"Hmph, why didn't you say so earlier? Aren't you just trying to make a joke out of this old man? What bearing!" Xiao Jian snorted irritably and hurriedly looked toward the area behind the stage, which was screened off by cloth curtains. Unfortunately, the curtains were drawn so tightly that nothing could be seen with the naked eye.
"Daoist Master Xiao, this way, please!" A delicate-featured scholar emerged from behind the stage and said with a smile.
"Hehe, many thanks, young sir!" Xiao Jian cupped his hands, seemingly casually saying, "The students of Changsheng Academy are still the sensible ones! They are countless times better than those monks from Little Gold Temple! Once this old man takes charge of Little Gold Temple, I'll rename it Little Gold Temple and invite the students of Changsheng Academy there to eat and drink to their hearts' content for three days!"
"Hehe..." The student smiled faintly without replying. He led Xiao Jian and Yuan Ya to the staircase behind the stage, hidden by the curtains, then cupped his hands and turned to leave.
"Esteemed benefactors~" On the stage, Zen Master Mingyue ignored Xiao Jian and again smiled toward the crowd surrounding the stage. "I imagine some of you already know that today's Immortal-Buddha Grand Ceremony differs somewhat from that of ten years ago. The difference lies in the fact that a Daoist branch from Jiangchao Ridge in Changsheng Town wishes to challenge the Buddhist branch of my Little Gold Temple! Moreover, if any benefactors were present that day, you surely know that this challenge was personally proposed by Daoist Master Xiao Jian of Jiangchao Temple! That day, this poor monk went to Changsheng Town intending to find Dean Zhu of Changsheng Academy and discuss today's Immortal-Buddha Grand Ceremony with him. Since this poor monk