Day and night tour

Chapter 454 Auspicious Omens of Flying Flowers
"Killing me is a small matter, drinking is a big deal. We're the boss, so since we're here, let's have a drink."

Zhou Xuan got up and, like a half-owner in the restaurant, went to the cupboard and took out a set of clean bowls, plates, and wine glasses.

The Earth Child was somewhat surprised by Zhou Xuan's composure, but recalling the scene in Huangyuan Prefecture, Zhou Xuan had been just as calm before his battle with Zhao Jinjia, sitting down on the red soil of the sword mound and waiting with serene composure.

If someone can maintain such a relaxed demeanor even during a major battle, then Zhou Xuan, who has already returned to Mingjiang Prefecture, must be even more composed.

Mingjiang Prefecture is Zhou Xuan's "place where the power of his vows flourishes," where he can leverage the power of the entire city to implement the True Scripture of the Valley.

Di Tong pulled out the chair and sat directly on the ground. This 500-pound fat man couldn't sit on the bamboo or wooden chairs at Sister Cui's house, which weren't very sturdy. If he sat on them, he would surely break a few of them.

"Sir, the wine is excellent."

Di Tong took a bowl of wine, drank it all in one gulp, and then began to speak of "Zhao Youting," saying, "Today, my trusted confidant in the Imperial Observatory sent me a secret report saying that Zhao Youting went to the Star Gazing Tower to request an audience with Di Zi."

This Zhao Youting is from the Dunjia Sect. You just killed Zhao Jinjia, and he immediately went to see Dizi, probably to use Dizi's power to deal with you.

"This place... I've heard Old White Deer talk about it; he said it's a place of great power and influence."

"That's not exactly wielding absolute power."

The Earth Child said, "The Nine Palaces of Wandering Gods are nominally all under the control of the 'Earth King.' In the Kingdom of Well, there's a saying—'Better to break the Heavenly Laws than to provoke the Earth King.' He is the living King of the Underworld in the Kingdom of Well."

After Zhao Youting requested an audience with the "Earth God," what instructions could the "Earth God" have given?

Zhou Xuan asked again.

"I haven't heard of that. I only heard that Zhao Youting was beaming with joy after leaving the Star Gazing Tower, presumably because he received the 'land's' permission."

"Let him do as he pleases. If he dares to cause trouble in this small area of ​​Mingjiang Prefecture, then I won't care about his place or anything like that... If it's time to take action, I won't hesitate."

Zhou Xuan's words were resounding and powerful.

Di Tong quickly took Zhou Xuan's hand and comforted him, "Master, I came to Mingjiang Prefecture precisely because I was afraid of your attitude."

The "land" is powerful; you cannot contend with it now. Therefore, you must temper your temper and not be reckless.

"Furthermore, although the Dunjia Sect claims to be on good terms with our 'Mr. Ye,' in the end, those little Taoist priests are nothing more than watchdogs kept by 'Dizi.' Killing a sect leader is no big deal."
Anyway, there are plenty of those minor Taoist priests; it's just a matter of finding another leader, nothing serious.

The Earth Child said earnestly, "I can act as a peacemaker. I can say a few kind words to 'Earth Child' and resolve your grudge against the Dunjia, turning hostility into friendship."

Zhou Xuan found his words comforting.

True friendship is forged through life-and-death experiences, but Zhou Xuan was unwilling to accept such a debt of gratitude, saying...
"I appreciate the kindness of the Earth Lord, but I'll say it again—if the Earth Lord wants to fight, then let's fight. If the Dunjia keeps picking on me, then bring it on."
I will never back down, not even if the "Earth God" himself comes.

"Sir, are you that hard?"

Di Tong had always thought Zhou Xuan was tough enough, but after arriving in Mingjiang Prefecture, he discovered that Zhou Xuan was even tougher than he had imagined.

"The big man is not only hard now, but also tall."

The painter standing nearby said to Di Tong, "Do you know what kind of person the Great Master is now?"

"So, the most famous and influential gentleman?" Di Tong was genuinely stumped by the painter's question.

Who could this gentleman be? He was a man of integrity and uprightness in Mingjiang Prefecture, but when it came to his specific position, he really couldn't say.

"After the Great Master led Pisces into the secret realm, he was already a pill official in the Heavenly Vault."

The painter, holding a wine glass, introduced the painting to Di Tong.

"The number of alchemists in the heavens is quite large, but in the eyes of the Earth Prince, they probably don't carry much weight."

"It is a question that has been pondered by the Earth Child," said the child.

Although his words were harsh, the reasoning behind them was sound.

If the title of Dan Guan was so useful, why did the people of Tianqiong not even bother to acknowledge the Fish Monk after Zhou Xuan killed him?
"There are different kinds of alchemists."

