"I, Zhou Xuan, dare not overreach."

Zhou Xuan’s voice, dripping with sarcasm, came from the Turtle Mountain Taoist Temple.

"You killed Zhao Qingxiao and then Zhao Jinjia, leaving a blood feud with our Tunnel Armor Sect disciples. We’ll skip the pretentious and fancy ways; we’ll see the truth in the incense and fire!

Today, according to the rules of Jianghu duels, I challenge you. After your storytelling is done, the six Supremes of Tunnel Armor will battle your Grand Teacher and the entire Mingjiang Prefecture!"

"Your Grand Teacher can summon as many helpers as he wants; we are these people, how about it?"

"That would be excellent. I was afraid that after I finish this storytelling, you would all flee. But since you’ve set the challenge, I won’t have to search for you. However, since it’s a challenge, it needs some stakes; otherwise, there’s no fun in fighting!"

"If we die in battle, our bodies are yours." Hulu Taoist made a promise similar to Zhao Jinjia’s.

"Very well."

Zhou Xuan sneered, "Once Mingjiang Prefecture is rebuilt, it will be the time for our bloody battle. I, Zhou Xuan, in the name of Mingjiang Prefecture, will eradicate all you noble families who have invaded Mingjiang."

"Good and quick! Then we Tunnel Armor Sect disciples will wait and see."

When Hulu Taoist finished speaking, his figure appeared next to the carriage team. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Zhao Longhu said tearfully, "Ancestor Master, why don’t you kill Zhou Xuan now, with all six Supremes together..."

"You foolish descendant, brave but lacking tact, you are a few levels below Zhao Youting’s wit! Zhou Xuan possesses the Gorge True Scripture, able to harness the momentum of the entire city,

and earlier, the common folks, inspired by Zhao Qingxiao’s image, have stronger wish power. With such momentum borrowed by Zhou Xuan, we may not win."

"But once Zhou Xuan finishes his storytelling... Mingjiang Prefecture’s wish power will be even stronger, won’t his Gorge True Scripture become even more formidable?"

"Once he finishes the storytelling, the Heavenly Book will guide Mingjiang Prefecture to complete its final reconstruction, during which the ’Spirit Realm’ will appear."

"Spirit Realm?"

Zhao Longhu was clearly unfamiliar with the term "Spirit Realm."

Hulu Taoist summarized, "It is one of the most mysterious spaces in Jing Country. You may be unfamiliar with the Spirit Realm, but the Grand Teacher of Mingjiang Prefecture is not. During the last rebuilding of Mingjiang Prefecture, that ’Spirit Realm’ appeared once again."

During the last rebuilding of Mingjiang Prefecture, Zhou Xuan entered a space devoid of people.

And the Dream Realm Heavenly God, in that space, was seizing Zhou Xuan’s Human Desire Power, followed by the painter, Yun Ziliang, and others entering that space, battling with the Dream Realm’s manifestations.

"At that time in Mingjiang Prefecture, there were Heavenly God Level manifestations seizing Human Desire Power. I saw it clearly from the cave of ’Riding the Wind and Appreciating the Moon.’

Knowing yourself and your enemy, you can fight a hundred battles without defeat. Hulu Taoist’s confidence to venture to Mingjiang Prefecture and capture Zhou Xuan rested on having ample intelligence.

"Rebuilding Mingjiang Prefecture consumes a large amount of Human Desire Power, and when it rapidly gathers and then dissipates, a new ’Spirit Realm’ forms."

"This Spirit Realm only admits those with more than eight incense sticks, excluding the common folks.

If they can’t enter, where will Zhou Xuan borrow the city’s momentum from?"

After Hulu Taoist’s explanation, Zhao Longhu understood and said, "So, the best opportunity for us to strike is after Mingjiang Prefecture starts its reconstruction?"

"Naturally, we must wait," Hulu Taoist confirmed.

...

"Actually, I’m waiting."

Inside the Turtle Mountain Taoist Temple, the storytelling continued, but the storyteller wasn’t Zhou Xuan himself, but a paperman some distance away.

This paperman looked exactly like Zhou Xuan, in appearance and stature.

This was the ’decoy paperman’ Zhou Xuan had the Turtle Mountain Taoist arrange in advance.

There were a total of seven papermen, each resembling Zhou Xuan.

Thus, while people outside heard Zhou Xuan narrating, the real Zhou Xuan was inside the Turtle Mountain Taoist Temple, plotting with the engineer.

The Turtle Mountain Taoist was naturally also listening.

"Grand Teacher, you say you’re waiting, what exactly are you waiting for?"

After asking, the Turtle Mountain Taoist continued, "Is it... that you’re waiting for the Witch God to come?"

He knew there were numerous intricate ties between Zhou Xuan and the Witch God Venerable.

But Zhou Xuan shook his head and said, "Waiting for a Heaven and Earth Net to ensnare all those who came today."

"You’re going to catch others in a net? Aren’t we supposed to be considering how to stay alive right now?"

The Turtle Mountain Taoist thought Zhou Xuan’s acceptance of the challenge was just an act to buy time until the Witch God arrived for aid,

not expecting Zhou Xuan was serious?

"Preserving life? My supporters haven’t even emerged yet, it’s too early to think about preserving life."

Backing Zhou Xuan were not just the Witch God, but also the two deities of the Heavenly Dome—Tiancan Monk and the Eternal Life Sect Leader.

"How do you set up this Heaven and Earth Net?"

"Naturally through colorful theatre."

Zhou Xuan looked toward the engineer and said, "Teacher Gong, the colorful play still has three levels I haven’t mastered yet, and you’ve said before that these last three levels are a magic skill capable of deceiving all beings?"

"That’s right."

The engineer confirmed, "The last three levels of a Colorful Play Master are called ’Stage on the Ground,’ ’Hundred Human World Plays,’ and ’Play within a God.’

If a Colorful Play Master who mastered the first five levels is a highly proficient fraudster, able to deceive even the gods, that is still merely deception aimed at an individual,