331: Chapter 331 This is a very bad omen!

Early the next morning.

Just as dawn broke, a layer of mist floated over the Yuan River, and the distant green mountains were hidden in the haze, appearing and disappearing.

Ye Chen's group of three checked out of their room, had a simple bowl of rice noodles in town, and drove to their destination.

The car wound along the mountain road; the further in they went, the denser the vegetation became and the fresher the air grew.

Over an hour later.

The car stopped at a parking lot.

Ye Chen pushed the door open and got out, his brow twitching slightly as he looked at the grand gate before him.

"Is this the only way to the Miao Sect's inner gate?"

It was quite surprising.

Because a prominent sign hung on the gatehouse—[Wulingyuan · Wulong Village Scenic Area].

Long queues formed in front of the ticket windows, tourists held up their phones to take photos, and vendors wove through the crowd hawking their wares; it was incredibly bustling.

Miao Renfeng stood beside Ye Chen and smiled awkwardly.

"Master, this... is called 'the great hermit hides in the city'."

"Furthermore, the true entrance to the inner gate is deep within the scenic area."

"Back then, to avoid suspicion, the outer gate simply developed this entire mountain range into a scenic area. It provides income and makes for a convenient cover."

Ye Chen nodded and didn't say much else.

These days, who doesn't have a side hustle?

Jin Meiting stood beside him, looking up at the rolling green peaks in the distance, and took a light breath. "The air is so good."

The three bought tickets and followed the flow of people into the scenic area.

The bluestone path wound upward, flanked by dense bamboo forests. Occasionally, a few wild azaleas could be seen blooming vibrantly.

Tourists were in small groups, chatting and laughing.

Ye Chen walked in front, with Miao Renfeng half a step behind, lowering his voice from time to time to give directions: "Master, turn left at the fork ahead. There's a small path that's the only entrance to the inner gate. Usually, it's guarded..."

Before he could finish.

A figure suddenly flashed out from the nearby crowd and blocked the three of them.

"Amitabha!"

A Buddhist chant, rhythmic and resonant.

Ye Chen paused and looked up.

Blocking his way was a monk dressed in a gray robe.

He was about fifty years old, slightly chubby with a round face and large ears. A string of prayer beads hung around his neck, and he held a wooden fish in his hand, looking like an enlightened high monk.

Ye Chen looked at him and said nothing.

The monk wasn't annoyed; he pressed his palms together and chanted another Buddhist mantra.

"Amitabha..."

"Benefactor, this poor monk has observed your features. Your forehead is darkened, and there is a faint malevolent aura swirling between your brows."

"This is a sign of great misfortune!"

Miao Renfeng: "???"

Good grief!

He actually said the Master has a sign of great misfortune?

I think you're about to face a bloody disaster!

Jin Meiting, standing to the side, also developed a strange expression.

Ye Chen was even more stunned, then pointed at his own nose. "Are you talking to me?"

The monk nodded solemnly. "Indeed, it is you, Benefactor."

Ye Chen couldn't help but be amused. "Then, can the Great Master help me resolve it?"

Seeing him take the bait, the monk's expression became even more compassionate.

He pulled a yellow paper talisman folded into a triangle from his robe, held it in both hands, and offered it to Ye Chen.

"Certainly."

"A monk does not lie."

"This is a Peace Talisman that this poor monk has offered before the Buddha for seven times seven, forty-nine days. It has been consecrated and is incredibly efficacious."

"If the Benefactor carries it with him, he will surely turn peril into safety and transform misfortune into good luck!"

Ye Chen looked down at the Peace Talisman.

Hmm.

It was the kind of mass-produced item sold at scenic area entrances for ten yuan for three. It was folded neatly enough, but there wasn't even a hint of spiritual energy fluctuation on it.

Forget about consecration; it probably hadn't even seen the Buddha's face.

He looked up, watching the monk with a half-smile. "How much?"

The monk straightened his face, looking very serious.

"The Buddha seeks those with whom he shares a destiny. We do not speak of money, only of destiny."

"That the Benefactor and this poor monk meet here today is a matter of destiny."

"Meeting is destiny..."

He paused and held up nine fingers. "Then let's say nine hundred and ninety-eight!"

Ye Chen: "..."

Jin Meiting stood nearby, her mouth twitching slightly as she barely held back a laugh.

Miao Renfeng's eyes widened even further as he sized up this audacious monk.

Good grief!

In all his years, he had seen people swindling money, but never like this.

A scrap of paper, and he dared to ask for nine hundred and ninety-eight?

The key was, of all people to scam, he chose his Master?

Wasn't this like an old man hanging himself because he thought his life was too long?

However.

Ye Chen's expression didn't change.

He just looked at the monk and nodded seriously. "Nine hundred and ninety-eight, that's not expensive."

The monk's eyes lit up, and his look of compassion deepened.

"The Benefactor truly is a person of destiny!"

"Now that this Peace Talisman is yours, the Buddha will surely protect you..."

Before he could finish.

Ye Chen had already walked past him and continued forward.

The monk stood frozen, the smile on his face stiffening.

"Benefactor?"

"Benefactor, don't leave!"

"The price is negotiable!"

