Inside the hall is a long passageway, paved with white stone two centimeters higher than the ground, separating it from the flat ground. On both sides of the passageway are rows of gray stone walls, on which are engraved calligraphy and paintings.
It contains both text and images, with the text taking up a larger proportion than the images, making it unlike ordinary carved text and images.
Instead of carefully examining the contents, she looked at the somewhat abrupt layout of the gray stone walls, which formed a maze-like encirclement, with walls on the left and right.
Looking at the row of walls, these gray stone walls are not continuous, but rather disordered yet orderly, allowing people to pass through.
If she were standing on high ground and looking down, she would find that these walls are actually arranged in the shape of a swastika, also called "Yungdrung," which is a Buddhist symbol.
"Guests, may I ask which one of you is Zheng Qing, who has made it into the top ten of the Jichun Craftsmen's Guild and is participating in the finals?" the guide from Qianshu Palace asked.
“Me,” Zheng Quchi said.
The guide's gaze swept suspiciously over the two of them before he asked, "And who is this person with such an extraordinary bearing...?"
She knew that standing next to him, she would be like a firefly obscured by the stars and moon, utterly inconspicuous.
But she still had to bite the bullet and answer, "...Attendant, I am an attendant."
"A follower?" The guide's surprised expression was genuine. He truly believed that this young master was Zheng Qing's patron or a powerful figure's entourage, but someone with such appearance and imposing manner was merely a follower.
"According to the rules, those accompanying you may only stay here temporarily. Those who have been selected, please go inside."
Zheng Quchi looked at Yuwen Sheng and saw him nod with a smile: "Go, I'll wait for you here."
"Then, I'm going in. You... be careful. I'll come out right away after I finish the competition." She opened her clear almond-shaped eyes and gave him instructions, though she hesitated to speak.
Yuwen Sheng parted his lips slightly: "Okay."
The guide got goosebumps when he saw the two grown men saying goodbye in such a sticky manner.
This relationship... is quite easy to misunderstand.
The central passageway and the gray stone wall with the swastika shape occupy the central position of the hall. She was led by the guide in the hall and entered through the arc-shaped passages on both sides.
Finally, we arrived at the main hall, where Shakyamuni Buddha was enshrined on a high altar. The soft sunlight from above illuminated the thousands of trees on the dome of the hall, revealing the golden, black stone, jade dragon, brocade, and colorful painted beams and beard in full detail.
The rising smoke from the incense burner beneath the seat evokes a sense of majestic grandeur, austere purity, and ethereal beauty.
The platform above was already occupied by Abbot Miku, Gongshu Jiruo, and more than a dozen renowned craftsmen from seven kingdoms.
The guide did not allow anyone other than the craftsmen to enter, so Yuwen Sheng stayed in the outer room for the time being. At this time, only Zheng Quchi and a few others who had arrived earlier stood together, clasping their hands in prayer.
Within fifteen minutes, the remaining people arrived one after another.
She looked over and saw that there were only nine finalists present, and one person was still missing... Could it really be the person who fell off the cliff?
When Abbot Miku saw the nine people arrive, he stepped forward, his face filled with sorrow, and said to them, "An unfortunate incident has just occurred. One of the shortlisted craftsmen got into an argument and, instead of harming someone, fell off a cliff. The monks of the temple have searched for him and found his body, confirming that he died from his injuries. Wujue Temple will write a letter to his registered residence in Kucha to notify his relatives and friends to come and claim him."
Did they have an argument?
Are you trying to harm someone?
Whom did the person who fell off the cliff intend to harm?
Her gaze followed her suspicion and turned, meeting Yu Hai's eyes, which were fixed on her.
When he saw Zheng Quchi finally looking at him, he immediately smiled very happily.
However, Zheng Quchi's gaze did not linger; it turned back the next second, without making eye contact with him.
Yu Hai opened his mouth, his fingernails digging fiercely into his flesh, and then he could only lower his head dejectedly.
After finishing his digression, Mi Ku brought the topic back to the main point: "Congratulations to the remaining nine of you for making it into the top ten of the Jichun Craftsmen's Guild. Now, Master Gongshu will tell you about the final round."
Zheng Quchi was slightly taken aback.
She hadn't expected that Wujue Temple would treat a finalist who had fallen off a cliff so casually.
They are indeed not obligated to explain the cause and effect to the remaining craftsmen, but the fact that they can continue the finals as if nothing happened after one person died can only mean that the "Jichun Craftsmen's Guild" and Wujue Temple do not care much about whether there is one less or one more finalist.
Gongshu Jiruo wore a blue robe today, with a blue gauze covering his hair, a blue crown, and white boots. This outfit made him look like a snow-capped ice peak, with a snowy blue color and a skin as transparent as glass.
"When you entered the hall, you must have seen those towering gray stone walls outside. On them are questions that craftsmen of all ages have been unable to solve. They are divided into four categories: craftsmanship, skill, technique, and perfection. You may choose to answer the question in the category you are good at. The one who answers the question with the most points will be the winner."
"The time allotted for answering the questions is the length of an incense stick."
He gestured for everyone to look behind him, where a finger-thick and arm-length incense stick remained unlit inside the incense burner.
So thick and long?
If it were all burned out, wouldn't it take several hours?
After a brief explanation of the rules for the finals, everyone else quietly digested the rules and began to rub their hands together, feeling both nervous and excited, preparing for the upcoming finals.
Gongshu asked, "Before the official incense burning to begin the competition, do you have any doubts or questions about the details?"
"We have none," the eight replied in unison.
"Yes." Zheng Quchi raised her hand, stepped forward, and asked, "If two people get the same score on a question, how do you determine the winner?"
Gongshu Ji seemed to see her, his expression a kind of indistinct beauty hidden in the mist. He said, "Then let's add more time and continue answering questions. Here's a note: the questions are divided into four categories, but the scores for each category are different. If you answer the 'craft' category correctly, you get one point; if you answer the 'skill' category correctly, you get two points; if you answer the 'technique' category correctly, you get three points; and if you answer the 'extraordinary' category correctly, you get four points. The difficulty of each category is also equal to the score."
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