Thriving Incense Offerings

But in truth, the painting did possess spiritual energy. Yet it was neither some celestial prince nor a dragon maiden. It was Li Yunxin himself. He had painted his own thoughts and spiritual energy into the work, which was why Liu Laodao felt that the prince resembled Li Yunxin—even though they had entirely different faces.

Had there been cultivators from a Grotto Heaven or a sect present who knew the full story, they would certainly have said that Li Yunxin was courting death—cultivators in this world could not absorb Incense and Fire Prayer Power, a lesson countless predecessors had learned at the cost of scattering their cultivation and dying. But Li Yunxin had not had time to learn everything from his parents, and the Painting Sage Jade Slip had described it as "easy to verify and obtain"...

So he attached his spiritual energy to it.

In truth, worshipping the painting was equivalent to worshipping him. Since he was incomparably familiar with himself and was presently near the painting, Liu Laodao felt that the flow of spiritual power within it was dense and solid.

His ultimate goal was to draw the Incense and Fire Prayer Power gathered this way into his body and break open the restriction on his Snow Mountain Qi Sea.

Li Yunxin knew what he was thinking and smiled. "That's normal. The Watercloud Force I passed on to you isn't some commonplace trash. You've been a painter for so many years, so it's only natural that your early progress would be faster. Go hang it up."

Liu Laodao thanked him profusely, sighing only that he did not know what virtue or ability he possessed to have encountered such an approachable expert with genuine skill. He immediately carried the painting and scampered off to the front hall.

Though Liu Laodao's Dragon King Temple had no incense offerings, at the very least everyone in Weicheng knew of it—even if they did not know who lived in the temple.

The afternoon brought fine weather, and there were already many idlers on the streets. When they saw him asking people to dismantle the statues, and had nothing better to do, word spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and they came to watch.

Even city folk had little entertainment in those days. Ordinary people could be happy for an entire day just by setting off firecrackers, let alone witnessing a "temple demolition." Thus, by the time Liu Laodao came running out carrying the painting, the small street before the gate was already packed, and the front courtyard was crammed shoulder to shoulder. Women with children, idle vagrants, trembling old women—at a rough count, there were nearly a hundred people.

They craned their necks and murmured among themselves, saying Liu Laodao had gone mad. How could he tear down the Dragon King? Those nearby who found it inconvenient to visit Sanhekou Dragon King Temple had worshipped here instead. Though the Dragon King governed rainfall, his divine powers were so vast, and he was an immortal besides—who said one could not pray to him for wealth, children, or for Wang Er's wife next door to break out in sores?

Now that it was being torn down, the people nearby would have nowhere to worship.

Thus, the moment Liu Laodao emerged, people began questioning him.

Yet Liu Laodao carried the painting in one hand and, the moment he entered through the rear door of the front hall, began pacing slowly with his feet splayed in the character-eight stride. Stroking his beard with one hand, his narrow eyes half lowered, he made a vaguely downward pressing gesture. "Fathers and fellow villagers, please remain calm."

"Today, I, Hunyuanzi, am not showing disrespect to the Dragon King. Rather, an eminent master has invited two honored deities for my Dragon King Temple!"

"The first is the Great Accomplished, Supreme, Most Sacred, Mysterious and Wondrous Spirit-Treasure Crown Prince. He is the crown prince of the Nine Heavens Divine Kingdom, where supreme celestials dwell. His might is unmatched; he can ensure a flourishing household, wealth pouring in from all sides, and many sons and grandsons. The second is the Attendant Dragon Maiden of the Great Accomplished, Supreme, Most Sacred, Mysterious and Wondrous Spirit-Treasure Crown Prince. She is the elder sister by blood of the Dragon King of Weak Sea Dragon Palace. She commands the gathering of clouds and the spreading of rain, ensuring the abundance of a region."

"From this day onward, my Dragon King Temple shall worship these two honored deities. Fellow neighbors, you are truly blessed!"

