Wait… I meant that when I’m powerful enough, with enough influence in both ancient and modern times to not worry about exposure, I could take you to visit.
I just threw out some random phrases, and you actually calculated them?
If I mentioned *Sleeve Universe*, *Heaven and Earth Manifestation*, *Three Heads and Six Arms*, or *External Incarnation*, how many tens of thousands of years of cultivation would that take?
Also, I get the river gods, probably a type of land deity appointed by the Great Jing Dynasty, managing a major river with considerable power from incense offerings.
But what’s with the sea dragon kings and celestial star officials?
I may not be well-read, but don’t trick me…
Lu Zheng blinked, smacking his lips. This world was starting to feel more and more terrifying.
So he tried to pry more information from Liu Qingyan, sighing, “Sea dragon kings, I wonder how powerful they are.”
“The dragon clan rules the four seas, commanding all humans, demons, ghosts, and creatures there, standing equal to the imperial court. Of course, they’re powerful,” Liu Qingyan said matter-of-factly. “But the dragon clan has always been friendly with the Central Plains. Many dragons serve as water gods in the Great Jing Dynasty.”
Lu Zheng nodded, casually asking, “Are the celestial star officials also appointed by the court?”
Liu Qingyan stuck out her tongue. “I’m not too sure about that. I only heard about them from other demons in Wanfu County. They must be very powerful, I suppose.”
Lu Zheng thought of the Twenty-Eight Constellations from *Journey to the West* and nodded. “Probably quite powerful.”
He decided to keep an even lower profile. Modern tech gadgets? Absolutely not bringing them here!
…
The two strolled along and soon it was noon. They passed a small stall selling chicken noodle soup.
*Gulp.* Liu Qingyan swallowed hard.
Lu Zheng glanced at the tender, slow-cooked chicken in the pot. “You lot really… love chicken, don’t you?”
Liu Qingyan’s cheeks flushed faintly, a bit embarrassed. “I’ve eaten it since I was little. I always liked it. The meat’s tender, and the flavour’s great.”
Lu Zheng pulled her toward the stall. “Boss, two bowls of chicken noodle soup. I’ll pay for three, so add extra chicken to ours.”
“Got it! Please, sit. Want green onions?” The stall owner gestured warmly for them to sit.
“Yes!”
…
They slurped their chicken noodle soup, devouring the meat and broth until the bowls were clean.
“Delicious,” Liu Qingyan said, licking her lips.
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. “If this is delicious, you must be easy to please.”
Liu Qingyan blushed. She just liked chicken. What did that have to do with being easy to please?
Lu Zheng smiled. “Remember the fried chicken I brought last time?”
Liu Qingyan’s eyes lit up. “Yes! Are you making that chicken again, Lu Lang? We tried it after you left, but the flavour wasn’t quite the same.”
Lu Zheng waved a hand. “There’s even better stuff.”
Compared to traditional cuisine, KFC was nothing!
Roast chicken, steamed chicken, grilled chicken, smoked chicken, braised chicken, three-cup chicken, spicy chicken, saliva chicken, kung pao chicken, cola chicken wings, char siu chicken, sesame oil chicken, white-cut chicken, crispy chicken, beggar’s chicken, steam-pot chicken, chestnut chicken, chicken mushroom stew…
These were just the ones Lu Zheng knew, and he wasn’t even a foodie. There were surely more he didn’t know.
With so many chicken dishes at his disposal, where could Liu Qingyan possibly run off to?
Come home with me and eat **!
…
Lu Zheng had planned to head to Yizhou Prefecture the next day, but it coincided with a modern weekend.
Last time, after catching a scammer mid-trip, Lu Zheng and Lin Wan only enjoyed one ride at Disneyland. Afterwards, the park’s management sent Lin Wan two complimentary tickets as compensation.
Lin Wan had been busy since then, with no time to revisit. This weekend, she was free and called Lu Zheng to plan another trip.
“Good thing we don’t have to queue for Tron Lightcycle this time. Let’s do Soaring Over the Horizon first.”
“Sounds reasonable!”
So, Lu Zheng returned to the Great Jing Dynasty, glanced at the dead dog, tossed it into the back courtyard woodshed, and told Old Man Li not to touch it. He then slapped a Frost Seal on the corpse to preserve it.
The Frost Seal was surprisingly handy, like a mini fridge, lasting a full day.
…
Disneyland.
“Still so many people!” Lin Wan sighed.
“What should we eat for lunch?” Lu Zheng asked.
They had just finished Soaring Over the Horizon, played a less crowded ride, and watched an indoor show.
It was now 12:30, time for lunch.
“Let me check.” Lin Wan studied the map, struggling to choose. “Pirate’s BBQ Bay or Tribal Table? The Country Kitchen seems decent too.”
