Temple Fair

In the courtyard of the quadrangle.

Chu Xingchen had just returned not long ago when someone came to visit. At this time, even Li Xingtian hadn’t returned yet.

Li Yingling was also not in the quadrangle at the moment, presumably still wrapping things up with Li Xingtian.

If they were to return, they would likely come back together.

“Did you arrange all of this?”

Yaoqin sat on a stone chair, sipping tea brewed by Chu Xingchen himself.

Chu Xingchen’s expression was blank: “What are you referring to?”

Yaoqin put down her teacup and spoke seriously: “The Qingfeng Sect.”

Chu Xingchen sighed: “Originally, yes. But after investigating further, I realized it wasn’t necessary. The Qingfeng Sect probably won’t last much longer anyway.”

From the moment he saw that Blood Qi Spirit Stone, Chu Xingchen understood.

The Qingfeng Sect was likely just a main course on the demonic cultivators’ feast table.

However, this main course had thorns—the Nascent Soul stage Grand Elder.

This forced the group of demonic cultivators to take their time scheming.

Chu Xingchen asked: “Did Zhao Wanqing show you the Blood Qi Spirit Stone she brought back?”

“Yes.” Yaoqin’s expression also turned serious. “We’ve already reported it to the Central Continent. Specialists should arrive in about half a month to handle it.”

“This matter is too dangerous. You should stay out of it for now and wait for the Central Continent’s people to clean it up.”

Hearing this, Chu Xingchen couldn’t help but chuckle lightly but didn’t respond.

Yaoqin held her teacup: “I’ve also told Zhao Wanqing to stop. Her brother has passed the critical stage and is just waiting to wake up.”

Chu Xingchen sighed, seemingly losing interest:

“I understand.”

Yaoqin nodded slightly upon receiving his answer, then turned her beautiful eyes to the clear blue sky.

She didn’t say anything, just held her teacup.

Chu Xingchen gave her a strange look.

She was usually the type to finish talking and then shoo people away. Why was she so quietly staying here today, gazing at the sky?

After a moment of thought, Chu Xingchen suddenly realized: “Are you here because you want to eat my cooking?”

Yaoqin glanced at him but still didn’t speak.

She did feel like eating, but that wasn’t the main reason she was here.

Yaoqin unconsciously twirled the teacup in her hand:

“Are you free tonight?”

Chu Xingchen propped his head up with his hand: “Tonight? I’ll be free later. I promised my disciple we’d go to the temple fair together.”

“Then it’s nothing.”

Having received her answer, Yaoqin stood up and walked toward the gate.

As she reached the gate, she turned back and added as if to reassure him:

“I’ll pay you for Zhao Wanqing’s Spirit Stone. Don’t get involved in this matter anymore.”

After all, back when Chu Xingchen was poor, he had done countless dangerous things for Spirit Stones.

If this guy thought there was profit to be made, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t go off chasing it again.

The previously listless Chu Xingchen suddenly perked up, unable to hide his delight:

“Got it! Rich Lady Sister, I promise I won’t get involved.”

Yaoqin frowned at this, displeased: “What ‘Rich Lady Sister’?! That sounds awful! Don’t call me that!”

Chu Xingchen argued: “What’s so awful about it? Back in my hometown, everyone loves someone like you—beautiful and generous, a rich lady sister.”

“I don’t care, I don’t like it! Don’t call me that!”

Yaoqin glared coldly at Chu Xingchen, then snorted and left.

With Yaoqin’s departure, the courtyard fell quiet once more.

Chu Xingchen looked down at the teacup in front of him, then drank it all in one go.

Although the situation had taken some unexpected turns, everything was still more or less under control.

“Master! I’m back~”

The gate was pushed open excitedly by Li Yingling, who ran in holding a shovel, beaming with joy.

Li Yingling proudly announced: “Mission accomplished!”

Li Xingtian followed closely behind her: “Master, everything went smoothly.”

Chu Xingchen first clapped enthusiastically and praised:

“Well done! You truly are my beloved disciples!”

Hearing this, Li Yingling lifted her head proudly.

After praising them, Chu Xingchen abruptly changed the subject: “But let’s put those preparations aside for now. We’re meeting up tonight for the temple fair!”

Li Yingling quickly reacted:

“Did something happen?”

Chu Xingchen shrugged: “Seems like it’s a pretty big deal. Yaoqin told us not to get involved.”

Li Yingling sighed at this. Was all their effort wasted?

Oh well, going to the temple fair with her master wasn’t a bad alternative.

Li Xingtian, on the other hand, nodded indifferently.

Chu Xingchen nodded in satisfaction:

“Good! The sect’s first team-building event is about to begin!”

The temple fair was essentially a prelude to the Lantern Festival.

The venue was at Yuzhou City’s largest Buddhist temple—the Zen Forest Temple.

To be honest, the original Lantern Festival had little to do with Buddhist temples.

At first, there wasn’t even a temple fair.

The Lantern Festival was about writing wishes on lanterns and letting them float down the Yuzhou River, symbolizing smooth sailing for those wishes.

The wishes on the lanterns were usually simple—promotions, wealth, finding a partner.

It was all very down-to-earth.

But as for why there was a temple fair now, it’s worth mentioning how the Zen Forest Temple became Yuzhou City’s top Buddhist temple.

In this world, since the path of immortality was a real and tangible thing, most religious beliefs were held by mortals who couldn’t cultivate.

And even then, the number of believers wasn’t particularly large.

After all, what true cultivator didn’t believe in the mantra “My fate is my own, not Heaven’s”?

So unlike in Chu Xingchen’s previous world, where monks were exempt from taxes, here, without the advantage of widespread faith, even monks had to pay taxes!

First and foremost, monks were people. Secondly, monks also needed to eat, and eating required money.

Even gilding Buddha statues required money.

Relying solely on the offerings from believers was barely enough to get by.

If they wanted to gild the Buddha or Bodhisattva statues, it was nothing but a pipe dream!

As it turned out, even monks, when driven to desperation, could abandon their doctrines.

The monks of Zen Forest Temple set their sights on Yuzhou City’s most popular festival—the Lantern Festival.

The original intention of the lanterns was to make wishes, but wishes didn’t necessarily have to be made with lanterns!

Buddha could grant wishes too! Spending money on a lantern was one option, but lighting an incense stick was another!

And the cost of an incense stick was far cheaper than a lantern.

In any world, the poor always outnumbered the rich.

There were always people who couldn’t afford a lantern to make a wish, but the much cheaper incense became an alternative.

From then on, Buddha, who once taught people to abandon greed, also began to bless people with wealth.

And the Zen Forest monks had some clever minds among them.

The temple widened the roads outside the temple and rented out the space to vendors, charging them for the venue.

As long as no one brought skewers of roasted meat into the temple, Buddha could tolerate anything, and this attitude indeed attracted many vendors.

They even understood the concept of scarcity marketing, holding the fair only a few days before the Lantern Festival and never extending it, keeping the event’s popularity high.

It was through piggybacking on the Lantern Festival that the Zen Forest Temple made a fortune.

And the Buddha statues grew larger and more gilded.