I run a Taoist temple in a bizarre world.

Chapter 32 Doubts, Awakening

late at night.

Changxi Village, at the eastern end of the village.

A dilapidated thatched hut, with a faint glow of fire, sat forlornly in a wasteland.

Lai Pi Zhang's residence was located in the most desolate part of Changxi Village.

It felt even more lonely when the night was deep and the eerie fog was thickest.

It is like a lonely island in the sea.

But Zhang the Bald, who was inside the house, did not feel lonely.

He knelt in the corner of the room, his huge body curled into a ball, his head buried deep in his chest, and with each breath, dust on the ground swirled up.

"How did things go?"

He heard what the man sitting by the oil lamp was saying.

Lai Pi Zhang's fat body trembled, and his flesh jiggled like ocean waves.

He shrank back, even though the eerie mist was swirling around his feet. If he had retreated even half an inch, the evil spirits and demons within the mist would have touched his body.

He retreated without hesitation, as if he dared not get too close to the person.

"It'll be ready soon, almost there."

"Just today, I went to check on Chen Cheng's condition. In no more than seven... no, at most five days, I will be able to take the pills that Chen Cheng transformed into to Cui Shui Village and deliver them to you, sir!"

Lai Pi Zhang's tone was smug, and he raised his head slightly.

"waste!"

A shout suddenly rang out inside the thatched hut, even affecting the nearby lamplight, causing it to flicker.

Lai Pi Zhang hurriedly lowered his head even further, his smugness turning into fear, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

"If it weren't for this damned temple keeper's meddling, would I even need you to do my work?"

Seemingly recalling some past event that made his teeth itch, the man slammed his fist heavily on the table.

The wooden table collapsed instantly.

The cracking sound was mixed with Lai Pi Zhang's terrified screams.

"grown ups!"

Lai Pi Zhang raised his head, his eyes filled with panic and fear.

Smashing a table is nothing, but on the table can be placed a lamp made of lamp oil obtained from the Green Mountain Temple.

If the fire goes out, the evil spirits and demons in the eerie fog will devour him, leaving not even bones behind!

The man made a grasping motion with one hand, and a gentle breeze immediately rose inside the room.

The lantern, which was about to fall, remained steadily floating in the air.

The flickering flames cast an uncertain glow on Lai Pi Zhang's face, which still bore traces of panic.

"Are you afraid I won't be able to catch this lamp?"

The man looked at Lai Pi Zhang with a playful smile.

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

Lai Pi Zhang shook his head like a rattle drum.

"Enough. What's the point of talking to you lowly mortals?" The man exhaled, losing interest, and leaned back in his chair. "If I don't see you bring me the pills in two days, you know what will happen."

"I'm tired, go get me some food."

Lai Pi Zhang nodded meekly and got up from the ground with trembling legs.

"Yes, sir."

……

Meanwhile, inside Qingshan Temple.

Chi Le was listening to Chen Hao tell him about Lai Pi Zhang's situation.

Chen Cheng's current problems stem from the "medicine" given to him by Lai Pi Zhang.

In other words, it is a "condensed, eerie fog".

Through the few words of information previously given by Qingshan Temple.

Chi Le speculated that Chen Cheng might have been the first to awaken his extraordinary abilities.

Then Chen Hao was tricked by Lai Pi Zhang into giving Chen Cheng the "Concentrated Ghost Mist".

According to Chen Hao, the strange symptoms Chen Cheng had recently experienced were external manifestations of his supernatural abilities before they were awakened.

This process is exactly the opposite of He Xiaoxiao's.

He Xiaoxiao first used the help of the Awakening Mist to absorb the eerie mist, which is how she awakened her extraordinary abilities.

However, Chi Le knew too little about the bizarre world, so he couldn't be sure if his guess was correct.

We can only take this as a temporary premise and consider what Lai Pi Zhang has done.

There are a few things that Chi Le doesn't understand.

Why did Lai Pi Zhang sell the "Concentrated Ghost Mist" to Chen Hao, deceiving him that it could cure Chen Cheng's illness?

