A master of comedy!

"Prime Minister, this wine... should be drunk sip by sip."

"Oh? How would you like to drink it?"

"Swallow it slowly..."

Inside the temple, Yao Taifeng's voice was soft and charming, her eyes like spring water, as she recited her lines while slowly sliding the wine cup along her lips.

The liquor slid down her snow-white neck.

She had never sung in traditional operas before, but she had some knowledge of them. With the help of her years of experience, she was able to portray an indescribable charm.

Once you've mastered the craft, you won't need to endure it anymore.

Seeing the beauty's alluring demeanor, Zhou Sheng couldn't resist stepping forward and taking her soft hand in his.

After stepping into the divine path, the palm was no longer as cold as a female ghost, but had a trace of warmth like that of a living person.

Her fingers were slender like jade bamboo shoots, and her skin had an amazing elasticity.

Yao Taifeng, who plays Zou Shi, has a flustered look in her eyes, seemingly both reluctant and welcoming, and her red lips slightly parted as she sings a slow aria.

"Since childhood, I have strictly adhered to the rules of propriety in my maiden life. How can I bear this candlelight... which disturbs my heart..."

When saying the word "chaos," he covered his face with his sleeve, but his middle and ring fingers were slightly separated, and he peeked at "Cao Cao" through the gap.

When singing the word "intestine," the breath trembles slightly, accompanied by a gentle twist of the waist, the amplitude of which is like a willow swaying in the wind, not exceeding three inches.

Zhou Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously reached out and grabbed the light blue sash.

"Why is this belt tied so tightly?"

Yaotai Feng lowered her head and twisted the corner of her clothes.

“Since my late husband passed away, this sash… has not been untied for three years.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Sheng felt his breath become hotter, as if he had truly been possessed by Prime Minister Cao.

He pulled suddenly.

The water sleeves slid down to the elbows, revealing a pair of tender, lotus-root-like forearms.

At this moment, Yao Taifeng's divine might and heroic spirit were replaced by a dreamy look. She wore a lotus-root-colored tube top underneath and an apricot-red crepe nightgown on top.

Her hairpins and ornaments fell to the ground, and her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

Zhou Sheng stepped forward to hug her and sing the most enchanting scene from "Battle of Wancheng," but at that moment, their expressions changed simultaneously.

"Who?"

In an instant, Yao Tai Feng's body flashed with brilliance, and she regained her majestic and noble appearance.

Zhou Sheng then drew his ring-pommel sword and, guided by his intuition, plunged it into the wooden door with a soft thud.

With a muffled groan, when he drew his sword again, the tip was already stained red with blood.

Zhou Sheng's gaze was cold and filled with murderous intent. Without any hesitation, his blade energy shattered the wooden door and struck the peeping figure like lightning.

"Messenger, I am the messenger!"

A woman's voice rang out, tinged with barely concealed fear, her voice trembling.

hum!
The blade hovered three inches from her face, yet the sharp wind from the blade had already slashed a bloody gash across her delicate features.

The woman, dressed in a feathered robe, knelt respectfully on the ground, holding a letter above her head. There was a deep knife wound on her neck; although she had been fatally injured, she could still speak and move.

Zhou Sheng opened his divine eye and saw clearly the demonic aura swirling around her wound.

"Demon?"

"I...I'm not a demon. I'm the Azure Bird Messenger from the Heavenly Palace, enlightened by the Queen Mother, specifically tasked with delivering messages for her..."

Heavenly Palace, Queen Mother?
The first thing that popped into Zhou Sheng's mind was the legendary Queen Mother of the West, who was said to be accompanied by a bluebird.

But he immediately rejected it.

The Queen Mother of the West had long since vanished, and the Kunlun Immortal Palace had been silent for a long time. This "Queen Mother" who delivered the letter to him must have proclaimed herself. Sheathing his sword, he took the letter and found that it was sealed with wax, but not an ordinary wax seal. Instead, it emitted a strong magical energy.

