Chapter 343: Lantern Festival
Just as Mo Ji turned to leave, a beam of black light shot out from his body and attacked Xun'er silently. It was extremely fast and almost imperceptible in the night.
But Xiao Ling and Xun'er's reactions were so sharp, their eyes were as sharp as falcons, and the black light was invisible in their eyes. Xun'er's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, and Xiao Ling's mouth curled up with a hint of disdain.
While the black beam of light was still in the air, Xiao Ling casually released his soul power. This power was invisible and intangible, and ordinary people could not perceive it at all.
His soul power transformed into a big hand, accurately grabbing the black beam that was silently shooting towards Xun'er, making it unable to move.
Then, he waved his hand lightly, and the originally extremely swift black beam of light floated in front of him obediently like a tamed beast.
Although the black beam of light was still struggling and trying to continue rushing towards Xun'er, under Xiao Ling's control, it was like being bound by invisible chains and could not move forward at all.
Xiao Ling looked at the beam of light casually, and with his rich knowledge, he quickly guessed the purpose of this thing.
"This should be some kind of tracking mark. I don't know which sect's secret tracking method it belongs to." Xiao Ling touched his chin and raised his eyebrows and said.
"Xun'er, it seems that it's because you are so charming that people have to use even such a little trick." Xiao Ling then looked at Xun'er, shook his head and teased.
In Xiao Ling's opinion, Xun'er's beauty was indeed prone to cause trouble, and he did not think much about other reasons. After all, a person with a peerless beauty like Xun'er could easily become the object of covetousness of those who think highly of themselves when outsiders do not know her strength and background. He was already accustomed to this kind of situation.
If those people were simply admiring Xun'er's beauty and hadn't done anything out of line, Xiao Ling would at most teach them a lesson.
But this time, someone actually dared to openly have feelings for Xun'er, which made Xiao Ling feel annoyed. He made up his mind that he would never show mercy to such a person who was looking for death.
There was a hint of coldness in Xiao Ling's eyes. He had already reserved a place in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner for that person in his mind.
"Brother Xiao Ling, how do you plan to deal with that guy?"
Xun'er smiled gently, with a hint of helplessness, but did not seem to care particularly. She asked Xiao Ling.
At first, Xun'er felt a little unhappy to be offended by such an ungrateful person, but she didn't take it too seriously.
She knew in her heart that although Xiao Ling usually looked very kind, once someone touched his bottom line, the consequences would be no joke.
She didn't need to worry too much about this kind of thing. Xiao Ling would naturally take care of everything. She just needed to watch from the side, and Xiao Ling would naturally help her vent her anger.
Although Xun'er herself didn't care that much about this matter, the two Dou Zuns from the ancient clan who were secretly protecting her were not so calm, and they could not suppress the anger in their hearts.
Ever since Xun'er and Xiao Ling stepped into Xinlian City, these two Dou Zuns have been following them like shadows, silently guarding in the dark.
With Xiao Ling's soul perception, he could naturally sense their presence, and he also understood that they were specially sent by the ancient clan to protect Xun'er, so he did not point it out.
Therefore, the two ancient clan Dou Zuns saw Mo Li's previous series of actions clearly, and no detail escaped their eyes.
In the eyes of these two Dou Zuns, Miss Xun'er is the little princess of the ancient clan who is second to none among the eight ancient clans and has an extremely noble status.
Not only does she possess the most perfect divine bloodline of the ancient clan in thousands of years, she is also extremely talented, and her future achievements are limitless.
Even though she is still growing, looking at the entire Douqi Continent, there are only a few people who can be compared with her status.
Within the ancient clan, even those respected elders doted on Xun'er, not to mention the clan leader who had a daughter in his old age. His doting on Xun'er reached an unprecedented level.
And that Mo Ji was just a Dou Zong. In the ancient clan, there were many Dou Zong-level warriors. He actually dared to have evil thoughts towards Miss Xun'er. This was simply a way to his own death!
The dignity of the imperial family cannot be insulted, and that person must pay with his life.
Immediately, Xiao Ling was about to answer Xun'er's question, but before he could open his mouth, the two ancient clan Dou Zuns had already hurriedly sent a message to Xun'er with a hint of anger in their tone.
"Miss, this man is so vicious that he dared to use such a despicable tracking method on you. He is so bold. I have lived for most of my life and have never seen such a bold person. In my opinion, he must be severely punished."
"Humph, he actually dared to attack you, young lady. This is a heinous crime in our clan! I think we should capture him and bring him to the criminal law hall. Let him experience a hundred years of torture, and then let him die to pay for his crime."
Although the two Dou Zun used soul transmission, Xiao Ling's soul perception was extremely sharp. In addition, he and Xun'er were standing close to each other, and the two did not hide their words, so Xiao Ling could hear their conversation clearly. He was about to answer Xun'er's question, but he was choked.
Xun'er's thoughts were also interrupted by the voice transmission of the two Dou Zun. She could sense their anger from their tone. Although she could roughly guess the source of this anger, she did not directly respond to their proposal.
Instead, she turned her inquiring eyes to Xiao Ling, wanting to hear what he was planning. If Xiao Ling felt it was troublesome and decided to kill the man directly, then he would just kill him.
