌ ‌wine‌ ‌again.‌ ‌“Water‌ ‌

Master-xiong!‌ ‌If‌ ‌you‌ ‌keep‌ ‌that‌ ‌up‌ ‌we‌ ‌can’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌pals‌ ‌anymore.”‌ ‌ ‌

After‌ ‌the‌ ‌round‌ ‌of‌ ‌feast‌ ‌was‌ ‌past,‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌midst‌ ‌of‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌socializing‌ ‌and‌ ‌networking‌ ‌came‌ ‌

the‌ ‌final‌ ‌act‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌night,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns.‌ ‌

Within‌ ‌the‌ ‌Heavenly‌ ‌Court,‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌candlelights‌ ‌and‌ ‌lamps‌ ‌were‌ ‌extinguished‌ ‌except‌ ‌for‌ ‌

the‌ ‌moonlight,‌ ‌and‌ ‌all‌ ‌was‌ ‌dim.‌ ‌The‌ ‌Banquet‌ ‌sat‌ ‌near‌ ‌the‌ ‌lake,‌ ‌and‌ ‌when‌ ‌the‌ ‌clouds‌ ‌

and‌ ‌mists‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌surface‌ ‌was‌ ‌waved‌ ‌away,‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌clear‌ ‌moving‌ ‌waters‌ ‌the‌ ‌deep,‌ ‌

dark‌ ‌mortal‌ ‌realm‌ ‌could‌ ‌be‌ ‌seen.‌ ‌

Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌competition‌ ‌to‌ ‌see‌ ‌which‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌official‌ ‌had‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌

number‌ ‌of‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌offered‌ ‌from‌ ‌their‌ ‌largest,‌ ‌most‌ ‌renown‌ ‌temple.‌ ‌One‌ ‌

Blessings‌ ‌Lantern‌ ‌of‌ ‌Everlasting‌ ‌Light‌ ‌was‌ ‌hard‌ ‌to‌ ‌buy‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌gold,‌ ‌and‌ ‌would‌ ‌

not‌ ‌easily‌ ‌be‌ ‌extinguished.‌ ‌The‌ ‌order‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌was‌ ‌formed‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌

lowest‌ ‌count‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌highest,‌ ‌and‌ ‌when‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌an‌ ‌official’s‌ ‌turn,‌ ‌the‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌offered‌ ‌by‌ ‌

their‌ ‌worshippers‌ ‌would‌ ‌float‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavens,‌ ‌brightening‌ ‌the‌ ‌long,‌ ‌dark‌ ‌night,‌ ‌beautiful‌ ‌

and‌ ‌glorious.‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌Great‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌had‌ ‌nine-hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌sixty-one‌ ‌this‌ ‌year,‌ ‌a‌ ‌count‌ ‌close‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌

thousand,‌ ‌and‌ ‌also‌ ‌a‌ ‌number‌ ‌never‌ ‌reached‌ ‌before‌ ‌in‌ ‌history.‌ ‌All‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌

felt‌ ‌that‌ ‌next‌ ‌year‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌would‌ ‌surely‌ ‌break‌ ‌a‌ ‌thousand,‌ ‌but‌ ‌that‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌the‌ ‌point.‌ ‌If‌ ‌

first‌ ‌place‌ ‌would‌ ‌always‌ ‌be‌ ‌first‌ ‌place,‌ ‌then‌ ‌first‌ ‌place‌ ‌would‌ ‌lose‌ ‌its‌ ‌meaning,‌ ‌so‌ ‌when‌ ‌it‌ ‌

came‌ ‌to‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Great‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌was‌ ‌automatically‌ ‌removed‌ ‌

from‌ ‌the‌ ‌competition.‌ ‌

What‌ ‌was‌ ‌dumbfounding‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌moment‌ ‌the‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌began,‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌one‌ ‌

up‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master.‌ ‌When‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌saw‌ ‌that‌ ‌one‌ ‌little‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lantern‌ ‌leisurely‌ ‌

and‌ ‌errantly‌ ‌float‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌sky‌ ‌and‌ ‌heard‌ ‌“The‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master,‌ ‌one‌ ‌lantern!”,‌ ‌

he’d‌ ‌almost‌ ‌suspect‌ ‌maybe‌ ‌he‌ ‌did‌ ‌get‌ ‌drunk‌ ‌and‌ ‌hadn’t‌ ‌sobered‌ ‌up.‌ ‌There‌ ‌was‌ ‌no‌ ‌way‌ ‌

there‌ ‌was‌ ‌only‌ ‌one‌ ‌lantern.‌ ‌To‌ ‌make‌ ‌sure‌ ‌he‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌drunk,‌ ‌he‌ ‌asked‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan,‌ ‌“Is‌ ‌

that‌ ‌right?”‌ ‌ ‌

“It‌ ‌is.”‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌replied,‌ ‌“It‌ ‌really‌ ‌is‌ ‌just‌ ‌the‌ ‌one.‌ ‌And‌ ‌that‌ ‌one‌ ‌was‌ ‌lit‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌bull‌ ‌

from‌ ‌the‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master’s‌ ‌own‌ ‌house‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌sake‌ ‌of‌ ‌showing‌ ‌face‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌feast.”‌ ‌ ‌

Self-offering.‌ ‌What‌ ‌a‌ ‌familiar‌ ‌sentiment.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌pondered,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master‌ ‌controlled‌ ‌

rain‌ ‌and‌ ‌was‌ ‌thus‌ ‌the‌ ‌god‌ ‌of‌ ‌agriculture.‌ ‌He‌ ‌guessed,‌ ‌“Is‌ ‌it‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌worshippers‌ ‌of‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master‌ ‌are‌ ‌mostly‌ ‌farmers‌ ‌so‌ ‌they‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌funds‌ ‌for‌ ‌offerings?”‌ ‌ ‌

