Chapter 645: Doing Good and Accumulating Virtue

"So, how do you plan to attract customers? Will you go door-to-door?"

Shi Chan shook his head. From his identity jade plaque, he produced a large banner. On the front of the banner, a wide range of services was listed, from exorcism to blessing for children, and even treating illnesses – comprehensive and all-encompassing.

The back of the banner simply stated: "Price Negotiable."

Shi Chan led the two to the city's most bustling district. After paying the site fee, he found a small open space, set up his stall, unfurled his banner, and calmly sat down at a table.

His movements were practiced, indicating this was not his first time doing something like this.

Thoughtfully, Shi Chan brought out two more chairs for Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

To the left of Shi Chan's stall was a noodle vendor, and to his right, a vendor selling flatbreads. His large banner, similar to those used by fortune tellers, made him very conspicuous.

Passersby frequently turned their heads, noticing the unconventional monk. However, his peculiar setup meant no one dared to approach for help for a while.

Shi Chan felt quite regretful. Every time he set up his stall, business was slow at first. Later, when people realized he was indeed a capable eminent monk and began to queue for help, he would see the large crowd and too many requests to handle, so he would leave early.

"People lack innovation and are afraid to embrace new things," Shi Chan lamented. "If I had your master's eloquence, I would certainly tell stories in tea houses, spreading Buddhist teachings to the world."

It was the first time Lu Yang had heard someone praise his master, and he felt a sense of flattered surprise. His master, if he knew in the afterlife, would surely be pleased.

"By the way, Senior Brother Meng, have you ever considered joining our Buddhist order? I perceive your deep Buddhist affinity; you've self-taught and developed the 'Single Curse Fist,' which surely makes you a future Buddha, just like me."

"...Being a single spiritual root doesn't mean I'll have no sex life in this lifetime."

Having a single spiritual root means being involuntarily single, whereas Buddhism emphasizes voluntary celibacy; these are two different matters.

Meng Jingzhou had already inquired through Lu Yang with the Immortal Fairy and learned that once he became an immortal, he would no longer be restricted by his single spiritual root and could indulge his sexual desires freely.

"Senior Brother Meng, that's a fallacy," Shi Chan corrected. "Buddhism advocates performing good deeds and accumulating virtue to bring good fortune. A bhikkhuni once asked the Buddha if someone who intended to do evil but accidentally performed a good deed could still gain good fortune. The Buddha replied that they could, stating that for those who perform good deeds, the action matters, not the intention."

"So?" Meng Jingzhou was confused, not understanding what Shi Chan was trying to explain.

"My point is, it's about the action, not the intention. Senior Brother Meng, even though your lack of affinity with the opposite sex is involuntary, you have, in effect, fulfilled Buddhism's requirement of abstaining from carnal desires. This precisely demonstrates your profound Buddhist affinity."

Meng Jingzhou: "..."

*You just wait,* he thought. *When you've saved enough money to visit a brothel, I'll book the whole place in advance and give you twenty drops of aphrodisiac blood. Let's see you try to hold it in!*

With no immediate business, Lu Yang chatted with the old man selling noodles to their left, while Meng Jingzhou conversed with the uncle selling flatbreads to their right.

After waiting for about half an hour, they finally had a customer.

The newcomer was dressed in luxurious clothes, adorned with gold and silver. He wore a jade thumb ring on each hand and had a portly belly.

"Master, my luck hasn't been good lately; I've been on a string of bad luck. Several business deals have fallen through. Can you help me with wealth accumulation here?"

Shi Chan looked serene, his hands pressed together in a salute. "Benefactor, if I could conjure wealth, I wouldn't be setting up a stall here."

This was the first time the wealthy merchant had encountered such a frank young monk. He had expected the monk to spout some nonsense, persuade him to donate incense money, and then perform a superficial ritual for wealth.

Shi Chan then offered a second method: "If, benefactor, you are insistent on seeking wealth, you could seek help from my senior brother. Senior Brother Meng possesses immense wealth, enough to rival a nation. If you seek wealth from him, you could potentially borrow money from him."

"Alternatively, benefactor, you could perform more good deeds, which can offset your bad luck."

The wealthy merchant found the young monk unreliable, shook his head, and left.

Seeing the merchant leave, the Immortal Fairy gently shook her head, feeling a touch of regret.

"How foolish."

Inside the Grand Hall, the Immortal Fairy, clad in a kasaya, sat majestically on a lotus pedestal. Her sacred appearance was serene, save for her restless little feet, whose pink, pearl-like toes wiggled subtly.

"Who's foolish?" Lu Yang asked, puzzled.

"That wealthy merchant, of course! He didn't recognize a good heart and wouldn't listen to advice."

"I have always advocated for performing good deeds and accumulating virtue. Doing more good deeds would surely dispel his bad luck."

"My advocacy for good deeds and virtue comes from my own experiences. My life has been smooth sailing, which I attribute to my consistent good deeds, generosity, and willingness to help others."

"I recall a time before I became an immortal, when the world was in chaos, and killing was rampant. When two people fought, it inevitably ended with one's death."

"I once engaged in battles beyond my level, defeating Ying Tianxian and Qilin Immortal. Not only did I spare their lives, but I also cooked for them, turning conflict into friendship. For a time, this was lauded as a great story of mine."

"The Buddhist saying 'saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda' is derived from this very incident."

"In ancient times, communication was limited. To learn from others, one had to undergo harsh trials and swear solemn oaths. Even then, there was no guarantee of truly learning; masters often held back several techniques, and some even used cultivation methods to control disciples, employing curses or enchantments."

"I, however, am different. Seeing the talent in Ripper and Xiaoling's cultivation, I fully imparted my culinary skills and taught them the art of feigning death."

"As for the barbarians, I observed their dull nature, possessing physical strength but lacking understanding of how to use it. So, I enlightened their minds, allowing the barbarian tribes to grow stronger."

As Lu Yang listened to the Immortal Fairy recount these past events, he finally understood the true meaning of "power is the ultimate truth."

Could it be that his own misdeeds had attracted the Immortal Fairy, this bane, to bring him bad luck?

Despite the first failed business attempt, Shi Chan was not discouraged and continued to await his next customer.

"Oh, little monk, what are you doing here? Are you out of money?"

A rather attractive woman stopped, looking at Shi Chan with interest.

"Ah, it's Benefactor Miaoshan."

"And who is this?" Meng Jingzhou asked.

"Allow me to introduce her," Shi Chan replied. "This is Benefactor Miaoshan from the Chunxiang Brothel, one of the many female benefactors who served this humble monk last night."

After refining twenty drops of pure Yang blood last night, Shi Chan had summoned several female benefactors to the Chunxiang Brothel to test him, aiming for the best possible tempering of his mental state.

"Little monk, if you're out of money, I could offer you my services for free this once," Miaoshan said, licking her lips with an alluring expression.

"Benefactor Miaoshan, you jest," Shi Chan replied. "This humble monk indeed failed the test last night and failed to temper his mind. However, only one night has passed, and my mind is now as still as water. I will certainly not succumb to your temptations."

Seeing Shi Chan refuse, Miaoshan looked quite disappointed.

She then noticed the services listed on Shi Chan's upright banner and asked:

"What if I said I wanted to pray for a child?"

"Then, benefactor, you would need to pay."

Meng Jingzhou's eyes reddened. Was this the result of Shi Chan's good deeds and accumulated virtue?