Wandering Gods of Day and Night

Yuan Buyu, eyes rimmed red, tilted his head upward, recalling many images from the past... When he was young, he and Mr. Feng carried their cured chicken and fish, along with seasonings and pots and pans, and went on spring outings to the countryside.

Mr. Feng was different from other storytellers.

Many disciples joined the storyteller's Tangkou because of its overwhelming strength and massive reputation—as the foremost of the nine ancient temples, the first Day Patrol Deity under heaven.

Mr. Feng simply loved storytelling. After cultivating the "Human World No Distance" and ceasing to fear Bi Fang's relentless pursuit, he headed to the Mingjiang Grand Theater to tell stories, day after day, never missing a single session—earning the title of "Mingjiang Prefecture's Number-One Storyteller."

During one spring outing, Yuan Buyu cooked cured chicken and cured pork with garlic shoots and chili, while Mr. Feng mimicked the style of storytellers from the county town, narrating tales to Yuan Buyu.

After hearing Mr. Feng's stories, Yuan Buyu said, "You should become a storyteller someday."

Mr. Feng tried Yuan Buyu's garlic shoot cured pork and replied, "You ought to be a chef someday."

This, indeed, is two flowers blooming with their own branches. How could the complexity of the world compare to a child's prophetic words?

Years later, Mr. Feng became a talent within the storytellers' Tangkou, catching the eye of his harsh and demanding master, who passed down the mantle to him.

Meanwhile, Yuan Buyu, disheartened and dispirited, joined the Zhou Family's Troupe and became a chef.

"Senior Brother, once the 'Food Heaven' inside your body is retrieved, I'll have my disciple send your corpse to Corridor River… You see, you were too naive. You're merely a fleeting 'Human World No Distance,' trying to serve as my disciple's sacrifice—yet they don't even think you're worthy."

Yuan Buyu's words seemed frivolous, but his demeanor was ebullient, and the juxtaposition brought forth an overwhelming sense of grief.

...

Outside the prison chamber door, Zhou Xuan waited.

With a creak,

The door opened.

Yuan Buyu walked out, while Mr. Feng's corpse was neatly arranged on the stone bed inside the chamber, hands folded on his chest.

"Master, please accept my condolences."

"No condolences needed. Senior Brother said he's already lived an exceptionally fulfilling life."

Zhou Xuan nodded, replying, "Indeed, a fulfilling life."

From an early age, Mr. Feng was intelligent; after burning incense, he became the designated successor of the storyteller's Tangkou. Upon completing the ritual, he cultivated "Human World No Distance," wielding a folded fan while slaying multiple Bone Elders in one day. He gained fame at Mingjiang for his storytelling, crafting an enduring legacy.

Success seemed to follow him perpetually. More importantly, throughout his life, he had an inseparable close friend.

"Xuanzi, Master has a final wish."

"I understand—you want to bring Mr. Feng back to Ping Shui Prefecture. No problem at all; once the 'Food Heaven' is retrieved, I'll arrange for his corpse to be sent to Corridor River."

Yuan Buyu's voice trembled again. He couldn't comprehend what fortune visited him—for half his life, he faced constant misfortune. As a storyteller, he was dismissed by his master, betrayed by three out of four disciples, and the one who didn't betray him was sealed in the Blood Well, forever separated from him.

He thought his life would end in failure, yet in his later years, he unexpectedly took in a promising disciple—skilled in storytelling, advancing rapidly in cultivation, and above all, possessing integrity and composure.

"Alright, Master. You should return to Ping Shui Prefecture now. I, Zhou Xuan, may not guarantee much, but when I promise not to touch Mr. Feng's corpse, I won't touch Mr. Feng's corpse."

"Thank you."

Yuan Buyu forced a smile as he was tugged back into the Zhou Family's troupe by the Ancestor Tree.

Zhou Xuan entered the room and instructed the painter, saying, "Old Hua, send Mr. Feng and Mo Tingsheng to Hui Feng Medical College together."

"You're sending Mr. Feng to the medical college to extract the Alien Ghost residing in his body. Why are you taking Mo Tingsheng there too?"

Mo Tingsheng was overcome with terror; he wasn't nearly as carefree as Mr. Feng and valued his life above all else.

Zhou Xuan crouched beside him, pressing a finger onto the center of his brows, and said, "You, your incense is too frail. But your corpse contains a trace of Buddha energy—I'll save that for Ya Zi. However, your Buddha-like Peace Scale does hold significant value; I'll have it extracted and see who it can benefit."

"You… you won't be able to extract my Buddha's image!"

"Others may not be able to, but my Fifth Senior Brother certainly can. He's the finest slicer in Mingjiang Prefecture."

Buddha's image was the term used by the Buddha Country citizens; Jing Country people referred to it as the "Spiritual Communication Characteristic."

Mo Tingsheng's Peace Scale could measure the peace and balance of heaven and earth. If utilized properly, this "Spiritual Communication Characteristic" could yield tremendous power.

"We can't afford to waste it," Zhou Xuan said coldly, fixating his icy gaze on Mo Tingsheng's center brow...

ps: Dear readers, the owed chapters have been delivered. Mwah!