Just as it had looked from outside, the temple was cramped.
At a glance, it could hold only seven or eight people. Most of the monks had stayed outside. Only one member of the Red-Robed Sangha stood beside Jing'en, head bowed and eyes lowered, without saying a word.
Dim candlelight flickered over the damaged Buddha statue and the uncertain faces of everyone gathered there.
For all his earlier agitation, Jing'en had fallen silent once they entered. Only after a long while did he speak.
"Benefactor..."
Zhou You merely smiled at his hesitation.
After a while, Jing'en smiled too.
He looked as though he had laid down a heavy burden. His smile turned easy, and then he said,
"Forget it. I won't drag this out. Let me tell you our temple's plan."
Zhou You held out a hand, inviting him to continue.
Jing'en considered his words, then began.
"As I told you before, our temple has hunted this thing for a long time. In truth, it goes back even further. Rosy Clouds Temple was founded to rid the world of this menace... But because of its nature, it's incredibly hard to track. After all these years, we've barely managed to deal with a few traces it left behind. We don't even know where its true body is. Then, three months ago, something changed. For reasons we don't know, it stopped hiding and began appearing openly..."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
At Zhou You's sudden coughing fit, Jing'en looked up in confusion.
"Benefactor, what's wrong?"
Zhou You's expression had turned distinctly strange.
Damn it. Going by the timing... I'm the reason it came out!
Still, he waved a hand and said,
"Nothing. Just an itch in my throat... Go on."
Jing'en thought no more of it. He collected his thoughts and continued.
"As soon