Chapter 267

Chapter 267

Incense still flourished at the General’s Temple. Even early in the morning, villagers from nearby had already come to worship.

Eighth Master Chang had to conceal himself to avoid shocking the world. Hua Jiunan stood at the entrance and bowed to each visitor. The “young miracle physician” had become famous in recent years, and the villagers politely returned his salute. Some even asked him to examine them on the spot.

Hua Jiunan never refused. He offered massage, acupuncture, or prescriptions for patients to fill themselves. The temple became livelier still.

The “young miracle physician” was famous, but few people knew the “little bastard.” Chen Daji could only enter the temple and quietly perform his proper duty: kneeling beside each worshiper to kowtow to Snow Corpse.

One was his godmother and the other his uncle, so a few extra kowtows were only proper. They were hard on his head, though. Next time, he would bring a cushion.

The temple finally emptied at sunset. With Hua Jiunan supporting him, Chen Daji barely rose. He swayed, his small face deathly pale.

Eighth Master Chang cackled. “Did all that kowtowing scramble your head? Dizzy? If you’re not, walk a few steps!”

Stubborn as ever, Chen Daji shook off Hua Jiunan and staggered in circles toward Eighth Master.

“Who’re you looking down on? See, I’m walking…”

Before he finished, he vomited all over Eighth Master Chang’s face.

“Holy crap! Was that revenge, you little bastard? I’ll fight you!”

Eighth Master might lose to others, but he had to be capable of handling Chen Daji. He immediately gained the upper hand, coiling around the boy and thumping his head with his tail.

“Do you surrender? I never knew I could fight this well until I beat you! Will you tell Eighth Master to rear up again? Will you still yell ‘giddyup’? I’m a snake, not a mule!”

As Eighth Master reveled and Chen Daji begged for mercy, a voice both aged and coquettish echoed around them.

“Eighth Master, you’re so strong. I truly adore you…”

Black smoke passed, revealing three similar dwarfs inside the General’s Temple. They looked elderly, two male and one female, each barely twenty inches tall and dressed in ragged homespun. They had large heads, thin necks, wrinkled faces, and short limbs.

They were Snow Corpse’s servants, the Oldling Spirits Ah Da, Ah Er, and Ah San.

Ah San, the only woman, gazed at Eighth Master Chang with adoration. Had no one else been present, she looked ready to leap into his embrace.

Her stare made Eighth Master’s scales crawl. Forgetting Chen Daji, he raised his head and retreated warily, then hid behind Hua Jiunan just as Wuxin often did.

“I’m warning you, don’t come any closer! If you do, I’ll whip you with my tail!”

Fortunately, Ah Da was dependable and stopped his sister’s advances. The three bowed together.

“Ah Da, Ah Er, and Ah San greet the young master.”

Hua Jiunan helped them upright. “You three guard this place day and night. You have worked hard. There is no need for such ceremony in the future.”

The Oldling Spirits were deeply moved.

“It is no hardship. As long as the Great General and his wife return safely, nothing is too difficult. The Great General said he must concentrate on protecting his wife from the impact of yang energy. Her Soul Nurturing will depend entirely upon you, young master.”

The three moved to the center of the temple, performed three kneels and nine bows, and chanted syllables no one else understood.

Green smoke rose. When it cleared, two new ice-crystal statues stood on either side of Snow Corpse’s image, lifelike and faintly radiant.

The statue on the right portrayed Hua Jiunan’s mother, her expression compassionate as a living bodhisattva.

The statue on the left startled Chen Daji into shouting.

“Dad?! What are you doing up there? Come down! If the worshipers see you, they might beat you too!”

Hua Jiunan was equally surprised.

“Uncle Chen? What does this mean? Why did you erect a statue and divine seat for Uncle Chen?”