I Have A Dual World Seal

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A string of bonfires were lit, from the plains city, to the grassland tribes, to the forest stockades in the mountains.

Under the burning flames, the common folk sang and danced.

Roast meat, rice wine, singing, dancing—on New Year’s night, they let themselves revel to their hearts’ content.

The children ran back and forth, holding sugar figures and pinwheels in their hands, chasing and roughhousing.

The elderly sat amid the crowd, watching the lively figures before the bonfires, laughing happily.

And the young men and women tore into big chunks of meat, drank from big bowls, circled the bonfires singing and dancing, celebrating this year’s harvest and offering blessings for the coming year.

Bonfire after bonfire flared to life on the lands around Phoenix Mountain, scattered like stars yet densely covering the earth, proclaiming the multitude of people under Phoenix Mountain’s banner and its flourishing, prosperous splendor.

And on Phoenix Mountain itself, it was even more ablaze with lights; the mountain full of red leaves, under the illumination of the flames, seemed as if it too had caught fire, crimson blazes filling the sky.

...

On the plaza before the main hall atop Phoenix Mountain’s main peak, a massive bonfire was burning, lighting the square as bright as daylight.

Everyone was not inside the main hall; the tables, wine, and dishes were all set outside the hall, where they sat in a circle, no distinctions between host and guest.

Colorful Spirit Wine and Spirit Fruit flowed like water, cups clinking and crossing, the scene bustling and boisterous.

Lu Zheng and Si Lingxi sat at the table before the main hall, with Shen Ying, Liu Qingyan, Lin Wan, and Du Yueyao seated to either side.

Wansong Daoist and Song Kaichuan sat at the foremost seats of the guest section, while Liu Qingquan and Yang Caiyi mingled among a group of little demons of Phoenix Mountain, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Over these past days, everyone had also become familiar with the important figures up and down Phoenix Mountain.

For example, the four maids led by Red Crane; the one reputed to be the number one expert under Phoenix Mountain, Kong Lan; the wise and nimble Xuanque Fairy; the gentle and graceful Lady Hongyan; and the human experts on Phoenix Mountain, Yan Qingxue and Xiao Muhua.

Their only common trait was that they were all women, and, well, another one: they were all very formidable.

Just as Si Lingxi had said: there were so many Ancestors in the back mountain of White Cloud Temple, so how could Phoenix Mountain possibly rely on her alone to hold everything up?

Previously, Si Lingxi disliked noise and bustle; everyone had never truly gathered together. At Si Lingxi’s last birthday banquet, they had only attended as accompanying guests and dispersed afterward.

Speaking of which, this time was actually their first official meeting with the Palace Master’s man, as well as the Palace Master’s friends from the Central Plains.

Lu Zheng, who interacted with Wansong Daoist as an equal.

Liu Qingyan, the Tushan Celestial Fox bearing Merit.

Shen Ying, who aligned with poetry and merged into the Heavenly Dao.

Du Yueyao, who used the Upper Realm Su Girl’s Dream Transmission Method.

And Yang Caiyi, who had cultivated for only a year yet possessed over a hundred years of Dao Practice.

All let them know that there was not a single simple person in this group.

So although they couldn’t see what was special about Lin Wan no matter how they looked, they still did not dare to show the slightest neglect.

Lin Wan: ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Should I say I come from another world?

No, I shouldn’t—I’m just that low-key.

...

The common folk under Phoenix Mountain’s rule felt a heartfelt reverence toward Si Lingxi; not to mention that the recent high-yield seeds had further raised the living standards of the mortal populace by a whole level.

So even though this year’s gala had been announced rather hastily, the songs and dances the people rehearsed and arranged were still exceptionally splendid.

Clear, bright singing voices, swaying dance postures—each set of song and dance had its own highlights.

Some were vigorous and forceful, some graceful and fluttering, some winding and melodious, some vast and majestic.

Dozens of song-and-dance sets either expressed joy for the harvest, or veneration for the Phoenix, or expectations for the coming year.

