Chapter 180: Mazu Temple

At the same time, the system’s notification chimed in his ears.

[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 59th entry in the illustrated guide!]

[The delicacy you unlocked is: Freshly Squeezed Emblic Juice]

[Delicacy Rating: 90 points (Excellent)]

[Since the rating is Excellent, the reward is multiplied by 4.]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward of 800,000.]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward of 800,000.]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward of 800,000.]

[Congratulations, you have received a special reward: Taste +1]

Watching Li Xiao drink with such relish, Wenchu People gasped next to him. She had drunk this emblic juice before, but the taste was just too pungent; she couldn’t handle it at all. Eating the fruits whole, one by one, was already the absolute limit of what she could stomach.

Eating and drinking along the way, the four of them soon walked into the largest Mazu Temple in Qingao Town—which was also the largest on South Australia Island—under Xu’s guidance. It was mentioned before that there are many temples on South Australia Island; there are seven or eight Mazu Temples alone.

The deities in Guangdong Province are somewhat different from those in other regions. Most of the deities here transitioned from ordinary mortals into immortals, and Mazu is a fairly well-known example of this.

Mazu, originally named Lin Mo, was born on the twenty-third day of the third lunar month in 960 AD on Meizhou Island, Putian, Fujian. On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month in 987 AD, she tragically perished while rescuing fishermen. She was only twenty-eight years old.

There are many legends about Mazu, but the most widespread is that Mazu herself was a highly capable doctor who often traveled around treating illnesses and saving lives. During her lifetime, she actively engaged in rescuing stranded fishermen at sea, functioning much like a modern-day maritime rescue team. However, as the saying goes, if you walk by the river often enough, your shoes are bound to get wet. Mazu rescued people at sea so many times that she eventually encountered a shipwreck and sacrificed her life during her final mission.

(It is said that after her sacrifice, her body was washed ashore by the waves onto what is today’s Mazu Island in Fuzhou. This is precisely why the place is named Mazu.)

It was exactly because she had performed such great deeds for the common folk during her life that people built temples and deified her after her death. According to incomplete statistics, there are nearly ten thousand Mazu temples worldwide that directly or indirectly branched off from the ancestral Meizhou Mazu Temple, spreading across forty-seven countries and regions on five continents.

Mazu’s influence is even more staggering than many people imagine; it goes far beyond global temples. In coastal cities, Mazu can even influence public security mediation. Many police stations are equipped with Mazu mediation rooms, which are responsible for resolving disputes among local residents. It is said that Fujian boasts the highest citizen dispute resolution rate in the entire country, and the reason is precisely due to the large number of these Mazu mediation rooms.

Aside from helping the police mediate citizen conflicts, Mazu is also a spiritual pillar for many coastal people. Fujian was built upon the sea. Without some form of faith, it would have been incredibly difficult for the locals to persevere, especially when facing violent storms and pirates out on the ocean.

In truth, there is no need to overly dwell on Mazu’s origins. Just consider that there once was a warm-hearted girl who did practical deeds for the people during her life, and after her passing, the people simply never forgot her. To put it plainly, she was a girl who lived among us, rather than some illusory, ethereal god. After all, rather than calling her a deity, it is more fitting to say she is one of our ancestors.

Entering the largest Mazu Temple in Qingao Town, Li Xiao and the other three felt a profound religious and cultural atmosphere. This Mazu Temple was not only the largest locally but also one of the most representative temples on South Australia Island, deeply revered by local residents and tourists alike.

The architectural style of the Mazu Temple was incredibly distinctive. Beneath the blue sky and white clouds, the antique temple appeared solemn and sacred. The temple’s roof was adorned with exquisite porcelain carvings painted with auspicious animals like dragons and phoenixes, symbolizing peace and prosperity. Wind chimes hung beneath the eaves. Whenever a gentle breeze blew past, the chimes rang out crisp and melodious, like the whispers of the gods.

As Li Xiao and his friends walked through the temple gates, they saw the courtyard wreathed in smoke with incense burning vigorously. Pilgrims kowtowed and prayed piously, beseeching Mazu for her protection and blessings.

Li Xiao curiously pricked up his ears. He discovered that the prayers of these people were truly all over the map. Some prayed for happiness and safety, and others for a perfect marriage. Some hoped for high scores on their exams, while others asked for promotions and raises. There were even those hoping their third child would be a boy. Li Xiao could understand these wishes well enough. However, when he finally heard someone praying to be smuggled safely out to the Free Country while amassing massive wealth along the way, he almost lost his composure.

Here, regardless of whether one had faith or not, everyone could feel an atmosphere of tranquility and harmony.

The main hall of the temple enshrined a statue of Mazu, surrounded by various donated offerings and incense candles. Paintings depicting Mazu’s stories hung on the walls, illustrating her legendary life and her numerous deeds protecting the safety of seafarers. Xu stood to the side, explaining Mazu’s history and religious culture to them in detail.

Even though Li Xiao was an atheist, things like transmigrating and being reborn had already happened to him. The existence of deities didn’t seem too bizarre anymore. Besides, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. During the tour, Li Xiao followed the local customs; he lit some incense candles and prayed to Mazu, hoping to receive blessings of peace and happiness.

Leaving the sandalwood-scented Mazu Temple, the four of them continued their tour around Qingao Town. Soon, Li Xiao was attracted by a stall. To be precise, he was drawn in by the pungent yet fragrant smell lingering in the air.

He looked at the stall’s signboard: Fermented Tofu Fried Chicken Wings.

????

Seeing this rather bizarre combination, countless question marks immediately popped up over Li Xiao’s head. He approached the stall, curiously inspecting this unique snack. The combination of fermented tofu and fried chicken wings sounded quite novel; perhaps it was a bit of a challenge to the taste buds.

The stall owner was a middle-aged woman. She operated with practiced ease, frying the chicken wings while never forgetting to chat with the surrounding customers. Through her explanation, Li Xiao learned that these fermented tofu fried chicken wings were her own innovative modification of a traditional recipe.

The fermented tofu she used wasn’t the kind typically seen on the market. Instead, it was a specially crafted fermented tofu paste she made herself using fresh tofu. Combined with several secret spices, it allowed the chicken wings to absorb the rich, mellow texture of the fermented tofu during the frying process while simultaneously taking on a distinctive aroma.

As a fresh batch of chicken wings came out of the fryer, that unique aroma grew even richer. Li Xiao couldn’t help but buy a few to try. He distributed the extra wings to the others and picked up one that was still steaming hot for himself.

Before frying, the chicken wings had been coated in batter, leaving the exterior deep-fried to a crispy, golden-brown perfection. Li Xiao took a bite. The crispy skin let out an astonishing crunch, yet the chicken meat inside remained incredibly tender and smooth.

The deep flavor of the fermented tofu perfectly combined with the savory freshness of the chicken. With a single bite—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—the unique taste of the fermented tofu slowly spread through his mouth.

Li Xiao savored this unique snack carefully. He found that the fermented tofu paste didn’t make the chicken wings overly salty; instead, it introduced a subtle, layered flavor profile. Every bite of the chicken wing was full of surprises. The aroma of the fermented tofu gradually unfolded as he chewed, brilliantly complementing the fresh tenderness of the meat.

(Author’s Note: There are only two updates today. I’m going to take a short break, and normal updates will resume tomorrow. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year once again.)