"No need to trouble you two seniors. Since that guy dared to have evil intentions towards Xun'er, I will personally deal with him and let him know what cruelty is. I guarantee that he will not have an easy life."
"Xun'er and I are going to have a good stroll, so let him have some free time for a while. When he falls into our trap, I will take action to deal with him."
Xiao Ling only thought for a moment before transmitting his message to the two ancient clan Dou Zun. As he spoke, he waved his hand and the tracking mark was absorbed into his body.
With this thing, he only needs to wait for Mo Qi to come to him, and then he can deal with him directly. Even if that person doesn't come to cause trouble later, Xiao Ling can still locate him through this tracking mark.
"Since Brother Xiao Ling already has a plan, let's do as he says. Elder Lin, Elder Yuan, there's no need to trouble you. We will take care of it." Xun'er also nodded and told the two Dou Zuns.
There was a hint of relief in her voice, and it was obvious that she was obedient to Xiao Ling's arrangements.
After hearing Xun'er's instructions, the two Dou Zun powerful warriors of the ancient clan felt somewhat unwilling that they could not personally teach a lesson to the guy who offended Xun'er, but since Xun'er had already made arrangements, they, as subordinates, could not say anything more.
Moreover, with Xiao Ling's strength, it should be no problem for him to deal with Mo Li, who has just reached the high-level Dou Zong.
They stopped asking questions, continued to hide their whereabouts silently, and returned to their primary job of guarding.
At this time, the old lady who owned the shop had taken down the blue lotus lantern, packed it up, and handed it to Xiao Ling and Xun Er. She smiled and said, "This blue lotus lantern is yours now. May it bring you good blessings."
Xiao Ling took the lantern and thanked the old woman with a smile: "Thank you, old woman. We will cherish this blessing."
Xun'er also smiled and nodded to the old woman to express her gratitude.
Then, the two of them left the lantern shop hand in hand and continued their Lantern Festival journey.
……
Between the north and south city districts of Xinlian City, there is a river called Lianxin River.
On the surface of Lianxin River, cruise ships decorated with colorful lanterns slowly pass by. On each boat hangs a variety of exquisite lanterns, some like pearl curtains, some like embroidered curtains, and some have oars made of osmanthus and orchid wood, adding a touch of classical charm.
These cruise ships shuttle across the river like a flowing lantern festival, adding infinite vitality to the Lianxin River.
On the river, countless palm lights sway gently with the waves. Some of them are made into the shape of lotus leaves, while others are like light feathers, decorating the riverbed like a dream. These lights shine up and down on the water, as if bringing people into a wonderful world made of glass and jewels.
The most eye-catching thing is the lanterns floating in the sky. They are not real stars, but they are closer to the human world than stars. Each lantern carries people's wishes and slowly rises to the night sky, as if it can deliver the wishes directly to the sky.
Lighting lanterns is one of the most important activities during the Lantern Festival. People write their wishes on the lanterns and let them float into the sky with the wind, hoping that they can be heard by the gods in the sky and thus realize their wishes.
Xiao Ling and Xun'er chatted leisurely while wandering aimlessly in the lively atmosphere of the Lantern Festival.
They walked and stopped, full of curiosity about every roadside stall and every new thing.
As they strolled leisurely in the garden, the two of them unknowingly came to the Love River.
At this time, many people have gathered by the Love River, including men, women, young and old, but the most are couples holding hands. They are either whispering by the river or smiling at each other while lighting lanterns, and everyone's face is filled with happiness and expectation.
The air by the river is filled with faint floral scents and water vapor, which interweave with the light and shadow of the lanterns, creating a romantic and warm atmosphere.
Xiao Ling and Xun'er were also infected by this atmosphere. They found a quieter place and quietly admired the lights on the river and the lanterns in the sky.
"Look, those lanterns seem to light up the night sky." Xun'er pointed at the lanterns that were gradually moving away in the sky, her eyes flashing with curiosity and joy that were rarely seen in normal times.
Xiao Ling looked in the direction of her finger, and saw that the lanterns were like stars dotted in the night sky, which indeed added a bit of mystery and romance to the night of the Lantern Festival.
"Yes, each lantern carries a wish. It must be spectacular to see so many wishes gathered together." He responded with a smile.
Xun'er nodded, then suddenly turned to look at Xiao Ling with a hint of playfulness in her eyes: "Brother Xiao Ling, do you think our wishes will be like the rumors, as long as we place our wishes on the lanterns, they will eventually come true?"
Xiao Ling gently squeezed Xun'er's hand, with a hint of pampering in his tone: "Of course, with me here, how could your wish not come true?"
Xun'er was amused by his words. She gently patted Xiao Ling's arm, and the smile on her face was like a flower blooming in spring: "Brother Xiao Ling, do you think you are the Dou Emperor and can do whatever you want?"
The two continued to stroll along the river, stopping from time to time to admire the lanterns in the river or to watch other people releasing lanterns. In this festival full of joy and blessings, their hearts seemed to be more closely connected.
