Chapter 63

Under Zhao Danfeng's lead, Zhang Tianyuan saw the two golden statues. It was no wonder that these things had driven the people outside to madness, for the statues were truly made of "gold"! Moreover, the gold was of very high purity, and the carving techniques were highly skilled.

These things alone were worth a lot of money just for the gold, let alone their artistic value. It was only natural that someone would want to take them out, as one of these items alone could ensure a person's prosperity.

"Can I ask a question?" Zhang Tianyuan observed the two golden statues while cautiously engaging Zhao Danfeng in conversation.

"Sure, big brother." Zhao Danfeng was a friendly person and, having seen Zhang Tianyuan's abilities, immediately started calling him "big brother."

"Where did the people who wanted to take these two statues go? You didn't... didn't kill them, did you?" Zhang Tianyuan hesitated for a moment but still asked the question.

To his surprise, Zhao Danfeng was not nervous. He shook his head and said, "Although we really dislike those people, we just drove them away. As for where they went afterward, we truly don't know."

"Oh." Zhang Tianyuan was half-believing, half-doubting. After all, several groups of people had come in, totaling dozens. How could they just disappear without a trace? Even if they encountered danger, like being attacked by the green-haired monsters, it was impossible for all of them to die.

Thinking of the green-haired monsters, Zhang Tianyuan asked, "Are those green-haired monkeys yours?"

"They are ours, originally meant to deal with wild beasts. But a while ago, those people from outside insisted on seeing them. Despite our warnings about the danger, they still released many of them, and we haven't found them since." Zhao Danfeng sighed, "Raising those monkeys is not easy. They need to be soaked in special drugs from a young age, which is quite troublesome. We rely on them for hunting and protecting the village. Losing nearly twenty of them has almost driven the villagers mad. Combined with the issue of the golden statues, we have no good feelings toward outsiders, which is why we suspected you."

"Oh, I see." Zhang Tianyuan was still half-believing, half-doubting, but this time he mostly believed Zhao Danfeng. Not because of anything else, but because he knew the nature of those people too well. After all, those who dared to risk their lives to enter this Shenluo Valley were all after wealth, and their character was likely not good. His group was a bit different; some were here to rescue missing people, some for archaeology, and some for company tasks. Probably only he and Xu Gang were after the treasure, and Zhang Tianyuan considered himself not too bad.

The two stopped talking. Zhang Tianyuan sat there repairing the golden statues, while Zhao Danfeng stood by the door to keep watch, as Zhang Tianyuan had lied to her, saying he didn't want to reveal his techniques and needed to keep them secret.

It took Zhang Tianyuan more than two hours to repair the two golden statues. When the statues, which had been severely damaged, were completely restored, Zhao Danfeng excitedly threw herself into Zhang Tianyuan's arms.

A wave of a young girl's fragrance hit Zhang Tianyuan, and he almost lost control, nearly dropping the golden statue again.

"Be careful, be careful. Don't break it again. The worst thing in repairing is repeated damage," Zhang Tianyuan quickly shouted.

Zhao Danfeng then released Zhang Tianyuan but gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

"Wow, history books are all lies, right? How can a girl who has never left Shenluo Valley, equivalent to a Southern Song dynasty child, be so open?" Zhang Tianyuan wiped the lipstick off his face, afraid of causing a misunderstanding.

This lipstick was not a chemical product but a natural plant red, which did not harm the lips and had a special fragrance.

When Zhang Tianyuan and Zhao Danfeng walked out of the yard with the two restored golden statues, the villagers all knelt down, including the old woman.

"May the Golden Statue Respected One protect us from demons and prevent wind disasters!" The old woman chanted, showing great respect.

This act of kneeling left Zhang Tianyuan a bit at a loss. The villagers were indeed bowing to the golden statues, but since the statues were in his hands, it felt like they were bowing to him.

After the three bows and nine prostrations, the old woman and the villagers stood up. She then instructed two strong men to rebuild the wind prevention altar with the golden statues and said to the others, "From today on, these two are our benefactors. Bring out all the good food you have. We will have a grand celebration today to thank our distant guests. They are not all evil demons!"

The villagers were very excited, and the children shouted, "Party, party, there's good food!"

The villagers gathered at the old woman's door and went back to prepare food. This was a custom in the village. If there was a party, everyone would set up tables in the village square, and each family would bring three signature dishes. If they had no dishes, they could bring wine. Everyone would celebrate together, making it very lively.

The old woman instructed Zhao Danfeng to take out some dried fruits and candied fruits to entertain Zhang Tianyuan and Xu Gang, "We only have these things at home. Have some first. When the banquet starts, we will have a good meal together. Since you are here, don't be shy. The people of Shenluo Village are always very热情 to our benefactors."

"Thank you for your hospitality. We won't be shy then," Zhang Tianyuan did not intend to refuse. Since they were in Shenluo Village, he needed to understand some things. Before that, he needed to build good relations, which would make everything easier.

Xu Gang leaned close to Zhang Tianyuan's ear and whispered, "It doesn't seem dangerous. Should we call Mou Ying and the others over?"

Zhang Tianyuan shook his head, "Not yet. Let's see the situation first. Have you read the manga translated as 'One Piece'?"

"I have. What's the point?"

"Didn't Luffy and his crew receive a warm welcome when they first entered the Grand Line? But what was their final goal? Haven't you thought about it?" Zhang Tianyuan tried to keep his voice low so the old woman and Zhao Danfeng wouldn't hear.

"Oh, you mean it's a trap? A setup? A banquet with hidden intentions?" Xu Gang asked in surprise.

"We don't know yet, so we can't call everyone over. If something happens, we don't have a hero who can fight a hundred people. Even She Lin can only take out a dozen at most. Who knows how many green-haired monkeys are in their village!" Zhang Tianyuan said very cautiously.

After all, this was a matter of life and death, and Zhang Tianyuan couldn't afford to be careless. Missing a meal was no big deal, but losing their lives would be a huge problem.

At this moment, the little eagle that had been sleeping in Zhang Tianyuan's arms woke up. Its injuries were almost completely healed. Seeing Zhao Danfeng and the old woman, it suddenly cried out and tried to attack them with its sharp claws.

Zhang Tianyuan gently stroked its wings, calming it down. This little guy indeed listened to him very well.

"Why does it hate you so much?" Xu Gang asked, puzzled. The eagle wasn't friendly to him, but it didn't hate him so much, so he found it strange.

"Ah, may the Great Deity protect us. This little guy was the one I chose for Danfeng to tie to the pole. It's only natural that it hates us," the old woman sighed, looking somewhat helpless but also relieved. After all, the golden statues were repaired, and they wouldn't have to do such cruel things anymore.