With Qingxu Zi’s arrival, the formation’s spiritual power notably increased. While Teng Shao and his daughter were speaking, Naizhong was struck heavily once again within the array.

Teng Shao, estimating they had reached the critical moment in subduing the demon, solemnly instructed his daughter to sit back down on the stone block while he settled himself on another rock, adjusting his robe and sitting with legs spread in a commanding pose.

Lin Chengyou’s conjecture proved correct – while Naizhong was not afraid of Buddhist formations, it could not withstand the Daoist Soul-Controlling Formation of the Mysterious Heavens. After being struck several times by waves of silver light from the swords within the formation, its yin energy began rapidly diminishing.

Even those outside the formation could sense this change, as the forest air was no longer so bone-chillingly cold, and bits of starlight began peeking through the dense dark clouds overhead.

Howling in pain, Naizhong could no longer exploit the gaps in the Buddhist formation to resist the monks. The Arhat Formation that had previously been ineffective against it finally bloomed with pure Buddhist light under the monks’ persistent efforts.

Caught between these two forces, Naizhong could not withstand the assault. After all, while the Four Seas Great Spirit summoned by Lin Chengyou had wounded its physical form, the Buddhist light could damage its spiritual root.

Soon it fell to its knees, then began rolling violently. Each time it turned, the dark clouds above would surge and swirl in response.

Abbot Yuanjue remained motionless in his meditation. Under the protection of his disciples, the formation’s spiritual power had been pushed to its limit. Spiritual light flickered around his kasaya robe as if he were seated upon a lotus platform.

The Buddhist light gently showered into the golden net, making Naizhong feel as if it were in purgatory. It struggled desperately but had nowhere to escape. It kept waving its palm-leaf fan, trying to use its remaining yin energy to break through the net, but no matter how much force it used, it only earned more fierce sword light from Lin Chengyou.

In its agonized struggle, its body was forcibly shrunk by the Buddhist light.

When the final sword strike came, it hit precisely at its crown. With a low roar, it collapsed before the lotus platform. When it struggled to rise and saw the Abbot on the lotus seat, its body trembled as if remembering something. A dazed expression suddenly appeared on its face before it released the fan and golden bowl, clutching its head with a cry of anguish.

As the formation’s light dimmed, the large monk in the golden net had vanished. What lay prostrate on the ground was a young novice monk of about ten years old.

Teng Yu Yi was startled – surely the demon hadn’t escaped again? She first looked up at Lin Chengyou in the treetops, then across at Qingxu Zi. Neither showed signs of panic, only gazing at Monk Zangji with complex expressions.

In the next moment, they saw the young novice rise.

The small monk assumed a lotus position and devotedly bowed to the dignified Abbot Yuanjue on the lotus platform: “Greetings, Master.”

Teng Yu Yi watched in confusion – it still seemed to be Naizhong.

Could it be that with its yin energy dispersed, it had reverted to its appearance when it first entered Buddhism? Seeing its devout worship, perhaps its demonic thoughts weren’t fully gone, and it was mistaking Abbot Yuanjue for the Wheel-Turning King of the past.

Abbot Yuanjue spoke gently: “Why did you wish to enter Buddhism?”

The young novice responded with utmost sincerity: “This disciple wished to enter Buddhism to seek great wisdom.”

Yuanjue asked: “What is great wisdom?”

“This disciple has heard that ‘Mahaprajnaparamita is the most honored, most supreme, most primary.’ In this disciple’s view, understanding Buddhist principles is the greatest wisdom in the world.”

Yuanjue lowered his gaze to look at the small monk below his seat, his face full of compassion: “You have the root of wisdom. Come to our Buddhist path. I grant you the Dharma name Zangji. Whether you can find great wisdom will depend on your future cultivation.”

The young novice was overjoyed: “This disciple Zangji will joyfully follow your teachings.”

However, when that thin figure stood up from beneath the lotus platform, it transformed into a tall middle-aged monk. Monk Zangji’s black robes were covered in blood stains as he woodenly pressed his palms together: “Master once warned this disciple, ‘Such cultivation will surely lead to Buddhahood.’ This disciple has practiced devotedly for many years without daring the slightest laziness. Why then, just because I lost once in a debate on Chan principles, would Master pass the robe and bowl to my junior?”

