Folklore: Pre-emptive shelter begins with the stomach.

Feng Mo didn't rush to upgrade; he simply made a summary.

"It seems I can transform ordinary objects into something related to folklore."

Feng Mo patted Xiaobai.

After a while, the panel did not provide any prompts.

"Can't we use living things...?"

Feng Mo then tried it on other items a few more times.

He discovered that, in addition to touching, any item or material within a five-meter radius of him could be upgraded.

Once the loan has been repaid, no other items can be borrowed in advance.

Furthermore, the repayment terms differ even when the same item is prepaid.

Feng Mo upgraded a clump of weeds into a spirit herb. After singing a song to repay the loan, he discovered that the condition for upgrading another clump of weeds was to "dance a dance for the spirit herb," ​​and even the item's attributes changed.

The original "reproduction" has been changed to "durability": double the durability.

The new term sounds impressive, but even though weeds have become "spiritual herbs," they are still just weeds.

That is, it went from breaking with a simple poke to breaking only when you use some force.

This time, Feng Mo did not set off.

Singing is already his limit.

He looked at Xiaobai not far away, who was hiding behind a pillar in the temple and watching him, completely lacking the previous intimacy.

Clearly, Feng Mo's singing wasn't good, even though he chose his best song—the birthday song.

There is no difference between spiritual herbs and weeds.

The only difference is that it's a bit greener; otherwise, there's no other reaction.

Feng Mo felt he had been taken advantage of.

"You asked me to perform a talent show, and this is what you show me?"

Asking him to dance again? Absolutely not!

Similarly, Feng Mo turned his attention to the "mysterious campfire".

He wanted to try to upgrade the building, but instead, a pop-up window appeared in his face.

"Upgrade requirements not met. Please conduct further research at the research center."

Feng Mo nodded.

He knew that upgrading wouldn't be that simple.

The research center is a "special building" in the world of "Sou Shen Dai".

Unlike the items Feng Mo came into contact with for upgrades, these are the building blocks that come with the Su Shen Dai (俗神贷) system.

The construction itself wasn't a problem, but the repayment terms were a bit unusual, requiring him to "write a new kind of bizarre report."

This struck Feng Mo as incomprehensible.

The research center, it really just does research, huh? Even after being reborn, he's still chasing after papers and such!

Now that the study of the "Sulhoudai" (俗神贷) method is complete, it's time to upgrade it.

First, there's the issue of safety.

He can build "arrow towers" or set up "traps" from the "basic buildings" of the common gods.

However, the condition for repaying both items is to kill the Weird, but it's daytime now, and there's no sign of the Weird at all.

If he takes the money in advance, he will waste his entire day.

Feng Mo shook his head; it was clearly not worth it.

If what Gu Zhenren said is true, and a calamity is imminent, he must make the most of every minute and second.

He then turned his gaze to the other buildings.

First, there was a dilapidated wooden hut next to the temple. After it was upgraded to a "wooden hut", Feng Mo needed to sleep there for one night.

No.

If you borrow money in advance, it means you'll waste an entire day before night falls.

He then looked elsewhere.

The "well" outside the temple and the "farmland" next to it are not the immediate necessities.

Finally, he turned his gaze to the "shrine" in the temple.

Inside the niche, the statue was missing most of its body, covered in cracks, and severely damaged. Moreover, the thatched roof above the niche had been largely blown away by the wind.

Feng Mo raised an eyebrow, wondering what had happened to the statue.

"The Dilapidated Shrine of the Five Internal Organs (Tier 1)": It was severely damaged after suffering a calamity. There is no incense burning inside, but the remaining divinity still protects the temple.

Suddenly, information about the statue appeared before Feng Mo's eyes.

It seems that in addition to seeing the information about upgraded ordinary items, he can also view extraordinary items.

The temple of the five internal organs.

Because Feng Mo studied folklore in his previous life, he also had some understanding of it.

The Temple of the Five Internal Organs is dedicated to the True Lord of Heroic Martial Arts and Prohibition of Chaos, one of the twelve temple systems.

This is related to mastering internal martial arts, regulating the five internal organs, and utilizing breathing techniques.

The heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are collectively known as the five internal organs. The ancients believed that each organ harbored a minor deity who governed a person's vital energy and spirit.

These five minor deities don't live in Taoist temples or ancestral halls; they live inside your belly.

Therefore, the "Five Internal Organs Temple" is not a temple built on the ground, but a small physical temple that a person carries with them wherever they go. It is the smallest and most hidden temple in a person's body.

