Closing the door and locking it behind him, Huo Yuanzhen returned to his bed and began reviewing the system.
This time, there were still thirty-six options: six sutras, six martial arts manuals, six construction tokens, six amounts of silver, six magical tools, and six miscellaneous items. However, as expected, there were some variations in the items this time.
Some of the items that appeared last time were missing, confirming that the system indeed presented random selections.
Huo Yuanzhen carefully inspected everything and was pleasantly surprised to see that the "Triad of Glowing Dots" jackpot was still there.
The so-called jackpot offered three chances to draw, and if the system's light points landed on this item, it would trigger another glowing point, giving a total of three selections.
Last time, Huo Yuanzhen had missed out on the jackpot by a hair, and he had regretted it ever since. Seeing the jackpot again now made him hopeful.
In addition to the jackpot, the amount of silver provided this time was generous—at least ten taels, with the possibility of even gold bars.
"We've hit the jackpot! As long as I can draw the jackpot, maybe this time I'll get three great items!" Huo Yuanzhen excitedly rubbed his hands together, feeling his heart race. He took a moment to calm down before starting the light point draw.
At first, the light point moved quickly, and it was impossible to tell what would be selected. Huo Yuanzhen was so nervous that he couldn't bear to watch. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again.
The light point's speed slowed down.
Huo Yuanzhen estimated it would stop within three symbols.
To his surprise, one of the first three symbols was indeed the jackpot.
The light point moved a little further, landing on a wooden fish.
Huo Yuanzhen wasn't impressed by the wooden fish. "What kind of prize is this? I could make one myself, and it's only worth a few copper coins. Why is it even in the draw?"
He silently prayed for the light point to move forward one step. If it did, the jackpot would be his.
Sure enough, the light point moved forward again and landed on the jackpot.
If it moved forward one more step, it would land on a "Code of Conduct Temple Construction Token," which was also valuable but felt much more ordinary compared to the jackpot.
"Stop!!! Please, stop!" Huo Yuanzhen urgently willed the system to halt.
The light point quivered and finally landed on the jackpot.
Huo Yuanzhen trembled with excitement. To win the jackpot from a set of thirty-six options was truly a stroke of luck. His palms were sweating from the tension.
Once he was certain the jackpot was his, he fixed his gaze on the light point.
The light point flashed a few times, then swiftly spun again.
After a few spins, the light point stopped, and Huo Yuanzhen received his first prize for the festival.
"A wooden fish!" Huo Yuanzhen muttered in disappointment.
"Ugh... this thing..."
Huo Yuanzhen sighed. He had hoped for something more useful, but now he was stuck with a wooden fish. He couldn't help but wonder why the system included something so trivial. Would it help him in his grand ambitions of ruling the martial world?
Though dissatisfied, he didn't have time to dwell on it. The light point began moving again.
"Lotus Sutra."
A sutra was essential in any temple. Though it was useful, Huo Yuanzhen was more interested in the final draw.
When the light point slowed, the first three symbols were the Plum Blossom Stance, an Exorcising Kasaya, and a Ten Thousand Buddha Tower Construction Token.
Huo Yuanzhen couldn't decide which one to choose. All three seemed equally appealing.
The Plum Blossom Stance was a fundamental technique for any martial artist, as essential as a model walking the runway. If you couldn't master the catwalk, you wouldn't be fit for the job. This technique would enhance his combat abilities, especially since he only knew Iron Head Skill, which wasn't much to be proud of. If he could combine it with the stance, his headbutts would have more angles.
The Exorcising Kasaya looked brilliant, shimmering with gold. It seemed like a treasure, and while it might not compare to Tang Seng's golden kasaya, it would certainly suit Huo Yuanzhen's flamboyant personality.
As for the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower Construction Token, it was a monumental item. A seven-story pagoda—just the size of the building alone would give Shaolin an imposing presence.
In the end, Huo Yuanzhen decided the Plum Blossom Stance was the most practical.
"Fine, I'll accept it!"
He closed his eyes, leaving it to fate. He wanted all three but couldn't have them. The decision was out of his hands.
After about five seconds, Huo Yuanzhen opened his eyes.
The light point had stopped on the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower Construction Token.
With the final prize selected, Huo Yuanzhen collected the items.
The first prize was the wooden fish, which came with a small hammer for striking it. Huo Yuanzhen picked it up and felt its weight. Curious, he struck it.
"Bang!"
The sound of the wooden fish rang out, and to Huo Yuanzhen's surprise, his previously unsettled mind was instantly calmed.
It wasn't just a momentary calm. His mind felt empty and clear.
"This wooden fish..." Huo Yuanzhen was overjoyed. It seemed that this was no ordinary item.
He tested it a few more times, confirming that the wooden fish had a calming effect on his mind. Every time the sound rang out, his thoughts became clearer, and the troubles of the world seemed to fade away.
For someone practicing martial arts, this might not be a huge deal, but for Huo Yuanzhen, it was invaluable.
What was the foundation of temple development?
People!
Without people joining Shaolin, there was no talk of growth. But with this wooden fish, Huo Yuanzhen realized he could use it to calm people's minds, potentially drawing them to Shaolin.
Of course, he wouldn't disrupt happy households, but those who were suffering or in despair might find solace by joining Shaolin.
Perhaps he could use the wooden fish for rituals, bringing comfort to people in mourning, which could boost Shaolin's finances.
It was truly a treasure!
The wooden fish had come from the miscellaneous items section, and Huo Yuanzhen would never again underestimate the value of the so-called "miscellaneous" prizes.
Carefully storing the wooden fish away, Huo Yuanzhen knew it wasn't time to reveal it just yet. He would use it when Shaolin had grown large enough.
The second item was the Lotus Sutra. An ancient sutra that still had a trace of ink fragrance. Huo Yuanzhen flipped through it and found that, like martial arts manuals, reading it allowed the contents to instantly enter his mind. Within half an hour, he had completely absorbed the sutra.
Although he wasn't particularly interested in sutras, learning more was always a good thing.
Once he finished, the sutra transformed into its regular form, and Huo Yuanzhen stored it away, knowing Shaolin could use such a text.
The final item was the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower Construction Token.
It was a small token, marking the right to construct the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower.
Holding it in his hand, Huo Yuanzhen's mind raced.
The Ten Thousand Buddha Tower—would it contain thousands of Buddha statues? If so, it could make a big impact.
In his previous life, Huo Yuanzhen had heard of temples performing "openings" and claiming to have miraculous events, though he had never believed in them. But many others did. Word spread quickly, and soon, people were convinced that the clouds above had transformed into the figure of a Buddha, or that golden light enveloped the temple, leading to an influx of devotees.
If such fabricated miracles could draw in followers, surely the sudden appearance of a gigantic pagoda would have a similar effect. Once people believed that the Buddha had manifested, they would undoubtedly want to donate.
In his previous life, Huo Yuanzhen had also learned that Buddha statues in a pagoda served an important purpose. Those who donated money to the temple were immortalized with a statue dedicated to them. While the statues couldn't be taken home, they were a status symbol within the temple.
Whether or not the Buddha statue could truly offer protection, the donations kept flowing in.
With this knowledge, Huo Yuanzhen immediately saw the potential of the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower. It wasn't just a temple construction token—it was a treasure.
However, he would need to choose the right time to build it. The best moment would be when the area was crowded, ensuring maximum impact when the pagoda suddenly appeared.
With this plan in mind, Huo Yuanzhen realized he had received three valuable prizes. The only regret was not getting a martial arts manual, but he was content. After all, it was a great stroke of luck to receive such rewards during the festival. Without this opportunity, he would have to wait until next month to draw again.