Chapter 391: Chapter 255: Divine Martial_1

“Hoo hoo!”

That night, under the vast dark sky, the north wind howled bleakly as snowflakes began to fall.

A dilapidated temple welcomed a group of travelers.

Three people.

Leading them was a young man in white, his demeanor as exquisite as jade, strikingly handsome, his robe whiter than snow, flawless and with minimal decoration—only a Jade Pendant at his waist, from which a gleam of light flowed and a faint fragrance emitted. Within his stern demeanor, there was a hint of nobility, suggesting he might be a son of some duke or prince.

Following the youth were two burly men, immensely tall and huge, like bears or giants.

Each of the two men carried something on their backs, rectangular and roughly the same height as themselves, covered tightly with black cloth. Whatever was underneath was a mystery, but a cold aura seeped out, chillier even than the snowy winter night.

This temple, abandoned for who knows how many years, was in a state of severe disrepair. Its walls had numerous gaps through which the wind and snow poured in, chilling those inside to the bone and offering none of the warmth usually provided by shelter.

In the center of the temple stood a god statue, its features blurred and body damaged, covered in cobwebs and cloaked in dust, long neglected and absent of worship, even the stone altar for offerings thick with dust.

The three travelers entered the temple, and the young man in white found a corner to sit. The two burly men collected dry wood from around them and started a fire, bringing some light and warmth to the decrepit temple.

Throughout, the two men never removed the objects draped with black cloth from their backs. Despite the inconvenience, they remained standing after the fire started, silent as two towers or walls, blocking the chilling wind.

As the young man in white sat alone, the two burly men handed him a bundle. Inside were several hard buns and some dried meat strips, which they began to roast over the fire.

After a moment, the buns warmed by the fire emitted a sweet aroma of toast, and the meat jerky, hard as stone, softened slightly with the heat.

The youth picked up a bun, tore it open, and ate in silence.

At that moment…

“Creak!!”

A grating sound made one’s teeth ache as the wobbling temple doors were pushed open, and a piercing cold wind howled in.

“!!”

The young man paused mid-chew and looked up with an icy stare.

The two burly men also turned their gazes towards the temple doors, their eyes ice-cold.

The atmosphere tensed in an instant.

Then a figure entered the temple.

It was a beggar boy—disheveled and dirty, his clothes tattered. He leaned on a bamboo stick and held a broken bowl, looking utterly dejected as if the wind and snow had driven him into the temple.

Seeing people inside the temple, the beggar was startled, halting in his tracks and sizing them up cautiously. Seeing the two burly men’s ice-cold gazes, he quickly wanted to retreat, but the biting wind made him unable to muster the strength to move his legs and leave.

With no other choice, he bowed deeply and spoke obsequiously, “Kind sirs, please have mercy and let this humble one take shelter from the wind and snow here. It’s so cold it could take one’s life, and I won’t be in your way!”

The two burly men remained silent, instead turning to look at the young man in white.

The young man also remained silent, then, without another word, tossed the bun he held in his hand.

The bun fell to the ground, collecting dust, turning grey.

“Thank you for your generosity, sirs, thank you!”

Far from being put off, the beggar rejoiced, swiftly bending down to pick up the bun and then, after taking a bite, he repeatedly thanked the three travelers.

Seeing this, the young man turned his gaze back and tore off a strip of jerky to eat, paying the beggar no more attention.

The beggar did not overstay his welcome, taking the half-eaten bun with him to another corner of the crumbling temple.

For a time, the atmosphere grew inexplicably still.

After finishing his meal, the young man sat in silence.

The two burly men stood like statues to his left and rear, immovable as iron towers.

Suddenly…

“Creak.”

Once more, a sharp noise as the temple doors were pushed open.

Two figures entered the temple, one old and one young.

The elder had white hair and beard, yet he was sprightly and carried an air of scholarly elegance—it was hard to tell which academy’s teacher he might be.

The younger was a girl, around seven or eight years old, delicate as a porcelain doll, wearing a bright red dress that set off her snowy white skin in stark contrast.

An old man and a young girl entered the temple. Upon seeing the three travelers, they were not frightened but instead greeted them with clasped hands, “The old man and his granddaughter were passing by and came in to take shelter from the snow. We apologize for the intrusion and hope you will forgive us!”

The youth looked at them briefly, his brows furrowing slightly. He seemed to hesitate, but eventually suppressed any thoughts he had and replied coldly, “This place belongs to no one; you’re free to do as you please.”

Having said that, he no longer paid them any mind.

“Thank you!”

The elder didn’t mind the cold response, nodded his thanks, and then led the girl further into the temple.

Upon seeing the god statue,

The elder led the girl straight to the altar, then, surprisingly, swept away the thick layer of dust covering it with a wave of his sleeve. He unwrapped a package to take out three buns and three sticks of incense, offering them reverently on the altar and bowing deeply in worship before the blurred deity.

His actions were meticulously performed but didn’t appear stiff.

Witnessing this act, the young man’s frown deepened, and the two burly men subtly shifted their positions.

Yet the elder seemed utterly oblivious, absorbed in his worship of the god statue.

The little girl next to him, observing this, asked in her naive childish voice, “Grandpa, don’t you always say we shouldn’t speak of mysteries and spirits? Why are you worshiping this unknown deity today?”