On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, in Jingyang Commandery.
Originating as the birthday of the Primordial Origin One Qi Great Heavenly King, the Shangyuan Festival has, over hundreds of years, become an important festival celebrated by the entire imperial court.
Jingyang, as a prefectural city, gathers most of the wealth of the Nan Commandery, and is full of wealthy gentry and merchants.
For wealthy merchants and gentry, the Lantern Festival was also the perfect stage to flaunt their wealth.
Whose lantern tower was the tallest, whose lanterns were the most dazzling, would be the talk of the town for a long time, and would even be discussed years later.
When Zhou Wuji and Wuming rode into the city, the last vestiges of red glow remained in the western sky, and every household on the long street connecting the city gates had already lit up their lamps.
Jingyang Commandery has a history of several hundred years and has undergone several expansions to reach its current size.
The two most important cross streets in the county town run through the east, west, north, and south of the county town, with a large number of shops in the center of the cross streets.
Most of the families living along the street were merchants, and they would always hang two red lanterns at their door during the Lantern Festival.
As dusk fell, the lights on both sides of the long street stretched like a dragon all the way to the horizon.
There were already some tourists on the long street, most of them with their families, and the children and women were mostly carrying lanterns.
Everyone was dressed neatly and cleanly, and their faces showed the relaxed joy of the holiday.
Riding on horseback, one can see the city lights twinkling, illuminating the vast Jingyang Commandery with a prosperous and bustling atmosphere.
Wuming often went to the city to play in Yunyang, but Yunyang was a small place and there was a huge difference between it and the county seat.
After she went to Yunze, she had no time to travel around anymore.
Seeing such a lively and bustling scene tonight, with her senior brother by her side, she felt as if she were in heaven.
Yang Tie Ying, however, came up from behind and said, "Master, Uncle-Master, let's leave the horses at the inn."
He was only in his early twenties, and in the past few years he had been traveling around with Zhou Wuji, so he had no time to have fun.
Seeing such a lively scene, Yang Tie Ying couldn't help but feel overjoyed, but he really didn't want to follow his master and Uncle Wuming.
Leading a horse makes it impossible to go to many places, which is very inconvenient.
Zhou Wuji thought the suggestion was excellent, so he had Yang Tie Ying find a very grand-looking inn called Peace and Fortune Inn on the street and book three superior rooms. The horses were also temporarily stored in the inn's stable.
Yang Tie Ying didn't want to cause trouble, so he took out his master's Heavenly Pivot Token and slapped it in front of the shopkeeper, saying, "Shopkeeper, look carefully, this is the Heavenly Pivot Token."
"If anything happens to any of our good horses, you'd better be prepared to pay for it."
The innkeeper was a connoisseur; although he only glanced at the four characters "Dharma Master Hongde were extraordinary.
The chubby shopkeeper immediately bowed and agreed, then called over a waiter and told him to keep a close watch on the stables and make sure nothing went wrong.
Yang Tie Ying nodded in satisfaction. He wasn't trying to scare the shopkeeper, but rather he was afraid that some people wouldn't be able to resist stealing a good horse.
Wuming Uncle Wuming's horse, it was fine, but his and his master's horses were gifts from Xie Lingyun, and they could both be considered fine horses.
Such incidents are actually quite common. Often, it's the inn's employees colluding with outside thieves. Usually, nothing is found out, and the inn just pays some compensation to settle the matter.
He revealed his identity as a master to let the shopkeeper know his place.
Don't show off those charlatan tactics in front of fourth-grade mages, they can't bear the consequences.
Yang Tie Ying paid the room fee before turning around and leaving the inn.
After Yang Tie Ying left, the round-faced innkeeper gave some instructions to the waiter, then went out through the back door and went straight to the last guest room.
The shopkeeper knocked gently on the door, and after a moment, an aged voice came from inside. "Come in."
Having received Elder Xue's permission, the shopkeeper entered the room. He carefully closed the door and knelt down with a thud. "This humble servant greets Elder."
Elder Xue sat on the bed, his white hair neatly combed into a bun, his black robe pressed flat and smooth, and a dark wooden cane beside him. He looked like a sprightly old man.
He asked calmly, "What is it?"
"A Dharma Master Hongde needs to stay at the inn, so I've come to inform you."
