Chapter 126: City God Temple

The City God Temple of Xiangu County is said to have a history of over a thousand years, having been renovated several times...

This temple is almost as old as the history of this remote county town itself...

And among the folk of Xiangu County, there have always been bizarre and fantastic legends passed down through generations, telling the story of the City God of this City God Temple...

When the Escort Team arrived at the City God Temple, Ruan Fengshan was already waiting there!

As long as he is in Xiangu County, Ruan Fengshan never misses this sense of ritual in worshipping the City God; only when he is away will the Chief Escort Head Luan Jingfu preside in his stead!

Ruan Fengshan knows very well that such scenes increase his majesty and mystery in the hearts of the escorts in the Escort Agency, ensuring they do not forget that he is the one in charge of this agency!

Ruan Fengshan arrived at the City God Temple early, having already had Zhou An arrange the offerings and given the Temple Keeper some silver as payment for his services and upkeep!

The members of the Escort Team dismounted before the temple gate and followed Ruan Fengshan inside, with only Zhou An and a few others staying outside to keep watch, holding their sabers!

"May the City God bless us!"

In front of the incense table for the City God's statue sat a roasted suckling pig and two braised fat chickens!

Ruan Fengshan stood at the front of the line, taking the lead to hold incense and kowtow!

The group of escorts and Escort Runners followed, shouting in unison: "May the City God bless us!"

Then, everyone bowed and kowtowed in unison while holding their incense!

Afterwards, the people lined up one by one to insert their incense into the censer on the table, then circled around to the base of the City God's statue, placing their hands on the City God's feet to silently make their wishes!

This is also a tradition passed down for a thousand years in Xiangu County; the two feet of the City God's statue have long since been rubbed smooth and shiny black...

Soon, it was Duan Rong's turn. Duan Rong inserted his incense into the censer, bowed, and then walked around the incense table to stand beneath the City God's statue!

Duan Rong looked up and saw that the City God's statue was a stone carving, dark in color, with several fine cracks showing clear signs of repair; looking at it, the statue must be quite old.

Duan Rong imitated the escorts, placed his hand on the City God's feet, and muttered: "May the City God bless us, for a safe journey! May all demons and ghosts retreat! May all evil and dangerous things stay away!"

As Duan Rong recited this, his heart suddenly stirred, and he secretly thought: "Read Spirit Tool!"

Duan Rong lowered his head, looking at the data appearing before him, his breath hitching and his heart trembling!

Artifact: Stone Statue of the City God

Spirit Artifact Tier: Twenty-first Tier

Devour Requirement: Host Mental Power Level 21 (Not Met)

Devour Effect: Millennium Incense (Initial comprehension of the Law Power of time)

"Twenty-first Tier? Law Power?"

The City God's Spirit Artifact Tier refreshed the highest record Duan Rong had previously read; the highest-tier spirit tool before this was the Ancient Mulberry Tree at the entrance of the City God Temple, which was at the Fifteenth Tier!

The City God is mighty! Duan Rong thought to himself.

A Twenty-first Tier spirit tool had almost nothing to do with him right now! As for Law Power, Duan Rong had no idea what that was!

Just admire it, thinking about it is useless!

Duan Rong prayed to the City God once more, and this time, he was even more devout!

After finishing his prayer, Duan Rong left the statue and walked to the side of the main hall entrance, standing there.

Some people were already standing there, and Ruan Fengshan was also chatting with the Temple Keeper at the entrance.

Ruan Fengshan looked at Duan Rong and said: "Duan Rong, if you encounter any trouble on the road, ask your master and Sun for advice; do not act on your own!"

"Yes! Thank you for your guidance, Manager!" Duan Rong said obediently.

Ruan Fengshan nodded and said: "We are old! The future of the Escort Agency will depend on you young people! Work hard, and you will have your own world!"

Duan Rong's expression remained unchanged, but he thought to himself: That's a pie in the sky already, isn't it a bit too fast! This is only my first time going on an escort mission!

