Heart Element

"Clatter, clatter, clatter." The black donkey's hooves kept striking the hard road, producing crisp sounds.

The others, their faces somewhat panicked, jogged along behind the donkey cart.

As they walked, they kept looking back from time to time, as though afraid something might catch up to them.

"Senior Brother Li, why are we in such a hurry to leave the pass?" Gouwa asked, wiping away sweat with his hand.

"Zhengde Temple has been able to remain open in the bustling city for so long, and still draw such a sea of people. Why do you think we need to leave the pass?" Li Huowang's expression was frighteningly grim.

Hearing Li Huowang's question, Xiao Man, covered in black fur, spoke up. "The fact that Zhengde Temple can exist in the same city as the imperial palace and live in peace with it for so long already says everything. Whether those in power in West Capital City are in cahoots with them or have been infiltrated by them, the officials here cannot be trusted."

Li Huowang nodded.

It was one thing for ordinary people like them to be deceived, but if someone claimed that every level of power in such a vast nation had been fooled, he would not believe it even if beaten to death. There had to be some unspeakable deal between them.

"Anyway, we've stayed in this place long enough. We've already entrusted all our last words to Zhao Wu. Leaving the pass was our next step to begin with."

With a rustle, Li Huowang spread a map over the donkey cart.

They had finally found a map in West Capital City, something unavailable anywhere else, though it was still exceedingly crude.

Li Huowang's fingertip slowly slid across the map, tracing out their route ahead.

They would cross the three nations of Siqi, Later Shu, and Qingqiu, with their final destination being Bai Lingmiao's hometown: the Liang Kingdom.

"Mhm, let's go to my place. We don't have monks as terrifying as these there. The monks where I'm from are all very kind."

After hearing Bai Lingmiao's words, Li Huowang glanced up at her before looking back at the map.

To be honest, he trusted no one now. He could not tell whether the monks Bai Lingmiao spoke of were truly kind, or whether it was another Blinding Method.

A group of ordinary mortals like them was simply far too passive when facing those unfathomable people.

They kept walking until the sky was nearly dark, until they truly could not walk another step, before finally stopping to rest.

Li Huowang stared at the campfire before him, anxiety stirring in his heart. They were moving far too slowly.

Honestly, he was not short of silver now. If it came down to it, he could pawn the Jade Pendant. It should be enough to get every one of them a horse.

But the problem was that none of them knew how to ride.

"This won't do. We can't keep taking the main roads. It'll be too easy for them to catch us. Once we finish eating, we'll head into the woods."

"Senior Brother Li, your noodles. Since we need to keep traveling, I put in lots of lard. They'll keep hunger at bay."

A steaming bowl of noodles was brought before Li Huowang, flecks of minced meat bobbing up and down within it.

Sitting quietly beside him and watching him wolf down the noodles, Bai Lingmiao rested her head on her knees. "Since the monks of Zhengde Temple aren't good people, what will you do about your problem, Senior Brother Li? Do you have to find monks? What about nuns?"

Li Huowang swallowed the noodles in his mouth with effort. Holding the bowl, he gently blew on it, then noisily drank a large mouthful of noodle soup.

"It's fine. A small problem. Compared to those monks hunting us down, this barely counts as trouble."

Since the monks had deceived him, everything they had said before needed to be marked with a question mark.

Perhaps they could not solve Danyangzi at all. Or perhaps Danyangzi was not what they had claimed he was.

Danyangzi, who might exist or might not exist, could be dealt with later.

"Was there not enough noodles? Want me to get you some more? There's still some in the pot."

Li Huowang shook his head, handed the bowl to Bai Lingmiao, then stood and walked over to Fool. Rising onto his toes, he slapped the man's shiny bald head. "Come on. Stop eating. Go into the woods with me to piss."

"Oh..."

In the small grove, Li Huowang stood side by side with the big fool, fertilizing the little trees before them.

After first turning his head to glance toward the campfire behind them, Li Huowang quietly gave him some instructions.

As night fell, Zhengde Temple began closing its gates as well.

All the monks gradually began their evening lessons, and the entire temple filled with the rising and falling sound of sutras being chanted.

Jian Dun slowly walked through the temple, turning prayer beads with his right hand held before him while keeping his left hand clenched into a fist behind his back.

Soon, he arrived in Five Buddhas Hall and saw the abbot inside, attentively stringing Buddhist beads.

"Abbot, I went to check just now and discovered that Benefactor Xuan Yang has left."

Abbot Xin Hui, seated cross-legged on a prayer cushion, lifted the beads in the water and held them in the air for inspection.

After a long while, he placed the beads on the ground, then picked up an infant from a cradle beside him.

"Ah, how pitiful. If we hadn't found you early enough, your father would have drowned you." He gently soothed the baby girl in his arms.

"Abbot, Benefactor Xuan Yang has left."

"This old monk isn't deaf yet. No need to shout so loudly. Be careful not to wake the child. Strike."

"Tap tap tap tap~" The sound of Wooden Fish being struck rose all around them, and Five Buddhas Hall became solemn and sacred.

Xin Hui carefully set the child on the ground, then gently wrapped the freshly made Buddhist beads around her body.

Then, accompanied by the Wooden Fish, Xin Hui began chanting softly. What he recited was not a Buddhist scripture, but something else.

"The moon conceals the jade rabbit~ The sun conceals the golden crow, ay~ Of itself, turtle and snake~ Coil and knot together, ay~"

As the incantation sounded, the Buddhist beads around the infant's body seemed to come alive and began tightening.

"Coil and knot together, life and nature become firm, yet golden lotuses may be planted amid fire, ay~"

Xin Hui formed a Lotus Seal with both hands, then fiercely pointed at the child.

Her crying gradually turned into laughter. The laughter grew louder and louder, until even the five colossal Buddhas within the hall lifted the corners of their mouths.

"Gather the five elements and use them in reversal, ay~, when the work is done, one becomes Buddha and immortal~."

The Wooden Fish gradually quieted. Sharp-eyed Jian Dun hurried several steps forward, lifted the vase that had long been prepared nearby, and brought it to Xin Hui's side.

After Xin Hui fiddled with it for a while, a vase girl identical to the one in Danyangzi's room was made.

After finishing all this, Xin Hui, still seated cross-legged, picked up another thread and began stringing Buddhist beads again.

"Since he has left, go bring him back."

"Yes, this disciple obeys."

"Be careful. That boy knows nothing about anything, but his potential cannot be underestimated."

"Whatever else may be said of that thief Danyangzi, his luck truly is good. Who knows where he found such a rare Heart Element."