Chapter 406: The Meeting at the Pavilion Halfway up the Mountain

The yard stood alongside the Tianxiu River. The night wind was extremely chilly.

“Maybe it was a coincidence. Wolf King has always been cautious and good at hiding. It’s reasonable for him to change his lodging.” Wang Zai guessed frowning slightly.

Staring at the slow-flowing river, Jiang Zhiwei mused, “Maybe someone was watching us. When they found something, they informed Wolf King in advance.”

“The Myths?” Meng Qi understood what she meant but said nothing. Wang Zai was using his imagination instead. “Both Crown Prince and Third Prince are here. There is chaos in Ying City. Maybe we are being monitored by someone.”

He connected this matter with Prince Jin Zhao Yi’s assassination attempt.

After a pause, he said, “Wolf King might use this bloody cloth to wrap his wounds. You’d better let me take it. I will use my family’s special skill to trace him.”

The Bai family came from Southern Wild. It was said that they owned the poisoning skill and Dharma Access of tracing someone by blood. That is why Wang Zai said that. If they did not let Wang Zai take the cloth, they might have to ask for experts of the Exterior or true descendants of Buddhism for help with their Heavenly Knowing such as Providential Sight.

“Okay.” Meng Qi nodded. “But Wolf King did not leave in a hurry. Since he left this piece of bloody cloth, he should have made some ways to avoid being traced.”

After that discussion, they did not find any clues, so they separated and went back to their residence. Jiang Zhiwei asked the manager of Sword Washing Pavilion in Ying City to contact Turf Lord to trace Wolf King.

…

The next day, the sky was clear and the winter sun was warm.

In light of the fact that he had submitted the secret report for two days, Senior Brother Qi had been reporting to the Huanhua Swords Sect for a long time, and Gu Xiaosang and Luo Jiao Sanren had been waiting in secret, Meng Qi had planned to be a decoy, so he invited Jiang Yan to visit Misty Rain Mountain together.

The mountain was empty and the scenery was beautiful. Unlike other mountains, the Yanyu Mountain was not sharp or steep but delicate and green. It demonstrated the typical softness of River East.

“The scenery of Jiangdong is quite different from that of the Northland.” The bright sunlight shined through the surrounding fog so the entire Misty Rain Mountain was enveloped in gold, which dyed the mountain stream and old trees with holiness. Jiang Zhiwei seemed to be enveloped in gold as well.

Located at the junction of Huazhou and Ganzhou, Sword Washing Pavilion was also considered to be in the North.

There were many towers and pavilions in the mountains. The sound of music and dancing flowed into their ears. The families, sects and wealthy officials all built yards and pavilions in the Misty Rain Mountain. The nature and works of human labor integrated well.

Looking close at the beautiful mountains and rivers and looking at the pavilions far way, Meng Qi chuckled. “According to others, Heart-calming Temple is located in the Northern Peak. The smell of Iron Flower tear is elegant and the tofu jelly is inexplicably delicious. Why not try it?”

Jiang Zhiwei laughed. “I thought that you would go to Samantabhadra Temple.”

“Why?” Meng Qi’s eyes were wide open, as if he had not considered Samantabhadra Temple at all.

“Aren’t you a monk? It’s reasonable for you to mediate in mountains.” Jiang Zhiwei joked and then continued, “Luohan non-spiced dinner of Samantabhadra Temple is ranked first in Ying City. You like eating so much, why didn’t you think of it first?”

After thinking, she said seriously, “I know you don’t like to be a monk, but since you have resumed secular life, why don’t you go to a temple? If you always avoid this, it may seem like you really can’t get rid of it. As time goes by, it will become a knot in your hand, which may bring about external demons.”

Sword Washing Pavilion valued the refinement of mentality, so Jiang Zhiwei reminded him.

Meng Qi squeezed out a smile and said, “I went to the nunnery before, so I’m not afraid of temples. It was just because Crown Prince lived in Samantabhadra Temple and I was involved with King Jin before. If I go there rashly, I’m likely to be involved in a royal dispute and bring myself some trouble.”

Although he had told Jiang Zhiwei about Zhao Yi and Crown Prince’s arrival, he did not tell her their residence.

Jiang Zhiwei understood now. Her face flushed, she slightly raised her head and looked at the sky, then “honestly” said, “I overthought it and got you wrong.”

She was being completely genuine.

Meng Qi chuckled and wisely changed the topic. While talking and laughing, they walked toward the North Mountain.

After climbing the stone stairs for a while, a pavilion appeared at the flat ground of the hillside. A group of people stood inside.

With his hands behind his back, the leader was looking far into the high mountains and deep valleys surrounded by clouds. In bright yellow clothes and a high hat, he stood straight.

Behind him was a feminine middle-aged man in black clothes and a black hat. Simply looking at him gave Meng Qi the chills.

Beside the middle-aged man was a monk in a red cassock. He had a big head and a pair of big ears. His warm smile was very amiable.

There were five monks in yellow robes surrounding them. They were 40 years old or so, and looked skinny. Although they had different appearances, they gave people a sense of unity.

Scattered outside the pavilion were guards in dark-red fighting clothes. They were all strong, intimidating and skillful.

Meng Qi looked awkward and squeezed out a smile. “It is doomed to happen. Even if I do not go to them, they will come to us anyway.”

Using momentum, Meng Qi judged the head as Crown Prince Jin, Liang Wang Zhao Qian.

“Misfortune can’t be avoided. Since they’ve come to us, let’s meet them.” Jiang Zhiwei proposed.

“Sure. Since they have blocked our way, we have to know their purpose to avoid being unaware of dangers in the future.” Meng Qi regained his composure. With his long saber hanging around his waist and hands behind his back, he went upstairs in a detached manner.