"This letter is sealed with the Queen Mother's seal. Only you can open it. Anyone else who tries to tear it open will be covered in wax and die within a few breaths."

The messenger quickly explained.

Zhou Sheng reached out and touched the wax seal. He did feel a burning heat, and then the wax seal melted automatically.

A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

It seems that the being who calls herself the Queen Mother has a very high level of cultivation.

Upon opening it, Zhou Sheng's eyes flashed, confirming his guess.

"It's finally here."

What he received was not an ordinary letter, but a special invitation that resembled a land deed, with very simple contents.

"On the ninth day of the tenth month, the Queen Mother of the West celebrates her birthday. The successor of the Demon of Drama and his troupe are specially invited to a grand banquet in the Heavenly Palace to perform the Eight Immortals' birthday celebration and share in the ultimate bliss."

"After the play is over, I will bestow upon you the immortal wine of longevity and the immortal peach of long life."

Below are the words "Queen Mother" and a fingerprint, radiating a faint glow and exuding an indescribable mystical aura.

So this is what a theatrical invitation looks like!
Zhou Sheng curiously examined the first invitation he had received and discovered that its material was extremely special. It was neither gold nor jade nor wood nor bamboo, yet it was exceptionally tough, so much so that even he could not tear it.

Moreover, the invitation itself seemed to be a magic weapon; Zhou Sheng had a premonition as soon as he held it.

Once he signs and puts his fingerprint on the document, he will form an invisible contract with the Queen Mother. Both parties must abide by the agreement, or they will face some terrible divine punishment.

At the same time, once he signs and puts his fingerprint on the play, the play invitation will become a map, guiding him to the so-called "Heavenly Palace".

"If you're a messenger, why are you eavesdropping?"

Zhou Sheng put away the invitation, looked at the woman indifferently, and questioned her.

At this moment, Yao Taifeng also came out, her bright silver spear gleaming coldly. Her phoenix eyes were like knives as she threatened, "Speak quickly, or wait to be pierced by this spear and roasted like a bird on a fire!"

His fierce and savage appearance had completely erased any trace of his previous charm.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you, the Queen Mother loves listening to opera, and we servants love it too. I just flew over and heard the sound of opera being performed here…”

When she heard that she had just arrived and had only heard two or three sentences, Yao Taifeng's frosty expression softened slightly.

A dignified opera goddess, yet she's singing folk opera with the temple keeper in her own temple—if word gets out, she'll never be able to hold her head high again.

"I received the letter. You can go back now."

Zhou Sheng extended his finger and withdrew the Geng metal Qi from the woman's body. Otherwise, even if she was protected by demonic power and wouldn't die immediately after being slashed by Ya Zi, she would die from her intestines being ripped open once the demonic power was exhausted.

This is also why Zhou Sheng showed leniency because he saw that the man did not have a bloodthirsty aura that could devour people.

The messenger felt the excruciating pain, as if being stabbed with a knife, dissipate. He quickly kowtowed in gratitude, but a hint of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

"Boss Long, you, you absolutely have to go! Otherwise, I'll be punished even if I go back..."

Zhou Sheng glanced at her sideways and said indifferently, "Whether you go or not is the prerogative of the Yin-Yang Master. Tell your master that he doesn't need to put all his eggs in one basket."

He really had no intention of going.

The timing is inappropriate; the ninth day of the tenth lunar month is nearly three months away, which is too long.

After completing their apprenticeship, they must perform a ghost opera at least once a year and accept a performance contract.

Zhou Sheng disliked dragging things out; he would finish singing as soon as possible, otherwise, if any unexpected situation delayed him, he would have to go to the underworld to be punished.

He didn't want to experience the feeling of his soul leaving his body and descending into the underworld again.

Furthermore, this "Queen Mother" is too unfathomable and obviously not simple. Zhou Sheng still prefers to first encounter some simpler ghosts and gods.

As for the so-called immortal wine and longevity peaches, Zhou Sheng was not interested.

If immortality were truly possible, why would it be his turn?
...(End of this chapter)