Spirit Official

Currently, Zhou Sheng is playing Wang Lingguan.

Wang Lingguan, also known as Wang E, is fully titled "Xiantian Shoujiang Chixin Huda Sanwu Huoche Wang Tianjun Weiling Xianhua Tianzun," a guardian mountain god of Taoism!

His status is roughly equivalent to Weituo in Buddhism, both being deities who hate evil and are fierce and overbearing, unable to tolerate the slightest impurity.

In Journey to the West, when the Great Sage overturned Old Lord's furnace and stormed towards Lingxiao Palace, unstoppable, it was Wang Lingguan, holding a golden whip, who blocked him.

The two fought to a standstill.

Wang Lingguan's strength is immense, which is why even though Zhou Sheng knows how to perform the Spirit Official opera, he has never dared to play the role formally, fearing he wouldn't be able to bear it.

Only now, with his Dao cultivation advanced, does he dare to try, and even then, he only put on the face paint, without the costume or armor, and didn't fully immerse himself in the role.

But even so, the moment he took on the persona of Wang Lingguan, the surrounding air seemed to become scorching hot, as if flames were blazing.

Wang Lingguan is a fire god, and his Jade Pivot Heavenly Fire is exceptionally potent, capable of burning all demons, ghosts, and spirits.

The Spirit Official's finger in Taoism is therefore also known as the Jade Pivot Fire Finger, capable of boosting Yang fire, protecting the body, and warding off evil.

In an instant, the Fierce Ghost, filled with resentment and hatred, actually showed a hint of human-like fear.

"Insolent! A temple of True Gods, and you dare to commit violence!"

"Allow me to burn you down with a single flame, you--demon!"

As soon as the words fell, Zhou Sheng felt an intense heat in his chest, as if an invisible fire was surging, his throat felt like he had swallowed hot charcoal, and his skin turned red from the heat.

If he didn't unleash it, it felt like he would melt away in the next moment.

BOOM!!

A blazing inferno erupted, like a fire dragon with bared teeth and claws, roaring towards the evil ghost.

The terrifying high temperature caused the surrounding candles to show signs of melting.

The evil ghost let out a shrill scream, its Yin energy rapidly dissipating, making a sizzling sound.

It turned and fled towards the Silver Locks General, like a wounded beast, cowering tremblingly at the general's feet.

The flames then automatically dissipated three feet in front of the Silver Locks General.

Zhou Sheng's vision blurred, and everything around him returned to normal.

The statue of the Silver Locks General still depicted it stepping on the evil ghost, and the chain in its hand was firmly bound around the neck of the stone statue of the evil ghost.

However, a scorched mark had appeared on the stone statue of the evil ghost, as if it had been seared by flames.

Zhou Sheng raised his sleeve and removed the face paint, revealing his true face.

He felt dry-mouthed and parched, with dense fine sweat on his forehead, and a sense of exhaustion emanating from within.

But his heart was extremely excited.

He could indeed perform as the Spirit Official now. Although the duration was very short, it was still a huge improvement!

The breath of fire just now was by no means ordinary fire; it could be considered a divine ability.

"The tiger cub's fangs and claws are not yet old, the bright silver spearhead pierces the setting sun~"

A theatrical voice sang, reciting lines from Luo Cheng Calls the Pass.

Zhou Sheng turned and saw that the City God, Lu Bingyuan, had appeared behind him at some point, smiling at him.

Lu Bingyuan truly loved opera. While his singing wasn't stunning, it was already quite remarkable for an ordinary person.

"Danshan, you're not like Marquis Huan, but more like the King Who Stands Shoulder to Shoulder, a young hero with courage, whose horse tramples thirteen enemy camps."

Zhou Sheng shook his head. "Duke Lu misunderstands. I have no intention of offending. I merely wished to thank you for the medicine before leaving Yangcheng."

"Besides, Luo Cheng died at twenty-three, and I'm already twenty-one this year. Duke Lu, you can't praise me like that."

