Chapter 143 - 116: New Year’s Eve

Chapter 143: Chapter 116: New Year’s Eve

[Professional Mirage Actor Level increased to LV4]

[Skill: Loyal Heroic Judgment Level increased to Level 5]

[Skill Dramatic Appearance Level increased to LV10]

[Skill Mastery Level increased to LV10]

Next came the exciting moment to take stock. Looking at the series of notifications, Chen Ye was quite satisfied.

This upgrade was comprehensive, especially with two of his support Skills reaching Max Level, which brought about a qualitative leap.

Dramatic Appearance made his disguises impeccable, while Micro pushed his perceptive abilities to their peak...

So, although the trip had its share of twists and turns, the rewards were plentiful.

The group returned to the Sea Guardian Guard, and the subsequent matters were left entirely in the hands of Qi Shihao.

Jingyun Temple was connected to the reputations of many women in the city. To avoid causing panic and rumors, Qi Shihao consulted with the Government Office and decided to keep the matter secret.

The official story was that the Jingyun Temple on West Mountain had accidentally caught fire at night. The Daoist Temple was destroyed, and the Daoist Nuns inside suffered heavy casualties. Afterward, West Mountain was completely sealed off.

The people of Sea Guardian Guard simply treated it as an accident. After a few days of gossip and sighs, the incident was overshadowed by the approaching New Year.

Chen Ye’s life also returned to its peaceful routine.

As the end of the year approached, business at the Guangle Building grew even more explosive. Chen Ye added a few more performances, every one of them to a packed house, before announcing the end of the season amidst the reluctant calls of his many fans.

With the New Year drawing ever closer, the entire Sea Guardian Guard was immersed in a festive atmosphere.

Every household hung red lanterns and put up newly written spring couplets. Children in new clothes chased each other playfully through the streets and alleys, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of roasted nuts and candy.

Invitations delivered to Chen Ye’s residence piled up like a small mountain, but aside from dinners with the Lu Family and the Qi Family, Chen Ye politely declined all others.

To him, such superficial pleasantries were far less meaningful than simply having a quiet meal with friends.

But despite the leisure, Chen Ye never let his guard down.

After all, he had heard Jingxin’s dying Curse very clearly. Though he didn’t know the specifics, it remained like a sharp spike lodged in his heart.

「Meanwhile, at the City God Temple.」

The temple was bustling with worshippers, the air thick with incense.

An endless stream of people came to offer incense and pray for peace and prosperity in the coming year, packing the temple to the brim.

Ge Kun was so busy he was practically running, one moment greeting worshippers, the next distributing blessing papers, his head covered in sweat.

Meanwhile, his master, the white-haired and white-bearded Old Temple Priest, lit three sticks of incense in the main hall as he always did, quietly observing the smoke to pray and divine the future.

Incense observation is an ancient divination method of the Daoist School. By observing the shape of the burning incense, the direction of the smoke, and the state of the ash, one can divine fortune and misfortune.

The Old Temple Priest had been observing incense his entire life and was long a master of the art.

But today, the moment he lit the three incense sticks, his heart leaped.

The flames at the tips of the incense sticks were not a bright orange-red, but a strange, dark cyan. The rising smoke did not drift straight up; instead, it twisted together like three venomous snakes, refusing to disperse.

What startled him even more was that the ash from the half-burnt sticks clung together without falling, hanging like a sword suspended overhead—a deeply ominous sign.

A great evil!

The Old Temple Priest hurriedly pinched his fingers to perform a divination, but the Celestial Secret was in chaos. He couldn’t calculate anything, which only deepened his terror.

"Master, what’s wrong?" Having finished his work outside, Ge Kun entered the hall to see his master’s face pale and his forehead beaded with cold sweat. He rushed forward to support him.

The Old Temple Priest’s voice was hoarse as he pointed at the incense sticks. "The City God has sent a warning. This is an omen of great disaster! Sea Guardian Guard... I fear a bloody calamity is coming!"

Ge Kun’s heart sank upon hearing this.

He knew his master’s Incense Observation Technique had never been wrong.

He immediately released his Divine Thought, carefully scanning the entire City God Temple, but found no sign of any demonic entities at work.

Everything was normal.

But the more normal it seemed, the heavier the unease in his heart grew.

’The unknown is the most terrifying thing of all.’

"Master, don’t worry. I’ll go reinforce the protective Array around the City God Temple right away. I’ll also notify Head Qi at the Government Office and have him increase security," Ge Kun said in a low voice.

The Old Temple Priest nodded slowly, his worried gaze drifting to the bustling streets outside the window as he let out a soft sigh.

’I hope it’s not too late.’

「In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve.」

Sea Guardian Guard was ablaze with the lights of a thousand homes. The sound of firecrackers rose and fell, blanketing the entire city in a festive, peaceful clamor.

Chen Ye’s residence was just as lively.

He, Tie Dan, Chunyan, and a few close friends from the Opera Troupe sat around a large circular table, enjoying a steaming New Year’s Eve dinner.

The glow of the charcoal fire cast a rosy blush on Chunyan’s cheeks. Her bright eyes would occasionally steal a glance at Chen Ye, her gaze filled with a girlish shyness.

Tie Dan, on the other hand, was eating with gusto, his mouth greasy with oil, all while remembering to place more food on Chen Ye’s plate.

"Brother Chen, eat up! This pork knuckle is stewed until it’s falling apart. It’s delicious!"

Chen Ye smiled and accepted, and as he looked at the lively scene before him, he was suddenly reminded of his previous life, of watching the New Year’s Gala with his family.

The same festive spirit, the same feeling of reunion.

Chen Ye raised his cup, his heart filled with a thousand emotions.

’I wonder if I’ll ever be able to return to Blue Star.’

"Come on, everyone! A new year, a new beginning! A toast to all of you!"

Everyone raised their cups, the room filled with cheerful laughter and warm camaraderie.

After several rounds of drinks and courses, it was soon midnight.

"Look, someone’s setting off fireworks!"

Someone shouted, and everyone rushed into the courtyard.

WHOOSH—BOOM!

A brilliant firework exploded in the night sky, followed by hundreds, then thousands more, lighting up the dark expanse until it was as bright as day.

At the very peak of this city-wide celebration, in several dark corners of Sea Guardian Guard, a number of shadowy figures began to move silently.

Like Ghosts melting into the night, they avoided all the patrolling Night Watchmen and government officials. Their movements were swift and secretive as they converged on a single target from different directions.

The City God Temple!

...

Inside the temple’s main hall, the Old Temple Priest sat cross-legged in meditation, his eyes shut tight.

The fireworks and cheers from outside didn’t affect him in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Ge Kun was leading a few Daoist Children in the back courtyard, reinforcing the Talisman Arrays, not daring to slack off for even a moment.

Suddenly, the meditating Old Temple Priest shuddered and his eyes flew open!

’Something’s wrong!’

An extremely dangerous presence was flooding in from all directions like a tidal wave!

He shot to his feet, his gaze locked on the tall City God Statue in the center of the hall.

And at that very same moment!

CRACK!

With a sharp cracking sound, a clear fissure suddenly burst open on the forehead of the City God Statue—a statue that had received the worship and incense of the people of Sea Guardian Guard for hundreds of years and should have been indestructible!

The crack then spread downwards like a hideous scar, quickly spiderwebbing across the statue’s entire body.