"They're collecting 'offerings' at night?" Dare frowned.
"It's worse than that…" Zhu Bajie's voice dropped to a whisper. "Word is, those who don't pay up start having nightmares. Then their families come down with strange illnesses…"
[System: New Quest Detected! "Investigate Great Mercy Temple's Night Market Activities"
Difficulty: High
Reward: ???
Note: "It seems… breaking pottery is the least of your worries…"]
While the crowd continued to murmur about Zhu Bajie's "performance," Dare focused on the monk. Something about the dark aura surrounding him felt disturbingly familiar…
"It's like…" he remembered suddenly, "the demonic energy from that night of chaos in the Celestial Court!"
A flash of memory struck him—the night when several celestial beings suddenly went mad, attacking their comrades. And in their crazed frenzy, Dare had seen that same thick, black aura.
[CelestialPalace_001: "So, you finally remember…"]
[CelestialPalace_002: "Everything is connected…"]
"I have an idea!" Zhu Bajie exclaimed suddenly. "Keep livestreaming. Let me… test something."
"What are you planning?"
"Trust me! I've got a plan!"
**[System: Warning!
Plan Reliability: 0.01%Probability of Causing Trouble: 99.99%
Note: "Those are always the scariest words…"]**
Before Dare could stop him, Zhu Bajie staggered toward the monk, singing loudly as he approached:
"Hey, good sir! I've got something to say!
These offerings you take at night,
What exactly are they for, anyway?"
[Viewers: 500,000+]
[TinyFairy2k: "Singing while trolling the monk!"]
[Guest1810: "Best content of the year!"]
The monk whirled around, his eyes flashing with a strange, eerie green light. The dark aura surrounding him surged violently.
"BLASPHEMER!" he roared. "How dare you interrupt the collection of offerings!"
"Oh…" Zhu Bajie chuckled slyly. "Let me ask you this: Did Buddha instruct you to collect money at night?"
**[System: Emergency Situation!
Dark energy surge detected
Danger Level: Critical
Probability of conflict: 100%
Note: "Lesson learned: Don't provoke monks with dark energy!"]**
"SEIZE THEM!" the monk bellowed. Before his voice had even faded, dozens of brown-robed figures began emerging from the shadows around the night market, each one shrouded in a dark aura that made the air feel stifling.
"Zhu Bajie…" Dare sighed. "This was your plan?"
"Heh…" The Daoist scratched his head. "I just wanted to… see how they'd react!"
**[System: Situation Analysis
Opponents: 20 monks infected with dark energy
Current Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Stage 4 (Weak)
Suggested Option: Run!
Note: "Running again, are we?"]**
But something was different this time. Amidst the noise and chaos of the night market, Dare felt a strange energy rising around him. The laughter of the crowd, the glow of the red lanterns, the faint scent of incense—all of it was weaving together into a source of pure spiritual energy.
"Wait…" He grabbed Zhu Bajie's arm. "I have an idea!"
🔴 NOW LIVE: "Night Market Spectacle"
"Hey, everyone!" Dare called out, his voice booming. "Want to see a special performance?"
[CelestialPalace_001: "Interesting… very interesting…"]
[CelestialPalace_002: "He finally understands…"]
Dare channeled his inner spiritual energy, blending it with the vibrant energy of the night market. A soft, warm light began radiating from him, pushing back the shadows and dark energy.
"Watch this, everyone!" Dare moved fluidly, tracing glowing arcs in the air. "This is… the Lantern Dance!"
[Viewers: 1,000,000+]
[TinyFairy2k: "It's beautiful!"]
[Guest1810: "Best performance ever!"]
The crowd began clapping, and their laughter and gasps of amazement only fueled the glowing light. The monks hesitated, retreating slightly as the warmth of mortal energy pushed back their dark aura.
"So that's it…" Dare smiled. "The laughter of mortals… is the purest spiritual energy of all."
"Now you understand!" Zhu Bajie clapped Dare on the back, his tone suddenly more somber. "I spent time in the mortal realm before… that's how I learned."
"Learned what?"
"In the Celestial Court, we cultivate with pure spirit energy. But here…" He glanced at the delighted crowd. "Spiritual energy is born from the raw emotions of mortals."
**[System: Quest Chain Completed!
Reward: 200 Credits
New Skill: "Mortal World Qi Refining Technique"
Note: "Sometimes, failure is a form of success!"]**
As the monks faded back into the shadows, the crowd continued chatting about the performance. The pottery stall owner approached them with a smile.
"About those broken dishes…" she began. "Let's just forget about it. It's been ages since the night market was this lively."
"Really?" Zhu Bajie grinned with relief. "Then…"
"BUT!" she interrupted sternly. "You two are helping in the stall tomorrow!"
[TinyFairy2k: "Happy ending!"]
[Guest1810: "From troublemaker to part-time worker!"]
[Viewers: 2,000,000+]
Though it was late, the market was still bustling. Sitting by a tea stall, the two watched the crowd drift by. Dare seemed to remember something and turned to Zhu Bajie.
"Tell me something…"
"Hmm?"
"That celestial maiden… did she also understand this power? Is that why she led us here?"
Zhu Bajie took a sip of tea, his gaze growing distant. "I think… she knows far more than we do. And maybe that's why the Great Mercy Temple wants to collect mortal souls…"
[CelestialPalace_001: "You are closer to the truth…"]
[CelestialPalace_002: "But be careful, not everything is as it appears…"]
"Alright then!" Zhu Bajie suddenly stood up. "We've got to be ready to help with the stall tomorrow! But for now…"
"Don't tell me you're going to find another tavern…"
"Haha! You know me too well!"
Watching his old friend stagger ahead, Dare couldn't help but smile. Perhaps his exile to the mortal realm wasn't so bad after all. At the very least, he was learning things he never would have known in a thousand years in the Celestial Court.
"Hey!" he called out. "Wait up!"
**[System: Day Summary
Credits Earned: 200
New Skill: 1
Debts: Still outstanding
Understanding of the Mortal World: Rapidly increasing
Note: "A day well spent… albeit at some expense!"]**