"What good would Chen Cheng's death do for Lai Pi Zhang?"

Chi Le sat upright in the wooden chair, tapping her fingers on the armrest, and murmured softly.

【Condensed Mysterious Mist】This bizarre creation was not only possessed by an ordinary, shameless person without any extraordinary abilities, but he was also willing to invest it in Chen Cheng.

All this was so that after she ingested several cans of [Concentrated Ghost Mist], her body would burst and she would die from the Ghost Mist.

"Why go through all that trouble if direct combat won't work?"

"At first, Lai Pi Zhang sold [Concentrated Ghost Mist] to Chen Hao at a very low price, basically giving it away for free. How come later on, a can of lamp oil could only be exchanged for a can of [Concentrated Ghost Mist]?"

It is an item that can dispel evil spirits and demons in the eerie fog of night.

The value of the "Imperial Spirit Lamp Oil" far exceeds that of ordinary oils, and moreover...

Back then, it wasn't uncommon for people to try selling lamp oil to others or trading it for other things, but they all ended up in terrible situations.

This scoundrel Zhang dared to openly ask Chen Hao to exchange lamp oil for the so-called "medicinal liquid".

Isn't he afraid that things will be exposed and the temple keeper will come after him to settle accounts?

"Where does this scoundrel Zhang get his confidence?"

Let's put aside the matter of the scoundrel Zhang for now, since we still can't figure it out.

"snort……"

Chen Cheng, who was in a coma, frowned and his eyelids trembled.

"Xiao Cheng..."

Chen Hao held Chen Cheng's hand and called out softly.

As Chen Hao got closer to Chen Cheng, he could clearly see the pupils of Chen Cheng's eyes constantly moving under his eyelids.

The next moment, Chen Cheng fully regained consciousness and woke up from his coma.

"elder brother……"

The young girl opened her eyes, first calling out to Chen Hao, who was right in front of her, and then looking around.

The house is surrounded by walls made of mist, and inside there is a solemn statue of a deity, with a person dressed in a loose Taoist robe sitting in front of the statue.

Chen Cheng opened his mouth, his voice a little hoarse.

But the first thing she said wasn't to ask her happy older brother where she was.

They didn't ask who the mysterious being with a misty head standing beneath the majestic and incredibly mystical statue of a deity was.

Instead, he spoke up.

"Brother, I'm hungry, but I don't want to eat thick corn porridge."

Not to mention Chen Hao, even Chi Le was stunned.

The Chen siblings seem to both have some kind of problem?

"...Xiao Cheng, I..." "I'll take you home to eat after dawn."

As he said this, Chen Hao looked at Chi Le, as if he had received Chi Le's instruction.

After confirming that it was indeed possible to take Chen Cheng home, Chen Hao continued.

"I'll take you home to eat after dawn."

"good……"

Having received Chen Hao's promise, Chen Cheng finally asked the question of where he and his good older brother were.

Chen Hao briefly introduced Qingshan Temple and its abbot, Chi Le, and explained her current situation, as well as that the abbot in front of her was the one who could solve everything.

Ignoring Chen Hao's attempts to stop him, Chen Cheng pulled off the thick blanket covering him and got up from the ground.

She said sweetly to Chi Le.

"Thank you, Abbot Brother."

Once Chen Cheng straightened up, Chen Hao explained to her in detail why Chi Le wanted her to become the temple keeper of Qingshan Temple, and explained the reasons.

Chen Hao asked a question.

"Xiao Cheng, would you like to become the temple keeper of Qingshan Temple?"

After saying that, Chen Hao waited anxiously for Chen Cheng's reply.

If Chen Cheng agrees immediately, things will be easy to discuss.

After daybreak, go home immediately to pack and wait for the abbot to summon you and your younger sister to the abbot's temple.

But if Chen Cheng refuses, and his attitude is firm, then...

Chen Cheng tilted his head and said directly.

"Of course!"

As if he had just thought of something, Chen Cheng smiled mischievously.

"Besides, the title of temple keeper is so prestigious!"

"When my brother is in the village, I'll protect him!"