Although Duan Rong thought this, his face remained sincere as he said: "Thank you for your teachings, Manager!"

Ruan Fengshan looked at Duan Rong and nodded.

After the Escort Team finished worshipping the City God, they bid farewell to Ruan Fengshan at the temple gate and rode out of the East City Gate!

Ruan Fengshan watched the Escort Team leave the city, exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Temple Keeper, then climbed into a small sedan chair at the temple entrance and was carried back to the Escort Agency by the bearers.

Seeing Ruan Fengshan leave, the Temple Keeper tucked his horsetail whisk into his back waistband, hummed a tune with his hands behind his back, and turned into the temple. He glanced at the offerings on the incense table and swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his mouth.

This roasted suckling pig and braised chicken would be removed from the incense table by evening, and by then, they would end up in his own belly...

After the Escort Team exited the East City Gate, they picked up their speed slightly, kicking up a trail of dust at the city gate!

However, the Escort Team's pace was not fast; in Duan Rong's view, it could even be called somewhat leisurely...

After all, their journey to Ruyang Prefecture would take a month round-trip; what mattered was not how fast they started, but maintaining a steady speed throughout the journey—it was, in fact, the same principle as running a marathon.

The Escort Team had only traveled a short distance when Duan Rong's gaze suddenly fixed on one of the men.

This man was sturdy and broad-shouldered, sitting on a black steed like a small mountain.

Duan Rong stared at him, not because he was unusually sturdy, but because there was a black mole the size of a copper coin in the center of the back of his neck!

This mole reminded him of the spirit tool of the Ox-Tail Saber he had devoured more than ten days ago in the courtyard where firewood and charcoal were stored!

That spirit tool was at the Small Success Realm of the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber; while digesting and absorbing it, Duan Rong had vaguely seen this sturdy back and that black mole in his dreams!

"Is this a bit too coincidental?" Duan Rong thought to himself.

"That is Escort Liu Ao!" Xiao Yu, who was beside Duan Rong, noticed his gaze and introduced him: "Escort Liu Ao has been escorting for over ten years; like you, he was selected from the Miscellaneous Disciples! He is now at the Small Success Realm of the Inner Breath Third Layer!"

As Xiao Yu spoke, she looked at Duan Rong with bright eyes; her words carried a sense of encouragement for him.

"Inner Breath Third Layer?" Duan Rong's heart skipped a beat, feeling that another piece of information had aligned. He thought to himself: It seems the Ox-Tail Saber he devoured was indeed discarded by this man!

"He has a nickname in the Escort Team called the Nine-Fingered Death Warrior!" Xiao Yu continued.

"Nine-Fingered Death Warrior?" Duan Rong was quite surprised by this nickname.

Xiao Yu saw Duan Rong's expression and smiled: "Once, when we encountered bandits, the enemy was quite strong, and several of our escorts died! Escort Liu Ao was protecting the cargo wagon when his right pinky was sliced off, yet he fought to the death without retreating, which is how he earned this nickname!"

As Xiao Yu spoke, her expression shifted slightly, as if the scene of that bloody battle was flashing before her eyes again.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, recalling the Ox-Tail Saber he had devoured; the handle of that damaged Ox-Tail Saber had been sliced off by a third, which must have happened in that battle, along with the pinky finger!

Liu Ao, at the front of the team, seemed to hear Xiao Yu talking about him; he turned his head and swept his gaze over Xiao Yu and Duan Rong!

Liu Ao had a firm jawline, a prominent bridge of the nose, and cold, piercing eyes, much like the gaze of a beast patrolling its territory.

Duan Rong's expression could not help but tighten, and he thought to himself: The physiognomy books say that a mole in the center of the back of the neck, commonly known as "a monkey riding the neck," is a sign of great misfortune! Moreover, this person's appearance is so ferocious, I fear it fulfills the prophecy of the physiognomy books...

(End of this chapter)