Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Jin Wuya was a smart man; a single hint was all he needed.

I calculated the plan in my head before saying, “I’ll arrange everything. You just need to cooperate. Boss Jin, keep your guard up and put on a good front. This time, we’re playing a high-stakes game.”

Jin Wuya had a vague idea of what I was planning, but he wasn’t clear on the specific operations. Fortunately, he chose to trust me a hundred percent.

After seeing Jin Wuya off, I gave Tang Tang a call.

Four days later, on a famous domestic treasure-appraisal variety show, a new guest with the surname Jin appeared alongside the renowned Biebao Master, Tang Ao.

Tang Ao spoke eloquently on the program, throwing one piece of professional knowledge after another at the guest named Jin Wuya. Jin Wuya handled them with ease and poise, earning everyone’s admiration.

As the show neared its end, the host directed the final topic toward Jin Wuya. “Mr. Jin, you are so knowledgeable and skilled that I can’t help but be reminded of another famous Guijiang master from over twenty years ago-old Mr. Jin Chengyang. You share the same surname and the same profession. May I ask, Mr. Jin, do you know old Mr. Jin Chengyang?”

Every guest in the studio turned to look at Jin Wuya.

Today, Jin Wuya was dressed in a well-tailored black suit with his hair slicked back. He gave the host a slight nod, exuding an air of refined nobility. His lips curled into a faint smile as he said, “Old Mr. Jin Chengyang is none other than my master.”

His words jolted everyone present. The way they looked at Jin Wuya changed instantly.

Old Mr. Jin Chengyang actually had a Closed-door Disciple?!

Furthermore, this Closed-door Disciple had a deep connection with the Tang Family of Huicheng.

Either of these facts alone would have been enough to ensure Jin Wuya’s meteoric rise in the world of Guijiang.

After the variety show aired, Jin Wuya received numerous invitations, most of them seeking collaboration.

He rejected them one by one, maintaining a haughty and aloof posture.

After all, with the Tang Family backing him, he wasn’t afraid of offending anyone. Secondly, his appearance on the show wasn’t for the sake of fame in the first place.

Moreover, Jin Wuya’s skills as a Guijiang were genuine; he didn’t need to rely on empty reputation to make a living.

Our reason for taking this risky step was that we had an ulterior motive.

Two days later, in the evening, I finally received a call from Jin Wuya.

He told me excitedly, “Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu, it’s just as you expected! Master Yinxuan, the current Abbot of Jiyu Temple, has actually asked to meet me!”

I silently breathed a sigh of relief. This chess match was finally starting to show results.

I glanced at the weather data Li Qingying had collected for the Jiyu Temple area over the past six months, and my lips curled up.

For the past half-year, not a single drop of rain had fallen in that region.

It was clear that our guess that day was correct: something had gone wrong with Jiyu Temple’s Rain-Seeking Formation.

Back then, Jiyu Temple had squeezed everything they could out of Jin Chengyang alone precisely because they were afraid of complications.

Now that Jin Chengyang had long been in his grave, it was too risky to suddenly invite another Guijiang to intervene. That was why Jiyu Temple had chosen the old path of selecting Sacrificial Offerings through the Supreme Lot.

But Sacrificial Offerings weren’t that easy to pick. If nothing unexpected happened, this Rain-Seeking Formation wasn’t something that could be satisfied by just one or two offerings.

At this critical juncture, Jin Chengyang’s Closed-door Disciple had entered their sight. They were bound to be tempted.

After all, if they wanted to control Jin Wuya, they only needed to bring up his master.

I said to Jin Wuya, “Boss Jin, stay calm. Dangle them a bit longer; we might get some unexpected gains.”

Jin Wuya laughed. “Don’t worry, Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu. I understand.”

Master Yinxuan invited Jin Wuya three times, only to be politely declined each time.

Afterward, Master Yinxuan had someone bring a message to Jin Wuya, saying that Jin Chengyang had left some things behind at Jiyu Temple years ago and asking if Jin Wuya wanted to come and retrieve them.

This was a hint-and a threat.

Jin Chengyang had been dead for over twenty years. What could he have possibly left at Jiyu Temple that was worth them keeping for so many years?
Since he intended to return it and even sent someone with a message, why didn’t he just bring the item along?

