I Can Upgrade Everything Infinitely - Chapter 152 - 151: Little Leiyin Temple, Clear Heart Wooden Fish
Chapter 152: Chapter 151: Little Leiyin Temple, Clear Heart Wooden Fish
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!!!
On this day.
Xu Qing heard a knock at the door. He had been in the Xicheng District for over a month now, living in this house for the same amount of time, and had grown familiar with his neighbors.
’They’re here again.’
Xu Qing frowned.
Additionally,
For the past half-month, someone had been knocking on his door almost every morning. The ones knocking were monks from the Little Leiyin Temple.
What’s more,
If Xu Qing didn’t open the door, a monk from the Little Leiyin Temple would return to knock every hour until he did.
“Kaya, go get the door.”
Xu Qing’s tone was calm.
“Yes.”
Kaya nodded, handed the Copper Coin Sword she was holding to Yan Gu, and went to open the door. And indeed, outside was a monk from the Little Leiyin Temple.
“Benefactor.”
The bald monk had a kind face and couldn’t have been more than twenty years old. He greeted Kaya with his palms pressed together, “Amitabha Buddha.”
“What is it?”
Kaya asked.
“Benefactor, Demon Fiends and other evils have been lurking in the Xicheng District recently. The high monks of the Little Leiyin Temple have taken pity on the common people and do not wish to see them suffer horribly.”
The bald monk was carrying a wicker basket on his back. He took it off, placed it in front of Kaya, and said, “Therefore, we have specially been refining some Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans. These artifacts and talismans all have the effect of dispelling evil and exterminating demons. And they’re not expensive—each Dharma Artifact or Magic Talisman costs only one silver tael.”
A sales pitch!
And a door-to-door one at that!
This was what the monks from the Little Leiyin Temple had been doing for the past half-month: sending out numerous monks to every household in the Xicheng District to sell their temple’s Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans.
One silver tael.
For a relatively wealthy family, this wasn’t expensive. But for poorer families, the price of one silver tael was steep, and they would be very reluctant to spend it.
In fact,
Xu Qing found this situation quite repulsive. He didn’t care about the one silver tael; he was just disgusted by the Little Leiyin Temple’s rather coercive methods.
Therefore,
for over half a month now,
Xu Qing had not bought any of these Magic Talismans or Dharma Artifacts.
Of course,
if these monks weren’t from the Little Leiyin Temple, Xu Qing would never have opened the door and might have even driven them away directly. But the Little Leiyin Temple had great influence in the Xicheng District and a large number of followers.
Moreover,
the Little Leiyin Temple was a powerful force in its own right. Being able to establish a Suspended Temple in Moon River Prefecture City was enough to prove it could rival the city’s top-tier influences.
Naturally,
the Little Leiyin Temple was home to numerous powerful experts.
“High monks?”
Xu Qing walked over this time, his tone calm. “If the high monks of your Little Leiyin Temple truly take pity on the people of Xicheng District, why not give these Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans to the citizens for free?”
“Benefactor.”
The bald monk saw Xu Qing and seemed slightly taken aback. Faced with Xu Qing’s question, he smiled and said, “We charge one silver tael so that we can save even more people.”
“Buddha saves those with whom he has a karmic connection. The Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans have all been consecrated by the high monks of the Little Leiyin Temple and are imbued with the power to exterminate demons and dispel evil. The materials needed to make them must be purchased with silver taels.”
“We use the silver we collect to buy the materials for making more Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans. If we didn’t charge any silver, we couldn’t buy those materials.”
“As the saying goes.”
“A flower, a world; a leaf, a bodhi,”
“Buddha saves those with a karmic connection, helping others but not himself;”
“Salvation is not as good as self-salvation, for all is Creation,”
“Seize fate through righteous means, not through crooked paths;”
“Ten thousand things are fated, yet all are ruled by man.”
In truth,
what the bald monk was really saying was: ’It’s better to rely on yourself than on others; saving yourself is better than being saved by someone else.’ The high monks of the Little Leiyin Temple were willing to expend their time and energy, taking pity on the people of Xicheng District by specially refining so many Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans. ’Are you telling me you’re not even willing to part with one silver tael?’
Besides,
’We at the Little Leiyin Temple aren’t charging one silver tael to make a profit. It’s to buy more materials, refine more Dharma Artifacts and Magic Talismans, and hopefully save even more people.’
If you’re not willing to do even that, if you can’t bear to part with it,
then you deserve to die.
“…”
Xu Qing frowned slightly. He glanced down at the bald monk’s basket and saw an exquisite Wooden Fish, along with some Magic Talismans.
“Kaya, buy a Wooden Fish.”
Xu Qing said.
“Yes.”
Kaya nodded, took out a silver tael, and handed it to the bald monk. “We’ll buy this Wooden Fish.”
“Very well.”
The bald monk nodded, took the Wooden Fish out of his basket, and gave it to Kaya. After accepting her silver tael, he pressed his palms together. “Amitabha Buddha.”
As soon as he finished speaking,
the bald monk shouldered his basket and left.
Afterward,
Xu Qing had Kaya close the courtyard gate.
“Master.”
Kaya handed the Wooden Fish to Xu Qing.
“Mm.”
Xu Qing took it.
’Let’s see just what kind of trick this Little Leiyin Temple is trying to pull.’
Xu Qing mused.
With a thought,
Xu Qing’s consciousness connected to the Encyclopedia of All Things.
SWISH!
Immediately,
the Encyclopedia of All Things flickered with a fluorescent light.
At the same time,
the Wooden Fish in Xu Qing’s hand flashed with a white light.
