The Buddhist Pure Land Hidden Thunder
Chapter Quote: I entered the Buddhist monastery not for Zen, but to temporarily borrow Bodhi to escape the flames of war. Who knew that the pure land outside the world also hides the cold shadows of swords and knives.
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The morning bell of Daxiangguo Temple pierced the mist over Bianliang City. Pilgrims gradually gathered, and the sound of Buddhist chanting filled the air. Yan Qing disguised himself as a sallow, sickly-looking pilgrim, blended into the crowd, lowered his head, and followed the flow of people through the mountain gate.
He didn't go directly to find Elder Zhiqing; that would have been too conspicuous. Instead, he lit a stick of incense in the main hall and then followed the crowd through the various halls within the temple, his eyes scanning the surroundings sharply. Indeed, there were a few unfamiliar faces in the temple. Though dressed as pilgrims, their eyes were sharp, their steps steady, and they exchanged glances from time to time. They were clearly spies from the government or Liangshan.
They had indeed anticipated that they might seek refuge here!
Yan Qing sneered inwardly, but remained expressionless as he continued his slow pace until he finally reached a relatively secluded stele forest behind the temple. Here, ancient trees towered, steles stood in a forest, and pilgrims were sparsely present.
He found a corner and pretended to study the inscription, but in reality he was waiting. He was waiting for an opportunity, a chance to quietly meet Elder Zhiqing, away from all eyes.
Time passed slowly, and the sun rose higher. Just as Yan Qing was considering whether to take the risk and go directly to the Zen room to ask for an audience, an unexpected figure appeared at the entrance of the Forest of Steles.
The man was tall and straight, dressed in an ordinary blue gown, dressed like a scholar, but the heroic spirit between his brows could not be completely concealed. He seemed to be searching for something, his eyes swept across the stele forest, finally landing on Yan Qing. He was slightly startled, then slowly walked over.
Yan Qing's heart was filled with alarm, and his hand had already quietly pressed on the dagger in his sleeve. He recognized this person; it was none other than Xu Ning, the instructor of the Golden Spear Class!
How did he end up here? Was it a coincidence, or...
Xu Ning walked to a stop about ten feet in front of Yan Qing. He didn't look at him, but instead looked at the ancient stele in front of him. As if talking to himself, he whispered, "The sword technique of this 'Three Wonders Stele' is indeed unique."
Yan Qing's heart stirred. Was this a secret code? He remained calm and said, "It's a pity that it's so old and weathered that it's hard to see the whole picture."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ning turned his head abruptly, his eyes blazing as he stared directly at Yan Qing's disguised face. He lowered his voice with a hint of disbelief, "It really was you! That silver gallbladder...was it you who left it behind?"
Seeing that he had recognized her, Yan Qing stopped pretending and nodded slightly: "Teacher Xu, long time no see."
Xu Ning took a deep breath and looked at Yan Qing with complicated eyes: "Do you know that the whole city is searching for you? The crime is collusion with Liangshan and assassination of officials!"
"If you want to accuse someone of something, you can always find a pretext," Yan Qing said calmly. "Does Teacher Xu believe it?"
Xu Ning was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't believe it. If you were truly from Liangshan, why would you risk warning me that day? It's just that... you've become a target of public criticism, so why are you still showing up here? This place is full of spies, it's definitely not a place to stay for long!"
"I know." Yan Qing looked at him, "But I need to leave the capital, and I need Teacher Xu's help."
Xu Ning's expression changed slightly, and he said flatly, "Impossible! As an official appointed by the imperial court, how could I..."
"Teacher Xu!" Yan Qing interrupted him, his eyes blazing. "The Liangshan bandits are still determined. They framed me today, but they might try the same trick again and plot against you someday! The Yanling Armor may be safe in the temple today, but it may not be safe tomorrow! Only by eradicating Liangshan can we truly rest easy!"
Xu Ning's expression changed, clearly having been deeply concerned. He pondered for a long time before finally saying with difficulty, "How do you want me to help you?"
"I don't need Teacher Xu to risk his life personally," Yan Qing said. "Your identity alone is sufficient to allow me to safely meet Elder Zhiqing. Also, could you please provide the details of the official post station where General Zhang Qing is being held captive, and...is there a safe hiding place outside the city?"
Xu Ning's brow furrowed, a fierce internal struggle evident. To help Yan Qing would be a crime of deceiving the emperor; to not help, not only would Yan Qing have done him a favor, but the mere prospect of a potential threat to Liangshan would be a thorn in his side.
Ultimately, his fear of Liangshan and his concern for his own safety prevailed. He gritted his teeth and whispered, "In an hour, Elder Zhiqing will be giving a lecture in the Sutra Library. It's a forbidden area within the temple, and inaccessible to spies. I'll arrange for you to go there then. General Zhang Qing is under house arrest at the Xingguo Temple Posthouse inside Nanxun Gate, which is heavily guarded. As for his hiding place..."
