My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

The incense’s red tip finally touched the fine fuse.

With a soft hiss, the fuse ignited a spark, quickly spreading.

Immediately afterward, that strand of "Dripping Gold" burst into a cluster of dazzling white incandescence with golden flames.

It was not a momentary thunderous boom; the golden sparks surged upward, and the falling sparks cascaded down like suspended waterfalls, continuously flowing...

They were like the reversed star rivers of summer nights, emitting a fine, joyful sizzling sound, and sketching a scene before her.

The brilliance was so near, almost within reach, illuminating her slightly pale cheeks with flashes, her eyes reflecting the dancing golden points.

In this almost unreal stunning light and shadow, Lin Wanxiao felt a bewildering moment.

How many years has it been... since she last ignited such things up close and personal?

In the depths of memory, there seemed to be similar scenes, was it in the Lin Family mansion’s backyard? Back then, she had double buns, only five or six years older than Qin Yue, seizing the chance from her brother to take a few sticks while the nanny was not watching, nervously igniting them with the maid’s help, watching the gushing sparks, screaming with fear and joy, waving, until her mother arrived angrily scolding, saying how could a lady of a prominent family play with such dangerous and vulgar things...

Since then, her world was left with only Female Precepts, needlework, poetry, music, painting, and those endless lonely days in the deep quarters.

During festivals, she would listen through the tall courtyard walls to the sounds of fireworks from outside, looking up at the sky where fireworks streaked by like meteors.

Hoo,

With a breeze, the sparks danced chaotically.

Lin Wanxiao exclaimed, falling to the ground.

"Daydreaming?"

Chen Yi, unbeknownst to her, had come beside her, gently embracing her shoulders.

Lin Wanxiao slowly came back to her senses, with him by her side, asked repeatedly, "Is there more?"

"Of course, there is."

He handed over a firework, Lin Wanxiao eagerly lit it, the previous firework hadn’t burned out, so the scene before her eyes turned dazzling.

Fire willow hanging gold, flowers falling like rain.

Lin Wanxiao stared straight, without blinking.

The person who compelled her to defy the rites was still by her side, quietly accompanying her as she set off firework after firework.

On lighting yet another firework, Lin Wanxiao found the incense had burned short, and went to replace it. The person took it in hand and suddenly asked:

"Are you happy now?"

Lin Wanxiao paused, pursed her lips, without answering, the dazzling fireworks casting light on her delicate profile.

Yet the person seemed to get an answer, speaking to himself:

"Then for your happiness, I am still willing to make some effort."

.........

A night of fireworks ended.

The fireworks bought in several bags were consumed swiftly, the night still not deep, yet all seemed exhausted.

Qin Yue hadn’t played enough, looked at the empty bags, felt around for a long time, and burst into tears, crying for quite some time.

Miss Lin turned her face away with a guilty conscience, hurriedly returning to the side hall.

Chen Yi had to put effort into comforting his daughter, holding her in his arms with both consolations and promises, but what finally stopped Qin Yue’s crying was finding a leftover firework saved for himself.

Qin Yue wiped her tears, holding the incense to light the firework.

The sky turned dark again, perhaps due to heavy smoke, few stars were visible at the horizon, the lantern’s glow in the night dimmed significantly, Chen Yi thought that when Qin Yue finished with the fireworks, he would carry her back to the warm room for a rest.

With a whoosh, looked far away, fireworks rose at the horizon.

Brilliant fireworks burst in the sky, scattering countless halos, golden rain pouring down, and then vanished, leaving only a few sparks.

The sky darkened, the remnants of the fireworks drifted away with the wind,

Chen Yi’s smile gradually froze.

Sparks fell in the distant sky, introducing a shimmer, like igniting there.

A blazing fire.

.....

Meanwhile, within Dragon Tail City.

Amid the chaos, shouts erupted.

"Fire!"