Forge a path to success.

Chapter 71 Those stinky outsiders have come to our divine kingdom to beg for food!
The green-haired little girl glanced at the various expressions on their faces and giggled. She stood up, turned around with an exaggerated, theatrical air, and shouted, "Outsiders are here!"

"Outsiders?" "How come there are still outsiders these days?" "Where do you two come from, Dust Island?" "And may I ask how the battle is going at the front?"

A cacophony of voices erupted, and a dozen or so people appeared in a flash, as if they had sprung from the ground. Most of them wore yellow robes, their hair tied back with strips of cloth, and their mannerisms and speech were reminiscent of ancient times, resembling extras in fantasy dramas. Only a few asked questions; most simply stood at a distance, observing the two with indifferent glances.

Chu Hengkong was not good at negotiation and knew nothing about this place, so he simply left Fan De in front of him.

Vande didn't refuse, wiping his mouth... the mysterious rainbow-colored slime around his eyes, and waving his tentacles, he said, "To answer your questions, my name is Vande, and this brave man is Chu Hengkong. We were stranded far from home due to some reason, and met by chance. We originally wanted to find a way home together, but unexpectedly, we were chased by strange beasts as soon as we went up the mountain. After a fierce battle, we ended up here. There are many strange things happening here, and we don't know what's going on. We hope that you, our elders, can enlighten us. I thank you all in advance."

The men in yellow stared at Van Der with expressions of utter disbelief. The green-haired girl blinked: "Did you just pop out of some historical fog? Your way of speaking is so corny."

Vande flew into a rage: "Hey! The most unsophisticated ones are clearly you villagers!"

“Even my 98-year-old grandfather doesn’t talk like that…” a burly villager murmured.

The young man, dressed like a scholar, said, "This fellow is extremely ugly and speaks out of touch with the times. He is probably not a good person. In my opinion, we should all keep our distance and be on guard."

“Xiangfuzi is right.” “The scholar is right.” “It doesn’t even have a face, who knows what kind of demon or monster it is…” The villagers all chimed in.

"Who has the right to call me unfashionable when it's three times more retro than me?!"

Enraged, Vande leaped up with one tentacle, only to be pulled back by Chu Hengkong. It stomped its tentacles and howled, causing the green-haired little girl to shake her head repeatedly.

"How rude! People from Little Dust Island are always like this." She waved her hand. "Everyone, disperse! They're guests from afar. I'll take these two to their accommodations first."

The men in yellow dispersed upon hearing this. Although they were a group of strong young men, they obeyed the little girl's orders. The green-haired little girl didn't ask for their opinions and turned to walk away on her own. Chu Heng quickly packed his things, stuffed Fan De back into his pocket, and followed silently.

Humans who can communicate are always better than beasts; exchanging information will help us decide on our next move.

·
Along the way, each person gleaned some information about the local area.

The mountain they had previously ventured to was called Yingluo Mountain, named for the large, jade-like boulders that often rolled down its slopes. A ten-minute walk from the cliff edge led to the small town inhabited by the people in yellow robes. This town was frequently pelted with large boulders by the Jade Fox, and because it possessed a wealth of jade, it was called Yingshi Town (Jade Stone Town).

"That's so casual! A name that sounds pretty good is made to sound so pathetic by what you've said!!"

"You interrupt others while they're still talking, what an impolite little squid."

This small town is built against the mountainside. It's not very big, and can only accommodate about a hundred people. Most of the houses in the town are made of brick and stone, with no trace of technology. It's so retro that it reminded Chu Heng of the "Peach Blossom Spring".

The little girl who commanded the townspeople was named Qi Su. She looked quite young, only reaching Chu Hengkong's waist in height. Besides her, the scholar who had come along introduced himself as Xiang Fuzi. The three of them sat down in a quiet room. On the way, Chu Hengkong added some information, briefly recounting what he and Fan De had seen on their way up the mountain.

Qi Su nodded repeatedly after listening, as if he understood something.

"A squid bumps into another squid, and then the squid snatches the squid's hand—that's really profound."

"Are you even listening to what people are saying..." Chu Hengkong rubbed his forehead.

"I know, I know, you're just two unlucky guys who ended up stranded in a foreign land." Qi Su had a really smug look on his face. "Where are you from?"

"My homeland is the sacred place of the turbulent realm, the Twilight Library that seals taboos and secrets, governs ancient knowledge, and records all things in the world!" Van Der answered first.

"What kind of small place is this? Never heard of it." Qi Su waved his hand. "And you?"

Vande was jumping and flailing about on the table, seemingly offended. Chu Hengkong casually pressed it flat on the table: "Huilong City."

“Huilong City…Huilong…” Qi Su muttered for a while, then suddenly became serious: “Is it the city of Lord Huilong Youyou? Is the city lord that peerless general from Chenjun Palace?”

Chu Hengkong remained expressionless: "I don't know the city lord's name, I only know that he is called Ji Qiufeng."

