Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 15 Inviting the God of Wealth! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Seeing Sun Chenglin's troubled expression, Zhou Yi smiled and said:

"The 'Zhao Gong Yuan Shuai Mantra' that the client recited was very simple. I could recite it when I was three years old. On the contrary, the incantation to invite the gods that I had to recite was relatively more difficult."

Upon hearing that the Book of Changes was even more difficult, Sun Chenglin finally regained some fighting spirit:

How much more difficult is it between what I recite and what you recite?

"It's like the difference between addition and subtraction within ten and a math problem on the college entrance exam... I'll tell you the incantation, remember it well before we enter the mountain gate."

"it is good!"

The "Zhao Gong Yuan Marshal's Curse" is indeed very simple, consisting of only a few short sentences:
Heaven's rotation and earth's cycle bestow wealth upon me; the divine Zhao Gong protects me; with heartfelt incantations, wealth enters my home.

Sun Chenglin recited it several times to make sure he had memorized it, then picked up the silk-wrapped statue of the God of Wealth with both hands and got ready.

Zhou Yi picked up the offerings and led him through the gate of Hunyuan Palace.

As he entered the main gate, Sun Chenglin began reciting the "Zhao Gongming Mantra." As he walked further in, he recited the mantra every time he passed through a gate.

The chanting of the incantation only ended when they reached the God of Wealth's temple, which had no roof whatsoever.

"Damn, the statue of the God of Wealth is just wrapped in a three-colored tarpaulin like this... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Sun Chenglin couldn't bear to see the God of Wealth suffer, so he immediately wanted to donate some money.

Zhou Yi put down the offerings and carefully lifted the tarpaulin:

"If you donate money today to invite the gods, it's like trying every means to knock on the door of the world's richest man and then throwing a coin at his head... If you want to donate incense oil, you can do it later when you fulfill your vow. Let's skip it today."

After the three-colored tarpaulin was lifted, a three-meter-tall statue of the God of Wealth was revealed. The entire statue was carved from a huge piece of nanmu wood. It was commissioned by Zhou Yi's grandfather in the south when he was a freshman in college. After it was carved, it was transported back at a high price, making it a very rare find.

Next, Zhou Yi took out the incense and candles he had prepared in advance, arranged the offerings, stood in front of the statue of the God of Wealth, and while lighting the incense and candles, recited the first part of the incantation to invite Marshal Zhao Gongming to descend – the Incense Burning Praise.

The process of inviting a deity for consecration is very complicated. For example, inviting Zhao Gongming requires more than a dozen kinds of scriptures and mantras, such as the "Incense Burning Praise", "Candle Lighting Praise", "Purifying Heart Mantra", "Purifying Mouth Mantra", "Purifying Body Mantra", "Earth God Mantra", and "Purifying Heaven and Earth Mantra", which almost cover the entire process from preparation to Zhao Gongming's descent and his departure.

After reciting the "Ode to the Burning Candle," Zhou Yi instructed Sun Chenglin to place the statue of the deity in his arms at the feet of the God of Wealth, so that Marshal Zhao Gongming could bestow blessings through magic.

Although Sun Chenglin has burned incense and worshipped many gods all over the country, this is the first time he has participated in this kind of ceremony.

When placing the statues, he timidly asked Zhou Yi:
"Master Yi, are there really immortals in this world?"

Zhou Yi waved his whisk:
"The matter of gods and ghosts is a matter of belief; if you believe, it exists, if you don't, it doesn't! Come, kneel on the prayer mat. After I finish reciting the Three Purifications Mantra, you should repeatedly recite the 'Zhao Gongming Mantra.' Don't speak too loudly; just loud enough for yourself to hear clearly."

"it is good!"

And so, the two of them, one kneeling and one standing, first recited the Three Purifications Mantra, followed by a series of elaborate rituals for the divine descent of Marshal Zhao Gongming.

After the "Opening Sutra Profound Meaning Mantra" was finished, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the main hall, and the candles on the offering table seemed to have been extinguished but not completely extinguished, as if someone had been there.

In the past, Zhouyi had performed many similar rituals with his grandfather, but he did not remember this one.

"Legend has it that Marshal Zhao Gongming is the first gentle breeze in the world. Could this breeze be him?"

For a time, Zhou Yi, a staunch materialist and atheist, began to waver in his beliefs.

However, this was not the time to be distracted. He untied the layers of silk cloth covering the statue of Zhao Gongming, the God of War and Wealth, revealing the true appearance of the bronze-plated statue.

Then a gentle breeze blew, and the entire hall became extremely quiet, and Zhou Yi's mind became clear.

The whole process lasted for about ten minutes. When the wind stopped, Zhou Yi found that the floor of the entire hall was clean, and all the dust, fallen leaves and other things had disappeared.

Holy crap, Zhao Gongming is being way too kind, he even provides cleaning services as an add-on!

He put aside his teasing thoughts, stood in front of the offering table and began to recite the "Sutra Closing Mantra" to respectfully see Zhao Gongming off.

