Chapter 209 Ice and Snow Festival Carnival

The Cold Harmony Hall, Xue Zhiyu's private chambers.

Unlike the colorful and peacock-like attire of Ice Spirit men, Xue Zhiyu wore a long white dress, with a heavy skirt adorned with shimmering golden soul crystals.

Compared to gold, the golden soul crystals used to make 'Golrio' were clearly more dazzling. The dress was patterned with what seemed like random but were actually intricate rune lines, each soul crystal subtly emitting a soft golden glow, embellishing the luxurious white gown...

This was the true noble gold, exuding an opulent and extravagant air.

The low-cut golden-white dress, her hair slightly coiffed, today Xue Zhiyu looked less youthful and more regally mature than usual.

The princess had just left, and Jina and Tassia stood by her side. Xue Zhiyu dismissed the attendants and guards on either side, leaving the hall quiet and reserved for their exclusive space.

"Your Highness, the snow wolf is ready, waiting at the back door of the blacksmith shop outside the palace. There are civilian clothes prepared there. Once the celebration ends, we can change into them and set off," Jina said succinctly. "I didn't prepare much; mostly just dry rations. Although the glacier at the foot of the mountain has thawed, the Frozen Dragon Path remains treacherous. It's better not to carry too much. Other than that, Your Highness will have to endure some discomfort when we camp overnight."

Xue Zhiyu had been busy these past few days, and all the preparations for the departure were handled by Jina. She smiled and said, "What discomfort? For our ideals, enduring a little hardship is nothing. Besides, we're going to travel the world. We'll be camping outdoors often enough, so we need to get used to it."

She paused and asked, "Did you see Grandfather when you came over?"

"I saw the elder enter the palace when I came earlier. He seemed to be in the grand hall discussing matters with His Majesty."

Xue Zhiyu asked, "Was Grandfather holding anything special, like a bronze lamp?"

Jina shook her head. "No, I didn't see anything."

Xue Zhiyu furrowed her brow. Grandfather had mentioned giving her a bronze lamp as a wedding gift, but since this was only an engagement, it made sense he hadn't brought it.

However, Wang Feng had specifically inquired about the bronze lamp. Thinking of all the help he had given her, and how he had only asked for this one thing, she feared she would disappoint him.

She thought for a moment and said, "Tassia, how much money do we have?"

"His Highness gave me a soul crystal card with over 700,000 the other day, and we've also saved quite a bit over the years, all of which I have," Tassia said. "In total, it's around 1.2 million, enough to keep us comfortable for a few years."

"Do you have it on you?"

Tassia was taken aback. "It's all at the blacksmith's shop. Does His Highness need it now? If so, I'll go get it right away."

"Bring 200,000 over," Xue Zhiyu said with a smile. "Hurry back, and bring it to me before the ceremony ends."

Wang Feng seemed to be in dire need of money; he had borrowed from her twice recently. This was probably a common human trait. Since she couldn't give him the copper lamp, 200,000 would have to suffice as a token of gratitude.

With this settled, Xue Zhiyu felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

Attending the ceremony was a must, followed by a simple engagement ceremony in the palace. Both were essential. According to Ice Spirit customs, the ministers would gather in the palace to celebrate, indulging in feasts and drinks. It wouldn't be unusual for her father or the elders to get drunk together, and that would be their moment to leave.

Xue Zhiyu pushed open the window, and the noise from outside the palace immediately flooded in.

The sky was already bright, and she watched the maids and guards bustling about outside the palace. The familiar soul crystal lamps, ice sculptures, and paper cuttings hanging all over the palace during the Snow Festival filled her view.

Xue Zhiyu's mood, like the rising sun, had calmed down from its earlier anxiety, her eyes now brimming with hope and warmth.

She knew every inch of this land in Ice Spirit, but what lay beyond, what kind of world awaited her?

...

At the summit of the Great Snow Mountain, the ice bees bowed to their queen, creating an aurora-like phenomenon in the sky. The ancient Ice Spirit people mimicked this, giving rise to the Snow Festival. In fact, the history of the Snow Festival far predates the founding of the Ice Spirit Kingdom. Over time, it became a tradition. After the establishment of the kingdom, however, the festival evolved from mere imitation to a more profound ritual, no longer just mimicking the bees but worshiping the snow, ice, and deities.

Such a festival is crucial for the monarch, both as a way to thank the gods for bestowing power upon the royal family and to educate the commoners, showcasing the royal authority and ensuring their sincere loyalty.

The sky was now fully lit, and the streets of Ice Spirit City were already lined with crowds gathered to witness the ceremony.

At exactly eight o'clock, a melodious bell tolled as the palace gates swung open.

On either side stood rows of Snow Wolf Guards in their splendid uniforms, their fierce wolves standing proudly, the snow gleaming brightly. Leading the procession were the fluttering royal banners, followed by hundreds of maids carrying various Ice Spirit fruits, demon beast heads, and many other peculiar sacrificial items.

On both sides, musicians played a variety of instruments, and several Snow Wolf-drawn carts carried sets of chimes, their clear and resonant sounds piercing through the air, echoing throughout the city.

Next came the magnificent ice carriage, its cabin towering over three meters high, pulled by sixteen massive Snow Wolves. The crystalline surface was polished into various diamond-like facets, sparkling like diamonds under the sunlight. Through the windows on either side, one could see King Xue Cangbai and Queen Aona inspecting the crowd outside, smiling and waving frequently.

