As the people waited for the grand ceremony to begin, another group entered from outside.
This time, a procession of soldiers cleared the way, and at the center of it was a soft sedan chair, signaling the arrival of the Governor of Zhengzhou.
The Governor of Zhengzhou, named Lu Xuezhang, was one of Guan Tianzhao's most trusted confidants, which was why he could hold the position of the provincial governor. Guan Shanyue was very familiar with him, and as soon as the sedan chair entered, he informed Huo Yuanzhen that Lu Xuezhang had arrived.
The crowd parted to make way for the Governor's sedan, and under the protection of the soldiers, the sedan chair made a turn and moved towards the back.
With the monks from Daxiangguo Temple and the Governor arriving, the key figures were nearly all present, and the time for the opening ceremony of the Dharma King's Temple was drawing near.
Finally, the gates to the back courtyard and middle courtyard opened, and the people flooded in. However, they were all careful not to approach the areas where the seated dignitaries were.
The common folk understood well that such an occasion was reserved for important figures, and it wasn't appropriate for them to get too close.
Although the courtyard of the Dharma King's Temple wasn't as massive as the one at Shaolin, measuring only about a hundred meters in length and width, it filled up quickly with people.
The process of people entering took nearly half an hour. As the crowd continued to pour in, the gates eventually closed, marking the final moments before the grand ceremony would begin.
In the open space in front of the grand Daxiongbao Hall, a group of monks sat cross-legged.
At this moment, an old monk finally walked out from behind. Huo Yuanzhen immediately recognized him—it was the same Li Xuan monk he had met during the loan transaction a few days ago.
Under Li Xuan's direction, a group of younger monks began playing music, with bells, small drums, wooden fish, cymbals, and other instruments resonating loudly. A large number of monks began chanting, creating a thunderous sound.
As the music filled the air, the common folk ceased their chatter and leaned forward to catch a glimpse.
The sound of the drums and music echoed, and the crowd focused their attention. Li Xuan, sensing the mood, looked around with some pride. His eyes suddenly caught sight of two bald heads in the guest seating area.
To be precise, it was only one bald head, as Li Xuan didn't recognize Guan Shanyue, and the old man beside him was now bald and dressed in monk robes. Unless someone was especially familiar with him, it wasn't easy to identify him.
Even if Li Xuan had recognized Guan Shanyue, he probably wouldn't have noticed. His gaze was locked on just one person—Huo Yuanzhen.
"That's him. No doubt about it. I would recognize him even if he turned to dust! I can't believe he actually dared to attend the Dharma King's Temple's grand opening ceremony. It's the abbot of Shaolin, Yi Jie!" Li Xuan's gaze was fixed on Huo Yuanzhen, while Huo Yuanzhen returned the stare without fear.
When facing others, monks like Huo Yuanzhen would often maintain a high monk-like demeanor, but in front of a peer like Li Xuan, there was no need to pretend. Their mutual dislike made any pretense unnecessary.
Li Xuan appeared to want to say something to Huo Yuanzhen, but with so many people around, it wasn't convenient to speak. Moreover, he wasn't confident he could defeat Huo Yuanzhen through words alone.
In Li Xuan's mind, Huo Yuanzhen's supposed ability to communicate with the Buddha was certainly a fabrication. If he could truly speak to the Buddha and manifest miracles, why would he even need to borrow money? Surely he could just summon a temple from the heavens.
So, Li Xuan had confidence that his grand Daxiongbao Hall would soon eclipse Shaolin's reputation.
Li Xuan was surprised by Huo Yuanzhen's appearance but, after thinking for a moment, decided to report it to the abbot.
Before he could make his report, the music grew louder, and a group of people emerged from the back.
Everyone's gaze was immediately drawn to the procession.
Huo Yuanzhen was no exception.
The procession was led by three individuals. On the right and middle were monks, and on the left was an official-looking man.
The official on the left appeared to be around forty years old, with fair skin and a scholarly appearance.
Guan Shanyue pointed him out to Huo Yuanzhen and said, "Abbot Huo, this is Lu Xuezhang, the Governor of Zhengzhou. He passed the imperial examination years ago and became a scholar. Later, he was appointed as the Governor of Zhengzhou by Guan Tianzhao, after Guan Tianzhao was made a military governor."
Huo Yuanzhen nodded and then pointed at the two monks. "And these two?"
Guan Shanyue replied, "The monk on the right is the abbot of Dharma King Temple, Li Kong. This old monk is of limited ability. Even at seventy, he hasn't reached the post-heaven stage of cultivation. His achievements are limited."
Huo Yuanzhen studied the monk carefully. Li Kong was wearing a red monk robe, slightly plump, with a white beard, though his face did not radiate warmth or kindness.
Huo Yuanzhen then asked, "So, the monk in the middle must be the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, Li Zhi?"
