Chapter 137: Thousand-Hand Guanyin
After confirming that the girl in front of him was really fine, not only was Qiao Wan fine, but she was also lively and energetic.
As Miaofa left, Qiao Wan closed her eyes and let her consciousness immerse into the sea of knowledge, continuing her important tasks.
Meanwhile, in the ghost market.
They never expected to come across such a terrifying scene with Meng Canglang:...?
Fang Lingqing, who was by Meng Canglang's side, was completely shocked and stuttered, "Lulu Lu Cixian?!"
To be honest, Meng Canglang was not familiar with this Lu Cixian.
His impression of Taoist Friend Lu was mainly based on the few encounters and the shocking message on the jade token that had startled the entire Lotus Seat Peak.
"The pig killed Xie Xingzhi," "Lu Cixian killed the pig."
In Meng Canglang's impression, although this Taoist Friend Lu was only in the foundation building stage, he had a strong and resilient character, making him a worthy friend.
Qiao Wan, who was described as "cute and naive" by the Chongde Ancient Garden, Meng Canglang hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the bowtie on the boy's head and decided to respect Taoist Friend Lu's preference. He calmly and politely said, "Taoist Friend Lu."
Fang Lingqing looked at Qiao Wan with a shocked expression. Qiao Wan remained expressionless.
Fang Lingqing exclaimed, "Damn! Lu Cixian is really gay?!"
Oh no.
Qiao Wan thought to herself without showing any emotion, "I've ruined my image."
Meng Canglang looked a bit puzzled and guilty for accidentally discovering someone's secret. After a while, he changed his thought, "Even if Taoist Friend Lu has unique taste, it's his personal preference as Venerable One."
Qiao Wan swiftly reached out her hand and swiftly removed the butterfly from her hair.
The boy remained calm and composed, saying, "Long time no see, Taoist Friend Meng and Taoist Friend Fang!"
Wang Ruyi curiously took off the hairpin from her head and held it in her hand. She looked at Meng Canglang and Fang Lingqing and asked, "Do you know about this?"
Seeing Meng Canglang's startled face, she nodded gently and said, "This... gentleman."
After hesitating for a second, Meng Canglang replied, "Hello, miss."
Wang Ruyi smiled and said, "No need to be so formal, just call me Ruyi."
Meng Canglang remained composed and said, "My last name is Meng."
Wang Ruyi asked, "Taoist Friend Meng, are you also out shopping?"
Meng Canglang nodded seriously and said, "I'm looking for soul incense."
The unfamiliar term caught Qiao Wan's attention and she asked, "Soul incense?"
Fang Lingqing seemed lost in thought, still shocked by the revelation about Lu Cixian's secret.
Qiao Wan, probably because they were on the same team during the previous debate, took the initiative to ask. Meng Canglang didn't seem to have any intention to hide the truth.
"Taoist Friend Lu must also be aware of the news about the Wataru flower."
The Wataru flower only blooms during the time from Zi hour to Chou hour every day. Little Fang and I heard about a 'Soul Incense' that allows us to travel during this time if we wear it. So we came out to look for it together.
Meng Canglang spoke in a deep voice: "This ghost market... seems too suspicious. Taoist Friend Lu, why not join us? The three of us disciples from the Three Teachings might have fewer casualties if we travel together."
Qiao Wan looked up at Meng Canglang. He was a handsome man, calm and polite. But what caught her attention the most was the gigantic sword on his back. The sword resembled flowing waves, with shimmering blue patterns that seemed to whisper the sound of the sea.
Before her stood the popular winner of this year's Three Teachings Law Meeting, as long as the man in front of her wasn't something else.
As the saying goes, the more friends, the more paths. Qiao Wan couldn't wish for anything more.
Curiously, Wang Ruyi asked, "Why do all of you want to find the Wataru flower?"
Thinking about the ghost bride next to her, Qiao Wan asked, "Ruyi, have you heard of soul incense?"
The female corpse thought hard and said, "I haven't heard of it."
Qiao Wan asked, "Did Yan Shiyuan kindly take you in?"
Wang Ruyi replied, "Boss Yan felt sorry for me."
