The Sign and the Holy Grail

A moment later, the sightseeing shuttle slowly came to a stop amidst the noisy chatter of the crowd.

The plaque of the Celestial Master Mansion hung high. Its vermilion doors and gold-painted characters bore the marks of a recent renovation, looking almost glaring under the sunlight.

Sanqing Ancient Town had long been completely saturated with commercialism. The air was a mix of greasy smoke from street food and the choking scent of cheap incense, washing away the last bit of ancient charm this place had to offer.

Lin Mo's divine sense quickly spread out, instantly piercing through this flashy exterior.

There wasn't the slightest trace of spiritual energy veins here; it felt more like a meticulously constructed movie set.

Sanqing Ancient Town had been developed into a tourist area, and even this Celestial Master Mansion had obviously been refurbished.

However, just at the edge of his sweeping divine sense, he detected a faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation.

So that is where it was hiding.

The corners of Lin Mo's mouth lifted slightly, a clear understanding forming in his mind.

Thanks for the ride.

With that, Lin Mo stepped right off the vehicle.

Han Lu followed closely behind and offered, Let me take you inside.

Inside? Lin Mo paused his steps but did not look back. His voice carried a hint of amusement. Inside this Celestial Master Mansion meant for tourists, or the real Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion?

The expression on Han Lu's face instantly froze.

She asked tentatively, You knew?

Seeing Lin Mo come out of the Zhengyi Temple, Han Lu had assumed he did not know where the real Celestial Master Mansion was.

Lin Mo shrugged. I didn't know originally, but I figured it out once I got here.

Before his words even faded, he ignored the stunned Han Lu and strode directly through the main gate of the Celestial Master Mansion.

Unlike the Zhengyi Temple at the foot of the mountain, the foot traffic here in Sanqing Ancient Town was quite heavy. Many people were strolling down the street holding umbrellas, and even more were here just to see what the Celestial Master Mansion looked like.

Upon entering, waves of incense smoke hit the nose, ranging from cheap incense sticks to expensive sandalwood.

In fact, burning incense was originally a native Chinese cultural practice.

The Buddhist tradition of burning incense only emerged after Buddhism was introduced to China and merged with the local culture.

To put it bluntly, the Buddhism in China today is not at all what it looked like when it was first introduced.

As for Daoism, it might not be the same Daoism of the past either.

Lin Mo's gaze swept casually across the courtyard, spotting a young couple kneeling on futons, drawing lots. They were muttering words under their breath, looking incredibly devout.

Soon, the girl shook out a bamboo slip.

She picked it up with pleasant surprise and saw it was a Medium Auspicious lot. Just as she was about to stand up, a young Daoist priest wearing a brand-new robe stopped her.

Please hold on a moment, good believer.

The priest wore a professional smile. Drawing a good lot is only the first step. You must also cast the holy blocks three times in a row. Only if you receive the deity's permission all three times does this lot count. If the streak is broken, it means your sincerity is lacking or your question wasn't detailed enough, and you must draw again.

The girl let out an ah and, feeling a bit nervous, quickly picked up the two crescent-shaped wooden blocks from the table. She silently prayed again and tossed them onto the ground.

Holy blocks, also known as Jiaobei, are a divination tool.

They are commonly used to communicate with deities.

If one block lands flat-side up and the other curved-side up, it represents a holy block or divine answer, meaning the requested matter is approved.

If both flat sides are up, it is a laughing block, indicating the question was unclear and needs to be asked again.

If both curved sides are up, it means the request is denied or unfeasible, and again, must be re-asked.

The girl dropped the holy blocks.

Clack.

A crisp clattering sound rang out in the slightly noisy corner of the Daoist temple. The two half-moon-shaped, red-painted wooden blocks rolled on the bluestone floor before coming to a stop.

One flat, one curved.

A holy block.

The girl's eyes lit up, fine sweat seeping from her tightly clenched palms.

She took a deep breath, devoutly scooped up the holy blocks again, muttered her prayer, and let go.

Clack.

Once again, one flat, one curved. A holy block.

The second time also resulted in a holy block.

A few observing pilgrims nearby let out quiet gasps of amazement.

When the girl tossed the holy blocks for the third time and the result was steadily another holy block, her suspended heart finally settled back into place. Her whole body relaxed, and her face showed unconcealable joy.

The Daoist priest nodded slightly and continued, Three consecutive holy blocks. You are a person of destiny, miss. You may come over here for a free lot interpretation.

Drawing the lot was free, and interpreting it was also free. Who would refuse such a good deal?

The girl thanked him and quickly followed.

Lin Mo just stood to the side with his arms crossed, watching quietly.

Seeing that he wasn't moving, Han Lu also stood still, though her gaze never left Lin Mo.

The words in the files were dead, but the person in front of her was alive.

She was even more curious about just how many things not recorded in the files were hidden within this living, breathing person.

At this moment, Lin Mo seemed to be just watching the fun, but that wasn't the case.

He was also calculating that girl's fate.

He could see through this girl's fortune at a single glance.

He wanted to see just how much genuine skill the lots of this Daoist temple and the interpreting priest actually had.

Of course, in the end, everything would be subject to his, Lin Mo's, judgment.

Your eyes don't look like you're just watching the fun, Han Lu suddenly spoke up.

Lin Mo snapped back to reality and turned his head to look at her.

Han Lu's gaze was direct. Are you calculating her fate?

She paused, a hint of inquiry in her tone. Does the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect... teach this too?

Hearing the name of this sect, Lin Mo's expression became a bit subtle. He coughed lightly and spouted serious nonsense: Our sect's business scope is very broad. From stargazing and divination down to plumbing and pipe clearing, we cover everything. Oh, right, I also pick locks, eighty bucks a pop.

Han Lu: ......

She decided to ignore this sect that sounded incredibly unreliable and pressed on, Then what did you figure out?

Lin Mo smiled, stopping his jokes, and his eyes fell back on the couple in the distance.

She wants to ask about marriage.

He used a declarative sentence, absolutely certain.

Before Han Lu could express surprise, he added another sentence.

Her marriage line is very messy. It's not that there's a problem between her and that boy, but rather an external force is forcibly interfering.

These words were confusing. Han Lu's brows furrowed imperceptibly, and she followed his gaze to the priest interpreting the lot.

Do you mean her parents? They will stop them from being together?

Han Lu asked an extra question.

Lin Mo shook his head. Many times, it's not a problem with the parents, but it could be an issue with the people around them.

At this time, the priest was smilingly accepting the wooden slip the girl handed over.

He just took a single glance.

Lot eighty-three, medium auspicious.

The priest's voice had a rhythmic cadence and was very infectious. What does the young lady wish to ask?

The young girl turned her head shyly and glanced at the tall boy not far away who was still devoutly praying to the deities, before lowering her voice and asking carefully:

Daoist master, I wish to ask about marriage.

I want to know... will he be my good match?

The priest smiled and said, Then let me first explain the text of this eighty-third lot to you, so it will be easier for you to understand.