It was nothing more than using Jin Chengyang’s reputation as an excuse to force Jin Wuya to compromise.

Jin Wuya finally relented and made a personal trip to Jiyu Temple.

Li Qingying said indignantly, “Xiao Jiu, why do I feel like this monk named Master Yinxuan isn’t a good person?”

I was practicing drawing talismans at the time. Hearing her say this, I asked with interest, “Why do you think so, Sister Qingying?”

“First of all, the current Jiyu Temple is under the leadership of this Master Yinxuan, right?” Li Qingying analyzed. “So, he’s likely the one who authorized the Supreme Lot matter. Otherwise, which monk would dare to select Sacrificial Offerings right under the Abbot’s nose?

“Then there’s Master Jin’s Sealing Sign. That couldn’t have been done by the deceased Former Abbot, could it? Not to mention the business of threatening Boss Jin.

“Anyway, I don’t think this Master Yinxuan is innocent at all.”

I gave Li Qingying a thumbs-up. “I completely agree with your thoughts, Sister Qingying. I even suspect that the prayer for rain back then has something to do with him too.”

Li Qingying said with some concern, “Boss Jin just charged over there all by himself. I wonder if anything will happen to him.”

“Don’t worry,” I comforted her. “He experienced his master’s tragic death alone at sixteen and has been making his own way ever since. How could someone who can hold his own in the Ghost Market be an ordinary man?”

Li Qingying nodded. “True.”

Soon, we met up with Jin Wuya again at the Teahouse.

This time, Jin Wuya appeared very troubled. “That Old Bald Donkey is too shrewd. I couldn’t get any useful information out of him at all. That whole trip was for nothing; I only got back a Small Hammer from him.”

I asked, “Does the Small Hammer really belong to your master?”

“Yes,” Jin Wuya said. “That Old Bald Donkey said that the task of inlaying the Golden Scale had always been handled by my master because he didn’t trust anyone else. Since I am my master’s Closed-door Disciple, and the Golden Scale has fallen off again, it’s only right that I take over my master’s unfinished work. He called it a good deed for accumulating Merit.”

It was no wonder Jin Wuya was in a bad mood. Master Yinxuan’s double entendre was indeed quite irritating.

The phrase ‘unfinished work’ both criticized Jin Chengyang’s lack of craftsmanship and left Jin Wuya in a position where he couldn’t easily refuse.

Jin Wuya gritted his teeth. “If it weren’t to find out the real cause of my master’s death, I wouldn’t give that White-eyed Wolf the time of day!”

“Calm down, Boss Jin,” I continued to ask. “So, when you accepted the task of inlaying the Golden Scale, what did you say?”

Jin Wuya replied, “I said my master passed away early and I am dull-witted, with skills not even a ten-thousandth of my master’s. Since inlaying the Golden Scale is a matter of great importance, I feared I wouldn’t be up to the task. That Old Bald Donkey pleaded with me repeatedly, so I went along with it and said I’d have to bring two assistants to give it a try. He agreed.”

I hadn’t misjudged Jin Wuya; he had handled this very well.

Since we were going to inlay the Golden Scale, we would definitely be able to see the situation inside the Bronze Bell. This was our only chance to glimpse the truth.

Early the next morning, we went to Jiyu Temple with Jin Wuya. We bought some Incense Towers and Candles, and Master Yinxuan greeted us personally.

I don’t know if I was being too sensitive, but while we were offering the Incense Towers and Candles, I felt Master Yinxuan’s gaze falling on me, whether intentionally or not.

He was already ninety-six years old, yet his constitution was still robust. With white hair and eyebrows, he rolled a string of shiny Prayer Beads in his hand, which made a rhythmic clacking sound.

After we finished our offerings, Master Yinxuan stepped forward and asked, “Jiyu Temple offers three chances for Fortune Sticks daily. Those who draw a Supreme Lot may participate in our temple’s Wish Festival on the first of next month.

“Today, to welcome the three of you, we have a Temple Closure. It would be a waste if no one draws these three Fortune Sticks. Would the three of you be interested in each drawing one to try your luck?”