Chapter 275: Sugar-Coated Haws

Chapter 275 Candied Hawthorns

The festival Xiao Wu mentioned was held in a small town at the foot of the mountain, with only a dozen or so stalls selling nothing particularly rare. Xie Shu glanced at the time and asked, "Would you like to go somewhere livelier?"

Xiao Wu asked, "Where?"

Xie Shu replied, "The Yunzhou Festival."

About a hundred miles north of Mount Wuwang lay a grand city in the human world called Yunzhou. Every year on the fifteenth day of early spring, Yunzhou hosted a grand festival to celebrate the passing of winter and the arrival of spring. During the fair, the city bustled with merchants and travelers, its streets packed with crowds, incredibly lively.

Xie Shu knew of this place because Yunzhou was a city he had designed himself. An immortal heroes game needed prosperous human cities and a couple of bustling festivals as hubs for players to trade, rest, and socialize—places like Jinling or Yangzhou. Xie Shu had designed a fictional city named Yunzhou.

This city was filled with countless side quests and many shops Xie Shu was familiar with. The modeling team had worked hard, referencing several ancient cities to finally complete Yunzhou's design. Though the game's storyline wouldn't begin for another hundred years, Xie Shu still wanted to see the city in person if given the chance.

But since it was Xiao Wu who had suggested visiting a festival, Xie Shu asked, "Immortal Lord, would you prefer the grand Yunzhou Festival or the small one at the foot of the mountain?"

Xiao Wu glanced at him and answered slowly, "Of course, the grand one."

Half an hour later, Xie Shu and Xiao Wu arrived outside the city.

The attire of the Lord Wuwang was too conspicuous, so Xie Shu changed into a simple dark green robe embroidered with subtle bamboo patterns and gold-threaded cuffs. He tied his hair up and casually twirled a bamboo-folding fan, looking every bit like a young master out for relaxation.

Xiao Wu remained in his white robes, trailing two steps behind Xie Shu. By the time they leisurely entered through the southern gate, the festival was already bustling.

Yunzhou spanned about three miles from south to north, with a main street running straight through the city, lined with stalls of all kinds. Shops along the street were adorned with strings of red lanterns, selling everything from snacks and trinkets to rouge and perfumed powders. The air was sweet with their scent, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.

Xiao Wu looked around—everything was unfamiliar to him.

He slowed his pace, taking in each stall one by one.

Xie Shu also spotted several shops from his original design. Seeing Xiao Wu's interest, he smiled and explained, "Sister Song’s Candied Hawthorns—she uses homegrown, special hawthorns. They’re not sour at all, just sweet, coated in a layer of sugar. Very popular with children."

In the game, consuming it gave +7 defense points.

"Old Wang’s Sugar Paintings—originally a court painter with exquisite skills. He can paint zodiac animals like rabbits and tigers, but if you pay enough, he’ll even paint landscapes, flowers, and birds in sugar. Pay a little more, and he’ll add intricate details like individual feathers."

In the game, consuming it gave +10 defense points.

He went on describing each stall in detail, while Xiao Wu’s gaze grew increasingly fixed on him—full of surprise and curiosity, as if glued to him.

Xie Shu: "?"

Xiao Wu muttered, "How do you know so much about all this?"

One was the leader of an immortal sect, the other the Sovereign of the Demon Sect. They ought to be on similar footing, yet Xie Shu had just described every stall in detail, while Xiao Wu hadn’t recognized a single thing.

Xie Shu paused his fan-waving and chuckled, "Perhaps I’m just well-traveled."

Just then, a group of children ran past with freshly bought candied hawthorns. One of them, unable to stop in time amid the crowded street, nearly crashed into Xie Shu. Unable to dodge with his light-foot technique in such a packed space, Xie Shu flicked his fan to halt the child’s momentum.

The child didn’t fall, but the candied hawthorns smeared squarely onto Xie Shu’s fan, leaving a sticky mark.

