Four

Peace

Leaves

Flowers

Fail to bloom

Time

Obtains

Excellent

Fame

Nine

Leaves

Stain

Spots

Festival

Rain

Lotus

Drink

Morning

Dew

Never

Blossoms

Gather

Evening

Mist

Before

The stall owner initially thought it seemed simple, but seeing it was a riddle requiring an idiom made him pause.

“Young sir, what is the answer?”

Chen Changsheng said, “It’s written on the back.”

The owner flipped the paper and glanced, immediately brightening.

“Thank you, young sir!”

He then returned the nine coins Chen Changsheng had paid earlier.

Chen Changsheng left the stall with Ping’an and Ruyi.

Ruyi asked curiously, “Uncle Chen, wasn’t the answer Nine-Leaf Lotus?”

“Elder Sister, it was a riddle for an idiom,” Ping’an said.

Chen Changsheng asked, “Can you guess what it is?”

Ruyi wasn’t as good at word riddles as Ping’an. She thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out.

Ping’an also shook his head. He read many books, but guessing a four-character idiom from a long poem wasn’t his strong suit—it wasn’t some divine ability, after all.

Chen Changsheng said, “We’ll check back later. Maybe someone will have guessed it by then.”

“Okay~”

Chen Changsheng wandered through the temple fair with Ping’an and Ruyi.

One had a hairpin tucked in a pocket; the other held a folding fan.

“Elder Sister, I won the fan!” Ping’an said.

“You should let your elder sister win!” Ruyi retorted.

“Elder Sister should let me win instead!”

“Ping’an doesn’t want to.”

“Ping’an, be quiet!”

“……”

Chen Changsheng listened to their bickering and absorbed the lively noise of the temple fair.

He really liked this atmosphere.

It was bustling, full of mortal world charm.

He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d seen such a brightly lit, clamorous scene.

Thinking of it, he felt a pang of nostalgia.

And there was the simplicity here. Though times were harsh, that genuine simplicity felt real.

This mortal world was also Chen Changsheng’s true home.

He found himself increasingly reluctant to leave.

As they walked further in, they reached the deepest part of the fair—the Dragon King Temple.

It was the most crowded place. People were selling incense and candles outside.

Chen Changsheng glanced inside and was surprised. The Old Dragon King had genuinely come. He was inside the temple right now.

“Come on, I’ll take you to offer incense to Old Dragon King.”

“Offer incense?” Ping’an asked. “Why?”

Ruyi said, “Ping’an, you’re so silly. Only after offering incense will Old Dragon King bless us with good weather and harvests so we won’t go hungry.”

Ping’an blinked. “Really?”

Chen Changsheng bought six sticks of incense outside and gave three to each.

“Aren’t you offering incense, Uncle Chen?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “I cannot worship.”

Ruyi and Ping’an didn’t ask further. They each knelt on a prayer cushion.

Chen Changsheng’s eyes shifted to the divine statue.

The Old Dragon King was also looking at him.

The Old Dragon King was passing through on his way to the frontier pass. He intended to observe the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons but had spotted Chen Changsheng at the fair and stopped. Otherwise, he’d have moved on—lingering wasn’t his style.

“Old Dragon King, bless us with favorable weather and a bountiful harvest next year,” Ping’an prayed aloud.

“Speaking it makes it unlucky now, silly Ping’an,” Ruyi whispered.

“Oh, oh…”

Chen Changsheng gave the Old Dragon King a meaningful look.

The Old Dragon King glanced at Ping’an and Ruyi but pretended not to understand.

Seeing this, Chen Changsheng couldn’t help smiling.

This old dragon…acting clueless.

Chen Changsheng said, “I’ll step out to buy three more incense sticks.”

Ruyi asked, “Are you going to worship too, Uncle Chen?”

Chen Changsheng nodded. “Mm. It seems your Old Dragon King has some grudge against me. Better offer him respect.”

Inside the divine statue, the Old Dragon King panicked instantly.

