CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106: WIND, FLOWER, SNOW, AND MOON

Chen Guan focused his mind, and a white paperman appeared in his hand. The fine lines of the eyes and mouth were black and curved, as if smiling, giving it a rather cute appearance, not frightening at all.

Commands were given to the paperman, which made it behave no differently from an ordinary pet.

Chen Guan didn’t have the time to study the paperman for now, so he put it away and left for the Lotus Temple halfway up the mountain.

Built according to the contours of the mountain, parts of the Lotus Temple seemed to hang from cliffs, resembling a giant gecko clinging to a steep mountainside.

When Chen Guan arrived at the temple, he saw a couplet carved on either side of the gate. The first line read, "The lotus blooms in the azure; its fragrance fills the universe, reflecting the sun and moon," and the second line said, "The flower dances in the firmament; its aura swallows the cosmos, illuminating the stars."

"Such impressive lines," Chen Guan murmured as he read them, when suddenly the temple door creaked open and a young Daoist emerged.

"Please come inside," the young Daoist gestured politely towards Chen Guan.

"Do you know me?" Chen Guan asked, looking at the young Daoist.

"I don’t," the young Daoist shook his head.

"If you don’t know me, why invite me in?" Chen Guan inquired.

"If you weren’t planning to enter, why would you be here?" the young Daoist retorted.

Chen Guan laughed at himself, realizing he had overthought it, as anyone standing at the doorstep evidently intended to go in.

But then the young Daoist’s tone shifted as he continued, "My master said someone would come; I have been waiting for quite some time. You’re probably the one my master mentioned. Follow me, my master awaits you in the main hall."

Chen Guan narrowed his eyes slightly, saying nothing more, and followed the young Daoist into the temple.

The temple itself was not luxurious; materials used for its construction were likely sourced locally, utilizing rocks and timber from the mountain. The entire temple had an ancient simplicity, with little adornment or ornamentation.

Along the way, the small shrines housed simple clay or stone statues without gilded surfaces or elaborate decorations.

The young Daoist led Chen Guan to a large room and did not proceed further, merely indicating Chen Guan should enter by himself before turning back to practice cultivation with other Daoists in the courtyard.

Looking into the courtyard, Chen Guan saw two to three dozen Daoists, none of whom were very old, but he did not see Qinghua among them, which further confirmed in his heart that something must have happened to Qinghua.

With a glance inside the room, he saw an old Daoist in a plain robe with his hair tied up, sitting in a chair with eyes closed, presumably the Lotus Temple Master.

"Chen Guan greets the immortal master," Chen Guan said, not entering immediately but bowing slightly before speaking.

After a moment, the Lotus Temple Master opened his eyes, within which flickered lightning, and his peaceful demeanor turned dignified and commanding, instilling spontaneous awe.

"Do you realize your mistake?" The Lotus Temple Master’s voice penetrated the soul, seemingly possessing an awe-inspiring force.

"This junior knows my mistake, and I am here to accept punishment. All faults lie with me alone and have nothing to do with Qinghua. Master, punish me as you see fit; I will bear it all without any complaints," Chen Guan replied, without defending himself, humbly lowering his stance.

If it were his own matter, he could disregard the Lotus Temple Master; however powerful, it had nothing to do with Chen Guan, who need not be concerned.

But this concerned Qinghua, not merely himself, and he could not act otherwise without betraying Qinghua’s care for him.

"If required to hand over the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle, what would you do?" The Lotus Temple Master asked, staring intently at Chen Guan.

The Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle is such a rare gem that few would willingly give it up to save someone else. The Lotus Temple Master wanted to see how important Qinghua was to Chen Guan.

If Chen Guan could not part with the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle, Qinghua’s relationship should be severed immediately to prevent future regret.

"As long as Master does not blame Qinghua," Chen Guan said, transferring the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle to the Lotus Temple Master without further words.

Such perceptiveness—just mentioning the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle made Chen Guan aware that everything he did was closely watched, and the transformation of stone into gold was undoubtedly orchestrated by the Lotus Temple Master.

The Lotus Temple Master had the power to slay the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle effortlessly, yet spared it, indicating a desire to keep it, while Chen Guan’s transmutation was tantamount to wielding that power against its originator’s interests.

Chen Guan’s decisiveness came from both a consideration for Qinghua and an acknowledgment of his inadequate strength to contest the Lotus Temple Master.

The Lotus Temple Master, seeing Chen Guan hand over the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle so readily, softened his gaze a bit.

Having learned Chen Guan’s background from Qinghua, he knew he was of common descent, not from a prestigious family.

For someone from such a background to selflessly give up a pet as valuable as a level 30 Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle was rare, indicating Qinghua’s significant status in his heart.

"Qinghua is my disciple. If she makes mistakes, it is my duty to guide her. There is no question of blame," the Lotus Temple Master said, accepting the Holy Lotus Treasure Turtle and continuing, "But you, not being one of my temple’s disciples, have partaken in its benefits. How should we settle this?"

"Please instruct me, Master." For Qinghua, Chen Guan was willing to endure, even if it meant compensating monetarily.

"Since the item is already within you, it’s your destiny, and it cannot be taken back," the Lotus Temple Master said nonchalantly. "But if no example is set, and everyone acts this way, can my temple still operate?"

"Whatever punishment, I will accept," Chen Guan responded calmly.

"You are not a disciple of the temple, nor am I your master, so I have no right to punish you," the Lotus Temple Master said slowly. "However, if you wish to see my disciple in the future, I will give you three trials. If you pass them, you may openly associate with Qinghua, and past grievances will be forgotten, granting you unrestricted access to the Lotus Temple."

"What are the trials?" Chen Guan asked.

"What level are you?" the Lotus Temple Master inquired.

"Level 8," Chen Guan answered.

The Lotus Temple Master nodded slightly, indicating it was as he expected.

"Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon, come over here," the Lotus Temple Master called out towards the door.

Soon, four young Daoists entered from outside, each saluting the Lotus Temple Master with a respectful "Master." Among them was the young Daoist who had brought Chen Guan in.

"These four are my disciples, all First Awakening cultivators. Choose three among them, win one out of three matches, and past offenses will be forgiven, granting you freedom to come and go at Lotus Temple without this being a hardship," the Lotus Temple Master said calmly.

Wind, Flower, Snow, and Moon’s expressions were somewhat complex as their gaze fell upon Chen Guan.