Pu Ren surveyed Li Yundong, speaking slowly, "…However, this old monk still wishes to hear why you, True Man Li, wish to learn this Eight Directions Demon Subjugation Grand Array?"

Li Yundong knew it was impossible to expect the array layout—such a crucial technique—to be taught without offering a proper explanation. Nor did he truly expect to be taught the entire formation; he only hoped the master would agree to help set it up in a specific location he required.

Li Yundong recounted the feud between the Fox Zen Gate and Yan Fang, then explained his intentions. Finally, he concluded, "Master Pu Ren, honesty is paramount before a true man. I am determined to capture Yan Fang, but I will not take her life. After much thought, I must request your aid: teach me the Eight Directions Demon Subjugation Grand Array to imprison Yan Fang, and I promise you a great reward later."

Pu Ren kept his eyes lowered, his face betraying no expression. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Benefactor Li, what you say is clear to this old monk. However, this Eight Directions Demon Subjugation Grand Array is of immense significance. I cannot make that decision alone, nor can I pass it on to you."

Li Yundong had anticipated this; he was not discouraged. "Then perhaps Master Pu Ren could mobilize the Eight Directions Demon Subjugation Grand Array to assist me in capturing Yan Fang?"

Pu Ren shook his head again. "Unwise."

Li Yundong frowned and pressed, "Why not?"

Pu Ren explained, "Yan Fang is an inner disciple of the Ling Gong faction, a branch of the Zheng Yi Sect, the foremost lineage in Daoism. She rose to prominence very early; the elder generation of cultivators across the world knows her name. She is, in essence, a celebrity in the Daoist cultivation world. If I mobilize the Grand Array to seize her, it gives the Zheng Yi Sect legitimate grounds to object, leading to renewed strife between the Buddhist and Daoist factions. If it were merely a conflict, that might be acceptable, but if it provokes state intervention, that would be disastrous for the cultivation world."

Li Yundong looked crestfallen. "So, we are to simply stand by and let Yan Fang act lawlessly?"

Pu Ren pressed his palms together and sighed, "Amitabha. This matter is beyond my help as well. However, Benefactor Li, you need not worry. As the saying goes, a cart will find a path when it reaches the mountain, and a boat will straighten itself at the river's bend. You already possess the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl; surely when the time comes, you will devise some ingenious strategy to deal with Yan Fang."

Li Yundong offered a bitter smile inwardly: What nonsense! The speed at which a Yang God flees is not only great, but its consciousness scatters into countless threads; missing even one means failure. Where is there time for ingenious strategies against Yan Fang? This old monk refuses to lend aid and then resorts to such platitudes to dismiss me.

Seeing the deep disappointment and wry smile on Li Yundong’s face, Pu Ren paused, then added, "Benefactor Li, perhaps you should consider why this old monk lent you the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl at this particular time?"

A sudden thought struck Li Yundong. He asked, "Master Pu Ren, could it be that you also intend to…"

Pu Ren turned to exchange a look with Master Xin Cheng, the abbot of Jinshan Temple. Both smiled simultaneously. Pu Ren bowed deeply. "Amitabha. Benefactor Li has sharp insight. However, you seek knowledge concerning sectarian feuds, while we seek to capture a great fiend!"

Li Yundong tentatively inquired, "Venerable Masters, which great fiend are you seeking to capture?"

Pu Ren shook his head. "Benefactor Li, the Dharma must not be transmitted indiscriminately; this matter cannot be spoken of! But you will know when the time comes."

Li Yundong, still unwilling to relent, asked, "Then may I ask when this will occur?"

Pu Ren considered for a moment and replied, "The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month next month!"

"Laba Festival?" Li Yundong was momentarily stunned, but an idea quickly dawned on him, and he asked, "Then when is the Lotus Picking Assembly?"

Pu Ren and Xin Cheng exchanged glances again, both smiling, and simultaneously chanted a Buddha’s name, "It is precisely the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month!"

Li Yundong gasped in shock!

Are these two old monks planning to subdue demons and slay devils at the Lotus Picking Assembly?

That’s wrong. The Lotus Picking Assembly is attended only by cultivators from various Daoist sects. What manner of demons and ghosts would these two old monks hunt there?

Could it be they plan to capture the fox spirit from my sect?

The thought startled Li Yundong, but he quickly reasoned: It shouldn't be; if they intended to capture her, they would have done so already. Why wait until the Lotus Picking Assembly?

Li Yundong couldn't stop himself and asked again, "Venerable Masters, are you perhaps planning to capture some great fiend at the Lotus Picking Assembly?"

Pu Ren lowered his gaze and stated, "The Buddha said: Unspeakable, unspeakable!"

Li Yundong couldn't help but laugh with exasperation. "Master Pu Ren, why must you be so mysterious? What exactly are you planning?"

Pu Ren continued to shake his head. "As the saying goes: If the ruler is not discreet, he loses his ministers; if the minister is not discreet, he loses his life; if the critical affair is not discreet, disaster strikes! Benefactor Li, ask no more. Since you possess the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl, you should be at ease. Perhaps at that time, we can join forces to subdue the devils together!"

Having said this, he chanted another Buddha’s name, clapped his hands, and a novice monk appeared from the end of the corridor. Pu Ren instructed, "Fajian, please escort Benefactor Li to the guest quarters to rest. This old monk is weary."

Well, an eviction order!

