In the eighth year of the king's reign, at the end of the twelfth month.
A Daoist rode an ox into Chaoge, arriving from somewhere unknown.
Suddenly, the ox vanished.
"Zhao Gongming respectfully welcomes Master!"
A graceful young gentleman bowed reverently.
Tongtian nodded. "Have you found your junior sister Shi Ji?"
Zhao Gongming said, "Junior Sister is at Chaoge's northern gate, running a fortune-telling stall and reading fortunes for people. She once presented a treasure to King Zhou and even lent him the Universe Ring to kill Nezha. She has already become entangled in karma."
"Reading fortunes?" Tongtian was decidedly displeased to hear this.
Zhao Gongming hurried to explain, "Please don't be angry, Master. Jiang Ziya reads fortunes at the western gate, and Yun Zhongzi does the same at the eastern gate. Junior Sister is doing this to win the hearts of Chaoge's people."
Tongtian counted briefly on his fingers, divining the matter, and found that it was indeed so. "Yuanshi has also foreseen the change, as expected. He actually had Yun Zhongzi remain in Chaoge for so long. Come, look around with me."
Tongtian had come to Chaoge specifically to see the center of the great tribulation for himself.
The great tribulation was fast approaching, and heaven's secrets were shrouded in chaos. Even a Sage could not divine them. He merely sensed that his earlier predictions seemed to have changed, so he had decided to visit Chaoge in person and see whether he could gain a clearer picture.
The two arrived at a tavern.
The method for brewing fruit wine had already spread. Although it took rather a long time to brew, it cost practically nothing. Ordinary households had yet to finish brewing any, but most had already begun gathering wild fruit to make it.
The taverns in Chaoge