Chapter 1359: Ambushed

Chapter 1359: Chapter 686: Ambushed

This kind of flower lantern is no longer something an ordinary mortal craftsman can create.

She smiled and said, “Alright.” She picked up a lotus lamp, pulled out the silk paper strip from the candle’s core, and naturally, someone beside her handed her a brush saturated with vermillion. She glanced slightly at Huangfuming, who immediately turned his gaze away and did not use his Divine Thought to spy on her.

Taking advantage of this moment, Ning Xiaoxian quickly wrote on the silk strip, then carefully blew the ink dry, rolled it back into a bundle, and tucked it back into the candle’s core.

Next, Huangfuming followed suit, writing on his silk paper and hiding it in the lotus lamp.

The river lantern is also called a “fulfillment lamp.” People put this small lantern, with their wishes written on it, into the water to flow with the waves, symbolizing good wishes for the future. The two of them personally sent the lotus lamp into the water, and the Profound Woman dancing gently in the heart of the flower immediately drew everyone’s attention. Many exclaimed, “Which wealthy family released this exquisite flower lantern?”

Huangfuming turned a deaf ear to the remarks and simply asked her, “Sister, what did you write?”

“If I say it, it won’t come true.” Ning Xiaoxian smiled slightly, evidently in a good mood, as he supported her, walking slowly along the lamp’s edge. At this time, winter was fading and spring approaching, yet the days were still chilly, and the ice and snow hadn’t melted. The Xinyu Lantern Festival had also meticulously crafted a batch of ice sculptures, including pavilions and towers, as well as birds and beasts, adding to the scenery.

Like in Huaxia, many lanterns were hung with paper strips, with riddles written in red ink on black paper. Whoever solved them could light the lantern and take a bag of fruits home. Huangfuming glanced at her and saw her slightly shaking her head, so he led her, following the current, continuing their leisurely stroll.

On the street were men in red and women in green, ranging from common folk to the wealthy and powerful. Many young women wore luxurious clothes, looking youthful and beautiful as flowers. Ning Xiaoxian knew that such grand gatherings were often good places for romance and courtship, with many young men and women of marriageable age exchanging glances. What she did not expect was that Huangfuming carefully supported her as they walked, appearing as if they were a loving couple, attracting many envious glances from around them.

Along the street, there were still massive lamp towers made by expert craftsmen invited by Xinyu City, each over one hundred and fifty feet tall, adorned with silver and gold, shining brilliantly under the firelight, very spectacular— it’s said these lamp towers and towers had to be made four months in advance.

What’s more marvelous is that this lamp tower alone had more than twenty rooms, each allowing people to go inside and admire it, offering various entertainment activities inside: chess betting, small singing performances, manipulating shadows, comedic dramas, shadow plays, etc., and there were even dedicated tea seats for visitors to enjoy. Of course, what was provided here wasn’t real tea, but beverages similar to bitter tea and silver vine tea, each with its unique taste.

Outside, the weather was freezing, but inside the lamp towers, it was much warmer. Besides the tea, vendors also offered hot food, candies, and flowers, with many goods available. The Lantern Festival had been held for hundreds of years, and these supporting activities were already very well-organized, making everyone happy.

They had just walked a while when, sure enough, a young girl aged seven or eight approached with a basket, tenderly saying, “Sister, want some sugar-roasted chestnuts? Hot and fragrant sugar-roasted chestnuts!” The basket she carried looked even larger than her body, and when she uncovered the carefully wrapped coat, the dark brown chestnuts were indeed shining with oil, and a plume of white steam rose from the basket, the sweet scent of cooked chestnuts quickly spreading.

It seemed she hadn’t eaten them in a long time. Seeing the little girl’s white and red cheeks from the cold, her cotton-padded coat semi-new, Ning Xiaoxian pulled out one tael of broken silver to place on the basket, saying, “Give me a little.”

The little girl immediately beamed with joy, scooping out a large handful of chestnuts from the basket and carefully pouring them into a paper wrapping before handing it over, saying sweetly, “Sister, hold it steady!”

Her hands were white and small, with little dimples on the back, looking truly adorable.

Unfortunately, Ning Xiaoxian hadn’t yet reached to take it when Huangfuming suddenly sneered, striking her arm with his palm, causing the paper bundle to fall, with chestnuts scattering all over the ground.

The little girl paused, then began to cry. Here were many people, and upon seeing this scene, they all turned to look.

Huangfuming ignored her crying, only reaching to flip her wrist coldly, demanding, “What is this?”

In the little girl’s white and tender palm, incredibly, she held a golden-haired bug!

It was fat and large, looking much like a common pine caterpillar, hairy all over, but with notably large mandibles. Exposed to the air like this, its jaws snapped menacingly, appearing very aggressive!

If Ning Xiaoxian had accepted the chestnuts, she might have been bitten by this bug.

The little girl, seeing her scheme uncovered, dropped her smile, suddenly flicked her finger to shoot the bug at Huangfuming’s face, retreating her body, intending to slip into the crowd to escape. Even until this moment, Ning Xiaoxian couldn’t sense a trace of Spiritual Power from her, clearly indicating she was indeed a mortal child, though it was unknown how she developed such sinister skills.

How could Huangfuming allow her to leave? Protective Gang Qi encircled him, completely ignoring the charging bug; he pulled the girl close with a backward tug, and before she could react, his hand moved to her neck, emitting a crack as he twisted the child’s fragile neck!

His left hand still supported Ning Xiaoxian’s arm, while his right hand dealt with the little girl, steady and unhurried. (To be continued.