48: The worldly affairs enter the realm of observation, subtly influencing all things.

At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, the development of Yuntai Mountain quietly began.

There was no ribbon-cutting ceremony and no speeches from leaders; only a few construction teams moved in silently. They set up camp on a mountainside platform three li away from Qingfeng Temple and began building the first ecological trail.

The workers wore uniform work clothes, used advanced tools, and acted professionally. Most surprising was their extremely restrained construction method—no blasting, minimizing the use of heavy machinery, and even earthwork excavation was primarily done by hand. After finishing work each day, they would carefully clean the site and restore the vegetation.

The villagers of Zhaojiaao Village soon discovered that these construction teams were completely different from those they had seen before.

“Engineer Wang, your progress is a bit slow,” Fourth Zhao couldn't help but say as he passed by one day.

Engineer Wang, the team leader, pushed up his hard hat and smiled. “Brother, we aren't rushing to meet a deadline. Every tree and every stone in these mountains must be treated with care. We aren't afraid of being slow; we're afraid of damaging the ecology.”

What surprised the villagers even more was the construction team's attitude toward the temple.

They deliberately bypassed all routes that might disturb the temple and even adjusted their construction hours—work stopped before 9:00 AM, after 5:00 PM, and during the periods when Li Muchen performed his morning lessons and recited scriptures.

“This was specifically ordered from above,” Engineer Wang said privately to Zhao Desheng. “Daoist Master Li likes peace and quiet; we must not disturb him.”

When Zhao Desheng told these words to Li Muchen, Li Muchen only smiled slightly. “They are quite thoughtful.”

One day in mid-May, Engineer Wang brought two people up the mountain.

They weren't from the construction team, but a middle-aged designer wearing glasses and a capable project manager. They waited respectfully outside the Mountain Gate until Li Muchen emerged from the hall.

“Daoist Master Li, sorry for the disturbance,” Engineer Wang stepped forward to introduce them. “This is Engineer Chen from the Provincial Design Institute, and this is Manager Zhang from our project department.”

Engineer Chen pushed up his glasses and handed over a set of drawings. “Abbot, we have been commissioned by the development company to perform a comprehensive renovation of the temple. This is the preliminary plan; please take a look.”

Li Muchen took the drawings.

The drawings were very detailed—not just renderings, but actual construction blueprints. They marked every part of the temple that needed repair: the leaking tiles of the Main Hall, the decaying beams and pillars of the side halls, the cracks in the courtyard walls... but those weren't the focus.

The focus was the handwritten notes next to the drawings:

“Tiles: Traditional small green tiles, custom-ordered from Huizhou.”

“Beams and Pillars: Old cedar wood, Materials aged over thirty years.”

“Wall Bricks: Old gray bricks, seeking those as close to the original appearance as possible.”

“All renovations follow the principle of ‘repairing the old to look old,’ without changing the original structure.”

The last few lines of notes caught Li Muchen's eye:

“Electrical: Concealed wiring, national standard flame-retardant cables, independent meter.

Network: Fiber optic to the premises, gigabit bandwidth.

Water Source: Retain the Spirit Well, add a backup filtration System.

All costs to be borne by the project; no need for the Abbot to worry.”

Manager Zhang added at the right moment, “Abbot, we aren't trying to transform the temple; we just want to make your living conditions more comfortable. Electricity and the internet are basic needs of modern life; they won't affect your quiet cultivation.”

He paused, his tone sincere. “Regarding what happened before... everyone in the company is very ashamed. This renovation is meant as an apology and a small token of our sincerity.”

The words were well-spoken, and their posture was very humble.

Li Muchen looked at the drawings and then at the three sincere people before him, falling silent for a moment.

He did indeed need to renovate the temple.

Over the past six months, although he had used his True Essence to maintain the basic stability of the buildings, they had been out of repair for years. When the rainy season arrived, the Main Hall did indeed have several leaks; the beams and pillars of the side halls were also quite decayed.

