Winter was mild, and the sunlight was as clear as tea.
The room was a mess of soft cushions and green plants. The window was half open, and the broken sutras rustled in the wind, creating an atmosphere of eerie calm.
But in the center of this calm, the scene was like hell.
Yang fire wasn’t ordinary fire, and the abbot wasn’t an ordinary person. Wrapped in flames, his appearance remained unchanged, without any signs of decay or blackening. He seemed to be napping with his head down, giving people a glimmer of painful hope.
Juehui sat motionless by the wall, looking like a soulless corpse. The young monk’s face, Shixing’s, was pale, his lips trembling, and his whole body shaking. Shi Jingzhi reached out and grabbed Yin Ci’s hands, which were damp and cold.
Four pairs of eyes were fixed on Abbot Juefei, but no one made a sound. Everyone held their breath, as if waiting for an impossible miracle to happen.
But there were no miracles in this world.
After a while, starting from his feet, the body of Abbot Juefei began to disintegrate.
The living flesh cracked slightly, turning into fine white ashes. Then the ashes burned through, completely dissolving into nothingness. In this way, Abbot Juefei maintained a quiet sitting posture, gradually collapsing from bottom to top, merging into the faint breeze swirling in the room.
Half an incense stick’s worth of time passed, or perhaps half a century.
The ashes burned out, and the golden flames finally extinguished. There were no relics or bones on the bed; only a charred black scorch mark remained.
They had understood the worldly entanglements of a lifetime, looking back without being stained by dust.
Everything happened suddenly, ending silently.
The air became stagnant for a moment. The fact that “Abbot Juefei died” weighed heavily, like a mountain, suspended in the air, unable to land for a long time. Just a little while ago, the abbot was unharmed, smiling and talking with everyone.
Even Yin Ci, who had seen the vicissitudes of the world, was once again filled with bitterness by the impermanence of life.
Seeing the sorrow on Monk Juehui’s face, Monk Zhixing took two steps back. The black scorch mark was like a heavy hammer, shattering his sanity. The young monk was on the verge of collapse, stumbling towards the door, wanting to escape from this place.
“Bang!”
A burst of true qi shot out instantly, warningly hitting in front of Monk Zhixing.
Seeing Zhixing stop in his tracks, Shi Jingzhi expressionlessly withdrew his hand and looked at the black scorch mark.
“You…” Monk Zhixing clenched his teeth, his expression still somewhat dazed. “I’ve seen this golden fire before. You—”
“Zhixing, be careful with your words!” Monk Juehui finally trembled as he stood up, his voice hoarse.
“Master, you know that Yin Ci is the person in the Ghost Tomb in white! He just stopped his companions, clearly knowing what happened. There are many greats in the martial world who can control yang fire, and we have only seen it with the sect master…”
Monk Zhixing spoke quickly, his voice choking. It was as if he could only breathe again when he grasped a certain hatred.
Yin Ci understood that feeling. As despair approached, people couldn’t change their fate and could only futilely grasp at a straw to escape from collapse. The abbot’s death was too sudden, without any warning. The chaos and sorrow of the young monk couldn’t even be soothed by Buddha himself.
He could only turn them into anger and hatred.
Unfortunately, Monk Juefei had anticipated this in advance—
Juefei could have said something else.
As the highest-ranking cultivator in the temple, Abbot Juefei could have realized the cause of death and made it public, allowing the monks to search for the culprit. Even if he didn’t hold onto hatred, with the turmoil in the martial world and the Jianchen Temple on the verge of chaos, he could have left a will and made arrangements after his passing.
But he didn’t.
Abbot Juefei, with all his strength, left a sentence that seemed ordinary and unrelated to others.
[Juehui, Zhixing… What happened today… has nothing to do… with the Kushan Sect…]
…So don’t be blinded by anger and wronged the innocent.
“Senior Brother said that today’s events have nothing to do with the Kushan Sect.”
Monk Juehui’s tone was calm, but his clasped hands trembled slightly.
“Senior Brother Juefei is the most accomplished cultivator in the temple. Do you think his judgment would be worse than yours?”
Monk Zhixing’s eyes turned red.
