Outside Dongcui City.

"Miss, do you know Third Master Liang from the Huizi Store?"

"Mm-hmm."

Dong Huiying nodded.

Li Luo speculated some matters, realizing these people’s backgrounds far exceeded her previous imagination.

She was eager to rescue her family, who were being manipulated by Yan Xiyu, but relying solely on her own strength was undoubtedly difficult, so she had to seek external assistance, and now, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Miss, I have also heard about the affairs of the Huizi Store. The Huizi Store blooms across Dayuan, but I suspect Third Master Liang’s Huizi Store will definitely encounter obstacles once it enters Dongdi, and there’s one primary reason for this."

Li Luo took a deep breath.

"In Dongdi, there are some unwritten rules; outsiders wanting to do business here must pay a certain ’tribute.’ Even the Qin family and Yan family of Dongcui City are no exception, regularly sending batches of gold and silver treasures to Burial Dragon Mountain to pay tribute to the Mountain God..."

...

Time rewinds to the present.

Yixuan pondered after hearing this, "Tribute, Mountain God? Gold, silver, jewels, Burial Dragon Mountain?"

Li Luo nervously nodded.

"I only learned of this by chance."

"Family Head..."

"The Family Head of the Yan family goes up the mountain to worship Buddha every few days, but this is actually just a guise."

"There’s a Mountain God residing on Burial Dragon Mountain; more than ten years ago, a prestigious family in Dongcui City, not weaker than the Yan family, angered the Mountain God and fell to ruin within a month, never to be seen again."

"The Mountain God has a financial ability, and Dongdi has similar places everywhere; shopkeepers donate their earnings to the Mountain God to ensure their family lives peacefully."

"For example, a devout believer who donated all their gold and silver to the Mountain God annually, when their enemy tried to seek vengeance, was spared from a massacre by the Mountain God’s protection, and instead, the enemy perished."

"There are many legends about the Mountain God, but if Third Master Liang’s Huizi Store wants to fully establish a foothold in Dongdi, his own strength alone isn’t enough; he must pay respects to the mountain."

"Followers who have paid respects to the Mountain God are interconnected, watching over each other, and helping one another in times of need, forming a very united alliance."

Li Luo narrated smoothly, causing Yixuan to exchange a glance with Dong Huiying.

Dong Huiying put up her little feet carelessly, resting her chin, displaying a mischievous expression and said: "This so-called Mountain God is likely man-made, a deceitful charlatan, who has operated in Dongdi for a long time, with legends about the Mountain God circulating for a long time, its origins untraceable."

"But I can confirm one thing, that Mountain God is anything but a god."

She jumped down from the stool.

Li Luo was frightened by the words, "Miss, hush! The act of me privately discussing the Mountain God today is already sinful; Miss must not disrespect the Mountain God, lest misfortune befall you."

Dong Huiying found Li Luo to be amusing.

She smiled at Yixuan: "What do you think?"

Yixuan chuckled.

"I naturally agree with my wife; the so-called Mountain God is merely to deceive those unaware of the truth, people take it as their faith, but those legends about the Mountain God are just carrot-and-stick tactics. Unfortunately, Grandma has been enjoying herself recently, wandering outside the city with Wangwang, otherwise we could have asked Grandma Qin about these matters."