Chapter 32: The Metal Deity

Ye Minwei followed the little Fortune Children as they wove through the streets and alleys. Most of the time, this world was immersed in a vibrant, boisterous display of festive colors and cacophonous noise. The faces of the pedestrians she brushed past would suddenly sharpen, their expressions relaxed and joyous, before melting back into the kaleidoscope of colors.

The world was blurred. The crowd was like water, and joy was like a layer of oil floating upon it; wherever the crowd surged, the joy drifted along with it, burning fiercely and throwing off sparks—a dazzling, dizzying spectacle. In this state of disorientation, even without her vision-stone, Ye Minwei felt a hint of vertigo.

It was not out of discomfort, but rather curiosity.

She carried a pocketful of "Fortune Confetti," though she had no real desire to eat it; for some reason, she simply loved the radiant expressions on people’s faces when they placed the treats into her hands.

When the Gold God Parade was about to begin, the children finally bid her farewell to go and prepare. They had specifically pointed out a spot for her to claim, telling her it was the best vantage point. With her vision blurred, Ye Minwei stood in the front row of the crowded street, remaining as immovable as a rock while the people around her swayed and jostled.

Suddenly, a gong sounded, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Ye Minwei turned her head and saw a long procession swaying as it approached from the end of the street. Leading the way were dozens of young men and girls in colorful costumes, shaking bells and pulling a massive float. The float stood two stories high, exquisitely carved, fragrant, and adorned with gold leaf. Surrounding the float was a musical troupe of young artisans, playing their instruments in perfect harmony, their joyful music filling the air.

The lower level of the float was lined with drums, played by shirtless men whose rhythm matched the music, the beat rapid and rousing. And atop that layered, ornate platform danced the performer playing the "Gold God." Behind the float, lion and dragon dancers performed, with Fortune Children offering blessings.

The cheers of the crowd rose in waves. Ye Minwei could not make out the finer details, only seeing the parade approaching from afar, a jumble of high and low shadows weaving together.

When the drums and music struck up, she froze for a moment.

The colorful crowd drew nearer, accompanied by the chiming of bells. The cheers, the frantic drums, and the merry music closed in. Amidst the deafening roar, Ye Minwei faintly discerned the sound of golden tassels.

They must have been the golden tassels on a wooden staff, swaying and striking against each other. As the music reached its crescendo, they would fly into the air, spinning for a moment and scattering with a soft, rustling sound.

As Ye Minwei stood in a daze, the colorfully dressed youths passed before her. Their joyful faces, the bells held high in their hands, and the swirling hem of their garments shifted from blurred to clear, and then back to blurred.

At that moment, driven by some unknown impulse, Ye Minwei took her vision-stone from her pouch, placed it on the bridge of her nose, and looked again.

In an instant, everything that had been melting into the colors of the world became razor-sharp. Under the sky filled with fireworks, she saw the illuminated faces of the people, their raised hands, the fervor in their eyes, the magnificent float, the joyous musicians, and the shirtless drummers.

And there was the person standing atop the float.

He wore an intricate robe of brownish-yellow, and a bronze mask with golden tassels covered the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of beautiful, upturned phoenix eyes. The wooden staff in his hand was exquisitely carved, topped with a small golden deity, with foot-long, cloud-shaped golden tassels hanging from the lotus base.

It was the very same staff she had seen him summon from a nightmare on Mount Chongdan. Its true form was actually the ritual staff of the Gold God Festival.

The staff spun and danced in his hands as if he possessed a supernatural command over it, or as if the staff were his own flesh and bone, obeying his every whim. He walked upon that high platform as if it were solid ground, his posture like a swimming dragon—wild and fervent. The fireworks made his mask and staff shimmer brilliantly, as if, in that moment, he were truly possessed by a deity.

The audience around her cheered wildly. Ye Minwei, caught in the overwhelming vertigo, simply looked up at him.

"What dance was that you performed that night?" she had asked Wen Ci not long ago.

"There were once some spectacular ancient village mask dances here, but they have long since vanished. So, based on my memories of those dances, I adapted them into this ritual dance."

He had answered thus.

"Do you really love music and performance?"

"Naturally. I go wherever there is a lively festival or celebration. There are three hundred and sixty-five days in a year, and there are far more than three hundred and sixty-five festivals across the Nine Provinces. One can find excitement every single day. If it weren't for accompanying you to find the Nightmare Beast... ah, even if I weren't, I had originally planned to come here for the Gold God Festival."

Between the steps of his dance, the "Gold God" on the high platform seemed to lower his gaze to look at her. It was the same look he had given her when he spoke those words.

"I am a person who loves excitement, loves the sound of laughter, and enjoys being the center of attention. Over these decades, I have traveled the length and breadth of the land, watching the most fervent ceremonies, enjoying the finest music and theater. Whatever I like, I learn. As the world changes and customs fade, if people forget them, I teach them back."

"As long as humanity thrives, celebrations will continue through the generations. Just as you love calculations and arts, this is what I am passionate about. I never tire of it."

The "Gold God" performer leaped down from the high platform. The ritual staff caught a flower basket from the float, and as it overturned, countless dried golden flowers rained down upon the people. These flowers had been smoked with special incense for forty-nine days and would retain their fragrance for a year—a blessing from the Gold God.

