Wang Guan glanced over, a flicker of surprise mixed with amusement in his eyes as he turned to tease, "Master Half-Mountain, since when did you quietly establish a temple here? Why didn't you give us a heads-up so we could come pay our respects?"

"Amitabha, Donor Wang speaks humorously."

The monk, also named Banshan, wore an expression that was strangely mixed—a blend of astonishment and joy. Perhaps for someone who valued karmic ties so highly, stumbling upon a temple bearing his own Dharma name meant a mandatory pilgrimage of worship was certainly in order.

"The name 'Half-Mountain Temple,' while rather unusual, isn't unheard of,"

At the same time, Pi Qiushi, well-traveled and widely experienced, chuckled, "There’s a Half-Mountain Temple below Dragon Coiling Slope at Huangshan in Anhui Province. There are also ones in Nanjing and Guangzhou. But who would have thought there’d be another one way out in the distant suburbs of the capital. It’s a pity; the environment here is lovely, but it has no reputation..."

As he spoke, Wang Guan maneuvered his car closer. Before he even parked, Li Fan was already scampering over, grinning widely.

"Young Master Wang, this is it. What do you think?" Li Fan was eager; as the facilitator of this deal, his interests were directly tied to whether Wang Guan purchased these items, and how many. He naturally needed to push the sale.

"Here?"

Wang Guan immediately stepped out of the car, his jaw dropping at the sight. He pointed at the temple—plain in appearance yet steeped in classical atmosphere—to confirm, "This is the antique structure you mentioned?"

"Exactly." Li Fan nodded quickly, understanding Wang Guan's shock. He himself had been stunned for quite some time before the owner’s explanation cleared things up, which finally convinced him to take the job.

Otherwise, why would he bother provoking monks? Dealing in grey-market items was one thing; sparking a religious dispute could land him a life sentence—a fate he’d weep over.

"Don't worry, Young Master Wang, this is an empty temple."

Fearing Wang Guan would simply drive away, Li Fan hurried over and pushed the main gate with both hands. The doors swung open, revealing an interior that was indeed deserted. There were no worshippers, no visitors, and certainly no sign of any monks.

"An empty temple?" Everyone paused, confused about the situation.

"Not just empty, it’s a fake temple without a 'license'," Li Fan added with a smile. "You can’t find any records for it at the Bureau of Religious Affairs. It’s considered a derelict place; even if it were torn down, no one would care."

"Why?" Wang Guan and the others were astonished, utterly bewildered by the mystery.

Objectively speaking, the mountain setting was profoundly tranquil, and the architecture was not poor. The interconnected structures stretching along the slope didn't look like shoddy construction, and the solid, substantial feel of the architecture certainly ruled out the possibility of it being a film set prop.

With that in mind, Wang Guan led the way into the compound, tapping and testing here and there. He could confirm it was a genuine structure, which only deepened his confusion. Why abandon a perfectly good temple?

"Right, it’s understandable if a half-finished construction project is abandoned, we get that," Pi Qiushi said, quite perplexed. "But to abandon an entire temple? In all my travels, I’ve only ever seen temples built by government funds or wealthy patrons. I’ve never seen one simply discarded."

"Mr. Pi, you wouldn't know," Li Fan said with a slight smile. "Actually, this temple is a half-finished construction project."

"What do you mean?" The group started again, finding the concept even more bizarre. Temples as stalled projects? Had they fallen behind the times?

"When you were coming up the mountain, you must have seen those nearly completed buildings next to the village, right?" Li Fan didn't drag it out. "That’s actually a leisure resort center, and this temple was intended to be its supporting facility..."

Some people might not grasp why a resort would require a temple as an amenity, but Wang Guan and his companions immediately understood and deeply admired the person who conceived the plan.

This wasn't some famous scenic spot. To draw visitors to the resort, they needed a unique selling proposition. As the ancient saying goes, a mountain doesn't need to be high if it hosts an immortal; a body of water doesn't need to be deep if it harbors a dragon. The Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi had outlined the pinnacle of advertising strategy over a thousand years ago.

Later generations didn't need to bother; they just needed to follow this principle. If you lacked a famous mountain, you create a famous temple. After all, there are plenty of 'pilgrims' these days. Whether they are devout believers or not, as long as they come to burn incense, they might as well spend money at the resort center down the hill...

"I heard that once the resort center is completed, the tycoon funding it planned to splash three to five hundred million to hire a highly esteemed monk as the abbot, and then invite abbots from all major Beijing temples for a grand consecration ceremony. That would certainly cause a stir and achieve the promotional goal."

As he spoke, Li Fan shook his head. "But unfortunately, just when the project was about a year and a half from completion, the boss's capital chain broke. The plan naturally fell apart."

"There are many people willing to add flowers to brocade in good times, but very few willing to send charcoal in the snow. Some people even kick others when they’re down. So now the boss is overwhelmed, and this place has naturally become a stalled project."

