Day and night tour

Chapter 418 The dust has settled
When Zhou Xuan invoked the name of the Witch God, the Rat King was intimidated, but not terrified.

"You think I'm afraid of you just because you're using the name of the Witch God? Who knows if you're up to some trick again?"

Zhou Xuan has told too many lies... At least tonight, he didn't tell a single truth in the Cathedral of St. John, so much so that now, as soon as he opens his mouth, the Rat King assumes he's just spouting nonsense.

"Look, when the truth is taken for falsehood, the falsehood becomes true, and when the falsehood is taken for truth, the truth becomes falsehood. I finally told you the truth, and you still don't believe me."

Zhou Xuan, holding the wind, said with an awkward smile to the Taoist Guishan, "Old Guishan, you should go back to the Taoist temple first. The Witch God has appeared and prefers peace and quiet."

"Ugh."

After nodding, Guishan Daoist walked to Zhou Xuan's side and said, "Master, you were so convincing when you tricked the Rat King just now. I was even thinking of following you and becoming the overlord of the Star Sea, plundering endlessly."

"Stop dreaming, you. First become the local tyrant of your Little Turtle Mountain, then you can talk about becoming the overlord of the Star Sea."

Zhou Xuan smiled and waved to the Taoist of Guishan, saying, "You did a good job today. Tomorrow, go to the Bureau of Divine Travel and collect ten Snow Mountain Ginseng roots."

"Ten trees, wouldn't that fill my incense burner?" Guishan Daoren said.

"Is there really too much incense offering?"

Zhou Xuan glanced sideways at the Taoist of Turtle Mountain, and the old turtle smiled and left.

"Rat King, once you enter my dream of gentle breeze, Mingjiang Prefecture will be peaceful again. Once you and those cathedrals of Anxi are destroyed, Mingjiang Prefecture will have a clear sky."

As Zhou Xuan spoke, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the church, blowing from the southwest without stirring up a single fallen leaf.

As the wind gently brushed against his face, Zhou Xuan could sense a slight movement belonging to the wind.

"The Witch God has arrived."

Zhou Xuan now has some understanding of the characteristics of powerful beings. He knows that the more powerful a being is, the more skillful its control over power is.

In particular, the supreme "supreme will" of the Kingdom of Najing emerged from the sea in a truly unassuming manner.

"I didn't expect you to come looking for me so soon."

A middle-aged man carrying a gourd of wine staggered toward Zhou Xuan.

This man was none other than Master Jiu.

The Wine Master is the "walker of the human world" appointed by the Witch God. The Witch God also needs the Wine Master's body to travel the world.

“Witch God, the Rat King is trapped in the wind in my hand, and I am waiting for you to bring him to justice.”

"Ha, Zhou Xuan, keep acting, just keep acting... God of War? I'll give you a piece of my mind..."

The Rat King thought that Zhou Xuan outside the "dream" was still acting, and immediately began to mock him.

"Is this noisy person the Rat King?"

With a flick of his hand, the sorcerer sent a fallen leaf flying into the air, drifting towards Zhou Xuan's dreamlike state.

The fallen leaves entered my dream, and suddenly they exploded, turning into clouds of dust. Each grain of dust resembled an indistinct rune, slaying most of the rat king horsefly in my dream.

The horsefly was the rat king's lifeline. Now that he was half-dead, he was immediately alarmed.

"It really is the Witch God, it really is the Witch God! Have I, the Rat King, violated the heavenly laws? Is it worth the most powerful Heavenly Venerable attacking me?"

"How annoying!"

The sorcerer flung out another leaf, and just like last time, it killed the remaining horseflies in the dream.

Two leaves were enough to end the Rat King's life, and the breeze in Zhou Xuan's hand was now tinged with blood, turning into a blood-red swirling wind.

But a few moments later, the blood seemed to be absorbed by the wind, which then became formless and invisible.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Xuan finally put away the gentle breeze and the great dream.

This dream became a cloud pattern on his Taoist robe.

"Is this Rat King a spy from the Buddhist Kingdom?"

After the witch god finished beheading the rat king, he began to inquire about the rat king's origins.

