Even Lu Li had to admit that Gong Shangyu was indeed an excellent guide.
Gong Shangyu certainly did not “disappoint,” carefully planning what could be called a “perfect” sightseeing route.
First, she led Lu Li and Gu Qingying to a sugar painting stall that was supposedly a 100-year-old establishment.
The stall owner was highly skilled, using sugar as ink to draw birds, beasts, and even the figures of cultivators, drawing a large crowd of onlookers.
“Master, look at this!”
Gong Shangyu pointed at a sugar painting of a crane about to take flight that the stall owner had just finished, her tone carrying just the right amount of pleasant surprise.
“This craftsmanship is truly amazing! Master, do you like it? Should your disciple buy it for you to try?”
As she spoke, she reached for her money, but her eyes flickered toward Gu Qingying with a trace of subtle provocation.
How could Gu Qingying let her take all the credit?
She immediately stepped forward and pointed to a more complex sugar painting nearby, which depicted a sword cultivator dancing with a blade.
Her voice was crisp as she said, “Master! I think this one is better! Look at this sword intent—it’s so lifelike! Only this is worthy of you, Master! I’ll buy this to show my filial piety!”
She was also in a hurry to pay.
Watching his two disciples competing to buy him sugar paintings, Lu Li found it both funny and exasperating.
He quickly waved them off.
“Alright, alright. I appreciate the sentiment. While these sugar paintings are interesting, they offer no benefit to one’s cultivation. Just looking is enough.”
He reached into his sleeve, pulled out several lower-grade spirit stones, and handed them to the owner.
He bought both the crane and the sword cultivator sugar paintings, handing them to Gong Shangyu and Gu Qingying respectively.
“Keep them for yourselves to enjoy.”
The two women took the sugar paintings with subtle expressions.
Gong Shangyu looked at the crane in her hand and thought, ‘Does Master think I’m as elegant as this crane?’
Gu Qingying stared at the sword cultivator and mused, ‘Master must feel that my sword heart is pure!’
Then, the two girls glared at each other before turning away simultaneously.
They each took a careful lick of their sugar paintings; the sweetness seemed to carry a hint of rivalry.
Next, Gong Shangyu “thoughtfully” arranged for them to watch street performances.
The artists performing fire-breathing drew gasps of surprise from the crowd, while a lion dance troupe moved nimbly through the streets.
As they watched, Gong Shangyu didn’t forget to lean in close to Lu Li, explaining the origins and techniques of these performances, attempting to showcase her erudition.
Gu Qingying watched from the side, her teeth itching with annoyance.
Her purple eyes swirled as an idea came to mind.
When she saw a ring-toss game stall, she immediately grabbed Lu Li’s sleeve and pointed to an exquisite-looking Jade Rabbit Lantern at the far end of the booth.
In a worshipful tone, she said, “Master! Look at that lantern! It’s so beautiful! It’s just placed so far away… I definitely won’t be able to land a ring on it. Master, your cultivation is so profound and your eyesight must be excellent. Could you… help me get one?”
She blinked her large eyes, her face practically shouting “Master is the best.”
Lu Li had no desire to participate in such games, but seeing his young disciple’s expectant gaze and remembering how he had just rejected the sugar paintings, he couldn’t bear to refuse again.
He took the bamboo ring from the stall owner.
With a slight nudge of his Divine Sense, he flicked his wrist seemingly at random.
The bamboo ring traced a precise arc and landed steadily over the Jade Rabbit Lantern without a single wobble.
“Wow! Master is amazing!”
Gu Qingying immediately cheered and clapped her hands in praise, shooting a triumphant glance at Gong Shangyu.
Gong Shangyu narrowed her pink eyes.
The smile on her face remained unchanged, but she cursed inwardly, ‘Little Xiao Lücha! Always playing these petty tricks!’
Not wanting to be outdone, she immediately pointed to a lantern riddle stall nearby and smiled at Lu Li.
“Master, playing these games of brute strength is quite dull. Over there are lantern riddles, which test one’s literary talent and quick wit. You must be skilled at that as well, Master. Why don’t we try? I heard that if you win the top prize, you can get a specially made Glazed Revolving Lantern!”