He opened his mouth, but in the end, no words came out. Zhixing felt as if he had been emptied all at once. He stared blankly into his master’s eyes but found no trace of pacification or deception.
His master had complete faith in the deceased abbot.
Zhixing’s resentment dissipated into thin air. He had to hold back his tears, avert his gaze, and focus on a shattered potted plant on the ground. Sunlight scattered over the green leaves, and Zhixing clung to their vibrant color, not daring to look at the bed.
Juehui tightened his face with a bitter expression, then turned around after a while. “Friend Yin, may I ask about earlier—”
Yin Ci answered straightforwardly, “Before the ignition of the yang fire, the abbot’s life force had already been severed. The abbot had profound cultivation, and he forcibly suppressed it with his physical strength, which is why he lasted so long.”
Monk Juehui fell into silence for a long time.
Finally, he sighed softly. “Amitabha, it would be better for you all to leave the mountain soon, and after you are far away, I will announce this matter.”
Having said that, Monk Juehui walked towards the door but was intercepted by Shi Jingzhi’s burst of true qi.
“Venerable, please stay.”
Although Monk Juehui was also somewhat dazed, he didn’t show the same anger as Zhixing. “Does Sect Master Shi have something else to say?”
“If A’Ci hadn’t noticed anything earlier… I would have approached and taken his pulse, and you, Venerable, would have come closer, concerned about the condition of the abbot.”
Shi Jingzhi released Yin Ci’s hand, slowly clenched his fist, and his voice became solemn.
“I am accustomed to using yang fire. I can use fire to defend against fire, and nothing will happen to me. But if Venerable is concerned, chaos will ensue. Facing such yang fire, your life will also be in danger. The Jianchen Temple will lose two respected eminent monks in an instant, which will undoubtedly greatly weaken its vitality and leave it unable to take care of itself.”
“If that was the case, according to Venerable Zhixing’s perspective, I touched the abbot, and he died in the yang fire, which also caused the death of Venerable Juehui. Even if I claim that ‘I wouldn’t be foolish enough to attack on the spot,’ Zhixing and everyone present would suspect our sect. Who in the martial world would truly believe me?”
Monk Juehui furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
“In that kind of situation, I can’t argue with a hundred mouths. To buy time to escape from the mountain, I would have no choice but to kill Zhixing… By doing so, not only will the reputation of the Kushan Sect be tarnished, but the Jianchen Temple will also see us as a thorn in their side.”
He spoke these words in a straightforward manner. Zhixing had never heard such a blunt declaration of murder and instinctively took a step back.
Shi Jingzhi didn’t even look at Zhixing.
The politeness and smile on his face vanished, revealing a hint of wickedness. Standing in the mess, he exuded an intimidating aura.
“…But looking at the situation, I can’t help but feel that something is not right. If the killer only wanted to trouble the Kushan Sect, they could have targeted ordinary people and framed us with planted evidence. Going to the extent of killing a highly skilled abbot seems like a grandiose plan.”
His tone was nonchalant, and Zhixing couldn’t bear to listen anymore. “Sect Master Shi, what do you take human lives for?”
“Zhixing!” Monk Juehui shouted. “This is the abbot’s room. Are you going to harbor anger here? Sect Master Shi, please continue.”
“The killer not only wants to ensure the Jianchen Temple falls into chaos but also wants to tarnish the reputation of the Kushan Sect, killing two birds with one stone. From my perspective, ‘disrupting the Jianchen Temple’ is probably the most important objective… Venerable Juehui, I have a request.”
Monk Juehui looked deeply into Shi Jingzhi’s eyes. “Sect Master Shi, please speak.”
“Please go into seclusion and completely seal off the temple, cutting off all external contacts.”
Juehui: “Why?”
“Allow me to explain.”
This time, it wasn’t Shi Jingzhi who responded, but Yin Ci.
When Shi Jingzhi released the burst of true qi earlier, Yin Ci already understood Shi Jingzhi’s thoughts. It seemed that the sand table they played with a few days ago wasn’t in vain. His cheap master’s reaction was even quicker now, and his insight into the overall situation was reassuring.
But it was a cold and almost ruthless calmness.