Zhou Xuan shook his head and said, "No."

"Then you are abusing your power."

The Witch God said solemnly, "We have an agreement: you deal with the Buddhist people, and I will give you three opportunities to send reinforcements every month."

"Dealing with the Rat King is the same as dealing with the people of the Buddhist Kingdom."

Zhou Xuan said, "It's a very simple principle: if the Rat King is not eliminated, the people of Mingjiang Prefecture will be in imminent danger, and I won't be able to spare any resources to deal with the Buddhist people."

“You didn’t have to ask me to kill the Rat King. He’s trapped in the dream of the Four Heavenly Venerables and can’t get out. You’ve wasted an opportunity by asking me to come.”

The witch god felt a little regretful, because Zhou Xuan had used up one of his three chances a month just for this rat in the gutter.

Zhou Xuan slowly shook his head and said, "This opportunity must not be wasted. I don't like things to drag on and things to go wrong."

A rat king who is always trying to take over Zhou Xuan's life, Zhou Xuan is not at ease even if he lives for another second.

"You're not just worried about things getting complicated, are you?" the sorcerer asked rhetorically.

Zhou Xuan was very frank, saying, "I was also worried that you wouldn't come."

Zhou Xuan was satisfied with the three opportunities to reinforce him in a month, but would the Witch God definitely come as long as he dripped his blood on the golden token?

Zhou Xuan had a question mark about this matter, but now the question mark can be cleared up; the Witch God will indeed come.

"It's always better to be certain about things. It's much better than me having to shed blood on the gold medal when I'm in a real crisis, and you disappear without a trace."

At this point, Zhou Xuan gestured with both hands and said, "We are slowly building mutual trust."

"So you believe me?"

"I believe it...most of the time."

“I’ve come to believe most of what you said,” the Witch God said. “This Rat King is actually a fake Heavenly Demon made by the Abyss.”

“Although it’s a fake, this counterfeit has three parts of the 'Zu Yao' spirit's essence, making it a formidable opponent. You’ve shown me your abilities.”

“Isn’t killing Bifang enough proof?” Zhou Xuan asked.

“This Rat King is much harder to kill than Bifang.” The Witch God was a discerning man, and he then asked Zhou Xuan, “Do you have a plan to deal with the Buddhist people?”

"To deal with the Buddhists, we must wait until things in Mingjiang Prefecture are settled."

Zhou Xuan said, "Once Mingjiang Prefecture is rebuilt, I will go to Jingchuan Prefecture. Huangyuan Prefecture and Jingchuan Prefecture have grown together. There are many strange things about this. Among them, the people of the Buddhist Kingdom must be behind it."

"The Buddhist monk Xunbo left a passage in the Kingdom of Well. This passage is located in the 'Boundary of Time' above Huangyuan Prefecture."

"So you suspect that the merger of Huangyuan Prefecture and Jingchuan Prefecture this time is related to the passage to the Buddhist Kingdom?"

"Of course there is a connection. However, the merger of the two prefectures is a major event that will attract the attention of all the major factions in the Jing Kingdom. In the past two days, the people of the Buddhist Kingdom have not dared to make any big moves. The real commotion often occurs on the eve of calm."

Zhou Xuan said, "Furthermore, the merger of the two prefectures is such a big deal, it's likely that someone with ulterior motives is interfering."

"You've thought this through very deeply. Could it be that you've also realized the intricate connection between the people of the Buddhist Kingdom and the Blood God's will of the Well Kingdom?"

"I think so."

"So, the invasion of the Buddhist people was not simply an invasion of the Jing Kingdom civilization by a powerful civilization?"

“The dam has always rotted from its own foundation.”

Zhou Xuan pointed to the prison cell not far away, the place where the Rat King was kept.

This cell is the dirty business of the Earth Abyss Demon "Chaos". With the help of missionaries, they kidnap people with vigorous blood from all corners of Mingjiang Prefecture to nourish the Rat King.

"Chaos" attempted to transform the Rat King into a second Heavenly Demon, "Zu Yao".

