Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: How to Introduce the Demoness?
In the backyard, the sky had already darkened. It was livelier outside today.
Jiang Hao had heard from the innkeeper that it was the Lantern Festival, which occurred once every three years.
“Senior, when do you plan to depart?” he asked.
At this moment, Hong Yuye was sitting in the pavilion and looking at the surrounding flowers. She was lost in thought.
Finally, her gaze fell on the spot where the Clear Snow Seeds were planted.
“When will they sprout?” she asked.
“Maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” Jiang Hao said. In truth, it would be the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow was the last day of watering it, but he didn’t want to be too specific in his response.
Hong Yuye slowly stood up and looked at Jiang Hao calmly.
“How long do we plan to stay here?” she asked.
“At least nine days,” Jiang Hao said.
During the nine days, he intended to search for clues while studying the third form of the Heavenly Blade technique.
He needed to be well-prepared to deal with Zuo Lan.
According to his plan, he wanted to defeat him before he advanced to the Primordial Spirit Realm. However, nothing ever went as planned.
Therefore, he needed to be adequately prepared, just in case.
Hong Yuye didn’t say anything. She simply walked outside.
“Senior, are you going to see the lanterns?” Jiang Hao asked as he followed.
Hong Yuye glanced at him but remained silent.
Jiang Hao was surprised. Her gaze mocked him.
It seemed that Hong Yuye had other reasons for going out. Watching the lanterns float in the sky was simply beneath her.
Jiang Hao noticed that the city was brightly illuminated tonight. People were bustling about, talking to each other, and having a good time.
It reminded him of his childhood. His stepmother, despite her flaws, had taken him along to similar festivals.
Back then, he was too young to work. So, his father would carry him on his back.
He remembered watching the fireworks once. It moved his heart to the core.
During this journey, he had experienced many things that he couldn’t have fathomed if he stayed inside the sect.
The half a year he had spent to controlling his mind couldn’t compare to the progress he had made on his journey.
He had a feeling that once he found his stepmother and his father, his state of mind would undergo another transformation.
Would he be able to let go at that time? He didn’t know.
But it was precisely because it was unknown that he needed to see, to experience, and to comprehend. Hiding in the sect would do nothing for his maturity.
Only by immersing oneself in the world could one transcend it. At that moment, a pleasant, bird-like voice sounded beside him.
“Do you often daydream?”
“No, of course not. I… there are so many people here tonight, so I was just thinking about how to guide you through the crowd,” said Jiang Hao hurriedly.
“It’s not a coincidence that you encountered the deceptive spirit beast.” Hong Yuye chuckled.
‘Indeed, it wasn’t a coincidence,’ thought Jiang Hao. ‘It’s because of the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.’
Jiang Hao felt that there was nothing wrong with raising the spirit beast. In fact, he might raise another one if he encountered it somewhere. After fully awakening its bloodline, he would let it go. The spirit beast was full of lies. It would someday get Jiang Hao in trouble.
“What do you think is the fundamental difference between you and your spirit beast?” Hong Yuye asked as they walked along the road.
She walked a little ahead.
Although there were many people on the street, the path was always free and spacious for her. It was as if the people around them were actively avoiding them.
Jiang Hao didn’t pay much attention to it. He wasn’t surprised.
“The difference should be quite obvious,” Jiang Hao said.
“Hm… let’s just say it is, for argument’s sake,” said Hong Yuye. She stopped in front of a mask stall.
“Senior, do you want one?” Jiang Hao asked curiously.
Hong Yuye shook her head and continued walking forward. The place was very lively. Children ran around and laughed.
“You can’t catch me! You can’t catch me!”
“You little rascal, if you get lost, you’ll cry again!”
Jiang Hao watched as a young woman scolded a little boy while chasing after him.
‘I wasn’t like this when I was a child…’ Jiang Hao couldn’t help but compare his childhood to the happy children.
He then shook his head slightly. He felt pathetic that he was comparing himself to a child.
He followed Hong Yuye until they walked out of the crowd and arrived at a pavilion by the river.
Lanterns were hanging around. Some lanterns on the river drifted by.
They hadn’t carried any teapot or stove, so they couldn’t make tea here. They could only look around.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Hao looked at Hong Yuye. “Senior, would you like to release a river lantern?”
Hong Yuye looked at him with her beautiful eyes. Her eyes mocked him. It seemed to call him childish.
They just looked around the pavilion quietly. A gentle breeze rustled past.
The edges of Hong Yuye’s dress swayed gently in the wind.
Jiang Hao could smell a faint fragrance.
The distinctly familiar scent made him recall the first time he had sensed it. ‘That the night when…’
Jiang Hao stopped himself. He was afraid to think about that night.
“How did you introduce me?” Hong Yuye suddenly asked.
Jiang Hao was confused.
“Didn’t you say someone asked you about me?” Hong Yuye stared at Jiang Hao.
“How did you introduce me?”
Jiang Hao thought of that little girl who had been cleaning the corridor. ‘Did she hear about it?’
He broke out in a cold sweat.
“I… I haven’t introduced you yet,” Jiang Hao said.
He hadn’t mentioned her to anyone yet.
“How do you plan to do it?” Hong Yuye sounded as though she was mocking him again.
“Senior, what do you think would be a suitable response?” asked Jiang Hao.
However, questioning her back seemed to make her irritated. He felt a stifling force that seemed capable of obliterating the entire city in an instant.
Jiang Hao hastily spoke up.
“I’ll wait for them to ask again!”
The aura completely vanished. Hong Yuye didn’t ask him anything further.
“Young Master Chen, look over there. There’s a pavilion from where we can watch the river lanterns.” Laughter came from nearby.
Jiang Hao turned to see a group of people approaching the pavilion. There was a man and a woman at the front, followed by some attendants.
The woman was the one who had spoken.
“Oh, there are people up there!” said the woman regretfully when she saw Jiang Hao and Hong Yuye.
“What a pity!”
She looked at the young man beside her, who was most probably Young Master Chen.
Jiang Hao also looked at the man. He wasn’t an ordinary non-cultivator. He was at the fifth level of the Lifeblood Refinement Realm.
When Young Master Chen noticed Jiang Hao looking at him, he instinctively gestured for his men to shoo them away. However, when he sensed Jiang Hao’s cultivation realm, he stopped the attendants, turned around, and slapped the woman across the face.
“You know there are people here, and yet you want to interrupt them?” This slap left the woman stunned.
Jiang Hao sighed, feeling that these people were less interesting than the people on the street.
“Let’s go.” Hong Yuye stepped away from the pavilion. Jiang Hao nodded and followed. “Where do you want to go next, Senior?”
“To release the river lanterns,” Hong Yuye said.
Jiang Hao was speechless.. ‘I thought she saw it as childish…’