Bestowal

Qu Zan told the Sutra Academy Abbot what he had discovered about Ghost-Fallen Guanyin's pattern of behavior.

The latter gave Qu Zan a meaningful look and said, "Through your own observations alone, you discovered Ghost-Fallen Guanyin's pattern of killing and avoided death!

"Although that Vengeful Ghost had only just broken free and had not fully revived, Ghost-Fallen Guanyin has tremendous killing power.

"Your talent and quick wits are both quite good."

The Sutra Academy Abbot said, "What you just told me is quite useful. It will spare me a good deal of trouble." With that, he took a ring off his hand.

It was a coral-set saddle ring, marked with a wailing skull.

"This little trinket is yours!" he said, handing it to Qu Zan.

Qu Zan held out both hands together and respectfully accepted it.

The instant he touched the ring, a notification appeared on the panel.

[You have touched Fortune Essence. Absorb?]

Qu Zan's heart stirred, but his face remained expressionless.

The Sutra Academy Abbot said, "Go back, all of you. What remains is no concern of yours...

"...a Vengeful Ghost was wreaking havoc, and you reported it promptly. All of you have earned merit this time. The monastery will not treat you poorly."

Everyone was delighted to hear this. They bowed in thanks, then went their separate ways as though granted a great pardon.

"Be more careful from now on," the Sutra Academy Abbot reminded them before they left.

"Those who have encountered a Vengeful Ghost are very likely to encounter one again," the Sutra Academy Abbot said mildly.

He spoke as though it were nothing, but the words made Qu Zan's and the others' scalps prickle.

Some sort of mutual attraction between Vengeful Ghosts!

Qu Zan noticed a cloth bundle at the back of the Sutra Academy Abbot's waist.

It held an extremely ornate golden bottle. About a foot tall, it was decorated all over with lotus-petal, ruyi-head, and scrolling-vine patterns.

Leaving them with those words, the Sutra Academy Abbot walked toward the Ancient Empty Courtyard. Entirely alone, he headed into the place where the Vengeful Ghost ran rampant.

Doje said, "What is the academy head going to do? Isn't he waiting for the monastery's other great virtuous sages?"

Rinchen said, "Subdue the Vengeful Ghost, of course. The academy head possesses supreme magical power and commands the power of gods and Buddhas."

The power of gods and Buddhas? I think he's controlling a Vengeful Ghost.

The gods and Buddhas of Mìdì all look thoroughly sinister, Qu Zan thought. I wonder how the academy head subdues Vengeful Ghosts.

He was curious, but he also knew that with his current meager abilities, watching the battle would probably cost him his life.

Qu Zan asked, "Senior Brother Rinchen, did you see that object the academy head was carrying?"

"Oh, that? That's a Golden Benba Bottle.

"Vengeful Ghosts may be terrifying, but their power cannot affect gold. That Golden Benba Bottle was cast from thick gold.

"So, once a Vengeful Ghost is subdued, it can be imprisoned in the golden bottle," Rinchen said.

Qu Zan nodded. "I see."

He thought to himself that, as an Attendant Monk, he really had no access to more knowledge about dealing with Vengeful Ghosts.

Understanding dawned on Doje. "Gold can block the power of Vengeful Ghosts. No wonder all the tallest buildings in our monastery are fitted with golden roofs. So they're meant to ward off Vengeful Ghosts.

"A bottle that big, made entirely of gold. How much gold must that take?"

Doje looked at Qu Zan. "Junior Brother, what should we do next?"

"What else? Go back and keep cleaning."

"Huh? We're still going to clean the Ancient Empty Courtyard?"

"Back to the Servants' Courtyard, of course," Qu Zan said.

Rinchen bowed to Qu Zan. "Junior Brother Gyatso, it was all thanks to your guidance this time. Otherwise, we would have been wiped out to the last man. I will repay you generously another day."

"Think nothing of it. To ferry others to salvation is to ferry oneself!" Qu Zan pressed his palms together.

