The polite but upright attitude made the four of them slightly relieved, and they approached the high priest and sat down on either side. Liu Shenghan took another look at the stick in his hand and realized that it was just an ordinary ruby. At most, the shape and color were a bit special. It was set on the stick, like a blood-red eye. The robes he wears are also more complicated than those of ordinary priests. They are also made of dark black, but the red patterns embroidered on the cuffs, placket and hem are much more detailed and intertwined, making the original simple black robe look gorgeous and solemn. Furthermore, he has an extra cloak, but it is not a good material worth mentioning.
Those patterns looked like long snakes or vines growing all over the forest. They couldn't see clearly and couldn't keep their eyes on them, so they each looked away and sat down. After the high priest also sat down, they turned their eyes to each other's eyes. Face. Perhaps due to the difference between Jiutian Kingdom and his hometown, his facial features are deeper and more three-dimensional, and his eyes, reflected by the dancing candlelight, also appear lighter than those from his hometown. He has sword-shaped eyebrows and peach blossom eyes, and there is a mole on the end of the narrow eye on the right side. Other than that, he has nothing unique. His appearance can be called Zhou Zheng, but it falls in the eyes of a few people who have seen many gods and monsters. Here, there is nothing special about it.
Now, they don't think this great priest is a suspicious person. Although I don't know him well enough, I can't put my heart into my stomach when facing him. But this human scent made them relax somewhat. Except that his smile was a bit deliberate, as if he was wearing a mask, polite and distant like a businessman.
The high priest was not as domineering as those gods. After asking how many people had not had dinner, he sent the priest who sent them to ask the kitchen to bring more meals. Of course, he didn't invite them in for dinner. While waiting, he briefly asked about the four people's identities and introduced himself. The four of them learned that his surname was Chu and his given name was Tianhe, and he was a high-level priest in this temple. The villages outside are also under the protection of the temple, so he is quite famous here.
Bai Ya then asked, is the god enshrined here also one of the main gods of the Nine Heavens Kingdom?
Chu Tianhe stared at him for a while and nodded slightly.
"Yes. I can see that even though you are guests from afar, you know a lot about Jiutian Kingdom. However, if you still have any doubts, you can mention them without any worries."
The sound of the door being pushed open temporarily interrupted the conversation. Several priests each brought dishes, and the hot aroma made several people who had been walking in the wilderness for several days move their index fingers. When the dishes were served, the witches helped them clean their hands, and then presented small bowls to each person.
The food is naturally not as good as that in Xiangjiguo Palace, and mostly consists of grilled meat. Some of the fruits they had eaten these days had also been roasted and dotted around the plate. In the fragrant soup, some pieces of meat have stewed and tender scales, arranged in a winding shape, like the tail of a falcon, which was probably caught in the swamp. The most special thing is a turtle-like thing, cut into pieces and placed intact in a container that is half plate and half bowl. If you look closely, you can see that it has a sharp beak like an eagle, its head, neck and limbs are covered with hard scales, but its back is translucent and looks like gelatin. Qi Huan took a bite first. The turtle shell had a soft and glutinous texture, which reminded him of the fish balls cooked in his hometown palace that he had heard in rumors.
He did not hesitate to praise a few words, thanked the great priest for his hospitality, and naturally returned to the topic that Bai Ya had not finished talking about just now.
"I think you are a kind-hearted person, unlike other gods who do not follow the way of hospitality. I think the god you worship is also powerful and compassionate. I wonder which god is protecting this place?"
"It's a long story." Chu Tianhe hardly made any moves and ate very slowly. Qi Huan secretly guessed that the priest might have eaten and was just keeping them company. "This is where the Python God sleeps. In ancient times, In the early days, the python god was originally an evil god, bloodthirsty and easy to kill, but was finally frightened by a woman and sealed here."
Qi Huan was quite interested: "A woman? What kind of woman is she?"
"There is no record in the legend. I think he must be someone special."
"Forgive me for being curious, no offense intended... Since he is an evil god, why is he enshrined in your temple?" Liu Shenghan joined the conversation.
"According to legend, the woman reached an agreement with the Python God, and built a temple at his resting place to offer sacrifices for a long time. After that, she left without any news. The power of incense and faith calmed the Python God's wrath, and he fell into The peaceful sleep begins to envelope this land with a peaceful spirit and spiritual power.”
Bai Ya, who asked the question at the beginning, didn't say anything. After hearing this, he thought about it for a moment, but he didn't have much doubts. This is not unreasonable. No one stipulates that evil gods cannot change their nature. Moreover, rumors have been circulating for many years, and there are many ways that the rumors may change, and Bai Ya knows it best.
At this moment, Qi Huan swallowed the food in his mouth, and continued: "This place is quite special. Although it is a bit... different from the outside world, unlike a big town, there is no monarch control. I think everyone is quite relaxed. , living quite comfortably.”
"Indeed. This is a forgotten land." This did not sound like an optimistic evaluation at first glance. For some reason, Chu Tianhe showed a hint of arrogance on his face, "Only the lost come here under the guidance of God. , without others obstructing us, we are like a fish in water."
Lost? What exactly is that?
This is the third time I heard this word here, and Liu Shenghan couldn't help but ask: "The lost... does it mean us ordinary travelers who have lost their way here?"
Chu Tianhe thought for a while and seemed to be organizing his words to explain to her.
