Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Buddhist Opportunity Sealing Movement

Fa Xi Temple.

Fa Xi Temple was originally named Tianzhu Temple, but after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, Jiangnan Dao was within the territory of Wu Country at the time. Many in Wu Country harbored animosity towards Buddhism, sparking the infamous campaign to annihilate Buddhism. It was then that Tianzhu Temple was renamed to Fa Xi Temple.

In addition, it was the prevention by the Zhenyi Sect Leader that allowed this ancient temple to be preserved.

Fa Xi Temple was surrounded on three sides by mountains, offering a picturesque landscape. Its interior was dotted with splendid buildings and valuable collections of scriptures and elixirs.

The built structures include the Heavenly King Hall, Yuantong Treasure Hall, Grand Hall, Scripture Pavilion, Vilu Hall, among others, arranged in a solemn and orderly manner, along with the heritage of the Scripture Translating Platform, Seven-leaf Hall, and the Three-Life Stone.

Inside the Vilu Hall, it was categorically calm and silent.

Fa Zhi was kneeling in front of a Buddha statue, his eyes tightly shut, tapping a wooden fish in his hands.

Time passed unbeknownst, and Fa Zhi’s movements halted. He then slowly opened his eyes and glanced at the wooden fish hammer in his hand.

On the wooden fish hammer, a crack had startlingly appeared.

“When demons see blessings, their evil is not ripe; when their evil ripens, they must endure severe punishment.”

Fa Zhi sighed deeply.

A crack appearing on the wooden fish hammer was evidently an ominous sign.

“Senior brother.”

Just then, a youthful voice called out from outside the door.

A small monk, about seven or eight years old, stood at the doorway, holding a string of Buddha beads.

The little monk had rosy lips and white teeth, clear eyes and handsome features, yet his expression carried a bit of naivety and innocence.

“Come in.”

Fa Zhi slowly said, “Have you recited today’s scriptures?”

“Senior brother, Fa Wu has recited.” the young monk replied with his hands clasped respectfully.

Fa Zhi nodded without saying more.

Fa Wu, puzzled, asked, “Senior brother, why do you constantly recite scriptures in this Vilu Hall?”

His senior brother, Fa Zhi, had been reciting scriptures here for several days; he did not understand why not in the Grand Hall.

“I am resolving karma.”

“Has senior brother managed to resolve it?”

“The cycle of cause and effect, consequences arise from causes, naturally they also cease due to causes.”

“What is the cause? Is it the Buddha?”

“No, it is the beings of this world.”

Fa Wu said, “Since it’s the cause of the beings of this world, naturally it must be resolved by the beings of this world.”

Fa Zhi chuckled softly, “But aren’t you and I also part of these myriad beings?”

Fa Wu nodded, seemingly understanding yet not quite; I am indeed part of the myriad beings of this world. If the cause is sown by the people of this world, naturally I must also bear such consequences.

Behind that Buddha statue in front, specks of black energy began to emerge, like dark vines entwined around the Buddha statue, while a layer of golden radiance pulsed from within the statue.

The black energy and the golden light reflected off each other, intertwining.

If An Jing were here, he would definitely recognize that the black energy in front of him was Yin Energy.

A place of Buddhist purity had manifest such dense Yin Energy, even seemingly overshadowing the Buddha statue’s golden radiance.

“Crack!” “Crack!”

The next moment, as if unable to withstand it, the Buddha statue’s body suddenly displayed several cracks, and soon these cracks spread across the entire statue.

“Hiss!” “Hiss!”

The already weak golden light instantly shattered, and the black Yin Energy became even more rampant and wild.

Fa Wu cried out, “Senior brother, this…”

“Evil has ripened.”

Fa Zhi sighed softly, “Quickly call all the monks in the temple here.”

“Yes, Fa Wu will go right now.”

Fa Wu, upon hearing this, dared not slacken in the slightest.

…….

Inside Jishi Hall.

Zhao Qingmei sat beside a table, her expression calm and indifferent.

“Miss, Master, your son-in-law has already gone out with his medicine box,” Tan Yun said quietly, then obediently stood aside.

Zhao Qingmei softly said, “Mr. Third, you are aware of last night’s events, aren’t you?”

“I am aware. The two individuals pursued by Cao Gang were Mu Xiaoyun and Jiang Sanjia,” Li Fuzhou slowly said, “The person who was killed was indeed Xue Chen of the Floating Blood Sword. His cultivation had reached the First Grade, that is certain.”