The shopkeeper knelt on the ground with his head down, not daring to look at the elder.
He knew the other party was a powerful figure from the Heavenly Ghost Sect, capable of taking his life with a single incantation.
Over the years, relying on the Heavenly Ghost Sect's backing, he silently killed his father-in-law's entire family and swallowed up this inn.
But he also knew that he would be manipulated by the Heavenly Ghost Sect for the rest of his life. But so what? After all, he had taken over a large inn, and as long as he managed it well, he could make a fortune.
He might not become extremely wealthy, but he could at least have enough to eat, drink, and have fun, which was a hundred or a thousand times better than being a bullied son-in-law.
As Fourth Rank Ghost Marshal of the Heavenly Ghost Sect, Xue Feng could not see the innkeeper's inner thoughts, but he could tell that the fat man's aura was relatively stable and that he was not lying to coax him out of the inn.
Having been in Jingyang Commandery for more than half a month, he rarely went out on weekdays, spending most of his evenings investigating the situation in various places.
He had mastered the Ten Directions Spirit Severing Art to an extremely high level, and had also consumed heavenly materials and earthly treasures, storing all of his Greater Yin Profound Qi within his body, making him quite different from the ghostly fellows of the Heavenly Ghost Sect.
Even if they encounter a Daoist master, their true strength won't be easily revealed.
Get up.
Xue Feng didn't want to make things difficult for the innkeeper. Having such a stable following in the county town, and being an innkeeper himself, made it very convenient for him to gather all sorts of information. He didn't want the other party to get into trouble over something so trivial.
But then he thought again, Dharma Master Hongde?! That title sounds familiar, it's Zhou Wuji!
Xue Feng had never met Zhou Wuji, so he remembered the name only because the whole city had been talking about him a few days ago, which reminded him of Zhou Wuji.
He has two younger relatives who aren't very skilled in cultivation, but they are ruthless in their actions.
Two young men, oblivious to their own mortality, searched for the Heavenly Mystery Divine Lord's treasure in Siming County, only to be killed by Zhou Wuji.
He loathed those two juniors and never considered avenging them.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving in Jingyang Commandery, I encountered this person again.
I heard that Zhou Wuji advanced to the Fourth Rank during the ordination ceremony. Even if the rumor is false, the Daoist sect is known to be able to Devil Cultivator. It would be difficult for him to win against Zhou Wuji, who is now at the Fifth Rank.
Xue Feng came here to gather information about the county town and did not want to expose his whereabouts, much less risk his life for two fools.
He was confident that even if he lived here, Zhou Wuji would never notice anything amiss.
It's just that rumors say this kid is very quick-witted and capable, so he shouldn't be underestimated.
Xue Feng wouldn't reveal his inner thoughts to a mere follower, so he simply dismissed the shopkeeper, packed his things, and quietly left.
To leave your guest room, you can either go through the front lobby or exit through the main back door.
As Xue Feng walked out the back door, he happened to see two fine horses in the stable, especially the white horse, whose coat was snow-white and shiny, and whose eyes were very bright.
Some fish-scale-like patterns can be seen on the horse's legs, which is quite unusual.
"It seems to be Scale Horse from the Xie Household, at least Sixth Rank horse. It has abundant Qi and Blood, yet it hasn't Demonization. It's truly a fine horse."
Xue Feng, a well-traveled and knowledgeable man, recognized the white horse's extraordinary nature even in the dim light.
The other black horse was also a top-quality steed, at least Seventh Rank horse.
"It should be Zhou Wuji, that junior. I've heard he's very close to the Xie Household."
Xue Feng immediately thought of the origins of the two fine horses. He originally didn't want to pay attention to this junior, but he couldn't refuse such spirited horses right in front of him.
The main reason is that he possesses a Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed, which is the Ghost Marshal's mount, yet it can be separated from the Ghost Marshal, allowing him to ride it at night when needed.
The Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed is too Yin Qi and its rank is not high. If it could devour two fine horses with strong Qi and Blood and energy, it would be a great tonic for the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed.
After all, such spirit horses are truly rare. The Xie Household has quite a few, but the area is teeming with martial artists whose Qi and Blood are as intense as fire. As a Devil Cultivator, he would have to reveal his true form before he even got close.
