Chapter Seventy-Four: The Temple’s Unyielding Display

“Mm.” Xiao Rongfei quickly nodded, her smile bright as ever. After all, having Chen Yang accompany her gave her a deep sense of safety. Chen Yang was simply the kind of person who made others feel at ease.

At seven in the evening, Chen Yang arrived at the gates of Guanshan Temple in Xiao Rongfei’s car, coming to a slow halt. Overhead, a luminous full moon hung in the sky, bathing the temple in a sacred, ethereal glow.

As they stepped out of the car together, Xiao Rongfei glanced at Chen Yang with curiosity. “Mr. Chen, is this your first time at this temple?”

“That’s right,” Chen Yang replied, his smile gentle. “I visited temples a few times elsewhere, but ever since coming to Linhai, this is my first time at Guanshan Temple.”

A small grin tugged at Xiao Rongfei’s lips. “Mr. Chen, you’re really quite peculiar. You’re so knowledgeable about metaphysics, yet you seldom come to such a renowned temple.”

Chen Yang’s smile widened. “Understanding metaphysics doesn’t mean you have to run to a temple every day, does it?”

Xiao Rongfei let out a wry smile. “Fair enough.”

She turned to the temple’s entrance, her expression growing solemn. “Mr. Chen, let’s go inside now.”

“Let’s,” Chen Yang replied lightly.

Together, they climbed the ninety-nine stone steps to the temple doors. At the entrance, a bald young monk greeted them with a respectful gesture, bowing his head slightly. “It’s late, benefactors. What urgent matter brings you to the temple at this hour?”

Xiao Rongfei quickly smiled. “Little Master, I’m here to see Master Xuanchan. Would you be so kind as to let us through?”

As she spoke, she retrieved a gold pendant from her black leather bag and handed it to the young monk. He accepted it without hesitation, then turned and said, “Please, benefactors, come in.”

At last, Chen Yang and Xiao Rongfei were permitted to enter the temple. Walking slowly along the flagstone path, Chen Yang couldn’t help but scoff, “So, you have to give a gift just to get in?”

“During the day, of course not. But it’s night, isn’t it? Master Xuanchan must be resting. If you don’t give the young monk a little something, he definitely wouldn’t let us in,” Xiao Rongfei replied helplessly.

Chen Yang gave a slight nod and a smile, letting the matter drop. Still, witnessing the young monk accept a bribe at the door left him with a poor impression of the temple.

They finally reached the room where Master Xuanchan was meditating. Seated cross-legged on a cushion, the bald old monk sported a drooping mustache and a goatee, his eyes closed in contemplation. “Who comes to visit?” he intoned softly, without opening his eyes.

Xiao Rongfei bowed her head respectfully. “Greetings, Master Xuanchan. I am Xiao Rongfei.”

Master Xuanchan’s eyes snapped open, sharp and penetrating. He looked directly at Xiao Rongfei’s neck. Not seeing the tiger-shaped white jade hanging there, he closed his eyes once more. “Benefactress, where is the white jade that was at your neck?”

Xiao Rongfei maintained her respectful demeanor. “Master, to be honest, I came to see you so late precisely to ask you about the white jade.”

Xuanchan opened his eyes again. “Oh? What about the white jade troubles you?”

Xiao Rongfei frowned, clearly conflicted, but she voiced her doubts at last. “Master, this jade... It’s a yin jade, isn’t it?”

Xuanchan shook his head. “Benefactress, whose slander have you been listening to?”

“It was a friend of mine,” Xiao Rongfei replied, her brow furrowed.

“Your heart is uncertain, benefactress. It seems you are not fated to keep the jade. Return it. However, if you give back my jade, three days from now, you will suffer a calamity of blood,” Xuanchan said softly.

Xiao Rongfei’s face fell at his words.

Businesspeople, after all, are often superstitious to some degree. Xiao Rongfei was particularly so. Hearing Master Xuanchan warn that without the jade, she would face a bloody misfortune in three days, she couldn’t help feeling afraid.

While fear gripped her, Chen Yang spoke up. “Talismans like these are just psychological crutches. Master, if you truly wished to help Ms. Xiao, you wouldn’t have given her a yin jade, nor used it to drain her energy. I wonder what your true intentions are?”

His words made Xuanchan’s sharp eyes lock onto Chen Yang. “And who are you, benefactor?”

Chen Yang waved a hand, smiling. “My origins don’t matter. I’m Ms. Xiao’s friend, here to have a proper conversation with you, Master.”

“Ms. Xiao is blind to the truth, and it seems so are you,” Xuanchan said with a shake of his head.

Chen Yang smiled. “Why do you say that, Master?”

