Located in the suburbs of Deep Sea City, at Qinghua Mountain, stood the grand and renowned Daming Temple, known throughout HuaXia.
In the early morning, Qin Feiyang, donning a cassock, was enjoying a bowl of noodles at a food stall halfway up the mountain. His eyes darted through the crowd as though he was hunting for something.
Suddenly, his gaze brightened, fixated on a luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom that just parked midway up the mountain. From the car, descended a woman extravagantly dressed, standing out with her exquisite beauty.
Upon sighting the lady, Qin Feiyang quickly wiped his mouth, and wryly said to the stall owner, "Old Zhang, there's a fat lamb entering the door, watch how I slaughter it."
Upon witnessing Qin Feiyang’s zealous gaze, Zhang could only give a knowing smile without uttering a word.
Over the past couple of years, Qin Feiyang would be seen every morning, swindling devout devotees going up the mountain to pray, selling so-called "blessed" artifacts.
However, these transactions were agreed upon willingly, so Old Zhang refrained from involving himself.
After stepping out of the car, Luo Yanhua addressed her driver, "Uncle Huang, wait for me here. When I retrieve Master Jue Cheng from the mountain, I can cure my sister's affliction."
"Miss, I should accompany you up the mountain," driver Huang voiced his concerns.
"It's fine. This is a sacred Buddhist site. I trust that crowd won’t dare to act recklessly." With a worried look, Luo Yanhua scanned her surroundings, sighing before setting foot on the mountain path that led to Daming Temple.
As she passed the noodle stall, Qin Feiyang sensed an opportunity. Playing the role of a transcendent monk, he put his hands together and intoned a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha, Miss, you have a dark countenance, perhaps troubles lay in wait?"
Already burdened, Luo Yanhua frowned upon hearing Qin Feiyang’s words, decidedly displeased she retorted, "What are you blabbering, monk?"
"Miss, please don't be upset. A monk never lies. Have you been plagued by nightmares and bad luck recently?" Qin Feiyang went on, looking solemn and using his prepared narrative.
Luo Yanhua’s eyes twinkled, a flicker of hope sparking in her heart as she asked, "How did you know?"
Indeed, she had been rather unfortunate lately. Her father inexplicably vanished, her sister fell ill, and the company was embroiled in a myriad of troubles. She was besieged from all sides, emotionally and physically drained.
When Luo Cheng, her father, was alive, the Luo family was at least considered one of the top four families in Deep Sea City. Now that her father was gone, several major families were lusting after Luo Yanhua, even the previously insignificant companies started to become ambitious.
Left with no other option to support her family, Luo Yanhua could only resort to Burning incense and praying for blessings at the Great Ming Temple. She also intended to request the aid of Master Jue Cheng from the mountain to help diagnose her sister's illness.
Unexpectedly, the young monk halfway up the mountain discerned her troubles.
Qin Feiyang chuckled inwardly. Of course. Who else would come and burn incense for blessings on the mountain for no reason?'
He was in this line of business precisely because he understood the human psyche.
"Noble lady, as the saying goes, one's appearance reflects their emotions. If you wouldn't mind, could I read your palm for you?" Qin Feiyang suggested as if it was a serious matter.
Luo Yanhua was initially reluctant to believe him. Qin Feiyang looked too young; although his head was shaved clean, it didn't have the religious scars of a monk. She didn't really know if he was a monk from the Great Ming Temple.
However, when you are desperate, you'd even seek help from an unlikely doctor.
In her desperation to avert her ill fortune, Luo Yanhua decided to give it a go and extended her smooth, jade-like hand.
As soon as Qin Feiyang grasped her hand, he felt a soft warmth, as if he was holding a piece of fine jade.
Beautiful women always had skin as smooth and cold as jade, almost silky to the touch, and Luo Yanhua was a perfect embodiment of this phrase.
Dressed in a beautiful black gauze dress that day, with her hair elegantly pulled up, Luo Yanhua's exquisite face was directly in front of Qin Feiyang.
Besides, her figure was well-proportioned, and her skin was a dazzling milky white. She was a beauty among beauties.
Despite living in the Great Ming Temple for two years, Qin Feiyang had indeed forgotten a lot of things, but certainly not his appreciation for beautiful women.
He couldn't help but touch her hand over and over, sighing inwardly, "So fair and delicate."
It seemed as though Luo Yanhua could sense the other party's frivolous movements, and she subconsciously wanted to pull back her hand. However, at this moment, Qin Feiyang gravely said, "Hmm, based on your palm, it seems like your luck isn't great recently. I'm afraid you might face a calamity."
Hearing this, Luo Yanhua furrowed her brows tighter.
Could it be true that she was about to face a disaster?
"Master, is there a way to dissolve this?" Luo Yanhua couldn't help but ask.
"There is indeed a way to mitigate this, but it all depends on your sincerity," Qin Feiyang enigmatically responded.
"What do you mean by 'sincerity'?"
Qin Feiyang didn't answer, but simply untied his monk's robe to reveal what was inside.
Luo Yanhua was greatly surprised, because inside the monk's robe were all kinds of Buddhist artifacts: Buddha necklaces, Buddha beads, Buddha pendants, fly-whisks, and so on... What the hell was that wooden fish?!
These items dazzled Luo Yanhua, and Qin Feiyang coughed lightly, showing off, "Miss, don't underestimate these artifacts. They have all been blessed by the Buddha, and the head monk has chanted over them for ninety-nine days and eighty-one nights. They hold great power. As long as you carry these with you, they can definitely help keep evil away."
Luo Yanhua was somewhat dubious, "Carrying these can ward off evil and misfortune?"
"Monks do not lie. With these items, if you chant for one hour each day, they will certainly help dissolve your trouble," Qin Feiyang pledged convincingly.
Thinking that monks in the Buddhist land don't lie, Luo Yanhua asked, "How much do all these items cost? I'll take them all!"
"Wow, I've got a big fish here!"
Joy sprang up in Qin Feiyang's heart, but he kept his poker face and said, "Miss, these items are not actually for sale. However, since you are sincere, a donation will suffice."
Then he continued, "For instance, this Buddha pendant is just 998, the wooden fish is 1998, and then there's this..."
Before she could finish speaking, Luo Yanhua directly took out a stack of hundred-yuan bills and put them on the table, saying earnestly, "Master, this is my sincere gift, please make sure to accept it."
Qin Feiyang estimated that this stack of money was at least twenty thousand yuan.
The roadside stall's owner, Old Zhang, was flabbergasted. He worked hard from dawn to dusk every day, only making a few thousand yuan a month - and here Qin Feiyang had duped someone out of twenty-thousand yuan in a single moment.
All of his items were substandard goods wholesale purchased from the market, with a total cost just about two hundred yuan.
This was not just a high return, it was damned windfall!
"My lady, donors like you are indeed rare," said Qin Feiyang as he quickly pocketed the money like lightning and then dumped his monk robe and ritual instruments onto the table. "I'm giving you all of these ritual instruments. Remember to chant the Diamond Sutra for two hours every day and use these instruments in conjunction. You'll see unexpected results."
Luo Yanhua was a bit stunned. Why would this monk not even want his robe and other things?
Just at that moment, a group of monks suddenly rushed down from the mountain.
"Qin Feiyang, are you here scamming people for money again?" A stern monk, with prominent eyebrows and big eyes, shouted out loud, his features twisted with indignation.
