“The journey along the Abyssal River is long and arduous, and besides, the Crimson Black Flood Dragon is already a trapped beast in your Demon Hunting Bureau’s net. Why should I bother picking up these small fry?”

Samuel Brooks said with a smile, “However, if you plan to besiege Charles Bennett in the future, please do inform me!”

Chapter 009: Samuel Brooks Is Short of Money Again!

Evening.

David Turner presented a new demon hunting list.

Samuel Brooks held the list, searched all over Jinyang County, but found no trace of demons.

As a true disciple of the orthodox Daoist sect, Samuel Brooks no longer stooped to using Little Bear to make money.

So, disappointed, he took the demon hunting list and left Jinyang County.

Before returning to Fengyuan Mountain, he made a round, compared prices at thirteen shops, but bought nothing!

The next morning, on Fengyuan Mountain.

Samuel Brooks completed his cultivation, stretched his body, his eyes shining brightly.

After a night of cultivation, his true qi increased by a sliver.

Such slow progress in cultivation only strengthened Samuel Brooks’s resolve to slay demons and uphold justice.

Facing the rising sun, he clasped his hands behind his back, gazed into the distance, and fell into deep thought.

Little Bear opened its sleepy eyes and suddenly felt a powerful sense of righteousness emanating from Samuel Brooks!

Truly worthy of being the head of an orthodox immortal sect!

The sun rose, its rays bright.

Henry Foster arrived at Baihong Temple.

But this time, he was not alone; he brought along an elderly man with graying hair.

This was Thomas Reed, who once shone in his hometown, but after being demoted and returning, had wasted sixteen years in dejection and self-abandonment.

“Samuel Brooks is much younger than I imagined.”

Thomas Reed said with some surprise, “Just by your blueprints alone, you are no ordinary craftsman. In my opinion, if you wished, with the right recommendation, you could enter the Ministry of Works and be nurtured by the court, with limitless prospects.”

He had thought the person who drew those blueprints must be an experienced Daoist skilled in construction, but unexpectedly, it was such a young man—frankly, just a greenhorn Daoist.

Samuel Brooks chuckled and said, “Officialdom is not a place where skill alone guarantees success. I am a cultivator, not seeking rank or wealth, only wishing to build a place to reside and pursue the Dao in peace.”

Thomas Reed, with a hint of self-mockery, added, “From what I see, this residence of yours is like a palace of immortals or a dragon’s lair.”

Samuel Brooks did not answer, but instead asked, “As for the construction of my Baihong Temple, Old Reed, are you confident?”

Hearing himself addressed respectfully as “Old Reed,” Thomas Reed’s expression softened, but then he said solemnly, “The Baihong Temple you wish to build is vastly different from ordinary temples. In terms of scale and detail, it even surpasses the domain lord’s mansion in the Guangshan region.”

Samuel Brooks remained calm, a faint smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Henry Foster at the side looked utterly confused.

Thomas Reed looked around, then raised his gaze to the top of Fengyuan Mountain.

“To build this temple entirely according to your blueprints will require a huge sum.”

“And your plans call for building along the mountain, which makes it even more difficult.”

“Just transporting materials and fetching water up the mountain will require a massive amount of manpower and resources.”

“As such, the silver needed is an astronomical figure.”

“Even the richest man in Guangshan would be hard-pressed to come up with such a sum without great pain.”

Thomas Reed looked at Samuel Brooks and asked, “I’ve heard Baihong Temple has always been poor. Can you really afford this?”

Samuel Brooks clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, “You needn’t worry about money. Wages will be settled every three days, never delayed. If funds run short, you can simply stop construction!”

On the tree behind him, Little Bear felt a pang of sympathy upon hearing this.

A temple built on a mountain actually costs extra?

While feeling sorry, it suddenly noticed that Samuel Brooks’s hands behind his back were clenched so tightly they’d lost all color.

“……”

Seeing his confidence, Thomas Reed felt relieved, but then said seriously, “Samuel Brooks, the temple you want to build is even more difficult than the domain lord’s mansion. The craftsmen you’ve hired are just ordinary masons, not on the same level as those from the Ministry of Works. To build such a grand temple as you wish is no easy task.”

After speaking, he took a deep breath and said, “I can only put in extra effort, personally supervise, and instruct them to avoid mistakes. But the construction will be very difficult and take even longer.”

Samuel Brooks smiled and said, “Since Old Reed is confident, come with me up the mountain to choose the site.”

The three of them then climbed the mountain, not descending until dusk.

At the foot of the mountain, Thomas Reed said he already had a general idea and would make further calculations that night, ready to start work at any time.

He then asked, “As a Daoist, have you chosen an auspicious day to begin construction?”

Samuel Brooks laughed heartily and said, “As the saying goes, ‘Choosing a day is not as good as seizing the day.’ By my calculations, tomorrow is an auspicious day—no taboos, we can start work.”

At these words, both Thomas Reed and Henry Foster were quite taken aback.