After being reborn, the villain comes with a spoiler tag.

Su Yixuan did not appear the next day, it seemed that she really had a mission within the sect and was too busy to attend to other matters.

Accompanied by Lian Hu, who had returned to his job as a tour guide, Huo Yu and Long Yucheng ate their way from one end of the street to the other in Zhuque City on the eve of the Thousand Candles Ceremony.

In the short few days after entering Suzaku City, Huo Yu seemed to be constantly fed all kinds of food by Long Yucheng: from simple-looking but delicious snacks to different staple foods at every meal, and various local delicacies on the street.

Before Huo Yu practiced abstaining from grains, food was merely a necessity for him to sustain life. He never really cared about the taste of food, so he found everything he ate novel.

While Huo Yu was amazed by the variety of ways mortals could come up with to eat, Long Yucheng was also delighted by the look of surprise that flashed across Huo Yu's eyes every time he tasted a new food. Therefore, whenever he saw a dish he had never seen before, he would rush to buy it for more than ten coins.

The Thousand Candles Ceremony doesn't begin until after sunset, but even during the day, the streets are already filled with a strong celebratory atmosphere.

Every few steps the three of them encountered patrol teams, and the number of Zoroastrian disciples mingling among them was more than three times that of usual. They were dressed in the uniform of Zoroastrianism, with solemn expressions, doing the final security work for the upcoming ceremony.

Huo Yu also spotted Murong Yu on the street.

She was still dressed as a warrior, looking heroic and dashing, but she did not carry a sword.

Unlike Huo Yu, who only noticed Murong Yu through the Heavenly Dao Prism in his divine sense, Lian Hu, with his sharp eyes, spotted Murong Yu in the bustling crowd at a glance and greeted him warmly:

"Senior Sister Murong!"

Upon hearing the sound and seeing Huo Yu and his group, Murong Yu smiled politely and nodded in acknowledgment.

Huo Yu nodded in return, and Long Yucheng greeted him as well. Then, he seemed to suddenly develop a strong interest in the woven ornaments hanging on the stall next to him.

Lian Hu approached and noticed the strip of cloth wrapped around Murong Yu's left palm, and was greatly shocked:

"Senior sister, what happened to your hand?"

Murong Yu glanced at his palm and said calmly:

"It was just an accident, a minor injury."

Lian Hu quickly advised:

"Senior Sister, you're injured, so don't stay on duty tonight. Come with us to the grand ceremony. It's a big day; everyone's busy watching the new emperor's coronation. Who would want to cause trouble for the escort agency!"

Murong Yu shook his head, a faint smile appearing on his face:

"No need, you can go ahead. I've never liked crowds, so it's better for me to stay at the security company."

Lian Hu tried to persuade her a few more times, but seeing that Murong Yu was determined, and considering that he also had the task of accompanying her on the tour, he had no choice but to take his leave.

Huo Yu quietly observed this scene from the side. The moment Murong Yu turned around, he sensed a strange aura emanating from Murong Yu.

It was fleeting, as if it were just an illusion.

However, for cultivators, especially those at Huo Yu's level, any so-called "illusion" is simply an anomaly that their divine sense inadvertently captures. The brain, unable to analyze it, simply categorizes it as an "illusion."

Huo Yu lowered his eyes, his divine sense touching the object in his sleeve, a trace of thought flashing across his eyes.

Only after Murong Yu had gone far away did Long Yucheng finish his research on the distinctive woven ornaments of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom.

Lian Hu glanced at Huo Yu and Long Yucheng, then suddenly remembered something and quickly asked:

"Brother Long, Brother Huo, did you prepare candles a few days ago?"

Long Yucheng was somewhat puzzled:

"What candle?"

Seeing his expression, Lian Hu slapped his thigh and sighed:

"Oh dear! How come that Holy Fairy can't even do this..."

He stopped mid-sentence, remembering Su Yixuan's identity, and instead explained:

"Didn't I mention before that there would be a test of Lord Suzaku's destiny for immortality on the night of the grand ceremony?"

Having heard Guan Fengyue's detailed description, Long Yucheng naturally knew:

"I know that. You can tell if you have a destiny to become an immortal just by looking at the Vermilion Bird Sacred Flame, right? What does it have to do with candles?"

Lian Hu shook his head and laughed:

“Brother Long’s idea is simple, but on the night of the grand ceremony, the Vermilion Bird Gate will be packed with people. How can it accommodate everyone? Only princes and nobles will have a place on the central Altar of Heaven. The rest of the common people and outsiders can only experience the festive atmosphere on the periphery.”

Long Yucheng immediately recalled the popular tourist attractions during holidays in his previous life, and unpleasant memories flooded his mind. He hurriedly asked:

"Do we have to line up early to secure the best spot?"

"If Brother Long isn't interested in the coronation ceremony, then you don't need to use it. Besides, it's a bit late to reserve a spot now, which is why we need these candles!"

Lian Hu laughed heartily, patted Long Yucheng on the back, and explained:

"As long as it is lit when the grand ceremony begins, no matter where the person holding the candle is in Suzaku City, the flame of the candle can connect with the sacred fire of Suzaku and lead the person who lit it into Lord Suzaku's trial."

Long Yucheng finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"I see, no wonder it's called the Thousand Candles Ceremony."

Lian Hu nodded in agreement, then smiled wryly:

"Yes, that's where the name 'Thousand Candles Ceremony' comes from. But as the ceremony approaches, the shops and vendors selling candles have already taken the opportunity to raise their prices, and today's prices are outrageously high!"

Long Yucheng finally understood what Lian Hu was worried about, and patted him on the shoulder, smiling as he said:

"Brother Tiger, you're overthinking it. We can afford the small amount of money. Just take us to a shop where we can buy candles; money is no problem."

Lian Hu wanted to say, "This isn't about whether I can afford it or not; it's about my dignity as a tour guide," but after thinking about it, he gave up and took Long Yucheng and Huo Yu to a familiar shop owner.

Soon, Huo Yu and Long Yucheng walked out of the shop with two candles.

Huo Yu glanced at the candle in his hand. It was just an ordinary red candle, but it was cleverly wrapped with a layer of fireproof material that extended above the wick.

This design effectively blocks the wind and cleverly prevents the fire hazard that may be caused by candles accidentally falling to the ground, clearly making it specially made for the Thousand Candles Ceremony.

The candle was given to him by Long Yucheng; Huo Yu had no intention of participating in the Vermilion Bird Trial.

According to Guan Fengyue's previous account, the Vermilion Bird Trial should be a kind of illusionary trial that does not cause any real harm to the participants, so he can rest assured about Long Yucheng's safety.

Huo Yu had little interest in joining the Zoroastrian Church. The main reason he stayed in Vermilion Bird City was for Long Yu City.

During his brief seven days in Vermilion Bird City, the Heavenly Dao Prism above Huo Yu's head brightened several times, and now it had turned light gray. Because of this, even knowing full well that the night of the Thousand Candles Ceremony would be filled with dramatic changes, Huo Yu still chose to stay.

Even Huo Yu couldn't guarantee that he could escape unscathed with Long Yucheng when the mastermind behind the scenes closed in.

Huo Yu disliked probability, but at this moment, he could only hope that his second move would be a winning gamble.

A day passes in the blink of an eye, and a crescent moon, shaped like a moth's eyebrow, hangs far in the indigo sky as night quietly descends.