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Chapter 117: Strike first to gain the upper hand

As dusk settled, the Guanyin Temple was shrouded in gloom.

Before the mountain gate, two weary figures stood still. One of them was a middle-aged monk, his robes worn but clean, his face serene; he was none other than Chen Guangrui, whose appearance had been altered.

The other was a slightly overweight lay disciple dressed as a layman, with a worldly smile on his face; this was Yuan Shoucheng in disguise. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the tacit understanding of seasoned veterans in each other's eyes.

As for the two attendants, Jinlu and Yinlu, having already made their appearance, it was not appropriate for them to show themselves again. They were waiting outside Black Wind Mountain as agreed and had not yet appeared.

"Amitabha Buddha." Chen Guangrui clasped his hands together and softly chanted the Buddha's name, his voice peaceful.

"Amitabha." Yuan Shoucheng also imitated the gesture quite well and returned the greeting. Although he still didn't believe that Chen Guangrui's method could get anything out of Jin Chi, he was still willing to cooperate.

A night breeze swept through the mountain gate, stirring up a few fallen leaves.

Chen Guangrui looked up at the high pavilion of the Zen temple shrouded in the night and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."

The two fell silent and headed straight for the solemn gate of the Guanyin Temple, which exuded an inexplicable sense of desolation.

The sound of knocking on the door knocker was particularly clear in the silence. After a moment, the heavy courtyard gate creaked open a crack, revealing the head of a sleepy-eyed young novice monk.

"Who is it? It's so late..." The young novice rubbed his eyes, his tone conveying displeasure at being disturbed.

Chen Guangrui clasped his hands together, his voice gentle yet carrying just the right amount of weariness and earnestness. “Greetings, young monk. This humble monk comes from the East and wishes to travel to the Western Manjushri’s sacred site to study the true meaning of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Today I am passing by your esteemed temple, and it is already late. I would like to ask to stay the night and ask for some vegetarian food. I will be on my way early tomorrow morning. I hope you will be so kind as to grant me this request.”

His words were polite, and he perfectly portrayed the image of a devout wandering monk seeking the Dharma. Even Yuan Shoucheng, who was standing next to him, thought that Chen Guangrui had a dignified appearance and looked like a virtuous monk. He was acting very well! He did not dare to be negligent and tried his best to get into character as well.

The young novice monk sized up the two men's attire. Seeing that one was a monk and the other a layman, and that they looked travel-worn but had no fierce air about them, he relaxed and said, "Oh, please wait a moment, traveling master. I'll go and inform the abbot."

A moment later, the young novice led the two through several quiet courtyards to a secluded side room. The room was simple yet clean. Soon after, someone brought in some congee and side dishes. The two ate their vegetarian meal in silence.

When only Chen and Yuan remained in the room, Yuan Shoucheng glanced at the faint shadows outside the door and deliberately spoke to Chen Guangrui in a voice just loud enough for passersby to hear.
“Master, you have traveled a long way. I will keep that precious cassock safe for you so that you can relax a bit.”

Chen Guangrui shook his head slightly, deliberately lowering his voice, "No. This treasure is offered to Manjushri as a token of my sincere respect, and I dare not entrust it to anyone else."

As he spoke, he unconsciously touched the slightly bulging bundle on his chest where his monk's robe had been, his expression earnest and devout.

As soon as the conversation ended, there was a very slight inhalation outside the door, followed by a steady, almost silent set of footsteps that approached from afar and stopped in front of the door.

Someone knocked gently on the door, and when permission was granted, the door creaked open.

An elder, holding a string of glossy black prayer beads, slowly entered. He had a lean face, a flowing beard, and eyes that held a serene understanding of the world, exuding the air of a reclusive monk.

"Amitabha Buddha, this old monk is Jinchi. I heard that a master has come from afar, so I have come to pay my respects." Jinchi nodded slightly, his gaze subtly sweeping over Chen Guangrui's chest before he asked calmly,

"You two distinguished guests have come from the East and intend to go to Mount Wutai. I imagine you have had a difficult journey?" His words carried the gentleness characteristic of Buddhism, as if it were just ordinary polite concern.

Chen Guangrui returned the greeting with his palms together: "I am grateful for the abbot's inquiry. It is only right that I endure some hardship in order to seek the true Dharma."

