The Dragon Casting Ceremony began.
Fujin changed into new clothes.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, she cast the Dragon Offering into the water.
Although it was her first time presiding over it,
she had watched it many times before.
She was already familiar with every step.
The villagers followed closely behind.
They threw some jade artifacts into the water.
Praying for favorable weather in the coming year.
Mu Yang watched with aching heart.
That was all genuine jade!
You people of Sunken Jade Valley were seriously rich.
After the Dragon Casting Ceremony,
Fujin was finally done with her duties.
She began taking Mu Yang and the others around the temple fair.
She and Lingyuan walked ahead hand in hand.
Mu Yang and the Medicine Master followed behind them.
Mu Yang had not expected the temple fair to be so abundant.
He had originally thought he had seen Dragon Country's food streets before.
What delicious food had he not seen?
But he had still underestimated the wild imagination of Sunken Jade Valley's villagers.
Although their level of mechanization lagged behind somewhat,
they did not cut corners when it came to food.
Even Lingyuan, who usually found humans objectionable in every way,
was now clutching food in both hands.
And everything at today's temple fair was free.
Take whatever you wanted and eat.
There was plenty to go around.
Mu Yang's appetite was stirred as well.
Not because he loved eating,
but mainly to soak in the festive cheer.
Mu Yang dug in heartily.
The Medicine Master beside him smiled faintly.
"Life here is pretty nice, isn't it?"
Mu Yang swallowed a sauce-covered chicken drumstick.
"It really is. Looks like our mountain king likes it too."
"Then why don't you move here as well?"
the Medicine Master suggested.
Mu Yang glanced at Lingyuan.
"I don't mind, but we'll talk when she can accept human society."
"When she's willing to move in, that is. Someone has to stay with her."
The Medicine Master nodded.
Then she glanced at a small stall displaying Jade Pendants.
The temple fair had food and games.
Naturally, it also had small accessories.
The Medicine Master pondered for a while.
Then she called out to Mu Yang's back.
"Mu Yang, over here."
"And bring those two over too."
Mu Yang nodded at her words.
And did as she said.
He called Fujin and Lingyuan over as well.
The stall owner looked like an honest craftsman.
When he saw these four extraordinary people arrive at his stall,
with one of them being the divine maiden who had presided over the Dragon Casting Ceremony,
he was so nervous he could barely speak.
"Uh... well, Divine Maiden, and you immortals..."
Fujin told him not to be nervous.
"Don't be so formal. Just call me Fujin."
"They're all my friends."
Only then did the owner's clenched hands loosen slightly.
He usually worked in his workshop all day.
When had he ever met such important people?
"Alright, alright. Please take your time looking."
After spending so much time together,
even without the Medicine Master explaining,
they understood what she meant.
In the end, each of them chose the Jade Pendant they liked best.
Usually, they took turns choosing one for someone else.
Since today represented a new beginning,
the Medicine Master suggested putting all four together.
Whoever drew whichever one would take it.
When the Medicine Master saw that Mu Yang had drawn the one she chose,
she used Mortal Power to tie it around his waist.
"There. It suits you very well."
"It looks pretty good."
"I always thought that spot looked empty, like it was missing something. Now it's perfect."
Mu Yang looked at the Jade Pendant around his waist.
He could not help but sigh inwardly.
Boss, you'd never guess that I'll be wearing this for a thousand years, would you?
Fujin suddenly suggested,
"Alright, we're tired from walking around, and we've bought gifts too."
"Shouldn't we have something to drink?"
Lingyuan asked, "Tea?"
Fujin smiled mysteriously. "That's right."
Mu Yang and the Medicine Master exchanged a look.
They nodded in tacit understanding.
Whenever Fujin smiled like that,
nothing good ever came of it.
The group found a place to sit down for tea.
Fujin introduced it, saying,
"The tea cakes here are especially delicious. Eat one, and I guarantee you'll never forget it."
