Zen Master Feng Hua and Master Ting Hai's Plan

"Squeak~!"

The side door was pushed open halfway before stopping.

Then, a round-faced monk wearing a light gray robe walked in with a smile.

He then closed the door again.

Upon closer inspection, Xiao Chen realized that the person who had arrived was none other than Zen Master Feng Hua from Kasyapa Temple!

He had only seen the demon once before, from afar, when he was dealing with its body at the beach.

Only when you get closer do you realize that although the other person looks like he's only middle-aged, his aura is actually already showing signs of decline after reaching its peak.

It's probably seven or eight hundred years old.

"Amitabha!"

Upon meeting, Hui Ming Zen Master first clasped his hands together and softly chanted a Buddhist prayer before politely inquiring, "Layman Xiao, I hope I haven't disturbed you by coming so late?"

I don't know why.

Xiao Chen seemed to sense a hint of restraint in his movements.

It seemed that the old Zen Master was somewhat reserved in front of this young man, perhaps due to their unfamiliarity with each other.

"Please have a seat, sir. I was just about to ask you for your opinion."

Xiao Chen took out his sword sheath and placed it on the table. "You may have heard that I picked up a sword sheath a couple of days ago, and it seems to be part of Ancient Magic Treasure."

"I've been looking for several fellow Daoists these past two days, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to identify their origins."

"It turns out that you arrived before we even had a chance to set off."

Since the other party seemed inexplicably reserved, Xiao Chen decided to be a little more enthusiastic.

As the saying goes, having more friends means having more options.

In any case, the other party is a Fourth-Order Zen Master, and may have just happened to have seen a record related to this Ancient Magic Treasure in some rare book in Kasyapa Temple.

Or rather, it's uncertain whether he will be able to obtain any useful information from the other party someday.

However, to Xiao Chen's surprise, the other party didn't seem to have much interest in the Ancient Magic Treasure.

Although Zen Master Feng Hua took the item and examined it carefully immediately after he took it out.

However, it was slightly different from the reactions of others before.

After carefully reviewing everything, demonstrating that they were not just going through the motions, they proceeded.

Zen Master Feng Hua politely placed the sword sheath back on the table, saying, "It's a pity, this old monk also doesn't recognize the origin of this Ancient Magic Treasure."

"But I've already memorized what it looks like."

"If we come across any relevant clues in the future, we will definitely inform Layman Xiao immediately."

Wow, why are you taking this so seriously?

Xiao Chen was a little confused.

Logically speaking, when people come and visit each other, even if they can't have a lively conversation, shouldn't they at least try to lighten the atmosphere during the chat?

Since we weren't familiar with each other at first, a few polite words were enough.

The subsequent formal and stiff conversations were not conducive to making friends; at least, Xiao Chen was somewhat unaccustomed to them.

His silence immediately created a tense atmosphere in the room.

However, Zen Master Feng Hua seemed more relaxed.

He reached into his left sleeve and pulled out two jet-black, rhomboid crystals, placing them directly on the table.

Then she nudged Xiao Chen closer, saying, "I heard that Layman Xiao has recently been collecting materials for crafting defensive Spirit Artifact."

"As luck would have it, this old monk happens to have two Thousand Year Profound Crystal on hand."

"Although it's not anything particularly valuable, it's quite effective at reinforcing spirit shields or making Spirit Robe more durable."

"Although its reputation is not particularly prominent, there should be relevant records in some Ancient Books."

That's absolutely true.

When Xiao Chen borrowed Scripture Pavilion, he had indeed seen the material Thousand Year Profound Crystal in several different books.

According to classification, it should be considered a mid-grade fourth-tier spiritual material, and its quantity is relatively rare.

It is one of the raw materials suitable for many defensive magical Spirit Artifact.

The question is, what does the other party mean by this?

Xiao Chen looked down at the Thousand Year Profound Crystal on the table, then looked up at the smiling Zen Master Feng Hua.

I'm getting more and more confused.

Surely no one would give him something so valuable for no reason?

