Chapter 1940: Peerless Demon Lord

The City God and the two judicial officers were about to interrogate them, but upon hearing the three celestial generals leading their troops in pursuit, their aggressive aura suddenly vanished. Naturally, they stepped over the threshold and entered the teahouse.

Including the ghost servants and soldiers under the nine spirit banners, and other departmental heads, they also followed in single file, crowding into the teahouse.

There was limited seating in the teahouse, so most of the deities and ghosts had to stand.

The story listeners were completely engrossed, unaware that the empty seats were filled with deities and ghosts, and that some ghost servants were even standing right beside them.

Deep winter days were short, and dusk gradually set in.

By the hour of You (5-7 PM), it was almost dark, and the streets were brightly lit, more bustling than during the day.

"Clap!"

The storyteller slammed the gavel down hard, raising his voice: "This is exactly how a goddess's infatuation sparked disaster, and a confused bluebird brought calamity. If you wish to know what happens next, tune in for the next installment!"

"Oh no! It's over again!"

"We have to wait until tomorrow again!"

"Stopping at such a crucial point every day, he's truly heartless!"

The crowd seemed to awaken from a dream.

Scattered applause echoed in the teahouse, but there were more complaints, and some even begged the storyteller to continue for a bit longer.

"My apologies, esteemed guests, but it's getting late. Please return tomorrow."

The storyteller, his heart as hard as iron, took a sip from his teacup, packed his belongings, and retreated to the back room.

The tea patrons, left with no choice, sighed and departed.

"Please take care on your way!"

"Safe travels, madam!"

The tea attendant, who had held his tongue all day, finally dared to speak. After seeing the last patrons off, he noticed the young woman who had arrived last was still sitting there motionless.

"Miss, haven't you heard enough? The storyteller will be here promptly at the hour of Si (9-11 AM) tomorrow. If you come again tomorrow, I'll save you a good seat."

Unlike the other tea patrons, the young woman was truly awakening from a dream.

It was an incredibly vivid dream; she had experienced everything the Nine Heavens Goddess had, all clearly etched in her memory.

However, the young woman didn't realize anything was amiss; she simply felt it wasn't enough, and stretched. "Is there anywhere nearby where I can stay for the night?"

"You're not from around here?"

The tea attendant thought to himself that the storyteller indeed had great charm, to have someone purposely stay overnight just to listen.

The young woman's demeanor and attire clearly indicated she was from a wealthy family. The tea attendant raised his hand and pointed towards the east end of the street. "The Zuixiang Tower next to the City God Temple also offers lodging, but they don't have many rooms, so I don't know if there are any vacancies right now. The few inns next to Zuixiang Tower are a bit inferior, but they're all clean; you can choose whichever suits you."

Meanwhile, the deities and ghosts also left the teahouse one after another.

Including the City God, none of them noticed anything strange about the situation; they had even forgotten to interrogate the young woman. As they left, everyone was discussing the story.

Two ghost servants on patrol passed by, saw their colleagues emerging from the teahouse, greeted them, and then approached to ask, "Did you catch the troublemaker? Adult Martial Officer even used the Mountain-Suppressing Spirit Banner, why didn't we hear anything?"

"Amazing! Absolutely damn amazing!"

A colleague suddenly slapped his thigh.

The two ghost servants were startled by their colleague's reaction and paused for a moment. "What's amazing? And where was that storyteller taken? Was he executed on the spot by the City God?"

"The storyteller? He'll be here promptly at the hour of You (5-7 PM) tomorrow morning. I need to make sure I remember the time so I don't miss it," the colleague mumbled, answering off-topic, then eagerly pulled another colleague into a fervent discussion.

In the story, the celestial soldiers and generals were opposed to the goddess.

Their stance was also diametrically opposite to that of the young woman who sympathized with the goddess; they all agreed that heavenly law showed no mercy.

The two ghost servants, puzzled, went to find other colleagues, who all had similar reactions.

Looking at their seemingly enchanted colleagues, the two ghost servants exchanged glances, and a sudden sense of dread washed over them.

They stood still for a moment, not daring to return directly to the yamen. Instead, they went to the city gate and told the guarding ghost soldiers about their discovery.

By now, there were very few deities and ghosts left in Jin County who hadn't entered the teahouse.

"Did you see the City God, having this reaction too?"

The guarding ghost soldier asked the two ghost servants.

"When we arrived, the adults had already entered the yamen. We didn't dare follow them. How about we send someone in to check?" a ghost servant whispered.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one responded.

"Let's all go, but leave one behind. In case of a total wipeout, there'll be someone to report. Let's draw lots," a decisive ghost servant said, grabbing a few marked grass stalks and holding them in his hand.

In the end, one ghost soldier drew the most favorable lot and watched his colleagues leave.

The remaining deities and ghosts returned to the City God Temple, gazing at the building that represented divine power and divided yin from yang. In the past, it had been their strongest support, but now it had become a terrifying beast.

With solemn expressions, the deities and ghosts stepped into the yamen, tiptoeing towards the main hall of the City God.

"No one's inside..."

They then went to the other departments.