Yuanjue spoke sternly: “The Dharma is not of two kinds, but delusion and enlightenment differ. Zangji, are you still not enlightened?”

“Enlightened?” Monk Zangji looked up at the Abbot on the lotus platform, suddenly giving a cold laugh. He leaped onto the lotus platform and thrust his right arm forward, forcibly piercing through the Abbot’s chest. “I entered Buddhism to achieve Buddhahood, yet before I could attain enlightenment, I was forced to become a demon. Why is this so? Does Master not know?”

Everyone was shocked, but looking around anxiously, not only did the monks in the formation seem blind to it, even Qingxu Zi and Lin Chengyou made no move to help. After a moment’s stupefaction, people recalled that this formation was full of illusions – perhaps this was just another of the demon’s phantasms. Despite their many doubts, they dared not act rashly.

Monk Zangji withdrew his right arm, his fingers covered in fresh blood.

“This disciple has been in Buddhism for many years, understanding Buddhist principles and practicing wisdom. In this generation, none have cultivated more devotedly than this disciple. Master passed the robe and bowl to my junior merely because his tongue was as beautiful as lotus blossoms. He had only entered Buddhism for a year and hadn’t even thoroughly read the temple scriptures. Master showed not even an impartial heart, yet questioned my ‘enlightenment’?! With such a master, how could this disciple become enlightened!”

Abbot Yuanjue continued to look at Zangji with compassion.

Monk Zangji hadn’t expected Abbot Yuanjue to remain so calm. His expression became somewhat bewildered. Suddenly, in a blink, he was shocked to see a figure sprawled across Abbot Yuanjue’s body – a young monk holding a meditation staff and wearing a kasaya, his chest a bloody mess, already lifeless.

Zangji looked down at his palm and realized what he held was his junior brother’s heart. His junior brother had sacrificed himself to save their master, taking this strike meant for him.

Abbot Yuanjue asked: “Your junior brother could uphold the righteous path with his body – can you?”

Zangji mockingly pointed at his junior brother’s corpse and laughed: “You passed him the robe and bowl, and he saved your life – give and take, what righteous path is there?! Look at him, even in death he wouldn’t let go of this kasaya or put down this meditation staff. Such foolishness deserves death.”

Abbot Yuanjue wept sorrowfully: “Such a beast, still so deeply deluded. Your junior brother knew he couldn’t stop your killing spree and willingly died in the master’s place. He held the meditation staff in death only because the Buddhist power within could cleanse the resentment in his heart. Dying without resentment meant one less karmic obstacle for you, one less obstacle keeping you from falling into hell. His every thought was exhausted in care for you, only because he didn’t want to see you become a demon!”

Zangji’s expression froze.

“Your views are heavily obscured by evil, your roots of affliction run deep, while your junior brother responded to evil with righteousness, to wickedness with kindness. How can you still not understand why the master didn’t pass the robe and bowl to you?” Abbot Yuanjue declared firmly.

Zangji stumbled and collapsed from the lotus platform.

Then he raised his blood-covered arms and began to weep in agony. When he rose again, he had transformed back into that clear-featured young monk of the past, pressing his palms together woodenly as he knelt before the lotus platform.

Abbot Yuanjue spoke: “One thought of evil destroys ten thousand kalpas of good causes. One thought of kindness gives rise to great wisdom. The great wisdom you sought upon entering Buddhism, you destroyed with your own hands. Amitabha Buddha, may all past evil karma be repented, eliminated in an instant, never to rise again.”

Zangji’s eyes brimmed with hot tears as he bowed his head: “This disciple repents all, never to rise again.”

Abbot Yuanjue led in striking the wooden fish. The Buddhist chants once again resounded through the forest, yellow light flickered in the formation, and great thunder rolled across the sky.

Suddenly strange screams emerged from the formation, shrill and otherworldly, as if they could shatter one’s heart meridians. Fortunately, the Buddhist chants of Abbot Yuanjue and the others rose up as well, quickly suppressing those mind-piercing demonic sounds.

Accompanied by Naizhong’s continuous screams of agony, thunder rumbled overhead and strange rain suddenly fell, but the monks’ chants reached to the heavens, yielding not an inch. As the two forces confronted each other, a yellow light flared within the formation and the forest suddenly fell silent – the wind stopped, the rain ceased, and all strange sounds vanished from the surroundings.