Li Yundong could only sigh in resignation, bow, and bid farewell to Masters Pu Ren and Xin Cheng. Regardless, the trip had not been in vain. Though he failed to secure the Eight Directions Demon Subjugation Grand Array, he had obtained the Finger-Burning Alms Bowl, giving him some measure of confidence in capturing Yan Fang's Yang God.

Yet, as Li Yundong followed the novice monk back, a pervasive worry plagued his mind: From the recent exchange, it was clear that Jinshan Temple and Xiyuan Temple were joining forces to capture some great fiend. But which one could it be?

Judging by his earlier intrusion into Xiyuan Temple and the release of the two great golden serpents, these monks seemed extremely intolerant of anomalous beings. Otherwise, why the need to refine those two serpents?

What concern were those two snake demons to them? Why were these eminent monks so intent on opposing those two serpent spirits?

If even snake demons are deemed intolerable in this world, does that mean Su Chan, being a fox spirit, is also intolerable? Logically speaking, throughout five thousand years of history, fox spirits have caused more worldly turmoil than snake spirits!

But based on his interactions with Master Pu Ren of Xiyuan Temple, he showed no sign of hostility toward Su Chan and the others; on the contrary, he advised Li Yundong toward righteous conduct. Furthermore, how could Su Chan be classified as a great fiend?

However, what if these eminent monks truly intend to capture Su Chan?

Li Yundong stopped dead in his tracks, his expression suddenly grave.

The novice monk leading the way turned back, puzzled. "Benefactor Li, is something amiss?"

Li Yundong’s face was cold, his brow radiating chilling intent. His voice was icy as he said, "Nothing. You go on ahead. I wish to observe the scenery around here alone."

Seeing Li Yundong’s unfriendly demeanor, the novice monk hesitated about questioning him further, intimidated by the imposing aura. Yet, fearing Li Yundong might cause trouble, he gave a noncommittal reply and hurried toward the back courtyard to report the situation to the abbot.

Li Yundong was unaware of the novice monk’s thoughts; he merely stood frozen, his gaze unnaturally sharp. The question that surfaced in his mind was not rooted in whether he should help Su Chan—in his view, anyone who threatened his own woman, be it the Tathagata Buddha or Guanyin Bodhisattva, would be met with one response from him: Fight!

The real issue was… who exactly were they trying to capture? This great fiend was clearly not Yan Fang! If they targeted someone else from the Fox Zen Gate, what should he do? And if they truly came for Su Chan, why?

These questions swarmed into Li Yundong’s mind, making his heart heavy. Although the surroundings were ancient and elegant, the scenery beautiful and refined, Li Yundong felt no inclination to appreciate it.

As his mind churned with a thousand thoughts, he suddenly overheard the voices of two women conversing nearby. Their discussion immediately snagged his attention.

"Hey, Xiaxia, why is your tour group this time full of such strange people? I’ve seen weird Japanese before, but never this peculiar. Look, they're using cameras not on the scenery, but furiously snapping pictures of the talismans in these woods, and then intensely photographing the monks inside the Grand Hall. Isn't that strange?"

"Lanlan, you haven't seen anything stranger yet! Did you see those Japanese pointing and murmuring at the Sutra Repository of Xiyuan Temple just now?"

"I saw that."

"Do you know what they were saying?"

"My Japanese isn't as good as yours, I couldn't catch much. Xiaxia, tell me?"

"Heh, as those Japanese pointed to the Sutra Repository, they were telling the little girl they brought: 'Tachibana Chiko, look, this is the best-preserved Sutra Repository among South China’s Buddhist temples. Its collection and completeness of versions are unmatched in South China, and renowned across all of Asia.' Do you know what that little girl said?"

"No, hurry up and tell me, stop dragging it out!"

"The little girl asked: 'But why don't the Sutra collections in other temples much older than Xiyuan Temple compare to Xiyuan Temple's richness?'"

"That’s true, that little girl asked a very interesting question! Although Xiyuan Temple is old, our country has temples far older than this!"

"Let me finish! Then the old man said: 'Tachibana Chiko, forty years ago, a terrible catastrophe struck this country, one no less devastating than the Book Burning and Pit Burying of Scholars during the Qin Dynasty. During this calamity, many temples and Daoist monasteries across mainland China were destroyed, and vast numbers of sutras and classics were burned. It was only because the abbot of Xiyuan Temple at that time, Master Ming Kai, led the monks to fiercely resist and guard the temple gates day and night that Xiyuan Temple’s collection was preserved.'"

"Tsk tsk, these Japanese devils actually know quite a lot about our country's history! I didn't even know these things."

"Yes, I bring tours here often, and even I didn't know this. Yet, these few Japanese know the details by heart. Isn't that odd? And there’s something even stranger!"

"More? Tell me, tell me!"

"Heh, the old man then said: 'Soon it will be the famous Lotus Picking Assembly of the Daoist world in mainland China. We must go see it then and meet the cultivation masters of the Daoist path.' Lanlan, what is the background of these Japanese? I think I saw some of them wearing monk robes at their lodging place."

"Tsk, what is the Lotus Picking Assembly? These people are too peculiar!"

Li Yundong listened, growing stranger and more alarmed with every word. Especially when he heard the words Lotus Picking Assembly, he could finally restrain himself no longer. He walked up behind the two women who were speaking in hushed tones and said sternly, "Excuse me, may I ask…"

His voice startled both women. They turned simultaneously, their gazes meeting his, and all three gasped as Li Yundong and the two women cried out in unison, "It's you?!"

============================================= Went out on an errand; updating one chapter before returning to Shanghai. One more chapter to come later tonight in Shanghai~C