If You Are Willing

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing nodded in agreement.

As for Zhang Lexuan, who was unfamiliar with the local customs, she blinked her beautiful black eyes and looked at Xue Mingqing, waiting for an explanation.

Noticing Zhang Lexuan's curious gaze, Xue Mingqing chuckled and kept her in suspense.

"Alright, you'll know when the time comes. Let's get going, Sister Lexuan."

Having lived in the Far North for six full years, Xue Mingqing naturally knew that the so-called specialty of Blizzard City was nothing more than the annual fireworks display.

If one had to describe it, it was really no different from setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve in his past life.

It was just that here on the Douluo Continent, it seemed only Blizzard City held such an annual tradition, which was what they called the "Blizzard City specialty."

As he spoke, Xue Mingqing stepped forward, gently took hold of Zhang Lexuan's sleeve just as he had when they arrived, and smiled.

"Alright, before that happens..."

"I'll take you around Blizzard City first. It'll be good for you to get familiar with the surroundings."

Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan's earlobes turned a faint shade of crimson as she looked at Xue Mingqing's increasingly handsome face.

She kept her head down, saying nothing, and simply nodded, following in Xue Mingqing's footsteps as they left.

Watching the two leave one after the other, Xue Ningxian, who had been observing with her arms crossed, raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"It seems this brat doesn't need me to worry about finding him a wife..."

Xue Ningxian's soft laughter was naturally unheard by Xue Mingqing and Zhang Lexuan, who had already departed.

Watching their receding figures until they vanished at the edge of her vision, Xue Ningxian finally turned her head.

She began to tidy up the remnants in the great hall all by herself.

Though it was called a vacation, for Xue Mingqing, there wasn't actually much to do after returning to Blizzard City.

After all, this was still the Douluo Continent, and entertainment options were limited.

Things they could do, like building snowmen, became boring once the novelty wore off, and the forms of entertainment that didn't get old so easily had nothing to do with them.

So, after spending a few days building snowmen with Zhang Lexuan, Xue Mingqing took her out to stroll through the city.

After three days of wandering, the two of them had practically set foot in every corner of Blizzard City.

As for whether any small-headed fools controlled by their lower instincts had tried to cause trouble after coveting Zhang Lexuan's beauty?

Naturally, there were some, such as our old friend, the chubby Ling Gui.

However, this time, he seemed to have grown smarter; knowing that Xue Mingqing was not to be trifled with, he decisively turned and fled the moment he saw Xue Mingqing by Zhang Lexuan's side.

There was no cliché fighting or posturing to be had.

Xue Mingqing was quite happy with this peace; with his current cultivation level, he honestly had little interest in anything other than cross-level battles.

A real man should engage in hot-blooded combat where he could either be one-shot by his opponent or slowly chip away at them until they fell.

Xue Mingqing had absolutely no interest in bullying those of the same rank.

Time slipped away quietly amidst laughter with Zhang Lexuan and the nightly medicinal baths that never failed.

Though, well...

After the medicinal bath that day, Lu Xiaoxiao's attitude toward Xue Mingqing had improved significantly.

At the very least, she was no longer so icy and was willing to grant Xue Mingqing time off.

Half a month passed in a flash, and once again, a bright moon hung high in the sky.

This day was the start of the Blizzard City Fireworks Festival, and it was precisely today that Xue Mingqing used his once-a-month leave, skipping the medicinal bath for a rare night off.

At this moment, he and Zhang Lexuan were sitting on the roof of his small courtyard, gazing at the vast expanse of stars and the bright moon.

Glancing at the quiet, silent Zhang Lexuan beside him, Xue Mingqing couldn't help but let a smile tug at his lips as he thought about what was about to happen.

"Sister Lexuan, weren't you curious about what the fireworks would be like?"

Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan was startled. She nodded gently, her gaze lowered as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

She turned her eyes toward Xue Mingqing beside her, recalling his companionship and their time together over the past half-month; her beautiful black peach-blossom eyes seemed to shimmer with fragments of stars.