Looking into the formation again, there was no sign of either the tall monk or the thin novice – only a black object the size of a chicken egg lay on the ground.

The forest was completely silent at first, then erupted in cheers. Juesheng and Qizhi were the first to cry out in joy, running to Qingxu Zi: “Grandmaster! Senior Brother! We vanquished the demon! We vanquished it!”

As they spoke, they happily embraced their grandmaster. The brothers’ laughter was highly infectious, and as everyone else breathed sighs of relief, they too showed grateful smiles. They had spent half the night at the demon’s mercy, their lives hanging by a thread. After such prolonged anxiety, they could finally breathe easily.

Teng Yu Yi was especially happy, only regretting that she couldn’t deliver a final sword strike to Naizhong herself. Still, surviving an encounter with such a great evil demon was fortunate despite their misfortune.

While Lin Chengyou was happy, he was more curious about what that stone was. He leaped down from the treetop and walked to the formation to pick up that strange stone.

Looking at it, it resembled a sarira. He wondered aloud: “Even such an evil demon has a sarira?”

Qingxu Zi walked over for a closer look but couldn’t determine what it was. He could only call to Abbot Yuanjue: “Old monk, stop sitting so formally on your lotus platform and come look at this thing.”

Abbot Yuanjue dusted off his kasaya and unhurriedly walked over. He took the object and looked at it silently for a while, but also shook his head: “This old one also does not know what this is.”

***

When dawn broke, everyone emerged from the temple.

Though Teng Yu Yi had only rested for two hours the previous night, her spirits were remarkably good. As the master and servants left Libai Palace, they encountered Peng Huayue and others midway, but notably absent was Duan Qingying, who had presumably already left the temple.

The Peng sisters, looking like survivors of a disaster, warmly took Teng Yu Yi’s hands.

“Last time the Abbot said the three of us had calamity in our fate. After last night’s events, that calamity should be past now.”

With the three walking side by side, the corridor suddenly became narrow. Li Huaigu smiled and shook his head, naturally falling back a step. They hadn’t walked far when Chunrong tripped on a stone, causing her bundle to scatter, spilling something out.

Li Huaigu turned to look and saw it was a package of flower petals.

Biluo bent to help Chunrong pick them up: “The mistress didn’t say to keep these, why not just throw them away?”

“Don’t throw them away, what if she wants to make pastries later? Don’t forget when we were in Yangzhou, the mistress made flower cakes once every year.” As Chunrong spoke, she unconsciously glanced at Li Huaigu ahead, remembering how this Third Lady Li used to often visit their manor back then – this Third Lady Li had even eaten their mistress’s pastries.

In a blink, they reached the temple gates. Teng Yu Yi didn’t see her father but spotted Lin Chengyou talking with Abbot Yuanjue and others.

Lin Chengyou wore a jade crown and had changed into a clean round-collared black brocade robe with treasure patterns. The deep dark brocade patterns contrasted with the snow-white meditation robe collar beneath, somehow making him more eye-catching than his usually brightly colored crossed-collar robes.

Teng Yu Yi wanted to thank Lin Chengyou before leaving, but seeing the crowd around, she dismissed the thought. As she was about to look away, she suddenly noticed a wound below his mouth near his jaw angle, bright red with a scab formed – likely injured while dealing with Naizhong. The dark moonlight last night had hidden it, but though there was light spring rain this morning, the sun was strong enough to make it visible.

Just then, Dunfu came to say the master wanted to personally thank the Abbot and Lin Chengyou, telling Teng Yu Yi to wait in the carriage.

Outside the temple gates, she indeed saw her father waiting on horseback. Having her father thank Lin Chengyou and the others would naturally be more proper than her doing so herself. After a moment’s hesitation, Teng Yu Yi happily got into the carriage.

Lin Chengyou had planned to enter the palace early, as he needed to report on the three recently solved cases of fetus extraction murders, organize the matter of Song Jian’s assassination, and investigate the masters behind Zhuang Mu and the Bright Moon Hermit. With countless threads to untangle and thorny issues awaiting his attention, he instead stayed to help clean up after last night’s demon expelling left the temple in disarray.

While talking with Abbot Yuanjue, he heard Dunfu’s voice and turned to see Teng Yu Yi leaving with her servants. She wore a veiled hat and a pale green cape, walking straight through the front courtyard and out of the temple without a sideways glance.

