Chapter 112: Half an Incense Stick

Zhi Ren Zhang is a nail Zhang Jian left in the Red Lotus Sect.

After his young grandson was rescued by Zhang Jian, Zhi Ren Zhang became completely devoted, occasionally sending him some information from the Red Lotus Sect.

Most of the information Zhang Lu gathered came from Zhi Ren Zhang.

Zhang Lu agreed to speak, but Zhang Jian's eyes flickered and he suddenly smiled.

"I'll still go myself!"

"Huh?"

Zhang Lu's eyes showed some surprise, but soon he still had some joy.

Liu Lin Street, Liu Ji Paper Horse Shop

The surroundings remained bustling with traffic, but there were many more camel merchants, with camels carrying numerous special products from the Western Regions, attracting many wealthy youths and even the purchasing matriarchs of great families.

"Young master, shall we go take a look? I discovered there are still many silks and brocades from other prefectures, including gold flecks, gold-woven blankets, big red feather satin, and Duoluo velvet; if we give these to Qi Xiaoniang, she will surely be happy!"

Zhang Lu was very interested.

Zhang Jian shook his head upon hearing that, saying, "The Qi family young lady has seen plenty; she may not necessarily like it!"

The Qi family's worldly connections are broad, even surpassing the current Zhang family; they have seen everything.

Zhang Jian would never embarrass himself.

Even if he were to give a gift, he wouldn't give these so-called outdated gifts.

At this moment, Zhang Jian gazed around the long street; the scene of Red Lotus Sect followers proselytizing everywhere around the street had already disappeared.

Under the joint suppression of the Qi and Zhang families, the Red Lotus Sect's movements have indeed diminished considerably, but secretly they may be brewing a greater storm.

Inside the paper horse shop, Zhang Jian could see from afar that Zhi Ren Zhang was busy.

At this time, Zhi Ren Zhang was still wrapped in a thick cotton-padded jacket; wearing such a jacket in this weather really made him stand out, and his face was still smeared with layers of face powder.

Zhang Jian glanced at it, didn't mind, and greeted with a smile.

"Boss Liu, guests have arrived!"

"It turns out to be Zhang Juren; please come in!"

Zhi Ren Zhang spoke in a hoarse voice, he first had the apprentice greet others.

"Boss Liu, any new items recently in the paper horse shop?"

Zhang Jian glanced around, his expression showing a bit of a smile.

This time he personally made the trip, naturally also for 'shopping spree'.

Zhi Ren Zhang nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes, Zhang Juren, please come inside."

He also glanced around at the same time!

Zhang Jian's eyes flickered slightly; he had long noticed that many gazes outside were fixed on the interior of Liu Ji Paper Horse Shop.

Upon reaching the rear courtyard, he spoke up and asked.

"Have you been suspected?"

Zhi Ren Zhang fell silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Probably not; it's just that something major has recently happened inside the Red Flower Temple, the Abbot is somewhat sensitive about it, and many followers active outside have been put under vague surveillance!"

"What exactly has the Red Lotus Sect been doing recently inside? Do you have any clues?"

Zhang Jian's gaze fell on Zhi Ren Zhang.

"The Abbot, that is the Temple Chief Lady, exercises strict control over this; I don't know either!"

"That's a pity!"

Zhang Jian's eyes flickered.

Immediately, Zhi Ren Zhang brought Zhang Jian to a corner of the rear hall, lifted a large stack of paper figurines, and revealed many 'good goods'.

Besides the previous merit lotuses and purple qi golden lamps, Zhang Jian's gaze fell upon one of the items.

"What is this thing...?"

Zhang Jian gazed at that tall banner, about a person's height; its surface was dim, with finely woven countless dim yellow river runes, and deep within its core was a huge wheel pattern.

The banner's surface was covered with fine sutras.

"This item is a Netherworld Rebirth Banner, inscribed with rebirth sutras; Sir Juren, how does its appearance look?"

Upon hearing that, Zhang Jian laughed and said, "The appearance looks pretty good; let's give it a try!"

As for giving gifts, he is still just getting started, only able to feel his way across the river by feeling for stones.

Anyway, it looks fine; whether it works when sent over is for the ancestors to figure out!

Since he could get no information from Zhi Ren Zhang, Zhang Jian prepared to go himself to the outskirts to investigate the Red Flower Lady Temple.

Just then, his eyes flickered.

Suddenly, the Myriad Worlds Spirit Pearl in his divine sense stirred.

"Help..."

He heard an extremely faint female voice in his ear, causing his steps to hesitate.

After that sound, several more sounds appeared.

"Huh?"

Zhang Jian gazed toward the depths of the divine niche shrouded in red silk, finally confirming that the sound came from within that divine niche.

"Red Flower Lady?"

A flash of surprise crossed Zhang Jian's eyes.

Zhang Jian had specifically inquired about the faith of the Red Lotus Sect; the faith of the Red Lotus Sect centers on this Red Flower Lady.

The Red Flower Lady, hundreds of years ago, was a virtuous woman from a local prominent clan, known for her loyalty, filial piety, integrity, and righteousness; during turbulent times she once used herself as a trap to lure rebel forces into it, and after unexpectedly dying young, she was remembered by the locals; later many scholar-officials petitioned, and the local prefectural office had the Red Flower Lady Temple built to commemorate this female hero, also to promote the way of loyalty and filial piety.

The Red Flower Lady's original faith was very pure.

Only in recent decades did it evolve into the Red Lotus Sect, which raised the slogan 'Red Lotus Descent, Salvation of All Beings'.

Earlier, the followers of the Red Flower Lady Mother Temple were just ordinary people; they spoke of loyalty and filial piety, occasionally someone would pray for children, and after experiencing miracles, a chaotic mess of faith gradually arose.

He casually walked up to the shrine, and in Zhiren Zhang's bewildered expression, he lifted the shrine's red silk; what met his eyes was a strange demon god apparition with dark skin, eight arms appearing behind it, and a black-red-gold wheel behind its head.

As he undid the red silk, an invisible incense aura suddenly flowed out from within.

Zhiren Zhang saw Zhang Jian's action, his eyes somewhat astonished, but he remained standing still in place.

To them, this shrine was more like a channel for receiving messages, and they occasionally used it for worship.

At that moment, as the red silk was undone, the voice in Zhang Jian's ears became somewhat clearer, with a hint of surprise.

"Young sir, can you hear me speaking?"

Zhang Jian stared straight into the eyes of that god apparition; his keen spiritual sense detected a sudden fluctuation of divine power within, but then the voice suddenly spoke again.

"Young sir, if you can hear my plea, please offer me a stick of incense; this humble woman will be eternally grateful."

Upon hearing that, Zhang Jian laughed and said, "One stick of incense? I'm afraid you couldn't bear my one stick of incense!"

Upon hearing that, the incense divine power around that strange god statue flickered faintly, as if a sound wanted to transmit from within, but it seemed to be gradually blocked, and the words slowly distorted.

His eyes flickered slightly, as if he saw the other's predicament, and he laughed.

"You too are a pitiful person; remembering your former pure filial piety and loyalty, I today grant you half a stick of incense!"

"May it help you achieve your wishes!"

As Zhang Jian spoke, Zhiren Zhang felt it extremely strange, but Zhang Jian's Dao cultivation far surpassed his; at that moment he took a stick of incense from the side and handed it to Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian casually snapped it, breaking the incense stick in half, leaving only the lower half, then lit it and placed it in the incense burner.