Xiang Fuzi also became concerned: "Since you are from Huilong City, do you have any Flowing Pearls?" Chu Hengkong took out a small Flowing Pearl and placed it on the table. Qi Su and Xiang Fuzi examined it closely and nodded.

"This item is precious, brother, please keep it safe and do not lose it," Xiang Fuzi solemnly warned. He turned to Qi Su: "We are both subjects of the Dragon God, and guests from a friendly nation..."

“There’s no reason for me to stand idly by. You two will rest in town for the day. Remember, don’t go out looking for trouble.” Qi Su stood up, about to leave, then turned back and said, “Xiang Fuzi, tell them the town’s rules. That big squid! Give me a Liuzhu as your… travel expenses!”

Chu Hengkong tossed the bead away, and Qi Su didn't catch it with her hands, but simply flicked her sleeve and tucked it inside. She left in a hurry, completely unlike her teasing demeanor from before. Xiang Fuzi smiled apologetically for her, "Qi Su is a bit impatient, please don't take offense."

"It's alright, I often deal with impatient people," Chu Hengkong said nonchalantly. "I'd also like to ask, where are some restaurants or eateries in town?"

Xiang Fuzi stared at him with wide eyes, as if he were looking at an illiterate person.

"Brother, where did you come from, some remote, dusty island? How did you end up begging for food in our divine kingdom?"

Even Chu Hengkong's face darkened. He released his right hand, and Fan De slammed his tentacle on the table: "What do you mean, you poor scholar! You look down on outsiders, don't you? I have a fiery temper and can't stand your arrogance!"

Xiang Fuzi quickly took two steps back to avoid being swept by Fan De's tentacles: "You two have misunderstood. We, the inhabitants of the Netherworld God Kingdom, have never eaten flesh and blood, nor consumed plants. We only enjoy the essence of the sun and bathe in the fragrance of the forest. Therefore, the food you two need is completely unavailable in the town."

Chu Hengkong couldn't hold back this time: "Are all the people in your Netherworld God Kingdom plants?"

“How can people and plants be confused?” Xiang Fuzi sighed. “Brother, you don’t even know such common sense… It seems that Dragon City is not as good as the Kingdom of Gods after all; popular science education still needs to be improved…”

The scholar's air of superiority felt strangely familiar to Chu Hengkong; for a moment, he felt as if he had returned to a major city in his hometown. He quickly ended the conversation: "So, where can I find something to eat?"

"In the north of town, there's a church built by outsiders. You might want to go and check it out," Xiang Fuzi said with a smile. "Before you leave, I have one more question for you to answer. You mentioned earlier that you killed that giant centipede... Is that true?"

Fan De was so angry at the arrogant attitude of these people that he became irritated and shouted, "What! Are you trying to extort money from outsiders? If your God is so powerful, go and see for yourself. The whole centipede was burned, and it can be seen for miles around."

Xiang Fuzi fell silent this time, her eyes flickering.

“If that’s the case, then you’ve done a great service, brother.” He pointed to the door. “Please forgive me, but according to the town’s rules, outsiders are not allowed to stay with the townspeople. Please stay at the church tonight.”

Chu Hengkong sighed deeply, thanked them, and grabbed Fan De as they left. Xiang Fuzi sat for a while, frequently peeking out to make sure the two were far away before suddenly standing up. He waved his fist vigorously, his face flushed with excitement.

"Great...that poisonous insect is finally...great!!"

Xiang Fuzi soon became worried again. He paced anxiously in place, and then strode out the door, showing no trace of the scholar's composure.

He was walking too fast and didn't notice a group of inconspicuous shadows crouching on the roof of a stone house not far away. Chu Hengkong took in the whole process, and Fan De watched with the same interest, occasionally waving a few short tentacles.

"It seems that the God King's fists aren't as tough as their words," Van der said.

“There must be some hidden reason why he would stay here.” Chu Hengkong pondered for a moment, then didn’t delve any deeper. “Let’s go, let’s take a look at the church.”

The church, located in the north of the town, is an inconspicuous building. Its soaring, slender Gothic spire and long windows with black and white stained glass make it seem like an incongruous, somber old castle. Upon entering, one sees a blurred statue of a deity, before which a man dressed as a priest stands, smiling at the two. His expression is serene, his demeanor solemn; his square face seems born for clergy.

“You must be strangers who have wandered into this town by mistake.” The man’s deep voice was reassuring. “I am Bernfar, the monk who looks after the chapel. Kisu has already informed me that you may take whatever rooms and objects you need in the chapel.”

Chu Hengkong greeted him and went straight to the point: "Excuse me, is there anything to eat here?"

Bernhard looked troubled and couldn't help but smile wryly.

“The people of the divine kingdom need no food, and I have no such need either. If you two are in dire need of food…”

He pulled a fishing rod from behind his back and said in a serious tone, "Why not hunt or fish to fill our stomachs?"

(End of this chapter)