Chapter Eleven: Lantern Festival at the Pear Garden (2)

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Upon entering the theater at the heart of the Pear Garden, the open-air venue appeared even more vast. Perhaps there was not a cloud in the sky tonight; when he looked up, a magnificent, beautiful river of stars stretched above, a sight beyond compare.

As soon as Hua Sheng stepped onto the audience pathway, an orange lantern flitted to his side. At the same time, a slender blue band of light appeared beneath his feet, with a guiding arrow flowing forward like water. He took two steps to the side, and the band of light shifted with him, its starting point always beneath his own feet. Glancing around at the other guests entering alongside him, he saw that each attendee was assigned a small lantern for illumination, with unique colored light bands leading the way—there was no need to know seat numbers to find one’s place with unerring accuracy. Once a guest was seated, the little lantern would automatically float away, ready to greet the next arrival.

Having grown up with little more than the barest living expenses, Hua Sheng’s amusements had seldom extended beyond reading; he rarely had the chance to witness live, spectacular performances such as this. Tonight was, for him, an unprecedented luxury.

The venue was already about half full. Hua Sheng looked around: the theater was constructed entirely of traditional wooden Chinese architecture, able to seat over ten thousand. Ornate beams and painted rafters adorned every corner, while the walls were etched with vividly lifelike panel paintings.

He glanced left and right, wondering where Wei Yu had gone off to, hoping she might finish her business soon and join him. It would be such a pity to miss the opening act.

She hadn’t said where she was headed. What if she didn’t make it back? Hua Sheng grew uneasy, his thoughts wandering restlessly.

Just then, the theater had filled up without his notice, and the lighting gradually dimmed. In an instant, the open-air venue was engulfed in a tidal wave of deafening cheers, while the “Linglong Rings” in the audience’s hands began to glow. Hua Sheng looked around and saw the rings shining and fluttering like swarms of fireflies, each one aglow like a radiant glow stick.

He checked his own ring; at the spot where the pattern was engraved, the title of the upcoming song slowly emerged—“Unfinished.”

That song title made Hua Sheng think of Wei Yu’s name. Remembering how she’d just said she had something to do, his heart began to pound faster.

Could it be…?

Suddenly, a gentle light illuminated the entire theater. Phoenix tree leaves drifted down from the air above, swirling slowly, and vanished as they neared the heads of the audience.

A spotlight glimmered on the dark stage, and at its center, a figure in an orange gown appeared.

It really was Wei Yu! She stood on the stage.

Bathed in the spotlight and accompanied by soft music, Wei Yu slowly rose from below the stage.

“‘Unfinished’

Dawn on the street, orange ginkgo leaves,
No words spoken, all around is silent.
The air has grown chill, the leaves are autumn's now, reluctant to part with summer.
Meeting you, the world falls silent but for the music within our hearts,
The future unknown,
All I wish for, to bind our hair together.

Nothing left unsaid, once upon a time,
Quiet days, not as before.
You by my side,
Like white clouds of spring, fireworks of summer.
Those who haven’t known it cannot fathom such memory.
Tea and coffee, always learning the patience of time.
Not yet lovers, only bitterness remains.
Effort unrewarded,
Strings and flutes become but a dream.

They say perhaps not, say not yet ripe,
But before this moment,
I believe only in what is unfinished.

Let us paint autumn’s tale,
Hold fast to memories not yet lived,
Spinning, swirling, chasing the past, fallen leaves recalling old times.
Only afraid,
That fate is unfinished, bonds unclear, love undecided.
Would you promise, in this fleeting instant,
To place upon me this moonlit, splendid
Future?”

Wei Yu sang softly as she walked to the front of the stage, as if she knew exactly where Hua Sheng sat, approaching deliberately and gazing into his eyes. Hua Sheng could not look away; her voice seemed to reach his very soul, making him utterly captivated.

As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted, the ground beneath his feet trembling, and the audience chanted her name again and again.

“Wei Yu! Wei Yu! Wei Yu!”

She’s a singer? Hua Sheng was completely taken aback.

