Chapter 241: Enjoying All the Worldly Splendors

The first day of the dharma assembly did not start smoothly. Hundreds of people inexplicably disappeared. Although the officials in charge of the assembly managed to get by in front of the emperor, they absolutely could not afford any mistakes in the following days.

Fortunately, the venues for the auxiliary altars were not elevated, and many were spacious indoor halls, which meant fewer variables or unforeseen circumstances.

The management of these masters was relatively lenient. Although all were registered, their personal freedom was not restricted. Anyone who was supposed to attend an assembly but failed to appear before it began was considered to have forfeited.

Indeed, despite being a dharma assembly for blessings and averting disasters, it also served as a competition and selection process, as Emperor Yuande intended to choose and confer titles upon exceptional individuals.

However, as it was a Water-Land Dharma Assembly, the "competition" naturally couldn't involve conflict. Therefore, discerning how to display one's unique abilities and how to appear "superior" to others during this period was an art in itself.

After the rain stopped, the remaining masters gradually returned to their respective inns according to the imperial court's arrangements.

When most others had left, a young monk, holding a Zen staff, stood before the steps of the main altar, gazing solemnly at the entire structure.

The monk had dignified features, red lips, and white teeth. His complexion was like mutton-fat jade, yet he did not appear effeminate. Dressed in a kasaya and wearing a bamboo hat, his posture was as straight as the Zen staff in his hand. After observing the altar for a long time, he finally performed a Buddhist salute with one hand.

"Namo Great Radiant King Buddha..."

"Master, you certainly possess a remarkable physique!"

The voice, startlingly sudden, made the monk involuntarily shiver. Although the voice was balanced and gentle, its appearance was too abrupt.

Ji Yuan had, at some unknown point, appeared beside the young monk, speaking with a smile. The monk's startled reaction was somewhat unexpected and amusing to him.

The monk looked at Ji Yuan and returned a Buddhist salute.

"As the benefactor said, it is merely a physical form; there is no need to be attached to appearances."

"Indeed, but when a physical form reaches such a degree as yours, Master, insisting that others not be attached to its appearance paradoxically becomes a form of attachment itself."

Ji Yuan cupped his hands and returned the salute, casually remarking based on some related theory from his previous life's internet. It was, in fact, an expression of his true feelings, as it would be too far-fetched for others to view someone who looks like this monk as ordinary.

The monk paused, then saluted Ji Yuan again.

"Namo Great Radiant King Buddha! Benefactor, you see through and comprehend clearly; this humble monk was indeed attached to appearances."

By this time, the clouds in the sky had mostly dispersed, and sunlight once again illuminated the land of Jingji Prefecture. Ji Yuan looked around and saw pedestrians gradually appearing, some of whom had heard or seen that something might have happened at the main altar earlier and were curious to witness any excitement.

"Master, why have you come to participate in this Water-Land Dharma Assembly?"

Ji Yuan asked softly.

"Solely for blessings and averting disasters!"

The monk did not declare a Buddha's name, but replied respectfully.

Ji Yuan said nothing about belief or disbelief, nor did he offer any opinion. He simply nodded at the monk and then turned to leave.

The monk watched Ji Yuan until he disappeared from sight, then looked back at the grand altar. Wiping the light sweat from his forehead beneath his bamboo hat, he picked up his Zen staff and quickly departed.

'It's better to quickly return to my inn.'

Over the next "Nine Days, Ten Assemblies," the people of Jingji Prefecture not only heard chants and recitations emanating from the various altars but also frequently witnessed masters "performing their arts" on the streets.

Since the venues for the auxiliary altars were not large, the remaining nine assemblies were held in different locations throughout the capital. Various groups of masters took turns performing their great rites, which also allowed officials and clerks to carefully observe each master.

During this process, it was crucial for masters to directly demonstrate their abilities at the assemblies.

Furthermore, to more easily "stand out" during the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, some masters also tried various ways to "inadvertently" display their supernatural powers within Jingji Prefecture.

Some chose to curry favor with high-ranking officials and nobles during their leisure time, others set up fortune-telling stalls in busy marketplaces, and some even deliberately engaged in extremely bizarre behaviors to attract attention.

For the cultivators of Yuhuai Mountain, who rarely left their mountain, this was quite novel. Not only them, but Ji Yuan, the Old Dragon, and even the local spirits and deities of Jingji Prefecture watched with a sense of amusement.

Currently, Ji Yuan was seated by a second-story window at Qingye Pavilion, sipping tea. Across from him sat the dragon prince, Ying Feng, and beside the window sat the dragon princess, Ying Ruoli.

