City Grand Event
The once-every-five-years city gathering of the Blessed Heaven Small World was fast approaching. It had only been two months since Qin Yuan had conquered a small city and returned triumphantly to the Azure Dragon City Lord's Mansion. Ye Ruxue was also five months pregnant, and because it was twins, her belly was beginning to protrude, making her pregnancy quite obvious.
This year's grand city event happened to be held in Qinglong City, taking place on a high platform in front of the largest market in the main city. In this open space, three tiers of white marble bases rose progressively, extending to a high platform paved with white marble—the Cangpo Altar. The Cangpo Altar was surrounded by densely packed buildings and towers, with only the massive platform in the center. On the day of the city event, the Cangpo Altar was sealed off, prohibiting ordinary people from entering or leaving.
The lords of the five major cities arrived in the main urban area of Qinglong City several days in advance and resided in the palaces next to the Cangpo Altar. Their entourages also moved into the buildings next to the Cangpo Altar. Some nobles and officials of Qinglong City and their families stayed in their own homes and arrived early that morning to take their seats next to the Cangpo Altar.
The city lord and his wife of Qinglong City departed from the city lord's mansion on the morning of the grand event, traveling to Cangpo Altar in a closed, luxurious carriage. Their carriage was surrounded by guards on all sides. Behind the guards followed a number of maids and servants.
Qin Yuan and Ye Ruxue sat side by side on the couch inside the carriage. Both were dressed in formal black and gold attire, embroidered with ferocious blue dragon totems.
Qin Yuan wore a black and gold jade crown, with all his hair tied up inside. He looked very young and handsome, yet also majestic and domineering.
Ye Ruxue still wore her Nine-Ring Immortal Bun, adorned with magnificent hair ornaments, a light purple forehead ornament, and a matching light purple teardrop-shaped brow pendant. She wore ornate earrings, and matching jewelry on her neck, hands, and arms.
Qin Yuan held Ye Ruxue's hand, turned his head to face her, and said with a smile, "Ruxue, I had a dream last night. I dreamed that you and I really became childhood sweethearts, met when we were teenagers, and then got married a few years after we met."
Ye Ruxue smiled and said, "It's a good thing that you dream about what you think about during the day."
Qin Yuan nodded and replied, "Indeed." After he finished speaking, he paused for a moment, and then said casually, "Last time when I returned in triumph, you and I rode in an open carriage and circled around the city. At that time, I saw you smiling at a young woman, and today I also sent someone to invite her from the inn to Cangpo Altar."
Ye Ruxue raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but then thought it made sense. She said, "That woman is indeed a friend I've known for a long time. If it's convenient later, please let her sit next to me, in the first seat slightly below me."
"Okay." Qin Yuan readily agreed.
The two remained silent until the carriage arrived at Cangpo Altar.
Qin Yuan exchanged pleasantries with the city lords of the other four cities, and then each of them, along with their families and subordinates, took their seats. The five city lords sat in five positions in a semi-circle, facing the Cangpo Altar.
Since the city's grand gathering was being held in Qinglong City, Qin Yuan sat in the very center, flanked by two city lords and their families. Qin Yuan and Ye Ruxue sat side-by-side at one table. The other city lords, each accompanied by their principal wives or husbands, sat at the same table. Qin Yuan, Bai Kunwu, Zhu Yong, Lü Qiwen, and Huang Chenghua, the five city lords, each wore distinctive city lord attire, embroidered with their respective city's totem. Every city lord, regardless of gender, wore a jade crown, their hair tied back. They all looked remarkably dashing. Their spouses' clothing also bore prominent city totems.
Lin Shi sat in the first seat slightly to Ye Ruxue's left, a little below her. Opposite her sat Qin Yuan's older brother, Qin Huai, along with his wife and children.
The people of Qinglong City did not recognize Lin Shi. When they saw a beautiful, unfamiliar woman dressed in a light purple fairy dress sitting below Ye Ruxue, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves in curiosity.
"That woman doesn't seem to be from the Qin family. Could she be the city lord's new concubine? But judging from the city lord's wife's attitude, it doesn't seem like it. Could she be one of the city lord's wife's sisters?"
"I don't know, we'll have someone find out later."
Similar murmurs rose and fell among the crowd in Qinglong City. After a period of heated discussion, they quieted down and waited for the city's grand event to officially begin.
After the city's grand festival began, it was just the usual singing, dancing, and opera performances, which were incredibly boring. The audience below the altar only watched with interest for a while before idly munching on the snacks and fruits on the table, occasionally whispering and chatting amongst themselves.
Seeing that the audience below the altar was bored, Qin Yuan first glanced at Ye Ruxue, and then at Lin Shi. He whispered a few words to Ye Ruxue, and then had a maid pass a letter to Lin Shi, watching Lin Shi's reaction intently.
Lin Shi glanced at the contents of the scroll and nodded to Qin Yuan. Ye Ruxue looked at the two of them with some puzzlement, wondering what they had discussed.
Seeing Lin Shi nod, Qin Yuan turned back and patted Ye Ruxue's arm, whispering reassuringly, "It's alright." Then, addressing the audience, he announced loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to host the once-every-five-years city festival in Qinglong City today. We are already tired of ordinary song, dance, and drama. How about trying something new today?!"
"What attempt?" Bai Kunwu, who looked like a brute but was actually very meticulous, had defeated many brothers, sisters and uncles and had held the position of Lord of White Tiger City for ten years, immediately asked curiously.
Qin Yuan glanced at Bai Kunwu, then at Lin Shi, before addressing the crowd: "This Miss Lin Danmeng is a legendary high-level cultivator. How about we have Miss Lin give us a wonderful performance?"
His words had barely left his lips when the room fell silent. The other four city lords exchanged glances, then immediately sat up straight, their eyes fixed on Lin Shi.
"I wonder what kind of performance Miss Lin will bring us?" Zhu Yong, the city lord of Vermilion Bird City, asked first. Zhu Yong looked like a frail scholar, but his reputation in the Blessed Heaven Small World was the complete opposite of his appearance. As he asked the question, he tapped his fingers slightly behind him, and two nurses behind him saw his gesture and quietly retreated.
Lin Shi looked at Zhu Yong without changing her expression, then glanced around at the crowd. She stood up, bowed, and performed a greeting of equal seniority before answering, "I will first perform a flying dance for everyone, followed by a sword dance. After the sword dance, if anyone is willing to spar with me, please come up on stage."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it resonated throughout the entire Cangpo Altar. This instantly alerted the city lords of the five cities and their trusted subordinates.
"Then please invite Miss Lin to the stage!" Seeing that everyone was interested, Qin Yuan called out loudly for Lin Shi to come up on stage. He gestured for her to come up.
“Alright.” Lin Shi didn’t stand on ceremony. He just glanced at Qin Yuan and Ye Ruxue before flying up to the high platform of Cangpo Altar.
Ye Ruxue finally realized what was happening and stood up, her face pale. She looked at Lin Shi on the platform and said, "Danmeng, wait for me for two years, and then I can continue to cooperate with you and help you!"
Lin Shi shook her head at her and said, "It's alright, I don't need to cooperate with anyone for the time being!" After she finished speaking, she stopped looking at Ye Ruxue and simply prepared the starting movements for the flying dance.
Qin Yuan stood up, whispered a few words to Ye Ruxue, and comforted her as she sat down again.
After Ye Ruxue sat down, she no longer looked at Qin Yuan. She focused her gaze entirely on the high platform, only looking at Lin Shi's beautiful face and graceful figure. She also secretly brushed Qin Yuan's hand away when he tried to pull her up, and then clasped her own hands tightly together, placing them on her lap.
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