Chapter 26 The Lantern Reflection Festival Opens

By evening, Qingyun Sect no longer resembled a cultivation sect.

It resembled a carefully decorated emotional catastrophe.

Thousands of spirit lanterns floated along the mountain paths, suspended from rooftops, trees, bridges, and cliffside railings in shimmering waves of gold and silver light. Music drifted across the peaks from performance stages while disciples moved through the sect in festival robes instead of training uniforms for once.

Even the air felt different.

Softer.

Warmer.

Far too romantic for a place where people normally argued about sword intent before breakfast.

Tang Hui stood near the entrance of the outer market plaza and stared upward as another cluster of floating lanterns rose into the night sky.

“…This must cost an unbelievable amount of spirit stones.”

Old Chen, currently selling festival charms beside her stall, looked offended.

“That’s your first thought?”

Tang Hui glanced at him. “I opened a business three weeks ago. Money occupies my spirit now.”

Reasonable priorities.

Her matchmaking pavilion had expanded dramatically for the festival. Additional tables filled the plaza around her original stall while bright banners fluttered overhead beneath glowing lantern light.

[CONFESSION CONSULTATIONS]

[PARTNER COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS]

[EMERGENCY ROMANTIC ASSISTANCE]

Tang Hui added the last sign personally after yesterday’s disaster.

A wise decision, apparently.

Because the moment evening festivities officially began, disciples started flooding toward her pavilion immediately.

“Senior Sister Tang!”

Tang Hui looked up as three younger outer disciples hurried toward her carrying lantern bundles and expressions of profound panic.

Ah.

Business.

One of the girls leaned forward anxiously. “What does it mean if someone agrees to attend the moon-viewing terrace with you but also invites two other people?”

Tang Hui blinked once.

“…It means this person fears emotional intimacy.”

The girl froze.

Her two friends gasped dramatically.

Tang Hui pointed toward the lantern in the girl’s hands.

“Go alone with him for twenty minutes. If he keeps finding excuses to discuss unrelated topics, then he likes you.”

The girl looked stunned.

“…How did you know that?”

Tang Hui smiled faintly.

Because cultivators became deeply stupid around feelings.

But aloud, she merely said, “Experience.”

Three spirit stones later, the girls departed looking spiritually enlightened.

Old Chen watched them go with disbelief.

“You answer these questions frighteningly quickly.”

Tang Hui sat back in her chair. “After listening to enough sect gossip, patterns emerge naturally.”

That was the truth of it.

The matchmaking pavilion worked because Tang Hui paid attention to things other cultivators dismissed.

Who looked toward whom during conversations.

Who avoided eye contact too carefully.

Who remembered tiny details they pretended not to notice.

People revealed themselves constantly.

Especially when emotions became involved.

The outer plaza around her pulsed with festival energy now. Laughter echoed through the streets while spirit lanterns drifted overhead in glowing currents. Somewhere nearby, musicians played soft guqin melodies beneath the lantern bridges.

For the first time in years, Qingyun Sect looked less like a place devoted to immortal ambition and more like somewhere people actually lived.

Tang Hui found herself smiling slightly at the sight.

Before another client could approach, movement near the plaza entrance caught her attention.

Lin Qingyue appeared first.

Tonight, she wore pale blue robes embroidered with silver thread that reflected softly beneath the lantern light. Her hair fell loose behind her shoulders except for several delicate jade ornaments woven through the darker strands.

Beautiful enough that nearby disciples visibly lost focus while walking.

Tang Hui understood immediately why Gu Beichen arrived beside her looking vaguely murderous toward the surrounding crowd.

Honestly, fair reaction.

Though compared to earlier weeks, his possessiveness no longer carried cold hostility. Instead, he simply remained close enough that Lin Qingyue would not become overwhelmed by attention.

Subtle progress.

Tang Hui approved.

Lin Qingyue smiled the moment she spotted the pavilion.

“Junior Sister Tang.”

Tang Hui leaned back dramatically. “Look at you two attending publicly together now.”

Lin Qingyue immediately flushed.

Gu Beichen, meanwhile, remained completely calm.

“Yes.”

Tang Hui stared at him.

That was it?

No hesitation?

No awkward silence?

The man truly had evolved.

Dangerous growth rate.

Lin Qingyue gently nudged his sleeve while trying—and failing—not to smile.

The movement itself was small.

Natural.

Comfortable.

Tang Hui noticed immediately.

Relationships always became obvious once people stopped overthinking every interaction.

Gu Beichen glanced toward the packed consultation area surrounding the pavilion.

“You appear busy.”

“I’m preventing emotional collapse sect-wide,” Tang Hui informed him solemnly.

“Admirable.”

“You sound sarcastic.”

“I am not.”

That somehow felt worse.

Before Tang Hui could continue the conversation, another familiar figure emerged through the lantern-lit crowds nearby.

Xu Yelan.

And beside her—

Shen Ruijin.

Tang Hui nearly laughed out loud.

Because despite attending together openly, Shen Ruijin still carried himself with the rigid posture of a man escorting someone through enemy territory.

Xu Yelan, however, looked visibly happier than before. Less nervous. More relaxed around him.

Good.

That case had progressed nicely.

The two couples greeted each other near the pavilion while surrounding disciples instantly became excited again.

“Senior Brother Gu and Senior Brother Shen together?”

“This lineup is terrifying.”

“Why are all the inner sect sword cultivators appearing near the matchmaking pavilion now?!”

Valid question.

Tang Hui would also like answers.

The growing crowd around the pavilion quickly became impossible to ignore. More disciples gathered simply to observe interactions than to seek consultations.

Tang Hui was beginning to suspect the matchmaking pavilion itself had become part of the festival entertainment.

Before she could process that thought further, Luo Ming appeared from somewhere behind her stall carrying tea cups effortlessly balanced in one hand.

“How lively,” he mused.

Tang Hui narrowed her eyes. “Do you teleport?”

“Social talent.”

“Same thing.”

Luo Ming laughed before passing tea toward the group naturally, as though this gathering had been planned beforehand.

And suddenly—

while lanterns drifted overhead and music echoed softly through the glowing plaza—

Tang Hui became aware of the scene surrounding her.

People talking comfortably.

Laughing.

Teasing each other.

Relationships forming naturally around the pavilion she built almost by accident.

The realization caught her slightly off guard.

Because somewhere along the way, this ridiculous matchmaking stall had stopped feeling temporary.

It had become something real.