“Your‌ ‌Highness,‌ ‌do‌ ‌you‌ ‌have‌ ‌some‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌misunderstanding‌ ‌of‌ ‌farmers?”‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌

said,‌ ‌“A‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌farmers‌ ‌are‌ ‌wealthy,‌ ‌ok?‌ ‌This‌ ‌was‌ ‌only‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lord‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master‌ ‌had‌ ‌

said‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌better‌ ‌to‌ ‌farm‌ ‌than‌ ‌to‌ ‌use‌ ‌the‌ ‌money‌ ‌for‌ ‌offerings,‌ ‌so‌ ‌the‌ ‌followers‌ ‌had‌ ‌

always‌ ‌offered‌ ‌fresh‌ ‌fruits‌ ‌and‌ ‌vegetables‌ ‌instead.”‌ ‌ ‌

Hearing‌ ‌this,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌extremely‌ ‌envious.‌ ‌‘What‌ ‌a‌ ‌marvelous‌ ‌thing.’‌ ‌he‌ ‌thought.‌ ‌

However,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌added,‌ ‌“And‌ ‌then‌ ‌later‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lord‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Master‌ ‌also‌ ‌said‌ ‌not‌ ‌to‌ ‌

waste‌ ‌anything,‌ ‌so‌ ‌usually‌ ‌after‌ ‌a‌ ‌couple‌ ‌days‌ ‌the‌ ‌worshippers‌ ‌would‌ ‌take‌ ‌home‌ ‌the‌ ‌

offerings‌ ‌and‌ ‌eat‌ ‌them‌ ‌themselves.”‌ ‌

“...”‌ ‌

At‌ ‌the‌ ‌beginning‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌battle,‌ ‌the‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌were‌ ‌all‌ ‌scattered‌ ‌and‌ ‌sparse,‌ ‌the‌ ‌lights‌ ‌

belonging‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌lower‌ ‌ranking‌ ‌officials,‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌never‌ ‌reaching‌ ‌over‌ ‌ten‌ ‌and‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌

paid‌ ‌it‌ ‌any‌ ‌mind.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌battle‌ ‌continued,‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌light‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌grew‌ ‌

brighter,‌ ‌the‌ ‌more‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌paid‌ ‌more‌ ‌attention.‌ ‌If‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌designated‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌

official‌ ‌who‌ ‌announced‌ ‌the‌ ‌count,‌ ‌it’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌impossible‌ ‌to‌ ‌count‌ ‌the‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌floating‌ ‌up‌ ‌so‌ ‌

tightly‌ ‌knit.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌at‌ ‌all‌ ‌what‌ ‌was‌ ‌going‌ ‌on‌ ‌so‌ ‌he‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌comment‌ ‌on‌ ‌

anything,‌ ‌only‌ ‌focusing‌ ‌on‌ ‌appreciating‌ ‌the‌ ‌beautiful‌ ‌scene‌ ‌of‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌brightening‌ ‌the‌ ‌

black,‌ ‌long‌ ‌night‌ ‌while‌ ‌listening‌ ‌to‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌else’s‌ ‌analysis‌ ‌of‌ ‌how‌ ‌the‌ ‌battle‌ ‌was‌ ‌going.‌ ‌

Although‌ ‌personally,‌ ‌he‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌think‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌really‌ ‌anything‌ ‌to‌ ‌analyze.‌ ‌After‌ ‌about‌ ‌two‌ ‌

incense‌ ‌time,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌finally‌ ‌time‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌grand‌ ‌finale.‌ ‌The‌ ‌fight‌ ‌for‌ ‌top‌ ‌ten‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Festival‌ ‌had‌ ‌begun.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌bottom‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌top‌ ‌ten,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌heard‌ ‌the‌ ‌announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌shouting:‌ ‌“THE‌ ‌

PALACE‌ ‌OF‌ ‌QI‌ ‌YING,‌ ‌FOUR‌ ‌HUNDRED‌ ‌AND‌ ‌TWENTY-ONE‌ ‌LANTERNS!”‌ ‌ ‌

Quan‌ ‌Yizhen‌ ‌had‌ ‌long‌ ‌since‌ ‌left‌ ‌the‌ ‌feast,‌ ‌so‌ ‌when‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌officials‌ ‌heard‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌

the‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌of‌ ‌their‌ ‌tongues‌ ‌were‌ ‌not‌ ‌hidden.‌ ‌That‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌God‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌West‌ ‌was‌ ‌young‌ ‌

but‌ ‌his‌ ‌headwind‌ ‌was‌ ‌strong.‌ ‌To‌ ‌other‌ ‌officials‌ ‌of‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌years‌ ‌of‌ ‌experience,‌ ‌

just‌ ‌two‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌was‌ ‌already‌ ‌plenty,‌ ‌yet‌ ‌he‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌doubled‌ ‌that‌ ‌

count,‌ ‌even‌ ‌Lang‌ ‌Qianqiu‌ ‌who‌ ‌ascended‌ ‌earlier‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌have‌ ‌as‌ ‌many‌ ‌lanterns,‌ ‌so‌ ‌he‌ ‌

was‌ ‌definitely‌ ‌someone‌ ‌impressive.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌felt‌ ‌that‌ ‌young‌ ‌man‌ ‌really‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌

that‌ ‌well‌ ‌received‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavens,‌ ‌because‌ ‌other‌ ‌than‌ ‌himself‌ ‌and‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan,‌ ‌there‌ ‌

was‌ ‌practically‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌else‌ ‌who‌ ‌was‌ ‌sincerely‌ ‌awed‌ ‌by‌ ‌that‌ ‌number.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌next‌ ‌one,‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Earth‌ ‌Master,‌ ‌four‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌forty-four‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌Other‌ ‌

than‌ ‌sipping‌ ‌two‌ ‌more‌ ‌mouthfuls‌ ‌of‌ ‌soup,‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌express‌ ‌anything‌ ‌else,‌ ‌yet‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌

Qingxuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌excited‌ ‌than‌ ‌he‌ ‌was,‌ ‌repeatedly‌ ‌claiming‌ ‌“too‌ ‌few,‌ ‌too‌ ‌few”.‌ ‌

