Guided by the gate-keeping monks, Xu Qi’an crossed the front courtyard and entered the inner yard.
The young monk stopped in the courtyard, pressed his palms together, and said, “Brother Heng Yuan, please wait here for a moment. I’ll go inform Uncle Master Jing Chen.”
Xu Qi’an returned the Buddhist greeting: “Thank you, younger brother.”
Watching the young monk enter a room, Xu Qi’an recalled the list of people.
This Western Region envoy had a total of twenty-one members.
The station runners had to arrange rooms for the envoy, and the rooms at the post station were of different grades. Naturally, the higher-ranking monks would stay in better rooms. It wouldn’t do for a novice to occupy the presidential suite while the enlightened high monk leading the group stayed in a windowless single room.
Therefore, the station runners had a clear understanding of the status of the envoy’s members.
The highest ranking was, of course, the leader of this envoy, “Master Du’e,” though the runners didn’t know his level of cultivation.
Next were two individuals, “Jing Chen” and “Jing Si.” Judging by their dharma names, these two should be fellow disciples.
As for the other monks, their status seemed similar.
“One called ‘Capital City,’ one called ‘Nearsighted,’ these brothers have interesting dharma names.”
As he was thinking, the young monk came out and invited Xu Qi’an inside.
He followed the young monk into the room, where sandalwood incense was burning. A monk with a round face and thick earlobes sat cross-legged on a couch, smiling at the door.
This monk’s aura was subdued, appearing no different from ordinary people.
“Elder Brother Jing Chen,” Xu Qi’an pressed his palms together.
“Younger Brother Heng Yuan,” the middle-aged monk returned the greeting.
He then arranged for the young monk to serve tea. After Xu Qi’an took a sip, he said, “Elder Brother Pan Shu just returned to the temple.”
He meant to say that the monks at Qinglong Temple had only just received news of the envoy’s arrival in the capital… Abbot Pan Shu had just returned to Qinglong Temple, and without a special reason, wouldn’t send monks over to chat… Xu Qi’an instantly thought of many possibilities, knowing this was a probe from the other party.
He had prepared for this and calmly replied, “This humble monk left the temple many years ago.”
Monk Jing Chen smiled and asked, “What brings Brother Heng Yuan here?”
His voice seemed to have a strange magic, making Xu Qi’an instinctively resist lying and want to confess his purpose honestly.
A Fifth-Grade Disciplinarian?
Xu Qi’an’s heart tightened.
Abbot Pan Shu of Qinglong Temple was also in Fifth Grade. Monks of this level were like walking “rules,” actively or unconsciously influencing those around them.
Not lying, abstaining from women, not killing… whatever precepts the Disciplinarian had once kept, those around them would unconsciously follow.
Xu Qi’an had never seen a Disciplinarian in battle, but when he went to Qinglong Temple to investigate the Sangbo case earlier, he had specifically looked up information on Buddhist experts.
A Disciplinarian’s combat power came entirely from “precepts,” somewhat like the Confucian “words becoming reality,” but not as unscrupulous.
In simple terms, a Confucian could casually say, “Xu Qi’an’s Diao Chan is at his waist!” and it could become reality, though with great side effects.
Buddhist Disciplinarians were much more limited and couldn’t act at will. They could only casually say something like, “Xu Qi’an, smoking backward is like becoming an immortal.”
Besides Xu Qi’an’s mouth getting a blister from the heat, there would be no side effects.
The Confucian “words becoming reality” changed rules, while Disciplinarians made people follow rules—essentially completely opposite.
Xu Qi’an pressed his palms together and recited a Buddhist phrase: “Elder Brother, have you and your fellow disciples arrived in the capital because of the sealed object that escaped from the Sangbo case?”
This question was like a huge rock dropped into a lake.
Jing Chen narrowed his eyes, outwardly calm, and smiled, “Did Elder Brother Pan Shu tell you?”
Before returning to Qinglong Temple, Uncle Master Du’e had repeatedly instructed not to leak the existence of the sealed object, including to the monks of Qinglong Temple.
Master Jing Chen had set a trap for Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an shook his head and sighed, “It wasn’t Master who told me. To be honest, I was also involved in the Sangbo case…”
In Jing Chen’s gentle and peaceful eyes, there seemed to be a flash of golden divine light.
“This humble monk has a younger brother disciple, with the dharma name Heng Hui. We grew up together and were very close. Over a year ago, Heng Hui suddenly disappeared, stealing a device from the temple that conceals one’s aura. After much investigation, I discovered he might have been abducted by a human trafficking organization…”
Xu Qi’an showed a look of sorrow and grief, as if overwhelmed with sadness, and could only recite a Buddhist phrase to ease his emotions: “Amitabha.”
