Forbidden Read!
Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Redder Clothes than Maple Leaves, Snow White Skin

***

Xie Lian was surprised to find that the teenager, despite being slim and slender, helped her carry a large bag of trash so calmly. He couldn't help but feel guilty. San Lang walked forward, a few steps ahead of him. Xie Lian followed behind him, but she suddenly recalled that the old man of the ox cart rider was still lying unconscious inside the wagon. He held up the old man's body in a sitting position and patted him back to regain his consciousness, and repeatedly warned him not to talk about anything that happened tonight to anyone. After seeing his ability, how could the old man dare to disagree with him? Nodding his head excitedly, he said that he would not say it to anyone. The old man then pulled the reins of Old Huang and rushed home.

What was left on the wagon now was just an overturned bamboo hat, the hat that Xie Lian used to carry on her back. When he looked back, San Lang was already leisurely walking on the hill, holding a large bag of trash with one hand, hanging it on his shoulder...

Upon arriving, they stood in front of the slanted-looking Pu Qi Temple. San Lang lowered his head, laughing, as if he had seen something funny. As Xie Lian approached, she discovered that the teenager was looking at the sign of an 'old house, please make your donation'. He coughed softly and said, "Look? This is how things are going, and why I said earlier that you might not be used to this."

San Lang replied, "It's okay."

Previously, it was Xie Lian who always told others 'it's okay, I'm fine'. Today was the first time she had heard those words spoken to her, making her feelings indescribable. The door of the Pu Qi Temple had long since been broken, so Xie Lian took it off and replaced it with a curtain. Raising the side of the curtain, he stepped forward and said, "Come in."

San Lang followed from behind and entered.

The furniture in this small wooden house can be calculated at a single glance. There is only a rectangular long offering table, two small wooden benches, a small prayer mat[1], and a donation box. Picking up the large pouch in San Lang's hand, Xie Lian began to unpack the items she bought: the lucky reader stick container, the incense burner, the calligraphy brush, the paper, and other items, before placing it in the appropriate place on the show table. Lighting the red candle that had been carelessly thrown at him by someone as he collected the trash, the room was instantly illuminated by light. San Lang casually picked up the lucky reader stick container and shuffled it before putting it back down.

[1] In Buddhism, this is a pedestal used to pray to the Gods.

He asked, "So, is there a bed?"

Xie Lian turned around. He wordlessly placed the bamboo mat he was carrying on his back and then showed it to the teenager.

San Lang raised his eyebrows. "Is there only one?"　　　　

Xie Lian had only met the teenager when she was on her way back from the city, so naturally she did not think of buying another mat. "If you don't mind me maybe beating you up tonight, can we share?" He suggested.

San Lang said, "No problem."

Xie Lian took a broom and swept the floor again while San Lang wandered around the temple. "Dao Zhang gege, don't you lack something in this quiz of yours?"

Xie Lian had finished sweeping and squatting on the floor so she could roll out bamboo mats. Hearing him, Xie Lian asked as she rolled out the mat, "I think besides worshipers, there seems to be nothing else lacking."

San Lang crouched down, one hand propping up his chin as he asked, "What about the image of a god[2]?"

[2] The image of a god can be a picture of a god or a statue of a god. Either it has been true how long the image of the god here was used for worship.

After being reminded like that, Xie Lian suddenly remembered that she had completely forgotten the most important object–god image!

A temple without the image of a god would not be a temple at all. Although he himself was a god here, he could not be expected to sit at the offering table every day.

After thinking about it, Xie Lian found a solution, "Before, I had bought a calligraphy brush and some paper. I'll draw a painting to hang tomorrow."

To draw himself paintings, for himself and to be hung in his own temple, if this news spread to Heaven, he thought he might be made fun of for a decade or so. But to make a sculpture that is carved precisely, will waste precious time and resources. So, between that matter or being made fun of, Xie Lian preferred to be a laughing stock for ten years.

Unexpectedly, San Lang spoke. "drawing? I know how, need some help?"

Shocked, Xie Lian laughed and said, "Then I should thank you first. But, I'm afraid you might not know how to draw Crown Prince Xian Le? After all, almost all of his sculptures and paintings had been burned eight hundred years ago. Apart from the few that are still left, not many people have ever seen one."

But San Lang replied, "Of course I know. When we sat in the wagon earlier, weren't we talking about His Highness the Crown Prince?

Xie Lian did indeed remember such an event. Indeed, while on the road leading here, he said "You may have never heard of him", but San Lang did not reply. Now, hearing him say this, it was rather shocking. Xie Lian finished preparing the mat for them to sleep on. Standing up straight, he said, "Could it be that San Lang, really knows about him?"

San Lang sat on the mat. "Yes." Yeah."

