C14 Taoist Magic Treasure

Lee Cha first stopped by a pawn shop, where he was offered a price so insultingly low it was almost laughable. Shaking off the experience, he headed back out onto the bustling streets.

After a lengthy wait in the thick of the crowd, he spotted his mark.

A dashing young master, clad in a flowing white silk brocade robe with wide sleeves and a soft hat perched atop his head, exuded elegance. Importantly, a few obsequious lackeys trailed behind him.

Lee Cha shadowed the group, undetected.

The young master's lips curled in a subtle smile, exuding a refined and cultured air.

His gentle features, paired with understated yet opulent attire, radiated a distinct aura—one that seemed to whisper, "I have wealth, come quickly."

Sidewalk girls stole glances, their eyes filled with shy admiration.

The young master, clearly in high spirits, weaved through the market. Upon finding trinkets he fancied, he didn't hesitate to purchase them, signaling to his lackeys to handle the payment.

Some ten minutes later, he paused at a modest stall and began to haggle with the vendor.

Lee Cha edged closer to listen.

The vendor, a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe, sat cross-legged on the ground.

"No more than five hundred taels," declared the young master.

"My dear young master," the vendor replied, "this miniature Statue of Guanyin may be small, but it has been consecrated by the revered Master Pu Hua himself, imbued with a vibrant spirit. There's a saying—sincerity brings the spirit to life. Without true devotion, what good is it to you?"

Onlookers gasped in awe, "Could it be Master Pu Hua from the Hidden Spirit Temple in Kaifeng Prefecture?"

"Rumor has it Master Pu Hua is an enlightened monk; artifacts blessed by him are worth their weight in gold."

Lee Cha listened for a moment before realizing that the Guanyin Statue the vendor cradled could, at its call, rise slowly from a lying position, as if by some mystical force.

The crowd was astounded.

Though the Northern Song Dynasty's elite favored Taoism, Buddhism held considerable sway in the hearts of the common folk.

Many began to pray, hands pressed together, whispering reverently to the Guanyin Statue.

Lee Cha studied the statue intently, noting that it was no larger than two fingers, barely bigger than a lighter.

Its facial expression was remarkably detailed, and it was even dressed in a white robe, exuding an air of otherworldly wisdom. The material from which it was crafted remained a mystery.

As the crowd swelled, voices clamored for the vendor to perform the demonstration once more, so that all could partake in the Buddha's blessing.

The vendor, sensing the mood of the crowd, obliged. He gently laid the Guanyin Statue down and murmured a prayer.

Incredibly, the diminutive statue slowly rose to its feet, as if truly infused with the mystical powers of Guan Yin.

Lee Cha watched intently, his gaze tinged with intrigue.

Just then, a richly dressed man stepped forward from the throng, engaging the vendor in haggling...

Minutes later, the man, growing impatient, declared, "Fine, one thousand taels it is. But first, I must see for myself if it truly possesses any spiritual essence."

With a knowing smile, the vendor carefully passed the statue to him.

Cradling the Guanyin Statue in his hands, the man softly called to it. Amidst gasps from the onlookers, the statue once again stood upright.

Had the vendor been the one to demonstrate, skepticism would linger about his involvement. But with the customer's own hands at work, the impact was undeniable.

The man, elated, reached into his garment to produce a silver note, ready to complete the transaction.

Suddenly, the White robed young master, who had been observing with detached interest, interjected with a chuckle, "Wait, we must respect the order of things. I was here first, so by rights, the Guanyin Statue should be mine."

The man in luxurious attire bristled, "You said you couldn't meet the price, didn't you?"

With a laugh, the White robed young master retorted, "Times change. Isn't bargaining the essence of trade? Sir, for one thousand taels, this Guanyin Statue is mine." He addressed the vendor with a confident turn of his head.

A flicker of excitement passed through the vendor's eyes.

But the wealthy man countered, "First come, first served is fair, but for an item of such value, it should go to the highest bidder. I'll offer one thousand one hundred taels."

Unruffled, the White robed young master's smile remained as he countered, "I'll raise to one thousand three hundred taels."

The man adorned in fine garments declared, "One thousand five hundred taels."

The White-robed Young Master countered, "Two thousand taels."

