I run a Taoist temple in a bizarre world.

Chapter 114 The Three Shocked

Under the imposing presence of the rapidly approaching mountain king.

Without any hesitation.

Upon hearing the familiar male voice, Zhang Guanghai reacted almost instinctively.

[Boiling Blood Death] is activated instantly.

His skin turned completely rosy at that moment.

The rapidly rising body temperature caused the sweat on the skin to evaporate into a mist, swirling around the body, as if the body's blood was boiling and gushing out from all the pores, forming a blood mist on the outside of the body.

The blood seemed to be boiling, and the heart was like a high-performance engine, pumping the boiling blood to all parts of the body.

The fully activated [Boiling Blood Death] granted Zhang Guanghai speed far exceeding his usual limits.

It also granted him a brief respite from the mountain lord's imposing presence, allowing him to move his body unaffected.

He grabbed He Xiaoxiao and Wang Haojing, who were still stunned by the mountain king's imposing presence.

They used all their strength to rush toward the open gate that was facing them!

No sooner had they left than the mountain tiger pounced on their location.

Watching the three figures leave, Shan Jun twisted his limbs, ready to pounce again.

But after seeing the open [mountain gate] shrouded in mist.

The mountain lord seemed to sense something from above, and its body froze for a moment.

It was in that instant that Zhang Guanghai and his two companions were able to tumble and crawl into the doorway.

The mountain gate closed silently behind them, shutting out the cold and eerie atmosphere of this strange world.

It's like getting into a warm bed on a winter's day.

A sense of security immediately enveloped them.

The three, still shaken, breathed heavily, trying to calm their belatedly pounding hearts, enveloped in this sense of security.

It took them a while to catch their breath and calm their racing hearts.

"It's safe now, thank you so much, Brother Zhang."

He Xiaoxiao's breathing was still a little rapid.

But at least she was able to sit up from the ground and thanked Zhang Guanghai for saving her.

Wang Haojing was still in the same position Zhang Guanghai had dragged him into Qingshan Temple, face down, his face intimately in contact with the blue bricks.

He lay face down on the blue brick floor.

"Did he survive?!"

He murmured indistinctly, his tone revealing how fortunate he was.

As a spiritualist, my abilities are more inclined towards reconnaissance.

After awakening the ability to identify traces, his perception of the outside world was greatly enhanced.

Even without using his abilities, he can sense quite a lot.

However, if the mountain lord simply stands at a distance and does nothing, Wang Haojing can at most only sense that there is a demon in that place.

He has difficulty perceiving specific ranks and other feelings.

After all, the difference in rank between him and that third-tier mountain lord was simply too great.

But the moment the mountain king spotted the three of them, he fixed his gaze on them, and his aura naturally erupted.

When Wang Haojing sensed the mountain tiger, he was only paralyzed with fear and did not show any other worse behavior, which shows his mental fortitude.

"Haojing, are you feeling better?"

Zhang Guanghai lifted Wang Haojing from the ground, and He Xiaoxiao supported him from the side. Wang Haojing nodded weakly.

"Um--

It was only then that they looked up and surveyed their surroundings.

Then, they were all stunned.

Is this the Qingshan Temple I've visited before?

In my memory, Qingshan Temple consisted of only one main hall, plus a mountain gate connected by a wall, forming a small open space.

At this moment, earth-shattering changes have taken place.

Two previously unseen buildings each occupied the left and right sides of the vacant lot, transforming the simple space into a neat and spacious courtyard.

In the upper part of the courtyard, outside the steps of the main hall, a heavy and huge incense burner is placed in the center.

There were also three incense sticks inside, burning with wisps of pure white incense.

This fills the air inside the temple with a faint, warm sandalwood fragrance, which naturally calms the mind.

"Is this really Qingshan Temple?"

He Xiaoxiao, who was most looking forward to entering Qingshan Temple in the strange world again, expressed the purest doubt from the bottom of her heart when she saw the almost earth-shattering changes in Qingshan Temple.

If she hadn't seen it, the abbot of Qingshan Temple, with his signature fogged-up head and wearing a loose Taoist robe, would have been standing on the steps leading to the main hall.

She wouldn't even ask if this was Qingshan Temple, but would directly ask:

This is where?

"Thank you—thank you, Abbot."

Zhang Guanghai released his hand from Wang Haojing's and bowed respectfully to Chi Le, following the same etiquette as last time.

Although he was very curious about what changes had occurred at Qingshan Temple, he knew that now was not the time to explore how those changes came about.

He walked to the incense burner, picked up a neatly arranged incense stick, and lit it with the help of the oil lamp beside him.

He bowed repeatedly to the main hall before inserting the burning incense into the incense burner.

"Haojing, Xiaoxiao, come and offer incense. Don't forget the rules of Qingshan Temple."

Zhang Guanghai's reminder brought He Xiaoxiao, who was still immersed in the changes at Qingshan Temple, back to her senses.

