Three thousand lanterns!
After a moment of silence, a huge uproar erupted everywhere. Even the Divine Martial Hall, which held the most stable position, had never lit all three thousand bright lanterns in one night during the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. No one had ever imagined such a number. Even mentioning a thousand would still be somewhat believable, but three thousand, this was truly unprecedented, more than the previous top-ranked gods combined!
One can only imagine how unbelievable the other deities felt this moment, as one immediately exclaimed: "There must be a mistake!"
"Surely there's a counting error..."
However, not to mention the deity responsible for announcing the results had been counting lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival banquets for many years and would unlikely make a mistake today. Just looking at the enormous flow of lights forming a massive screen, even if there were an error, taking a step back, the error could only be that the count was too low, not too high. Thus, another deity said, "Could those lanterns not be genuine blessing lanterns? Maybe they are just ordinary lanterns?"
This statement was essentially like saying, "Isn't it a fake?" With some agreeing. But Shi Qingxuan replied, "How could they be ordinary lanterns? Ordinary lanterns and blessing lanterns are completely different in specification; they simply wouldn't float up into the sky, so how could they not be real?"
If this had come from Xie Lian defending, most people might continue to doubt, but since Shi Qingxuan said it, and Shi Wudu was also there, others couldn't really say anything. The path blocked, they turned in another direction: "Everyone, where is this Thousand Lantern View? When was it built? Who built it? Does any celestial official know?"
The announcement officer said, "I don't know... but inscribed on the lanterns, it says they are from 'Thousand Lantern View.'"
"But I've never heard of any Thousand Lantern View?!"
"Yeah, I've never heard of it either!"
Xie Lian finally pulled himself from the shocked daze, hearing these words, earnestly said, "Everyone, to be honest, not only have you not heard of it, I haven't either."
Could it also have been built into Heaven by birth?
Every deity tonight was struck dizzy by this thunderous news, unable to believe it, chattering nonstop. Xie Lian really wanted to say, "It's just a game, why take it so seriously?" However, firstly, many didn't think of the "game" as a game, and secondly, being the first in this "game," if he were to say this, wouldn't that invite trouble? Other officials couldn't say it either, because their ranks were all behind him, saying so would seem like they are trying to excuse themselves for not being first, which would be embarrassing. At this time, Pei Ming smiled and said, "I said Blood Rain Tanhua took away the Crown Prince not to cause him trouble, you all didn't believe it before, now do you?"
Hearing his reminder, everyone suddenly realized.
If it's Hua Cheng, then, with a wave of his hand, lighting 3000 blessing lanterns might indeed be possible!
The relationship between Xie Lian and Hua Cheng was enigmatic at best. Before, people leaned more towards believing ill-intentions. Because there seemed no reason why someone who was always unfriendly to the Heavenly Court would suddenly treat Xie Lian differently. However, with Hua Cheng's reckless disposition, there's equally no reason for him to suddenly start deceiving someone. After today's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, this malevolent theory might not hold much ground anymore. After all, three thousand blessings! Even the wealth-controlling Water Master couldn't just casually produce that many. Amid the chaos, suddenly, a slow clapping sound came from the head of the banquet.
The deities followed the sound, seeing Jun Wu clapping as he smiled at Xie Lian, "Divine Joy, congratulations."
Knowing Jun Wu intended to ease the awkwardness, Xie Lian was grateful and bowed to him. Jun Wu sighed, "You always manage to create miracles."
Seeing this interaction, the banquet gradually quieted down. After a moment of hesitation, they, under Jun Wu's lead, began to applaud with varying rhythms and to utter congratulations.
At this point, no matter how shocking, all heavenly immortals had to admit it. Miracles indeed surrounded this Crown Prince always. It was so before, and so it is now!
The Mid-Autumn banquet ended, and the thundering Leishou also finished his work. The most enthusiastic supporter, of course, was Shi Qingxuan. No matter whose rank was announced, he was the first to clap. Except for Pei Ming. Previously, Xie Lian wondered if Pei Ming interjecting, would make the Water Master unhappy because instead of second, it's third, but looking at Shi Wudu, he seemed not displeased, Pei Ming and Ling Wen both congratulated him, then the three of them began discussing whose little mountain to relax at in the hot spring next. Shi Qingxuan said, "Brother, are you heading out to have fun again?"
