Chapter 307 The temple fair is bustling, heroes gather, each displaying their talents, and powerful figures converge.

To the east of Feilong City stands a towering mountain, over a thousand feet high, named "Qisheng Mountain." Within it stands the "Feilong Temple," said to be extremely efficacious, capable of granting prayers for favorable weather, wealth, children, and protection from evil. Whenever there is a temple fair, crowds throng from all directions, jostling and pushing, creating a grand spectacle.

Li Xian feared that the five members of the "Five Elements Flower Array" would reveal their identities as members of the "Flower Cage Sect," attracting an attack and causing further trouble. Therefore, he ordered the five to stay at the inn and not leave. He then drank a simple bowl of porridge at dawn, smeared his face with rouge, messed up his hair, and followed ordinary people to the foot of the "Flying Dragon Temple" mountain.

Looking out from the mountaintop.

The Flying Dragon Temple stands high above, its buildings towering, and all people worship there. The setting sun shines in the east, casting a dazzling golden glow on half of its facade.

At the foot of the mountain are several "incense pavilions" that sell incense, offerings, and tribute tea. Whenever people pass by, they must first enter the incense pavilion to purchase incense and other offerings for the temple.

Li Xian heard that the woman surnamed Wang was going to the temple. He wanted to sneak up and observe her. He thought, "I will use the crowd as cover and secretly use my double pupils to observe her. Judging from her appearance, if she practices a vicious martial art, like Hao Qingshe's poisonous skills, there should be some clues. Even if I can't figure it out, I can still learn more about her by contacting her in advance. It can't hurt."

He gazed at the tall temple and muttered to himself, "This temple is really strange. It's built so high up, isn't that troublesome? Since it's a temple, it should be integrated into the lives of ordinary people and make things convenient for everyone. Oh well, if you're going to do something, you should do it properly. Since I'm here, I can't leave empty-handed."

The incense pavilion was bustling with activity, filled with various kinds of incense.

Li Xian looked around and was surprised to find that incense was extremely expensive. A three-inch stick of incense cost "three coins". The temple enshrined all the gods and Buddhas and needed to be offered incense equally. Each Buddha or god statue required three sticks of incense, for a total of thirty-six sticks, which cost "one hundred and eight coins".

Li Xian was quite surprised. He knew how precious "one hundred and eight coins" were; enough to buy meat and have a few satisfying meals. He could also buy coarse linen clothes to keep warm during the winter.

The owner of the incense-burning pavilion was pot-bellied, with two black, curving whiskers beside his mouth. His smile was like that of a catfish, and he looked incredibly wealthy, his lips glistening with oil. There was a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of rotting flesh about him.

The three-inch incense sticks are the most common, but there are also "Nine Palaces Incense", "Buddha Inquiry Incense", "Filial Piety Incense"... They are 6.4 inches long, 9.9 inches long... The thickness varies, and the price rises accordingly.

There are also many other offerings such as "paper ingots" and "candles," all of which are graded. Li Xian roughly understands that ordinary people who want to enter a temple to worship Buddha and pray for peace need to purchase various items such as "incense," "candles," and "paper ingots," totaling more than two hundred coins.

Although Flying Dragon City was wealthy, with its streets lined with magnificent buildings and gleaming tiles, it was not easy for ordinary people to make a living. If they could save a hundred or so copper coins a month, they were considered quite well-off.

Li Xian looked around the first floor and saw a staircase leading upstairs. Curious, he thought, "If the incense on the first floor is this expensive, what must the second floor be like? I've come all this way, how can I not take this opportunity to see what it's like?" He was about to go up to the second floor when the owner, who was lying in a chair, half-asleep, suddenly frowned upon seeing Li Xian's intention to ascend. He looked Li Xian up and down, and seeing that Li Xian was simply dressed, clearly a commoner, he immediately blocked his way, saying, "Hey, hey, hey, who came from, you vulgar fellow? Don't you have any sense of propriety? Is that a place for you to go?"

Most of the worshippers were ordinary people. Many were couples, and their clothing was not particularly luxurious. Li Xian, hidden among them without a trace, naturally went unnoticed. There were also many traveling martial artists and wealthy young men, some dressed in fine clothes that commanded respect, others in plain clothes but whose江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) air was unmistakable.