"How good can something made by humans possibly be?"
"You just ate so much, and you're still talking tough?"
The owner of this tea stall knew Fujin well.
He warmly received Mu Yang and the others.
Just as Fujin had said,
the tea cakes here had a unique flavor.
After eating just one, Lingyuan obediently shut her mouth.
Then she began stuffing them into her mouth one after another.
Fujin looked at her with a smug expression.
Lingyuan had wanted to say something stubborn in reply.
But she could not deny that they really were delicious.
"Alright, alright, I admit it. Things made by humans really are delicious."
She spoke too quickly and choked.
Fujin patted her back.
Then handed her a cup of tea.
"Honestly, there's no need to eat so fast. Here."
Lingyuan took a sip.
Her expression turned a little strange.
"It tastes different from the tea I usually drink."
"This is a new kind of tea. Is it good?"
Mu Yang had already caught Fujin's subtle expression.
This really was tea—
Flammable Oolong Tea!
So that was what she had been planning.
No wonder she had smiled so maliciously just now.
She wanted Lingyuan to drink alcohol.
Poor Lingyuan. Today was another day of being toyed with by Fujin.
Mu Yang did not dare stop Fujin.
He decided to let the two of them have their little game.
What Mu Yang did not know
was that he would soon regret that decision.
Fujin poured Lingyuan more alcohol
while feeding her tea cakes.
After this grand feeding performance continued for quite a while,
Lingyuan began swaying from side to side.
She could no longer sit steadily.
It looked like she was drunk.
Fujin hurriedly stopped.
She told Lingyuan the tea was finished.
And that they should go home.
The drunken Lingyuan clung tightly to Fujin.
"No, I want more!"
Fujin cast a pleading look toward Mu Yang and the Medicine Master.
The two indicated that they could not help her.
You brought this upon yourself.
Fujin's eyes darted around.
"Alright, alright, you can drink as much as you want. I'll go get more for you, okay?"
Only then did Lingyuan let go.
To no one's surprise, Fujin immediately slipped away.
Mu Yang inwardly cursed.
He stood up to chase after her.
Lingyuan stopped him.
"Mu Yang, am I pretty?"
Mu Yang's face was full of question marks.
Huh???
"I'm asking you, am I pretty?"
When Mu Yang did not answer, Lingyuan raised her voice.
Everyone around them turned to look.
Medicine Master was also standing nearby, gloating.
Mu Yang thought, What kind of situation is this?
He went along with her.
"Good-looking."
He hadn't expected Lingyuan to start making such a big deal out of it.
"Then who's better-looking, Medicine Master or me?"
"Pfft—"
Medicine Master, who had been watching the show from the side, never imagined he would get dragged into this.
The chatter around them grew louder and louder.
Mu Yang now felt like everyone present was talking about him.
The feeling was awful.
It was like passing through the village entrance when returning home for the New Year.
And getting pointed at and judged by all the uncles and aunties.
When she didn't hear Mu Yang's answer,
Lingyuan stood up. "Who's better-looking, Medicine Master or me?"
Then she made as if to pounce on Mu Yang and grab him.
Mu Yang dodged with a flash.
Then he patted Medicine Master on the shoulder.
"I'm going to catch the culprit and bring them back to clean up this mess. I'll leave this to you."
With that, he used Lightness Skill twice and left the scene.
"Hey—! Don't dump this on me alone!"
Lingyuan hadn't caught Mu Yang.
She was now hugging a stool and demanding an answer.
"Hurry up, tell me... Medicine Master or me... who's better-looking..."
Medicine Master tried to pull her away and give her something to sober her up.
But he couldn't get close to her.
He was afraid she would cause trouble if he used Mortal Power.
So he could only stand there and wait helplessly.
The surrounding whispers reached his ears.
It was unbearably awkward.
Medicine Master ground his teeth.
"Mu Yang, Fujin, if you two dare not come back, hehehe..."
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