Chapter 353: It Will Come By Itself

Afternoon, Hangzhou, West Lake shore.

Yu Lin's figure appears again on this familiar land.

Compared with the West Lake of the Song‑era Ji Gong period he once visited, the scene before his eyes is completely transformed.

Skyscrapers rise, traffic streams like rivers, tourists weave like cloth, and classical charm intertwines with modern splendor.

However, Yu Lin's purpose this trip is neither nostalgia nor leisure.

His gaze scans the lakeside and soon locks onto a target—a stylish, somewhat artistic, delicate young man not far away, sitting before a portable easel, attentively sketching a girl.

Yu Lin strolls over, quietly stands beside him, and does not utter a word.

On the board, the girl's outline is already clear, her brows and eyes vivid, lacking only a few final strokes of spirit.

The boy's hand holding the charcoal pencil is steady and precise; with a few strokes, the subject's temperament leaps onto the paper, lifelike.

"Wow! So amazing! It's exactly the same!" the girl exclaims upon seeing the finished work, covering her mouth in surprise, eyes filled with tiny stars of admiration, "How much does this… cost?"

The boy smiles gently, carefully lifts the drawing, and hands it to the girl: "Our meeting is fate; I give it to you."

"Huh? How can you…" the girl says, both startled and delighted.

"It's fine, as long as you like it." The boy already begins to neatly pack his easel and tools; when the girl attempts to ask for contact information, he politely declines.

After the girl leaves with the drawing and a hint of regret, the boy lifts his easel onto his back, then turns to face the patiently waiting Yu Lin.

The two walk in tacit understanding toward a less crowded willow‑shaded spot by the lake.

"Jin Wu, your little life has been quite comfortable," Yu Lin grins, his tone teasing.

"Traveling, sketching, painting—far more cultured than Long Ge and his three gaming addicts who spend all day forming teams to play online."

Jin Wu—who is the delicate young man before them—smiles faintly at the words: "Master, you jest."

"I just want to gradually make up for the worldly scenery I missed during those dormant years."

He looks at the glittering lake surface, his tone tinged with sigh: "Perhaps in a few months or years, when I've seen enough and grown tired of painting, I might join Long Ge and his crew, and march to battle together."

Yu Lin nods in understanding, then gets to the point: "Alright, everyone has their own way of living."

"Now the serious matter, the Yangzhou Cauldron?"

Jin Wu curtails the idle chat, points northwest toward the West Lake, to the incense‑rich Lingyin Temple: "Hmm. When I visited this morning, I vaguely sensed its presence deep beneath the temple."

He pauses, then adds: "I originally intended to investigate myself, but inside the temple I saw an ancient stele inscribed with text mentioning a man surnamed 'Yu' and the descending‑dragon Arhat Ji Dian… that is Ji Gong, recording some of their deeds."

"I suspect this may involve you, master; to be safe, I called you over first."

Yu Lin, hearing this, rubs his chin and nods: "Fine, since the location is confirmed, let's go take a look."

"Let's go to Lingyin Temple."

Having said that, the two waste no more time, shoulder to shoulder head toward Lingyin Temple, blending into the crowd of visitors heading to the shrine.

Lingyin Temple.

In the afternoon, Lingyin Temple is already crowded with weekend tourists; coupled with the recent rumors of the Cultivation Era spreading like wildfire, an unprecedented surge of divine fervor erupts, and the wind of faith flourishes again.

Inside the temple at this moment, heads press together, shoulders brush, fragrant incense curls among the halls, its presence abundant, almost solidified.

Yet this thriving Incense Wish, for those who attain the Dao through arduous self‑cultivation or are born with celestial bones and divine bodies,

though incense can bring some convenience and empowerment, it is not fundamental; its effect is limited and may even become a shackling due to excessive karmic entanglement.

Nevertheless, using this pure Incense Wish to nurture an "Incense God" in the Human World, handling mundane affairs on one's behalf, is a convenient choice.

Yu Lin's gaze pierces the bustling crowd and swirling smoke, landing on the Buddha statue in the Mahavira Hall.

He sees within the incense‑wrapped Incense Wish surrounding the Buddha, a vague yet nascent form of an Incense Deity taking shape.

Its visage bears a seventy‑plus percent resemblance to the young Ji Gong.

That makes sense, for many pilgrims here worship the very living Buddha they hold in mind.

This embryonic deity cannot be granted great wealth, high rank, or a hundred‑year lifespan, nor can it be casually sought.

But easing believers' ailments and offering spiritual solace lies within its power.

Yu Lin and Jin Wu do not linger in the noisy front hall; their auras are restrained, like ordinary tourists, and they follow the flow toward a secluded spot on the back mountain.

The deeper they go, the fewer the visitors, and the surroundings grow increasingly tranquil.

Reaching a fork, Yu Lin suddenly halts, his gaze oddly fixed on a nearby lush forest.

Jin Wu notices, turns his head and asks: "What's wrong? Did the aura change?"

Yu Lin withdraws his gaze, shakes his head, a half‑smile of contemplation appearing: "Nothing."

"Just recalling some past… vaguely remember that many years ago, that forest was a latrine…"

"Now I see tourists strolling through the woods, snacking…"

He sighs lightly: "Things change, people change, the world turns upside down!"

Jin Wu hears this, his mouth twitches slightly, clearly not expecting his master to utter such a nostalgic line.

"Let's go." Yu Lin steadies his mind, no longer dwelling on ancient‑modern terrain changes, and continues with Jin Wu along the stone path.

Soon, the two arrive at a relatively secluded corner of the back mountain, where an ancient, weather‑worn stone stele stands quietly.

On the stele, some patterns and text are carved, roughly matching Jin Wu's earlier description, mentioning a man surnamed "Yu" and the descending‑dragon Arhat Ji Gong's intersections and deeds at this place.

And the Yangzhou Cauldron's aura here becomes increasingly clear and strong; its source lies right beneath this stele!

Perhaps back then the cultivation level was low, Long Ge hadn't fully recovered, so they didn't notice?

Or perhaps Ji Gong deliberately placed it here, waiting for Yu Lin to arrive, even erecting a stele...

"Hmm, I don't want to think that much now."

Jin Wu says, "Shall I dig it open now?"

Yu Lin shakes his head: "No need."

"Huh? Then how to do it?"

"It will come out on its own."

"But it..........."

Jin Wu's doubtful words had not finished when the ground began to surge, accompanied by a rumble.

A Great Cauldron suddenly appeared in Jin Wu's line of sight.

"Speak and the law follows?"

"Then master, what else do you want us to find? Just one sentence and they'd all come over!"

Yu Lin grinned:

"If I could bring them all over with a single sentence, what would you be doing?"

"Work hard, and later strive to gather them sooner."