Caught between the two women’s back-and-forth “encouragement,” Lu Li had no choice but to follow them through the various stalls.
One moment, he was being pulled by Gu Qingying to release lotus lanterns and make a wish; the next, he was invited by Gong Shangyu to critique calligraphy and paintings.
He felt that wandering through this Lantern Festival was more mentally taxing than a daytime duel.
Under the cover of the bustling crowd, the war between the two women escalated.
Gu Qingying used the excuse of the crowd being too congested to “accidentally” lean toward Lu Li, attempting to create physical contact.
Gong Shangyu always managed to insert herself between them at the “perfect moment” or “accidentally” bump into Gu Qingying to keep her away from him.
As they passed a mask stall, Gu Qingying was quick to pick up a Purple Crystal Fox Mask that covered the upper half of her face.
She put it on and turned to Lu Li with a bright, charming smile.
“Master, does this mask look good?”
Gong Shangyu gave a cold snort and picked up a more dignified-looking Auspicious Beast Mask.
She put it on to hide her face and silently made a face in Gu Qingying’s direction.
Looking at his two disciples in their masks, whose behavior was becoming increasingly “lively,” Lu Li felt a massive headache.
He rubbed his temples, starting to wonder if agreeing to come to the Lantern Festival had been a mistake.
“Master, you must be tired. There’s a teahouse ahead with an excellent view. It overlooks half the street’s lanterns. Shall we go up and take a break?”
Gong Shangyu once again showed her “considerate” planning, pointing toward an elegantly decorated teahouse.
Lu Li was just looking for a quiet place, so he immediately nodded upon hearing this.
“Fine, let’s sit there.”
The three of them went to the second floor of the teahouse and sat by the window.
Outside was a river of brilliant lights and the roar of the crowd; inside, the scent of tea lingered, temporarily isolating them from the noise.
However, this brief moment of tranquility did not last long.
The waiter brought out snacks and a pot of tea.
Gu Qingying immediately stood up and grabbed the teapot, poised to pour tea for Lu Li with an “elegant” posture.
“Master, you’ve worked hard. Let me pour some tea for you.”
She tilted her wrist, the tea flowing into the cup.
However, at that moment, her fingertips seemed to be “accidentally” burned by the hot wall of the cup.
Her hand shook, and a few drops of tea splashed out, seemingly about to land on Lu Li’s Revised Daoist Robe!
“Be careful!”
Gong Shangyu reacted extremely fast.
She moved almost at the same time, grabbing Gu Qingying’s wrist with one hand while her other hand quickly grabbed a nearby cloth.
She precisely caught the stray drops of tea.
Her movements were as smooth as flowing water, and not a single drop touched Lu Li’s clothes.
She gave Gu Qingying an impeccable, concerned smile.
“Senior Brother Gu, how could you be so careless? Better let me do it. How could I trouble you with such menial work?”
As she spoke, she took the teapot without leaving room for argument, steadily filling a cup for Lu Li and offering it with both hands.
Watching Gong Shangyu’s “virtuous and sensible” act, Gu Qingying gritted her teeth in secret.
Unable to lash out, she could only force a fake smile.
“Thank you, Junior Brother.”
Watching this scene of “brotherly harmony,” Lu Li took the tea cup as that sense of strangeness surfaced again.
He felt that these two disciples were exceptionally… attentive tonight?
And there seemed to be an invisible smell of gunpowder between them?
‘Perhaps young people are just playful and like to compete with each other,’ he convinced himself with that reason once more.
He lowered his head to sip the tea, looking out at the sea of lanterns outside the window.
However, his thoughts subconsciously drifted back to the Sweet Water Shop and that eerie Collective Dream.
The bustle and joy of the mortal world stood in stark contrast to the unknown threat lurking in the shadows, making it difficult for him to truly relax.
Opposite him, his two “disciples” were engaged in a silent clash of gazes under the table, as if sparks were flying through the air.
‘Hmph, just you wait. I’ll definitely make Master pay more attention to me tonight!’
‘Heh, you? Master’s gaze will be mine sooner or later!’
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