Since there are already strange occurrences in this world, it's not surprising that Feng Mo's folklore has come true.

What Feng Mo didn't expect was that something he had never used in his previous life would actually come in handy here.

As soon as Feng Mo touched it, he immediately received a notification that he could receive the advance payment.

"Damaged Temple of the Five Organs (Tier 1)": A miniature temple for the physical body, a personal shrine. Once worshipped, this temple of the five organs is damaged and its personal function is no longer available. Its reconstruction will enhance resistance to Tier 1 calamities.

"Architecture Entry" Invoking the Gods: Within the shrine's area, consuming Qi and Blood, one can invite the Five Internal Organs Gods to possess them!

The spirits, monsters, and demons of the mountains and fields are nothing more than a punch or a move!

"Repayment Condition: One sacrificial ceremony"

Feng Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.

Just by looking at the description of this entry, Feng Mo felt it was quite impressive.

Similarly, Feng Mo realized that the problem wasn't with his knowledge of folklore, but rather that his internal organs were incomplete and unable to function properly.

Feng Mo turned his gaze to the repayment terms.

"One sacrifice"

Sacrifice is a general term for worshipping deities.

There are different kinds of behavior, such as offering a few incense sticks, chickens, ducks, geese, or old cows; the most extreme example is that everyone commits suicide as a blood sacrifice.

The key to how and how to perform a sacrifice lies in the object of the sacrifice.

However, the "Five Internal Organs Temple" does not belong to any of the above categories; it is extremely special—it only requires eating.

The stomach is the main hall of this temple; the intestines are the incense table; and the food eaten is the offering.

Speaking of food, Feng Mo didn't have a proper, hearty meal.

"Advance payment!" Feng Mo murmured to himself.

In the blink of an eye.

The statue, which was missing half of its body, has changed. Now, the statue, which was missing an arm and a leg, has been restored to a human-like shape, but it is still covered in cracks, as if it were a figurine glued together with super glue. It stands there in a shrine where even the roof tile canopy is missing a large part.

Its overall shape resembles the image of the Kitchen God with a full face and auspicious features. Looking into its eyes, one can feel a sense of benevolence that brings peace of mind.

This morning, Gu Zhenren left behind a lot of food.

They were all just cornbread buns, which was convenient.

After Feng Mo finished preparing, he bowed several times with his hands clasped in front of him.

After eating a few steamed buns, he let out a satisfied burp.

Feng Mo was very satisfied.

After finishing the meal, the ritual of satisfying one's internal organs is complete.

"Loan already repaid"

My stomach was also very satisfied.

Similarly, Feng Mo didn't forget Xiao Bai either. After eating four steamed buns, Xiao Bai nestled next to him with her round belly.

"It seems that Tier 1 items can also be pre-ordered, but the scope is limited to Tier 1."

This advance payment led Feng Mo to make new discoveries about the so-called "shendai" (a type of loan service).

At that moment, the previously carefree Xiaobai suddenly became alert.

Based on the previous two instances, Feng Mo also looked towards the temple gate.

Two figures, one old and one young, were walking towards them on the dirt road not far away.

The old man was about seventy years old, with a hunched back and stooped posture.

The boy was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with delicate features.

The two of them were nothing special, just their style was a bit strange.

Feng Mo only glanced at it before his brows furrowed.

A boy nearly 1.8 meters tall was seen clinging to the old man's back, the two of them sharing a worn-out yellow linen long-sleeved coat.

They were pressed close together, like conjoined twins, which was extremely eerie.

Perhaps because he usually pays attention to his appearance, his long-sleeved jute coat was somewhat faded from washing.

As the old man approached the temple, he spoke respectfully:

"Jiangxia Huang Lao Er pays respects to Shiping San Shao!"

Is it someone looking for me again?

Feng Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.

Although Jiangbai Village was right behind Feng Mo, he had never seen a sidewalk.

Seeing Feng Mo remain silent, Huang Lao Er scolded and urged, "Blockhead! Quickly pay your respects to the Third Young Master!"

He stretched out his withered hand and patted the head of the handsome young man on his back. Huang Lao Er thought that Feng Mo was not speaking because the young man behind him was not polite enough.

"Huang Shang from Jiangxia greets the Feng family of Shiping!" Huang Shang said hurriedly and respectfully.

"It's a greeting! It's a greeting!" He suddenly tapped the handsome young man's head with the back of his hand again. "Even your old man greets you with respect, you're even more awesome than your old man! Third Young Master, you forgot to call me that!"

"Yes, Father... Greetings, greetings to the Third Young Master..."

