Chapter 35

Ding Ning jogged all the way to the entrance of the Guandi Temple. The large brass lock on the door was still the one he had locked when he left. Seeing this lock, Ding Ning's heart immediately sank. When he left, his master had already been gone for three days, and it had been five days since he went to the seaside, a total of eight days, and his master still hadn't returned. Didn't he say he would be back in three to five days? With some worry, he opened the lock. Inside the Guandi Temple, it was cold and empty, with no one around, only the golden statue of Guandi remained majestic. Ding Ning took the incense and candles inside, lit them, and bowed to Guandi, then inserted them into the incense burner. After that, he sat at the entrance, lost in thought. A bus came from the distant road, the last bus to Qingshan Village, and some people got off one by one. Even after the bus left, Ding Ning didn't see his master's figure. Beyond Dasha Mountain was a neighboring county, where there was a Yuejia Village. Although it was called Yuejia Village, it was actually a town, about twenty kilometers away from Qingshan Village, where his master had gone. In Ding Ning's memory, his master was always punctual and trustworthy, and he usually returned when he said he would. This was the first time such a situation had happened. What happened in Yuejia Village? Why did his master go there in person and not return on time? The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Ding Ning felt. His master had even taken the large guandao. Could it be that he knew there would be a fight? Right, when he left, he said there was some trouble there, and he needed to go and check it out. Since there was trouble, it must not be peaceful. No, I have to find my master! Ding Ning had a deep bond with his master. In his world, only his mother and his master were the most important people to him. If it were before, he might not have been able to help his master at all, but now he was a cultivator, and although the world was vast, he could go anywhere. After making up his mind, Ding Ning closed the door of the Guandi Temple again and then went home. When he got home, his mother had already prepared the meal. The two of them had a long-awaited hot pot. Ding Ning had won a prize, and although the money wasn't much, it could significantly improve their life. Both of them were very happy, and they enjoyed the meal with high spirits. "Mom, I plan to go to Yuejia Village." Ding Ning helped his mother clear the dishes. Seeing his mother in her new clothes, he said casually, "Why are you going there?" "I just graduated from junior high school, and my classmates want to gather. They chose Yuejia Village as the location, and I want to go." "That's good. You're all going to high school now, and you'll be far apart. Who knows when you'll see each other again. You can go. When are you leaving?" "Today." "Ah! Today? But there are no more buses at this time." "It's okay. I'll wait by the road; someone will definitely give me a ride." Although Thirteen Lady had only one child, she never spoiled him. Besides, she didn't think going to Yuejia Village was a problem. "You can try. If there's really no car, come back and go tomorrow morning." "Mom, don't worry. Hehe, don't go out with me in this new dress." With his mother's permission, Ding Ning felt much better and teased her. "Why?" Thirteen Lady was wearing the new clothes Ding Ning had bought. It had to be said that Ding Ning had good taste. The dark blue dress was elegant and refined, making Thirteen Lady look even more graceful. "Because if you go out like this, others will think you're my sister." "This kid...! You're asking for a beating!" Thirteen Lady blushed and hit her son. "Get lost, remember to come back early. School is starting soon." ***** Ding Ning changed into his newly bought black T-shirt and long pants, feeling a bit slimmer, probably around 190 pounds. Leaving home, Ding Ning walked to the roadside. To get to Yuejia Village, he had to take the mountain-crossing road, which was forty miles from Qingshan Village. Ding Ning didn't want to walk there. Occasionally, vehicles passed by, and Ding Ning waved to intercept them. But none of the cars stopped for him. After about half an hour, Ding Ning felt a bit discouraged. He realized it was already dusk, and he was a 1.8-meter-tall fat guy in black clothes standing by the road, so it was strange if someone did stop. "I'll try one more time. If the next car doesn't stop, I'll go tomorrow." With this resolve, Ding Ning waited by the road. About five minutes later, a car came speeding by. Ding Ning was a boy and had a love for cars. He recognized it immediately as a new white BMW X6M SUV, which cost over two million. Generally, such a car wouldn't pick up strangers. If it were before, Ding Ning would have let it go, but he had already decided to try one last time. How could he give up just because the car was nice? That was the mentality of a poor person fearing the rich. I'm not a poor person; I'm a cultivator. Driven by the desire to prove he wasn't a poor person, Ding Ning raised his hand to stop the car. "Whoosh!" The BMW sped past, leaving a trail of dust. "Pah pah pah!" Ding Ning spat out the dust. "Why are you running so fast? I'm not a robber." Not intercepting the last car, Ding Ning was about to give up and go home, feeling dejected. Suddenly, the sound of a car engine came from behind him, and a clear horn sounded. Ding Ning turned back and saw that the BMW that had sped past him had returned. The window slowly rolled down, and a stern-faced woman appeared, asking Ding Ning, "Little fatty, is this the way to Yuejia Village? How far is it?" Ding Ning's eyes darted. "Yes, Yuejia Village is in this direction. The road was recently repaired, so it's hard for most people to find. It's about sixty miles, but I can't really describe the route well. There are many turns." The woman asked someone in the car, and after a while, she said to Ding Ning, "We're going to Yuejia Village for the first time. Can you guide us? We'll pay you." Ding Ning glanced at the license plate, which was from Beijing. It was normal that they didn't know Yuejia Village. "Alright, I'm going that way too. As for the payment... it's just a ride, so you can give me whatever you think is fair." Ding Ning was overjoyed and happily walked to the back to open the door, but the female driver suddenly said, "Sit in the front; there's someone in the back." "Oh, okay." Ding Ning walked to the front passenger seat and got in. The inside of the car was very clean, with white seat covers and a faint fragrance. A small wind chime hung in front, occasionally making a clear tinkling sound. After getting in, Ding Ning looked back through the rearview mirror and saw a girl sitting in the back. The girl had long hair and was looking out the window, and Ding Ning could only see a blurry side profile. Even from this glimpse, Ding Ning could see her straight nose, good skin, and long eyelashes. There was no doubt that she was a very beautiful girl, not just pretty. Ding Ning was momentarily stunned, but then a man in the back spoke, "Little fatty, guide us well. Tell us when to turn. If you keep looking around, you won't get paid." Only then did Ding Ning notice that there was another young man in his early twenties sitting on the other side of the back seat, looking quite handsome with a proud expression. Turning to look forward, Ding Ning didn't say anything. The road to Yuejia Village was straightforward, and he didn't need to guide them. He was getting a free ride and even getting paid, so it didn't matter if he didn't look. No matter how beautiful she was, it had nothing to do with him. Seeing that Ding Ning wasn't talking, the man in the back said to the girl looking out the window, "Ge'er, don't worry. Yuejia Village is just a small scene. I've participated in gambling tournaments, so I'll definitely deal with those country bumpkins and win back your family's land deed." The girl named Ge'er didn't say anything, but Ding Ning perked up his ears. Something seemed to be happening in Yuejia Village. ***** Thank you for the support from the readers. Three updates are here. Flip to the next page for ads. Flip to the next page to end ads.