A gasp rippled through the crowd; two thousand taels of silver could buy enough farmland to sustain their families for generations.

The finely dressed man's face twisted with rage. "Are you really going to challenge me?"

The White-robed Young Master offered a serene smile. "Wasn't it you who said the highest bidder wins?"

The vendor interjected smoothly, "Gentlemen, please, peace. Hear me out. True sincerity will always garner the Bodhisattva's blessings—

"Buddhism teaches us to let fate lead. This Young Master arrived first, a sign of his destined connection with the Bodhisattva. Nevertheless, two thousand taels is quite generous. My word is my bond, and I won't go back on it. A thousand taels will suffice."

The onlookers let out a collective sigh, a mix of awe and perhaps regret.

The skepticism vanished from the White-robed Young Master's eyes, and he gestured to his lackey to settle the payment.

The opulently dressed man exhaled deeply, addressing the vendor, "You are indeed a sage among men. I wouldn't dream of disrupting such destined encounters."

With that, he passed the Guanyin Statue to the White-robed Young Master and departed.

Lee Cha, who had remained quiet until now, stepped forward and warned the White-robed Young Master, "Be cautious of deceit."

The vendor's anger flared instantly. "Insolent fool, how dare you insult me!"

The White-robed Young Master's lackey snapped back, "And who are you to question my master's discernment?"

Others in the crowd joined in the clamor, accusing Lee Cha of meddling and showing disrespect to the Bodhisattva.

Puzzled, the White-robed Young Master inquired, "What insights do you have, Young Master?"

Lee Cha scanned the crowd, pausing his gaze deliberately on certain spectators, and chuckled, "The true cost of this item is barely a tael or two. Making it stand? That's something anyone can do. If you're skeptical, allow me to demonstrate."

Some still fell for these age-old street cons.

"Hmph, should you damage my master's prized possession, will you be able to compensate?" the lackey challenged once more.

The white-robed young master casually waved his hand, passing the Guanyin Statue to Lee Cha.

The vendor's anxiety flared, and he barked, "How can a Buddhist treasure be so carelessly handed out? If you don't believe in its power, Young Master, then return it to me—I refuse to sell it now."

With a brief glance at the vendor, the white-robed young master signaled Lee Cha to proceed.

Lee Cha examined the Guanyin Statue, noting its surprising lightness, likely due to being carved from hollow wood.

The statue's shoes were crafted from an unidentifiable fur. Feeling the heel, he pressed gently and, sure enough, detected something amiss.

A slender wire lay concealed within the fur, undetectable without a deliberate touch.

Looking up at the vendor, Lee Cha asked with a smile, "Uncle, are you certain this item possesses spiritual power?"

The vendor's unease deepened, and he commanded sternly, "I've changed my mind! Give it back to me this instant!"

Several shills scattered in the crowd echoed his demand.

The white-robed young master chuckled and remarked, "What's the rush? Surely the compassionate Bodhisattva Guanyin wouldn't punish us over such a triviality?"

He was no fool; he had sensed the anomaly.

Yet, his curiosity was piqued about the secret concealed within the Guanyin Statue. His earlier inspection had revealed no strings or any sort of remote control mechanism.

Should there be a real issue, causing a debacle at his grandfather's birthday celebration would indeed be problematic.

"To verify the truth of my words, why not try the same method I used?" suggested Lee Cha.

The white-robed young master nodded in agreement.

"Please extend your hand, Young Master... Actually, let your attendant do it," Lee Cha corrected himself.

The hands of the white-robed young master were delicate and pale, betraying a life unaccustomed to labor.

Under the white-robed young master's gaze, the attendant reluctantly offered his hand.

Lee Cha positioned the hind leg of the Guanyin Statue against the calloused area between the attendant's palm and fingers, then instructed him to stretch the muscles in his hand.

Indeed, the Guanyin Statue stood erect as if by magic.

The audience was instantly abuzz with shock.

It was all just a street hustle.

Seeing this, the vendor tried to make a getaway, but the White robed young master's henchman snagged him.

Meanwhile, the shills who had been planted in the crowd had vanished without a trace.

"They've even tried to pull one over on me," the White robed young master said with a laugh, his demeanor gentle and unflappable, the very picture of a man who never loses his cool.

