The Stargazing Token’s more "distant demeanor" made the Hulu Taoist believe the Earth Child was real.

His attitude became sincerely reverent, continuously kowtowing, pleading for the "Earth Child’s" forgiveness.

A breeze swept through the car’s cabin,

This wind was particularly mischievous, intentionally forming a small whirlwind on Hulu Taoist’s back.

But Hulu Taoist was wholly focused on pleading to the Earth Child, having no time to mind a gust of wind, so he simply ignored it, continuously kowtowing.

The wind swirled for a moment, bored perhaps, and flew out of the car’s cabin, rushing toward the Xie Family’s Cave’s stands.

...

A gust of wind bumped into the "contentedly sleeping" Li Changxun, startling him awake.

Beside him, Yun Ziliang asked, "What’s the progress over at Xuanzi’s end?"

"The progress is rather swift."

Li Changxun, who was the wind just now, said gleefully, "Our great master, he is truly remarkable, his skill in deception is unsurpassable."

"How so?" Yun Ziliang asked.

"Hulu Taoist and his people have already fallen for our great master’s trap, genuinely treating the master as a disciple, kowtowing fervently over there,

so earnestly they couldn’t do more even if they were kowtowing to their own father, each bow accompanied by a resounding thud."

Recalling Hulu Taoist’s kowtowing scene, Li Changxun mused aloud, "When can I become a figure like our great master, making others bow without a fight, just with a few words?"

"Think about something practical, like what to eat for tonight’s snack."

"..." Li Changxun.

"Let me hear the play Xuanzi is performing over there too."

Yun Ziliang, also curious, couldn’t resist anymore, and connected his spirit to the earth using the "Dragon Seeking" method to eavesdrop on Zhou Xuan’s "deception."

...

After Hulu Taoist performed three bows and nine kowtows to the Stargazing Token, the token finally moved, upright slanted, leaning on the corner of the car cabin.

Clearly just a token, yet it exuded an indolent demeanor.

"Have you seen who is hiding on this land?"

The Stargazing Token’s voice was supremely lazy, as if the impending crisis facing Hulu Taoist and Tunnel Armor Sect was entirely unrelated to him.

"I saw them, saw them, Eternal Life Sect Leader, Tiancan Monk, and Buddha Country, a bloody temple."

"Can you defeat them?" asked the Stargazing Token.

This time Hulu Taoist dared not speak recklessly, admitting honestly, "If it were just the Eternal Life Sect Leader and Tiancan Monk, there might be a slim chance of victory, but with a temple full of Buddha Country people, victory is impossible."

"Ah, Little Hulu, Little Hulu, your tone was not like this a while ago?"

"I remember when you were trampling the Stargazing Token, you were quite arrogant! You said if you could capture Zhou Xuan, you could free yourself from my control, cut the dog leash I placed around your neck."

The term dog leash was rather piercing, but Hulu Taoist accepted it.

"Earth God, those words were spoken in a moment of confusion, under a spell, foolishly wagging my tongue. Your greatness surely won’t take it to heart, Tunnel Family has always followed your commands unquestioningly."

"You are an old dog, mostly loyal, and crucially—your teeth are sharp enough to bite some men for me."

"Watching an old dog like you die, I feel a bit reluctant, okay, I’ll point you to a bright future."

"Thank you Earth God, for your magnanimity."

Hulu Taoist showed a joyful expression, quickly responding.

The Stargazing Token said, "You are not a perfect loyal dog, but I am indeed a generous master. In daily life, when you accomplish tasks, I reward you generously, haven’t mistreated you, have I?"

"Naturally."

Though Hulu Taoist disliked the Earth Child’s demeanor, he truly appreciated the rewards given by the Earth Child.

"Earth Child" wielded immense power, whether treasures, magic artifacts, fame, wealth, women—it was plentiful and not precious to him, naturally grandiose in his rewards.

The Stargazing Token continued, "This time, I remain generous, you want Zhou Xuan?"

"Yes."

Hulu Taoist didn’t deny.

"Once you capture him, he’s yours."

The Stargazing Token stated casually.

"Is this true?"

"I am a god at your side, would my words be careless? Since I opened my divine mouth, would I deceive or trick you?"

As the Stargazing Token’s words ceased,

Hulu Taoist beamed with joy, his body involuntarily swayed twice.

Zhou Xuan’s promised agreement stirred Hulu Taoist’s deepest interests, launching the Colorful Play Master’s first strategy "Appeal to Interests."

Hulu Taoist at this moment had fully believed in Zhou Xuan’s fake identity of "Earth Child"—initiating the Colorful Play Master’s second strategy "Bluffing."

Seeing Hulu Taoist had fallen into the trap, Zhou Xuan struck while the iron was hot, continuing, "Little Hulu, tonight there is a secret I must tell you, do you know what Zhou Xuan intends?"

"Isn’t he waiting for reinforcements to gather, then kill us all?"

"Not at all."

The Stargazing Token said mysteriously, "Zhou Xuan has a peculiar origin, he wasn’t born of a womb, but hatched from an egg."

"Hatched from an egg?"

Hulu Taoist had never heard, that Zhou Xuan had such wondrous origins, moreover, chickens, ducks, geese are hatched from eggs, aren’t people all born from their mother’s womb? How could one hatch?