Page 2 of 3

He quickly pulled out his Ruihua Treasure Mirror and messaged Tai Shang Xiao Jun: “Is our Student Council’s deputy secretary, Wei Yu, some kind of celebrity?”

Soon, Tai Shang Xiao Jun replied: “I thought you knew. She’s a rising star, been on a few magazine covers. Quite well known in our academy. That’s why, during the committee elections at the start of the year, so many voted for her.”

Only then did Hua Sheng realize, and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself—he’d clumsily bought tickets to invite a singer to her own concert.

As he sat there, heart pounding, Wei Yu retreated from the stage. She looked back at the dazed Hua Sheng, covering her mouth with her sleeve and flashing a mischievous, impish smile—delighted at her successful prank.

In that instant, Hua Sheng felt as if he’d fallen deep into something, unable to free himself.

After the opening act, the atmosphere in the theater reached a fever pitch. Suddenly, ten beams of golden light shot up behind the stage, and the audience shouted, “Ten!”

Then, two central beams merged, a drum sounded, and the light transformed into nine red pillars reaching skyward.

“Nine!”

Next, the two central beams merged again, becoming eight green rays.

“Eight!”

Each time the beams merged, a thunderous drum shook the hall and the audience’s shouts grew louder. The lights behind the stage continued to converge until only three remained.

“Three! Two! One!”

With the final count, the ten beams merged into a single, immense column of golden light that pierced the clouds. The column’s glow faded upward, leaving a giant golden halo in the clouds, the surrounding mist radiating with layered halos.

Suddenly, a blinding blue lightning bolt split from the halo with a thunderous crash, striking the left side of the stage. Within the lightning appeared a figure with a fox’s tail. The crowd went wild! Next, a red bolt struck the right side and another figure emerged.

The audience began to chant: “Le Ying! Le Ying! Le Ying!”

Then came a white bolt to the left, a purple one to the right, each bringing forth another figure. Finally, a bright silver and a golden bolt struck the center stage together.

“Are you ready to soar with us to the heavens and dive to the depths?” shouted the six figures onstage. The crowd erupted into a frenzy.

“Le Ying! Le Ying! Le Ying!” Their thunderous chant shook the sky.

The stage was instantly flooded with light, and a fusion of ancient zither and heavy metal music filled the air. For a moment, Hua Sheng felt as if he were riding a high-speed elevator shooting upward.

“Wait, what’s happening?! Why does it feel like this?!”

He frantically looked around, but everyone’s attention was fixed on the stage, their Linglong Rings waving in the air.

Looking up, Hua Sheng saw the clouds above rushing rapidly toward him. Were the clouds descending? No—he quickly realized it wasn’t an illusion. The entire open-air theater of the Pear Garden Music Center was actually lifting off, soaring into the sky!

My god! The whole venue, with over ten thousand people, was flying?!

The rush of wind roaring past his ears confirmed it was no dream. The theater was ascending rapidly! Through gaps in the buildings, he saw the great lake beside the Academy growing ever more distant below. Then, the massive theater broke through the clouds, emerging above them!

The Le Ying band began their first song midair. Birds fashioned from light soared from the stage, swept across the audience, and flew up into the vast galaxy overhead.

As the music played, the theater, now airborne, began to move forward. Hua Sheng felt his heart, like the theater itself, hanging suspended. He hurriedly searched his seat for a safety belt—and sure enough, one was there. He buckled up at once.

Barely a second later, he was glad he had. With the fast-paced music, the entire theater suddenly plunged downward like a monorail coaster. The audience was thrilled, singing along at the top of their lungs.

An intense wave of weightlessness washed over Hua Sheng. This wasn’t a concert—it was a roller coaster in the clouds!

Help! He broke out in a cold sweat, pouring like an open tap!

The airborne theater plunged through the clouds, nearing the lake below—closer, closer.

“At this speed, we’re going to crash into the lake!” Hua Sheng screamed.

The theater struck the lake’s surface, sending up a towering wave, and then, astonishingly, the entire venue dove intact beneath the surface of the vast lake. A magical barrier formed around the open-air theater, enclosing it in a giant crystal sphere that moved and darted about the lake bed. The impact sent some water splashing into the seats, the largest wave crashing directly toward Hua Sheng.

