Chapter 49: Heart Purity

The black donkey's hooves clip-clopped on the hard road, making crisp, continuous sounds. The others, looking somewhat panicked, trotted alongside the donkey cart. As they walked, they occasionally glanced behind them, as if afraid something was pursuing them.

"Brother Li, why are we in such a hurry to leave the pass?" Guo Wa asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Since Zhengtu Temple has been operating in the bustling market for so long, and is still so lively, why do you think we need to leave the pass?" Li Huowang's expression was grimly dark.

Hearing Li Huowang's rhetorical question, Xiao Man, covered in black fur, spoke up. "The fact that Zhengtu Temple can be in the same city as the imperial palace and coexist peacefully for so long already tells us something. Whether the authorities in Xijing City are colluding with them or have been infiltrated, the local government here cannot be trusted."

Li Huowang nodded. It was understandable if ordinary people like him were deceived, but he wouldn't believe for a second that all levels of authority in such a large country were completely deceived. They must have some shady dealings.

"Anyway, we've had enough of this place. All our last words have been delivered to Zhao Wu, and our next step was to leave the pass anyway."

With a rustle, Li Huowang spread out a map on the donkey cart. A map that couldn't be bought anywhere else was finally found in Xijing City, even though it was still very crude. Li Huowang's fingertip slowly traced across the map, drawing a route for their journey. Crossing the three nations of Si Qi, Hou Shu, and Qingqiu, their ultimate destination was Liang, Bai Lingmiao's hometown.

"Hmm, let's go to our place. We don't have such terrifying monks there. Our monks are all very kind."

Hearing Bai Lingmiao's words, Li Huowang looked up at her for a moment, then returned his gaze to the map. To be honest, he didn't trust anyone now. He couldn't tell if the monks Bai Lingmiao spoke of were truly kind, or if it was just another illusion. A group of ordinary mortals like themselves were simply too passive when facing these unfathomable beings.

They kept walking until dusk approached, and only stopped to rest when they could walk no further. Li Huowang looked at the bonfire before him. A sense of urgency welled up inside him; their pace was simply too slow. Truth be told, he wasn't short on money. If worst came to worst, he could pawn the jade pendant, which should be enough to get everyone a horse. The problem was, none of them knew how to ride a horse.

"Walking like this won't do. We can't use the main roads; it's too easy to be followed. After we eat, we'll head into the woods."

"Brother Li, here are your noodles. We'll be traveling soon, so I put a lot of lard in it to keep you full."

A steaming bowl of noodles was placed before Li Huowang, with specks of minced meat floating within. Sitting quietly beside him, watching Li Huowang slurp down the noodles, Bai Lingmiao rested her head on her knees and asked, "Since the monks of Zhengtu Temple aren't good people, Brother Li, what will you do about your matter? Do you have to find a monk? What about a nun?"

Swallowing the noodles in his mouth with effort, Li Huowang held the bowl, blew on it gently, then slurped down a big mouthful of broth. "It's nothing, a minor issue," he said. "Compared to the monks pursuing us, these matters are hardly a problem."

Since the monks had deceived him, everything they had said before now came with a question mark. Perhaps they couldn't deal with Dan Yangzi at all, or perhaps Dan Yangzi wasn't at all what they claimed. Whether Dan Yangzi existed or not, that could be dealt with later.

"Is there not enough noodles?" she asked. "Should I get you more? There's still some in the pot."

Li Huowang shook his head, handed the bowl to Bai Lingmiao, then stood up and walked over to Dummy. He stood on his tiptoes and slapped Dummy's large bald head. "Come on, stop eating. Come with me to the woods to relieve ourselves."

"Oh..."

In the small grove, Li Huowang and Dummy stood side by side, fertilizing the small trees in front of them. First, he turned his head and glanced at the bonfire behind them, then Li Huowang whispered something to him.

As night fell, Zhengtu Temple began to close its doors. All the monks gradually began their evening prayers, and the entire temple was filled with the rhythmic chanting of scriptures.

Jian Dun slowly walked through the temple, turning prayer beads with his right hand, his left hand clasped behind his back in a fist. Soon, he arrived at the Hall of Five Buddhas and saw the abbot inside, meticulously stringing prayer beads.

"Abbot," he said, "I just went to check and found that Benefactor Xuan Yang has left."

Abbot Xinhui, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, lifted the prayer beads from the water, holding them in the air to examine them. After a moment, he placed the prayer beads on the ground, then picked up an infant from a nearby cradle.

"Ah, how pitiful," he murmured. "If we hadn't found you early, your father would have drowned you." He gently comforted the baby girl in his arms.

"Abbot, Benefactor Xuan Yang has left."

"This old monk isn't deaf yet; no need to shout so loudly. Be careful not to disturb the child," he said, then commanded, "Strike the woodfish."

"Thump-thump-thump-thump~" The sound of woodfish striking resounded around them, and the entire Hall of Five Buddhas became solemn.

Xinhui carefully placed the child on the ground, then gently and delicately wrapped the newly made prayer beads around her body. Accompanied by the sound of the woodfish, Xinhui began to chant softly, but what he chanted was not Buddhist scripture; it was something else entirely.

"The moon hides the jade rabbit~ the sun hides the crow~ a turtle and snake~ naturally intertwine~"

As the chanting resonated, the prayer beads on the infant's body seemed to come alive and began to tighten. Feeling pain, the infant instinctively struggled and began to cry out, but her cries were utterly suppressed by the rhythmic thudding of the woodfish.

"Intertwined, life becomes firm, able to plant golden lotuses in fire~"

The prayer beads gradually sank into her flesh. An ordinary child would have died on the spot, but she continued to cry with surprising vigor. Xinhui formed a lotus hand seal with both hands and abruptly pointed forcefully at the bloodied child. Her cries gradually turned into laughter, which grew louder and louder, so loud that even the corners of the mouths of the five giant Buddha statues in the hall seemed to curl upwards.

"The five elements are gathered and used in reverse~ when the work is complete, one becomes a Buddha or an immortal~"

The sound of the woodfish gradually faded. The observant Jian Dun quickly took a few steps and carried a pre-prepared vase to Xinhui's side. Like planting a vegetable, Xinhui "planted" the constantly laughing infant in the vase filled with red water. It became a "Vase Maiden," identical to the one previously seen in Dan Yangzi's room.

After all this was done, Xinhui, still seated cross-legged, picked up a thread and began stringing prayer beads again.

"Since he's gone, go after him and bring him back."

"Yes, disciple obeys."

"Be careful. Although that boy knows nothing, his potential is not to be underestimated."

"That scoundrel Dan Yangzi, apart from anything else, certainly has good luck. Who knows where he found such a rare Heart-Substance."