Although Xiao Chen had already handled a lot of fourth-tier spiritual materials.

But you should know that this item must have been quite valuable to Zen Master Feng Hua.

The fact that he's willing to spend money on gifts suggests he likely has ulterior motives.

This is precisely what Xiao Chen couldn't understand: what was he after?

Judging from this, it doesn't seem like they're here to make a deal with me.

Surely they weren't intimidated by his King's Might and came over to bow down in reverence.

With the idea of asking questions when you don't understand, Xiao Chen directly asked, "What does Master Feng Hua mean by this?"

"Are you looking to exchange some Spirit Stone with me, or have you taken a fancy to a certain spiritual material from a Demon Beast?"

"Whatever it is, feel free to speak frankly."

The prey that Xiao Chen had captured was placed on the edge of the island, where it could be seen by the cultivators who came and went.

That's why he suspected that the other party might have their eye on something else.

Unexpectedly, Zen Master Feng Hua gently shook his head, then pursed his lips. "Everyone says that Layman Xiao has always been quite pragmatic and doesn't like beating around the bush."

"Therefore, I will speak frankly about some things."

"If nothing unexpected happens next..."

"At the Peace Conference, we should follow the example of the Ancient Sages and adopt a voting system with majority rule to address the demands of different sects, thereby eliminating potential conflicts."

"The Kasyapa Temple Reconstruction should also require a vote."

"I've come today hoping that Layman Xiao can cast a vote in favor of me at that time."

"If this can be accomplished, I will be eternally grateful, and the tens of thousands of displaced disciples of Kasyapa Temple will surely remember the kindness of Layman Xiao."

Oh, I see.

After he said that, Xiao Chen finally understood.

No wonder Zen Master Feng Hua seemed a bit strange from the time he came to visit until he entered the door.

It turns out they were secretly campaigning for votes to rebuild Kasyapa Temple, a major undertaking.

Does this mean all Fourth-Order Cultivator attending the Peace Conference can participate in the voting?

Xiao Chen remembered that in one of the ancient histories of the Heavenly Dipper Sect, it was mentioned that only the Sect Leader could participate in the voting meeting for the conquest of the Witch Clan.

The rest, whether they were independent cultivators or Grand Elder, could only watch from the sidelines as witnesses.

Could it be that they're changing the rules this time?

However, the past is the past, and the present is the present.

As time goes by, it is reasonable to make appropriate adjustments based on current conditions.

Therefore, the current situation should be that Xiao Chen also has the right to vote under the new rules and has the ability to interfere with the decisions of the conference.

Therefore, Zen Master Feng Hua wanted to use two pieces of Thousand Year Profound Crystal to exchange for a vote of approval in advance.

Once you talk it out, the matter isn't complicated.

With the idea of thinking things through before acting, Xiao Chen calmly considered the matter for three breaths, weighing the pros and cons.

Then, without hesitation, he nodded in agreement. "Now that we have repelled the Sea Race, we should naturally reclaim the lost territory."

"Rebuilding Kasyapa Temple is certainly reasonable and justified."

"I believe everyone will agree with this, and if a vote is required, I am very willing to vote in favor. Please rest assured Master Feng Hua."

Although agreeing after only three breaths of thought seems a bit hasty, there's no harm in it, right?

At least for Xiao Chen himself, he couldn't think of any drawbacks.

It almost felt like a windfall, giving him two Thousand Year Profound Crystal for free.

"Amitabha!"

Upon Zen Master Feng Hua's face lit up with joy, and he immediately stood up. "Thank you for your support, Layman Xiao. This old monk is very grateful."

He then performed a Buddhist bow, saying, "Once the temple is renovated, you are welcome to visit Layman Xiao anytime."

"The entire Kasyapa Temple will certainly welcome you with open arms!"

Having settled the business, Zen Master Feng Hua finally lost his initial restraint.

The two chatted for a while longer, talking about all sorts of random things, and seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.

Then he took his leave and left through the side hall.

