Chapter 680

"Grandfather, it's been a long time. You still look as healthy as ever."

A young girl with shoulder-length pink hair and two white cloth coverings on her head encountered the elderly man she had previously dealt with on a quiet, winding path.

Tai Gongwang lifted his straw hat. "It's Ci Huaxian. Haven't you been cultivating lately?"

"Because I saw cherry blossoms blooming out of season, I wanted to visit the Hakkai Shrine. By the way, did I ever tell you I was cultivating?" Ci Huaxian crossed her arms and asked.

"It's common knowledge that immortals often enter seclusion to cultivate," Tai Gongwang gently stroked his beard.

"Hehehe," Ci Huaxian forced a smile.

From the first meeting, she had sensed that he was an immortal, and his manner carried an indescribable quality.

She had once thought that humans, as they aged, might resemble immortals more than immortals themselves—but last time she visited the heavenly realm where that Son of Heaven dwelled, she had seen a wooden sign by a private fishing pond reading "Tai Gongwang."

Maybe it was coincidence. Who knows?

There are too many hidden figures in Gensokyo; even she, a former "demon," had no right to judge others.

"Where are you going, carrying all that alone?" Ci Huaxian's gaze drifted to Tai Gongwang's back.

He carried a heavy bundle on his shoulder and held a bamboo pole in his hand, yet he didn't look like he was heading to fish.

"Hmm, this—originally, because of a dream last night, I planned to stay a few days by Mist Lake and catch some big fish, but after thinking it over, such a thing isn't realistic, so I turned back halfway."

Tai Gongwang smiled: "When you're old, you overthink everything—both in life and in action."

Wang!

Wang Wang!

Barking from nowhere interrupted their conversation; a powerful airwave spread, stirring the dense forest.

Both fixed their gaze upward through the gaps in falling leaves—the golden aurora and clouds shimmered like boiling water, gurgling endlessly until a beam of light pierced space and converged at one point.

The three-eyed divine man, wielding a three-pronged, double-edged halberd, rode a terrifying, monstrous hound as he flashed and darted across the Nine Heavens Waterfall of Youkai Mountain.

"By the decree of Hun Tian Di, I am to apprehend the fugitive and cast him into the Eighteen Layers of Hell! All unrelated parties, get out of here!"

Some crow tengu guards, initially thinking an outsider had invaded, had rushed out—but upon seeing they were chasing Mingwan, they returned to their guard room without surprise.

This left the three-eyed divine man momentarily stunned.

The anomaly vanished quickly from the sky, but after some time, a mysterious force began to envelop Youkai Mountain.

A phantom boom echoed.

Between heaven and earth, the sun rose and moon set, stars shifted, day turned to night, and countless meteors fell from the sky.

"The ability to manipulate the stars—did that demon lord strike? Why didn't he use spell cards?" Ci Huaxian lowered her gaze and turned toward the cliff:

"That guy just now seemed to have run out from the Hakkai Shrine, Tai Gongwang—"

She had intended to invite him for a drink, but her words suddenly halted—Tai Gongwang, burdened with his pack, stood frozen, mouth agape, eyes wide, emitting strange sounds from his throat.

"Tai Gongwang?"

"Ugh—"

Tai Gongwang turned and broke into a run: "Old man suddenly realizes his dream was right—today, I'll catch a big fish at Mist Lake!"

He moved swiftly, as if walking on level ground, not at all like an elderly man.

Tai Gongwang's figure vanished quickly along the forest path, and at the same time, another faint streak of light plunged into the boundless clouds, as if fleeting mirages of countless floating islands and mountains briefly appeared.

"That's not Mist Lake over there," Ci Huaxian murmured, gazing toward the heavenly realm.

She couldn't understand what he was thinking. She walked up the stone steps toward the Hakkai Shrine, but halfway there, she smelled strong wine and food aromas, and flowers bloomed everywhere—out of season.

A banquet?

Had spring already come?

As Ci Huaxian stepped onto the final stone stair, she saw a group of unfamiliar faces causing chaos at the Hakkai Shrine.

Lu Mingfei shook Su Lin by the collar: "Eat this sobering pill!"

"Eat what? I'm not drunk." Su Lin pushed his hands forward toward Youkai Mountain and declared solemnly: "Imperial Escape Technique: Nine Clans Separation Art!"

"Stop playing Nine Clans Match-Three! Go get Yang Jian back!" Lu Mingfei pointed at the starry sky, visibly worried.

Yang Jian was stubborn—he actually charged forward.

"Shandi, we're destined. You've eaten plenty of heavenly treasures and awakened your wisdom. Perfect—I'll give you a Dao name." Song Shuhang, half-asleep, poked the squirrel that had just swallowed a fairy peach: "Your appetite's gotten bigger?"