As for electricity and the internet... although he practiced the Dao, he was not an ascetic monk. Memories of his past life made him understand that appropriate modern conveniences would not affect his Dao Heart. On the contrary, with electricity, reading at night would be more convenient; with the internet, he could understand the changes in the outside world—although he had Spiritual Sense, its range was limited, after all.

“Fusheng Wuliang,” he finally nodded. “Then I shall trouble you all. However, I have three conditions—”

“Please speak, Abbot!”

“First, all construction must be carried out only after my consent and must not disturb daily cultivation.”

“Second, maintain the original appearance of the temple; nothing added or removed, and no changes to the layout.”

“Third...” He looked at the three of them. “The costs—this poor Daoist will pay.”

“How can that be!” Manager Zhang said anxiously. “We agreed the company would bear the cost!”

“Karma cycles; this poor Daoist does not wish to owe favors,” Li Muchen said calmly. “Whatever it costs is what I will pay. If you all do not accept it, then let us forget about this renovation.”

His words were firm.

The three looked at each other, and finally, Engineer Chen spoke: “Then... let's do it at cost. Material and labor costs will be billed as they are, without any profit added.”

Li Muchen then nodded. “That would be best.”

The renovation project began on a clear morning.

Not many workers came—only eight—but they were all master craftsmen. They moved lightly and kept their voices low. Their tools were also the most traditional—planes, saws, and trowels; power tools were rarely used.

Li Muchen observed them specifically for a few days.

These masters were indeed professional. When replacing tiles, they first carefully removed the old ones, cleaned the purlins, and then laid the new tiles one by one. The overlap between tiles and the fullness of the mortar joints were all strictly according to ancient methods.

The replacement of beams and pillars was even more meticulous. Before the new beams were brought up the mountain, they had been dried in the shade for over half a year, so the moisture content was just right. Not a single iron nail was used during installation; it was all mortise and tenon joinery, fitting perfectly.

“Master, this kind of craftsmanship isn't seen much these days, is it?” Li Muchen asked casually one day while bringing tea to the workers.

The lead craftsman was named Lu, over sixty years old, with thick calluses on his hands. He took the tea and gave a simple smile. “Abbot, to tell you the truth, all of us here have ancestral skills. My grandfather's generation built temples, my father repaired halls, and by my generation... I almost had nothing to eat.”

“How so?”

“Everyone wants speed now; who still slowly grinds out mortise and tenon joints? It's all reinforced concrete, built in a flash,” Master Lu shook his head. “When we took this job, the company specifically ordered—no rush, be meticulous. The pay is daily and higher than the market rate. I knew then that this temple was unusual.”

Li Muchen smiled and didn't respond.

Master Lu lowered his voice: “Abbot, I've been repairing temples my whole life and have seen many. But your temple... is different. As soon as I enter, I feel my heart go quiet; I don't even feel tired while working.”

“That is because your heart is quiet, Master.”

“It's not my heart,” Master Lu said seriously. “It's this place that's quiet. And the water from that well—it makes the whole body feel comfortable after drinking it. My wife has chronic leg pain; I take a flask down the mountain every day, and she says she feels better after drinking it.”

Li Muchen nodded and said no more.

Some things need not be explained.

The installation of electricity and the network was even more discreet.

The wires all went through hidden conduits buried in the walls and underground. The switches and sockets were chosen with the simplest white panels, and their positions were carefully designed—to be convenient to use without spoiling the temple's atmosphere.

A separate fiber optic line was pulled from a base station three li away, buried in conduits; the entry point was set in an inconspicuous corner of the guest hall. The router was gigabit, with signal coverage for the entire temple, but its exterior was made to look like a small wooden box, blending in with the surroundings.

Most thoughtfully, the construction team also installed several solar-powered courtyard lights under the ancient cypress tree and by the vegetable patch. They weren't the glaring LED type, but warm yellow antique-style lantern designs. The light was soft, automatically turning on at night and off at dawn.

“This makes it easier for the Abbot to move around at night,” Manager Zhang explained. “And it won't be too bright, so it won't affect stargazing.”

