Just as Shangguan Xiong and the elderly Mr. Guan exchanged glances, the temple door suddenly opened again.
The one who opened the door was Yijing. Shangguan Xiong thought that perhaps Huo Yuanzhen had a change of heart, and hurriedly asked, "Did Master Yijie say we could enter?"
Unexpectedly, Yijing handed a blanket to Shangguan Xiong and said, "Our abbot said the night is cool in the mountains. The old man is not young anymore, so he should have an extra blanket to avoid falling ill."
Shangguan Xiong awkwardly took the blanket, unsure of what to do.
At that moment, Mr. Guan, instead, took the blanket and said to Yijing, "Thank you for your kindness, Master. Please also thank the abbot for me. I will spend the night outside the temple."
"Mr. Guan! This is not acceptable. Let us find an inn at the foot of the mountain and come back tomorrow morning," Shangguan Xiong urgently advised.
"No need for such words, my decision is made. Even if it's just one night, or even ten days, I can wait," the old man responded firmly.
With that, he simply draped the blanket over himself, then waved his hand at Shangguan Xiong and the others, saying, "You should take your soldiers back. This is a Buddhist temple, not a place for people like you to be walking around with weapons. Hurry up and leave."
Shangguan Xiong stood there in a daze, unsure whether he should leave. After all, the governor had ordered him to protect the old man.
Seeing that Shangguan Xiong and his men hadn't left yet, the old man grew angry, "What are you waiting for? Do you want me to chase you away personally?"
Realizing the old man was genuinely upset, Shangguan Xiong quickly excused himself and led his soldiers back down the mountain.
But he dared not actually leave, so they set up camp nearby, ready to come back at a moment's notice.
As they left, Shangguan Xiong felt somewhat frustrated, thinking to himself, Isn't this old man sick? When people invite you in, you act like you don't want to go, but when they ask you to leave, you refuse to go?
After Shangguan Xiong and his soldiers departed, Yijing closed the temple door again.
The old man leaned against the door, wrapped in the blanket, and fell asleep right there.
"Abbot, you are truly remarkable. How did you know that old man would wait out there?" Yijing asked in disbelief as he reported the situation to Huo Yuanzhen.
"This is natural. As long as he is truly devoted to Buddhism, he will certainly wait," Huo Yuanzhen replied calmly.
Huo Yuanzhen was well-versed in the minds of devout followers. Some religious believers would travel for thousands of miles, performing prostrations and walking for months just to seek the Buddha's teachings. Such devotion went beyond the ordinary human mind. Based on Shangguan Xiong's description, this old man had traveled far and wide to seek a Buddhist artifact, so he was clearly a true believer. Asking him to wait outside for a night was nothing.
Moreover, Huo Yuanzhen could tell the old man was a skilled martial artist, so staying outside for one night would not make him ill.
This was also a reflection of human nature. When you actively ask someone for help, they might not think much of it, or even suspect you of trickery. But when you ignore them, they think you have genuine skill and eagerly attach themselves to you like an irredeemable adhesive.
What people call "devotion" could, in a less flattering light, be seen as "humility." Huo Yuanzhen had studied psychology in his youth and understood these mindsets perfectly. This was why he had planned this outcome.
The old man had a certain stature and pride, and he had come here with a sense of arrogance. If Huo Yuanzhen didn't humble him, he probably wouldn't regard anyone here with respect.
On this land of Shaolin, no one could treat themselves as superior without respecting others. This was Huo Yuanzhen's plan.
Upon hearing that the old man was sleeping peacefully outside the door, Huo Yuanzhen was satisfied. After sending Yijing away, he checked the time—it was almost midnight, and it was time for the prize draw.
As the clock struck twelve, the mechanical voice of the system sounded once again: "The June lottery has begun. Would you like to draw now?"
"Draw."
The familiar symbols appeared again—thirty-six in total.
Six martial arts manuals: Plum Blossom Pole Step, One Finger Zen, Iron Shirt, Crossing the River with a Single Reed, Shaolin Dragon Claw Hand, and Minor Formless Skill.
Six sect construction tokens: Mountain Gate Token, Bell Tower Token, Weituo Hall Token, Puxian Hall Token, Prajna Hall Token, and Sutra Library Token.
