Baosha Temple?
Qian Shaoyou raised an eyebrow.
He had naturally heard of that name.
In Longyou Circuit, who didn't know Baosha Temple?
It was rumored that the eminent monks in that temple all possessed heaven-defying abilities, and even the government had to show them some respect.
But what did that matter?
In the end, weren't they just a bunch of monks who abstained from meat and chanted sutras?
Qian Shaoyou didn't truly believe in Buddhism; praying to gods and Buddhas was just to make his mother happy.
However, with the principle of 'mutual flattery,' he still forced a smile and cupped his hands at the old monk.
"So it's a Great Master from Baosha Temple, my apologies for the disrespect."
Hui Yuan saw his perfunctory attitude and, fearing he might offend the person beside him, quickly stepped forward, a smile plastered on his face, "Second Young Master, you may not know, but the Abbot... he heard about your situation and couldn't bear it, so he... he decided to lend you a hand and resolve this matter!"
"Help me?"
Qian Shaoyou was stunned, then let out a scoff.
"How will you help?"
He liked flattery, but that didn't mean he was a fool.
These bald donkeys would just chant a few sutras and sweet-talk him.
What good would that do?
The old monk, however, was not annoyed. He smiled faintly, "Donor, you and that woman surnamed Jiang have a predestined connection from a past life, intertwined in this life. This is Karma, which cannot be resolved by external forces."
"However, this connection can be a good one or an evil one. Donor, your Heart Demons are now rampant, and you might turn a good connection into an evil one."
"My Buddha is merciful. this poor monk cannot bear to see Donor go astray and is willing to use Buddhist Dharma to forge a good connection for the two of you."
Saying this, he took out a white jade porcelain bottle, no bigger than a thumb, from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table.
"This item is called 'Hehuan Bodhi Dew'."
"Mix it into wine and let the object of your affection drink it. Then your hearts will be connected, she will understand Donor's sincerity, and from then on, her love will be deeply rooted, forming a beautiful tale."
Qian Shaoyou understood instantly.
Damn.
Isn't this just an aphrodisiac?
He never expected these bald donkeys with thick eyebrows to be involved in such things?
He picked up the small porcelain bottle, weighed it in his hand, his face full of suspicion.
"Great Master, are you perhaps making fun of me? This stuff might work on an ordinary woman, but that woman surnamed Jiang is a Demon Suppression Division Brigade Commander. Her cultivation is probably not low; ordinary medicine will be useless against her."
"Amitabha."
The old monk slowly opened his eyes, and a glint of light actually flashed in his cloudy pupils.
"This item is a secret transmission of my Baosha Temple, naturally different from worldly common items."
"Once consumed, the Divine Soul will also be affected, and from then on, she will regard you as the person in her heart. Even a Core Formation Realm expert will be powerless to resist."
Oh?
That awesome?
Qian Shaoyou's eyes lit up instantly.
He leaned closer, his face full of excitement.
"Great Master, this thing... how much does it cost?"
"..."
That question made the old monk's hand, which was twirling prayer beads, pause slightly.
Hui Yuan quickly interjected, his face wreathed in smiles, "Second Young Master, monks don't discuss worldly possessions; we discuss connections, connections."
"Right, right, right!"
Qian Shaoyou also realized he had spoken wrongly and gently slapped his own mouth, "Look at my mouth, it deserves a slap! So... Great Master, how much connection is needed to obtain this item?"
Hui Yuan secretly glanced at the old monk; seeing no reaction, he extended two plump fingers, making a gesture.
"Not much, not much, just one hundred eighty-eight thousand connections."
"One hundred eighty-eight thousand..."
Qian Shaoyou gasped.
One hundred eighty-eight thousand connections, that's one hundred eighty-eight thousand copper coins.
One thousand copper coins is one string, and one string can be exchanged for one tael of silver.
One hundred eighty-eight taels?
Good heavens!
This wasn't forging a connection; this was robbery!
However, thinking of the woman surnamed Jiang, writhing in pleasure beneath him... he gritted his teeth, pulled out two hundred-tael silver notes from his embrace, and slammed them onto the table.
"Alright! One hundred eighty thousand it is!"
"Take it."
"Oh my!"
Hui Yuan's fleshy face creased into a flower-like smile. He quickly put the two silver notes into his sleeve as if they were treasures, not forgetting to find some loose silver and respectfully push it back.
