Chapter 341: Spindle

Inside Fogu Temple, cries of lament filled the air. Monks and pilgrims alike were rescuing those injured by the collapsing temple.

Many more people spontaneously began clearing the collapsed temple, frantically dragging out some of the buried flesh-and-blood bodhisattvas.

Amidst the panicked crowd, no one noticed the black spindle that had rolled into a corner.

Two blood-stained pointed awls reached down, picking up the unattended spindle as if they were chopsticks.

Li Huowang, with a slight frown, carefully examined the object Zhuge Yuan had given him earlier.

The spindle was made from an old, yellowish bone, wide at both ends and narrow in the middle. Scratches on its surface suggested it was ancient.

Dense black silk threads were tightly wound around it, forming a ball of yarn, making the spindle look like a handleless hammerhead, truly living up to its name.

"What is this thing?" The first question popped into Li Huowang's mind, followed immediately by another: "Could it pose any hidden dangers?"

He recalled Zhuge Yuan's initial kindness towards him. If Zhuge Yuan was indeed the one who killed Facai, his strength must far surpass Li Huowang's. If Zhuge Yuan intended to harm him, Li Huowang would have no way to retaliate.

Li Huowang sat on a nearby step, using torture awls to hold the bone spindle, and began to sort through his thoughts from the beginning. "Zhuge Yuan... Zhuge Yuan..."

"First, it's clear that Zhuge Yuan must belong to another powerful faction, given the old eunuch's alarmed reaction when he heard Zhuge Yuan's name. This faction is definitely stronger than Zhengde Temple and An'ci Convent."

"The incident began with the Sitwang Dao, the Bureau of Celestial Observation, and Zhuge Yuan—three parties vying for the Heart's Turbidity. The outcome is known: Zhuge Yuan killed Facai, bypassed Jixiang, and ultimately secured the Heart's Turbidity, emerging as the victor."

Having been in this cursed place for so long, Li Huowang knew the weight of the Bureau of Celestial Observation. For such an entity to be wary of Zhuge Yuan, he could barely imagine how powerful Zhuge Yuan must be.

Furthermore, considering Zhuge Yuan's abilities, despite his scholar-like appearance, how could a mere scholar be capable of defeating Facai, one of the three Doyens of Sitwang Dao?

Li Huowang recalled the abrupt, perplexing question Jixiang had once asked him.

"This humble one asks you, when you went to Fogu Temple, did you notice anything strange? Did anyone do anything that seemed ridiculous yet entirely reasonable?"

Those were Jixiang's exact words, but Li Huowang couldn't grasp what "ridiculous yet entirely reasonable" meant. What did it have to do with Zhuge Yuan, and why did it terrify Jixiang so much?

Li Huowang closed his eyes and mentally replayed all the events at Fogu Temple. If anything fit the description of "ridiculous yet entirely reasonable," it was Xinci suddenly accusing him of being a Sitwang Dao follower.

Xinci might have been petty, but it seemed peculiar that he would still attack Li Huowang even when constantly threatened by Sitwang Dao ambushes.

Moreover, earlier, when the Sitwang Dao impostor appeared pretending to be Li Huowang, Xinci could have easily claimed that the real Li Huowang was an accomplice and that the two Sitwang Dao followers were performing a double act.

Yet, Xinci said nothing. Instead, he simply let it go, like an inexperienced youth, offering no defense whatsoever.

Sitting on the steps, Li Huowang sifted through his thoughts inch by inch, but the more he thought, the more suspicious details emerged.

"Is this Zhuge Yuan's ability? Can he alter someone's actions without them realizing it? What kind of divine power is that? Mind control?" Li Huowang speculated wildly.

"Wait, if he can control others, why didn't he use it on me earlier?"

If he truly possessed such a unique divine power and had a goal, there would be no need to talk to Li Huowang; he could simply control him to do whatever he wanted.

"Unless..." Li Huowang's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart skipped a beat. "Unless he has no agenda at all."

This thought made Li Huowang look down at the spindle again. "So why did he give me this? Is he kind-hearted? Did he pity me and want to help? That's impossible! It's illogical! There's no one that good in this world! I don't believe it! He must have ulterior motives!"

Just then, the monk illusion walked over from the side, remarking with a strange expression, "Daoist, you can't say that. I became a monk precisely to do good deeds. And wasn't Master Jingxin a good person?"

Li Huowang stood rooted to the spot, pondering for a long time, until his head ached, but he couldn't make sense of it.

Li Huowang vigorously shook his head and let out a deep sigh. Accustomed to malice, he now found himself more fearful of kindness.

He would have preferred if Zhuge Yuan had simply attacked him directly, like everyone else. Whether he lived or died, at least he wouldn't be in such a state of indecision.

"Namo Amitabha, benefactor, this old monk extends his greetings." Li Huowang looked up to see an old monk in a kasaya standing before him, his face filled with compassion.

"Benefactor, I understand that great endeavors sometimes require overlooking minor details, and I know the Bureau of Celestial Observation has lofty ambitions, but please, do not add more bloodshed. Because of you, five Buddhist disciples of this temple have already passed away," the old monk said, pressing his palms together and kneeling before Li Huowang.

Gazing at the nine scars on the monk's head, Li Huowang pushed up from his knees and turned towards the entrance of Fogu Temple. "Another good person? Perhaps, but I still can't trust it."

As he left Fogu Temple, Li Huowang had already formulated his next move. "Instead of speculating wildly here, I should try to extract information from Jixiang. That old eunuch definitely knows Zhuge Yuan's true background!"

"Once I figure out this person's origin, then I'll decide how to deal with this spindle!"

Li Huowang lowered his head, wrapped the spindle securely in the leather bag he used for his torture implements, and swung onto his horse.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop," the iron-shod hooves rhythmically rose and fell, splashing mud up and then letting it drop.

Cold rainwater pattered against the horse's back and also lashed against Li Huowang's face.

Li Huowang glanced up at the gloomy sky, then refocused on the increasingly muddy dirt road ahead.

He had arrived by carriage, and despite fears of rain, the sky had been clear. Yet, on his way back on horseback, the heavens seemed to have sprung a leak, pouring relentlessly.

It was deep into the night, and with the rain still falling, riding was ill-advised. However, stopping and standing still in such conditions would be even worse. Li Huowang needed to find shelter from the rain as quickly as possible.

When he spotted a flag with the character "Yi" (驿, for post station) swaying in the rain, Li Huowang's eyes lit up. He pressed his left foot into the stirrup, dismounted swiftly, and strode inside.

Post stations in Daliang served as places for transmitting military intelligence, and for officials to eat, rest, and change horses during their journeys.

When the yawning post officer, carrying a lantern, opened the door, he was met with the sight of a Bureau of Celestial Observation waist token right in his face.

The half-asleep officer instantly jolted, becoming fully awake.

A moment later, the stablehand woke up and led Li Huowang's horse away, attending to it as if it were his own father.

The cook also awoke, and all the presentable dishes the post station had were brought to Li Huowang's guest room.