I didn't feel the passage of time while I was in the cave. When I came out, it was already evening, and the sky was getting dark.

Mingzhuo hurriedly brought Gu Xu up, only to find that many of the monks in the temple had been injured.

It seems that the escaped evil spirits have caused them considerable trouble and pressure.

Seeing Gu Xu's hands covered in blood, several monks quickly brought over a first-aid kit.

Mingzhuo bandaged Gu Xu's wound, feeling a little regretful. It was such a pity that such a beautiful hand was injured.

"Are you alright?" When Gu Xu didn't speak, she spread her five fingers and waved them in front of him.

Gu Xu's face was slightly pale, and he subconsciously grabbed the hand that was waving.

After a moment, he let go and shook his head, "I'm fine."

Mingzhuo still felt something was off; Ah Xu's condition seemed a bit off.

She suddenly realized something, and her expression changed drastically. Could it be that Ah Xu was behaving so strangely because she smelled so bad, but he didn't want to say it directly?

"Excuse me, I'm going to take a shower first," Mingzhuo said, standing up immediately.

She had to emphasize that she was just as hygienic as Gu Xu! Even without perfume, she liked to keep herself clean and tidy, and she really didn't intentionally try to absorb that stinky mud!

When Mingzhuo wanted to take a bath, the monks in the temple didn't make things difficult for him. After all, he was a great benefactor who had saved Lingquan Temple, so they immediately went to make arrangements.

They found it a bit strange that Mingzhuo would ask them if she smelled bad, since she didn't smell bad at all!

Monks don't use idle talk; it's not just a social excuse!

Mingzhuo didn't want a group of monks to smell her body to see if she smelled bad, so she saw Pei Di limping over and grabbed him.

"Do I smell bad?" She put her hand under Pei Di's nose.

Pei Di's face flushed red instantly, and he stammered, "B-Boss, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

This is a Buddhist temple! And he felt quite embarrassed in front of several monks.

Mingzhuo: "What are you thinking? I'm just asking you if it stinks or not."

"It doesn't smell," Pei Di answered honestly.

Mingzhuo didn't doubt Pei Di's answer, but whether it was psychological or not, she still insisted on taking a shower.

As darkness fell completely, the abbot, Yuanhui, and Wunian were still busy performing rituals to deliver the evil spirits from their wrath.

Although those ghosts were very obedient, they were still thousand-year-old evil spirits, and they still needed to recite enough scriptures for salvation before they could go to the underworld to be reincarnated.

There were some mishaps along the way; a few disobedient individuals didn't want to leave and even tried to cause trouble.

Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Yuan Hui had a sudden inspiration and shouted, "Quickly, go and invite Benefactor Ruan over!"

After Mingzhuo came over and walked around, those disobedient ones became well-behaved.

The ritual finally ended around 11 p.m., and everyone was exhausted.

"Great, now we can finally get a good night's sleep," one of the monks said. After all, hearing the howling of evil spirits underground every night was a great torment for them.

Many people suffered from neurasthenia as a result, and some with weak minds were even possessed by evil spirits, raising their bayonets against their companions.

The abbot, being elderly and somewhat tired, instructed, "Everyone, go and rest."

Mingzhuo glanced at her from afar, yawned, and walked back. "Let's go, let's go to sleep."

——

The night was endless, all was quiet, and the entire temple was asleep.

The clouds on the horizon were thick, obscuring the moon behind them.

Just after midnight, a figure appeared by the well.

The wind blew through the clouds, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, shining its light on the earth.

A strange and ferocious smile appeared on the man's face. Suddenly, he tore off the gauze on his arm, cut open the wound, and smeared the blood on the well wall.

Then he clasped his hands together and recited the suppression scripture backwards. A strange roar came from the bottom of the well, as if it were responding to him.

The man's face lit up with joy, and he smeared the blood even more vigorously.

Golden scriptures appeared on the well wall, but they gradually faded under the onslaught of blood.

The creature underground seemed quite pleased, happy that it was about to escape.

Suddenly a whirlpool appeared in the well, the water flowed faster and faster, and something rose into the air, about to burst out of the well.

"Wow, what a big fish! I wonder if it tastes good." A laughing voice suddenly rang out in the quiet night.

After Mingzhuo finished speaking, she was also surprised. Why would she use the word "eat"?

The thing in the vortex froze upon hearing Mingzhuo's voice.

The person by the well became anxious and immediately knelt down, making strange noises and muttering incantations.

Their devout posture made it seem as if they regarded the thing in the vortex as a deity.

The monks following Mingzhuo were stunned. "Abbot, what are you doing?"

The moonlight shone on the person by the well, who was none other than the abbot of Lingquan Temple.

Mingzhuo, too lazy to waste words, thrust his sword forward.

The abbot hurriedly dodged away, glaring at Mingzhuo with resentment, showing none of the compassionate demeanor he had displayed during the day.

The creature in the vortex seemed startled and fled quickly before Mingzhuo could thrust his sword at it.

Mingzhuo threw out his peach wood sword, severing its other claw as well.

A foul stench instantly filled the air, and the creature once again disappeared into the vortex.

The abbot turned around angrily to look at Mingzhuo: "What exactly did you do to the God?!"

Mingzhuo: "You call something so cowardly a god? Are you stupid? Do you want me to help you clear your head?"

"Abbot!" one of the disciples couldn't hold back any longer, his voice trembling with tears, "Why did you do this?"

Yuan Hui clasped his hands together and remained silent with Wu Nian.

Why? Of course, it's because the abbot suppresses the things in the well every day, and therefore suffers the most severe spiritual pollution.

The thing in the well is the resentment of those thousand-year-old evil spirits. As a mortal being, anyone with emotions and desires will be corrupted and have their will polluted if they come into contact with this thing.

The abbot failed to uphold his original intention and was ultimately tempted into falling into the abyss.

By day, he masquerades as a highly accomplished Buddhist monk, saving all sentient beings; by night, he transforms into a demon in human skin, wandering the earth and committing all sorts of evil deeds.

Lingquan Temple has strict security, making it difficult for outsiders to sneak into the temple.

The two families who initially broke in at night were actually intentionally let in; one died in the well, and the other escaped.

Mingzhuo was able to enter the well and discover the scripture seal on the well wall, and the abbot was naturally able to as well. He destroyed the scripture and released the evil spirit.

The only unexpected thing was that the human-faced water monsters in the cave failed to pollute Mingzhuo.

The abbot glared at Mingzhuo with a sinister look, then suddenly let out a grotesque laugh: "You think you've won? You'll die soon. How dare a mortal dare to oppose a god?"

"Shut up!" Yuan Hui couldn't listen anymore.

Abbot: "Why can't I say it? Mortal bodies will die. Why do we practice Buddhism so hard, and if we can't live forever, why do we have to imprison our souls in the Rebirth Pagoda after death to guard the mass graves of ghosts below? Why?"

Why should I have to accept the arrangements of fate?!