Jing Chen was listening intently, and seeing Brother Heng Yuan in such a state, his heart stirred: “Is there more to this case?”
“Indeed, Brother Heng Hui and a female worshipper fell in love and secretly pledged to marry. That’s why he stole the device from Qinglong Temple and ran away.”
Jing Chen frowned, showing many doubts, “Even if eloping, was it necessary to steal the device?”
Heng Yuan sighed, “That female worshipper was the legitimate daughter of Prince Yu, who is His Majesty’s brother, a royal prince. Without the aura-concealing device, they couldn’t leave the capital’s territory.”
This… Master Jing Chen was momentarily speechless, unable to find words.
Then, Xu Qi’an briefly recounted how the two naive young people were deceived, how they were involuntarily drawn into political struggles, and how they met their untimely deaths.
“Amitabha!”
Master Jing Chen pressed his palms together, showing a compassionate expression, and recited the Buddhist phrase.
After a moment of silence, he said, “But what does this have to do with the Sangbo case?”
Good question! Xu Qi’an smiled inwardly but kept a straight face as he said, “This case is tortuous and strange, far more complex than it appears on the surface… At the end of last year, the Yongzhen Shanhe Temple in the royal Sangbo exploded, and the evil being sealed under Sangbo emerged.”
“The Emperor of Great Feng was furious and ordered the Three Departments to investigate thoroughly. The reason this humble monk got involved was that the evil being had possessed Brother Heng Hui’s body.”
“What?!”
Master Jing Chen’s expression changed dramatically, and he urgently asked, “Where is that evil being now? Is Heng Hui still alive? How did Great Feng handle this matter? Did the Astrology Bureau Chief not intervene? Or has the evil being been resealed by the Astrology Bureau Chief?”
He asked many questions in succession, his calm demeanor as a high monk gone.
“Don’t be anxious, Elder Brother Jing Chen. Let me explain slowly…”
Xu Qi’an thoroughly analyzed the Sangbo case and the Princess Pingyang case, explaining in detail the connection between the two cases and the secrets involved behind them.
Monk Jing Chen didn’t speak for a long time, seemingly shocked by the intricately linked and complex cases.
Even Abbot Pan Shu didn’t know these inside stories; he had only come from the West to inform the Buddhist sect about the Sangbo sealed object’s emergence.
Uncle Master went to the palace to meet with the Emperor and learn about the case, but I, who stayed behind at the post station, learned the whole process first… Monk Jing Chen sighed:
“This case is indeed tortuous and strange, and the person who solved it must be even more formidable. How does Brother Heng Yuan know it in such detail?”
Xu Qi’an knew this was a doubt that Monk Jing Chen would inevitably raise. He wasn’t flustered at all and forced himself to resist the instinct not to lie, answering:
“Although the Three Departments were in charge of the case, the one who solved the Sangbo case and the Princess Pingyang case was a Silver Constable from the Night Watchmen’s office, named Xu Qi’an. This humble monk is on close terms with Lord Xu and is involved because of Brother Heng Hui, that’s why I know it so clearly.”
Silver Constable Xu Qi’an… Monk Jing Chen remembered this name and hurriedly asked, “What kind of person is this Silver Constable Xu? Brother Heng Yuan, please tell me in detail.”
“Alas!”
Heng Yuan didn’t speak but let out a long sigh.
“Brother, what’s the matter…”
“Thinking of this person fills this humble monk with emotion.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
Heng Yuan slowly said, “Elder Brother, you don’t know, but this Xu Qi’an is the most exceptionally talented person this humble monk has ever seen. In terms of cultivation, he is a heaven-sent genius. In all of Great Feng, those who can be mentioned in the same breath as him are rare.”
“As an official, he firmly refuses to take even a needle or thread from the common people, taking it as his duty to uphold justice.”
“In solving cases, though Great Feng is full of experts, they can’t match even one of his fingers.”
“In poetry, he is hailed as Great Feng’s greatest poet in two hundred years. It’s said that the courtesans of the Court of Revels love him to death, yet he pays them no mind.”
Monk Jing Chen was stunned, never imagining such a person existed in the capital.
“Can there truly be such a person in this world? Not joining our Buddhist sect is a pity.” A sharp light flashed in Monk Jing Chen’s eyes.
…Damn, I’ve exaggerated too much. This bastard wants to “convert” me to monkhood? Then what use is my iron staff?
Xu Qi’an was inwardly alert but calmly changed the subject, finally revealing his true purpose: “The reason I’ve come to see Elder Brother is to ask about the evil being sealed beneath Sangbo. What exactly is it?”
“This humble monk knows it’s related to the Buddhist sect, but can’t understand why it was sealed in Great Feng’s Sangbo?”