To the left of the ice carriage rode the Grand Master Oscar on a Snow Wolf, accompanied by the young generation including Xue Zhiyu, Xuecai, and Wang Feng. On the right were famous Ice Spirit heroes such as Abuda Jiebie and Dong Huang Yigu. These were star-like figures in the Ice Spirit Kingdom, sometimes even more popular than the king. The surrounding commoners, standing on tiptoe and crowding together, were mostly there to catch a glimpse of these heroes, with cheers and excited screams filling the air.

Following the ice carriage were the civil and military officials, nobles from various fiefs, and members of the royal family, all riding Snow Wolves.

In the Ice Spirit Kingdom, if the Ice Bee is the legendary national treasure, then the Snow Wolf is the true gem of reality. Besides being convenient for riding, having excellent combat capabilities, and being well-trained, the wolfish nature of Snow Wolves has always been admired by the people of Ice Spirit and the Winterlands.

The grand procession, stretching over a mile long, emerged from the palace, accompanied by the sounds of drums, bells, and music, as well as the cheers of the crowd, making the entire Ice Spirit City seem to come alive.

The procession did not move slowly. Starting from the palace on the mountaintop, it descended along the main road of Ice Spirit City, taking over two hours to reach the central clock tower, which was already close to noon.

The vast central square was packed with people, with Ice Spirit Snow Wolf Guards forming a ring to keep the central clock tower altar clear, preventing civilians from entering. Even so, the large square was still filled to the brim with members of the royal family and civil and military officials.

The timing was precise. At this moment, the sun hung high in the sky, and at the peak of the distant ice mountain, the annual aurora phenomenon began to appear faintly. Soon, a brilliant silver glow illuminated the mountaintop, reflecting the sunlight and casting a white radiance in the air, resembling an infinitely long silver ribbon.

While only a few elders and royal officials understood that this was the Ice Bees emerging from their caves, to the numerous commoners, this was the aurora phenomenon, a divine miracle displayed by the ice and snow deities.

The city buzzed even more, with countless people cheering, singing, and praising.

The ceremony officially began!

First, the offering of a hundred fruits and a hundred animals. Around the circular platform of the clock tower, a long table was set up, filled with various seasonal flowers and fruits unique to Ice Spirit, totaling a hundred varieties. Among them were the heads of various animals, including common domestic fowl and livestock like chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows, but more often, they were the heads of demon beasts unique to Ice Spirit. Except for the Snow Wolves, which Ice Spirit people never slaughter, other creatures like Snow Demons, Snow Ferrets, and Silver-striped Leopards, almost every known and seen demon beast in Ice Spirit, were present on these platters.

Officials and the royal offspring knelt below, with Consort Aona kneeling to one side. A maid presented the prepared incense to Snow Cangbai, who slowly ascended the high platform.

A ceremonial officer recited the sacrificial words beside him, as Snow Cangbai offered three incense sticks.

Then came a bell toll that echoed throughout the city.

Boom... Boom... Boom...

From the distant city gates, over a hundred soul crystal cannons fired in unison, their thunderous roars filling the air. Hundreds of specially made soul crystal shells exploded in the sky, creating a spectacle as brilliant as fireworks.

Musicians around the area played the Ice Spirit anthem. Led by Snow Cangbai, the civil and military officials, the surrounding guards, and all the commoners knelt and bowed together, making the ceremony feel grand and solemn.

The hundred ceremonial cannons fired for over a dozen rounds, and the city was filled with 'fireworks,' which made Old Wang momentarily feel as if he were back on Earth.

After the ceremony, it was time for Ice Spirit City to plunge into complete revelry.

The royal family set up a continuous banquet along the entire main street of Ice Spirit City, covering the entire city.

The royal family provided a fixed amount of food and an unlimited supply of fine wine at this flowing feast. More importantly, each household prepared their own delicacies, and various competitions were held at each long table. The household that prepared the most and best-tasting food would become the champion of the table, earning the respect and praise of everyone.

All the food was free, available for all the city's residents and the visitors who came to witness the ceremony. The hospitality of the Ice Spirit people was not just empty words.

The ice carriages had already been removed, and the king would lead the royal offspring and officials to walk back to the palace. As they passed these banquets, they would stop to taste the delicious food, and being sampled and praised by His Majesty the King or those respected heroes would be the ultimate honor for every host and hostess.

The entire city was immersed in celebration, bustling and warm, with happy smiles and enthusiastic greetings everywhere.

This was Old Wang's first time participating in such an event. Even though he had been preoccupied with thoughts of leaving, he couldn't help but be moved by the fiery enthusiasm of the scene. This city-wide warmth was far more touching than the elaborate sacrificial ceremony.

Once Old Wang got into the spirit, he became a master of creating atmosphere. Even in the otherwise solemn royal procession, he stood out, enthusiastically leading everyone in a different direction.

"Heavens, this grilled meat is delicious! Uncle, you must be a professional at grilling. Can you teach me?"

"This berry soup is the most delicious thing I've had since coming to Ice Spirit!"

"Gods, why have you let me taste such exquisite flavors? What will I do if I can't have them again in the future? Ahhhh!"

Praising others costs nothing, and Old Wang’s words were absolutely charming. Everywhere he went, the men and women who offered him food couldn’t stop smiling, making him instantly the most popular person in Ice Spirit City.

"Prince Consort! Try this, try this!"

"Prince Consort has excellent taste!"

"Whoever said our Prince wasn’t good? I’ll tear their mouth apart! How warm and approachable our Prince is!"

"Prince! You and Princess Zhiyu must be very happy together!"

... Various mutual flatteries, everything was harmonious to the extreme.