It's known that Wang Ruyi has been dead for hundreds of years, which means that Yan Shiyuan has also been in this ghost city for hundreds of years.
Noticing the change in Qiao Wan's expression, Meng Canglang asked, "Does our taoist friend have any leads?"
Qiao Wan thought for a moment and answered, "I think we should go back to the inn where I'm staying first. Maybe the innkeeper knows something."
After making a decision, Qiao Wan pointed at the hairpins on the stall and said, "Boss, please wrap up this, this, and this!"
After paying, Qiao Wan stuffed the wrapped hairpins into Wang Ruyi's arms. She led Wang Ruyi and Meng Canglang back to the inn in a hurry.
As they stepped into the inn, they bumped into the shop assistant.
Qiao Wan and Wang Ruyi made eye contact, causing the waiter to shiver and gasp in fear, saying, "Miss... Miss Ruyi?!"
Wang Ruyi waved friendly, saying, "Hello, Xiaoshi."
This face, whether looked at now or in the middle of the night, was quite horrifying.
Especially since the person was wearing a bright red wedding gown and delicate embroidered shoes, looking like a female ghost that jumped out of a scary storybook.
The waiter was frightened and, after recovering, frowned and said, "Miss Ruyi, didn't the boss say not to come out and scare people unless it's necessary?"
Wang Ruyi, feeling displeased, pulled at her wrinkled face and said, "When did I come out to intentionally scare anyone? I have something important to do. Is Boss Yan here?"
At that moment, the waiter noticed Qiao Wan and Meng Canglang standing behind Wang Ruyi.
"Lu... taoist friend? And who is this?"
Meng Canglang politely nodded, saying, "My surname is Meng."
As for the name...
In such a strange place, it is very important to not reveal any information about yourself to stay safe.
The assistant nodded in understanding.
Qiao Wan asked, "Is Boss Yan here?"
The assistant replied, "He is in the kitchen. Let me call him for you."
After saying that, the assistant went towards the kitchen. Qiao Wan found a table and sat down with Meng Canglang.
After a while, they saw Yan Shiyuan. He was wiping his clothes with one hand and hurrying towards them.
"Taoist Friend Lu? Miss Ruyi?"
Yan Shiyuan asked with concern, "How did Taoist Friend Lu sleep last night?"
Qiao Wan kept a straight face and answered, "We slept together, and it was good."
Yan Shiyuan just looked at her.
Then he turned to the assistant.
The assistant slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "I forgot! Oh no! I forgot that was Miss Ruyi's room."
"At that time, boss, you knew the situation, it was about to get ugly, and I felt anxious. So I randomly found a house and stuffed Taoist Friend Lu into it. I didn't expect it to be Miss Ruyi's house." The companion looked very sincere and said, "Taoist Friend Lu, I'm sorry."
Qiao Wan shook her head and looked at Yan Shiyuan, saying in a serious tone, "Mr. Yan, I heard that you have been in this haunted market for hundreds of years. Do you happen to know about Soul Fragrance?"
"Soul Fragrance?"
Yan Shiyuan paused for a moment, looked at Qiao Wan, Meng Canglang, and Fang Lingqing, these 'foreigners'.
There weren't many cultivators who came to the haunted market, but there were also quite a few.
In the world of cultivation, it was a basic rule of survival not to casually inquire about others' information.
"I have indeed heard of Soul Fragrance," Yan Shiyuan said without asking Qiao Wan why she was asking about it. He simply asked, "Are you looking for Soul Fragrance?"
Meng Canglang placed a few high-quality spirit stones on the table and politely said, "Please enlighten us, sir."
That's enough.
Yan Shiyuan wasn't hesitant at all. He confidently took the spirit stone, held it in his hand, gently wiped it with his sleeve, and then handed it to his assistant behind him. He instructed, "Take good care of it."
The assistant smiled and said, "Alright! Taoist Friend Meng is so generous, our shop will be renovated again."
Qiao Wan and Meng Canglang exchanged a glance.
They felt comfortable with this straightforward and honest business approach of paying and delivering at the same time.
After carefully storing the spirit stone, Yan Shiyuan finally spoke.
