Free Web NovelChapter 277: Chapter 178: Enchanting Fragrance (3)
At this very moment, beneath rows of magnificent lanterns, the streets were thronged with visitors.
In the sky, fireworks bloomed one after another, illuminating the night with a dazzling array of colors.
The lanterns and fireworks combined to create an incredibly lively, festive atmosphere.
Lü Zhong strolled with Li Hejun on his arm, sometimes stopping at the food stalls lining the street to sample rare delicacies, other times trying to solve lantern riddles as they enjoyed the rare festive holiday.
As they walked, Li Hejun suddenly tugged on Lü Zhong’s sleeve and pointed. "My lord, look. I think that’s the Chengde Commerce Association’s stall up ahead. Shall we go take a look?"
Lü Zhong looked ahead and saw a familiar figure.
"Let’s go have a look."
In front of the Chengde Commerce Association’s stall, where two lanterns had inexplicably gone out, stood Yu Feng’Er. Dressed magnificently and as radiant as a flower, she was exuding the unique aura of a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator while harshly berating the two family Elders responsible for the stall. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
"Seventh Aunt, Fourth Nephew, I entrusted this matter to you because I thought I could trust my own family. And what do I get in return? Hmph. Passing off shoddy goods as quality ones, lining your own pockets... Honestly, I am deeply disappointed in both of you! When we return, go to the ancestral hall to receive your punishment and relinquish your positions as Elders."
With a single sentence, Yu Feng’Er had sealed the fate of the two family Elders.
Without their positions as Elders, the annual support they received from the family would be drastically reduced. They weren’t the only ones who would be affected—their descendants would also suffer greatly. The pace of their future cultivation progress would inevitably slow, perhaps even grinding to a halt.
A noblewoman in lavish clothes and a young man in a yellow shirt stood together, their faces ashen with despair.
Under normal circumstances, they would have surely argued against Yu Feng’Er’s decision. But things were different now. For reasons unknown to them, Yu Feng’Er had suddenly broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, making her the undisputed most powerful person in the Yu Family. The weight her words carried was incomparable to before; no one dared to defy her commands.
In this situation, even though they were being stripped of their Elder positions, the two could only grit their teeth and accept it.
Meanwhile, Yu Feng’Er noticed Lü Zhong and Li Hejun approaching. A thought seemed to cross her mind, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She turned to an elderly woman in her sixties who was with her and said, "Great-Aunt, I’ll leave this in your hands. I have other matters to attend to!"
"Go on, Patriarch. I will take care of things here." The elderly woman had once been a Steward for the Yu Family’s businesses. Due to a shortage of capable successors in the younger generation, she had been forced out of retirement. For her, handling such matters was a trivial affair.
The old woman watched Yu Feng’Er hurry away. It was as if she’d become a different person; the dignified aura befitting a Patriarch had vanished, replaced by the demeanor of a young girl rushing to a young man’s side. The old woman couldn’t help but sigh.
’Sigh... I don’t know whether this is for the best or not.’
...
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yu. Does this mean you’ve broken through to Foundation Establishment?"
Lü Zhong asked, having noticed the change in her cultivation, and offered a congratulatory cupped-fist salute.
Hearing his words, Yu Feng’Er’s ears burned red. In a soft voice, she said, "It is all thanks to you, Fellow Daoist Lü. I was finally able to break the shackles of my Ice Soul Spirit Body and successfully advance to the Foundation Establishment Stage. I was planning to invite you to my clan’s celebration after the Lantern Festival to explain everything. I truly didn’t mean to hide it from you."
As she spoke, she couldn’t help but recall the intimate encounter they had shared.
Recalling the details, her legs began to feel weak.
Seeing this, Lü Zhong had to reach out and steady Yu Feng’Er to keep her from collapsing.
"Th-thank you, Fellow Daoist Lü," Yu Feng’Er said, her face flushing red.
Li Hejun watched with a gentle smile. After a moment, seeing that Yu Feng’Er could stand on her own again, she suggested, "Since our sister is here, why don’t the three of us stroll through the lantern-lit streets together?"
"Is that alright?" Yu Feng’Er asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"I don’t mind," Lü Zhong replied.
’He truly didn’t mind having a woman on each arm.’
’To be honest, isn’t this what most men dream of?’
Without another word, he took Yu Feng’er’s arm. Not forgetting Li Hejun, he now truly had a woman on each arm as he strolled with them to admire the beautiful lantern-lit scenery.
At first, Yu Feng’Er was a bit uncomfortable, but her face soon broke into a bright smile.
Seeing her let loose and have more and more fun, gradually revealing a side of her nature that had long been suppressed, Lü Zhong and Li Hejun exchanged a glance like an old married couple, shaking their heads with fond exasperation.
Playing as they walked, they soon reached the end of the lantern-lit street.
Ahead lay a range of towering mountains. The Spirit Vein of Changchun Valley often leaked Spiritual Qi, creating a spectacular, aurora-like display that rivaled the fireworks. Many cultivators and mortals had stopped to watch the wondrous sight, a rare beauty they could only witness once a year during the Lantern Festival.
"Hm? What are you doing?" Lü Zhong suddenly noticed Yu Feng’Er had pressed her hands together. With a serious expression, she seemed to be murmuring something under her breath.
Li Hejun was curious as well.
"Oh, this? It’s a custom from my hometown..." Yu Feng’Er said with a playful, girlish grin. "They say if you make a sincere wish during the Lantern Festival, it’s more likely to come true!"
"I doubt that has any effect," Lü Zhong said, choosing an inopportune moment to voice his skepticism.
’Once a cultivator sets foot on the Immortal Path, they are destined to rely solely on themselves.’
’Rather than pinning one’s hopes on some unknown being and waiting for a wish to come true, it’s better to go out and fight for what you want. That’s the only way to travel further down the path to Longevity.’
Then he heard another soft murmur and saw that Li Hejun was now making a wish as well.
"What did you wish for? Why not tell me?" Lü Zhong asked. He was confident that with his resources, there was no wish of Li Hejun’s he couldn’t grant.
