Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but Thunderbolt Taoist Sect

The underworld in Liaozhai is a complete replica of the human officialdom, where whoever has power has the right to speak, and it is a place where "money can make the devil turn the millstone."

Liu Qingyuan did a count and found that most of the illegal transmigrators who came to Liaozhai chose to associate with monsters. Whether it was the one who used special abilities to become a painted skin at the beginning, or the two people caught now who were hanging around in Haishi, they just didn't go towards humanity.

Actually, there's nothing wrong with their thinking. The gods in the heavens are not easy to deal with, and when you don't have absolute strength, blending in with the most diverse group of people is the most effective disguise.

For example, hiding in a mixed-race mirage, disguising himself as a merchant, or trying every means to acquire a disguised identity, any abnormal behavior he exhibits can be explained by "this disguise is not well-cultivated."

In conclusion, some people feel that monsters are not safe and may be colluding with some petty corrupt officials in the underworld. Liu Qingyuan asked Judge Lu, and he said that no matter which kind of deity they are, if their cultivation or status is not high enough, they are not qualified to understand the system's transactions and cooperation with the Heavenly Dao. Moreover, they themselves do not have the ability to recognize outsiders.

In other words, if handled properly, any outsider can make contact with the gods at the bottom level, without the other party even realizing that the person trying to get close to them is not from this world.

"I wonder if Judge Lu could make a connection and ask him."

He's a judge after all, and judging by what he did for Zhu Erdan, a judge's power is probably considerable. He might even be able to help with the investigation. As long as they're not bothered by Judge Lu's appearance, he'll be happy to see them and might offer them some favors.

...From this perspective, Judge Lu doesn't seem to be a very impartial official.

"First it was painted skin, then mirages. This group of people has already integrated into the lives of ordinary people. I don't know how long they've been eroding this world."

They're all seasoned veterans, adept at taking advantage of the chaos.

"Judging from the fact that those two have been operating in Haishi for several years, they probably have been there for a long time, and there are countless bone products there."

Jian Feidao shook his head slightly. They had been lurking in the sea market for so long without being discovered, and the number of victims they had hunted was countless. Such an important matter was only investigated after it reached the Dragon Palace.

Rather than saying the enemy hid too well, it's more accurate to say they exploited the social structure here: the lives of the upper and lower classes were worlds apart, and no one cared about how the lower classes fared.

If these two hadn't become increasingly arrogant, reaching out to the dragon's relatives and causing trouble for the Dragon King, probably no one would have realized the seriousness of the situation.

"These guys' abilities are all incredibly ruthless."

Liu Qingyuan examined the bone flute that was brought back carefully. In reality, there is indeed a method to make bones into the texture of jade, but that method takes a very long time. This flute was obviously not made in that way.

According to Jian Feidao, one of the two illegal transmigrators used a knife handle made of bone. These bone artifacts that were processed and sold were probably his doing, and the technology was likely obtained from the illegal system that had signed the contract.

This generation of illegal time travelers not only doesn't follow human ethics, but their abilities are also so inhuman. They're such typical villains. They can't even take advantage of others. What's the point of having such a heartless ability?

"Since you've come out, Jian Feidao, why don't you stay a few more days? Don't worry, there's no charge."

Judging from the current situation, the plot of Lu Pan giving Zhu Erdan a heart transplant should be coming soon. It's good to have more people involved. He also wants to see the changes in Zhu Erdan after the heart transplant. Jian Feidao has a bright eye, so he can see it more directly.

Then, very soon, Lu Pan gave Zhu Erdan's wife a head transplant. To be honest, Liu Qingyuan personally didn't quite agree with this part. After getting a heart transplant and becoming smarter, he started to complain about his wife's ugly appearance, which was a bit excessive.

Moreover, the girl whose head was used for the head transplant was an innocent victim who died. If possible, Liu Qingyuan wanted to help her. He would negotiate with Judge Lu to find a different method for the head transplant, as directly beheading her was a bit too much.

"Then thank you very much, senior."

"That's all you wanted to say?"

"...What else needs to be said?"

"You should say it like this: Senior Jianzi provides free accommodation; he truly deserves to be called a Daoist master of innate level, he is truly..."

"Master, I heard that the new magistrate has taken office. Should we go and see him... eh?"

Xiao Cui's voice came from outside, followed by a familiar red fox peeking out from the bushes outside the fence. It then stretched out its two front paws to grab the fence and began to flip into the yard, landing perfectly in the yard with a somersault in the air.

The opponent's movements were fluid and graceful. Although it was a canine fox, it landed with a feline composure and elegance, deserving a score of 10.

Liu Qingyuan just couldn't understand why this girl didn't like to use the door. She insisted on sneaking in and jumping over the fence like a thief, and she had to look like a fox, because only the height of a fox's body was suitable for this kind of thing.

Why is that? Is it because you feel a sense of accomplishment to jump in like this?

