The Astral Express docked with a smooth click and a gentle hum, the outer panels shimmering in the reflected light of Tianque, a world ringed by satellites and color.
As the gangway extended toward the floating trade city below, a wave of sound rose up to meet them—music, laughter, and the melodic chimes of digital paper lanterns floating on anti-gravity rails.
The Festival of Unity had begun.
This festival, held once every orbital cycle, was famed for bringing together traders, scholars, artisans, and wanderers from every corner of the cosmos. The goal was simple: celebrate the diverse threads that wove the galaxy into a tapestry of connection.
Zhongli stood at the platform's edge, hands folded behind his back, golden gaze fixed on the city's core, where massive sky-lanterns hovered like mini suns.
"It reminds me," he murmured, "of Lantern Rite in Liyue. Yet this… feels like a celebration of difference, not just tradition."
March 7th practically bounced on her heels. "That's the whole point! It's about everyone coming together, sharing their cultures and customs. Food, music, stories—everything!"
Pom-Pom peeked past March with narrowed eyes. "Pom-Pom detects at least eight street performances, three aggressive hawkers, two questionable noodle stands, and one suspicious person wearing a foam crab costume."
Dan Heng adjusted the strap of his spear case. "So, a typical day for us."
Himeko chuckled. "Relax, Dan Heng. For once, we're not here to stop a catastrophe—we're here to enjoy ourselves."
Zhongli tilted his head. "Then it seems only appropriate that we observe this tradition properly."
March seized the opportunity instantly. "You heard him! Suit up, Grandpa Geo. You're going full festival mode."
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Festival Garb and First Impressions
Within fifteen minutes, March had outfitted Zhongli in a flowing festival robe with soft gold embroidery and a sheer cosmic mantle that shimmered faintly in low light.
To her surprise, he didn't resist. He simply regarded himself in a mirror with quiet curiosity.
"An unusual style," he said at last. "But elegant in its own right."
March grinned. "Just wait until they see you walk into the plaza. You're gonna outshine the fireworks."
Pom-Pom entered the room, took one look at him, and flatly declared, "Pom-Pom gives this outfit an 8.4. Acceptable. Could use more sparkles."
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Immersed in the Festival
The streets of Tianque were paved in polished stone and embedded with lightstrips that pulsed in time with the music flowing from every corner of the market district.
Zhongli walked slowly, drinking it all in. Children danced past him in LED-stitched robes. A troupe of sky-dancers performed in midair using magnetic boots. Aromas from six different planetary cuisines drifted toward him at once.
He stopped at a vendor selling small clay animals animated with wind-up springs.
"Spirits of the breeze," the elderly vendor explained. "You whisper a wish, they run until the wind hears it."
Zhongli purchased one—a clay qilin—and handed it to a nearby child who had been staring at the stand with longing eyes. The child blinked, smiled, and took off running after the toy as it hopped away with surprising grace.
March caught up to him moments later, dragging Dan Heng and holding a stick of glowing crystal sugar candy. "You're a natural at this festival thing!"
Dan Heng, chewing thoughtfully on something that looked like translucent jerky, muttered, "You do realize she's using you to get extra samples from vendors, right?"
Zhongli smiled. "I suspected as much."
March immediately shoved a glowing dumpling into his hand. "Shut up and eat the moonbun."
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The Dance of Unity
By early evening, the festival's central square was illuminated by hundreds of levitating orbs—each slowly orbiting above like artificial stars.
March spotted a stage setting up and rushed forward. "Zhongli! It's the Dance of Unity contest! One night only! You and me—let's go!"
Zhongli blinked. "I… do not dance."
March grinned and grabbed his hand. "You do now."
And somehow, twenty minutes later, Zhongli found himself center stage—dressed in interstellar robes, surrounded by a cheering crowd, awkwardly standing across from March as music began to swell.
The melody was gentle at first. A soft rhythm born of stringed instruments and light percussion. March started moving confidently, steps smooth and joyful.
Zhongli watched, then followed.
His steps weren't rehearsed, but they were graceful, deliberate, and naturally synced to the rhythm.
By the time the chorus hit, they moved as one—March twirling around him like a comet in orbit, his movements steady as gravity.
The crowd roared.
From a distance, Himeko and Welt exchanged glances.
Himeko smirked. "And you said he wasn't the 'fun' type."
Welt chuckled. "I stand corrected."
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Yueshan's Discovery
Elsewhere, Yueshan wandered through the old district of Tianque, away from the lights and music. Here, the streets were lined with stone and starlit moss, remnants of an ancient settlement that predated the festival by centuries.
He felt the pull of something familiar.
At the heart of a quiet plaza, he knelt before a weathered monument—half-buried, nearly erased. But the glyphs carved into the stone were unmistakable.
Panhua script.
The same language used in the contracts Zhongli had judged.
As he touched the glyphs, a faint pulse of gold sparked beneath his fingertips.
Then he heard it—soft, like a whisper not meant for the living.
"The Arbiter walks. The old debt calls."
Yueshan straightened, jaw tight. "So it wasn't just a fragment. Something still lingers."
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Back on the Express
The crew returned to the Express late that night, bellies full, arms laden with souvenirs and glowing snacks.
March flopped onto the lounge couch. "Best. Festival. Ever."
Pom-Pom grumbled something about glitter in the hallway, but no one was listening.
Zhongli returned to his usual seat in the observation car, sipping a warm cup of tea as he watched the fading lights of Tianque behind them.
Yueshan approached from the side, silent for a moment.
"You felt it too," he finally said.
Zhongli nodded. "The echoes are stronger than I expected."
Yueshan's expression darkened. "And they're spreading."
Zhongli didn't answer. He simply lifted his cup again.
"A contract broken," he murmured, "has a habit of finding its way back to the one who witnessed it."
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Chapter 19 Preview: Himeko's Drinking Challenge
To celebrate the festival's end, Himeko proposes a drinking challenge aboard the Express.
Alien spirits, cosmic cocktails, and the legendary Celestial Flamewine make an appearance.
Zhongli accepts.
March and Pom-Pom decide to host the event.
Who will remain standing?
And what secrets might slip out… after a few too many sips?
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Author's Note: I'm really sorry for not updating. I've been going through a bit, and I just haven't been in the right headspace to write. Thank you so much for understanding.