Longxing Temple and Xuandu Temple were both famous Taoist temples in the capital, with an unending stream of pilgrims every day.
Today, however, Longxing Temple was under lockdown, refusing visits from pilgrims and scholars. All exits around the temple were guarded by Taoist priests. When the scholars staying at the temple inquired curiously, the Taoist priests only revealed a few words.
It was said that they were temporarily detaining a serious criminal for the Taichu Temple.
It was true that all Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries nationwide were under the jurisdiction of the Taichu Temple, but during this New Year period, what serious criminal could there be?
Shouldn’t they be tried by the Dali Temple?
The scholars grew somewhat uneasy. “Daoist master, with a serious criminal here, isn’t that quite dangerous?”
The guarding Taoist priest’s expression remained unchanged. “Young sir, please go back and rest. Do not come out today. We will guard well; no need to worry about your safety.”
He himself was not well-informed about today’s events, as he had not participated in the operation to catch the turtle in the jar at the teahouse. He only knew that it was led by Master Xuanming, followed by several of his trusted disciples.
All he knew was that the one captured was a fox demon. He had heard that last year, Master Xuanming’s young disciple Yunpu, while traveling outside, had suffered a loss at the hands of this fox demon and returned disgruntled.
This fox demon had not caused any trouble in the capital, and with the festive season upon them, normally Longxing Temple would not go to such great lengths. They didn’t even have an arrest warrant from the Taichu Temple, yet had acted first and reported later in capturing the demon. This was not proper.
Moreover, he had seen the fox demon’s appearance…a frail and delicate scholar at best. If he was a demon, he was at most a half-demon walking the path of harmonious union. In terms of both threat level and magical power, he could not be considered formidable.
How had that young junior brother Yunpu been defeated by this fox demon?
The Taoist priest felt that this matter was probably more of a personal grudge.
“Yunji, Uncle-Master Xuanming summons you to report to the Taichu Temple.”
His senior brother walked over.
Yunji lowered his head in acknowledgment.
Actually, they should have reported to the Taichu Temple long ago.
Out of the corner of his eye, Yunji noticed Yunpu heading toward the detention room. “Senior Brother, shouldn’t we wait for the Taichu Temple people to come for interrogation? Taking presumptuous action seems somewhat… against the rules?”
His senior brother gave him a rather strange look. “Junior Brother Yunji, you seem quite talkative today.”
Master Xuanming was the abbot of Longxing Temple, highly virtuous and prestigious, overseeing all affairs and enforcing the rules. There was no one in the temple who disobeyed his commands. Consequently, his most valued direct disciple, Yunpu, naturally rose in status accordingly.
The decisions they made were not something ordinary disciples like them could question.
Yunji naturally understood this as well. It was no wonder his senior brother found him unusual…even he himself felt that today his opinions regarding Master Xuanming and Yunpu differed from his usual silence.
Perhaps it was because when that fox young master was being escorted into the temple, he had turned his head and looked back at him.
Yunji noticed that he had a pair of eyes that were sorrowfully beautiful yet cold, glistening and bright.
A pale face, with lightly traced elegant brows, made one feel as if those passionate eyes held a myriad unspoken feelings they wished to share.
Yunji came back to his senses and shook his head. Urged by his senior brother, he quickly lowered his head and hurried toward the Taichu Temple.
But before he had even left the entrance of Longxing Temple, a pair of straw sandals lightly kicked at robe trimmings patterned with clouds, and a gold and red cassock abruptly blazed into his field of vision.
“Taichu Temple conducting official business.” The newcomer’s voice was hoarse and deep, as if suppressing something. “I’ll trouble you to lead the way.”
…
The room temporarily used for detaining the demon was merely an abandoned miscellaneous storage room in Longxing Temple.
Unused and uncleaned for years, it inevitably carried a somewhat unpleasant odor of dust and rotting wood.
The demon-subduing net had been removed, leaving only a bundle of red rope of the same material binding his hands behind his back. Xin Hexue twisted his wrists but couldn’t get it off.
“Your surname and given name, where do you live, what is your purpose in coming to the capital, what transgressions have you committed…confess truthfully.”
The questioner sat at a desk not far away, preparing to take notes with his brush.
Xin Hexue lifted his eyelids to look at the young Taoist priest and smiled lightly. “Daoist master, why put on an act? Didn’t you investigate thoroughly back in Yushan County long ago?”