Everyone stretched out their arms, waving enthusiastically. Ye Minwei also stood on tiptoe, reaching out, watching as the golden rain of flowers was about to fall on her section.

Yet, at that very moment, the "Gold God" paused ever so slightly, and the next basket tilted a fraction slower.

It bypassed Ye Minwei perfectly.

The people before her happily clutched their flowers, wishing each other the Gold God’s blessing. The people behind her did the same, wishing each other peace and prosperity. Only she was left with empty hands suspended in mid-air.

Ye Minwei slowly retracted her hand and whispered, "Stingy. Holding a grudge."

The tall, sturdy woman next to her was not pleased to hear this and said, "Young lady, how can you scold the Gold God?"

Ye Minwei pointed at the retreating "Gold God." "But he..."

"Oh, my! Still pointing at the Gold God!" The woman immediately pressed her hand down, saying sternly, "So you didn't get a flower? Think about your own reasons! Did you treat people poorly, speak ill of others, trip people up, tell too many lies, or harbor petty thoughts? Reflect on yourself, and you'll get one next year!"

She patted Ye Minwei on the back with such force that it made a dull "thud" sound.

Before Ye Minwei could reply, the woman’s expression changed drastically. She pointed tremblingly at the sky and shouted, "Good heavens! What is that!"

Ye Minwei turned around. At the end of the long street, the peak of Mount Chongdan was glowing crimson, the fire soaring to light up half the sky. The flames seemed to erupt from the mountaintop, flowing down like molten iron, surging with heat, instantly consuming all of Mount Chongdan and rushing toward Ningyu Town like an apocalyptic force.

The people, who had just been immersed in the joy of the festival, were struck with terror and fled in panic. People cried out that this was an omen of disaster. Immortal sect disciples, already prepared in the shadows, emerged to maintain order and evacuate the crowd.

Ye Minwei simply looked up quietly at the crimson tide rushing toward them. Shadows were chaotic as people collided with her shoulders, running and screaming in all directions, but she remained as immovable as before.

The parade dispersed. The musicians, drummers, youths, and Fortune Children were all in a state of panic. In a heartbeat, the crowd around the float vanished, leaving only the "Gold God" behind.

On the stationary float, he stood quietly on the high platform, his wooden staff in hand. The wind caught his layered robes, and the golden tassels on his mask and staff swayed. In the silver moonlight and the firelight from the mountain, he looked like a piece of cold iron tempered in a furnace.

Amidst the cries of panic and grief, Ye Minwei heard the sound of bells. Crisp, rhythmic, melodious, and clear, they rang out one after another like a wordless ballad.

They were the bells that belonged to Wen Ci.

The overwhelming crimson sea of fire swept over, but it did not flood into Ningyu Town. It flew over the town like a flock of crimson eagles, huddled together as they headed toward the distance, turning the entire sky a deep, burning red.

Under the crimson sky, Ye Minwei saw the "Gold God" on the high platform lower his head and look toward her. He seemed to smile, though it was too far to be certain, and in an instant, he vanished into the deepening night.

The fire on the mountain disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, as if carried away by that flock of crimson "eagles." In the blink of an eye, everything fell silent. Under the moonlight, the deep, forested valleys of Mount Chongdan looked lush and green again, as if nothing had ever happened.

Ye Minwei recalled the legends people told: what was atop the mist-shrouded peak of Mount Chongdan? Beyond the summit where even eagles could not return, there dwelt immortals, and the Gold God.

It was people's fantasy; it was both a beautiful dream and a nightmare.

The master of nightmares finally leaped down from the float. With a flick of his wooden staff, he slung it over his back. Amidst the jingle of bells, he removed his mask and hung it over Ye Minwei's ear, covering the lower half of her face.

He said, "If you wear the vision-stone, why wear a mask? Aren't you afraid of people seeing your face?"

Ye Minwei held the mask in place and turned with him into an alley. The fragrance of Wen Ci drifted on the wind. She remembered that he had always carried this scent—the same fragrance as the blessed dried flowers from today.

"As the world changes and customs fade, if people forget them, I teach them back."

She had heard that the Gold God Festival had only become a tradition within the last dozen years or so.

*So that’s how it is,* Ye Minwei thought.

*It was your dance, your incense, and you were the one who originally choreographed the festival for them.*

The master of nightmares, yet the one who most loved to weave beautiful dreams for others.

For the first time, Ye Minwei felt a sense of curiosity about Wen Ci’s life.

Half an hour later, the sound of retching came from the deserted alley. Ye Minwei leaned against the wall, her waist deeply bent. Since she hadn't eaten anything, she couldn't bring anything up, only suffering from painful nausea. Tears streamed down her face, dropping onto the ground one by one, as if she were sobbing bitterly.

Wen Ci stood behind her. He reached out as if to pat her back, but stopped just as he was about to touch her.

He withdrew his hand and clasped it behind his back the very moment Ye Minwei stood up.

Ye Minwei clutched her chest, her waist still weakly hunched. She had been dizzy while watching the parade, but her attention had been elsewhere. Now that she had regained her senses, the accumulated vertigo struck her all at once.

At this moment, every time she closed her eyes, she saw the sharp, vivid details of the crowd—down to the patterns on people's fingernails, the jade pendants on their ears, and the light reflected in their eyes.