Chapter 130 Night Stroll (Part 8) It was a slow, deliberate pace he had never witnessed before…

The demon tribes are scattered, and festivals are usually celebrated within their own tribes, with little interaction between them.

Among the rare occasions for people to celebrate the New Year together, the Night Tour Day held in Lanzhou, the "Demon City," is the most lively and grand.

Because in the demon realm, only the demon capital is the most peaceful.

On the day of the Night Tour, rainbows appeared in the sky, and many demons finally arrived on their magical artifacts, entering the city with great joy.

The elders of the demon race preferred quiet cultivation and disliked crowds. Therefore, when they looked around, the streets were mostly filled with young men and women, or couples with their children, making it a lively place.

In the heart of the city, a jade-like stream meanders through, its waterfalls cascading down amidst the willows.

Along both sides of the embankment, all kinds of shops line the streets, with rows of food stalls, and many masked vendors lean against the railings of the stream and lake, selling rare and exotic items.

Along the lakeside fence, many guards were setting up nine-branched lotus lanterns.

Xuanzhen and Biqing did not need to ride in the cloud carriage; instead, they led their men to patrol the streets of the east and west cities to maintain order.

On the city wall of the Demon Capital, Ping An is raising his cup and drinking alone.

Beside her stood a silver drum, about the height of a person, painted with ancient cloud and thunder patterns.

The first strike marks midnight, the night journey begins at dawn; the second strike marks noon, everything is ready; the third strike marks late afternoon, the cloud chariot enters the city, and the demon king's head is seized.

This year, Qingzhu was chosen as the Demon King to block the cloud chariot from moving forward.

At this time, he was still in Xingzhi Palace discussing with Xun Feifei. The demons who were chosen to pretend to be the demon king's subordinates were strolling around the streets, rubbing their hands together, ready to show off their skills during the cloud chariot parade.

As for Lin Feiran, the main figure in the parade, she is still practicing her dance routine at Xingzhi Palace.

She looked at the blue-eyed, golden-eyed beast crouching beside her. Such a majestic creature was now half-lying down, whimpering softly, looking very obedient.

Originally, the chariot should have been driven by a celestial horse, but Ru Xian said that when he broke into the demon capital, he actually rode a blue-eyed golden-eyed beast. After taking over the Xingzhi Palace, he put this golden-eyed beast to guard the treasure vault and it rarely went out.

The previous Azure-Eyed Golden-Eyed Beast was just a hooligan in disguise. It was too tiring to participate in the parade, and after that one time, it refused to participate again.

This one today is a genuine blue-eyed golden-eyed beast.

Resembling a tiger or leopard, with blue eyes and golden pupils, it breathes flames and can shatter rocks with a single palm strike.

When Lin Feiran first saw it, it was an unruly creature, its huge body sitting in front of the treasure vault door, as tall as a mountain, its breath coming out of its mouth and nose, making people's clothes flutter. Then it got up and circled around her twice, revealing its terrifying fangs.

Before he could even roar and threaten, Ru Xian raised her hand and slapped him across the face, her fierce eyes instantly becoming clear.

Lin Feiran at that moment: "..."

What a crisp sound!

She glanced sideways, flicked her hand with a half-smile, and said in a cool voice, "Kneel down."

The arrogant blue-eyed, golden-eyed beast immediately arched its back, stretched out its claws, and crouched down like a cat, shrinking its body to the size of an ordinary pegasus, letting out a soft whimper.

This is hardly a blue-eyed, golden-eyed beast; it's clearly a fawning "big cat" just like that idiot.

As soon as Ru Xian raised his hand slightly, the big cat lowered its head and offered its head to his palm, letting him stroke it.

The person petting the cat raised an eyebrow in satisfaction and turned to her, saying, "See, although it's not as good as you, it's still quite well-behaved."

Lin Feiran pursed her lips, not daring to say another word.