Lin Chengyou raised an eyebrow but didn’t go over to bid farewell to Abbot Yuanjue, then thought perhaps she felt awkward approaching while he was there.

Suddenly feeling eyes on him, he turned to meet Juesheng and Qizhi’s curious gazes.

“What is it?”

They scratched their heads: “Nothing.”

Though they said this, Juesheng and Qizhi were puzzled. Their senior brother had just stared at Lady Teng until she left the temple without looking away. Out of curiosity, they had also looked but saw nothing unusual about her – at least her dress was the same as usual, and she wasn’t carrying any strange objects. They couldn’t understand what their senior brother was staring at.

After spending the morning busy at the temple, Lin Chengyou returned to Qingyun Temple at noon. With Qingxu Zi’s return, the temple atmosphere was notably livelier than usual.

After Naizhong was eliminated last night, Qingxu Zi instructed Lin Chengyou to stay with his junior brothers to help clean up while he returned to rest overnight. Juesheng and Qizhi, missing their chance to talk with their grandmaster, immediately began searching for him upon entering the temple.

Lin Chengyou stopped them: “Don’t bother looking, Grandmaster isn’t here. He left for Luoyang early this morning.”

Juesheng and Qizhi were shocked: “He just returned to Chang’an and left again?”

Lin Chengyou stepped into the scripture hall: “Isn’t it because of Master Jingchen’s matter? The old master went to Luoyang to discuss the aftermath with several Daoist masters at the grand assembly. He’ll return in a few days.”

Juesheng and Qizhi responded with understanding – that made sense, as their senior brother’s birthday was in a few days, and their grandmaster wouldn’t possibly miss it.

As they spoke, they noticed several brocade boxes piled on the table. They asked the elderly cultivator in charge of receiving gifts, who smiled and said: “They’re from General Teng.”

Lin Chengyou, who had been about to enter the inner room, stopped and walked over with his hands behind his back. He picked up a brocade box and asked: “What’s inside these?”

The elderly cultivator answered from the corridor: “Mostly pastries,” before going off to attend to other matters.

Juesheng and Qizhi said happily: “Must be from Lady Teng.”

Lin Chengyou opened the top box to find jade dew balls, Juesheng and Qizhi’s favorite. The second layer contained snowdrops. Going through box after box revealed all sorts of pastries, but notably no flower cakes.

Qizhi, holding a piece of pastry, asked: “Senior Brother, what are you looking for?”

Lin Chengyou casually put the box back on the table: “Just checking if General Teng sent anything else. If there’s anything too valuable, I should have it returned promptly.”

Suddenly he noticed another brocade box at the bottom. Picking it up, it was noticeably heavier than the others. Opening it revealed two ice-colored Xing kiln wine bottles.

When he removed the stopper, a crisp wine fragrance wafted out. Upon careful examination – ah, it was Huangu Lao wine.

This wine was extremely difficult to brew, with each cellar typically only producing two or three jars. In terms of rarity, it rivaled dragon liver and phoenix marrow.

The pile of pastries was for Juesheng and Qizhi, but was this wine specially for him? Could it be that she noticed he hadn’t drunk much Stone Frozen Spring or Emerald Wave that night and thought he had a particular taste in wine?

Such fine wine couldn’t simply be described as “good wine” – perhaps even Teng Yu Yi herself rarely indulged in it.

After Juesheng and Qizhi happily ate some pastries, they looked up to find their senior brother staring pensively at the wine in the box.

They were puzzled – they weren’t surprised that Lady Teng sent wine to the temple, but rather that their senior brother had been prone to such contemplation lately. Like now, just hearing the gifts were from Lady Teng brought a smile to his eyes.

Soon after, they watched as their senior brother naturally closed the lid, apparently planning to take the wine with him. Juesheng and Qizhi carefully asked: “Senior Brother, Lady Teng sent so many nice things – should our temple send something in return?”

Lin Chengyou thought for a moment. He hadn’t had time to look for the hair ornament yet, and sending clothes or jewelry in the temple’s name wouldn’t be appropriate today. Better to send some Three Purities Cakes first, then give her something else later.

“Doesn’t she love pastries? Since you two have nothing to do today, why not make some Three Purities Cakes?”

