I am a fairy in Journey to the West

Jinping Town, Zhao Mansion, Pilu Incense Temple.

The hall was brightly lit with lanterns and candles, and the treasure lords from all sides had presented their treasures, which were then placed on the treasure shelves.

On either side of each shelf stood two bright candles, illuminating the treasures on the shelf with exceptional clarity.

Among these treasures are family heirlooms of jade beads, ancient sandalwood imbued with spiritual essence, radiant jade, dazzling gemstones, lustrous artifacts, coral from the Western Sea, and mysterious jade from the Northern Sea.
Every item on that shelf was dazzling and dazzling.

Zhao Changchun was overjoyed and immediately said, "All of your treasures are of the highest quality, sufficient to support the splendor of the Buddhist scriptures. Therefore, I will buy all the treasures present here, three thousand taels of silver for each item."

Upon hearing this, many of the treasure owners present excitedly rose to express their gratitude. Of course, many others were disappointed, and the treasures held by those who were disappointed were naturally not worthy of Zhao Changchun's attention and were not offered on the treasure shelf.

At this moment, a handsome man dressed in plain clothes and wearing a golden cicada crown looked at Zhuang Yan beside him and said, "Hey? Didn't this brother come here to present his treasure? Why haven't you taken out any treasures?"

The man's voice wasn't loud, but the room quickly quieted down, and everyone looked at Zhuang Yan.

Zhao Changchun looked over upon hearing this, then smiled and said, "The treasures you have presented today are more than enough to offer to the Buddhist scriptures. One more or one less will not make a difference. Why don't you all sit down and enjoy the feast?"

Upon hearing Zhao Changchun's words, the man said nothing more, only letting out a faint smile.

Zhuang Yan stood up with a smile, cupped his hands and said, "Master Zhao, I do have a treasure on me, but I cannot easily take it out."

"Oh?" Zhao Changchun was somewhat surprised to hear this, and asked with a smile, "I wonder what kind of treasure it is?"

Zhuang Yan smiled and said with his hands behind his back, "This treasure of mine is a celestial object, absolutely unique in the mortal world. If I were to take it out, its radiant light would illuminate the entire landscape in an instant. The holder will be blessed by the Three Stars, and all who see it will enjoy great fortune and longevity."

As soon as Zhuang Yan finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter, and some even exclaimed, "How could such a treasure exist in this world?"

Zhuang Yan smiled and said, "I never speak empty words. Whether you believe it or not, you and the others can decide for yourselves."

Hearing him say that, Zhao Changchun actually believed him to some extent, after all, he had just received the teachings from the holy monk Bhikkhu, and miraculous events were not far off.

The man wearing the golden cicada crown asked curiously, "Since you have such a treasure, why don't you take it out and let everyone see it?"

Zhuang Yan smiled and said, "As I just said, this treasure cannot be taken out lightly."

The man then asked, "How can I get it out?"

Zhuang Yan pointed at Zhao Changchun and said, "Everyone has come here today to offer this treasure, all for the Buddhist scripture that Master Zhao possesses. For my treasure to be revealed, Master Zhao must first bring out that Buddhist scripture for everyone to see before I can offer this treasure."

Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished. Only the man in the golden cicada crown had a flash in his eyes and said to Zhuang Yan, "This is probably asking too much of us. The Buddhist scriptures in Master Zhao's hands were passed down by a holy monk from Mount Ling. How can they be shown to us mortals?"

The man in the golden cicada crown seemed to be saying that Zhuang Yan was forcing people to do something they couldn't, but his words aroused the interest of those treasure owners in Buddhist scriptures.

For a moment, everyone fell silent, and Zhao Changchun also fell into deep thought.

Zhuang Yan smiled and said, "The Buddhist scriptures are Buddhist treasures, and my treasure is a celestial treasure. Both Buddhist and celestial treasures are unique in the human world. What is there to force? If you want to see my celestial treasure, you must first invite the Buddhist treasure out."

Zhao Changchun remained silent, but his steward said, "Buddhist treasures are sacred and holy; how can they be treated lightly? Wouldn't that be an insult to Buddhism?"

Zhuang Yan also said, "Immortal treasures are solemn and should not be viewed lightly, lest they be desecrated."

The steward then asked, "You claim to possess a magical treasure, but we have never seen one. What proof do you have?"

"Yeah, what proof do you have?" the man in the golden cicada crown chimed in, joining the crowd in the jeering.

Zhuang Yan laughed and pointed to the cuff of his left sleeve, saying, "My magical treasure is in this sleeve. Let me show you all its secrets first."

All eyes were immediately drawn to him. At that moment, Zhuang Yan pulled his sleeve slightly outward, and instantly a colorful light leaked out from his sleeve, illuminating the entire Jinping Town.

When the people of Jinping Town saw this precious light, they all exclaimed in surprise, thinking that a deity had descended, and knelt down to worship.

After a while, they realized that the precious light was coming from the Zhao residence, so the whole town flocked to the Zhao residence.

At this moment, a servant from the Zhao family ran into the Pilu Xiang Courtyard and said to Zhao Changchun, who was in a daze, "Master, the whole town is gathered outside the mansion, looking into it. They must have been attracted by this precious light."

At this moment, Zhuang Yan closed his sleeve, and the precious light instantly disappeared. Everyone present came back to their senses and was amazed.

"It truly is a divine treasure; I have never seen such radiance in my entire life!"

"What kind of treasure is this?! It has such radiance, could it really be a celestial object?"

"It seems that Master Zhao is indeed a man of great fortune. It's a pity that if it were me, I would give up everything to obtain this magical treasure!"

Hearing the crowd's discussion, and recalling the five-colored light he had just witnessed, Zhao Changchun was also extremely excited.

"If we could obtain this treasure to enshrine in the Buddhist scriptures, it would be passed down for generations!" After saying this, Zhao Changchun hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to Zhuang Yan, saying, "Sir, please come to the back hall for a chat."

Upon hearing Zhao Changchun invite Zhuang Yan to the back hall, the man in the golden cicada crown became displeased and said, "Hey, Master Zhao, we've all come to present our treasures, why are you treating us differently?"

The people around also chimed in, "Yes, yes, we're all here to show off our treasures. Since we're showing off our treasures, we shouldn't hide them away. Let everyone see them too."

Zhao Changchun felt a little regretful at this moment, but there was nothing he could do. After all, everyone had seen the glint of treasure in Zhuang Yan's sleeve, and if he kept it hidden, it would only attract unwanted attention.

Thinking of this, Zhao Changchun could only say, "Alright, alright, please have a seat."

After calming everyone down, Zhao Changchun said to Zhuang Yan, "Sir, I will go and fetch the Buddhist scriptures. Please also keep that magical treasure safe."

Zhuang Yan said with a smile, "Don't worry, Master Zhao. I will present the celestial treasure as soon as the Buddhist scriptures appear."

Zhao Changchun nodded, then left his family and steward to attend to everyone while he went to the backyard to retrieve Buddhist scriptures.

Taking advantage of this moment, everyone came forward to talk to Zhuang Yan. Some asked what the treasure was, and others asked where it came from.

Zhuang Yan replied, "You will all know what treasure it is in a moment. As for its origin, it was a gift from an old immortal to me for doing good deeds. The old immortal told me that although this treasure is miraculous, it is a crime to possess a treasure even if one is innocent. He told me to find a good family to sell it to for a large sum of money when I am in trouble, so as to relieve my current predicament."

"Oh," everyone exclaimed in realization.

Then Zhuang Yan asked the man wearing the golden cicada crown, "How should I address this gentleman?"

The man cupped his hands and smiled, "My surname is Jin, and my given name is Chan." "So you are Mr. Jin Chan." Zhuang Yan smiled, looked up at his head, and said, "It seems that you not only have the name Jin Chan, but also love cicadas very much."

Jin Chan nodded and said, "That's right. Jin Chan is a creature of noble character, integrity and uprightness, and it also symbolizes metamorphosis and transformation, so it is naturally lovable."

Zhuang Yan praised, "That makes sense."

Just then, someone nearby shouted, "They're here!" Everyone turned to look and saw Zhao Changchun walking over with two pageboys carrying a treasure stand behind him, while he himself was carrying a purple sandalwood box in both hands.

Upon arriving at the garden, everyone immediately surrounded them. The two boys set up the treasure shelf, and Zhao Changchun immediately placed the purple-gold sandalwood box on top of it.

Zhao Changchun looked up and then stepped forward to invite Zhuang Yan to his side, saying, "Sir, this is the Buddhist scripture bestowed by the holy monk Bhikkhu."

After saying that, Zhao Changchun reached out and opened the purple sandalwood box. Instantly, a brilliant golden light, accompanied by a Buddhist chant, shone out of the box.

But the golden light and the chanting were fleeting, disappearing in an instant, and then the sutra woven from golden silk threads was revealed.

"oops!"

"It truly is a Buddhist treasure."

A collective gasp of amazement rippled through the crowd as they surged forward to take a look.

Zhao Changchun stopped the crowd and said, "Everyone, you have all seen the Buddhist scriptures. Now, can this gentleman bring out the celestial treasure?"

Everyone snapped out of their daze and looked at Zhuang Yan. Zhuang Yan smiled faintly and said, "Why not?"

After speaking, Zhuang Yan reached into his sleeve and took out an object. Everyone looked closely and saw that the treasure was a glass bottle engraved with the Eight Treasures: a fish drum, a sword, a flower basket, a sieve, a gourd, a fan, a yin-yang board, and a flute.

The glass bottle shimmered with a radiant light, surrounded by swirling clouds. The eight treasures engraved on it emitted a dazzling array of colors, captivating all who beheld them.

Moreover, the precious light emanating from the glass bottle shone upon everyone, making them feel completely at ease and comfortable.

As Zhuang Yan took out the Eight Treasures Glazed Bottle, the precious light emanating from the bottle illuminated the sky in an instant, making the surrounding mountains and rivers as bright as day.

Seeing this, Zhao Changchun was both surprised and delighted. He was delighted because he was about to obtain this magical treasure, but he was surprised because such a commotion would likely attract many covetous people.