Li Changxun, being a deity-level being who had consumed elixirs, possessed a different perspective than others. He said, "Poorly refined elixirs are only fit to be given to the 'Nine Palaces' and the 'Heavenly Eye Daoist'."

The Heavenly Court overturns three families: the Nine Palaces of Dunjia, the Heavenly Eye Temple's "Heavenly Eye Taoist," and the Dragon Seeking "Mountain Ancestor."

Li Changxun not only cleverly extricated himself from the situation, but also took the opportunity to mock Jiugong and Tianyan Daoren, satisfying his urge to vent.

"What if the elixir is refined well?"

"The earth child asked."

“That’s just like our Great Master.” Li Changxun made a gesture as if asking for medicine, and said, “Even the ‘Heaven and Earth’ of the Well Kingdom has to send elixir collectors to ask the Great Master for a couple of pills.”

"None of them are asking for the complete pill. Today, Xuanzi only refined a tiny speck of a pill, and 'Heaven and Earth' have already sent people to eagerly demand the pill."

Yun Ziliang was talking, but he got angrier and angrier. He went up and slapped Li Changxun on the back of the head, scolding him: "It's all because of you that I didn't even see a single hair."

“Hey…” Li Changxun didn’t dare to refute, and pretended to be stupid.

Upon hearing this, Di Tong realized that Zhou Xuan's status had risen to a higher level.
If one were to become the most famous and powerful alchemist in the world, then there would indeed be no need to fear the Earthly Branches.
At the same time, it would be a lie to say that Di Tong felt no pride whatsoever.
He was overjoyed—a man as capable as Master Da, though his lineage might be a bit low, had an unlimited future, like a tiger entering the deep mountains or a dragon returning to the sea.

His ability to leverage his relationship with Zhou Xuan would naturally be extremely beneficial for his future development.

"Luckily, I didn't choose the wrong side."

If Di Tong had heard rumors that "Di Zi" and Zhao Youting were going to kill Zhou Xuan, and immediately distanced himself from Zhou Xuan, that would have been a "missed opportunity."

“Di Tong, from now on, I will follow the great master’s lead without question.”

"You flatter me, Lord Di. If it weren't for the scriptures you gave me, I wouldn't have been able to comprehend the way of alchemy."

"Scriptures? Which one?"

“It’s that book, ‘Shangqing Cantongqi’,” Zhou Xuan said with a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, the White Deer Taoist also cupped his hands and said, "Master, we are old acquaintances."

"Who are you?"

Di Tong didn't recognize Bai Lu Fangshi, but felt that the old man's aura was somewhat familiar.

"Why do you not recognize me now that I look so different?"

The White Deer Taoist simply changed his appearance, transforming into the ancient book "Cantongqi".

An ancient book, its pages fluttering, flew around the earth spirit.

"Oh it's you."

The child suddenly realized that he had finally remembered.

That copy of "Cantongqi" was given to Zhou Xuan by him personally. Moreover, he gave it to Zhou Xuan as a favor only after he had examined the ancient book and confirmed that it had no value whatsoever.

He was filled with regret—how could he have given away such a good book for nothing?

He immediately lost his composure and said awkwardly, "Sir, I still vividly remember the scene when I delivered the book. I seem to remember that you promised me that if I gained any benefits from this ancient book, you would share it with me in half."

"is it?"

Zhou Xuan raised an eyebrow and said, "I also remember the scene very well. It seems that when I said I would split the money with the landlord, the landlord was very generous and said he didn't want a single penny."

Upon hearing this, Di Tong truly regretted his own mouth; why had he spoken so definitively?
"Sir...this..."

Seeing Di Tong's remorseful expression, everyone burst into laughter. Zhou Xuan stopped teasing him and instead raised his wine cup to Di Tong, saying...

“I was just kidding. The ancient book is yours, so naturally I’ll give you some benefits. If I ever refine a good pill in the future, I’ll send you some.”

"Mr. Da is generous and open-minded."

Di Tong was so excited that he searched the table for a wine pot, filled his large bowl to the brim, and raised it up, saying, "I won't say anything more; it's all in the wine."

After he tilted his head back and gulped it down, Li Changxun said to Yun Ziliang, "Grandmaster, I don't think this kid is offering a toast. He's taking big gulps like this; he's just greedy..."

"Indeed, the old man has ruined the wine."

"..." Earth Child.

The group then began to toast and eat mutton.
After several rounds of drinks, Sister Cui entered the house in high spirits and called out to everyone, "Everyone, stop drinking for now! There are golden flowers blooming outside, it's so beautiful! Come out and see what's going on!"

"Could it be someone setting off fireworks?"

Zhou Xuan said something.