"The adults of each department aren't here..."

They gathered together, looking at each other. The City God and the Literary Officer were known for being diligent; at this time, they would usually be in the main hall handling official duties.

"Hiss, could it be..."

A ghost servant gasped, and a colleague quickly covered his mouth.

"Shh!"

The deities and ghosts quietly retreated from the City God Temple, returned to the city gate, and gathered together, their faces full of worry.

"What exactly is the storyteller's background? Has anyone paid attention?" a ghost servant broke the silence.

Everyone shook their heads.

"I say," the ghost soldier who had stayed behind looked around, "could we be overthinking this? If that storyteller was truly so powerful that even the City God was affected, how did you few manage to return unscathed?"

"Right, why would he specifically let us go?" the ghost servant said blankly.

"I just made a trip out of the city, even walked all the way to Jiuzi Mountain, and no one stopped me," the ghost soldier added. "Unless he specifically let us out to report the news."

"Indeed, we didn't see any external injuries on Old Wang and the others, nor any signs of magical combat in the teahouse..."

The two ghost servants who had first noticed the situation now also hesitated.

"If the storyteller truly possesses such great powers, it means he deliberately let us go. Whatever we do, the outcome will be the same. If we go to the prefecture city to report, we'd still need to know exactly what happened, otherwise what would we say? Perhaps we are overthinking it. Let's wait until tomorrow morning to see the situation before deciding."

The deities and ghosts finally agreed on a course of action.

They dared not enter the city all night, enduring the entire night in front of the city gate.

The next day, at the hour of Si (9-11 AM).

The storyteller arrived as promised. Fifteen minutes earlier, the young woman had already ordered tea and snacks and was waiting, and not a single deity or ghost from yesterday was missing.

"Last time, the story spoke of how the goddess's infatuation and the bluebird's confusion incurred the Celestial Mother's wrath..."

New Year's Eve.

The busiest day of the year, when human vitality was at its peak.

This atmosphere was extremely beneficial for the cultivation of deities and ghosts, but the ghost servants eavesdropping outside the teahouse felt a chilling dread and had no mind for cultivation.

The storyteller's robust voice resonated from inside the teahouse, with no other discernible sounds.

The deities and ghosts of Jin County, from the City God down to the ghost soldiers, had become his most loyal listeners.

The ghost servants stayed a full three *zhang* (about 10 meters) away from the teahouse, not daring to approach, and quietly retreated to the city gate.

Waiting at the city gate were not only the few deities and ghosts from last night, but also all the Mountain Gods and Land Deities within Jin County's jurisdiction.

Just by listening to the ghost servants' description, the deities and ghosts felt shivers running down their spines.

They looked back at Jin County town; the familiar city had transformed into a den of dragons and tigers.

Meanwhile, the mortals were completely unaware, celebrating the New Year joyfully, with firecrackers occasionally echoing through the city.

Another ghost servant emerged from the city.

"I found out: the storyteller stays overnight at Zuixiang Tower. Like any ordinary person, he pays with silver for lodging and meals. The only unusual thing is that he gets to eat the 'Zuixiang Banquet' every night."

Hearing this, the deities and ghosts were stirred.

"Is this person an old acquaintance of the Zuixiang Tower's owner?"

It was well known that the Zuixiang Tower owner had a peculiar temper; even the City God himself rarely got to enjoy the 'Zuixiang Banquet,' yet he prepared it for the storyteller every single night.

"I... I didn't dare use magic on the Zuixiang Tower owner or reveal myself to inquire. It seems the Zuixiang Tower owner and the storyteller have only recently met," the ghost servant said hesitantly.

Everyone knew what he was concerned about; they wouldn't dare either.

"This matter is beyond our ability to handle. Since he allows us to report the news, let's do as he wishes. Unfortunately, the adults are all trapped and cannot use treasured items to send messages. We'll have to ask one of our brothers to personally make a trip to the prefecture city. When reporting, be sure to explain clearly that the other party is utterly fearless, and it's likely the prefecture city will also find it difficult to cope."

The most reputable ghost soldier looked around and noticed one Land Deity had a strange expression.

"Brother Yue, do you know something?"

This person was none other than the Land Deity of the Qingyang Temple's region, named Yue Wenfu.

At that moment, he was pondering what happened yesterday.

After the City God and Literary Officer finished their visit to Qingyang Temple and gave him some instructions, trouble broke out as soon as they returned to the city.

Was it merely a coincidence?

However, Yue Wenfu did not disclose this matter.

Daoist Qingfeng was undergoing a trial in the mortal world, living in seclusion at Qingyang Temple. He certainly wouldn't want to be disturbed, and both the City God and Literary Officer had specifically instructed so.

Even if Daoist Qingfeng was unrelated to this matter, asking for his intervention might help Jin County overcome this calamity.

"Indeed, there is something, but I cannot speak of it openly. I must return quickly. Excuse me..."

Yue Wenfu hastily said his piece and used his Earth Evasion technique to disappear.

The remaining deities and ghosts looked at each other, left with no choice but to proceed with their plan.