Xiao Cui had been following the matter ever since the scholar sued the county magistrate. This was not only because Liu Qingyuan had asked her to keep an eye on things, but also because Imperial Censor Wang was involved in resolving the matter. The final outcome would determine whether Imperial Censor Wang had returned to his former official position.

Xiao Cui was also concerned about the character of the newly appointed magistrate. She hadn't cared before, but now she was working for a master. If the magistrate was no good and continued to cause trouble, wouldn't she, Xiao Cui, lose face?

So she came as soon as she received the news, wanting to ask if there were any further instructions. But when she confidently jumped over and landed, she found three white figures in the yard.

Besides the two familiar ones, there was another person wearing a tall crown and dressed in a brighter, more gorgeous outfit. Hmm... his face also seemed to look a bit younger.

"You've come at the right time. This is Dao Jianjian Feidao."

"Uh... Greetings, Immortal Master."

Judging from his appearance, Jian Feidao didn't have a serious demeanor. At first, Xiao Cui was only dazzled by his platinum-gold hair. But when he looked over and met Jian Feidao's eyes, all the fur on her body stood on end.

How to describe that feeling? She felt as if she had been faced with a demon-revealing mirror, completely exposed and unable to hide.

"...You've regained your sight?"

Xiao Cui is now in fox form, her fluffy fur is clearly visible. It's currently the time when she sheds her winter fur, and with all that fluff, she looks like a big ball of fur.

This reaction seemed to be because he was frightened by Jian Feidao, but no matter how Liu Qingyuan thought about it, he didn't think that Jian Feidao's image was capable of frightening the other party upon first meeting.

The only explanation is that Jian Feidao's double vision provoked Xiao Cui, who was a fox spirit.

"No."

Has this ever happened in the East China Sea?

"The Third Prince and the others did not react in this way, but the shrimp soldiers and crab generals of the Dragon Palace avoided me. At the time, I thought it was because of the Third Prince."

Thanks to the help of the Heavenly Fan, the Third Prince of the East Sea was very polite to Jian Feidao. Seeing the soldiers around him avoiding him, Jian Feidao didn't think much of it. He was brought into the group as a distinguished guest of the Third Prince, and they treated the Third Prince with the same respect and avoided him.

The Chongming Eye can see through all demonic obstacles, illuminate all darkness, discern all ignorance, and detect all flaws and evils. Theoretically, it can indeed be effective against monsters and similar creatures. However, before he even started using it, Xiao Cui already felt the pressure.

"But when I was in Haishi, that stall owner... wasn't he a rat spirit?"

Jian Feidao didn't understand. It wasn't that he deliberately judged people by their appearance, but you look like that, so isn't it just like a rat that has cultivated into a spirit? And you're not as scared as Xiao Cui. Could it be that the boss is a human?!

"Don't be afraid, we Sword Non-Path are very kind."

Xiao Cui stood there motionless, her fur standing on end, so Liu Qingyuan went over, grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, and placed the fox, now a large ball of fur, next to the Zhaoshimingdeng (a type of lantern).

Actually, it might be more effective to have Zhao Shiming hold her to comfort her, but considering that Xiao Cui is a girl and men and women should not touch each other, she was placed aside and Zhao Shiming patted her head a few times to bring her back to her senses.

"Jian Feidao, how about you consider going to Lanruo Temple?"

Liu Qingyuan put her arm around Jian Feidao's shoulder. Even a proper fox spirit is provoked like this. Wouldn't it become a demon-revealing mirror if it encountered a real evil demon? If Jian Feidao were to go to Lanruo Temple, Yan Chixia wouldn't even need to lift a finger.

Unfortunately, Liu Qingyuan had already passed through two towns and had not seen any place that resembled Lanruo Temple. It was probably in a more distant town.

"Senior, please don't joke."

Xiao Cui's reaction might be due to the amplification of her keen eyesight in a world of gods and demons like Liaozhai. However, Jian Feidao himself didn't realize it. Fox spirits are more sensitive to various auras and dangers, and Xiao Cui was unaware that she was here. When the two bumped into each other unexpectedly, Xiao Cui's animal instincts were stimulated.

This is truly an unexpected situation. The already very abstract concepts are amplified to an even more abstract level in the world of gods and demons in Liaozhai. However, it can also be considered a good thing. Taking this as an example, the ability of other characters to suppress demons may also be amplified, turning into another form of dimensional reduction attack.

However, it seems to only work on local monsters. The Third Prince is a deity, but he didn't react in any special way. The two illegal transmigrators also didn't react. And that shopkeeper in the market... is that shopkeeper really not a monster?

"Alright, Xiao Cui, what do you want to say?"

Xiao Cui was only startled for a moment. Her subsequent stiffness and bristling fur were due to animal instincts and a bit of stress, and she recovered quickly.

