Gentle Breeze Extinguishes Flames

On their way here, the city gods had already learned quite a bit about Mr. Gu's renown from City God Xu.

What they didn't expect, however, was that this river demon fish would somehow be connected to such an extraordinary figure—a true immortal.

And judging by the act of "seeking a method for the fish," their relationship didn't seem shallow...

This realization left even Marquis Lingyou silent.

After all, they had come here to seek his help. If they ended up offending him over a mere demon fish, forget asking him to extinguish the demonic flames—there was even a possibility he'd retaliate against them!

It was clear that offending someone who might be a "true immortal" over something so trivial simply wasn't worth it.

With this in mind, Marquis Lingyou was just about to speak when Hu Shi, who had been holding back for a long time, suddenly blurted out: "The paper in my hand was also given to me by Mr. Gu. He told me to read it aloud to the red-tailed fish!"

"Mr. Gu is an immortal, incredibly powerful!"

"If you dare bully the red-tailed fish, he definitely won't let you off!"

Hearing such bold words from a mere child, the surrounding county city gods couldn't help but feel awkward.

Hu Shi's words had effectively backed Marquis Lingyou into a corner.

If Marquis Lingyou insisted on adhering to the rules and acting against the red-tailed fish, he would risk offending Mr. Gu, someone they had never met.

On the other hand, if he chose not to act, it would look like Marquis Lingyou was conceding to the formidable "might" of Mr. Gu as implied by the child's blunt statement.

Quietly, the other city gods withdrew their chains and stood silently with their heads lowered, clearly unwilling to get involved in such a predicament.

At this moment, City God Xu, as the local ruling deity of Lexiang County, couldn't avoid taking responsibility.

After thinking for a long time, he offered Marquis Lingyou a way out: "Children speak without restraint... Marquis Lingyou, Mr. Gu mentioned a similar idea to yours earlier. Why don't we discuss with him later when we meet and decide on the timing to take away the red-tailed fish?"

"Very well." Marquis Lingyou glanced back at the riverbed and said indifferently, "Watch over that fish. If anything happens to it, I'll make sure you experience the full force of the Soul-Refining Whip!"

Pop! Pop! Pop!

"I... un... der... stand!" Three bubbles rose from the riverbed, trembling along with the red-tailed fish's words.

Swoosh!

Marquis Lingyou waved his sleeve dismissively and said, "Let's go."

In no time, the county city gods swiftly flew off to follow their leader.

After they had left, Hu Shi lay flat on the ground for a while before quietly shouting toward the riverbed, "Big Fish, they're gone. Come up quickly; I still have one more passage to read to you."

Gurgle... gurgle... gurgle!

A cluster of tiny bubbles surfaced near the rock, and the red-tailed fish's head slowly emerged from the water...

---

"Eh? Why is there a faint glow of spiritual energy over there?" Marquis Lingyou, silent for a long time, suddenly stopped and turned to look at City God Xu, who was leading the way beside him.

Everyone followed Marquis Lingyou's gaze and saw, in the dark of night, a faint magical glow flickering at the entrance of a household.

City God Xu's heart tightened at first but quickly eased when he realized where the light was coming from. He cupped his hands and explained: "That is the workshop of a tailor. The old tailor once made two garments for Mr. Gu."

"The magical glow likely comes from the inscription Mr. Gu left at the tailor's shop."

"An inscription by Mr. Gu?" Marquis Lingyou paused, then smiled. "Since we're already passing by, let's take a look."

With the superior's decree, no one beneath him dared to object. After all, none of them wished to draw fire away from City God Xu and onto themselves.

Moreover, they were all curious—what extraordinary qualities could be found in words written by a true immortal?

The night deepened, and the area surrounding the tailor's shop was cloaked in darkness. Only the tailor's shop window flickered with the warm glow of candlelight.

Inside, the tailor, Ma Mingcai, held a thick needle used for stitching soles and carefully guided it through the fabric by the candlelight.

Outside, Marquis Lingyou and the others refrained from approaching too closely. Even so, they noticed the shop's signboard suddenly flicker, and for a moment, its mysterious glow seemed like a pair of scrutinizing eyes that thoroughly examined them, inside and out.

Moments later, the light dimmed.

During that brief moment of illumination, every City God present felt a chill seize their hearts.

These were proper, legitimate deities of their domains, yet before that light, they felt as defenseless as three-year-old children. They were utterly exposed under the probing gaze, without a shred of resistance.

Even Marquis Lingyou experienced this.

"Mr. Gu's cultivation is truly extraordinary…" Marquis Lingyou remarked meaningfully. He glanced toward the tailor, still stitching away inside, and smiled. "To gain such immortal favor, one must surely have led a virtuous life."

City God Xu bowed and responded, "Marquis Lingyou is indeed discerning. Both Tailor Old Ma and Tailor Young Ma are fond of doing good deeds… Old Ma's merits in life have even matched those of some famed constables who have apprehended countless criminals."

"Hmm…" Marquis Lingyou nodded and cast another deep look at the tailor shop's signboard before waving a hand to signal their departure.

Just as the group of City Gods turned to leave, the three characters on the signboard suddenly flared with brilliance!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A refreshing breeze swept through, causing the official robes of the City Gods to billow in the wind.

The cool wind enveloped them, bringing an unparalleled sense of comfort. The stifling heat from the demonic flames that had plagued them seemed to dissipate entirely in the breeze.

"The demonic flames on me… they've been extinguished by this wind!"

Someone's exclamation broke the silence, prompting the rest of the group, who hadn't yet reacted, to inspect themselves.

"Me too!"

"That breeze came from the signboard!"

"'A cool breeze extinguishes flames'—truly the work of a living immortal!"

The sudden joy caused the group of county City Gods to temporarily forget their usual restraint. Each one began enthusiastically expressing their admiration for Gu Ning'an.

"Ahem, ahem!"

City God Xu cleared his throat, seemingly reminding the City Gods that Marquis Lingyou had yet to comment. It wasn't the time to lavish endless praise.

Who among them wasn't skilled at reading the room? Their momentary excitement was just a brief lapse in decorum. City God Xu's pointed cough served as a wake-up call, prompting them to remember that Marquis Lingyou was still standing silently, unmoving.

After exchanging grateful glances with City God Xu, the group quickly curbed their enthusiasm and cautiously studied their superior's expression.

Moments later, Marquis Lingyou glanced at the subdued faces of his subordinates and couldn't help but chuckle wryly. "Why has everyone stopped praising?"

His words sent a jolt through the group, and they immediately regretted their earlier lapse in self-control.

"City God Xu," Marquis Lingyou said, turning toward his subordinate, his tone calm. "Why did you cough just now?"

City God Xu, feeling a twitch in his brow, forced a nervous laugh. "The wind… it tickled my throat…"