The light in the hall was rather dim, and the crowd had fallen silent. Li Xian, who could see in the dark, observed the surroundings, feeling uneasy for some reason. He thought, "No matter what, I must first think of an escape plan."

He quietly retreated to the entrance of the hall and tried to push it open, but it didn’t budge. The door was at least three inches thick, made of mysterious stone and exotic wood, with hidden mechanisms and secret locks that required special methods to open once closed. Only a side doorway could lead outside; there were no other exits.

Li Xian was inwardly cautious. In this enclosed space, if any sudden change occurred, it would be difficult to guard against. Suddenly, he noticed a few people discreetly moving towards the doorway, their movements very light, indicating that they possessed Lightweight Skill, yet their clothing was ordinary, like city commoners.

Li Xian thought to himself, "There must be something fishy... What is the meaning of these people disguising themselves as city commoners? Could it be... they, like me, are also seeking an escape route, always on guard? It’s better not to run into them; let’s wait and see." He stepped back into the crowd, employing the Seven Stars Step.

Gu Nianjun, Zhou Shijie, Li Xiaofan, Yang Wentian... and many other elite figures stood at the front. Zhou Shijie leisurely shook a fan, saying, "This Madam Wang is quite extravagant. I wonder what kind of ritual is involved in offering incense at the main hall."

Wang Dezhong said, "I arrived a bit earlier and am more familiar with the rules here. The main hall is a pure, taboo, and revered place, rarely open to the public. To offer incense at the main hall, one must meet one condition."

All the elite figures were curious and asked, "What condition is it?"

Wang Dezhong said, "You need to distribute wealth!" Yang Wentian asked, "How much wealth to distribute?"

Wang Dezhong held up a finger. Zhou Shijie said, "One thousand taels?" Although it seemed a lot, he was not particularly moved.

Wang Dezhong said, "It’s ten thousand taels!" Zhou Shijie said, "Ten thousand taels is indeed a lot, and merely for burning incense and worshipping Buddha, such extravagance is truly surprising."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Wang Dezhong shook his head with a bitter smile, "Brother Zhou, you’re taking it too simply. This ten thousand taels is Gold, not silver!"

The crowd started buzzing with noise. Yue Kai said, "Ten thousand taels of Gold is equal to one hundred thousand taels of silver. This sum of money is indeed substantial. Does this Madam Wang have so much money that she doesn’t know where to spend it?"

Gu Nianjun was also amazed, "If this silver were used to purchase treasures and strange objects or to refine Elixirs... Even though it’s a huge expense, it would still be acceptable, nonetheless. Spending it on incense and worship is rather... rather strange."

"This Madam Wang... I truly want to see her true appearance."

Li Xian, with keen ears and eyes, secretly muttered, "This temple truly makes a fortune, with even a drop of profits enough for me to cook and eat. This Madam Wang seems to be a person of great wealth, unconcerned with gains or losses. In that case, it’s not surprising that she’s willing to send the Dew of Dawn."

Wang Dezhong continued, "I’m afraid that’s not all; this is just the entrance fee. Upon entering the hall, you distribute gold, and then there’s offering incense, praying for wishes. It’s said that the incense used by Madam Wang is even more... astonishing!"

Zhou Shijie asked, "Brother Wang, do tell."

Mu Hongchou said, "I have heard of this. The incense used by Madam Wang is specially crafted. It’s said to be made from the oil of the deep-sea gold whale, brewed and refined, named ’Golden Rain Jade Dew Incense.’ Its value... is far greater than ten thousand taels of Gold. My master estimated... it requires thirty thousand taels of Gold!"

All the elite figures were stunned: "Oh my, what kind of person is this Madam Wang to be so luxurious? My heart aches just hearing about it." "Thirty thousand taels of Gold... that equals three hundred thousand taels of silver. How many cooking tripods could it buy, how many tens of thousands of people could it nourish."

The onlooking commoners clicked their tongues, saying, "Goodness gracious, how many steamed buns could this buy? Won’t we get to eat meat every day from now on?" "Not even just that, but enough to marry ten wives."

As people exclaimed and discussed, the woman approached. With a graceful figure, dressed in yellow clothes, possessing a charming face with gold and silver adorned on her head, she exuded a certain noble aura. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Li Xian immediately glanced around, thinking to himself, "Is this Madam Wang? She looks kind-hearted, not like a villain. The Dew of Dawn is in her possession; maybe I should try?"

Seeing her face exuding kindness, wealth not showing arrogance, her gentle brows and wise eyes, she had an air of approachability, making people feel close at a glance. His thoughts suddenly became more active.

Madam Wang bowed to the abbot and said, "Thank you for your company and efforts, abbot." The abbot smiled and said, "Madam Wang has a heart for the world, praying for blessings for the world and for the people. Such Merit, future generations will remember it. My little effort is nothing."

Madam Wang smiled slightly and said, "Let’s begin then." She waved her sleeve. Two maids brought over a box, unlocking the secret latch, revealing the ’Golden Rain Jade Dew Incense.’

This incense was twelve feet and three inches long, entirely golden and translucent, without a flaw. Its patterns were exquisitely carved, embellished with pearls and jade.

Wang Dezhong said, "It’s said that one deep-sea gold whale can only produce three pieces of Golden Rain Jade Dew Incense. The pearls and jade embellishing the incense, after being imbued with incense smoke, seem blessed by heavenly grace, revealing a mystical quality. Once the incense is burned out, the pearls and jade remain pristine, also becoming fine ornaments. Accompanied by the fragrance of the gold whale, this Madam Wang, having built the temple a few times, gives away the remaining pearls and jade after each burning to others, to cultivate goodwill and is truly an extremely generous person."

Zhou Shijie could not help but admire and respect upon hearing this, secretly harboring a newfound admiration for this person. It’s said that someone who is both skilled in Martial Arts, and possesses diverse interests... truly brings things together.

Madam Wang, holding the Golden Rain Jade Dew Incense, offered a bow to the front. The incense was lit and placed in a specially made incense burner. The smoke curled up and hovered, with wisps of golden threads mixed in the white mist, drifting upward. The main hall’s roof was fourteen feet high, with tiny holes at the top, allowing the smoke to escape.

There was also an embedded bronze mirror at the top of the hall. This mirror, named ’Divine Mirror,’ was a rare Treasure and Strange Object, invaluable. The mirror refracts light, possessing the marvelous ability to transform decay into magic, and magic into something even more miraculous.