Because‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌else‌ ‌was‌ ‌very‌ ‌close‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌lord‌ ‌Earth‌ ‌Master,‌ ‌they‌ ‌only‌ ‌clapped‌ ‌

politely‌ ‌to‌ ‌congratulate.‌ ‌Soon‌ ‌after,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌herself;‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Wind‌ ‌

Master,‌ ‌five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌twenty-three‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌

How‌ ‌popular‌ ‌someone‌ ‌was‌ ‌was‌ ‌something‌ ‌easily‌ ‌seen.‌ ‌Once‌ ‌the‌ ‌lantern‌ ‌count‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌

Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Wind‌ ‌Master‌ ‌was‌ ‌announced,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌hadn’t‌ ‌even‌ ‌said‌ ‌anything‌ ‌

and‌ ‌the‌ ‌applause‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌banquet‌ ‌roared,‌ ‌hollers‌ ‌and‌ ‌cheers‌ ‌of‌ ‌

“CONGRATULATIONS!”‌ ‌and‌ ‌“AS‌ ‌EXPECTED!”‌ ‌everywhere.‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌quite‌ ‌

proud,‌ ‌standing‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌wave‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌crowd‌ ‌and‌ ‌gleefully‌ ‌shouted‌ ‌at‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu,‌ ‌“Ge!‌ ‌I’m‌ ‌

eighth‌ ‌this‌ ‌year!”‌ ‌ ‌

She‌ ‌was‌ ‌acting‌ ‌like‌ ‌a‌ ‌child‌ ‌begging‌ ‌her‌ ‌parents‌ ‌for‌ ‌rewards‌ ‌after‌ ‌having‌ ‌been‌ ‌praised‌ ‌

by‌ ‌her‌ ‌teacher,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌help‌ ‌but‌ ‌smile.‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌however,‌ ‌berated,‌ ‌“Only‌ ‌

the‌ ‌eighth,‌ ‌what’s‌ ‌there‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌happy‌ ‌about!”‌ ‌ ‌

His‌ ‌words‌ ‌were‌ ‌truly‌ ‌wildly‌ ‌arrogant.‌ ‌In‌ ‌the‌ ‌entire‌ ‌Heavenly‌ ‌Court,‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌

who‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌nobody.‌ ‌Yet,‌ ‌five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns,‌ ‌ranking‌ ‌high‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌eighth,‌ ‌

became‌ ‌nothing‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌“only‌ ‌eighth”‌ ‌from‌ ‌his‌ ‌lips,‌ ‌so‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌ones‌ ‌who‌ ‌ranked‌ ‌

lower‌ ‌than‌ ‌eighth,‌ ‌wouldn’t‌ ‌they‌ ‌be‌ ‌worth‌ ‌less‌ ‌than‌ ‌that?‌ ‌It‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌like‌ ‌he‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌

what‌ ‌he‌ ‌said‌ ‌was‌ ‌arrogant‌ ‌either‌ ‌but‌ ‌he‌ ‌had‌ ‌to‌ ‌say‌ ‌it‌ ‌anyway,‌ ‌because‌ ‌he‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌afraid.‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan’s‌ ‌face‌ ‌dropped.‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌fanned‌ ‌his‌ ‌fan‌ ‌and‌ ‌added‌ ‌with‌ ‌difficulty,‌ ‌“But,‌ ‌

there‌ ‌are‌ ‌more‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌than‌ ‌last‌ ‌year.‌ ‌Next‌ ‌year‌ ‌must‌ ‌be‌ ‌better.”‌ ‌ ‌

Hearing‌ ‌this,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌smiled‌ ‌and‌ ‌laughed‌ ‌again.‌ ‌At‌ ‌the‌ ‌banquet,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌only‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌

Yi‌ ‌who‌ ‌was‌ ‌stuffing‌ ‌his‌ ‌face‌ ‌without‌ ‌a‌ ‌care‌ ‌and‌ ‌not‌ ‌cheering‌ ‌for‌ ‌her,‌ ‌so‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌

smacked‌ ‌him‌ ‌twice,‌ ‌asking‌ ‌for‌ ‌some‌ ‌congratulations.‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi‌ ‌ignored‌ ‌her‌ ‌completely‌ ‌

and‌ ‌continued‌ ‌to‌ ‌devour‌ ‌the‌ ‌food.‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌outraged,‌ ‌demanding‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌to‌ ‌

applaud‌ ‌her,‌ ‌and‌ ‌next‌ ‌to‌ ‌them‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌suffocate‌ ‌from‌ ‌laughing.‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌next‌ ‌up,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen,‌ ‌five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌thirty-six‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌

Amongst‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌civil‌ ‌gods,‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌was‌ ‌considered‌ ‌number‌ ‌one.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌not‌ ‌too‌ ‌

many‌ ‌civil‌ ‌gods‌ ‌congratulated‌ ‌him‌ ‌and‌ ‌instead‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌the‌ ‌martial‌ ‌gods‌ ‌who‌ ‌sent‌ ‌their‌ ‌

regards.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌congratulated‌ ‌him‌ ‌from‌ ‌afar,‌ ‌and‌ ‌on‌ ‌this‌ ‌end,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌and‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌

demanded‌ ‌he‌ ‌hold‌ ‌a‌ ‌celebratory‌ ‌feast,‌ ‌while‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌end,‌ ‌grumbles‌ ‌from‌ ‌other‌ ‌

heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌could‌ ‌be‌ ‌heard,‌ ‌complaining‌ ‌that‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌only‌ ‌had‌ ‌so‌ ‌many‌ ‌

worshippers‌ ‌because‌ ‌she‌ ‌used‌ ‌a‌ ‌male‌ ‌form,‌ ‌that‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌kissed‌ ‌the‌ ‌asses‌ ‌of‌ ‌martial‌ ‌

gods‌ ‌seeing‌ ‌how‌ ‌they‌ ‌were‌ ‌more‌ ‌popular‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌moment‌ ‌and‌ ‌had‌ ‌no‌ ‌time‌ ‌for‌ ‌other‌ ‌civil‌ ‌

