Chapter 142: Revisiting the Old Place, Guan Gong’s Blade Manifests

The five holes in the roof were left by the Earth Sect. After the so-called Prefectural City God’s conferment process was completed, the five old Taoist priests collectively came out and returned to the house again.

They didn’t give the master and disciple a chance to see them off. The door had barely closed when they lifted the tiles and left Ping’an Temple one after another.

They didn’t leave any words when they left, only telling Gao Yu’an and An Wensheng to take care of themselves in the future.

By the time An Wensheng led his subordinates to re-lay the tiles on the roof, it was almost the end of the second watch.

“Are you satisfied now?”

Coming down from the roof, he first asked Gao Yu’an. Facing the ghosts and messengers waiting in the courtyard for his orders, An Wensheng didn’t know what to say for a moment.

On his first day as the Prefectural City God, his first summoning of ghost messengers was to help the old Taoist priests fix the roof. Midway, they even had to redo it several times because he wasn’t satisfied.

After all the tossing and turning, he now felt that he needed to establish his authority properly.

Just standing there, he could point out flaws in his work on the roof multiple times.

That old Taoist, his eyes were very sharp.

He had to admit it.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

After An Wensheng and his group came down from the roof, they stared with their eyes as if looking for flaws. Finding none, Xiang Jiannan saw his Master nod.

Tonight’s time was divided into two parts, half for the five old Taoist priests, and then the other half for his Master.

The ghost messengers in the courtyard were all bored. As An Wensheng came down from the roof, the eagerness in their eyes was rekindled.

The Prefectural City God did his job well, but the old Taoist priest under the roof was too difficult to please, wasting time and making them feel restricted.

“When will we depart for the Prefecture? The City God Temple there can’t be without an owner for too long.”

One sentence asked what some of the ghost messengers were thinking. Standing beside An Wensheng, they secretly praised him. The Bearded Ghost Messenger finally got to ask about the matter he had been concerned about.

The sooner the Prefectural City God went to the Prefecture, the sooner he could feel at ease. If possible, it would be best to leave tonight.

In a few days, the imperial documents would be sent down, and the Prefectural City God would need to receive them in person.

Then there was the matter of arranging the seating order. With all the big and small things combined, time was actually a bit tight.

“Why go to the Prefecture? This City God is not interested in the City God Temple there. Ping’an Town is more comfortable.”

After Gao Yu’an finished speaking, his tone was contemptuous. Facing the uproar from the ghost messengers in the courtyard, An Wensheng slowly reached out and pointed north:

“I want to reopen my previous place of residence. I came here today specifically to ask Master Gao for help.”

Place of residence, the former City God Temple?

North? Dense Forest!

Following the direction An Wensheng pointed, several keywords quickly came to mind. The emotions An Wensheng inadvertently revealed on the day the dense forest was burned flashed through his mind. Xiang Jiannan could only make guesses in his heart.

The original City God Temple wouldn’t be in the dense forest, would it? Judging from the information An Wensheng was currently providing, it was indeed possible.

Not going to the City God Temple in the Prefecture to take office, even he himself felt that this kind of thing needed to be reconsidered.

Staying in Ping’an Town, what kind of Prefectural City God would that be? Wasn’t he still sighing before? How come now that the opportunity was right in front of him, he didn’t want to leave the town?

“That won’t do, Your Excellency City God.”

Gao Yu’an hadn’t spoken yet. Unable to endure it any longer, while the ghost messengers were all whispering to each other, the Bearded Ghost Messenger was the first to lose his composure.

The location of the Prefectural City God Temple was very particular. To give up the City God Temple in the Prefecture, what was this new City God thinking?

From what he said, it sounded like he wanted to stay in Ping’an Town. Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?

Within this prefecture, where else was better than the Prefecture? Incense burned there all day long, with all four gates open to people coming to offer their respects. It could be said that they came in an endless stream.

It was indeed the first choice for cultivation.

Moving the City God Temple to Ping’an Town? Based on his many years of experience, the outcome would probably be very miserable.

Adding up everyone in the surrounding ten miles, how many times could they make them happy at most?

“This City God hasn’t even decided on the seating order yet, why are you in such a hurry?”

One sentence made the Bearded Ghost Messenger dare not say more. He just looked at Gao Yu’an. The look in An Wensheng’s eyes was still very firm:

“In the future, I want to continue cultivating with Old Taoist Priest, to repay his kindness in saving me back then.”

Although his words were touching, they only made the ghost messengers in the courtyard even more confused.

Cultivating together? What status did this old Taoist priest of Ping’an Temple have? He was actually able to make the City God so determined.

