Shi Qingxuan's Dragrace

2. A trip to The Wind and Water Temple

A few days later, as promised, Xie Lian paid Shi Qingxuan a visit to the Temple of Wind and Water, once his most glorious temple, nowadays Royal Capital's beggar headquarters. When he approached the building, he heard sounds of hard work, smell of wood being sawed, plaster being applied, and paint.

He entered, and several builders were working on scaffolds everywhere; The Lord Wind Master was busy shouting instructions here and there, and there were makeshift tables where some Ling Wen Palace's junior officials had plans and scrolls.

Xie Lian was very impressed at how much it was accomplished, and how the works covered every single inch in the temple, and, judging by the materials he saw the men laying on, how luxurious and extravagant it was bound to be. Not only gold, but precious metallic dust giving surfaces a glittery and colourful look. Mirrors, shining columns, the altar looking more like a stage in the shape of a T.

The Lord Wind Master saw him and greeted him joyfully, "Your Highness! What do you think of my glamorous and fabulous temple?"

Xie Lian was taken aback by his choice of words. Conspicuous concepts such as "glamorous" and "fabulous" were usually reserved for unseemly businesses like gambling dens or red lights district houses. Still, knowing The Lord Wind Master, he replied smiling, "My Lord, it seems your temple will rival even The Great Martial Hall at the Heavenly Court."

The Lord Wind Master replied, smiling brightly, "That's what I'm aiming for, Your Highness is so perceptive."

Xie Lian then asked, "How come you have Ling Wen Palace's officials about the place? You're giving her an altar or something?"

"I got her to send me some help using my brother's name. She's one of The Three Tumours after all." He smiled, "Besides, Hua Chengzhu lent me the money for the redecoration, wouldn't it be a shame if The Heavens couldn't help a former official at all?"

Shi Qingxuan had become somewhat manipulative as a survival trait, and Xie Lian remembered him basking in glory, giving out merits like it was nothing. He smiled: he greatly admired how Shi Qingxuan still enjoyed himself and used his influence even as a mortal, and a penniless beggar on top of that. In this they were very different: Xie Lian accepted banishment as a penance; Shi Qingxuan as just one of those things.

"Lord Wind Master, are you trying to re-establish The Wind and Water Temple and use its merits for ascension?" he asked, curious. Shi Qingxuan had ascended, but not because of his cultivation.

"Your Highness, I'm using the temple to organise a festival. Didn't Hua Chengzhu tell you?"

"No, San Lang and I didn't really have a chance to talk about work these last few days..."

He blushed, giving away the fact that he and Hua Cheng had better things to do. And Xie Lian avoided asking about Hua Cheng's businesses; he felt in this, ignorance was a bliss.

"In this case Your Highness, please wait a few days, I can't explain it in a hurry like th – hey hey hey!!!" he darted to shout at some worker for dropping wooden planks all over the place.

Xie Lian, seeing Shi Qingxuan was busy, excused himself to go back to Ghost City, while Shi Qingxuan promised to seek him, and give a full account of this festival of his.