gods,‌ ‌that‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌held‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌feasts,‌ ‌that‌ ‌there’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌escorts‌ ‌at‌ ‌those‌ ‌feasts,‌ ‌etc.,‌ ‌

etc.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌shook‌ ‌his‌ ‌head‌ ‌and‌ ‌had‌ ‌only‌ ‌one‌ ‌thought‌ ‌in‌ ‌mind:‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌easy‌ ‌being‌ ‌a‌ ‌

woman‌ ‌official.‌ ‌

Following‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌were‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palaces‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nan‌ ‌Yang‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xuan‌ ‌Zheng,‌ ‌each‌ ‌counted‌ ‌at‌ ‌

five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌seventy-two‌ ‌and‌ ‌five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌seventy-three.‌ ‌Mu‌ ‌Qing‌ ‌looked‌ ‌

pleased‌ ‌while‌ ‌Feng‌ ‌Xin‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌appear‌ ‌happy‌ ‌nor‌ ‌angry,‌ ‌seemingly‌ ‌uncaring.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌

was‌ ‌mystified,‌ ‌how‌ ‌did‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌come‌ ‌so‌ ‌close?‌ ‌That’s‌ ‌too‌ ‌much‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌coincidence?‌ ‌He‌ ‌

asked‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌low‌ ‌voice.‌ ‌Turns‌ ‌out,‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌two‌ ‌of‌ ‌them‌ ‌had‌ ‌a‌ ‌similar‌ ‌

background,‌ ‌similar‌ ‌might,‌ ‌and‌ ‌territories‌ ‌right‌ ‌next‌ ‌to‌ ‌each‌ ‌other,‌ ‌plus‌ ‌their‌ ‌unfriendly‌ ‌

relationship‌ ‌with‌ ‌one‌ ‌another,‌ ‌the‌ ‌worshippers‌ ‌on‌ ‌both‌ ‌sides‌ ‌both‌ ‌fought‌ ‌each‌ ‌other‌ ‌to‌ ‌

win,‌ ‌vowing‌ ‌that‌ ‌however‌ ‌many‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌offered,‌ ‌they‌ ‌must‌ ‌offered‌ ‌just‌ ‌one‌ ‌

more.‌ ‌They‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌ask‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌number‌ ‌one,‌ ‌only‌ ‌just‌ ‌better‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌other.‌ ‌They’d‌ ‌use‌ ‌their‌ ‌

everything‌ ‌and‌ ‌every‌ ‌year‌ ‌there’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌victory‌ ‌and‌ ‌defeat.This‌ ‌year,‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌very‌ ‌last‌ ‌

second,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌Xuan‌ ‌Zhen‌ ‌finally‌ ‌squeezed‌ ‌out‌ ‌one‌ ‌more‌ ‌lantern,‌ ‌winning‌ ‌over‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nan‌ ‌Yang.‌ ‌The‌ ‌worshippers‌ ‌looked‌ ‌like‌ ‌they‌ ‌won‌ ‌a‌ ‌battle‌ ‌and‌ ‌was‌ ‌crazily‌ ‌

celebrating.‌ ‌Hearing‌ ‌this,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌help‌ ‌but‌ ‌think:‌ ‌‘Rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌fighting‌ ‌each‌ ‌

other‌ ‌to‌ ‌death‌ ‌outside,‌ ‌shouldn’t‌ ‌those‌ ‌people‌ ‌go‌ ‌home‌ ‌to‌ ‌celebrate‌ ‌the‌ ‌holiday?‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌the‌ ‌

Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Festival!*’‌ ‌

The‌ ‌next‌ ‌one,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Guang,‌ ‌five‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌and‌ ‌eighty‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌

This‌ ‌number‌ ‌was‌ ‌quite‌ ‌impressive.‌ ‌Yet,‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌look‌ ‌pleased‌ ‌because‌ ‌compared‌ ‌

to‌ ‌the‌ ‌year‌ ‌before,‌ ‌the‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Guang‌ ‌

received‌ ‌was‌ ‌actually‌ ‌less.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌shock‌ ‌to‌ ‌have‌ ‌something‌ ‌happen‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Deputy‌ ‌

General‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Su,‌ ‌and‌ ‌this‌ ‌year‌ ‌they‌ ‌lost‌ ‌close‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌If‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌for‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌

Ming’s‌ ‌strong‌ ‌foundation,‌ ‌he‌ ‌just‌ ‌might‌ ‌have‌ ‌lost‌ ‌more.‌ ‌Neither‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌nor‌ ‌Ling‌ ‌Wen‌ ‌

congratulated‌ ‌him,‌ ‌and‌ ‌only‌ ‌patted‌ ‌his‌ ‌shoulders.‌ ‌

Up‌ ‌until‌ ‌now,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌discovered,‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌of‌ ‌those‌ ‌

heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌were‌ ‌all‌ ‌very‌ ‌close‌ ‌together,‌ ‌only‌ ‌tens‌ ‌and‌ ‌twenties‌ ‌apart,‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌

really‌ ‌standing‌ ‌out,‌ ‌which‌ ‌meant,‌ ‌everyone’s‌ ‌pretty‌ ‌much‌ ‌the‌ ‌same,‌ ‌and‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌was‌ ‌

really‌ ‌winning.‌ ‌He‌ ‌was‌ ‌just‌ ‌thinking‌ ‌this‌ ‌when‌ ‌that‌ ‌announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌shouted,‌ ‌“THE‌ ‌

PALACE‌ ‌OF‌ ‌THE‌ ‌WATER‌ ‌MASTER,‌ ‌SEVEN‌ ‌HUNDRED‌ ‌AND‌ ‌EIGHTEEN‌ ‌

LANTERNS!”‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌banquet‌ ‌was‌ ‌in‌ ‌an‌ ‌uproar‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌sound‌ ‌of‌ ‌amazement‌ ‌was‌ ‌everywhere.‌ ‌

