The task of clearing the dishes was left to the servants. After putting down their chopsticks, Qing Chen and Han Qingyue bid farewell to Qing Xiong and left the Qing Family Mansion together.
The Qing Family Mansion was not far from where the Lantern Festival was held, so the two chose to walk there.
"If my wife feels tired, I can carry you on my back, or in my arms, that works too."
Hearing Qing Chen's words, Han Qingyue quickly said, "Though I am a princess, I am not that delicate. A few steps like this won't tire me out."
Qing Chen did not insist. If Han Qingyue agreed, he would profit greatly; if she didn't, he wouldn't lose anything.
Afraid that Qing Chen might misunderstand, Han Qingyue added, "Of course, I don't mean to dislike you. I just want to tell you that I'm not that fragile."
"I understand."
...
As they continued to walk, the crowd grew denser.
"I didn't expect so many people to attend the Lantern Festival outside the palace." Han Qingyue knew it would be lively, but she never imagined it would be *this* lively.
At a glance, the crowd was like a swarm of fish crossing a river, densely moving about.
Then, her hand was suddenly grabbed.
Han Qingyue was startled, her delicate body trembling slightly.
She looked down.
Just as she was about to pull away, she followed the hand with her gaze, and when she saw that the person holding her hand was Qing Chen, she stopped her thought.
Qing Chen spoke in time, "There are many people here. I don't want to lose my wife."
Han Qingyue softly "hmm"ed, allowing Qing Chen to hold her hand without struggling.
Since it was Qing Chen's kind intention, how could she let him down? Han Qingyue didn't want to be an ingrate.
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Cultivation increased by five minor Realms!]
Although it wasn't a direct Breakthrough of a major Realm like last time, being able to Break through from the second layer of the Nascent Soul Realm to the seventh layer of the Nascent Soul Realm was still a very good reward for Qing Chen.
After walking for a while longer, the bright glow of lanterns could already be seen in the distance.
Along with it came an increasingly crowded flow of people.
Noticing that someone was about to bump into Han Qingyue, Qing Chen reached out, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and dominantly pulled her into his embrace, their chests pressed tightly together.
"..." Han Qingyue leaned against Qing Chen's chest, her fists lightly clenched.
Knowing Qing Chen's reason for doing this, she did not resist, nor did she blame Qing Chen.
Instead of blaming Qing Chen, she inwardly scolded herself for her heart beating faster and faster.
So loud that it filled her ears, almost drowning out the joyous sounds of hundreds of people around them.
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Comprehension Ability +100!]
'One hundred Comprehension Ability?!'
Qing Chen almost couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth.
The amount of this reward was much more generous than he had imagined.
He decided that after the Lantern Festival ended, he would find a Cultivation Technique and thoroughly test how high his current Comprehension Ability had become.
Looking at the numerical value alone was not enough to truly reflect it.
"It seems we can't go any further." Han Qingyue felt a bit regretful. There was still a considerable distance to the best spot for viewing the lanterns.
These folk lanterns were no less impressive than those she saw in the palace, and even grander in scale.
Catching the disappointment on Han Qingyue's face, Qing Chen reached out again to encircle her waist, thoughtfully reminding her, "Hold on to me."
"Oh." Although she didn't know what Qing Chen intended, Han Qingyue subconsciously did as he said, pressing her whole body against him and hugging Qing Chen tightly with both hands.
The next moment, Qing Chen stepped forward, directly carrying Han Qingyue as he soared into the air. With a few leaps, they ascended to the highest pavilion nearby.
"Wife, hold on tight, be careful not to fall." Qing Chen reminded her.
Han Qingyue didn't have time to reply. At a glance, countless lanterns filled her vision, colorful and breathtakingly beautiful.
From this angle, it was hundreds of times more stunning than before!
"So beautiful!" Han Qingyue exclaimed.
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: longevity fruit +20!]
Regarding this reward, Qing Chen's thoughts remained unchanged; he planned to exchange them for Magic Treasure from powerful Cultivators in the future, or to build connections.
The closer one was to the end of their life, the more precious Lifespan became!
Qing Chen clearly understood the meaning of the ancient saying: "An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time."
"Immortal! It's an Immortal!"
"Look at them, why can't you do something like that?"
"I would like to, but can you give me a Spiritual Root?"
"Ah, why don't I have such an excellent Dao Companion?"
"Although I can't clearly see the faces of those two, their aura is definitely not that of Mortals!"
...
Everyone was discussing animatedly.
Seeing herself become the object of everyone's envy because of Qing Chen, Han Qingyue couldn't help but feel a little smug, a bit... proud.
Then, after confirming that Han Qingyue was standing steadily, Qing Chen decided to turn a bold idea in his mind into reality.
He saw him rotate his hands, condensing a ball of azure spiritual energy.
Once the spiritual energy ball became the size of an orange, Qing Chen shot it a hundred zhang into the sky.
Immediately, with a loud bang, the spiritual energy ball exploded into hundreds of scattered flames, forming a dazzling fireworks display.
Adding much splendor to the Lantern Festival.
Looking up at the brilliant fireworks, Han Qingyue's thin lips slightly parted. She watched intently, her eyes shimmering.
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Earth Rank Low Grade Moon-Slaying Sword +1!]
After confirming the feasibility of the plan, Qing Chen condensed more spiritual energy balls, each of a different color.
They were successively shot into the sky. The next moment, red, yellow, blue, green, cyan, indigo, purple... various colors of fireworks exploded one after another, filling the night sky.
Breathtakingly beautiful!
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Fifth-Grade Divine Pill +50!]
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Comprehension Ability +200!]
[Successful pampering of wife! Congratulations to the Host for receiving a random reward: Free Attribute Points +100! Note: Free Attribute Points can be added to any attribute by the Host as desired!]
...
The fireworks were a blast to watch, and Qing Chen also reaped a ton of rewards for pampering his wife.
Making some Qi Refining Cultivators exclaim, "Spiritual energy can be used like this?!"
"That's why they can find a Fairy Dao Companion, while you and I can only come to the Lantern Festival alone."
"I learned something! This time, I really learned something!"
"Learned something? With our current cultivation, it's already difficult to create even one such firework. For him to create so many, his cultivation must be at least at the Peak of Golden Core Realm or above!"
"Oh my goodness! Peak of Golden Core Realm! Both powerful and resourceful, such a Dao Companion is truly enviable."
Seeing their Junior Sister admiring Qing Chen, the Senior Brothers from their Sect couldn't help but entertain the idea of becoming Qing Chen's disciples.
How could they not admire a Master who was both powerful and knew how to win a beauty's heart?
If Qing Chen knew their thoughts, he would only reply: "No disciples."
As for the time that followed?
Qing Chen stopped his actions.
It wasn't that he didn't want to continue farming rewards, nor was it because his spiritual energy was depleted. Rather, the remaining spiritual energy had a new purpose.
His gaze instantly became sharp.
His eyes were like knives!