"Hmm? Are you finally going to reveal the secret since you asked me out today?"

Not noticing the strange look in Zhang Lexuan's eyes, Xue Mingqing rubbed his nose and chuckled.

He raised his hand, stretching his five fingers toward the star-filled sky as if to grasp the stars, or perhaps doing something else entirely.

"Eh, you guessed it, Sister Lexuan. Well, it is time to reveal the secret."

As he spoke, Xue Mingqing turned his fingers, a flash of light flickered at his fingertips, and he clenched his hand into a fist.

The next second, following his gesture, sharp, piercing sounds erupted from around Xue Mingqing's courtyard, from the City Lord's Mansion, and...

Throughout the entire Blizzard City!

Hearing these sounds, Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes narrowed. Instinctively assuming it was a hidden weapon attack, she turned her head to look.

She gazed in the direction from which the whistling sound originated.

However...

Just as she turned, the object that had sliced through the night and shot straight toward the firmament suddenly burst open in the sky above Blizzard City!

Bang—!

Amidst the crisp, sharp explosion.

Clusters of crystal-clear fireworks, bright enough to illuminate every inch of the darkness, bloomed across the sky.

Ice-blue, snowflake-like ice blossoms unfurled, tearing through the night and branding that moment of splendor and brilliance deep into Zhang Lexuan's dark, beautiful eyes...

Watching the dazzling flowers of various colors blooming across the sky, a shimmering light seemed to dance within Zhang Lexuan's eyes, flickering in rhythm with the fireworks...

Taking in Zhang Lexuan's reaction, the corners of Xue Mingqing's mouth curled into a playful smirk.

Just as he had expected, Zhang Lexuan had never seen fireworks before; this was the quintessential reaction of someone witnessing them for the first time.

It wasn't that there were no fireworks on the Douluo Continent, but opportunities to see them were rare.

Generally, it was only during major events or festive celebrations that ordinary people could catch a glimpse of them.

Although Zhang Lexuan's family background couldn't be considered ordinary, Xue Mingqing had asked her about it.

According to her own words, she had never seen fireworks.

Precisely because he learned this, Xue Mingqing decided to personally arrange the most perfect display of firework art in history for Zhang Lexuan.

Yes, that's right; the Blizzard City fireworks show, from the placement of the launch points to the timing of the release, had all been orchestrated by Xue Mingqing.

Once everything was arranged and confirmed to be flawless, Xue Mingqing invited Zhang Lexuan to watch the fireworks together.

Although the process of arranging it hadn't been easy.

But—

Watching the beautiful radiance rippling in Zhang Lexuan's dark eyes at this moment, the corners of Xue Mingqing's mouth couldn't help but curve upward.

This was enough... wasn't it?

Sitting quietly beside Zhang Lexuan, Xue Mingqing raised his eyes, watching as one gorgeous ice-blue firework after another exploded against the canopy of the sky.

You ask why they were only ice-blue?

That was because the people of Douluo had never invented gunpowder, and Xue Mingqing didn't know how to tinker with that stuff either.

These so-called fireworks were all created by ice-attribute soul masters operating specialized soul devices.

Driven by ice-attribute soul power, they were naturally ice-blue.

As he watched the fireworks blooming across the sky, just as Xue Mingqing was immersed in the beauty and tranquility of the moment.

Zhang Lexuan's voice rang out from his side.

"It's so beautiful... If only... if only it could be like this every year..."

As she spoke, Zhang Lexuan slowly lowered her head. Touched by the scene and feeling the beauty of the moment, her heart couldn't help but think of her parents...

Having lost her father in childhood and her mother half a year ago, Zhang Lexuan was now all alone, no different from an orphan.

Yet, just as Zhang Lexuan felt out of place and lost in her own sorrow, Xue Mingqing's voice reached her from beside her, like a ray of light tearing through the gloom.

"Hey, is that all? If you're willing, I can put on a Fireworks Festival like this for you every single year."

"...!"