Redemption of a Born Demon-Chapter 60: Great Bao Lian Temple: Far-Reaching Fame, Vast Following (Part 1)
Yi Beidou didn’t enter the Great Bao Lian Temple right away. Instead, he found a breakfast shop on the street, sat down, and ordered a spread of local specialties, eating at a leisurely pace.
As for money, that wasn’t an issue. On his way here, he had casually "dealt with" a small criminal outfit, securing enough funds to cover his travel expenses.
As he ate, savoring the local cuisine, he scanned the pedestrians on the street.
It was now August or September, and with many schools on summer break, it was the peak of the tourist season. As a result, one could see many tourists from Donghua, especially beautifully dressed young women.
Siam’s climate was hot, so these young women were all dressed lightly, revealing swathes of fair skin and long, slender legs that drew a great deal of attention.
Dressed like that in Northern Myanmar, where Yi Beidou had just been, they’d likely have been devoured, leaving not even bones behind.
But this was Siam. Its tourism industry was thriving, and public order was incomparably better than in Northern Myanmar. Although a criminal underbelly still existed, the chances of running into it were slim unless you were exceptionally unlucky.
All in all, it was relatively safe. Of course, it couldn’t compare to the security within Donghua’s borders.
Tour groups arrived one after another by bus, filling the streets with people taking photos on their phones and cameras. Yi Beidou also noticed quite a few people who looked like short-form video bloggers, talking as they filmed.
For him, this was a rather novel experience.
It was a pity he didn’t know how long this lively and harmonious scene would last. After all, he hadn’t come here to sightsee, but to shatter a sect and demolish a temple.
Eat your fill, then murder and burn.
「Meanwhile, on the other side of the street.」
A luxury sedan pulled up to the curb. Two tall, cold-faced bodyguards in sharp suits got out of the front seats and opened the rear doors for the passengers.
A mature, graceful woman with short hair stepped out from one side. From the other, a cute, fair-skinned girl in casual clothes emerged.
The girl was holding a selfie stick, apparently filming a vlog.
"Hey everyone, we’ve just arrived at the famous Great Bao Lian Temple in Siam Clear Water! Look, there are so many people, and the temple is so gilded and gorgeous! It’s a shame they don’t allow filming inside, but I hear this temple’s blessings are super potent. I’ll be sure to draw a fortune for all of you, wishing everyone watching the best of luck in everything!"
Jiang Yanxin did a little spin with her selfie stick, capturing some exterior shots of the temple and the surrounding street scene before putting her phone and stick away.
"Honestly, you. We come out to have fun, and you spend half the time filming. How many followers do you even have? How much money can you possibly be making? I think you should just listen to your father and go home to inherit the family business."
Tian Peijun said, watching Jiang Yanxin with a resigned look.
"Hey, a girl’s gotta have dreams! Why is your mind always on inheriting the family business? Besides, I’m documenting my life! If I don’t do it now, I’ll be old before I know it. Ugh, forget it. You old hags wouldn’t get it."
Jiang Yanxin rolled her eyes at Tian Peijun.
"You little brat, who are you calling an old hag?"
Tian Peijun feigned anger and twisted the soft part of Jiang Yanxin’s ear, making her yelp for mercy.
She was only in her early thirties, still in the prime of her life.
SKREEE!!
Just then, another car pulled up to the curb. Several bodyguards in black and a middle-aged, assistant-like woman emerged, flanking a young woman. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
The woman wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her long hair flowing freely. She had on a beret, sunglasses, and a face mask, completely geared up to avoid being recognized.
Flanked by her entourage, the woman didn’t linger, striding quickly toward the Great Bao Lian Temple and drawing many curious glances.
A few tourists seemed to recognize her and tried to approach, likely for an autograph, but they were all fended off by her bodyguards.
"Is that a celebrity from back home?"
Jiang Yanxin watched the woman walk away, thinking her figure and silhouette seemed vaguely familiar.
"What’s so strange about that? The Great Bao Lian Temple is legendary for its miracles. A few of the famous Masters here have the ability to commune with spirits and possess mystical powers. It’s not just celebrities; even some of the biggest tycoons and wealthiest businessmen from the mainland come here to seek fortunes and talismans to ensure their luck holds."
"I’ve heard that even Siam’s royal family comes to pay their respects from time to time. So now you see how hard it was for me to arrange this meeting with a Master, right? Your dad’s health isn’t great, is it? When we see the Master, you should ask for a Peace Talisman for him. Who knows, it might help him get better."
Tian Peijun said with a smile.
"Is it really that miraculous?"
As a philosophy major, Jiang Yanxin had never been one to believe in such esoteric, metaphysical things.
"You’ll see for yourself."
An expression of awe crept onto Tian Peijun’s face.
She had experienced it firsthand. The first time she entered the inner hall, she hadn’t seen a single soul. But in the next instant, a voice had called out, and a figure had suddenly materialized behind the desk before her. Later, when she was asking for a fortune, the Master had formed a Seal Technique, and she could have sworn she saw Lotuses bloom from his body and beneath his feet before vanishing in a flash.
The mystical, shocking experience was difficult to describe to others in words.
Ever since then, she had become a devout believer, sending large donations as offerings every year.
She’d heard through the grapevine that the Masters she met weren’t the real ones in power. The true head of the Great Bao Lian Temple was said to be a monk of unimaginable status and virtue. All the major powers in Nanyang—be they military, political, or commercial—had to give him face, revering him as one of the Deities.
A personage of that caliber was someone she wasn’t even qualified to meet.
This was how the Great Bao Lian Temple won people over. Using these methods, the temple, with the Great Vow Master at its core, had woven a vast web of connections throughout Nanyang, wielding influence in legitimate, criminal, and grey-area circles alike.
"Come on, let’s go inside. Maybe we’ll get a better look and see which celebrity that was."
Tian Peijun urged.
With that, the two women entered the Great Bao Lian Temple.
The temple was bustling with people. Crowds of tourists milled about, and tour guides could be heard giving explanations, making the place feel rather noisy.
Jiang Yanxin looked around curiously for a while but couldn’t see anything particularly special about the monks.
"They always say Buddhist temples are supposed to be places of peace and quiet, but this feels more like a tourist trap. Could there really be an enlightened master in a place this rowdy?"
Jiang Yanxin couldn’t help but voice her doubt.
"This part is the tourist area. You can think of it as being built specifically for visitors. The real core of the Great Bao Lian Temple is actually in the rear courtyard, but ordinary tourists can’t get in without permission."
"Look, over there. See those monks on guard duty? That’s the entrance to the rear courtyard."
Tian Peijun gestured with her eyes toward a corner of the temple.
Jiang Yanxin looked over and saw an entrance set into a high temple wall. A heavy, red-lacquered wooden door was shut tight, guarded by several tall men in monastic robes holding long staves. Any tourists who approached were shooed away.
As they spoke, both women suddenly felt a presence brush past them as a shadow momentarily fell over their line of sight.
A tall young man strode past them, his broad shoulders seeming vast enough to block out the sun. He was remarkably conspicuous.
Watching his retreating back, Jiang Yanxin once again felt a sense of familiarity.
