Shi Qingxuan's Dragrace

14. Nightfall at The Wind and Water Temple

The day of the festival dawned on the Royal Capital; a day dreaded for some, but pretty much awaited and cherished by most. There was this excitement lingering in the air, sparks of happy expectation almost palpable, Shi Qingxuan's Dragrace being the talk of town.

The Wind and Water Temple looked stunning after all the refurbishment it went through, lit by countless lights placed cleverly with the intention of giving the building an extra dreamy appearance, truly rivalling The Great Martial Hall in the Heavenly Court.

The interiors were astonishing, with its glittery surfaces reflecting all the lights, making them shimmer in many colours, bright enough to give a man a mental breakdown. A scentless smoke was giving off a supernatural atmosphere; illusions of giant flowers and shapes spiralled in the air, seductive and exotic music was being played.

The attendees were swarming inside the temple in a frenzy, dressed colourful and glittery, joining the event's atmosphere, aiming for the best spots to see the pageantry; a special spiritual broadcasting array was setup for all in the building to access it regardless of their spiritual status.

Shi Qingxuan also repurposed the side altars as bars, where the attendees were also swarming to purchase refreshments; true to the festival's nature, the drinks on offer were colourful, fizzy and extensively decorated cocktails. The bar attendants were diligent and efficient, even in that noisy and chaotic environment.

"BOSS! ONE 'SPARKLING PHOENIX AT DAWN' COCKTAIL!" the pig spirit shouted, and a nearby cultivator dressed in yellow robes frowned. "WHATCHA LOOKIN'AT?" the pig spirit replied.

Besides the people from the Royal Capital, bands of monks and cultivators led by Heaven's Eye as well as ghosts from Ghost City all came; it was suggested separate sessions for such esteemed patrons, but Shi Qingxuan dismissed the idea, saying it'd be a night of diversity and inclusion between The Three Realms. Also, he didn't want to offend Hua Cheng treating his subjects as second-class citizens.

"Amitabha Buddha. Isn't that the pig spirit your sect is hunting?" the cultivator asked a fellow monk.

"En. Are you having a 'Sparkling Phoenix At Dawn' too? That's a good name!"

"The essence of evil is thick in these cocktails!", Heaven's Eye couldn't help himself.

"Amitabha Buddha. What is deeply rooted cannot be pulled out. Cheers!"

They all downed their drinks and ordered another round. The mortals present at the temple didn't mind the mix; they wanted precisely an evening of weird and wonderful, magical and supernatural pleasures to the senses, rubbing shoulders with gods and ghosts alike.

This is sounding better than ascension! 😀😀😀

Thanks for reading!