The lanterns were lit.

Inside the Wall City, it was bustling with excitement, a scene completely different from the desolation of yesterday.

Every household held red lanterns, laughing and chatting as they headed towards the east of the city.

Hu Li followed the crowd, with an old man carrying a little girl on his shoulder beside him. The little girl, restless in the old man's arms, played with the old man's long beard, giggling.

The old man glanced at the little girl and chuckled, "What a silly girl."

He lifted the little girl up, and she rested her head on the old man's shoulder, while he patted her back.

"Grandpa, look, there are stars," the little girl exclaimed, pointing at the dark sky adorned with twinkling stars.

"You see them every day," the old man replied nonchalantly.

"The ones I see every day are just the stars in the sky above our home," the little girl said, sticking out her tongue. Then she pointed again, laughing, "Now I'm looking at all the stars in the sky."

The old man remained silent, following the crowd while shielding the little girl with his arm. Young and curious, the little girl leaned on the old man's shoulder, noticing Hu Li beside her.

Hu Li trailed behind the old man and the little girl by half a step. The little girl reached out and touched Hu Li's scabbard, excitedly wanting to touch it again. "Grandpa, it's a big sword," she exclaimed.

Hu Li turned and smiled at the little girl, slowing down his pace to let her touch the scabbard again as she wished.

The old man's expression stiffened, and he reached out to stop the little girl's hand, saying to Hu Li, "The little girl doesn't know any better. Sorry for disturbing you, sir."

"Is the old gentleman a local?" Hu Li asked, bowing politely, then continued, "I am Hu Li, just arrived in the Wall City yesterday. I would like to ask the old gentleman, what's the reason for the hustle and bustle ahead?"

The old man was not pleased at all.

Everyone in the Wall City knew.

People like this young man who came to the Wall City were only here for the Liangwang's underground palace. How could they not know why May 3rd was so lively? They must have ulterior motives.

"Somebody is selling very expensive clothes over there," the little girl chimed in, blinking her eyes.

"Little girl, do you know what those expensive clothes are for?" Hu Li asked with a smile.

The old man stopped the little girl from speaking.

"Don't talk to him," the old man lightly tapped the little girl and then looked at Hu Li's face, frowning. "People nowadays have no good intentions, asking questions they already know the answers to."

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With that, the old man hugged the little girl and stopped talking to Hu Li.

The little girl stuck out her tongue at Hu Li and then buried her head on the old man's shoulder, not saying anything more.

Hu Li didn't mind. He slowed down his pace and walked past them.

The old man was very guarded, thinking that Hu Li knew everything and that asking them was for some other undisclosed purpose. Hu Li's breakthrough was unsuccessful again, so he had to go along with the crowd to the east of the city.

The east of the city was bustling with activity, still retaining some of its former glory despite the Wall City's dilapidation.

Perhaps it was because of May 3rd, the east of the city had been specially cleaned up.

In the long alley, every household hung red lanterns, all shining brightly. Under the red lanterns were temporary stalls set up by vendors.

Masks, lanterns, clay figurines, tasty pastries, and fragrant spices were all available.

Pedestrians streamed endlessly. The vendors made a little extra profit thanks to Xu Xiazi's popularity.

May 3rd was like the Wall City's own Lantern Festival.

In the Hundred Zhang Alley in the east of the city, a red silk curtain clustered around a plaque with no words on it. Each shop had a rectangular platform outside its door. People strolled in Hundred Zhang Alley not just for Xu Xiazi's clothes, but for other purposes. And those with specific goals had already set their sights on the platform early on.

Hu Li wasn't in a hurry. He wandered around the stalls in the alley. He glanced sideways and found a group of people that looked familiar. Hu Li picked up a mask from the stall and put it on, leaving only his eyes visible.

Covering his face, he looked around boldly.

A vendor suggested that Hu Li buy one as a souvenir, with "Wall City" engraved in thin gold letters on the mask.