Xiao Chen escorted him to the door before returning to the table, where he picked up the two Thousand Year Profound Crystal and examined them carefully for three breaths.

Then he happily put it away and continued to review his Law Technique.

After Zen Master Feng Hua came out, he did not return to his own courtyard.

Instead, they went around in circles, first visiting the courtyard where Lotus Flower Temple is located, and then arriving at the small bamboo building where Awakening Sea Temple is located.

But he neither knocked nor called out; instead, he stood quietly at the door.

As luck would have it, a short while later, Master Ting Hai returned from outside.

He wasn't surprised to see Zen Master Feng Hua; instead, they nodded to each other and then went into the bamboo building for a detailed conversation.

"How is the situation?"

As soon as he sat down, Zen Master Feng Hua couldn't wait to ask, "What is Zhang Shouquan's attitude?"

Master Ting Hai looked displeased. "That fellow is simply insatiable!"

"After hearing that a vote was needed, he actually complained that one Thousand Year Profound Crystal was not enough, and then he made an outrageous demand of 20,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone from me."

"And they also said that the Thousand Year Profound Crystal could at most force him to forfeit."

"If we want him to agree, we must first pay the Spirit Stone in full at once."

ah?

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Feng Hua was first startled, then his heart tightened. "Abbot Tinghai, so you finally agreed?"

Not to mention that 20,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone are equivalent to 2 million Low-grade Spirit Stone, the key point is that this is a strategic resource.

But if Master Ting Hai has already agreed to the other party's request, then it seems he has no other choice.

"Hmph, of course I won't let him blackmail me!"

Master Ting Hai snorted coldly, "A mere Newly Promoted Nascent Soul dares to take advantage of this opportunity and act so arrogantly. Doesn't he even know his own limitations?"

"If the rules hadn't been changed this time, would he even be qualified to vote?"

"Back when Awakening Sea Temple was at its peak, a wandering ghost like him wouldn't even deserve a seat; at most, he'd just stand by and watch!"

Awakening Sea Temple was once wealthy, or rather, many of the sects that have survived to this day were once wealthy.

After all, no one can guarantee that every successor will be wise and capable, and that the handover will be smooth.

Without a relatively substantial family fortune, an unexpected event could cause the family line to end.

"Oh, so how did the final talks go?"

Zen Master Feng Hua was clearly anxious. "Could it be that the talks have fallen apart?"

Although he was somewhat annoyed when he heard that it cost 20,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.

But the thought of the subsequent vote at the general meeting made him anxious again.

The Daoist Sect has many Newly Promoted True Monarch this time, while the Buddhist Sect has suffered heavy casualties.

If they fail to secure those two crucial individual votes, they may not be able to pass smoothly at the conference.

"Hey, what you're saying is true, I do know the priorities."

Master Ting Hai raised his hand and pressed down, signaling him not to be impatient. "In front of Zhang Shouquan, I naturally didn't hold a grudge against him."

I simply gave a general overview of my expenses over the past three years and told him that I was out of money.

"I also told him that I left in a hurry and didn't have time to take the Spirit Stone from the warehouse."

"Finally, after some shameless haggling, they managed to get the price down to ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stone."

At this point, a hint of anger appeared on Master Ting Hai's face again. "Originally, I still felt it was too high, but he insisted on it and refused to lower it any further."

"And they even made it clear that they were being asked to leave."

"Although I was certain that he was just putting on an act and trying to rip me off, I really didn't dare to gamble."

"Once we arrived, I had no choice but to restrain my temper and agree."

Upon hearing this result, Zen Master Feng Hua breathed a sigh of relief, "As long as it achieves good results, even if it costs an extra ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, it's fine."

"The most urgent task now is to finalize the reconstruction plans for both our families from a strategic perspective."

"We can earn back these external gains in no time."

For them, earning Spirit Stone is not the most important thing, nor is it something they need to be particularly concerned about.

That's exactly what I think too.

Master Ting Hai nodded. "In the end, the most important thing is still the important business at hand."