Seeing the young man remain neither servile nor overbearing in his presence, even daring to retort playfully, Lu Bingyuan not only wasn't angry but nodded and smiled. "As expected of Yu Zhensheng's disciple, you don't hold back with your words."

He paused and looked Zhou Sheng up and down.

"I didn't expect you'd actually dare to take that prescription."

Zhou Sheng's smile froze.

What did he mean?

So you didn't even know if it was edible yourself before giving me the prescription?

But when he saw the smile in the other's eyes, he suddenly understood. Duke Lu was deliberately trying to scare him.

"You're not just here to express gratitude this time, are you?"

After some pleasantries, Lu Bingyuan got straight to the point, his calm gaze like a deep pool, quietly watching Zhou Sheng.

"Duke Lu, you warned me, so I had originally decided not to get involved with Shen Jinhua's matter. But then I thought some things through."

"Oh? Tell me."

Lu Bingyuan leaned on his cane, listening quietly, but his expression became serious.

"This Mica Formula is too precious. Why did you give it to me? Was it merely because of a Stage Breaking opera?"

"I said it was for the sake of an old friend."

"Not for the sake of an old friend, but for the old friend to see."

Zhou Sheng raised his eyes, his gaze brighter and clearer than ever before, his voice resounding and firm.

"This prescription specifically states it's an incomplete fragment, so you were sure I wouldn't dare take it myself, and would definitely take it back to my master for review. My master would surely understand the value of this prescription."

"So this prescription, from the very beginning, was meant for my master."

Lu Bingyuan did not refute, he merely continued to ask, "Anything else?"

"And the reason you want to give this prescription to my master is because you hope my master will come out of seclusion and take over the Shen Jinhua matter!"

"This case is deeply involved, and the true culprit behind the scenes has immense power. Even you don't have absolute confidence in winning, so you need my master's help."

"You know, after seeing the prescription, master definitely won't refuse, because... me."

Zhou Sheng pointed to himself, a wry smile appearing on his face.

"For a Ghost Opera Performer to officially graduate, they must pass the Ghost Gate Pass and perform the Ghost Opera of the Ghost Festival. This is a rule established by the Ghost Opera lineage since ancient times."

"This trial is a matter of life and death."

"Although my master's temper is a bit bad and his words are a bit sharp, I know that if one day he truly breaks his oath and returns to the martial world, it will definitely be for me, his unworthy disciple."

"So, faced with a prescription that can help his disciple improve their cultivation and survive the Ghost Opera of the Ghost Festival to graduate, master couldn't possibly remain unmoved."

A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Bingyuan's eyes, and for the first time, he truly looked at the young man before him.

When they first met at the opera stage, he had only seen the other party as a medium for conversation and transactions with Yu Zhensheng, and hadn't paid him much attention.

Earlier, during the temple intrusion, he discovered the other party actually dared to take the medicine. While he acknowledged his courage, he thought he was just a rash and reckless young brat.

Although Luo Cheng was brave, he died young.

But now, as Zhou Sheng calmly explained and revealed everything he had planned in his heart, Lu Bingyuan realized that he hadn't truly understood this young man.

"Not bad."

Lu Bingyuan gazed at him deeply, a ripple appearing in his aged voice.

"Ordinary Ghost Opera Performers must pass the Ghost Gate Pass at eighteen. The reason you've been able to delay until now is because your master..."

"Used his life as a guarantee to the people below, to protect you for three years!"

Zhou Sheng was shocked by this. This was something he had never known. His master had told him that Ghost Opera Performers only passed the Ghost Gate Pass and performed the Ghost Opera of the Ghost Festival at twenty-one.

"And if I don't make it out alive then, what will happen to my master?"

Zhou Sheng had a premonition of something ominous.

Lu Bingyuan sighed softly.

"The temple is the Su Wu Temple, and the stele is the Li Ling Stele."

"Having lost Yang Qilang, how can Duke Yang live alone?"