These people went up to the second floor, and the owner dared not stop them. Li Xian thought to himself, "Since that's how it is, I might as well not watch. Why should I get entangled with such people?" He turned around and bought a bundle of incense, candles, and silver ingots... spending two hundred taels of copper coins before leaving. He decided not to get involved in such mundane matters.

Not long after he left, three more guests arrived at the incense pavilion: two men and one woman, namely Gu Nianjun, Li Xiaofan, and Zhou Shijie.

Today, Feilong Temple is holding a temple fair. Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie, having heard of this, wanted to join in the fun and got up early to pay their respects. Li Xiaofan, having some free time, accompanied them. Upon reaching the foot of Qisheng Mountain, they saw a dense crowd and a lively atmosphere, and both felt they had made the right choice. They then decided to climb the mountain and enter the temple.

Gu Nianjun came from a distinguished family and was well-informed about everything. Knowing the rules of the temple fair, she skillfully entered the incense pavilion to purchase the necessary items. She glanced at the incense items on the first floor and then headed straight for the second floor.

The shopkeeper's eyes flashed as he noticed Gu Nianjun dressed in a purple dress, her appearance extraordinary. Beside her stood another young master, tall and handsome, with an imposing presence, clearly no ordinary person either. Another fair-skinned youth, with a refined demeanor and composed air, also stood out from the crowd.

How could they dare to obstruct them? They immediately greeted him with a smile, saying auspicious, flattering, and sycophantic things, and fawned over him, bowing as they escorted him upstairs.

The incense on the second floor is all placed in specially made boxes.

The owner opened a box, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. He introduced, "Gentlemen, this is Jade River Incense. The incense stick is made of jade. When burned, its fragrance surrounds the head, bringing blessings to all people. The incense stick is five feet seven inches long and can burn for three days and three nights!"

Zhou Shijie nodded slightly, gently shook his folding fan, and said, "Nianjun, since we've come all this way, why don't we use this incense?"

Gu Nianjun said, "No rush, there are many incense options here, let's take a look around." She walked forward. The owner immediately followed and introduced several kinds of incense.

There are "Nine-Foot Dragon Saliva Incense", "Eternal Peace Incense", "Seven-Colored Glazed Incense", and "Purple Qi Coming from the East Incense"...

This exotic fragrance has a unique appearance, and when burned, it can create extraordinary scenes in the heavens and earth. It is as if a divine miracle has descended to earth, inspiring endless imagination. As a result, it is quite popular. Only those with distinguished families and considerable wealth dare to dabble in such exotic fragrances. Gu Nianjun asked, "Xiao Fan, these fragrances have quite a lot of meaning. Which one do you think is better?"

Li Xiaofan said, "I initially thought the name 'Eternal Peace Incense' had a very auspicious meaning, but unfortunately, the incense stick is nine feet nine inches long, carved with golden dragons and phoenixes, extremely extravagant, and priced at nine hundred and ninety-nine taels. This seems to contradict its auspicious meaning, and more like an excuse to flaunt wealth. Whether the world is truly at peace is unknown, but the person burning this incense certainly enjoys immense wealth and spends money like water. It's not as sincere as a simple three-inch stick of incense..."

Zhou Shijie suddenly interrupted, "I don't think so. This decadent and chaotic world is on the verge of chaos. Why is it on the verge of chaos? It's because the dynasty is weak, and no one can subdue the feudal lords. In other words, if we want lasting peace, we need to go to the extreme, we need to have great ambition, fearlessness, and great power. That's why the incense for lasting peace is inlaid with golden dragons and carved with golden phoenixes, with two emperors descending to heaven, intended to deter villains. The incense stick is nine feet nine inches long, symbolizing that peace will last forever and be endless."

The host chuckled and said, "This young master has quite the magnanimity! Not bad, not bad, that's exactly the meaning."

Li Xiaofan smiled and said, "Brother Zhou is right." Then he remained silent. Zhou Shijie was very pleased and said with a smile, "Little brother Xiaofan, you are still young and your knowledge is still limited. You still need to study more."