“Hey! Watch out!” he cried, raising his arms to shield his head. But the audience on either side, seemingly unbothered, simply shouted, “Split!”

Instantly, the wave parted away from the audience at his sides and drenched Hua Sheng alone. He had no time to react; with a splash, he was soaked through to the skin, underwear and all, and spat out a mouthful of lake water, speechless.

“Hey! How did you end up so wet?” A girl with a fan covering half her face threaded her way through the crowd and stopped by his side. Lowering her fan, she revealed herself as Wei Yu, now back in her Academy robes.

“Wei Yu! So you…”

“Quiet!” Wei Yu quickly pressed her silk fan to his mouth. “I snuck out from backstage after my performance. Don’t let anyone know it’s me, or if any fans find out, I won’t be able to watch the show with you!”

Hua Sheng finally realized, and lowered his voice: “Why didn’t you tell me you’d be performing? I had no idea you were a singer—made a fool of myself!”

Wei Yu giggled, “Isn’t it good to be a fool? There are too many clever people in the world, and cleverness often leads to trouble. A fool never loses out.”

Hua Sheng could only chuckle wryly as he wiped the water from his face.

“Was this from when we plunged into the lake?” Wei Yu said, “If you’re watching a show that needs magic support, you need to react faster when it’s time to use your powers.” With that, she murmured a few incantations and gently patted his back.

Instantly, a mist rose from Hua Sheng’s body as the water in his clothes and hair evaporated into a warm, comforting fog. When it cleared, his clothes were completely dry, as if freshly baked by a fire—cozy and pleasant.

“Thank you! I thought I’d have to watch the whole show like a drowned rat,” Hua Sheng said. “You really saved me!”

“You’d catch a chill otherwise,” Wei Yu replied. “I thought you were supposed to be skilled. What have you learned all this time at the Academy? You need to put your knowledge to use—cultivation arts are meant to solve problems as they arise.”

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By now, the bottom of the lake was aglow with the theater’s lights, transformed into a giant crystal aquarium. Fish of every color and kind swam around the theater, the refracted light dancing across the walls, creating an enchanting underwater world—like a palace of the dragon king.

At this moment, the six members of Le Ying soared from the stage, flying toward the audience.

“Come on! Quickly, the support act is starting!” Wei Yu tapped Hua Sheng’s hand with her fan.

Flustered, Hua Sheng blurted out, “Support? Like cheering? What do I do?”

“Just follow everyone else!” Wei Yu said. “This requires cooperation between audiences in different sections and the performers. The entire theater is divided into five zones: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Our seats are in the Fire section, so we need to use fire-based magic. Don’t let our section down!”

As the six performers hovered midair, the “Earth” section audience collectively raised their rings. Six massive floating slabs of granite appeared in the air, each performer landing atop one. Then, some master sculptors in the Earth section rapidly carved the granite, and within a minute, the stones were transformed into stone beasts, auspicious clouds, and other aerial sculptures.

Next, the “Water” section cast their spells, sending ripples of blue light through the magical barrier above. In an instant, a colossal water dragon materialized at the lake’s bottom, coiling around the theater, then soaring into the air to spiral above the audience.

The “Metal” section, not to be outdone, gave the water dragon gleaming golden eyes, and countless silvery flakes formed twin silver cranes that swept over the crowd like snow.

“How beautiful! Riding the clouds together, dragon and crane in flight—what a wonderful omen!” Wei Yu clapped and danced with delight.

Then, the “Wood” section conjured a tender shoot, which grew rapidly into a towering green tree. The audience there caught on, and soon countless saplings appeared, sprouting a riot of blossoms. Above the theater, a garden of butterflies whirled in a sky-high forest.

The “Water” section guided the dragon into the airborne woodland. The six Le Ying members leaped onto its glittering back, riding it through the magical trees.

“What should we conjure?” Wei Yu turned to Hua Sheng.

By now, the theater was slowly rising from the water, returning to the sky.

Seeing this, Hua Sheng clapped his forehead. “Let’s set off fireworks together!”

