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Chapter 99 Birthday Banquet
The 18th day of the seventh lunar month.

According to the Chinese almanac, it is auspicious to get married, travel, clean, and plant.

Avoid moving house, buying a house, moving to a new residence, or taking in livestock.

This day is the day before the birthday of Tai Sui.

It is located in a valley about 70 or 80 miles from Changhua County.

This place originally didn't have an official name. Before the drought, the surrounding villagers used to call it Bald Back Valley—probably because its appearance was somewhat similar to a bald back. But since the drought started, people in the village have either died or fled, and now no one calls it that anymore.

And probably as the name faded away, the valley gradually became desolate, the vegetation withered, the animals disappeared, and even the few remaining birds were unwilling to pass through this barren place.

But in recent days, this place has suddenly become lively.

Hordes of demons and ghosts gathered here with gifts, along with their human servants. In an instant, the place was bustling with noise and the neighing of animals. The vast valley became quite crowded amidst the jostling.

However, the Golden-Spotted Gentleman arrived a little late.

It was delayed on its journey due to some issues, and only arrived today. On its way here, it was so hungry that it ate the human servants who were with it. As a result, it can't even find a place to rest on its own.

Of course, this wouldn't have been a big deal in the past. Given its nature, it would have been enough to just snatch one. Unfortunately, most of the demons that came after receiving the invitation were well-known figures in the state, and it couldn't afford to offend any of them. So, it found itself in a dilemma.

— He left in a huff, wasting all his hard work over the past few days, and it's a real shame he couldn't curry favor with the Grand Duke Jupiter.

—If it doesn't leave, it'll just be wasting its time here making a mess. It's a monster that's brought havoc to the area, yet now it doesn't even have a place to stay.

Although there are only a few hours left until the birthday banquet of the Grand Duke Jupiter, it doesn't matter if he doesn't get enough rest, but what's that saying again?

It's not about the steamed bun, it's about saving face. It's just standing there all alone, like a wooden pole, and it's not good for its reputation.

So the Golden-Spotted Gentleman wandered aimlessly in this dilemma, occasionally getting in the way of others and being scolded a few times. It didn't dare to argue back, but just laughed it off.

As a result, the feeling of frustration naturally grew stronger and stronger. Just when it could no longer bear it and was about to wave goodbye, it suddenly caught sight of a figure.

It was a figure over two meters tall.

This kind of physique is not uncommon among monsters. For example, wild boars or bears that have become spirits often have a physique of more than three meters. If they pass the 'transformation' stage, they become even more bizarre, with some growing to more than ten meters tall.

The problem is, this person clearly looks like a human.

So that's why her height is a bit unusual.

Jinbanlangjun sniffed, but found no sign of life on that guy.

It doesn't seem like a servant brought by any demon clan.

However, there was also no demonic or sinister aura.

—In summary, it seems to be a corpse that has become a spirit, and it has only recently become a spirit.

The Golden-Spotted Gentleman immediately grinned maliciously.

As the saying goes, you have to consider the owner before you beat a dog. It can't afford to offend those famous people in the state, nor can it afford to offend those famous servants. But surely it can afford to offend this little demon who somehow got lucky and accidentally obtained an invitation?
What's even better is that the direction this guy is heading is right in a secluded spot in the valley. Because of the poor terrain, no monsters or ghosts usually pass by, making it a perfect place to strike.

"Don't blame your grandpa for being ruthless. The main problem is that you don't know your own limitations. With such meager skills, you dare to try and flatter the Grand Duke Jupiter? If I don't kill you, someone else will sooner or later."

With almost silent footsteps—a natural ability of the Golden-Spotted Gentleman—it cautiously followed behind the fellow, watching him walk step by step into his death under the moonlight.
The surroundings fell silent; the clamor of monsters and humans faded into the distance. Finally, the Golden-Spotted Gentleman found his opportunity. With silent, stealthy steps, he crept up behind the creature, his sharp claws flashing from his hands, ready to eliminate it instantly—

However, the next second, he only saw a face that suddenly turned around.

Moreover, it was a human face with a gentle smile.

How did he find out about me?

The moment those words flashed through his mind, the smiling face vanished from his sight.

