The ancient Ling'an Temple stood like a hermit of Liuzhou City, its winding paths shaded by emerald bamboo. Far removed from the mortal world, its evening drums and morning bells echoed as streaks of orange light chased the setting sun into oblivion.
*"Master, the sun has set. Will the man you invited really come? He's..."* The young novice's voice was tinged with childish hesitation, trailing off.
*"Amitabha. The body is finite, but the Dharma is boundless. It illuminates all realms, delivering lost souls from suffering to joy, guiding them swiftly to enlightenment."* The old monk's white brows hung like snow-laden pine branches over the wrinkles on his forehead. He recited the *Manlan Sutra* without altering a single word, just as he had for decades—copied scriptures nearly filled half the room.
*"I invited him in the name of Ling'an Temple. He will come."*
The old monk, Dharma name *Nianchu*, had been at Ling'an Temple since its founding, year after year transcribing scriptures and annotating ancient texts without ever stepping beyond its gates.
*"Xiao Ke, tell me—which sutra contains the line, 'My heart is like the moon, traversing a perilous world, illuminating the ten directions with light'?"*
*"Master, that's... that's from the* Zhaohua Sutra—*ow!"* A bamboo slip struck his head.
*"Wrong. It's from the* Yuehua Sutra. *You can't even memorize a few thousand words, yet this was personally written by Master Jing'an, one of the Five Buddhas! Where else do you think you'll find teachings this profound? Kneel over there and copy it—no dinner for you!"* Monk Nianchu rose, his crimson robes blazing, and swept out in a flurry of sleeves.
The young novice bowed tearfully and shuffled away.
---
The envelope contained a few sheets of paper and a white jade pendant carved into the shape of a lotus. Bai Changming picked it up, rubbed it between his fingers, and held it up to the glazed lamp.
*"So, it's Hanshan jade."* He let out a cold laugh.
Among white jades, *Hetian* and mutton-fat jade were the most prized—lustrous, flawless, and worth a fortune even in small pieces. *Hanshan* jade, however, was middling at best, common in markets and often used to pass off as the former.
After two years navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, Bai Changming had handled every manner of gemstone. He had once gifted entire *Hetian* jade seals without blinking—how could he fail to recognize this cheap imitation?
Unfolding the letter, his eyes narrowed. Aside from a passage of scripture—a lengthy excerpt from the *Yuehua Sutra* on self-redemption—there was nothing else. At the bottom right corner, the Ling'an Temple seal carried the scent of incense and sandalwood.
Running through possible motives and countermeasures, he noted that the appointed day was otherwise free. Holding the letter to a candle, he watched as flames slowly consumed the paper.
*"Redemption"*—the most laughable notion he'd ever heard, let alone this amateurish trick.
What Bai Changming failed to notice was a single strand of animal hair, deliberately dyed to match the paper and cloaked by intricate spells to conceal its aura.
---
*"Amitabha... so it was burned after all. Was I wrong to suspect him?"* Nianchu clasped his hands, prayer beads shifting between his fingers.
*"Xiao Ke, come light the incense."*
*"Master, didn't you just order me to copy—"*
*"Come here!"*
With a sigh, the novice scurried over with incense.
Nianchu's eyes half-lidded, noting his hesitation. *"Speak."*
*"Master, this* Lengyan *incense has been sealed in the cabinet for over twenty years. Why burn it now?"* Realizing its purpose—a tool for vanquishing demons—his eyes widened. *"Master... is there a demon in Ling'an Temple?!"*
Nianchu drew a bronze mirror from his robes. The reflection showed roaring winds, lightning, and thunder. Merely holding it, the novice heard whispers morphing into shrieks and howls. Before him flickered visions—a beauty with a serpent's body, a thousand-armed spider, a cocoon veiled in white silk... Just as he screamed, Nianchu snatched back the mirror and murmured, *"Amitabha."*
*"The Demon-Revealing Mirror has reactivated. The demon isn't here—it's in Liuzhou City."* He shook his head. *"Xiao Ke, remember—the more powerful the demon, the less it resembles one."*
*"Master... you don't mean the one in court, do you?"*
*"Amitabha. Heaven and earth have their laws. Men are men; demons are demons. In my youth, I weathered great storms. If anyone defies the natural order, I will not tolerate it."*
---
At that moment, Bai Changming sneezed in his chambers. A sudden chill gripped him as he noticed rain lashing the windows, distant lightning splitting the sky.
*"Then how did you know he's a demon?"*the novice asked.
Nianchu said nothing. Standing rigid, eyes shut, he chanted under his breath. The scriptures embroidered on his robes blazed gold, each character detaching to hover midair before abruptly enlarging, sealing the room in a radiant cage. The light pulsed twice—then vanished.