Seeking Immortality 024

But Fang Zhiyi suddenly spoke: "She said it was your fault for insisting on giving money to the beggar that caused the trouble, wasn’t it?"

Xu Xiaoya froze for a moment: "No, Xiaocao, wasn’t it you who said that beggar was so pitiful..."

Xu Xiaocao panicked and quickly interrupted: "Sister, who are those people? They look so dirty."

Xu Xiaoya’s attention was diverted: "Those people... they’re all homeless children. From now on, we’ll take care of them."

"What? That’s not a good idea, Sister. You can’t earn much money yourself, and you can’t just rely on Eldest Brother Fang to keep helping them..."

Xu Xiaoya glanced at Fang Zhiyi and grinned: "Gousheng, don’t you worry. Starting tomorrow, I’ll find some work. I had a look around today, and I can set up a little stall to do embroidery. Remember how I used to mend your clothes when they tore back in the old days?"

Fang Zhiyi didn’t confirm or deny.

In the past, he would have thought Xu Xiaoya was quite the troublemaker, but in this world, he felt that having one more kind-hearted person wasn’t such a bad thing.

Might as well see it through to the end.

That night, Fang Zhiyi called Xu Xiaoya to his room, which kept Xu Xiaocao tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She frantically schemed how to draw Fang Zhiyi’s attention away from Xu Xiaoya and onto herself.

Staring at the "Gao Mingzhi" before her, Xu Xiaoya had gone from fear to familiar ease.

"Take this. Remember the chant. Close your eyes and try to sense your spiritual domain again," Fang Zhiyi said.

Xu Xiaoya obeyed, closing her eyes. Whatever Gousheng told her to do, she did.

Fang Zhiyi watched the sweat trickle down the girl’s forehead and quietly stood up. Xu Xiaoya actually had quite a talent for this. Since that was the case, it was time for him to leave.

When Xu Xiaoya opened her eyes again, the night had deepened, and Fang Zhiyi was nowhere to be seen. Only a peace talisman lay on the table, along with a small bundle stuffed with money.

Xu Xiaoya shot to her feet, then slowly sat back down.

The moment Fang Zhiyi had taught her how to control the Black Soul, Xu Xiaoya knew that Gousheng was no longer the same person he had been. He still had bigger things to do.

"Gousheng, you just wait. Someday, I’ll definitely be able to help you. I swear it!"

Huang Peiwen’s carriage convoy set out from the city at dawn. For this pilgrimage, he had prepared for a long time. Countless doctors had been called to his home to treat his parents, but nothing worked. Then he’d dreamed of the Wanli Temple several nights in a row. Convinced it could solve his problem, Huang Peiwen set off.

Halfway along the journey, a servant reported that a Little Taoist riding a donkey had appeared behind them and was following.

Huang Peiwen didn’t take it seriously. The road didn’t belong to the Huang family, so he simply told a servant to give the Little Taoist some loose change.

When the Taoist took the money but kept following, the Huang family said nothing more.

After three hours, they finally reached their destination.

Both parties dismounted and left their vehicles outside the Wanli Temple. Fang Zhiyi rubbed his sore backside, patted his little donkey on the head, then looked up at the temple before him. He could never have imagined such an imposing structure in this remote place. The temple was built against the mountain, as if pressed into the ridge by a giant’s hand. Its gate stood three meters high, flanked on both sides by fierce statues of divine generals.

Judging by the worn stone steps smooth from pilgrims’ feet, this secluded temple enjoyed plenty of visitors.

Huang Peiwen turned to look at the Little Taoist, who was now pulling grass to feed his donkey nearby. When the Little Taoist looked back, Huang Peiwen bowed slightly, then strode into the temple.

Fang Zhiyi didn’t move. While feeding his donkey, he watched coldly as the Huang family filed inside.

Once inside the gate, the Huang family was awestruck all over again. From the outside, the temple was simply grand, but inside, it felt overwhelming—as if the great hall and the cliff face had merged into one giant entity.

A young monk hurried over and guided them deeper in.

They walked into the main hall, which differed little from an ordinary temple. A massive golden Buddha statue stood at the center, with arhats in various poses lining the walls on both sides.

"Amitabha." A ringing chant echoed through the hall. Then a figure clad in a vermilion robe emerged from the shadows of the Mahavira Hall, slowly stepping forward.

"This old monk, Huijue, welcomes all kind patrons to this temple."

Fang Zhiyi sat cross-legged on the ground, having already stripped the grass bald before him. Now he was drawing in the dirt with a twig, occasionally glancing up at the sky.

By the time the sun was slanting westward, the Huang family had finally come out. Looking weary, Huang Peiwen was about to be helped into his carriage when he glanced over at Fang Zhiyi again. After a brief hesitation, he walked over.

"Little Master." Huang Peiwen gave a slight bow. He didn’t dare offend anyone with spiritual power anymore.

Fang Zhiyi looked up at him, frowning slightly: "Your forehead is darkened by bad luck. You’re in for trouble."

Huang Peiwen was startled: "Little Master, why do you say that? Today I donated generously to the Wanli Temple, and the abbot performed a blessing for my family..."

Fang Zhiyi cut him off: "And did he give you something?"

Huang Peiwen nodded.

Fang Zhiyi held out his hand without ceremony: "Let me see it."

"This..."

Seeing Huang Peiwen’s hesitation, Fang Zhiyi gave a sarcastic laugh: "If it weren’t for the silver you sent to me, I wouldn’t bother meddling in your affairs."

Huang Peiwen studied the young Taoist with suspicion. But then he thought about the legends of faces growing youthful through cultivation. Gritting his teeth, he pulled a red-cloth-wrapped object from inside his robe. Fang Zhiyi didn’t take it, only motioned for him to open it.

Huang Peiwen shook his head: "Little Master, this was consecrated personally by the abbot. He strictly instructed me to open it only after returning home."

Fang Zhiyi shrugged: "Fine, suit yourself."

Huang Peiwen seemed to be weighing something, but in the end, he stuffed the object back into his robe, saluted Fang Zhiyi one last time, and left with his servants.

"Remember, if you run into anything strange, go to the third house in Luogu Alley in the southern part of town... ask for a girl named Miss Xu. She can help you."

Huang Peiwen didn’t look back. He was in a hurry to get home. According to the abbot, offering this object in the household would revive the flow of life energy, and his parents would recover.

Fang Zhiyi watched the Huang family depart with a clatter, then muttered to himself: "Wrapped in red cloth, but covered in black smoke, and they think it’s a treasure." He turned his gaze to the Wanli Temple. "I don’t want to get involved either, but I have no choice now."

He stood up, brushed the dirt off his pants, and turned to find a young monk standing right in front of him.

"Sir, the abbot invites you inside for a talk."