Master of Strange Dao

Zhong Shouzheng, with the countenance of a young boy, sat cross-legged, arms wrapped around his chest, on a calligraphy scroll that bore the four bold characters: upholding justice and fighting evil.

This was a gift Yu Ziqing had given to Zhong Shouzheng, handwritten by Zhang Quli, nurtured over many years into a treasure.

Yu Ziqing had seen it before and took an extra look.

Others understood it at face value, but in reality, Old Zhang had whispered that this was a scroll he used long ago to encourage himself when he was disheartened, to strengthen his resolve, and not go along with the mainstream corruption of the time.

If I think it's right, I must uphold it; if I think it's wrong, even if the world says otherwise, I must not succumb to it.

Of course, Yu Ziqing thought this was Old Zhang's high EQ way of putting it.

In truth, it's as simple as: if I think it's right, then it's right; if I think it's wrong, then it's wrong.

Considering the situation back when Dingmao's Emperor Dui was still around, Old Zhang was perhaps strengthening his resolve while indirectly criticizing others.

Eventually, the scroll ended up in Yu Ziqing's hands, and Yu Ziqing now gifted it to Zhong Shouzheng.

Zhong Shouzheng loved the scroll, having heard that it was personally written by a big shot in Daqian's cabinet, nurtured over many years into a treasure, with the effect of strengthening resolve, which made him like it even more.

So, upon hearing that this mission was to swindle a deity who had tricked many strong people, he used the scroll as a magical treasure, kept it close to his body at all times, as a preemptive defense.

Now, he was leisurely flying eastward high up in the sky, a slight frown on his brow.

He indeed didn't feel any life-threatening danger; even after setting off, there was no sensing, but he still had concerns.

Yu Ziqing had told him a lot about the context and had even given advice on what to say.

But the one who had to execute in practice was him, as well as the one to adapt to changes on the fly.

He had to ponder carefully.

After flying out of the wilderness, Zhong Shouzheng slightly sensed that his almost top-tier crisis sensing indeed had little reaction.

Afterward, he took out a sixty-four-sided crystal ball.

The crystal ball was also something Yu Ziqing gave him, a treasure with excellent effects, albeit with somewhat obscure divination results.

Zhong Shouzheng randomly checked the sixty-four sides and received a phrase from it.

"I'm a snitch, I'm just playing."

Zhong Shouzheng put away the crystal ball, nodding repeatedly.

"Indeed, it's a bit difficult to grasp, even though it seems simple."

He recognized the words, but when combined, their meaning was unclear, especially what a snitch meant?

It didn't seem to be anything bad...

Yu Ziqing had a great interest in creating forgeries but didn't like using divination himself much.

Because he always felt the future was unknown, uncertain.

But at the moment he divined, if the divination treasure was vague, it was fine; the clearer the result, the worse it might be.

Yu Ziqing thought that when the divination result was very certain, seeing it himself, the future might collapse from an uncertain state to a fixed one.

Especially when he had this understanding, perhaps this understanding itself was the biggest influencing factor.

He was even less willing to recklessly use the counterfeit crystal balls he made.

But judging by the feedback from the last two counterfeit crystal balls, the effect was quite good.

Yu Ziqing didn't impose his uncertainty-focused ideas on others, lest he inadvertently messed things up, causing trouble.

Thus Zhong Shouzheng did not receive Yu Ziqing's infusion of an uncertain philosophy; he quite trusted the sixty-four-sided crystal ball.

Combined with his crisis sensing, it was the icing on the cake.

Back in the day, Zhong Shouzheng was a loose cultivator and had seen all kinds of dirty deals; as a loose cultivator, and one in the Refining God stage, to ultimately reach the Primordial Spirit Realm had not been without challenges and dangers.

To be a righteous and upright figure and still reach the Primordial Spirit Realm unless you were heaven's own child, with fate feeding you, even tripping over treasure, was impossible.

After transforming into a seasoned old hand through many years, finding content in a role where he executed tasks for pay became a source of satisfaction.

Back then, earning resources that couldn't be bought was not as easy as cooperating with Yu Ziqing, where spreading news could garner Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Acting as a henchman, carrying the blame, going through a slew of things might get one such elusive treasure.

Otherwise, why would he claim an injury to lounge around Jinlan Mountain for so many years?

Just for peace of mind, to sleep a sound sleep.

Zhong Shouzheng traveled to Kuihou Country, on the borders of Dali and Daqian, diving into a small forbidden area.

This small forbidden area once had an Abyssal Rift, later sealed, yet the space here remained unstable, with frequent disappearances, hence its status as a minor forbidden land.

Once, on an assignment here, Zhong Shouzheng got some information from his employer.

This place was actually somewhere powerful entities went to venture into the void.

Leaving from here was convenient and safe.

This was one of the heritages slowly accumulated by great powers, information that amateur routes wouldn't know.

Venturing into the void and returning is not easy; lacking the power or special abilities meant getting lost was a real risk.

As for the secret of this small forbidden land, even knowing it wasn't very useful; a pathway existed here.