Chapter 218: Chapter 218 Ghost Festival Fireworks (3rd Update)
Translator: 549690339
The Zhongyuan Festival had finally arrived.
From early in the morning, people had been coming to the Sensoji Temple to offer incense and worship.
Meanwhile, in a tall wooden building behind Sensoji Temple, three exceptionally handsome men stood chatting leisurely by a window.
“Yoshioka Taro, do you believe that the incense these people are burning will really be received by the spirits?” a young man asked with a smile.
The present-day Sword Saint of the Shinto Munen-ryu, Yoshioka Taro, shook his head. “This is nothing more than a way to express one’s grief!”
Another man with a powdered face chuckled behind his hand, “It seems that Ono is a bit afraid!”
Ono glared, “Akiyama, stop talking nonsense. Who said I was afraid?”
“Oh? If you’re not afraid, why ask such strange questions? After all, you are the heir to the Iaijutsu!”
Ono Yuji’s face darkened as he glared at the effeminate man.
Akiyama Hayato, the head of the Hokuto Ittoryu school.
These three represented the pinnacle of Country R’s Sword Dao.
“Enough, Akiyama, cut it out. Xue An is indeed formidable, and to defeat him, it will take the combined effort of the three of us!” Yoshioka Taro said quietly.
Akiyama Hayato snorted through his nose, “I don’t believe he’s all that impressive.”
“If he’s not impressive, then how did Qianshan Yipye of the Kyo Shinmyo Mitsu-ryu die?” Ono Yuji said coldly.
“Hehe, as martial artists of Great Country R, the most important thing is to have the conviction of victory. Qianshan Yipye was too pedantic—his death was well-deserved!” Akiyama Hayato said coldly.
As the three were talking, Ming Shifeng ascended the stairs followed by Sakata Kinji and others.
The atmosphere in the room lightened notably with the appearance of Songmu Feihua.
Seeing this, Akiyama Hayato couldn’t help but sneer, “So what? With the people here, even if Xue An were immortal, he would still be defeated here. What’s there to fear?”
Ono Yuji involuntarily shut his mouth.
The evening came.
Xue An brought An Yan and the others to the outside of Sensoji Temple.
At that moment.
The open space outside Sensoji Temple was buzzing with people and exceptionally lively.
Suddenly.
A firework burst into the sky.
The brilliant fireworks elicited quiet exclamations from everyone.
“Daddy, daddy, look! The fireworks are so beautiful!” Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were exhilarated.
Xue An smiled and looked up.
Fireworks after fireworks soared, lighting up half the sky.
At that moment, Benqiao Meijia and Kawada Keiko were also looking up at the sky full of fireworks.
“So beautiful!” exclaimed Kawada Keiko, and then she closed her eyes solemnly, making a wish.
“What are you doing?” Benqiao Meijia asked with a smile.
“Making a wish! Haven’t you heard? Wishes made to shooting stars come true!”
“But it’s fireworks in the sky now!”
“It doesn’t matter, they’re both bright, it should be the same!”
Benqiao Meijia shook her head, helpless, then hesitatingly closed her eyes as well.
Perhaps, I will see him again!
But after she made her wish, she laughed at herself for being so foolish.
How could it be possible?
Yet when she slowly opened her eyes, she saw a familiar figure.
Benqiao Meijia could not help but freeze.
At that moment, Kawada Keiko said, “Meijia, let’s go inside!”
No response.
Kawada Keiko paused, then followed Benqiao Meijia’s gaze, but she saw nothing unusual.
“Meijia, what’s wrong?”
Benqiao Meijia took a deep breath, “Nothing, just wait for me a moment!”
With that, she mustered up her courage and walked forward.
At that moment, Xue An was listening to his two daughters bickering.
“This firework is pretty!”
“Nonsense, this one is the good-looking one!”
“Hmph, I’m not talking to you anymore!”
“Go ahead, ignore me, you big glutton and little foodie!” Xue Xiang taunted Xue Nian with a grimace.
Xue Nian’s face turned red with anger, but she couldn’t think of a comeback. Eventually, with hurt in her eyes and tears ready to fall, she threw herself into An Yan’s arms.
“Mom, sister is bullying me again!”
An Yan tried hard not to laugh or cry and pretended to scold Xue Xiang, “Xiang Xiang, how could you do that!”
Upon hearing her mother take her side, Xue Nian couldn’t help but gloat and squeezed her eyes at Xue Xiang.
But then An Yan added, “Even if she is, you shouldn’t say it out loud!”
Xue Nian’s tears became unstoppable upon hearing this.
Xue An was watching all this with a face full of amusement when a timid voice came from behind.
“Excuse me, are you…”
Xue An turned around and was slightly taken aback to see the actress he had met on Yunqu Mountain, then he smiled, “What a coincidence!”
Benqiao Meijia’s heart began to pound, and she stammered, “Um… I came here to watch the fireworks too and just happened to see you!”
Xue An nodded slightly.
Benqiao Meijia wanted to say something more, but suddenly, she seemed to run out of words.
A few seconds later, An Yan said in a soft voice, “Dear, let’s go inside! Kiyoko has already gone in!”
“Okay!”
Xue An walked away.
Benqiao Meijia stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for words.
At this moment, Kawada Keiko walked up to her and exclaimed, “Meijia, no wonder you were so distracted. You’ve got your eye on a handsome guy, huh!”
Benqiao Meijia smiled wryly, “Keiko, don’t talk nonsense, he’s a married man!”
Kawada Keiko stuck out her tongue, “I saw her too, his wife has such an elegant demeanor! Hey, what was that man’s name? Is he a scion of some major financial clan?”
Benqiao Meijia’s face turned pale, and she shook her head, “I… I don’t know his name!”
“What?” Kawada Keiko thought she had heard incorrectly.
“You don’t even know his name?”
“I just encountered him that day!” Benqiao Meijia said quietly.
At that moment, Xue An was leading his family into the Sensoji Temple.
The ancient temple that had stood for a thousand years was much less crowded inside.
Outside the side hall, men in black stood in large numbers, causing every passerby to quicken their pace, eager to leave the area as soon as possible.
Xue An ascended the steps.
“Stop, the temple is closed today. Visitors, please go elsewhere!” a man blocked Xue An’s path and said coldly.
“Move aside!” Xue An said indifferently.
The man furrowed his brow slightly, “I’ll say it again, this place is not open to the public today!”
Xue An looked at him.
An invisible pressure caused the people around to turn pale.
A look of shock flashed in the man’s eyes.
Just then, a chubby man standing at the entrance said, “Back off!”
Everyone made way, and then the man sneered at Xue An.
“I presume you must be Mr. Xue from China?”
Xue An nodded slightly.
“I’m the Family Head of the Inoue Family, Inoue Shin’i! Please!” The man spoke with a cold voice, rage simmering in his eyes.
But Xue An only smiled and then proceeded into the hall with An Yan.