Chapter 158: How Did You Seven End Up in Such a State?

The words fell.

Lu Yuan's footsteps halted.

It wasn't that he wanted to stop.

His body reacted before his consciousness could, his soles feeling as if they were welded to the bluestone slab, the hairs on his back standing on end.

The mountain wind still blew.

The morning light remained the same morning light.

But something had changed.

It was unclear from which direction it came.

East, west, south, north, above, below, left, right, it was everywhere.

Had always been there.

Like the mist on the hillside, like the layered shadows within the pine forest.

Like the scattered stones by your feet that you've stepped on a hundred times without ever glancing down at them.

It's just that before, they "weren't moving".

But now, they "were moving".

It was only for an instant.

Only the slightest leak of a single wisp of aura.

But Lu Yuan felt it.

That feeling was hard to describe.

Like walking through a desolate wilderness late at night, suddenly realizing all the insect chirping around you has ceased.

Like pushing open a door and entering an empty room, yet smelling a scent that only belongs to a stranger.

Like...

Something was watching you.

From far away, from very close, from every corner you couldn't see.

Lu Yuan's [Vanquish Demons and Exorcise Evil] system gave no warning.

But that didn't mean there was nothing around.

Because the range of the [Vanquish Demons and Exorcise Evil] system was only five hundred meters.

Lu Yuan's gaze never left Hu Tutu's face.

But in his peripheral vision, he clearly saw...

The shadow of an old pine tree in the distance had, at some point, become a shade darker than before.

Within that tree shadow, something was faintly swaying.

Not the swaying of a branch.

It was another kind.

As if something was, from within that shadow, slowly opening its eyes.

Zhou Shouzuo stood half a step behind Lu Yuan, motionless.

His expression showed no change, but the hand hanging at his side had secretly formed a hand seal.

Lu Yuan, however, showed not the slightest trace of tension.

Instead, he revealed an expression of sudden understanding.

Oh~~

That makes sense. Such a little snot-nosed kid couldn't possibly be traveling north and south all alone, that would be far too strange.

Now it makes sense.

These things...

The Hu Family of Continuing the Lamp, the family that extends the lives of gods.

Following behind her, these must be "gods"...

Unlike those seven gods by the mountain path of Zhenlong Temple, so weak they were almost "dead".

These were truly powerful "gods"!

The corner of Lu Yuan's mouth lifted.

He shifted his gaze, looking at Hu Tutu, his tone exactly the same as before, as if he had sensed nothing.

"Is that so?"

"That's quite impressive."

Hu Tutu hadn't detected the momentary change in the surroundings at all.

She nodded proudly, the two little buns on her head swaying with the motion.

"Of course!"

"My dad said, when we of the Hu Family of Continuing the Lamp do things, we're never doing it alone."

After saying this, she hopped and skipped forward a few steps, turned her head back, and urged,

"Daoist Priest, hurry, hurry! You just said the dining hall is serving food, you can't lie!"

Lu Yuan smiled and shook his head, lifting his foot to follow.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

The mountain path was empty.

The shadow of that crooked-neck old pine had thinned back to its normal appearance.

Only the mountain wind still blew gently.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and continued up the mountain with Zhou Shouzuo.

......

As soon as the door to the dining hall was pushed open, a wave of heat hit them.

Billowing white steam, carrying the fragrance of porridge, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables, rushed straight into their nostrils.

The hall was packed with people, a sea of heads.

The Luo Tian Great Assembly and the Celestial Master Grand Ceremony had just concluded not long ago, and the various Taoist sects from beyond the Great Wall were dispersing from Fengtian City.

Those passing by Zhenlong Temple, more or less, all wanted to come in and sit for a while.

It's the temple of the newly ascended Celestial Master, after all; it wouldn't be right not to come and get familiar.

The dormitories of Zhenlong Temple were already overflowing.

Originally, a room was meant for four or five people; now it had become a common room.

A single dormitory room had to house over a dozen people.

Speaking of which, with incense offerings now flourishing, it was time to think about expanding Zhenlong Temple.

But there was no time to think about that at the moment.

He led Hu Tutu inside, and the gazes in the full hall, as if they had grown legs, swiveled over in unison.

A goose-yellow short jacket, dark green trousers, two little red-corded buns on her head—among a crowd of dusty gray Taoist robes, she stood out like a little sparrow that had mistakenly flown in.

However, with this little girl following beside Lu Yuan, everyone was reluctant to come disturb, only turning their heads to look from time to time.

"Brother Lu! Over here! We saved seats for you!"

From a corner of the dining hall, Wang Cheng'an called out loudly, Xu Erxiao waving beside him.

Lu Yuan was just about to respond when an exclamation of surprise came from behind.

"My, where did this little girl come from?"

