Hongluo Temple is a large three - courtyard temple. The side rooms on one side are the meditation rooms for the monks, while those on the other side are the dormitories for pilgrims and lay Buddhists.
The black fog that had been dispelled by my exorcism talisman suddenly disappeared, making it difficult for us to find the hiding place of the One - Eyed Buddha Mother.
Fortunately, we had the trail of that fat man surnamed Lin and his wife. Ever since these two entered Hongluo Temple, there had been an air of mystery around them.
Master Zhebuzang already knew that Si Jiangchen had saved him. Ignoring the exhaustion from his confrontation with the evil spirits, he personally led the way in front, taking Si Jiangchen and me to check the dormitories on the east side one by one.
Hongluo Temple rarely received outside pilgrims, so the dormitories were basically empty, with just a bed, a table, and a chair. Once the door was pushed open, everything was in plain sight. After our inspection, we didn't even see a single soul.
"What's going on?!"
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Master Zhebuzang's already pale face.
The Iron - Rod Lama following him was also at a loss. They had seen the people walk this way with their own eyes, but how could they disappear without a trace in the blink of an eye?
"Master, don't panic."
Si Jiangchen, who had been following behind everyone, finally spoke. He pinched a yellow talisman from my pocket and deftly folded the thin paper into a tiny bird with his long fingers.
"Do you know the Spell to Find Demons?"
Si Jiangchen took my hand and placed the paper bird in my palm.
I couldn't sense any evil aura in the courtyard and was getting anxious. Hearing Si Jiangchen's words, I immediately felt more confident. I silently chanted to the little yellow bird, "Between the six directions and within the four seas, may the demons hide no more. Let this talisman trace their tracks!"
This was the "Six - Direction Spell to Find Demons" I had learned from my masters in Maoshan. Combined with the talisman made by Si Jiangchen, it should be able to find the tracks of those three people.
Sure enough, after the chanting of the spell, a faint green aura immediately lifted the little yellow paper bird, and it fluttered up into the air.
"Ah!! Magic... magic! How did the paper bird fly?"
The monks beside Master Zhebuzang were startled by the suddenly rising paper bird. They shouted and tried to poke the paper bird down with their prayer wheels. The paper bird, as if it had a spirit, turned and avoided the monks, then flew towards the main Buddha hall.
Although Master Zhebuzang didn't know much about Taoist magic, he knew that we were here to help them. So, he stopped his disciples from trying to stop me with a stern look. "This lady has such high cultivation. Please help our Hongluo Temple find the evil creature that has disrupted our peace."
"I'll do my best!"
I naturally couldn't be impolite to such a kind and polite old monk. I quickly returned a salute and then trotted after the yellow bird towards the back of the main Buddha hall.
The little yellow bird dived behind the huge golden statues of the Three Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future.
There were many ghosts that had been dead for who - knows - how - many years lingering there. I originally didn't dare to go over and take a closer look, but unexpectedly, the problem really was here!!
"This..."
Seeing me following the yellow bird towards the three great Buddha statues that the monks had worshipped for a hundred years, Master Zhebuzang was finally a bit shaken. He couldn't believe that the place he had believed in for generations was actually a shelter for filthy evil gods.
"Madam, did you find the wrong place?"
He quickened his steps and blocked my way.
"Master, my Six - Direction Talisman to Find Demons won't go wrong. There's definitely an evil aura back there!"
I didn't care about the three golden Buddha statues in the main hall. To me, they were just clay figures with wooden skeletons covered in gold powder and foil. Compared to these three huge clay figures, I was more afraid of those ghosts that had been around for so long that they were mentally confused and couldn't tell good from evil!!
"You don't believe in the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, but you can't slander the Buddha at will!"
The Iron - Rod Lama, as the "security guard" of the temple, couldn't tolerate my saying that there was an evil aura in the temple where they worshipped the Buddha. He raised his iron rod and struck at the arm where I was holding the magic spell.
"Hey, I'm trying to help you!"
These stupid monks were so unreasonable. If I wasn't worried about Fu Ning and the Xue family mother and son, I wouldn't have bothered with them!!
Seeing that I was about to be hit, how could Si Jiangchen sit back and do nothing?
He kicked out and hit the red - robed lama who was trying to attack me on the side, sending him flying horizontally.
Everyone was stunned.
Master Zhebuzang and the others knew Si Jiangchen's real identity, the big boss of the Lengshan Group, the richest man with the best temper according to all the reviews. No one expected that he would actually strike someone in broad daylight, and it was a monk with a status in the temple!
"Mr. Si...?!!"
Before Master Zhebuzang could question Si Jiangchen's action, they saw that the Iron - Rod Lama, who had been kicked flying by Si Jiangchen, crashed heavily into the wall where the little yellow bird was constantly circling. Not only did he smash the shrine on the wall to pieces, but he also made a big hole in the wall that had turned yellowish - brown from years of incense and fire.
That not - very - big black hole suddenly appeared on the wall, making Master Zhebuzang widen his eyes in shock.
There was a secret on the back wall of the main Buddha hall?!
As the abbot of Hongluo Temple for decades, Master Zhebuzang was as familiar with Hongluo Temple as his own meditation room. He never thought that right under his nose, someone would dare to build a secret chamber!
A secret chamber was a place that couldn't see the light, and what happened inside must be something shady!!
His face turned even paler. He had no time to blame Si Jiangchen. He shook off the disciple supporting him and staggered towards the broken wall.
From ancient times to the present, grand temple halls have always been supported by huge wooden pillars and then built with bricks and stones to form the walls.
A prosperous and effective temple like Hongluo Temple could naturally receive countless donations through alms. The wooden pillars and walls were built thick and sturdy. So, the wall was made into a sandwich, and with those small shrines for spiritual tablets on the outside, if Si Jiangchen hadn't kicked the man into the wall and broken it, no one would have discovered the secret hidden inside the wall!
Ignoring his own physical discomfort, Master Zhebuzang bent down and unhesitatingly got into the half - person - high hole.
I glanced at Si Jiangchen. I still couldn't figure out whether his kick just now was to save me or to expose the secret on the wall!
In response to my skeptical look, Si Jiangchen still had that faint smile on his face, as if that outburst of anger had nothing to do with him...
This guy was really good at pretending!
I thought to myself, but I didn't dare to stop. I quickly followed Master Zhebuzang into the partition wall that emitted a faint musty smell. Stepping suddenly from the morning sunlight into the darkness made people feel uneasy.