Chapter 273: The Mountain God’s Manifestation, Profession Upgrade

Chapter 273 -36: The Mountain God’s Manifestation, Profession Upgrade

He was no longer in the dim ancestral hall, but in a boundless mountain range.

And at the far end of the mountains, a towering figure slowly materialized.

The figure was identical to the statue in the ancestral hall, with two horns sprouting from its head, its majesty unparalleled.

Just by standing there silently, it seemed to be the sole ruler of heaven and earth, sending a tremor of awe and reverence through the old chief’s very soul.

“M-Mountain God!”

The old chief trembled with excitement, hastily prostrating himself on the ground and kowtowing with the utmost piety to the deity before him.

“Rise,” a calm and majestic voice resounded directly in his mind.

“Yes, Mountain God.”

The old chief rose respectfully but kept his head bowed low, not daring to look directly at the god’s face.

An unknown amount of time passed. Perhaps it was just an instant, or perhaps it was as long as a thousand years.

Then, the majestic voice echoed in his mind once more.

“Ka, you have done well.”

This sudden praise stunned the old chief for a moment.

Ka was his birth name.

It had been many, many years since anyone had called him that.

Ever since he took over as the chief of Kawa Village, everyone, including his own children and grandchildren, had only ever called him the old chief.

Over time, he himself had almost forgotten the name.

He never thought the Mountain God would still remember it.

A wave of warmth instantly washed over his heart, and his eyes even grew a little misty.

“Mountain God, this old servant is unworthy of such praise,” the old chief said, his voice choked with emotion.

“You have protected the mountain people, continued the line of worship, and fulfilled your duties faithfully. Why would you be unworthy?” The Mountain God’s voice remained calm. “What I showed you, you saw. What I asked you to do, you did. That is a meritorious service.”

“This old servant was merely following the Mountain God’s guidance and upholding the village’s rules,” the old chief said humbly.

“Rules are rigid, but people are flexible,” the Mountain God said faintly. “You were able to see through that outsider’s disguise, yet you did not expel him. Instead, you accepted him. That breadth of mind and foresight already makes you superior to many others.”

The old chief’s heart skipped a beat.

‘So, my every move has been under the Mountain God’s watch.’

He had indeed had his own considerations when he decided to let Chen Ye stay.

On one hand, he couldn’t stand the tyrannical behavior of those from the Celestial Sword Manor and wanted to cause them some trouble.

On the other hand, although he had seen a dense killing intent around Chen Ye, he had also sensed an unyielding will and a pure Sword Intent.

He had a gut feeling that this young man was no small fry and would be destined for great things in the future.

Keeping him here might be a stroke of good fortune for Kawa Village.

He just hadn’t expected that his little scheme would be seen through so completely by the Mountain God.

“Mountain God, your insight is clear. This old servant…”

“There is no need to explain.” The Mountain God cut him off. “I know what is on your mind, and what you did was exactly what I had hoped you would do.”

Hearing this, the heavy stone that had been hanging in the old chief’s heart finally fell.

‘It seems I did the right thing.’

“I have summoned you today to entrust you with two matters,” the Mountain God’s voice grew solemn.

“Please speak, Mountain God!” The old chief immediately focused his full attention.

“First, in a few days, unwelcome guests from the outside will arrive. Be prepared.”

“This old servant understands. I will arrange for the village’s warriors. I’ll make sure they don’t leave here alive!” A vicious glint flashed in the old chief’s eyes.

“That won’t be necessary. The ones coming are merely a few juniors. While their leader has some Talent, that’s all there is to it. There is no need for you to go to such great lengths.”

“You only need to guard the village and make our stance clear. If they dare to be unreasonable, it won’t be too late to teach them a lesson then.”

“Yes, this old servant obeys,” the old chief replied.

“The second matter.” The Mountain God paused, his tone becoming even more serious. “Protect that young man named Chen Ye.”

“Protect him?” The old chief was a little surprised.

“That’s right.” The Mountain God’s voice left no room for doubt. “This child is linked to a great opportunity for me, and for our entire Southern Wilderness Mountain Range. Therefore, you must not let anything happen to him.”

A great opportunity!

The old chief’s heart leaped violently. He wanted to ask more, but the majestic figure had already begun to blur.

“Remember my words.”

The Mountain God’s voice left one final echo in the space, and then the towering figure vanished completely into the endless mountains.

The scene before the old chief’s eyes shifted, and he was once again back in the dim ancestral hall.

He was still sitting cross-legged on the rush mat. Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.

But the three sticks of incense that had already burned to ash, and the crystal-clear Oracle in his mind, told him that everything that had occurred was real.

The old chief sat silently on the rush mat for a long time, processing the information the Mountain God had left him.

‘Unwelcome guests from the outside…’

‘Chen Ye’s great opportunity…’

Finally, he slowly opened his eyes and walked out of the ancestral hall.

The stone council house was the most important place in Kawa Village, second only to the ancestral hall.

Only those with the greatest strength and highest prestige in the village were qualified to enter.

When the old chief walked into the stone house, seven or eight people were already seated inside.

These people were the pillars of Kawa Village.

They included the captain of the Hunting Team, the Commander in charge of the village’s defenses, and several of the most formidable Witch Doctors and warriors.

Among them, conspicuously, was Shan, the brawny man who had been the first to welcome Chen Ye into the village.

Although he was young, his strength was second to none among the younger generation. He was also forthright and righteous, earning everyone’s deep trust, so he had been granted special permission to participate in the council meetings.

“Chief!”

Seeing the old chief enter, everyone stood up and bowed respectfully.