Encountering the Storyteller Again

After traveling through the night under a starry sky, Gu Ning'an stopped again, arriving at one of Xiangzhou's affiliated counties—Gucheng County.

Being part of the same Xiangzhou region, Gucheng County's customs, culture, and even the layout of its town were not much different from those of Lexiang County.

After having a bowl of yangchun noodles at the morning market, Gu Ning'an initially planned to find an inn to rest before continuing his journey.

Unexpectedly, as he stepped into an inn called Lucky Guest(Fukelai), he spotted a "familiar face" on the first floor.

This person held a folding fan, sported a goatee, had an average build, and wore a faint smile during conversations with others.

Indeed, it was none other than the storyteller who had previously visited Lexiang County, spreading tales of the "Faceless Demon."

"Sir, are you looking to stay?"

"Our House of Prosperity Inn(Fumanlou) offers complimentary storytelling sessions to guests."

A waiter, noticing Gu Ning'an standing in a daze at the doorway, approached and asked.

"How much per night?" Gu Ning'an asked with a smile.

"We offer three room types: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Human-tier rooms are the most affordable, at just 200 copper coins per night…" Before the waiter could continue, Gu Ning'an interrupted, "I'll take a Human-tier room for one night."

The waiter showed no displeasure at Gu Ning'an choosing the cheapest option. Instead, he gestured invitingly, "One Human-tier room. Welcome to House of Prosperity! May fortune fill your stay!"

Suddenly, nearly ten waitstaff in the inn put down what they were doing and loudly chanted in unison, "Welcome to House of Prosperity! May fortune fill your stay!"

Witnessing this scene, Gu Ning'an couldn't help but wonder if the inn's owner might be a fellow traveler from the modern era. After all, such coordinated greetings were a common sight in later generations.

Gu Ning'an still remembered the first time he had encountered this marketing tactic—it was in a bubble tea shop.

After showing Gu Ning'an to his room and confirming that he didn't need a meal, the waiter swiftly left.

Once settled, Gu Ning'an placed his belongings down, then quickly made his way to the inn's main hall on the first floor, finding an empty seat.

The waiter serving the hall noticed him and promptly brought over a pot of tea and a small plate of boiled peanuts.

Gu Ning'an thanked him with a smile, picked up a peanut, peeled it, and popped it into his mouth.

Bang!

The folding screen was drawn closed, and a loud knock on the storyteller's wooden block brought the entire hall to silence.

The storyteller's voice began to flow smoothly:

"Once, in the old dynasty, in a remote mountain village, there lived a certain family…"

Hearing this introduction, Gu Ning'an immediately knew the storyteller was once again narrating the tale of the Faceless Demon.

This time, however, it was different from when the story was told in Lexiang County. The doors and windows weren't closed, nor was there an eerie atmosphere created. Due to the lack of ambiance, coupled with the fact that the tale had already been circulating for some time, many tea-drinking patrons listened without much reaction.

"Ah, when I first heard this story, I went home and changed my clothes right after."

"Liar. You went home to change your underpants."

"You brat! Who asked you to talk? I'd forgotten you were here."

"Heh heh, eat your peanuts. These boiled peanuts are still as tasty as ever."

The patrons casually ate their peanuts, chatted, and occasionally threw in comments about the story's protagonists.

Some unfavorable remarks caused Gu Ning'an to frown repeatedly.

Back when he didn't know Shi Yi was his student, he felt indifferent to these comments. But now that there was this unremembered "teacher-student" connection, he wanted to resolve the "Faceless Demon" story properly.

At the very least, the "villain" in the end shouldn't always be his student, right?

Upon later reflection, Gu Ning'an understood why Shi Yi chose to spread the story in such a manner.

One reason was likely that turning people into "pseudo-demons" required everyone to have a subjective concept of what a demon was.

Simply put, if you don't know demons exist or understand what they are, how could you become one?

The principle of "ignorance is fearlessness" applies here as well.

Moreover, perhaps deep down, Shi Yi wanted to share the story of himself and his wife with more people.

Half an hour later, after another strike of the storyteller's clapper, the screen was removed, and the tea patrons below politely applauded for a while.

The storyteller, being no greenhorn, could tell from their expressions that the "Faceless Demon" story no longer held much appeal.

"Sigh…" Letting out a soft sigh, he tucked his folding fan into his belt, placed the clapper into his pocket, and prepared to head home to think up a fresh story.

Lowering his head, his gaze landed on a pair of white boots and the hem of a green robe.

When he looked up and saw the person before him, the storyteller's expression changed. Pointing at Gu Ning'an, he stammered for a moment:

"You, you, you… you're the gentleman from Lexiang County!"

Gu Ning'an cupped his hands in greeting. "Indeed, I am Gu. Your storytelling today was as captivating as ever."

"Bah!" The storyteller waved dismissively, thinking Gu Ning'an was just being polite. "The story's old now. I need to come up with something new; otherwise, I won't be able to make a living."

Hearing this, Gu Ning'an replied with a smile, "The Faceless Demon story actually has a sequel. Would you be interested in hearing it?"

"A sequel?" The storyteller walked around the table to stand beside Gu Ning'an, lowering his voice. "Could it be that Mr. Gu dreamed of the sequel?"

"Not a dream. If I must explain, it was the male protagonist of the story who told it to me," Gu Ning'an said, causing the storyteller's mouth to twitch.

To his knowledge, the story's male and female protagonists were both "demons." It was already extraordinary that demons could survive from the old dynasty to the present, but the idea that one would meet a person, refrain from devouring them, and instead share a story was utterly absurd.

"Mr. Gu… I've traveled extensively and seen quite a bit over the years."

"If this is your own creation, I'm more than happy to listen… but saying the male protagonist told you this is a bit far-fetched, don't you think?"

The storyteller clasped his hands and smiled. "I tend to speak bluntly. If my words offend, I hope you'll forgive me."

Gu Ning'an stared at him for a moment before waving a hand dismissively. "If you think I made it up, so be it. Listen first. If you like it, feel free to refine it and use it as a sequel for your storytelling. If not, I'll find someone else."

"Willing! Why wouldn't I be willing?" The storyteller sat back down, called for another pot of tea, and grinned. "I've been fretting over a lack of fresh stories. For you to offer one, I'd be foolish to refuse."

Gu Ning'an nodded. "Then pay close attention…"