The sword pierced the demon's heart and killed it on the ground.

"Subdue demons and monsters, and may the heavenly officials bless you!"

On both sides of Shenwu Avenue, roars resounded like waves, each wave higher than the last. In front of the vermilion palace gates, in the circular arena, the two Taoists portraying the gods and demons bowed and retreated to the sides. After watching this warm-up martial arts performance, the public's spirits were high. Not only were the streets packed, but even the rooftops were filled with the bravest, clapping, shouting, cheering, and dancing in a frenzy of revelry.

Such a grand occasion truly drew a huge crowd. If there was a single Lantern Festival parade in the history of Xianle Nation that could be called unprecedented, it would definitely be today!

Atop a high platform, rows of royal nobles in splendid attire, all wearing respectable smiles, gazed down below. Inside the imperial palace, a long queue of hundreds waited in silence. A bell tolled loudly, and the Imperial Master stroked his nonexistent beard and said, "Warriors, lead the way!"

"exist!"

"Jade maiden!"

"exist!"

"Musician!"

"exist!"

"cavalry!"

"exist!"

"demon!"

"exist."

"Warrior of the God of Joy!"

No one answered. The Imperial Master frowned, realizing something was amiss. He turned and asked, "Warrior Yueshen? Where's the Crown Prince?"

Still no one answered. The "demon" who had just answered paused, then removed the green-faced, fang-covered mask, revealing a fair, delicate face.

The boy was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with very light skin and lips, clean and neat. However, his eyes were like a pair of obsidian, bright and flickering. His hair was soft, with a few very thin strands scattered on his forehead and cheeks. He looked quiet and well-behaved, in stark contrast to the hideous demon mask in his hand.

He whispered, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has left."

The imperial teacher almost fainted.

At least he remembered not to faint in the face of such an important matter, so he held on, his heart breaking as he said, "This?! Why did he leave?! When did His Highness leave? The honor guard was about to leave the palace gate, and Huatai was pulled out, but all he saw were demons and no gods. Everyone was spitting at him, and my old bones couldn't swim! Mu Qing, why didn't you stop him?!"

Mu Qing bowed his head and said, "Before His Royal Highness the Crown Prince left, he asked me to tell him not to worry and that everything should proceed as usual. He would be here soon."

The Imperial Master was extremely anxious and asked, "How can I not be worried? What do you mean by 'coming soon'? When is 'coming soon'? What if I miss it?"

Outside the palace gates, the common people, who had been waiting for hours since early morning, could no longer wait and shouted for the guard to arrive. A Taoist priest hurried over and said, "Master Imperial Master, the Empress has sent someone to ask why the guard of honor hasn't set out yet. The auspicious hour is almost here, and if we don't leave now, it will be too late."

After hearing this, the Imperial Master wished that rebels would suddenly break into the city and ruin the Lantern Festival.

He actually caused trouble at this critical moment!

If it had been someone else who had caused this mess, he would have been furious, ready to kill with his sword. But this person was his most prized disciple, the most cherished son of another family. He couldn't hit him, couldn't scold him, and even more so, couldn't kill him. Rather than kill him, he might as well commit suicide!

At this moment, a man passed through the dark palace gate and rushed into the palace, shouting loudly: "Master Imperial Master, why haven't you given the order to leave yet? The time is almost up, and everyone is waiting outside impatiently!"

The man who arrived was also a young man of sixteen or seventeen, standing erect, extremely tall, and with a tan complexion. He carried a black longbow and a snow-white quiver of feathers on his back. His lips were tightly pursed, his brow furrowed. Despite his youth, his gaze was resolute. Upon seeing the young man, the Imperial Preceptor grabbed him and exclaimed, "Feng Xin! Where is your Crown Prince?"

Feng Xin was startled for a moment, then seemed to understand something. His eyes were filled with anger as he glared at Mu Qing. Mu Qing had already silently put on his demonic mask again, his true form invisible. Feng Xin said in a deep voice, "I don't have time to explain to you now! Let's go immediately. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not let you down!"