Li Muchen looked at those lanterns, his heart slightly moved.

These people had indeed put in effort.

It wasn't perfunctory or for show, but truly considering things from his perspective.

During the renovation, life in the temple continued as usual.

During morning scripture recitations, the workers would consciously stop their work and listen quietly. Sometimes, Li Muchen saw them outside the hall, also pressing their palms together and standing silently with eyes closed.

When the sun was good in the afternoon, Li Muchen would brew tea in the courtyard and always prepare a few cups for the workers. Everyone would sit around the stone table, drinking tea and chatting. They didn't talk about cultivation, only daily life—Master Lu's grandson's studies, Manager Zhang's child's wedding, Engineer Chen's new house in his hometown... the atmosphere of the Mortal World thus quietly seeped into the temple.

It wasn't abrupt or discordant; instead, there was a different kind of warmth.

A month later, the renovation project was completed.

On the last day, the workers packed their tools neatly and cleaned the courtyard thoroughly. Manager Zhang brought inspection personnel to carefully check every spot, and only after confirming everything was correct did he come to report to Li Muchen.

“Abbot, everything is ready. Take a look and see if anything needs adjustment.”

Li Muchen took a walk around the temple.

The tiles of the Main Hall were brand new, gleaming with a gentle blue-gray in the sunlight. The beams and pillars of the side halls had been replaced with new wood but were treated to look old, blending seamlessly with the original structure. The cracks in the courtyard walls were repaired, and the color of the gray bricks transitioned naturally; it was impossible to notice without looking closely.

The electricity was connected. An antique-style chandelier was added to the guest hall, providing soft light; there was a lamp on the desk in the side hall that lit up with the press of a switch.

The internet was also connected. Li Muchen tried it out using the smartphone Master Lu had left behind—the signal was full, and the speed was lightning-fast. He searched for "Yuntai Mountain Qingfeng Temple," and many entries popped up, mostly discussions about the "Winter Oasis," but the recent popularity had already dropped significantly.

Those solar courtyard lights lit up automatically at dusk. A warm yellow glow spilled onto the bluestone slabs, and the shadow of the ancient cypress tree was stretched very long, creating a unique Concept.

“Very good,” Li Muchen nodded. “Thank you for your hard work.”

Manager Zhang handed over the bill: “Abbot, this is the breakdown of all costs; please take a look.”

Li Muchen took it. The accounts were listed in great detail: Materials, labor, transportation... every item had a corresponding receipt. The total was 86,400 yuan.

He went back to his room to get the cash—the offerings from pilgrims these days, plus some previous savings, were just enough.

“Karma is settled.” He handed the money to Manager Zhang.

Manager Zhang took it and bowed deeply. “Abbot, the company also asked me to bring a message—the development of Yuntai Mountain will always respect the temple as supreme. If you have any needs, just ask at any time.”

Li Muchen nodded. “Fusheng Wuliang. Please also tell General Manager Zheng—there is a limit to all things; going too far is as bad as not going far enough. The Spiritual Qi of Yuntai Mountain needs to flow steadily.”

“I will certainly deliver the message!”

The workers went down the mountain.

The temple returned to tranquility.

But this time, the tranquility was different from before.

There was electricity, there was the internet, and there were a few warm lights.

The conveniences of the Mortal World had quietly integrated into this pure land without being stained by dust.

Li Muchen sat under the ancient cypress tree, watching the sun set.

The courtyard lights lit up one after another, the warm light blending with the twilight.

In the distance, the lights of Zhaojiaao Village at the foot of the mountain also began to twinkle.

Further away, there were people on night tours on the newly built ecological trail, the light of their flashlights appearing and disappearing in the forest.

Everything was changing.

But the temple was still there, the ancient cypress tree was still there, and the Spirit Well was still there.

He was still there.

That was enough.

He stood up and walked toward the Main Hall.

Inside the hall, the light from the electric lamp passed through the window lattices, stretching his shadow very long.

The Mortal World enters the temple, nourishing everything silently.