The tale, now over a decade old, remained as vivid in his mind as if it had transpired just yesterday, clear and unforgotten. The voice of Venerable Master Pu Hong drifted softly and slowly through the chamber, beginning to recount the events of the past.
“I remember it all so clearly. It was a gloomy day, dark and oppressive. From the morning on, I felt uneasy, though I could not pinpoint the cause. Even my usual meditations were distracted—an unusual occurrence for me. I didn’t know why, and so my mood was not the best.”
“As the day dragged on into the evening, the sound of the dusk drums echoed in my ears, and the sky gradually darkened. Only then did I feel a bit better, thinking that perhaps my distraction was due to a lack of sufficient cultivation. But just as the light began to fade, I heard a sharp cry from the gate of the Temple of Heavenly Sound.” At this point, Venerable Master Pu Hong turned his head and looked at Fa Xiang.
Fa Xiang nodded, “Yes, I was patrolling the temple gates at that time. Suddenly, I saw a person lying unconscious not far from the entrance. I hurried over to check, only to find… it was Uncle Master Pu Zhi.” He sighed, “At the time, Uncle Master Pu Zhi was disoriented and extremely pale, except for an unnatural flush on his cheeks. I later learned that he had taken the ‘Three Days to Death Pill’ to prolong his life temporarily.”
Ghost Li, hearing this, was stunned. This pill’s name was completely new to him, and he couldn’t help but ask, “What is this Three Days to Death Pill?”
Venerable Master Pu Hong explained, “This potion is not used for noble purposes. It is said to have been concocted by a heretic named ‘Ghoul Doctor’ in the demonic cults. Legend has it that if you take this pill, even if you are on the brink of death, it can unleash your latent potential, allowing you to live for three more days with normal human strength. However, once the three days are over, the pill transforms into the most potent poison, lethal even to those with supreme cultivation. Thus, it bears this strange name.”
Silence fell over Ghost Li. Venerable Master Pu Hong continued, “Naturally, we did not know all of this at the time. When I received the urgent message from my disciple Fa Xiang, I was truly shocked. Uncle Master Pu Zhi was always a brilliant and deeply cultivated monk in our temple. To see him in such a state was unimaginable. I immediately had him brought in and treated, but he remained unconscious, his vital energies in chaos. He was not only poisoned but also severely wounded by someone of high cultivation, leaving him at the brink of death…”
Even after so many years, Venerable Master Pu Hong’s face still showed the pain and sorrow of that fateful night.
“That night, I did everything in my power to save Uncle Master Pu Zhi, but no matter what I tried, I could not rouse him. As his breath grew weaker, my heart was filled with anguish. Could it be that my brother monk would die in such a mysterious manner? His body was already on the brink of collapse, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had died earlier. But he had struggled back to the Temple of Heavenly Sound, clearly wanting to convey something important before his death.”
Venerable Master Pu Hong paused, lost in thought. After a moment, Fa Xiang cleared his throat and said softly, “Master, I was with you and Uncle Master Pu Zhi throughout that night. Perhaps I should continue the story from here.”
Venerable Master Pu Hong nodded silently, giving way to Fa Xiang.
Fa Xiang continued, “I stayed by your side, watching you and Uncle Master Pu Fang try desperately to save Uncle Master Pu Zhi, but to no avail. It was heartbreaking. I felt so helpless, for Uncle Master Pu Zhi had always been kind to me. Unexpectedly, in the dead of night, he suddenly regained consciousness.”
“Ah…” Ghost Li raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft exclamation, quickly controlling himself, his face returning to its cold demeanor.
Fa Xiang glanced at him and continued, “I was on watch when Uncle Master Pu Zhi awoke. Overjoyed and surprised, I immediately called for you and Uncle Master Pu Fang. Even now, I still vividly remember his face—deathly pale, but with cheeks flushed like blood, truly terrifying.”
“Seeing Uncle Master Pu Zhi awake, we were all relieved, though his appearance was alarming. You, Master, wanted to ask him what had happened, how he had sustained such injuries. But when he saw you, he… he…” Fa Xiang paused, gathering his composure. The room was silent, with Venerable Master Pu Hong chanting softly, his beads turning in his hand, and Ghost Li listening intently.
Fa Xiang’s face was grave, but he continued, “After regaining consciousness, Uncle Master Pu Zhi was relatively calm. But when you arrived, he suddenly trembled, as if struck by a terrible shock. He sat up abruptly, his face a deep red, his eyes fixed on you, and his hand reached out to you. You rushed to his side, took his hand, and just as you were about to speak, he…”
Venerable Master Pu Hong’s face remained composed, still in his prayerful stance.
Fa Xiang, after a brief pause, said, “Uncle Master Pu Zhi, holding your hand, suddenly collapsed, sobbing like a child in your arms, wailing with profound remorse…”
“What?” Ghost Li stood up, startled, staring at Fa Xiang. In his mind, the venerable Master Pu Zhi, no matter what he had done, would never have been reduced to such a state.
Fa Xiang sighed, “We were all shocked and at a loss. We didn’t know what had come over Uncle Master Pu Zhi. He was in such deep agony, lamenting his sins, and we didn’t know how to help him. He cried, ‘Brother, Brother, I am guilty of a great sin, and even a thousand deaths cannot atone for it!'”
