Elder Kongdu paused, catching his breath after a fit of harsh coughing, before finally speaking, "What you wish to know, ask."

Seeing that Elder Kongdu was amenable, Zhixiong composed himself and posed the most crucial question first: "That ancient jade you helped me consecrate back then—what is its origin, and why did you give it to me and not someone else?"

Elder Kongdu waited a beat, then spoke, "This jade Buddha was originally acquired inadvertently by the founding abbot of our temple, Patriarch Lingming. At the time, Patriarch Lingming sensed a karmic entanglement spanning a hundred lifetimes within the jade; he believed it to be a test from the Buddha and enshrined it in the temple, intending to unravel its mystery. However, the Patriarch exhausted his entire life and still could not discern the truth by the time of his passing. In his final breaths, he realized that from the moment he obtained the jade Buddha, his obsession with solving its karmic knot had ensnared him, preventing him from achieving true enlightenment his entire life. Thus, just before his death, he established a temple rule: this jade Buddha was to be sealed within a lotus box, never to be opened by any monastic disciple. Only when the destined person arrived at this temple could the jade Buddha be taken out and given into their hands. That, my child, is the principle: the one who binds the bell must also be the one to untie it!"

Zhixiong asked, "When did I become the destined person?"

Elder Kongdu softly chanted a Buddhist invocation, then continued, "Benefactor Zhixiong, I once read your physiognomy. Do you recall that?"

Zhixiong nodded, then shook his head, "Elder, while fortune-telling shouldn't be dismissed entirely, to base the designation of the jade Buddha's destined person solely on reading my face—isn't that a bit hasty?"

Lu Zong interjected, "Old Monk, not to criticize, but this jade Buddha clearly involves matters of life and death. You read Zhixiong's face and casually hand over the jade Buddha to him? That's inviting trouble!"

Hearing this, Elder Kongdu shook his head. "The jade Buddha chose Benefactor Zhixiong itself; how can I speak of giving it to him?"

Lu Zong retorted, "Hey, Old Monk, disciples of the Buddha cannot go back on their word. Zhixiong remembers we paid eighty thousand yuan when we bought that statue. Even if you call it a distress sale, once something is sold and payment accepted, if that statue causes trouble now, you have to admit responsibility, right? Must I pull out the credit card receipt from that day before you'll concede?"

Elder Kongdu offered no further reply, instead turning to Zhixiong, "Benefactor Zhixiong, I read your features that day and gifted you a short, whimsical poem. Do you still recall it now?"

Zhixiong inwardly grumbled. This old monk kept bringing up that past fortune-telling session. Was he planning to use wordplay to fool him? Considering the man was old and cunning, Zhixiong and Lu Zong, two youngsters, would truly have a hard time dealing with him. If necessary, he supposed they would have to resort to Lu Zong's earlier strategy: one soft approach, one hard approach—a coordinated effort to extract the truth from this monk, come what may.

With that resolved, Zhixiong immediately recited the doggerel he had given him back then, curious to see the monk’s response. Walking slowly around the meditation room, Zhixiong recalled the lines and recited: "One morning prospers, the next declines; rise and fall accompany human sorrow. The celestial being is gone, yet their heart remains; a pity the celestial being came from the heavens. Heaven is unrelated to earthly affairs; why should reincarnation matter? Obsession prevents the celestial being’s departure; in the end, alas, alas!"

Lu Zong’s head swam after hearing the poem. He burst out, "Zhixiong says, Old Monk, your poetry is utterly amateurish! It’s convoluted enough as it is, what's this about celestial sorrow? Playing deep, are we? I just don't get why you Buddhist disciples always speak in riddles—you finish a sentence but leave half unsaid, forcing people to puzzle over it. If brain cells counted as life, how many precepts have you broken?"

Elder Kongdu once again murmured a soft invocation, continuing to ignore Lu Zong, and addressed Zhixiong, "The answer you seek lies within this poem, Benefactor Zhixiong."

Zhixiong nearly choked with frustration. He had recited the poem; shouldn't the old man at least offer an explanation? Just as he prepared to demand one, Elder Kongdu spoke again: "I see that since that day we parted, the malevolence in both your brows has deepened. These past days must have brought you much tribulation. The time for my cycle of reincarnation is not far off; I shall offer you one last piece of advice: Dust to dust, earth to earth. All things have their root and their consequence. Do not be overly insistent, Benefactor. Many tribulations must be faced as they come, and many causes are not yours to repay, so ultimately, you will not have to."

Zhixiong felt his head throbbing from the old monk's words. He rubbed his temples, deciding to just lay his cards on the table. He directly asked Elder Kongdu, "Elder, please just speak plainly. What exactly are the secrets behind these Four Forbidden Zones, the Demon Pagoda, and the Throstle Girl?"

Elder Kongdu seemed genuinely surprised by the question. He coughed sharply a few times, then said, "Amitabha. Though you two benefactors practice the trade of raising the dead for fortune, it is best you do not venture near those places."