He didn't hesitate to provide all the necessary information.
"From midnight to dawn, that's their time. I believe Taoist Friend Lu must have experienced it deeply."
Qiao Wan said, "Please enlighten us, sir."
"This incense is actually specifically prepared for cultivators like you who want to move around during this time. As long as you wear this incense, its fragrance will temporarily cover up the 'human' scent on you."
On the other side, Fang Lingqing finally snapped out of his shock from realizing that Lu Cixian is actually gay. He took a deep look at Qiao Wan and then glanced at Yan Shiyuan before asking about the important matter at hand: "Do you know where we can get this fragrance, sir?"
"It's in a temple not far from here," Yan Shiyuan pointed with his hand and said in a serious tone, "The temple has an altar where you can offer incense to the Buddha. When you enter the temple, you must wear the incense on yourself, and that is the soul fragrance."
"But remember, you must always wear the fragrance, you can't keep it in a storage bag, and you can't extinguish it."
"And there's one more very important thing," Yan Shiyuan looked up and said firmly, "Remember, you must not be greedy."
"I see that you are all disciples of some prestigious sects." The chubby middle-aged cultivator looked serious and said, "This place is filled with evil energy. Even if I have been here for hundreds of years, I still haven't completely figured it out. You young ones, with your high cultivation and prideful nature, must remember that even your masters might not make it out alive if they are not careful in this place."
Qiao Wan bowed respectfully, "I will remember your teachings, sir."
After receiving the information they wanted, Qiao Wan turned to Meng Canglang and Fang Lingqing, and said seriously, "Little Fang, Taoist Friend Meng."
Fang Lingqing shivered and said cautiously, "Lu Cixian, please be careful with your words. Don't call me Little Fang."
"You're leaving already?" Yan Shiyuan was taken aback, not expecting that right after his warning, these young ones couldn't wait to go and seek death.
"It's still early. I just made a pot of hot porridge. Would you like to have a bowl before you go?"
Meng Canglang shook his head and put down another magic stone. "Time is running out, so we won't bother you, sir. But if you don't mind, we'd love to taste your cooking when Taoist Friend Lu and I come back."
Yan Shiyuan instantly smiled and said, "No trouble at all."
Witnessing this scene, Qiao Wan suddenly felt a wave of sadness, like a hardworking animal.
That damn lack of money-making abilities.
Meng Canglang casually nodded towards Qiao Wan as Taoist Friend Lu left.
Just as Qiao Wan took a couple of steps, she heard the voice of Wang Ruyi from behind.
"Wait!!"
The female corpse, holding her wedding dress, hesitantly asked, "Can I...can I come with you? Can you take me along?"
Qiao Wan's gaze fell upon the "girl." The girl's sunken eyes shifted around, revealing a cautious hope.
Both Fang Lingqing and Meng Canglang were startled.
Qiao Wan tightened her lips, took a step forward, and extended her hand, saying, "Come."
...
The temple was about a mile away to the south.
On this journey, Qiao Wan encountered several disciples from the Three Teachings, and even came across Liu Xinwen with two young people in a group.
Liu Xinwen was surprised to see Qiao Wan and Fang Lingqing. He said, "Taoist Friend Lu, Taoist Friend Fang?"
The disciples from the Three Teachings were wary when they saw Qiao Wan and Wang Ruyi. But when they saw Meng Canglang, they immediately relaxed and agreed to accompany them to the temple without hesitation.
Meng Canglang, also known as Canglang Sword, was a famous gentleman with a shining reputation. Xie Xingzhi was just as impressive. They were both reliable and invited others to join their group without hesitation.
Among these disciples, two were from Zhanyun Peak and one was from Fanxin Temple, all of them were men. The two from Zhanyun Peak were of different heights. The taller one, named Zheng Changming, had a more refined appearance. The shorter one, Deng Changqing. As for the disciple from Fanxin Temple, his name was Zhixin.
They walked together along the way and soon arrived at the temple mentioned by Yan Shiyuan .
Stepping over the threshold, Fang Lingqing looked around and said, "This temple is quite big."
