New Year's Eve Dinner

Chen Zhou stood in the center of the stage, his black robes fluttering gently in the night breeze.

"I did not expect you all to put on such a performance. You have truly shown your sincerity."

"I have watched you all come this far since the Dead Man’s Forest, and my heart is deeply gratified."

"Today is New Year's Eve, and tomorrow is the New Year."

"The old year has passed, and a new one is beginning."

"I am not some merciful deity, so I have no grand gifts to give you."

The corners of his mouth curled slightly.

"Instead, I will give you a promise."

"From this day forward, in this Gloomlight Province, and across the four regions and one province..."

"All who believe in me shall receive protection."

"Regardless of life or death."

"Regardless of wealth or poverty."

"Regardless of where you are."

"As long as your heart turns toward me, I shall protect you."

The audience fell silent for a fleeting moment.

Then, a roar like a mountain collapsing or a tsunami crashing erupted.

"Lord Godly Venerable!"

"Lord Godly Venerable!"

Countless people knelt, their foreheads pressed against the ground, their shoulders trembling violently.

Some sobbed uncontrollably, some laughed through streaming tears, and some kowtowed so fervently that blood flowed from their foreheads, yet they did not stop.

They had once been refugees, people on the brink of death, human-livestock kept in pens, the living dead, or malevolent ghosts who died with grievances.

But now, they could all stand tall with their chests out and live with pride.

Chen Zhou raised his hand.

The crowd gradually quieted down, though they remained kneeling, refusing to rise.

Chen Zhou was about to speak when he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the back of the crowd.

"Make way, make way!"

"Don't block the path, the New Year's Eve dinner is here!"

The people turned to look.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path, and Cang Ming and Cang Che walked through, huffing and puffing as they carried a massive black pot between them.

Steam constantly escaped from the edges of the lid, and a rich, dense aroma wafted from the gaps.

Someone instinctively swallowed their saliva.

Someone's stomach began to growl.

Someone even started drooling and quickly wiped it away with their sleeve.

What on earth smelled so good?

It was absurdly fragrant.

It was a scent that was simply impossible to resist.

Behind Cang Ming and Cang Che, Yu He followed with his short legs, his face showing a hint of exhaustion, but his eyes were incredibly bright.

He stepped forward, looked up at Chen Zhou, and grinned.

"Lord, I succeeded."

Chen Zhou raised an eyebrow.

Yu He waved his hand and said to Cang Ming and Cang Che, "Put it down, put it down. I'm exhausted."

Cang Ming and Cang Che set the black pot in front of the stage, both of them panting for breath.

"What is this thing? Why is it so heavy?"

"What's inside? A mountain?"

Yu He ignored them and looked at Chen Zhou, his voice trembling slightly.

"Lord, I practiced in the Dingnai Hall for hours."

"I failed seventeen times."

"On the eighteenth attempt, it finally worked."

He patted the black pot, causing the lid to clatter.

"The meat of the Golden Buddha has been stripped of its addictiveness. Only the purest energy remains."

Chen Zhou's eyes brightened, and everyone else's gaze fixed intently on that black pot, as if they wanted to stare right through the lid.

Yu He looked around and waved his small hand.

"A few of you, lend a hand! Lift this pot onto the stage."

"The New Year's Eve dinner is served!"

A stir went through the crowd.

Shitou immediately rushed out with several strong men, taking the carrying poles from Cang Ming and Cang Che to carefully lift the black pot onto the stage.

Chen Zhou looked at the pot, then at the expectant crowd below, and smiled.

"Why is everyone just standing there?"

"Set the tables, start the feast, and let us keep the New Year's Eve vigil together."

The citizens of the City of the Wrongfully Dead had long been prepared.

Within a mere fifteen minutes, the plaza was filled with tables and chairs.

The tables were a makeshift assortment—some new, some old, some round, some square—but all were wiped spotlessly clean.

The chairs were draped with black silk embroidered with a white skull pattern, looking both eerie and festive.

Each table was set with several large bowls filled with home-cooked dishes prepared by Song Zi'an and Widow Li. They were simple foods, but the portions were generous, piled high in the bowls.

In the very center, the largest table had been reserved.

Chen Zhou was invited to take his seat at that table.

After sitting down, he looked around and saw that everyone at the table was a familiar face.

To his left was Jian Huaishuang, to his right was Hong Ling, and further along were Shitou, the Plague Rat, Piao, Su Xue, Poison-Wing, Wu Gou, and Wu Hai.

Bai and Xiaoye also squeezed in, sitting on either side of Chen Zhou.

"Lord, Lord, is there good food tonight?"

"What's in that big pot? It smells so good!"

Chen Zhou smiled. "You will find out in a moment."

He raised his hand and beckoned, and a wisp of netherflame drifted from the distance, landing in his palm.

"Go to the warehouse and bring out all the Blood Bodhi."

The netherflame flickered twice before darting away.

Before long, Zhang Cuigu arrived with several craftsmen carrying large baskets.

The baskets were filled with bodhi fruits, crimson and shimmering like gemstones under the lamp light.

During this time, Zhang Cuigu had meticulously cared for that mutated Blood Bodhi vine. With an ample supply of flesh and blood for nourishment, it had produced several full baskets.

Each fruit was the size of a thumb, plump and round, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

"Distribute a few to every table," Chen Zhou commanded.

Zhang Cuigu acknowledged the order and began the distribution with her team.

"Isn't this the Lord's treasure? Usually, the little black snakes in the spirit fields guard it so strictly!"

"My goodness, I never even dreamed of having this before!"

"This was bestowed by the Godly Venerable; we should enshrine it!"

Someone tried to tuck a Blood Bodhi into their robe, only to be slapped awake by the person next to them.

"Are you stupid? The Lord gave it to us to eat. Why would you enshrine it? To save it for next year?"

"Oh, right, right! I'll eat it now, I'll eat it now!"

Chen Zhou then looked at Hong Ling. "What about the snow lotus wine from the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

Hong Ling was well-prepared. With a wave of her hand, several villagers brought up wine jars.

The jars were half the height of a person, sealed with red cloth that was covered in dust, showing they had some age to them.

"These were all recently brewed and just sent from the Northern Region," Hong Ling introduced. "There are three thousand jars in total, enough for everyone to drink."

Chen Zhou nodded. "One jar for every table."

The wine jars were carried down, and soon, the rich aroma of wine filled the plaza.

But it wasn't over yet.

From the spirit fields, several demonlings arrived carrying baskets of strangely shaped fruits.

The fruits were red, purple, and gold; some looked like little gourds, some like chubby babies, and some even glowed faintly.

"These are high-grade spirit fruits that mutated in the spirit fields," Su Xue said gently. "Zhang Cuigu grew them very well. We saved them up and decided today was the perfect time to let everyone have a taste."

Chen Zhou looked at the fruits and nodded with satisfaction.

"Distribute them all."

Everything was ready.

The crowd looked toward Chen Zhou in unison, waiting for him to speak.

Chen Zhou picked up his wine cup and stood up.

Everyone followed suit and stood.

"The old year has passed."

"This year has not been easy for anyone."

"Those who survived are the ones with the strongest fates."

"You are all the people I trust and hold most dear. For the new year, I have no other words."

"Only this—"

He raised his wine cup.

"Live well."