The appearance and tone of this teenager as he spoke, both of them were quite attractive. He often smiles, but it is hard to tell whether those smiles are genuine and sincere or some kind of mockery to his interlocutors. Along their way on the road, Xie Lian listened to him talk about everything under the sun, so she was rather interested in knowing the judgments of others. He sat down next to the teenager and asked, "Talking about Crown Prince Xian Le, San Lang, what do you think of him?"

The two of them sat face to face under the flickering red burning candle. With San Lang's back facing towards the light, his black eyes were in the shadows, making his facial expression become invisible. After a while, he replied, "I think, Jun Wu must really not like it."

Xie Lian did not think it would be this kind of answer. A little surprised, he asked, "Why do you think so?"

San Lang replied, "Why was he banished twice from heaven?"

Hearing that, Xie Lian smiled faintly, thinking, "The reason for youth."

He lowered his head, slowly unbuttoning it as he said, "That, and whether like it or not, has nothing to do with each other. In this world, there are many things that cannot be explained by just 'likes' or 'dislikes'."

San Lang said, "Oh."　　

Xie Lian turned around, took off her white boots before speaking again, "In addition, if someone does something wrong, then she should be punished for it; the Celestial Emperor has only done his duty twice."

Respectfully, San Lang said, "Maybe."

Lastly, Xie Lian took off her outerwear and neatly stacked up the folded clothes, preparing to place them on the offering table. Xie Lian wanted to talk more about this topic, as she turned her head and saw how San Lang's gaze locked onto her feet.

That look looks weird. A gaze that could be described as icy cold, yet could also be described as a piercing glare. Arguably the heat that is able to burn, but also gives off an aura of good looks. Xie Lian tilted her head down to look and immediately understood. The teenager was looking at the cursed black shackle that was coiled around his right ankle.

The first cursed shackle was firmly coiled around his neck, while the second shackle tightly tied his ankle. The two shackles were placed in an uncomfortable area, with no way to hide them. In the past, if someone else asked about those shackles, Xie Lian randomly made an answer and said that they needed to train her cultivation. But if it was San Lang who asked, the boy might not be easily fooled.

However, San Lang only stared at his ankle for a moment and did not comment. Xie Lian also did not want to involve herself on this topic and started lying down. The teenager was also obediently lying next to him in the clothes he was still wearing. Thinking that she might not be used to sleeping on the floor without clothes, Xie Lian thought to herself that she should really get another bed. "Let's take a break" he said.

With a light puff, the flame of the red candle goes out.

Unexpectedly, on the offering table was a painting.　　

The painting was of a young man wearing fine clothes and a golden mask, holding a sword in one hand and holding a flower in the other. The strength in each brush stroke is very good, and the color used is very beautiful. This was the actual painting of 'Crown Prince Xian Le who was pleasing to the Gods.'

It had been many years since Xie Lian had last seen this painting, so she stared at it blankly for a while before finally getting up. After getting dressed, he pulled the curtain. San Lang was outside the temple, resting in a patch of shade. The teenager turned the broom between his hands for fun while looking up at the sky and looked bored.

The young man didn't seem to like the sun very much. From the way he looked at the sky, it seemed like he was thinking of a way to pull the sun and stomp it to shreds. Outside the door lay a pile of fallen leaves, all neatly swept into a pile. Xie Lian walked out the door and asked, "Did you rest well last night?"　　

Still leaning against the wall, San Lang turned his head and replied, "Not bad."

Xie Lian walked over and took the broom from her hand. "San Lang, was the painting in the temple drawn by you?"　　

"Ne."

"You draw really well" said Xie Lian.　　

Although he did not speak, the corner of San Lang's mouth inched upwards. Unsure if it was because of the way he had slept the night before, his hair seemed messier than yesterday, complete with loose strands here and there; it looked so messy. But in reality, he with such an appearance was also very handsome. He might tidy up his makeshift appearance and still be untidy, yet still have a touch of charm. Xie Lian pointed to her own hair. "Want me to help you?"　　

San Lang nodded and returned inside the temple with Xie Lian. As she sat down, Xie Lian untied her hair and held her hair in hand, she calmly and carefully examined it.

Even if the palm lines and fingerprints were perfectly recreated, demons and ghosts would always slip on one piece. The hairs of the living are numerous and innumerable, because each strand is so fine and distinct. As a result, many fake skins of demons and ghosts end up having hair that looks like black clouds, or with strands that are taped like cloth. Or, they will just forget about it and choose to look bald.

Last night, Xie Lian was able to confirm that San Lang's fingerprints and palm stripes existed and thus had lowered her vigilance. However, when he saw the painting this morning, he couldn't help but feel the stigma anymore.

How could a normal person know how to draw that painting?

But when his fingers gently stroked San Lang's hair, subtly examining it, he found the teenager's black hair was smooth and long in the absence of any abnormalities. After a while, probably because his actions made him amused, San Lang laughed once. He slightly tilted his head and glanced at Xie Lian from the corner of his eyes before saying, "Gege, are you trying to help me tie my hair, or is there something else you want to do?"　　

