The Strange Temple

"Jiang Da?"

The group opposite them all looked suspicious, their brows furrowed.

This sounded like a fake name!

However, they were also using fake names.

"Brother Jiang, if I'm not mistaken, you seem to be from the Blazing Flame Sect, right?"

Li San's eyes flickered as he recognized the clothing on Jiang Dao and his companions.

It was impossible to hide such attire.

The Blazing Flame Sect's uniforms were predominantly black, with a crimson flame embroidered on the chest, symbolizing a blazing fire in the darkness, meant to burn everything.

"That's right. Are you all perhaps connected to the court?"

Jiang Da asked calmly, glancing at the person among them wearing official boots and dressed as a merchant.

Many on the other side instantly changed their expressions, their hands gripping their swords and sabers tighter.

It seemed this person was extremely important, as if others couldn't know about him.

Li San immediately calmed his brothers and said, "We do have some dealings with the court, but we've also dealt with the Blazing Flame Sect before. We've met your sect leader once, and I believe Brother Jiang won't make things difficult for us."

"I only mind my own business, I don't care about anything else," Jiang Dao stated.

"That's good!"

Li San nodded slowly.

Behind him, quite a few people were still staring intently at Jiang Dao with ill intentions.

They weren't reassured by just a single sentence from Jiang Dao.

The best course of action would be to eliminate them.

However, Li San turned back and shook his head gravely at the meaning in their eyes.

Jiang Dao's strength was unfathomable; even he couldn't see through it.

If they made a move, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Upon seeing Li San's expression, these people were inwardly shocked, lowered their heads, and stopped thinking about it.

The sound of the young monk running could be heard again. He struggled to unlock the door from the inside and said, "All benefactors, the master has agreed."

"Thank you, little master,"

Jiang Da nodded, holding a stone carving of a Buddha statue, and was the first to walk towards the temple.

Du Feng and the others quickly followed behind.

After them came Li San and his group.

They kept to themselves, like well water not interfering with river water.

"Little master, is your master asleep? May I pay him a visit?"

Jiang Da suddenly asked.

"This... the master is still performing his evening chants. I don't know if he's seeing visitors?"

The young monk hesitated.

"Please lead the way, little master. I am willing to donate some incense money to promote Buddhism."

Jiang Da said.

"Alright then."

The young monk nodded. After arranging accommodations for both groups, he held a paper lantern and led Jiang Dao and his companions towards the dim depths of the temple.

As they walked, Jiang Da's brow gradually furrowed.

The temple was deep and dark, with not a single lamp lit.

"Little master, don't you light lamps at night?"

Jiang Da asked casually.

"The temple's incense offerings are scarce, and we don't have money to light lamps. Only the master's room is lit at night."

The young monk replied.

"I see!"

Jiang Da nodded, called Du Feng over, and instructed, "Tell the brothers to be careful."

"Yes, Hall Master!"

Du Feng quickly nodded and whispered instructions to the others.

The group passed through the courtyard and walked forward.

On both sides were rows of dim, dark side rooms.

After walking a considerable distance, they arrived at a courtyard.

The courtyard was pitch black, with only a faint light emanating from the room at the very front.

The rhythmic sound of a wooden fish echoed, accompanied by a series of guttural chanting.

"Master, these benefactors wish to donate some incense money."

The young novice monk spoke from outside the room's door.

The sound of the wooden fish suddenly stopped, and an ancient voice emerged from within the room, "Amitabha, Amitabha, Buddha is merciful. Please, benefactors, come in."

Jiang Dao strode forward, gently pushing open the door.

A rich scent of sandalwood wafted towards him.

The room was simple, containing only a Buddha statue, a meditation cushion, a large wooden fish, and an old monk in his sixties or seventies.

The old monk was gaunt, his beard and eyebrows completely white.

"Greetings, Master. May I ask your Buddhist name?"

Jiang Dao cupped his hands together.

"This old monk is Fa Ning."

The old monk clasped his hands together.

"Master, I have come for two reasons: to donate some incense money, and to ask you about something."

Jiang Dao sat down on the ground, casually placing the stone Buddha statue on the floor. "Master, are you familiar with this item?"

Monk Fa Ning looked slightly puzzled. He reached out, picked up the Buddha statue, and examined it repeatedly.

"The statue appears to be ordinary. What is it that you wish to ask?"

