Extra: The lights of the two rooms are on at the same time
The affairs of the Pure Land Heart came to a temporary end, and the quiet of night quietly descended. Indra closed the last scroll of documents, rubbed his slightly furrowed brow, and looked up to see Ashura leaning against the door, seemingly having been waiting for a long time.
"Are you done?" Ashura's voice sounded a little deeper in the night than in the daytime. "Yeah." Indra smiled slightly. "Why?" "I'll take you somewhere." Ashura walked over and naturally extended his hand to him. "Close your eyes."
Indra was slightly surprised, but still closed his eyes obediently. The next moment, he felt the space around him ripple slightly, and a familiar force gently enveloped him—it was Asura directly using his power to perform a short-distance shuttle.
The night breeze blew across my face, bringing with it a scent that was completely different from the cool air of heaven—it was a warm breeze unique to the human world, a mixture of the scent of earth, cooking smoke, the aroma of food, and… a certain sweet smell.
He opened his eyes.
What lay before me was not the desolate, war-torn landscape I'd imagined, but a bustling, everyday street. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes hung on both sides of the long street, their glowing hues of warm yellow, crimson, and white forming a dazzling river of light, illuminating the bustling crowds. The cries of vendors, the laughter of children, the sizzling of food... these various sounds intertwined, filling the air with a vibrant, thriving energy.
"Is this... a night market in the mortal world?" The flowing lights reflected in Emperor Shitian's golden eyes, revealing a rare wonder and childlike curiosity. Although he knew the mortal world, he had mostly observed it through divine power, never before experiencing it as he did right now.
"Yeah." Asura responded, but his eyes fell on Indra's profile softened by the light. "I heard it's very lively, so I brought you to see it." He said it lightly, as if it was just a casual thing.
The two walked side by side into the crowd. Ashura's tall, muscular figure and unusual hair and eye color should have been extremely eye-catching, but perhaps because the night market was too noisy, or perhaps because Ashura had slightly restrained his presence, no one paid them any special attention, only treating them as two outstanding foreign travelers.
Indra was quickly drawn to a stall selling sugar paintings. With a flick of the wrist, the veteran artist transformed the syrup into soaring phoenixes or swimming goldfish, crystal clear and glittering under the lights.
"Want it?" Asura saw him stop and walked straight forward to throw a small piece of excellent spiritual stone to the old man.
Indra knew that it was a gift from the abyss of the ghost clan and was of great value in the human world.
Ashura pointed at the phoenix he had just drawn. The old man was startled for a moment, then smiled happily and hurriedly handed the candy phoenix to Indra.
Di Shitian took it with a touch of embarrassment, his fingertips touching the sweet, crispy wing, and carefully licked it. Pure sweetness instantly melted on his tongue, a simple, direct taste he had rarely experienced. He narrowed his eyes, "Very sweet."
Asura looked at his subtle expression, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose a little.
They slowly moved forward with the crowd. Ashura always walked on the outside, quietly separating Indra from the crowd. Passing a lantern riddle booth, Indra took a moment to think and guessed several correctly, winning an exquisite lotus lantern. He handed the lantern to Ashura: "This is for you."
Asura was stunned for a moment, then took the warm little lamp and held it in his huge hand. He looked a little clumsy, but extremely serious.
They reached a relatively quiet arch bridge, where the river reflected the lights and the moon and stars. They stood by the railing, away from the hustle and bustle, only hearing each other's shallow breathing and the gurgling water beneath the bridge.
"Why did you suddenly bring me here?" Indra asked softly, still holding the half-eaten candy phoenix in his hand.
Ashura was silent for a moment, gazing at the shimmering light of the river before speaking, "You're always thinking about the future of the Pure Land and the well-being of all living beings...it's exhausting." He turned his head, his silver-gray eyes particularly deep in the night. "Think about yourself once in a while. Look at this human world...it's actually not that bad."
Emperor Shitian's heart trembled slightly. So he understood everything. He understood his responsibilities, the burden he carried, and the weariness he never expressed.
He lowered his head, looked at the reflection of the two people cuddling in the water, and whispered, "Well, it's very beautiful." It was unclear whether he was referring to the scenery or the people.
The night breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness. Asura took off his outer robe. The fabric was not ordinary, carrying his scorching body heat and a unique scent, like flames burning through metal and stone. He draped it over Indra's shoulders without hesitation.
Indra did not refuse, but instead gently placed his slightly cool hand into Asura's warm and large palm.
Asura's palm stiffened, then he squeezed it back forcefully and carefully, completely wrapping the slightly cold fingers.
Without further words, they just stood quietly on the bridge, watching the lights on in the world and the stars passing by in the dark.
The sweetness of the sugar painting in his hands seemed to spread to the deepest part of his heart. Emperor Shitian thought, in this world of prosperity and endless responsibilities, perhaps only this clumsy yet steadfast warmth beside him could truly be his heart's lamp, illuminating all the paths ahead and softening countless long nights like this one.
"Ashura." "Hmm?" "Next time, let's come together again."
"……good."
In the dim light, the shadows of two people holding hands merged into a complete circle on the shimmering water.
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