My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

Zhao Shouzhou had been down the mountain for half a month.

In the past two weeks, he has traveled through three towns and two counties, doing good deeds and exorcising demons and ghosts along the way, having a great time.

Wherever he went, he would find a lively place to sit.

Teahouses are the best, because they're crowded, have lots of chatter, and are well-informed.

Then we wait, waiting for someone to run into trouble, waiting for someone to ask for help, waiting for someone to be amazed.

The day before yesterday in Qingshan County, he casually drew a Taoist talisman and cured the son of a wealthy family who had contracted an evil disease.

The wealthy man immediately knelt down and called him a "living god".

He casually said, "No need for formalities," but he was secretly overjoyed and spent a long time laughing at himself in front of the mirror at the inn.

Yesterday in Taiping Town, he killed a wild boar demon that was ravaging the crops with a single sword stroke.

Not long after the wild boar spirit died, someone discovered this "deity," and the news spread like wildfire, almost surrounding him.

He barely managed to escape, and as he was leaving, he heard someone behind him shout, "Go, immortal!"

This feeling is just right.

After enduring twenty-five years in the Maoshan Sect, listening to the elders chant "keep a low profile," "be patient," and "don't show off" every day, I can finally openly and legitimately show off now.

Today he arrived in Qinghe Town and sat down in the largest teahouse.

This teahouse is three stories high, with carved beams and painted rafters, and is bustling with people.

He ordered a pot of tea and a plate of snacks at a window seat on the second floor and leisurely sipped his tea.

A commotion arose downstairs.

Zhao Shouzhou peeked out and saw a middle-aged man in an old cloth robe walk onto the platform in the middle of the teahouse. The man held a gavel and slammed it on the table.

"Snapped!"

"Gentlemen, today I, this old man, will tell you a story I've just heard!"

Some people in the audience started to riot:

"Mr. Pu, what's new this time?"

"The story of Master Qingwei subduing the demon from last time hasn't been finished yet!"

"Exactly, go on!"

Zhao Shouzhou raised an eyebrow.

Master Qingwei? Demon Subduer?

interesting.

The middle-aged man—Mr. Pu—cleared his throat, struck the gavel, and began to speak.

"In Wen'an County of Jingyang Prefecture, there was a notorious den of iniquity called the Moon-Viewing Pavilion..."

He recounted the story vividly, from the decadent atmosphere of the Moonlit Pavilion to the paper figures appearing, how the Taoist priest Qingwei saw through the evil spirits at a glance, how he killed the paper demon with a single sword, and how he burned down the evil den.

The audience listened intently, and Zhao Shouzhou also listened with great interest.

The story is well-crafted, with a clear beginning and end, and is thrilling and exciting. The Taoist priest's character is also well-developed, exuding an air of otherworldly wisdom and possessing extraordinary abilities.

Mr. Pu continued:

"Though the paper demon was eliminated, who knew that a painted-skin demon was still lurking within the county government office..."

Zhao Shouzhou picked up his teacup and took a sip.

A painted-skin demon? That's something commonly found in folk tales.

Mr. Pu recounted how the painted skin demon disguised himself as the county magistrate's favorite concubine, how he was exposed by Daoist Qingwei, and how he was killed with a single sword strike.

Zhao Shouzhou nodded. The story was quite plausible; the Painted Skin Demon did exist, and his master had once exorcised one.

But then, Mr. Pu changed the subject:

"Do you all know that besides these abilities, Master Qingwei also possesses a truly earth-shattering supernatural power!"

People in the audience asked one after another:

"What kind of supernatural power?"

Mr. Pu struck his gavel once:

"Shrinking the earth to an inch!"

Zhao Shouzhou paused, his teacup still in his hand.

"That Daoist Qingwei could traverse a hundred miles in a single step! In the blink of an eye, he went from the streets and alleys of the county town to the secret chamber of the county government!"

The audience erupted in uproar.

Zhao Shouzhou frowned.

Shrinking the earth to an inch?

Isn't this the legendary supernatural power?

Their Maoshan sect has been passed down for thousands of years, and even their founder had never heard of anyone being able to shrink the distance to an inch.

His master, his grandmaster, and his great-grandmaster all lacked this ability.

Moreover, the natural barrier is not yet closed, so the upper limit of cultivation is stuck there. How could anyone possibly possess such supernatural abilities?

This is clearly made up.

Mr. Pu was still talking:

"That Daoist Qingwei not only knows how to shrink the earth to an inch, but also knows the Samadhi True Fire! Do you all know what the Samadhi True Fire is? It can burn anything, it cannot be extinguished by water, it burns even more fiercely in the wind, and it is especially effective against demons and evil spirits."

The audience gasped in surprise.

Zhao Shouzhou's lips twitched.

Samadhi is really hot?

This is even more outrageous.

He had studied the art of summoning spirits with talismans for twenty-five years and considered himself to be among the best of his generation. But the supernatural power of Samadhi True Fire was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of.

This storyteller's stories are just too outrageous.

However... it was indeed brilliantly written.

As he listened, he began to take it all in.

After Mr. Pu finished recounting the case of Lan Yue Fang, he began to talk about other things.

It tells the story of how Master Qingwei helped others.

This story is getting more and more outrageous.

But he didn't interrupt; he just drank his tea and listened.

Just take it as a bit of fun.

......

An hour later, Mr. Pu struck the gavel:

To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment!

A cheer erupted from the audience, and coins were thrown onto the stage with a clatter.

Some people threw copper coins, some threw broken silver, and one man who looked like a wealthy merchant even threw a small ingot.

Mr. Pu thanked them one by one and bent down to pick up the copper coins and silver pieces.

Zhao Shouzhou felt a sudden discomfort as he looked at the people throwing money at him.

The reason these people listened so intently and threw money around so readily is simply because the story was so incredible and bizarre.

But that story is fake!

They made it up!

He put down his teacup, stood up, walked to the railing, and looked down at Pu Songlin on the stage.

"Wait a minute."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was clearly delivered to everyone's ears.

The teahouse fell silent, and everyone looked up at him.

Pu Songlin also raised his head and looked at the young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes.

Zhao Shouzhou stood with his hands behind his back, looking every bit the wise man.

"What you just said is all false."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience.

Some people disagreed:

"What makes you say it's fake?"

"Exactly, you've never seen it before!"

"Mr. Pu's stories are all true!"

Zhao Shouzhou's lips curled up slightly.

That's exactly what I was waiting for.

He leaped from the second floor, landing lightly on the stage, his clothes fluttering, and he landed silently.

This display of lightness skill has already caused many people to gasp in amazement.

Zhao Shouzhou stood in front of the stage, his hands behind his back.

The teahouse was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Everyone stared at him with wide eyes.

The man who had just questioned them was now pale-faced and said stiffly:

"You...you say the story is fake? Show me the evidence!"

Zhao Shouzhou smiled slightly.

That's exactly what I was waiting for.

He raised his right hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and pulled a yellow talisman from his sleeve.

The talisman paper was as thin as a cicada's wing, with intricate runes drawn on it in cinnabar, and a faint light shimmered around it.

"Everyone, please watch carefully."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

With a flick of his fingers, the talisman flew out of his hand.

The talisman hovered in mid-air.

It didn't fall, it didn't float, it just hung there quietly, as if an invisible hand was supporting it.

A collective gasp filled the teahouse.

Zhao Shouzhou was secretly pleased, but his face remained calm.

He raised his hand and gently touched the talisman.

The talisman suddenly lit up.

The light was as warm as water, spreading from the center of the talisman outwards. In the blink of an eye, the entire talisman turned into a light blue color.

Then, the talisman began to melt.