Chapter 1777: Taking You as My Master

Chapter 1777: Chapter 1777: Taking You as My Master

"Master Wen, there’s no need to be too concerned. As the saying goes, justice has long arms, and those ungrateful and disloyal will eventually meet their retribution. If I have the chance, I will help you clean up this mess."

Mu Hanyan comforted him, yet she didn’t speak too boastfully. The Huayu Temple had already fallen into decline, and even in its peak times, it probably couldn’t penalize priests from other temples at will.

"Such small matters don’t require the Master Priest’s concern." Wen Gaoren also didn’t take her words to heart.

"Master Priest, Master Wen and others’ accommodations have been arranged." Sikong Qinglan and An Xiaxin said as several people approached.

Wen Gaoren’s follower priests were with them. Although the Huayu Temple now couldn’t compare with the Lingyu Divine Hall, it was still better than being homeless in the wilderness, so they were not dissatisfied.

"Thank you very much, everyone." Wen Gaoren replied courteously.

"By the way, concerning Master Wen’s divine position, I’m planning to resign from the position of Left Priest and let Master Wen take over." An Xiaxin said.

She also knew Mu Hanyan couldn’t dedicate all her energies to the array formations, as the priest ceremonies were the most important. Wen Gaoren joining brought great benefits to Huayu Temple, so she didn’t want to treat him poorly.

"Then I will vacate the Right Priest position for Senior Sister An." Shen Yuhe immediately said.

"Then my Prayer Priest position should go to Senior Sister Shen." Sikong Qinglan quickly followed.

"No, I don’t want to dance like you." Shen Yuhe refused sharply.

Several black lines emerged on Mu Hanyan’s forehead, realizing they also knew about the dancing trick.

"I appreciate the kind intentions from everyone. I initially didn’t want to serve Lingyu Divine Hall because I didn’t want to be distracted and neglect my cultivation. This time, I’m grateful Master Priest accepted me and my followers. How dare I covet your divine positions; please withdraw the command." Wen Gaoren declined politely.

"How can that be? No matter his strength or prestige, Master Wen surpasses us. His willingness to join Huayu Temple is our greatest honor. If we don’t give him a divine position, others might think our Huayu Temple is arrogant and ignorant of courtesy." An Xiaxin insisted firmly.

With Wen Gaoren’s cultivation and array expertise, he would be valued in any temple. Previously in Lingyu City, he simply didn’t wish to accept, but if he did the same at Huayu Temple, outsiders would surely gossip, which they didn’t want to spoil the temple’s reputation.

"Then, whatever other divine position is vacant, I’ll just choose one." Wen Gaoren wasn’t rigid and could foresee this point, so he didn’t persist.

"Apart from us and Master Priest, all divine positions are vacant." An Xiaxin admitted with embarrassment.

In other temples, when there’s a vacancy, everyone would scramble for it, as having a divine position means better cultivation resources and higher chances of success. However, Huayu City is so poor that it’s barely managing to fill stomachs, so no one is interested in divine positions.

"Then let’s go with Peace Priest." Wen Gaoren thought for a moment and said.

"Poof!" A follower couldn’t help but snort; it was the young priest who was joking about the idea of Mu Hanyan taking the Peace Priest position when their master became the Main Priest.

Originally meant as a jest against Mu Hanyan, they unexpectedly chose their own divine position. Wen Gaoren didn’t think much of it himself, yet the young priest felt like his face burned as if he’d been slapped hard.

"Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?" An Xiaxin hesitated. Though Peace Priest is a divine position, it’s the lowest one, with not much to do besides performing ceremonies at funerals.

"What’s wrong with that? I see not many people are left in Huayu City, so the Peace Priest position is perfect for being leisurely and won’t neglect my cultivation. Just right." Wen Gaoren stated, which was his real intention.

"Alright, we’ll follow Master Wen’s choice." Mu Hanyan also did not insist.

However, imagining this old man with such high-status dancing ceremonial dances felt somewhat odd!

...

On the west side of Huayu City, the long-abandoned farmland was covered with a dense layer of fresh green. Although it was still windy in the wilderness, the tender sprouts only swayed slightly, showcasing their vibrant life force.

Behind the temple, the farmland was a golden yellow, with the townsfolk busy with harvesting, drenched in sweat, yet each person’s face radiated with happiness.

From the nearby pens, the occasional grunts and cackles of pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks echoed.

Though the ancient temple still retained an aged and antique impression, and the main road ahead bore few silhouettes, Huayu City was clearly not the old Huayu City, and Huayu Temple was now different from before as well. No longer stagnant and lifeless, it had gained vibrancy and more hope.

"Master Wen, thank you. Without you, Huayu City might never have seen such prosperity." Mu Hanyan gratefully expressed to Wen Gaoren.

Huayu Temple’s twenty-four Barrier Main Arrays had already restored eighteen of them, primarily using the Meteorite Gold Material generously donated by Wen Gaoren. While these were won - or more accurately, swindled - by Ling Baobao, without Wen Gaoren and his follower priests assisting, Mu Hanyan alone wouldn’t have restored them to this extent within a year and a half.

No matter how high the natural talent, practical experience is necessary. In this domain, Wen Gaoren’s dedication to Array Formation over eighty years decidedly exceeded Mu Hanyan’s.

"Master Priest, you flatter me. Following you these past days has greatly benefited me. Without your guidance, I might not have comprehended those array principles in my lifetime. If anything, it should be me thanking you." Wen Gaoren bowed deeply, expressing his thoughts sincerely without any flattery.

Mu Hanyan never held sectarian views nor kept secrets; she shared the Array Formation insights from Eight Desolate God Fall openly with Wen Gaoren. Only then did Wen Gaoren realize that Mu Hanyan’s victory in that gamble was not mere luck. Her understanding of array techniques, her comprehension, was beyond his comparison.

More remarkably, she was entirely open, willingly sharing her knowledge whenever asked.

"By the way, Master Priest, have you considered the matter I mentioned last time?" Wen Gaoren asked.

"What matter?" Mu Hanyan casually queried.

"The matter of acknowledging you as my teacher." Wen Gaoren responded earnestly.

Here it comes again. Mu Hanyan felt a sudden headache.