Information comes from the books
Xie Lian
"Congrats Your Highness". Shi Qingxuan said as he came through the front doors of Pugi shrine. I knew exactly what he was referring to. There had been a contest at The Mid Autumn Festival Banquet that took place last year.
The contest was to see who had the most worshiper lanterns to take second place. Jun Wu always came in first place so it was really a contest to see who would take second. The numbers were really close to each other Shi Qingxuan had five hundred and twenty-three, Feng Xin five hundred seventy-two, Mu Qing five hundred seventy-three, and Pei Ming five hundred and eighty.
There were a lot of others participating as well but they were among the top ten. I had thought the numbers would remain close only being separated by ten's or twenties but I was proven wrong. When he was called Shi Wudu came out with seven hundred and eighteen lanterns.
He had the most applause most of them coming from Shi Qingxuan, I smiled generally being happy for him. That was it. The banquet was over with Jun Wu taking first place and Lord Water Master Shi Wudu taking second..........or so I thought.
While going over the top ten only nine heavenly officials had been called until Shi Wudu realized and spoke up. Everyone was confused as to who it could be myself included. I wasn't participating. I was only there to watch, Xianle had long since been destroyed. That along with my banishments gave me no reason to believe I could take part in this.
My people had turned their backs on me when I wasn't able to save them and I was a laughingstock to almost everyone here........... but I had still somehow managed to take first place. This was a complete shock to me and everyone involved.
I had no idea I still had any temples left that were devoted to me but the Thousand Lights Temple had managed to achieve three thousand. This was more than anyone had ever gained, Jun Wu included. I didn't know how to feel about it.
Naturally, everyone had suspected I had somehow cheated but when they remembered it wasn't a real contest. That it was supposed to only be for fun they let it go but for some, it wasn't just a contest. Some heavenly officials took it seriously, Lord Wind Master being one of them.
He had clapped and cheered for me and was sincere about it despite knowing his brother not only lost but was pushed down to third place. Mu Qing and Feng Xin were also happy for me, they came to Puqi Shrine and congratulated me after everything had calmed down, they even hugged me.
I was beyond happy in that moment, it felt like the old days again. It felt like they didn't hate me anymore. I smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, my lord ". He smiled and took a seat at the table. "I hope your number doubles this year".
I fook the seat across from him. "Thank you for the kind words but there's still a lot of time between now and Autumn". "True but I believe things are starting to look up for you again, you have followers once more". I smiled looking to the side. "I can only hope".
There's no need to let him know I don't believe that. He's been nothing but supportive to me.
"So have you celebrated yet or are you waiting for the right opportunity". "I haven't really thought of it. I'm just happy to have had a good outcome for the contest even though I didn't know anything about my temple".
"What!? You can't surely be serious, can you? Have you ever discovered who it was that built it? Maybe there are still people from Xianel alive? Maybe there were some survives leftover"?
"Maybe but I wouldn't put too much hope into it". "You should still celebrate, I know! Why don't you participate in Valentine's Day? It is today after all". I had heard of this day a lot while cultivating in the mortal realm.
