Early in the morning, after having breakfast at home, Ao Qian hurried back to the Liu family to study with Liu Qingquan.
Zen Master Dejie had left with Ao Jin that morning. After exchanging greetings with Lu Zheng at the entrance to Leping Building, he went on his way alone.
Old Master Wang, who had come to listen to stories, still greeted them naturally. “Young Master Lu! Master Yu!”
Lu Zheng turned and saw Ao Jin retaining his true appearance.
Ao Jin smiled faintly. “Apart from you all, others still see me as Yu Jinbo.”
Lu Zheng nodded. “The Dragon King’s mana is profound. I did not detect it at all.”
Clearly, Wang Xiaowan had not revealed Ao Jin’s identity to her family.
That was excellent.
Ao Jin returned Old Master Wang’s greeting naturally. The three then entered the building together.
“I heard the city god manifested yesterday!”
Once seated and hearing the lively discussions around them, Old Master Wang could not contain himself. “A harmful entity appeared. The city god manifested to eliminate the ghost. They say a wandering eminent monk passing through also helped. The two joined forces to slay it!”
As he spoke, Old Master Wang gave Lu Zheng a knowing wink.
Lu Zheng: “…”
Lu Zheng sighed, leaned in, and whispered to Old Master Wang. “Xiaowan told you?”
“Xiaowan only said a Netherworld ghost emerged and a very powerful old monk appeared to help you,” Old Master Wang whispered back. “Since we cannot mention you, I spread it as the city god and the old monk.”
Lu Zheng gave a thumbs up. “Correct! That is exactly it!”
Old Master Wang beamed, convinced he knew the truth, then happily boasted to neighbours.
“Let me tell you, my daughter was offering incense at the city god temple then. She saw clearly. The ghost was over a zhang tall, blue-faced and fanged like a rakshasa. It battled the city god until the sky dimmed and earth darkened, evenly matched. Then an old monk bathed in golden light descended from the heavens. He chanted beside the city god, dazing the evil ghost and binding its limbs. Finally, the city god beheaded it!”
“Rubbish. Your daughter was probably frightened unconscious. My nephew said it was not a ghost but a demon—a fox demon. He saw its tail. An old monk chased the fox demon to the temple. In the end, the city god helped capture it!”
“You are both wrong. I was closest. It was a Daoist true person subduing demons. I heard thunder peals. Golden light and thunder grew stronger wave by wave. Definitely a high master skilled in thunder methods!”
They argued heatedly, each claiming truth, none conceding—their statuses equal.
Only when the storyteller mounted the stage did they huff and cease, sipping tea to calm and prepare for enjoyment.
“Pa!”
The gavel struck. The storyteller’s eyes shone. “Yesterday, we reached Scholar Wang and wife seeking aid at the city god temple. By chance, an anomaly occurred at our Tonglin County’s temple yesterday afternoon. I happened to pass on business, slipped quietly inside, and witnessed it all clearly!”
Lu Zheng: “…”
They had fought right there yesterday. With powers like Dejie and Ao Jin present, they might evade notice. But could an ordinary storyteller escape detection?
Or breach the temple’s illusion array and Shen Ying’s peach blossom sha to reach the battlefield?
Incidentally, the temple was shrouded in illusion. Normally, outsiders sensed nothing inside. Yesterday’s massive disturbance and powerful combatants caused ghost qi, thunder, Buddhist light, and more to faintly pierce the illusion, manifesting anomalies outside.
However…
The storyteller’s words ignited the crowd’s excitement. They heckled eagerly.
“Tell us!”
“What really happened?”
“Did the city god show great might?”
“Ghost or fox demon?”
“Monk? Daoist?”
“Pa!”
Another gavel strike. “While the Buddhist and Daoist fought fiercely with the evil ghost and fox demon, they revealed the details. After organising overnight, today I share with you!”
“Ah? Evil ghost? Fox demon?”
“Both Buddhist and Daoist?”
“All present?”
“Pa!” Gavel strike.
“Precisely!” The storyteller said vividly. “As the saying goes:
Evil ghosts lack mercy, yet humans feel,
Fox demons’ true love stirs the heart.
Eminent Buddhist monk subdues with dharma,
Daoist true person wields thunder.
All, listen as I recount…”
A tale began with a fox demon loving a scholar.
Then an evil ghost caused harm, hiding from the fox demon to drain the scholar’s yang qi. A Buddhist monk discovered it, mistaking the fox demon. A Daoist true person sensed anomaly and intervened.
Finally, with the city god’s help, they exposed the evil ghost. Buddhist monk and Daoist true person aided in subduing it. Fox demon and scholar returned safely.
Happy reunion ending!
“Pa pa pa!”
Applause thundered. The tale perfectly matched their imaginings.
Lu Zheng clapped vigorously below. “Well told! Exactly so. Reward!”
Old Master Wang glanced sideways, impressed by Lu Zheng’s acting. Without knowing the truth, he might have been fooled.
“By comparison, someone like Master Yu who knows nothing is truly happy!” Old Master Wang sighed, watching “Yu Jinbo” clap contentedly, then tipped another half guan.
…
Lu Zheng watched speechlessly as Ao Jin leisurely headed to Cong’an Lane again. Your identity is exposed—why pretend?
But at noon, returning home, he found Ao Jin and wife already at the Liu family.
After lunch, Ao Yi helped little Ao Qian with lessons. Ao Jin called Lu Zheng to the study, casually testing his cultivation.
…
Three days passed thus: gatherings, plays, snow viewing, hotpot. Early fourth day, Ao Jin and Ao Yi departed.
Rarely leaving the East Sea, identities revealed, Ao Qian seen, they planned to tour Great Jing: mountains, rivers, old friends.
“We return before New Year. Then all go to East Sea for festivities, see the scenery.”
Ao Jin’s words. Then with Ao Yi, maids, servants, coachmen, carriages, they vanished.
“Oh, right. The northern mansion and Cong’an Lane shops are transferred to little Lu’s name. Accept them when free.”
Lu Zheng: “…”
Everyone: “…”
