213: Once you come to Hangzhou, you belong to Hangzhou! You are really ahead of the times!

“The yamen? What are we going to the yamen for?!”

After leaving his Master and following Chu Mo, Shi Fang didn't feel safe at all, but he had no choice but to stay by Chu Mo's side.

Because ever since they entered this city, he had sensed something was off.

The people here were very strange.

They were filled with Buddhist nature.

Even more so than him, a Buddhist Disciple.

But was that reasonable?

To save his own life, even though Shi Fang was somewhat afraid of Chu Mo, he still stuck close behind him.

Chu Mo led Shi Fang all the way to the yamen, and only then did he explain why they were there.

“I just used my Divine Sense to scan Hang City. There are no beggars in Hang City, and I didn't even find any prisoners in the jail!”

“What?! Not even prisoners?!”

Shi Fang was stunned.

There were so many bandits and mountain brigands outside Hang City, so why were there no prisoners inside Hang City?

He didn't believe that those bandits and mountain brigands, who lived by the sword outside Hang City, would be influenced by the city's prosperous and stable atmosphere upon entering, lay down their butcher knives, and live peacefully here.

Chu Mo thought the same, so he decided to check the county yamen first.

As for Jinshan Temple...

He absolutely dared not set foot there until White Cloud Zen Master returned.

In front of the yamen, two yamen runners stood guard.

Seeing Chu Mo and Shi Fang approach, their expressions were very surprised.

“Why have you come here?”

“Nothing, we're just looking around nearby.”

“Looking around?!” The two yamen runners' expressions became strange. “You two are looking around in front of the yamen?!”

“That's right!” Chu Mo nodded as a matter of course. “Hang City is prosperous and stable, but outside Hang City...”

He looked left and right, as if seeing something terrifying, then leaned closer, covering his mouth with his hand, and whispered, “Outside Hang City, bandits and mountain brigands run rampant. I'm just worried they might sneak in and, seeing how prosperous the city is, can't help but make a move.”

The two laughed when they heard this: “I thought it was something else, but it's just this concern. You can rest assured. When they come to our Hang City, they won't cause trouble, because we have the Buddha's blessing. Those who commit evil deeds will fall into Hell after death and suffer the torment of the eighteen layers of Hell.”

Chu Mo had expected the two to say that Hang City's garrison was strong and well-equipped, and that any bandits or mountain brigands from outside would return defeated. He didn't expect them to tell him this instead.

Those who commit evil deeds will fall into Hell after death and suffer the torment of the eighteen layers of Hell?

Dude, you...

Are you sure you're yamen runners and not monks?!

Shi Fang was also confused by their words.

“Two venerable yamen runners, if bandits and mountain brigands enter the city, won't the Hang City garrison be dispatched?”

He had witnessed the prowess of bandits and mountain brigands along the way. If his Master hadn't been powerful, he probably would have been eaten by those people until not even his bones remained.

That was not an exaggeration, nor a metaphor.

It was literal!

Upon hearing this, the two shook their heads.

“Whether they are bandits or mountain brigands, no matter what they have done in the past, as long as they enter Hang City and are willing to live in Hang City, they are a part of Hang City. Our people of Hang City will welcome them. So, why would they cause trouble?!”

Ah, this...

Shi Fang and Chu Mo were both stunned by these words.

Especially Chu Mo.

These words were so damn progressive.

As long as you come to Hang City, we welcome you.

Damn!

When this humble one went to work in other places, he was called a country bumpkin and an outsider by the locals, and even told to go back!

This place is truly damn progressive!

But, not asking about past records... damn, aren't you a bit too progressive!

This is completely the city version of 'lay down the butcher knife and become a Buddha on the spot.'

Are you still yamen runners?!

Something's not right, extremely not right!

The more Chu Mo looked at these two, the more he felt they were like fakes.

It was fine that the common people on the streets believed in Buddha and were all kind-hearted, but you're yamen runners! Can't you act a little more like yamen runners?!

After chatting with the two for a while longer.

The more they chatted, the more Chu Mo felt the problem was serious.

The vast Hang City actually had no one breaking the law and going to prison.

Hang City also welcomed all the external bandits and mountain brigands, and even more miraculously, these bandits and mountain brigands didn't commit any crimes after entering.

They smoothly integrated into Hang City, living peacefully there, and never leaving again.

After ending their conversation with the yamen runners, Chu Mo took Shi Fang to wander around Hang City for a while longer, until sunset, when the two found an inn to stay.

In the Heaven-ranked Room One, Shi Fang lay spread-eagled on the bed, while Nie Xiaoqian and Xiao Zhuo's urns were placed on the table.

Chu Mo sat at the table, contemplating while lightly tapping the table with his finger.

“This Hang City is very strange! It reveals an inexplicable sense of oddity everywhere. Should I... give up on Great Strength Heavenly Dragon and just run away?”

If just one Hang City was so bizarre, wouldn't Jinshan Temple be even more chaotic?!

Besides, at White Cloud Zen Master's pace, it was abnormal that he hadn't returned from midday to dusk.

Of course, there were exceptions.

Like Fa Hai keeping White Cloud Zen Master for a meal or something.

But, none of that was important.

What was important was that he no longer felt safe.

After thinking it over and over and still not understanding the current situation, Chu Mo decided to investigate from the side.

So, he sent a message in the group chat.

[Chu Mo: @Bailu, ask your two elder sisters if there's a problem on Fa Hai's side!]

Several minutes passed since the message was sent.

Bailu hadn't responded, and he didn't know what she was doing at the moment.

Instead, Xiao Zhuo and Nie Xiaoqian from the urns appeared, manifesting in the room.

Originally, Shi Fang wanted his Master to deliver them, sending them into Reincarnation.

However, Chu Mo's words convinced the two female ghosts to stay.

That was, the Underworld was already in chaos, and the outside world was so turbulent. Reincarnating now meant that one might accidentally become an object of mutual consumption.

Even if they reincarnated into a wealthy family and became a Young Miss with no worries about food and clothing, they could still be captured by suddenly invading bandits and mountain brigands and become a chieftain's wife.

These words, naturally, were not without reason.

The two female ghosts were also greatly frightened, so they chose to wait until the world was peaceful before entering Reincarnation.

It was the principle of 'better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos.'

Now, as night deepened and the sun had set, the two female ghosts could naturally move freely within the room.

Seeing Chu Mo looking melancholic, the understanding Nie Xiaoqian stepped forward and softly asked, “Is Young Master Chu troubled?”

Chu Mo nodded and sighed, “I'm currently considering whether I should run away! Or whether I should run away...”

“What?! You're going to run?!”

Shi Fang, who had rested for a while, had just lit the oil lamp to fill the room with light when he heard Chu Mo talk about running away. He immediately stepped forward and grabbed his hand, not letting him leave.

“Master hasn't returned yet. If you leave and Master gets into trouble, I can't save him alone...”

“You save your Master! I only know that the strangeness of this place has exceeded my imagination,” Chu Mo interrupted him mercilessly.

Staying in this place meant he would have to take a great risk.

If he left now, he would certainly lose the opportunity to obtain the supreme Buddhist scripture, Great Strength Heavenly Dragon, but his safety factor would also increase significantly.

So...

“Let's play it safe first...”

As this thought just surfaced in his mind, Chu Mo heard waves of Buddhist chants.

The Buddhist chants were ethereal and vast, yet they seemed close at hand.

In just an instant, the objects before his eyes began to blur, and his Primordial Spirit seemed to be covered by a thin veil, making perception unclear.

Gradually, he lost consciousness.