“This…” Monk Jing Chen’s face showed difficulty.
“Does Elder Brother have some secret he can’t disclose?” Heng Yuan asked proactively.
“This matter is a Buddhist secret. Brother, it’s best not to ask further,” Jing Chen said.
“Hah!”
Heng Yuan sneered, “This humble monk understands now. I considered the Western Region sect as family, but never thought that in the eyes of the sect’s brothers, this humble monk is just an outsider.”
“Fine, fine, fine. It was this humble monk who was presumptuous. I’ll leave now. The Western Buddhist sect is the Western Buddhist sect, Qinglong Temple is Qinglong Temple. They’re not the same.”
As he spoke, he stood up to leave.
“Stop!”
Jing Chen halted him, his face showing anger: “We are both disciples of Buddhism, worshipping Buddha. We are family. Brother, your words just now were truly heartless. Don’t say such things again.”
There’s hope… Heng Yuan looked at him expressionlessly and coldly snorted.
He used the Buddhist Lion’s Roar in this snort, making it echo in the room.
Warrior monks have always had such a fiery temper… Jing Chen sighed inwardly and beckoned, “Please sit, Brother. I’ll tell you what I know.”
Qinglong Temple was the only remaining spark of the Western Buddhist sect in Great Feng. If the Western Buddhist sect still wanted to continue spreading their teachings in the Central Plains, the Qinglong Temple was an irreplaceable force.
Against this background, the Western Buddhist sect greatly valued their “family” relationship with the Qinglong Temple. Any estrangement or rift was to be prevented and avoided.
“That evil being is indeed related to our Buddhist sect. I heard Uncle Master Du’e say it was a Buddhist traitor.”
“A Buddhist traitor?”
As I expected, Monk Shenshu is from the Buddhist sect, yet was personally sealed by them. If not a traitor, what else could he be?
“Which traitor is it?” Heng Yuan asked.
“That, I don’t know,” Monk Jing Chen shook his head. “That’s why it’s a Buddhist secret. Even this humble monk doesn’t know the inside story.”
I want to use my Aura Observation technique to see if he’s lying… It’s Shenshu, that traitor’s dharma name is Shenshu… Heng Yuan asked again:
“Why was he sealed rather than given a proper Buddhist send-off?”
Although Buddhism preaches compassion, they wouldn’t be so soft-hearted towards a sect traitor, would they?
“After Abbot Pan Shu sent the news back to the Western Region, the Arhats, and Bodhisattvas took it very seriously, notifying each other with thunder sounds. Such a solemn attitude hasn’t been seen since the Shanhai Pass Battle twenty years ago.” Monk Jing Chen pondered:
“On our way east, I heard Uncle Master Du’e mention that the evil monk cannot be killed.”
Cannot be killed?!
This statement contained an enormous amount of information, causing Xu Qi’an to pause his questioning and ponder carefully.
In other words, Monk Shenshu was sealed in Sangbo not because the Buddhist sect was soft-hearted, but because they couldn’t kill him.
Monk Shenshu had once said that he had luckily reached the highest realm of “immortality and indestructibility.”
But let’s not forget, that the Buddhist sect has Buddha, a being beyond grades. Even Buddha couldn’t kill Monk Shenshu?!
“My goodness, Monk Shenshu is more terrifying than I imagined. What kind of monster is he…” Xu Qi’an muttered inwardly.
Could he defeat the old Astrology Bureau Chief with one punch?
“I understand now. So he can’t be killed. No wonder they had to dismember and seal him,” Xu Qi’an said solemnly.
“But why choose Sangbo?” he questioned again.
Such a fearsome traitor, practically a mortal enemy, choosing to seal him in the territory of their ally, Great Feng, must have been for an unavoidable reason.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it be safer to seal him under their noses?
“This question, this humble monk also wants to know and had asked Uncle Master Du’e on the way here. Uncle Master told me it stemmed from an agreement with Great Feng’s Martial Emperor five hundred years ago,” Jing Chen said.
An agreement from five hundred years ago… That year, Buddhism was spreading throughout Great Feng, with temples springing up like bamboo shoots after rain. There was indeed a hidden story behind this… However, most of the records from five hundred years ago have been destroyed, altered, or hidden.
There’s no way to investigate.
After chatting for a while longer, Xu Qi’an realized he couldn’t extract any more information, so he stood up to take his leave.
Monk Jing Chen personally saw him out. Just as they left the room, they saw a handsome young monk walking along the corridor.
“Elder Brother!” The handsome monk pressed his palms together.
Jing Chen returned the greeting and introduced, “This is Brother Heng Yuan from Qinglong Temple. Address him as Elder Brother.”