Li Fan shrugged, then smiled, "But the temple structure was finished long ago. The Buddha statues and wood carvings inside were made from the finest timber by the most skilled masters. They are worth a considerable amount. If Young Master Wang likes it, he can take everything; the price is very negotiable..."

"Amitabha!"

Hearing this, the monk Banshan chanted a Buddhist phrase, his brow furrowing deeply.

It was clear that to a true disciple of the Dharma, even knowing the temple was merely the creation of some businessman, hearing Li Fan discuss buying and selling the statues would certainly displease him.

Wang Guan sensed the shift and waved dismissively at Li Fan. "Alright, stop the chatter. Let's go in and look."

"Yes, sir."

Li Fan, being quick-witted, eagerly took the lead.

This temple, it was evident, must have been designed by an exceptionally astute religious architect. Despite being situated halfway up the mountain, it cleverly utilized the terrain, allowing the structures to blend seamlessly with the mountain's contours, presenting a scene of profound antiquity and natural harmony. Walking through the silent compound instilled a feeling of ethereal tranquility and lasting grace.

It was also clear that the owner behind this project prioritized quality. Every aspect of the temple was executed flawlessly: the Mountain Gate, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Main Hall (Daxiong Baodian), the Dharma Hall, the Sutra Repository, the Abbot's Quarters, and the meditation rooms for the monks—every structure a major temple should possess was present here.

What surprised Wang Guan most was that despite being newly built, the temple used genuine antique bricks and tiles.

"That's quite normal,"

Pi Qiushi, who knew more about these matters, smiled upon hearing Wang Guan’s question. "Many old buildings across the country aren't repaired using the principle of 'mending the old with the old' during renovations; they're simply flattened and rebuilt. The salvaged ancient bricks are then sold at high prices to merchants who specialize in this trade. As long as you have the money, they can deliver enough antique bricks to reconstruct an entire city right to your doorstep."

Pi Qiushi smiled faintly. "Old Qian's grand residence was likely rebuilt this way, and this temple is no exception."

"I see," Wang Guan suddenly understood, unable to help but shake his head and sigh. "No wonder ancient buildings across the country have been demolished and rebuilt in recent years; the real intention wasn't what it seemed."

"It’s good that you know. Don't get too philosophical yet; come look at these Arhat statues," Pi Qiushi said, shifting his tone. "Good heavens, these are all carved from Nanmu wood. And not just common Nanmu, but Xiang Nan (Fragrant Nanmu)."

Wang Guan stepped closer to examine them, then quipped, "I thought it might be Jinsi Nan (Golden Silk Nanmu)."

"Dream on," Pi Qiushi laughed, cuffing him lightly. "If they had that much Golden Silk Nanmu, the boss could have easily financed the entire project, and we wouldn't be on this trip today."

Amidst their banter, Wang Guan didn't rush to collect anything. Instead, he toured the complex as if sight-seeing. The more he walked through the temple grounds, the more he appreciated the beautiful environment—similar to Old Qian’s residence, it was a perfect sanctuary for seclusion and summer retreat.

"The total construction cost of this temple certainly exceeds fifty million, approaching sixty million,"

Li Fan was already launching into his sales pitch. "But the boss is desperate for cash now, willing to offload it for forty million. Of course, with some haggling, we might secure it for just over thirty million..."

"Too bad it’s a bit far; otherwise, buying it and renovating it would make a perfect summer villa."

The thought flashed across Wang Guan’s mind, only to be instantly dismissed. He was currently penniless; where would he find the spare funds to buy an entire temple complex?

As Li Fan continued his exposition, the group unconsciously found themselves outside the main temple area, moving toward the rear mountain. Up on the back slope, there were a few pavilions and structures. Notably, at the very peak, there appeared to be an iron chain suspension bridge connecting two separate mountain peaks.

"What's on the peak across the way?" Wang Guan asked, curiosity piqued.

"That’s an old, ruined temple,"

Li Fan glanced over casually and then smiled. "A very dilapidated ancient temple. I heard that the boss only conceived the idea of building this new temple after spotting that ruined structure on the mountain. Otherwise, the original plan was for a summer retreat center."

"A summer resort would have been better, honestly..." Wang Guan mumbled, but nonetheless, driven by curiosity, he gestured for everyone to follow him up the slope. They crossed the visibly swaying iron chain bridge to reach the adjacent peak.

The opposite peak was notably steeper, making the climb difficult—hence the necessity of the cable connection. However, this peak was also higher, offering a far more expansive view. Looking down, one felt the exhilarating sense of overlooking all other mountains. Had the project succeeded, this spot would certainly have been a mandatory stop for visitors and pilgrims alike.

But reality, as always, was harsh. There were no 'what ifs.'

Wang Guan shook his head slightly. After walking a short distance along the peak, he spotted the ruined temple Li Fan had mentioned. In that very instant, the monk Banshan dropped to his knees, his expression intensely agitated, bowing his head in fervent, reverent worship...