Chapter 91: The Evil Thing

"Go fetch two buckets of water first," the old monk with white eyebrows said kindly, patting the little monk’s shaven head.

"Yes, Master."

The little monk dropped his broom and ran off at once.

Only then did the old monk turn to Qin Xuan and the others, wearing a benevolent expression. What set him apart most were those two pale brows, hanging down from his eyelids nearly a foot in length, so striking that they were impossible to ignore.

"You must be Master Golden Light?" Qin Xuan asked respectfully.

The old monk chuckled and nodded. "Young man, I had intended to appear tomorrow. But today, something on your person stirred this old monk’s interest."

"Oh? What is it?" Qin Xuan asked in surprise.

"Amitabha. You have a Soul Refining Bead on you, do you not?" the old monk asked at an unhurried pace.

"As expected of a master—you saw through it at a glance," Qin Xuan thought admiringly.

He had already done his best to conceal the bead’s aura. After all, it might attract the backing of that ghost cultivator; if it happened to be some thousand-year-old fiend, things would become troublesome.

Unfortunately, his concealment was useless before Master Golden Light. The truth had been seen through from afar.

"Amitabha. May I ask where you obtained this Soul Refining Bead? It is a sinister object. As a swordsman, it is hardly proper for you to carry it."

Master Golden Light stroked his two long white brows.

"Master, to tell you the truth, I encountered a ghost cultivator earlier..." Qin Xuan briefly explained the situation with the ghost cultivator.

Su Muqing, listening nearby, was shocked to the core. Such a thing had actually happened last night? Dongfang Qingwan had nearly died! To Su Muqing, it all seemed almost unbelievable, but after spending so much time with Qin Xuan lately, she had begun to believe it somewhat.

A ghost cultivator! Did such beings truly exist in this world?

As he listened, Master Golden Light nodded slowly. "In that case, may I trouble you to take out the Soul Refining Bead for a look?"

"Of course."

Qin Xuan agreed readily and took the Soul Refining Bead from his robes.

The pale red bead glimmered under the sunlight with an uncanny eeriness, yet no other phenomenon appeared. It was broad daylight, after all; not to mention the area around the temple, even near Qin Xuan’s villa there would not be any wandering shades or ghosts.

"Master, since this is a wicked thing, why not leave it with you for safekeeping?"

Qin Xuan held the bead out to him.

"Hmm? Although the Soul Refining Bead is of little use to you, it is still a treasure of the world, priceless in value."

Master Golden Light’s eyelids twitched, as if he had not expected Qin Xuan to offer it to him.

There was a reason Qin Xuan made this suggestion. He had killed that Foundation Establishment ghost cultivator; if the ghost cultivator truly had some thousand-year-old monster behind him, then if it came searching, there would clearly only be two clues to follow.

One was the ghost cultivator’s remains, but Qin Xuan had already destroyed those.

The other was this Soul Refining Bead. If he gave the bead to Master Golden Light, then even if some thousand-year-old ghost or the like came looking, it would have nothing to do with Qin Xuan.

As for Master Golden Light’s safety, Qin Xuan was not worried. This old monk clearly had profound cultivation and the bearing of one of those hidden masters who sweep the floor in silence; he would not die so easily.

"The greatest treasures in the world belong to the virtuous. Master, there’s no need to be polite."

Qin Xuan was eager to be rid of this hot potato. Such a chance would not come twice. If he had not met Master Golden Light, he would not have given the thing away casually, lest he harm someone else. But since it was Master Golden Light, that was a different matter.

"Amitabha."

Master Golden Light raised a brow and took the Soul Refining Bead. Without any visible movement, the bead vanished from his hand into thin air.

The sight made Su Muqing click her tongue in amazement, thinking that Master Golden Light truly was a remarkable expert.

"In that case, this old monk will accept it." Master Golden Light smiled at Qin Xuan, half amused. "Young benefactor, may I ask your name?"

"My junior’s name is Qin Xuan," Qin Xuan replied respectfully.

"What brings you to this old monk?"

Master Golden Light asked again.

"There is indeed a matter I wish to ask of you."

Qin Xuan’s expression grew solemn as he explained Yang Ling’s fate in full detail. At the end, he said, "Right now, I have placed Yang Ling’s soul within a Soul Binding Talisman. Unfortunately, it is all in fragments. I wonder whether Master has the divine power to piece it back together and summon her soul so that she may enter reincarnation?"

"May the Buddha have mercy."

Master Golden Light intoned the Buddha’s name and sighed.

"This is a very difficult matter, but it seems you have found the right person. Very well, this old monk will help you this once."

"Thank you, Master."

Qin Xuan’s face lit up with joy. So long as Master Golden Light was willing to help, there would be no problem. Not only would the truth be revealed before Su Muqing, but Yang Ling would also be able to transcend sooner and enter the cycle of rebirth.

"Benefactor, do not thank me too soon." Master Golden Light waved a hand. "This old monk has a question to test you with. If you cannot answer it, then do not speak of this matter again."

"Please ask, Master."

Qin Xuan’s expression turned grave; he knew the crucial moment had arrived.

"This old monk asks you: do you know the meaning of the four characters 'Amitabha'?"

As soon as the question was posed, Qin Xuan’s expression became somewhat strange.

Su Muqing poked him from behind and whispered, "Hey, Qin Xuan, can you answer that?"

"I can answer it, but the point is..." Qin Xuan was baffled, turning back to whisper, "What’s the significance of asking this?"

"Who cares what significance it has? If you can answer, then answer it."

Su Muqing urged him on.

She had never studied Buddhism, so of course she did not understand what those four words meant. But Qin Xuan was different. As a swordsman himself, and with a master who had trained him to keep pace with the times, he was thoroughly familiar with the classics of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

"Then I’ll answer."

Qin Xuan coughed and said, "The four characters 'Amitabha' are, in fact, a phonetic transliteration from Sanskrit. In simple terms, they can be understood as immeasurable enlightenment, meaning all-knowing and all-perceiving. For ordinary people, reciting these four words often can bring the protection of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the heavens. For Buddhist cultivators who often recite them, they can even stabilize cultivation and calm the mind..."

Master Golden Light listened from the side, smiling and nodding.

Seeing that, Su Muqing felt there might be hope, and her admiration for Qin Xuan rose even further. She had not expected him to answer even such an esoteric Buddhist question; he truly was no ordinary swordsman.

"Good. Well said, benefactor—most learned indeed."

After Qin Xuan finished, Master Golden Light praised him with a nod. Yet very soon, a playful glint appeared in his eyes. "Whenever someone asks this old monk to do something, I always ask this question. So far, you are the best answer I have heard. Unfortunately..."

His words stopped abruptly, and Qin Xuan’s heart gave a hard jolt.

Could it be that even this is not enough?

"Rest assured, this old monk will help with this matter. However, there is one thing I would like to remind you of, benefactor."

Master Golden Light stroked his long white brows once more.

"Please speak, Master."

Qin Xuan said solemnly.

Guidance from an eminent expert was exceedingly rare; naturally, Qin Xuan cherished this opportunity.