Then, he introduced himself to Heng Yuan, “This is Brother Jing Si.”
“Nearsighted” is so young? Heng Yuan was somewhat surprised.
“Elder Brother Heng Yuan.” The handsome monk bowed.
Xu Qi’an returned the greeting, then said to Jing Chen, “Elder Brother, there’s no need to see me out.”
Watching Xu Qi’an’s figure leave, Jing Si didn’t withdraw his gaze for a long time.
“What’s the matter, Brother?” Jing Chen asked.
“I don’t know why, but I feel he has a kind of power that makes people want to get close to him,” Jing Si said.
…
Xu Qi’an left the post station and walked briskly along the street.
“Although I still don’t know Monk Shenshu’s identity, I’ve at least confirmed a few things: First, he’s a Buddhist traitor, with solid evidence. Second, his cultivation is higher than I expected, so high that even Buddha can’t kill him, though there’s no evidence that Buddha tried… I’ll assume this for now.”
“Third, I’m only responsible for helping him investigate his identity and find his memories. I won’t get involved in his grudges with the Buddhist sect unless I become a Martial God, which is impossible.”
“Fourth, I must cling to this great backer and squeeze out as many benefits as possible.”
“Fifth, I can’t tell anyone about Monk Shenshu’s existence, not even Wei Yuan. This matter is too big.”
“Sixth, while it’s still early, I should go to a brothel to listen to some music.”
Suddenly, Xu Qi’an saw a familiar figure in the crowd ahead.
It was a tall, burly monk with dark stubble on his chin as if he had just shaved.
The loose monk’s robe fit him just right, concealing the muscles underneath.
“Damn, Heng Yuan!!”
A million curses raced through Xu Qi’an’s mind.
Master Heng Yuan also saw him, feeling both delighted and surprised by Xu Qi’an’s attire.
“Lord Xu, why are you dressed like this?”
“Performance art…” Xu Qi’an said with a straight face.
“?”
“Is the Master going to the Three Willows Post Station?”
“Our sect’s brethren have arrived. This humble monk should go meet them.”
“Can… can you not go?” Xu Qi’an tried to control his twitching mouth.
“Why not?” Heng Yuan expressed confusion.
Because you might get beaten up… Xu Qi’an forced a dry laugh and shook his head.
Heng Yuan looked at him for a moment, then nodded, “I just came from having a vegetarian meal at the Xu residence.”
Huh? What were you doing at my home… Oh, you went to congratulate Second Young Master on becoming the top scholar. Second, didn’t chase you out?
Xu Qi’an suddenly felt a strong sense of guilt, feeling that after tricking his little brother, he had also tricked the honest and simple Master Heng Yuan. He felt he was truly not human.
He vowed to be a good person from now on.
“Master…”
Xu Qi’an took out a ten-tael silver note from his bosom and sincerely placed it in Heng Yuan’s hand: “This is my contribution to the elderly and children at the Health Hall.”
If it were for himself, Heng Yuan wouldn’t accept it, but since this money was from the kind-hearted Lord Xu to help widows, orphans, and the elderly, Master Heng Yuan wouldn’t refuse.
“Amitabha, Lord Xu is truly a great benefactor,” Heng Yuan sincerely admired.
“It’s what I should do, what I should do…”
Xu Qi’an waved goodbye and walked a few steps forward, but couldn’t help turning back and shouting: “Master!”
Heng Yuan stopped and turned back, “Does Lord Xu have something else?”
“…Take care!”
…
Xu Qi’an found a secluded alley and changed back into his Night Watchman uniform, then skillfully entered a brothel.
“Sir, do you need a room or just passing through?” A young attendant in blue clothes greeted him.
“Call over your most beautiful girl to give this master a shoulder rub,” Xu Qi’an went straight upstairs.
The second-floor rooms were VIP private boxes, where people of status watched plays and listened to music.
Meanwhile, Master Heng Yuan arrived at the post station gate.
The two monk guards looked at each other, thinking that their Buddhist sect had become so prosperous in Great Feng.
“Where does this brother practice?”
Harboring doubts, the guard monks stopped Heng Yuan.
Master Heng Yuan pressed his palms together, “This humble monk is Heng Yuan from Qinglong Temple. Hearing that our sect’s brethren have arrived in the capital, I’ve come to pay my respects.”
As he finished speaking, he keenly noticed the two monks’ eyes widening, looking as if they had seen a ghost.
“Is there a problem?” Heng Yuan asked, puzzled.
“Hehe, no problem. Brother, please wait here. I’ll go and announce you.” The guard monk gave him a deep look before turning to go inside.
Shortly after, he came out expressionlessly and said, “Please come in.”