Gu Nianjun said, "We have come from afar, not seeking to make a fuss. We only wish for lasting peace and prosperity. This incense is indeed a bit ostentatious. Xiao Fan, which incense do you prefer?"

Li Xiaofan smiled bitterly, "Sister Gu, you're really making things difficult for me. I've been poor since I was a child, and I've always been frugal, spending every penny on porridge and water. Now you're asking me to choose exotic incense, which costs hundreds of taels of silver... I've never seen so much money since I was born. If I really had that much money, I would rather give it away to people to buy clothes and food. Burning it all to worship some ethereal thing is really... heartbreaking."

At this point, fearing he might disturb Gu Nianjun's enjoyment, he added, "So let's leave it all to Sister Gu."

Gu Nianjun felt rather guilty and smiled, "It's wonderful that Brother Xiaofan has such a kind intention. In that case, let's buy three inches of incense. Let's experience the way ordinary people burn incense for a while."

"Oh dear!" the innkeeper said, "Gentlemen, this is not right, not right. What this young man says seems reasonable, but it is actually unreasonable."

Li Xiaofan blinked and asked, "Please speak." He was very humble, considering his own knowledge to be still shallow. The journey of learning was about seeking out different people to learn from. Good people, bad people, wicked people, and evil people all have their own set of principles. Even if they are fallacies, one must listen to their teachings, and then reflect and refute them.

The innkeeper said, "This young customer says that the money spent on incense is just a waste. That's not true at all. The money clearly went into my account."

Li Xiaofan, Gu Nianjun, and Zhou Shijie exchanged a smile. The owner continued, "My incense shop sells incense, candles, gold ingots, tribute tea... It requires a great many people. This money will first go into my account, and then I will distribute the monthly allowances to the employees. Their food, clothing, and other necessities will ensure that the money circulates among countless people."

"In this way... how can this money be considered wasted? It clearly benefits all people and is a great act of kindness! Furthermore... when the incense for eternal peace is lit, the Flying Dragon Temple displays extraordinary phenomena, reflecting on all people, making them all happy, and uniting public opinion. Isn't this making the best use of resources?"

Gu Nianjun smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to have such insight." Li Xiaofan nodded and said, "I've learned a lot."

Zhou Shijie laughed and said, "Xiao Fan is still young and needs more experience." Li Xiaofan did not argue and fell into deep thought. The master's fallacious reasoning was easy to understand, but he suddenly had an inspiration and thought of something much deeper.

Gu Nianjun laughed and said, "This incense is too ostentatious. You should just buy a three-inch incense stick instead." She was completely unmoved by his suggestion.

The host quickly called out, "Three guests, please wait..." Zhou Shijie felt slightly resentful, thinking to himself that Gu Nianjun treated Li Xiaofan too well.

Gu Nianjun asked, "Is there anything else?" The innkeeper replied, "I observe that you three are young and spirited, outstanding individuals, not ordinary people. Your family background, martial arts skills, knowledge, demeanor, and experience must all be remarkable. This temple fair is being organized on a grand scale, and to be honest, several young heroes have already come here this morning to purchase exotic incense. When the fair begins, they will surely shine brightly. If you three gentlemen are truly of a tranquil nature and do not care about fame or fortune, then that is fine too."

The implication was that the temple fair was a gathering place for powerful figures, showcasing their wealth and influence. Zhou Shijie, already indignant, was further provoked by these words and deliberately contradicted them, while also wanting to demonstrate his own superiority. He advised, "Mr. Nian, this festival is quite meaningful; it's a good opportunity to make friends with your peers. If you're stingy with such money, it would truly be a great pity!"

Gu Nianjun's eyes darted around. She did have an idea. She was young, and seeing the bustling temple fair, such a grand spectacle was a rare treat. Moreover, many of her peers were making their appearances, so she couldn't bear to be left out.

Gu Nianjun said softly, "Alright... Xiao Fan, I'll also buy you a stick of exotic incense. Since you're traveling around studying, you should also make good friends and be frugal when necessary, and use it when needed. This is a rare opportunity, you need to broaden your horizons."