There was no other way. If Hua Tai pulled out without Yue Shen Warrior, he would die. If he delayed and ruined the time, he would also die. The Imperial Master waved his hand in despair and said, "Play the music, and set off!"

At the order, with the sound of flutes and orchestras, one hundred royal warriors at the front of the long procession shouted in unison, took their first steps, and set off, leading the mighty guard of honor.

The warriors led the way, symbolizing the struggles of the world. Following closely behind were virgin maidens, each one chosen from thousands, serene and beautiful, carrying baskets in their bare hands. They scattered flowers, which scatter into the mud and then turn into fragrant dust, their fragrance remaining the same. The musicians sat in golden chariots. As they emerged from the palace gates, they drew gasps of admiration, with crowds scrambling to grab the flowers. However, no matter how magnificent, extravagant, or grand these displays were, they were merely preludes to the main event. The Huatai, the final Huatai, was about to appear.

Sixteen white horses with golden bridles pulled the Huatai through the deep palace gates and slowly emerged before the eyes of tens of thousands of people. On the stage, a demon dressed in black, wearing a ferocious mask, held a nine-foot saber across his body and solemnly took a stance.

The Imperial Master's heart tightened, hoping for a miracle. However, no miracle occurred. The crowd was in an uproar. On the high building, the princes and nobles frowned slightly, looking at each other, and asked, "What's going on? Why isn't the Yueshen Warrior on the stage?"

"Isn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince here?"

"Where's Brother Lian?"

In the center of the tall building sat a handsome man and a noble woman with a soft, pale complexion and gentle features. These were the King and Queen of Xianle Kingdom. Not seeing the expected person, the Queen glanced at the King beside her with a worried look. The King took her hand, offering a soothing look, a gesture to wait and see what would happen, and not to worry. But the crowds lining the street below, unmoved, shouted even louder, their cries threatening to lift the roof off the houses. The Imperial Master wished he hadn't had the courage to commit suicide on the spot. However, Mu Qing, atop the Huatai, remained remarkably calm. Despite his opponent's absence, he meticulously completed his task, slamming his long sword into the ground with a clang, holding it upright before him.

Amidst a solemn and murderous scene, the young man in black completed his opening as a "demon" with great momentum.

From his face to his figure, Mu Qing looked delicate and refined, like a refined scholar. Yet, he wielded this incredibly heavy nine-foot-long sword with such ease that it seemed weightless. Dozens of Taoists, playing the role of demon-slayers, leaped onto the stage, only to be defeated and driven off. To be fair, the heavy sword strikes made his fights quite spectacular, earning some applause. However, many others weren't there to witness the spectacle of demons wreaking havoc on humanity. Instead, they shouted, "Where's the Yueshen Warrior?!"

"Where is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

"We want to see His Highness as the Godly Emperor! Demons, retreat!"

From a high building, a voice shouted angrily, "Where's my cousin? What the hell is going on?! Who wants to watch this? Damn it, where's my cousin the prince?!"

Without even looking, the loudest shouting came from Qi Rong, the Little Mirror King. As expected, many looked up to see a young man in a pale blue brocade robe and a collar, dashing to the edge of the platform and angrily raising his fists at those below. The young man, only fifteen or sixteen, with a fair complexion and dark eyebrows, was strikingly handsome, but his face held a murderous look, as if he were about to leap over the railing and strike someone. However, the building was too high; a jump would likely kill him or break his legs. So, he grabbed a white jade teacup and threw it down.

The teacup flew rapidly towards the back of the demon's head, and was about to knock him unconscious and bleed profusely. Unexpectedly, the demon slightly moved away and swung his long sword diagonally, picking up the teacup on the tip of his sword.

The trembling teacup rested firmly on the tip of the knife, triggering a wave of cheers. Mu Qing swung his sword again, sending the cup flying and landing in the air. A Taoist priest caught it, then calmly continued his demonic role, brandishing his sword and slashing people. Qi Rong, enraged, was about to strike again, but the Empress summoned someone to pull him down, and with much difficulty, he was finally pulled down. However, the expressions of the imperial family grew increasingly solemn, some unable to sit still.