Yunpu saw that he was still able to smile, and those bright eyes were even more charming when he smiled…
How could he, towards a demon…
Xin Hexue saw the Taoist priest’s face suddenly flush red with anger, and he pointed at him and said, “You vixen, with your fox charms and devious tricks. If Longxing Temple hadn’t arrived in time back then, would you have made a move on that scholar?”
After nearly a year apart, Xin Hexue found that this Taoist priest truly hadn’t improved at all. “Daoist master, I’ll take your baseless accusations as recognition of my appearance and bearing. As for that scholar, he is my cousin from Yushan County. Why would I harm him? If you people hadn’t slandered me and bound me with ropes, I would have merely exchanged a few words with him and then bid farewell.”
Yunpu’s brows shot up, clearly not believing his words. “Glib tongue and fine phrases…demonic words have always been untrustworthy. If you do not confess truthfully, although we are not the Dali Temple, we still have ways to make demons speak.”
Xin Hexue said softly and leisurely, “Daoist master, wickedness leads to misfortune, harmony leads to good fortune. Your speech is so sharp and sarcastic, not at all like someone being impartial. If it weren’t for the fact that we have a clean relationship, I would suspect I had done something to owe you.”
Yunpu, in the prime of his youthful vigor, had some romantic thoughts, and his face flushed even redder. “You!”
Xin Hexue leaned back slightly, deliberately provoking him, “Could it be that I’ve touched upon a sensitive spot? The way I see the daoist master’s attitude, constantly suspicious and unwilling to let go, I’m afraid it’s not righteousness, but jealousy?”
His lips curved in a smile as he shook his head. “Your appearance and demeanor bear some slight resemblance to someone I know. Yet here you are, speaking solemnly about the separate paths of humans and demons, upholding righteousness and dispelling evil.”
Outside the detention room, footsteps paused just as Xin Hexue said profoundly: “What a pity. You are more despicable, shallow, and self-righteous than he is.”
Yunpu raised his voice. “Outrageous!”
He clutched the Taoist talisman behind his back.
Xin Hexue’s expression turned cold as he fired off questions: “Impartially enforcing what law? Who authorized you? Do you have an arrest warrant from the Taichu Temple? Do you know what your actions here are called?”
“… Overstepping authority, practicing unauthorized arrests and torture.”
The newcomer suddenly answered, his voice cold and deep, like a Buddhist sound striking Yunpu’s ear, startling him back to clarity.
He turned back in alarm. The door slowly opened wide, and in walked a tall monk, wearing a gold and red cassock, his expression neither joyful nor sorrowful, bathed in light filled with incense smoke and floating dust, like a Buddha that had been gilded in the temple.
Yunpu stammered, “Uncle-Master… Grand-Master.”
Duzhi’s gaze swept over his face. “Effective immediately, you are expelled from the Taoist order, your cultivation revoked.”
…
The Taoist priests of Longxing Temple were still following Master Xuanming’s instructions, arranging and cleaning in preparation for the eminent monk from the Taichu Temple.
Even Master Xuanming felt apprehensive.
Although he addressed the current national monk Duzhi as “Uncle-Master,” in reality, it was merely claiming connection. It was only based on the fact that several hundred years ago, his own master had attended lectures given by the then national monk Liaoyi a few times. And by that time, Duzhi was already Liaoyi’s only deeply valued direct disciple.
Leaving aside the shocking secrets about this Master Liaoyi that had shaken both court and commoners…after Liaoyi was condemned by his own direct disciple for the sake of righteousness, Duzhi had disappeared for decades. When he returned, he was already the national monk.
He had served through several dynasties, bringing stability to the four seas, the five lakes, and the divine continent for five hundred days and nights. The most exalted rulers under heaven had risen and fallen like waves, but this national monk remained unmoved.
Master Xuanming considered himself somewhat perceptive in the Taoist path, yet at eighty years old, he could no longer maintain a youthful appearance and was beginning to show signs of age. He dared not speculate about Duzhi, who still appeared as a young man, and how profound his magical power must be.
Just as he was thinking this, Master Xuanming saw a disciple from the temple hurrying over. This disciple had always been quiet and unremarkable, never outstanding, and not under his direct tutelage. Master Xuanming thought for a moment before recalling his Taoist name. “Yunji, what’s the urgency?”
Oh…he remembered he had just pointed out this disciple’s name on the roster and sent him to run an errand to the Taichu Temple to report the situation.
