I Have Countless Past-life Identities-Chapter 168 - 92: Guardian Mansion, Before the Song Ancestral Hall, Chen Zhao Remembered Long Ago—There Was Once Someone Who Guarded Black Mountain!

Black Mountain, Guardian Mansion.

Its exterior was constructed of bluestone, carved with various ancient fierce beasts, adorned with cloud patterns, exuding a sense of might and solemness. Every inch of the wall was filled with a fierce martial atmosphere that hit one in the face.

In the Northwestern Border Desolation, a century-old major city, the local customs were already fierce, and the city's ability to keep Black Mountain free from unrest and demon traces for decades was not solely due to the Demon Hunting Department.

At the same time, as the Guardian and Chief Official of the city, 'Chen Zhao's' skill and tactics were also evident.

Passing through the front hall where the Guardian Mansion handled governmental affairs.

At the back of the Guardian Mansion, there stood a 'ancestral hall' built with extreme luxury and solemnity, standing in plain view.

As the blazing sun bathed it in golden light.

Shining upon this 'temple'.

It glimmered with golden light, spilling over bit by bit.

On the ancient bronze plaque, the center was inscribed with the simple and powerful character 'Song', exuding a sense of mottled antiquity, indicating it had decades of history.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The sound of footsteps emerged.

An elder garbed in a light crimson satin robe embroidered with mandarin duck patterns, his face appearing extremely old and etched with deep lines, yet his eyes revealed sharpness and brilliance.

At this moment, he was leaning on a cane, solemnly and staggeringly making his way towards the ancestral hall.

Behind him.

A group of ritual attendants, descendants of the Chen Family, followed step by step, respectfully trailing behind him, not daring to breathe heavily.

The elder was none other than Chen Zhao.

The very Seventh-Grade Guardian who had been ruling Black Mountain for decades...

With authoritative command!

Wutong Prefecture governed seven major cities, with the 'Seventh-Grade Guardian' being the highest official position.

Therefore, in the vast Black Mountain with a million households.

He was the only one, able to wear the light crimson robe with mandarin duck patterns in this small mountain city, exuding utmost majesty!

Chen Zhao took the lead and pushed open the dust-laden ancient bronze door.

As he stepped in, lamps burning with oil sequentially lit up with a "whoosh", instantly illuminating the scene inside the hall.

'Gold Tripods', 'Bronze Bells', 'Stone Horses' and other large ritual implements...

Arranged according to the layout, around the colossal bronze statue approximately several zhang in height, within the temple, exuding solemnity.

Chen Zhao, with his cane, slowly stepped inside, walking past the ritual implements on both sides, and approached the sacrificial altar. At a golden Eight Immortals table, he took three sticks of incense.

The attendants following behind this elder, dressed in a Seventh-Grade light crimson official robe, at around eighty to ninety years old, were already taking action without his command, spontaneously lighting the ritual incense in the incense burners and tripods lined on both sides of the hall.

"Dong~~~!"

With the sound of the ancient ritual bell ringing.

The elder's brows tightened solemnly, lifting his head to gaze at the imposing crimson-robed youth statue towering several zhang high, appearing to exhale vigorously like a tiger.

His throat moved for a while but, in the end, he couldn't utter a word, finally letting out a sigh, bowing his head.

After inserting the incense.

He abruptly turned his head.

The cloudy eyes of old suddenly became sharp like a hawk's, embodying the authority cultivated over decades of storms and trials.

No longer the same as the Chen Zhao of the Outer City, who was cautious, feared the power of demons, thus practicing self-preservation and showing nothing but decline as the 'Ninth-Grade Department Head'.

"Where have Chen Gong, Chen Jing, and that girl Chen Qingping gone?"

The indifferent and aged voice echoed within the spacious Song Ancestral Hall, its fluctuation not significant, seemingly to avoid disturbing the heroic spirits within.

Yet, to Chen Zhenwu, seated on his left below, the words were immediate and overwhelming, pressing upon him like a torrential storm, almost making his knees buckle!

"Elder brother, second brother, and niece Qingping... went to handle a case related to the Guardian Mansion."

"Perhaps... they were delayed a bit?"

Chen Zhenwu shuddered, hastening to lower his head, honestly recounting everything.

Though he was in his thirties.

Before this old patriarch...

He wasn't any different from a three-year-old child!

Not to mention, he was a child born of a concubine.

Even the two elder brothers, named with 'Gong' and 'Jing',

One being the Heir of the Next-Generation Black Mountain Guardian, the other an Eighth-rank Department Chief in the Military Department, commanding the Black Mountain Martial Soldiers, controlling everything within their domain, wielding substantial power!

Yet under Chen Zhao's gaze...

They too had to lower their heads honestly, obeying his every word!

An old tiger,

Still retains its might!

"Hmph!"

Dong!

An unpleasant snort sounded abruptly as Chen Zhenwu finished speaking, followed immediately by the dull thud of the cane striking the ground!

The heavy cane, carved from metal and iron, pounded the stone tiles, making Chen Zhenwu's heart tremble as he lowered his head!

"Did I not mention, whenever it's a memorial rite for previous Guardians, all direct descendants of the Chen Family present in Black Mountain must not be absent?"

"Is it that one thinks his position as Guardian is stable, while another believes his control over the military has stiffened his wings?"

"I'm still alive and kicking!"

"Other matters aside, what kind of case could make those two set aside the legitimate Black Mountain Guardian, treating my words like wind in their ears?"

"And that girl Qingping, what concern is her father and uncle's matters to her?"

Turning to reprimand Chen Zhenwu who had his head lowered as if scolding a grandson, Chen Zhao spoke in such a way that Chen Zhenwu dared not make a sound in response.

Ultimately, when Chen Zhao inquired.

Chen Zhenwu, being absolutely honest, relayed everything from start to finish without concealing the slightest detail to the old patriarch.