"Heh."
After listening to the man's description, the Hundred Households Guo Lingyun couldn't help but let out a scornful laugh, dismissing the idea:
"If the Mountain God truly possessed the ability to turn silver into gold, why would he have fallen to such a state back then? How could Da Ming still witness tragic scenes of hunger and cold? Simpletons and fools, nothing more."
"But it's true, the money really is increasing."
The man instinctively argued back, then closed his mouth under the chilling gaze and continued to shiver on the tree.
The Qianhu nearby didn't say a word, simply shaking his head ambiguously. As a monster, he too had used illusions and poisons to lead people astray. However, he noticed that there wasn't a hint of demon Qi on the Mountain God and lacked the unique aura of spirits, clearly not on the same entrepreneurial track as them, which struck him as odd.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that the usually lively Zhou Li had become silent. He turned to look and found Zhou Li squatting next to the man, seemingly examining something with a playful expression.
"I ask you."
After a moment, Zhou Li stood up. Looking at the trembling man who raised his head, he asked, "Where did you buy these clothes?"
The man was stunned upon hearing Zhou Li's question. The contemplative Qianhu was also intrigued, while Guo Lingyun was taken aback before realization dawned on her; she had overlooked this detail.
Tang Wan? Tang Wan is eating!
"What are you munching on?"
Turning his head to see Tang Wan, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster as she chewed away, Zhou Li spoke with a hint of frustration, "Don't you look at things before you eat them?"
"Tribute Fruit."
Pointing at the half-open temple-like building nearby, Tang Wan said with all seriousness, "Sugar-coated immortal peaches, they're pretty tasty, much better than the ones we have at home."
"No, you see—"
Zhou Li's mouth twitched, as he said with a black line on his face, "That stuff is an offering, for offering to immortals."
"It's fine, immortals are magnanimous."
Shaking her head, Tang Wan swallowed the last bite of bun, then took out a piece of peach pastry, broke it in half, and asked Zhou Li, "Want some?"
Guo Lingyun and the Qianhu couldn't help feeling perplexed by the exchange between the two, considering the Tang Sect of Central Shichuan was known for its cold-hearted killers, and this girl seemed every bit the elite within the sect, yet she behaved so... when with Zhou Li.
Not so bright?
Just then, the man trembling in the tree came to his senses. He instinctively wanted to act, but his bound body prevented him from doing so. All he could manage was to nod towards the temple and whisper,
"Our things, we bought them there."
"Oh?"
Zhou Li raised an eyebrow and continued, "How did you buy them?"
"It's just..."
The man glanced surreptitiously at Tang Wan, who was eating miamia deliciously, swallowed, and said sheepishly with his head lowered,
"We took our copper coins and Tribute Fruits and offered them to the Mountain God, expressing our desires. If the Mountain God was satisfied, he would eat the Tribute Fruit and take the money, then place the items in our homes. If dissatisfied, the Mountain God would become angry, sprinkle a handful of lime on the Tribute Fruit and copper coins, signaling the coarse items (food) should be returned."
Suddenly, the gazes of Zhou Li, the Qianhu, and Guo Lingyun all converged on Tang Wan, who just stuffed the last bite of peach pastry into her mouth and twirled her innocent-looking, round eyes. Tang Wan also heard the man's words and, after swallowing the last bite of pastry, took a deep breath and solemnly said,
"It's fine, I am magnanimous."
The gaze returned to the man, and by now, Zhou Li had sensed something. He did not make it explicit, merely shifting the conversation to ask:
"I ask you, why were you so surprised when you first saw me? Has no outsider ever visited your village?"
"That's..."
The man seemed hesitant, but after Zhou Li displayed a Sima Lian countenance sided with Hu Qianhu's guileful and armed smile, the man decisively spoke up, "Indeed, outsiders have come here, but... they all became one of us."
"What do you mean?"
Like a large water urn, the man's psychological defenses were smashed to bits, and he decided not to trouble Zhou Li anymore with threats to himself, and he directly said:
"Outsiders come to our village, either turn around and leave, or if they want to stay, they have to pass the 'Qiansan Pass'."
In the man's words, the so-called Qiansan Pass was a test to join the village. As long as you pass this test, in the future, you could settle down in Mountain God Village and enjoy a wonderful life where throwing a copper coin gets you a gold ingot.
"My old father passed the Qiansan Pass and was able to join Mountain God Village."
The man glanced at the sky, then continued:
"The first pass, called 'Money Eye'. At the village gate, someone will take two buckets of copper coins, and you have to use something on your person to drill through all the coins' holes. If you have a gold thread or a twig, then it's very fast. If you have long hair, plucking one strand and using it to drill isn't slow either. But if you have short hair and nothing slender on your person, then you have to drill slowly. There is no time limit; even if you drill for a year, nobody cares."
"That's quite a straightforward name."
Zhou Li laughed lightly and said nothing. Guo Lingyun frowned and said, "Making people drill money eyes is causing them to commit a sin. What an ignorant custom."
"The gentleman can't say that."
After all, he was a local villager, and the man said with grievance:
"It's just a formality; what use is a formality? It's merely a run-through, just a test of patience. Moreover, our village has always valued money greatly. If you're unwilling even to drill through the eyes of copper coins, we can't accept you."
"You..."
Guo Lingyun wanted to say more, but seeing Qianhu press down his hand, he snorted coldly and embraced his long knife, ceasing to speak.
"The second pass, called 'Silver Handkerchief Opening'."
"Ah?"
Zhou Li was first taken aback, then overjoyed, "What? Opening a Pai?"
"The term does sound odd, but there's a reason for it."
The man coughed and then slowly explained:
"After passing the first pass, the guest must visit our inn. There are silver handkerchiefs, a furnace, and needle and thread in the inn. The guest must make these silver handkerchiefs into an article of clothing that covers the body. We don't care whether this garment fits well; as long as you cover half of your body, we consider you to have passed."
"Hah, after drilling through money eyes, then donning a silver garment, quite a test, the Qiansan Pass."
Ignoring both Guo Lingyun's scoffing and Zhou Li's evident disappointment, the man seemed to become spirited, his eyes bloodshot with excitement as he began to introduce the last pass.
"The last pass, yes, there is one final pass."
As if picturing that wonderful scenario, the man began to fidget uncontrollably. Guo Lingyun seemed ready to intervene but was blocked by Qianhu. Zhou Li, appearing utterly oblivious to the two men's actions behind him, continued to ask calmly, "Go on, keep talking."
"This last pass, is called 'Immortal Gold Drink'."