Guan Shanyue looked over and said, "I don't recognize him either, but he must be someone with enough status to be walking in the middle. He seems to have some cultivation."
Indeed, Li Zhi's presence was more imposing than Li Kong's. He looked like the typical venerable monk one would see in television dramas.
Li Kong and Lu Xuezhang walked respectfully beside Li Zhi.
It was unusual for Lu Xuezhang to show so much respect toward Li Zhi, as despite Li Zhi's noble status, he had never been one to bow deeply to the imperial court. However, Lu Xuezhang, as a person loyal to Guan Tianzhao, generally wasn't very respectful towards the court. His deference here was likely due to his personal faith in the Buddha.
As they approached the elevated platform at the front, Li Xuan quickly walked over to whisper something in Li Kong's ear, occasionally pointing toward Huo Yuanzhen.
Li Kong glanced over at Huo Yuanzhen, then exchanged a few words with Lu Xuezhang and Li Zhi, before proceeding toward the high platform. He didn't come over to confront Huo Yuanzhen directly.
With the main figures now seated, the music ceased.
Amid the attention of the entire crowd, Li Kong stood up.
"Amitabha!"
Although Li Kong was old, his voice still boomed across the platform, and he began his speech.
"Esteemed benefactors, today marks the grand opening ceremony of our Dharma King Temple's Daxiongbao Hall. By the grace of the Buddha, this temple has been blessed with a holy shrine. With the intention of spreading the Dharma and benefiting all beings, we hold this ceremony so that all may witness the miracle and share in its merit."
The crowd applauded, though the applause was not overwhelming. Clearly, the influence of Shaolin's miraculous events had not yet dissipated. A number of people in attendance were skeptical of the miracles purportedly associated with the Dharma King Temple.
Li Kong continued, "A miracle has descended, causing great disturbance in the four directions. But this miracle is a gift from the Buddha, not something that can be easily dismissed. Recently, rumors have spread from Mount Shaoshi, and some small sects have falsely claimed to have received Buddha's miracles. Such claims are utterly absurd. To prevent further confusion and the deception of the people, I have prayed earnestly, and only now has this miracle descended. Today, I invite all to share in the merit, but also to remain vigilant against being misled by those with ulterior motives."
After Li Kong finished speaking, one of the commoners shouted loudly, "Li Kong, we saw the miracle at Shaolin with our own eyes! The Buddha's tower didn't exist one day, and the next day it appeared. There was no mountain gate one night, and the next day, it was there! We saw the bell tower descend from the sky! How can you call it fake?"
Before Li Kong could respond, Li Xuan interjected, "This benefactor must have been sent by the young monk Yi Jie from Shaolin, surely. This is ridiculous! How can you believe such things? Yi Jie is a novice who knows nothing about the Dharma. Shaolin is in financial trouble, and Yi Jie has been forced to borrow money. To pay off his debts, he has come up with this ludicrous idea to deceive the people. Buddha's miracles have never been heard of before, so how could they possibly descend so easily? It's laughable!"
The crowd became upset by Li Xuan's comments. Many of the people who had witnessed Shaolin's miracles firsthand were now loyal to the temple. In their eyes, Shaolin was a holy place, and it was unacceptable for Li Xuan to slander it.
The question posed to Li Xuan left him speechless, and his face turned red with embarrassment.
Guan Shanyue watched the scene with amusement and said to Huo Yuanzhen, "Abbot Huo, justice will prevail!"
Huo Yuanzhen smiled. "Truth cannot be faked. Lies cannot become truth. After today, Dharma King Temple will be history."
At that moment, the venerable monk Li Zhi from Daxiangguo Temple stood up.
"Amitabha, this old monk, Li Zhi from Daxiangguo Temple, can vouch that the miracles of Dharma King Temple are absolutely real."
After that, Li Zhi sat back down, his eyes half-closed, adopting a meditative posture.
The name of Daxiangguo Temple held great weight among the common folk.
Although many believed in the miracles of Shaolin, they dared not claim that the miracles of Dharma King Temple were false. Perhaps both were real.
Many who had hoped to argue remained silent, as the words of Li Zhi, who appeared to have some cultivation, seemed authoritative.
Li Kong felt pleased that Li Zhi's single statement had quieted the crowd, but for now, he refrained from debating the people further. He turned to Li Xuan and whispered something to him.
Li Xuan, already waiting for this moment, stood up and addressed the crowd.
"Today, the abbot of Shaolin, Yi Jie, has also arrived at our temple. Our abbot has some questions he wishes to ask Abbot Yi Jie in person."
At Li Xuan's gesture, all eyes turned to Huo Yuanzhen in the guest area.
Huo Yuanzhen smirked inwardly, but still stood up and responded, "I wonder what questions Abbot Li Xuan has for me. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask."
He thought to himself, Are you ready to face the truth? I doubt your sword will be quick enough to strike.