Thinking of this, Xue Feng no longer held back. He raised his wooden staff and pointed, causing black mist to surge and cover the two horses.
The two steeds sensed the danger and neighed and shook their heads, struggling, but they were no match for the Ten Directions Spirit Severing Art...
Having dealt with the two fine horses, Xue Feng, fearing the innkeeper might say something wrong, went back and delivered a Spirit Severing Finger to the innkeeper, erasing his memory of the past few days.
In this way, no matter who asks, the shopkeeper will be completely unaware and his whereabouts will not be revealed.
We can remove the seal on this guy after this is all over.
Having done all this, Xue Feng left the inn in a good mood...
Zhou Wuji led Wuming along the long street, looking at the flowing crowds and the colorful lanterns shining around them, all of which put them in a very good mood.
This was especially true for Zhou Wuji, who had never witnessed such a bustling and prosperous scene since awakening his innate wisdom.
As darkness fell, all that could be seen in the distance were rows of lanterns and countless figures of people.
At this moment, Zhou Wuji realized that Jingyang Commandery had nearly a million residents, many of whom lived quite well, which was why it was so prosperous.
For this nighttime excursion, Zhou Wuji and Wuming both changed into cyan Daoist robes and wore matching shawls. The only difference was that Zhou Wuji wore a silver belt, mainly to carry the White Rainbow Sword.
These days, many people like to wear Daoist robes. People who are not familiar with Daoism would find it difficult to tell that the two are Daoists from the Northern Pole Sect, and they did not encounter any trouble along the way.
With so many tourists on the long street, various small vendors also came to do business.
Stalls selling fried dough cakes, sweet cakes and snacks, hot tea, and sugar figurines were all surrounded by children pulling their parents. The aroma of food wafted throughout the long street.
Wuming was interested in all kinds of food, but he was too embarrassed to go in and buy these snacks.
Zhou Wuji understood Wuming's thoughts very well; whenever she paused for a moment, he would go in and buy some snacks.
Although Wuming was pampered, he ate these snacks with great relish, mainly because his senior brother bought them for him, and they tasted especially sweet.
She wasn't eating any specific food; she was eating the atmosphere, the emotion.
The two walked along the long street until they finally arrived at the Gold and Jade Tower in the center of Jingyang Commandery.
This restaurant has five floors, making it arguably the tallest building in Jingyang Commandery.
The restaurant's exterior walls were painted with gold and green, shimmering in the sunlight, hence its name, Jin Cui Lou (Gold and Jade Tower ). Its actual name was Cloud Immortal Tower ).
Lanterns hung throughout Gold and Jade Tower, outlining the restaurant in the night and making it appear even more impressive.
On this Lantern Festival night, the Gold and Jade Tower is undoubtedly the best place to enjoy the lanterns.
Zhou Wuji didn't go over to join the fun, knowing that such a place must have been booked by the powerful and wealthy long ago.
Tonight, ordinary people are not even qualified to step into the Gold and Jade Tower.
Next to the main gate of Gold and Jade Tower, there is a large platform with lanterns of various shapes and sizes on it.
A loud-voiced middle-aged man was reading out riddles aloud, and whoever answered correctly first would receive a lantern as a prize.
The lanterns weren't worth much, but everyone wanted to have the chance to be seen in public, so a large crowd gathered around them.
With Wuming bright, beautiful eyes, Zhou Wuji and said, "Senior brother, can you help me win a lantern?"
She had no doubt about her senior brother's abilities; she simply wanted to ask him to help her.
"Okay." Zhou Wuji didn't refuse. In fact, most of the riddles were simple word puzzles. It was a bit difficult to guess them all, but it was easy to guess a few.
"It has a face but no mouth, it has feet but no hands, it listens to people talk, it drinks with people—guess the item."
Before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, Zhou Wuji called out, "The table!"
The middle-aged man pointed at Zhou Wuji and politely called out, "Young master, you are very quick-witted. Please come up and receive your award."
When Zhou Wuji approached, the middle-aged man originally intended to hand him the lantern, but seeing Zhou Wuji's Zhou Wuji and demeanor, he dared not be negligent. He walked over and respectfully presented a lantern with both hands.
The carp-shaped lanterns made of red paper are incredibly lifelike, carried on bamboo poles; though simple, they are quite interesting.