Feng Mo stared blankly at the two people in front of him.

He had assumed they were grandfather and grandson, but the visitors turned out to be father and son.

After all, the old man was really old; his skin was wrinkled like tree bark, and his hands were covered in thick, yellowish calluses.

"Feng Mo from Shiping greets you both," Feng Mo returned the greeting.

Upon seeing Feng Mo's response, Huang Lao Er immediately smiled.

He stopped and continued bowing: "I am the abbot of the Xisang Temple on the road in Jiangbai Village. I heard a few days ago that the Third Young Master was coming. I only recently finished my work and had some free time, so I came to pay my respects."

After saying that, he came forward carrying a package: "This is a local specialty of our Jiangbai Village, a small token of my appreciation."

Feng Mo thanked him and accepted the gift.

He glanced at it; it appeared to be some dried meat.

Yes, that solved our immediate problem.

Seeing that Feng Mo had accepted the gift, the atmosphere between Huang Lao Er and Feng Mo eased.

He voluntarily walked into the temple.

Upon seeing Feng Mo's current living conditions, he couldn't help but sigh:

"Are you also an ascetic?"

When it came to ascetics, Feng Mo understood why the other party didn't mind his environment at all, and even why Gu Zhenren's attitude had changed 180 degrees.

Even the original owner knew something about ascetics.

The person was quite old, yet had a tall young man on his back who was about 1.8 meters tall; he was clearly this type of person.

He and Gu Zhenren also considered themselves to be this type of person.

However, he seems to have misunderstood.

Although Feng Mo suffered, it was purely out of necessity.

The other party suffers hardship, but that's because they're suffering without any real hardship. Although both involve suffering, they are not the same.

Seeing that Feng Mo did not respond, Huang Lao Er was not annoyed.

Although there are many ascetics, only one can become the master of the secular world. In a sense, the two of them can be considered rivals in the path.

But the other party was completely overthinking it.

With disasters raging throughout the land, he and Feng Mo were merely minor village and temple guardians; how long could their lives possibly extend?

"Does being willing to endure hardship make one an ascetic?" Feng Mo replied.

"Of course," Huang Lao Er said cheerfully. "I've been carrying Huang Shang ever since he was born."

This journey took seventeen years.

Huang Lao Er spoke with pride, and his story of carrying his son for seventeen years had made him quite famous among the ascetics.

There's even a nickname for it, like "Old Huang the Donkey."

Whenever others talk about enduring hardship, they praise him to everyone they meet, and there are even quite a few who feel ashamed of not being as good as him.

He underestimated Feng Mo.

The other person was clearly trying to share their experience of enduring hardship with me, and it was I who had been narrow-minded just now.

Ascetics generally have their own ways of enduring hardship, which can also be seen as the path they will take in the future. This can be called a belief or the root of perseverance. Most people are very secretive about their abilities, and it is rare to find someone like San Shao who is willing to share his experiences.

After all, the more people walk a path of hardship, the more people the great, deceased Lord of the World will notice, and naturally the hope of becoming one of the faded ones becomes relatively slim.

The reason why Huang Lao Er dared to speak so boldly

The main reason is that his ability to endure hardship is difficult to replicate, and another reason is that it is obvious to others even if he doesn't say it.

However, after seeing that Feng Mo had nothing around him, he felt secretly ashamed.

The campfire had been extinguished, the shrine was in terrible condition, the entire temple was in ruins with broken walls and leaky roofs, and even the farmland outside was overgrown with weeds.

This living environment...

The Feng family of Shiping is naturally a large family, descended from the chivalrous and martial arts-based Zhenjun, and occupies four of the eight main temples.

They are—Xingyi Temple, Wuzang Temple, Baibing Temple, and Zongshi Temple.

Among them, there are more than 30 temples scattered all over the country, and countless people have sought refuge with them. They even support two architects.

For such a large family to send a direct descendant to this desolate wilderness empty-handed is tantamount to sending him to his death.

But before the calamity struck, Feng Mo spent two nights in this dilapidated temple, alone with only a dog. When his family sent him to guard the temple entrance, they brought dozens of men with them, and even the family's architect stayed for a month to build fortifications for the temple.

It's true that he suffered, but it's also true that Feng Mo wasn't afraid of death.

Compared to that, what kind of suffering did he endure?

He wanted to continue the discussion, but his face flushed and he deliberately changed the subject: "Oh, let's not talk about this. Since you're here, Third Young Master, you must not know the situation here, right? I, Huang Lao Er, will tell you about it."