Jin Chi smiled and nodded, his kind expression tinged with just the right amount of curiosity. "Just now, this old monk seemed to vaguely hear that your master was carrying a Buddhist treasure?" His tone was natural, as if it were merely out of reverence for the "Buddhist treasure."

Yuan Shoucheng's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately interrupted, his face displaying just the right amount of admiration and "quick wit."
"Elder, you have excellent hearing! It is my master's sincere heart that has brought the family's treasured robe, passed down through generations, to offer to Manjushri Bodhisattva. That robe... tsk tsk,"

He lowered his voice, then exaggeratedly said, "Woven with gold thread, inlaid with seven treasures, glass, agate, pearls, and amber, its precious light is faintly visible. Not to mention the mortal world, even I, an old man who has traveled all over the country, have never seen such a Buddhist treasure!"

"Oh? A precious cassock?" Elder Jinchi's gaze narrowed slightly, and the fingers that were stroking the prayer beads seemed to pause for a moment. A glimmer of indescribable light flashed quickly in the depths of his cloudy eyes. "A fine name. Such a Buddhist treasure must be extraordinary."

Chen Guangrui replied, "It is already late, and this humble monk dares not disturb the elder's meditation with worldly matters."

He turned slightly to the side, as if to protect the package.

Jin Chi's compassionate expression remained unchanged. "It's alright. Being awakened by the precious light is also a blessing for this old monk. The Buddha's treasures are solemn and dignified, and seeing them increases wisdom. I humbly request the Dharma Master to grant this old monk's request to see them and witness the sacred traces. This is an aid to my spiritual practice."

His words were gentle, yet they concealed intense desires beneath Buddhist principles; the high monk's dignity became an oppressive force at that moment.

Chen Guangrui, feeling "helpless," had no choice but to take off his bundle, carefully open it, and take out the neatly folded kasaya. Under the candlelight, the kasaya was slowly unfolded.

"Buzz!"

A barely perceptible hum sounded, and in an instant, the small guest room shone brightly!

The golden threads flowed like molten gold under the candlelight, and the glass beads, agate pieces, pearl strings, and amber pendants adorning the robes instantly burst forth with dazzling seven-colored light. The seven treasures shone brightly, reflecting each other and illuminating the entire room as if it were inlaid with hundreds of glass lamps. Even the finest pores on people's faces were clearly visible, and the gloom on the four walls was completely dispelled.

Elder Jinchi's body seemed to tremble slightly, and he stood still in place.

However, he did not show any greed, but calmly said, "It is indeed a rare Buddhist treasure."

After that, he didn't say anything more, but started reciting Buddhist scriptures, as if these were all external things.

"You two must keep this treasure safe. Since you have come to offer it to Buddha, do not show it to others easily. Wealth can be tempting, and may bring trouble." After giving this kind advice, he said no more and slowly withdrew.

Elder Jinchi closed the door and left, his gentle footsteps fading into the distance.

In the guest room, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Yuan Shoucheng's face, which was filled with doubt.

"Scholar Chen," he lowered his voice, leaning closer to Chen Guangrui, his small eyes quickly glancing through the crack in the tightly closed door.

“Something’s not right! Look at him just now, he only glanced at it once, without the slightest hint of lingering affection, and even told us to keep the treasure safe. This…this is completely different from what you said before! He doesn’t seem like a greedy person at all, he’s clearly a virtuous monk!”

Yuan Shoucheng spoke very quickly, and felt that Elder Jinchi was indeed a highly accomplished monk.

Chen Guangrui carefully folded the jeweled kasaya, his tone as calm as if he were talking about eating or drinking.

"Though my eyes didn't see it, my heart saw every inch of this treasure's brilliance clearly."

"See through him completely?" Yuan Shoucheng's face was full of disbelief. "Come on! How do you know he sees through him completely? Did you figure out that he has ulterior motives? I didn't see any of that at all. He looks so pure and detached from worldly desires!"

He couldn't help but resort to his usual "fortune-telling" rhetoric to question it.

However, before he could say anything more, Chen Guangrui had already stood up.
"It's too late! Cast your spell immediately and use earth magic to take me to the Golden Pond Zen Room!" He grabbed the bundle of his kasaya, his eyes resolute and leaving no room for doubt.

