Chapter Ninety-One: The Treasure in the Abandoned Temple
He Zhi Xing was startled—how could she hear him from such a distance? How did she know someone was outside? Moreover, he hadn’t made a sound at all. If that was the case, there could only be one answer: the beauty inside was definitely a master.
He Zhi Xing calmed himself and quietly approached the entrance. Before he even stepped fully into the temple, the little wooden statue of the beautiful woman in his hand began to resonate, sensing the presence of treasures and spiritual energy within.
He entered the temple, and his gaze was immediately drawn to a dilapidated hall that was not particularly spacious. Facing the entrance stood an altar, upon which three carved statues of revered deities were enshrined. They were neither Guanyin nor Buddha, but rather unknown gods, their figures bold and imposing, each with a distinct expression.
One had a long face, fierce eyes, and stood upon a purple lotus, holding a large bell-shaped object. However, this statue was damaged and worn, its ears lost to time for reasons unknown. Another held a hook-like implement and stood bravely upon a white lotus, though one arm was broken off at the elbow. Its hair and face were carved in the style of Northern and Southern Dynasty temple figures, with coiled hair, large ears, and a high, graceful nose. The third was the statue of a goddess, looking both heroic and elegant, her delicate face framed by coiled hair, holding a sword in one hand and standing upon a red lotus. Her other hand pinched the sword as she admired the act of wiping its blade, eyes closed and head bowed.
He Zhi Xing looked further and noticed, beside the altar and beneath the towering goddess statue, a beautiful woman seated with her back to him, reciting the Diamond Sutra. Her silhouette was exquisite—the perfect S-shaped curve of her back, her figure accentuated as she sat upon a low stool. The white trousers and shirt she wore traced alluring lines, sparking endless imagination. He thought to himself, “If she’s this beautiful from behind, I hope she’s not a disappointment from the front. Otherwise, I’ll be so frustrated I could die.”
Before the woman turned around, He Zhi Xing spotted a purple object darting into her arms. He wondered, “What could that be?”
At that moment, the wooden statue in his hand responded even more clearly. Besides the faint spiritual energy emanating from the purple creature, there was a powerful aura coming from an object placed at the goddess statue’s lower left, in a slightly recessed stone nook beside the altar. It resembled an ancient imperial pardon token or perhaps a jade tile.
The strong spiritual energy radiated from there. Then, the beauty turned around—she was stunning! So beautiful that He Zhi Xing was dumbstruck, nearly drooling, his expression transformed into that of a lovesick fool.
In her arms, he finally saw the purple creature clearly and exclaimed in shock, “Ah… Is that a sable?”
The sable was a kind of lightning mink, a spirit animal. Its bite carried potent poison, nearly impossible to cure, making the sable or lightning mink a legendary being in people's eyes. Once accustomed to a person, this little creature could help its master find objects with spiritual energy, and even protect them in times of danger.
The beauty, seeing him so entranced, smiled slightly and said, “You must have thought I’d be hideous, a monstrous disappointment. Well, I’ve made you laugh, haven’t I?”
He Zhi Xing replied, “Not at all. I simply didn’t dare imagine you’d be so beautiful—so beautiful I can barely control myself. I have to force myself to sit and meditate, or else I might die at your hands—fall in love with you, because you’re simply too gorgeous!”
The girl responded, “I didn’t expect you to be so eloquent. Clearly, you’re not as simple as you seem.”
Just as He Zhi Xing was about to reply, voices and footsteps sounded outside. Liu Tian and his son, along with the Korean monk Park Jung-jin and three others, had arrived at the temple gate—just a few steps away from entering.