I Can See Your Combat Power

Chapter 911: Chapter 205: Temple of Klaho

Tang Luo lowered his head to look at the skinny black boy and said indifferently, “In the tavern, you’re the only one left who can speak the official language.”

He wasn’t stupid, even if some people pretended not to speak the official language, he could think of ways to trick it out of them. However, as soon as they heard he was going to Nede City, they acted as if it was the deepest secret. Upon further questioning, he found out that Nede was originally the sacred city of Vimazhita, accessible only to nobility, immortals, and monks. Commoners who wanted to get close could only do so by becoming a servant to some noble or immortal.

And all the people in the tavern were commoners, who fundamentally couldn’t approach Nede City. Originally, Tang Luo wanted to forcefully take someone with him, but he found that as soon as he had the thought, the man who could speak the official language tore his own vocal cords with spiritual power, followed by the others copying him. This infuriated Tang Luo so much that he knocked them out cold, so now, the skinny black boy had become the only person who could serve as his translator and guide.

But the boy didn’t know any of this, and after hearing Tang Luo’s words, he shuddered, his voice trembling, “You…you cut off their tongues?”

The man wearing the Gou Chen Mask didn’t speak, only those calm, water-like eyes looked down upon him, Dongzhi bit his teeth and said, “Then…you might as well cut off my tongue too!”

As long as he could open the door and let Ah Mei become the Holy Maiden tomorrow, what did it matter if he were to become mute afterward?

Hearing Dongzhi’s request, Tang Luo became quite curious. The man was clearly afraid of death. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have knelt on the ground in fright as soon as he entered the tavern, and the reason he dared to roar at him from the sky and then begged to cut off his tongue after landing was that there was something more important than life to protect, which was quite different from what he had learned in the tavern.

“People in the tavern say that you’ve been an orphan since childhood and even your only sister couldn’t stand the poverty of a commoner’s life and ran away to Hyderabad. As long as there is money to be made, you would do anything. Others are afraid of being punished by the nobles and don’t dare to leave. But you, an unencumbered orphan, why aren’t you willing to make this trip?” Tang Luo asked leisurely, a hint of playfulness in his eyes behind the mask, his voice raspy, “Could it be that there’s someone or something in this city that you can’t let go of?”noveldrama

Dongzhi’s face turned pale in an instant. He waved his hands frantically, “No…nothing, no attachments. It’s just that the boy thought about the gold coins at home, and thought that if he went to Nede City, he would certainly be plundered by the nobles inside, which is why he was so anxious and flustered, offending you, sir!”

Originally thinking the skinny black boy was cunning, but seeing the hastily made-up excuses riddled with errors, if he were really only worried about some small wealth, how could he act so recklessly? It seemed there must be something or someone very important hidden in his home.

Tang Luo, behind the mask, suddenly laughed, deciding to tease the boy who was full of lies. His voice raspy, he asked, “How many gold coins have you left at home?”

Dongzhi’s heart chilled. He hadn’t expected Tang Luo to inquire about such details. After thinking carefully about how the other party had casually tossed out a money pouch when leaving the tavern, he clenched his teeth and said, “Over the years, the boy has saved up several thousand gold coins at home, along with two gold bars. Please, sir…”

“Then there’s no need to go back.”

The raspy voice interrupted Dongzhi’s words, followed by the sound of something hard hitting the ground.

“Dang, dang dang, dang dang dang.”

The snowfield under the moonlight was as bright as day, almost blinding Dongzhi with the dazzling golden light. Dozens of gold bars as thick as a forearm were piled up in front of him, he had never seen so much gold in his life, and more importantly, where on earth could the mask-wearing stranger have produced so much gold from.

“Go with me to Ned, and these gold bars are yours,” coaxed the hoarse voice. “With this money, you can start anew in another city. It’s said that on Vimazhita Plain, as long as you donate enough to the temple, you can cleanse the sins of your past life, turning a commoner into a noble, and a noble into a celestial. These gold pieces should be enough for you to ascend the social ladder. So, can you leave now?”

Dongzhi was cornered by his own excuses. If it really were about money, then he should be clutching these gold bars to his chest, but all he wanted was to open the door for Amei.

Thudding his head hard against the ground, Dongzhi bit his lower lip, wrestling with the turmoil in his heart. He dared not reveal his sister’s whereabouts to the masked stranger before him, nor could he just follow him and leave, fearing that a lie would trap him in a dead end once again. He now only wanted to kill himself with one swift cut.

“What’s the matter, is it not enough for you?” Tang Luo’s hoarse voice rose again, dissatisfied, “Or is going back to get the money just an excuse?”

The fierce aura rose again, shoving aside the snow around them, nearly making it impossible for Dongzhi to breathe. The shattering terror and fear once again wrapped around his heart.

With no way out, Dongzhi could only tell the truth, “Please, let me return home once more; after that, I will go to the holy city with you. I am willing to die there!”

The pressure bearing down on him suddenly dispersed, and from above, the hoarse voice said, “You should have made that request back at the tavern.”

Dongzhi lifted his head, tears streaming down his face, looking at the masked stranger in disbelief.

Swept up by the shoulders once more, soaring into the sky, Dongzhi had a different sensation this time. On closer thought, the mask-wearing stranger, despite the frightening display of power, had not done anything extreme. The people in the bar were all alive and well, and the stranger had even left a bag of coins before departing.

With that in mind, Dongzhi suddenly mustered up the courage to ask a question, “My lord, what are you going to do in the holy city?”

His voice scattered by the rushing cold wind, Dongzhi thought his words weren’t heard, but soon he received an answer, “To see the Asura God Statue. We’ve arrived!”

Looking down, the two had returned to the outskirts of familiar Hyderabad city, before Dongzhi could regain his senses.

Recalling the recent brush with death, he couldn’t help but feel sorrow well up, saying in a lament, “My lord, if you just want to see the guardian statue, Hyderabad has one, too!”

Dongzhi pointed to the grand and magnificent Kroh Temple, pleading with Tang Luo, “This temple has the Gou Chen Mask guardian god statue. If you wish to see it, you can visit it after tomorrow’s Sacred Maiden Ceremony by making a donation. Why go to Ned?”

“Huh!?” Tang Luo sounded puzzled, “Isn’t it said that the Asura God Statue is only in the Vita Temple in Ned?”

Dongzhi patiently explained, “Since you’ve come to Hyderabad, you must have seen many pilgrims and ascetics, right? They come from all tribes of Vimazhita Plain, traveling great distances to pay homage, with the aim of worshipping the Gou Chen Mask guardian god. If lucky, they might coincide with the temple’s opening and be able to enter to pay their respects, and if exceptionally fortunate, they may even receive the guardian god’s blessing!”