It is not a fun thing that the Yueshen warrior suddenly disappears before the Lantern Festival!

At this moment, a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd, louder than any previous one. A snow-white figure descended from the sky and landed in front of the black-clad demon!

The man landed on the stage, his thick white robes forming a giant flower. A golden mask obscured his features. He held a sword in one hand, and with the other, he lightly flicked the sharp edge. A pleasant "ding" sound echoed. This movement was remarkably calm, as if he didn't take the black-clad demon before him seriously. The demon slowly aimed its blade at him, and the white-clad warrior slowly stood up.

Qi Rong's eyes lit up, his face flushed, and he jumped up, shouting, "Crown Prince cousin! Crown Prince cousin is here!!!"

Everyone upstairs and downstairs was dumbfounded.

This appearance is truly like a visit from heaven, so bold!

The tower was at least ten feet high, and yet His Royal Highness, a prince of such wealth, had actually jumped directly from it. For a moment, countless people had thought it was a true god descending from heaven. Now that they understood what was happening, their blood boiled, their scalps tingled, and they clapped their hands vigorously. Qi Rong even shouted and led the clapping, shouting until he was hoarse and clapping until his hands were red. The King and Queen smiled at each other and joined in the clapping. The rest of the royal family also relaxed their brows, breathed a sigh of relief, and followed suit, clapping and praising. On both sides of Shenwu Avenue, a huge crowd surged, hundreds of men, so excited that they wanted to break through the warriors blocking the way and rush forward to support and cheer.

On the Huatai, two figures, one black and one white, confronted each other. The gods and demons each shook their weapons and finally faced each other in battle.

Seeing that he had finally caught up, the Imperial Master's heart was at ease, and he ascended the platform. After nodding to his colleagues around him, he found a seat and watched. The King smiled and said, "Imperial Master, how did you come up with such a shocking appearance? It's truly wonderful."

The Imperial Master wiped his sweat off his forehead and said with a smile, "It is indeed extremely brilliant. However, I am afraid to say that this was not my idea, but that of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

The Queen patted her chest and said, "This child is really reckless. He actually jumped down from such a high place without saying a word. I was so scared that I almost stood up just now."

The Imperial Preceptor couldn't help but feel a hint of pride as he said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, is a master of martial arts. He could easily scale and descend a tower several times taller, let alone a mere ten feet high, with his eyes closed."

The Queen's face lit up with joy as she said softly, "The Imperial Master has taught me well."

The Imperial Preceptor laughed out loud, "No, no. Your Highness the Crown Prince is a child of destiny, gifted with extraordinary talent and exceptional ability, and a descendant of a noble family. It is truly a great honor for me and you to be able to teach Your Highness. I have a feeling that with Your Highness the Crown Prince at the helm, today will surely be the most spectacular God-pleasing Heavenly Sacrifice in history."

He said "day" four times in a row, so smoothly that the king smiled slightly, turned his head to look, and said, "I hope so."

The two most important characters in the Lantern Festival parade are the Yueshen Warrior and the Yaomo Warrior. Both must be young men of exceptional martial arts prowess. The Yueshen Warrior, in particular, wears a strict and ornate attire. Once fully equipped, their entire outfit, from head to toe, often weighs forty to fifty kilograms. Under such heavy burdens, the warriors must march several times around the city before the gazes of the multitude, performing a performance lasting at least two hours without a single mistake. Doesn't this require exceptional martial arts prowess?

Fortunately, both young men were exceptional. The flashing of swords and sabers, the clash between them, was a truly spectacular spectacle, and a measured display of skill. It must have been practiced countless times. The King asked, "Who is playing the demon fighting the prince?"

The Imperial Master coughed lightly and said, "Your Majesty, that is a Taoist priest from the Imperial Temple named Mu Qing."

The Queen said softly, "I think this child fights quite well. He's only slightly weaker than the Emperor, probably about the same as Feng Xin, right?"

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Master looked disapproving. Qi Rong, who had been lying on the Queen's lap eating grapes, quickly spat out the grape skins and said, "Pooh! Pooh! Pooh! No way! He's not just a little bit weak, he's far behind. Not everyone can compare to my cousin, the Crown Prince!"

