Several Night Guards looked over. In front of everyone, Book Listener picked up the meat, put it in his mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed.
Sunshine Boy was silent. Every time someone chewed, he heard that person’s voice.
Yet, no one else reacted.
Book Listener leaned in and whispered, "The Witch said we wouldn’t live long, not that we’d... you know... die right away. There are remedies. Don’t worry too much."
Sunshine Boy nodded.
After the Witch left, Sunshine Boy, taking a moment when no one was looking, placed the piece of meat on the Yellow Springs Mark on his left arm.
He silently chanted in his mind, ’Emperor, you eat first...’
He left it there for a moment, but nothing changed. ’I might be forced to go melon-picking in autumn soon,’ Sunshine Boy thought anxiously. ’If I can’t deal with this piece of meat quickly, my only choice will be to eat it.’
Sunshine Boy’s mind raced. He realized this piece of meat was probably equivalent to the No Return Road or Santu Mountain—it was a form of Deceit.
"Observing Fate and Qi!"
Steeling himself, Sunshine Boy decided to treat the meat as a Fate Grid or a Destiny Star. Drawing on what he had learned in the Fate Measuring Sect, he expended Magical Power to activate the Destiny Measuring Ruler and the Destiny Scale for an Inference.
A moment later, a flicker of panic went through Sunshine Boy. He hadn’t expected the piece of meat to actually resonate with his Fate Skill, forming a connection similar to that of a Fate Grid.
The Destiny Scale’s Inference showed it to be a Void Destiny Star of the Gold element—a Destiny Star in name but with no actual power.
The Destiny Measuring Ruler’s Inference revealed that the meat contained the Qi Fortune of death and tombs, yet using the Qi Observation Skill revealed no concrete form.
He also tried using Mugwort, but there was no reaction at all.
’This piece of meat is a very minor Deceit,’ he thought. ’It doesn’t even directly affect life or death, so it’s nothing compared to the No Return Road. I shouldn’t need a powerful Fate Skill to resolve it. Fire overcomes Gold, so a Gold Fate is naturally countered by fire. But this is a Deceit, after all. Ordinary fire, even combined with my Magical Power, won’t work. I need a different kind of fire. Where can I find...’
Sunshine Boy looked around, and his gaze fell upon the four lanterns in front of the Five Goddess Temple.
The four lanterns were continuously dripping blood, and the crimson flames within them burned brighter than any normal candle.
’That’s definitely not an ordinary fire. The main Life Material is the lantern fire. I also need...’
Following the Fate Skill Formulas, Sunshine Boy figured out what auxiliary Life Materials he needed. He found Book Listener and the foodie, whispering, "I need to perform a Fate Skill. I need a handful of waterweeds, a piece of burning wood or a torch, some dirt from beside a wall, I’ll use my own hair, and finally..."
Sunshine Boy glanced at the pig-butchering knife in the Patchwork Witch’s hand and asked quietly, "The other things are easy to find, but a pig-butchering knife isn’t."
Unexpectedly, Book Listener smiled faintly. "When I was investigating the village today, I paid attention to every location. I still remember where the butcher’s house is. As for the waterweeds, there are some in the ditch at the village entrance."
"Impressive." Sunshine Boy gave him a thumbs-up.
The three of them quickly made a plan. Sunshine Boy went to the Captain and said he wanted to use a Fate Skill to investigate the village. The Captain hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
The three of them collected waterweeds from the village entrance, dug up a handful of dirt from in front of a wall, and finally arrived at the butcher’s house.
The door was locked tight.
The foodie looked at the earthen wall, which was taller than a man, and said, "I can climb over."
Sunshine Boy shook his head.
Book Listener said, "We can’t just barge in. We might break some taboo."
"We can’t just go and borrow the knife from the Witch, can we?" the foodie said.
"We could try," said Sunshine Boy.
Book Listener jumped in surprise. "You’ve got some nerve. Let’s think of something else. Most Night Guards carry sabers. Maybe one of them has used their saber to kill a pig before. We could just borrow one."
"I can’t believe I forgot about that. Let’s go, back we go."
The three returned, and after asking around, they found that the Captain’s own saber had been used to kill a pig. They borrowed it successfully.
Sunshine Boy walked over to a stone mill in the distance. He plucked a strand of his own hair, wrapped it in the damp waterweeds, and holding a Spirit Awakening Talisman between two fingers, began to chant a Spell.
When the Spell was complete, he flicked his right hand. The Spirit Awakening Talisman burst into flames, and its ashes fell onto the waterweeds.
