The Festival of Twin Moons was a beautiful, chaotic assault on the senses. The air, usually thick with the metallic tang of demonic energy, was now laced with the smells of roasting meats, spiced glow berry wine, and something that smelled suspiciously like mortal world funnel cake. Paper lanterns in shades of violet, silver, and crimson hung everywhere, casting a soft, festive light that danced with the ethereal glow of the two massive moons hanging in the sky.
It was nothing like the solemn, elegant festivals of the righteous sects. This was loud, boisterous, and vibrantly alive. Demons of every shape and size crowded the main plaza Oni laughing as they engaged in arm wrestling contests, smaller imps weaving through the crowd on errands of mischief, and Shadow Stalkers moving like living smoke through the throngs.
Xue Lian guided Lan Yue through the crowd, a small, invisible bubble of authority clearing a path for them. She had shed her heavy imperial robes for a simpler, elegant dark gown that allowed for easier movement. For the first time, Lan Yue saw her not as an Empress or a captor, but simply as a woman enjoying a night out. The sight was profoundly disorienting.
"First things first," Xue Lian said, her voice full of mirth. Her eyes gleamed as she pointed towards a cleared area where a crowd was cheering loudly. "The main event. The pumpkin thump."
It was exactly as absurd as Xue Lian had described. A large Oni warrior hefted a massive, gnarled pumpkin, roared, and hurled it end over end into the darkness. A marker demon scurried out to note the distance. Xue Lian turned to Lan Yue, a challenge sparkling in her amber eyes. "Care to show these brutes how a Human Cultivators does it?"
Before Lan Yue could politely refuse, a chorus of playful goading rose from the nearby demons who recognized their Empress. "Go on, lady!" "Show us what you've got!"
Caught between the Empress's grin and the crowd's enthusiasm, Lan Yue felt a strange, unfamiliar impulse. She stepped forward, selecting a pumpkin that was perfectly round, if slightly smaller than the others. It was heavy in her arms. She took a breath, not gathering brute strength, but focusing her spiritual energy. Instead of a roar, she moved with the fluid grace of her meditative forms, spinning once and releasing the pumpkin with a flick of her wrists. There was no sound of exertion, only the soft whump of displaced air.
The pumpkin sailed. It didn't tumble; it flew in a perfect, stable arc, a silent orange moon against the dark sky. It landed far beyond the Oni's mark with a distant, satisfying splat.
A moment of stunned silence was followed by an explosive roar of approval from the demonic crowd. Xue Lian was laughing, a genuine, unguarded sound that made Lan Yue's heart skip a beat. "I knew you were a secret ringer," she said, handing Lan Yue the prize a small, intricately carved wooden fox. It was a simple trinket, but Lan Yue accepted it, her fingers tracing its smooth lines.
The night wore on. Xue Lian coaxed her into trying skewers of roasted beast meat (surprisingly tender) and sipping the warm, spiced wine (surprisingly sweet). They watched storytellers weave tales of ancient demon heroes, their words painting pictures in the air with sparks of illusion magic. With every shared laugh and new experience, Lan Yue felt the last of her prison walls crumbling away, replaced by the fragile foundations of something new.
It was as they were watching a group of fire dancers that the festive bubble popped.
"Your Majesty seems to be enjoying herself." The voice was smooth, cultured, and dripping with ice. Archduke Jin materialized at their side, his handsome face a mask of cold disapproval. He bowed shallowly to Xue Lian before his gaze settled on Lan Yue, dismissing her as one might an unsightly piece of furniture. "It is a joyous night for the Luminous Dynasty. Though some might question the wisdom of allowing a… righteous prisoner… to mingle so freely in a sacred celebration."
The warmth in the air vanished. Xue Lian's posture shifted in an instant. The laughing woman was gone, and the Demon Empress stood in her place, her amber eyes hardening into chips of frozen fire.
"Archduke Jin," she said, her voice dangerously soft. "I was not aware my guest's comfort was a matter for your public commentary."
Jin did not back down. "I speak only out of concern for your safety, Majesty. And the purity of our traditions. To have a human pet running loose…"
Before Xue Lian could unleash the verbal torrent of annihilation she was clearly preparing, Lan Yue spoke. Her voice was not loud, but it cut through the tension with the clarity of a striking bell.
"I am neither a pet nor a prisoner, Archduke," she said, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I am a guest of the Empress. And you will address me as such."
The audacity of it stunned Jin into silence. But it was what she did next that sent a shockwave through the onlookers. Lan Yue took a small, deliberate step, positioning herself ever so slightly closer to Xue Lian. It was not a defensive move, but one of solidarity. A declaration.
The crowd of demons, who had been watching with bated breath, now stared with a new kind of interest. This was not a weak human pet. This was someone who stood beside their Empress and did not tremble.
Xue Lian's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, a flicker of genuine shock and… pride. She recovered instantly, a slow, predatory smile touching her lips. She looked at the flustered Archduke.
"It seems my guest has answered for herself," Xue Lian purred. "Now, you will return to your duties and cease disturbing us, before I decide your 'concern' is bordering on treason. Go."
The final word was an utter dismissal, a command backed by the full weight of the throne. Archduke Jin's face paled. He gave a stiff, furious bow and melted back into the crowd, defeated.
The silence that followed was thick with unspoken things. The fire dancers had stopped. Everyone was watching them. Xue Lian turned to Lan Yue, her expression unreadable.
"Let's go," she said softly.
She led them away from the main plaza, towards a quieter garden path lit by glowing fungi. The joyous noise of the festival faded behind them, leaving them in a world of their own. The public test was over. The private one was just beginning.