One troupe finished their performance, bowed, and withdrew; another troupe entered the field and began performing. The dazzling performances left the audience’s eyes too busy to take it all in, their praises endless.

The maids of Phoenix Mountain led the performance troupes waiting outside in one by one.

Lu Zheng, sharp-eyed, even spotted an acquaintance among these maids.

It was the dancing girl who had performed the "White Wagtail" during Si Lingxi’s birthday banquet the year before last.

Back then she had still been a mortal; now she had entered Phoenix Mountain’s sect and even cultivated Qi Sensitivity, counting as a small Abnormal Person.

Lu Zheng couldn’t help but nod; Si Lingxi’s way of managing those under her command was quite similar in many respects to Tushan’s.

...

And during the intervals when the common folk’s song-and-dance troupes entered the field, some of the Demons and Abnormal People under Phoenix Mountain would also seize the chance to come out, either displaying their singing voices or showcasing their dance moves, drawing cheers from the crowd.

Lady Hongyan came onstage to display her voice, singing a song titled "Flying Geese South."

Yan Qingxue cross-dressed in a male role and, together with Xiao Muhua, performed a classic scene from "Hualingdu."

Even Kong Lan came down to the field, taking human form to perform a "Peacock Solo Dance."

Others either grouped up in twos or threes, or took the stage alone, either playing instruments or singing and dancing.

It was wonderfully lively!

On another side, Liu Qingquan once again brought out her super-extrovert nature, dragging Yang Caiyi along and handing out chocolate, orange juice drinks, and all kinds of candy, and had once more blended into a group of little brats as their de facto leader.

Watching this, Liu Qingyan unconsciously clenched her fists...

Lu Zheng burst into loud laughter, grabbing Liu Qingyan’s wrist and pressing down her little fist.

"It’s New Year’s today."

Liu Qingyan nodded, only to hear Lu Zheng continue, "You can hit her tomorrow."

Liu Qingyan: (||๐_๐)

Beside them, Du Yueyao couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Looking at Liu Qingquan in the distance still looking so smug, she couldn’t help but shake her head and sigh, silently mourning for her.

Wansong Daoist drank a cup of clear wine, nodded with a smile, and said, "Your little family is harmonious—truly delightful and worthy of congratulations."

Lu Zheng raised his cup in return and drained it in one go. "The main theme here is just liveliness."

Song Kaichuan couldn’t help but laugh, picked up a chopstick-full of snake meat and ate it, then looked around to either side. "It’s been a long time since this old man has experienced such a lively gala."

The plaza was huge; the central bonfire was a massive pile nearly ten meters across, its flames shooting nearly a hundred meters into the sky, almost lighting the mountaintop like daytime.

Just then, two Banshees had finished singing a song, and another troupe of commoner dancers came in. Their upper bodies wore nine-colored feathered robes, their lower bodies three-colored snake-scale skirts. The men were handsome, the women pretty, smiles blooming on their faces.

The lead songstress’s voice was clear, bright, and soaring; the dancers at her side swayed with radiant grace, prompting waves of cheers from the crowd, some even calling out in response.

"That sounds so good!" Lin Wan exclaimed.

She thought to herself that no wonder Si Lingxi looked down on those Musicians and singers from Blue Star, because leaving aside the experts under Phoenix Mountain’s command, even these mortals’ singing and dancing, if brought to Blue Star, would each be of a level to step onto the top-tier stages.

And this was still the product of self-teaching; if they were to undergo a period of professional training, their performance standard would climb yet another level.

When the song reached its soaring part, the songstress’s voice shot straight into the clouds, causing the bonfire to sway.

The crowd couldn’t help but clap and applaud; Lin Wan even let out a whistle, drawing a few sidelong glances.

...

The New Year’s gala lasted the entire night, and only at the late hour of Yinn the next day, when the East was already growing light, did the curtain finally fall. The bonfires were extinguished, and the maids escorted the common folk down the mountain to settle them, each receiving their own rewards.

As for those up and down Phoenix Mountain, they bade each other well and dispersed.