To make the nighttime parade more convenient, he placed the blue-eyed golden-eyed beast in her courtyard so that the two could become more familiar with each other.

After spending a day getting to know it, she became more and more certain that this was a big cat.

After two thunderous drumbeats sounded in the city, Lin Feiran changed into new clothes, tied her long hair with a silver moon buckle, letting it hang down to her waist, and then clipped on earrings.

Just then, the yin-yang fish leaped out of her eyes, swam around her body, and brought a sound like hail.

"Are you ready?"

Lin Feiran nodded: "I'm ready. Your Excellency, are you still not participating this time?"

Ru Xian said, "It's the same every year, there's no need to participate. Besides, if I actually showed up, the people in the market would find it strange."

Since it was what he thought, Lin Feiran didn't try to persuade him further.

She straightened her clothes, looked up at the sky, and said in surprise, "My Lord, I thought you were joking when you said that there are no fireworks in the demon realm. It turns out that there really aren't any. Even on such a lively festival today, there are no fireworks in the sky."

Ru Xian chuckled lightly: "Fireworks are not rare items, but they are not found in the demon realm. Each race has its own way of celebrating festivals, with many different styles, so they don't need the things that mortals like to use."

He spoke jokingly, but Lin Feiran sighed with emotion: "It's a pity that you've never seen something so common to ordinary people."

"You still remember?"

As if the last syllable of a haze were slightly raised, she was somewhat surprised that she had remembered what was originally just a casual remark.

"Of course I remember," Lin Feiran said, mimicking his joke, "A supreme being of a realm who can't even imagine what fireworks look like is naturally unforgettable."

The black fish that was swimming around suddenly swung its tail and slammed it into her forehead, saying in a cold voice, "How dare you."

Lin Feiran knew when to stop. After she had finished dressing, she bid farewell to Ru Xian, mounted her Azure-Eyed Golden-Eyed Beast, and headed out of the city.

When they arrived, it was already dusk. Apart from Xuanzhen and Biqing, Qingzhu was also standing by the cloud carriage, smiling as she rolled down.

Biqing's eyes lit up. She looked you up and down, exclaiming, "Silver and vermilion, this outfit suits you perfectly!"

Xuanzhen nodded repeatedly: "It's truly eye-catching!"

Upon landing, Lin Feiran was immediately showered with such praise, leaving her somewhat dizzy and only able to smile.

Feeling embarrassed, she turned to look at Qingzhu, trying to shift the topic away from herself.

"Did the Demon King enter the city at the same time?"

Qingzhu was dressed in a black and white robe with dark patterns, her long hair was loose, and her face was painted with several colorful marks. At first glance, she had no elegant temperament at all, but rather a certain indescribable allure.

However, his smile remained unchanged.

He said, "As the 'Demon King,' you should naturally be in the city, but this is your first time traveling by carriage, so I have to come and see it no matter what."

Xuan Zhen waved his hand dismissively and said with a relaxed expression, "Qingzhu, don't worry too much. Lin Feiran's training is quite good, there won't be any problems!"

Qingzhu, or Ji Changying, had a smile in her eyes.

No one knew Lin Feiran's character better than him, so he wasn't worried about any problems. He just wanted to see what would happen, since it was her first time experiencing this, and he didn't want to miss it.

However, the reason for this was unclear, so he could only shake his head and smile faintly.

"I guess I was born to be a busybody, and I can't help but look around aimlessly."

Bi Qing wasn't surprised: "He's like Xun Feifei; he can't feel at ease until he sees things for himself. Now that he has, what do you think?"

Qingzhu pretended to ponder, smiling as she looked Lin Feiran up and down, nodding repeatedly.

“I think it’s great. She’s the one who should be riding in the parade this year.”

"Even though this is your first time, don't be nervous. Just keep marching. When you hand out flowers or daggers along the way, there will definitely be crowds. Just keep handing them out. Don't stop because you're soft-hearted, and don't bend over, or you'll easily get pulled off the bus..."

