You should read more books, sir

"Are there any other divine arts?"

An Weiyan pondered what he had heard, then asked.

The Earth God said, "Forgive me, sir. This humble god's divine power is meager, and I have no other divine abilities. Even this would consume more than half my divine power."

Hearing this, An Weiyan knew this was probably the limit of what the Earth God could do. After some thought, he nodded.

In that case, he would have to take a different approach.

What if he stayed in a Taoist temple in the main world, used this ability of his to gain some renown, and brought in incense offerings?

But running a Taoist temple would be troublesome, too. At the very least, he would have to apply to the association. He was no Taoist priest, so his application probably would not pass.

Perhaps he could ask Su Qingyun for help?

Su Qingyun might know someone in that line of work.

He remembered that back in college, they had sometimes visited Taoist temples when they went out together, and Su Qingyun had told him a few things about the association.

She seemed to know some people in it.

"All right, I understand."

An Weiyan acknowledged the Earth God. He would ask Su Qingyun later and see whether she could find a Taoist temple for him to run.

Preferably one with no one else there.

He remembered that there were a few Taoist temples around his area that were actually already deserted.

"Sir."

Having finished speaking, An Weiyan was about to leave, but the Earth God spoke up just then.

An Weiyan stopped at the sound and looked at the Earth God in puzzlement. "Is there something else?"

"Sir, this humble god has a word of advice. You could read more books in your spare time. After all, you will be the magistrate of Linbei County..."

???

An Weiyan was dumbfounded. What was this supposed to mean?

He had just graduated from college, after all! How did he look like someone who had never read a book?

"What do you mean?"

An Weiyan was puzzled. He really had read books. Could it be that the books he had read were somewhat different from those read in this world? But how had the Earth God figured that out?

"The plaque bearing 'A bright mirror hangs on high' in front of the county office is dull and lightless. If you read regularly, sir, that plaque would shine exceptionally brightly after you moved into the county office."

"Yet after you entered the county office, sir, that plaque remained dull."

Well... good grief. That could even be used to judge whether he had read books?

An Weiyan was genuinely startled to hear this, but then his thoughts turned to something else.

Immediately, a little excitement stirred in his heart. "If I read more books, can I become a scholar and possess some extraordinary powers?"

The Earth God said, "...You can become a scholar, but you will not gain any extraordinary powers."

Huh?

"Then reading more doesn't have any other strange or special effects?" An Weiyan asked, unwilling to give up.

"Not exactly." The Earth God paused. "Some ghosts and evil creatures are particularly fond of eating scholars. I hear they are several degrees tastier than ordinary mortals."

An Weiyan sucked in a breath. Are you setting me up?

"Then why should I read? I have no wish to be targeted by those evil beings," An Weiyan said, feeling rather resistant.

"But fairy maidens and fox women from places such as the Kingdom in the Clouds and Qingqiu Kingdom are quite fond of scholars. If you read more, sir, you will be able to attract these women."

"Moreover, only by reading more can you sharpen your hearing and sight, making you less easily misled and less likely to wrong good people."

The Earth God explained each point, leaving An Weiyan repeatedly taken aback.

"Have you heard the saying, sir, that a belly filled with poetry and books lends grace to one's bearing? If you were brimming with learning, even ordinary lesser ghosts would feel some genuine respect for you."

An Weiyan pondered this, then more or less understood what the Earth God meant.

According to him, reading more had both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that it sharpened one's hearing and sight and brought some improvements to the body.

His vitality and spirit would also become different.

The disadvantage was that this would make his body tastier, at least to those demons and evil beings.

But it could also win him the favor of women of other races, or fairy maidens from the Kingdom in the Clouds, who were likewise quite partial to such men.

By comparison, it was like the appeal that long, shapely legs in black stockings and a delicate, curvaceous body doing the splits held for men, only applied to these women.

"I understand."

An Weiyan waved a hand, turned, and left.

On the whole, reading would do him some good.

Also, it seemed that the books An Weiyan had read in another world had no effect in this one. As for whether that was actually the case, he would find out by trying it in this world later.

By now, the sky was gradually darkening.

An Weiyan returned to the front of the county office and took a look. The townspeople had already polished off their meal.

He had told them earlier to divide the food among themselves once they finished cooking, so this time they had not kept waiting for his orders.

An Weiyan gave everyone some instructions, then returned to the county office. After shutting the doors tightly, he returned to the main world.

Once back in the main world, An Weiyan messaged Su Qingyun while fixing himself something to eat.

An Weiyan: "Back in college, you said you knew someone in the Taoist Association, right?"

Su Qingyun was enjoying dinner while discussing things like which newly released handbag looked good with her close female friend across the table.

When the phone on the table lit up faintly, she paid it little attention at first, but as soon as she saw the name on the screen, a flash of delight crossed her pretty face.

"Yes. Why? You're not thinking of becoming a Taoist priest, are you?"

Su Qingyun replied jokingly. She did not think An Weiyan would run off to become a Taoist priest.

But the next moment, An Weiyan's reply left her stunned.

"Not really. I just want to stay in a Taoist temple for a while. Could you help me find an unoccupied one where I can stay temporarily?"

An Weiyan thought that, relying on the ability he had acquired to divine people's fortunes, he could do a few readings for others. Presumably, more people would then come seeking him out, and the incense offerings would naturally follow.

The smile froze on Su Qingyun's pretty face, and her slender fingers flew across the screen.

"What's wrong? Why do you suddenly want to stay in a Taoist temple for a while? You only just borrowed money, too. What exactly has gone wrong? You can tell me directly. If I can help, I will."

Looking at Su Qingyun's string of messages, An Weiyan rubbed his brow. What could possibly be wrong with me?

Feeling helpless, An Weiyan could only explain several times before finally dispelling Su Qingyun's doubts.

Seeing how determined An Weiyan was, Su Qingyun could only agree. She thought that once he went to that Taoist temple, she would find an opportunity to visit him and get to the bottom of the situation before doing anything else.