Xiao Wu thought with concern.

Nothing in the Demon Palace was of poor quality. Even a random fan Xie Chunshan picked up could be a priceless relic from a bygone dynasty. Moreover, Palace Lord Xie was notorious for his temper. Though he treated Xiao Wu exceedingly well, Xiao Wu feared how he might react to a child bumping into him and staining his fan with sugar.

If the Sovereign of the Demon Sect lost his temper, the Yunzhou festival might not fare well.

"Palace Lord Xie," Xiao Wu said, somewhat nervous. He wasn’t sure how Xie Shu would behave toward ordinary people. "I see an interesting calligraphy and painting stall ahead. Shall we…"

Before "we" could even be spoken, Xie Shu snapped his fan shut with a flick and hoisted the child up from the ground, asking, "You okay?"

He spoke softly, perfectly calm, without the slightest hint of impatience.

Xiao Wu cut himself off mid-sentence; it hit him—the rumors were lies.

One's attitude toward the weak often best reflects their character. Xie Chunshan carried himself with the grace of a gentleman, never losing his temper even in front of a defenseless child. So where was that so-called viciousness?

Indeed, rumors could not be trusted in the slightest.

The child clambered upright, timidly looking at Xie Shu. Though young, he had grown up in the streets and knew how to read people. This nobleman, dressed in fine silks, was clearly someone of wealth and status—not someone he could afford to offend. He obediently lowered his head and apologized, "M’sorry, sir!"

Xie Shu tapped his fan. "You dropped your tanghulu. Still want to eat it?"

The child: "...Huh?"

Xie Shu: "Take these two coins. Go buy two sticks’ worth—one for yourself, and one for this guy next to me."

He gestured toward Xiao Wu with his fan.

Xiao Wu hesitated. "I..."

He stalled, tongue-tied, for a long while, unable to continue.

The child scratched the back of his head. "But—I can’t accept this! I dirtied your fan, and now you’re treating me to tanghulu?"

Xie Shu smiled. "Call it a fee, not a gift. Consider it a favor for running an errand for us. This guy here is too proud to admit he’s craving tanghulu, too embarrassed to buy it himself."

He probably thought a man his age shouldn’t be caught dead eating tanghulu.

Xiao Wu: "You—!"

Xie Shu turned back. "Don’t you want it?"

"..."

Xiao Wu gritted his teeth. "I do."

Xie Shu shooed the kid off. "Go on, then."

The child peered over his shoulder. "Oh, alright."

Before long, the child returned with two glossy-red tanghulu sticks, the haw berries glazed in crystallized sugar, utterly tempting.

He handed one to Xiao Wu. "Here ya go, mister!"

Xiao Wu quickly snatched it. "Thank you."

They continued walking.

After just a few steps, a woman came barreling after them, seemingly pursuing the child, scolding loudly, "Skiving off again, are you?! Have you finished your tutor’s assignments? You lazy little scamp, running around all day with tanghulu in your mouth, no manners at all! All that learning’s rotting your brain!"

The child darted through the crowd, shouting back as he fled, "Mom! One night won’t hurt! Let me have some fun! I’ll read the classics tomorrow!"

Another string of curses followed—"You little rascal!"

Their commotion faded into the distance.

Xiao Wu withdrew his gaze, a faint smile touching his brows. "Well, Palace Lord Xie? Thoughts?"

Xie Shu: "What are you looking at?"

Xiao Wu: "That child. His mother scolded him for being idle, constantly running around playing, always with a candied haw skewer in his mouth, with no trace of proper manners, saying all the sacred texts he read might as well have been fed to dogs."

Xie Shu: "He's only a child. Playing is natural for children. Studying is one thing, but you can't suppress his nature. Besides, no one said eating candied haws means you can't have decorum, right?"

As he spoke, he glanced to the side. Xiao Wu, after much effort, had finally managed to bite off the topmost hawthorn from his skewer. He kept it in his mouth and turned to look at Xie Shu.

