Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The Taoist priest was momentarily stunned, even thinking he had misheard. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, "How can you... be so unreasonable?!"

Chen Ji chuckled, "I came here in good faith to offer incense and make donations, and you immediately tell me not to come again, practically pointing at my nose and telling me to get lost, without even giving a reason. Who’s truly unreasonable here?"

"Are you genuinely ignorant or just feigning it!" The priest’s face darkened. "Isn’t it obvious? I’m telling you not to come for your own good—you’re radiating a malevolent aura. You know perfectly well what you’ve been worshipping!"

Chen Ji didn’t even bat an eyelid. "What have I been worshipping? Priest, you mustn't make wild accusations and slander people without proof."

Chen Ji’s confident demeanor truly didn’t suggest he was lying. The priest glanced around, gritted his teeth, and said, "Come with me to the back. It’s not convenient to talk here."

Chen Ji naturally agreed—though he assumed "the back" meant the temple’s tea room or the priest’s living quarters. Instead, the priest led him straight out the back door. Only after the door closed did the priest ask, "Was everything you said earlier true?"

"True," Chen Ji affirmed with a nod. "Why would I lie to you?"

That made sense. If someone had a guilty conscience, they’d avoid a place like this—a City God Temple which specializes in dealing with demons and evil spirits—at all costs.

The priest looked at him inquisitively. "Give me your birth information."

"Can I use the solar calendar?" Chen Ji inquired. Seeing the priest nod, he provided his date of birth: "February 22, 1999. The time was around 4 p.m., I think."

The priest had already pulled out his phone. Chen Ji saw a chart for fortune-telling appear on the screen and couldn’t help muttering, "Fortune-telling has gotten quite advanced these days..."

"Consulting books is the same. Why wouldn't I use something more convenient if it’s available?" The priest didn’t look up, quickly tapping his fingers against his knuckles a few times before raising his head to look at Chen Ji, puzzled. "Your birth details aren’t particularly special... and you have the 'Kill, Break, Wolf' astrological combination. Usually, such things wouldn’t easily bother someone like you."

But judging by Chen Ji’s appearance—handsome and refined, with narrow eyes, a full forehead, a straight nose, and upturned lips—if not for his overly dark eyes and the faint bluish-black tint around his brows and under his eyes, which disrupted the overall auspiciousness of his face, he would have had a fortune-bound appearance.

This bluish-black hue not only ruined his favorable fate but also indicated that Chen Ji’s death was approaching.

It seemed he had indeed provoked something, which explained why he had come to the City God Temple.

The priest suddenly asked, "You shouldn’t be here. Why did you suddenly decide to return to Little Green Mountain?"

"What’s wrong with Little Green Mountain?" Chen Ji keenly noticed this.

Most people would assume he lived in Shangyang Village, as it was the only settlement near Little Green Mountain. Yet the priest had specifically mentioned Little Green Mountain.

Chen Ji blinked, looking at the priest curiously. The priest, however, pressed his lips together and handed him a yellow paper package. "I don’t have any great solutions for you. Take this protective talisman—the pouch is waterproof, so you can wear it even while bathing... There’s a Mountain Lord temple on Little Green Mountain. Go there and seek help."

"I know about the Mountain Lord temple," Chen Ji said, puzzled. "But can’t the City God manage affairs on Little Green Mountain?"

"The jurisdictions are different," the priest explained. "The area around your home falls under Little Green Mountain’s domain."

Chen Ji looked somewhat distraught. "And you Taoist priests can’t intervene?"

"We can, but we lack the ability to," the priest said. After a moment, he added, "Think carefully—did you accidentally offend some demon or spirit at some point? Without deep-seated hatred, such beings wouldn’t go out of their way to torment someone across provinces."

It wasn’t necessarily about killing. According to Chen Ji’s account, if he were meant to die, he would have died long ago. The kind of constant nightmares about demons and monsters usually happened to those with a special constitution or during periods of weakness or illness, making them more susceptible to negative influences. Alternatively, it could be due to contact with related objects or inadvertently offending such entities, leading to endless nightmares.

Otherwise? The world hasn’t descended into chaos. Since order remains, demons and spirits also abide by certain rules—it’s not an era of rampant evil where they harm anyone they encounter.

The priest didn’t know what exactly Chen Ji had done, but since he had encountered him and couldn’t help speaking up, he would assist as much as possible, seeking peace of mind.

"If you really can’t remember, make ample offerings to the Mountain Lord and seek his protection. It might work."

"Alright, alright. Thank you, Priest." Chen Ji repeatedly expressed his gratitude and was about to leave when he saw the priest flash a WeChat QR code. "That’ll be 2,000."

Chen Ji paused, then quietly scanned the code and paid.

Upon hearing the payment notification, the priest turned and went back inside, shutting the door behind him and leaving Chen Ji outside alone. Only then did the System Cat speak up: "Chen Ji, I feel like that priest is quite arrogant."

Chen Ji twisted the red string on the talisman and slipped it around his neck. "It’s not unusual for capable people to have some temper."

"From what he said, it seems the Mountain Lord isn’t protecting you?" the System Cat asked.

Chen Ji also felt that was the only possibility.

Assuming everything the priest said was true, if the priest couldn’t handle matters related to Little Green Mountain, it meant the Mountain Lord was fully capable of protecting him from harm. Yet he had encountered danger multiple times on the mountain... As the current temple keeper responsible for sweeping and maintaining the Mountain Lord temple, he should logically be under its protection.