"Second Young Master is generous!"
Qian Shaoyou clutched the small porcelain bottle tightly, a fervent heat in his heart, and an uncontrollable lewd smile appeared on his face.
But before the smile could last long, he seemed to suddenly remember something, and the joy on his face instantly collapsed.
The old monk frowned and asked, "Donor, do you still have worries?"
Qian Shaoyou opened his mouth, glanced at the old monk, and then hesitated.
"Speak freely."
"Great Master..."
Qian Shaoyou gritted his teeth, his face full of bitterness, "Even... even if I have this treasure, I won't have a chance to use it!"
The more he spoke, the more irritable he became. He picked up the teacup and gulped down its contents.
"Great Master, you don't know, that woman surnamed Jiang is very aloof! Forget about inviting her to a meal, just seeing her is as hard as ascending to heaven! I can't even see her in person, how can I make a move?"
The old monk shook his head and sighed.
"Amitabha... Since it is to forge a connection, I naturally must help to the end."
"Great Master can help me?"
Qian Shaoyou suddenly looked up.
"What should I do?"
However, the old monk merely smiled faintly and said nothing more, his expression very mysterious... Qian Shaoyou contentedly clutched the porcelain bottle and left, humming a tune.
Inside the meditation room, the old monk still sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, twirling his prayer beads.
A figure appeared behind the old monk at some unknown point.
"Master, what do you mean by this?"
"This woman has ruined our Baosha's grand plans and killed Junior Brothers Hui Ming and Hui Yuan. Why don't you directly strike and take her life? Instead, you resort to such despicable methods to help a good-for-nothing Young Master?"
"Despicable?"
The old monk didn't open his eyes, merely speaking indifferently.
"Master, this Disciple didn't mean that..."
"No matter."
The old monk waved his hand, "You tell me, why do you think this Master would do this?"
The Young Monk thought for a moment, then couldn't help but say, "This Disciple is foolish; I only know that this woman is an enemy of our Baosha. Since she is an enemy, we should use swift and decisive means to eliminate her as a warning to others!"
"Then do you know what her current identity is?"
The Young Monk snorted coldly, "Just a Sixth-Rank Langjiang of the Demon Suppression Division. When has our Baosha Temple ever feared a mere sixth-rank official?"
"Demon Suppression Division..."
The old monk repeated, his voice carrying a strange meaning, "Our Precious Temple, in the Longyou Jianghu, is known as one of the three sects alongside Luoyan Mountain Villa and Jingtao Gate, worshipped by tens of thousands of believers. Even prefectural officials treat us with respect when they see us."
"But don't forget, this world belongs to the Li family, and the Demon Suppression Division is the imperial court's Demon Suppression Division."
"To kill her now, a Brigade Commander of the Demon Suppression Division, here in Liangzhou Prefecture? Do you want our Baosha Temple to completely fall out with the Great Tang imperial court?"
"..."
The Young Monk's face turned pale, but he was still somewhat unwilling.
"I... can't we just watch like this?"
"Killing her is not difficult."
The old monk shook his head, "She cannot stay in Liangzhou Prefecture forever. As long as she is part of the Demon Suppression Division, there will always be times when she goes out on official business."
"Once she leaves Liangzhou City and reaches the desolate wilderness, whether she lives or dies will be her own fate. The imperial court's reach, no matter how long, cannot control a corpse."
"But waiting is ultimately a bit boring."
"If that Qian Family Young Master succeeds and ruins her reputation, wouldn't that be an interesting affair?"
"If it doesn't succeed, even if the other party spreads the word, it's just hearsay, and what does it have to do with us?"
The Young Monk fell silent.
He finally understood the old monk's intentions.
Killing someone, of course, was satisfying.
But to make a high-and-mighty woman tainted with indelible filth... Thinking of this, the killing intent in his eyes slowly receded.
"Master's insight is profound."
The old monk no longer paid him attention, merely turning his gaze to Hui Yuan, who had long been standing dumbfounded at the side.
"Alright, go."
Hui Yuan jolted, quickly bowing, "Yes, yes, this humble one will just..."
He stopped halfway through his sentence, his face full of bewilderment.
"Abbot... this humble one... where should I go?"
The old monk slowly closed his eyes, his voice ethereal.
"Go to the residences of the merchants and gentry in the city, house by house."
"Tell them."
"I am currently here."