If he let him continue, it might provoke the two monks. Having one villain from the Kushan Sect was enough.
Yin Ci retreated to the door, leaning against it to completely block the two monks’ way out.
He took a deep breath, deliberately giving his tone an air of arrogance. “During the Sutra Cleansing Session, the temple is tightly guarded. If both the abbot and the head monk died simultaneously, it would inevitably cause chaos. It is best to continue sealing off the temple until the chaos subsides.”
Juehui furrowed his brow and slowly pondered. “Are you asking this humble monk to fake his death?”
“If the killer knows that you’re still alive, they might come after you. It’s better to go along with the plan, conserve your strength, and it won’t harm the Jianchen Temple.”
Upon hearing this, Zhixing was stunned.
He looked at Shi Jingzhi for a moment, then turned his gaze to Yin Ci. Amidst his grief and anger, there was a hint of confusion. “If the killer is inside the temple, wouldn’t they be exposed immediately?”
Yin Ci: “No poison can ignite such yang fire, but a formation and curse can. It’s impossible for a master like Venerable Juefei to fail to notice the traces of a formation on his body. From this perspective, it can only be a curse; a highly concealed and malicious curse.”
Juehui suddenly realized. “Senior Brother spends his days meditating indoors. If someone wanted to perform the curse, there would be no opportunity inside the temple.”
Yin Ci nodded without saying more.
Monk Juehui, as the abbot of the Jianchen Temple, naturally had good insight.
The last time Venerable Juefei went down the mountain was at least ten years ago. By excluding this incident, the scope of the culprit could be narrowed down. The perpetrator would definitely not be foolish enough to stay in the temple.
However, the fact that the curse had been planted at least ten years ago showed a level of patience and malice that was alarming. Regardless of the killer’s plan, it couldn’t be something trivial.
Realizing this, Juehui’s pained expression finally relaxed slightly, with a mix of joy and sadness. “Amitabha, as monks, we cannot lie. Sealing off the temple is not out of the question, but if someone specifically asks, it will be difficult for our temple to deceive.”
“Furthermore, if our temple remains silent on this matter and conceals Senior Brother’s last words, Sect Master Shi’s path will become much more difficult.”
Shi Jingzhi interjected, “It doesn’t matter.”
“This is karma.” Monk Juehui’s shoulders slumped a little more. “To sacrifice the Kushan Sect for our own protection and deceive the world, Senior Brother will be the first one not to forgive me.”
Shi Jingzhi looked again at the burn marks on the bed. That black patch didn’t emit the slightest bit of light, resembling a cave leading straight to hell.
He stood silently for a moment, then lifted his robes and knelt down.
Shi Jingzhi’s tightly clenched fist remained unyielding, and his expression remained calm. He looked directly into Juehui’s eyes without any intention of evasion.
“Sect Master Shi?!”
“Venerable, please understand. Let the esteemed masters of the Jianchen Temple suffer this once. The Buddhist path is about purity, not clinging to love, hatred, or enmity. If Abbot Juehui believes in me, this junior will thoroughly investigate the cause of his death on behalf of the Jianchen Temple.”
Shi Jingzhi’s words were solemn and deliberate.
“In any case, this matter has a ’cause’ brought about by this junior, resulting in this unfortunate consequence. I am willing to bear it alone. The methods used by the killer are vicious, and the martial world is currently in turmoil. The Jianchen Temple is one of the pillars stabilizing the martial world and cannot suffer any further harm.”
Juehui was momentarily stunned. “Senior Brother has been contemplating the karmic ties of the world all his life, always cautious about cause and effect. This time, when all of you came to the mountain, he had hoped to sever the karmic ties of the <Woodless Sutra>… Unfortunately, human plans are no match for fate, and we cannot escape the karmic obstacles.”
In just a few sticks of incense, the face of Monk Juehui had aged as if he had grown ten years older.
“Very well, I promise you. This humble monk will bear this karmic obstacle.”
Upon hearing this, Shi Jingzhi stood up.
“Venerable, I will lie. I will spread the news outside that the abbot and you died in the yang fire, and I narrowly escaped from a sudden attack by Sect Master Shi.”
