Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1630 - 986: Scale Stone

The long street bustles, as evening smoke sparsely blankets the snow over the Maple Bridge, amidst the road’s splendor, plum blossoms and drifting willow fluffs.

Silver City’s winter is dazzling and frosty, yet it cannot hide the grandeur and wealth of this ancient city that spans millennia.

A unicorn with fur as white as snow, emitting a radiant brilliance akin to clean celestial stars, pulls a lavish Golden Chariot along a white-stone path, cleared of snow, its hooves clattering.

The poles and flags stretch across the market in endless procession, graceful towers accompany singing and dancing, their steps like lotus blooms.

The Qiao Gate adorned with halberds looks down upon countless wells, gold-tiled towers lean against each other, fully laden with cold lake boats reflected in color.

Baili An pokes his face, as pale as dishwater, out from the carriage window.

He holds a hand to his cheek, his Adam’s apple bobbing as if he’s about to vomit, yet he forces himself to endure.

The bustling scenery of the ancient city ahead is like fragments of a dream, entirely indistinguishable.

With the jolting of the carriage wheels, he feels an intense sense of weightlessness passing through his body, as if his internal organs are being squeezed together.

Fang Geyu, wrapped in a white crane robe, lies bonelessly on the soft couch in the carriage, holding a small red clay stove to warm his hands.

His eyelids lazily lift, watching the already half-dead Baili An.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it seems you’re truly unfit to enjoy the beauty’s favor, all the soup and cakes you ate are probably wreaking havoc in your belly right now."

Baili An, feeling weak, said, "Why do you insist on using a carriage for travel?"

Fang Geyu glanced sideways at him, "This is the appropriate spectacle for the young miss. If not by carriage, would you want this young miss to be like those ordinary folks, walking on foot?"

Saying it so pleasantly, it’s clear he wants to make him pay for eating the food sent by those girls at noon.

Baili An retorted, "Aren’t feet made for walking?"

Fang Geyu, justified, said, "You hurt this young miss’s foot already, do you really want me to walk?"

Baili An, stymied by him, lost his temper completely.

Today is the Sea God Festival, and Shifang City’s ancient streets are bustling with activity.

Colorful flags fluttered wildly in the wind, the city’s soldiers in unified armor, stepping between the paths with golden spears and long halberds, their formation precise, not sluggish.

The direction of the marching troops is towards the city’s northern end, along the high altar by the Northwest Endless Sea.

City Lord Fang You has already arrived, having changed from regular attire to a ceremonial robe of deep black and gold, wearing a tall crown and broad belt, making him appear grand and imposing, his physique mighty.

His gentle disposition completely dissipates, exuding a commanding aura of solemnity.

Standing on the altar, Fang You is without the company of Steward Qin Lou but instead has a black-robed man standing by his left side.

Compared to City Lord Fang You’s ceremonial dress, this man wears a simple black robe without any extra adornments.

What’s striking is that this black-robed man’s features are identical to City Lord Fang You, alike in both countenance and build.

The only difference is that while City Lord Fang You appears young and handsome, his face bears a beard.

This man, however, has a clean-shaven chin, and his tall stature seems slightly hunched, confirming what Fang Geyu said earlier in the morning.

This must be Fang Chi, Fang You’s younger brother from the same mother, Fang Geyu’s second uncle.

Baili An puts down the curtain, forcibly suppressing the urge to retch, leaning against the inside wall of the carriage, saying:

"It’s clear your second uncle holds great power, considering that today, for the Sea God Festival, only he has the right to be on that altar, standing beside your father."

Fang Geyu says, "Seven elders, almost half are his people. Though Qin Lou is highly regarded by my father, in the end, she is a woman.

In the minds of many, they inevitably think she serves with her beauty, her ability limited.

While second uncle, being a dear brother to my father, also possesses unfathomable cultivation, more capable of winning respect. Even my two arrogant older brothers give him ample honor."

Baili An asks, "What about you?"

Fang Geyu hesitates slightly, then laughs and says, "In my heart, he’s simply my second uncle."

Baili An falls silent.

By the looks of it, things are rather tricky.

"Do you know, Sea God Festival, what kind of day is it?" Fang Geyu lifts a corner of the curtain, gazing onto the plaza.

Baili An says, "Shifang City is situated by the Northwest Sea, with its power suppressing the sea demons, preventing disturbances.

Besides Shifang City’s efforts, during Lord Xue’s time, there was also consensus with the deities of the sea.

Should sea demons invade, she would use the city’s power to protect the sea, purifying the waters with Spiritual Power, preventing harm to sea life.

The sea deities would also protect Shifang City, being its strong supporter.

To ensure enduring friendship between the two, Lord Xue established the Sea God Festival, engaging the entire city in a one-day devotion to the Sea God, bestowing the power of belief.

Prayers for favorable weather conditions in the coming year, making it an incredibly significant event in Shifang City."

"It’s much more than significant. The Sea God Festival affects Shifang City’s fortune, weather, and blessings.

Most importantly, on the founding day of Shifang City and its covenant with the Sea God, the Sea God shed a scale from its own heart, granting blessings to Shifang City."

Fang Geyu points to an enormous scale stone in the center of the altar, its color akin to Seven Luminaries Crystal, transparent and pure, standing seven zhang tall.

Like light and moonshine condensed and transformed in the depths of the sea a hundred thousand zhang below.

The surface of the scale stone harbors a wintry chill, cloaked in a thick layer of soft, white snow.

"Our Shifang City’s talisman spirit awakening ceremony also originates from this scale stone. In our Shifang City, for any local citizen or disciple of the royal sect.

Any child reaching three years old must perform the awakening ceremony by the scale stone, to awaken their talisman spirit."