The calming atmosphere of Qingshan Temple helped Wang Haojing recover from the daze brought on by the mountain king's imposing aura.

The two stepped forward one after the other, each lit three incense sticks, waved them towards the main hall, and then inserted them into the incense burner.

After offering incense, Zhang Guanghai and the other two looked up at Chi Le on the steps.

But the abbot of Qingshan Temple didn't say anything; he just stood quietly on the steps.

The head, shrouded in mist, was slightly raised, its gaze fixed on something unknown.

Chi Le didn't speak up, and neither did the three people in the empty courtyard.

The vast Qingshan Temple fell silent instantly, so quiet that one could hear the sound of incense ash falling into the incense burner.

Finally, Zhang Guanghai broke the silence first.

He held up a piece of vine in his hand.

The bright, deep blue light immediately caught Chi Le's attention.

"Master, you have once again saved us from danger. We don't have much to offer, but this [Spirit-Nourishing Vine]..."

This is just a small token of my appreciation.

Upon hearing Zhang Guanghai's words that the advancement ritual required the use of the [Spirit Nourishing Vine], and that this was also Wang Haojing's main purpose for coming here, he showed no other expression.

Two *Nymphoides* vines were harvested in total.

What Zhang Guanghai is presenting now is just another one of them.

Without waiting for Chi Le's reply, Zhang Guanghai placed the [Spirit Nourishing Vine] on the steps.

There was no time left for him to wait for Chi Le's response.

Not long after, a bright orange light rose on the distant horizon.

Looking up at the courtyard, you can see the eerie mist rapidly dissipating.

Its daybreak.

Zhang Guanghai bowed to Chi Le again.

"Thank you again, Abbot."

The next moment, the three of them disappeared into the Green Mountain Temple like a thin mist in a mountain stream after the sun rose.

The three returned to the present world and looked at each other in bewilderment.

In the safest place in the world—the Special Affairs Bureau.

The three people who had just emerged from the strange world had incredibly varied expressions on their faces.

The initial feeling of slight bewilderment upon returning to the present world.

Looking back on the joy of successfully completing the main objective of entering the strange world by a twist of fate.

Then there was the lingering fear of facing a third-tier monster for the first time.

Finally, the sudden appearance of the [mountain gate] leading to Qingshan Temple brought a sense of exhilaration, a feeling of escaping death.

Numerous emotions erupted completely in this safe environment.

Other staff members of the Special Affairs Bureau entered this room, which was specifically used for the group of people returning home at dusk to enter the strange world.

"Do all those who return from the Ghost World after entering it end up like this?"

A newly joined employee of the Special Operations Bureau's Logistics Department Medical Division helped lift Wang Haojing, who had returned to the real world, off the ground.

Seeing the constantly changing expressions on his face, the newcomer became somewhat worried.

He was considering whether to inform his colleagues in the same department in advance.

Leave yourself room for psychological diagnosis and recovery.

If entering the strange world would lead to mental instability, he felt it was absolutely necessary.

Fortunately, the employee who was familiar with his work spoke in a calm, as if it were commonplace, and pointed out the key point.

Road.

"Ah, this is considered good."

Upon hearing this, the newlywed's heart sank completely.

Sure enough, I need to hurry up and make an appointment with my colleague.

The new employee, preoccupied with how to ask her colleague to schedule a therapy session, completely missed the second half of the employee's statement.

"It's already a miracle that we came back alive from this strange world—"

After checking and confirming that none of the three had been injured,

Zhang Guanghai and the others were quickly transferred to a special rest room at the Shicheng Special Affairs Bureau.

This room is not just any ordinary place with soft chairs and beds that can be called a lounge.

There is also a [mysterious relic] made by an expert within the bureau.

The effect is to relax the mind of those involved and soothe their fluctuating emotions.

He Xiaoxiao looked around at her surroundings.

Everything around was white. Not only were the corners and sharp edges of the chairs covered with soft padding, but even the walls were covered with soft padding.

Moreover, there are guards outside the door.

This rest area was specifically set up to prevent some people returning home during the day from becoming emotionally traumatized and engaging in self-harming behavior.

He Xiaoxiao looked away and stretched.

"Brother Zhang, not only did we complete the mission, but we also ran into Qingshan Temple. What should we do? Should we include it in the operation report?"

Zhang Guanghai lay half-reclined on the soft, comfortable stool and took a deep breath.

He naturally understood the unspoken meaning behind He Xiaoxiao's words.

The Qingshan Temple has undergone such a tremendous change; should we include this change in the report?

"I definitely have to write it down, but there was too little time before dawn, so I couldn't ask the abbot what those two newly appeared buildings were, or if they might have some special function."

Upon hearing this, Wang Haojing showed a regretful expression.

