Jiang Ting Ye

Jiang Ting Ye

The donkey rode a shooting star beneath its hooves, vaulting over tier upon tier of rooftops before finally landing in a narrow alley.

Feng Yusheng hit the ground with a smack, kicking up dust everywhere.

Outside the alley, lanterns and decorations hung in profusion, while gongs and drums shook the heavens, as though some grand festival had just begun. The main street teemed with people—scholars and students in groups, peddlers carrying poles and baskets, wealthy gentry and officials riding in sedan chairs—all had come out.

This was a sight rarely seen in Gongzhou City or elsewhere. Once night fell, curfews were enforced everywhere, and not even half a soul could be seen.

Feng Yusheng lay facedown on the ground, playing dead, as if he were still unconscious.

In truth, his thoughts were scanning the surroundings. His nimble ears had already picked up the winds from every direction, and amid the densely packed crowd, he had calculated the best escape route.

As a supreme master of lightness skill, one of the most basic skills for roaming the martial world was listening in all directions. Even without opening his eyes, he could tell where in the city he was.

Outside the city, a surging river lay to the left, while an endless expanse stretched ahead. There was nowhere for him to run.

But once inside the city, if he slipped into the crowd, then no matter how formidable this immortal was, he could hardly set a fire and burn everyone alive, could he?

But at that moment, the Daoist suddenly waved his hand, and a shadow of a blue dragon howled out from his sleeve.

He branded Feng Yusheng with a mark—the Sword Array mark of the Azure Dragon Guardian.

Feng Yusheng felt as though he had been seared by a branding iron and sprang up at once. "No, no, no."

"I'm awake! I'm awake already!"

"I'm awake."

Feng Yusheng repeatedly waved his hands, only to suddenly discover an exquisite dragon-patterned Magic Seal on his arm.

Before the Daoist could speak, the donkey burst into a smug, triumphant laugh.

It was as if its proud creation had finally received recognition.

"Cunning devil, look carefully. This is the Great Immortal's Heavenly Punishment Seal."

"Once marked by this seal, even if you flee to the Ends of the Earth, should you dare commit evil and word reaches the Great Immortal's ears, death will still be inescapable."

The donkey snorted through its nostrils and hummed twice. "With but a single thought, you can be reduced to ashes, to Die Without a Burial Place."

Feng Yusheng's eyes shifted, and a trace of pained reluctance appeared on his face.

The crafty donkey seemed exceptionally familiar with the thoughts of such slippery fellows and saw through him at a glance.

The donkey stepped forward, pressing its long donkey face close as it chuckled sinisterly. "Don't tell me you're thinking of destroying this Heavenly Punishment Seal? Or being even more ruthless—chopping off your hand?"

When Feng Yusheng's face showed alarm, the donkey abruptly threw back its head and cackled.

"Useless. This thing is branded upon your three souls and seven spirits. Even if you cut off your hand, it'll still be there. If you've got the ability, carve out your own soul too. Cackle, cackle, cackle."

"Of course not, of course not!" Feng Yusheng gave an awkward laugh, his thoughts turning once more. This time, not even the slightest expression appeared on his face.

Yet the donkey still saw through his heart. "You think this thing is fake? That it's just here to scare you?"

"You only get one chance. Try it, and you'll die."

"Y-you-you..." Feng Yusheng stared at the donkey, his face deathly pale, as if he had seen some Outer-domain Heavenly Devil that bewitched the hearts of men.

But driven into a corner, Feng Yusheng instead stiffened with resolve.

He raised his head, carrying himself with the air of a hero, proud and high-spirited.

"I, Feng Yusheng, was born on a stormy day. What raging winds and towering waves have I not seen? When one roams the martial world, one must honor brotherhood and loyalty—accept another's trust, and remain faithful to their cause."

"Now that I have fallen into your hands, it is Feng's own lack of skill."

"Kill or torture me as you please."

At that thought, Feng Yusheng threw back his head and looked toward the distant river. "The wind sighs, the Yi River runs cold!"

"Once the hero departs..."

"He shall never return!"

"Altar Master, this brother will go on ahead!"

Yet inwardly, he thought, I've already revealed such crucial information as the Altar Master, and I've put on such a heroic display.

By the rules and common sense of the martial world, the next step should be for them to come over, help me up, and sigh, 'What a true hero!'

