Meanwhile, the people behind him were busy speculating and debating.
"At this rate, his Divine Service Rating must be at least 20%, right?"
"20%? Are you kidding? Last time, someone in a similar situation tested at a whopping 34%!"
"34%?! Damn! I can't even imagine! How much Incense Fire money would that take?"
"I don't know about anyone else, but I know this kid. He didn't spend much. Yesterday, he got 5% in one go, and now he's hit the jackpot again. He's the Chosen Koi, all right!"
"5% in one go? That's terrifying! Holy crap, it really is infuriating how some people have all the luck!"
"Some people are just born luckier than others!"
As the crowd buzzed with discussion,
a man in a suit made his way through the throng and approached the testing window.
At the sight of him, almost all the temple staff instinctively shrank their necks and greeted him one after another. "Supervisor Zhao! (Sir!)"
The man gave a cool nod, but his gaze remained fixed on Lu Chen.
He was Zhao Zhihong, the person in charge of the Zhao Clan Temple.
He was also the one who had sneered during the phone call earlier.
The Divine Service Rating testing window.
Two porcelain pieces rested against Lu Chen's arm.
The staff member was about to start the device.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Zhao Zhihong not far behind him and paled in fright.
Lu Chen was puzzled. He glanced back and saw a man in a suit standing with his arms folded, glaring at him with obvious hostility.
"Who's that?"
Lu Chen asked.
The staff member continued with his work and quietly replied, "He's in charge of our temple."
Lu Chen was even more confused. "Why's he looking at me like that?"
The staff member fell silent.
Lu Chen's thoughts stirred.
He glanced back at Zhao Zhihong again. This time, the corners of the man's mouth lifted slightly, but he still looked thoroughly unkind.
Could he be worried I'll tarnish their reputation?
Lu Chen mused.
Everyone knew that the Zhao Clan Temple was most famous for Zhao Gongming, the Zhao God of Wealth.
Now that he had received so many blessings from Lord God of Wealth,
word could get out and cause Lord God of Wealth's Incense Fire to flourish.
By contrast, Zhao God of Wealth's Incense Fire would inevitably suffer.
The Zhao Clan Temple certainly wouldn't want that to happen.
No wonder the person in charge was giving him that look.
I have a bad feeling something's going to go wrong again today.
A faint sense of foreboding settled over Lu Chen.
The device started up with a hum.
On an ordinary day, no one would have paid such a small sound any attention.
But now, with every worshipper holding their breath,
the area had grown oppressively tense.
Hearts pounded all around him.
That made the machine's hum sound all the more piercing!
Lu Chen swallowed and looked up at the screen.
He waited quietly for the result.
The hundreds of worshippers around him were just as fixated, not even blinking.
After more than ten seconds had passed,
the device coldly displayed a line of text on the screen: "Lord God of Wealth: 43%."
Boom!
In an instant, the silence shattered.
"Holy crap!!!!!!"
"Good god, that's insane!!!!"
"43%? What kind of human being can pull that off?!"
"I'm stunned!"
"Lord God of Wealth! I've never even heard of this deity. How can he be so effective?!"
"Not just effective—he's powerful!"
The worshippers went wild.
Everyone there knew what a 43% Divine Service Rating meant.
It meant Lu Chen wouldn't have to worry about food or drink for the rest of his life.
He might even be treated as an honored guest by plenty of people.
The only pity was that Lord God of Wealth was indeed rather obscure.
Many people had never heard of him.
But that did nothing to dampen the worshippers' enthusiasm.
So what if the deity was obscure?
With enough people worshipping him, even an obscure deity could become popular.
Meanwhile, Lu Chen was startled when he saw his Divine Service Rating soar to that number.
He'd thought it would top out at 30% to 35%.
He hadn't expected it to jump straight to 43%!
It seemed his good big brother really had grown attached to him.
43% might not seem all that high.
But in reality, it was an astonishing figure.
A 100% Divine Service Rating simply didn't exist.
According to the information available to the original Lu Chen, the highest known Divine Service Rating was only 78%.
People who scored over 50% were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
And nearly all of them came from great clans or the royal family.
That showed just how impressive 43% really was!
Don't worry, Brother. I'll keep my promise to you.
In high spirits, Lu Chen removed the device from his arm.
He turned around and found a sea of people holding up their phones and snapping pictures of him.
"Awesome, little brother! You're going to be famous!"
"Yeah, a 43% Divine Service Rating is incredible!"
"You got 5% yesterday and 43% today. You must have some trick to it, right? Don't keep it to yourself—share it!"
"Yeah, share it! If I succeed, I'll give you half the money I make!"
"Handsome, do you need a girlfriend? What about me?"
At that moment, the worshippers were treating Lu Chen like a living God of Wealth. One beautiful woman even confessed to him in public.
Clearly, they were all itching to be the next to try their luck.
Lu Chen: "..."
Being showered with praise by so many people felt pretty good.
But if they posted the footage online,
he wouldn't be pleased.
He didn't want to become an internet celebrity.
Just as Lu Chen was wondering what to do,
Zhao Zhihong, who had been standing beside him in silence, finally made a move.
He gave a slight wave of his hand.
The large group of staff who had been watching the commotion immediately surrounded the worshippers.
"Sorry, everyone, but please don't take videos or photos. The temple has rules against filming and photography. If you've already taken any, please delete them immediately. Thank you for your cooperation."
"If you refuse to cooperate, then according to the rules, we have the right to bar you from entering the temple. And this applies not just to the Zhao Clan Temple, but to every temple in Jiangdu City!"
The staff delivered their warning with an almost aggressive air, though they tried to sound polite.
Some worshippers immediately voiced their dissatisfaction.
The staff pointed to the "No Photography" signs posted everywhere and refused to give an inch.
It was true that temples were legally prohibited from allowing filming.
But usually, they couldn't be bothered to stop people from doing it.
Who would have thought the Zhao Clan Temple would suddenly start enforcing the rule today?
With no other choice, the worshippers who had taken videos or photos could only delete them.
They could go without posting the footage, but they still had to visit the temple.
Even a powerful dragon couldn't crush a local snake.
And they weren't powerful dragons to begin with.
Seeing what was happening, Lu Chen couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. The temple actually helped me out this time.
But then he reconsidered. No, something wasn't right!
This didn't seem so simple after all!
He looked toward Zhao Zhihong.
Zhao Zhihong had changed to a smiling expression and was walking toward him, clapping as he came.
"Congratulations, congratulations! Congratulations to our young friend for creating a miracle at the Zhao Clan Temple. With just two offerings, you've achieved a 43% Divine Service Rating. It seems our Zhao Clan Temple is a lucky place for you!"
Zhao Zhihong stopped in front of Lu Chen, smiling warmly as he extended a hand and introduced himself. "I'm Zhao Zhihong, the person in charge of the Zhao Clan Temple and the steward of the Zhao Clan Group."
Lu Chen knew the man had to be up to no good, but you didn't slap away a hand offered in friendship, so he had no choice but to shake it.
But Zhao Zhihong grabbed Lu Chen's hand and refused to let go.
His other hand went even further, settling on Lu Chen's shoulder. Then, without caring what Lu Chen thought, he turned him toward the worshippers and said, "Young friend, may I ask you a couple of questions? How are you feeling right now?"
Lu Chen felt a sudden pressure on his shoulder and winced in pain. He instinctively tried to break free.
But a voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Kid, stop struggling. I suggest you cooperate."
Lu Chen froze and looked sharply at Zhao Zhihong. The man was watching him with a half-smile.
"Telepathy? A Third Grade Spirit Cultivator!"
Before you continue