Chapter 124: Bell Ringing (1)
Luo Xuanyi was still somewhat curious about the bell-ringing festival, after all, she had never participated in anything like it. She had already confirmed with the Wang family and Hao Fei that, aside from the magical activation at midnight, the bell-ringing festival was a normal festival celebration. Luo Xuanyi had requested that Hao Fei not activate any magic this time, so she simply had to endure the day and declare herself unsuccessful.
She never treated herself badly. Facing this small town that was already in her pocket, although she was a little uncomfortable, she gradually integrated into the bustle of the town and experienced these new things.
After all, what Luo Xuanyi did was not for some lofty beliefs, but just to live happily and freely. There was no need to be tense all the time.
The long street was packed with small stalls and shops, all bustling with activity. The red fragments of firecrackers fell to the ground, like flowers blooming from the bluestone slabs. As if by agreement, everyone rushed towards the ferry in a bustling frenzy.
Luo Xuanyi relaxed, following the crowd past the rooftops and through the dense forest. From afar, she could see several rows of boats parked at the ferry crossing. These boats, unlike the ferries that ply the roads, were fishing boats, about eight feet long and broad-bellied. A fisherman in shorts, with his arms and trouser legs rolled up, stood at the front and back of each boat, several large nets spread out inside.
"Catch the yellow croaker!"
The children cheered and rushed to the shore, and the young men and women also got ready to go. Seven or eight people boarded a boat, including adults, children, and even the elderly. They grabbed the fishing net and pulled it back. They saw dozens of yellow croakers flapping their bodies and flying out of the shimmering river!
"Lucky!" they cheered, each picking up a yellow croaker and returning to shore. A child of seven or eight, unable to hold the thrashing croaker with his chubby little hands, simply pulled his robe up, carrying the fish, and stumbled back.
The fishermen laughed heartily, happy that they had caught so many yellow croakers this year, which meant they were blessed. They chatted and laughed as they threw the yellow croakers that were not picked in the net back into the river.
Luo Xuanyi was also feeling a bit itchy, and, infected by the cheerful atmosphere, she couldn't help but step onto the fishing boat. The female student standing nearby thought she looked very familiar and couldn't help but exclaim, "Are you the Immortal Master who arrived earlier?"
Luo Xuanyi finally noticed the female student and nodded nonchalantly. She grabbed the fishing net, feeling the rough ropes heavy in her hands, and the scent of river water. She heard the people around her shouting "One, two!" and she, along with the others on the boat, tightened her grip on the net and yanked back!
The pure and beautiful scales of the yellow croaker flew in the air, like a ray of sunlight filtered through the blue sky and falling on the boat.
"Wow, that's amazing! The fish are flying!"
Luo Xuanyi didn't know why, even though it was just an ordinary fish, she was so happy. With a smile on her face, she followed the others, picked a yellow croaker, and glided off the boat. Only then did she realize she had no idea what to do with it. After a moment's thought, she returned to shore, about to throw it back into the river.
"Hey, Master Immortal, wait a minute!" The voice from before hurriedly approached. "Yellow croaker is a symbol of happiness. You can't let it get away!"
The female student must have been very happy today. She had appeared calm when they first met, but now she was running over breathlessly for a fish. Luo Xuanyi noticed that she had a line in her hand. One end of the line was hooked on the yellow croaker's lip, and the other end was wrapped around her hand several times, holding it firmly. It was obvious that she was experienced.
"I'm already fasting and don't need to eat. Besides, I'm not good at cooking. If I can't put it back in the river, what should I do with it?"
The female student smiled and said, "That's easy. I wonder if Master Immortal would be so kind as to visit the academy? The academy will cook yellow croaker for visitors today, free of charge. It's just a simple steaming."
Luo Xuanyi glanced at the yellow croaker in her hand and nodded in agreement: "Okay. By the way, you don't have to call me Master Immortal, it sounds weird. Just call me Xuanyi."
"Okay, Master Xuanyi." She nodded, pulled out a line with a hook from her sleeve, and helped Luo Xuanyi string the yellow croaker. She said, "Just call me Zhang Qiu. Please come this way. We're going to the academy now. When our portion is cooked, it'll be just in time for lunch."