Downstairs, there was a "magic stall" set up by an old master with an immortal aura. The stall was made from a small cart, and many slips of paper were pasted on it.

The slips indicated that he could tell fortunes by interpreting characters, resolve worries and difficulties, and only attended to those with destined connections; those without such connections would not be served, even if they came with gold. It also stated that if his services proved ineffective, no payment would be required, but if effective and payment was impossible, sincere gratitude would suffice.

In short, it looked quite legitimate.

Ji Yuan continued to sip his tea, listening to the storytelling from the first floor, occasionally glancing outside.

"Uncle Ji, that old man downstairs is just a facade, on the verge of death. His cultivation is utterly shallow, at most he has some faint qi perception, knows some martial arts, and minor tricks. Why did you choose him? He can't possibly win against my father!"

The dragon prince finally couldn't help but ask, and the dragon princess wore a similar expression. Initially, they thought there might be another hidden master downstairs, so they patiently observed every detail. The dragon prince even disguised himself midway through to investigate the stall's authenticity, but the result was, naturally, great disappointment.

Ji Yuan and the Old Dragon had made a bet, each selecting one or two masters from the remaining pool to see whose chosen candidate would ultimately stand out. The dragon prince and princess were just there to watch the show.

"Heh, the interesting part hasn't even begun yet. Look, here it comes. Pay close attention."

As Ji Yuan spoke, a woman and an honest, simple man walked down the street, heading directly towards the master's stall.

"My dear, this is it!"

"Oh, oh, oh!"

The man, responding with rare enthusiasm, walked to the stall, looked left and right, and then knelt with a thud. The woman beside him also knelt.

"Thank you, Master, for saving us!"

The man, though seemingly dull, had a powerful voice that startled all the surrounding pedestrians.

The master behind the stall immediately stood up, came around, and helped the two of them up.

"Why perform such a grand gesture? Please, rise quickly!"

"No, Master, your kindness to our family is like a second birth, and you refuse to accept the money my wife brought. We have no other way to repay you but to kneel in gratitude!"

"How can this be? How can this be! Get up!"

The master exerted force with both hands, pulling the man and woman up repeatedly. They tried to kneel again but could not resist the master's single-handed strength.

Many people discussed animatedly, wondering what the master had done to make the couple so emotional.

"Oh, Master, you won't accept money, and you won't let us kneel. How can we ever repay your kindness? Fellow villagers, please tell us, how can we repay him?"

One of the curious onlookers gathered around chimed in.

"What exactly did the master help you with?"

"Yes, do tell." "Indeed."

Seeing the master return to his stall, sighing and shaking his head, the man, along with his wife, vividly recounted the previous events, describing how the master had helped them avert disaster and overcome difficulties. The story contained quite a bit of fantastical elements, leaving the surrounding crowd amazed.

Finally, the couple departed, profusely thanking him. More than half an hour later, an old woman came to express her gratitude, having also received help without payment. Afterward, a young woman arrived to thank him, and the master accepted only ten copper coins from her.

By the end of the day, when the master packed up his stall, he had only briefly told a few fortunes for curious individuals. About four or five times, people had come to express their gratitude, and he had only accepted payment once.

After the master packed up and left, the dragon prince and princess exchanged glances. The former looked at Ji Yuan.

"Uncle Ji, was I mistaken?"

"Heh, not at all. Come on, we haven't seen the whole show yet."

Ji Yuan stood up, paid for the tea, and led the dragon prince and princess out of the street. As they walked, their forms gradually faded, and soon they arrived behind a sparsely populated shack in a certain district.

"Hey, Master, how was my performance?" "Excellent, excellent!"

"And me, where's mine?" "Here!"

"Thank you, Master, thank you, Master!"

When Ji Yuan arrived with the dragon prince and princess, they saw the very people who had come to express gratitude earlier, receiving money from the master—broken silver pieces and large imperial coins.

"This is allowed?"

The dragon prince stared blankly at the scene, then turned to look at Ji Yuan.

"Uncle Ji, among mortals, isn't he essentially deceiving the emperor? Is he not afraid of execution?"

Ji Yuan smiled, left a remark, and turned to depart.

"How similar he is to Emperor Yuande."

The dragon prince frowned and looked at the dragon princess.

"Little sister, do you understand?"

Ying Ruoli also frowned thoughtfully, then looked again at the master who was taking money from his purse. Despite his immortal aura, he was withered and aged.

"Uncle Ji probably means that at this point, for the sake of an 'official recognition,' this man is no longer afraid of execution."

