238: Chapter 238 God and Spirit

Han Jingyang patted Zhou Jianjun on the shoulder. "Would I ever harm you?"

Zhou Jianjun shook his head subconsciously.

"Then it's settled."

"But, I still feel a bit uneasy about it."

"That's normal, but you'll thank me later," Han Jingyang pointed at the century-old elm tree in front of them. "Besides, such a big tree—it would be a pity to cut it down. How much could you even sell it for? It's better to make use of it. Hmm, when it's time to build the temple and sculpt the statue, I'll make up a myth for it. That will also make it easier for you to develop the scenic area."

Zhou Jianjun nodded.

Indeed, cutting it down wouldn't hurt, but it wouldn't bring any benefits either.

But if they utilized it, the benefits would be substantial.

As a competent village chief, Zhou Jianjun naturally knew what to do.

So after only a moment's hesitation, Zhou Jianjun nodded heavily. "Brother, since we're doing it, let's do it right. We'll level this area and build a large courtyard around the tree, just like that camellia tree in Mount Lao. We'll plant more trees and flowers around the perimeter."

Han Jingyang nodded. "That's a perfect concept. When the time comes, I'll get professionals to help with the design and set up a Feng Shui layout to get it right in one go. If it's truly efficacious, hehe, your Dongpo Village will hit the jackpot. Once the word gets out, the tourists who come for its reputation will be enough to support at least ten farmhouses."

Zhou Jianjun's eyes grew brighter. "In one go, we must get it right in one go. Not only do we need to attract tourists, but we also need to find ways to keep them here and spread our reputation so that Dongpo Village becomes a famous tourist village far and wide."

There was one thing Han Jingyang didn't say aloud.

What was it?

The 'Old Lady' had to manifest her power.

If the Old Lady didn't show signs of being efficacious, the effect would be greatly diminished. After all, the faith of the people was very pragmatic—even when it came to superstition. If it didn't bring benefits, who would believe in it?

For a small rural attraction with little scenery, if it wasn't efficacious enough, it would have to rely solely on marketing to attract tourists.

However, Han Jingyang felt that the Old Lady should be sensible enough.

After all, she had developed spiritual intelligence, much like the entity at Chaotian Temple.

Although he didn't know how Huang Jianyong or his elders had achieved it, the results were undeniable; Chaotian Temple and this Old Lady were bona fide deities.

Divine and efficacious—that is what makes a deity.

What if she wasn't efficacious?

Han Jingyang naturally had ways to make her so.

Leaving the big elm tree behind.

Han Jingyang followed Zhou Jianjun to inspect the construction progress by the reservoir, nodding as he looked. "The speed is really fast. Old Zhou, the execution power of your Dongpo Village is top-notch. At this rate, it'll be finished by the end of the year."

Zhou Jianjun beamed. "Of course. I realized long ago that in rural tourism, you have to be fast. The early bird gets the worm, while the latecomer only gets the scraps. As long as the first ones to move don't mess up, they'll taste the dividends. And as time goes on, these dividends will snowball. If you hesitate and wait to see how things go before making a move, no matter how hard you work, you'll only pick up the leftovers others didn't want. This is especially true for villages like ours that don't have many tourist resources."

Han Jingyang gave a thumbs up. "No wonder Dongpo Village stands out in the area. You, as village chief, certainly have boldness."

Han Jingyang exchanged pleasantries with the villagers he knew and had a meal from the communal pot at the construction site at noon before leaving. He took a shortcut to slip into Xipo Village.

Compared to the bustling and vibrant Dongpo Village, Xipo Village was like a dead village. It was quiet, and although there were signs of habitation, few people were seen, filling the air with an eerie atmosphere.

Occasionally, they would encounter one or two pedestrians, all of whom looked at Han Jingyang and the two women with strange expressions.

Most of these pedestrians were clearly not locals; their clothing and even their temperaments were very different.

Not to mention their personal auras and internal energy.

With a glance, Han Jingyang saw through them; they were either practitioners of metaphysics or skilled martial artists. There were almost no ordinary people among them.

Were they all here for Huang Jianyong's treasure?

Shi Xiaoya and Liu Jing also sensed that something was wrong. They followed closely on either side of Han Jingyang, their right hands resting on their sword hilts, ready to draw and fight at any moment.

Han Jingyang, however, was not afraid.

This group of 'clay chickens and pottery dogs' couldn't even break his defense. It wouldn't matter if they all attacked at once.

Besides, these people were definitely not one group; they would be wary and suspicious of each other.

One could only describe it as chaotic.

Too chaotic.

All sorts of people were there.

He even heard two young women speaking Cantonese.

When the three of them strolled to Huang Jianyong's old residence, they were stared at even more brazenly by a group of people. There was even a wretched-looking man with a mustache like a catfish's whiskers who whistled at Shi Xiaoya and Liu Jing.

Shi Xiaoya didn't hesitate to flip him the middle finger.

Han Jingyang didn't even spare a glance at these small fry, instead carefully examining Huang Jianyong's house.

How should he put it?

To describe it in four words: a complete and utter mess.

The house was already dilapidated. After being blown up once by Huang Jianyong himself, it had been turned upside down by the likes of Bai Sixing and Zhang Zhiyang. Even the foundations had been dug up. Broken walls, debris, and craters were everywhere. Coupled with the rain from a few days ago, the craters and standing water had turned Huang Jianyong's old home into a swamp.

The addition of outsiders had turned this swamp into a muddy pit where it was impossible to find a footing.

Han Jingyang didn't try to go inside either. He just walked around the perimeter and looked around.

On the outskirts, a group of outsiders watched Han Jingyang's every move intently. Their eyes followed him wherever he walked, and their gazes shifted wherever he looked. Clearly, they hadn't found any clues and were hoping to discover some traces from this newcomer.

After finishing his look, Han Jingyang still didn't spare them a glance. He turned and left, heading straight for Chaotian Temple.

The gates of Chaotian Temple were tightly shut.

Han Jingyang knocked. After a moment, someone asked, "Who is it?"

"Open the door."

"Who are you?"

"Huang Jianshe, are you going to open it, or should I? Think carefully before you answer."

A few seconds later, the sound of shuffling footsteps approached, and a cloudy eye appeared at the crack in the door.

Then, the door was immediately opened.

Huang Jianshe bowed and scraped with a forced smile. "It's... it's you. My apologies, my apologies. There have been so many strange people these past few days that I didn't dare open the door."

Han Jingyang nodded slightly and strode inside. He first went to the main hall to take a look. The original statue of Chaotian Temple had been removed, leaving not even the base. The tunnel leading to Huang Jianyong's house had also been backfilled. Other than that, there weren't many changes.

Huang Jianshe followed behind, explaining busily, "Some people wanted to tear down Chaotian Temple, but the village chief said this is the only such place in the village and it would be a pity to demolish it. Besides, the village can't be without a place for burning incense and worshiping. So it was preserved. The plan is to enshrine the Great Emperor Zhenwu here. We've been looking for someone to prepare a statue and welcome the deity, but because of those outsiders, the matter has been put on hold. I don't know when it will continue."

Han Jingyang asked casually without turning his head, "What about you?"

Huang Jianshe was stunned. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Me..." A trace of self-mockery appeared on Huang Jianshe's face. "What is there to say about me? If they are willing to use me, I'll continue to watch the gate and clean up here. If they aren't, I'll find a broken house to clean up and live in. The policies are good now; maybe the village will see I'm pitiable and build me a couple of new rooms."