"If that's too much, how about six hundred and sixty-six? Triple six for smooth sailing!"

"Still no? Five hundred and twenty! I love you!"

"Benefactor!"

Ye Chen didn't look back, merely waving a hand casually. "Great Master, you'd better find another person of destiny. You can't resolve this 'sign of great misfortune' of mine."

The monk stood there, watching the three receding figures, his expression quite a sight.

He looked down at the Peace Talisman in his hand, then up at the three again, muttering softly.

"That young man's body seems to hold a very special power."

"It feels like..."

"Mother Earth?"

"But Mother Earth is female; how could a man have it?"

He thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

Finally, he could only shake his head, put away the Peace Talisman, and turn to continue searching for his next "person of destiny."

...

Ye Chen's group continued up the mountain road.

Jin Meiting couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"A-Chen, that monk was so funny."

"Nine hundred and ninety-eight? Why doesn't he just commit robbery?"

Miao Renfeng added gloomily from the side, "Mistress, you're mistaken. Robbery isn't nearly as fast as this. He can probably fool dozens of people a day in this scenic area. By the end of the month, he'll have earned more than the Miao Sect does selling Gu insects."

Ye Chen glanced at him. "Your Miao Sect sells Gu insects too?"

Miao Renfeng gave an awkward smile.

"We... we do, but they're all just little trinkets, like Protection Gu, Romance Gu, Fertility Gu..."

"The main selling point is that if you're sincere, it'll work."

Jin Meiting: "..."

Good grief!

So you guys are actually the grandmasters of this.

Chatting and laughing, the three soon reached the fork in the road.

Miao Renfeng stopped and pointed to a small path on the left, hidden by bushes.

"Master, it's right here."

"Follow this path inward for about half an hour, and we'll reach the entrance to the inner gate."

Ye Chen nodded and stepped onto the small path.

Jin Meiting followed behind him, and suddenly remembering something, she asked, "By the way, Elder Miao, what do you usually eat and drink in the Miao Sect? Is it like in the movies, where you eat bugs every day?"

Miao Renfeng's face turned green at the question.

"Mistress, please don't listen to those nonsense rumors!"

"Although the Miao Sect works with Gu, we eat exactly like normal people!"

"Rice, cured meat, vegetables, mountain produce—it's no different from down the mountain!"

"Eating bugs is just made up for TV. Who would eat those things for no reason?"

Jin Meiting nodded in realization. "Oh, so that's how it is."

Miao Renfeng breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.

Luckily, the Mistress only asked about that.

If she had asked about anything else, he really wouldn't have known how to answer.

The three followed the small path and gradually disappeared into the dense mountain forest.

Behind them, the bustle of the scenic area grew more and more distant.

In its place was the rustling of the mountain wind through the bamboo forest and the occasional sound of birdsong.

After walking for another half hour or so.

The forest ahead suddenly began to thin out.

Miao Renfeng stopped and pointed ahead.

"Master, we're here."

Ye Chen looked up.

Not far ahead, between two steep mountain peaks, stood a massive stone gate.

The stone gate was about thirty feet high and twenty feet wide, built entirely of bluestone and covered in moss and vines.

On the lintel, two ancient characters were carved—[Miao Sect]!

Ye Chen looked at the stone gate, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Let's go."

"Let's go in and see what treasures are hidden inside this Miao Sect inner gate."

As he spoke.

Ye Chen's group of three stepped onto the bluestone stairs leading to the stone gate.

But in the next second.

The surrounding bushes shook violently, and seven or eight figures lunged out from different directions, instantly surrounding the three of them.

Those people were wearing uniform blue-gray short-sleeved outfits, with bamboo tubes at their waists and short blades in their hands. Their eyes were alert and fierce.

The leader was a lean man in his thirties with dark skin and high cheekbones. His triangular eyes scanned back and forth between Ye Chen and Jin Meiting.

When his gaze fell on Miao Renfeng's face, he froze instantly.

"Fourth Elder?"

The man hurriedly put away his short blade, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply. "Disciple Wu Feng greets the Fourth Elder!"

The seven or eight Miao Sect disciples behind him also put away their weapons and saluted in unison.

"Greetings, Fourth Elder!"

Miao Renfeng glanced at Ye Chen before clearing his throat and waving his hand. "At ease."

"You're finally back!"

Wu Feng looked up, his face full of surprise.

"You and the Great Elder left a few days ago, saying you were going to handle an important matter. Why have you returned alone?"

"And..."

His gaze fell on Ye Chen and Jin Meiting, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes. "Who are these two?"

Hearing this, Miao Renfeng was about to explain.

But Ye Chen took a step forward and smiled faintly.

"Tell your Sect Master."

"Come out and see me."

The smile on Wu Feng's face froze.

The other Miao Sect disciples were also stunned, looking at each other, thinking they had misheard.

Come out and see him?

What was this kid's background?

He dared to demand the Sect Master personally come out to greet him at the Miao Sect's gate?

Wu Feng frowned and instinctively looked at Miao Renfeng.

Miao Renfeng coughed, again wanting to speak.

But Ye Chen's next words followed immediately.

"If you don't hand over the shanhai bottle,"

"I will wipe out the Miao Sect."