Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes

Should his ashes and belongings really be returned to the nursing home?

"Please forgive my rudeness, benefactor. Alas, I never expected that there were indeed monsters in Qiushang Village. No wonder the drought has continued without any relief."

Fa Shan clasped his hands together in greeting to Xiao Che.

"How was the sorcerer able to determine that this cat demon was related to the drought?" Dongshan asked Xiaoche.

“Amitabha, that is naturally Master, the abbot of the nursing home, the diviner Kuai Xian. Master has never made a mistake in his calculations, and the surrounding villagers can all testify to that.” Fa Shan bowed towards the location of the nursing home.

The villagers who overheard their conversation nodded in agreement.

"Master Kuai Xian is a very powerful monk; I've heard he can even bring the dead back to life!"

“I still remember the last flood. It was thanks to Master Kuai Xian that the giant snake was subdued.”

Xiao Che didn't ask any more questions.

They came by oxcart and are now going back by oxcart, with the unconscious little girl placed in the center.

The villagers watched them leave. The girl and her family stood there for a long time, crying and sobbing, until they were completely out of sight before they were persuaded to go home.

"Amitabha, please forgive my rudeness. We practitioners are compassionate and it is our duty to help those in need."

"Although our nursing home is located in the mountains, the temple is quiet and secluded. It was a pure place where eminent monks sat in meditation and comprehended the Dharma a hundred years ago. The patriarchs of all generations have accumulated great merit and blessed this land with peace and stability for hundreds of years."

"Alas, the world is in hardship these days, people's hearts are no longer pure, and incense offerings are dwindling. Even if we have the heart to spread the Dharma, we are like a skilled cook without rice to cook."

On the way back, Fashan spoke earnestly, but her gaze inadvertently swept over Xiaoche's belt, clearly assessing the weight of this nobleman from the capital.

Xiao Che simply nodded silently, occasionally chiming in with a few words, his gaze frequently drifting to the still unconscious girl.

Qiushang Village is not far from the nursing home; they arrived in less than an hour.

The nursing home is hidden behind a secluded bamboo forest. The temple gate is simple and ancient, and several ancient pine trees with gnarled branches have a sense of otherworldly beauty.

But Xiaoche still felt the oppressive atmosphere and could smell some kind of filth hidden beneath the incense and candles.

He Ye's thoughts transmitted: "My lord, the smell of blood is very faint, but it's mixed up underground."

Zhu Hai let out a very low, malicious sneer: "Hypocritical and greedy, the stench that even incense can't cover up, what a sanctimonious high monk, following me."

It didn't dare to continue.

Fashan handed the girl over to two servant monks to take away, and then cordially invited Xiaoche to the guest hall to serve tea.

Xiao Che knelt down. The living room was simply furnished but polished to a high shine, and the air was filled with the rich scent of sandalwood.

A moment later, a monk dressed in a magnificent robe and with a slightly plump figure entered, accompanied by Fashan.

The old monk had completely black hair and beard, an unusually ruddy complexion, and skin as smooth as a freshly peeled egg; upon closer inspection, even the wrinkles were extremely faint.

He held a string of deep sandalwood prayer beads in his hand, walked steadily, and wore a gentle smile.

However, the rosy and smooth skin exuded an unnatural vitality, creating a strange disconnect with his eyes full of the marks of time, giving people a strong sense of awkwardness that made him seem both old and young.

“Amitabha Buddha, Fashan has already introduced you to this benefactor. I am Kuai Xian, the abbot of the nursing home. Your esteemed guest has come all the way from the capital. May I ask which branch of the samurai family you belong to?”

Kuai Xian sat down, his gaze sweeping gently but with a hint of scrutiny over Xiao Che's face, attire, and the demon-slaying crimson sword that looked incredibly valuable.

"I am a humble man who has traveled to this place." Xiao Che answered simply, mimicking the arrogance and aloofness of a martial arts disciple.

“The Ikoma family is truly a distinguished and prestigious lineage; even I, a humble monk, have heard of it from afar in the mountains.”

Kuai Xian chuckled, clearly not entirely convinced, but he didn't elaborate.

"As you can see, although my temple is not a famous monastery, it is still a blessed place for spiritual practice and self-cultivation. The mountains and forests here are pristine, the energy is profound, and the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is here to nurture your mind and body."

"Many prominent Chinese families, such as the Date family and the Katakura family, come here every month for a few days of meditation. They feel refreshed and energetic, as if all the impurities in their bodies have been removed, and they feel as if time has turned back, making them several years younger. Hehehe, this is all thanks to the blessing of the Buddha."

He casually rubbed the back of his hand, his smooth skin seemingly glistening with a faint sheen.

Higashiyama Shin understood the meaning behind his words; it seemed that this temple had a way to prolong life.

