Chapter 62: Cao Yan's Movements

Bodhisattva Temple.

Mentioning this, Li Yuan was reminded of that bodhisattva statue covered all over with eyeballs — truly enough to inspire 'great reverence.'

But this time he didn't refuse.

Ever since the first time he saw that bodhisattva statue, he had been asking around, and finally learned about it from Master Wang at the inner courtyard's private school.

Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temples and Remnant God Temples and the like were spread far and wide. When Gao Liu County was first built, the bodhisattva temple in the inner city already stood there, its incense offerings thriving.

"Fine, then let's go take a look around."

The outer city had few pedestrians — the effects of the city lockdown still lingered — but the inner city was noticeably bustling, with streams of people filling the streets and alleys, seemingly unaffected.

"The inner city really is better."

Li Lin sighed with feeling.

Before the Li family had fallen on hard times, they had a small courtyard in the inner city too; after the decline, Qin Xiong had bought it to keep a mistress there.

Li Yuan glanced at the government office Runners stationed at both ends of the street and nodded:

"Indeed, it's much better."

The wealth gap between the inner and outer cities was very obvious — you could tell from the distribution of gangs. The outer city had the Firewood Gang, the Fishermen's Gang, and the Sanhe Gang; the inner city had the Changyuan Escort Agency, the Yizi Inn, the Tongda Money House, and the Lihe Martial Arts Hall.

Mm, and the brothels.

Glancing at the Spring Breeze House across the street, shuttered in broad daylight, Li Yuan added silently to himself.

The Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple sat in the northwest corner of the inner city. Devotees came every day, and from afar one could already smell the incense and candles.

He accompanied his brother and sister-in-law into the temple.

The Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple covered quite a sizable area. Upon entering, one first came to a plaza, where a large incense burner — over two meters tall, with a belly wide enough to hold plenty — squatted before the main hall, wreathed in curling smoke.

"This incense burner!"

With just one glance, Li Yuan couldn't tear himself away, his heart stirring.

"Second Brother, you keep sister-in-law company while she offers incense. I'll wander around on my own."

Such a large incense burner, regardless of its grade, was nothing short of a supreme treasure to him.

If he squatted it on the gray stone platform, how much could he fit inside?

"Fine, but don't wander off."

Waving a hand, Li Yuan, clutching two thin sticks of incense, sidled over. When he got within two meters, sure enough, he saw a glow.

Not white light, but blue light!

【Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple Front Incense Burner (Second Grade)】

【Cast from wrought iron mixed with copper, unchanged in a thousand years. Countless devotees' pious prayers have gathered here, drifting away with the smoke, embodying the faithful's longing for good fortune and peace…

It has gradually grown spiritual and uncanny…】

【Control Requirement: Divine Art, First Layer】

【Control Effects: Calms the spirit and steadies the mind, dignified and solemn bearing, unshakable stillness, a touch of good fortune】

What a fine treasure!

Planting the lit incense into the burner, Li Yuan felt his palm itch. This burner was even better than expected — better even than the deity statue inside the main hall!

At the very least, its glow was a normal color, not the blood-red that made his skin crawl.

"This incense burner must weigh over a thousand jin — wrought iron mixed with copper. Just forging it would cost several hundred taels of silver, let alone its thousand-year heritage…"

After some thought, Li Yuan gave up the idea of buying it. No temple would sell something with such symbolic significance.

Not to mention, the Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple's incense offerings were so thriving it was rolling in silver.

However…

"Of Gao Liu's nine temples, the Bodhisattva ranks first and the Remnant God second — these two have thriving incense offerings. But those few temples outside the city seem close to having their incense fires cut off…"

The Dayun Dynasty revered the gods; temple fairs were grander and more solemn than any festival, but with so many temples, naturally not every one could thrive.

Competition between temples was sometimes even more brutal than between gangs.

Li Yuan was thinking he should find time to leave the city and visit those few temples, when he turned to go find his brother and sister-in-law, looked up, and spotted a familiar face.