After the "Sutra Closing Mantra" was recited, the descending deities had already departed, but the work of the I Ching was not yet finished.

He approached Sun Chenglin, holding a whisk, and placed his right hand on Sun Chenglin's shoulder, beginning to recite the "Precious Proclamation of the God of Wealth" and the "Precious Proclamation of the Mysterious Altar." These two passages were admonitions to the person seeking guidance, essentially stating that the God of Wealth had come to bestow blessings upon him, and that he should wholeheartedly do good, live a good life, and refrain from acts of corruption and bribery, otherwise the Black Tiger, the mount of Marshal Zhao Gongming, would descend to the mortal realm to punish him.

After completing these steps, Zhou Yi instructed Sun Chenglin to respectfully kowtow three times to the statue of the deity, thus concluding the entire ceremony.

"Master Yi, what was that gust of wind just now? Could it be that a deity has really come?"

Sun Chenglin was extremely excited. He had never had such an experience before, even though he had visited so many places to burn incense and pray to Buddha. From the perspective of the experience, the more than 10,000 yuan was well spent!

According to Zhou Yi, the statue of Zhao Gongming, the God of War and Wealth, should be moved behind the offering table so that it can receive incense offerings.
"It's probably just a coincidence. The key to whether a lobster restaurant is doing well lies in the quality of the ingredients and the control of the taste. Don't pin your hopes on such unfounded things. You have to believe in science."

Sun Chenglin suddenly realized what was going on when he saw the location of the statue:
"No wonder those famous temples have those fancy little statues of gods displayed in front of them; it turns out someone pays to put them up to collect incense offerings..."

Zhou Yi nodded:

“Most temples with even a little bit of incense offerings have similar services. You can make offerings to the gods you have invited, or you can make offerings to your ancestors in front of the statues.”

Sun Chenglin asked:
"Putting a statue of a god in that kind of place, ten thousand yuan probably isn't enough, is it?"

Zhou Yi once looked at a price list and said with a smile:

"Depending on the number of worshippers and the reputation, it usually starts at 50,000. For places like Putuo Temple and Lingyin Temple, it's basically an astronomical figure."

Zhouyi once asked his grandfather why other people's temples could make a fortune, with abbots owning Maybachs and resident monks owning Porsches, while Hunyuan Palace was in such dire straits.
Grandpa said that it was all karmic retribution money, and that it was forbidden to touch it. He also told Zhou Yi never to touch it for the rest of his life, otherwise all his cultivation would be in vain.

Sun Chenglin examined his statue of Zhao Gongming, the God of War and Wealth, and found it increasingly pleasing to the eye.
"This cooking is really good. When can I bring Marshal Zhao's statue back to the lobster restaurant to serve as a mascot?"

The Book of Changes says:

"Starting today, this statue needs to be worshipped in the God of Wealth Temple for nine consecutive days. Incense must be burned at sunrise and finished at sunset every day without interruption. After nine days, you can take it back."

Sun Chenglin opened his mouth:
"I thought making money was easy for you guys, but it turns out it's so complicated. I'll come back in nine days... Why don't you set up a donation box? Buddhist temples even have QR codes, and you can even burn incense and donate money remotely through a mini-program. Master Yi, you need to keep up with the times."

The Book of Changes says:

"Too much trouble, too lazy to do it."

Sun Chenglin walked around the Hunyuan Palace and then drove away. Zhou Yi went to the God of Wealth Hall again, took away the braised pig's head offered there, and replaced it with three cantaloupes.

The pig's head was used to invite the gods, and now that the ceremony is over, it can be taken to the kitchen for a feast.

As for the offerings for the next nine days, fruit will suffice.

In the evening, Zhou Yi removed the pork head meat, sliced ​​it, and then used dried chili peppers and other seasonings to make a dry pot dish. Served with rice, it was another hearty meal.

After eating and drinking to our hearts' content, it got dark.

He changed into a black Taoist robe, strode to the God of Wealth Temple, moved the incense burner aside, covered the three-meter-tall God of Wealth statue with a three-colored tarpaulin, and planned to uncover it after sunrise the next day and start burning incense again.

After finishing all that, I returned to my room and began studying Taoist scriptures.

The next day, Zhou Yi arrived at the Temple of the God of Wealth, lifted the three-colored tarpaulin, and prepared to continue offering sacrifices to the statue of Zhao Gongming, the God of Wealth. He then discovered that one of the apples offered as sacrifices seemed to be missing, and only two melons remained.

"No way, we just set out the offerings and the rats have already appeared?"

Zhou Yi held a lighter, lit incense, and muttered:

"Today I can exchange for the Lightning Strike Technique. If you dare to steal my fruit again, I'll strike you dead with lightning!"

After saying that, he picked up three incense sticks, bowed to the statue of the God of Wealth, and put them into the incense burner... Then he changed the incense every two hours to keep the incense burning continuously.

I'll be able to get the Lightning Strike Technique tonight. I wonder how big the commotion will be... Zhou Yi rubbed his hands together, his handsome face full of anticipation!

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(End of this chapter)