Cosplay

Chapter 43 - Cosplay

"Follow Goddess Yan, and there's meat to eat! Goddess Yan's fan club has arrived!"

Outside Qingliang Temple, there was another bout of wailing and howling.

Over a hundred men and women, dressed in matching pink T-shirts and black capri pants, lined up, waving their glow sticks in unison.

The professional female streamer and internet celebrity Goddess Yan, Dong Keyan, had launched a full-scale attack, catching Qingliang Temple completely off guard.

For a good while, the Taoist priests inside the temple and the visiting incense-burning guests were all bewildered. Was this a movie shoot, or what? The vibe was clearly off!

"Second brother, is this the 'doufa' you were talking about?"

The sect leader, Senior Disciple Brother, and Great Daoist Master of Qingliang Temple, Zhao Wendao, looked at the Second Daoist Master, Li Jin Dan, with doubt.

The Third Daoist Master noticed the woman in ancient costume standing at the temple entrance, facing the camera, and asked doubtfully, "Could that woman be 'Li Bai's Demoness'?"

Whether it was her online forum username "17th Floor" or her actions on the forum, no one could believe that "Li Bai's Demoness" had no relation to Li Bai himself. When the forum's opinions were one-sided, she had fiercely initiated a flood of posts, and it certainly wasn't a spur-of-the-moment act of righteousness or just someone bored looking for trouble.

"I don't know."

Daoist Priest Li Jin Dan shrunk his neck. He couldn't be sure if this female streamer was the "flood-posting demoness" on the "17th Floor" forum, "Li Bai's Demoness." However, he was certain that someone who could cause such a commotion must have a terrifying number of fans.

If the other party was truly "Li Bai's Demoness," with her fierce style, Qingliang Temple would be finished with just one wave.

Online arguments were one thing, but to actually come to their doorstep and fight? Were they even being reasonable? The second senior brother was filled with resentment.

"Hmph! Since they've already come to our door, are we just going to sit here and get slapped in the face? Hurry up and prepare!"

Zhao Wendao's face was cold, wishing he could whip the strands of his whisk onto their faces.

"Are we really going to do this?"

Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan still hesitated. These guys who were currently making a scene in the temple weren't just rich people who could be easily fooled with a few tricks.

"Don't you see the sponsors are still here? If we don't show them something, we might as well close down."

Zhao Wendao knew that Qingliang Temple absolutely could not back down at this moment, or they would never be able to do business with those wealthy people again.

A reputation built through word-of-mouth was hard to come by, but it was easy to lose it all in an instant.

Qingliang Temple had never encountered such a big problem since its establishment. If they didn't bring out their ultimate trump cards now, when would they?

Zhao Wendao's words enlightened He Xunxian. Those dancing demons and monsters didn't seem so formidable. He said with a smile, "Senior Disciple Brother is right. Let's just treat it as an advertisement for a ritual. It's the second day of the second lunar month, 'Long Tai Tou' (Dragon Raises its Head), a lively day for everyone."

Second Daoist Master Li Jin Dan, who had been caught off guard by the sudden incident, finally calmed down.

The "Taoist magic" that the three Daoist masters had painstakingly researched together was not to be trifled with. It was enough to suppress any demons or ghosts. They would take this opportunity to display a little skill and let these lawless individuals know the might of those under the Three Pure Ones.

"Okay, I'll go prepare now!"

Li Jin Dan called over a few of his disciples, whispered a few instructions, and then said, "Prepare to change clothes!"

The Qingliang Temple trio began to prepare for battle as if facing a formidable enemy.

The well-ordered Taoist temple had turned into a cosplay performance venue. Dozens of characters, each taking their turn, appeared one after another. The incense-burning guests, after their initial shock, did not flee. Instead, they watched this unexpected, chaotic show with great interest.

The ancient Taoist gates and modern anime characters, with a beautiful streamer in ancient costume hosting the event nearby, it was simply an unexpected surprise.

With the cheers of her fan club, the beautiful streamer Dong Keyan, who had clearly done her homework, remained calm and composed, even performing beyond her usual level, effortlessly citing various Taoist allusions.

"...Qingliang Temple was established three years ago, with an initial registered capital of 200,000 yuan. Currently, the registered capital has reached five million yuan, with three official Daoist priests and twenty-one disciples..."

"Wait! Please stop!"

Just as Dong Keyan was about to reveal all of Qingliang Temple's secrets, the Third Daoist Master, He Xunxian, finally interrupted her.

"Hello everyone, this is Daoist Priest He Xunxian of Qingliang Temple. His original name is He Jianguo. Before joining Qingliang Temple, he worked as a Feng Shui master..."