"Sorry about chopping off your elbow during the Holy Grail War—you know, blades don't show mercy on the battlefield." Xiao Yan, drunk, counted the golden wine cups: "Come on, I'll drink these—first, second, third… sixteen cups!"

"Why sixteen?" Gilgamesh rubbed his forehead, shaking his head hard.

"Because I've participated in sixteen Holy Grail Wars."

"Why do you all keep staring at the same hand?!"

Something felt off about today's wine—it was stronger than usual. Gilgamesh even saw Enkidu standing before him.

"Shut up. Where's my infinite refill signature cocktail?" Xing slammed the table.

Kleine, dressed as a bartender, mixed cups of Zui Xian Brew, Dragon Blood Wine, Divine Era Wine, and Iblis Gourd Clan craft brew together, then, like a magician, shook them until they transformed into playing cards, each landing in everyone's cup.

"First, I'm not called 'Shut Up.'" Kleine pushed forward three glasses of orange juice and snapped his fingers: "Second, you're all underage—you should be drinking juice."

"..." Huai Shi stared at his cup, now filled with juice, speechless.

"Kleine-nii, are they..." Madoka, watching the hellish murals around them, looked concerned: "Is this okay?"

"At this point, it's simpler to just get them drunk into unconsciousness." Kleine turned to Ci Huaxian: "Madam, what would you like to drink?"

"Can I not drink anything...?" Ci Huaxian instinctively shook her head.

She observed the surroundings curiously and noticed their auras were strange—some even had the scent of immortals among them.

Zhongli and Teacher Yan Sen glanced her way while playing chess, nodding slightly in greeting.

Ci Huaxian returned the bow, then turned to see Bo Li Byakuren Lingmeng Lingmeng sprawled on the table, snoring, drooling in a puddle. She walked over and shook her twice.

Ibaraki Kasen returned the greeting, then glanced at Hakurei Reimu, who was sprawled on the table fast asleep with a puddle of drool, and stepped forward to shake her a couple of times.

【59】 Ibaraki Kasen returned the greeting, then looked toward Hakurei Reimu, who was sprawled on the table fast asleep with a puddle of drool, stepped forward, and shook her a couple of times.

"Ci Xian, you've come too."

How much have you actually drunk?

When Tsuimihasen smelled the strong alcohol fumes rushing toward her, she was startled—she had never seen so much consumed even during her grand banquets.

"It seems there's been an anomaly over at Youkai Mountain—would you like to go take a look?"

But judging by his condition, it's clearly impossible now.

"Anomaly? What anomaly?" Reimu staggered to her feet. "Today's banquet features dishes prepared by someone incredibly powerful—come and eat some."

"Are you the only one here today?"

"It's winter now," Tsuimihasen sighed. "The youkai don't like to move around much."

"I originally met that Tai Gongwang on the road and wanted to invite him along."

"Tai Gongwang?!" As if triggered by a keyword, Meng Qi shot upright like a leaping carp. "Don't bother me with matters of the Immortal Realm, the Three Teachings, or the Great Luo Heaven right now!"

Seeing Su Lin and Lu Mingfei and others staring at him in surprise, he blinked, looked around, then patted his chest and exhaled in relief.

"It was just an illusion—Tai Gongwang isn't chasing me."

"Drink some water to calm down."

Kleine handed him a glass of water.

"Thank you." Meng Qi took a sip, then froze. "This is alcohol."

"It's diluted," Kleine said. "I was drinking it myself—it's water to your usual self."

That actually makes sense.

Meng Qi took another sip, pulled out the Ten Thousand Worlds Knowledge Token, and sent a message to the Unicorn Rhinoceros: come pick him up—he couldn't drive after drinking.

Drive.

The Ten Thousand Worlds Knowledge Sphere, functioning as the backend, still operated; the Unicorn Rhinoceros, granted limited authority to handle minor tasks for him, could use automated shipping to mail herself over here.

"Master," the Unicorn Rhinoceros spoke in human voice.

"Let's go home." Meng Qi grabbed the wine jug, flipped onto the ox's back, waved drunkenly at the group, and deliberately chanted as if to manifest divine presence: "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao."

The green ox glanced at Meng Qi in confusion, then lifted its head as if sensing something, its hooves summoning clouds as it stepped steadily toward a cluster of floating islands suddenly appearing in the eastern sky.

Its voice echoed in cycles, purple qi surging vast and boundless.

Meng Qi rode away on the ox, dissolving into midair; the mirage-like floating islands vanished with ripples.

The bustling Hakurei Shrine fell silent. Having not drunk continuously for a while, the alcohol's effect had already worn off by half; everyone stared at the sky in quiet contemplation.

Meng Qi was drunk, but someone else had been jolted sober.

Mortalization?

Ah yes, yes, yes.