Then, a flash of cold light appeared.

Before Money Boy could react, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his chest.

He lowered his head and slowly looked down.

A sinister dagger was stuck there, already piercing his heart.

—That's too fast, how could anyone be faster than me?
Before the thought was even finished, the body swayed a few times and then collapsed.

Zhou You tucked the blood-stained blade into his sleeve, then looked at the corpse rolling in the dust.

The conjured appearance gradually disappeared, and a spotted, plump body appeared before him.

No wonder we didn't find out until the very end that it was actually a leopard that had become a spirit.

Just then, the voice of Taoist Xuan Yuan rang in his ears.

"How many is this today?"

"This is the third one, and it should be the last one. Uncle, the place you chose is truly a feng shui treasure. Not only is there no trace of murder and robbery, but there are always idiots coming up to you. To be able to carry out entrapment to this extent is quite an achievement."

"Entrapment? Law enforcement? What's the connection between these two words?" Xuan Yuan asked, but quickly dismissed the irrelevant question. "Forget it, let's just do what I told you before and deal with it quickly."

Zhou You nodded.

He bent down and, just as he had done in the past few days, carefully cut open the leopard's belly, took out its internal organs, then cut off and gouged out its ears, nose, tongue, and eyes. Finally, he picked up a stone, smashed the skull, and took out the bloody brain.

Then, Zhou You put these into several jars, stained them with blood, drew a bunch of talismans on them, and finally led the donkey carefully to a spot in the valley and buried all the jars.

Only after completing everything did Zhou You's tense body relax.

—This is the method that Xuan Yuan Dao Ren told him.

—This was also a birthday 'surprise' given to the Grand Duke Jupiter by the two of them, master and nephew.

"This should be the last key point of the formation. Uncle-Master, is your method even going to work?"

Hearing Zhou You's somewhat skeptical words, Xuan Yuan Daoist didn't seem to mind, and simply smiled. "Don't underestimate this formation. This is the one that the Shi Fa Sect used to suppress the master of the Corpse Forest in Wuzhou. Of course, normally it should have used the flesh and blood of twelve great demons, thirty-six Yin ghosts, and seventy-two cultivators as the core of the formation. Although ours is a degraded version with limited materials, fortunately, you, my nephew, had already subdued the county yamen runners, and now you have them build a series of interconnected formations outside the valley, so it can barely be used."

The other person paused for a moment, then continued.

"But don't worry, as long as that Tai Sui Star Lord hasn't become an immortal, this thing can definitely deliver a powerful blow. Now we just need to wait."

Zhou You nodded.

Even though he possessed Xuan Yuan Dao Ren's Dharma body, there was still a certain gap in strength between him and Tai Sui Xing Jun. Now, he would borrow some external power if he could.

This isn't some European knightly duel, why make such a fuss?
But just as he opened his mouth, as if to say something, suddenly, accompanied by the high-pitched sound of the suona, a voice that was neither male nor female suddenly rang out.

"The Tai Sui birthday banquet has begun—please enter, distinguished guests—"

Before Zhou You could speak, Xuan Yuan Daoist was immediately speechless. Then, this person said in utter astonishment.

"Wait, wasn't it supposed to be tonight? Why are they holding a birthday celebration now?"

Zhou You's brows furrowed deeply.

He had already inquired about the good news before he arrived: the Tai Sui's birthday was set for tomorrow at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), a time before dawn when Yin and Yang were in flux, and also the most suitable time for it to ascend to immortality. Now, how could it...?
Zhou You looked up at the sky.

A long, narrow crescent moon hangs high in the sky. Judging from its position, it's only the end of Hai hour (9-11 PM) at most, not even Zi hour (11 PM-1 AM). Why is it suddenly starting its feast early?

Has something changed, or...?
But before he could think it through, the sound of the suona became even sharper.

"The auspicious hour has arrived—the gates of immortality have opened—please, all of you, ascend and join the ranks!"

—It's too late!
Zhou You took a deep breath and then spoke.

"—Uncle-Master, it seems the birthday banquet will be held earlier than planned. Shall we proceed according to the agreement we made beforehand?"

