After finishing the shopping, I discussed some matters concerning the cave abode with Daimei, then said goodbye to the City God at his residence.
I led the ghosts and generals through the City God's route in the mortal realm to borrow a passage back to the mortal world, while Daimei returned to the cave abode on her own.
I had stayed in the underworld for so long that it was already noon by the time I returned to the mortal world. The ghost shop had not opened yet, so I called Li Qinghe. After all, the Arcane Sect Aristocratic Clan Conference was about to begin, and I had to study up beforehand and ask him about it.
Li Qinghe suggested that we get together that evening, and I readily agreed.
I called the Liao brothers again. Zhao Yu had turned Liao Zhao's days and nights upside down, so he slept during the day. He answered the phone groggily, and I asked whether anyone had delivered anything.
Liao Zhao only woke up properly after a moment. "Yesterday? An old man came in a pickup truck yesterday evening to deliver something. He didn't see you, then said he didn't trust us and stayed here for the night, sleeping in the guest room. I don't even know if he's up yet."
I froze when I heard that, then decided to go meet the old man. I walked out to the highway, hired a motorized tricycle, and returned to the temple.
When I arrived, a strange old man was drinking tea there.
The old man was over seventy, with a sharp mouth and monkeyish features. He looked rather peculiar. When he saw me, he stood up. "You must be Xia Yitian, right? My surname is Long, and my name is Eleven."
"Old Master Long,