I Don't Agree to the Terms
Chapter 270 - 161: The Old and Young Temple Priests of Yun Niang Temple

Chapter 270: Chapter 161: The Old and Young Temple Priests of Yun Niang Temple

"Damn, why am I, with the highest combat power, assigned to search outside the town? Clearly, they just want to keep me from disturbing their lovey-dovey world for two," grumbled Gu Shanhai as he left Qingxian Town.

After deciding to split up, Gu Shanhai was designated to investigate a Yun Niang Temple situated on the outskirts, atop Hu Yun Mountain.

The ’Hu Yun’ in Hu Yun Mountain is precisely the divinity worshipped at the Yun Niang Temple.

Gu Shanhai had also inquired about the details: the divinity was enshrined for being a virtuous person who did good deeds and was thus deified; currently, the temple housed a temple priest, an elderly woman, as well as a reserve temple priest, a girl of eighteen who was said to be an orphan picked up and adopted by the temple priestess.

He wasn’t too clear about her name, as Gu Shanhai, a grown man, felt it was a bit unseemly to ask about such matters. So, he merely made some general inquiries.

And so he was climbing the mountain. Fortunately, Hu Yun Mountain was not too high.

"Yo~" Little White signaled the approach of someone.

Gu Shanhai glanced over, indicating there was no need to bother with the other party; he was already aware of their presence. He had his own matters to tend to, and the newcomer bore no ill will.

Had there been any ill will, Gu Shanhai would have taken action long ago.

"Wow~ what a huge deer, oh, it’s got an owner," exclaimed a middle-aged man dressed in coarse hemp clothes with a basket slung on his back. First surprised, he then noticed Gu Shanhai sitting on Little White’s back and commented.

"An herbalist?"

Since the other had spoken, Gu Shanhai asked casually in response.

"Ah, are you from out of town? Here to pay tribute to Goddess Yun?" The herbalist asked with a hint of curiosity.

Qingxian Town didn’t have anyone like Gu Shanhai, especially given Little White’s unique size and appearance.

"Something like that. I’m planning to do some investigation around this town," replied Gu Shanhai, noncommittally.

"Oh, well, please proceed," said the herbalist, not taking much interest in the matter. He had no interaction with Gu Shanhai, and had he not seen Gu Shanhai riding on Little White’s back, he wouldn’t have spoken up.

Gu Shanhai let Little White carry on up the mountain. With the ability to traverse mountains, climbing wasn’t much of an issue.

As they traveled, Gu Shanhai pondered one question: the herbalist seemed a bit off.

It wasn’t that there was something wrong with the person himself, but rather that he didn’t quite fit the image of an herbalist. For one who supposedly moves through the woods, he was too clean.

It wasn’t that Gu Shanhai meant to disparage the man, but how could someone who regularly traversed the forest not have dirt on them? Even if one were to give the herbalist the benefit of the doubt for his experience, allowing for not a leaf to stick on him, the fact that his shoes were relatively clean was problematic.

He surely couldn’t be picking herbs just off the beaten paths carved into the mountain; that would be a quick way to starvation.

To Gu Shanhai, the man seemed more like someone living in luxury, which was quite peculiar.

Gu Shanhai made a mental note of this but didn’t investigate further right then; what if the man was merely experiencing life here?

Upon reaching Yun Niang Temple, Gu Shanhai found it somewhat unexpectedly dilapidated; the incense burning seemed lackluster.

However, it was immaculately clean, as if carefully tended to.

The temple wasn’t large, and although Little White struggled to fit, they managed to squeeze inside.

The temple priest, taken aback by the sight, was initially set on scolding them but, seeing that Gu Shanhai was well-dressed, she changed her tune. Smiling radiantly, she said, "Layman, you’re here to worship Lady Yun, aren’t you?"

"Yes, I heard there’s a Yun Niang Temple up here that’s very efficacious, so I came to have a look," said Gu Shanhai, glancing at the statue inside the temple. He could barely make out its feminine form, but nothing more; it appeared neglected for many years.

With his perception, he detected something strange underground in the backyard: a sense of valuable metals and not in small quantities. Thanks to Detect Secret Door, he understood these treasures were likely stored in a cellar.

’Well, well, it seems those running temples are indeed wealthy,’ Gu Shanhai mused internally, dismissing it as standard – pretending to be poor to collect more tribute money.

"Of course, you can go to Qingxian Town and ask around; you won’t find a single soul who’ll say our Yun Niang Temple is ineffective," the priest hurriedly claimed, essentially enacting the "Wang Po selling melons, praising her own stock" scenario.

If it were that effective, she would have used the power herself and not left it for others.

"Alright then, I’ll make a wish," Gu Shanhai said as he pulled out some money – the funds provided by Heavenly Immortal while drunk – and tossed it into the Merit Box, muttering softly but loudly enough for the temple priest to hear.

"Tomorrow’s the seventh day; I hope I can survive it smoothly without becoming a wandering ghost, lest I’ll have to consume an entire town’s people to wait for the next time."

Initially, the priest was all smiles seeing the denomination Gu Shanhai took out, but her expression changed as she heard him whisper his wish, and her smile became strained.

"Well, let’s hope it’s effective. If not..." Gu Shanhai stood up and looked at the priestess, flashing a wide grin with a meaningful continuation, "I hope the meat tastes good."

"Ahem, don’t misunderstand, I mean lamb, you know, the kind that walks on two legs. You probably haven’t heard of it, right?"

The priestess’s face turned ashen. She hadn’t heard what two-legged lambs referred to, but she wasn’t foolish; after all, humans have two legs.

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