"Besides," Pi Qiushi chuckled softly, "with your backing, Master Ban Shan will surely stand firm as Mount Tai."

"What do you mean by that?" Wang Guan played dumb. "How could I possibly interfere in another sect's affairs? I don't even have the standing to."

"Who says you don't?" Pi Qiushi reminded him. "Even though you gifted the monastery to Master Ban Shan, you still hold the property rights to the surrounding forests and farmlands. To put it bluntly, the monastery has to live by the grace of your nod. Forget Master Ban Shan; anyone else trying to gain influence will have to clear it with you first."

"Tch, you make it sound like I’m some bandit ruling over a mountain..." Wang Guan curled his lip. "Am I really that ignoble?"

"Amitābha!"

Before Pi Qiushi could speak, a Buddhist chant echoed, and then they saw Master Ban Shan approaching, looking excited and accompanied by several monks.

"Benefactor Wang, you have finally returned."

Master Ban Shan made no attempt to hide his joy. "This poor monk has been looking forward to your return with anxious expectation these past few days."

"Casting a bell is no simple feat. One month is quite fast," Wang Guan smiled. "Of course, if you only cared for speed and not quality, you should have said so; it could have been cast in a few days."

"Benefactor Wang need not explain; this poor monk understands the principle of slow work yielding fine results." Master Ban Shan moved his prayer beads, a trace of melancholy in his voice. "The inauguration ceremony is fast approaching, and this poor monk’s mind is unsettled. The peace cultivated through years of practice might be shattered."

"Don't worry about it."

Wang Guan waved his hand. "You can slowly cultivate your peace back later. This is your Dharma ground, after all. Practicing on your own turf, you’re sure to make a thousand miles of progress in a day..."

"I thank Benefactor for your auspicious words." Master Ban Shan smiled, his gaze falling upon the large crate behind the vehicle, his expression instantly lighting up. "Is that the Buddha bell?"

The crate was enormous; Wang Guan had deliberately borrowed a small truck to transport it. Pi Qiushi was now behind the truck, quickly untying the ropes and then signaling a few monks to help.

The monks were young and strong, possessing considerable muscle. With a combined effort from all hands, they slowly maneuvered the massive crate off the truck and, working in unison, carried it next to the Bell and Drum Tower.

"Let's uncrate it and see,"

Wang Guan smiled. "If you’re not satisfied, we can only melt it down and sell it for scrap iron. No returns accepted."

"Benefactor jokes," Master Ban Shan chuckled. Having spent time with Wang Guan, he understood his nature; if the item were truly subpar, Wang Guan wouldn't have bothered bringing it.

Indeed, as they spoke, the monks had already opened the crate and removed the foam padding, revealing a large bell of ancient, solemn magnificence that immediately captivated their eyes.

"Exquisite..." Master Ban Shan couldn't help but praise it. Some things in the world are like this—they strike you as profoundly excellent the moment you see them, and not merely a superficial beauty, but goodness radiating from the inside out.

As the saying goes, one shouldn't judge people by appearance, but some objects are the exception. Take this Buddha bell before them. Its antique, profound texture, and the unadorned yet weighty feeling immediately conveyed that this was an object of extraordinary quality.

At this moment, Wang Guan chuckled lightly. "The master caster said you rushed him. Otherwise, given another month or two, he could have forged a Buddha bell for you on par with the Yongle Great Bell."

"Amitābha, letting fate decide is best; I don't seek to be first." Master Ban Shan was thoroughly pleased. One must know contentment. When he was in Singapore, he had said he didn't seek to stand at the highest peak, only to reside halfway up a mountain, fully embracing the essence of the Doctrine of the Mean. Now, he felt the same way—he didn't expect his bell to rival the Yongle Great Bell, only that it wouldn't be the worst.

Of course, anything cast by a master craftsman guaranteed quality; it would be difficult for it to be the worst anyway.

Next, several monks set to work, using levers and pulley systems. After some strenuous effort, they finally succeeded in securing the Buddha bell firmly within the Bell and Drum Tower.

The rest of the procedure requires little mention; being a monk means ringing the bell every day—it is their primary duty. Under Master Ban Shan’s direction, a young monk hefted the thick, rounded wooden mallet and struck the Buddha bell with decisive efficiency.

"Dong..."

A resonant sound rang out, its vibrations undulating and echoing through the valley, startling numerous birds. For a moment, the deep sound of the bell, the flapping cries of the small birds, and the long, lingering afterglow in the valley immediately impressed themselves upon everyone present, involuntarily stirring an ineffable feeling within them.

What kind of feeling it was, no one could quite articulate, but they all felt remarkably relaxed and comfortable.

"Marvelous!"

After carefully savoring the moment, a look of mingled surprise and delight flickered across Master Ban Shan’s eyes. As a monk who had been transmitting the Dharma for many years, he inherently understood what such a bell tone meant for a monastery—it was practically a superior ritual implement capable of delivering sentient beings from suffering.

"Truly marvelous,"

Wang Guan, however, sounded slightly puzzled. "But the tone seems even better now. When I tested it briefly at the caster master's home, the sound didn't seem as beautiful as it does now."