"Oh, isn't that Lu Lu Bailing?"

The Young Lady in a neat, capable martial robe drew the eye. At that moment, she was accompanying a refined, scholarly-looking middle-aged man toward the temple's rear courtyard.

But after only one glance, Li Yuan's attention was seized by another person — a woman

with her back to him, carrying a precious sword that looked extraordinary at first glance.

That sword…

"Whoosh!"

As if sensing someone watching her, the woman suddenly turned, her fierce gaze sweeping over.

"A master!"

Even from several dozen meters away, Li Yuan could feel the woman's terrifying ferocity. Though curious about the sword's grade, he didn't keep looking.

Compared to that sword, he was even more covetous of this great incense burner.

……

"What's wrong?"

Lu Lu Yunqing's steps faltered slightly.

"Nothing, probably some lecher."

Fang Fang Yunxiu didn't take it seriously. Lu Lu Bailing, hearing this, turned to look as well: "Where did some lecher come from, bold enough for this?"

"The Bodhisattva is present — no mischief allowed!"

Lu Lu Yunqing shot a glare at his own daughter, then turned toward the temple's abbot, who had come out to greet them from the rear courtyard:

"Lu is at fault, to have troubled Master Master Kongding to come out and greet me — ashamed, truly ashamed."

"What words are these from the Magistrate, my lord?"

The bald old monk pressed his palms together in deep respect and led the group toward the rear courtyard:

"The vegetarian meal is ready; we were just about to invite a few honored guests to taste it..."

"That is Lu's good fortune."

Lu Lu Yunqing smiled, and as he passed a wooden window, he glanced inside.

Amidst the swirling incense smoke, the Bodhisattva with six faces and a thousand eyes seemed to be smiling as well.

The Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Temple was quite large; it did not enshrine only the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva. On both sides of the main hall, two Vajras were enshrined each.

They were Blood, Flesh, Bone, and Sinew, collectively forming the 'Divine Vajra,' the most famous attendant deity; besides the main deity of many temples, these four Vajras are enshrined.

Like the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva, these great Vajra statues were carved so impressively that one dared not look at them for long.

"Still so poor!"

In front of the Four Great Vajras temples, there were incense burners of varying sizes and specifications, yet there were also two Tier-One ones; alas, Li Yuan simply could not afford them.

Burning with desire yet unable to buy, Li Yuan lost all interest in wandering, found his older brother and sister-in-law, and prepared to find a restaurant to eat.

"Did you hear? The Changyuan Escort Agency has fallen; both people and escort goods were hijacked. Not only has their reputation plummeted, but they also owe the Smithy five hundred taels of silver!"

"Chief Escort Lin was so angry he nearly couldn't get out of bed. I heard they are recruiting, preparing to go with the Smithy to demand satisfaction from the Viper Gang!"

"Sigh, when Commander Qiu was here, where were there so many troubles?"

On the road, Li Yuan heard the murmurs of discussion.

He looked up and saw that outside the Changyuan Escort Agency, a wooden platform had been erected with a flag recruiting people; several burly, powerful men were sparring on the wooden platform.

There were many onlookers, and cheers rang out from time to time.

"Third Brother, is your Shopkeeper preparing to go out of the city to find the Viper Gang? Don't go, it's too dangerous!"

Li Lin heard this, and his heart tightened.

"I haven't heard of that; rest assured, it won't be my turn to go."

Li Yuan hadn't heard of this matter, but he felt it was quite credible; Cao Yan must indeed be very anxious?

However, this had nothing to do with him.

"The reputation of a forging genius should still be useful..."

Li Yuan turned these thoughts over in his mind and led his older brother and sister-in-law into a tavern.

This tavern could not compare to the Yizi Restaurant in luxury, but the prices of the wine and dishes still made Li Lin's head ache; he absolutely refused to eat here.

It was only after Li Yuan took the initiative to order two dishes that they reluctantly sat down, with Li Lin constantly nagging.