Once‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌all‌ ‌came‌ ‌to,‌ ‌they‌ ‌fought‌ ‌each‌ ‌other‌ ‌to‌ ‌send‌ ‌forth‌ ‌their‌ ‌

congratulations.‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌only‌ ‌sat‌ ‌there‌ ‌and‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌rise,‌ ‌not‌ ‌looking‌ ‌like‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌

particularly‌ ‌impressed,‌ ‌and‌ ‌that‌ ‌all‌ ‌this‌ ‌was‌ ‌perfectly‌ ‌natural.‌ ‌This‌ ‌was‌ ‌probably‌ ‌the‌ ‌

second‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌official‌ ‌who‌ ‌came‌ ‌that‌ ‌close‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Great‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌in‌ ‌

the‌ ‌past‌ ‌several‌ ‌centuries.‌ ‌The‌ ‌first‌ ‌time‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌ascended‌ ‌was‌ ‌too‌ ‌far‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌past,‌ ‌and‌ ‌

the‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌back‌ ‌then‌ ‌were‌ ‌even‌ ‌harder‌ ‌to‌ ‌come‌ ‌by‌ ‌so‌ ‌it‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌

compared.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌they‌ ‌say‌ ‌“Man‌ ‌Dies‌ ‌for‌ ‌Wealth,‌ ‌Birds‌ ‌Die‌ ‌for‌ ‌Food”*,‌ ‌the‌ ‌people’s‌ ‌

passionate‌ ‌love‌ ‌for‌ ‌money‌ ‌will‌ ‌never‌ ‌decrease,‌ ‌as‌ ‌expected‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌God‌ ‌of‌ ‌Wealth!‌ ‌

Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌was‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌excited‌ ‌than‌ ‌as‌ ‌if‌ ‌she‌ ‌was‌ ‌to‌ ‌receive‌ ‌seven‌ ‌hundred‌ ‌

lanterns,‌ ‌and‌ ‌applauded‌ ‌with‌ ‌force,‌ ‌shouting‌ ‌to‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian,‌ ‌“IT’S‌ ‌MY‌ ‌BROTHER!‌ ‌IT’S‌ ‌MY‌ ‌

BROTHER!”‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌laughed,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌know,‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌your‌ ‌brother!”‌ ‌ ‌

At‌ ‌the‌ ‌banquet,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌still‌ ‌only‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌Yi‌ ‌who‌ ‌was‌ ‌working‌ ‌hard‌ ‌at‌ ‌eating,‌ ‌all‌ ‌by‌ ‌his‌ ‌

lonesome.‌ ‌Truthfully,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌thought‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌present,‌ ‌only‌ ‌he‌ ‌took‌ ‌the‌ ‌‘feast’‌ ‌

literally‌ ‌and‌ ‌seriously,‌ ‌attending‌ ‌specifically‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌food‌ ‌part,‌ ‌as‌ ‌if‌ ‌having‌ ‌played‌ ‌the‌ ‌part‌ ‌

of‌ ‌a‌ ‌spy‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Ghost‌ ‌City‌ ‌starved‌ ‌him‌ ‌and‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌working‌ ‌to‌ ‌refill‌ ‌his‌ ‌stomach‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌

brim‌ ‌tonight.‌ ‌When‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌thought‌ ‌back‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌street‌ ‌food‌ ‌sold‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Ghost‌ ‌City‌ ‌stalls,‌ ‌

he‌ ‌could‌ ‌understand‌ ‌wholeheartedly,‌ ‌and‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌help‌ ‌but‌ ‌wonder,‌ ‌would‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌

ever‌ ‌stroll‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌Ghost‌ ‌City‌ ‌streets‌ ‌every‌ ‌now‌ ‌and‌ ‌then?‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌most‌ ‌thrilling‌ ‌mystery‌ ‌had‌ ‌now‌ ‌been‌ ‌revealed,‌ ‌and‌ ‌tonight,‌ ‌each‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌

watched‌ ‌plays‌ ‌to‌ ‌their‌ ‌hearts’‌ ‌content,‌ ‌socialized,‌ ‌and‌ ‌now‌ ‌satisfied,‌ ‌they‌ ‌rose‌ ‌to‌ ‌their‌ ‌

feet‌ ‌ready‌ ‌to‌ ‌take‌ ‌their‌ ‌leave.‌ ‌Unexpectedly,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌frowned,‌ ‌snapped‌ ‌his‌ ‌

fan‌ ‌shut,‌ ‌and‌ ‌spoke,‌ ‌“Wait.”‌ ‌ ‌

If‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌else‌ ‌were‌ ‌to‌ ‌say‌ ‌“wait”‌ ‌they‌ ‌probably‌ ‌wouldn’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌as‌ ‌effective.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌

someone‌ ‌like‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌was‌ ‌known‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌‘Water‌ ‌Tyrant’‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌reason.‌ ‌Like‌ ‌he‌ ‌was‌ ‌born‌ ‌

to‌ ‌give‌ ‌command,‌ ‌the‌ ‌moment‌ ‌he‌ ‌opened‌ ‌his‌ ‌mouth‌ ‌others‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌help‌ ‌but‌ ‌to‌ ‌obey,‌ ‌so‌ ‌

everyone‌ ‌sat‌ ‌back‌ ‌down‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌seats,‌ ‌confused,‌ ‌“The‌ ‌top‌ ‌ten‌ ‌are‌ ‌out,‌ ‌does‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lord‌ ‌

Water‌ ‌Master‌ ‌have‌ ‌anything‌ ‌else‌ ‌to‌ ‌add?”‌ ‌ ‌

‘Was‌ ‌he‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌give‌ ‌out‌ ‌merits‌ ‌too?’‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌wondered.‌ ‌

“The‌ ‌top‌ ‌ten‌ ‌are‌ ‌out?”‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌fanned‌ ‌his‌ ‌fan.‌ ‌

No‌ ‌one‌ ‌knew‌ ‌what‌ ‌he‌ ‌had‌ ‌meant,‌ ‌only‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌who‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌cried,‌ ‌“...No.‌ ‌NO‌ ‌NO‌ ‌

