‘Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo’
The night owl flapped its wings, taking flight from the Bodhi tree above the Grand Hall. The bright moon was largely obscured by drifting dark clouds, leaving only a halo of light to illuminate the steps leading to the hall.
“How is it?” Zhong Li stood behind Lu Wuxie, watching him tinker with the bronze lock hanging on the Grand Hall.
‘Clatter’
As her voice fell, the lock let out a crisp sound. When she looked again, the door to the Grand Hall had already opened a crack.
“An ordinary bronze lock, very simple.” Lu Wuxie returned the ‘universal bronze key’ to Zhong Li and squeezed into the hall.
Zhong Li followed.
At this moment, the Grand Hall was not as bustling as it was during the day. Within the vast hall, apart from the moonlight filtering through the gaps in the window panes, there was only silence and darkness.
Zhong Li’s gaze swept past the Burning Lamp Ancient Buddha and landed on the Sakyamuni statue, which had been weeping tears of blood during the day.
The Buddha statue seemed to have been wiped clean; there were no traces of where it had shed tears before.
She drew three incense sticks from the side, bowed to the statue, and then rolled up her sleeves, preparing to go up.
“What are you doing?” Lu Wuxie, who had been following Zhong Li, asked, noticing her slightly abrupt action.
Zhong Li turned to look at the man dressed in the same night attire and said, “To investigate why the Buddha statue shed tears of blood during the day. What else would the Young Master think?”
“So you’re just going to climb up like that?” Lu Wuxie looked at her as if she were a monster.
Zhong Li nodded, giving him a ‘what else’ expression.
Lu Wuxie looked up at the Buddha statue, which was about three to four zhang high. He trusted Zhong Li’s skills, but going up like this made it difficult to guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen.
“It seems Gechen never taught you Qing Gong. Come here.” He sighed, recalling how Zhong Li had almost been trampled by the crowd during the day. After confirming she didn’t know Qing Gong, he said this.
Zhong Li knitted her brows. Before she could refuse, she felt her waist tighten. Lu Wuxie had already pulled her, forcefully pushing off the nearby pillar with one foot. The two of them rapidly flew towards the Sakyamuni Buddha statue.
Previously, Zhong Li knew Lu Wuxie had some self-defense skills, but she never expected his Qing Gong to be so masterful. While she was still surprised by his ability to quickly find stepping points and ascend like a series of jumps, her body had already landed accurately on the statue’s shoulder.
She narrowed her eyes, looking at the side profile of the man with a faint smile on his lips. How many hidden cards did this person possess?
“Where should I check?” Lu Wuxie, unaware of the probing from the person beside him, quickly stabilized their bodies and turned his head to look at the Buddha statue’s face up close, asking Zhong Li.
Zhong Li came back to her senses, her gaze falling on the spot where the Buddha statue had shed tears of blood during the day. She took out a small handkerchief from her怀 and handed it to Lu Wuxie, saying, “I would trouble the Young Master to help wipe the Buddha statue’s eyelids. I hope it hasn’t been completely cleaned up yet.”
Lu Wuxie took Zhong Li’s handkerchief. He glanced at the daisy embroidered on it and nodded, then swiftly flew towards the Buddha statue.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lu Wuxie flew back to Zhong Li’s side and handed her the handkerchief.
Zhong Li took a fire starter from her怀 and placed it in front of the handkerchief, observing it carefully. When she saw that a corner of the handkerchief was faintly stained purple, she already had some idea of the result.
Next, she brought the handkerchief to her nose and sniffed it.
Lu Wuxie stood beside her, taking in her every move, especially the seriousness that inadvertently flickered across her face. He found himself momentarily lost in thought.
“I know,” Zhong Li suddenly said.
Lu Wuxie quickly reacted, chasing away the dazed look from his eyes and replacing it with his usual faint smile, saying, “How is it?”
“This Buddha statue has indeed been tampered with,” Zhong Li’s face showed a hint of determination.
“I wish to hear the details.”
“Has the Young Master ever heard of litmus?” Zhong Li knew she was about to explain chemistry. To make it understandable for Lu Wuxie, she first tentatively asked.
“Litmus?” Lu Wuxie thought for a moment and said, “Are you referring to a type of lichen?”
Zhong Li nodded. “Most people know that litmus can be used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its effects of clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and promoting dampness. But many don’t know that litmus can be used as an acid-base indicator.”
Hearing this, Lu Wuxie’s brow furrowed slightly. He understood the first part of Zhong Li’s statement, but the latter part… indicator, what was that?
Zhong Li didn’t explain but continued, “Litmus turns blue in alkali and red in acid. If this pale purple litmus solution were smeared on the Buddha statue’s eyes, and then lemon juice or other acidic water were applied at the appropriate time, then the statue shedding tears would be explained.”
Lu Wuxie suddenly understood and said, “If what Li’er said is true, to make the Buddha statue shed tears, can I understand that when the Buddha statue was crying, someone was applying lemon water to it?”
“Yes!” Zhong Li nodded. She remembered that when someone exclaimed that Sakyamuni was shedding tears, it coincided with the morning. At that time, besides some monks attending to the incense pilgrims, another group of monks was cleaning the front courtyard and the Grand Hall.
Based on this analysis, the person who caused this chaos must be among these monks performing menial tasks. But what was his purpose?
“At least this person will not cause a catastrophe like twenty years ago. As for the purpose, we can only wait,” Lu Wuxie glanced at Zhong Li, as if understanding her thoughts, and said lightly.
Zhong Li remained silent, looking up to meet the man’s black pupils.
“Let’s go.” Lu Wuxie looked at the sky outside through the windows of the Grand Hall, confirming that it was less than half an hour before dawn. Estimating that someone would soon come to the Grand Hall, he, as before, pulled Zhong Li towards him and, with lightning speed, flew away from the Buddha statue.
When the two returned to their lodging, it was just as the roosters crowed.
Lu Wuxie had already lost all sleep due to nightmares.
Zhong Li, a light sleeper, could faintly hear the low chanting and recitation coming from the Buddhist hall. She knew there was no hope for catching any more sleep.
Since neither of them was sleepy anymore, Zhong Li, as Lu Wuxie’s ‘attendant,’ naturally took on the task of serving tea and fetching food.
The dining hall of Ling Shan Temple was not far from the dormitory. Moreover, given Lu Wuxie’s special status, breakfast was prepared early. In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Zhong Li had returned to their lodging with the meal.
Just as she was about to push the door open, Lin Jin came rushing over from the direction of the front courtyard.
“Zhong Gu…” Lin Jin paused and corrected himself, “Brother Zhong.”
“Is Guard Lin in such a hurry looking for the Young Master?” Zhong Li asked.
Lin Jin nodded and peeked through the door crack, “Has the Young Master woken up?”
Before Zhong Li could answer, Lu Wuxie’s somewhat lazy voice came from inside, “Come in.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Jin pushed the door open and entered.
At this moment, Lu Wuxie was lying on the bed where Zhong Li had slept, looking lazy and half-asleep.
“What is it?” His voice was hoarse, truly like someone who had just woken up.
Zhong Li glanced at the man on the couch, a knowing look that outsiders couldn’t understand flashing in her eyes.
Lin Jin cupped his fists and said, “Young Master, something terrible has happened! There’s been a death in the meditation room!”