"That's normal,"

Pi Qiushi smiled broadly and whispered a reminder. "The Bell and Drum Tower itself acts as an amplifier, coupled with the echo from the wide-open surrounding valley, and the profound stillness of the deep mountains. Hearing the bell ring in a place like this, the sensation is bound to be different."

"That makes sense." Wang Guan immediately agreed wholeheartedly.

When a bell tolls, the environment it resonates in is crucial. Naturally, hearing such a melodious sound in this remote mountain monastery gave one a sense of profound artistic conception, something truly extraordinary.

At this moment, whether it was Master Ban Shan or the other monks, their faces clearly radiated joy; they were utterly satisfied with the quality of the Buddha bell.

"Benefactor Wang, you have worked hard."

Master Ban Shan then signaled the monks in the tower to stop ringing the bell, turned around, and smiled. "Benefactor, the east wind has arrived. The inauguration ceremony will be held shortly. I hope Benefactor will lend me his strength."

"Done."

Understanding Master Ban Shan’s intention, Wang Guan readily nodded. "I certainly haven't forgotten what I promised you. But how do you plan to execute this ceremony?"

"You don't need to worry about that; we have already made all the arrangements."

Just then, Madam Tang, flanked by several attendants, slowly walked out into the monastery grounds. Her aura was immensely powerful, possessing the bearing of a queen.

"Auntie Ya," Wang Guan called out, hurrying to meet her.

"Was that sound just now the Buddha bell?"

Madam Tang glanced at the large bell hanging in the Bell and Drum Tower, then nodded with a smile. "It looks good, and the sound is even better. Since the final element is in place, we can begin the prelude to the grand opening celebration. Master Ban Shan, you are responsible for contacting fellow practitioners and presiding over the consecration rites for the inauguration. Leave all other matters to us..."

Her words were filled with an assertive tone. However, Master Ban Shan and the others seemed completely accustomed to it, offering no rebuttal, nodding in agreement to the arrangement.

"Impressive..."

Seeing this scene, Wang Guan finally understood why Pi Qiushi wasn't worried about Master Ban Shan losing control of his authority. He realized that Master Ban Shan and his monks seemed to handle only the monastic affairs like transmitting the Dharma and giving sermons, while all worldly matters outside the monastery were managed by Madam Tang.

It was logical; the resort center below complemented the Ban Shan Monastery, and how could Madam Tang allow it to slip out of her control? But for Master Ban Shan, this arrangement was also deeply satisfying, allowing him to focus entirely on cultivation and propagating the Buddha's teachings.

One side willing to manage, the other willing to delegate—this was the established structure of Ban Shan Monastery. It wouldn't change in the short term, and even if variables arose later, they would first need the assent of one other person.

That person was, naturally, Wang Guan, as the monastery’s "Treasure of the Temple" was only lent to Ban Shan Monastery to enhance its prestige, a favor granted out of respect for Master Ban Shan. If Wang Guan ever changed his mind, he could reclaim it at any time.

Yet, precisely because they held such a powerful trump card, everyone was filled with confidence, eagerly anticipating the inauguration ceremony.

With everything prepared, the east wind had arrived; the next step was selecting an auspicious date.

The ninth day of the lunar month: suitable for sacrifice, seeking medical treatment, planting, and breaking ground—auspicious for all endeavors. On this very day, the construction projects at the foot of Ban Shan Monastery paused for a paid day off, much to the delight of the workers. Simultaneously, on this day, villagers near Ban Shan Monastery suddenly noticed luxury sedans, as if by prior agreement, departing in large batches, arriving wave after wave at the foot of the mountain.

At this very moment, many people were on hand at the base of the mountain to greet and receive guests. Not only were there the monastery's guest-receiving monks, but also professional etiquette hostesses. Under their skilled guidance, visitors parked their cars in the lot below and proceeded up the mountain on foot.

The primary reason for having guests park at the foot of the mountain was the concern that too many arrivals would strain the limited space on the mountain. Additionally, it was an opportunity to allow guests a better appreciation of the mountain scenery.

And indeed, under the hot weather, walking up the path shaded by dense foliage, everyone felt a wave of cool, refreshing air—incredibly comfortable and brisk.

"What a wonderful place."

"It really is nice. If I had known, I would have bought land nearby and built a small villa for summer retreats."

"On the other hand, even if they had built a summer resort up here, it probably wouldn't lack business. Why build a monastery? Isn't Boss Tang afraid of losing money?"

"Who knows, but Boss Tang is meticulous; he wouldn't engage in a losing venture. Perhaps there's an inside story..."

The visitors were mostly friends—or perhaps the term 'friends' wasn't precise enough, better described as business associates, or even competitors—of Tang Qinghua's parents. Regardless of their relationship, upon receiving the invitation from the Tangs, they unanimously chose to attend the inauguration ceremony. Partly to show courtesy, and partly to take the opportunity to see what was so unusual about this project.

As one of the leaders in the industry, every move made by the Tang Group drew considerable attention. Furthermore, this particular project involved the circulation of hundreds of millions in funds, naturally attracting even greater scrutiny.

After investigating, most had a rough understanding of the situation. Some were optimistic about the Tang Group taking on this project, while others were skeptical. However, regardless of their optimism or pessimism, the sharp-minded visitors all understood that the monastery itself was likely the key element, which is why they rushed over to see the true picture upon receiving the invitation...