Thinking back to the little girl in front of me, it's safe to assume this isn't a legitimate solution.

He tried his best to make Xiaoche seem interested.

Dao Manxiao forced a smile, revealing a faint hint of interest: "The Longevity Ksitigarbha? May I pay my respects?"

“Of course! The Life-Extending Ksitigarbha is the principal deity of our temple. His Buddhist power is vast. As long as you sincerely worship him, you will surely receive a response. Please follow me.” Kuai Xian stood up with a smile.

The group moved to the main hall, and as soon as they stepped through the door, Xiao Che's eyes flashed with surprise.

The main hall looks simple from the outside, but the interior is spacious and houses a three-foot-tall statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva covered in gold leaf, sitting on a lotus pedestal with a solemn and dignified appearance.

Bright yellow brocade curtains hung on both sides, and the eternal lamps in front of the Buddha were all made of pure copper. The flickering lights illuminated the entire hall in a golden and magnificent light.

The floor was made of polished stone slabs, spotless.

The scene and the ancient appearance of the temple, compared to the barren and dilapidated villages along the way, were like two completely different worlds.

Xiao Che looked at the glittering golden statue of Ksitigarbha. The Buddha's eyes were slightly lowered, seemingly compassionate, but through the layers of gold foil, there was also a sense of greed and acquisition that was artificially created.

Under the guidance of Abbot Kuai Xian, he respectfully offered incense and bowed slightly with his palms together.

My gaze swept over the base of the Buddha statue, the corners of the hall, and the heavy floor tiles.

He Ye's senses were correct; the smell of blood seemed to be coming from beneath this dazzling golden palace.

"There are still a few meditation rooms available here. If you are so inclined, why not stay overnight? You can bathe in the Buddha's light and cleanse your mind of worldly cares."

Seeing Xiaoche deep in thought inside the Golden Hall, Kuai Xian spoke up at the opportune moment, "There will be vegetarian offerings tomorrow morning."

Xiao Che pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Alright."

After saying this, he took out a few small gold coins from his pocket and placed them on the tray of the novice monks serving him.

"A small donation for incense, nothing more."

Kai-Hsien's gaze lingered on the glittering gold coins, a fleeting glint of greed in his eyes before vanishing into a calm, unwavering expression: "Amitabha, benefactor's kindness is immeasurable. Fa-shan, quickly arrange a tranquil meditation room for benefactor Ikoma, ensuring everything is perfect."

Fashan respectfully accepted the order: "Yes, Abbot."

It's night in a blink of an eye.

Inside the Qinghe Zen Room, Daoman Xiaoche sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, his breathing long and even, as if he were in deep meditation.

The next second, he opened his eyes, his gaze showing no sign of sleepiness.

Time is up.

He rose silently, blended into the night, evaded the patrolling monks, and sneaked into the main hall.

He left a mark on the little girl during the day, and now it's heading in the same direction as the smell of blood.

He quickly found an extremely well-hidden door in a wall of the main hall, opened it, and revealed a dark, downward-pointing opening.

A cold, fishy smell hit me.

The tunnel slopes downwards, the stone steps are slippery, and only a few small oil lamps illuminate the walls, making the light dim.

As you descend, you begin to hear faint rustling sounds, like some kind of insect crawling and gnawing, or like the lingering echo of a faint groan filtered through layers of stone walls.

"A barrier? No, it's an array?"

This formation doesn't seem to be intended to hinder people's progress; it's clearly being used for another purpose.

Xiao Che's heart sank slightly, and he became even more cautious, concealing all his aura as he continued forward along the tunnel.

Finally, a relatively open area appeared at the end of the passageway.

The slightly brighter lighting only made the scene seem more eerie.

Upon entering, Xiao Che's pupils dilated in shock, and he involuntarily clenched his fists, his knuckles making a slight cracking sound.

This is a small square room, in the center of which is a rough pottery jar about half the height of a person.

A child's head protruded from the mouth of the jar, while the jar itself was clearly too small to hold the child's limbs.

The child's eyes were gouged out, and his tongue and ears were cut off, leaving him with basically only his sense of smell and touch.

He was like a twisted, rotten lump of flesh, soaking in a dark, viscous liquid in a jar that smelled of medicine.

Even more terrifying, in each of the four corners of the small room there was a deep niche, each of which was sealed with rusty iron bars.

Inside were imprisoned small, thin children with empty, lifeless eyes. But what was most terrifying was that although their bodies were still those of young children, their faces resembled those of elderly people.

Deep wrinkles creased their foreheads and cheeks, and sparse, graying hair clung to their scalps. On the crown of each person's head, a wisp of eerie, pale light shone, like four candles.

"Life Fire." Xiao Che recognized what it was.

This is their lifeblood, burning and being guided by the power of the formation to the inhuman-shaped container inside the central pottery vessel.

The children inside the inn are like human converters, filtering these forcibly taken lives and condensing a certain essence.

Air condensation.

Sensing the oppressive atmosphere emanating from Xiao Che, Zhu Hai dared not utter a sound.

Xiao Che closed his eyes with difficulty, suppressing the nausea and overwhelming killing intent surging in his chest.

He understood why Kaisenna exhibited that contradictory youthful state, and the true meaning of the longevity Ksitigarbha enshrined here.

The lifespans of young boys and girls were used as fuel for lamps, forcibly burned, stripped, and condensed into an essence for these monks and the Chinese who came to admire them.

Although this method of deprivation will inevitably have a backlash, the golden statue of Ksitigarbha in this Buddhist temple is precisely the best way to suppress it.

Here, Buddhism has been completely reduced to a tool for concealing and even creating sins!

It was truly a blasphemous and ingenious design. He never imagined that people could be so twisted and depraved to such a demonic degree just to prolong their lives.

He continued forward, passing two more terrifying life-conversion rooms with the same layout, and finally arrived at the door of a relatively larger main room.

The interior scene exudes an eerie, sacred atmosphere.

The little girl was placed on a clean, golden cushion, her eyes closed, seemingly in a deep sleep.

Around her were statues of Ksitigarbha Buddha of all sizes, scriptures, and a large number of dazzling gold, silver and jade artifacts.

Gold and silver are interspersed with Buddha statues, and everything seems to speak for itself.

Facing Xiaoche, the figure on the futon was none other than Kuai Xian, the abbot of the nursing home whom he had met during the day.

But at this moment, he no longer possessed any trace of his dignified and youthful appearance.

His robes remained the same, but his face was now twisted like a demon, his skin was festering and oozing pus, and purplish-black pus dripped down his thick chin, emitting a pungent, putrid stench.

His eye sockets were sunken and dark, his eyes were cloudy and bloodshot.

He exuded a kind of madness, like someone on the verge of decay yet desperately clinging to the last vestiges of life.

Chapter 234: The Nine Formations of Ksitigarbha

Kuai Xian was intently chanting incantations and hand gestures towards the little girl, presumably making preparations for the other children.

Daoman Xiaoche took a few steps forward and emerged from the shadows.

"Hehehe," Kuai Xian said without raising his head, letting out a nasty, ghostly laugh. The sound seemed to come from his throat, but rather from his festering chest. "Your curiosity, benefactor, is truly... deadly."

He raised his head, a hideous grin squeezing out from his festering, distorted face.

As he spoke, several robust monks dressed in robes, with ashen faces and varying degrees of festering sores on their bodies, emerged from the shadows of the main room like ghosts. They gripped gleaming knives or long staffs tightly in their hands, their eyes fiercely fixed on the uninvited guest.

Dharma is also among them.

A black cat also quietly leaped out; it was the same monster that had acted as a cat demon in Qiushang Village during the day.

It hunched its back nervously, its emerald vertical pupils scanning Xiao Che warily, a threatening growl emanating from its throat, yet it was noticeably half a body length behind the monk under Kuai Xian's command, its eyes filled with deep apprehension.

"Since you're here, make the best of it. Benefactor, why not take refuge in Buddhism and join us in exploring the path to immortality and sharing in ultimate bliss?"

Kua-hyun tempted her with her rotting lips, her voice hoarse and unpleasant.

“This old monk is one hundred and seventy years old this year. But in the daytime, have you seen any flaws in my appearance? This is the blessing of the longevity Ksitigarbha!” He tried to stand up, but his rotting legs could not support him and he fell back down, splattering pus and blood all over the ground.

Xiao Che's voice was completely flat: "Do you know Master Youchan?"

"Youchan?" A look of astonishment appeared on Kaihyun's decaying face, which then turned into deep-seated resentment and a trace of deeply concealed fear.

“Youchan, of course I recognize you! I owe my current status to this good junior brother.”

"Back then, I risked my life to bring back the Ksitigarbha Nine Formations Diagram, hoping he could use it to set up an array to prolong my master's life, but he was so rigid and pedantic! He actually said it was an evil art and wanted to destroy it! If it weren't for this humble monk, hahahahaha." He let out a series of maniacal laughs, "Thanks to him, my master passed away, and the nursing home declined from then on. He just heartlessly left and disappeared without a trace for decades. It was me! I painstakingly brought the nursing home back to prosperity!"

"I must live! And I will live. As long as I am here, the nursing home will not collapse!"

The Nine Formations of Ksitigarbha, Higashiyama Shin pondered, that Xiao Che must have learned the formation from this thing, and thus set up the seal on Mount Fuji.