Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Snap.
Fang Yuan snapped his fingers once again.
The surroundings immediately started moving again from the motionless state.
That merman couple continued to walk forward while holding hands.
Amidst the haggling at the stall, the saliva spit landed on the customer’s face but he did not realize it.
The small dog’s three legs landed on the ground, it smoothly moved past the blue scaled merman and continued to pass nimbly through the crowd of legs.
Xia Lin took everything in with surprise and curiosity.
This was too magical!
“Master Chu’s methods are truly powerful! This is probably a rank five time path killer move.”
Xia Lin guessed.
Plop.
That male Gu Master, who Xia Lin had collided into, fell down to the ground and even affected the person behind, creating a small chaos.
“You are so big, don’t you know how to walk?” Someone scolded.
“Sorry, sorry.” The well-built male Gu Master politely apologized. This was, after all, the Sacred City of the mermen, meanwhile, the people in this paradise were less irritable than in the five regions.
“I was walking properly, how could I trip? Strange.” The male Gu Master looked puzzled as he quickly stood up and moved with the crowd.
Xia Lin apologized softly while gazing at the receding figure of the male Gu Master.
However, she felt a bit of joy like that of a prankster. Just as she was about to criticize herself, her hand was grabbed by Fang Yuan.
“Follow me!” Fang Yuan dragged her to the lion dance team.
The lion dance team was stunned at first before dancing even more joyfully, the accompanying music was immediately raised.
“We have all the characters now, haha!” One dancer laughed heartily.
“You know how to dance, right?” Fang Yuan smiled and moved his legs, he was playing the role of the filial fisherman, his movements were subtle and natural, having their own beauty.
The surrounding people immediately cheered and hooted, Fang Yuan followed the crowd while dancing towards Xia Lin.
“Your turn.” Fang Yuan’s voice was secretly transmitted to Xia Lin’s ears.
Xia Lin’s heart was beating loudly from nervousness. Despite her practising this play often when she was a child, she had never performed before a large crowd.
She began to dance with stiff movements.
Fang Yuan laughed as he took her hands and led her.
He secretly used wisdom path methods, Xia Lin immediately started feeling nimble, all kinds of dance postures of this play surfaced in her mind with extreme clarity.
The two sang and danced and moved along with the crowd.
The lion dance team was wearing colorful costumes and strange-looking masks. There were also some who jointly acted as an enormous golden sea lion. They attracted attention wherever they moved.
And as the male and female protagonists of the team, even more eyes were focused on Fang Yuan and Xia Lin.
Xia Lin was extremely tense at the start but the more she danced, the better and more confident she felt. She was immersed in the joyful atmosphere, forgetting about the injustice she suffered as cheers, shouts, and whistling filled her ears.
Even when Xia Lin made some mistakes in her movements, there was only kind laughter.
The crowd continued to move, some left the lion dance team while some joined.
Unknowingly, Xia Lin started laughing brightly.
An unprecedented level of happiness which she had never felt before in the Sacred City filled her heart.
She was immersed in this happiness, unable to extricate herself from it. At the same time, she felt fear that this was not real.
“It truly is like I am dreaming!” Xia Lin’s heart was filled with emotions, her gaze never leaving Fang Yuan.
“Time to leave.” Suddenly, Fang Yuan’s movements changed, he dragged Xia Lin away from the opera team and walked to the side of the street.
Xia Lin was caught unprepared and got pulled directly into Fang Yuan’s embrace.
She bumped into Fang Yuan’s chest, a strong manly smell entered her nose. She quickly held the mask that had almost fallen down, hiding her reddened face.
“Here.” Fang Yuan moved quickly while pulling her, walking into an alley.
It was another lonely alley with dim lighting and the stench of garbage.
Fang Yuan released Xia Lin’s hand and quickly walked ahead.
Xia Lin immediately felt an empty feeling as she followed behind.
The two moved in the long alley, one in front and another in back. Fang Yuan did not utter a sound, the alley echoing his monotonous footsteps.
The sounds from the rowdy street became softer and softer as they moved further into the alley.
A lonely and cold feeling pervaded Xia Lin’s body and heart.
The previous happiness and joyful feelings started disappearing from Xia Lin’s heart. Gradually, worries began to find her once again, and her previous depression began to surge.
Xia Lin wanted to find some topics to talk with Fang Yuan, but Fang Yuan had been moving ahead without even turning his head back. The oppressive atmosphere made Xia Lin not dare to casually speak.
Finally, they reached the exit of the alley.
The street here, although not as lively as the previous, was also filled with crowds and was boisterous.
Fang Yuan suddenly stopped and turned towards Xia Lin: “Have you thought it through?”
Xia Lin was stunned: “Thought… thought what through?”
Fang Yuan smiled, pointing at the mask Xia Lin was wearing: “Do you want to wear it to cross the street or do you want to walk in the crowd showing your own face?”
Xia Lin was stunned again.
Fang Yuan continued: “I took off my mask when I entered the alley, but you are still wearing it. Why? Do you feel ashamed? Do you feel afraid of looking at people with your face? Worried that if you confront life, you will lose the happiness from earlier?”
A series of questions caught Xia Lin unprepared and unable to reply.
After a while of silence, she seemed to have understood something as she took down the mask, revealing her face: “Master Chu, I understand your intentions, thank you, I truly thank you. I am only an ordinary mermaid…”
Fang Yuan stretched out his hand, interrupting her: “I have said it before, your current situation is largely because of me, I need to compensate you for this.”
“Master, what are you saying? You have shown enormous kindness to me by gifting me gather oil Gu. You don’t owe me anything at all, in fact, it is I who owes you everything!” Xia Lin quickly said.
“That is how you interpret it, not me.” Fang Yuan shook his head, his expression turning solemn: “Look back on it, you were previously taunted and jeered by others, but just earlier, you were showered with welcomes and cheers, what is the reason for such a big difference? Could it because of this mask? But in fact, you had been yourself all along, isn’t that so?”
Xia Lin nodded.
Fang Yuan looked at the street outside the alley and pointed at the passing crowd: “Take a look now, these people don’t want to inspect your true self and who Xia Lin truly is. When we were dancing and singing, they also did not want to know our names. They are only expressing their attitude, the true situation is not important to them. Ordinary people chase after the truth because they are usually angry and indignant about being made a fool of.”
“So to them, we are not important at all, and to us, their attitude should similarly not be important.”
Xia Lin took a deep breath: “Master Chu, thank you for comforting me, I truly can’t thank you enough…”
“I have not finished speaking. Since the attitude of outsiders is not important, what is truly important in our lives?” Fang Yuan asked with a smile.
Xia Lin was stunned for the third time: “Master, forgive my ignorance…”
Fang Yuan pointed at Xia Lin and then pointed at himself: “It is us, ourselves. It is our truest feelings. Ask yourself, listen to the voice in the depths of your heart. What do you want to do, what kind of person you want to become, where do you want to go? You will obtain the answer in the depths of your heart.”
“If you want to travel, then travel around the world. If you want to treat others well, then treat them properly. If you want to attempt flying, then collect money and resources to purchase and practice flying Gu worms.”
Fang Yuan pointed at the alley then at the street: “If you want to remain in the alley, you can stay. If you want to walk into the street and enjoy the event with others, then walk out. Don’t mistreat your own feelings because of their attitude. If you mistreat yourself frequently, then you will end up with regrets, you will constantly wear a mask to act as another person, you will no longer be yourself.”
The moment she heard that, Xia Lin felt that her mind had cleared up, it was as if she received enlightenment, all her previous worries and distress were swept away entirely.