"Such a momentous event, God of War, are you completely unaware of it? Are you truly unaware, or do you know but choose not to, or perhaps... dare not to intervene?"

Zhou Xuan's question was somewhat aggressive.

The Witch God turned his face away and said, "The Heavenly Venerable's power is immense, but the operation of a world cannot be controlled by sheer power alone. The Well Kingdom is a rotten machine, and this machine has its own laws of operation."

"The rules cannot be broken from within; they need an outsider like you to break them."

He said to Zhou Xuan, "Take this Cathedral of Xi'an for example... it was built up by the celestial demon 'Chaos.' So tell me, who is behind 'Chaos'? And if we trace it back to its roots, who is at the very bottom of its foundation?"

"In your recklessness, you actually ruined the businesses of many people."

"So Bifang wants to kill me," Zhou Xuan said with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Bifang killing you is just a facade, Zhou Xuan. You must remember—although Bifang orchestrated the killing of you using the ‘Book of Will,’ that book bears the signatures and seals of seventeen god-level beings.”

The Witch God said, "Do you remember when a deity signed the Heavenly Book, ordering your execution?"

"During the calamity of the Mingjiang flood, I led the Mingjiang Wandering Gods Division and successively beheaded the Heavenly Official, the Ghost Hand, and Peng Hou."

"That means the gods know you pose a threat to them."

The Witch God said, "But the reason why a god-level being would want to get rid of you is because you destroyed the kidnapper."

"The kidnappers have abducted a lot of people and goods. They're transporting those people and goods upwards. Where do you think it will end? The City God, the Star-Covering Emperor, the Heavenly Official, or the Ghost Hand?"

The shaman said, "It's even more advanced than you think. Moreover, the kidnappers are just a test subject. If the kidnapping business succeeds, there will be ten or even a hundred kidnapping dens established within the Jing Kingdom."

After a pause, he sighed heavily and said, "Because what the kidnapper did was in the interest of all the gods in the heavens."

The words of the sorcerer were like lifting the "terrifying veil" of the Jing Kingdom, revealing how much ugliness was hidden within, which Zhou Xuan had no idea.

But he seemed to see an endless abyss, within which grew countless tentacles, and on the arm of each tentacle was engraved the name of "God".

“Zhou Xuan, you are that drop of blood from the abyss that brought you to the Kingdom of Jing. The Kingdom of Jing needs an outsider like you to smash those dirty businesses to pieces.”

The sorcerer god spoke with some passion.

"I don't have that much ability. All I can do is cultivate this small plot of land in front of me."

Zhou Xuan said, "We'll take it one step at a time."

The witch god wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't, and instead smiled quietly.

"Time is running out, Zhou Xuan. You are the one who will polish the decaying machine of the Jing Kingdom."

The sorcerer, controlling the body of the wine master, staggered away.

“Witch God, I told you long ago, the hat is too high for me to wear.”

Zhou Xuan chuckled self-deprecatingly. He hadn't forgotten that he had once been a part of the dirty business of the Jing Kingdom—a commodity.

Moreover, these are top-quality goods. The hunting and killing of Blood Well Spirit Communicators has always been a dirty business for the Well Kingdom.

Zhou Xuan sighed and walked towards the prison cell in the church.

Inside the cell, dozens of old women were still locked up.

Perhaps their true age is not as old as they appear; it is only because their life force has been drained over time that they have aged into frail, elderly people.

"They've all left, so it's time for you to leave too."

Zhou Xuan raised his hand, and a beam of white light shot out from his sleeve, heading straight for the iron chains binding the old women.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

The sharp bones and teeth were indestructible, and the iron chains snapped instantly.

The shackles on the old women have been removed; they have suffered long-term torment and have long since lost all human emotions.

Like wild beasts, they crawled out of the cell one by one, on all fours, and surrounded Zhou Xuan.

They hadn't eaten for a long time, and Zhou Xuan, this living person, was the food they had been longing for.

This is the instinct of wild animals; upon seeing a living creature, they think of preying on it.

But at the same time, they also possess the keen sense of wild animals—the ability to discern whether the other party is powerful or not.