"Uh, so will our father lose?"

The dragon princess glared exasperatedly at the dragon prince.

"The one our father chose has real abilities, so how could he lose? I think compared to Uncle Ji, our father is practically cheating!"

"So it's a draw then!"

The dragon prince smiled and also turned to leave.

August 30th was Emperor Yuande of Dazhen's birthday, and thus also the Longevity Festival.

The entire imperial palace was adorned with lanterns and streamers, and palace attendants bustled about both inside and outside the halls. The imperial kitchen and other relevant departments had begun preparations for this day long in advance.

On this day, the officials at the morning court also tried their best to exercise restraint. Unless a matter was extremely important and urgent, they would avoid presenting anything that might displease the emperor.

The discussion phase quickly concluded, and the officials in the hall fell silent.

Emperor Yuande looked at the old eunuch beside the dragon throne.

"Summon the masters in."

The old eunuch bowed slightly and nodded, then took a deep breath and proclaimed loudly.

"Proclaiming! All Grand Masters of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, enter the hall!"

Outside the hall, palace attendants loudly repeated the proclamation.

"Proclaiming! All Grand Masters of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, enter the hall!"

After three repetitions, under the watchful eyes of the officials who turned their gazes towards the hall entrance, eunuchs led a small group of people through the palace gates and into the main hall.

Among the officials, some squinted, some smiled, some snorted, and some were curious.

Among those who entered were monks, Daoists, old and young, and even an old beggar in tattered clothes. There were sixteen individuals in total.

From above, the Emperor also squinted, observing those below.

The group stood still and saluted the Emperor above.

"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty, long long live!"

"You may dispense with the formalities!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

It must be said that upon closer inspection, each master appeared spirited and calm-faced; at least none showed apprehension. The most eye-catching was naturally the old beggar, simply because he was so out of place.

"Minister Yan, which one is the eminent person you so highly recommended?"

Yan Chang stepped forward from the ranks, holding his tablet of office and bowing.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your humble servant recommended Old Master Lu for an audience, and he is this one!"

Yan Chang's hand pointed to the beggar, which surprised some officials who had long considered him a corrupt minister.

Emperor Yuande looked at Yan Chang, then scrutinized the beggar.

"What divine powers or magical arts do you possess?"

The old beggar stepped forward, not in his usual lazy manner. He cupped his hands towards the Emperor, but what he said bore no relation to the Emperor's question.

"This old beggar had a sudden whim and intends to take on two disciples: one who has suffered all human hardships since childhood, and one who will enjoy all worldly glory in old age. I feel that this Water-Land Dharma Assembly might be an opportune moment. May I ask Your Majesty if you are willing to relinquish your dragon throne?"

"How dare you!" "Impudent!"

"Old Master Lu, what nonsense are you speaking? Quickly apologize to His Majesty!"

"How dare you offend the sovereign!"

"Clang..." "Clang..." "Clang..."

The surrounding officials glared furiously, and Yan Chang broke out in cold sweat. Even the other masters instinctively distanced themselves from the old beggar, while the Imperial Guards stood with their swords drawn, ready to strike.

Seated high on the dragon throne, Emperor Yuande suppressed his anger and asked coldly.

"So you possess the method of eternal life?"

The old beggar frowned in thought, then shook his head and replied.

"No, I do not possess a method of immortality."

"Then can one gain power and wealth exceeding that of my imperial position, or attain a carefree existence surpassing that of the Son of Heaven?"

He had originally thought that since the old emperor was eager to seek immortality, such a question, though seemingly inappropriate, would be treated with solemnity. However, things were not as he wished; it seemed this emperor could not tolerate even the slightest defiance...

The old beggar's expression turned indifferent.

"Such carefree existence, I'm afraid, is also not possible."

"Oh, then if I were to descend from the dragon throne and the imperial position were left vacant, with no one to handle state affairs, what would be the solution?"

The old beggar was now expressionless.

"A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and Dazhen may achieve a heavenly destiny. Naturally, the throne should be abdicated to a prince, as Your Majesty's age has also come."

Emperor Yuande glanced at his princes, and as his anger surged, many thoughts raced through his mind. At this moment, he burst into furious laughter.

"Hahahaha... Hahahahaha... Yan Chang, is this the person you recommended?"

"Your Majesty! This servant deserves death ten thousand times over! This servant deserves death ten thousand times over!"

The Grand Historian was so terrified that he immediately knelt to the ground, holding his tablet of office, kowtowing, and dared not rise.