Master Xuanming immediately rose from his seat. “Have the people from Taichu Temple arrived?”
Where was the national monk?
Had the national monk arrived or not?
Master Xuanming’s heart was pounding with anxiety when he heard Yunji say, “Master, the national monk has already gone to the detention room!”
“What?!” Master Xuanming strode out hastily, losing all composure, and scolding, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? The rest of you, come with me quickly to welcome the national monk. Prepare tea in the main hall!”
Their group rushed over in a flurry, only to see the door of that desolate courtyard room wide open, the interior dimly lit. Peering anxiously inside, they saw a tall, shadowy silhouette walking out step by step.
Only when the figure shed the gloom and Duzhi bathed in beams of golden sunlight did Master Xuanming see clearly that he was holding someone horizontally, a cassock covering the face and body, making identification impossible.
But even so, it wasn’t difficult to guess the identity.
“Master Xuanming’s disciple Yunpu is expelled from the Taoist order, his cultivation revoked.” Duzhi spoke, his gaze sweeping through the crowd before settling on Master Xuanming’s face. “This is your disciple. Do you have any objections?”
Master Xuanming was alarmed, and he dared not claim connection now. “National Monk, this… what wrong could Yunpu have done? He is young and impetuous, and it’s inevitable he’s inconsiderate at times. This punishment may be too severe for him. I beg the National Monk to reconsider.”
Duzhi looked puzzled and asked, “He is your disciple, yet you don’t know what wrong he has done?”
Master Xuanming broke out in a cold sweat.
Duzhi’s expression had already transitioned from calm to impatient. “Yunpu’s faults are three. First, he exceeded authority, practicing unauthorized arrests and torture; second, he desecrated and tarnished the Taoist order’s reputation; third, he harbored improper intentions, and was reckless and unkind.”
“Without an arrest warrant, he arbitrarily used torture…this is called exceeding authority. The court establishes laws and the Taoist school sets regulations, all to maintain moral principles and protect all living beings. If today he can openly borrow the name of capturing demons, tomorrow won’t he claim he is enacting heaven’s punishments?” Duzhi spoke no more than three sentences before imposing such grave accusations. Everyone in the temple who had participated held their breath, not daring to make a sound. “Moreover, Article 16 of the Taichu Temple regulations clearly records: virtuous demons are not captured, non-evil demons are also not captured. Violators are severely punished.”
Xin Hexue, who was nestled in Duzhi’s arms, raised an eyebrow slightly at this. Such a rule existed…he had never heard of it.
“This, this, this…”
Master Xuanming knew that the Taichu Temple regulations had been drafted by Duzhi himself back then, and that he detested violators. He knew in his heart that this time Yunpu had run right into the gun’s muzzle, and he could not protect this disciple.
He looked at Yunpu, whose face was as pale as gold paper, standing at the door of the detention room, and lowered his head. “My disciple is obstinate and unruly. I submit to the National Monk’s judgment.”
Duzhi swept a light glance over him. “Master Xuanming, for indulging your disciple and failing to discipline him properly, effective immediately you are stripped of your Taoist position and penalized to daily recitation of the Dao De Jing and Qing Jing Jing for five years, to calm your mind.”
Master Xuanming gritted his teeth and nodded heavily. “Yes, your disciple nephew will certainly reflect. Thank you, Uncle-Master, for the instruction.”
Xin Hexue tugged at Duzhi’s collar. Duzhi looked down and gave him a reassuring glance, then raised his head and added, “As for the vacancy of Longxing Temple abbot, it shall be filled by…”
His pitch-black eyes locked onto one among the gathered Taoists. “You.”
Not only did the others clamor in surprise, but Yunji also pointed to himself in astonishment. “Uncle-Master Grand-Master, me?”
Duzhi nodded. “You shall assume the position.”
Yunji was overjoyed. “Thank you, Uncle-Master Grand-Master, for the appreciation. I will certainly purify the temple rules and not disappoint Uncle-Master Grand-Master’s expectations!”
“Don’t call me Uncle-Master Grand-Master anymore.” The tall monk, holding someone in his arms, steadily walked out. He looked as if rejuvenated, and was radiant with vigor. “I’ve returned to secular life.”
Yunji: ?
Yunpu: ?
Master Xuanming: ?
Xin Hexue, who was draped in the gold and red cassock, poked his head out in curiosity. “With such a result, wouldn’t I have become a true vixen?”
Duzhi pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “No. It is only because I am a demon monk.”