With her long hair unraveling, it did not detract from San Lang's beauty and instead added to the demonic aura. That question, he seemed to be just teasing. Smiling, Xie Lian said, "Alright, alright," before she quickly started tying her hair.

Who would have thought, after he finished tying his hair, San Lang saw his reflection in the basin of water nearby before he turned around and raised an eyebrow at Xie Lian. Seeing his reaction, Xie Lian slowly coughed again.　　

Previously, her hair was slanted. After pulling and adjusting it, it was still the same.　　

Although San Lang did not say a word and only looked at him in this manner, Xie Lian still felt that it had been at least several hundred years or so since she had felt this embarrassed. Dropping his hand, he was just about to say to San Lang 'Come here, let's try again' when suddenly, he heard a loud noise from outside. The sound of footsteps came from all directions, along with a few shouts of "Eternal Master!"

Xie Lian was startled after hearing it and rushed out, only to see many people gathered in front of the entrance of her temple. Each of them had a red face with excitement. The Village Chief rushed forward and grabbed his hand before saying, "Eternal Master, to have a living god come to our village is really too great!"

Xie Lian, "???"

The rest of the villagers had already surrounded him, "Eternal Master, welcome to our Puji Village and have settled here!"

"Eternal Father! Can you bless me and let me find a wife?!"

"Eternal Master! Can you bless one of my family members to hurry up and give birth to a child!"　　　

"Eternal Master! I got a water chestnut here! Do you want to eat it?! When you eat it, can you also bless me with a good harvest this year?!"

The villagers were too enthusiastic, cornering him from all sides while forcing Xie Lian to keep retreating. His heart was crying bitterly. That old man last night had a big mouth. Although he clearly emphasized the importance of not saying a word, at dawn the entire village already knew!

The villagers did not know which god was devoted to the temple at first, but they all decisively asked to burn incense. However, no matter which god it was, gods were still gods, all the same and praying to them would do no harm. At first Xie Lian thought that her temple would be completely empty without a single person in sight and that throughout the year, there would not even be a handful of people who would approach her door. Therefore, he had only prepared a small bundle of incense as a sign of goodwill. Who would have thought this incident could instantly wipe out his entire inventory. The small incense container was completely filled with incense sticks that were slurriedly poked in all directions so tightly. The scent of incense spread into the air, and because for some reason how long it had been since he inhaled the scent, Xie Lian actually choked a few times.

Choking, he spoke, "Uhuk, villagers, I really can't bless you with treasure and wealth, really. Uhuk, please, with all your heart, do not pray for riches here! There may be unexpected consequences... I'm sorry, please don't ask me about marriage either... No, no, I also cannot bless you in terms of giving birth and raising children." ....

San Lang also stopped tidying up his hair that was tied up obliquely and sat right beside the donation box, with his hands propping up his chin and lazily tossing the water chestnut into his mouth to eat. Some of the village girls saw it, their faces flushed like red clouds before they asked Xie Lian, "Um..."

Although he did not know what they were going to ask, Xie Lian's intuition told him that he should stop them immediately, so he said, "No!"

With great difficulty, the crowd finally dispersed, leaving the offering table full of fruits, vegetables, and even white rice, noodles and other items. For better or for worse, he finally received the sacrificial seal. Xie Lian swept away the trash the villagers left outside. San Lang followed him, saying, "The incense is pretty good."

Xie Lian swept over while shaking her head. "Under normal circumstances, ten days to half a month would pass without a single person coming to ask for blessings."

"How is that possible?" ask San Lang.

Xie Lian glanced at him, smiling, "Now come to think of it, maybe San Lang's luck has rubbed off a little on me."

When he said that, he remembered he wanted to change the door curtain. Thus, he pulled out a new curtain from within his sleeve, he hung it over the door. He took two steps back to inspect it, when suddenly, he realized that San Lang had stopped in its place. Xie Lian turned her head and asked, "What's wrong?"

Only to see San Lang staring at the curtain, with a pensive expression on his face. Following his line of sight, Xie Lian saw that he was staring at the spell written on the curtain.

The talisman was something he had drawn just a while ago, and on it was spell after spell, laid out in layers. The defense is very strong. The original purpose of the amulet was to ward off evil and it could also repel any evil approaching from the outside, preventing them from entering.

However, since the spell was written by Xie Lian himself, would it also be able to attract misfortune at the same time? There's no way to find out. However, since the temple did not even have a front door, it would be safer to install a layer of spells on the curtains.

Seeing how the teenager was standing in front of the curtain, motionless, something moved in Xie Lian's heart, "San Lang?"　　

What if, with that talisman, he would be blocked at the door and unable to enter?

Seriate...