"The Bagua Furnace of the Doushao Palace is covered in ash—still playing the Laozi routine?"

No one asked where Meng Qi had gone, nor cared for his safety—but in the silence, someone turned their gaze toward Su Lin, one of the habitual offenders.

Su Lin glanced at the Natural Proof, still tucked inside his system inventory and never taken out, then stared back expressionlessly.

"It's time to bring back Young Yang."

Teacher Yan Sen smiled, lifted his teacup, splashed water into a mirror, and within the circle of stars, pulled out Yang Jian from the "Legendary Comic" from the mirror surface.

Zhongli had entrusted him to watch over the group members—including Yang Jian, who had gone off on his own.

"Evil spirit!" The Tian Mo, with long blue hair and red eyes, immediately began searching as Yang Jian and the foul-smelling dog vanished.

"External power is always external power. Only by remaining humble and composed can you walk farther on this path. You must master the power of these rules—and stay vigilant at all times," said Teacher Yan Sen.

Yang Jian's forehead glowed red; the ghostly shadow and his Dharma Form merged. His mind gradually relaxed from battle mode, and the giant dog of his Ghost Dream returned into his consciousness.

Su Lin pulled out the comic, rolled it into a tube, and tapped Yang Jian once: "If you can't catch it, come back. Why are you fighting people?"

Yang Jian laughed. "Isn't it standard to show off on your first day?"

"After you get used to the workplace, you only follow orders when convenient?" Su Lin countered.

Yang Jian fell silent. He had accidentally overheard two people talking, remembered his cousin Yang Jian's warning, and thought it was better to stay outside than return.

Originally, chasing that incredibly fast bird-man wouldn't have been lost, nor would anyone have interfered—but perhaps because of the "Xiaotian" dog, some misunderstanding arose.

At that moment, the meteor shower in the starry sky turned direction, countless beams of light hurtling toward them.

Uh.

Yang Jian raised an eyebrow.

Su Lin returned the comic to him, and six wings of ash coalesced behind him: "Luxi."

The ash wings detached, reborn from the ruins of destruction, cycling endlessly; radiance flowing from the soul gradually shaped into a figure.

If you won't go to the Eighteen Layers of Hell, then send them on a tour through ten thousand heavens instead.

Su Lin had intended to say that—but a gale howled, and a red figure streaked out from behind, carrying a faint scent of alcohol; a Yin-Yang Jade swelled rapidly, charging straight into the meteor swarm, which had braked too late.

"I've told you so many times!"

Boom—

A weight of ten thousand jun crushed the space around the Yin-Yang Jade in an instant, pulverizing every obstacle in its path.

"Inside the Fantasy Realm!"

"Give it to me!"

"Use spell cards!!!"

Boom—boom—boom—

Once, twice, thrice—the Yin-Yang Jade was raised and slammed down repeatedly.

The meteor swarm shattered silently; from its center, crushed under unbearable pressure, came the girl's fury: "We didn't break the rules first—it's—"

"Shut up! Dream Seal!"

Boom—

Boom—

Colorful lights kept flashing from the horizon, but both spiritual energy and power were confined to an extremely small range, as if being brutalized—the starry sky

shattered.

Pieces cracked and fell away, revealing blue sky and white clouds once more.

"In MMO terms, the Reimu Shrine Maiden has the highest buff within the Great Barrier, and this generation even holds permission to manage it."

Kaguya said, playing a handheld game console:

"Even the youkai sage who founded Gensokyo was no exception. At first, the youkai found card system creation troublesome and refused to stand on equal footing with weak humans."

So why did the card rule become popular in Gensokyo starting with this generation?

"She beat up every youkai and human who didn't use cards."

Kaguya pointed at herself and sighed: "Including me."

"My lord." Luxi glanced at the ash form that had not yet become real.

"It's fine. Rest well."

The crimson killer, drenched in blood not his own, flew back from the direction of the sun. Su Lin rubbed his eyes, returning Luxi—whose every second burned money and the universe's origin—to slumber.

He rubbed his face and whispered to Yang Jian: "If that city guard asks, say you were walking a dog. Got it?"

Yang Jian fell silent for a moment, then said: "But I didn't have a leash."

Su Lin: "."

Fortunately, Gensokyo had no rule about civilized dog ownership, and the city guard couldn't remember what had happened—only drank, sulked, and cursed the youkai of Zhishan.

"Even if you triggered an anomaly, why not use cards? What if it affected the Great Barrier?"

"Too vile," Su Lin nodded in agreement: "This isn't an ordinary youkai. We must strike hard."

Reimu nodded: "Exactly. That's why I smashed that thing into hell."

This incident is recorded in the Chronicles of Dongfang Guangzhou:

Six jade per second unleash power; I, the city guard, am Che Wanren.