Zhixing, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly interjected. “I already have an unstable state of mind, being scolded by my master and the abbot every day. Now, it’s just… breaking another precept. If it’s only me who remains uninvolved, this matter will surely become my inner demon.”
“Master, according to the killer’s plan, it was originally my role to create chaos. Isn’t this also cause and effect?”
After speaking, Zhixing took a deep breath.
He took out a Buddha Heart Incense from the small table in the abbot’s room, and without waiting for Monk Juehui’s response, he bowed his head directly to Shi Jingzhi. “Sect Master Shi, at present, everyone is in the Scripture Cleansing Hall. There’s no time to waste. I will secretly escort you down the mountain.”
He raised his voice again on his own, with a slight tremor in his tone. “I have decided to tell this lie. Sect Master Shi, please… please don’t die, or else my inner demon will be unbearable.”
This time, he looked directly into Shi Jingzhi’s face, with an unwavering and resolute gaze filled with sorrow.
Shi Jingzhi smiled faintly and then nodded solemnly.
“A’Ci, go and find Yan Qing and Su Si… I’ll trouble Junior Master to guide the way.”
Unexpectedly, roles were reversed, and this time it was Juehui who spoke. “Sect Master Shi, please stay.”
“Venerable?”
“Let his poor monk ask you, even if you have to humble yourself and beg, are you willing to preserve our temple? What are you seeking? Is it for ‘yourself’ or for the ‘greater good’?”
Shi Jingzhi didn’t turn back.
“Of course, it is for ‘myself’.”
He still answered straightforwardly and without hesitation.
With the Buddha Heart Incense, his inner force was restored, and his inner demon was gone. It took several days to ascend the mountain, but it took less than an hour to descend. When they reached the land of the Lord of Greed, Zhixing stopped his qinggong and landed on top of a mountain rock.
“The remaining Buddha Heart Incense is enough for all of you to leave the mountain.”
Monk Zhixing spoke hoarsely.
“There are many people and prying eyes on the side of the mountain. With the sealing of the temple imminent, I apologize for not sending you off personally. Sect Master Shi, I was confused just now and may have said offensive words. I hope you can forgive me.”
Shi Jingzhi bowed in return. “Junior Master, take care.”
Due to the urgency of the situation, Yan Qing and Su Si were confused. They were about to ask questions when they were each grabbed by Yin Ci and quickly left the mountain.
As they had just left, not too far away, there came an extremely sorrowful cry from behind.
Zhixing, the solitary monk, remained alone on the mountain of the Lord of Greed, standing amidst the vast expanse of sky and earth, and finally, he too burst into tears of anguish.
After a few sticks of incense.
In the shade of the mountain, outside the stone gate, the four members of the Kushan Sect stopped in their tracks, panting for breath. After leaving Huilian Mountain, the white snow and green pines remained unchanged. There was no one around, and everything was still serene and desolate.
Yin Ci walked up to Shi Jingzhi and pulled up his sleeve.
Shi Jingzhi had very short fingernails, but now they were deeply embedded in his wound. The wound had burst open, and fresh blood stained the white bandages that wrapped it. Just a moment before Yin Ci discovered it, Shi Jingzhi had tightly clenched his fist, refusing to let go.
For a moment, Shi Jingzhi seemed to be filled with guilt as he lowered his head. However, this time, Yin Ci didn’t release any anger towards his self-inflicted injury.
“Shizun, come here.”
Yin Ci, unusually, opened his arms and willingly embraced him—not to face an enemy, nor to study techniques.
“…A’Ci, I don’t really want to cry, and I can’t seem to cry.”
Shi Jingzhi tightly returned the embrace, greedily drawing warmth from the other’s body.
“The actions of Venerable Juefei before his death weren’t only for the Kushan Sect but also to free the Jianchen Temple from conspiracy… But his kindness towards us was genuine, without any falsehood or hidden agenda, and I can’t understand it.”
“I understand.”
“I feel very sad.”
“…I understand.”
Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes and fell silent. He held the embrace even tighter, like clinging pampas grass to a boulder.
The Buddha Heart Formation asked for sincerity, and Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance asked for attachment.
Fortunately, no one asked about joy or sorrow.
