The Big Dummy Everyone Knows the Old Heavenly Master!

"Fan... Daoist Master Fan, is that you?"

When he heard this sentence coming his way, Fan Wu knew... he'd been recognized.

Although Baihe County and Prison Dragon County were both under the jurisdiction of Yinghe Prefecture, and it was normal for the two counties to interact.

But he had only been here for less than two hours, and he was already recognized...

This was a bit too absurd!

But there was nothing he could do.

He couldn't exactly gouge out the eyes of everyone who recognized him, could he?

He wasn't that insane!

Helplessly, he nodded.

"Hiss!" The young master from a wealthy family in Prison Dragon County, upon seeing this, immediately gasped.

The frivolous look on his face quickly vanished, replaced by a respectful expression: "Daoist Master Fan, you might not recognize me, but you should recognize my father."

"My father is Huang Dasheng of the Huang Family Money House in Prison Dragon County. I am his son, you... you can call me by my name – Huang Ruizhi!"

Huang Dasheng.

Fan Wu heard a somewhat familiar name. He remembered this guy was one of the victims tricked by that scammer master.

Back when the Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery was first built, this Huang Dasheng had donated a full thousand taels of silver!

As far as Fan Wu knew.

Of this thousand taels of silver, his scammer master had only used half to build the monastery, and the other half had gone straight into his own money pouch.

And all the scammer master had given in return were a few useless talismans!

That fool must have been happily celebrating for who knows how many years, holding onto a few pieces of paper he'd traded for a thousand taels.

Good heavens!

So, this Huang Ruizhi in front of him was the son of a fool?

Fan Wu wiped a bit of oil stain from the corner of his mouth, maintaining a cool and detached expression like a reclusive master.

To Huang Ruizhi's introduction, he simply replied indifferently: "So it's the young master of Gentleman Huang. I know of Gentleman Huang."

"Hehehehe..." Huang Ruizhi chuckled and scratched his head. Facing Fan Wu, he showed no trace of arrogance or haughtiness.

Even though they were around the same age, their demeanor was completely different...

It made Fan Wu seem like an elder.

And Huang Ruizhi like a junior.

The several young masters from Baihe County next to Huang Ruizhi were currently looking completely bewildered.

Following Huang Ruizhi's gaze, they saw an extremely burly man sitting there.

The unique aura emanating from him almost made them struggle to breathe.

Someone nearby quietly nudged Huang Ruizhi and whispered curiously, "Brother Huang... who is this?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Ruizhi straightened his back and puffed out his chest.

He proudly introduced, "Brother Hu, Brother Bai, Brother Li, this is Daoist Master Fan from our Prison Dragon County! You might not have heard his name, but he is truly a very formidable person! Even the County Magistrate of Prison Dragon County shows great respect to Daoist Master Fan!"

Hiss!

The young masters from Baihe County gasped, looking enlightened.

To these young masters...

A County Magistrate, a local official, was definitely a very important figure!

Someone even a great figure respected... wouldn't that make him an even greater figure?

However...

They secretly sized up Fan Wu, and some doubts arose in their hearts.

Why did this Daoist Master not look like a Daoist priest at first glance?

Weren't Daoist priests supposed to have an air of immortal grace?

Doesn't this Daoist Master Fan look... a bit too strong?

Those muscular arms...

Were thicker than their thighs!

"Daoist Master Fan, why are you in Baihe County?" After proudly introducing their Prison Dragon County's esteemed figure, "Daoist Master Fan," to his friends, Huang Ruizhi couldn't suppress his curiosity and asked.

Fan Wu just wanted to rest for a day in Baihe County before continuing his journey to the Southern Commandery.

He didn't want to cause a stir and become widely known in Baihe County.

He wished that no one in Baihe County knew his identity.

The result...

This guy, Huang Ruizhi, exposed his name!

Fan Wu really wanted to wring his head off.

The myriad thoughts in his mind finally turned into a stiff smile on his face.

Fan Wu put on a strong pretense of being a celestial master, and "patiently" replied, "My master left me a letter before he passed away, asking me to deliver it to his relatives in the mortal world. My journey this time is to fulfill my master's dying wish."

He wanted to slip away to Southern Commandery Prefecture, rely on his sworn sister whom he'd never met, and then live a life of luxury for the rest of his days... Such thoughts could certainly not be spoken in this situation.

Fan Wu could only go against his conscience and say something as cheesy as "to fulfill my master's dying wish."

Hmm.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely a lie.

After all, if he was going to rely on his sworn sister, he would have to deliver the letter to her anyway.

It could be considered a reluctant fulfillment of that con artist master's dying wish!

"So that's how it is!"

Huang Ruizhi believed him, showing a look of sudden realization.

After sighing, he actually tried to comfort Fan Wu instead: "Daoist Master Fan, please accept my condolences. I met that Old Heavenly Master from Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery when I was a child. He even patted my head back then!"

Nonsense!

Your dad, that sucker, gave him a thousand taels of silver!

Let alone patting your head, that con artist master probably wished he could've adopted you on the spot and constantly poked you with his needles!

Fan Wu's mind was a whirlwind of eye-rolls.

"The Old Heavenly Master from Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery?" Suddenly, a slightly clear voice interjected, "Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps a disciple of that Old Heavenly Master from Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery?!"

The person speaking now...

was Shen Jiyue!

Fan Wu: "?"

It was one thing for Huang Ruizhi to recognize him, as Huang Ruizhi was also from Prison Dragon County.

But why would you, a Squad Leader from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau in Baihe County, know about the Old Heavenly Master from Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery?

Although both counties belonged to the same prefecture, they were very far apart!

Several days of non-stop travel!

Xie Jiuyi, whom he had met earlier, was also from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, and he was only a Battalion Officer, yet he didn't know about Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery.

How come this Squad Leader from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau... specifically knew about Dragon-Imprisoning Monastery?

And knew about his con artist master?

What the heck!

"When I saw you enter the inn just now, I instinctively felt that you were no ordinary person. Now that I unexpectedly know your identity, I didn't expect you to be a disciple of that Old Heavenly Master."

Perhaps because she now knew Fan Wu's identity, Shen Jiyue's guard lowered, and her wariness eased.

She cupped her hands towards Fan Wu: "I am Shen Jiyue, Squad Leader of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. Greetings, fellow Daoist! Earlier, I heard you speaking with these young masters, and one of them said that the Old Heavenly Master has... passed away? Is this... true?!"

Fan Wu's mouth twitched slightly. Who knew this con artist master of his was so famous!

What earth-shattering things had that con artist master done?

Fan Wu could only reply: "It's true."

Shen Jiyue was stunned for a moment, her expression revealing a hint of complexity. She took a deep breath and sighed, "I never imagined... that such a powerful Old Heavenly Master could not escape the ravages of time."

"Although I have never met that Old Heavenly Master, I have heard some of his deeds. Many officials in Prison Dragon County hold that Old Heavenly Master in high regard."

Hearing this.

Fan Wu understood.

So it was the County Magistrate of Prison Dragon County and his officials who had boasted about the con artist master's deeds outside, embellishing them.

And when the stories spread, there might have been some artistic embellishments.

Damn it!

Too real!