Juesheng smacked his forehead – right, he’d almost forgotten about that. Then he paused in surprise – their senior brother remembered this.

“Senior Brother, how do you remember so clearly?”

Logically, their relationship with Lady Teng was much closer than their senior brother’s. Already harboring many doubts, they could no longer contain themselves. Recalling the events of last night and this morning while suspiciously watching their senior brother’s back, they suddenly clapped their hands: “Ah! Senior Brother, have you taken a fancy to Lady Teng?”

Lin Chengyou stopped in his tracks, looking utterly incredulous: “Me? Fancy her? What nonsense are you talking about?”

Juesheng and Qizhi ran in front of Lin Chengyou, pointing at the box in his hands: “Senior Brother if you don’t like Lady Teng, why are you so happy just seeing gifts from her?”

Lin Chengyou wanted to deny it, but looking down, he was indeed holding the box.

“Someone sends me such fine wine – shouldn’t I be happy?”

Qizhi rubbed the back of his head: “No, no, Senior Brother, you were also constantly looking at Lady Teng today.”

Lin Chengyou found it somewhat amusing: “When did I look at her?”

“You did! At the temple,” Juesheng interjected.

Lin Chengyou snorted: “I was just seeing who was passing by. Is that considered staring? By that logic, how many people must I stare at each day?”

Qizhi mumbled: “If you weren’t paying attention, Senior Brother shouldn’t remember what clothes Lady Teng was wearing, right? For example, Juesheng and I can’t remember anymore – Senior Brother, you probably don’t remember either?”

Lin Chengyou’s smile froze. Today Teng Yu Yi had worn a pale green cape with a light green dress beneath.

“Also, when Naizhong came last night, Senior Brother protected Lady Teng behind you several times.”

Lin Chengyou felt increasingly uneasy inside but said: “Teng Yu Yi and I have been through life and death together. As friends, shouldn’t I care about her safety?”

“But, whenever Lady Teng left your side, Senior Brother would turn to look several times, so many times that… that even Juesheng and I noticed—” Juesheng said sheepishly. “Senior Brother, you’re also close with Daoist Jiantian, but did you notice where he was standing in the forest last night?”

Lin Chengyou could no longer smile. He clicked his tongue and simply put the box on the table: “Have you both lost your minds? Don’t forget your senior brother was afflicted by the Severing Emotions Gu, and the Gu mark hasn’t even faded yet.”

He pushed past them and walked out.

Juesheng and Qizhi chased after him: “But, Senior Brother you—”

Lin Chengyou, irritated at hearing this, turned to face them: “If your senior brother liked someone, would I need to hide it? If I liked Teng Yu Yi but wouldn’t admit it, then let lightning strike me!”

Lin Chengyou said this while standing on the steps. Though it had rained this morning, now the sun was blazing. But spring weather in the fourth month was unpredictable – as soon as these words left his mouth, lightning truly struck from the sky. Fortunately, Lin Chengyou moved from the steps in time to avoid being struck.

Juesheng and Qizhi stood with mouths half-open. Lin Chengyou was also dumbfounded. After that spring thunderstruck, and large raindrops began pattering down from the sky.

Lin Chengyou’s expression became extremely strange. After a moment’s stupefaction, he turned back without a word. Juesheng and Qizhi stepped forward to follow: “Senior Brother.”

Lin Chengyou hurriedly walked to the treasure pavilion, pried open the lock, and searched for a while. However, his scattered thoughts prevented him from finding the “Severing Emotions Gu” text. Looking around, he simply rolled up his sleeves to grind ink and picked up a brush to write a line, then stopped.

“Respected Grandmaster, regarding the Severing Emotions Gu manual in the temple…”

After writing one sentence, he crumpled the note into a ball and threw it away, instead writing: “Respected Grandmaster, regarding the Gu mark on your disciple’s neck—”

The brush tip paused, and he crumpled this paper into a ball and threw it away too.

Finally, he simply wrote directly: “Grandmaster, regarding the Severing Emotions Gu your disciple was afflicted with in childhood—”

But the brush stopped again. He stared at those three characters for a long while before continuing.

“Grandmaster, what exactly is happening with that Gu poison?”

For why did it seem that he had… had fallen in love with a young lady?

Author’s Note:

From the Platform Sutra.