Following that,
a series of images appeared before Xu Qing’s eyes. Among them, he saw the process of the Wooden Fish being made, as well as scenes of a high monk consecrating it.
[Entry Recorded Successfully!]
[Clear Heart Wooden Fish Level 1: 0/100 (This is a Wooden Fish made from ordinary wood by monks of the Little Leiyin Temple and consecrated by a high monk. Each time it is struck, it has the effect of clearing the mind, calming the spirit, Breaking Evil, and Demon Extermination. The deeper one’s faith, the stronger the effect.)]
“Oh.”
A trace of surprise appeared on Xu Qing’s face as he looked at the Wooden Fish in his hand. ’So it was actually consecrated by a high monk and has some real effects.’
“This…”
One had to know,
a Dharma Artifact like this, even a low-level one with only a faint effect of Breaking Evil and Demon Extermination, was not something an ordinary person could buy for just one silver tael.
’Could it be that I’ve misjudged the Little Leiyin Temple?’
Xu Qing couldn’t help but wonder.
Previously, Xu Qing had felt that the Little Leiyin Temple’s actions—sending monks door-to-door to ’sell’ their wares—had the feel of a high-pressure sales tactic, an attempt to make a large amount of Silver Coins.
But as it turned out,
he had spent one silver tael and bought this Wooden Fish, and it was indeed a consecrated Dharma Artifact, not a fake. There was no deception.
’Perhaps this is why the Little Leiyin Temple was able to rise in Moon River Prefecture City and become a top-tier influence in such a short time,’ Xu Qing mused. ’And it’s also why so many people in the Xicheng District of Moon River Prefecture City choose to believe in the Little Leiyin Temple, and why it has so many followers.’
DONG!
Xu Qing picked up the Wooden Hammer with his right hand and tapped it lightly on the Wooden Fish, producing a “DONG” sound. Waves of sound spread out, and as the noise rang out, Xu Qing felt a sense of inner peace.
[Experience +1]
“Good.”
Xu Qing nodded. ’Every time I strike the Wooden Fish, I gain one Experience Point. So this is how the Clear Heart Wooden Fish gains Experience Points.’
“Elder Yan.”
Xu Qing called out.
“Young Master.”
Yan Gu arrived immediately.
“You, strike this Wooden Fish.”
Xu Qing handed the Wooden Hammer to Yan Gu and said, “Don’t use too much force. Tap it lightly. After all, it’s made of wood, so don’t break it.”
“With that in mind,”
“go as fast as you can.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Yan Gu nodded.
DONG! DONG! DONG!!!
Then,
Xu Qing walked out of the room as the sound of the Wooden Fish being struck again and again echoed out. Because it was being struck so quickly, the effect of the Clear Heart Wooden Fish was significantly enhanced.
…
[Experience +1]
…
[Experience +1]
…
While ensuring he didn’t break the Clear Heart Wooden Fish, Yan Gu could strike it ten times a second, allowing the Clear Heart Wooden Fish to gain ten Experience Points per second.
The speed was incredible.
At this rate,
the Clear Heart Wooden Fish could gain thirty-six thousand Experience Points in an hour.
’Not bad.’
Xu Qing nodded in satisfaction.
「The next morning.」
“Young Master.”
Yan Gu gave the Clear Heart Wooden Fish, which he had been striking for a full day, to Xu Qing. Because it had been struck so many times, even with his careful control, the Wooden Fish was still just made of wood and lacked durability.
Furthermore,
the consecrated effect imbued in the Clear Heart Wooden Fish had also weakened significantly from being struck so many times. It couldn’t be struck anymore.
If Yan Gu were to continue, he was afraid the Clear Heart Wooden Fish would be destroyed.
“Mm.”
Xu Qing took the Clear Heart Wooden Fish, nodded, and said, “You may go for now.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Yan Gu nodded respectfully and turned to leave the room.
SWISH!
With a thought,
the status and information of the Clear Heart Wooden Fish appeared in Xu Qing’s mind.
[Clear Heart Wooden Fish Level 1: 720000/100 (Upgradeable!)]
“Good.”
Xu Qing nodded. ’Upgrade the Clear Heart Wooden Fish.’
HUM!
Immediately,
the Encyclopedia of All Things flickered with a fluorescent light, and the Clear Heart Wooden Fish flashed with a white light as a series of images appeared before Xu Qing’s eyes.
In the images,
the material for making the Clear Heart Wooden Fish was no longer ordinary wood, but a type of ironwood. This ironwood was as hard as a block of iron.
[Upgrade Successful!]
[Clear Heart Wooden Fish Level 2: 719900/200 (Upgradeable!) (A Wooden Fish made from ten-year ironwood, which has undergone one meticulous consecration by a high monk.)]
“Hm.”
Xu Qing mused, ’After one upgrade, there isn’t much of a change. The material is now ten-year ironwood, and the consecrated effect is a bit stronger.’
“Continue.”
Xu Qing said.
…
[Upgrade Successful!]
[Clear Heart Wooden Fish Level 3: 719700/400 (Upgradeable!) (A Wooden Fish made from twenty-year ironwood, which has undergone two meticulous consecrations by a high monk.)]
…
[Upgrade Successful!]
[Clear Heart Wooden Fish Level 4: 719300/800 (Upgradeable!) (A Wooden Fish made from thirty-year ironwood, which has undergone three meticulous consecrations by a high monk.)]
…
Two more upgrades.
You could say that
after each upgrade, the Clear Heart Wooden Fish’s material improved, and the number of consecrations increased by one. The stacking effects of these repeated consecrations would produce even greater Mighty Power.
