Chapter 54: Lotus Festival

Seeing two pairs of watery eyes, Aunt Xue's heart wavered.

Madam's discipline was always strict. She had very high expectations for the young master and young miss. From a young age, she only allowed them to practice cultivation, learn array methods, refine pills, and other cultivation lessons. Normally, except for very big festivals, she didn't allow the young master and young miss to go out. Even if they went out, someone had to follow them, and they had to return to the mansion before dark, not allowed to stay outside.

While this approach made the young master and young miss's cultivation outstanding, it also suppressed their childlike nature.

Sometimes, Aunt Xue also wanted the two of them to play and laugh like ordinary children, but Madam placed high hopes on the young master and young miss. If they delayed their cultivation by playing around, the fault would be significant.

Bai Zisheng said, "Aunt Xue, I just want to walk around for a while. I haven't seen what this Tongxian City looks like yet."

Aunt Xue was still hesitating. Bai Zixi's small hand pulled Aunt Xue's sleeve and also called out, "Aunt Xue..."

Aunt Xue's heart completely softened. "Alright, but you can only walk around until Hai time."

"Thank you, Aunt Xue!" Bai Zisheng immediately became happy.

Aunt Xue then smiled at Mo Hua and said, "We are new here and not too familiar with Tongxian City, so I would like to ask you to lead the way."

Aunt Xue's attitude was friendly. Looking at the bright-eyed Bai family siblings, Mo Hua didn't have the heart to refuse.

He had originally planned to go back early to draw a few more array methods, but he had drawn quite a few array methods in recent days, and his meditation technique hadn't recovered. It would be good to rest for a night.

A group of people then walked along the street and strolled through Tongxian City's Lianhua Festival night market.

Tongxian City, although a small immortal city, wasn't considered very prosperous, but with people flowing in and out and lights filling the sky, it also had a unique, vibrant, and lively style.

Mo Hua and the three Big Tiger led the way. The Bai family siblings walked a few steps behind them, looking left and right with curious and novel eyes. Aunt Xue, after all, was still not at ease and silently followed behind the two.

On the way, Er Hu secretly asked Mo Hua, "Mo Hua, do you know them?"

Mo Hua nodded. "We are registered disciples together at Zhuang Mister's place."

"They aren't from Tongxian City, are they?"

"No, they seem to be disciples from a relatively distant large clan..."

"Relatively distant? Outside of Tongxian City? I haven't been outside of Tongxian City yet..."

"Should be even farther, probably outside of Li State."

"Outside of Li State... how long would that take to walk?"

Several people felt both curious and uneasy about the unfamiliar cultivation realm.

San Hu suddenly asked, "Mo Hua, are you very familiar with them?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "Not very familiar, barely count as half the same sect. We don't talk much normally."

San Hu nodded. "These aristocratic family disciples indeed have nothing to say to us."

Mo Hua felt these words weren't quite right, but he thought for a moment and couldn't find anything wrong.

In the cultivation world, aristocratic families and scattered cultivators are as different as heaven and earth. The more historical and deeply rooted the aristocratic family, the more unattainable they are to ordinary scattered cultivators. Aristocratic family and scattered cultivator-origin cultivators, although both are cultivators, basically cannot be considered cultivators at the same time.

As the group strolled along, the three Big Tiger followed Mo Hua, with the Bai family siblings trailing behind. They always felt somewhat restrained and didn't enjoy playing much.

Seeing them awkward along the way, Mo Hua laughed. "You guys go play by yourselves. I'll just stroll around with them and then go back. I still have a few array methods to draw tonight."

San Hu exclaimed, "You still want to draw array methods tonight? Becoming an array master is really hard work..."

Er Hu said, "Then if we encounter fun things later, we'll buy a share for you too."

"Do you want Pan Da Tou's sugar figures? We want to buy one of each that looks like a tiger, and then buy one for you too."

Big Tiger scratched his head and thought for a moment, also simple-mindedly saying, "If anyone dares bully you, just shout, and we'll come over and help you beat him!"

"Got it." Mo Hua smiled. The three then scattered like birds released from a cage and ran far away in an instant.