"What?" Yuan Shoucheng almost jumped up.
"Are you crazy! Forcibly breaking into the abbot's meditation room? And trying to arrest him? This is unacceptable! Jinchi is a highly respected monk with a good reputation, and the monks of Guanyin Temple are not to be trifled with! If we act now, it's like stirring up a hornet's nest and starting a war with the entire Guanyin Temple! The consequences... the consequences would be unimaginable!"

He waved his hands repeatedly, sweating profusely with anxiety.

Chen Guangrui stepped forward and grabbed Yuan Shoucheng's shoulder, shouting, "Earth Escape!"

Yuan Shoucheng was so shocked by Chen Guangrui's abrupt and forceful remark that his limbs went weak, and he murmured a lament.
"I'm a fortune teller, at least let me do a reading, okay?"

"No need to calculate anymore, it's too late, let's go!"

Yuan Shoucheng complained, but under Chen Guangrui's gaze and the pressure that had been building up, he knew resistance was futile. Resigned, he stomped his foot, muttered an incantation, and made a hand seal. A faint light flashed on the ground, and the two figures instantly disappeared into the earth and rocks.

A few breaths later, the earth and stones inside the meditation room churned, and Chen Guangrui and Yuan Shoucheng appeared, looking somewhat disheveled. Elder Jinchi was sitting upright on a futon, chanting sutras with his eyes closed, his fingers twirling prayer beads, appearing completely serene.

The sudden appearance of the two people made him open his eyes abruptly. A moment of surprise flashed across his cloudy eyes, but it was quickly replaced by calm.

Once Yuan Shoucheng saw the scene inside the room, he realized that their arrival was already quite presumptuous.

Chen Guangrui didn't give Jin Chi a chance to speak at all. He rushed forward and swiftly pinned the unsuspecting Elder Jin Chi to the cold brick floor.

Jin Chi, old and frail, felt a powerful force strike him, causing his prayer beads to slip from his grasp and scatter on the ground. He didn't struggle violently, but was simply forced to the ground. "Esteemed benefactors, what is the reason for this? This old monk has not offended you in any way..."

He seemed to immediately understand their purpose, and panting, he said, "Are you two thieves disguised as bandits who came up the mountain? If you are after money, there is still a little money donated by believers in the temple's treasury. You can take it... I only hope that you will take the money and leave quickly, so as not to create more bad karma. Turn back before it's too late!"

These words, though tinged with pain, also carried a compassionate urgency to do good. Yuan Shoucheng, listening nearby, felt increasingly uneasy, thinking Chen Guangrui had gone too far. He couldn't help but glance at him; the old monk seemed quite nice…

Chen Guangrui pressed down on Jin Chi with undiminished force, demanding in a stern voice, "Jin Chi! Why did you try to harm us?"

"Harm you?" Jin Chi seemed stunned by the question. He turned his head and looked at Yuan Shoucheng with his cloudy eyes. His voice was innocent and confused. "This benefactor, when have I ever had any intention to harm anyone? And when have I ever done anything to harm you two?"

Yuan Shoucheng was speechless, his face burning. Of course, he had no evidence! Looking at Jin Chi's seemingly wronged expression and hearing his sincere question, he could only awkwardly mutter something.
"Ask him. If he says he harmed someone, then he harmed someone..."

His feeling of sympathy for Jin Chi intensified, and he felt that Chen Guangrui was being unreasonable.

The vast Zen temple was eerily quiet; not a single monk outside noticed the commotion, nor did any alarms sound. This silence, however, amplified Yuan Shoucheng's unease to its peak.

"Scholar Chen," Yuan Shoucheng panicked completely, leaning closer to Chen Guangrui, his voice trembling.

"Let him go first... This, this isn't right. Master Rong said I... I'll do some divination right away, even just a fortune telling, so I can at least know something..."

As a fortune teller, all he wanted to do right now was to get a divination done, even if it was just a small hexagram. He needed some basis for his decision, and at this moment, only a divination could put his mind at ease.

But Chen Guangrui interrupted him, saying, "No need!"

Just as Chen Guangrui finished speaking,

"Fire!" A piercing, terrified scream shattered the tranquility of the night! This was followed by more chaotic, frantic footsteps and the jarring noise of a gong being pounded violently, "Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The tightly closed windows of the meditation room were suddenly illuminated by the firelight, turning them a bright red! The pungent smell of burning wood, mixed with the crackling sound of wood popping, seeped wildly in through the cracks in the doors and windows!

Fire! A raging fire!

(End of this chapter)