Day and night tour

Chapter 414 Returning to East Market Street

Zhou Xuan was appointed High Priest by the Blood Well; how could he be someone the Witch God could simply want?

In order to win Zhou Xuan's favor, Xuejing immediately stepped forward.

"Blood Well, don't get too agitated. I have no intention of taking people from you."

The wine master, possessed by the sorcerer god, pointed to his own body and said, "To be honest, Zhou Xuan is far superior to my little wine master, both in his conduct and his skill in handling affairs."
However, a little wine is more suitable for my wanderings in the mortal world; Zhou Xuan, in the end, isn't quite right for me.

He directly expressed his feelings to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

After hearing these words, Blood Well reduced the size of the crimson vortex and its hostility lessened.

"My journey through this world requires someone who is completely obedient. This person cannot have too much willpower; someone like Xiaojiu would be quite good. He spends his days eating and drinking, and is quite muddle-headed."
Whether Xiao Jiu's muddle-headedness is feigned or his true nature is unimportant. What matters is that every six months, I can use his body to see what major events are happening within the Kingdom of Jing.

The sorcerer pointed at Zhou Xuan again and said, "However, this senior scholar from Mingjiang Prefecture is not so honest. He is not even willing to pretend to be confused. If he becomes my assistant, I will be in big trouble."

The crimson vortex, under the sorcerer's uninhibited expression, completely penetrated Zhou Xuan's secret realm.

After Blood Well left, the Witch God said to Zhou Xuan, "Blood Well has really been very good to you."

"That's right, Jingzi and I have a friendship that was forged in the fires of war."

Zhou Xuan patted his chest and said with great pride.

The Witch God nodded and said, "Zhou Xuan, you are very popular and a good friend. Today's dream of the Four Heavenly Venerables, the Ancient Buddha, and the Blood Well all helped you. Although their help was subtle and unassuming, it played a crucial role in your escape from the dream."

Even without the witch god's detailed explanation, Zhou Xuan could roughly understand it.

The ancient Buddha kept telling him how to get out of that dream.

Blood Well was a great help, bringing all of Zhou Xuan's friends onto the ship. On the ship, through the man in the straw hat in the dream, it told Zhou Xuan that once he became the Blood God, he could send these friends out of the dream.

In the "Dream of the Four Heavenly Venerables" entrusted to the storyteller by the supreme will, they have already done a great service by doing so.

"They're all good brothers."

Zhou Xuan said this, and then, without any hesitation, he asked the Witch God, "Everything is over, so why are you still here to see me?"

The sorcerer smiled, waved his right hand in the air, and after a moment, several patterns condensed in mid-air.

There are numerous scenes, including "the Taoist priests who burned incense and bloodshed at Baoshan Temple, a Buddhist temple," and "Zhou Xuan killing Xunbo monk in a chess game."

"Having been unconscious for months, I've missed so many magnificent sights."

The Witch God said, "I am the only Celestial Venerable who can walk among humans in a physical body, but my limitation still remains—I can only walk among humans for one day every six months."

"But the people of the Buddhist Kingdom are too cruel and cunning, and there's not much that can be done in one day."

"So, you want me to deal with the Buddhists?"

Zhou Xuan asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what I meant."

The Witch God said, "More than two thousand years have passed since the twenty-four gods ascended to the heavens. In these two thousand years, the Jing Kingdom has encountered many crises, but they were all minor disasters. The gods, along with the guardians of the various spaces, were able to resolve these small matters."

"But the Buddhist Kingdom is different. The people of the Buddhist Kingdom have their own Heavenly God level beings. The Realm Lords of the first fifteen Heavens of the Thirty-Three Heavens all possess Heavenly God level strength, and among them there may be some Heavenly Venerable level powerhouses."

"And the Buddha of that Buddhist kingdom, like the Supreme Will and the Blood God's Will, is a will from the starry sky, with extremely magnificent power."

Zhou Xuan actually gained some understanding of the power of the "Buddha Lord" in that Buddhist kingdom.

During the Heaven and Earth Chess Game, he borrowed the chessboard from the cliff monk to gain momentum, and after breaking through the realm with Mu Hua, he briefly ascended to the Nine Incense Sticks level. Then, he swept across the land, defeating powerful opponents such as Zhe Xing, Gong Zheng, Zhao Qingxiao, and the cliff monk.

That chessboard was merely a ritual implement given to the monk Xunbo by the Buddha.

How powerful is his true form? It remains unknown.

Thinking of this, Zhou Xuan responded to the Witch God: "Old Witch, let me count for you. The strongest in the mortal realm is the Nine Incense Sticks level. If you cultivate a little further, you will reach the God level. Above the God level is the Heavenly Venerable, and above the Heavenly Venerable is the Will."