"Is this Buddha statue a product of this temple? Has any been lost recently?"

Jiang Dao inquired.

"The temple has been peaceful lately; no Buddha statues have been lost. Moreover, the Buddha statues in our temple are not this size. Even the smallest ones are a meter tall," Monk Fa Ning replied.

"None lost? Then what do the words on the base of the statue mean?"

Jiang Dao frowned.

"This old monk truly does not know."

Monk Fa Ning gently shook his head and handed the Buddha statue back to Jiang Dao.

Jiang Dao accepted the statue, lost in thought. "Thank you, Master. Here is a thousand taels of incense money. Please accept it."

He casually placed the silver note for a thousand taels beside Monk Fa Ning and stood up to leave.

The temple gate closed, and the sounds of the wooden fish and chanting resumed within the room.

Jiang Dao narrowed his eyes and glanced back once more.

Something was wrong!

The chanting of this old monk, just like that of the two gang members before, induced a sense of emptiness in him.

Although the scriptures were different, this feeling of emptiness was undeniably real!

Could it be that this old monk wasn't human?

"Du Feng, tell the brothers not to go out tonight!"

Jiang Dao whispered his orders, preparing to investigate secretly under the cover of night.

"Yes, Hall Master."

Du Feng immediately relayed the message.

A group of people headed towards the side rooms.

In another direction.

A group of martial artists were squeezed into the same side room, lighting an oil lamp and quietly discussing.

"Brother Li, is that Blazing Flame Sect member truly that powerful? Even you are no match for him?"

A woman asked.

Li San shook his head slightly. "In short, I can't see through him. It's best not to provoke him. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I'll stand guard tonight."

He suddenly looked at the middle-aged man wearing official boots and cupped his fists. "General Yue, do you believe us now? Someone within the court wants to kill you. We were invited to protect you, and now General Yue must trouble you to stay with us temporarily."

The man in the official boots sighed slightly. "I never imagined that there would truly be people within the court colluding with the barbarians and wanting to kill me. I am grateful for your escort, brave warriors. If I can safely reach the Emperor, I will surely persuade him to strike north against the barbarians and reclaim our land!"

"Only General Yue can save the Great Ye Dynasty now!"

Li San said.

"Indeed, General Yue, please take care of yourself!"

The others earnestly advised.

"If I can reach the capital smoothly, I will never forget the kindness of all you righteous individuals!"

The middle-aged man said, cupping his hands.

The night grew deeper.

After Jiang Dao had settled everyone, his gaze turned cold as he quietly left the room and looked out at the vast Little Stone Temple.

He suddenly leaped up, landing on the roof of a nearby building, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

The environment was pitch black, and the night wind was cool.

The entire Little Stone Temple was permeated with an invisible, chilling aura.

He immediately began to move quickly, darting towards the distance.

As he moved, he would occasionally stop to scan his surroundings, hoping to discover anything unusual.

Half an hour later, he had circled more than half of the Little Stone Temple.

Jiang Dao finally stopped, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The entire Little Stone Temple was surprisingly quiet. Apart from the old monk and the young novice he had seen earlier, there was no one else to be found.

Even stranger was that most of the buildings in the temple were dilapidated.

It was as if no one had lived there for a very long time.

Many courtyards were overgrown with weeds, covered in cobwebs, and even the roofs of some rooms had cracked.

"Something's wrong. Something is definitely wrong."

Jiang Dao looked at the dilapidated scripture repository in front of him, his brow furrowed.

The scripture repository was usually the core of a temple, and it shouldn't have been left in such a state of disrepair. Moreover, given how much the old monk enjoyed chanting scriptures, it was even less likely that he would allow the repository to fall into ruin.

Jiang Dao once again darted towards the area where the old monk had been.

However, when he arrived, his expression suddenly changed.

The room before him was dilapidated, its door had collapsed, and its windows were shattered. It was pitch black, bearing no resemblance to how it had been before.

Jiang Dao gripped his steel saber, his eyes solemn, and instantly darted into the room.

The room was filled with thick dust, and the Buddha statue had toppled over.

The prayer mat and wooden fish were all askew, covered in dust.

It was as if everything he had witnessed earlier had been an illusion.

Jiang Dao took a deep breath and suddenly remembered something.

"Not good!"

He hurried back towards where Du Feng and the others were.

If that old monk was problematic, then Du Feng and the others were likely in danger.