Chapter 617: Arrival

Chapter 617: The Arrival

In the dimly lit forest, Li Huowang’s conversation with the abbot of Zhengde Temple continued, though the atmosphere had grown markedly more subdued compared to before.

“Who is your fate-teller?” Li Huowang asked the old monk, his gaze fixed on him.

“Fate-teller? We are monks who have left the world, devoted to the Buddha and bodhisattvas—we do not believe in destiny.”

Li Huowang quickly changed his approach. “Oh, then which Buddha do you believe in?”

“Amida Buddha, the Diamond World Vairocana in the center, Aksobhya in the eastern Fragrant Accumulation World, Ratnasambhava in the southern Joyful World, Amitabha in the western Pure Land World, and Samantabhadra in the northern Lotus World—these are the Five Wisdom Buddhas.”

“The Five Wisdom Buddhas? Are they the ones who oversee flesh and blood? Or those who govern birth and fertility?” Li Huowang pondered silently.

Seeing Li Huowang’s terrifying expression, the abbot of Zhengde Temple clasped his hands tightly together and bowed deeply toward him. “Venerable, saving one life is better than building seven levels of a pagoda. Please, give us some grain.”

“Even if you’ve had conflicts with Buddhist disciples in the past, surely the common folk have no quarrel with you. Can you bear to see them starve to death?”

Hearing this, Li Huowang turned his gaze back to the abbot. “I can give you grain, but after that, you must leave—no matter where you go, just don’t come near Niu Xin Village!”

Upon hearing about the grain, the old abbot’s face lit up with joy. “What a great kindness, Venerable! My disciples and I will chant sutras and pray for you, accumulating great merit for you before the Buddha!”

“No need,” Li Huowang said dismissively. “I cannot accept such great merit from your Buddha.”

Li Huowang did not fully trust these monks from Great Qi, and he only wanted to borrow their grain to get rid of these mysterious figures.

At Li Huowang’s command, heavy bags of grain were pushed to the gate by wheelbarrows. Though the monks tried to act composed, their secret attempts to stuff raw rice into their mouths betrayed them.

Watching their actions, Li Huowang found himself believing even more in what the abbot had said earlier.

He looked at the old monk beside him, thought for a moment, and then asked, “You should know that this place is no longer part of Great Qi, right?”

The abbot showed no surprise upon hearing this. “May the Buddha be with us. This humble monk knows well. But wherever there is a vast world, there is the Buddha, there is a land of the Buddha, and there is a realm of freedom.”

Li Huowang couldn’t quite grasp what the man was talking about. He continued, “I don’t care about heavens or lands. Let me warn you—the sect that caused the heavenly disasters has also come here.”

“If you truly are monks of compassion, remember to seek out and trouble the culprits responsible for the suffering of the people of Great Qi when you have time.”

The abbot’s eyes widened slightly, and his white beard fluttered as if moved by wind, but he quickly calmed down again. “May the Buddha be with us. This humble monk understands.”

“If someday you meet other sect members from Great Qi, make sure to tell them this news. Surely you wouldn’t want this vast world to become like Great Qi, would you?”

“That is correct,” the abbot nodded gently. Both men raised their heads simultaneously to look toward the left side of Niu Xin Village—they were coming.

When the figure appeared under the moonlight, Li Huowang slowly lowered his sword. He knew this person—he could barely call her a friend.

It was the woman who had once given him the Spine Sword, Fo Yulu.

Seeing her behind her companions—Liu Zongyuan and Hong Da, familiar faces from the Heavenly Observing Bureau—Li Huowang felt reassured. It seemed the Heavenly Observing Bureau was not slow to react.

“It’s fine. The people coming are from the Heavenly Observing Bureau. Just explain clearly to them—you won’t be harmed,” Li Huowang told the abbot.

But Fo Yulu came forward without any intention of speaking with the abbot. She directly approached Li Huowang and asked, “Erjiu, what’s going on? Where did these monks come from?”

Originally, Li Huowang had planned to send a message to the Heavenly Observing Bureau via Xiaoman, but now he could speak directly—no need for such complications.

After briefly explaining the entire situation, Li Huowang expected questions, but the others accepted it naturally.

“You already knew the people from Great Qi were coming?” he asked in confusion.

“Lord of the Celestial Observatory gave orders in advance,” Fo Yulu replied. Then she walked away with her followers, whispering among themselves about the monks from Zhengde Temple.

Hearing this, Li Huowang understood. The Celestial Observatory had long known what would happen, yet hadn’t told him.

Thinking this, Li Huowang walked over to Fo Yulu’s group and said, “Has something big happened in the bureau recently? If there’s anything I can help with, my people and I are ready to assist.”

Great Qi had already been a warning. Li Huowang could not remain untouched. Helping the Heavenly Observing Bureau meant helping himself.

“You?” Fo Yulu frowned at Li Huowang. “Aren’t you now attached to the emperor’s high branch? Why still concern yourself with bureau matters?”

Li Huowang didn’t bother to explain. He gave a casual excuse, “His Majesty commanded me to assist the Heavenly Observing Bureau.”

Though Fo Yulu still held a grudge over Li Huowang stealing her weapon, as a minister, she understood that personal grievances could wait while dealing with official assignments.

“The Lord of the Celestial Observatory has issued a direct order: kill all followers of the Great Qi sect without mercy. Three heads—one longevity pill. If you encounter disciples from Great Qi sects, try to contact them and offer assistance to gain their favor.”

“What about the refugees from Great Qi? Did the Lord of the Celestial Observatory say anything about them?”

“Relief efforts are handled by the imperial court, not the Celestial Observatory.”

Li Huowang nodded in understanding. The Celestial Observatory indeed knew what would happen when the Great Qi emperor connected with the dragon vein of the Liang dynasty. They had prepared contingency plans.

This was good news. At least they weren’t neglecting their duties—they were using the bureau’s people to minimize the impact.

“May the Buddha be with us. Venerable lady, are you truly from the Celestial Observatory?” The abbot stepped forward and asked.

Fo Yulu immediately showed respect, displaying her badge before bowing deeply. “Greetings, Master. Though I am not yet ordained, I am a follower of the Buddha.”

“If you are indeed from the Heavenly Observing Bureau, then this humble monk has something to report. Some of the leaders of the sect haven’t died—they’ve also come here. We must find the Stone of Tai Mountain soon. He is key.”

“He is very skilled at seducing people. If we let him go, he’ll soon gather a large following of Stone Dug believers.”

“Stone Dug?” Fo Yulu showed a trace of confusion.

Li Huowang, frowning, spoke in a low voice, “Stone Dug is another name for Yu’er Shen. This man is a major problem. We must deal with him quickly.”

——

Next chapter update at 11:30 PM.

(End of Chapter)