The waterweeds combusted, melting into a grassy juice that coated the hair, making it look like a green stalk.
He then sprinkled half of the dirt from the wall over it, completely covering the green-coated hair. He placed the piece of meat on top and cast another spell.
The green-coated hair slithered out from the dirt like a small snake, crawled onto the piece of meat, and tied itself around it in a knot.
He placed the bound piece of meat onto the Night Guard Saber that had been used to kill a pig and cast a spell for a third time.
The long saber hummed softly. A string of red blood-like beads condensed on its edge and slowly flowed onto the meat, dyeing both the green-coated hair and the meat a bloody crimson.
It looked as if it had just been fished out of a vat of pig’s blood.
His Magical Power was depleted. Sunshine Boy performed Mind Guarding Spirit Platform, and the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal pulsed, replenishing his Magical Power in the blink of an eye.
Sunshine Boy gripped the red piece of meat in his hand, his pocket filled with the dirt from the wall. Under the puzzled gazes of the other Night Guards, he pulled a burning stick from the bonfire and walked to the entrance of the Five Goddess Temple, stopping under the cowherd’s lantern.
The Night Guards stared at Sunshine Boy, and some of the villagers also watched him with their dark, gleaming eyes.
Sunshine Boy bowed deeply and announced in a loud voice, "A Night Guard pays his respects to the Goddess!"
The villagers’ expressions softened, while several of the Night Guards pondered his words.
He had identified himself as "a Night Guard" without giving a name, and paid respects to "the Goddess" without specifying the Lady of Prayer for Birth.
Sunshine Boy grabbed a handful of dirt from his pocket, secretly channeled his Magical Power, and slowly sprinkled it around him. The fine soil formed a circle, enclosing both him and the cowherd’s lantern.
He held the piece of meat in his right hand and raised the burning stick with his left, chanting a Spell.
As the Spell concluded, Magical Power surged forth. With a WHOOSH, the flame on the stick turned cyan and expanded to three times its size.
Sunshine Boy suddenly began acting as if he’d gone mad, shaking his head and stumbling all over the place.
Suddenly, he thrust his right hand upward, and a blinding flash of lightning erupted around his body.
The crowd saw only a blinding flash of lightning, their vision turning completely white.
At almost the exact same moment, Sunshine Boy secretly circulated his Magical Power. He first tossed the piece of meat into the cyan flame, then with a flick of the wooden stick, sent the flame-engulfed meat flying into the cowherd’s lantern, where it landed on the candle within.
Simultaneously, he used his Magical Power to pull the sprig of Mugwort from the lantern. Sensing no Fate Grid power within it, he tucked it inside his clothes, placing it with the other sprig of Mugwort.
The lightning dissipated. Flames shot out from the mouth of the cowherd’s lantern with a loud SIZZLE, and the acrid smell of burning meat spread through the air.
Sunshine Boy tossed the burning stick aside, bowed deeply once more, and announced, "The offering is complete. The Night Guard takes his leave."
Beaming, Sunshine Boy walked back to the Night Guard Team.
Along the way, the villagers watched him with dazed expressions; even the Witch and Wang Laoshu were filled with confusion.
The Captain asked, "What were you doing?"
Sunshine Boy glanced at Hao Yunsheng and said, "Whose fault could it be but his? He misspoke, and that Witch came right for him. I had no choice but to step in and use my skills."
"You’re talking nonsense," Hao Yunsheng retorted.
The Captain said, "The two of you, stop pointing fingers. The most important thing right now is the meat."
"It’s a Deceit," Sunshine Boy said without hesitation.
Everyone fell silent. Though they had long suspected it, they still didn’t want to accept the reality of the situation.
"Honorable Night Guards..." Wang Laoshu approached, his face wreathed in smiles. "The grand ceremony for our Lady of Prayer for Birth has concluded. Now, we need someone to go west of the village to fetch a large watermelon from Master Gua. We are all common folk and dare not leave the village at night, for fear of encountering monsters. Since you esteemed Night Guards have Cultivation to protect you, I’m sure you would be willing to fetch a large watermelon for us."
"Do we have to go?" the Captain asked.
"If you don’t go, the only one left is the Matriarch. The Matriarch is currently with child; she mustn’t be exerted," Wang Laoshu said with a grin.
"Let us discuss it," said the Captain.
"You have a quarter hour," Wang Laoshu said before turning and walking away.
"What does everyone think? Book Listener, you go first," said the Captain.
Book Listener spoke slowly, "The Matriarch is clearly no ordinary person. This time, whether we want to go or not, we have to go."