"If I could include the specific details of these two buildings, I wonder how much of a reward I would receive from the higher-ups —"

Before he could finish speaking, a foolish smile, born of delusion, appeared on Wang Haojing's face.

"Perhaps they'll directly reward me with the materials from this advancement ceremony, along with a large sum of special privilege points, allowing me to..."

"You can shop in the Special Operations Bureau's warehouse like you're in a supermarket?!"

"What I'm saying is—I've had my eye on a certain [mysterious relic] in the warehouse for a long time."

He Xiaoxiao looked up and also began to daydream.

Zhang Guanghai couldn't keep up with their pace; he had always been a self-satisfied person.

"It's good that we have the intelligence we have now."

"With the development of Qingshan Temple, two more buildings have been added. These have been included in the report, and I estimate that they will receive a considerable number of special awards."

"Moreover, there's another very good piece of information—"

Being in the Special Affairs Bureau in the present world, Zhang Guanghai's relaxed state of mind led him to keep the matter a secret.

"What?"

"Brother Zhang, why are you keeping us in suspense now!"

The two of them feigned annoyance.

Seeing the expected reaction from the two, Zhang Guanghai stopped and spoke.

"We first encountered Qingshan Temple in the mountains of Juhu."

"And now, when I encountered Qingshan Temple again, it was still in Juhu Mountain."

Two scenarios.

As he spoke, Zhang Guanghai held up two fingers in front of the two men.

"First, Qingshan Temple is located in or very close to Juhu Mountain, which is why we came to Juhu Mountain three times and encountered Qingshan Temple twice."

"Secondly, Qingshan Temple is not located within Juhu Mountain, but Juhu Mountain is an important place for Qingshan Temple, or rather—it is the place where Qingshan Temple regularly opens its gates."

Ignore Wang Haojing, who has already closed his eyes and is preparing to continue his fantasy in his dream.

He Xiaoxiao listened to Zhang Guanghai's words.

"In other words, no matter what happens, if we fall into the strange world again, we can simply choose the location where we fell in last time, return to Juhu Mountain, and try our luck to see if we can get to Qingshan Temple again?"

Zhang Guanghai's lips curled up, revealing a satisfied smile.

Since his former teammate died in the Ghost World, he and Wang Haojing teamed up until He Xiaoxiao joined their team.

That was the most tiring time for him at the Special Affairs Bureau.

Wang Haojing, this anthropomorphic thing, will never listen to him finish speaking.

Now that He Xiaoxiao has joined, Zhang Guanghai can finally feel more comfortable.

"That's what intelligence is all about."

"In this action report, let's start with this idea and see if we can get some approval from above, to squeeze out some benefits—cough, let's reasonably propose some material needs."

My true thoughts blurted out unconsciously when I saw other colleagues sitting at the door.

Zhang Guanghai quickly changed his tune.

It's fine to talk about this kind of thing within the team, but it's never good if it gets out to other people.

"In short, focus on describing the changes at Qingshan Temple in the report, as well as the ideas just proposed, and the main achievements of this operation. Just write a few symbolic sentences."

He Xiaoxiao nodded thoughtfully.

Wang Haojing, who had been keeping his eyes closed and hadn't spoken until now, opened them and steered the conversation in a different direction.

"Brother Zhang, do you think—the one who cleared out the swarm of black-haired jerboas near the Crystal Lake might also be from Qingshan Temple?"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.

Zhang Guanghai and He Xiaoxiao also recalled the strange situation before they harvested the Spirit-Nourishing Vine: the Black-haired Jumping Rats had all disappeared, causing their plans to fall through.

Zhang Guanghai did not answer, nor did He Xiaoxiao.

Wang Haojing continued.

"The possibility of the mountain lord taking action is almost nonexistent."

"It appeared from the opposite location of where the [Black Flying Rat] exists."

The room remained quiet, and no one could answer Wang Haojing's question.

They initially suspected that the mountain lord had eliminated the group of black jerboas.

Now, after Wang Haojing's words...

The two gradually realized that something was amiss.

Appearing in a certain direction, with no bloodstains on its mouth or body, it appeared precisely near the wooden gate of Qingshan Temple, close to the [Spirit-Nourishing Vine].

Finally, Zhang Guanghai swallowed hard.

If it was really Qingshan Temple that eliminated the [black-haired jerboas] —

Why?

Could it be to help them?

An absurd thought surfaced in Zhang Guanghai's mind and lingered for a long time.

Qingshan Temple will proactively offer assistance to those who return home from the mortal world during the day!

Although I also took the initiative to help them when they were trapped in the "Wolf in the Forest" last time.

But that time, the incense was offered first.

So this time, it was Qingshan Temple that offered help first, and only then did we go to offer incense.

Zhang Guanghai, who seemed to vaguely sense something but couldn't quite put his finger on it, finally spoke.

"The report adds one more sentence: Qingshan Temple holds a great deal of goodwill toward those returning home during the day."

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