A steady stream of people continued to make their way to the ferry, and many excitedly showed off their yellow croaker to the newcomers, only to be mocked by their friends. Because of the fat legacy disaster, there didn't seem to be many outsiders attending the Spring Bell Ringing Ceremony this year, but the townspeople didn't seem to care.
"Sister Qiu, you're so fast!" "Xiao Qiu, why don't you come to my house for dinner this year?" Along the way, the townspeople greeted Zhang Qiu very familiarly. Some students who hurried to the ferry saw her proudly shaking the yellow croaker in her hand and screamed, "Senior sister, why didn't you ask me to come with you!!"
"Haha, I told you to sleep through it all the time." Zhang Qiu shook the yellow croaker in her hand. Even in her school uniform, she couldn't hide her innocent charm. She was a girl after all. Following her, Luo Xuanyi felt that she was also infected by her cheerful energy.
I hadn't been able to enter the academy before, and I didn't expect to be able to enter for such a reason. Luo Xuanyi walked through the tall academy gate and looked around with some curiosity. The academy was obviously carefully built, with rows of attics stacked high and low. The lotus pond and bamboo forest that could be seen upon opening the door had a scholarly atmosphere.
Luo Xuanyi walked along the small gravel path through a grove of Xiangfei bamboo when she heard Zhang Qiu curiously ask, "Master Xuanyi, since you embarked on the path of cultivation, have you ever attended an academy?"
"No." Luo Xuanyi shook her head. "But even though I haven't been to a college, I still read a lot. After all, what you think and read is your own."
Zhang Qiu nodded in agreement. She seemed to have thought of something and clenched her fists. "It seems that every path is like this. I must also study hard and follow my own path."
Before I even left the bamboo forest, a sweet fragrance filled my face. I hurried forward a bit and saw several long rows of tables and chairs neatly arranged beneath a tall bamboo pavilion. Because there wasn't enough space, they'd expanded the pavilion several times, leaving only one path leading directly to the row of large steamers emitting white mist.
"Come on, take your bamboo sticks and remember your number—"
Luo Xuanyi followed Zhang Qiu over, handing over her steamed yellow croaker in exchange for a bamboo skewer. The skewer had been used repeatedly, but it was perfectly clean. The two found an empty seat next to each other, and perhaps because most students at the academy arrived late, their steamed yellow croaker was served shortly after.
Luo Xuanyi looked at the steamed yellow croaker in front of her. The steaming heat spread across her face, and the delicious aroma of the croaker filled her lungs. For a moment, she felt a bit bewildered. She had already become a strange cultivator, and now she was just borrowing this body to get by. She had never imagined that one day she would sit at a table, chopsticks in hand, enjoying a meal.
She had learned to use chopsticks, but she hadn't really used them yet. Everything now seemed like a make-up move.
Seeing Luo Xuanyi taking so long to pick up her chopsticks, Zhang Qiu thought she was hesitant about her cultivation, so he couldn't help but feel a little apologetic. He simply said, "If it's inconvenient for you to eat, please don't force yourself. It was my fault for being so inconsiderate that I forced you to cook the yellow croaker. You don't have to worry about me or the waste. Please just follow your mood."
Luo Xuanyi shook her head. "It's not that I don't want to eat it, but I've never had such an experience before, so I hesitated for a moment."
She finally reached for the dish. The yellow croaker, its internal organs meticulously removed, was topped with a touch of verdant scallions and jade-colored minced garlic. A layer of hot oil drizzled over it from top to bottom, and with a chopstick, it was soft but not shattering. After a few tosses in the hot oil and sauce, the crystal-clear fish flesh, like amber, was delivered into Luo Xuanyi's mouth.
"How?" Zhang Qiu felt a little nervous for some reason.
Luo Xuanyi chewed it carefully, swallowed a mouthful and smiled at her, "It's delicious."
"Is that so?" Zhang Qiu also laughed. She ordered a bowl of rice and suggested to Luo Xuanyi, "Since you don't know much about these things, why don't I take you around today? Tonight, the Liu family's cotton candy and the bell-ringing road are both very interesting! You're sure to have a good time!"
Luo Xuanyi readily agreed and began to feast on the fish.
The unique aroma of yellow croaker wafts from every household in Fuji Town, and white mist slowly rises from the chimneys.
No one saw a figure with a sword slowly fall down on Fu Jishan Mountain.
Of course, Sister Yi can also enjoy the relaxed and happy atmosphere. She can have everything that others have.
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