So, Why Didn't This Idol Kneel When It Saw Me?

The rest was simple.

Master Liu of the Liu Residence wept and sobbed as he told Lin Hao that he had been wrong.

He would break his son's legs when he got back and hoped Lin Hao would let the matter end here for the sake of their shared sect.

Lin Hao neither refused nor agreed to Master Liu's words.

Today, he wanted to be a good person.

After all, the Liu Residence was a major local clan. Even if Lin Hao acted personally, he could not wipe them all out.

"Compensate these people for every evil the Liu Residence has committed over the years. Every single one of them must receive something."

"Eighty percent of your land and assets must be donated."

"If I find out later that you failed to donate them, or used some method to take them back, the consequences will be more than you can bear."

After thinking it over for a while, Lin Hao decided on a middle-ground approach.

To be honest, he had no backers in the sect. Other than his childhood sweetheart, Yi Changge was the person he knew best.

Being able to do something for the people here meant that today's intervention had not been in vain.

[Holy crap, he's actually a total bleeding heart.]

[What bleeding heart? This is called putting the world first.]

[Why is an immortal cultivation variety show doing this positive-energy stuff now? Is this what I came to watch?]

[Lin Hao's pretty kind. This is such a protagonist move.]

[If it were me, I'd slaughter the entire Liu Residence.]

[Go on, then. If you can kill them, do it.]

[Honestly, Lin Hao's getting a little sickening.]

The barrage comments streamed across the live broadcast of the scene before them.

Quite a few people commented on Lin Hao's actions.

There were good remarks and bad ones alike.

Gu Yuan had no opinion on it. He was only following along because he was bored.

He had no expectations for Lin Hao's cultivation, either.

Just moments ago, someone else had broken through to the late Qi Refining stage.

The others were more reliable, after all.

When they left the city, Lin Hao was in high spirits.

Looking at the rows upon rows of kneeling commoners behind him, tears filling their eyes, he resolved in his heart to become a good person.

"Thank you, benefactor!"

"Farewell, benefactor!"

"Wuwuwu, without you, benefactor, I wouldn't have what I have today. Benefactor, I'll repay you by becoming an ox or horse in my next life."

The extras behind him wiped away their tears and shouted excitedly.

Being a good person.

It felt great.

Lin Hao left the city and continued on his way.

The journey home was still rather far.

He had to cross at least two mountains and pass through three cities.

For an ordinary person, it would be exhausting.

But Lin Hao had cultivation. Both his speed and physical condition were far superior.

Night fell.

At the entrance of a dilapidated temple.

Lin Hao glanced inside.

It was pitch-black.

How did novels usually put it?

A place like this was bound to house some spirit creature or evil cultivator. Its danger rating was quite high.

But Lin Hao had just done a good deed. How could he care about any of that?

If there really was danger, then today he would uphold justice on heaven's behalf.

"There's another actor?"

Floating nearby, Gu Yuan could see things Lin Hao could not.

The actor had white hair and beard. He should have been quite old.

Tap, tap, tap.

Footsteps rang out as Lin Hao entered the ruined temple.

The first thing he saw was a damaged idol, which still looked exceptionally solemn.

"Heh heh. Since you have seen the idol, why do you not kneel?"

A hoarse voice suddenly echoed through the dark, ruined temple.

With this setting and this atmosphere—

An ordinary person would probably faint on the spot from fright.

"Who's there?"

Lin Hao instantly became alert and cautiously searched for someone in the darkness.

There was someone here?

The temple's stone walls had weathered away, vines crisscrossing over them.

Moonlight streamed through the shattered windows, illuminating the temple's ruined walls and broken remains. The few fragments of murals left on the walls carried a heavy sense of history, as though they contained ancient ghosts and gods.

A desolate and eerie atmosphere filled the air, stirring countless thoughts.

Or was it a person?

Suddenly, candles lit up throughout the previously dark temple, their faint flames swaying in the wind.

He could see much more clearly now.

To Lin Hao's front left sat an old man whose face could not be made out.

The old man wore a strange hat and plain clothes. He sat in a chair before a long table.

"Interesting. Your fate is rather intriguing, sir."

It was as if the old man had not heard Lin Hao's question, as he continued muttering to himself.

"Who are you?"

This was Lin Hao's first encounter with something so strange. Guarded, he watched the old man, ready to flee at any moment.

"Who am I?"

"It's been so many years that I've forgotten."

The old man grinned, seeming to reminisce about the past. He looked deeply weathered by time.

So many years?

Could he be some ancient monster?

"Why do you not worship the gods?"

The old man glanced at Lin Hao. His smile vanished, and a chill seemed to fill the ruined temple.

Hmm, the high-tech fan effects really were impressive.

"Why should I worship them? So what if they're gods?"

Lin Hao glanced at the shattered idol, shook his head, and answered.

It's over. This kid's getting full of himself.

Who knows if he'll say to me someday, 'What Qi Refining Formula? I comprehended it myself. You didn't give it to me. Who are you?'

Gu Yuan floated nearby and sat atop the idol's head.

He showed not the slightest reverence.

Nonsense. In his current state, he was far more formidable than this idol.

The idol should be revering him instead.

Come to think of it, why didn't this idol kneel when it saw me?

"You do resemble your appearance—one who defies heaven. Hahahaha, interesting, interesting."

Upon hearing that, the old man burst into laughter.

One who defied heaven?

Him?

Who exactly was this old man?

Lin Hao kept making guesses in his heart.

"Yes, one who defies heaven. Your fate was once severed, yet you are still alive and well."

"And you seem not to belong here."

The old man's voice was hoarse and low, but to Lin Hao's ears, it was like thunder from the highest heavens.

His fate had been severed!

He did not belong here!

These were his deepest secrets!

"Who exactly are you?!"

Lin Hao's expression turned grim. He was panicking. This was the first time anyone had known his true background.

Not even the Azure Mountain Sect's sect master could.

Who was he?

"Hahahaha! The road ahead is long—who can attain immortality? Immortal? God? Human?"

"The Heavenly Dao is unpredictable. The Heavenly Dao is unpredictable indeed."

A thin mist rose.

It enveloped the surroundings.

Lin Hao felt his eyelids grow heavy, and then he lost consciousness.

"The same old routine. Aren't they worried he'll develop a tolerance?"

Gu Yuan complained about the production team's setup.

Creak.

The already uneven ground made a sound.

Then a hole appeared in the ground.

From within the hole, quite a few staff members emerged, carrying all sorts of tools.

Without saying a word, the staff tossed Lin Hao aside and began dismantling the ruined temple.

The roof, the idol, the surrounding walls...

Seeing that he had nothing left to do, the old man actor entered the hole. His filming was officially complete.

A moment later.

The staff left.

Every trace of the ruined temple had been erased. Only Lin Hao remained on the ground, still unconscious.

To prevent him from waking too early, they had used a somewhat heavier dose this time—enough to keep him asleep until dawn.