Dance of the Heroic Spirits (Fourth Watch!)

Only then did the Mid-Autumn night banquet truly begin.

The drill ground became an ocean of jubilation. People raised their cups in collective celebration, dancing gracefully around the blazing bonfires.

Right at this moment, the freshly made mooncakes were brought out. Time had been tight, and the quantity was limited, allowing everyone only a quarter of a piece. Yet even a single wedge of this mooncake filled hearts with a profound sense of happiness.

The moon rose to its zenith at this very instant, casting gentle celestial energy along with silvery moonlight downward.

Be it martial cultivators or ordinary folk, everyone raised their heads as one to gaze at the full moon.

They narrowed their eyes, feeling the water-cool celestial energy shower over them, washing away every trace of physical exhaustion and lingering pain.

Ordinary people murmured in wonder, "So this is what celestial energy feels like..."

Suddenly, a beam of moonlight illuminated the Black Stone Scroll, resonating with a certain power deep within it. Following this, countless golden glows bloomed across the surface of the scroll. Drifting out like fireflies, they scattered into the night sky, growing more numerous by the moment.

With peerless lightness, they dispersed in all directions, landing softly upon the people below.

A warm emotion permeated through the points of light, seeping into their hearts.

Suddenly, someone cried out, "This is... my son! This is his soul!"

The countless points of light were like the souls of countless fallen heroes. They transmitted their final lingering attachments to humanity and their loved ones.

On the drill ground, their families felt tears welling in their eyes while warmth flooded their chests. Grief seemed to vanish in that instant. In the depths of their hearts, they bid farewell to their loved ones, as if inheriting something precious.

The points of light converged into a galactic river over the drill ground, engulfing everyone within. The information contained in the spots of light sounded like the whispers of departing souls, blending high and low to form a moving melody.

After lingering for a moment, the points of light drifted toward the sky, rising higher and higher. Finally, they merged with the moonlight, as if entering the moon itself. Yet that tune, devoid of lyrics or specific notes, lingered around the people, as though it would never leave.

The bonfire suddenly flared up, burning with intense fervor.

As if awakened by the sound, the people began to dance to the rhythm of the music. At first, their movements were somewhat stiff, tinged with a faint heaviness. Gradually, as the music grew more brisk and lively, their movements followed suit, becoming vibrant and spirited.

That was the blessing of the departed souls, and they were destined to carry on living, accompanied by fond memories of them.

Jiang Feng had been caught by many hands and had long since joined the dance. His face carried a deep sense of emotional resonance and a smile, blending into the crowd as if they were all one.

At that moment, someone pushed through to his side and called out, "A-Feng!"

Jiang Feng turned his head and stepped back from the crowd. "Bai Guo, you're awake!"

Bai Guo looked around in a daze, then suddenly said, "I want to dance too."

Jiang Feng smiled. "Then dance!"

Bai Guo offered him a smile. At this moment, her gaze was clear, clearly fully conscious.

She swayed her waist and began to dance beneath the moon.

It was hard to describe what kind of dance it was. It seemed as though every word in this world combined could not capture its exquisite beauty.

Jiang Feng gazed at her, and without realizing it, the people around them also stopped and stared at her together.

This was not the Dance of Heavenly Charm; it did not carry that innate power, nor did it contain her natural allure.

Yet Jiang Feng felt that her dance now was even more beautiful than the one by the Changchuan River.

Every movement and every expression of hers contained countless emotions, striving to convey them to those around her.

Sorrow, pain, confusion, hope, the future...

Under the moonlight, the silent melody grew clearer and clearer, lingering around Bai Guo, clinging closely to her as if it had been born for her alone.

The people of Taicang City gazed at Bai Guo, tears streaming down their faces before they even realized it.

This was a sight they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

On this day, they had sealed the demonic abyss, triumphed over the demons, and preserved their homeland; on this day, they had lost family and friends, watching their souls ascend into the sky; on this day, they had earned a glory worth remembering for a lifetime, and in the future, they might still have to fight for their own survival. On this day, they had witnessed the most beautiful dance in this world!

This was a day that would be written into the history of Taicang City!

After the night banquet, Jiang Feng was left feeling somewhat tipsy from being plied with wine by countless people. However, a martial cultivator's constitution was different after all. By the time he returned to the courtyard of the Distant Mountain Martial Arts Hall, he had sobered up considerably, with almost no wine haze left.

Walking into the courtyard, he immediately sensed something was amiss.

Demonic Qi! And it was coming from his room!

However, this Demonic Qi was completely different from any he had encountered before; it did not feel fierce or malevolent, but rather gentle and intimate.

Hesitating for a moment, Jiang Feng pushed the door open to find the Midnight Snack Rabbit sprawled across the table. The moonlight shone upon its snow-white fur, making it look like a ball of silver.

The moonlight clearly illuminated the patterns on its body. Previously, apart from a tiny cherry-petal mark behind its ear, its entire body was pure white. But now, two black streaks were printed left and right upon its cheeks, with another streak running across the space between its ears.

Jiang Feng suddenly asked, "Have you grown a size larger?"