It was Aunt Qiao'er's voice.

Lu Yuan turned to look. Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin were walking over side by side, with the Deity of Beauty following behind.

Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er had clearly just gotten up, the sleepiness not yet gone from their eyes, which held a touch of drowsiness.

But upon seeing Hu Tutu, Zhao Qiao'er's peach-blossom eyes instantly brightened. She took three steps in two, walked forward, bent down, and looked over this little one.

"Whose child is this? She looks quite lovely!"

Hu Tutu was a bit bewildered by this sudden enthusiasm.

Tilting her head up to look at the dazzlingly beautiful woman before her, she blinked, then looked at the other gentle and dignified woman beside her.

Finally, her gaze landed on the Deity of Beauty at the back.

Those round, wide eyes instantly opened even wider.

She stared straight at the Deity of Beauty, her little mouth slightly agape, as if she had seen something rare.

The Deity of Beauty was biting into half a frozen pear. Being stared at like this, she also tilted her head, looking back at her.

One big, one small, just stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Hu Tutu suddenly took a step forward, her nose giving a gentle sniff, then suddenly clapped her hands, the two little buns on her head bouncing with the motion.

"You're that goddess!"

Her call was crisp and clear, drawing the gazes of the entire hall.

The Deity of Beauty was stunned for a moment, her frozen pear-biting motion frozen mid-air.

"How'd you know?"

Hu Tutu proudly puffed out her little chest, her eyes sparkling, her face full of pride.

"I smelled it!"

"People from the Hu Family of Continuing the Lamp can smell the scent of gods!"

"The scent on you... it's so, so fragrant!"

She paused, then added another sentence.

"It's even more fragrant than all those following behind my family combined!"

Hu Tutu's words made the people around even more curious.

For a moment, some wanted to crowd forward. Fortunately, after Lu Yuan came back to his senses, he immediately said,

"Get food first."

Zhao Qiao'er covered her mouth with a light laugh, reached out to put an arm around Hu Tutu's shoulders, her voice sweet and soft.

"Come, Auntie will help you get food~"

Hu Tutu obediently let herself be led away, her two short little legs moving swiftly.

Song Meiqin followed on the other side, her gaze falling on the two little buns on Hu Tutu's head, unable to suppress a pursed-lip smile.

"These two little buns are quite adorable, eh~"

"Who tied them for you?"

Hu Tutu turned her head, answering crisply.

"I tied them myself!"

Aunt Qin laughed out loud, reaching out to pinch Hu Tutu's round, puffy dumpling-like face. The texture was excellent; one pinch left a dent, and it bounced back when released.

Soon, the group carried their food and took their seats.

Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao sat opposite, the bowls in front of them already nearly empty.

After sitting down, Lu Yuan glanced at the two of them.

"Leaving after eating?"

Lu Yuan had just checked Zhenlong Temple's job roster. Today was the day for the two of them to go out on jobs.

And it was also the first time since they'd met that they were going on jobs separately, each leading their own team.

Regarding this, Lu Yuan wasn't particularly worried. He'd looked at the jobs these two were taking; they were all simple ones.

Nothing more than running into evil spirits, being frightened by baleful energy, and the like.

The two had followed Lu Yuan for several months now; they could definitely handle such matters properly.

Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an nodded in unison, the excitement on their faces impossible to suppress.

It was clear that for these two, being able to lead teams on jobs brought only excitement, not a trace of fear to be seen.

Lu Yuan picked up his chopsticks, his tone casual yet unambiguous.

"Do it if you can handle it, withdraw if you can't."

"Don't push yourselves."

The same tone the old man had used when instructing him back then.

The two half-grown lads agreed repeatedly, their eyes shining as brightly as if it were New Year's.

Aunt Qiao'er and the others also brought their food over and sat down.

Hu Tutu sat opposite Lu Yuan.

She was really too short; sitting on the bench, only her head with its little buns and her shoulders were visible.

The bowl of white porridge in front of her steamed with heat, a steamed bun and pickled vegetables placed beside it.

Hu Tutu swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

But she didn't touch her chopsticks.

She lifted her head, staring fixedly at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan, stared at like this, was taken aback. Raising an eyebrow as he picked up his chopsticks, he said,

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Eat."

Hu Tutu, however, said with a serious expression,

"My dad said, when you're away from home, you have to thank the host first before picking up your chopsticks."

Heh~

This little snot-nosed kid, really both adorable and polite.

Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er watching from the side felt their hearts melting.

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then grinned and said,

"Alright, alright, hurry up and eat, I'm telling you to eat."

Only then did Hu Tutu grab her chopsticks and bury her head in eating.

She stuffed a mouthful of steamed bun into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out into two balls. Before she even finished chewing, her chopsticks reached for the pickled vegetables.