"By the way, I wonder what the situation is like on Layman Xiao's side?"

The two of them were in the same boat, having both lost their original businesses, so they banded together for mutual support.

It had been agreed beforehand that they would split up to find different cultivators and gather information, then share the findings upon their return.

This allows for a unified pricing strategy, preventing meaningless bidding wars.

Secondly, if the former negotiations break down, the latter can remedy the situation in time.

"Daoist Xiao is upright, principled, and easy to talk to; he's not like Zhang Shouquan, who takes advantage of others' misfortunes."

Upon hearing this Zen Master Feng Hua immediately said, "After I explained the situation to him, he immediately stated that rebuilding the temple was perfectly reasonable and that he was very willing to support it."

"We didn't argue about the price at all from beginning to end."

"We'd already reached an agreement almost as soon as we went in."

"I even felt it wouldn't be appropriate to just leave, so I stayed and chatted for a while longer."

Even so, it only took me 15 minutes.

Hearing this, Master Ting Hai became even angrier. "Indeed, people are born different. That Zhang Shouquan fellow dragged me out for almost half an hour."

"To be honest, I don't think there's anything wrong with giving Daoist Xiao two Thousand Year Profound Crystal."

"But I would feel like I'd lost out if I gave Zhang Shouquan even a single cent."

Master Ting Hai Tinghai seemed quite angry, and poured out his grievances to Zen Master Feng Hua for a while.

The two then exchanged information about the other places.

The result was almost exactly as they had predicted before they set off.

Neither Lotus Flower Temple nor Universal Salvation Temple needed to send gifts; they simply expressed their support directly.

However, none of the Five Great Sects gave a definite answer.

They all made various excuses to postpone the discussion to the next meeting, clearly trying to reach a consensus.

"Sigh, I reckon they're probably trying to take this opportunity to expand and encroach on our Buddhist Sect territory."

A worried look appeared on Zen Master Feng Hua's face. "Now that there are no external enemies, and given the shift in the balance of power between the two sides, things are likely to get turbulent."

"Why did those damned Sea Race choose to launch their main attack from the east and north, instead of the west or south?"

Master Ting Hai deeply agreed, "That's exactly right!"

"And that Layman Xiao, who happens to be a member of the Daoist Sect, first went to help the West Front, and then went to help the southern front."

"If he were a disciple of my Buddhist Sect, perhaps the situation would be different now."

"Alas, it's just fate playing tricks on us; there's nothing we can do about it."

Master Ting Hai was sighing deeply.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, "That's right, since Layman Xiao is so easy to talk to, I should hurry up and pay him a visit."

"But I wonder if there are any taboos when speaking?"

Zen Master Feng Hua shook his head. "Probably not. I feel that Layman Xiao is very unpretentious, and there will be no problem getting along with him normally."

He opened his mouth as if to ask Zhang Shouquan, but after thinking about it, he didn't say anything.

There's nothing more to ask; it'll probably be another round of intense bargaining.

What he needs to do now is to prepare for a negotiation that will last for at least half an hour.

So the two encouraged each other again, then went their separate ways to campaign for votes once more.

Zhang Shouquan's side naturally engaged in another round of heated debate, which we won't go into detail about.

Xiao Chen was sitting cross-legged, reviewing his Law Technique, when suddenly he heard a series of knocks on the door.

Then came a somewhat familiar phrase. "Layman Xiao, is this a convenient time to talk?"

Huh, someone else has arrived?

And it's this unfamiliar timbre.

However, his reaction this time was much faster; he immediately thought of Awakening Sea Temple: "Of course it's convenient, please come in and have a seat!"

Sure enough, after he agreed...

Master Ting Hai pushed open the door and entered, a smile that was clearly forced on his part, "Layman Xiao, I hope I haven't disturbed you by coming so late?"

No, were these lines pre-arranged?

Xiao Chen was completely bewildered; he even wondered if he had returned to an hour earlier.

After a brief pause, he cut to the chase. "Well, I'm the kind of person who likes to speak my mind, so let's skip the formalities."