This determines whether they hunt their prey or are hunted as prey.

In the end, they realized that Zhou Xuan was not someone to be trifled with. After shouting a few times around him, they continued to crawl westward.

They climbed up a large mountain west of the stadium road.

The mountains and forests seem to be their true home, as those bustling, brightly lit places are no longer suitable for their survival.

"call!"

“Tweet…”

They howled like wild beasts and crawled into the deep mountains, where their lives would then revolve around eating raw meat and hunting various small animals.

Zhou Xuan sat down beside the cell, lit a cigarette, looked up at the blood-red moon, and said, "They're all gone."

The Taoist priest of Guishan returned to his temple. The Shadowless Rat was killed, and the Rat King's billions of horseflies were annihilated by the Witch God in the "Great Dream of the Gentle Breeze." The old women also disappeared into the vast mountains.

The St. John's Cathedral on the ballpark road, at this moment, is like a flock of birds returning to the forest, leaving the vast white earth truly clean.

but,

Is it really clean?
Zhou Xuan muttered to himself, "In the Kingdom of Well, among the gods, shrines, and even the Heavenly Venerable, are there truly any pure gods left?"

"God, what makes you a god?"

This question, which seemed to have no answer, echoed in Zhou Xuan's mind once again.

……

As dawn broke, Zhou Xuan was awakened by a series of gongs and drums.

"Stop knocking, stop knocking, our young master is sleeping."

Xiao Fuzi's voice, trying to stop the noise, also reached Zhou Xuan's ears.

After he got dressed and got out of bed, he walked to the top of the stairs and saw that the "Zhou Family Cleansing Shop" was packed with people.

Fortunately, Xiao Fuzi and Lü Mingkun held them off at the stairwell, otherwise the human wave would have definitely surged up the stairs to the second floor.

"The Master is here! The Master is here!"

"Sir, we've come to thank you."

“Master, you have rebuilt Mingjiang Prefecture, and my family’s gold shop has also been repaired. All the gleaming gold has returned. This is a lucky bracelet that I made for you overnight. You must wear it.”

Zhou Xuan realized that the crowds were all eager to thank him.

"Stop making noise, you're disturbing my music."

A roar came from the crowd. Zhou Xuan looked in the direction of the sound and almost burst out laughing.

Li Changxun was huddled next to the record player, listening to a record, as if no one was around.

"This addiction is really strong, much stronger than Lao Yun's."

After laughing, Zhou Xuan clasped his hands in a fist salute towards the crowd and said, "Everyone, please calm down and listen to what I have to say."

His words now carry immense weight; the moment he opens his mouth, the crowd falls silent, leaving only the echoing music from the record player.

The river flows gently on, youth has faded, I only long for my lover to come, lest I grow old in vain.

Li Changxun slowly shook his head, completely absorbed in the rhythm of the song playing on the record player.

Zhou Xuan then said, "Everyone, the reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture is not the work of Zhou Xuan alone. Without everyone's faith and willpower, even with my great abilities, I could not have rebuilt it."

However, now, with the combined efforts of the entire city, we have restored Mingjiang Prefecture to its former glory, which is a good thing. Everyone, go back to your homes and live your lives as you did before the disaster.
As for gifts, I won't accept anything too expensive. I'll just keep a few local specialties from everyone so I can try them too.

The crowd immediately applauded, and among them were questions: "Master, shall we continue with the book 'Mingjiang Zoroastrian Records'?"

"Speak up, of course you have to. The reconstruction of Mingjiang Prefecture will depend on this book."

Zhou Xuan spoke generously, and cheers erupted from the crowd once again.

Because the crowd was so enthusiastic, Zhou Xuan, Xiao Fuzi, and the others had to use a lot of persuasion to get them to leave.

Zhou Xuan's clothes were also soaked with sweat. While wiping his face with a towel, he said to Xiao Fuzi, "Fuzi, go to Sister Cui's house and buy some mutton soup."

He had barely finished speaking when he realized something was wrong; Sister Cui was still in Zhou's troupe.

