Chương 39: The Celestial Realm's Guardian

Fang Cheng was talking when he heard a noise outside. He went out and saw a familiar face, Butcher Zhang. The man was quietly sticking incense sticks into the ground, glancing around nervously as if doing something shameful.

"Hey, come inside to burn incense. It's not embarrassing." Fang Cheng called out. Butcher Zhang jumped in fright, dropping the incense sticks in his hand. He didn't even bother to pick them up. He turned and lowered his head, ready to flee, limping as he ran. Injured leg? Fang Cheng was puzzled. He leaped forward, blocking the butcher's path.

"Why are you hiding? I'm not going to hurt you."

"No! People can't know!" Butcher Zhang replied in a panic. As he looked up and recognized who was in front of him, his expression shifted from fear to joy, though still tinged with nervousness and wariness.

"City God, I mean, cultivator, what are you doing here?" After the demon's descent that night, Magistrate Li Sanshui had told him that Fang Cheng wasn't really the City God. He'd only been pretending to lure out the demon.

"I'm White Flower City's City God now." Fang Cheng showed him the appointment letter.

"You don't have to sneak around to burn incense. Burn it if you want. If not, that's fine too." Pei Tang's task was to increase the population, not to force people to pray every day. Fang Cheng didn't want to pressure the city's residents either. Besides, the temple was dedicated to the Everlasting Emperor, while Fang Cheng himself was under the Violet Star Emperor, different factions. Whether he helped or not didn't matter much. When Butcher Zhang learned that Fang Cheng was the City God, he was overjoyed.

Now he could finally burn incense openly. He knelt down excitedly, kowtowing and shouting, "Long live the City God!"

"It's just incense. Why so excited?" Fang Cheng waved his hand, telling him to stand. Butcher Zhang explained, "Everyone's terrified now. They all know the demon was summoned by the previous City God. No one dares to come burn incense. I only sneak here. If anyone saw me, they'd think I was in league with the demon and have me arrested." Fang Cheng's expression grew serious.

"It's just as Li Sanshui said. The people really do resent the previous City God. Good thing I'm the one taking over. Anyone else wouldn't last." Butcher Zhang thought for a moment and warned, "My lord, many people still don't know you saved White Flower City. They still hate the City God..."

"Don't worry. I've already sent Li Sanshui to announce it to everyone." Fang Cheng patted Butcher Zhang's shoulder, then noticed his limping leg. He asked, "Who did this? Burning incense isn't worth breaking a leg over?" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"My lord, you did it."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember? That night, I was possessed by the demon and blocked you at the temple gate. You kicked me right into the temple. If it weren't for the temple's protection, I'd be dead. That's why I come here every day."

"Oh, I see." Fang Cheng nodded. His memories of that night were blurry. He only recalled what happened after Han Bingxuan saved him. Before that, the demon sword had been controlling his body. Looking back, the sword hadn't killed anyone. It had actually saved people. Not bad. The sword was learning. Seeing his savior again, Butcher Zhang grew more talkative.

"My lord, I heard someone dug up the previous City God Zhang Ruilin's grave in the crabapple pear forest. The coffin lid was ripped off, and the body's gone. Some crazy people must have pulled it out, whipped it, and burned it." Fang Cheng sighed. The former City God had really been through a lot, robbed of his inheritance as a child, blocked at every turn as a cultivator, and now his corpse had been desecrated.

Thinking this, Fang Cheng decided to visit Zhang Ruilin's grave, pay his respects, and close the coffin lid. He said goodbye to Butcher Zhang, told Qin Hao to make himself at home in the temple, and headed to the eastern crabapple pear forest. When he reached the forest, the flowers had already wilted. Mud clung to the buds. It must have rained last night. He found Zhang Ruilin's grave. The coffin lid lay crooked beside it, and a shovel was stuck in the ground nearby, clearly the tool used.

Weeds had grown all around, and the body inside was gone. Fang Cheng walked over, replaced the coffin lid, then picked up the shovel and began filling the grave with dirt. After one scoop, he paused. There were dark ashes mixed in the soil. He thought, "They didn't actually burn him here, did they? Zhang Ruilin, I almost feel sorry for you." After a moment's reflection, he decided to bury the ashes with the coffin. But then he noticed something odd in the dark ash.

He reached in and pulled it out: Tobacco shreds from a pipe. Could these ashes not be bone ash, but pipe ash? No, pipe ash wasn't this dark. Then what were tobacco shreds doing in the ashes? Fang Cheng frowned, thinking. Suddenly, he remembered Old Xu from Harmony Wine Shop. The man smoked a pipe. Recalling their conversation, something was definitely off about that old man. Fang Cheng dropped the shovel and hurried out of the crabapple pear forest. Following his memory, he made his way to Harmony Wine Shop.

Old Xu was lying on the counter, fast asleep. He didn't bother waking him. Fang Cheng went straight behind the counter and started looking for Old Xu's pipe. He spotted it hanging at the old man's waist. Without a word, he reached for it. But just then, Old Xu woke up. He smiled cheerfully and asked, "Sir, are you here for wine? What kind, rich yellow wine or watered-down White Knife? I'll get it for you." He seemed not to recognize Fang Cheng, treating him as just another customer.

"Haha, I'm not here for wine. I just have a craving for a smoke." Fang Cheng couldn't be bothered to introduce himself. He moved quickly, trying to snatch the pipe. But Old Xu was faster. He dodged and smiled, "Sir, this shop sells wine, not tobacco. You'll have to go elsewhere." Fang Cheng laughed.

"Old man, you're faster than a Fourth Level cultivator. You're definitely not ordinary. Come clean. Were you the one who tricked Zhang Ruilin into summoning that demon?" Old Xu was taken aback. Wait, shouldn't you be asking about my hidden cultivation first? Why jump straight to the demon? Could Crabapple have been exposed? He thought about it and dismissed the possibility. Smiling, he replied, "Sir, I'm a cultivator, yes, but I'm just a wine seller. Accusing me of colluding with demons is unfair.

Keep talking nonsense, and I'll report you to the authorities."

"I am the authorities!" Fang Cheng smiled and pulled out his appointment letter as City God.

"Xu Yongchang, confess and you'll be treated leniently. Resist, and you'll be punished severely. I suggest you don't push me. Otherwise I might start drooling. I mean, eat you. No, well, you get the idea. Just try to resist. I dare you!"