Then we'll cherish one another as kindred spirits. I can simply go with the flow after that, and it won't count as betraying my brothers or becoming a traitor. When I roam the martial world in the future, it might even add a few strokes to my legend.

"Ohohohoho! You want to die?" Hearing how unyielding he was, Donkey Guardian General became even more fired up.

"Great Immortal, this cunning devil remains stubbornly unrepentant. Why not draw out his divine soul and cast him beneath the Nine Netherworlds, where he can be scorched by the blazing fires of purgatory?"

"Life after life, for all eternity, never to be reborn."

The Daoist nodded. "Indeed—accept another's trust, and remain faithful to their cause."

"Since you possess such martial honor and soaring ambition, this poor Daoist is not an unreasonable man. I shall grant your wish."

"Donkey Guardian, you shall send him down."

"Donkey Guardian General acknowledges the command!"

At those words, Feng Yusheng nearly wet himself on the spot. Those legs known as Iron Legs Skimming Water now went limp as mud. He dropped to his knees, slammed his forehead to the ground, and could not raise it again no matter what.

"Great Immortal, spare my life! Grandpa Donkey, spare my life!"

"Feng was wrong!"

Daoist sighed from the depths of his heart. "Fellow Daoist, why must you do this? Where is all that chivalrous spirit of the jianghu? Where is the bearing of a master?"

"This humble Daoist truly wished to fulfill your lofty ambition!"

Feng Yusheng knelt on the ground with a mournful face. Before this donkey demon who could see through people's hearts and Great Immortal Kongchen, fair-faced yet black-hearted, he no longer dared play tricks.

"I'll confess honestly. I am Feng Yusheng, a Protector of the Five Gods Cult's Poison God Altar. By the Altar Master's command, I came to keep close watch on your movements."

Daoist nodded and urged the donkey toward the outside, listening as Feng Yusheng explained everything in detail.

Outside the alley, the streets were packed shoulder to shoulder. Daoist looked up and saw a full moon hanging high in the distance.

"So today is the Lantern Festival."

The broad road ran alongside the river. All manner of decorative lanterns hung along the banks, while numerous flower boats drifted upon the river through the city. At that moment, fireworks suddenly burst forth in the distance.

The brilliant fireworks shot into the heavens, blooming into enormous flowers.

Along both banks of the river, lanterns mirrored the stars while fireworks stretched across the clouds.

Countless men and women burst into cheers.

After the fireworks faded, there was another commotion on the river. A great red flower lantern bloomed with radiance, illuminating the center of the river as bright as day.

Its petals unfolded, revealing a Golden Toad within. The Golden Toad opened its mouth, releasing dense smoke that shrouded the river's center, making it seem like an Immortal Realm.

Feng Yusheng pointed at the flower lantern. "Great Immortal Kongchenzi, that in the middle of the river is the Poison God Lantern. Every Lantern Festival, the Five Gods Cult brings out the flower lanterns of its various altars to spread the fame of the Five Gods, while also recruiting followers and believers."

"I don't know where the divine lanterns of the other altars are placed, but this year, the Poison God Altar's Poison God Lantern is here."

"Whoever can approach that lantern and touch the Golden Toad within may join the Five Gods Cult's Poison God Altar."

No sooner had Feng Yusheng finished speaking than many people set out from the shore.

Some crossed the river on tiny boats, some leaped into the air and ran across the iron chains spanning the river, while even greater experts waded directly into the water, which could not rise past their knees.

Feng Yusheng explained, "But to obtain that lantern, superb lightness skill alone is not enough. One must also be skilled in poison arts. The moment ordinary people draw near, they are immediately drugged unconscious."

"The Poison God Altar uses this method to select jianghu people with good lightness skills who also know a thing or two about poison arts, taking them into its ranks."

"This is the Poison God Altar's exclusive Soul-Bewildering Smoke. It is said to be refined from the Poison God itself. Its effects can be controlled by the amount used—not only can it drug people unconscious, it can also control them and interrogate them. Those afflicted will reveal every secret they possess, and it has all manner of wondrous uses."

"It was precisely by relying on this that the Poison God Altar established the Five Gods Cult's intelligence altar, controlling a vast number of spies scattered throughout Great Zhou."