Clearly, he hadn't heard a word Xie Shu said while struggling with the hawthorn.

Xie Shu: "...Never mind. Keep eating."

They walked along the street, Xie Shu buying him various snacks along the way. At a corner, they spotted a group of people approaching from afar, all dressed in blue robes with scrolling vine patterns on their sleeves and white jade waist pendants. They, too, were trying street food, chatting and laughing as they went.

Suddenly, Xie Shu pulled Xiao Wu aside, and the two squeezed into a narrow space between pillars.

Xiao Wu glanced at the distant group: "Just a local Yunzhou sect—they wouldn't last one strike from you. Why are you hiding from them?"

Among the hundreds of immortal sects, the Shangling Sect stood at the forefront, while the rest were countless minor sects, many of which Xie Shu couldn't even name.

The space was hardly big enough for the two of them to stand face-to-face, chest to chest. Despite their best efforts to avoid contact, their hips kept bumping against each other with every breath.

Xiao Wu's back broke out in goosebumps, the situation unbearably awkward. Under Xie Shu's gaze, his cheeks burned, and he was desperate to get out of this bizarre predicament as quickly as possible.

Xie Shu: "You're with me. Aren't you afraid they'll see you?"

Xiao Wu: "?"

Xie Shu sighed: "Lord Pingwu and Lord Wuwang together—aren't you afraid they'll see you?"

Both Xie Shu and Xiao Wu were prominent figures in the cultivation world, their names alone enough to make most tremble. While mortals might not recognize their faces, cultivators certainly would.

For Xie Shu, it didn't matter much. But Xiao Wu still had the Immortal-Demon Grand Tournament ahead of him, the twin responsibilities of the Shangling Sect and Wuwang Palace to shoulder, and the task of reforming both immortal and demon realms. Later, he would retire to Zhongnan, becoming the legendary, unattainable Mystic Leader of both worlds. No matter what, being seen strolling through a temple fair with the ruthless and tyrannical Xie Chunshan would tarnish his reputation.

Xiao Wu: "Why should it matter?"

From the moment his sect handed him over to Wuwang Palace, Xiao Wu—the former Mystic Leader of the righteous path—had already died. What remained was a cripple with shattered meridians. As for his experiences in the Demon Palace, he knew exactly how they would be twisted in rumors. The Righteous Path was no less vicious than the demonic factions when it came to slander—branding him a courtesan was putting it mildly. Far worse things had been said.

Xie Shu took a deep breath: "No. It matters."

Xiao Wu was the flawless jade he had carefully polished—clear as moonlight, flawless. He would not allow even the slightest blemish.

Even if that blemish was Xie Chunshan himself.

The disciples, now completely absorbed in the temple fair, wandered about, examining this and that, showing no signs of leaving anytime soon. Xiao Wu asked quietly: "Then what do we do? Wait?"

Xie Shu: "We wait."

Not far away, there was a stall selling masks.

Avoiding the cultivators, Xie Shu quickly selected two masks, paid, and returned. He put one on himself, then cupped the back of Xiao Wu's head and fitted the other onto him.

Xiao Wu: "That one suits you quite well?"

Xie Shu's mask was a fox, its narrow eyes painted with bold red lines. Despite being an animal mask, it looked oddly handsome.

Xiao Wu: "What does mine look like?"

Xie Shu had put it on too quickly for him to see.

Xie Shu stopped him from removing it: "Later. Let's go first."

He took Xiao Wu's hand and pulled him back into the bustling street.

The crowd was dense, shoulder to shoulder, growing even more packed as they neared the center. Xiao Wu, who had never been in such a setting before, got pushed around, utterly disoriented. With the street full of mortals, he couldn't use his Arts to force his way through. Before long, he and Xie Shu were separated by the surging masses.

Watching Xie Shu about to vanish from sight, Xiao Wu forgot all about propriety and reached out desperately for his sleeve, calling out in panic: "Xie Chunshan—"