"Enough, it's just a small token from the Third Brother; how can you not accept it?"

The Second Sister-in-law glared, and only then did Li Lin shut his mouth.

"The Second Sister-in-law is in the period of recovering her health; what's wrong with eating something good?"

In his past life, Li Yuan had loved eating and drinking; before, there was no way, but now that things were a bit more comfortable, he wanted to eat something good.

At the very least, he had to get a few pots of honey water.

He didn't really like drinking alcohol.

Strong liquor, he couldn't get used to; rice wine was okay, similar to the fermented rice juice of his past life, slightly sweet,

of course, honey water was best.

Although the taste was far inferior to his past life, it still had some flavor.

"This water is so sweet!"

Wang Juan loved drinking it; Li Lin said nothing, silently drank a cup, and tears fell down for some reason.

"Second Brother, you..."

Li Yuan was somewhat at a loss between laughter and tears.

"When you were young, every time Mother returned from ***, she would bring us back a few cups. Back then, the Eldest Brother was also here; he never drank, always letting you have it. I was young then and always fought with you for it..."

Wiping away his tears, Li Lin raised his cup:

"Third Brother, thank you!"

That day, Li Yuan did not go to forge iron, nor did he practice standing post; he spent the day strolling in the inner city with his older brother and sister-in-law and went to bed early in the evening.

The night passed without dreams.

"Hah!"

The next day, when the sky was fully bright, Li Yuan finally stretched his muscles and got out of bed.

Having not practiced for a day, he felt his whole body brimming with energy, and his blood and qi seemed much more active than before.

"Relaxation and tension constitute the Dao; the Ancestor certainly did not deceive me!"

Li Yuan felt the change and even felt a bit like slacking off, wanting to rest for another day.

But he still gritted his teeth, got up, swallowed a Zeng Xue Dan, practiced a few sets of the Soldier Body Stances, and only then went out.

He went to the Smithy first every day, but in fact, the inner courtyard disciples had no such constraint; forging iron, forging less, earning less, no one would care.

As soon as he entered the Smithy, Li Yuan sensed the abnormal atmosphere; he asked a familiar blacksmith, and his expression inevitably changed somewhat.

"The Shopkeeper has contacted over a dozen factions inside and outside the city, wanting to go out of the city together to find the Viper Gang?"

Li Yuan was somewhat startled.

Cao Yan is far too hasty; it seems he simply does not believe Fatty Sun's words either...

Not long after, Zhang Ben also arrived.

Old Zhang's expression was solemn, his severity unlike anything seen before: "From now on, no leave is permitted. Within ten days, the inner armor must be forged!"

"Disciple understands!"

Li Yuan felt grateful and responded in a solemn voice.

Cao Yan moved quickly.

It had been only three days since Fat Sun returned; he had already contacted over a dozen factions inside and outside the city, and even borrowed three great Monks from the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Temple.

All the inner courtyard disciples of the weapon forge, except for Li Yuan, who had reached the small completion of blood qi, received orders to leave the city.

Cao Yan even mobilized old apprentices who had long since left the inner courtyard.

In an instant, the shop was filled with a tense atmosphere.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of hammering in the forging room was louder and more dense than ever before; without Zhang Ben urging them, all the blacksmiths and laborers exerted their utmost strength.

"Now you know how to work hard? If you had this energy earlier, your forging art would have reached great mastery long ago; would there be any need to worry about this?"

Zhang Ben was angry at the blacksmiths for failing to live up to expectations.

The group of blacksmiths, scolded into keeping their heads down, glanced with their peripheral vision toward Li Yuan in the corner, feeling nothing but envy and jealousy.

In the entire blacksmith shop, apart from Zhang Ben, this junior brother was the only one who would not be sent out of the city.

"Hah!"

Li Yuan let out a long breath and set down the forging hammer:

"Master, the black silver wire is ready; we can begin weaving the armor!"