Yet, for some reason, Lee Cha felt a chill run down his spine at that smile.

Was this the embodiment of the adage 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'?

Seizing the moment, he said, "Young Master, I have an item I'd like to offer you in trade."

The White robed young master gave him a knowing smile and asked, "It wouldn't happen to be a Taoist talisman, would it?"

Lee Cha replied with confidence, "You'll see for yourself."

He produced a lighter and, for dramatic effect, turned the gas up high before striking it.

The crowd, initially ready to scoff, recoiled in fear as flames burst forth from seemingly nowhere.

"What sort of talisman is this?" the White robed young master gasped.

Lee Cha responded with a sly grin, "What do you think?"

Suddenly, to the White robed young master, Lee Cha seemed enigmatic.

Could this be a transformation of Old Lord Taishang's alchemy furnace?

"May I examine it?" After the recent deception by the vendor, the White robed young master was notably more guarded.

He took the lighter, toyed with it briefly, and with a flick, a flame shot out.

Raising an eyebrow, he inquired, "What's your asking price?"

Lee Cha countered, "Name your offer, Young Master. Show me your sincerity."

After a moment's thought, the White robed young master ventured, "One thousand taels?"

Lee Cha's throat tightened as he did the math. One hundred coins could buy a jin of beef, roughly equivalent to forty modern yuan. One thousand taels of silver, then, amounted to a staggering four hundred thousand yuan.

Could a one-dollar lighter really fetch four hundred thousand yuan? That was quicker money than a bank heist.

To take the job or not? If he went through with it, he'd have the startup funds he needed.

The young master was lavish with his spending, clearly someone with money to burn.

But what if he realized the lighter was only marginally better than tinder—would he send someone after him?

The white-robed young master added, "That is, provided you can hand over the magical artifact's offensive capabilities to me."

Lee Cha couldn't help but feel let down; this man wasn't as naive as he'd hoped.

"It simply stores a significant amount of fire energy; it has no offensive or defensive capabilities," he explained.

"So, it's similar to tinder?" inquired the white-robed young master.

Lee Cha shook his head, "Tinder is no match for it."

Equating the lighter with tinder would surely plummet its value.

Scanning the area, Lee Cha spotted a bucket brimming with water. He submerged the lighter, then removed and struck it, reigniting the flame with ease.

"It's not only waterproof but can also retain fire energy for an extended period—

"When I say a long time, I'm talking at least four or five years without issue. The fire energy won't deplete unless it's used. It's an excellent tool for home defense or travel, as long as it's not damaged, of course."

The white-robed young master nodded enthusiastically at Lee Cha's demonstration.

"The key point," Lee Cha went on, "is that I assure you, this is the only one of its kind in the world."

"A hundred taels, consider it a gift for a friend," the white-robed young master said with a grin, holding up a finger.

Though the price had dropped to a tenth of the original, it was still well above Lee Cha's expectations, especially considering the pawnshop owner had only offered a single tael of silver.

"Agreed," he replied with a nod.

"My name is Xiao Qingsong. And you are?" The white-robed young master extended a banknote worth a hundred taels.

His smile was easy and genuine—true to his name.

Lee Cha glanced at the banknote before tucking it away, replying with a smile, "I am Lee Cha."

Xiao Qingsong added, "Mr. Lee, should you find yourself in Yingchang City, seek me out at the Xiao residence... Until we meet again."

"Looking for you? They'll definitely come after you, thinking you're loaded and ripe for the taking.

But that guy's smile, it's downright eerie. He's got to be a sly and crafty one—better watch out.

Lee Cha bowed with his hands clasped and said, "Until we meet again. Oh, and Mr. Xiao, feel free to call it a lighter..."

It wasn't until the two had vanished around the corner that someone nearby gasped in recognition.

"I've got it now—he's the Xiao family's second young master. See, his servant's cuff bears the Xiao family crest."

"That explains the wealth."

"The Xiao family's enterprises span the breadth of the land, they've even expanded into the Dali Kingdom."

"Why would the Xiao family's second young master visit the modest town of Linying?"

"You're out of the loop, aren't you? The Xiao family originated right here in Linying. They may have relocated to Yingchang Prefecture City later on, but Linying has always been home to their ancestral temple."