"No, no, those golden flowers just floated up from the ground. Brother Xuan, go and see for yourself, it's a strange sight."

After hearing Sister Cui's description, everyone put down their chopsticks and ran out...

……

"The east wind blows thousands of flowers into bloom at night, and blows them down like rain of stars."

This poem, "Green Jade Table - Lantern Festival," is a famous poem from Zhou Xuan's previous life, depicting the magnificent Lantern Festival scene in Lin'an.
Using this phrase to describe Mingjiang Prefecture tonight is extremely appropriate. Zhou Xuan and the others stood outside the restaurant and saw that the entire East Market Street was covered with golden flowers, like flying lanterns, gracefully floating towards the higher night sky.

The night sky was originally desolate, but the thousands upon thousands of golden lanterns floated and swayed like a light rain, creating a beautiful and lively scene.

The streets were already packed with people, all looking up at the flying lanterns in the sky.
After seeing it, the White Deer Alchemist said to Yun Ziliang, "Mr. Yun, you were delayed today and did not see the Great Master's elixir dust. Now your luck has come and you have seen it again."

"What do you mean?"

"These countless falling petals are the extraordinary aspect of the Great Master's 'Essence of Longevity'."

The White Deer Alchemist was an old master alchemist with considerable knowledge of elixirs. He put his hands on his hips and said, "After that elixir was taken by the person who retrieved it, 'Heaven and Earth' completely absorbed it, increasing their lifespan. In their joy, they bestowed auspicious omens."
This shower of falling petals also proved the unparalleled effectiveness of the Great Master's elixir, leaving even "heaven and earth" in awe.

"You scholars have so many words to use. If it were me, a mere child, I couldn't come up with so many good words."

The earth child wanted to use the falling petals to come up with some nice words and make his presence known, but in the end, he could only say one sentence: "These flowers are really damn beautiful!"

……

The flying blossoms over the Mingjiang River can be considered a reflection of "Heaven and Earth" after consuming the elixir.

It was a minor but auspicious omen.

But in the eyes of some people, this flurry of petals is not the case at all.

In Dunjia Mountain, there are twelve grottoes, six of which were occupied by the Supreme Ancestor for cultivation.

The largest cave is named "Riding the Wind and Enjoying the Moon".

At the top of the cave is a sinkhole. If one cultivates here, even without raising one's perception to the "Day Travel" level, the abundant spiritual energy allows the cultivator to separate their soul from their body, floating like a celestial being, roaming the nine realms.

When you travel through it, it truly feels like "riding the wind," which is why this cave has the evocative name "Riding the Wind and Enjoying the Moon."

Such a wondrous cave could only be enjoyed by the most powerful people in the Dunjia sect.

Today, the owner of this cave is none other than the First Supreme Master of the Dunjia Sect—the Calabash Taoist.

The Calabash Taoist had white hair but a youthful face, and his figure was just like that of a child. He carried an enormous gourd on his back.

At this moment, Zhao Youting, Zhao Longhu, Zhao Zibi, and Zhao Luosheng, the four fellow disciples, all knelt down in front of the Calabash Taoist.

“Master Calabash, Zhou Xuan has said that he will shatter the gates of our Dunjia Mountain with a single strike.”

"The mountain gate is the foundation of our ancestor's cultivation, and it must not be destroyed. We four brothers also wanted to fight Zhou Xuan to the death, but unfortunately we were no match for him."

"Master, I went to ask the 'Earth Seeker,' but he was also very unhappy. However, he is currently in seclusion for life-and-death cultivation and cannot leave. He could only use the Star Gazing Tablet to beg the Master to come out of seclusion."

“Master, the four of us are all filial sons and virtuous grandsons. We have not uttered a single lie to you. I swear in the name of my master and in the name of my father that if we have uttered a single lie, may we be struck down by the Five Thunderbolts.”

Zhao Longhu raised his hand high and said.

The gourd-shaped Taoist priest remained silent throughout, his eyes slightly closed, his nose gently inhaling the fragrance of flowers in the cave.

Only after the four brothers had finished their endless ramblings and run out of new ideas did the gourd-wielding Taoist priest finally speak slowly.

"Have you finished speaking?"

"Master, that concludes the lecture," Zhao Youting said respectfully.

"Hmm, how old is Zhou Xuan?"

The gourd-shaped Taoist priest asked.

"In his early twenties, I guess."

Zhao Longhu replied.

"You're in your early twenties... You four brothers are all over your lives, and you cultivate every day. You can't be said to be lazy. How come, even if all four of you are together, you're afraid you can't defeat Zhou Xuan?"

The gourd-shaped Taoist priest spoke with great contempt, looking down on the uselessness of his disciples and followers.

