Chapter 133: Chapter 125: A Night of Fish and Dragon Dance, Flames Soaring to the Sky (Part 2)

"Sister Lian said the streets are too crowded today. All sorts of shady characters will be out, so for safety’s sake, it’s best we stay in for now," Wu Mengchan said very seriously.

Hearing this, Wu Liangchen glanced with some surprise at the figure in the room, who was earnestly practicing her stances.

’I really didn’t expect her to be so cautious.’

Just then, Yang Lian’Er finished her stance training. She spoke as she walked out of the room.

"Hey, what was that look just now?"

"What look?" Wu Liangchen asked, feigning ignorance.

"That really weird look! You think all I know is shopping? I can be cautious too, you know!"

Seeing the indignant Yang Lian’Er, Wu Liangchen didn’t argue back.

He realized that this Yang Lian’Er had indeed changed a lot. He’d heard from his sister that she practiced her stances every night before bed.

When she went out shopping, she would go and come back quickly. Now, with a major festival going on, she didn’t even leave the house, just to be safe.

’Has she... grown up?’

Wu Liangchen mused inwardly.

When Yang Lian’Er heard no rebuttal from Wu Liangchen, she found it a bit strange.

’This guy usually loves to tease me. What’s gotten into him today?’

So, she looked up and saw Wu Liangchen smiling at her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she forced a calm expression and said,

"What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen me before?"

"Heh, I’ve seen you before, just not being this stupid."

"Who are you calling stupid?"

"You, of course. That was the Hun Yuan Stance you were practicing in the room just now, wasn’t it?"

"What about it? Was I doing something wrong?" The moment it concerned Martial Arts, Yang Lian’Er instantly became humble.

Wu Liangchen shook his head. "It’s not that you were doing something wrong. It’s that everything was wrong."

With that, he simply walked into the center of the courtyard and said to Yang Lian’Er, "I’ll demonstrate for you now. Mengchan, you follow along and learn too. Just remember what you can. Take your time."

Wu Liangchen stood with his legs naturally apart, his arms forming a circle in front of his chest, fingers slightly spread as if holding a large ball.

Then he said, "See? This is the standard opening for the Hun Yuan Stance."

Yang Lian’Er asked, a little dumbfounded, "But I did it the same way. What’s the difference?"

"Of course it’s different. Your opening had the form but lacked the essence! Remember, your chest and back should be straight but not stiff. Your hips should drop slightly, as if sitting on a high stool."

Wu Liangchen meticulously explained the key points. Although Wu Mengchan didn’t know the technique, she still did her best to memorize everything.

As for Yang Lian’Er, she was completely immersed, her eyes shining. She murmured softly, "So that’s how it is. I get it now!"

Her understanding of the Hun Yuan Stance had been just a hair’s breadth from a breakthrough, so upon hearing Wu Liangchen’s explanation of the key points, she had an epiphany.

After Wu Liangchen finished his explanation, Yang Lian’Er couldn’t wait to start practicing.

After completing the full stance technique, Yang Lian’Er felt her spine elongate section by section, while an indescribable tingling sensation shot from her heels all the way to the crown of her head.

"Hahaha! So that’s it! I did it! I did it!" Yang Lian’Er jumped and hopped around like a fool. She even grabbed Wu Mengchan and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

The kiss left Wu Mengchan completely stunned. She stood there, holding her cheek, at a total loss.

Wu Liangchen smiled and shook his head, stopping Yang Lian’Er, who was about to continue practicing. "Alright, that’s enough for now. This isn’t something you can rush. You two go change your clothes. I’m taking you out to see the lanterns."

The two girls excitedly went back to their room to get ready. In a short while, they had changed their clothes, and to avoid attracting too much attention, they had also veiled their faces with silk scarves.

"Let’s go."

With that, Wu Liangchen led the two girls out onto the main street. By now, the sky was dark, but the street was as bright as day with countless lights.

Colorful lanterns, floral lanterns, and the fireworks bursting one after another in the sky intertwined to illuminate the heavens.

This was also one of the rare days when the young ladies, usually secluded in their chambers, were allowed to come out and enjoy themselves.

Thus, they all competed in splendor, dressed in their most beautiful clothes, walking down the street in groups, laughing and chatting, attracting the gazes of countless romantic young men.