"I wonder if Master Ting Hai has come over in the middle of the night because there is something he wants to discuss?"

Um?

His reaction caught Master Ting Hai somewhat off guard.

This is more than just being careless about details; isn't it a bit too direct?

So what should he do now? He hasn't even had a chance to exchange pleasantries, should he just lay everything bare right off the bat?

However, Master Ting Hai was not an indecisive person.

After a brief moment of surprise, he spoke directly, "Since that's the case, then this humble monk will not beat around the bush."

"To be honest, I've come to visit Layman Xiao tonight with a favor to ask."

"This matter is related to the upcoming Peace Conference."

"Perhaps Layman Xiao has already heard that a vote will be held at the conference to determine the overall structure of the entire Compassion Sea after the war."

"Previously, my Awakening Sea Temple was breached by the Sea Race, and the foundation laid by our ancestors was almost completely destroyed."

"Tens of thousands of disciples were displaced, adrift and helpless."

"Whenever I think of this, I am anxious and sleepless at night, afraid of failing my master's entrustment to me."

"The opportunity to rebuild the temple is now right in front of me, and I must do everything in my power to seize it."

"Therefore, I came here specifically tonight in the hope that Layman Xiao can vote in favor of rebuilding Awakening Sea Temple at the Peace Conference."

At this point, he realized that because the process had been disrupted, a crucial step was missing.

He then quickly pulled out two pieces of Thousand Year Profound Crystal from his sleeve. "If Layman Xiao can support me, this humble monk will be eternally grateful."

"Unfortunately, after three years, I'm penniless."

"There will be a huge amount of expenses ahead, and we really don't have any extra spiritual items. Only these two Thousand Year Profound Crystal are something we can offer as a token of our gratitude."

"I hope you won't find this too offensive, and will accept this small token of my appreciation."

As he spoke, he unconsciously began to complain.

There was nothing I could do; I had just spent half the day pouring out my troubles to Zhang Shouquan, and he said he was used to it.

Fortunately, Xiao Chen didn't mind his words; he was more interested in his actions.

Seeing two more Thousand Year Profound Crystal, he was almost certain that Master Ting Hai and Zen Master Feng Hua had discussed it privately.

However, for him, whether there was a plan or whether there was communication was not important.

After all, he wasn't planning to raise the price arbitrarily.

So he readily agreed, saying, "Oh, I see. I have indeed heard about it before."

"Please rest assured, Master Ting Hai, I will definitely support the Peace Conference and agree to the recovery of lost territory and the reconstruction of Awakening Sea Temple."

Although they had already realized that they were in cahoots.

But the specific situation outside is not important.

All Xiao Chen knows now is that if he raises his hand in a few days, the Thousand Year Profound Crystal in his pocket will increase by two.

I wish there were more of these great things!

However, this Sea Race Invasion destroyed a total of four temples, plus the Illuminating Void Sect.

At most, you can only get two benefits; there probably aren't any more spiritual items you can get for free.

Of course, Xiao Chen was not a greedy person.

He wouldn't mind having even one such good thing, but he'd be very satisfied with two.

So I happily chatted with Master Ting Hai for a while longer, deepening our mutual affection and trust.

Then, in the same manner, the other party took their leave.

They also left two pieces of Thousand Year Profound Crystal on the table.

Xiao Chen naturally saw him off politely, and they said goodnight to each other.

Coincidentally, his side hall was in front, while the small courtyard where the other True Lord resided was behind it.

Therefore, after seeing off Master Ting Hai, they unexpectedly saw the gate of the courtyard where Iron Fan True Monarch was located open.

Then, Crane Cry True Monarch came out from inside and went directly to the next room, gently knocking on the gate of the courtyard where Yunfeng True Monarch was.

Wow, it looks like tonight will be quite lively.

Many people didn't rest; instead, they were busy running around.

Xiao Chen was even a little curious about Crane Cry True Monarch was up to.

Esteem Truth Temple is definitely not involved in the issue of reconstruction, so what could it be?