Great Luck and Prosperity

The surrounding people crowded closer.

"Oh my, this girl's makeup is so handsome!"

"Isn't it? Look at this skin. The wrinkles are just right. It looks exactly like it's withered."

"And those eyes—that grayish-white, that sense of being stitched together. Do you understand? It's so rare."

"Look at those lips and the stitching. Tsk, tsk. You can tell real effort went into this."

A group of people surrounded Lian, showering her with praise.

Lian froze in place, at a loss.

She looked from one person to another.

Were these people... praising her?

"Young lady, which makeup artist did this for you? Could you introduce them to me?"

"Yes, yes, I want to look like that too!"

"How did you mix this skin tone? Teach your auntie!"

Lian opened her mouth but couldn't speak.

Her lips were sewn shut, making it difficult to talk in the first place.

More importantly, she didn't know how to respond.

This... wasn't makeup.

This was how she actually looked.

Jin Mantang finally snapped out of his daze.

He slapped his forehead.

"Aiya, how rude of me!"

"I thought you were an amateur, little brother, but it turns out you're far more of an expert than us!"

He turned to Tuoba Feng with a face full of admiration.

"Your daughter's appearance is truly a sign of great luck and prosperity!"

"No wonder she stays in a coffin."

"This is called entering a coffin to receive blessings. It's a sure sign of promotion and wealth!"

"Emerging from the coffin represents rebirth, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new!"

"Brilliant, truly brilliant!"

Tuoba Feng: "..."

What could he say?

He could only reply, "Brother, you have a keen eye."

Several plump, middle-aged women pulled Lian aside to pepper her with questions.

"How old are you, dear?"

"Who else is in your family?"

"Are you betrothed yet?"

Lian stood there, overwhelmed.

She had never been surrounded by so many people before.

She had never been looked at with such warm, eager eyes.

Someone pressed a pastry into her hand.

Someone handed her a piece of fruit.

Someone held her hand, rubbing it gently.

"You poor thing. There's no need to make yourself this thin just for a bit of luck."

"Child, you need to eat more. Look at how thin these little arms are."

Lian looked down at the things in her hands.

The pastry was pale yellow, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

The fruit was red and round, like a small lantern.

She didn't know what they were.

But she thought they smelled very sweet.

"Dear, what is your name?" a woman asked.

Lian looked up, opened her mouth, and straightened her back.

"My name is Lian."

"Tuoba Lian."

"It is a name personally bestowed by the Lord."

The surroundings fell silent for a moment.

Then, a burst of admiration erupted.

"Oh! It was personally bestowed by the Lord!"

"Heavens, what an immense honor!"

"The Lord really knows how to name people. With such a delicate look, she truly is lovable!"

"Exactly! Look at how pitifully cute she is. It makes one's heart ache for her!"

Lian felt a bit embarrassed by the praise.

But she didn't hide.

She stood there, listening to the compliments.

The corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily.

Her sewn lips tugged, making the smile look somewhat distorted.

But no one was afraid.

No one pulled away.

They only looked at her with even more warmth.

"Oh, she's smiling! Look how beautiful!"

A woman quickly beckoned.

"Someone, call the artist over!"

A young servant ran off to comply.

The woman held Lian's hand.

"Child, let the artist paint a portrait of us together!"

"It would be a pity not to capture such a handsome appearance!"

The woman's shout caused the surrounding wealthy merchants to react quickly. They all called for their servants, preparing to have portraits painted with Lian as a memento.

Nearby, Xiaoyun tugged at Tuoba Feng's sleeve.

"Father, Sister Lian is so popular."

Tuoba Feng looked down at his daughter.

"Yes."

Xiaoyun tilted her head.

"What about me? Am I popular?"

Tuoba Feng was silent for a breath.

Then he leaned down and picked up his daughter.

"Of course you are popular."

Xiaoyun happily threw her arms around his neck.

"Then I want a portrait too!"

"Alright."