A sip of white porridge, a bite of steamed bun, a chopstickful of pickled vegetables—the three items taken in turns, her rhythm steadier than a night watchman's drum.

Zhao Qiao'er watched, thoroughly amused.

She picked up a boiled egg from the plate, lightly tapped it against the edge of the table. The eggshell cracked with fine, dense lines.

She peeled it off piece by piece, revealing the white, tender, round egg white.

She placed the peeled egg into Hu Tutu's small dish.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to fight you for it."

Hu Tutu lifted her head.

Her mouth stuffed with half a steamed bun, her cheeks bulging, her speech was muffled and unclear.

"Thank you, Aunt Qiao'er."

She called it so naturally.

As if they'd known each other for eight hundred years.

Song Meiqin also picked up an egg.

Her egg-peeling movements were much slower than Zhao Qiao'er's. Her fingertips gently twisted the edge of the eggshell, peeling it off bit by bit.

The peeled fragments connected into a long strip, winding and twisting; placed on the table, it really did look like a flower.

She placed the egg into Hu Tutu's dish, her voice gentle and soft,

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

Hu Tutu's dish now had two plump white eggs, quite a match for her own round face.

......

After eating, according to routine, Lu Yuan was going to catch up on some sleep.

Aunt Qiao'er, Aunt Qin, and the Deity of Beauty were, as usual, going to play mahjong again.

However, today Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin didn't go. Instead, they planned to walk around Zhenlong Temple.

What for?

Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin were thinking of donating money to expand Zhenlong Temple.

Earlier in the dining hall, while Hu Tutu was burying her head in her food, Zhao Qiao'er had overheard several itinerant Taoist priests at the next table muttering.

"These dormitories are so crowded, a dozen people sleeping in one room, even turning over is an effort."

"Exactly. Last night while I was sleeping, my feet ended up under the pillow of the person next to me."

"Zhenlong Temple's incense offerings are booming now, naturally there are more people..."

The words weren't finished, but the meaning was all there.

Zhao Qiao'er hadn't said anything at the time, just exchanged a look with Song Meiqin across the table.

That little thought in both their hearts was thus stirred up.

Now, after the meal, as Lu Yuan was about to walk out, Zhao Qiao'er grabbed his sleeve.

"Sweetie~ Don't rush off to sleep just yet. The two of us have something to discuss with you."

Lu Yuan's steps halted. He turned to look at her.

"What is it?"

Zhao Qiao'er didn't beat around the bush, speaking directly.

"Now that Zhenlong Temple's incense offerings are so flourishing, forget about these itinerant Taoist priests for a moment. Just think about those who will come to Zhenlong Temple to learn the arts in the future; there will definitely be more and more."

"Right now, Zhenlong Temple is a bit too small."

Aunt Qin immediately nodded from the side, tugging on Lu Yuan's other sleeve.

"That's right~"

"Just now, the people next to us were saying, a dozen people crammed into one room, even the floor is covered with sleeping mats."

"If people have to squeeze in like that, never mind anything else, it just doesn't sound good if word gets out."

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, then understood.

He waved his hand.

"I know about this. We can slowly add a few rooms later, no hurry."

Zhao Qiao'er raised her pretty eyebrows.

"That 'slowly add' of yours, are you planning to add them in the year of the monkey?"

"What's the situation at Zhenlong Temple right now?"

"Pilgrims are increasing day by day, more and more people are coming to apprentice and learn the arts. How can we 'slowly add'?"

Hearing this, Lu Yuan knew what Aunt Qiao'er meant.

These two wanted to spend money to build houses for Zhenlong Temple.

Lu Yuan was just about to speak, but Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin also knew what their man was going to say.

Before Lu Yuan could utter a word, Zhao Qiao'er directly stepped in front of him, hands on her hips.

"We two are your wives. Wives worrying about their own family's affairs is perfectly natural."

Lu Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Zhao Qiao'er cut him off again.

"Never mind our relationship. Even without that layer, based on the matter with the Life-Severing Wang Family back then, Auntie would have to donate a hefty sum to Zhenlong Temple anyway!"

"Besides, the money the White Deer Chamber of Commerce earns, if we don't spend it on our own family, are we keeping it to breed?"

"What are you being so polite with the two of us for?!"

Lu Yuan was amused by her straightforward words.

"Aunt Qiao'er, you..."

Before he could finish, Aunt Qiao'er's apricot eyes widened, her voice both charming and imperious.

"None of this 'Aunt Qiao'er, Aunt Qiao'er'."

"We're talking serious business here!"

"This matter is settled. Anyway, you don't need to worry about a thing; you don't need to concern yourself with the money or the people!"

"Wait until I return to Fengtian City this time, I'll have everything prepared for you!"