Ghost Li’s eyes twitched, but he said nothing.
Fa Xiang’s voice dropped to a low, somber tone, “I was utterly shocked, and you and Uncle Master Pu Fang looked similarly distraught. Despite his madness, we tried to calm him, urging him to rest and tell us later.”
“But Uncle Master Pu Zhi insisted, saying he had taken the Three Days to Death Pill to return to the Temple of Heavenly Sound, and within a day, he would die. Before he passed, he had an important message and a crucial task for you. If we did not listen, he would die in torment.”
“We were shocked and anxious, but we had no choice. Despite his wounds, he seemed coherent. Little did we know, he would reveal a monstrous act of betrayal against the Buddhist precepts.”
Venerable Master Pu Hong chanted, “Amitabha!”
Fa Xiang, following suit, looked at Ghost Li, whose face had turned ashen. “Uncle Master Pu Zhi, gripping your hand, recounted his story, tears streaming down his face. We listened, growing more and more horrified. He told us that, in his quest to unite Buddhism and Daoism, he had gone to the Azure Ethereal Conclave to meet with the leader, Daoxuan, to express his vision. But he was rejected. Disappointed, he wandered down the mountain and ended up in a small village called Caomiao Village…”
The sound of splintering wood interrupted the room as Ghost Li, in a fit of rage, twisted a corner of the table to pieces, scattering the fragments.
Fa Xiang, glancing at the table, continued, “In Caomiao Village, Uncle Master Pu Zhi saw a group of children playing. Two of them, in a fight, nearly met a tragic end, but he intervened, saving one of them.”
Ghost Li’s expression changed, his fists clenched, and pain filled his eyes.
“Uncle Master Pu Zhi did not think much of the incident. That night, a sinister figure entered the village, intending to abduct a gifted child. Uncle Master Pu Zhi could not stand idly by and intervened, only to discover that the figure was actually after him. The villain had lured the child to harm Uncle Master Pu Zhi, using a deadly creature, the Seven-Tailed Centipede. He then struck Uncle Master Pu Zhi with powerful magic, revealing his true goal: the fearsome artifact, the Bloodthirst Pearl, sealed within Uncle Master Pu Zhi.”
Ghost Li’s shoulders tensed, but he did not raise his head. The familiar, chilling aura of the Bloodthirst Pearl wafted from his sleeve…
The myriad of emotions and vengeance surged through him, and he was left speechless, trembling uncontrollably.
“Though the villain was cunning and cruel, Uncle Master Pu Zhi, with his deep cultivation, managed to fight him off, though both were grievously injured. He discovered that the assailant knew the Azure Ethereal Conclave’s secrets, hinting at a connection to them.”
“During the battle, the child Uncle Master Pu Zhi had saved earlier returned to the temple, and in the ensuing fight, he was knocked unconscious. Afterward, Uncle Master Pu Zhi, knowing he was dying, swallowed the Three Days to Death Pill to prolong his life.”
“Overwhelmed by the enormity of his mission, he realized that the only way to ensure his vision would be to secretly teach a boy the sacred Dharma of the Temple of Heavenly Sound and have him join the Azure Ethereal Conclave. He chose the boy he had saved, imparting the Dharma and instructing him to keep it secret, entrusting his lifelong wish to him.”
“Heh, hehe… hehehe…” Ghost Li’s suppressed laughter, filled with bitterness and sorrow, rang out, his head bowed.
Fa Xiang waited until he finished, his own face reflecting sadness, “With everything arranged, Uncle Master Pu Zhi let the boy sleep and planned to return to the Temple of Heavenly Sound to make his final arrangements. But he realized that the Azure Ethereal Conclave might not accept the boy, as he was not exceptionally talented. Desperate and confused, the evil influence of the Bloodthirst Pearl overwhelmed him, and he committed an unforgivable sin, slaughtering the entire village to ensure the boy’s acceptance.”
“Enough, stop talking!” Ghost Li shouted, standing up, tears streaming down his face. “Don’t… say… any… more…”
Fa Xiang fell silent, lowering his head. Venerable Master Pu Hong opened his eyes, walked to Ghost Li, and gently patted his shoulder, saying, “Cry and curse as you need, but you must hear the rest.”
Ghost Li’s sobs were barely audible.
Venerable Master Pu Hong continued, “When Uncle Master Pu Zhi regained his senses, the damage was done. Standing amidst the carnage, he was overcome with grief. In his delirium, he rushed back to the Temple of Heavenly Sound, confessing his sins and begging me, in the name of our bond, to help the boy, Zhang Xiaofan, if he ever learned the truth. He asked that I allow the boy to do as he saw fit with his remains, to repay his sins even a fraction.”
Ghost Li, clenching his teeth, his lips bleeding, looked at Venerable Master Pu Hong. For some reason, Venerable Master Pu Hong averted his gaze. Ghost Li’s breathing grew labored, and his face contorted with emotion. Suddenly, he turned and strode out, heading for the small hut where the remains lay.
Fa Xiang exclaimed, “Master!”
Venerable Master Pu Hong shook his head, his face filled with sorrow, “Let him go. It was Uncle Master Pu Zhi’s final wish. Life is full of suffering, and few can escape it. Amitabha…”
He closed his eyes, chanting softly, and the room fell into a profound, eerie silence.
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