“I think you want to take revenge for the incense you stole back then. Stop playing tricks in front of Old Taoist.”

He thought his Master would also speak out against it. After waiting for a long time, Xiang Jiannan didn’t expect the old Taoist priest to suddenly blurt out these words. Turning his head to look at An Wensheng, seeing that he had no emotion at all, he had to admire these two great figures.

The bright moon shines on the ditch, you two are really awesome!

It really was the dense forest.

They didn’t discuss it for long in the courtyard. In the end, they actually agreed with An Wensheng’s idea. Xiang Jiannan had no choice but to leave Ping’an Temple with his Master.

An Wensheng didn’t lay those tiles on the roof for nothing. Afterwards, he asked the two of them, master and disciple, to go to the dense forest together.

The work of bringing the City God Temple back to the light of day needed the help of two Taoist priests, and it was even more urgent than fixing the roof of Ping’an Temple.

“Old Taoist isn’t worried that you’ll steal the incense from my temple. You little ghost, you’re simply acting willfully.”

The two of them and the group of ghosts wandered around in the dense forest for a long time. The soles of their shoes were covered in ashes. Xiang Jiannan, carrying Guan Gong’s blade, just listened to his Master and An Wensheng chattering along the way.

It was endless. What time was it, and they were still in the mood to discuss this kind of issue? Don’t look at how the old Taoist priest acted like he didn’t care, in his heart, he must be very worried.

He didn’t believe that An Wensheng insisted on choosing the City God Temple here for the reason his Master said. A City God, his brain couldn’t be that stupid.

Most of the ghost messengers around him had opinions but didn’t dare to say much, especially the Bearded Ghost Messenger, whose expression became very gloomy after arriving in the dense forest.

Having seen the prosperity of the Prefecture, how could he bear this barren land in front of him? Thinking about having to stay here for many years.

The fire had burned it clean. The once lush dense forest was now just a layer of ash under their feet.

Where was An Wensheng’s original City God Temple? Hadn’t it long since been ruined and vanished into the dust?

“It’s here.”

He quickly confirmed the location among a pile of scorched rocks. Looking like he was recalling a memory, An Wensheng, in Xiang Jiannan’s eyes, was just looking at nothing. An Wensheng bent down, his face full of nostalgia:

“Old Taoist Priest, do you still remember this place? That winter, I set off from here to find you to reason with you.”

“Nonsense, Old Taoist, the first time I saw you, your temple should have already collapsed! It’s late at night, are you trying to fool both people and ghosts?”

“So what if it collapsed? Can’t I come over and take a look?”

His sentimental moment was interrupted again. In front of all the ghost messengers, he was once again unable to save face. An Wensheng retorted:

“Although the temple collapsed, the signboard is still there!”

“For many years, I, An Wensheng, have been waiting for this day. Today, I’ll open your eyes…”

Having said that, he reached out and pointed to the ground, blowing away the ashes. A bluestone slab then emerged from the ground.

It was about the same size as an ordinary stone tablet, with the three large characters “City God Temple” engraved on it.

“The signboard couldn’t withstand the wind and rain, so I engraved it on a stone slab and buried it deep underground until now.”

Seeming proud of his wit, wanting his ghost messenger subordinates to see it more clearly, An Wensheng took the initiative to move aside as he spoke.

This bluestone slab was not affected by the previous fire. On the day the Ghost King was killed, it only broke some of his unnecessary thoughts.

Clang.

Just as the ghost messengers were staring at the bluestone slab, wondering what there was to see, Xiang Jiannan, who was standing to the side, suddenly felt that the Guan Gong’s blade in his hand was out of control.

It automatically moved his arm and chopped towards the bluestone slab, shocking everyone and the ghosts present, who were unable to react for a long time.

Immediately after, it cracked. The stone slab that An Wensheng was so proud of was split in half in front of everyone’s eyes.

“Forgetting the past is the beginning of a new start.”

Turning his head to look at An Wensheng, not knowing how to explain, not knowing what evil had suddenly possessed the Guan Gong’s blade in his hand, Xiang Jiannan remained calm in the midst of his panic.

Before, An Wensheng had asked him why he was carrying Guan Gong’s blade, and his answer was that he wanted it to revisit its old place.

Now it was good. As soon as they arrived at the old place, he had confusedly chopped up his own people’s signboard…

He could only hope that the words he had just said would satisfy His Excellency City God. He would at least give his Master a little face. Tomorrow, Xiang Jiannan would definitely spare no expense, choose the best materials, and pay to carve a new one for him…