Aunt Qiao'er's words were both coquettish and domineering.

Lu Yuan had originally intended to refuse, but after thinking it over left and right...

What Aunt Qiao'er said made sense.

They were all family. Being too particular about distinctions didn't have the feel of a family.

Moreover, Zhenlong Temple really did need expansion soon.

Incense offerings were becoming more and more prosperous. This incense wasn't just about people coming to offer incense; more often, it was clients coming to find Zhenlong Temple's Taoist priests for jobs.

Zhenlong Temple would need many Taoist priests in the future.

Whether from Baiyun Temple, or other places, or those coming to apprentice and learn the arts...

With so many people coming, they couldn't all sleep on the streets, could they?

If Zhenlong Temple remained this tiny patch of land, how could it support this scale of enterprise?

After thinking it over, Lu Yuan agreed.

"Then we must find good craftsmen, famous ones, skilled ones!"

"To give our Zhenlong Temple a proper overhaul!"

Lu Yuan planted his hands on his hips, speaking with righteous confidence.

Since they'd decided to do it, they should do it properly, lest Master Uncle He Xun find fault next time he came.

Seeing their man finally stop being overly polite with them, Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin were indescribably happy in their hearts.

Immediately, Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin nodded and promised in charming voices,

"You can rest a hundred hearts~"

"We guarantee to make our Zhenlong Temple the best and largest Taoist temple beyond the Great Wall!"

The expansion matter was thus settled.

After Hu Tutu ate and drank her fill, she was taken by Aunt Qiao'er for a walk around Zhenlong Temple.

Aunt Qin re-tied two little buns for her, much more spirited than the previous two.

Lu Yuan returned to his room and caught up on sleep for half the day.

By the time he woke again, the sky was completely dark.

The third quarter of the Xu hour (around 8:45 PM).

The night was thick as ink, wrapping the entire Qixia Mountain tightly.

The door to Zhenlong Temple's guest hall was slightly ajar, a faint, dim yellow candlelight seeping out from within.

Lu Yuan sat in the host's seat in the center of the hall, holding a cup of tea in his hands, his eyelids heavy and fighting to stay open.

He'd slept during the day, but having stayed up all night yesterday, this bit of sleep was nowhere near enough to make up for it.

Beside him sat Hu Tutu.

This little girl, however, was full of energy. Her two short legs dangled over the edge of the stool, swinging back and forth.

Holding a teacup in her hands, she imitated Lu Yuan's manner, taking a sip from time to time, then smacking her lips.

Her expression was utterly serious, clearly putting on an "I'm a grown-up too" air.

Zhou Shouzuo stood by the door, eyes lowered, quietly waiting.

The candle flame flickered.

The temperature in the guest hall dropped a few degrees.

It wasn't a bone-chilling cold, but a subtle coolness.

Like opening a window in early autumn, the night wind carrying the dampness of dew gently seeping into the room.

Hu Tutu's swinging legs stopped.

She lifted her head, gave a gentle sniff with her nose, then her eyes lit up.

"They're here, they're here!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the door to the guest hall moved without any wind, creaking as it slowly opened a crack.

Outside was the night, thick and impenetrable.

But within that night, things gradually began to materialize.

First, mist.

Extremely faint, pale grayish-white mist seeped in through the door crack, thread by thread, strand by strand.

The mist clung to the ground, slowly spreading, as if it had a life of its own.

Within the mist, points of light began to glow.

Sickly green, dull yellow, ashen white.

Seven pairs in total.

Those points of light flickered uncertainly within the mist, like lamps in the night, but they were noticeably brighter now than before.

They drifted in, stopping in the very center of the guest hall.

Then, those points of light began to slowly gather, stretch, and transform.

They wanted to coalesce into human forms.

The hunched figure of the Recumbent Ox Stone Lord took shape first.

Still that shabby robe, still those sickly green eyes.

It gave a slight bow, its voice hoarse and aged:

"Recumbent Ox Stone Lord... pays respects to... the Daoist Priest..."

The Spring Mother also took form.

An aura of desiccation washed over them. Her ashen-colored dress fluttered lightly in the mist.

She also bowed in greeting:

"Spring Mother... pays respects to... the Daoist Priest..."

The remaining few also barely managed to condense their respective forms.

Some were clearer, some so blurry they were just an outline, their features indistinguishable.

But without exception, they were all trembling.

Like people standing naked in a winter wind, even with teeth clenched tight, the shivering wouldn't stop.

Seven figures.

Seven lamps about to go out.

The guest hall was quiet for a while.

Lu Yuan placed the teacup in his hand on the table.

The cup made a "thud" as it met the table surface, particularly crisp in the quiet hall.

He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the seven tottering figures before him.

"How did you seven end up in such a state?"