Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-Four: The Lotus Festival

Snow Aunt saw two pairs of watery eyes and felt torn inside.

Lady's discipline was always strict, demanding very high standards from Young Lady and Young Master; since childhood, she allowed them only to cultivate and study arrays, alchemy, and other cultivation tasks, and unless it was a major holiday, she forbade them from going out, and even when they did go out, they had to be accompanied by someone and must return home before dark, not allowing any lingering outside.

This approach, while making Young Lady and Young Master's cultivation stand out, also stifled the children's natural inclinations.

Sometimes Snow Aunt wanted to let them play and laugh like ordinary children, but Lady had such high hopes for them; if they neglected cultivation due to laziness, her own guilt would be great.

Bai Zisheng said: "Snow Aunt, I'll just go for a short stroll—I've never seen what Tongxian City is like."

Snow Aunt was still hesitating when Bai Zixi tugged at her sleeve and called out, "Snow Aunt…"

Snow Aunt's heart softened completely. "Fine, but you can only stroll until Hai Shi."

"Thank you, Snow Aunt!" Bai Zisheng immediately brightened.

Snow Aunt smiled at Mo Hua: "We're newcomers and unfamiliar with Tongxian City—could you guide us?"

Snow Aunt's tone was gentle; Mo Hua, seeing the bright, eager eyes of the Bai siblings, couldn't very well refuse.

He had originally planned to return early and draw a few more arrays, but he'd drawn too many recently and his meditation hadn't recovered—resting one night would be fine.

The group followed the street, strolling through Tongxian City's night market for the Lotus Festival.

Though Tongxian City was a small immortal city and not particularly prosperous, the crowds interwove and the sky was filled with lanterns, creating a uniquely vibrant, bustling charm.

Mo Hua and Brother Da Hu walked ahead, while the Bai siblings followed a few steps behind, gazing left and right with unfamiliar, curious eyes; Snow Aunt, still uneasy, silently trailed behind them.

On the way, Little Tiger secretly asked Mo Hua: "Mo Hua, do you know them?"

Mo Hua nodded. "We're both registered disciples under Master Zhuang."

"They're not from Tongxian City, are they?"

"No, they seem to be from a distant great clan…"

"Distant? Outside Tongxian City? I've never left Tongxian City myself…"

"Probably farther—likely beyond Lichou."

"Beyond Lichou… how long would that take to reach?"

The group felt both curious and uneasy about this unfamiliar cultivation world region.

Little Tiger suddenly asked: "Mo Hua, are you close with them?"

Mo Hua thought a moment. "Not really close—barely half fellow disciples; we rarely speak day to day."

Little Tiger nodded. "These aristocratic youths really have nothing to say to us."

Mo Hua felt this wasn't quite right, but after thinking, he couldn't find anything wrong with it.

In the cultivation world, aristocratic clans and wandering cultivators were as different as clouds and mud; the older and more deeply rooted the clan, the more unattainable they seemed to ordinary wandering cultivators. Though both aristocrats and wandering cultivators were cultivators, they were essentially not considered the same kind of cultivator at all.

As they strolled, Brother Da Hu's group followed Mo Hua, with the Bai siblings trailing behind, and all felt somewhat restrained, not enjoying themselves fully.

Mo Hua saw their awkwardness all along and smiled: "You two go play on your own—I'll just stroll with them a bit and head back. I still have a few arrays to draw tonight."

Little Tiger whistled. "You're drawing arrays at night? Becoming an array master really is exhausting…"

Double Tiger said: "Then if we find something fun later, we'll buy you one too."

"Do you want a sugar figurine from Pan Datou's stall? We're each going to buy one shaped like a tiger—we'll get you one too."

Brother Da Hu scratched his head, then said earnestly: "If anyone dares bully you, just shout—we'll come beat them up for you!"

"Understood." Mo Hua smiled, and the three dashed off like birds freed from a cage.

Snow Aunt watched them go, then called Mo Hua over. "I don't know what festival this is—it's so lively."