Ye Xiao's figure drifted out from the rabbit's body, the posture of the silver-armored female warrior clearly visible. She said, "Affected by me, the Midnight Snack Rabbit has also begun absorbing Demonic Qi. Since the supply of Demonic Qi from you is a bit excessive, it has indeed grown somewhat."

Ye Xiao's slender and powerful palm brushed over the top of the rabbit's head as she continued, "It used to be a tier-one celestial beast, and now it's tier-five. If things go further, it might continue to advance."

The Midnight Snack Rabbit was the most common and ordinary celestial beast, normally lacking any room for growth—whatever tier it was born at, it would remain until death. Yet now it had begun to grow; it was hard to tell whether this was a blessing or a curse...

Jiang Feng asked, "Can it still be considered a celestial beast?"

Ye Xiao shook her head. "Its core is undergoing a transformation, and the celestial energy stored within is gradually turning into Demonic Qi. Once the transformation is completely finished, it should be considered a demon beast."

Jiang Feng furrowed his brow. "If that's the case, life among humans won't be very easy for it..."

Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any solutions?"

Jiang Feng contemplated for a moment. "Let me think about it..."

As the two were talking, Ye Xiao suddenly flickered and vanished into thin air.

Jiang Feng was momentarily stunned. A moment later, Hua Su walked over and knocked on the door. "You aren't drunk, are you? Come out, I have some things to tell you."

Jiang Feng followed Hua Su to the tree in the courtyard. Hua Su did not speak immediately, instead lighting a cigarette first.

There was a hint of fatigue on his face. For a Martial Emperor of the Celestial Enlightenment realm, battle was something that could excite him; conversely, dealing with the aftermath in Taicang City left him utterly exhausted and annoyed, yet it was something he had to do.

Hua Su took a few puffs of the cigarette and came straight to the point. "The day after tomorrow, you will set off for Caigui City."

Jiang Feng was startled. "So soon? But right now, Taicang City..."

Hua Su interrupted, "Taicang City is in ruins and waiting to be rebuilt; there are far too many matters to attend to, and even when I'm here, I might not be able to handle them all. But right now, people's hearts are united, and as long as everyone pitches in, things will get easier. Under these circumstances, what difference does it make whether you are here or not?"

He let out a scoff. "By now, the entire world knows that you are the disciples of me, Hua Su. If you fail to pass the provincial examination or fail to achieve impressive results, where am I supposed to put this old face of mine?"

Jiang Feng was straightforward as well. Thinking about it, he nodded and said, "Alright then, let's set off a bit earlier."

Hua Su pondered for a moment before speaking. "Before you leave, there are a few matters I want to discuss with you."

He paced back and forth a few times, as if pondering how to broach the subject. After a moment, he suddenly turned around and asked, "What do you think of letting Wu Qi take charge of the golden seal?"

Jiang Feng froze, unable to believe his ears. It took him a good while before he asked, "Wu Qi? The younger of the Wu brothers? In charge of the state and town's golden seal? Are you... planning to make him the governor of Yushui State?!"

Officials of the Nine Heavens Continent were basically martial cultivators who had passed the grand examinations. A simple logic dictated that a treasured artifact like the golden seal, which symbolized status and needed to function at critical moments, could not be used without celestial energy.

Wu Qi had not fused with a Celestial Heart Seed. He was already seventeen years old, meaning he had lost any possibility of becoming a martial cultivator. To let an ordinary person serve as a state governor—wasn't Hua Su being far too whimsical?

Hua Su nodded heavily, looking at him with hopeful anticipation as he asked, "What do you think?"

Jiang Feng remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Why Wu Qi instead of Wu San?"

Hua Su gave him an unexpected look and smiled with a relaxed expression. He explained, "I've asked about it and observed them for a long time. The Wu brothers actually take Wu Qi as their core. The younger brother comes up with all the plans and makes the decisions; it's only because he is younger and doesn't look steady that Wu San usually steps forward to represent them."

Jiang Feng asked, "If the younger brother takes charge, won't the older brother be dissatisfied?"

Hua Su shook his head. "Not at all. The brothers have depended on each other since they were little, and their bond is extremely deep. Moreover, Wu San has a generous and broad-minded personality, and he excels at yielding to others. Honestly, if I had a daughter, I would definitely be more willing to marry her to Wu San."

Jiang Feng pondered for a long time before finally nodding. "Well, under normal circumstances, Wu San might actually be the better choice. But now that Taicang City is in the midst of construction and needs someone with more decisive ideas, Wu Qi is indeed more suitable."

Hua Su smiled. "Precisely, that is what I thought as well!"

Jiang Feng said, "However, to let an ordinary person become a state governor—have you thought through the difficulties and subsequent troubles involved, Teacher Hua?"

An ordinary person could not pass the grand examination to obtain martial cultivator status, could not use the golden seal, and would neither be recognized by King Zhuyang nor the aristocratic families. Given how crucial the location of Yushui State was, one could easily imagine the resistance Hua Su would face if he insisted on making such an arrangement!