A master of comedy!

As dawn breaks and the sun rises, the first light of day appears.

Around 9:00 AM, Zhou Sheng and his two companions had ventured deep into the mountains, trekking through streams and mountains, and arrived at a village that resembled a paradise on earth.

The scenery here is beautiful, with crisscrossing paths and natural spring water that seems like a gift from the mountain god, irrigating the farmland along the river.

Smoke curls from chimneys, and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard from afar.

In a daze, Zhou Sheng thought he had come to the legendary Peach Blossom Spring, but the people here were not as hospitable as those in the Peach Blossom Spring. Instead, they were full of wariness towards outsiders.

However, beneath that wariness lay more curiosity.

The old men, dressed in hemp clothing, with dark and rough skin but clear eyes, curiously sized up Zhou Sheng and his companions.

When they saw Zhou Sheng's magnificent silk robes and his dashing demeanor, they felt a sense of awe.

Meanwhile, the young men, sweating and shirtless, were drawn to Jinse as if by a magnet.

They had never seen such a beautiful woman before; she was like a fairy descended from heaven, radiating light from head to toe.

Every frown and gesture exuded an indescribable charm, making their hearts race and their faces burn with embarrassment.

I couldn't resist looking, but I only dared to peek.

As for that little girl...

Nobody really cares.

"Boss, boss, they all seem to be looking at me!"

Hongxian said smugly, "There must be demons in this village. I, the heroine Hongxian, am their savior!"

Zhou Sheng smiled helplessly and remained silent.

"Master, could we have come to the wrong place?"

Holding her guqin, Jinse looked around at the fields and villages, feeling the peaceful atmosphere, and couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.

This doesn't look like a place for performing shady plays at all.

Zhou Sheng smiled slightly and said, "There's no mistake. According to the directions in the invitation, the Medicine Buddha Temple should be not far from here. We can just ask someone."

As he spoke, he walked over to an elderly man who was sunbathing in front of the door and asked, "Excuse me, sir, how do I get to Yaofo Temple?"

"What temple?"

"Medicine Buddha Temple!"

"What Buddha?"

Zhou Sheng: "..."

Red Thread Heroine's fiery temper flared up instantly, and she leaned close to the old man's ear and shouted, "Medicine! Buddha! Temple!"

"Oh, the Medicine Buddha Temple."

The old man scratched his ear and laughed, "You little brat, why are you shouting so loudly? It's not like I can't hear you."

He paused for a moment and then said, "Medicine Buddha Temple... I feel like I've heard of it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it."

Zhou Sheng and the others were somewhat disappointed.

"However, if you want to worship gods, you can go to the White Snake General Temple at the east end of our village. It's very effective."

"The Temple of the White Snake General?"

"Our village is called White Snake Village. Thanks to the General's blessing, we've always had good weather and abundant harvests. Many people go to worship there. The temple is quite grand, it's over there..."

Following the old man's directions, Zhou Sheng headed toward the White Snake General Temple. He didn't really want to worship any general, but rather wanted to see if there was a temple keeper.

Temple keepers are generally knowledgeable and may be able to obtain more information from them.

"Boss, didn't Master say that we who perform ghost plays shouldn't easily enter temples?"

Zhou Sheng laughed and said, "That's a big temple. These small rural temples only worship minor deities, and their magical powers are not high. If needed, we can summon them out for questioning."

Someone like him is considered mild-mannered; if he encountered a more ruthless Taoist priest, he might very well destroy the mountain and the temple.

Being a wild god or a hairy god is not an easy thing. You may work hard and do your job conscientiously, but just because you don't have a title, you will be hated and killed.

Zhou Sheng had no prejudice. Seeing how peaceful and serene the village was, he thought that the White Snake General must be quite good.

The three of them soon saw the White Snake General Temple. Although it was called a temple, it had long been in disrepair. The walls were covered with green vines, and the roof had several holes. Although it had been patched up with some thatched roof, sunlight could still see through.

Everywhere you look, there's a sense of desolation. Even the offerings on the shrine are rotten and moldy, with flies swarming and a stench permeating the air.

"That old man is so mean, he actually lied to us!"

"It stinks here, and there are so many flies. Did someone take a dump here?"

Hongxian was furious. Where was the grandeur? It looked more like a latrine!

The statue of the White Snake General was quite majestic, dressed in silver armor, holding two swords, with a human upper body and a snake lower body.

It doesn't look like a snake; it looks more like a dragon king.

There's a red mark around the eyes of the statue, like it's been smeared with bright red rouge, which looks out of place. I don't know if it's just a child's doodle.

There was no temple keeper in the temple, only a little boy, about twelve or thirteen years old, kneeling and praying. He had delicate features and bright eyes.

"General, please bless my grandfather to live to be a hundred years old, no, to be two hundred years old..."

He was praying for his grandfather's peace, health, and longevity.

Zhou Sheng held back the red thread that was about to be rolled up and questioned, and quietly waited for the little boy to finish praying.

"General, I... I have no fine offerings to present to you, only some strength. I've already repaired the roof for you, so today I'll help you sweep away the cobwebs..."

The little boy acted immediately, but when he turned around, he saw Zhou Sheng and the others, and was immediately surprised and frightened.

"You, you are..."

"Passersby".

Zhou Sheng revealed a gentle smile, raised his eyes to look at the statue, and a hint of green flashed in his pupils, turning them into a distinct square shape.

"But are you sure you're worshipping... a god?"

The little boy said, somewhat embarrassed and angry, "You're not allowed to talk about the General like that!"

"You're not allowed to talk to my boss like that!"

Hongxian rolled up her sleeves again, staring with her big eyes like a calf, which startled the boy.

Zhou Sheng sighed softly and said, "You've been praying for so many days, haven't you noticed that this statue... is stinking?"

"Well, that's because I didn't clean it clean enough!"

"And what about the eyes? Why are they so red?"

"That's the General's third eye; it can see through demons and monsters!"

Zhou Sheng shook his head and smiled, but then his expression suddenly turned serious, and his voice became icy.

"Red Thread, smash that idol's head!"

"Order!"

Little Red Thread doesn't know what fear is. She'd even dare to hit her master if her boss gave the order.

After looking around, Hongxian walked straight outside the temple, found a willow tree about the thickness of a fist, and pulled it up with a sudden jerk.

Whoosh!

She uprooted the willow tree with her small body, then swung it like a club and smashed it down on the head of the statue.

"don't want--"

The little boy was terrified, thinking he had encountered a monster.

However, with a crisp sound, as the statue's head shattered into pieces, he froze, his pupils dilating rapidly in terror.

Inside the head of the statue was another head.

It was a bloody human head, emitting a nauseating stench, with maggots crawling on its rotting face.

Only those unseeing eyes, filled with such deep resentment that even maggots dared not approach, continued to ooze blood.

...(End of this chapter)