“Great! Let’s join our spells and create a giant display!” Wei Yu grasped his hand. “Anything of the Xuanming level or lower is fine—just don’t try your Samadhi True Fire again!”

Hua Sheng laughed awkwardly. With only the Linglong Ring to channel his power, Xuanming-level was all he could muster. He silently intoned a fire spell, pointed to the sky, and cried, “By law and by command—ignite!”

A thread of red flame shot from his hand like a bullet, but perhaps his cultivation was shallow; the red spark vanished into the night.

Wei Yu raised her silk fan with a smile, and teasingly dubbed him, “Little Master Hua! Let me help you summon a thousand blossoms!”

With that, she waved her right hand, touched his right hand with her left, and hesitated a moment as their fingers met. Then, she clasped his hand and said, “Shall we try again?”

Hua Sheng’s face blazed as Wei Yu gripped his hand, and he stood there, lost.

“What are you waiting for? Say the spell!” Wei Yu tapped his forehead with her fan.

“Oh! Right!” Hua Sheng quickly formed the hand seal and chanted. He heard Wei Yu beside him intoning the fire incantation too. At once, a surge of heat flowed from her hand into his, energy transferring instantly to his left fingertips.

Together they shouted, “By law and by command—dance, blossom, fireworks!”

A half-meter-wide violet-red flame soared from Hua Sheng’s left hand, shooting into the night. As it flew a thousand meters above the theater, Wei Yu flicked her fan and softly called, “Unfold!”

The violet flame instantly bloomed into fireworks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, spanning a diameter greater than the entire theater, illuminating the world below as if it were day, the explosion resonating through the air.

Hua Sheng quickly cast another spell: “By law and by command—dance, blossom, fireworks!”

A white flame streaked skyward, and Wei Yu followed with, “Unfold!” The white firework burst into a smiling face.

The rest of their section took the cue, and soon firework after firework shot upward. The whole sky blazed with color, the airborne theater darting through a sea of fireworks, the cheers never subsiding.

Wei Yu gazed up at the blooms overhead, the firelight painting her beautiful profile, her silvery hair catching the shifting hues in its glossy strands.

“Your fireworks are actually pretty,” Wei Yu said. “Honestly, ‘Little Master Hua’ suits you!”

“Titles like Master or Immortal are for true adepts with profound cultivation. I’m hardly worthy.”

“Yet even beyond the mortal world, people still cling to its rules and etiquette,” Wei Yu mused. “If I called you, would you dare answer?”

The familiar jest made Hua Sheng laugh. Hearing her voice, he felt like a little demon trapped inside a purple-gold gourd.

“Little Master Hua!”

“Um, yes?”

“Ha! You answered, so now that’s your name!” Wei Yu laughed until she couldn’t catch her breath. “I’m just teasing. If you really respond, I’ll truly call you that!”

“What? It was a joke?”

“We’re in a new age,” Wei Yu said. “Everyone carries too many burdens. But this so-called Sheng Ping Ning is just a drop of Guanyin’s tear in the vast Eastern Sea. This world, this splendid galaxy, is merely a mote of dust in the endless stars—no different from a single drop in a boundless ocean.”

“Not many mortals see it that way,” Hua Sheng said.

“That’s just how it is. What you see as beautiful or ugly may not be truly so—maybe your eyes deceive you. Like these fireworks: they’re just bursts of flame. If we use Xuanming-level magic, the fire is real. If it’s just illusion-level, it’s only a trick. But if you think they’re beautiful, the joy you feel is real. Beyond your experience, whether it’s truly beautiful or even truly exists—what does it matter to you?” Wei Yu looked up at the fireworks.

“Life in Sheng Ping Ning does shape one’s perspective,” Hua Sheng said.

“Perhaps. I only know that most things are not absolutely good or bad; our environment shapes our judgment. So long as you feel happy, the world can do you little harm.” Wei Yu gazed at the rainbow-lit sky. “It’s so beautiful! I wish this moment could last forever, never ending.”

The girl’s expression was thoughtful, as if she were lost in this magical summer night at the Pear Garden Lantern Festival.