"Snow Aunt, today is the Lotus Festival."

Snow Aunt looked puzzled. "I've never heard of this festival in the cultivation world."

Mo Hua explained: "It's a minor festival, only celebrated around Tongxian City—probably nowhere else."

"Why is it called the Lotus Festival?"

Bai Zisheng asked curiously; Bai Zixi, who had been glancing around, turned to look at Mo Hua too.

Mo Hua thought a moment and answered: "When I was young, I asked my parents—they said the Lotus Festival commemorates Lotus Xuan Sanren."

"Lotus Xuan Sanren? Is this Lotus Xuan Sanren a great cultivator?" Snow Aunt asked.

"To us, he probably counts as a great cultivator, but compared to the entire cultivation world, he might not be that great," Mo Hua said. "I'm not sure exactly what realm he was—some elderly elders say he was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, though others claim he was Golden Core."

"It's said that back then, Lichou was scorching hot, plants withered, starving beasts descended the mountains to devour humans, triggering a beast tide. The Tongxian City cultivators fought desperately to defend the city, but the beasts were too numerous to hold back. Just as the city gates were about to break and countless cultivators faced death at the beasts' jaws, Lotus Xuan Sanren, passing through, single-handedly held back the tide. He saved the lives of Tongxian City's cultivators—but perished from exhaustion of spiritual energy…"

"It's said today is the day Lotus Xuan Sanren passed away; since then, every year at this time, the people of Tongxian City light all kinds of Lotus Lanterns and release them into the sky, illuminating the heavens in his memory."

Bai Zixi listened intently; Bai Zisheng felt his blood boil.

Imagining the scene back then, he felt as if he were in the midst of the beast tide, battling ferocious, cruel beasts. After a fierce battle, though he slew the beast leader, he himself collapsed from exhaustion and died.

After countless years, many cultivators still remembered his merit, his name etched into the minds of the city's cultivators.

Bai Zisheng, filled with passion, declared: "To live without fearing death, to embrace death—that's the tragic, stirring life a cultivator should have."

Snow Aunt sighed helplessly. "Young Master, Lady has only you as her son—please be more careful."

Bai Zisheng grew dejected, lowering his head.

Mo Hua laughed out loud. Bai Zisheng grew angry. "Are you mocking me?"

Mo Hua brushed it off. "No."

Bai Zisheng grew even angrier; Bai Zixi's lips curled slightly, her expression brighter than the sky full of lanterns.

Snow Aunt thought a moment, still puzzled: "Beast bodies and demonic energy are far stronger than cultivators'—even a Golden Core cultivator couldn't possibly hold back a beast tide alone. How much less likely would a late Foundation Establishment cultivator be worth such an elaborate memorial from an entire city?"

As they spoke, they reached a small stall displaying all kinds of Lotus Lanterns, exquisitely crafted, each costing five fragments of spirit stone.

Mo Hua pulled out five fragments of spirit stone, placed them on the stall, picked a Lotus Lantern whose shape was unidentifiable as any auspicious beast, lit it with flame, and the fire made the beast's form lifelike.

Mo Hua released his grip; the lantern slowly floated upward, merging into the sea of lanterns in the sky.

Mo Hua gazed at the countless lanterns above and murmured:

"Among all cultivators in this world, even those with heavenly power, how many would sacrifice their own cultivation and Dao foundation for strangers they've never met? The Tongxian City cultivators don't commemorate Lotus Xuan Sanren's cultivation—they commemorate his heart that benefited countless lives."

Bai Zisheng nodded, selected a majestic red tiger-shaped lantern, and solemnly lit it, sending it into the sky.

Bai Zi Xi placed a golden phoenix-patterned lotus lantern, brilliant and magnificent.

Snow Aunt hesitated for a moment, glanced at Mo Hua, then chose a blue qilin-shaped lotus lantern and sent it into the night sky.

Throughout Xiancheng, countless lanterns gathered, illuminating the dark night sky.