Qiao Wan looked up and saw two red-painted pillars with light blue cloud patterns. The lacquer on the merit box was chipped and peeling, and the temple was filled with flickering lights. The incense burner was filled with incense, and there was a thick layer of ash.
In the center, there was a majestic golden statue of a Buddha, about one yard tall, covered in gold lacquer. It had long eyebrows and half-closed eyes. Behind it were thirty arms, round and smooth like lotus stems.
At first glance, it appeared to have plump muscles and a slight smile at the corner of its mouth. Its clothes seemed to sway with the wind.
It was as if...it was alive.
Qiao Wan looked away and focused her gaze on the incense in the incense burner.
Meng Canglang whispered, "This should be the soul incense that Mr. Yan mentioned."
Deng Changqing, a short man, looked worried and urged, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take it and go. This temple...something seems off."
Especially this statue of Buddha, Deng Changqing looked up and felt a slight uneasiness in his heart. He quietly reached for the sword at his back.
It seemed a bit spooky, especially with this female ghost.
Deng Changqing glanced at Wang Ruyi beside him.
Feeling the gaze from Deng Changqing, Wang Ruyi blinked in confusion.
Deng Changqing: ...
Qiao Wan felt nervous and her throat felt a bit dry.
She wasn't the only one with this thought, Meng Canglang also said, "Alright, take the soul incense and let's go."
Remembering what Yan Shiyuan had said before, Qiao Wan hesitated, "Mr. Yan said not to be greedy."
Liu Xinwen whispered, "Then let's go one by one, each person taking only one."
To prevent any accidents, while one person went to get it, the others stood guard on the side.
But when it came to deciding who would be the first to eat the crab, there was a bit of disagreement. No one wanted to take the lead, but in the end, Fang Lingqing stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."
Although he volunteered himself, the young man couldn't help feeling a little nervous as he approached the incense table. His mouth felt dry, and his heart started pounding in his chest.
As he got closer to the statue, the feeling became even stronger. Fang Lingqing took a deep breath and his face turned serious. It was like there was a living person in front of him, but this person wasn't breathing or maybe they were holding their breath.
After calming his mind, just as he was about to reach out and light the incense, Fang Lingqing's eyes caught something out of the corner of his eye. His voice changed instantly.
"What is this?!" he exclaimed.
Qiao Wan asked, "What?"
Following Fang Lingqing's gaze, she looked in the same direction.
On the altar, there were two red candles standing upright. Behind the candles, there were several dishes of offerings, with a variety of different kinds. Among them, there was a small pot filled with bright red fruits. But the most eye-catching thing was a plate of meat, blocked behind the pot, so when Qiao Wan and Meng Canglang entered the temple, they didn't notice it.
This plate of meat was neatly sliced, with a moderate thickness, arranged in the plate, and the meat still had some blood streaks on it.
When Zhixin's gaze fell on this plate of meat, his face suddenly changed, "Why would they offer meat in the temple?"
Qiao Wan's heart skipped a beat, combining their current location being in the ghost market, and she couldn't help but have some uneasy thoughts.
Clearly, Fang Lingqing also had the same idea. He looked at the plate of meat in front of him, and his face turned green.
However, he was the one who volunteered, and at this point, he could only brace himself and go ahead. Just as he was about to light incense, Fang Lingqing paused and frowned, asking, "Do we need to worship?"
Do we need to worship?
Everyone present was stunned at the same time.
Zheng Changming frowned and said, "This temple seems strange, maybe we shouldn't worship here."
Fanxin Temple hesitated for a moment and said, "This place seems shady, if we kneel down without caution, we might bring trouble upon ourselves."
Fang Lingqing said, "If I don't worship, what if this Buddha blames me?"
But when Fang Lingqing looked at the Buddha statue's smiling eyes and lifelike appearance, he didn't have the courage to bow down.
Fanxin Temple was right.
Fang Lingqing took a deep breath.
This place doesn't seem to follow the right path, so let's not kneel to any evil deity.
Wang Ruyi pulled Qiao Wan's sleeve and whispered, "Why does this statue look a bit like your crush?"
As Fang Lingqing reached for the incense, everyone in the room held their breath, including Qiao Wan who didn't blink.