Seeing how many people had come today, and knowing that once word spread, even more people might come later just to see something new, Liu Laodao was delighted inside and made his speech all the more grand. But no matter how prettily he spoke, people had never seen these two deities and naturally did not buy it. Boos rose all around, with people saying Liu Laodao had gone mad with greed and had made up two gods to rake in money.

Liu Laodao remained unhurried and smiled faintly again.

He knew exactly what level the painting in his hand had reached.

There were five painters in Weicheng at the Artistic Realm. In truth, he himself had only just brushed the edge of it; calling him Void Realm or Artistic Realm would both be acceptable. But the other four were genuine masters—at least in the eyes of common folk.

And he knew even better the level of the painting in his hand.

It was likely far superior to the combined works of those four masters!

So, after smiling, he unfurled the painting before everyone's eyes.

With a rustling crash, an aura that made the whole body feel soothed yet stirred reverence in the heart swept through the Dragon King Temple's front hall like a warm spring breeze, then spun sideways through the courtyard! The clamor stopped in an instant, and young and old alike widened their eyes. Some who had been ill and felt unwell all over suddenly felt light as swallows once more!

Since it was meant to serve as a divine image for worship, people had to feel there was truly something to worship. Thus, when Li Yunxin painted it, he added an effect to clear the mind and ward off evil. He was a master of the Transformation Realm; among Weicheng's painters, indeed among worldly painters in general, almost none could rival him. Such a thing was naturally effortless for him.

After a brief silence, several weak-willed people bent their knees slightly, about to kneel in worship.

Liu Laodao grew even more pleased and said sternly, "Now that you have seen the portraits of these two Celestial Venerables, fellow villagers, do not slight them. You must understand that sincerity makes all things efficacious. Without a sincere heart, even if the Jade Emperor Grand Celestial Venerable descended to earth, he would not spare you a glance."

As he spoke, he climbed the ladder and hung the painting behind the incense altar.

Then, without so much as looking at the crowd, he clasped his hands behind his back and leisurely turned toward the rear courtyard.

But the moment he stepped through the back door, he hurriedly hid and peered toward the front through a crack in the door.

He saw the neighbors scrambling to kneel before the painting, while the clinking of copper coins falling into the merit box rang without end. To Liu Laodao's ears, it sounded like celestial music. Some who had left home without money hurried back, afraid of slighting the two Celestial Venerables. Others with sick family members rushed home to carry or support them over, hoping they might bask in a little of the two Celestial Venerables' immortal aura.

In an age when severe illnesses meant death and minor illnesses lingered on, once people truly experienced that the "immortal aura" in this temple could make their entire bodies feel refreshed, it was more effective than any persuasion or publicity.

By the time the sky darkened, nearly every neighbor in the area had come to worship once. Though the wealthy gentry dismissed it, believing it was merely a rumor spread by ignorant commoners, ordinary people lacked nothing if not time and energy.

Watching the scene, Liu Laodao felt as though he had glimpsed the days from decades ago, before Sanhekou Dragon King Temple existed. His grin nearly split to his ears, and he happily went to find Li Yunxin with the good news.

But he had only reached the door of the main room where Li Yunxin stayed, not yet stepping inside, when he heard a shout from within. "Don't come in!"

Liu Laodao hurriedly pulled back his foot.

After a while, he heard Li Yunxin grit his teeth and say, "My cultivation is at a critical juncture. Don't disturb me. You eat first. Ha."

Liu Laodao did not know what condition this great master was in, so he obediently withdrew. After wandering by the pond for a while, weighing the money pouch at his waist and seeing that night had fully fallen, he decided to leave through the back door. At Munan Residence around the corner, he would order two liang of sauce-braised lamb, a plate of crisp butter-fried peanuts, a dish of salted shredded vegetables, and a pot of Erdaotou liquor.

Once he left, the rear courtyard quieted down. But gradually, voices of people coming to offer incense could again be heard from the front courtyard.

Li Yunxin sat in the room, listening to those sounds with his teeth clenched tight.

Right now, he felt that his condition was very bad.