The old shop, the sunshine, and the bustling street made Zhou Xuan feel as if he were still in the pre-disaster era, with Sister Cui still busy at the shop across the street.

Zhou Xuan wrung out the towel and walked onto the street. The Cui Jie Restaurant diagonally opposite was still closed.

"When will you be able to come back?" Zhou Xuan sighed.

……

Zhou Family Troupe, canteen.

The Zhou family troupe at this time was not the same as when Zhou Xuan left.

The Justices of the Peace are one of the top financial groups in Pingshui Prefecture, and they are backed by the Bone Elders Association of Mingjiang Prefecture.

Because of Zhou Xuan's close relationship with the Bone Elder Society, the Justices of the Peace went out of their way to take care of the Zhou family troupe, allocating any profitable business to them.

The Zhou family troupe is no longer a group that can make a living by "performing ghost operas".

With the business booming and the staff piling up, the cafeteria is now bustling with activity.

"Master Yuan, what's wrong today? Why isn't there any meat, peanuts, or dried tofu?"

Senior Brother Yu Zhengyuan, holding a rice bowl, complained to Yuan Buyu as he served the food.

"You don't know anything. Peanuts and spiced tofu taste like ham when chewed together," Yuan Buyu said smugly.

"Where did you hear this weird and unorthodox nonsense?" Yu Zhengyuan frowned.

“That’s what Xuanzi said.”

"Oh, Junior Brother said so? Then I'll try it. Hmm, I must say, it tastes like ham, the authentic taste of Jingshan ham. My Junior Brother is really capable, he's even good at cooking. If he had my looks, he'd be a genius."

Yu Zhengyuan's shamelessness has kicked in again.

"Go play somewhere else, don't delay the people behind you from getting their food." Yuan Buyu was too lazy to banter with Yu Zhengyuan.

Yu Zhengyuan stepped aside with his bowl in hand and asked, "By the way, where's Sister Cui? Sister Cui makes mutton soup every morning. I'm a little craving it today since we can't have any."

"Sister Cui went to Mingjiang Prefecture. She heard that the East Market Street in Mingjiang Prefecture has been repaired, and she wanted to go back to see it and fulfill her wish."

Yuan Buyu said.

"Then she should go back, but wait... Master Yuan, I heard that it's dangerous for Sister Cui to go alone. They say there's some kind of law within her body?"

"Could she have gone alone? Lord Jian and Lord Jiu accompanied her to Mingjiang Prefecture."

As Yuan Buyu spoke, she became sentimental again, picking up the food in her spoon and saying, "So many old people in Mingjiang Prefecture have been brought back to life, why can't Hua Zi be brought back to life?"

"He can come back to life, Elder Yuan. I said he could, and I mean it," Yu Zhengyuan said with a confident expression.

"What makes you so sure?" Yuan Buyu was stunned by Yu Zhengyuan's imposing manner.

"What month is it now?" Yu Zhengyuan asked.

It's October.

"I'm lucky. Once October arrives, everything I say comes true," Yu Zhengyuan said, patting his chest.

"..." Yuan remained silent.

Old Yuan had an impulse; he really wanted to grab a spoon and give Yu Zhengyuan a good whack on the forehead—I was waiting for you to reason with me, and you're giving me mystical advice?

"Go play with your eggs somewhere else, this is a deep well of water, you can't handle it."

Yuan Buyu waved Yu Zhengyuan away...

……

Sunrise and sunset, the sun setting in the west.
It was already evening when the painter entered Zhou's ritual shop and said to Zhou Xuan, who was drinking tea, "Master, the scene has been arranged for you, and we're just waiting for you to give your lecture."

"Ah."

Zhou Xuan responded and followed the painter out the door, getting into the car that had come to pick him up.

He and the painter had just settled in when someone knocked on the car window, and a silvery voice entered the car.

“Brother Xuan, it’s me, Hu Yuncui.”

Now that Sister Cui has someone protecting her, she no longer hesitates to use her real name.

"Sister Cui, what brings you here?"

Zhou Xuan found the manual car window too slow to roll down, so he simply opened the car door and asked Sister Cui...

(End of this chapter)