I Can Extract Divine Power

...

Given the coachman’s specialized trade, it took less time than it takes for half an incense stick to burn to arrive at their destination.

Ahead, on a low-lying mountain, the silhouette of a small temple loomed.

"Lord Shen, we’ve arrived," the coachman said respectfully.

Oddly enough, the rain had lessened again.

Shen Bai nodded, stepped down from the carriage, and sized up the mountain ahead. "Wait for me here."

Without hesitation, he unleashed Divine Thousand Miles, turning into an afterimage as he shot toward the mountaintop.

The coachman watched the direction Shen Bai had gone, a trace of envy in his eyes. ’If only I had half of Lord Shen’s strength.’

...

Using Divine Thousand Miles, Shen Bai moved at maximum Speed. Before long, he had arrived in front of the small temple.

He hadn’t wasted a single moment.

The small temple ahead was very plain, its walls looking ancient and worn.

And yet, a cold, sinister aura emanated continuously from within.

He had just sensed this same cold, sinister aura on the townspeople, so Shen Bai knew it might be related to the uncanny and Deceitful Objects.

Now, he was encountering it again. Judging by the intensity of the sinister aura, Shen Bai felt his suspicions were correct.

Ahead, the temple door stood open. Above it hung a plaque with four words inscribed upon it: Every Plea Is Heard.

Shen Bai paused to think. ’When in doubt, start with a divination.’

Before him, the results of his Infinite Divination Skill appeared perfectly normal, a dense field of gold.

Without hesitation, Shen Bai stepped inside.

As Shen Bai crossed the threshold, his Void-breaking Cyan Eye had already scanned the entire temple.

He took in every detail of the temple’s interior.

The temple’s interior, from its decorations to its furnishings, was spartan.

In the main hall at the far end, an old Monk in clerical robes was striking a Wooden Fish and chanting from a Scripture.

Clay statues stood in the main hall.

The old Monk seemed to sense something. He stopped striking the Wooden Fish, sighed, and said, "Lord Shen, you’ve finally arrived."

The statement was completely unexpected, as if he had known all along that Shen Bai was coming.

Shen Bai’s brow furrowed. He walked forward until he stood before the main hall and asked, "Who are you? And how did you know I was coming?"

The old Monk rose slowly and turned to face him, pressing his palms together. "I am the abbot of this temple, Lord Shen. I built it here, on this essential route to the Capital City, specifically to wait for you. But I arrived too early, so I thought I would do a few things for the local people in the meantime."

After he finished speaking, the old Monk waved his hand.

A table and two chairs appeared out of thin air.

Shen Bai’s frown deepened. He shifted his gaze to the Wooden Fish behind the old Monk.

Before his eyes, a line of smoke appeared, coalescing into words.

[Worn Wooden Fish]

[Appraisal Progress: 0%]

[A wisp of Evil Qi can be used for rapid appraisal]

As the text materialized before him, Shen Bai knew at once the source of the cold, sinister aura.

It was coming from this very Wooden Fish.

’What this old Monk just said is rather interesting.’

’It seems he built this temple specifically to wait for me, and since he was early, he decided to help the locals out a bit.’

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "So the so-called ’Every Plea Is Heard’ comes from this Deceitful Object?"

The old Monk nodded. "Correct. And it still has many uses remaining."

"You’re rather generous, using it on common folk," Shen Bai remarked.

The old Monk put on a look of profound compassion. "Buddhism teaches mercy," he said. "Guiding others is also an act of mercy."

Shen Bai rested his hand on the hilt of Cold Moon at his waist. "Let’s dispense with the pleasantries. State your identity and your purpose directly."

’I was just hoping to score some benefits before heading to the Capital City. I never expected to run into something like this.’

He couldn’t sense the old Monk’s Qi, or even get a read on his level of power.

And yet, his Infinite Divination Skill told him there was no danger. In fact, it indicated that he was quite safe.

The old Monk sighed. "Lord Shen, please just consider me a chance-met traveler. I only wished to see you for myself."

"See me for yourself?" Shen Bai stroked his chin. "What’s so special about me to look at?"

The old Monk said, "To see if Lord Shen is truly as the rumors describe."

"And what’s your verdict?" Shen Bai asked.

The old Monk said slowly, "You are indeed just as the Jianghu claims: your strength is immense, your talent, peerless."

At that moment, a voice sounded in Shen Bai’s mind.

"Master, this Monk before you... he has the aura of the Era of Ten Thousand Cities about him. He’s Hidden it extremely well. I only just now discovered it. You must be careful," said Red Makeup.

Shen Bai’s eyes narrowed. "Master, you’re from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a silence fell over the temple.

After a long moment, the old Monk sighed. "Lord Shen, I don’t know how you saw through my disguise, but since you have, it is for the best. My name is Wuxin. As for how you wish to address me, that is entirely up to you."

"In that case, Master Wuxin, since I’ve seen through you, why don’t you tell me your intentions?" Shen Bai pressed.

’Including Master Wuxin, I’ve now met three people from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities.’

’Red Makeup counted as half, since she spent most of her time hovering between life and death.’

He was also quite curious as to why Master Wuxin had sought him out.

Master Wuxin pressed his palms together. "The Ruo Shui City Lord’s death in Nanxing Prefecture is a good thing. Many from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities have sided with the mastermind behind it all. But there are also many, like myself, who have simply been clinging to life until this day."

"We have one purpose: to unmask this mastermind, discover their true identity, and settle our accounts."

"We will make them wish for death. We will make them suffer the same tragic fate as the people of that era."