Yue Wenfu didn't stop for a moment, hurrying back to Qipai Village. At the foot of the mountain, he tidied his clothes and walked up the mountain, showing his respect.

The sun shone brightly; it wasn't as cold as yesterday.

Despite it being New Year's Eve, there were still patients coming up the mountain seeking medicine.

Entering the Daoist temple, Yue Wenfu saw Qin Sang taking an old man's pulse, while Yulang and Xiaowu had set up a brazier in the main hall and were warming themselves with other patients.

"Wenfu greets Daoist Priest."

Yue Wenfu walked up to Qin Sang, bowed respectfully, and was about to speak, but Qin Sang merely hummed in acknowledgment and continued to diagnose the old man.

He could only suppress his anxiousness, watching Qin Sang slowly explain the old man's condition, then write a prescription, dispense the medicine, explain the taboos and methods of taking the medicine, pick up a brush, dip it in ink, record the transaction, and finally receive the old man's heartfelt thanks.

Before Yue Wenfu could speak, the next patient immediately sat down.

After a good half an hour, the last patient finally departed.

"Daoist Priest..."

Yue Wenfu was already burning with impatience.

Qin Sang waved his hand and told Yulang: "Yulang, go down the mountain and borrow two horses from Scholar Chen. We're going to the city today."

"To the city!"

Yulang cheered and sprinted down the mountain.

Qin Sang then told Xiaowu: "Xiaowu, stay behind and look after the house."

Xiaowu didn't ask why, just nodded gently.

"Let's go," Qin Sang called to Yue Wenfu and started walking down the mountain.

Only then did Yue Wenfu realize that Daoist Qingfeng was about to take action. Overjoyed, he quickly followed.

"Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!"

Rapid hoofbeats echoed on the official road.

Two Daoist priests galloped on horseback, drawing glances from passersby.

How could galloping horses compare to evasion techniques? Yue Wenfu easily followed behind but dared not urge them on, marveling inwardly that Daoist Qingfeng was truly immersed in his role.

Yue Wenfu arrived a step earlier, instructing the deities and ghosts to stand back.

The master and disciple galloped to the Jin County city gate, tied their horses to stakes outside, and entered the city on foot.

"How lively!"

Yulang took a deep breath; the air was mixed with the intoxicating aromas of various foods.

He had grown up in a mountain village, and opportunities to enter the city were rare.

His most vivid memory was the last time his father took him to the city for a temple fair; that day was just as bustling as now.

Although he had entered the mountains to cultivate Dao, this memory became more and more deeply etched, likely never to fade.

In his memory, there was not only his father but also the brilliant hustle and bustle of human life.

"Master, why didn't Senior Sister come? I want to buy her a gift," Yulang said, looking up.

"Alright, we'll choose as we go."

Qin Sang seemed genuinely to be out shopping, leisurely strolling along the street with Yulang, looking left and right, much to the exasperation of Yue Wenfu following behind.

The goods were dazzlingly abundant.

Yulang was almost overwhelmed by the choices.

They walked all the way to Temple Front Street. Qin Sang slowly approached the teahouse and stopped at its entrance.

Seeing his master stop, Yulang listened intently for a moment, then peeked through the window curtain to glimpse the scene inside, asking puzzledly, "Master, is this story very good?"

Qin Sang thought for a moment, then commented: "It's a story full of cliché plot devices."

At this moment, the storyteller was recounting the great battle between the goddess, the bluebird, and the three celestial generals.

When crisis struck, the goddess and the bluebird unexpectedly discovered an ancient immortal's cave dwelling. Their strength greatly increased, and they engaged in fierce combat with the three celestial generals within the cave.

The battle was exceptionally fierce.

Little did they know, the cave dwelling was actually an ancient immortal's demon-sealing ground. A peerless demon was sealed underground, and the seal was gradually being destroyed by the magic of both sides, though neither party noticed.

"Suddenly, a thunderbolt struck, and smoke and dust billowed from deep within the cave. Then, with a crack, the entire mountain split open down the middle, startling both sides into halting their fight. Swirling demonic smoke surged from the fissure, and a monstrous, earth-shattering cackle echoed from underground. The peerless demon emerged! The goddess's impulsive act had finally brought calamity upon the world!"

The storyteller spoke with fervor, suddenly flicking his folding fan and pointing towards the main entrance.

"Swish!"

The mortals and deities within the hall, their minds captivated by the storyteller, all simultaneously turned their heads to look at the teahouse's main door.

Qin Sang stood unmoving before the main entrance, his hands clasped behind his back, and calmly said, "If this humble Daoist had not appeared, would you have continued to gather all the deities and ghosts of this realm until you were satisfied?"

"Hahaha... I wouldn't dare bear such karma. And I believe you, Daoist, would not stand by and watch the world fall into chaos."

The storyteller laughed heartily, stepped down from the stage, gently fanned himself with his folding fan, and walked towards the teahouse's main door.

As he passed, the tea patrons, feeling the breeze from his fan, immediately awoke from a long dream, becoming fully conscious.

The storyteller lifted the door curtain, walked out of the teahouse, closed his fan, and cupped his hands in greeting. "I am Qingyuan."