I run a Taoist temple in a bizarre world.

Chapter 53, Part 1: Together We Went to Qingshan Temple

"This is for the good of Changxi Village."

Bald-headed Zhang's words stunned Chen Hao and the others.

The crowd standing on the mountain path was completely silent.

In the ensuing silence, only Chen Cheng was the first to react and retort.

"You...you're lying!"

Chen Cheng's words struck everyone like a thunderbolt, and they all came to their senses.

One of the men accompanying them put down his belongings first and laughed.

"Hey, you lazy bum, Zhang the Bald, you spend all day loitering around the streets and wandering from village to village. Why aren't you walking your dog and playing with your birds in another village? What are you doing up the mountain today?"

He walked up to Bald Zhang and put his arm around Bald Zhang's shoulder.

"Still spouting nonsense? Did you develop a fever from slacking off yesterday?"

"I don't have time to mess around with you today. Listen to me, go back to the village first. If we're in time, I'll take you for a walk and birdwatching this afternoon!"

He slapped Zhang's chubby face and made a promise.

I thought that, as usual, Zhang would readily agree after hearing my explanation.

Unexpectedly, things are different now.

Bald-headed Zhang coldly brushed his hand away and continued speaking.

"Handing Chen Cheng over to me is for the good of Changxi Village."

Bald Zhang reached out and tried to pull Chen Cheng away from behind Chen Hao.

Chen Hao immediately slapped away Zhang's hand and shrank Chen Cheng behind him.

"Hey, Zhang the Bald Guy, what are you doing!"

Before Chen Hao could speak, the man who had been arm in arm with Bald Zhang attacked first.

Seemingly embarrassed by Zhang the Bald in front of everyone, he became somewhat angry and ashamed.

He gave Bald Zhang a push, but found that Bald Zhang's body remained firmly still, like a solid stone wall.

This does resemble his bulky physique.

Instead, it was Zhang, the one who had been pushed, who took a few steps back.

This made him feel even more ashamed in front of others.

He could almost feel that the gazes directed at him carried a strange, unsettling quality.

"You bald-headed Zhang, what's wrong with you?!"

"Don't push your luck!"

"She's the temple keeper appointed by the abbot of Qingshan Temple! What are you, a brainless piece of trash, trying to do?!"

Patiently waiting for the man to finish speaking, Bald-Headed Zhang stretched out a hand, still saying the same thing.

"Handing Chen Cheng over to me is for the good of Changxi Village."

"Get out of here, don't delay our journey up the mountain to enter the temple."

The man had completely lost his patience and pressed his hands on the bald man's broad arms.

I wanted to push it away.

What kind of adult is he?

You're just a good-for-nothing who idles around. What kind of adults would you know?

Can he still protect our Changxi Village like the previous temple keeper did?

I think I'm more like the adult!

Thinking this, the man tightened his grip even more.

But Zhang the Bald Guy remained completely still.

They only stopped when the man's face turned red and he had no more strength left.

"Bald Zhang...you..."

The man spoke weakly, but he still wanted to continue pushing, his eyes almost overflowing with shame and indignation.

Seeing that the atmosphere was getting increasingly awkward, Zhao Zhu took over the conversation.

"Brother Zhang, this is not the time to fool around."

"You said the previous temple keeper was killed by your family, and the former temple keeper can no longer be found, which is difficult to verify."

"However, we still need to go to Qingshan Temple now."

"Chen Cheng is the temple keeper appointed by the abbot. When Chen Cheng arrives at Qingshan Temple, the abbot should appear."

"If you still don't believe that Qingshan Temple really has a master, we can go there together."

"If the abbot really didn't appear, then the former temple keeper also disappeared."

"Will we discuss this again when our Changxi Village truly needs your family's protection?"

Zhao Zhu proposed a compromise.

After a brief moment of thought, Bald-Headed Zhang agreed.

"it is good."

And so, the group of five became six and continued their journey toward Qingshan Temple.

The atmosphere on the way was somewhat somber, and the group subtly split into two.

One team, led by Chen Hao, gathered around Chen Cheng, constantly on guard against the approach of the bald-headed Zhang.

The other team consisted of only Zhang the Bald, who climbed the mountain path alone.

But he continued to get closer to Chen Cheng, intentionally or unintentionally, and never gave up his covetousness for Chen Cheng.

It's strange, really.

Even those who regularly go up the mountain to chop firewood have started to break out in a light sweat as they walk along the mountain path, and their chests are heaving more rapidly.

Despite being overweight and seemingly inactive, Zhang, the bald-headed man, didn't break a sweat or even pant, steadily keeping up at the back of the group.

Zhao Zhu steadied his breathing and asked tentatively.

"Brother Zhang, who is this 'adult' you're referring to?"

When Zhang the Bald-Headed didn't answer, Zhao Zhu had to change his story.

"Then why must Chen Cheng be the one to protect Changxi Village, sir?"

When Chen Hao and Chen Cheng heard Zhao Zhu's question, they both looked at Bald Zhang.

Unfortunately, Bald Zhang still didn't answer. The fat on his cheeks jiggled with each step, as if he was deliberately trying to remain mysterious.

Seeing this, Zhao Zhu did not insist on asking any further questions.

Anyway, we'll be at Qingshan Temple soon. Once Chen Cheng becomes the temple keeper, everything will be fine.

Soon, the group saw the gate of Qingshan Temple.

If you walk a few more steps forward, you can take in the entire view of Qingshan Temple.

"Haozi, when did this building appear at Qingshan Temple?"

Zhao Zhu looked in confusion at the room that had appeared out of nowhere on the right side of the main hall and asked.

He had visited Qingshan Temple before.

On the contrary, when the former temple keeper was still alive.

He was usually the one who went up the mountain to the temple to collect the lamp oil each month.

At that time, Qingshan Temple didn't even have this mountain gate, let alone this room.

There was only one main hall with its doors tightly shut, plus a small open space paved with bluestone slabs outside the hall.

At that time, reaching the top of the mountain meant entering the Taoist temple.

It wouldn't be like it is now, with a closed gate blocking the way outside the temple.

Following Zhao Zhu's gaze, Chen Hao also saw the tiled house.

Contrary to Zhao Zhu's expectation that Chen Hao would provide an explanation, Chen Hao also seemed to be seeing the room for the first time.

He spoke with his mouth open.

"I...this is the first time I've ever seen this..."

"...You...you were going up the mountain yesterday, didn't you see it then?"

"……No."

Chen Hao was still in shock, and he was also curious.

It was only one night, how did Qingshan Temple suddenly have an extra room like this?

Zhao Zhu, the men behind him who were helping to move the items, and even the bald-headed Zhang were all stunned.

What do you mean this is the first time you've ever seen this thing?

This is not just a few pieces of wood or roof tiles.

It was the entire room!

In just one night, a house was built from scratch?

Such signs, beyond human capability, led everyone present to share the same thought.

The incredibly mysterious abbot, possessing divine abilities, truly exists!

"impossible!"

"The adults told me that Qingshan Temple only has one eccentric temple keeper who uses the tiger's skin to steal incense offerings!"

"How could there really be a master of the temple!"

"That's impossible!"

"Chen Hao is definitely lying to us; these things were already here!"

The first to shout was Bald Zhang, and the previous silence vanished completely.

Sensing everyone's gaze, Chen Hao spoke.

"I'm not lying to you. You'll know whether it's true or false once you see the Abbot!"

After saying that, Chen Hao stepped forward and knocked on the tightly closed mountain gate.