Before long, Fengxue Xiaohua appeared. She was not wearing the same outfit she had worn when receiving Uchiha Shunichi earlier.
Her seemingly casual attire was actually an extremely important ceremonial dress for this ritual.
The Snowmelt Ceremony had only begun a few years ago. Yet in the hearts of the people of the Land of Snow, it had already become an exceptionally grand festival.
Not only were the tourists curious about the coming spectacle, even the locals who had seen it several times before watched with hopeful, expectant eyes.
Before the ceremony began, Fengxue Xiaohua glanced at Uchiha Shunichi, who was hiding among the crowd, feeling slightly nervous.
But once the ceremony began, the fine acting skills she had developed as an actress came into play.
Music began first, followed by a group of shrine maidens taking the stage. Their makeup was exceedingly solemn, and their dance resembled a prayer offered before a sacrifice.
It reminded Uchiha Shunichi of what he had seen a thousand years ago, when humans prayed to Monsters.
It felt familiar, yet much had changed.
Most importantly, there was no flow of Natural Energy in the air. This proved that the ceremony had no real practical effect and was merely symbolic.
Once the ceremony officially began, the surrounding tourists watched for a while before dispersing in twos and threes. Only those who truly enjoyed such things continued watching.
This was merely the prelude, and it would last a full two hours. Other than those who were especially fond of it or patient enough, hardly anyone would waste more than two hours here.
Most travelers were now being led by their guides to the peaks of the nearby mountains. Only from high atop the mountains, with a broad view of the distance, could they better experience the