NO.‌ ‌THE‌ ‌TOP‌ ‌TEN‌ ‌AREN’T‌ ‌ALL‌ ‌OUT!‌ ‌—‌ ‌Even‌ ‌if‌ ‌we‌ ‌count‌ ‌the‌ ‌Great‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌Palace,‌ ‌

only‌ ‌nine‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌announced‌ ‌so‌ ‌far!”‌ ‌ ‌

Everyone‌ ‌was‌ ‌stunned‌ ‌and‌ ‌soon‌ ‌they‌ ‌started‌ ‌muttering,‌ ‌“Only‌ ‌nine?”‌ ‌ ‌

“Really,‌ ‌I‌ ‌counted,‌ ‌there‌ ‌really‌ ‌was‌ ‌only‌ ‌nine!”‌ ‌ ‌

“Someone‌ ‌else‌ ‌is‌ ‌ranked‌ ‌higher‌ ‌than‌ ‌Lord‌ ‌Water‌ ‌Master???”‌ ‌ ‌

“What?!‌ ‌Who‌ ‌can‌ ‌it‌ ‌be?‌ ‌I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌like‌ ‌that?!”‌ ‌

Just‌ ‌then,‌ ‌a‌ ‌bright‌ ‌light‌ ‌white‌ ‌as‌ ‌day‌ ‌exploded‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌blackened‌ ‌night.‌ ‌

That‌ ‌light‌ ‌was‌ ‌lanterns.‌ ‌

Like‌ ‌thousands‌ ‌upon‌ ‌millions‌ ‌of‌ ‌fish‌ ‌swimming‌ ‌through‌ ‌gorges‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌sea,‌ ‌countless‌ ‌

lanterns‌ ‌slowly‌ ‌floated‌ ‌up.‌ ‌

They‌ ‌shimmered‌ ‌and‌ ‌gleamed‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌dark‌ ‌night,‌ ‌radiant‌ ‌and‌ ‌brilliant,‌ ‌like‌ ‌floating‌ ‌souls‌ ‌

of‌ ‌a‌ ‌magnificent‌ ‌dream,‌ ‌exceedingly‌ ‌beautiful,‌ ‌brightening‌ ‌the‌ ‌blackened‌ ‌mortal‌ ‌realm.‌ ‌

In‌ ‌the‌ ‌face‌ ‌of‌ ‌such‌ ‌a‌ ‌striking‌ ‌sight,‌ ‌none‌ ‌could‌ ‌speak‌ ‌and‌ ‌all‌ ‌held‌ ‌their‌ ‌breaths,‌ ‌their‌ ‌

words‌ ‌broken.‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌watched‌ ‌that‌ ‌sky‌ ‌full‌ ‌of‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌in‌ ‌dumbfounded‌ ‌awe.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌like‌ ‌his‌ ‌breathing‌ ‌

stopped‌ ‌and‌ ‌nothing‌ ‌could‌ ‌be‌ ‌heard,‌ ‌and‌ ‌he‌ ‌remained‌ ‌dazed‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌good‌ ‌while.‌ ‌It‌ ‌was‌ ‌

only‌ ‌after‌ ‌some‌ ‌time‌ ‌before‌ ‌he‌ ‌realized‌ ‌something‌ ‌wrong.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌of‌ ‌every‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌official‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌banquet‌ ‌were‌ ‌on‌ ‌him.‌ ‌Turns‌ ‌out,‌ ‌that‌ ‌

announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌had‌ ‌raised‌ ‌his‌ ‌trembling‌ ‌hand‌ ‌and‌ ‌pointed‌ ‌at‌ ‌him.‌ ‌

Bewildered,‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌asked,‌ ‌“...What‌ ‌is‌ ‌it?”‌ ‌ ‌

No‌ ‌one‌ ‌answered,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌pointed‌ ‌to‌ ‌himself,‌ ‌“...Me?”‌ ‌ ‌

Next‌ ‌to‌ ‌him,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌patted‌ ‌his‌ ‌shoulder‌ ‌once,‌ ‌“...‌ ‌Yes.‌ ‌You.”‌ ‌

“...”‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌still‌ ‌in‌ ‌shock,‌ ‌“Me‌ ‌what?‌ ‌What‌ ‌about‌ ‌me?”‌ ‌ ‌

That‌ ‌announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌swallowed‌ ‌a‌ ‌couple‌ ‌times‌ ‌with‌ ‌difficulty‌ ‌and‌ ‌finally‌ ‌spoke‌ ‌again.‌ ‌

Thus,‌ ‌the‌ ‌hundreds‌ ‌of‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌present‌ ‌heard‌ ‌a‌ ‌voice‌ ‌trembling‌ ‌with‌ ‌disbelief.‌ ‌

“Qiandeng‌ ‌Temple*,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Crown‌ ‌Prince,‌ ‌three...‌ ‌three...”‌ ‌

“Three‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌lanterns!”‌ ‌ ‌

——–‌ ‌

●‘Water‌ ‌Master-xiong’‌ ‌is‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌calling‌ ‌SWD‌ ‌‘Water‌ ‌Master‌ ‌Bro’.‌ ‌

●The‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Festival,‌ ‌like‌ ‌Lunar‌ ‌New‌ ‌Year,‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌time‌ ‌for‌ ‌family‌ ‌reunions.‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌was‌ ‌amazed‌ ‌that‌ ‌MQ‌ ‌and‌ ‌FX’s‌ ‌followers‌ ‌would‌ ‌rather‌ ‌fight‌ ‌over‌ ‌offering‌ ‌

lanterns‌ ‌than‌ ‌go‌ ‌home‌ ‌and‌ ‌be‌ ‌with‌ ‌family.‌ ‌ ‌

●‘Qiandeng’‌ ‌translates‌ ‌to‌ ‌A‌ ‌Thousand‌ ‌Lights‌ ‌

——-‌ ‌

Ch.92:‌ ‌Temple‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌Thousand‌ ‌Lights‌ ‌Endlessly‌ ‌Illuminating‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lingering‌ ‌Night‌ ‌2‌ ‌

