Pei Ming turned around, his expression unreadable. “Sixth Brother, wasn’t it you who wrote to me, asking me to bring Wanning back to Heluo?”
Pei Du fell silent for a moment before deflecting, “I only wrote to you to inform you about the Divine Lady, so that you could prepare early and pledge your allegiance to her.”
During his time in Xindu, he had come to realize that the Divine Lady’s will was unstoppable.
If one did not go with the flow, let alone a mere Pei Clan, even the five-hundred-year-old Yong Dynasty would not stand a chance.
Furthermore,
by aligning themselves with the divine will, the aristocratic clans would also benefit immensely.
Although the establishment of academies that educated everyone regardless of background would help many commoners escape illiteracy, the prestigious clans possessed centuries of academic heritage and had no need to panic.
At least for the next century, it would be extremely difficult for children from ordinary families to surpass the children of prestigious clans in terms of knowledge and vision.
This was the only opportunity the clans could grasp.
As long as their gentry youth exerted all their efforts to showcase their talents and contribute to the Divine Lady's mission of educating all living beings, they could always seize the initiative and secure a place in this great torrent of change.
Thinking of this, he offered a subtle reminder, “Eldest Brother, you see how much Xindu City has changed under the Divine Lady's care. Once Yecheng passes its trial and becomes her followers, her name will spread across the land. When that time comes, everyone in the world will be desperate to become her believer, even if they have to bash their heads open kowtowing.”
“This is the trend of the times, and it is absolutely beyond mortal power to change.”
Pei Ming sighed softly and said with emotion, “Zirang, I understand everything you are saying.”
Those who could ascend to the position of family head in great clans might not be the most outstanding in academic talent, but their ability to seek benefits while avoiding harm, handle family crises, and play the external political game was definitely top-tier.
Before coming to Xindu, he had indeed been furious—furious that his daughter had disregarded her own safety and audaciously fled her marriage.
But after arriving in Xindu, he only felt thankful that she had run away so well. Otherwise, how could she have secured such a splendid future?
That was the Divine Lady!
Most mortals were not even qualified to follow her, yet his Wanning's name was remembered by the Divine Lady.
Gazing at the flower carriage fading into the horizon, a trace of pride involuntarily welled up in his eyes.
Meanwhile, aboard the flower carriage, Shen Yu and Pei Wanning gradually calmed their racing hearts.
The nervousness they felt while kneeling before the Divine Lady was now somewhat dispersed by the high-altitude wind.
Shen Yu leaned forward slightly, peering down cautiously as the panorama of mountains and rivers filled his vision.
Creek Valley wound through the rolling mountains.
The fields were neatly arranged, spreading across the valley floor.
The village built around the Divine Lady Temple sparkled with scattered lights, looking like flecks of gold dust scattered across the ground.
He instinctively gripped the carriage shaft, his knuckles turning white.
It was too high.
Last time, when they came to Xindu City to exorcise demons, he had the privilege of riding the Divine Lady's celestial carriage with his brother, but that carriage had only traversed mountains and forests, never flying to such a height untouched by mortals.
Seeing the flower carriage drift further and further from the ground, he averted his eyes in panic, no longer daring to look down.
Yet, his face grew increasingly pale.
Unlike the acrophobic Shen Yu, Pei Wanning's eyes were filled with curiosity about the unknown. “Young Master Shen, the Divine Lady's flower carriage is incredible. It can actually fly this high.”
Shen Yu suppressed his fear of heights, pretending to be unbothered. “The Divine Lady possesses boundless divine power. Naturally, her celestial carriage is extraordinary.”
【Pei Wanning Shock Value +100】
【Shen Yu Shock Value +100】
【Current Shock Value: 235,200】
Inside the carriage, the little fox wagged its tail and spoke in a voice only Yun Shu could hear, “Host, why don't you fly a bit lower? Shen Yu looks half-dead.”
Yun Shu looked up at the two outside the carriage.
Then,
she quietly opened the system panel, guiding the flower carriage to descend slightly and slow its pace.
Outside, Pei Wanning, who had been looking around, quickly noticed the change. She murmured softly, “The carriage seems to have lowered quite a bit. What a pity. I was just thinking that if we flew a bit higher, maybe I could reach out and touch the clouds...”
Hearing this, Shen Yu's heart raced uncontrollably. He slowly raised his hand, tightly clutching his chest.
Could the Divine Lady be accommodating him?
The moment this inappropriate thought surfaced, he scolded himself in his mind for being ridiculous.
Yet, that secret shred of joy could not be suppressed.
For a moment,
his thoughts were in complete disarray.
Before they knew it,
the flower carriage had come to a steady halt outside Xindu City.
Yet, Shen Yu still had not snapped out of his daze.
Seeing this, Pei Wanning nudged him.
Shen Yu suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly composed himself.
The two exchanged a glance. Without a word, they stepped off the carriage with light steps and retreated to the side, waiting quietly.
A moment later,
the Divine Lady slowly rose.
The first thing to appear was a slender, pale hand emerging from her wide sleeves, resting gently on the carriage railing.
The hand was exceptionally white and delicate, with slender fingers and tips tinted with a soft pink, as if stained with peach blossom petals.
Then, the Divine Lady stepped down from the carriage.
Her soft pink gown fluttered gently in the night breeze, its fabric shimmering with every step she took.
Shen Yu looked at the quiet and deserted city gates.
Fearing the Divine Lady might mistake this for a lack of respect from the mortals, he quickly explained, “Divine Lady, the citizens in the city do not know you are visiting the lantern festival today, which is why they are not here to welcome you. I will go into the city immediately to inform them.”
They had meticulously prepared the Nuo Dance to please the deity, but they only wanted her to know that mortals kept her in their hearts at all times. They had never expected a response from a god.
Yun Shu lightly brushed her sleeves.
The celestial robes on her body rippled like water, transforming in the blink of an eye into an ordinary light blue ruqun, topped with a fluffy white fur coat.
The skirt bore no complex embroidery, tied at the waist with only a plain sash, and her dark hair was casually swept into a simple bun.
Her face was concealed behind a plain veil.
At first glance, she looked just like a girl from an ordinary household.
The citizens of Xindu City had already grown somewhat desensitized to her divine displays, so she needed to come up with some unexpected moves.
Otherwise, after exhausting herself with all these performances, she wouldn't even earn back her "appearance fee," which would be a massive loss.
She looked at Shen Yu and Pei Wanning. “We have only come to view the mortal lantern festival. There is no need to disturb others.”
The two bowed in unison and answered, “Yes.”
Upon straightening up, they noticed the spirit fox was nowhere to be seen. Sensibly, they did not pry.
Pei Wanning made a welcoming gesture to lead the way.
“Divine Lady, please follow A’Ning. The lantern festival is held in the South Market of the city. It should be very lively right now.”
Shen Yu walked on her other side, his steps much slower than usual, unobtrusively shielding the Divine Lady from the crowd.
Though his expression seemed calm, his nerves were stretched taut.
Every few steps, he would scan his surroundings out of the corner of his eye to ensure no one would bump into her.
The three of them walked along the cement road into the city.
Turning a street corner, their vision suddenly opened up.
The lantern festival burst into view.
Lanterns hung before the door of every single household.
Red, yellow, pink—they stretched from the head of the street all the way to the end of the alley, endless to the eye.
Gathered together, those exquisite and beautiful lanterns merged into a river of brilliant light.
Gazing down at this river from on high, it was a river of stars.
But walking within it, it was the mortal world.
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