The Human Sect was specifically responsible for auditing and intelligence. Needless to say, Li Fuzhou had been on the Yu State River last night and naturally knew this matter like the back of his hand.

“Mu Xiaoyun?”

Zhao Qingmei couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing these three words.

Mu Xiaoyun was the wife of the Gang Leader of Cao Gang, yet now she was being pursued by Cao Gang.

Li Fuzhou said, “According to the intelligence gathered by the spies, it seems Mu Xiaoyun knew something detrimental to Liu Qingshan, which led to her house arrest. Eventually, she secretly escaped, and Xue Chen, owing her a favor from many years ago, did not hesitate to die for her because of that past kindness.”

Tan Yun quietly said beside, “I didn’t expect such a peerless swordsman to be defeated so easily. I had thought his skills were profound.”

“Facing one First Grade Expert and three Second Grade Experts in a joint attack, holding on for several exchanges is already commendable,” Li Fuzhou glanced at Tan Yun and said, “Your cultivation seems to have stagnated for quite a while. It seems you’ve become lax since leaving the headquarters. Too many comfortable days have made you quite plump.”

Tan Yun shrank her neck, too frightened to speak again.

Only when Li Fuzhou withdrew his gaze did she subconsciously touch her round cheeks and soft belly, thinking to herself: It’s all because of that stinking son-in-law. Every time he returns, he brings back pastries. Even though I’ve told him not to, he insists on bringing them… and I can’t let them go to waste…

“Finding Mu Xiaoyun, I am very curious about this secret,” Zhao Qingmei said with a smile, “and also about that Jiang Sanjia.”

“Sect Hierarch, do you intend to use Jiang Sanjia’s Ghost Valley Heavenly Mechanism to find the killer of the old Sect Hierarch?” Li Fuzhou asked gravely.

“Exactly,” Zhao Qingmei said indifferently.

Li Fuzhou thought for a moment, then said, “I doubt Jiang Sanjia will be able to calculate it. Those capable of killing the old Sect Hierarch are undoubtedly among the top few experts in the world today. The divination practices of the Ghost Valley Sect adhere to the principle that not all heavenly secrets should be revealed.”

Old Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang of Demon Sect, a peerless expert whose name made all heroes tremble, a tyrant who controlled the Demon Sect. Anyone capable of killing such a figure could be counted on one hand in the entire world.

Zhao Qingmei said with an expressionless face, “Let’s find this person first. I don’t want to see the people from Cao Gang getting to them before us.”

Li Fuzhou nodded slightly, then as if he remembered something, said, “Sect Hierarch, I have received an important piece of news.”

“Speak.”

“The thing that was sealed in Fa Xi Temple seems to have loosened.”

“Oh? That is not a good omen.”

Zhao Qingmei raised her eyebrow and fell into deep thought, “If the object recorded in the ancient scriptures in our sect is true…”

The antiquity of the Demon Sect outlasted many sects of Great Yan, and today, only Zhenyi and Buddhism are comparable. The remaining sects are merely newcomers. Furthermore, given the continuous prosperity of the Demon Sect, the secrets recorded in its ancient scriptures are considered supreme in the world.

“This object, if obtained by those with ulterior motives, might lead to another period of great turmoil,” Li Fuzhou said slowly.

“It seems this Ullambana Festival, we ought to join the excitement,” Zhao Qingmei said somberly.

Li Fuzhou nodded and said, “Just leave it to me.”

“Mr. Third, how is your injury?” Zhao Qingmei asked, glancing at Li Fuzhou.

“Although I have swallowed the elixir formulated by the Poison King within our sect, it still requires some time.”

Li Fuzhou regretted, “Had it not been for Xue Chen stealing my Zhu fruit, by now my injury might almost be fully healed…”

As he spoke, Li Fuzhou suddenly felt something odd. Zhao Qingmei had always been aware of his injury, why was she suddenly asking these questions?

“Sect Hierarch…”

“I heard this morning that you are taking my husband to the brothel to listen to music.”

“It was just an offhand remark made to test that young doctor.”

Li Fuzhou chuckled nervously, heartachingly took out the silver he had not yet warmed up, and offered it with both hands: “Sect Hierarch, this is the silver given to me by your husband, exactly ten taels, no more, no less.”

Zhao Qingmei accepted the silver contentedly, thinking, The hard-earned consultation fee of my husband can only be used by me.