Seeing the situation, Aunt Xue called Mo Hua over and asked, "I don't know what festival it is today that it's so lively."

"Aunt Xue, today is the Lianhua Festival."

Aunt Xue showed doubt. "I've never heard of this festival in the cultivation world."

Mo Hua explained, "This is a small festival, only celebrated in Tongxian City and nearby areas. Other places probably don't have it."

"Why is it called Lianhua Festival?"

Bai Zisheng curiously asked. Bai Zixi, who was always looking around, also turned her head to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied, "When I was little, I asked my parents, and they said the Lianhua Festival is to commemorate Lianhua Sanren."

"Lianhua Sanren? Is this Lianhua Sanren perhaps a great cultivator?" Aunt Xue asked.

"To us, they should count as a great cultivator, but to the entire cultivation world, perhaps not too great," Mo Hua said. "Exactly what cultivation level, I'm not very clear, I just heard some old grandpas say that this Lianhua Sanren should be late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, of course, some also say Golden Core stage."

"It is said that year, Li State was extremely hot, grass and trees withered, starving demon beasts came down the mountains to eat people, triggering a beast tide. The cultivators of Tongxian City desperately defended the city, but they were helpless as the demon beasts were numerous and difficult to resist. Seeing the city gate about to break, and countless cultivators about to die in the mouths of demon beasts, Lianhua Sanren, who was passing by at that time, resisted the beast tide with his single power. Finally, he preserved the lives of the cultivators of Tongxian City, but Lianhua Sanren also died due to spiritual power exhaustion..."

"It is said that today is the day of Lianhua Sanren's immortal passing. Thereafter, every year at this time, the people of Tongxian City will light all kinds of Lianhua lamps and raise them into the sky, commemorating Lianhua Sanren with the scene of bright lights."

Bai Zixi listened intently. Bai Zisheng felt even more his blood boiling.

He thought of the situation that year, as if he was personally in the beast tide, fighting with various fierce and cruel demon beasts. After a fierce battle, although he killed the beast leader, he also died as a result of exhaustion.

Countless years later, many cultivators still remember the merits of that year, and his name is also imprinted in the minds of a city's cultivators.

Bai Zisheng said passionately, "Born without fear of death, born towards death. Such a tragic and stirring life is the destination that cultivators should have."

Aunt Xue helplessly sighed. "Young master, Madam only has you as her son, please value yourself."

Bai Zisheng was somewhat dispirited and lowered his head.

Mo Hua laughed out loud. Bai Zisheng said a little angrily, "Are you laughing at me?"

Mo Hua said perfunctorily, "No."

Bai Zisheng became even more angry. Bai Zixi then slightly curved her lips, her face more radiant than the lights in the sky.

Aunt Xue thought for a moment, still doubtful. "The physical bodies and demon energy of demon beasts far exceed cultivators. Even a Golden Core stage cultivator, it's fundamentally impossible to resist a beast tide alone. Moreover, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator is not very worth a city's cultivators putting in such great effort to commemorate..."

While several people were talking, they walked to a small stall. On the stall were placed all kinds of Lianhua lamps, exquisitely shaped. Five broken spirit stones could buy one.

Mo Hua took out five broken spirit stones, placed them on the stall, picked a Lianhua lamp in the shape of an auspicious beast he couldn't quite name, lit it with a lamp fire, the fire light illuminating the lifelike auspicious beast.

Mo Hua let go, and the lamp slowly floated up into the sky, merging into the sky full of lights.

Mo Hua looked at the numerous lights in the sky and murmured, "In this world, how many cultivators, even if their cultivation reaches heaven and earth, can abandon their own cultivation and dao foundation for strangers? The cultivators of Tongxian City commemorate not Lianhua Sanren's cultivation, but his mind of benefiting all living beings."

Bai Zisheng nodded, picked a majestic red tiger-shaped lamp, sincerely lit it, and sent it up to the sky.

Bai Zixi then released a golden phoenix-patterned Lianhua lamp, brilliant and magnificent.

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment, looked at Mo Hua, and finally chose a blue luan-shaped Lianhua lamp and sent it into the night sky.

Throughout Tongxian City, specks of light gathered, lighting up the pitch-black night sky.