The Night Sky on Chinese New Year's Eve

The villagers of Xiushui Village were in their homes, just about to exchange New Year greetings with their families, when they unexpectedly saw flashes of light darting across the night sky. Immediately after, they heard a series of loud bang, bang, bang explosions echoing from the dark heavens above.

Some terrified villagers thought it was a succession of thunderclaps. But when they looked up, they were met with a sky full of vibrant, multicolored lights.

Giant fireworks bloomed in the ink-black night sky, brilliant and resplendent.

The initially fearful villagers gradually became intoxicated by this magnificent sight.

Each massive flower of light was unique, displaying colors they had never seen before.

Though each bloom was fleeting, it was immediately followed by an even more dazzling firework.

This ephemeral beauty reflected again and again in the eyes of every villager in Xiushui Village, as if filling in the colors missing from their past lives, painting a wondrous dream for them this New Year.

The children were not as shocked as the adults. After a brief moment of surprise, their eyes filled with pure joy.

Children did not know how to suppress their emotions. Amidst the deafening bangs of the fireworks, they screamed and cheered with delight.

Covering their ears, they excitedly ran out of their homes, eager to find their friends and revel together beneath this unprecedentedly lively night sky.

To their surprise, as soon as they stepped outside, they turned their heads and saw their neighbors' children also bursting out of their doors.

And so, as if sharing a telepathic connection, the children formed groups and began chasing and playing tirelessly throughout the village.

While playing, they kept looking up at the fireworks in the sky, their hearts brimming with happiness.

Up on the mountain, the elders had been anticipating what Lin Xiao and the kids were going to do ever since he mentioned it.

They had made various guesses and preparations in their minds.

However, everyone was still pleasantly surprised by the sight before them.

Even Liao Pantu and Liu Chun were no exception.

In truth, they had seen far more magnificent and gorgeous scenes in the cultivation world than the one before them.

But they were amazed by the romance these children shared with others.

In the past, they had never considered what their cultivation could be used for, other than self-preservation and climbing higher.

That was until they met Lin Xiao and the Lingxian Sect.

So, cultivation could also be used to do something like this.

To share with mortals, to share with family and friends.

They thought that Lin Xiao and those youngsters must be incredibly happy right now.

Just as they expected.

Lin Xiao and the others, who were continuously setting off fireworks from various corners of the village, were currently hiding in the dark. They listened to the joyous laughter and lively chatter coming from every household, mingling with the sound of the fireworks.

Looking at the beautiful scenery they had created with their own hands in the sky, each of them felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

Now, the entire village was rejoicing over the beauty they had created.

They thought that all the villagers right now must be experiencing what Brother Xiao called happiness.

At this time, He Siyou was also standing in his courtyard with his wife and daughter, stunned by the brilliant fireworks in the night sky.

Sitting on the stone platform in the courtyard with one arm around his wife, He Siyou murmured:

"This place... is a fairyland, isn't it..."

Although he had seen fireworks before, the ones before him were completely different from the dry, meager fireworks he had seen in the past.

In the past, he had always found fireworks very beautiful and made it a point to take his wife and daughter to the streets to watch them during festivals.

Now, compared to this brilliance, he could only describe the old ones as 'dry and meager'.

Each of these fireworks was as large as a blooming peony in a painting, almost covering the entire sky above Xiushui Village.

The colors even shifted and changed.

As did the shapes.

"Father, look! That's a rabbit!"

He Siyou's daughter was overwhelmed by the continuous display of fireworks. Her little head darted back and forth, looking here, then quickly turning there for fear of missing a newly bloomed firework.

After this fireworks feast had bloomed in the night for about fifteen minutes, everyone sensed that it was coming to an end.

The variety of fireworks in the sky gradually decreased, and they no longer filled the sky as densely.

Everyone felt a bit reluctant to see it end, but they also knew that enjoying such a beautiful sight for so long was already enough.

Beautiful things are precious because they are rare.

Of course, this was what the people thought.

But Liao Pantu and the others on the mountain knew that it was just because those little brats had exhausted their spiritual energy.

The remaining fireworks were likely the handiwork of Lin Xiao, Jiang Youfu, and Sun Yigao, the three with the most profound spiritual energy.

This was indeed the case.

Aside from the three of them, the others had gradually run out of spiritual energy and had long since joined the ranks of the screaming, laughing, and playing village children.

Only Lin Xiao and the other two remained, continuing to weave this dream for everyone.

However, Lin Xiao and the others had agreed beforehand not to wait until all of their spiritual energy was depleted. About half an hour would be enough.

And so, nearly half an hour later, the villagers saw that the various patterns of fireworks in the sky suddenly changed.

They turned into words.

In Village Chief Du's house, his three-year-old grandson tugged at Village Chief Du's sleeve and asked in a childish voice:

"Grandpa, are those words?"

Village Chief Du nodded kindly at him and said:

"That's right, Good Little Bean is so smart. Grandpa will teach you, those four words are read as 'Happiness, Longevity, Peace, and Health'."

"Happiness, Longevity, Peace, and Health? What does that mean, Grandpa?"

"It means that our little Bean and everyone in our village will have a long, happy life, and be safe and healthy in the future."

...

Meanwhile, in the He family courtyard, He Siyou's daughter was tugging at his sleeve with boundless energy, shaking it while pointing at the sky:

"Father! Look at that 'Peace and Joy'! That is our teacher's handwriting! It must be!"

His daughter's name was He Shaojun.

Ever since He Shaojun started studying, almost all the handwriting she saw belonged to Sun Yigao, so she could recognize it at a single glance now.

He Siyou raised an eyebrow and teased her:

"I think these words look pretty much the same as the copybooks sold outside. How can you be so certain?"

To his surprise, his daughter disdainfully crossed her arms and said proudly:

"Not at all! Our teacher's handwriting is excellent. The spirit and charm in every stroke cannot be compared to those ordinary copybooks sold in shops."

Her mother, Madam He, smiled and said:

"No wonder I don't see you practicing with copybooks anymore. It turns out you despise those copybooks for not being as beautiful as your teacher's handwriting."

He Siyou valued his only precious daughter immensely. Even though he had always wanted to enroll her in a private school and those schools refused to accept girls, it didn't stop him from nurturing his daughter since she was young.

Therefore, He Shaojun's knowledge did not just begin after entering the private school.

Seeing her teacher's handwriting, He Shaojun was extremely happy:

"Father, Mother, let me tell you, our teacher is amazing. His lectures are not like those female teachers Father hired before. He easily quotes the classics, makes learning fun, and moreover, he is an immortal! He knows magic!"