Lu Zheng: “…”
Thankfully, Lin Wan was the one deciding, not one of those girls who says “whatever” but rejects every suggestion.
“Let’s go to Pirate’s BBQ Bay for barbecue!”
…
After a long queue, they bought their meal and found a shared table. The meal was noisy and lacked the pirate vibe.
Such was the local charm. Just bear with it.
…
In the afternoon, they lost interest in queuing for more rides. Instead, they left footprints at various theatres, outdoor attractions, and indoor exhibits.
Along the way, they took photos. Lin Wan, adorned with Disney accessories, posed gracefully for Lu Zheng, drawing plenty of envious glances.
“Buy, buy, buy! Belle’s dress, Cinderella’s dress, Elsa’s dress, and a female pirate outfit. Oh, and Black Widow’s combat suit?” Lu Zheng’s eyes gleamed as he went on a shopping spree.
Other girls looked at Lu Zheng and Lin Wan with envy, while Lin Wan shot him a mix of strange and annoyed glances.
After buying too much to carry, Lu Zheng was pleased to learn Disneyland offered delivery. He left a phone number and address, sending everything… to Lin Wan’s place.
“Unexpected haul!” Lu Zheng was delighted.
After Lin Wan pinched his side twice, Lu Zheng promised to fully guide her through the later parts of *Eighteen Mountain-Carrying Forms*. Satisfied, he wrapped an arm around her, and they continued exploring.
…
Compared to their last visit, which was just rides and photos, the park now had more attractions and activities. Lu Zheng noticed one in ten people using selfie sticks for videos or livestreams. Some were solo, others with small crews or professional-looking teams.
Luckily, it wasn’t a holiday, so while crowded, the park wasn’t packed to the brim.
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan passed a few posing influencer girls, outshining them effortlessly in the background. Finally, they stumbled upon something interesting.
“Dear viewers, our twenty-second guest just admitted I’m a magician with real magic. Now, let’s find the twenty-third to see if they can crack my amazing magic!”
“To new viewers, welcome to Flying Magic Live! Today’s a Disneyland special, searching for guests who can break my incredible magic!”
“If a guest cracks my magic, they’ll win a two-day, one-night Disneyland hotel and ticket package for two. Plus, I’ll draw one hundred lucky viewers for Disney blind boxes!”
“Viewers, use your tips to summon someone who can break my magic!”
…
“Oh, I see a super pretty lady and her totally average boyfriend. Let’s have… her boyfriend be our twenty-third guest!”
[Just say it, you’re scared of getting hit.]
[I want to see the pretty lady~]
[GKD! GKD!]
The streamer glanced at Lu Zheng, waving to the cameraman to keep the lens on himself. “Let’s ask if they’re okay being filmed. If they agree, they’re our twenty-third guest.”
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan were then approached by a handsome young man.
“Hi, I’m Flying, a magician with amazing magic…”
Flying repeated his pitch from the livestream. “It’s just a game. So, are you two okay being filmed?”
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan exchanged a glance. Lin Wan smiled. “Not bad, quite professional. You even asked for our consent instead of shoving a camera in our faces.”
Flying grinned. “I’m in it for long-term content, not short-term clout-chasing.”
The livestream chat roasted him mercilessly.
[Yuck…]
[I don’t buy it. Ten of the last twenty-two guests were pretty girls.]
[To be fair, at Disneyland, high-quality ladies are expected. How else is it a special?]
[Her voice sounds so commanding, full of charm. Hope they agree!]
But the off-camera voices disappointed them.
“I’ll go on camera, but not my girlfriend,” Lu Zheng said with a smile. “You picked me as the guest, right?”
[Argh, I hate these straight-laced guys!]
[I want to see the super pretty lady!]
The next moment, Lu Zheng appeared on screen, smiling at Lin Wan off-camera. “Nice luck. One day’s not enough to see it all. Since someone’s treating, we’ll come back and try Tribal Table and Country Kitchen.”
[Wow, so confident. Boyfriend vibes maxed out. I’m in love!]
[Plain Old Principal Gu, this plain guy’s got Gu’s style.]
[That smile’s so warm. This sister’s already melting!]
[Hmph, all talk. Wait for the face-slap!]
[Poser, acting cool. He’ll run off crying soon!]
…
The cameraman’s skills were solid, capturing Flying and Lu Zheng perfectly.
“Alright, watch closely. I’m about to perform magic,” Flying said, raising both hands toward Lu Zheng. “Pay attention. If you can’t see through it, you’ll have to admit I’m a magician with real magic. But if you do, the two-thousand-yuan Disneyland castle package for two is yours!”
