A river also wound through the heart of the city. Countless talented scholars, young ladies from secluded chambers, famed courtesans, and beauties rowed boats along its surface, setting floating lanterns adrift. Each lantern was exquisitely shaped and unique, turning gently as it drifted south with the current.
Rows of taverns and inns lined both banks. Standing there and pushing open a window, one could see the brightly lit scene below, with children laughing and playing.
Lu Qing was on the second floor of one such riverside inn. Looking down, he saw the river, the Great Dao beside it, and the broad street filled with lantern sellers, flower-lantern sellers, floating-lantern sellers, riddle-guessing stalls, candied hawthorn vendors, and even finger-guessing contests...
Putting all that aside, Lu Qing noticed it all, but his attention was swiftly drawn to something else.
"Dong, dong, dong—"
Three short beats, two long beats—three urgent strikes, three heavy knocks.
A long, earthshaking roll of gongs and drums burst in first from the far end of the street.
The clamor rang through the night, followed by something that looked like firelight, yet also like lamplight.
A gigantic head with two horns appeared in the middle of the street.
Dragon head, dragon claws, dragon scales...
Lifelike.
A parade dragon emerged below. Its body was enormous and elongated, glowing from head to tail as it wound through the streets.
The crowd erupted into an uproar.
"My heavens, is that a dragon?!"
"Hahaha, this is World City's Dragon Parade Festival! It'll be held tonight, tomorrow night, and the night after that!" A local eagerly and proudly explained it to the outsiders.
Only World City could create such a spectacle.
"It's so beautiful!"
"That dragon is so majestic!"
"So it's the Dragon Parade Festival!"
"No wonder it's been so lively these past few