"The Buddhist Kingdom is a being with a will, while I am merely a five-stick incense stick. How many levels are I compared to that will? You want me to deal with the Buddhist Kingdom? Can we stop talking nonsense?"

He doesn't tolerate the witch god's behavior; he'll still be sharp-tongued when necessary.

"Isn't Bifang a god-level being? Gong Zheng is also a god-level being, one of the strongest among them, yet they both died at your hands?"

The shaman said, "The power of some people is not determined by the offerings of incense..."

"The hat is too tall, I'm afraid I can't wear it."

Zhou Xuan rubbed his fingers together and said, "Give me something concrete. For example, what benefits would I get if I got involved?"

"..." The Witch God.

This sudden turn of events disrupted the rhythm of the shaman's conversation, leaving him momentarily at a loss for how to continue.

For thousands of years, whatever he wanted to do, whoever he asked, would immediately carry it out; no one had ever spoken like this before!
Within the kingdom of Jing, who dares to negotiate with the sorcerer god?
"You are very honest." The sorcerer god remained silent for a long time before finally uttering these words.

Soon, Zhou Xuan showed the Witch God what it meant to be more practical.

Zhou Xuan added, "Furthermore, since you've asked me to deal with the Buddhist people, you need to make it clear what I'm going to do and how I'm going to do it."
This matter absolutely must be clarified. Otherwise, if you've gone mad and decide to send me alone to the Buddhist Kingdom to kill the Buddha, wouldn't I be forced to go too? Wouldn't I become cannon fodder?

"The scope of my duties needs to be defined. Also, if I encounter danger while on a mission, and I'm just a useless five-stick incense stick, I need to have something to protect myself, right?"

Zhou Xuan launched into a long speech, which made the Witch God's eyes narrow into slits—he felt that although Zhou Xuan repeatedly stated that he was a cowardly Five Sticks of Incense, he was not a coward at all!
The shaman said, "It's all for the sake of the fate of the Well Kingdom, is it necessary to make such a clear distinction?"

"That's absolutely necessary."

Zhou Xuan spread his hands and said, "To be honest, I, a mere five sticks of incense, have no say in how the fate of the Jing Kingdom may turn."
Instead of worrying about the future of Jing Kingdom, I'd rather think about what to eat and drink tonight—whether to drink alcohol or have a plum juice.

"When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact..."

The sorcerer was about to use grand principles to persuade Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan wasn't buying it. He immediately said, "Stop talking. The rest is just 'if the hair is gone, where will it attach?' right? You're saying that if the Kingdom of Jing is gone, we ordinary people are doomed and will be slaughtered by the Buddhist people?"
But frankly, I'd rather die in a great disaster than become cannon fodder for the Jing Kingdom's high command.

His words grew increasingly sharp, causing Di Tong and Li Changxun, who were not far away, to show signs of panic.

Who would dare speak to the sorcerer god like that?
Li Changxun whispered to Yun Ziliang, "Old Yun, you have to persuade him. The situation is beyond our control. If the Master continues to talk nonsense like this, he'll be finished. That's the Witch God. You've obviously heard about the Witch God's cruel methods."

Of all these old friends, only Yun Ziliang was truly compatible with Zhou Xuan's temperament. Many of Zhou Xuan's seemingly audacious actions had received Yun Ziliang's support.

At this moment, he still clearly supported Zhou Xuan, and immediately said in a loud voice: "What is there to persuade? Is there anything wrong with what Xuanzi said? Our Jing Kingdom has a lot of cannon fodder. Several thousand people in Canglong Mountain were wiped out overnight like grass, and we didn't hear any Heavenly Venerable or Will utter a word."

"Oh dear, sir, could you please say less?" Li Changxun had to go and persuade Yun Ziliang again.

The shaman heard Yun Ziliang's discussion and immediately turned his head away.

Seeing this, Zhou Xuan took two steps forward and stood between the Witch God and Yun Ziliang.

The Witch God, his gaze blocked by Zhou Xuan, didn't vent his anger on Old Yun. Instead, he asked Zhou Xuan, "Mr. Zhou, you keep saying 'cannon fodder, cannon fodder,' so I'd like to ask you, what is cannon fodder, and what is a true warrior fighting for the Jing Kingdom?"

"It's simple. The important figures in Jing have strategies for dealing with the enemy, instead of just making decisions on a whim and leading their subordinates around like walking dogs."

There must be a reward. A large reward will surely attract brave men. If the reward is not enough, people will be forced to risk their lives.
Furthermore, there needs to be support from powerful figures. It's unacceptable for these influential people to be so powerful yet confined to their homes, only knowing how to boss others around.

Zhou Xuan raised his face and said, "To put it bluntly, logistics, strategy, and bounty are all indispensable. If these three things are guaranteed, we won't be considered cannon fodder."

