The whole family is insanely eavesdropping on my thoughts Chapter 615
Chapter 615: The Fortune Sticks of Lotus City
Lu Chao Chao was numb.
Her heart was numb.
To escape from doing her homework, she had once thrown it into the river, had it stolen by thieves—anything just to avoid it.
Her two grand tutors had become furious. They had even witnessed her exceptional talent firsthand, which only strengthened their obsession. To ensure she completed her studies…
They had outright declared that if she failed to submit her homework on time, they would throw themselves against the Lu Manor gates and die.
Then, they would seek favor in the Netherworld to return as spirits, following her daily, learning and teaching alongside her. They had taught countless students in their lifetime and bore the weight of great merit. Seeking such a boon from the underworld wouldn’t be difficult for them.
Upon hearing their words, Lu Chao Chao had howled in despair, as though struck by lightning.
She dared not think about outlasting her tutors anymore.
Since then, she had obediently finished her assignments, ensuring that every half-month, a guard would deliver her homework back home.
And today marked exactly half a month.
If her tutors didn’t receive her work, they would resort to threatening her with death. She was truly at her wit’s end… She scratched her head in frustration, her throat sore from crying so much, her voice hoarse.
“This is worse than death!” Lu Chao Chao sniffled.
“If I ever find out who tore up my homework, I will peel their skin!”
She pulled out a thick stack of pages from her book bag and threw them in frustration. “You beast! Why couldn’t you tear the ones I didn’t write?! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!”
“They want me dead!”
Hearing her words, Shan Shan shrank his neck, nestling into his nursemaid’s arms. Yet, in his heart, he was delighted. What those people said was true—power was intoxicating.
With power, one could do anything they pleased!!
Lu Chao Chao skipped breakfast, grabbed a brush, and hunkered down to rewrite everything.
Damn it! Even offering sacrifices to the heavens hadn’t been this urgent.
Studying was truly the hardest thing in the world.
Being a sword cultivator was much better. If someone annoyed her, she could just cut them down with a single strike. So much simpler…
At dawn, the group set off towards the Brahma Kingdom.
“Carriages cannot traverse the desert. We’ll ride camels into the city… If all goes well, we should arrive before dusk.”
“I heard there’s a massive fortune stick holder at the gates of Lotus City. It is said to be incredibly mystical—every fortune drawn is one hundred percent accurate! But only those with fate can draw a stick… The last time someone managed to do so was seventy or eighty years ago.”
“And that person wasn’t even from the Brahma Kingdom. He was a wandering escort from a foreign land…”
“He shook it once carelessly, and a single stick fell to the ground, causing an uproar across the entire city.”
“When we enter, let’s all give it a try,” Zhu Mo suggested, having already inquired about it beforehand.
After making their final preparations, the group set off into the desert.
“The desert is home to venomous scorpions, so everyone should stay on their camels.” Zhu Mo lifted A-Wu onto a camel and even thoughtfully prepared a veil for her. The desert winds were fierce, often lashing against one’s face.
Braving the elements, they entered the desert. Shan Shan had his face covered, but he secretly lifted a corner of the veil, his eyes darting around curiously.
His nursemaid chuckled while holding him, “Our young master Shan Shan has never seen the desert before. His eyes can’t stop wandering.” She had expected Shan Shan to be restless during the journey.
After all, he was never the quiet type at home.
Surprisingly, he was well-behaved.
“Forget the young master, even I, at my age, have never seen a desert before,” the nursemaid sighed in awe.
Zhu Mo led the way at the front, while Windchaser guarded the rear with his sword.
Thankfully, their journey was uneventful.
However, as they reached the heart of the desert, a violent gust lifted waves of sand into the air. In the midst of the howling wind, faint cries for help could be heard…
Lu Chao Chao gripped her sword tightly. Zhu Mo frowned slightly. “I’ll go check.”
In the distance, a whirlpool of sand had formed. The surrounding dunes were collapsing into it. Several bald monks were struggling desperately to escape, their faces stricken with panic. However, an immense force seemed to be dragging them down.
One young monk was already in tears.
Zhu Mo soared forward, grabbed the monks, and swiftly carried them away from the storm’s center.
Even after being rescued, the monks were drenched in sweat, yet they still clung tightly to their wooden fish drums, refusing to let go.
With terror still lingering in their eyes, they knelt down and pressed their palms together in gratitude.
“Thank you for your kindness, benefactors.”
“Are you all traveling to the Brahma Kingdom for the Grand Buddhist Gathering?” Lu Chao Chao asked.
One of the elder monks nodded. “Yes. Unfortunately, we encountered this devouring quicksand along the way. We are fortunate to have been saved.” Every few years, the mortal world held a Buddhist assembly where monks gathered to discuss philosophy and scriptures.
Once in a century, however, a grand event was held.
During such times, Bodhisattvas from the Buddhist Realm descended to preach and enlighten their disciples.
The young monk coughed up some sand, spitting it out. “I don’t know what’s wrong with this desert. It’s usually peaceful, but this year, it’s acting up.”
It was as if something ominous lurked beneath, trying to drag them down.
Shan Shan recalled what he had seen the night before—the formation in the desert seemed to have been activated using fresh blood.
Which meant… sacrifices were required.
His gaze swept over the monks indifferently, his heart utterly calm.
“If you do not mind, you may travel with us,” Lu Chao Chao offered. “We are also heading to Lotus City. It would be no trouble to escort you along the way.”
The monks hesitated only briefly before expressing their gratitude.
They were rather surprised, however. This group was fully armed and seemed quite distinguished.
Yet, their leader was a young girl at the center.
Without lingering further in the desert, the group pressed on.
By dusk, as the sky turned crimson, the great gates of Lotus City finally appeared on the horizon…
The monks immediately knelt in reverence, pressing their foreheads to the ground.
This was their faith.
From above, Lotus City resembled a giant lotus, like a sacred pedestal beneath a Bodhisattva’s feet.
Even before reaching the gates, a vast crowd could be seen outside.
Not only monks on pilgrimage, but also countless common folk from the mortal world.
“The Bodhisattva is merciful. After every grand assembly, divine rain will descend. This rain is said to be beneficial to the bodies of mortals. Because of this, people from all corners of the land gather here, hoping to receive its blessing for their ailing loved ones,” one of the monks explained. Scanning the crowd, one could see many weary-looking commoners, some carrying frail children in their arms.
“All beings suffer. Amitabha,” the elder monk chanted in compassion.
The young monk’s eyes lit up as he pointed at the city gates. “Benefactors, do you wish to draw a fortune stick?”
“The divine fortune sticks of Lotus City are known for their unparalleled accuracy. However, only those with fate may obtain one. The last time a stick was drawn was seventy or eighty years ago…”
“It was by a foreign escort, a man unversed in books. He was strong and had learned some martial arts since childhood, taking up a job as a bodyguard.”
“While others tried in vain, he carelessly shook the holder once—and out came a stick. It was a supreme fortune.”
“Elsewhere, supreme fortunes are common, but in Lotus City, no one has ever drawn one before.” The young monk’s eyes gleamed mysteriously.
“The sticks are all blank. Only when drawn do the words appear.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation