"It's not what I'm talking about,"

Wang Daoxuan interrupted him, frowning, "Someone said this artifact brings misfortune. Isn't the shopkeeper worried?"

Manager Liu laughed, "Daoist, you must be unaware. This is a money for blessings, how could it be unlucky? Someone has already inquired, and it's all rumors spread by demons in Chengdu Prefecture."

"These demons slaughtered the entire Prince Mansion's household during the New Year's season and are now spreading rumors. It's clear they harbor ill intentions. Daoist, you mustn't believe them."

"I see..."

Wang Daoxuan didn't argue, stroked his beard, and nodded, "I am fated with Manager Liu, how could I take money?"

"This... I'm embarrassed."

"It's no matter."

Leaving the clothing store, looking at the streets littered with red firecracker remnants and the distant festive scenes of dragon and lion dances, Wang Daoxuan sighed lightly.

After the battle on the first day of the year, they parted ways with the Lord of Non-Phase.

Their situation was considered dire. Although they couldn't confront the Shu Prince Mansion in the open, they couldn't simply swallow their grievances and began spreading the frightening rumors of "Joyful God Money."

Now it seemed the effect wasn't very good.

The battle on the first day seemed to have had the opposite effect.

Since King Shu took charge of Chengdu, he never caused disturbances and was esteemed among the people. The citizens trusted him more.

The massacre at the Prince Mansion only garnered sympathy from the commoners.

Those who were initially afraid of the situation in Chengdu now felt united against a common enemy.

Last night, Wang Daoxuan even heard of citizens preparing to use "Joyful God Money" inside "Ingot Dumplings" for the holiday.

This is breaking the superstitions of the fifth day, saying that whoever bites into the coin will be blessed by the God of Wealth in the coming year.

Thinking of this, Wang Daoxuan felt somewhat helpless.

Many citizens he saw were already influenced by the "Joyful God Money" aura, and on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, they were likely all the targets, rescuing them was futile.

Just then, cheers erupted around him.

"Marshal Xuangan rides on Auspicious Cloud!"

"Black Tiger Golden Whip breaks through the maze!"

"Wealth Child stands on both sides!"

"Blessings, wealth, and—propitious—gift!"

Rich Sichuan accent, with a long drawl.

This is the "chanting of the Wealth God verses," singing auspicious words to bring good luck; shop employees vie to chant, and the shopkeeper would give a generous red envelope.

As the day of the fifth arrives, Chengdu Prefecture becomes lively again.

Wang Daoxuan raised the fortune-telling banner, singing the stepping empty words as he walked into the crowd...

...

To counter Lu Sheng's plan, Li Yan and the others split into two groups.

Early on the second day of the new year, the Bamboo Forest Six Leisurely had left Chengdu Prefecture, carried Li Yan's token, and found people from Qingcheng Mountain and the Cheng Family outside the city, heading to Dujiangyan.

These people were experts who couldn't face the army head-on in Chengdu Prefecture but could perform rituals, raids, and assassinations in Dujiangyan.

Destroy the root, and Lu Sheng's plan falls apart.

As for Li Yan and others, they remained hidden in Chengdu Prefecture, sowing discord, creating chaos, and drawing Lu Sheng's attention.

They had also fractured into smaller groups.

Wang Daoxuan disguised himself as a wandering Daoist, probing for information in the marketplace and searching for solutions regarding "Joyful God Money."

Because of the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth, many pugilistic world guests gathered in the city, and most were frauds from the Gold Sect. Walking on the street, you couldn't go ten steps without encountering a fortune-telling blind person, and within a hundred steps, you'd see a Circular Light Magician.

Wang Daoxuan had done this before and had learned it quite well, so much so that even the patrolling garrison soldiers couldn't be bothered with him.

The Daoist roamed around, and soon he reached the vicinity of Nine-Hole Bridge, pretending to casually wander by, but a rat had already grabbed a talisman paper, slipping through a small hole in the wild grass under the bridge and burrowing underground...

The rat moved swiftly and soon entered the secret passage.

In the secret passage, candlelight flickered.

Lv San sat cross-legged, using the dim light to mark on a map of Chengdu.

Squeak~

Rats scurried from the darkness, following his pen strokes chirping for a while before disappearing back into the shadows.

As the rats kept coming and going, the marked routes became increasingly complex.

The condition for exchanging information with the Lord of Non-Phase was the underground passages of Chengdu Prefecture, yet Lv San's spell had already been able to summon rats from half the city to help decrypt them.