"Thank you, elder brother," Zhou Wuji said politely, accepting the carp lantern.
Just as he was about to push through the crowd and step off the stage, he heard someone shout from above, " Zhou Wuji, do you dare come up here?"
Zhou Wuji looked up and saw someone on the fifth floor holding onto the railing and shouting at him.
Everyone looked up at the building. The man's voice was loud and clear, and everyone present could hear it clearly, which aroused their curiosity.
The fifth floor was over ten zhang high, and although there were lights on upstairs, the people around could only see a few blurry figures.
Zhou Wuji could see clearly that the person raising his eyebrows and glaring was Leng Wuming, with Sun Wufei, Leng Wuyou, Zhang Qingning, Yue Wuying and others beside him.
A group of people were all looking at him, but Leng Wuyou's beautiful face had a strange expression, as if she were ashamed. She shook her head and lowered her head, as if to say, "It wasn't me, don't look at me..."
The scenery is beautiful tonight; there's no need to Leng Wuming.
Yue Wuying spoke up, "Tonight is a festive night, and we meet again in Jingyang. Why don't you come up and have a drink with me, Senior Brother Zhou?"
These words were spoken politely and courteously, yet Zhou Wuji found it difficult to refuse.
Zhou Wuji smiled, "Since Junior Sister Yue has so kindly invited me, how could I dare refuse?"
He came down from the stage carrying a carp-shaped lantern and led Wuming up to Cloud Immortal Tower.
Some of the waiters had already heard the commotion and respectfully came over to lead the way.
Upon reaching the fifth floor, Leng Wuyou, Yue Wuying, and Zhang Qingning were already waiting at the door, and they all bowed to Zhou Wuji upon seeing him.
Zhou Wuji returned the greeting with clasped hands, but Leng Wuyou spoke first, "Senior Brother Zhou, my brother was rude and reckless, please don't hold it against him."
"Fellow Daoist Leng is quite interesting."
Zhou Wuji laughed and led Wuming into the room.
This private room occupies two windows on the southeast side, is very large, and has a corridor that runs around the building, offering an even wider view.
Leng Wuming stood in a corner of the room, his face full of Qi Ingestion. Sun Wufei, who was standing beside him, took the initiative to clasp her hands in a salute to Zhou Wuji, but did not say anything.
Zhou Wuji smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "We meet again, Junior Sister, Fellow Daoist Leng."
Sun Wufei smiled, but still didn't say anything.
"Master Zhou, please take a seat." Zhang Qingning, the hostess of the banquet, took the initiative to invite Zhou Wuji to sit in the seat of honor.
Zhou Wuji waved his hand. "No need to take a seat. I just happened to run into you fellow Daoists, so I had to come up and say hello."
Zhang Qingning initially disliked Zhou Wuji, but after witnessing the extraordinary phenomenon of Zhou Wuji bestowing ordination certificates that day, she changed her mind.
But she also developed a strong interest in Zhou Wuji, and taking this opportunity, she really wanted to have a chat with Zhou Wuji.
To her surprise, Zhou Wuji had no intention of taking a seat, which made her feel somewhat embarrassed and annoyed. "We invited you as a group of people, and you're still putting on airs..."
Before Zhang Qingning could speak, Leng Wuming suddenly said, "I want to wager my sword against you..."
Zhou Wuji laughed. This kid is the less skilled he is, the more he enjoys playing around. It would be impolite to refuse a gift that someone has offered to him.
He nodded. "Alright, my cultivation has recently made some progress, and I was just about to ask Fellow Daoist Leng for guidance."
Leng Wuming was extremely embarrassed. He looked at his younger sister, Leng Wuyou, his face full of pleading.
He had just been scolded by his sister, but he was still Qi Ingestion and felt that his sister simply didn't want to help him.
He was determined to go all out this time; he didn't believe his sister would abandon him.
Zhou Wuji didn't say anything, just watched with a smile.
Leng Wuyou and anger, unsure how to react...
An eighteen-year-old girl is already exceptionally beautiful, and her slightly flushed, shy expression makes her even more adorable.
Even Wuming was stunned, thinking, "This girl is so beautiful and cute, I like her too. Senior brother, don't let her be bewitching you!"