The beautiful streamer glanced at Daoist He, her smile widening, and immediately took control of the narrative.

The viewers watching the livestream had their jaws drop. Daoist Master Xunxian's original name was Jianguo. His celestial bearing had fallen from the heavens and landed him as a mere peasant, hadn't it?

Fifty years ago, such "monsters and demons" would have been suppressed, paraded through the streets, and sent for re-education. Now, he had transformed into a Daoist priest.

On the streaming platform, a neat row of "666"s flew by. Spectators never tired of a good show.

"Stop, stop, who are you?"

He Xunxian was inwardly cursing, What kind of divine being is this woman? She even knows his pre-renamed name.

"Hello everyone, I am the internet celebrity beauty streamer known as Goddess Yan, Dong Keyan!"

Another wave of the narrative was driven forward.

The streaming platform was filled with "Follow Goddess Yan, and there's meat to eat!"

A beautiful streamer who loved to eat meat, that slogan was certainly fitting.

Of course, excluding the indescribable gallstones.

He Xunxian said furiously, "Streamer Dong, if you continue to speak as you please, I'll have someone throw you all out!"

The livestream camera suddenly turned to him. Dong Keyan fell silent, and the atmosphere instantly turned awkward. The Third Daoist Master of Qingliang Temple was left speechless, his sudden close-up shot making him incredibly embarrassed.

Couldn't you at least give me a moment to gather my thoughts!

A black Santana drove into the parking lot.

A handsome young master in green robes and a scholar's attire, with a jade hairpin and a purple-gold crown, sword-like eyebrows, and starry eyes, stepped out of the Santana's driver's seat. He held a three-foot-long green-hued sword in one hand, looking like a scholar who had traveled through time.

"Hi, Li Bai!"

Before He Xunxian could find the right words, Dong Keyan, no longer looking at him, waved at the ancient-clad man approaching with measured steps.

The cameraman ruthlessly turned the lens, abandoning the awkward Daoist priest.

"Miss Dong!"

Li Bai clasped his sworded hands in a fist salute, making the beautiful streamer's eyes glaze over.

She had meticulously organized a live cosplay performance art piece to support Li Bai. She had only told him about the idea via text message, never expecting him to show up in ancient scholar attire as well.

The internet audience watching the livestream was in an uproar, with some whiners mixed in.

"My maiden heart: Holy crap, who is this?"

"Anran (りiss: Whimper! Where did this young master come from? Goddess Yan, hurry up and ask for his phone number, WeChat ID, and bank account."

"Gu Sheng Su Li Ge: Goddess Yan belongs to us, that guy get lost."

The previously unified chat, which had been spamming "Follow Goddess Yan and get some meat!", immediately split into two opposing factions, engaging in a love-hate, no-holds-barred battle. This was something Dong Keyan had never anticipated.

"Where did you get that outfit?"

Dong Keyan looked Li Bai up and down in surprise. Assembling a matching set in such a short time wasn't easy. Her own outfit was custom-made at great expense for the broadcast, costing seventy to eighty thousand in total.

"I had it from before."

Li Bai had merely put on a wig and reverted to his appearance from another world.

In any case, the so-called battle of techniques was just a farce. He was using Dong Keyan's organized live broadcast show to play along with Qingliang Temple.

Precisely because it was a game, if they truly wanted to fall out, they would have to consider their reputation to some extent.

Dong Keyan was riding the coattails of Li Bai's confrontation with Qingliang Temple to gain fans and tips. Couldn't Great Demon Li also use this opportunity to flip the table and bring everything out into the open?

After all, there were many important clients watching, so Qingliang Temple couldn't make things too ugly. Li Bai also didn't have to worry about Qingliang Temple becoming like the Yao Family, too powerful to control and constantly causing trouble.

"Li Bai! You actually dare to come?"

He Xunxian had initially thought Li Bai, like the "Demoness Li," was someone who couldn't show his face in public. He never expected the man to actually show up after accepting the challenge, and with such a grand display.

At this moment, a police car led the way, and three Coaster buses drove into the parking lot. One by one, police officers in black uniforms jumped out. Behind them, they carried what looked like "greatswords."

The words "Special Duty" were printed in prominent white letters on the chests of the police uniforms and their "sword scabbards."

He Xunxian's face immediately turned green. Stop messing around, are you police officers also playing cosplay?

Li Bai's mobile phone rang.

After answering, Officer Old Zhang from the Nanhu District Public Security Bureau's voice entered his ear.

"Doctor Li, everyone's here, right? This is all I can do to help you."