42 Chapter Temple

In Li Huowang's memory, the vast majority of temples were built on mountains, and those located within cities were relatively rare.

However, this was not what concerned him; what he was more interested in now was the name of the temple that the worshipper had just mentioned, "Zhengde Temple?"

Li Huowang immediately recalled what Zhengkun said to Master Danyang before his death—they seemed to have been chased by monks from Zhengde Temple in the past.

His heart began to race. He had found the right place. After so much had happened on his journey, he had finally arrived.

Just then, with a turn, the view suddenly opened up.

A clean and tidy stone path led to a grand staircase, and at the end of these several hundred steps, he saw a solemn temple with jujube-red walls, shrouded in billowing incense smoke.

Above the tall temple gate was a black plaque with three large characters written in vermilion: Zhengde Temple,

The couplet on the left read: Cultivate virtue and sow the seeds of Dharmakaya's wondrous roundness; while on the right, it said: Water clear and moon visible, the jade canopy's dignity.

Under the thriving incense offerings, the entire temple was enveloped in white smoke, giving it an exceptionally ethereal feel.

"Little Taoist Master, I won't accompany you inside, please go ahead. Oh, by the way, the Capital City enforces a curfew unlike Jianye, remember to come back before it gets dark," said the layman.

Li Huowang took a deep breath and walked toward the steps bustling with the crowd.

Following the worshippers, he walked into the temple to find several large halls laid out before him.

At that moment, Li Huowang stood still amidst the flowing crowd, observing everything around him.

He had found the temple, but the next problem stumped him: how should he approach the monks of this temple?

To plainly say he was Master Danyang's disciple? That was likely to get him slapped to death.

Before Li Huowang could devise a plan, a monk from Zhengde Temple approached him first. After all, even in the crowded throng, Li Huowang's Taoist robe was too conspicuous.

As soon as the monk spoke, his pure Buddhist manner couldn't even compare to the old monk's from before. "Amitabha, I am Monk Jiandun, at your service."

Seeing the portly monk in front of him with hands clasped in a salute, Li Huowang immediately returned the gesture. "Master, it's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Xuan Yang."

"As a disciple of Taoism, you're surely not here to offer incense and worship Buddha, are you? Please, this way."

Looking around at the bustling crowd, Li Huowang nodded and followed him towards a side door.

Watching the tonsure on the monk's head ahead of him, Li Huowang began to consider what he would say next.

The two moved through the majestic temple, and the noise from the crowd by the gate gradually faded. Eventually, they stopped in front of a group of stone tables and benches under a glistening ginkgo tree.

"Please sit," said Monk Jiandun as he sat down, calmly twirling a string of Buddha beads in his hands.

He did not question Li Huowang about his sect or why he, a disciple of Buddhism, showed the Buddhist trait of clear-mindedness and simple desires so vividly.

After some thought, Li Huowang looked at the monk before him. "Master Danyang is dead."

With a "clack," the tawny Buddha beads scattered in all directions.

Seeing the corpulent monk stand up, Li Huowang inwardly nodded his head.

There was no mistake; these monks indeed had contact with Master Danyang.

"The old Taoist with the cow nose really died? This matter is of great significance; please share the details," the monk said.

If he wanted to know the answers, of course, he had to share enough information with him.

Aside from hiding the fact that he had taken the so-called Heavenly Book, Li Huowang told the monk in front of him everything that had happened at Qingfeng Taoist Temple.

"Master, can Master Danyang truly become an immortal under those circumstances?"

At this point, Li Huowang leaned forward slightly, his expression intense as he continued to ask, "Or perhaps, has he become something else?"

A breeze wafted by, rustling the golden leaves of the ginkgo tree nearby.

"Did the benefactor truly hear Master Danyang speaking in your ear?" Jiandun asked, his expression equally intense, seeking confirmation once again.

"Yes, absolutely sure, and it was not just an illusion, there was also the abnormal behavior of the God of Happiness."

Recalling the scene, Li Huowang's eyes revealed a hint of irritation.

"That God of Happiness, who could not be looked at directly, was about to crawl out of the darkness to devour me, but something seemed to pull at his body hidden in the shadows."

"Although I have no reason for it, I have this hunch that the one pulling at the God of Happiness from the darkness was Master Danyang, Master Danyang after achieving immortality."

After thinking for a moment with a grave expression, Jiandun stood up. "Benefactor, please wait here for a moment, this matter is of great importance."

Having said that, Jiandun joined his hands in salute to Li Huowang and hastily took his leave.

Although the other party had not said anything, his attitude had already conveyed certain information.

Li Huowang looked up at the clouds in the sky. "Indeed, Master Danyang's matter is far from over."

Jiandun returned faster than Li Huowang had imagined, in no more than half the time it takes an incense stick to burn, hurrying back with a new string of Buddha Beads in hand.

"Mister Xuan Yang, please come with me, the abbot wishes to meet with you personally."

Zhengde Temple was vast, and after navigating through the temple complex for a while, Li Huowang arrived in front of a majestic great hall.

Through the wide-open doors, Li Huowang saw inside the imposing Golden Buddhas, each towering over ten feet tall, with five each sitting in a different cross-legged posture.

Sitting on a mat in front of the five Golden Buddhas was the figure of a monk wearing a kasaya, with a hat reminiscent of the one worn by monk Tang Sanzang on his head.

As Li Huowang entered, he heard the monk's chanting, which echoed ethereally through the vastness of the great hall.

Under the gaze of the five enormous Golden Buddhas, Li Huowang couldn't help but slow his steps.

The chanting stopped, and the monk sitting on the mat slowly turned around.

Seeing the appearance of this monk, Li Huowang was taken aback.

It was an elderly abbot with white eyebrows and beard. What was surprising was not his unusually kind appearance, but his eyes.

They were a pair of pink eyes, and having spent so much time together, Li Huowang could recognize at a glance that he, like Bai Lingmiao, was afflicted with albinism.

"Amitabha, I, Xinhui, greets you with folded hands," Master Xinhui said, his tone serene.

"I am Xuan Yang, greetings, Abbot," Li Huowang responded, completing the greeting and sitting down before him.

"Abbot, about Master Danyang—"

Li Huowang had barely started speaking when he was interrupted by the other party raising his hand.

"Mister Xuan Yang, do you recognize the five Tathagatas in this hall?"

Seeing Li Huowang shake his head, Xinhui gently stroked his long white beard as he explained, "In the center, Vairocana of the Diamond World, Akshobhya of the Eastern Abode of Perfumed Accumulation, Buddha Ratnasambhava of the Southern Land of Joy, Amitabha of the Western Paradise World, and Amoghasiddhi of the Northern Lotus World—they are collectively known as the Five Wisdom Tathagatas."

Li Huowang couldn't help feeling anxious. What was the meaning of this monk telling him these irrelevant things?

"Abbot, let's talk about this some other time. May I ask what exactly has Master Danyang become now?"

Master Xinhui, with hands joined, looked at Li Huowang with renewed calm. "He has become a Buddha."