"Let's rest here for the night and head to Shituo City tomorrow morning."
Upon entering the inn, a young female innkeeper immediately greeted them: "Esteemed guests, are you looking for a place to stay?"
As he spoke, his eyes kept glancing at Mu Qiuyao, who was standing next to Shen Zhao.
Shen Zhao responded, "I'll stay at the inn, and please prepare some vegetarian food as well."
The female shopkeeper immediately replied, "How many rooms would you two gentlemen like?"
Just as Shen Zhao was about to say two rooms, Mu Qiuyao spoke up first: "Just one room, and have the food delivered to the guest room as well."
The female shopkeeper responded and then asked, "Are you two planning to attend the Lotus-Picking Ceremony in Shituo City? Tomorrow is the opening day of the Lotus-Picking Ceremony."
Many eminent monks will be present to preach and expound the Dharma. It is said that the three chief monks of Shita City will also be there in person; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Shen Zhao: "Of course, we have long admired the name of Shituo City. How could we miss such a grand occasion?"
The female shopkeeper smiled, then glanced at Mu Qiuyao again, revealing a meaningful smile.
Just after I finished checking in, I suddenly heard chanting outside the door.
A group of monks, carrying prayer wheels, wearing red robes, and with ruddy complexions, entered the inn.
A young monk at the head seemed to be their leader. The moment he entered the inn, the rest of his companions immediately split into two groups to respectfully greet him.
The female shopkeeper immediately went to greet them and bowed respectfully to the leading monk, saying, "I was unaware of your arrival and failed to kneel in welcome. I hope you will forgive me."
The Buddhist disciple, with a kind and gentle expression, simply smiled faintly and clasped his hands together, saying, "It's alright. I've only just arrived myself, so there's no need for you to be nervous, female benefactor."
The moment he looked up, he saw Mu Qiuyao's face and his eyes lit up.
His eyes then began to scan her body relentlessly, staring at her without any restraint.
"If I had regained even a sliver of my imperial aura, those lecherous monks would have died at least a hundred times over!"
Mu Qiuyao felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at. The fact that a dignified empress was being treated like prey was disgusting to her.
Let's go!
Shen Zhao glanced at the Buddhist monk, a slight smile playing on his lips, and then led Mu Qiuyao back to his room.
As soon as they left, the Buddhist monk immediately asked, "Female benefactor, who are these two guests?"
"Oh, they are new to the Buddhist kingdom, and have come here to participate in the lotus-picking ceremony in Shita City tomorrow, hoping to hear the three abbots preach."
The Buddhist disciple responded, then said, "This Buddhist disciple can sense that the aura emanating from that female benefactor is extraordinary. If we use her flesh lotus as a magical artifact..."
This is hundreds or even thousands of times stronger than any of the current fleshy lotuses. Once the magical artifact is made, perhaps there will be no need to harvest lotuses for the next hundred years.
Upon hearing this, the female shopkeeper's eyes lit up: "Buddha, is what you say true?"
The Buddhist disciple put his hands together in prayer: "A monk does not lie."
The female shopkeeper was extremely excited: "Buddha, if I can help you obtain this flesh lotus, could you please beg the three abbots to release my sister?"
"How dare you! You dare to negotiate with the Buddha's disciple? Who do you think you are!"
Upon hearing this, the monks protecting the Dharma immediately rebuked the woman loudly.
The woman's heart trembled, and she immediately knelt on the ground, begging for mercy: "Buddha, please don't be angry. This woman was too greedy. Please don't be angry."
The Buddhist monk raised his hand and said, “Please rise, female benefactor. I do not mean to blame you. I know that you and your sister have depended on each other since childhood and are reluctant to be separated. This is only human nature and I understand.”
"Thank you for your forgiveness, Buddha."
The female shopkeeper stood up tremblingly.
The Buddhist disciple stepped forward, sighed, and said, "Actually, a hundred years ago, I also suggested to the Buddhist leadership that the practice of lotus picking be abolished because it was too bloody."
However, the laws of the Buddhist kingdom are strict, and this practice cannot be abandoned without a Buddhist vessel. Now, I have found an excellent vessel to house me.
Once you've mastered it, that Buddhist disciple will have ample reason to raise objections again, and your sisters will be able to return and reunite with you.
The female shopkeeper hurriedly said, "Buddha, as long as you promise to release my sisters before the next lotus-picking ceremony, I am willing to personally deliver this woman to you."
"Amitabha!"
Buddhist disciples softly chant the Buddha's name.
“Female benefactor, please remember not to force things; everything depends on fate.”
"Rest assured, Buddha, this woman is doing this willingly!"
The woman's eyes were filled with determination as she spoke.
Inside the inn, Shen Zhao sat on the floor and Mu Qiuyao sat on the bed, closing their eyes to regulate their breathing.
After a full cycle, Mu Qiuyao felt that her body's energy had begun to unseal, and her cultivation level had recovered to around the third rank of the Qi Condensation Realm.
With her cultivation now in hand, Mu Qiuyao's anxiety, which had been building up all along, finally eased.
When she looked at Shen Zhao again, there was a strange look in her eyes.
"As expected, the decision to stay by his side was the right one. In the past few days, the cold poison in my body has not flared up at all, and the speed at which my cultivation has been unsealed is much faster than I expected."
Thinking of this, she had another idea.
"I've heard that the young man has improved many flaws in cultivation techniques. Why not ask him if he has any way to improve the Mingyu Xuanhuang Technique? Perhaps the opportunity to break through to the ninth level lies with him."
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