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Jiang Zhiwei held her long sword in hand. Her dress fluttered in the mountain wind like a fairy.

“Crown Prince invites you two to the pavilion.” After Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei moved forward for a while, a guard greeted them.

“Please show us the way.” Meng Qi said politely.

The guard led them through the close guard and entered the pavilion on the hillside.

Crown Prince Zhao Qian slowly turned around. His appearance was quite similar to that of Zhao Yi and Zhao Heng. However, his eyebrows were not as dense as theirs. His nose was slightly sharp like a knife or sword, giving him the aura of a resolute and determined man.

“Although we’re thousands of miles apart, we were destined to meet each other. It’s my pleasure to meet you in this way to the mountain.” Zhao Qian’s voice was deep and vigorous. He might have another kind of charisma if he read the Buddhist sutras.”

Meng Qi saluted him and smiled, “I, a vulgar man, feel it’s a great honor to meet you here.”

“I meet strangers every day. It’s destiny. But we just pass by without greeting. It’s because our fates are irrelevant.”

Using such a direct metaphor, he told Crown Prince that they were not closely related, so he would not like to be bothered.

Zhao Qian was as calm as a supreme monk. Pointing at the fat monk beside him, he said, “He’s the host of Samantabhadra Temple, the divine monk Hua Yan.”

“Amitabha, you are really outstanding. You truly deserve your reputation.” Hua Yan put his palms together with a big smile like a greedy monk, but Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei wouldn’t dare look down upon him. He was a supreme monk of the Exterior, so they could not judge him by his appearance.

“Especially donor Su, born in Buddhism and with Buddhist Commandment Blade skill, you are righteous and honest though you are cruel. But you punish the evil and save those in trouble, which is in accordance with the essence of Buddhism. You’re a real monk.” Hua Yan looked at Meng Qi with a smile.

“You’re the one who has an affinity with Buddhism! Your whole family is closely connected with Buddhism!” Meng Qi cursed him in his heart. But soon he laughed. Since Hua Yan was a supreme monk, no one would believe he was not a real monk. As for his family, at his age, his parents had probably died and he did not have a wife or children…

Meng Qi did not speak, so Zhao Qian said with a smile, “Since I often hear about you, I appreciate you very much. Using kindness and a blade, aren’t you Guardian Vajra?”

“Guardian Vajra…Vajra…” Meng Qi’s impression of Zhao Qian plummeted. He was even inferior to Zhao Yi.

He answered with a fake smile, “It is said, Crown Prince, that you adhere to the rules of Buddhism and are completely indifferent to worldly temptations. Why not give up your throne and be a monk to get rid of worldly worries and get salvation?”

Jiang Zhiwei interrupted, “Right now you’re lured by money and power and do not want to give them up. Aren’t you violating the essence of Buddhism?”

They were referring to Zhao Qian’s hypocrisy about his desire for power in both a direct and indirect way.

“You! How dare you be so offensive!” The feminine middle-aged man stepped forward and accused them.

He did not directly suppress them with his momentum or attack them. Su Wuming was used to helping his men. If he bullied Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, the middle-aged was doomed to be trapped in Luoyang. Otherwise, he would be hit by a sword.

Zhao Qian held out a hand to signal middle-aged man to calm down. With a small smile, he said,

“There are both Smiles on Pinching a Flower and Glaring Eyes of Vajra of Buddism. If we’re all absorbed in cultivating ourselves to get rid of the world, who will save the people?”

“If I had the power to control the world, to help people out of pain caused by repression, to help practitioners of Kung Fu out of the evil of killing, to salvage everyone out of disaster, I would rather give up cultivating my skills and be a normal man, chasing power to be more powerful!”

Unlike his smirk, his tone was decisive, as if he would strive for it even if thousands of people tried to stop him.

…Meng Qi was slightly shocked, for Crown Prince was a little different from his judgment.

But if he wholly chose Buddhism, the aristocratic families of Tao would definitely stop him. It would be even harder for him to be the emperor!

“Your wishes are good but contradictory to peace. There will likely be many bloody battles.” Meng Qi answered casually.

Zhao Qian shook his head and smile. “Anyone can say that except you. Didn’t you say ‘Killing is helping, cutting the evil spirit but not the flesh’?”

“When I heard these words, I thought we were much alike. So I wanted to come here to see you.”

“I just made it up…”  Meng Qi blinked innocently.

“This road must be paved with skeletons and the sea of blood. But if I can save all the people, I would not mind even if I fall down to the 18th level of torture in hell.” Zhao Qian said in a loud voice.

He was serious. There was a sovereign air about him.

“But it has nothing to do with me…” Meng Qi said to Jiang Zhiwei using Secret Voice-sending, “I had thought that Buddism advocateed peace, so I didn’t expect them to support Zhao Qian…”

“Buddhism has self-promotion Zen, pure land Zen of bliss which promotes Amitabha and other Zens. Their thoughts about Sutras and cultivation methods are all different. How could they be the same?” Jiang Zhiwei explained.

Zhao Qian controlled his emotions and smiled. “Su Meng, what about making a bet?”

“What kind of bet?” Meng Qi subconsciously asked.

Pointing at the five monks in yellow robes, he said, “They are the five masters of pure land Dragon, Elephant, Tiger, Leopard, and Giant Bird. Each of them is weaker than you, but they are used to teaming up to fight. In the same breath, their joint strength is not weaker than any of the top ten of the Ranking List of Young Masters. If you can withstand twenty of their moves, you win and I lose. At that time, I would owe you a promise. You can ask for my help anytime in the future as long as it does not violate Tao and ethics.”

“If you lose, you should help me do something. But don’t worry, it won’t involve killing your family or friends.”

Meng Qi looked to the five monks and found their momentum united as a whole.