But the precious light only lasted for a few breaths before it was quickly absorbed back into the glass bottle, and Zhao Changchun was finally relieved.

Then Zhuang Yan said, "Master Zhao, this treasure is called the 'Eight Treasures Glazed Vase.' I wonder if it is suitable to be used to worship your Buddhist scriptures?"

“Perfect match!” Zhao Changchun nodded repeatedly and said, “It’s a perfect match. Such a precious treasure is just right for offering to Buddhist scriptures.”

At this point, Zhao Changchun hesitated for a moment, then asked Zhuang Yan, "May I ask, sir, what is the price of this treasure?"

Zhuang Yan held up three fingers and said, "I only need three pecks and three pints of loose gold."

Zhao Changchun was taken aback at first, then overjoyed and exclaimed, "Isn't this a predestined fate? Even Buddhist scriptures are of this price!"

After saying this, he quickly ordered someone to bring three dou and three sheng of loose gold and handed it to Zhuang Yan. After Zhuang Yan accepted the gold, he handed the Eight Treasures Glass Bottle to Zhao Changchun.

Zhao Changchun hurriedly stepped forward and carefully carried the glass bottle over. He then ordered his page to pick up the sandalwood box containing the Buddhist scriptures, place the glass bottle on the shelf, and then take the Buddhist scriptures out of the sandalwood box and gently place them on top of the eight-treasure glass bottle.

Strangely enough, the moment the Buddhist scripture was placed down, a beam of light suddenly rose from the mouth of the eight-treasure glass bottle, steadily supporting the scripture.

Seeing this, everyone present was amazed, and Zhao Changchun was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He immediately put his hands together, knelt down, and kowtowed three times to the Buddhist scriptures and the eight-treasure glass bottle.

At this moment, the 'Golden Cicada' that had been at the front suddenly took a step back and disappeared into the crowd.

After Zhao Changchun kowtowed and got up, he immediately picked up the Eight Treasures Glass Bottle himself, had his page carry the shelf, and then went back to the backyard.

But after taking only three steps, the sky suddenly darkened. When everyone looked up, they saw a dark cloud flying in and covering the moon. Then a gust of wind blew into the Zhao residence, knocking over and extinguishing the lights in the Pilu Xiang Courtyard, leaving everyone present swaying and dizzy.

Zhao Changchun was blown over and fell to the ground, but he still clung tightly to the Eight Treasures Glass Bottle and used his own body as a cushion.

Suddenly a gust of demonic wind swept in, instantly bewildering Zhao Changchun. Then, the demonic wind carried the Eight Treasures Glazed Bottle and Buddhist scriptures into the dark clouds in the sky.

When the storm subsided and everyone came to their senses, they discovered that Zhao Changchun was lying on the ground, and the treasure he had been holding was gone.

Zhao Changchun's family exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward to help him up. When Zhao Changchun woke up, he was shocked to find that the treasure bottle and Buddhist scriptures were gone.

Just then, the demonic wind in the sky dissipated, and a voice came down from the dark clouds, saying, "Master Zhao, these two treasures are the most precious treasures in the world, and are not something a mortal like you can possess. As the saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure.' In order to prevent your family from suffering misfortune, I will keep these two treasures for you for now."

After saying that, the demonic wind stirred up black clouds and flew out of Jinping Town in an instant, disappearing into the vast mountains and forests outside the town.

The people below kept shouting, "Monster! That's a monster!"

"The monster stole the treasure."

When Zhao Changchun saw the monster leave, he hurriedly sent people to chase after it, but they were all mortals, and who dared to chase after a monster? Besides, they couldn't catch it anyway.

Seeing that no one was moving and the monster had disappeared, Zhao Changchun was overcome with anxiety and suddenly closed his eyes and fainted.

The treasure owners were at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, Zhao Changchun's wife stepped forward to take charge. She first ordered someone to help Zhao Changchun to the bedroom, then sent someone to fetch a doctor. Finally, she put away the treasures on the shelves and then called a servant to take the treasure owners to rest.

After everyone had left, Zhuang Yan stepped forward to bid farewell to Madam Zhao.

“Madam, I have already sold that treasure to Master Zhao. It has been stolen by a monster, which is really none of my business. I shall take my leave now,” Zhuang Yan said.

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhao sighed. She knew that what Zhuang Yan said was indeed true; the deal between Zhuang Yan and Master Zhao had been completed, so she couldn't blame him.

So Madam Zhao said to Zhuang Yan, "If you want to leave, it would be best to do so now in the chaos. Go out through the back door of my house, where no one will notice you. Otherwise, with so much gold on you, it would be bad if you were targeted by thieves."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Yan immediately smiled and said, "Madam, I have often heard that a family that does good deeds will surely have good fortune. Madam, rest assured, Master Zhao will surely turn misfortune into good fortune this time, and that treasure will surely be recovered."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhao immediately put her hands together, uttered "Amitabha," and said, "Then I'll take your kind words, sir."

Afterwards, Madam Zhao had a maid take Zhuang Yan to the back courtyard of the Zhao residence, where they left through the back gate. (End of Chapter)