Chapter 92

Miler Chan Shi was truly the first in the Buddhist community to be able to collect alms at a gambling table.

Xuan Kong watched them play a few rounds and secretly laughed in his heart. Although Miler Chan Shi always had a bitter face and furrowed brows, hesitating when placing bets, he was actually the biggest winner at the table.

Looking at his deeply troubled appearance, people who didn't know him might think this monk was bad at playing cards and had lost a lot at the table.

But in fact, Xuan Kong had calculated with his fingers while watching from the side. According to the pattern of Miler Little Monk losing four times and winning six, with small losses and big wins, Miler Chan Shi, who firmly controlled the rhythm of the game, was definitely a regular at the casino.

Deliberately putting on a bitter face was clearly a trick to play hard to get, luring the other few to follow and increase their bets.

What a good monk, indeed a guy who looks honest but is actually cunning.

This matched Xuan Kong's usual nature of pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger.

Only the official, occasionally being intentionally let win a few times by Miler Chan Shi, maintained a break-even situation. He knew the temperament of this young master Zhang very well, understanding that he was setting up a trap to secretly calculate the new merchants who had just arrived in the county town.

These merchants were truly devout Buddhists. Although they had lost a lot, they didn't seem to care.

One of them said, "It's a good thing for the master to build a temple in Ninghai County. Why haven't you thought about finding some benevolent men and women to donate?"

Miler Chan Shi put on a pretentious act and said, "Sigh, you don't know, our Ninghai County is close to the northern coast. In recent years, something has happened in the sea, and huge waves often come, sweeping away several lives at a time."

"Our Ninghai County's people rely on the sea for their livelihood, but with this situation, they dare not go to sea. They are all poor people, and I, a little monk, cannot bear to collect money from them to offer to the Buddha."

The merchant praised, "Master, your compassion for all beings is truly admirable. I am willing to donate a hundred taels of silver to help you build the temple!"

Miler Chan Shi shook his head and said, "World Honored Dizang, I have already said, this is a vow I made before the Buddha. Every bit of silver for building this temple must be obtained by me personally, and I will not accept others' donations."

He spoke with great righteousness, but only Xuan Kong laughed so hard his stomach hurt.

Unwilling to collect money from the people, who was it that conspired with the fox spirit to put on a show the other day?

Unwilling to accept the merchants' hundred taels of silver, it was because Miler Chan Shi had won much more than just a little money at the gambling table!

The merchants didn't know Miler Chan Shi's true nature and even let him win a bit more silver to help him build the temple. After about half an hour, the game finally ended with Miler Chan Shi's great victory.

Xuan Kong sighed, "These merchants are really unlucky, how did they end up in the hands of Miler Little Monk? Although Miler Little Monk's own magical powers are low, he is still someone who has cultivated a yuan ying. Using true essence to gamble with these mortals is simply cheating!"

Fortunately, these merchants had some wealth. Although Miler Chan Shi had won nearly a thousand taels of silver through gambling and deception, they didn't mind.

They even asked with interest, "I wonder what name the master will give to the temple when it is built?"

Miler Chan Shi, having won a lot of silver, suppressed the urge to laugh out loud and said humbly, "This temple is built to honor World Honored Dizang and suppress the storms of the northern sea. After it is built, I will naturally invite the elders of the county to name it!"

He was just putting on a show to deceive people; the temple construction was still far from certain. Considering the temple name now was just empty talk.

Miler Chan Shi, having won the money, had no interest in these big sheep anymore.

Xuan Kong secretly calculated the time, and it was almost the agreed time with the ghost general of the underworld. He laughed and walked out from the crowd of onlookers, "Miler Chan Shi is benevolent and is thinking of the happiness of the people of Ninghai County. In my opinion, this temple should be called Xingfu Temple!"

Miler Chan Shi was still muttering, "Didn't I say that the second floor of the gambling house should not be open to others today? Why are there so many irrelevant people coming to watch?"

He didn't know that these people weren't there for him, Miler Chan Shi, but to curry favor with the county magistrate in his official robes.

Miler Chan Shi laughed and said, "This name is quite good, I also think it's very nice..."

He turned his head and saw the person speaking, his tongue immediately tied, and he was at a loss. When he saw Xuan Kong's strange smile as he walked towards him, his face turned pale.

The county magistrate was a bit puzzled and asked, "Is the master unwell? Why don't you rest for a while?"

He meant well, but he couldn't imagine that Miler Chan Shi was now as afraid of being alone with Xuan Kong as if he had seen a plague god. Xuan Kong laughed and grabbed Miler Chan Shi's hand, saying, "Miler Chan Shi, why don't I send you on your way?"

The merchants saw that Xuan Kong showed no respect to Miler Chan Shi and frowned, asking, "Who are you? Who invited you in?"

The other important figures in Ninghai County looked at each other and all shook their heads, indicating that they hadn't brought him. Xuan Kong's grip on Miler Chan Shi's hand was like an iron claw, and he winked at him, "Miler Chan Shi and I are good friends. We haven't seen each other for a long time, so I just wanted to come up and catch up."

The crowd finally understood. In their eyes, Miler Chan Shi was a holy monk, so it was understandable that he had a few divine friends.

Xuan Kong asked with a leisurely tone, "Miler Chan Shi, isn't that right?"

Miler Chan Shi's wrist was held by Xuan Kong, and he couldn't break free. He was almost on the verge of tears but had no choice but to agree with a bitter smile, "Yes, yes, I and this..."

He had forgotten Xuan Kong's Daoist name and didn't know how to address him. Xuan Kong reminded him, "Just call me Daoist Xuan Kong."

Miler Chan Shi readily agreed and nodded, "Right, I and Daoist Xuan Kong are old friends. Let him send me back."

Although the county magistrate knew something was off, he couldn't say anything and signaled for a few strong men to follow Xuan Kong and see where this outsider was taking Miler Chan Shi.

Xuan Kong intended to take Miler Chan Shi to a place that certainly wasn't the Zhang family's courtyard.

But that place wasn't somewhere that living people should go, so he couldn't take care of those strong men who were just making a living. Xuan Kong grabbed Miler Chan Shi's wrist and chuckled, revealing his true attire.

With a light step on his cloud-walking shoes, a puff of white smoke rose from the wooden floor, enveloping Daoist Xuan Kong and Miler Chan Shi in their respective robes. When the smoke cleared, the two had vanished without a trace from the Ruyi Gambling House.

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