The four brothers were speechless. Finally, Zhao Longhu mustered his courage and said, "Zhou Xuan is extremely lucky. He received a personal instruction from the Dao Ancestor and also had the help of the Wuwen Mountain Spirit—the Butcher..."

"Snapped!"

Before he could finish speaking, a withered leaf flew up from the cave and slapped him hard across the face.

The withered leaf, like a piece of hard iron, slapped Zhao Longhu's face until it swelled up like a steamed bun, with traces of blood still visible through the swelling.

The Calabash Taoist said coldly, "Zhao Longhu, I have repeatedly reminded you that luck is not something that comes out of thin air."

"When you are strong enough, luck will come your way; when you are not strong enough, only bad luck and misfortune will come your way."

"Luck is a humble word used by the strong, and should not be an excuse for a bunch of cowards like you."

"Yes Yes!"

Zhao Longhu was angry, but he didn't dare to show it, so he could only answer honestly.

The gourd-shaped Taoist priest continued, "I remember Zhao Qingxiao was going to Mingjiang Prefecture to bring back a fox spirit with the Laws of the Fourth Realm. Wasn't that plan ruined by Zhou Xuan?"

"Yes!"

"I can't bring the blue and red fish back..."

“It was Zhou Xuan who stole Pisces. Moreover, his perception is extremely strong, and he can already manifest the ‘Day and Night Wanderer’,” Zhao Longhu said.

"This young man in his early twenties is quite something."

The gourd-shaped Taoist priest said coldly, "Our Dunjia Sect hasn't produced such talent in a long time... We've only produced one batch after another of your useless good-for-nothings."

Zhao Youting, having endured the scolding, struggled to say, "Master, Zhou Xuan is trying to break down our mountain gate. If we don't kill him, the gate will be destroyed. Moreover, we have also disobeyed the wishes of the 'Earth Child,' and I fear that the Earth Child will take his anger out on us, causing rivers of blood to flow in Dunjia Mountain. I beg you, Master, to come out of the mountain."

"Snapped!"

Another withered leaf flew by, and this time, Zhao Youting's face swelled up like a steamed bun.

"Whether I leave the mountain or not is not up to you juniors to decide. I'll go to Mingjiang Prefecture and see what kind of person Zhou Xuan is."

After the Calabash Ancestor finished speaking, he made a hand seal, and the gourd beside him automatically uncorked, releasing all the spiritual dew and mountain breeze he had collected over the years.

He then used the mountain winds to send his soul away from his body, riding the wind to depart.

A wisp of soul, a gust of wind, and before long, it drifted to the sky above Mingjiang Prefecture.

He heard from his four fellow disciples that Zhou Xuan's perception was stronger than that of a god, and that he was the only person in the Jing Kingdom in the past two thousand years who could manifest the "Day and Night Wandering God" Dharma form.

Therefore, he dared not get too close to East Market Street, and only dared to look out from the edge of Mingjiang Prefecture.

With that glance, he saw a shower of golden petals.

"What beautiful rain."

He closed his eyes, and then with his right hand, he drew nine connected squares at the center of his forehead—the Nine Palaces Symbol.

With the blessing of the Nine Palaces Talisman, the Calabash Taoist saw that the rain of golden flowers was actually circling around Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan stood in the center of the shower of flowers, surrounded by stars like the moon.

"This rain of flowers is like an auspicious omen descended from heaven and earth, and the auspicious omen surrounds Zhou Xuan... What a blessing Zhou Xuan is!"

A desire called "greed" immediately arose in his heart.

"His perception is boundless, and his blessings are profound... Zhou Xuan himself is a rare treasure."

"The lineage of Dunjia Mountain is about to end, and I also need to make a future for myself."

He had many plans in mind.

“Those four lousy disciples, how could I not know they were deceiving and cheating me? But if I didn’t expose them and just went with the flow, and managed to capture Zhou Xuan… that would be a wonderful thing.”

The Calabash Taoist's thoughts raced, but at that very moment, his Nine Palaces Talisman began to shake violently.
Immediately afterwards, amidst the rain of flowers, he spotted a giant black tortoise.

The Black Tortoise has the body of a tortoise and the head of a dragon.
The Calabash Taoist had cultivated to the point of nine incense sticks long ago, so how could he not know that the Black Tortoise was the founding patriarch of the Dunjia School?

"The founder?"

He quickly performed the Taoist salute of the Dunjia Sect, placing his hands up and down.

The black tortoise first glanced at Zhou Xuan, then gently shook its head at the gourd-wielding Taoist, while sighing mournfully.

After this series of actions, the Calabash Taoist understood the meaning of "Black Tortoise".

The black tortoise warned him never to provoke Zhou Xuan...

(End of this chapter)