Chapter 500: Practicing Martial Arts in the County City
Outside the mountain temple.

Wang Lin said to Zhang Chengyong, who was helping them squeeze out of the crowded crowd, "Chengyong, go back. Your aunt and I can walk back by ourselves. We don't need you to send us back. There are still many things waiting for you to do in the mountain temple!"

He was among the first group to burn incense. At this moment, all the villagers from Zhangjia Village or other villages who came to participate in the deification ceremony of Zhang Deben, no matter what their thoughts were, as long as they had been baptized by the divine rain, had to burn a stick of incense to Zhang Deben.

The entire mountain temple was almost filled with people who wanted to burn incense, not to mention that these people would show off Zhang Deben's deeds after they returned.

I'm afraid that the villagers from other villages around Shiziling, as long as they are able to move, might come and burn incense for Zhang Deben.

Although there are many villagers from Zhangjia Village who volunteer to help in the mountain temple besides the Zhang family, some guests still have to be entertained by direct descendants like Zhang Chengyong.

"Little uncle, look at what you are saying. What could possibly happen in the Mountain God Temple? They are all trivial matters. With my mother and the others here, why would they need me to cause trouble?"

Zhang Chengyong smiled. He had just led Wang Lin and his party out of the crowded crowd inside and outside the Mountain God Temple. He knew clearly that if he stayed in the Mountain God Temple, he could be of great help. He said seriously:
"But it's different for you, my uncle. Your Hutougou is a long way from our Shiziling, and the journey is not safe.

It is inevitable to encounter thieves, and even if you don’t encounter thieves, you will encounter wild animals looking for food.

My elder brother brought you to our home safely, so naturally I have to send you to Lion Ridge safely.

Otherwise, if there was the slightest mishap on the road, even if just a hair fell off, not to mention my eldest brother, I'm afraid my father would be the first one to not let me go.

Everyone knows that my father cares the most about your family. He would rather fail in his deification ceremony than let your family have any mishaps!"

Today we can be said to be living in a peaceful and prosperous age, although there are inevitably some thieves who, for various reasons, become bandits and rob merchants and travelers from all directions.

His uncle's family looked poor at first glance, and unless these thieves had their heads stuck in the door, it was unlikely that they would rob his uncle's family.

As for the wild beasts looking for food, there is a highway from Shiziling to Hutougou, and merchants often pass by on this road. Unless the wild beasts are so hungry that they are dizzy and have nowhere else to go, it is impossible for them to go to the highway to look for food.

But there is an old saying: Don't be afraid of a thousand things, just be prepared for the worst. Be as careful as you can, there is no harm in being careful anyway.

"Chengyong, you are full of twisted ideas. If I let you study..."

Wang Lin cursed with a smile, but before he could finish his words, he suddenly realized what was on his lips and swallowed them back, changing the subject:

"Chengyong, you are not young anymore, and you are old enough to get married. But from the looks of you, you seem to have your own ideas. Why don't you tell your uncle what you are going to do and why you are not in a hurry to get married?"

"Uncle-in-law, to be honest with you, I plan to go to the county town in a while!"

Zhang Chengyong seemed to have thought of something, and he smiled with a smug look on his face, saying:

"My master has a school in the county city, which is an academy. He said that I am a promising talent for martial arts and that it would be a waste of talent to stay in Qingyang County. He plans to recommend me to his school in the county city!"

"This is a good thing!"

Wang Lin knew that Zhang Chengyong was a martial arts fanatic. When he was very young, he saw a martial arts practitioner easily hunting down a beast in Lion Ridge. He then begged his father to send him to Qingyang County Martial Arts School to learn martial arts. He did this for more than ten years without fail. In order to learn martial arts, he even delayed his marriage.
"When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?" "Uncle-in-law, this happened a long time ago. But during that time, my father was lying in bed and couldn't move. I couldn't make up my mind. I was afraid that if I went, I wouldn't be able to see my father for the last time!"

At this point, Zhang Chengyong paused, his face full of mixed emotions, but soon replaced by happiness, he smiled and said:

"I just didn't expect that my father was so lucky. After a lifetime of suffering, he was noticed by the King of Hell when he was old and was made the God of Lion Ridge. With my father as the God of Lion Ridge, I don't have to worry about my mother and my eldest brother. I can go to the county city to practice martial arts with peace of mind!"

"Yes, your father suffered a lot in the past. Your aunt cried in front of me many times, telling me how your father took care of her since she was a child. Even when your aunt and I were married, your father helped our family every now and then. How could he not suffer?"

Although the words were said lightly, Wang Lin's face was full of gratitude. He would never forget how Zhang Deben helped his family without regard for the consequences during the most difficult period of their family's life. Although he was his brother-in-law, even brothers might not be able to help him to the same extent. He said:

"Just, have you told your family about this?"

"I told them after my father became the mountain god of Lion Ridge!"

Zhang Chengyong's face was filled with excitement that could not be concealed, and he said, "They all agree that I should go to the county city to continue my cultivation. Now that my sister-in-law is pregnant again, I have nothing to worry about!"

"You can't say that..."

Wang Lin was just about to persuade Zhang Chengyong that it was okay to love martial arts, but there was no need to resist getting married and having children. Before he could finish his words, he suddenly felt a chill all over his body, as if he was being stared at by a ferocious beast and fell into a thousand-year-old ice cellar. He subconsciously looked up and saw a white lion walking out from the bushes.

"Uncle-in-law, hide behind me!"

Not to mention Wang Lin, even Zhang Chengyong was startled when he saw the white lion suddenly appear. With a "clang", he drew his long sword and blocked everyone.

Knowing that his uncle-in-law and his family would be returning today, their family assigned him the task of escorting his uncle-in-law and his family home safely. Fearing that something might happen on the way, he took the weapon given to him by his master.

"This is just the outskirts of Lion Ridge. We haven't gone deep into the interior yet. How could there be lions..."

Zhang Chengyong spoke subconsciously. The Lion Ridge was named after the word "Lion", so there must be lions there. However, this kind of white lion is still rare. Before he finished speaking, he saw the white lion ignoring his knife-holding appearance and slowly walked towards him step by step, wondering:

"Is it so hungry that it has lost its mind?"

"Chengyong, do you think there is a possibility that this lion is coming here not to harm us?"

Liu Dongzhu interrupted.

"Sister Dongzhu, are you kidding me..."

Before Zhang Chengyong finished speaking, he saw the white lion approaching and half-kneeling on the ground, asking in astonishment: "What's going on?"

(End of this chapter)