Three‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌lanterns!‌ ‌

All‌ ‌was‌ ‌silent‌ ‌when‌ ‌suddenly,‌ ‌there‌ ‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌tidal‌ ‌wave-like‌ ‌uproar.‌ ‌

Never,‌ ‌not‌ ‌even‌ ‌the‌ ‌Great‌ ‌Martial‌ ‌Palace‌ ‌that‌ ‌always‌ ‌sat‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌head,‌ ‌solid‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌

mountains,‌ ‌had‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌won‌ ‌three‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌in‌ ‌one‌ ‌night‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌

Festival‌ ‌Banquet.‌ ‌In‌ ‌fact,‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌had‌ ‌ever‌ ‌imagined‌ ‌such‌ ‌a‌ ‌number.‌ ‌Even‌ ‌just‌ ‌one‌ ‌

thousand‌ ‌was‌ ‌already‌ ‌difficult‌ ‌to‌ ‌pass.‌ ‌Three‌ ‌thousand.‌ ‌That‌ ‌was‌ ‌truly‌ ‌unheard‌ ‌of,‌ ‌not‌ ‌a‌ ‌

precedent‌ ‌in‌ ‌history,‌ ‌and‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌count‌ ‌of‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌top‌ ‌ten‌ ‌

heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌added‌ ‌together!‌ ‌

One‌ ‌can‌ ‌imagine,‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌moment,‌ ‌just‌ ‌how‌ ‌incredulous‌ ‌every‌ ‌official‌ ‌was,‌ ‌and‌ ‌some‌ ‌

even‌ ‌blurted‌ ‌out,‌ ‌“That‌ ‌must‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌mistake!”‌ ‌ ‌

“It‌ ‌must’ve‌ ‌been‌ ‌counted‌ ‌wrong...”‌ ‌

Yet,‌ ‌nevermind‌ ‌thinking‌ ‌that‌ ‌that‌ ‌announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌had‌ ‌been‌ ‌counting‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌

Autumn‌ ‌Festival’s‌ ‌Battle‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌for‌ ‌years‌ ‌could‌ ‌just‌ ‌happen‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌wrong‌ ‌this‌ ‌

one‌ ‌time,‌ ‌just‌ ‌by‌ ‌looking‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌massive‌ ‌band‌ ‌of‌ ‌flowing‌ ‌lights,‌ ‌even‌ ‌if‌ ‌they‌ ‌were‌ ‌to‌ ‌

backtrack‌ ‌a‌ ‌million‌ ‌steps,‌ ‌that‌ ‌number‌ ‌count‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌be‌ ‌wrong,‌ ‌and‌ ‌even‌ ‌if‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌wrong‌ ‌

the‌ ‌miscount‌ ‌could‌ ‌only‌ ‌be‌ ‌less,‌ ‌not‌ ‌more.‌ ‌Thus,‌ ‌another‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌official‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“Could‌ ‌it‌ ‌

be‌ ‌that‌ ‌those‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌aren’t‌ ‌real‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns?‌ ‌Maybe‌ ‌they’re‌ ‌just‌ ‌ordinary‌ ‌

lanterns?”‌ ‌ ‌

That‌ ‌basically‌ ‌meant‌ ‌“It’s‌ ‌fraud!”,‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌were‌ ‌a‌ ‌few‌ ‌who‌ ‌agreed.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌

Qingxuan‌ ‌spoke‌ ‌up,‌ ‌“How‌ ‌can‌ ‌they‌ ‌be‌ ‌ordinary‌ ‌lanterns?‌ ‌Ordinary‌ ‌lanterns‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌

Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌have‌ ‌completely‌ ‌different‌ ‌makes,‌ ‌and‌ ‌they‌ ‌can’t‌ ‌fly‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌

heavens,‌ ‌so‌ ‌how‌ ‌could‌ ‌these‌ ‌be‌ ‌fake?”‌ ‌

If‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌who‌ ‌argued‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌rest‌ ‌would‌ ‌probably‌ ‌continue‌ ‌to‌ ‌doubt.‌ ‌Yet‌ ‌

because‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Qingxuan‌ ‌who‌ ‌spoke‌ ‌up,‌ ‌and‌ ‌Shi‌ ‌Wudu‌ ‌was‌ ‌also‌ ‌present,‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌

dared‌ ‌say‌ ‌much‌ ‌else.‌ ‌Hitting‌ ‌a‌ ‌dead‌ ‌end,‌ ‌they‌ ‌changed‌ ‌track,‌ ‌“Everyone,‌ ‌where‌ ‌is‌ ‌this‌ ‌

‘Qiandeng‌ ‌Temple’?‌ ‌When‌ ‌was‌ ‌it‌ ‌built?‌ ‌Who‌ ‌built‌ ‌it?‌ ‌Does‌ ‌any‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌colleague‌ ‌

know?”‌ ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌announcer‌ ‌official‌ ‌replied,‌ ‌“No...‌ ‌but‌ ‌“Qiandeng‌ ‌Temple”‌ ‌was‌ ‌clearly‌ ‌written‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌

lanterns‌ ‌that‌ ‌floated‌ ‌up.”‌ ‌

“But‌ ‌I’ve‌ ‌never‌ ‌heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌any‌ ‌‘Qiandeng‌ ‌Temple’?!”‌ ‌

“Yea,‌ ‌me‌ ‌neither!”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌finally‌ ‌snapped‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌his‌ ‌shocked‌ ‌reverie,‌ ‌and‌ ‌when‌ ‌he‌ ‌heard‌ ‌the‌ ‌complaints,‌ ‌

he‌ ‌said‌ ‌quite‌ ‌earnestly,‌ ‌“Everyone,‌ ‌truth‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌told,‌ ‌not‌ ‌only‌ ‌have‌ ‌you‌ ‌all‌ ‌never‌ ‌heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌

it,‌ ‌I‌ ‌haven’t‌ ‌ever‌ ‌heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌it‌ ‌either.”‌ ‌ ‌

