Thinking from the Big Bang

She was lost in thought when a thunderous roar nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"What happened?"

Fortunately, the noise drowned out her voice. Shen Lantang looked toward the stage. People from the temple had carried up two tables, along with yellow talismans, wooden swords, and other things. Were they about to perform a ritual?

At least it wasn't another dull sermon. Shen Lantang grew interested and watched intently.

Xuanxin smiled faintly at the crowd and spoke slowly.

"Today, our honored guests have gathered at Mystic Temple. Though Taoism has many schools, all hold the lotus sacred. Today, I offer these lotuses to you. May you be like the lotus, unstained by this corrupt world."

With that, he took several lotus seeds from a bowl. He closed his eyes and began chanting as though casting a spell. A moment later, he returned the seeds to the porcelain bowl, poured in a cup of hot water, and covered it with a white cloth.

Everyone craned their necks. After a short while, Xuanxin nodded to a disciple. The disciple picked up the bowl and stepped down from the stage. Since the Xie Family sat closest, he stopped in front of Xie Zhao.

Xie Zhao pointed at himself. "You want me to lift the cloth?"

Xuanxin said, "Please do."

Xie Zhao lifted the white cloth. Several lotuses floated in bloom on the water, fresh and lovely. The sight was astonishing.

The believers behind him immediately cried out.

"A miracle! A miracle by the master!"

One voice set off another, until the cries surged through the crowd like a wave.

Xie Zhao could barely contain his excitement. Gripping Xie Madam's hand, he said, "The master truly has received the Heavenly Venerable's teachings!"

Xie Madam looked just as overcome.

Shen Lantang: "..."

Her brain had already overloaded.

A young Taoist took back the porcelain bowl, lotuses and all, and set it aside. Two more young Taoists brought out a large wok filled with bubbling hot oil.

Shen Lantang: "..."

The only thing bubbling more furiously than the oil was Shen Lantang's brain.

One young Taoist dropped a little water into the wok, and the oil immediately erupted. He then put in a piece of raw meat, and before long, the smell of cooked meat filled the air. Xuanxin nodded, tossed a coin into the wok, rolled up his sleeve, and plunged his hand in.

The crowd shouted, "Master, don't!"

"Please don't, Master!"

A moment later, Xuanxin withdrew his hand. A coin rested between his fingertips, and his arm was completely unharmed.

The crowd gasped again.

Shen Lantang: Stop, stop! Her brain was going to explode!

Thinking from the Big Bang

Next came the Fingertip Fire-Creating Technique, the Severe-Injury Healing Technique, and a technique that supposedly sent people's souls out of their bodies... His signature feat was said to be the Touchstone-to-Gold Technique, but it took too long to perform, so he couldn't demonstrate it.

In short, these miracles sent the believers into a frenzy. Every one of them turned into an adoring fan, and lively laughter filled the square.

When the master finally finished his demonstrations, the sermon was drawing to a close. A young Taoist once again led the Xie Family to the rear hall to rest.

The Xie children were well-mannered, after all, and made no fuss on the way. Only after they entered the hall and the Taoist left did Xie Ying turn excitedly to Madam Zhou and start talking about the "miracles" they had just seen.

"Mother, did you see that? The master was amazing!"

Madam Zhou humored her. "I saw, I saw."

"What about the lotus? Where did it go?"

"You want to take a lotus home?"

"Didn't he say they were gifts for everyone?"

"..."

She wasn't the only one. Everyone in the room was beside themselves with excitement.

Shen Lantang clenched her teeth and said nothing. Fraud wasn't unique to ancient times; even the modern world couldn't stamp it out. It was worse still in an age with so little knowledge of chemistry. Hadn't dozens of rulers over thousands of years made a habit of taking alchemical pills, many even dying from them?

Fraud had been rampant in ancient times, and addiction to those pills was a real phenomenon. In the past, only the wealthy could afford them. She wouldn't say they got what they deserved, but at least the impact on society as a whole had been limited.

Seeing it with her own eyes now, though, felt different.

She couldn't put it into words.

Shen Lantang was still trying to calm herself when everyone in the room suddenly rose. She stood up instinctively and looked toward the doorway. Xuanxin had arrived.

He had changed into a fresh Taoist robe, but still looked as lean and upright as a crane beneath the pines, untouched by worldly concerns. He stroked his beard and entered the room.

"I didn't know our honored guests from the Xie Family had arrived. Forgive me for failing to welcome you properly."

Xie Zhao hurriedly said, "As the head of the temple, you have much to attend to. Please don't concern yourself."

"Thank you for your understanding, but I still feel uneasy..." He suddenly turned toward Yan.

"Are you with child?"

Yan was only three months pregnant and wasn't showing yet. Startled, she asked, "How did you know?"

Xuanxin merely smiled. He suddenly extended two fingers and pressed them hard into his palm. Flames sprang from his fingertips. Before anyone could react, a young Taoist beside him presented a yellow talisman. Xuanxin took it and swiftly traced an intricate symbol before it with his burning fingers. His fingers never touched the talisman, yet faint marks appeared on it. Then he set the bottom of the talisman alight. As the flame climbed, the symbol grew clearer.

Xuanxin turned and placed the half-burned talisman into a bowl of water brought by his disciple. The talisman dissolved into ash, leaving a bowl of "talisman water."

The disciple offered it to Yan. Surprised, she asked, "For me?"

Xuanxin said, "This is a Pregnancy-Safeguarding Talisman."

Yan accepted it with delight.

Meanwhile, Shen Lantang was still wrestling with whether she had a duty to challenge superstition and expose a fraud. Then she watched the master go through that whole performance, and a bowl of water was already being handed to Yan. Her long-buried knowledge of chemistry suddenly came rushing back.

"Wait—"

She reached out and blocked Yan's hand before she could take the bowl.

Every eye turned to her. Yan hesitated. "Lantang?"

"..."