However, nothing happened.
A gust of night wind blew through the temple, causing the flickering candlelight to cast twisted and dim shadows on the wall. In the air, there was a faint smell of oil.
The Buddha statue remained in this posture, with lowered eyes and a slight smile on the lips, calmly gazing down at the cushion.
The incense in hand felt slightly warm, and there was nothing unusual about holding it. Fang Lingqing subtly let out a sigh of relief and walked over to Qiao Wan's side, only to realize that his entire back was soaked.
"I did it, you can go now."
Everyone present looked at each other.
Deng Changqing took the lead and walked out. He placed the feather duster on his shoulder and followed Fang Lingqing's steps to pick up an incense stick.
The candle flame flickered and illuminated an orange-red glow.
Suddenly, Qiao Wan's heart skipped a beat, and she blurted out, "Wait."
Deng Changqing turned his head. "What's wrong?"
Qiao Wan looked around the temple and said seriously, "I feel something is not quite right."
Upon hearing Qiao Wan's words, Deng Changqing immediately frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
Fang Lingqing looked over and asked, "What happened?"
Qiao Wan shook her head and said, "I can't explain it specifically."
This feeling is really strange. Qiao Wan furrowed her brows and carefully scanned the temple with her eyes.
Her gaze fell on the eyes of the magnificent Avalokitesvara statue.
The half-closed eyes of the Buddha showed a hint of indigo color in the pupils, as if they were alive, silently watching the high threshold.
She couldn't exactly explain what was happening, but she had a sense of ominous foreboding, as if something had changed since they entered the temple.
Deng Changqing was feeling a bit irritated and said, "This temple is too weird, let's not think too much and just take what we came for and leave."
After saying that, he reached up and took a stick of incense.
As the incense was pulled out, Qiao Wan suddenly felt a chill run through her body and her eyes turned cold.
This can't be an illusion, there must be something wrong somewhere.
The Buddha in front of them had half-closed eyes, his gaze fixed on the carved window on the door, with a slight smile on his lips. He looked the same as before they entered the temple.
Where exactly is the problem?
Qiao Wan's heart raced at the speed of two hundred beats per minute, her eyes quickly scanning the Buddha statue.
Meanwhile, after Fanxin Temple, it was Zheng Changming's turn to take the incense.
Qiao Wan's gaze shifted.
Just as Qiao Wan looked, the half-closed eyes of the Buddha in front of her reflected a flickering candlelight, staring directly at her face.
Qiao Wan's pupils suddenly contracted!
"Eyes!!"
It was the eyes that were not right just now!
"Eyes! The eyes moved!" Qiao Wan trembled and immediately grabbed the nearest Wang Ruyi and ran out of the temple door!
Roaring angrily, she shouted, "Run!! Run fast!"
Fang Lingqing and Wang Ruyi were stunned, asking, "What?"
As soon as the words were spoken, the Bodhisattva's arms, as smooth and shiny as thirty rounded beams of light, moved their fingertips, each forming a Buddha seal. They spun like wheels and pressed down one by one.
Zheng Changming, who was still holding incense, was stunned. But before he could react, he was pulled up by the Bodhisattva.
Meng Canglang's face changed instantly, and the Canglang Sword was unsheathed in a blink of an eye.
The blue sword intent roared like a giant wave, rolling towards the Bodhisattva.
The Bodhisattva smiled mysteriously at the corners of his mouth. The dozens of arms separated the waves, and with a strong force, they immediately cut the man in half who was in his hands. The remaining hands plunged into the dissected body, and with a strong pull, they took out bloody organs and placed them on the incense table.
At that moment, the offerings on the incense table suddenly changed. The red fruits in the small cauldron turned into a human head that was floating up and down in boiling water.
The human head was fully cooked, with closed eyes.
Throw Your Thunder, Qiao Wan, Fang Lingqing, and Wang Ruyi witnessed this scene with their own eyes. Fang Lingqing was completely shocked, as Zheng Changming's blood splattered onto his face. Fang Lingqing snapped out of his daze, his heart pounding with anger and sorrow. He angrily roared, "What a cruel act!"
