"Hehe, this old monk had no intention of driving you away!" Master Chang Geng said with a smile. "This old monk merely thinks that there is still some time before the Martial Arts Gathering. Yi Xia Town is only a few days' journey from Great Forest Temple. Young Benefactor might as well go take a look. Perhaps you may discover something—who can say?"
"Yi Xia Town?" Zhang Xiaohua froze, then immediately understood. Yi Xia Town, Hou Mingcheng—was that not the first name on the list Master Chang Geng had just given him?
Zhang Xiaohua felt deeply ashamed and bowed. "This junior was rude. I measured a gentleman's heart with a petty man's yardstick. I hope Master will forgive me!"
Seeing Zhang Xiaohua's frankness, Master Chang Geng was gratified as well. He reached out to help him up. "No matter, no matter. You have come from afar as guests, and you sincerely came to pay respects to that temple's previous abbot. That is truly endearing. Why would this old monk mind?"
Zhang Xiaohua blushed again. He had merely come to pay respects on Abbess Jingyi's behalf—how could it be as Master Chang Geng described? Because of this, his impression of Master Chang Geng changed somewhat from before. "Please lead the way, Master. Oh, right, Master, is the Pagoda Forest... also very famous?"
"Hahaha." Master Chang Geng waved his hand. "Please follow this old monk."
Master Chang Geng led Zhang Xiaohua and Meng, with several Great Forest Temple monks following behind them, up the mountain path on the temple's left side and toward the rear of the mountain.
As they walked, Master Chang Geng said, "Great Forest Temple's Pagoda Forest is a renowned place in the martial world..."
Upon hearing that opening line, Zhang Xiaohua broke out in a cold sweat, deeply