Chapter 355: Strange

"Doubt?"

Xia Nan naturally wouldn't ignore the old priest's approach.

Although it sounded a bit mystical and carried the unique religious flavor of clergy, he still felt the friendliness in the other party's words.

Combined with what he had just learned from the two farm women about Priest Moxi's high prestige and past deeds in Yangjiao Town, he had a quite good impression of this white-haired, hale, and hearty old man.

Taking two steps forward, while nodding to signal, he introduced:

"Hello, I am Xia Nan, a passing adventurer."

Without revealing too much information, he only gave his name and a vague background identity. Of course, as for the latter, as long as one had a little experience in reading people, one could see it from his clothing and attire.

But unexpectedly, Priest Moxi seemed to really know him. His brown, turbid eyes turned, and his gaze lingered slightly on Xia Nan's armor and sword hilt:

"Mr. Huolake's caravan, is it?"

"You know him?" Xia Nan raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling surprised in his heart.

"Of course."

On the priest's face, which was filled with deep furrows, that friendly and gentle smile still hung, and he explained to Xia Nan very patiently.

"A formal member of the Golden Wheat Chamber of Commerce is a very rare distinguished guest for a remote, desolate, and dilapidated small town like our Yangjiao Town."

"If we could be fortunate enough to reach a cooperation with Mr. Huolake's caravan, it would be a great thing for the ordinary residents of the town."

Moxi's words were sincere and earnest. He didn't feel superior because of his status as a priest, but instead, very much in line with his personality and style, put the needs of the townspeople first.

And it wasn't flattery.

As a powerful chamber of commerce organization with a considerable sphere of influence in several nearby provinces, especially in the Pan Yun Province, the resources and power that the Golden Wheat Chamber of Commerce could mobilize were terrifying.

Huolake was a formal member of the Golden Wheat Chamber of Commerce. Even if he wasn't a high-level figure who could decide the direction of the chamber's resource allocation, the fact that he possessed the status of a member also proved his economic strength from the side, belonging to one of the top big merchants in a certain area.

If Yangjiao Town could really reach a long-term cooperation with the other party, it would indeed make the lives of the townspeople better, as Priest Moxi said.

"Yesterday was the first time I met Huolake. He is a generous and kind gentleman. It's just a pity that time was tight. I had to go back to the church for prayer and worship. Mr. Huolake seemed to be busy looking for something, so we couldn't have an in-depth discussion about cooperation."

"Fortunately, I heard that the other party will stay in our town for a while. I hope there will be an opportunity to communicate with this gentleman later."

Moxi's smile was like a field after careful cultivation, warm and orderly.

But the next second, as if sensing something in Xia Nan's brief silence, his body leaned forward subconsciously, putting on a look of earnest listening, his tone sincere:

"What's wrong, Mr. Xia Nan?"

"Didn't Huolake tell you?" Xia Nan shook his head gently, "We are only taking a short rest in Yangjiao Town and will leave in a few days."

"If you have anything you want to discuss with him, I suggest you find an opportunity to find him at the inn."

Before Xia Nan came into contact with the pastel gem and lifted the mental charm effect for Huolake, the other party really intended to stay in Yangjiao Town for a long time to investigate the situation related to the gem.

But now, just last night, after he absorbed the energy in the gem into the 【Dream-Weaving Corridor】, the merchant from Niumu, without the gem's mental control, changed his plan and intended to process the caravan's goods as quickly as possible and leave here immediately.

As soon as the words fell, Xia Nan keenly noticed that the white-haired old man in a simple priest's robe in front of him, the kindness filled in those black-brown eyes, froze for a very short moment, just like a light spot shaking with the branches and leaves under the shade of a tree.

His large hand, full of calluses, rubbed imperceptibly on the white wax wood staff, and the anomaly passed in a flash, so fast that one doubted whether it was their own illusion.

"Ah, a wise decision." Without seeing any strange color, Moxi smiled warmly, with a sense of appropriate emotion in his words, "The world is vast, and one should indeed not stay in such a corner for too long."

"It's just..." He changed the subject, just like a farmer inadvertently pushing aside crops to check the soil, extremely natural.

"Yesterday, Mr. Huolake mentioned to me that he liked the atmosphere of Yangjiao Town very much, and the enthusiastic townspeople and rich products here made him linger. I thought he would stay for a few more days."

Moxi's wording was cautious and not offensive at all, as if he were just curious about the reason for Huolake changing his plan.

Xia Nan certainly couldn't tell the other party that Huolake decided not to stay long because the 【Dream-Weaving Corridor】 in his hand absorbed the gem's energy and lifted the charm state.

Without showing any expression on his face, he just followed the other party's words and replied vaguely in a flat tone:

"Plans always fail to keep up with changes. Mr. Huolake might have more important things to deal with."

Xia Nan could detect that when he was speaking, Priest Moxi's seemingly casual gaze was carefully tracing every change in his facial expression, as if trying to find something from his face.

But strangely, he didn't know whether it was because the farm women's praise made his impression of the priest in front of him too good, or because of the special temperament of the priest under the 【Goddess of Agriculture】 Chauntia, he didn't feel offended by the other party's gaze at all, only feeling that an elder was looking at him with concern.

Fortunately, as a professional, his muscle control ability was excellent, and he always maintained a calm and waveless state on his face. Unless the other party possessed some kind of mind-reading ability, it was absolutely impossible to see any abnormality from the surface.

"Hehe, child, you are right."

Moxi was still as calm as he was at the beginning.

"But because change is eternal, plans appear precious."

"Just like an excellent gardener, he will never stop working because of sudden wind and rain. He will learn to observe the celestial phenomena and follow nature."

Too cultured...

Xia Nan couldn't help but slander in his heart.

Although he could roughly understand what the other party meant, for this kind of words full of religious philosophy and life philosophy, he really didn't know how to reply so as not to show weakness.

Considering that the atmosphere was a bit subtle, thinking that "saying more leads to more mistakes," he closed his mouth and just returned a polite and decent smile.

The air over the square suddenly fell into dead silence.

Just at this time, Xia Nan's gaze swept over the closed church by the square, and as thoughts flashed in his heart, a probing inquiry had already blurted out.

"The church... is it not open today?"

The muscles on Priest Moxi's face stiffened imperceptibly for a moment. His gaze followed Xia Nan's pointing and looked over, his eyes sweeping over the heavy wooden door engraved with the Goddess's holy emblem. The kindness and softness in his eyes were like ripples in the water, hiding some deeper emotions in the slight fluctuation.

*Thump*———

It was the crisp sound of the white wax wood staff clicking on the square floor tiles. ===== CHAPTER 356 =====