True Person Xiao could not help but turn his spearhead toward Little Gold Temple. But the moment he opened his mouth, he noticed disdain and resentment in the eyes of some villagers standing toward the back of the crowd. He immediately became alert, flicked his fly-whisk as if to cover it up, and said with a faint smile, "Of course, Daoism and Buddhism are different. There is no use in this poor Daoist saying more! Let all you kind patrons open your eyes and watch carefully! See who is truly orthodox! Ah, this poor Daoist has spoken too much again. Kind Patron Mu, please tell everyone about True Person Xiao's miracle last night!"
Mu Chuan's wife had long been growing impatient. Now that she finally heard Daoist Master Xiao finish speaking, she immediately threw herself onto the tattered prayer cushion and began knocking her head against the ground with repeated thuds. After finishing nine resounding kowtows, she hurriedly pulled over her two bewildered children, pressed their little heads down hard against the ground, and cried, "Children, hurry and thank True Person Xiao. If not for his venerable blessing, Mother would have left you last night!"
The two children had been somewhat confused at first, but when they heard that without the shabby clay statue before them, their mother would have left them, they no longer needed their mother to press them down. Crying, they slammed their heads against the ground. "Thank you, True Person Xiao! Thank you, True Person Xiao!"
The children's cries instantly moved all the villagers of General's Ridge, and everyone began wiping away tears.
"Fellow villagers and neighbors!" Mu Chuan stood behind his wife and children, tears falling from his own eyes as well. He wiped them away with his sleeve and said, "Everyone knows what my