Tuoba Feng held his daughter, watching Lian in the center of the crowd.

She was carefully nibbling on the fruit a woman had given her.

The flesh was red and soft.

The juice stained her shriveled lips.

She cautiously stuck out her tongue and licked them.

So sweet.

Lian's eyes widened slightly.

She took another bite.

The fruit melted in her mouth, sugary and fragrant.

It was so sweet.

It was just as sweet as the two sand jujubes Xiaoyun had given her all those years ago.

It was so sweet it reached her heart, making her want to cry.

Just then, a salty, moist breeze blew toward them.

Everyone looked up.

They saw two figures adorned in jewels and pearls, accompanied by a squad of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, arriving on the waves.

Cangming was dressed in azure robes and a silver crown, with a newly made dragon-pattern jade belt around his waist, exuding an air of nobility.

Cangche followed behind him, also in fine robes, though his were a darker sea-blue, making him look heroic.

Behind them was a squad of whale guards in armor, their steps synchronized and their aura imposing.

On such a grand day, the Sea Race had naturally come to offer their congratulations.

Cangming walked with his hands behind his back, his expression proud.

He was the new Emperor of the Sea Race. For this God's Grace Festival, he represented the face of the entire Eastern Region. He had to dress solemnly and magnificently to show his respect for the Dragon Ancestor.

As he passed Tuoba Feng, Cangming paused and nodded in acknowledgment.

They were, after all, former comrades-in-arms.

They had fought side-by-side at the Star-Picking Platform.

Tuoba Feng nodded back in return.

Cangming was about to continue when his gaze caught the circle of commoners around Tuoba Feng.

He frowned.

What was the meaning of these mortals?

On such a glorious day for the Dragon Ancestor, why were they dressed so gloomily?

Every face was painted deathly white, their eyes circled in black, and their lips bright red.

It was so inauspicious!

Fury rose within Cangming. He wanted to lash out and scold these ignorant mortals.

But then he reconsidered. This was the Dragon Ancestor's territory, and these mortals were his believers.

If he lost his temper without cause, would he be overstepping his bounds and displeasing the Dragon Ancestor?

Cangming agonized over the decision, his expression shifting.

Beside him, Cangche had already taken a bold step forward.

He stared at the crowd and asked curiously, "What are all of you doing here?"

"Why are you all dressed like this?"

Seeing Cangche's attire, Jin Mantang knew he was a person of importance and quickly bowed.

"To answer your lordship, we are all trying to share in this young lady's good fortune!"

"As for the burial shrouds... it is to please the Bone God!"

"To please the Lord?" Cangming interjected, his voice cold. "Dressing like this? Where is the decorum?"

"Aiya, your lordship, you are clearly an outsider!"

Jin Mantang was also displeased and retorted, "Who is the Bone God? He is the Sovereign of the Underworld!"

"In the eyes of the Lord, the physical shells of the living are a burden. Only bones and death represent eternal beauty!"

"While we cannot truly become dead, wearing burial shrouds and deathly makeup is our way of aligning with the Lord's aesthetic. It is the greatest sign of respect!"

Cangming was stunned.

He looked at the eerie surroundings: the bone tiles, the menacing architecture, the ghost fires drifting by, and the skeletal frames on patrol.

Cangche had told him before that the Dragon Ancestor's true form was a bone dragon.

Could it be... he had truly misunderstood?

The Dragon Ancestor may have originated from the Dragon Race, but he had now entered the Path of White Bone.

To a bone sovereign, his own jewel-encrusted imperial robes might actually be considered hopelessly tacky?

No wonder the Lord had looked so disparagingly at the coral throne in the Eastern Region and was dissatisfied with their highest-standard banquet.

This was the root of the problem!

Cangming felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

This was bad!

On such an important day for the Dragon Ancestor, he had dressed so vibrantly and full of life!

This was practically a provocation to the Lord's aesthetic!

The unfilial descendant was actually himself!