Hearing this, the Queen smiled and patted his head a few times. The nobles laughed so hard that they fell over, and teased, "Rong'er is really clinging to his cousin. He feels uncomfortable if he doesn't praise him for a day."

From the sea of ​​people below, shouts broke through the sky: "Hit him! Hit him! Beat him to death!"

"Kill the demon!"

The sound grew more and more overwhelming. Qi Rong was among them, cupping his hands to his mouth, making a trumpet shape, and laughed heartily, "Brother Crown Prince, come on! You can knock him down with just one hand. Show this brat some color!"

Suddenly, the demon on the stage slashed with a knife, and the warrior blocked it with a sword, but he just said "Hmm?"

Normally, during the Heavenly Sacrifice Parade, fighting was for the purpose of pleasing the gods and performing, requiring only 70% of one's strength, and stopping at just the right amount. However, after he blocked the blow, the sword in his hand nearly flew out. Clearly, the opponent had used 100% of his strength in that blow.

Xie Lian raised his head slightly and said in a clear voice, "Mu Qing?"

The young man playing the demon across from him said nothing as he launched another slash. Xie Lian had no time to think. "Dangdang," "Dangdang," he blocked several blows, thinking to himself, "This is much more interesting than the fake fight just now." This perked up his spirits and sparked his interest.

Then, cheers erupted like a mountain, sparks flew from weapons. The more intense the fight on stage, the louder the cheers from the audience. Suddenly, a sword whistled, a dazzling white light shone, and everyone exclaimed, "Ah!" and held their breath. The demon's nine-foot-long sword had been plucked away by the slender sword of the Yueshen warrior, flying out of his hand and piercing into a stone pillar on the side of the platform. A curious person tried to pull out the sword, but even with all his might, it wouldn't budge. He was horrified: "What kind of sword is this? How powerful is it!"

Atop the Huatai, the Spirit of Joy warrior swung his sword, flicking the blade lightly. A clear "ding" sounded, and a soft laugh emanated from behind the golden mask.

Xie Lian said calmly and cheerfully, "You fought well. However, you still lost."

The demon lost his weapon and half-knelt on the ground, silent but clenching his fists. Xie Lian swung his sword in a flower pattern, and amid cheers from all directions, he was about to deliver this final thrust, "killing" the demon, when, at that moment, screams erupted from above!

Xie Lian was startled and sheathed his sword. He looked up, only to see a blurry figure rapidly falling from the city wall.

In an instant, he had no time to think about anything. In a flash, he stepped on the ground, jumped up, and flew up lightly.

He flew up, his sleeves spread out like butterfly wings, and landed gracefully, light as a feather. His arms firmly embraced the person, his feet firmly planted on the ground. Xie Lian breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered his head to look.

In his arms, a young child with his face wrapped in bandages and covered in dirt was curled up in his arms, staring at him blankly.

The author has something to say: 4. Huahua is the child in the first chapter who fell off the city wall in the spotlight and was caught by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!

Although many people guessed it later, when I first said that you basically can't guess it, few people guessed it. They were all guessing flowers, trees and ghosts~(￣▽￣)~

Wild dog on the loose alert:

Originally I didn't want to write a bunch of nostalgia for this book, but I tried to write it that way in the first volume and it made me so exhausted that I almost died of vomiting blood. I decided to let myself go... Maybe I can try a different style in each volume and let it go. I don't know what I will end up with, I really don't know_(:з」∠)_

Anyway, volume two is all about the overconfident, middle-aged Lian and the young, tender flower, Xianle's diary of destroying a nation. The word count is undecided, but I never estimate word counts accurately. Just as my Xianxia stories shouldn't be treated like conventional Xianxia, ​​my royal stories shouldn't be treated like conventional royal stories. Just the author's magical imaginary world and its magical customs and rituals... follow them, nurture them, and abandon them. Warning complete_(:з」∠)_

Finally, our Huahua has never had a face-to-face epidemic! Never!!!