"Yes, but not entirely. The people who live here are all people who are not recognized by the outside world and are confused about their own beliefs and even their own existence. Some of them have experienced suffering or malice from heaven, and have suffered physical injuries. Some people are disabled, or their hearts are broken. Some people are excluded, some are exiled, and some monsters are even expelled because they are friendly to humans. Others are just unique and insist on themselves. They may not hurt others or suffer, but Still incompatible with the mediocrity around them... All these people can find guidance and shelter here."
"The body of the Python God is sealed in this land, but his spirit will not be imprisoned. The same is true for his will - transcending all shackles. The Python God accepts all those who want to change the past and gives them complete freedom. In his In this realm, we are not bound by the secular world. Everyone is an alien and a lost person, so we are no different and we all find our home here."
"Some people hear the rumors and yearn for it; some people are lost on the road and bump into it by mistake. As long as they step into this forest, they will feel the call of the underworld, follow the guidance of the python god, and arrive at this free place of forgetfulness. Land." Chu Tianhe concluded, half-truthfully, "Perhaps it is God's will that you can find it in the vast swamp. This is also why I am different from some of the divine envoys you have met. After all, You are not only my guests, you may also be the gods that I have devoted my body and soul to. I can’t help but welcome you when you are invited here.”
These words were said politely, so the four of them descended down the slope to express their gratitude and praise. Bai Ya suddenly seemed to remember something and asked the high priest a question.
"Excuse me... do you have a person named Bai Sha and a person named Jun Ranjiu here?"
"This..." Chu Tianhe thought for a while, "Some people have forgotten or abandoned their names when they came here. It cannot be found by their names alone. Some people even left behind their past identities. Why don't you explain it in more detail?"
Jun Aoyan also reacted. So the two of them described the person they were looking for vividly, especially Baisha's steel arm. But after they finished speaking, Chu Tianhe just shook his head and told them that there were neither people with weapons as arms nor soldiers with sound limbs here. As for the identities of the two people, they just explained that these two people were separated from them, and they did not go into more details.
Chu Tianhe promised them that if there was any new news, he would tell it to them. Although it may be just polite, this attitude is much more polite than other so-called gods. For a time, the whole group was in harmony, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves. At this moment, there was a knock on the door again.
"Enter."
"...Ah, you were receiving guests, but I interrupted you rudely. I'll take a step first, and wait until you finish, I will -"
"Stop!"
Bai Ya had recognized the person before the smooth voice sounded. At this time, he suddenly stood up and said coldly to the monster who was about to shrink his head at the door. Yan Yan really lived up to his status as a snake demon. His hands were slippery and he could bend and stretch them. Seeing that there was no way to avoid him, he smiled at Bai Ya without embarrassment. His cold snake eyes swept across the people who were glaring at him:
"Unexpectedly, you are all still alive. You are so powerful. I admire you."
It's jarring no matter how you listen to it.
Chu Tianhe noticed the smell of gunpowder between the two parties and spoke in time: "Do you know each other? Why don't we sit down together? If you have anything to say, sit down and talk slowly."
"Farewell, we can't talk about it. The way you look at these people makes you want to eat me alive. The dishes at your banquet are sumptuous enough, and I don't want to be a side dish."
Yan? He was talking and laughing, but his expression was obviously not very happy. He decisively slammed the door before Bai Ya could get angry, and ran away like that.
Just as Bai Ya was about to give chase, Chu Tianhe stood up and pressed heavily on his shoulder, obviously refusing to allow it. From the words of the snake demon, Bai Ya could naturally tell that he was an acquaintance of the temple and thought that the great priest was going to attack. While he was weighing his disagreement, Chu Tianhe sat down first, his tone still calm.
"Eat first, then you can slowly talk to me."
Don't reach out to hit the smiling person. Moreover, since they bump into him, they are not afraid of Yan? He will run away immediately. Bai Ya held his breath and calmed down again and again, and sat back down stiffly. Next to him, Qi Huan also explained to the great priest:
"My brother has a bad temper, but I don't blame him. We all have some opinions about your guest just now. We didn't start a fight on the spot. It's really thanks to your hospitality. For your sake, let's call it a truce for the time being."
Qi Huan used a joking tone to calm things down, but Chu Tianhe didn't care and responded to his words: "It's a good deal, I'll remember it. It's just that Yan? has been stationed here for many years and is considered a reliable person. Between you two , is there any misunderstanding?"
"To say it's a misunderstanding, I'm really trying to force it out." Qi Huan smiled sincerely, "We just met him earlier, and we were very polite. He was better, he took us directly to the ditch and threw him to one of his friends. , that one almost killed us and robbed us of our valuable things..."
"Something valuable?"
"Well, they are some valuable items. In short, thanks to this guy, we suffered a lot and almost died. This is not the case. Enemies meet on a narrow road. Do you think we can avoid fighting when we meet him?"
"This is actually happening." Chu Tianhe touched his chin and frowned slightly. It seems that he is also quite dissatisfied with these things, but since the authenticity needs to be verified, he does not dare to break out. Qi Huan and Jun Aoyan picked and picked again, sorted out the truth of the matter, and gave a summary. The high priest also listened to everything in his heart, sometimes showing worry, sometimes nodding in agreement.
During the dinner, only Bai Ya and Liu Shenghan remained silent, eating their meals quietly, seemingly thinking about their own affairs.
Recommended: The Witch Doctor Awakens to read on your mobile phone.