But she still felt a little uncomfortable. She had made a big fool of herself as soon as she arrived. She took the initiative to jump down next to the illuminating lamp. The moment she landed, a beautiful girl appeared in the spot.

"Well, the new magistrate has taken office. Should we go and check him out, to see what kind of person he is?"

"No need."

The new magistrate has a lot to hand over, especially since the previous magistrate was a corrupt and wicked man. The new magistrate has a lot to deal with. The scholar's lawsuit has become such a big deal, and the people are watching this change of leadership closely. They'll know what kind of character the new magistrate is in a few days by reading the public's comments.

Moreover, the Lantern Festival is just a few months away. If the story of Yingning and Wang Zifu is to proceed smoothly, the new county magistrate may not be a person of great virtue, but he must be a reasonable person.

Now, with Imperial Censor Wang and the Emperor as guarantors, this place is safe. Imperial Censor Wang may be a bit lacking, but the Emperor has taken it seriously. The network of connections that the county magistrate had built for himself was completely dismantled, and several major cases of corruption and embezzlement were also uncovered, allowing many people to boost their performance. In the short term, no one should dare to come to this place to make money.

"The previous magistrate was just dismissed for his crimes. With everyone watching, at this critical juncture, no one would risk coming here to make a quick buck... What are you looking at?"

Once she came to her senses, Xiao Cui was no longer afraid of Jian Feidao. Apart from his eyes, which seemed to have opened the third eye and were somewhat oppressive, he was otherwise fine. Liu Qingyuan noticed that his eyes started to dart around, his gaze shifting back and forth between the three Xiantian beings present.

This action seemed somewhat familiar; the two guys he had just thrown into the system space had done the same thing. However, compared to the fear and disbelief of those two, Xiao Cui seemed more puzzled.

"Immortal Master, in your place... are there any requirements for wearing white clothes and having white hair?"

She hadn't realized this before, but today, upon closer inspection, she saw three Taoists in the Enlightenment Realm, all dressed in white with silver-white hair. Although their hair color and clothing styles differed, at first glance, they did indeed appear to be three people in the same white color scheme.

Here, white fabrics basically don't need dyeing and are cheap, so they are worn by ordinary people. Even those who are somewhat wealthy only wear unevenly dyed blue or brown clothes. But rich people wear brightly colored clothes and want to wear as many expensive clothes as possible.

In the past, even the poorest Taoist priests Xiao Cui had ever seen had never worn white. She could never meet any immortals, but the fox spirits dressed very brightly and beautifully. Her own skirts were mostly bright colors as well. This was the first time she had ever seen three people who used white as their main color.

Others wear white because they are poor and the material is not good, but the material of these three is first-class. Although the base color is white, there are many decorations. Zhao Shiming's robe is covered with silver embroidery, and Jian Feidao's clothes, which we just saw today, have many gold trims. Although the color matching is not many, the level of luxury surpasses most people.

After comparing it with Jian Feidao, it seems that there is some truth to Jianzi Xianchang's previous statement that he was ordinary.

"I don't have any specific requirements; it depends on your own preferences."

The innate beings of the Bitter Realm wear all sorts of clothes, and you can easily find two rainbow teams. The fact that the three of them have such harmonious colors is purely coincidental. Although Tian Shanzi, who originally lived in the East Sea, also had silver-white hair, his overall tone was more blue.

"However, gray hair is indeed quite common, after all, everyone is getting older."

There's no limit to innate lifespan, and the timeline of the Bitter Realm has been fragmented due to various plot developments, so everyone's age can be stacked up without any upper limit, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands. Oh, and looking further down, even the younger ones have broken the lower limit; those whose appearance matches their age are the rarest.

"Besides, white is a good color. As the saying goes, 'To look good, wear mourning clothes.' Look at me, dashing and debonair, with nothing to my name, how carefree... Zhaoshimingdeng, what are you doing?"

The previously quiet Zhaoshimingdeng suddenly stood up, looking as if it wanted to go back to the mountains, but it was already afternoon and evening was fast approaching. No one would be so reckless as to go up the mountain at night.

By now, the popularity of the "Lantern Mountain God" on the mountain has begun to decline. Their trips back and forth between the two cities are still effective. Liu Qingyuan often goes to the city to wander around, just to divert his attention.

"It's getting late, I'll go hang up a few lanterns."

"...Please restrain yourself. This is a place of enlightenment, not a palace with lanterns and curtains."

Zhao Shimingdeng has two great hobbies: one is chatting with people in the dark, and the other is lighting lanterns, simply lighting lanterns.

There are no dark paths here, and few places can match the atmosphere of a dark path. All that the World-Illuminating Lamp can do is light and hang lanterns.

But the open space is only so big, and there aren't many suitable spots to hang lanterns. If he blocks it out, he's afraid that in a few days, the mountains will be filled with lanterns.

By then, the rumors about the mountain god will be truly beyond saving.