The Witch God's expression was inscrutable. After pondering for a long time, he said to Zhou Xuan, "Then let's discuss these matters you mentioned."

"Bonus—Any Buddhist citizen you kill, whether an ordinary Buddhist citizen or a Buddhist realm lord, their corpse is yours."
Furthermore, for each major threat to the Jing Kingdom that you eliminate, you can receive a reward from me, such as incense money, magical artifacts, talismans, or even insights into the laws of nature.

They traded their merits in killing enemies for incense offerings and religious offerings.

“Strategy? The four Heavenly Venerables of Jing Kingdom have limited actions. We can’t see the changes in the situation clearly. It’s better for you to observe the entire battle. Therefore, how to formulate a strategy is entirely up to you.”

"As for logistics?"

The sorcerer beckoned with his finger toward the "Bifang Golden Tokens" not far away, and three golden tokens flew toward him.

He gently wiped away the bloodstains from the gold token, revealing densely packed witch-style runes on its surface.

The golden token immediately emitted a blood-red light.

He handed the divination sticks to Zhou Xuan and said, "These three golden sticks represent the number of times you will call for me. When you use them, prick your finger with the tip of the stick, and I will sense it and come to save you."

"You can only summon me three times a month. After that, you'll have to wait until next month."

At this point, the Witch God smiled wryly and said, "My actions are limited. Three times a month is more than enough. I have told you everything you asked for. Is there anything else you would like to add?"

"Yes," Zhou Xuan said frankly, "I'm not satisfied with the reward money."

The shaman frowned and asked, "What are you dissatisfied with?" "Exchanging battle achievements for incense offerings and cultivation is fine, but I have a question—I've killed many people, can you afford the price?"

Zhou Xuan's words stunned everyone. The God of Witchcraft is a Heavenly Venerable, yet you implied that you were afraid he would renege on his debt?

"Then go ahead and kill me, and see if I can afford the price you want."

The witch god did not think Zhou Xuan was greedy; he only thought that this young man was truly confident.

“If I kill so many people from the Buddhist Kingdom that you can no longer afford the bounty, then our cooperation will end.”

Zhou Xuan said without changing his expression.

"Easy to say, easy to say."

As the Witch God finished speaking, he raised his hand, and the drop of blood flew out again from between the brows of the Wine Master, seeping into the blue bricks of Mr. Night's main hall and disappearing.

The man with the wine in his hand finally came to his senses and asked those around him, "What did I just do?"

Everyone started talking at once.

The more the Wine Master listened, the more confused he became: "What? I really am the mortal incarnation of the Witch God? How come I didn't know about this before? Otherwise, would it be the Arrow Master's turn to be the head of Ping Shui Prefecture now?"

At this point, Master Jiu spat again: "Pah, what Master Jian, I should call him 'Little Arrow'."

Everyone laughed, but Zhou Xuan, through his "appearance analysis," vaguely saw that Master Jiu had a "relief" expression. He thought to himself, "Master Jiu is truly a master of feigning ignorance."

The Witch God had left, and the Earth Child began to "complain" to Zhou Xuan: "Master, were you trying to scare me to death just now? You not only mocked the Witch God for using others as cannon fodder, but you also looked down on the Witch God's wealth."

He patted his chest and said, "Let alone the Witch God, our Master Ye's shrine is lacking in everything but incense offerings and cultivation. In terms of cultivation talent, I am far inferior to Master Jian, but so what? I have nine incense sticks, and he has eight."

"Don't you know where you got these nine incense sticks from?"

Zhou Xuan patted the earth child's protruding belly.

For the sake of nine incense sticks, he ruined himself into a 500-pound fat man, and he's still proud of it?

Seeing the Witch God leave, Li Changxun, who was not far away, also breathed a sigh of relief, just like the Earth Child. At the same time, he was somewhat envious of Zhou Xuan and asked Yun Ziliang beside him,

“Grandmaster, when will I be able to become like the Great Master, unafraid of anyone, and able to chat and laugh with the God of Witches?”

Yun Ziliang glanced at Li Changxun and slowly said, "When your acupoint-striking disciples are all slaughtered like dogs."

"Why are you cursing me? My acupressure techniques are perfectly fine."

"You're not brave enough because you only care about yourself. When you also care about many people and many lives, then you'll be brave enough."

Yun Ziliang nodded heavily to Li Changxun, and there seemed to be tears in his eyes as he spoke.

"Old Yun, don't think about unhappy things. Let's go have some drinks first, and then go back to Mingjiang Prefecture."

Zhou Xuan waved his hand and threw the three golden tokens given to him by the Witch God into the secret realm.

……

The farewell banquet was paid for by Di Tong. Zhou Xuan originally wanted to pay, but Di Tong refused to let him.