Six scriptures: Diamond Sutra, Deep Secret Sutra, Great Prajna Sutra, Great Nirvana Sutra, Bodhisattva Precepts, and King Ming Sutra.
Six silver coins, each of a higher value: the lowest being ten taels of silver, and the highest a golden ingot.
Six Buddhist artifacts: Zen Staff, Kasaya, Alms Bowl, Canopy, Lotus Seat, and a Jade Ring.
Six miscellaneous items: White Horse, Gold Lacquered Chair, Screen, a Golden Oil Lamp, an Inkstone, and the Triad Glowing Dots Grand Prize.
Huo Yuanzhen's eyes flicked over the items, but he didn't start drawing immediately.
Last time, Huo Yuanzhen had carefully studied the movement patterns of the glowing dots, but he had started from the wrong point, and the distance to the grand prize was far too great.
After the last attempt, he had carefully noted the starting and ending points of the glowing dot's path. This time, he had prepared himself for the draw.
Last time, he had started from the grand prize and ended up on the opposite side, fourteen positions away. If the dots followed a pattern, then this time, he should start from... Huo Yuanzhen thought for a while, then decided to begin at the Bodhisattva Precepts.
If the dots followed a pattern, starting here would likely bring him closer to the grand prize.
Of course, his judgment might be wrong. The items near the grand prize weren't very useful—there was a ten-tael silver coin, a screen, a scripture, and the only decent item was the Plum Blossom Pole Step.
If his guess was wrong and the glowing dots landed near the grand prize, then this would likely be a waste.
The opportunity to draw was precious, and Huo Yuanzhen didn't want to waste it. Fortunately, his luck had been good so far, and he hadn't drawn any useless items like silver coins.
He looked around to ensure no one would disturb him, then closed his door and returned to bed. He carefully located the Bodhisattva Precepts and double-checked everything.
After confirming the position, Huo Yuanzhen started the glowing dots spinning.
At first, the dots moved too quickly to see clearly, so Huo Yuanzhen didn't pay much attention. He waited quietly for a while until the speed slowed down, and then he started watching.
As the dots gradually slowed, they passed over the Bodhisattva Precepts. Huo Yuanzhen could tell the dots were moving in a predictable manner, and they seemed to be heading toward the grand prize.
He felt his heart racing. Even though he had drawn before, this time was different—it was a calculated attempt to win the grand prize. If he succeeded, he would gain three items, all of which would greatly help him.
What was even more important was proving that this system did indeed have a pattern.
Watching the dots move closer to the grand prize, Huo Yuanzhen could feel his heart in his throat. It was as if he could feel his heartbeat echoing in his ears.
Seven steps... six steps... five steps...
It was now just five steps away from the Triad Glowing Dots Grand Prize. Huo Yuanzhen held his breath, clenched his fists, and broke into a cold sweat.
"No! No! It's about to stop!" he muttered to himself.
With only three steps left, the dots were moving so slowly. In desperation, Huo Yuanzhen closed his eyes and left the outcome to fate.
He knew that if he won, the system would notify him with a sound, and if he didn't win, the draw would simply end.
"Bang!" A sound echoed.
Huo Yuanzhen realized that the dots had advanced another step.
"That means I've drawn the Plum Blossom Pole Step, doesn't it?" he thought to himself. The Plum Blossom Pole Step was a basic skill, but useful.
But with that thought, Huo Yuanzhen knew he couldn't be content with just a basic skill. He had to win the grand prize.
"Bang!" another sound rang out, and it filled Huo Yuanzhen with a sense of relief. The dots were now just one step away from the grand prize!
If it stopped here, he would only win ten taels of silver, which he didn't need. The statues at the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda had already earned him over a thousand silver taels. With a net gain of more than ten thousand taels, ten taels was just a drop in the bucket.
Huo Yuanzhen continued to pray desperately, and finally, the dots made one last sound.
"Got it!" Huo Yuanzhen opened his eyes in excitement.
Sure enough, the dots had landed on the Triad Glowing Dots Grand Prize.
"I knew it! There's a pattern! I've made it! Ha ha! I'm rich! I'm rich!"