Lu Zong chuckled, "Heh, Old Monk, your warning comes too late. We've already visited two of those fortune-seeking places."

Upon hearing Lu Zong, the surprise on Elder Kongdu's face deepened. He rose from his cushion, scrutinizing the two men closely. Suddenly, as if understanding dawned, he sighed, "No wonder you managed to emerge. So that is how it is, so that is how it is."

Lu Zong grabbed Zhixiong and whispered urgently, "Zhixiong, something feels wrong here. We traveled all the way to Sanya seeking truth from Elder Kongdu, and now we've ended up clarifying things for the old monk while we ourselves are more confused than ever!" Zhixiong also felt the situation was bizarre. He immediately asked Elder Kongdu what was going on, but the monk seemed not to hear him, instead muttering repeatedly to himself, "So that is how it is, so that is how it is…"

Hearing this, Lu Zong grew anxious. He scratched his head, struggling to organize his thoughts before saying, "Zhixiong says, it seems you know something. Please tell us quickly! I, Old Zhang, am willing to humble myself and beg you, okay?"

Elder Kongdu said nothing more, merely waving his hand, clearly signaling for them to leave. Seeing the old man so tight-lipped, Zhixiong quickly settled for a lesser goal. "Elder, the scheme surrounding the Four Forbidden Zones is too deep. If you don't tell us something, we're likely to be played to death. If nothing else, can you offer some kind of hint?"

After Zhixiong spoke, Elder Kongdu paused, then sighed, "The same words remain: the one who binds the bell must also be the one to untie it. Ah, well. Take this string of prayer beads of mine and travel to the foothills of Bogda Peak in the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang. Find a lama named Zhabacuo; he was a close friend of the previous King of Tomb Raiders. He might know something."

Lu Zong was stunned. "What? Xinjiang? Boss, are you kidding us? We rushed all the way to Hainan only for you to send us to Xinjiang now? Zhixiong says, you better reimburse my travel expenses."

Before Lu Zong could finish, Elder Kongdu suddenly pulled a bank card from his pocket. "The PIN is six zeros. Though the balance isn't huge, it should cover your round trip."

Seeing the old monk actually producing a bank card, Zhixiong realized he was eager to see them off. He didn't want to disturb the elderly man further. He quickly pushed the card back, smiling apologetically. "Elder, we were just joking. It’s not easy for Buddhist disciples; please keep the card. It’s getting late; we won't trouble you further. The younger generation will take our leave now. Take care."

Elder Kongdu's expression softened considerably. He quickly replied, "Go well, both of you, go well."

Lu Zong mumbled into Zhixiong’s ear, "Why does it feel like this old monk is practically urging us to leave immediately?"

Zhixiong pulled Lu Zong along. "Ah, forget it. This Elder is almost ready for the grave; let's grant him that courtesy. Besides, there’s still that lama in Xinjiang. We’ll go find that lama."

Lu Zong countered, "What if this old monk is bluffing us again?" Zhixiong replied, "He probably isn't. He’s an Elder of a temple; if he doesn't speak, he won't. But if he does speak, he won't lie, given their precepts."

Lu Zong nodded. "Alright, then let's get to Xinjiang quickly. That lama—who knows how old he is? We can't wait too long or he might be gone, and we'll lose our lead!"

Zhixiong confirmed, "Naturally. We'll stay at a hotel tonight and set off tomorrow."

Lu Zong sighed heavily. "Damn it! I was hoping to hit the Sanya beach—seafood barbecue, sand, bikinis… Ah, all washed up!"

Having made their plans, Zhixiong and Lu Zong found a nearby hotel to rest and gather their strength for the journey to Xinjiang tomorrow. Around midnight, Zhixiong’s phone suddenly rang. He looked at the unfamiliar number, wondering who could be calling, just as Lu Zong rubbed his eyes sleepily and muttered, "Doesn't feel like I’ve slept at all, and the alarm’s already ringing? No way, I can't head to Xinjiang in this state. You go ahead, Zhixiong, I'll catch the next flight; see you in Beijing…"

Zhixiong got up and kicked Lu Zong lightly. "You sleep, it’s only midnight!"

He then answered the call. On the other end, a woman's voice spoke, "Big Brother Zhixiong, is that you?"

Hearing a young woman’s voice, Zhixiong secretly wondered which female acquaintance would call him so late. Just as he was about to ask, the voice continued, "It’s Ge Mei."

Zhixiong was startled. It was that girl, completely outside his expectations. Earlier, when he and Lu Zong had visited her and her master, the master had flatly refused to see them or let Ge Mei out. Why was she contacting him proactively now? He had left his business card for her on Butterfly Road before leaving that day; it seemed she must have found it. Zhixiong stood stunned for a moment. After Ge Mei called his name several times, he finally snapped back to attention and asked her, "Ge Mei, why is it you?"