Shi Wudu put away his fan and said, "Yes."
Ling Wen, with arms crossed, laughed, "Would Wind Master want to join?"
Shi Qingxuan replied, "No, I have a date."
Shi Wudu frowned, "Don't make plans with some questionable people."
Ling Wen said, "Could it possibly be as questionable as General Pei?"
Pei Ming warned, "Jieqing, stop."
After the brothers exchanged a few words, Xie Lian and Shi Qingxuan prepared to leave the seats together. Along the way, they encountered Mu Qing, who seemingly had been looking at Xie Lian, his brows a bit less relaxed. Feng Xin, in contrast, as he rose to leave, congratulated Xie Lian, "Congratulations." Xie Lian nodded at him, "Thank you."
Lang Ying was placed at Immortal Capital's Wind Master's residence. The child appeared clean now, still very shy, hardly speaking a word when Xie Lian led him along. Xie Lian first went to town to buy some fresh fruit for him, not returning directly to Pugilistic Village, firstly stopping by a small grove.
As expected, now the grove was bustling, with a shirtless young man hanging upside down by a white ribbon to a tree cursing obscenities. A child was squatting below, swiping away mosquitoes for him. Xie Lian motioned for Lang Ying to stand outside, and leisurely approached. Seeing him, the young man grew furious, "Xie Lian, you scoundrel, hurry and let me down! I'm going to die!"
Xie Lian, however, spoke gently, "It's been many years since mosquitoes bit you, wouldn't it be good to experience the feeling of being alive again?"
This person was Qi Rong. Xie Lian had anticipated he wouldn't behave, surely urging Gu Zi to help him cut Ruoye, hence had earlier told Ruoye that if he tried to escape, to drag him here for a treat. Qi Rong assumed because he was using someone else's body, Xie Lian couldn't frequently beat him, but letting him endure a little physical discomfort was still possible. Xie Lian once chopped wood and scavenged here, suffering a lot of mosquito bites, and now, sure enough, Qi Rong, bitten thoroughly, was covered in welts, in more laments than rage, yelled out, "Where's your compassion now! Why aren't you acting like a goody-goody at this moment!"
Gu Zi hugged Xie Lian's leg, bawling, "Big brother, let my dad down! He's been hanging for so long!"
Xie Lian patted his head, and immediately with a cry and thud, Qi Rong fell to the ground.
To return to Pugilistic Village, one has to pass that maple forest. Xie Lian had with him a swearing, bare-shouldered young man, followed by two children, one whimpering, the other silent and introspective, thinking to himself, what an eccentric bunch we must look. As they ascended the hill, he said to the two behind him, "Watch your step. It's easy to trip here."
It was true. Sometimes when Xie Lian returned late from collecting scraps from town, this path in the darkness, perhaps because of his constitution, he had tripped countless times. Hearing this, Qi Rong immediately cried out, "Oh heavens! I beg you to let this man trip and die right here!"
Xie Lian couldn't help but find it amusing, "You're a ghost, why ask for heavenly intervention?"
Just then, he noticed a warm glow emerging on the horizon, the once pitch-black path seeming clearer and brighter as if lit by that glow. Looking up, it wasn't his illusion. Indeed, there was light on the horizon.
It was the light from the three thousand eternal lanterns.
Floating lanterns moved across the night sky, vast and majestic, covering even the brilliance of stars and the moon. Xie Lian stood there dazed, for a long while, quietly sighing, "...Thank you."
Qi Rong didn't know what those things were and scoffed, "Thank what? People are just lighting them for fun, not specially for you, Quit being delusional."
Xie Lian smiled without speaking, not arguing back, only saying, "The existence of beautiful things in the world, in itself, is worthy of gratitude."
With good scenery in his heart, he was no longer afraid of anyone spoiling it. Borrowing the light of the lanterns in the sky, he walked forward.