“In Jingchuan Prefecture, if the Master doesn’t let me pay for a banquet, then he’s disrespecting me.”

"What can you do if the master doesn't give you face?" Mr. Bai Liu asked.

"I'm going to be in a very awkward situation, do you understand?!" Di Tong was both cowardly and stubborn.

During the meal, Zhou Xuan explained to Di Tong that he needed to return to Mingjiang Prefecture first to finish the reconstruction work there, and then come to Jingchuan Prefecture to help Di Tong find his mother's reincarnation and cure his "earthly fate".
"Once things are settled in Mingjiang Prefecture, I'll return to you with your handsome face," Zhou Xuan said.

"No problem, no problem. You can come whenever it's convenient for you, sir... Anyway, my suffering won't make a difference if I wait a few more days."

After Di Tong finished speaking, Yun Ziliang still kept his mind on the Witch God. He said to Zhou Xuan, "Xuanzi, why do you think the Witch God suddenly came to find you? Have the Buddhist people already attacked?"

"There are no signs yet, but... there must be a reason why the Witch God suddenly came looking for us."

Zhou Xuan couldn't explain the reason either, so he could only say, "I estimate that in the next day or two, there will be some signs of the Buddhist Kingdom's invasion."

……

The drinking went on until night.
After the banquet, Mr. Bai Liu and Mr. Jiu boarded the train to Pingshui Prefecture.

Following Zhou Xuan's instructions, Di Tong dispatched his disciples to spread the false news that Zhou Xuan had killed the Blue-Robed Buddha that day.

Zhou Xuan, Yun Ziliang, and the others returned to Mingjiang Prefecture.
That night, a strange phenomenon occurred in Jingchuan Prefecture: blood gushed from all the wells, and things resembling "flesh-like spirit mushrooms" grew there.

Many people in Jingchuan thought this was an auspicious sign, so they lit candles, took paper money, and knelt by the well to worship.

……

"It's already nine o'clock, Mingjiang Prefecture is so lively."

Zhou Xuan stood on the land of Mingjiang Prefecture, looking at the time on his pocket watch.

At nine o'clock at night, Mingjiang Prefecture was brightly lit. He had gone to the East Market Street the day before.

Zhou Xuan's human power has already restored a portion of Mingjiang Prefecture and brought many deceased people back to the human world. Dongshi Street is the one that has been restored most completely.

The entire street looks almost exactly the same as it did before the Zoroastrian fire.

Old Ma, who had died in the fire at the paper shop, was now shouting in the street, looking for someone to play chess.

Sister Liu, who runs the coffin shop, was sitting at the shop entrance knitting a sweater when she heard someone shout, "Master is back!"

She raised her head and saw Zhou Xuan surrounded by neighbors in the center of the street.

"Sir, sir, I really have to thank you for making it back alive this time."

Sister Liu stood outside the crowd, thanking Zhou Xuan. She was afraid he wouldn't hear her, so she jumped up and down and shouted.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Zhou Xuan greeted the neighbors with a smile as he walked forward.

Before long, he arrived at the door of "Zhou Family Cleaning Shop," where Xiao Fuzi was wiping the tables and chairs.

Fifth Senior Brother and Zhao Wuya squatted at the door cracking melon seeds.

"Little junior brother."

"Brother Xuan." The two men saw Zhou Xuan and came to greet him.

Zhou Xuan looked at the gleaming plaque above the door and said, "They're all back, they're all back."

"Not all of them came back." Zhao Wuyai pointed to the phone in the room and said, "That phone can't make calls."

Lu Mingkun laughed and said, "That's right, Mingjiang Prefecture hasn't been fully rebuilt yet. The telephone exchange is still in its post-disaster state. Where would it transfer your call from?"

"Young Master, we're all back in East Market Street."

Xiao Fuzi, holding a feather duster, spoke cheerfully, but a hint of melancholy lingered beneath the cheerfulness.

Zhou Xuan turned his head and looked at "Sister Cui's Snack Shop" diagonally opposite.

The rows of doors in front of the shops still stand, but the area in front of them is empty, a stark contrast to the bustling shops on Dongshi Street.

Zhou Xuan sighed and said, "If Hua Zi could come back, that would truly be a happy reunion..."

"Sir, something terrible has happened!"

As Zhou Xuan was experiencing a mix of joy and sorrow, and sighing deeply, the painter arrived using the principles of space.

"What's wrong? Old Hua, why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhou Xuan shook his long robe and asked.

The painter said to Zhou Xuan, "Breaking news... the Witch God has appeared in the world."

"..." Zhou Xuan.

This isn't exactly new news.

The painter added, "Furthermore, Jingchuan Prefecture and Huangyuan Prefecture, the two prefectures, have merged into one, and the coffin-maker is now extremely anxious... like an ant on a hot pan, running around in circles."

(End of this chapter)