Although Li Xiaofan was reluctant to part with the money, he thought that Gu Nianjun and Zhou Shijie were right. He obediently replied, "Okay."

...

...

The temple fair was bustling with activity. After purchasing incense, paper money, and red candles, Li Xian wrapped them in coarse cloth and climbed the stone steps up the mountain. There were many locals along the way, some chatting about everyday life, others gossiping about their neighbors, creating a lively and noisy atmosphere that showcased the diverse aspects of people's lives.

The mountain path winds its way along, paved with bluestone slabs, and the snow in the path has been cleared away. Because there are many people around, the atmosphere is lively, and the cold is not felt. A little further in, small vendors gradually appear on both sides, selling rice dumplings, water, pickled vegetables and other food.

When you reach the middle of the mountain, you will suddenly see a flat area. This place is called "Zhishengtan", which means that the area above the "Feilong Temple" is located here.

A stove was erected in the middle, its flames roaring. The people, in orderly fashion, tossed paper ingots into the stove. The fire burned continuously, surging and scorching. The area was high up and quite cold, but the heat of the stove dispelled the chill from the surroundings.

Seeing that it was already noon and he was slightly hungry, Li Xian bought a hot rice dumpling from a vendor and ate it under a tree to fill his stomach. The temple fair was gradually becoming more crowded and lively. Suddenly, he heard a clatter of gongs and drums, and the crowd gathered in one direction. Li Xian jumped onto a tree branch and looked in the direction of the sound, seeing someone performing a ritual at the altar.

The man, dressed in a Taoist robe and wielding a wooden sword, moved with measured steps, chanting incantations. The words were incoherent and unintelligible. A crowd of onlookers gathered, their eyes glued to him. Li Xian, observing from a distance, discerned that this was no mere acrobat. It was a martial arts performance; his strange chanting, the sudden, frantic swordplay, the powerful stomping of his feet—all concealed a subtle, ethereal power. The onlookers, oblivious, were completely absorbed in the martial arts.

The crowd continued upwards, arriving at the first temple, "Zang Gong Temple." Inside, a stone statue, over ten zhang tall, stood, its eyes wide with anger, its beard scrunched, wielding a chain of iron maces, its posture upright and unyielding, fulfilling its duty to ward off evil spirits. In front of the statue was an incense burner. Smoke drifted upwards, swirling around the statue.

The crowd surged forward, vying to offer incense with utmost piety. Only after the incense was placed in the burner did they breathe a sigh of relief, kneeling and kowtowing, reciting numerous prayers. Most hoped for the "manifestation of divine power" from the Tibetan Lord, and for the severe punishment of the injustice. Suddenly, several people shuddered, their faces filled with horror, crying out, "Tibetan Lord, spare us! Tibetan Lord, spare us!" They recounted their past crimes, then froze and fainted.

The onlookers were even more convinced, immediately kneeling and kowtowing, praising the Tibetan official for redressing the people's grievances and severely punishing the wicked. Li Xian frowned slightly, having already discerned the situation.

turn out to be···

Whether the Tibetan master has manifested his power is still unknown. The key lies in the ritual itself. That ritual is actually a martial arts practice, affecting people's spirits. When offering incense, those with weaker spirits will feel as if the Tibetan master has appeared, angrily shouting and interrogating them. Those with weaker hearts will confess all the wrongdoings they have ever committed.

No one is perfect, and who in the world is without a guilty conscience?

Li Xian thought to himself, "The people are ignorant and have been like this for so long. How could they not truly believe there is a god here? No wonder they are so devout. This one temple alone is enough to make them rich and famous. It's truly a win-win situation. But it's a pity for the people, who have wasted so much money coming here. These people have been like this since they were young, and it's even harder for me to wake them up. I'd better not cause them any trouble." Without using his lightness skill, he walked through the crowd, took out three incense sticks, and placed them in the incense burner.

On the surface they appeared devout, but their minds were elsewhere. Behind the Tibetan temple was a narrow path through a lush, verdant forest, teeming with life. A stream babbled down from above.