Qingzhu originally intended to give her a few simple instructions, but she couldn't help but talk more and more, covering every little detail, as if she was afraid that something might happen to her during the parade.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Biqing waved the air between the two of them. "Lin Feiran is already nineteen, not an eight-year-old child. There's no need to worry about so much. Besides, with her strength, she should be the one pulling the person into the car. Don't worry about it. Just be the 'demon king' who gets beaten up!"

Qingzhu was taken aback, her eyes flickered slightly, and then she feigned a sigh: "Is nineteen really that old? You are all young people, so there's nothing wrong with giving you more advice."

Biqing immediately stepped forward: "I know, I know, hurry back to your place, many people in the city are waiting for you!"

Qingzhu was helpless, but she was still persuaded to go back by Biqing. Before leaving, she said to Lin Feiran, "It's autumn now. If it's a bit cold, you can go to the car to keep warm."

Lin Feiran chuckled and could only nod in acceptance of this act of kindness.

Xuanzhen exclaimed in surprise, "Biqing, you actually managed to persuade him to leave just like that?"

Biqing put her hands on her hips and said with a sigh, "There's nothing special about it, it's just a matter of practice. Sometimes I feel that Qingzhu is very similar to my clan elders. They are the kind of people who have lived for a long time and have taken everything lightly, but they still can't help but feel some concern. At times like this, you just have to go along with it."

Xuanzhen suddenly realized: "So that's how it is."

Lin Feiran glanced at Qingzhu's retreating figure, then looked away and gazed at the cloud carriage.

The blue-eyed golden-eyed beast had already put on the rope quite consciously and was squatting in place, swishing its tail.

Inside the cloud chariot behind it, the silk gauze fluttered gently, and in the twilight, a faint, hazy pearly light diffused from it, outlining the contours of the statues within, creating a hazy, ethereal effect.

"It's so beautiful." A voice exclaimed from beside me. It was Xuanzhen's voice. "Although this jade statue failed to capture the face of the Venerable One, the figure is extremely similar. It amazes me every time I see it."

Lin Feiran's curiosity was rekindled.

"I've heard that the jade statue's features were only roughly sculpted. Have you seen it? Does it really not resemble the likeness?"

Xuanzhen shook her head: "I haven't seen it, but it's rumored that it doesn't look like it."

Bi Qing objected: "I have seen it before. This jade statue was carved by the master craftsmen of our Luoyu City. Although it is not very lifelike, it has a unique kind of hazy beauty."

The two spoke completely different languages, which made Lin Feiran even more curious.

Biqing and Xuanzhen wanted to maintain stability, so they left together after a short while, leaving only Lin Feiran and a green-eyed golden-eyed beast licking its fur outside the city.

The surroundings fell silent. The towering city walls seemed insurmountable in the twilight. Lin Feiran stood on the carriage shaft and couldn't help but wonder what Ru Xian's state of mind was when she stood alone outside the city back then, and what she was thinking.

I suppose they aren't afraid.

She had never seen fear on his face.

Lin Feiran turned around and looked at the carriage curtain. Behind the curtain, pearls shimmered, and the jade statue remained as still as a mountain.

No one has ever said that it is unbearable to look at directly.

Just take a quick look?

As her resolve softened, she pursed her lips, raised her hand to lift the gauze curtain, and leaned inside.

The carriage was decorated with many embroidered floral patterns and daggers, which were distributed to the demons during their prayers along the way. The jade statue sat upright among them.

His woven snow-white hair was exquisitely detailed, his white robe and gold ornaments were dazzling, and his jade-like skin was lustrous, just as it had been when they first met, except that his face was still covered by that light veil.

Lin Feiran reached out his hand, about to remove it, when he heard the third drumbeat sound from the city wall.

It's time to enter the city.

She sighed silently, withdrew her hand, and stepped onto the carriage shaft. Night was just beginning to fall, and only a few stars were visible outside the city gate.