There‌ ‌was‌ ‌no‌ ‌way‌ ‌this‌ ‌came‌ ‌about‌ ‌naturally?!‌ ‌

All‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌officials‌ ‌lost‌ ‌their‌ ‌minds,‌ ‌destroyed‌ ‌by‌ ‌this‌ ‌unexpected‌ ‌thunder,‌ ‌incredulous‌ ‌

and‌ ‌disbelieving,‌ ‌their‌ ‌tongues‌ ‌spitting‌ ‌with‌ ‌talk.‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌really‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌tell‌ ‌them:‌ ‌“It’s‌ ‌

only‌ ‌a‌ ‌game,‌ ‌why‌ ‌is‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌taking‌ ‌it‌ ‌so‌ ‌seriously?”‌ ‌However,‌ ‌first,‌ ‌very‌ ‌few‌ ‌took‌ ‌this‌ ‌

‘game’‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌game,‌ ‌and‌ ‌second,‌ ‌he‌ ‌ranked‌ ‌first‌ ‌place‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌‘game’,‌ ‌so‌ ‌if‌ ‌he‌ ‌said‌ ‌

anything‌ ‌he’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌asking‌ ‌for‌ ‌it.‌ ‌The‌ ‌other‌ ‌heavenly‌ ‌officials‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌say‌ ‌it‌ ‌either‌ ‌because‌ ‌

they‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌place‌ ‌first,‌ ‌so‌ ‌if‌ ‌they‌ ‌said‌ ‌anything‌ ‌it’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌downplaying‌ ‌their‌ ‌not‌ ‌getting‌ ‌

number‌ ‌one,‌ ‌making‌ ‌it‌ ‌sound‌ ‌exceedingly‌ ‌awkward.‌ ‌ ‌

Just‌ ‌then,‌ ‌Pei‌ ‌Ming‌ ‌chuckled,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌did‌ ‌say‌ ‌that‌ ‌Crimson‌ ‌Rain‌ ‌Sought‌ ‌Flower‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌kidnap‌ ‌

His‌ ‌Highness‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌ill‌ ‌intent‌ ‌but‌ ‌no‌ ‌one‌ ‌believed‌ ‌me.‌ ‌Now‌ ‌will‌ ‌you‌ ‌all‌ ‌believe‌ ‌me?”‌ ‌ ‌

With‌ ‌his‌ ‌reminder,‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌was‌ ‌enlightened‌ ‌in‌ ‌an‌ ‌instant.‌ ‌

If‌ ‌it‌ ‌really‌ ‌was‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng,‌ ‌then,‌ ‌it‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌impossible‌ ‌for‌ ‌him‌ ‌to‌ ‌simply‌ ‌light‌ ‌up‌ ‌three‌ ‌

thousand‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns‌ ‌like‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌nothing!‌ ‌

Was‌ ‌there‌ ‌anything‌ ‌going‌ ‌on‌ ‌between‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌and‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng,‌ ‌and‌ ‌just‌ ‌what‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌

relationship‌ ‌did‌ ‌they‌ ‌have‌ ‌was‌ ‌truly‌ ‌a‌ ‌mystery.‌ ‌At‌ ‌the‌ ‌moment,‌ ‌the‌ ‌majority‌ ‌still‌ ‌thought‌ ‌

it‌ ‌was‌ ‌more‌ ‌believable‌ ‌to‌ ‌say‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌did‌ ‌this‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌ill‌ ‌intent.‌ ‌There‌ ‌was‌ ‌no‌ ‌reason‌ ‌

why‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌who‌ ‌had‌ ‌always‌ ‌been‌ ‌unfriendly‌ ‌towards‌ ‌the‌ ‌heavens‌ ‌would‌ ‌suddenly‌ ‌

change‌ ‌his‌ ‌attitude‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌face‌ ‌of‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌Lian.‌ ‌Yet,‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng’s‌ ‌inconceivable‌ ‌

lawlessness,‌ ‌he‌ ‌could‌ ‌very‌ ‌well‌ ‌become‌ ‌nice‌ ‌towards‌ ‌someone‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌blue‌ ‌without‌ ‌

reason.‌ ‌After‌ ‌this‌ ‌Mid‌ ‌Autumn‌ ‌Festival‌ ‌Banquet,‌ ‌it’d‌ ‌be‌ ‌hard‌ ‌pressed‌ ‌to‌ ‌say‌ ‌Hua‌ ‌Cheng‌ ‌

had‌ ‌ill‌ ‌intent.‌ ‌After‌ ‌all,‌ ‌it‌ ‌was‌ ‌three‌ ‌thousand‌ ‌Blessings‌ ‌Lanterns!‌ ‌Even‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌Water‌ ‌

Master‌ ‌who‌ ‌controlled‌ ‌wealth,‌ ‌this‌ ‌wasn’t‌ ‌something‌ ‌he‌ ‌could‌ ‌do‌ ‌just‌ ‌because‌ ‌he‌ ‌

wanted‌ ‌to.‌ ‌Amidst‌ ‌all‌ ‌the‌ ‌chaos,‌ ‌suddenly,‌ ‌the‌ ‌sound‌ ‌of‌ ‌steady‌ ‌clapping‌ ‌came‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌

head‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌feast.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌officials‌ ‌looked‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌sound‌ ‌and‌ ‌saw‌ ‌Jun‌ ‌Wu‌ ‌clapping‌ ‌slowly‌ ‌as‌ ‌he‌ ‌smiled‌ ‌to‌ ‌Xie‌ ‌

Lian,‌ ‌“Congratulations,‌ ‌Xian‌ ‌Le.”‌ ‌ ‌

Xie‌ ‌Lian‌ ‌knew‌ ‌Jun‌ ‌Wu‌ ‌intended‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌take‌ ‌the‌ ‌heat‌ ‌off‌

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