Starting from the Zhishengtai (至圣台), there are a total of thirteen temples facing upwards. Each temple enshrines a deity, such as the "Zanggong Temple" (藏公庙), "Caifu Temple" (财福庙), "Xianzi Temple" (献子庙), and "Enu Temple" (娥女庙), all of which are filled with the fragrance of incense and are very lively.

The "E Nu Temple" is the fifth one, and only women are allowed to enter. One must offer prayers with blood drawn from their index finger.

The higher one climbs, the more mystical the temples become. Upon reaching the seventh temple, the "Snake God Temple," a giant brown python, about eight zhang long and as large as a disc, coiled beside the stone statue. It had prominent horns and four small legs growing from its belly, and was truly extraordinary.

Amidst the incense smoke, one could see its breath turning into mist. Its vertical pupils seemed to possess a spiritual quality, indicating wisdom, and its serpentine body exuded a Zen-like aura, draped in a kasaya. Li Xianshi's eyes were opened, and he muttered to himself, "If I hadn't cultivated martial arts and hadn't broadened my horizons, and had gone to the temple to worship like an ordinary person, seeing so many strange sights, I would inevitably become devout and convinced."

Offering incense and bowing in reverence as usual, we continued upwards, passing two more temples, until we came to a narrow mountain path with a sheer cliff on one side. The path was only wide enough for two people to pass at a time. Although it was not difficult to pass, we had to overcome our fear.

At the crossroads, a monk-like figure said, “Gentlemen, this path carries the risk of falling off a cliff. If you are afraid of the towering cliffs, please turn left. There is a temple dedicated to the Three Saints there, where you can offer incense to the Three Saints. There are also prayer cushions available for you to sit on. When the time comes, the bronze bell will be rung, and you will see the spectacular sight of burning incense. You will all be bathed in the auspicious energy of good fortune.”

Most of the people turned left and went to the "Three Saints Temple." The temple grounds were quite large, with a wide view, and one could see the pavilions on the mountaintop. The Flying Dragon Temple had a total of thirteen temples, but only twelve statues were enshrined.

The first nine temples are all easily accessible, accessible by following the mountain path, and can be visited by ordinary people. The tenth temple is the "Three Saints Temple," which enshrines the tablets of the deities from the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth temples.

Because the three statues are located at a higher elevation and the road becomes increasingly rugged, ordinary people are weak and easily fall off the cliff. If they continue forward, they risk falling off the cliff.

Therefore, a "Temple of the Three Saints" was built here, which houses the memorial tablets of the three gods. People can go to the Temple of the Three Saints to offer incense and worship, thus avoiding the risk of falling off the cliff and the need to climb the rugged mountain road, while still being able to offer incense devoutly.

However, those who are truly devout can continue up the mountain to face the original statues of the Three Saints directly. The path splits into two: 60% turn towards the Temple of the Three Saints, while 40% continue up the mountain.

Li Xian walked along the mountain wall, his sharp eyes quickly taking in the many protruding shrines on the steep cliff, each enshrining a nameless minor deity. Because of its location on the precipice, with nowhere to stand, ordinary people could not offer incense.

However, incense was still being offered in the shrine. Suddenly, a cry of surprise was heard from the crowd, and a young man leaped out from the crowd, using his light-footed skills to fly and move between the cliffs. He held incense in his hand, offered incense to the shrine, and then quickly and swiftly returned to the crowd.

The crowd cheered and applauded, and the young man, beaming with pride, looked quite pleased with himself. It turned out that the small shrines on the cliff were all erected to highlight the prodigy. To demonstrate his exceptional talent and extraordinary lightness of body, the young prodigy, seeing that others couldn't offer incense at these secluded shrines, insisted on doing so himself.

One after another, heroes flew to the cliff to offer incense, displaying their skills. Some had excellent lightness skills, some were agile, and some had superb sword skills... They used all sorts of methods to achieve their goals.

Li Xian observed sixteen unnamed shrines nestled in the cliff face. They were arranged from low to high, and from easy to difficult to find. The lowest shrine had hundreds of incense sticks, while the highest shrine had only a few.

Many young talents tried their best to place the incense sticks in the high shrine, but all failed due to numerous obstacles.