The blue-eyed, golden-eyed beast seemed to recall the past, suddenly stood up and roared, and the city gates burst open!

The city of Lan was shrouded in darkness, with only the demons standing on both sides of the street holding various palace lanterns, casting a faint glow.

The Azure-Eyed Golden-Eyed Beast began to move forward, with the cloud chariot floating behind it. When it reached the city gate entrance, it stopped, its body trembling slightly. Suddenly, a crimson-gold flame spewed from its mouth, instantly illuminating the night and Lin Feiran's face.

The girl, dressed in a silver-red robe, stood tall at the front of the carriage. Her face was serene, her eyes were clear, and her physique was excellent. She was like a sharp sword thrust out in the wind and snow, yet she had room to maneuver.

The crimson fire that was spewed out, though seemingly domineering and causing everyone to retreat several steps in fear, did not actually harm anyone. It simply landed precisely on the two nearest nine-branched lotus lanterns, and then, like a wildfire spreading, it ignited each lotus lantern one by one along an invisible spiritual thread.

The city gradually brightened, and the lamps glowed with a molten gold color that burned brightly and never went out!

After hearing a few more drumbeats, Lin Feiran stretched out her hands and began to dance the formation dance that she had practiced countless times.

This dance is not graceful; rather, it resembles a series of sword moves, combining strength and gentleness. While pleasing to the eye, it also carries a sense of awe, like sharp autumn leaves falling from branches, revealing a chilling and deadly atmosphere.

The silver ornaments she wore jingled softly, the ribbons hanging from her waist swayed gracefully, and her silver and crimson robes reflected the fiery glow of gold. The interplay of gold and silver was all captured in her light yet earnest dark eyes.

If we were to ask what the mood was like when the hail entered the city, it would likely reveal a chill.

The demons in the city watched silently, drawn in by this awe-inspiring aura, and not a single one uttered a sound.

In the crowd, a pair of dark eyes, as cold as ice and as white as snow, gazed toward the city gate, as if, under the cover of night, in the vast city, there was no one else but the person before them.

That was a slowness he had never seen before.

In this world, there is only him and her.

At the same time, the demons who had been chosen as servants of the Demon King became restless, as if they were ready to fight at any moment.

Qingzhu stood in front of the group of people without making a move. He simply looked towards the city gate with a gentle smile.

Qiu Tong looked at Lin Feiran, her eyes brightening slightly. She sighed inwardly. Hearing the commotion of the group, she turned her head and glanced at them. It was just a casual glance, but her gaze suddenly stopped.

There was a person mixed in with the servants, with lowered eyes and fancy patterns painted on her face. She walked around with the others, and her movements and expressions were impeccable. But she still recognized her at a glance. It was her eldest sister, Qingyao.

When did they infiltrate?

Qiu Tong's expression tightened, and she immediately turned to look at Lin Feiran, secretly annoyed. She should have thought of this sooner!

The eldest sister said she had entered the Demon Capital, but had not made any move. Presumably, she had heard rumors that Lin Feiran was going to be a protector, so she was patiently waiting for this perfect opportunity.

At this moment, the crowd was bustling and the atmosphere was lively. They would not arouse suspicion by stepping forward to fight under the guise of servants. If they succeeded and caused a disturbance, they could take the opportunity to escape!

The night tour has great significance. Lin Feiran has become a protector. If an accident or trouble occurs during the tour, will the Demon Lord punish her?

Qiu Tong's heart was once again in turmoil.

Meanwhile, Lin Feiran continued her dance, with lotus lanterns lighting up one by one until they reached the palace, and the dance finally came to an end.

The thunder drums on the city wall resounded, the blue-eyed, golden-eyed beast let out a long roar, and the cloud chariot moved slowly forward.

Lin Feiran stood in front, a gentle breeze ruffling the hem of her clothes, the night tour began!

Author's note: Did you see Ru Xian...?

P.S.: Tomorrow's the weekend, so I can write more.