Doje said, "Junior Brother, I still don't understand. How could a Vengeful Ghost turn up in our monastery? Where do you think that Ghost-Fallen Bodhisattva came from?"

Qu Zan asked quietly, "Didn't you see the scriptures bearing its name wrapped around that Ghost-Fallen Bodhisattva?"

"I saw them, but I can't read." Doje scratched his head.

"It must have escaped from a seal," Rinchen said gravely.

"But I've never heard of any seal there."

Qu Zan said, "Don't you know what the Ancient Empty Courtyard is near?"

"The Meditation Courtyard. Could it be...?" Doje's expression shifted slightly.

The Meditation Courtyard was a tranquil place in the monastery, provided for the Lamas to meditate in seclusion.

"That Ghost-Fallen Guanyin probably escaped from some Lama's quarters," Qu Zan said.

Qu Zan and Doje slowly walked back to the courtyard.

Having witnessed the Vengeful Ghost killing people, Doje did not dare raise his head to look up, afraid that Ghost-Fallen Guanyin's uncanny power still lingered and would make him fall into the sky.

Qu Zan glanced at Doje and saw the dejected look on his face.

He said, "Senior Brother, why do you look a little unhappy?"

Doje said, "Junior Brother, what did the academy head Lama mean just now when he said, 'Those who have encountered a Vengeful Ghost are very likely to encounter one again'? Will we run into another Vengeful Ghost next time?"

The mere thought of Ghost-Fallen Guanyin's terrifying appearance made his calves go weak.

"Honestly, I'm grateful I practiced Sun Salutation before. I ran really fast this time. Before, I wouldn't have been able to run at all."

"Yes. Training your body well gives you another chance at survival when facing a Vengeful Ghost." Qu Zan nodded in agreement.

Back in the courtyard, Qu Zan took out the ring.

He chose to absorb it.

[Fortune Essence +0.6]

Qu Zan turned the ring and the One-Eyed Dzi Bead over in his hands, taking them out to compare them. He found that both seemed to be old objects, handled and polished for at least ten or twenty years, perhaps even longer.

This Fortune Essence was good stuff. Unfortunately, he had no money to obtain more.

News of a Vengeful Ghost wreaking havoc in the monastery did not spread. It seemed the monastery elders were suppressing the news, preventing it from circulating.

Such a thing was indeed hardly good news.

When Huo De Lama heard that they had encountered a ghost, he looked shocked, while also marveling at Qu Zan's profound blessings and virtue, which had allowed him to survive a Vengeful Ghost.

Over the next few days, Qu Zan went about his work as usual during the day and went to Huo De Lama's quarters to study scriptures at night.

In the morning, the Attendant Monks were lined up, waiting to receive their tasks for the day.

"I wonder what work we'll be doing today. Please don't make us carry water again, or send us off to some remote monastery..."

Suddenly, Qu Zan spotted a familiar face. It was the former guardian monk of the Ancient Empty Courtyard, the Scholar Monk Rinchen.

Qu Zan saw that Rinchen's eyes shone brightly, and his bearing and dignity were far more substantial than before. There was also something unfathomable about him.

Doje said, "Junior Brother, look, Senior Brother Rinchen is here. He seems different from before.

Qu Zan nodded. "He's undergone a change that overturns heaven and earth."

Rinchen leaned close to Steward Miba and said something. The latter looked at Rinchen in disbelief.

He received a nod of confirmation from the latter.

Miba cleared his throat and said, "Gonbo, you will go to the Secret Medical Institute to cultivate and become a Medicine Monk..."

Everyone was startled by the news. All eyes turned to Gonbo, the fellow who had burst his own eyes with a candlestick when they encountered the Ghost-Fallen Bodhisattva.

Everyone stared at him in astonishment, while Gonbo himself was too dazed to speak.

Qu Zan's heart stirred. Could it be, could it be...

"Doje, you will go to the Warrior Monk Academy to cultivate and become a warrior monk!"

Doje was slightly taken aback, then froze completely.

"Gyatso, you will go to the Sutra Academy to cultivate and become a Scholar Monk!"

"Huh?!"