Seeing the assembled heroes displaying their prowess, Li Xian watched with great interest. Several figures among them were quite formidable, but he resolutely refused to participate. Passing through the steep mountain path, he arrived at the very top of the Flying Dragon Temple. The terrain here was vast, with three majestic temples standing tall and imposing.

Li Xian looked around, searching for any trace of the "woman surnamed Wang." Finding no sign of her, he figured she probably hadn't arrived yet, so he didn't rush down the mountain and waited at the summit.

He found a relatively secluded spot with a wide view to rest. He drank some water, enjoyed the cool breeze, and occasionally observed the surrounding activity. The temple fair was becoming increasingly crowded and lively.

Suddenly, the sound of a bronze bell resounded, its echoes reverberating throughout Qisheng Mountain. Dozens of laborers carried in five bronze incense burners. Each burner was three zhang tall and four zhang wide, exuding an imposing presence. When they were set down, they made a loud "dong" sound, causing several tremors to reverberate around them.

The onlookers gasped in surprise and began to discuss the matter. The abbot of Feilong Temple said, "The time has come. If any of you have any unusual fragrances, please come and offer them here." He then stepped aside.

A commotion arose as the crowd gathered around the bronze tripod, discussing it.

Suddenly, a man shouted, "I'll go first. I'm sure there are others here who are even more skilled. I'm just a humble fellow with limited resources and skills, so I'll set an example for everyone." A young man dressed in a light green robe strode out, his eyebrows raised and his spirits high. He bowed to those around him.

He then opened the specially made box and took out a long incense stick. Everyone gasped in surprise. This incense stick was called "Eight-Nine-Foot Incense," and it was eight feet and nine inches long. It was made from special animal fat and weighed as much as a thousand pounds, like a giant club.

The young man held a long incense stick, his inner energy surging powerfully, and wielded it like an iron ruler, creating a whooshing sound. Gusts of wind swept around him. He displayed a kind of "sword technique," his movements effortless, drawing gasps of amazement from the crowd.

The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details. Many martial arts masters have gathered here, all nodding in approval and their eyes showing admiration. Gu Nianjun, Zhou Shijie, and Li Xiaofan have also arrived and are all looking in this direction.

The young man danced for a moment, then shouted, "I've made a fool of myself." He leaped up and inserted the eight or nine-foot-long incense stick into the incense burner. The incense burner shook violently with a loud thud.

The "Eight-Nine Mysterious Ruler Incense" had an iron core, and to ignite it, one needed to make the iron burn. This was extremely difficult, as iron is very hard to burn. Without skill, even if one acquired the incense, it would be difficult to light it and unleash its power. The young man had just used the "Iron Heart Sword Technique," specifically the move "Heart Like Mysterious Iron." This move contained the subtle beauty of ethereal music; with each movement, the iron core underwent a thousand hammerings, generating intense heat that ultimately ignited the exotic fragrance!

The eight or nine incense sticks burned brightly, sending white smoke soaring straight into the sky. Unbendingly, it defied wind and snow, piercing the heavens with its sharp, unyielding power.

A young man in purple robes clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent! Superb! So you are a esteemed disciple of the Jiushan Sword Sect! Your Iron Heart Sword Technique is exquisitely executed. I've seen it before!"

The young man from the Jiushan Sword Sect, named Wang Dezhong, laughed heartily, "Hahaha, I'm just making a fool of myself. Please don't laugh at me, brothers. I'm waiting for you all to show your skills."

The young man in purple robes said, "Not at all, not at all." Compliments and praises came from all sides.

Young heroes are full of vigor and ambition. If their family backgrounds and martial arts skills are similar, they will appreciate each other and quickly form a friendship.

With a slight smile, Gu Nianjun saw that the atmosphere was harmonious and that the young men who had made the move were all from reputable sects. She said, "I have long heard of the Jiushan Sword Sect. Seeing it for the first time, I can confirm that it lives up to its reputation."

(P.S.: The setup for the Flying Dragon City storyline is pretty much done; it's about time to start unfolding!)

(Please vote for me at the end of the month!)

(End of this chapter)