Seeing the message Wang Daoxuan sent, Lv San pondered, added another segment of words, and stuffed the talisman paper into the rat's mouth.

Soon, the rat scurried quickly into the tunnel.

In the darkness, it was unknown how long it traveled before the rat climbed through the narrow earth hole, and upon emerging, it was already in a dark alley in the east of the city.

Chengdu Prefecture East, inhabited by ordinary citizens. Together with the Three Religions and Nine Sects congregating here, it formed an odd phenomenon:

The main streets outside were lively, tea houses, and taverns were plentiful, and merchants often had employees sweep the front, so it was relatively clean.

But once inside the alleys, it was all rundown residential areas.

Most structures of the citizens were like Tu Clan stilted buildings, with the first level for livestock, mainly chickens and pigs, and sheep.

Entering the alley, a stench assaulted the senses.

The rat moved quickly, reaching a big courtyard, although not a stilted building, there were still many chickens raised.

Inside the courtyard, all were some robust men.

In the freezing weather, someone carved wood, someone engraved stone, all had various woodworking tools in hand, working tirelessly.

In the main house, except for Sha Lifei, were Hou Xuan and an old Han.

"That's the situation,"

Hou Xuan shook his head, "Inside Chengdu Prefecture, there is a group of craftsmen adept in Lu Ban Skill, but they have been working for King Shu for years, can't be trusted."

"This senior, too, is a Mystic Sect Craftsman but was driven to this place after offending Prince Mansion officials."

"That's good,"

Sha Lifei laughed heartily, clasped his fists, and said, "Our affair is entrusted to the senior, it's about money, and we'll certainly satisfy the senior."

Opposite, the old man smoked his pipe, speaking gruffly, "Building temples is easy, I've led my disciples to build ten or eight, never had any mishaps, and I'm not afraid of making enemies with Prince Mansion."

"The problem is, can't get out of this Chengdu Prefecture..."

This old man was also shrewd, already sensed things amiss and hid here with his disciples, avoiding trouble.

Hou Xuan and Li Yan exhausted their efforts to contact him.

Squeak~

At that moment, a rat darted from the corner, hopped onto Sha Lifei's leg in a few moves.

Sha Lifei took it and smiled, "You can rest assured, the day after tomorrow, there will be an opportunity."

"On the seventh of January, the Renday grass hall excursion, some people from Chengdu Prefecture want to leave the city then, and have moved some connections."

"There'll surely be a commotion that day, just right for sending you guys away..."

While some busied themselves secretly, Chengdu Prefecture was no longer peaceful.

...

In the eastern city, at Bai Xiang Tea House, the storyteller was narrating about Jiang Ziya slaying generals and sealing gods as the tea boy carried a copper pot past.

Suddenly, he stumbled, spilling boiling water.

A government officer hadn't reacted in time and was splashed with boiling water, screaming in pain, a sharp spike pierced into the back of his neck.

"Great!"

An old Han at the next table slapped the table in praise.

The tumbling chili oil mixed with blood in a mess...

...

In the Old Street brothel, the revolving lantern turned slowly.

Several Jianghu Guests were drinking and jesting with girls.

Bam!

The door was kicked open, several Black Feather Guards rushed in with a group of garrison soldiers, pinning people to the ground.

"Sir, we're innocent..."

"Stop talking nonsense. Where are those who instructed you to spread rumors?"

"Well... we haven't seen them, we just received a commission from the White Horse Gambling House. The middleman said the less we know, the better."

"Go!"

Shu Prince Mansion's people immediately left.

Soon after, the nearby White Horse Gambling House went up in flames...

...

Without Li Yan and others instigating, Shu Prince Mansion took the initiative against the Lord of Non-Phase, striving to eliminate all troublemakers.

The Lord of Non-Phase's people naturally refused to suffer losses.

Thus, a strange scene appeared in the city:

The streets gradually became lively, citizens coming and going, seemingly returned to normal.

Yet in those hidden corners, it was intense life-and-death battles.

As for Li Yan, he again left Chengdu Prefecture, found Yang Chenghua at Fu River Pier, and brought him to Qingyang Palace.

The previous Qingyang Palace was bustling, with various witchcraft dance performances attracting crowds.

Now, it was frighteningly quiet.

"Senior, can it be done?"

Li Yan inquired while staring intently at Qingyang Palace.

Now, there's still one thing he's unclear about.

What these old Daoists would gain after it succeeds, to entice these old pugilistic world seniors to willingly fall from grace?

He had a hunch; it might be related to the Nine Tripod...

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