Chapter 498: A Mantis Arm Against a Car? Or Forget It!

"Ping'an, go light a stick of incense for your uncle; after the incense is finished, we'll go home!"

Liu Dongzhu led Wang Ping'an to De Ben's Mountain God statue; as relatives of De Ben, they were at the front of the long queue, and neither the people of Zhang Family Village nor those from neighboring villages raised any objections.

"Dongzhu, why don't you stay here a few more days?"

Li Ping quickly stepped forward, Liu Dongzhu will be here today; after her family's De Ben deification ceremony ends and she returns, it's not the first time she has said,

"You are our brainiac; your uncle still has many matters that need you to figure out!"

"Auntie, you flatter me; actually, even without my suggestions, my uncle could still become a competent Lion Ridge Mountain God!"

Liu Dongzhu's expression brightened; she had given De Ben one idea after another, most of which were accepted and used, and she was especially happy, saying:

"As a Mountain God, there's no need for so many ideas; as long as my uncle devotes himself to developing Shizi Ling and lets the nearby villagers live good lives, how could they possibly not worship my uncle?"

"This isn't the first time your uncle became a Mountain God; I'm uneasy!"

Li Ping gave a wry smile, completely ignoring the strange glances around, as if saying, who is the second‑time Mountain God? Knowing Liu Dongzhu is eager to think of her family, she no longer urged, and said:

"Fine, I won't stop you from returning, but after a month, your whole family must hurry over!"

"Auntie, you don't need to say that; after a month, even if you don't let me come, I'll still come!"

Liu Dongzhu chuckled, understanding that Li Ping's words meant she wanted their whole family to come a month later to the Mountain God Temple for the divine rain baptism, and said:

"For our Ping'an to receive the divine rain baptism is such a good thing; I hope the more the better!"

Before long.

Under Liu Dongzhu's hand‑by‑hand 'instruction', Wang Ping'an lit a stick of incense at De Ben's Mountain God statue, and Liu Dongzhu said:

"Auntie, Brother Chengze, sister‑in‑law, Chengyong, we're leaving; see you in a month!"

"Dongzhu/Dongzhu sister, see you in a month!"

Zhang Chengze, Zhu Lancui, and Zhang Chengyong said in unison.

"Big brother, I'll see you again in a month!"

Zhang Guihua hadn't finished speaking when tears streamed down her eyes like rain, though they were happy tears, and she turned to Li Ping and said:

"Sister‑in‑law, we're leaving!"

She had originally thought that she and her elder brother would never meet again—separated by yin and yang—but unexpectedly, her brother was chosen by the Yama King to become the Lion Ridge Mountain God.

From then on.

She still has a chance to see her brother again!

"Guihua, you and Wang Lin be careful on the road!"

Li Ping gave a reminder, and instructed Zhang Chengyong beside her: "Chengyong, see your aunt's family off!"

Wang Ping'an followed his mother, squeezed out of the crowded Mountain God Temple, cast a sidelong glance; inside the temple, the rather unremarkable Zhang Guilian caught his eye, her incense of the bewildering god filled the area, and he also glanced at his uncle's Mountain God statue, recalling his uncle's recent behavior, his face full of confusion.

He didn't understand what this so‑called bewildering incense actually did; his uncle's earlier condition hadn't been affected at all.

When Wang Ping'an passed by Qi Wenshan, he couldn't help but look up; faintly, he could see affection in Qi's eyes, so he forced a smile, and myriad thoughts swirled in his mind, thinking silently:

'Does this matter have anything to do with him?'

Qi Wenshan noticed Wang Ping'an's smile, his affectionate expression even more obvious, and warmly said to Liu Dongzhu beside Wang Ping'an:

"Madam Wang, from now on you should bring your Ping'an to this Mountain God Temple more often to offer incense; with the Mountain God's care, your children will surely grow up safely!"

Liu Dongzhu nodded, without replying.

This matter.

Even if Qi Wenshan didn't mention it, she would; she hadn't forgotten that her uncle, a few days ago, when he first saw their Ping'an, had told her in person that having her bring Ping'an over often would not only satisfy his uncle's fondness for the younger generation, but also that her uncle wished to occasionally use divine power to baptize Ping'an.

Her uncle himself didn't know what Ping'an would become after a divine power baptism, but one thing was certain: if Ping'an received the divine power baptism from childhood, he would grow up healthy and never fall ill.

Tong Weicai, waiting for Liu Dongzhu to leave the Mountain God Temple with Wang Ping'an, then whispered to Qi Wenshan: "Master Qi, I must warn you, you'd better not get involved with this child!"

"Why is that?"

Qi Wenshan looked at Tong Weicai with a puzzled expression.

'Fool!'

Tong Weicai muttered under his breath, but since Qi Wenshan would present him with a precious Longteng wooden statue, he still reminded him, saying:

"Don't forget, who is this child's biological father?"

"Wang Ruhai…"

Qi Wenshan subconsciously spoke, his words unfinished, oddly saying: "Master Tong, you mean that Prince‑Examiner Wang doesn't favor someone like me and dislikes me dealing with his child?"

This novel you…

'Indeed, a fool!'

Tong Weicai let out a cold snort, but not a hint of contempt showed on his face; for someone like Qi Wenshan, who is unsavory, lacking a brain is normal, and he reminded again:

"Prince‑Examiner Wang has already dismissed Liu Dongzhu, so how could he care about the child Liu Dongzhu bore? As for the other person, it's hard to say; beware that the Prime Minister's Daughter whom Prince‑Examiner Wang married might have designs on you!"

"Master Tong, you mean…"

Qi Wenshan seemed to recall something, his complexion shifting dramatically, and whispered into Tong Weicai's ear: "It's the Prime Minister's Daughter who will harm this child, or rather, will target those around this child."

"I don't know that!"

Tong Weicai replied righteously: "The Prime Minister's Daughter is such a precious person, how could a mere mortal like me guess?"

'What a pity!'

Qi Wenshan wasn't stupid; after Tong Weicai's reminder and seeing Tong's demeanor, he could see exactly what was happening. Remembering his fondness for Wang Ping'an, regret filled his face, and he frowned inwardly, saying:

'Perhaps I should find a chance to protect this child; after all, given this child's extraordinary nature, they are qualified to become a divine envoy!'

Only…

This thought lingered in his mind only briefly before he dispelled it himself; he did wish for Wang Ping'an, but he knew his own limits.

Although he had never dealt with the Prime Minister's Daughter—he had no right to—but she is the Prime Minister's Daughter; even for someone like him, let alone a more powerful cultivator, the Prime Minister's Daughter could crush them as easily as crushing an ant.

Perhaps.

The Prime Minister's Daughter herself is not a formidable figure, but she certainly knows, and can even command, formidable cultivators to act!

If he dares to stop the Prime Minister's Daughter from doing evil, it's nothing more than a mantis trying to halt a chariot—he's just asking for death.

(End of chapter)