Lu Li led his two disciples through the streets for a while, and they soon reached the central area of the Lantern Festival—the plaza in front of the Vajra Temple in Yicheng.
The Dharma Assembly had only recently concluded.
When they arrived at the marketplace, the sky had just begun to darken, and the scene was set for the First Lighting of Lanterns.
There were not yet many pedestrians on the streets.
“Master, it seems we arrived a bit early,”
Gong Shangyu said, glancing at the scattered stalls and sparse crowds on both sides of the street with a hint of regret in her tone.
“If we were one or two hours later, when the Lantern Festival is at its peak, it would probably be much more interesting.”
“Isn’t it better with fewer people?”
Lu Li laughed at her words.
He recalled the terrifying scenes of mountain-high crowds during holidays in his former life.
“If we wait until the busiest time, we’ll likely see nothing but the backs of heads. When it’s people squeezing against people, how could there be any enjoyment left? It is better to have this kind of peace. We can take our time browsing.”
Gong Shangyu said nothing more and simply smiled, though a trace of disappointment lingered in her eyes.
Lu Li took it all in.
He shook his head helplessly, showing a bit more tolerance for this second disciple who, despite her outstanding talent, still possessed a youthful temperament.
“If Bai Yu really wants to see the busiest part of the Lantern Festival, then I do not mind accompanying you both until late into the night,”
Lu Li reassured her warmly.
“Since we have come out to play, we should return only after having our fill of fun.”
“Really? Master is the best!”
Gong Shangyu immediately beamed.
She could not help but grab Lu Li’s arm, giving him a massive smile.
Watching this from behind, Gu Qingying suddenly felt a bit jealous.
Immediately after, she pulled Lu Li toward a stall selling red bean cakes, leaving Gong Shangyu far behind.
She pointed excitedly at the freshly baked cakes.
“Master, let’s try these! When I was at home, my family always said street snacks were dirty. I haven’t eaten these in a long time.”
“Fine, fine. Since we are out today, I will follow your lead.”
Lu Li gently patted Gu Qingying’s head, his face full of indulgence.
After all, the expenses for this outing were being covered by Gu Qingying and Gong Shangyu.
As their Master, he was happy to simply tag along for the fun.
Then again, as a dignified Peak Master, the fact that he carried fewer Ling Stones than his disciples made Lu Li feel a bit ashamed.
However, on second thought, back when he played the game in his former life, his character rarely carried money when heading out.
It was just something to get used to.
A few minutes later, three piping hot portions of red bean cakes were fresh out of the oven.
Feeling as though Gu Qingying had beaten her to the punch, Gong Shangyu paid the bill with a slightly disgruntled expression.
Lu Li and Gu Qingying held their freshly baked red bean cakes, eating as they walked side by side.
Following behind, Gong Shangyu silently held her own portion, trailing at a distance.
She watched the two of them chatting happily with a complicated gaze.
Not to be outdone, Gong Shangyu hurried forward and squeezed Gu Qingying aside.
“Hehe… Master, I think—this Red Dust atmosphere—it has its own unique charm.”
Gong Shangyu sighed softly as she ate her cake, looking at the bustling yet peaceful scene around them.
“The myriad facets of the Red Dust are all part of cultivation,”
Lu Li remarked, stroking his chin as he took the opportunity to teach.
“Being able to maintain your heart in the midst of the clamor and appreciate the stability of ordinary life is also a way to temper the Dao Heart.”
He sincerely hoped that no matter how high his disciples’ cultivation became in the future, they would always remember this earthly warmth.
Gong Shangyu and Lu Li walked and talked cheerfully while holding their red bean cakes.
Gu Qingying, also holding her cake, felt as if she had been invisibly excluded.
She followed a few paces behind them, taking small bites of her cake while her gaze drifted toward the two who were conversing so happily.
“Ah… This is so nice. If only we could always be this leisurely and free…”
Gong Shangyu sighed wistfully, looking at the lanterns lighting up one by one around them.
“Peace and harmony are indeed what we cultivators aspire to. But if we wish to maintain this scene for a long time, we must also practice diligently and protect this land.”
Lu Li spoke with earnest gravity, encouraging this disciple who came from an extraordinary background.
However, when he thought about the surging undercurrents of the cultivation world, his own pressing System Tasks, and the massive future crisis facing the Kongxuan Realm in the game, Lu Li’s gentle expression turned a bit more solemn.
Just as Lu Li’s mood began to sink, Gong Shangyu suddenly grabbed his hand and pointed toward a Spirit Grain Rice Shaomai stall that already had a small line.
She suggested excitedly, “Master! It’s Spirit Grain Rice Shaomai! Let’s go line up!”
“Fine, whatever you say.”
Lu Li pulled back his thoughts and responded indulgently, following Gong Shangyu to the end of the line.
Though they waited for a while, the taste of that shaomai was indeed delicious.
Lu Li ordered the most classic, original-flavor Spirit Grain Rice Shaomai for himself.
Gong Shangyu, who had more adventurous tastes, ordered a top-tier version filled with spirit shrimp, dried scallops, and rare mushrooms.
As for the one with the most unique taste, that honor belonged to Gu Qingying.
“I want vinegar. Add more vinegar,”
Gu Qingying said coldly to the stall owner while staring at Lu Li and Gong Shangyu.
The stall owner paused but still poured her a full saucer of rice vinegar as requested.
Gu Qingying took the shaomai and actually poured the entire saucer of vinegar over it.
The sour scent was pungent.
That intense vinegary smell made Lu Li, who was standing next to her, look over.
He felt his own teeth go soft just from the scent.
He thought to himself, ‘When did Qingkong’s taste become so… unique? This amount of vinegar is a bit too much.’
Incidentally, because Gong Shangyu and Gu Qingying were two “young men” with handsome features and extraordinary temperaments, they attracted the attention of many female customers for the stall owner.
The owner was so delighted that he waved his hand and gave them their shaomai for free.
When it was Lu Li’s turn, however, the owner’s wife happened to stare at him for a few extra seconds.
Coupled with the fact that the owner thought Lu Li didn’t look like a man who lacked Ling Stones, he actually charged him double the price, leaving Lu Li stuck between laughter and tears.
Despite being treated differently for unknown reasons, Lu Li did not get angry.
In any case, it was Gong Shangyu, his “little wealthy lady,” who paid the bill for him.
Furthermore, the two specialty shaomai that Gong Shangyu and Gu Qingying ordered were much more expensive than his double-priced original version.
If they calculated it, they had still come out ahead.
The stall owner certainly didn’t lose money either.
With the three of them—who possessed excellent appearances and grace—standing as “living billboards” in front of the stall, it immediately drew a lot of attention.
Business boomed instantly, and a continuous stream of customers lined up.
The owner was likely making a fortune at that very moment.
After purchasing the shaomai, the three of them left the stall and leisurely wandered the streets, continuing their nighttime journey.
Because it had reached the dinner hour, the Lantern Festival district near the entrance of the Vajra Temple—which had been cold, deserted, and ignored when Saionji Ayaka and Chu Dongliu arrived not long ago—suddenly became lively.
The cheerful and bustling scene was as vibrant as a fabled paradise.