Couples by the river released their lanterns one after another, and each lantern was accompanied by cheers and applause. Xiao Ling and Xun Er also joined them. They picked out a beautiful lantern and carefully wrote their wishes on it.
"Okay, Xun'er, it's time to make our wishes take off." Xiao Ling picked up the pen, added a few words on the lamp, and then said to Xun'er.
Xun'er nodded, and the two of them gently lifted the lantern together, letting the warm flame fill the lantern.
As the heat rose, the lanterns slowly left their hands, floated into the night sky, joined the ranks of other lanterns, and flew to the distant sky carrying their wishes.
As the lanterns slowly rose into the air, Xiao Ling and Xun'er's eyes inadvertently fell on each other's lanterns.
With their level of cultivation, they could easily see the words on the lamp no matter how far away they were.
Xiao Ling's eyes were gentle. He could see a few lines of beautiful words written on Xun'er's lantern:
“May your family prosper, your family and friends be happy and healthy, and may you walk hand in hand with your loved ones and spend your life together.”
After secretly seeing such handwriting, Xiao Ling quickly looked away, fearing that he would be discovered.
But he was muttering in his heart, "When I reach Doudi, my life span shouldn't be a problem. Then I'll have to have a few more big fat boys with Xun'er."
Xun'er's eyes naturally fell on Xiao Ling's lantern.
“I wish to climb to the top and stand on the top of the continent. I wish my loved ones will always be by my side, and we can enjoy the prosperity of the world together.”
Seeing what was written on it, Xun'er unconsciously smiled slightly.
Xun'er will always believe in you. One day, you will stand at the top of this Douqi Continent, surpassing all the ancestors of the Xiao clan and writing your own glory.
Despite the crowds of people around them, for Xiao Ling and Xun'er, it seemed as if the whole world only had the two of them at this moment.
"Huh! Huh!"
Coincidentally, at this moment, the crowd by the river cheered. It turned out that the fireworks had started to be set off. Fireworks whistled into the night sky, blooming into gorgeous flowers on the sky, dyeing the surrounding world with colorful lights.
Xiao Ling turned his head to look at Xun'er, and just happened to capture the beauty of this moment.
With the brilliance of the fireworks, Xun'er's face was embellished with more vividness, as if she was a beautiful flower that suddenly bloomed in this dark world. Her face, against the backdrop of the fireworks, was like a moving painting, so beautiful that it was shocking.
The noise around them seemed to disappear, and it seemed as if they only had each other in their world.
Xiao Ling looked at Xun'er, with a flash of amazement in his eyes. He said softly, "Xun'er, look, no matter how beautiful these fireworks are, they are not as beautiful as your smile."
Xun'er's smile brightened when she heard Xiao Ling's words. She knew that no matter when, Xiao Ling could always make her feel special and precious with his words.
She looked up at the fireworks, then looked at Xiao Ling, her eyes sparkling with happiness: "Brother Xiao Ling, with you here, I feel that I am more brilliant than these fireworks."
As they stared at each other, their eyes intertwined. The hustle and bustle around them seemed to become a distant background sound, unable to disturb this quiet moment that belonged only to them. In this Lantern Festival full of laughter and joy, they only had each other in their eyes.
As more and more fireworks bloomed brilliantly in the sky, the feelings between the two seemed to be quietly heating up.
Xiao Ling looked at Xun'er's face, which became more and more charming under the light of fireworks, and could not help but approach slowly. Xun'er's eyes were shining with anticipation, and she gently closed her eyes, welcoming the upcoming tenderness.
At this moment, their lips touched gently, as if all the beauty in the world was gathered in this moment. Xiao Ling gently hugged Xun'er's waist, while Xun'er hugged Xiao Ling's neck tightly. The two embraced and kissed each other affectionately under the witness of fireworks.
The fireworks in the sky were still blooming brilliantly, and the colorful lights reflected on the two of them, adding a dreamlike color to their love. The world around them seemed to be still at this moment, and only their love became more and more passionate and firm under the illumination of the fireworks.
This kiss, like their love, is sweet and passionate, gentle and firm.
When the two finally slowly separated, their eyes were shining with happiness and satisfaction.
"Xun'er had a very happy Lantern Festival this time, thanks to Brother Xiao Ling for coming to see me, otherwise Xun'er might have missed such a wonderful time." Xun'er's face was faintly flushed, she snuggled in Xiao Ling's arms and said softly.
"Don't worry, this is all the best arrangement. If you want to come to the Lantern Festival again in the future, I will accompany you." Xiao Ling stroked Xun'er's hair and responded with a smile.
They looked up again, looking at the still gorgeous night sky, with fireworks blooming in the sky. In this festival full of love and blessings, their love is like those fireworks, gorgeous and dazzling, as if it can remain in memory forever.
Just as Xiao Ling and Xun'er were immersed in each other's warmth and the romantic atmosphere of the Lantern Festival, an almost imperceptible illusory male figure quietly appeared in the void above them.
This imaginary man was dressed in a simple robe, with long hair fluttering gently in the wind. Although his face was blurry, his eyes revealed a depth and wisdom that came from seeing through the world.
"Ugh……"
(End of this chapter)