If Chen Changsheng actually bowed to him, the consequences would be disastrous!

He rolled his eyes, then gathered wisps of energy and channeled them into Ping’an and Ruyi kneeling on the prayer cushions.

Chen Changsheng halted. “Seems no need now.”

“Huh?”

Ruyi stared blankly, muttering, “Uncle Chen is acting strange.”

Ping’an thought so too.

But Chen Changsheng didn’t explain. He simply clasped his hands toward the divine statue in a respectful salute.

Then he said, “I’ll stand watch here for a bit. You two stay close; don’t wander off.”

Ping’an and Ruyi obediently stood beside him.

Chen Changsheng extended his divine sense and instantly connected with the Old Dragon King.

The Old Dragon King cursed immediately, “Utterly shameless!”

Chen Changsheng laughed and said, “Just a few strands of fortune. Why are you so stingy, Dragon Lord?”

The Dragon Lord shook his head and said, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have come down all suspicious.” He felt a bit regretful.

Chen Changsheng asked, “Just passing by?”

He said, “I plan to go to the Frontier Pass to look into the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons matter. The City God there begged me for help, so I had no choice but to deal with it.”

Chen Changsheng said, “No wonder…” He added, “I thought, where did you get such free time.”

The Old Dragon King asked, “Want to come along and see?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, “I won’t be going.”

The Old Dragon King glanced at the two kids standing in the hall.

He said, “You’re taking care of children now?”

Chen Changsheng replied, “Just for fun in my free time.”

The Old Dragon King couldn’t understand Chen Changsheng.

But he didn’t ask more. He had only come down to ask Chen Changsheng if he would go.

He said, “If you’re not going, I won’t stay long.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Farewell, Dragon Lord.”

The Dragon Lord said, “Come to Tongtian River for a drink sometime.”

Chen Changsheng replied, “I will.”

The Old Dragon King left the Dragon King Temple.

And Chen Changsheng pulled back his Divine Sense.

He snapped back to the present and looked at Ping’an and Ruyi by his side, saying, “Let’s go.”

Ping’an and Ruyi held Uncle Chen’s hand and walked behind Chen Changsheng, whispering quietly.

Ping’an said, “Elder Sister, what was Uncle Chen doing just now?”

Ruyi said, “He must have been talking with Grandpa Dragon King.”

Ping’an said, “Huh? Elder Sister, are you sleepy again?”

Ruyi said, “Silly Ping’an, even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

Ping’an said, “No, Elder Sister, you…”

Ruyi said, “Ping’an, no talking!”

Ping’an thought, “?” He imagined how one day he would rise up and be the boss.

Once he had mastered his divine power! He would definitely make Ruyi pay!

But in Chen Changsheng’s view, maybe there was no chance. Because of their bloodline, Ping’an had no real shot.

As they walked back, they met some street performers.

The most eye-catching act was the “diving into oil” trick.

Ping’an and Ruyi were interested and stopped to watch.

Ruyi, scared, said, “Diving into oil?!” She didn’t dare look.

Ping’an, though, watched with great enjoyment.

He thought the man was really cool.

Ping’an asked, “Uncle Chen, after I learn the sword, can I do that too?”

Chen Changsheng answered, “Probably not.”

Ping’an said, disappointed, “Ah…”

Chen Changsheng added, “But it should be cooler than diving into oil.”

Ping’an thought it over, saying, “Hmm…”

Chen Changsheng watched the man doing the oil trick, feeling a bit curious.

Normally, this trick had a layer of vinegar on top, but when he looked closer, he saw it was not like that.

The man was actually using all real oil!

And the oil was clearly boiling hot!

As the strong man by the oil pot shouted, “Everyone, watch closely!” People turned to look at him.

“Plop.” The man thrust his hand into the oil pot and pulled it out after a short while.

It was perfectly fine.

The crowd gasped and said his skill was amazing.

Chen Changsheng’s eyes on the strong man changed now.

The man had true talent!