The System Cat also couldn’t figure it out. After a long pause, it said, "Hasn’t your family always been temple keepers?... Could it be that because your father refused the role and took you away to live elsewhere, leading to no one succeeding your grandfather after he passed away and the Mountain Lord temple falling into disrepair... that the Mountain Lord is trying to teach you a lesson?"

"It’s not like my grandfather passed away just recently," Chen Ji said. "He’s been gone for almost twenty years."

"Reached the breaking point?" the System Cat sighed in his mind. "But according to the priest, if you make proper offerings to the Mountain Lord and earn his forgiveness, you should be able to live peacefully, right?... I told you to go back and repair the temple earlier, but you wouldn’t listen."

Chen Ji said indifferently, "If some mysterious thing suddenly appeared in your mind, telling you to sell your house, quit your job, return to your hometown to farm, and pour all your savings into a remote old house in the middle of nowhere, would you agree without a second thought?"

The System Cat pressed a paw to its face. This was the downside of finding a workhorse. If it were a high school or college student, a pep talk would make them feel like the chosen one, and they’d dive in enthusiastically. But someone who’s been worn down by society? Adults operate on either emotions or benefits. Without sufficient benefits or emotional leverage, getting them to abandon a stable life is just a dream.

"...I’ll find you a couple of high-level tasks. How about recasting a golden statue for the Mountain Lord? Gold leaf is quite cheap these days; it won’t cost much... According to records, recasting a golden statue and renovating the temple are both high-level offerings. That should earn the Mountain Lord’s forgiveness."

Chen Ji nodded. For now, that seemed like the only plan.

He reached up and touched the yellow talisman around his neck, feeling a momentary sense of calm. He then took the System Cat to an antique bookstore. Since he intended to seriously renovate the Mountain Lord temple, he needed to find some architectural references. After that, he bought some meat and vegetables at the market. Chen Ji also remembered his promise to the Mountain Lord and purchased a 59.9-yuan bouquet through a group buy to take back.

On the way back, there was no delivery truck to hitch a ride with. Chen Ji placed a ride-hailing order, but three drivers in a row canceled after seeing his destination. Even when he doubled the fare, no one was willing to accept the trip.

He couldn’t blame them—the hundred-kilometer journey back was on bumpy, narrow, rugged mountain roads, and the return trip would be empty. Given the timing, they’d be driving the mountain roads in the middle of the night, which was notoriously dangerous. Chen Ji was considering hiring an unlicensed cab when he suddenly heard someone call, "Chen Ji!"

Chen Ji instinctively started to turn his head but stopped himself. Then, realizing he was in a public place with the sun still high in the sky—not even evening—it probably wasn’t some demon or monster. He finally dared to look back and saw Uncle Liu leaning most of his body out of a minivan window, waving at him.

Chen Ji let out a barely audible sigh of relief and called back, "Uncle Liu!"

He hurried over. Uncle Liu, seeing him standing there, guessed his intention and had already opened the car door by the time Chen Ji reached him. "Heading back to the village, right? Get in! Wow—you bought so much stuff?"

As he spoke, he helped with the bags.

"Won’t stand on ceremony with you," Chen Ji said. "Uncle Liu, are you heading back to the village too? How’s the old lady doing?"

"It’s because of your matter!" Uncle Liu’s laughter was hearty. "The doctor said it was good we got her there quickly, but also that elderly people are frail. I figured we might as well have her stay for a couple of albumin IV drips. Your Aunt Wang is taking care of her there... I thought since the weather’s been good lately, I’d come back first to help you with the wall... Thank you, nephew! I’ll definitely pay you back that 5,000 yuan! I won’t let you cover the cost!"

Chen Ji shook his head. "We’re neighbors. This matter is on me; no need to pay back the money."

Uncle Liu wanted to say more, but Chen Ji waved his hand. "No need to refuse. If you feel bad about it, just treat me to a couple more free-range chickens later!"

Uncle Liu agreed readily, his smile easing—5,000 yuan was no small sum for him. He worked in construction, dependent on whether people nearby needed houses built or repaired. If there was no work, there was nothing he could do; farming alone didn’t bring in much. Especially with the old lady in the hospital on those expensive nutritional IVs—each bottle cost several hundred yuan out of pocket. Repaying 5,000 would mean tightening his belt all year.

In comparison, a few chickens were nothing—just something he could raise easily.

Chen Ji glanced around the vehicle and asked, "Uncle Liu, did you buy a car?"

Actually, Chen Ji had been considering whether he should buy a vehicle too—a car or a motorcycle, anything that could handle round trips of two to three hundred kilometers. After all, he’d be coming to town again, and the commute was a hassle.

"Ah, no," Uncle Liu said, getting into the driver’s seat. "It’s because of my mom’s illness. It’s not easy getting back otherwise—a taxi would cost hundreds! I borrowed this from a friend for now."

Uncle Liu offered him a cigarette. Chen Ji took it but didn’t smoke. Uncle Liu lit his own and said, "Let’s get going then. Do you need to buy anything else? Since we’re driving, we can take it all back together!"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and couldn't think of anything else he needed: "Let's go, Uncle Liu. If we don’t leave soon, it’ll be dark."

Uncle Liu nodded earnestly and stepped on the accelerator; the car leaped forward.

Chen Ji turned to look at the scenery outside the window. The sun was already beginning to set. As he gazed toward Little Green Mountain, he suddenly noticed a faint black mist seemed to hang over the area.

He rubbed his eyes and looked more carefully, only to find that the black mist had disappeared.

...Was it just his imagination?