"That's all we can do—Junior Nephew, to avoid giving anything away, I'll stay out of the way for now. It's up to you now!"

After speaking, Master Xuan Yuan's voice fell silent, and Zhou You completely took control of the body.

However, he didn't rush over. Instead, he took out a piece of monster jerky from his pocket, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

A few seconds later, a chilling aura swirled around him, and his skin turned from rosy to bluish-purple. In an instant, he became a real zombie—this was an extra effect added by the Xuan Yuan Daoist's perfected technique, which allowed him to disguise himself as a monster for a short time even without the protection of yin energy.

Then, Zhou You carefully adjusted his clothes to make sure he had no flaws before leading the donkey outside.

When Zhou You arrived, humans and demons had already formed a long queue at the entrance.

To be honest, it was a truly spectacular sight.

Leaving aside humans, these demons are truly bizarre and varied. The more ordinary ones are like the Green Mountain Lord and the beast demons, with a beast's head on their necks but a human body underneath. The more grotesque ones resemble skinned corpses or ghost ladies dressed in wedding gowns, missing half their bodies.
As for the even stranger ones, they had simply lost their shape, such as brain matter floating in the miasma, or human faces appearing and disappearing amidst countless flying mosquitoes.
Among this pile of bizarre things, Zhou You, who has achieved enlightenment as a zombie, is among the most normal.

Although the queue was long, the inspection was efficient, so the pace was quite fast, and before long, they were close to completing their tour.

But at that moment, another unexpected event occurred.

Ahead, a snake-headed monster with its tongue flicking out appeared to be arguing with the gatekeeper. The creature shook its triangular head, flicking its tongue, and spoke with suppressed anger.

"No, everyone else was let in, why can't I go in?"

The demon guarding the gate was in human form. It was expressionless, letting foul-smelling saliva splatter all over its face, and then it opened its mouth.

—But unlike its utterly indifferent expression, its voice was extremely comical, almost like a theatrical performance. Moreover, as its mouth opened and closed, there were also some eerie water sounds coming from its body.

“My lord, to attend the Grand Duke’s birthday banquet, one must have an invitation. You want to enter without any invitation, which puts me in a difficult position.”

The snake-headed monster was immediately enraged.

"How many times have I told you? I did lose the invitation, but I am definitely on the invitee list. If you don't believe me, go ask the God of Jupiter."

But the gatekeeper remained unmoved.

"The Grand Duke Jupiter is busy and has no time to bother with such a matter. You may enter if you have an invitation, and leave if you don't. It's that simple. Please go back."

"Are you fucking kidding me?! I came all this way, and you're just turning me away??? Let me tell you, I'm coming in whether you let me or not—"

But the next moment, its sound suddenly stopped.

The gatekeeper lightly grasped his neck, without much force, but no matter how much the snake demon struggled, it couldn't break free. Then, the snake demon's face showed increasing terror, and at the peak of its terror, its entire body suddenly stiffened—

Then, like a water balloon at a temple fair, it exploded with a bang.

The foul-smelling blood and fragments of organs were spilled all over the ground, even staining the monsters queuing behind, but not a single monster dared to complain. Everything stood silently in place, and when it was their turn, they obediently handed over their invitations.

Seeing this, Master Xuanyuan risked his life to offer a word of advice.

"These things are the tentacles of the Tai Sui. They look like humans, but their bodies have already been completely drained and then filled with the flesh and blood of the Tai Sui. Wherever they are, it's basically equivalent to half of the Tai Sui's true form being present—otherwise, that snake demon wouldn't have been dealt with so easily—so you must not reveal any weaknesses in front of them, otherwise..."

He was abruptly interrupted before he could finish speaking.

Zhou You looked up and realized it was his turn.

The gatekeeper's 'tentacle' was looking at him, one eye staring normally, while the other eye was darting around in its socket, before it began to speak softly.

It was still the same old operatic tune.

"Invitation letter"

Zhou You simply pulled out a bill—he'd accumulated quite a few of these lately due to entrapment operations. So he wasn't afraid of being checked.

However, after just one glance, a strange expression suddenly appeared on its face.

"Wait a minute, it clearly says it's a tiger spirit, so why are you a zombie?"

(End of this chapter)