He paused, then pulled out a small iron plate from his bosom and thrust it into Yan Qing's hand. "Take this plate and go out of Nanxun Gate and head southeast for thirty miles. There's a farm there. The owner is an old subordinate of mine and can be trusted."
Yan Qing took the iron plate, which was cold to the touch, with the ancient Chinese character "Xu" engraved on it. He put it away solemnly, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Teacher Xu! Yan Qing will remember this kindness in his heart!"
Xu Ning waved his hand, his expression solemn: "Go quickly and come back quickly, be careful! After today, you and I will have nothing to do with each other!" After that, he did not stay any longer, turned around and left quickly, and his figure soon disappeared outside the stele forest.
Yan Qing looked in the direction he left, feeling a little relieved. Xu Ning was a man of justice, and he knew how to weigh the pros and cons.
An hour later, Yan Qing followed Xu Ning's instructions, avoiding several lines of surveillance and quietly arriving at the Sutra Repository. As expected, the pavilion was deserted, guarded only by two monks. Yan Qing produced the token Xu Ning had given him, and after inspecting it, one of the monks silently opened the door.
The Sutra Library was filled with the fragrance of books and sandalwood, creating an unusually quiet atmosphere. Elder Zhiqing was sitting on a cushion, eyes closed, resting. Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes and saw Yan Qing in his disguise. There was no surprise in his eyes.
"Amitabha. The donor has arrived." Elder Zhiqing said calmly, "Teacher Xu has informed me of your purpose. I admire your chivalrous heart. However, the situation is so bad right now. Why did you wish to see me?"
Yan Qing bowed and said, "I apologize for disturbing the elder's meditation. I came here to thank you for your kindness in protecting Teacher Xu's armor. Secondly, I want to ask you how I should deal with the current situation. What about General Zhang Qing..."
Elder Zhiqing sighed, "Court affairs are treacherous and complex, beyond the reach of outsiders. General Su is currently handling General Zhang's case, so perhaps he can escape unscathed. As for you, benefactor..." He looked at Yan Qing with a deep gaze, "The wind rises from the tip of a green duckweed, and the waves form from the ripples. Now that you've been drawn into this vortex, it's difficult to escape unscathed. You can only follow the flow and stay true to your heart, and perhaps you can find a small boat amidst the vast waves."
Go with the flow and stick to your heart? Yan Qing pondered.
"Also," Elder Zhiqing took out a small brocade bag from his sleeve and handed it to Yan Qing, "This may be useful to you. In times of crisis, you may want to open it and take a look."
Yan Qing took the brocade bag, which felt heavy in his hand, and he didn't know what it contained. He bowed again and said, "Thank you, Elder, for your guidance and gift of the treasure!"
"Go." Elder Zhiqing closed his eyes and returned to meditation. "The temple is not completely safe either. It's best to leave as soon as possible."
Yan Qing said no more and quietly left the Sutra Library. He did not leave Daxiangguo Temple immediately, but relied on his familiarity with the temple's layout and extraordinary skills to shuttle through the temple like a shadow. He wanted to confirm whether Xu Ning's Yanling armor was safe and sound.
When he sneaked to the secret room where the armor was kept, he unexpectedly found that the guards outside the secret room seemed to have doubled than usual, and the atmosphere was solemn.
A sense of foreboding arose in his heart, and he approached cautiously, hiding under the shadow of the eaves of a temple, and listened attentively.
I only heard the two monks below talking in low voices:
"...The abbot has ordered that the temple is not peaceful these days, so please be extra careful."
"I heard... it was the Goose Feather Armor that caused the trouble? Is there a thief targeting us?"
"Shh... be careful! We're just increasing our vigilance..."
Yan Qing's brow furrowed. Elder Zhiqing hadn't mentioned this earlier. Was he unaware of it, or was there something else going on? Was this sudden increase in guards targeting Liangshan bandits who might come to steal his armor, or was it... targeting him?
He felt an invisible net slowly tightening around him. He feared this pure Buddhist land wouldn't be a place to stay for long.
Must leave immediately!
He no longer hesitated. Relying on the path he remembered, he avoided all possible spies and monks. Like a ghost, he quietly slipped out of a little-known side door of Daxiangguo Temple and blended into the bustling crowd of Bianliang City.
The next target was the farm outside the city that Xu Ning had provided. It might be his only hope for a temporary respite and to plan his next move.
However, he did not know that not long after he left Daxiangguo Temple, a group of men in casual clothes but with a military atmosphere in their movements appeared outside the Sutra Library. The leader had a gloomy face and was the officer from the Palace Marshal's Office who surrounded Yan Qing that day.
He looked in the direction where Yan Qing left, with a cold smile on his face.
"Sure enough...it's here after all. Let's see where you can escape to!"
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Chapter 16 End
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