Some of the bolder ones would even follow behind, attempting to strike up a conversation, but they were usually met with merciless rejection, left to watch as the chattering girls laughed and walked away.

But soon, these young women found their attention drawn to Wu Liangchen, who was standing by the side of the street watching the lanterns.

After all, it was hard for a young man with such a tall, straight posture and jade-like handsomeness not to attract attention while standing beneath the festive lanterns.

Some of the women hid their faces behind fans, whispering and laughing from a distance. Others glanced back at him repeatedly, trying to catch his eye.

Wu Liangchen pretended not to see any of it, instead carefully observing the pedestrians passing by.

’Even though I shouldn’t run into any danger within Huangpu Guard’s jurisdiction, it’s never wrong to be a little careful.’

Just then, a huge cheer erupted in the distance, followed by the sight of a massive float slowly making its way over.

The float was exquisitely decorated with countless colorful lights, and at its center was a giant revolving lantern.

The figures in the revolving lantern were all human-shaped, each one so lifelike it seemed real, enacting the folk tales of Huangpu Guard as the float moved along. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

At the same time, the sound of pipes, flutes, and drums drifted from afar, pushing the festival atmosphere to its climax.

The sound of phoenix flutes stirred, light from jade lamps turned, a night-long dance of fish and dragons.

The scene reminded Wu Liangchen of the famous poem, and he couldn’t help but feel sentimental.

But just then, as if sensing something, he turned his head and saw several men walking past on the side of the street before quickly disappearing into the crowd.

Wu Liangchen’s brow furrowed slightly. He immediately said to the two excited girls beside him, "Let’s go!"

"Huh? Go where?" Yang Lian’Er hadn’t quite heard him and turned back to ask.

"Something’s up. Follow me!"

Yang Lian’Er sobered up instantly. She grabbed Wu Mengchan’s hand and hurried after Wu Liangchen.

After many twists and turns, they surprisingly ended up back near Flower Square. Just then, a giant float passed by on the street, blocking their path. By the time the float had passed, the men had long since vanished.

Wu Liangchen’s expression grew even more solemn.

"What’s wrong?" Yang Lian’Er asked, feeling a little anxious.

Wu Liangchen took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Someone’s about to make trouble!"

"Who?"

"I’m not sure. But since we followed their trail here, they must be after Third Brother Xie."

At this, Wu Liangchen suddenly realized something was terribly wrong. His expression changed drastically as he said to the two girls, "Quick, keep up with me!"

Saying this, he turned and ran toward the entrance of Flower Square.

The two girls didn’t understand why, but they followed closely behind him.

Wu Liangchen’s heart was burning with anxiety, because a terrible possibility had just occurred to him.

Just now, on the street, he had suddenly smelled the strong scent of fire oil.

At first, he hadn’t paid it much mind. After all, fire oil was common in Huangpu Guard, indispensable for starting fires and for lighting.

Especially now, with tens of thousands of lanterns lit, the air was already filled with the smells of fire oil, pine resin, and wax.

But this smell approached rapidly and grew stronger and stronger. So Wu Liangchen turned to look and discovered the smell was coming from several strange men.

The reason he called them strange was that, unlike the other lantern-gazers who strolled and admired the scenery, they walked with hurried steps, looking straight ahead, as if they were rushing to do something.

That was very strange.

That was why Wu Liangchen decided to follow them and take a look. If it was nothing, all the better. If something was wrong, he could at least be prepared.

He never would have thought that these men would disappear after reaching Flower Square.

’No doubt about it, they’re definitely here to cause trouble.’

’And the target is Third Brother Xie.’

Wu Liangchen then imagined what he would do if he were an enemy of Third Brother Xie. What target would he choose to attack first?

The answer was obvious.

First-Class Restaurant!

’If I were the Beheading Gang and wanted to cause trouble, I would definitely attack the First-Class Restaurant now, when its defenses are at their weakest.’

That was why he was rushing over so frantically.

It wasn’t because of the valuables, but because he remembered that there were people living in the First-Class Restaurant.

But just as he charged toward Flower Square, he suddenly heard cries of alarm from the distance. Immediately after, flames shot into the sky, painting the night of the Lantern Festival a brilliant red.