Daoji Battles Fahai

Suzhou-Hangzhou, Lingyin Temple

The night stretched on. Guangliang and Biqing each carried an oil lamp, yawning as they walked.

"Uncle Temple Supervisor, why are we out patrolling in the middle of the night?"

Biqing's eyelids were practically fighting each other. Had the moon risen in the west today? Why had Uncle Temple Supervisor suddenly decided to patrol?

"I'm not sure either~"

"The abbot said his right eyelid was twitching, so he specifically instructed me to patrol properly tonight!"

Guangliang repeated Huiyuan's words to Biqing in full, complete with dramatic emphasis.

By then, Biqing had already closed his eyes and was walking entirely on instinct...

"Hey!"

"Biqing, we're patrolling at night! I haven't fallen asleep yet, so how can you fall asleep first?"

Guangliang reached out and flicked him, rousing the drowsy Biqing.

"Uncle Temple Supervisor, the abbot clearly said for you to come alone. He never mentioned me!"

"Exactly. But even though that's what he said, I'm afraid of the dark..."

Guangliang awkwardly scratched his head and said with a smile,

"Afraid of the dark?"

Biqing rubbed his eyes, almost wondering if he had heard wrong.

"Uncle, you're the Temple Supervisor of our Lingyin Temple! You're actually afraid of the dark?"

"Shh—"

Guangliang hurriedly raised a finger to his lips. His eyes darted left and right as he lowered his voice.

"Don't say things like that carelessly. If word gets out, where will that leave my dignity? How am I supposed to become the abbot in the future?"

"Besides, the night is so dark and endless. What if we really run into something... unclean?"

Biqing shivered at once, and most of his drowsiness vanished.

"Uncle, don't scare me! I'm timid, you know that!"

"Our Lingyin Temple is a pure Buddhist sanctuary. How could there be any... of those things?"

"Better