LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 40: Lanterns
Chapter 40: Lanterns
“Crippled… I’m really crippled!”
But being able to survive was undoubtedly the best outcome!
Zhang Hongyan felt a twisted sense of relief, as if she had narrowly escaped death despite her ruin. She had thought this terrifying woman would kill her. Unexpectedly, she had spared her life.
At this moment, her expression was complicated, unsure of what to say. A trace of hatred flickered in her eyes. It was clear that she now regarded Ye Shu and Luo Jiuyan as mortal enemies!
“No killing?”
Ye Shu was puzzled.
He hadn’t expected Zhang Hongyan to survive under the infamous Nine Nether Demoness.
What had gone wrong?
Had Luo Jiuyan lost her former bloodthirst, or was there another plan?
“I planted a seed of chaos in her mind. When she returns, there will be quite a show to watch,” Luo Jiuyan transmitted her voice to Ye Shu.
Ye Shu suddenly understood and smiled meaningfully.
So that was the plan.
Rather than killing her outright, Luo Jiuyan had left a little “surprise” for her junior sister from the Joyful Union Sect.
This was something she would definitely do.
“Alright, get lost!”
Ye Shu glanced at Zhang Hongyan and spoke impatiently.
Zhang Hongyan felt as if she had been granted amnesty. She swept her gaze over them, thinking, Just you wait! When I report this to my master, none of you will escape!
She scrambled away, crawling and stumbling, looking like a defeated dog in the eyes of the crowd.
Seven people had entered, but only one returned—and she was crippled, her cultivation completely destroyed.
The stark contrast left all the onlookers stunned.
They began whispering among themselves, speculating about the identities of Ye Shu and Luo Jiuyan.
“Shut up! If anyone dares to speak nonsense again, I’ll cut out your tongues!”
City Lord Liu Dachun, hearing the murmurs, immediately roared, and the crowd fell silent.
He knew that the two figures before him were of noble status and not to be offended. These whispers could easily provoke them.
If that happened, as the city lord, he would not escape their wrath.
“Very good.”
Ye Shu gave him these two words in response to his actions.
Liu Dachun turned around, bowing and smiling obsequiously. “It is this lowly one’s greatest fortune to have pleased you, esteemed sir.”
As he spoke, his back bent lower and lower, until his head was almost touching the ground.
“Alright, you can all leave now. Don’t disturb us again.”
Ye Shu waved his hand and then leisurely walked over to Luo Jiuyan’s side.
Liu Dachun nervously raised his head, watching Ye Shu’s retreating figure, and inwardly praised him as a young man of great promise. Then, he waved his hand and shouted, “Everyone, disperse!”
The crowd had no choice but to scatter.
Back with Ye Shu, he looked at Luo Jiuyan and asked, “Shall we continue?”
He was referring to the Lantern Festival.
After such a commotion, under normal circumstances, one’s mood would be completely ruined.
However, behind the veil, Luo Jiuyan revealed a faint smile. “Let’s continue.”
She seemed to be thinking of something, her mood clearly lifted.
Seeing her like this, Ye Shu’s spirits soared. “Yan’er, don’t forget what you promised me.”
That matter, of course, referred to the promise she had made after he won the flower ball.
When this was mentioned, Luo Jiuyan fell silent. Instead, she reached out her hand and said softly, “No need to rush.”
“Alright, I won’t rush!”
In such a public setting, it wouldn’t be appropriate to act recklessly. Ye Shu understood the boundaries.
Then, he gently took Luo Jiuyan’s hand, feeling its softness, and the last traces of tension in his heart melted away.
“Yan’er, let’s go see the lanterns.”
The most important event of the Lantern Festival was, of course, viewing the lanterns. If they didn’t go see the lanterns, what was the point of attending the festival?
“Mm.” Luo Jiuyan didn’t refuse. With her hand held by Ye Shu, her heart was also stirred.
Luo Jiuyan cast a spell to conceal their auras, and Ye Shu changed his appearance. Now, even if they stood in front of the onlookers from earlier, no one would recognize them.
Thus, the two of them, like an immortal couple, made their way to the lantern-viewing area.
Looking up at the sky, countless lotus lanterns floated into the distance.
In this warm and serene atmosphere, one couldn’t help but become immersed in the moment, enjoying the peaceful and tender ambiance.
“Let’s go, Yan’er, we’ll join in.”
Ye Shu led her by the hand to an old man selling lanterns. He had intended to buy two lanterns with a bit of money but was refused.
“Young master, you must not know the rules of the Lantern Festival. The lanterns are given for free, but not just anyone can release them. You must exchange a poem for them.”
“Exchange a poem?” Ye Shu had indeed never heard of this rule. Perhaps he had never participated in a secular Lantern Festival before.
The old man nodded. “That’s right. The lanterns are messages to the immortals. By giving me a poem, you are essentially exchanging it with the immortals. If the immortals are pleased, they will grant you a lantern!”
“So that’s how it works.”
Ye Shu frowned, looking at the lantern-filled stall. He felt that paying money would have been simpler.
“A mere paper lantern, and you dare to put on such airs? Immortals? I am an immortal!”
Suddenly, Ye Shu heard a voice. He turned to see Luo Jiuyan’s expression had turned cold, her aura intimidating!
“Master! Don’t be impulsive!” Ye Shu quickly tightened his grip on her hand, this time using the title “Master” to calm her down.
Hearing Ye Shu’s voice, Luo Jiuyan did calm down a bit, but the killing intent in her eyes remained strong.
She transmitted her voice: “Let’s go. These are just toys for mortals. It’s not worth playing with.”
Yet, despite her words, she couldn’t help but glance a few more times at the colorful lanterns, a flicker of intrigue betraying her tone.
Ye Shu noticed this and placed a hand on the back of Luo Jiuyan’s hand, feeling her delicate body tremble slightly.
“Master, don’t worry. I’ll get two for us to play with.”
Luo Jiuyan looked up, seeing the confident expression on Ye Shu’s face, and felt puzzled.
Since when do you know how to compose poetry?
She had watched Ye Shu grow up. Aside from teaching him to read, she had never instructed him in literature.
Just as Luo Jiuyan was wondering, Ye Shu turned back to the old man selling lanterns and asked, “If I exchange a poem, are there any specific rules here? Does a good poem earn more lanterns, or how does it work?”
Hearing this, the old man grinned and pointed to a small insect in a bowl on the stall. “This is a poetry bug, raised by scholars. When it hears a good poem, it will chirp once.”
“Our rule is, if it chirps once, you get one lantern. If it chirps twice, you get two. The more it chirps, the more lanterns you can have. If it chirps enough, I’ll even give you the entire stall!”
“I see.”
Ye Shu looked at the plump little bug in the bowl, feeling a sense of novelty. He hadn’t expected such a strange creature to exist.
He smiled and then recited, “Though heaven and earth may end, this love will last eternally.”
“Chirp!”
The bug suddenly trembled and let out a chirp!
“Indeed!”
Ye Shu’s eyes lit up. He had thought the old man was tricking him, but it turned out this poetry bug was real.
“See? I didn’t lie to you!” The old man grinned and handed him a lantern.
“Great!”
Ye Shu was excited and immediately passed the lantern to Luo Jiuyan.
Then, he turned to the old man and smiled. “Old man, how many lanterns do you have in this stall?”
“With a few dozen, it might not be enough!”
Ye Shu grinned mischievously.
With the Three Hundred Tang Poems at my disposal, isn’t this like having a cheat code?