Chapter 932

Could it be that this eerie Shendao Society truly has experts more powerful than myself?

Then why is the top expert of this You Dongying none other than Liu Sheng Ma Shou?

And this qi pattern doesn't seem to belong to just one person?

After carefully sensing it, Chi Laowen realized this strange qi that blocked and resisted his own qi did not belong to a single individual.

This feeling was just like the illusionary array he had encountered once upon the sea.

"Of course! This is an array!"

Chi Laowen finally confirmed it.

Yet he was deeply curious—did this Shendao Society truly house a master, or was it merely using arrays to deceive and swindle?

"Old master? Old master?"

Tang Du saw Chi Laowen standing at the foot of the mountain, eyes slightly closed, utterly motionless.

After waiting a long while with no response, he grew uneasy and could only speak up.

Fortunately, Chi Laowen had already identified this place as an array; he now slowly returned to himself and looked at Tang Du and said,

"This Shendao Society indeed has some substance. Wait here for me!"

It wasn't that Chi Laowen was kind-hearted—Tang Du wasn't even at the Legendary level.

He couldn't even qualify as cannon fodder for ascending this Shendao Society.

What difference did it make whether he brought him or not?

Tang Du, hearing he didn't need to accompany him up, felt considerably relieved.

But he dared not openly agree to stay behind, so he said,

"How can that be! This Shendao Society is utterly bizarre—my six brothers all got trapped inside.

I'm here to avenge them and witness the end of these treacherous monk scoundrels.

Moreover, you came here on my account—how could I, Tang Du, betray your trust?"

His passionate speech made anyone unfamiliar think Tang Du was a righteous hero.

But Chi Laowen had long known what kind of man Tang Du truly was.

He didn't bother to persuade further—only gave a cold, sharp smile, moved his body, and vanished instantly.

When he reappeared, he was already on the mountain path, over a hundred steps above the foot.

Tang Du, seeing this, felt deeply awkward.

He had thought the old master would be moved by his passionate speech and urge him to come along.

Who knew this old master didn't follow the script?

If he followed now, the Shendao Society was truly too terrifying.

No one knew whether this old master could get him out alive.

If he didn't follow, he had just now played the role of a righteous hero.

What would it mean if he didn't go now?

How could he ever earn the old master's respect again?

Yet while he hesitated, Chi Laowen paid him no mind.

After a few leaps, he vanished entirely at the Shanmen of the Shendao Society.

Upon entering the Shendao Society, he noticed a beam of sunlight descending from the heavens.

It cast the shadows of nearby trees onto the front courtyard of the Shendao Society.

An indescribable stillness, and even more indescribable eeriness.

The vast Shendao Society was utterly silent.

Only a young monk held a broom, continuously sweeping the front courtyard.

Yet this front courtyard had no withered branches, fallen leaves, or even dust.

"Little monk, is this temple inhabited by only you?"

Though the people of You Dongying called this place Shendao Society, Chi Laowen still felt it resembled a temple, so he simply referred to it as such.

The young monk kept sweeping, and only when he heard Chi Laowen's question did he pause briefly.

He raised his head and glanced at Chi Laowen.

Chi Laowen was startled to realize this young monk had clear, delicate features and a full, radiant forehead.

A perfect top-tier handsome man.

Truly the most handsome young man Chi Laowen had ever seen in his life.

A pity—he was a monk.

"Amitabha. Ren Guang greets you, benefactor.

May I ask—are you here to offer incense and make a wish, or to fulfill a vow?"

Whether temple or Shendao Society, both generally enshrined Buddhas or deities.

Ordinary visitors here naturally came either to pray or to fulfill a vow after it was granted.

In Jiuzhou, the Great Yuan state had established Buddhism as its foundation.

These temple rituals and customs, Chi Laowen naturally understood.

But he neither made wishes nor came to fulfill them, so he spoke directly,

"Neither. I came to ask for directions."

"That's strange—may I ask what path you seek?

If I know, I will surely tell you."

Ren Guang said with a kind expression.

"From here, the road to the Central Plains of the East."

General Chilaowen said,

"The other day I set out for the Central Plains, but on the open sea I suddenly ran into a maze formation, and had no choice but to turn back.

I heard people say that you need someone from your temple to bestow a blessing before the journey can be made.

If that's the case, hurry and call your abbot out, have him bestow a blessing upon me, and that'll be that."

In truth, General Chilaowen had never intended to strike directly at this mysterious Ranjiu Society.

After all, though he fancied himself invincible in this corner of You Dongying, fewer entanglements were still better than more.

He only wanted to obtain the second Sky-Fragrant Cardamom as quickly as possible and return to the Nine Provinces — that was best.

"So you want to go out to sea."

Renguang looked enlightened, bowed toward the main hall behind him, and made an inviting gesture,

"If you want to go out to sea, you only need to enter the hall, kneel devoutly before the Buddha, and recite prayers.

The Buddha, seeing your sincerity, will naturally bestow a blessing upon you, Patron.

When that time comes, you'll naturally be able to pass through unobstructed and sail out to the Central Plains."

General Chilaowen was actually a Buddhist himself, so he didn't mind kneeling and praying before the Buddha.

Hearing this, he nodded and asked,

"That's all there is to it?"

"What else?"

Renguang grinned, giving even General Chilaowen a feeling of a spring breeze caressing his face.

730 Little Japs, you've got some nerve

"Good!"

For some reason, just because of that smile, the wariness General Chilaowen had been nursing quietly eased by quite a bit.

Beaming all over, he followed Renguang's guidance and stepped into the great hall ahead.

The moment he entered, two rows of statues lined the corridor on either side.

Only these two rows of statues differed vastly from the statues of an ordinary Fomen temple.

In a typical Fomen temple, the statues along this corridor would be either Fomen Luo Han or eminent Gao Seng.

In short, all figures of standing and reputation within the Fomen.

But the statues along this corridor were neither Fomen Luo Han nor eminent Gao Seng.

Instead, there were no few statues of You Dongying warriors, or of ferocious-faced demons and evil ghosts.

Stranger still, beside every statue — whether of a You Dongying warrior or of a demon or evil ghost — there stood attendant figures.