Hu Li only half-listened. He finally recognized the familiar group of people in the dim light. They were the ones from the inn.

The leader was the one who slammed the knife on the table in the inn.

Those people were usually rude and arrogant. In the crowded Hundred Zhang Alley, they pushed and shoved people out of the way, creating a path for themselves to approach the platform without hindrance.

There must be a master among them in the Wall City this time.

Earlier, these people were shouting and causing a commotion to get near the platform, and surprisingly, they succeeded without any obstacles.

Was there a hidden expert among them, concealing their strength, or did they have some special status?

Hu Li put down the mask and followed them.

The vendor, feeling disappointed that Hu Li didn't buy, sighed but didn't call him back. When he saw the direction Hu Li was heading, he whispered softly.

In the fameless Wall City, who would come here for no reason?

It took Hu Li a while to squeeze to the side of the platform. It was dark ahead, and the crowd was thick on both sides.

Suddenly, there was a crisp voice from the left, and a child was squeezed among adults, with no one considering the weight.

Hu Li reached out and picked up the child in his arms.

The child giggled in Hu Li's arms, patting his arm, "Big brother, why is it you again?"

Hu Li recognized the child as the little girl who was with the old man just now.

It was fate.

Hu Li smiled, asking the little girl, "Where's your grandpa? Why isn't he with you?"

The little girl snorted and lifted her chin, "Grandpa didn't bring me to come, so I came by myself."

"Your grandpa must be very worried about you," Hu Li said, tapping the little girl's forehead, then he put her down. "Come on, let's go find your grandpa."

Hu Li was about to turn and walk out of the crowd when someone got on the platform, and two attendants placed a long table on it, with eight candles on the table. The man who got on the platform stood in front of the long table, cleared his throat, and said, "Thank you all for coming to the Wall City on May 3rd. I, Xu Xiazi, thank you in advance."

The little girl grabbed Hu Li's shoulder anxiously and pointed to the stage, "Big brother, it's starting!"

Hu Li didn't stop but quickly walked out of the crowd. Behind him, Xu Xiazi's voice grew fainter and fainter, like a summer breeze.

At the outskirts of the crowd, Hu Li saw the old man anxiously looking around.

The little girl, who was pouting just now, also calmed down when she saw the old man and ran to him, shouting, "Grandpa!"

The old man hurried over and stood beside Hu Li.

Hu Li put the little girl down, and she ran to the old man's legs. The old man frowned, but he still protected the child with his hand, saying, "Why are you running around? What's so interesting about that commotion? I should have just left you alone and let you wander."

"I was almost squeezed to death, but big brother saved me," the girl named Qiao Qiao said while pouting, pretending not to hear the old man's words just now.

The old man listened to Qiao Qiao's words and then shifted his gaze to Hu Li. His eyes narrowed slightly, "Why is it you again? What's your purpose?"

"Senior, I don't have any other intentions. I just saw a child in the crowd earlier and was afraid she would get hurt, so I picked her up. Later, I recognized her as Qiao Qiao, whom I had met before. I was afraid you would be worried, so I took the initiative to bring her out," Hu Li said, looking at Qiao Qiao. She nodded vigorously as if to confirm what Hu Li said.

A child wouldn't lie.

The old man patted Qiao Qiao's head, warned her a few words, and then said coldly to Hu Li, "Xu Xiazi's clothes are about to be sold. What are you still doing here?"

"What's the use of those clothes?" Hu Li turned around and looked, then said frankly.

The old man didn't say anything, carefully considering it.

Could it be that this kid really didn't know the ins and outs of Xu Xiazi's clothes, and he was just curious to ask them about it? And just now, when the deal on the stage was about to start, this kid brought Qiao Qiao out by himself.

The old man's expression changed slightly, but he didn't mince words, "Naturally, they're used for digging people's ancestors' graves and extorting people's money."

As soon as the old man finished speaking, a May breeze blew past, carrying a slightly sweet scent.