That day, when the last rays of sunset were swallowed by the stars, the ten-mile-wide celestial street known as the "Food Ward," said to belong exclusively to the Taotie, finally opened its millions of dazzling eyes once more.
Of course, they weren't real eyes, but countless dazzling lights.
The Food Ward was lively during the day, too, but compared with daytime, it was busiest and most popular at night—roughly from the Hour of the Rooster to the Hour of the Rat.
After all, whether immortal or mortal, Heavenly Court employee or ordinary workhorse, most people still had to go to work and earn money. Even cultivators had to bow to a few pieces of spirit stone. So it was only after "getting off work" at night that they had time to invite friends, accept an invitation, or come alone to seek out and enjoy all kinds of delicious food.
See?
As all kinds of conveyances and penniless sword immortals flying on their swords traveled through the crisscrossing airways overhead, they shone in accordance with the heavenly laws. The streaks of light left behind by passing skyships and flying swords wove into rivers of stars, while below, the whole marketplace seemed to come alive in an instant, as if immortals had poured molten stardust over it.
As dusk deepened, the spirit-stone lanterns hanging beneath the eaves sensed the fading light and began to glow. The eyes of the glazed Chi Wen crouching on the eaves of the restaurants shot out golden beams several yards long to attract customers, casting ancient seal-script signs onto the low clouds. Meanwhile, the glowing spirit cuisine inside the food carts pushed by street vendors flickered as the carts bobbed along to their hawking cries, trailing streaks of jade-green light.
The pedestrian rainbow bridges spanning the main