“You should reflect on it yourself,” Xuanchan replied coldly.

He turned back to Xiao Rongfei. “Benefactress, you have no affinity with the jade. I only give it to those who are destined for it. Please, return it.”

Xiao Rongfei’s voice trembled with fear. “Master, if I return the jade, what about this calamity in three days? What am I to do?”

“There is no way to break it. After the calamity, your business will collapse, and you will fall into a bottomless abyss,” Xuanchan said blandly.

Xiao Rongfei grew anxious. “Then, Master, if that’s the case, I must keep the jade!”

Xuanchan shook his head in disappointment. “Now that you doubt the talisman, it has lost its power. It is useless.”

Xiao Rongfei’s brows knitted tightly. “Then what should I do, Master? Please help me, Master.”

Xuanchan shook his head. “At this point, you can only submit to fate.”

Xiao Rongfei’s face was ashen. She looked to Chen Yang for help, clearly hoping he would plead on her behalf.

Chen Yang turned to Xuanchan again. “Master, I am certain that this jade is indeed yin jade. I’d still like to know—why did you have Ms. Xiao wear it? What was your real aim?”

Xuanchan’s eyes flashed with anger as he suddenly opened them wide. “You have no ties to the Buddhist path. This is no place for you to stir up trouble. Leave at once.”

Xiao Rongfei’s brow furrowed deeper. She dared not offend a figure as revered as Xuanchan, and hurriedly soothed him. “Please, Master, do not be angry. My friend means no disrespect.”

But Xuanchan kept his gaze fixed on Chen Yang, murmuring Buddhist scriptures under his breath. Suddenly, both Chen Yang and Xiao Rongfei felt a sharp pain in their heads.

Frightened, Xiao Rongfei bent at the waist and apologized repeatedly. “Please calm your anger, Master. Please forgive us.”

Still, Xuanchan continued chanting, intensifying the pain in their heads.

Chen Yang realized the old monk was using a dark art against them. Fortunately, he had once received instruction from a true spiritual master. He knew that to break any evil spell, one need only silently recite the Diamond Sutra.

He began to recite the sutra rapidly, and indeed, his mind gradually cleared.

Beside him, Xiao Rongfei looked on in confusion, unsure what was happening between Chen Yang and Master Xuanchan.

As Chen Yang’s silent recitation deepened, Xuanchan suddenly lowered his head, sweat beading on his brow. In truth, he and Chen Yang had been locked in a battle of wills. An ordinary person’s mind would have shattered under Xuanchan’s chanting, but Chen Yang was no ordinary man.

Xuanchan panted heavily. At this point, Chen Yang strode up to him, his tone chilly. “I’ll ask you again—why did you give Ms. Xiao the yin jade?”

Xuanchan’s reply was barely audible. “I meant no harm. You’re overthinking it.”

“Am I?” Chen Yang grabbed Xuanchan by the collar.

Seeing this, Xiao Rongfei immediately interjected. “Mr. Chen, let it go. I won’t press the matter further. Please, release Master Xuanchan.”

Chen Yang looked at her. “Master? Xiao, he was trying to harm you.”

She frowned. “Mr. Chen, please let him go. I don’t want you to get into trouble on my account.”

Chen Yang laughed. “I never believed in these charlatans. I’ll be fine.”

He turned back to the ashen-faced Xuanchan and said coldly, “From now on, if you wish to practice your calling, walk the righteous path. Stay here in your temple and do your duty as abbot. If you dare harm others again, I’ll tear this temple apart.”

Xuanchan nodded repeatedly. “I will only do good from now on. Only good deeds.”

“Where’s the white jade, Ms. Xiao?” Chen Yang asked.

She hurried over and handed him the jade.

Chen Yang weighed it in his palm, a cold smile on his lips. “I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer a loss, Ms. Xiao. Such jade should not remain in this world to harm others.”

With that, he clenched his fist and shattered the jade.

Xiao Rongfei frowned, heart aching at the sight of the ruined jade. Still, it was only a matter of tens of thousands, and with her financial means, she could bear it. She thought no more of it.

Chen Yang turned once more to Xuanchan. “Repeat what I just told you.”

Xuanchan hurriedly replied, “Only do good deeds, only do good.”

Chen Yang released his collar and turned to Xiao Rongfei. “Ms. Xiao, don’t come here and waste your money again. Talismans, calamities in three days—these are just tricks to cheat you out of your money.”

She nodded quickly. “I understand.”

Chen Yang smiled, walking over to her. “Let’s go, then.”

“All right,” she said.

Together, they soon left the temple. At the gate, Xiao Rongfei’s expression was complicated. “Mr. Chen, do you think Master Xuanchan really intended to harm me before?”