Chapter 86: 86: The Limping Fat Man!
Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The Limping Fat Man!
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the abbot, I wonder where he is at this moment?” Chen Yuan said, his gaze intently fixed on the figure of the monk in the blue robe, observing his complexion and subtle movements.
“The abbot…”
The monk in the blue robe paused for a moment before whispering:
“The abbot is currently comprehending the principles of Buddhism and has not left his seclusion for over a year.”
“Seclusion…”
Chen Yuan’s eyes flickered:
“May I ask where he is in seclusion? Isn’t it odd that no one has gone to look for him during such a lengthy period?”
“The abbot is in seclusion on the back mountain. Nowadays, all the affairs of the temple are managed by Monitor Jie Nan Uncle, and we have no authority to inquire…” said the monk in the blue robe softly.
“The back mountain…”
Chen Yuan murmured to himself, yet his heart stirred.
No wonder he had wandered around the temple grounds for so long without finding anything; there was still a back mountain!
Perhaps, the true secrets were hidden there.
“Master, may I ask where the back mountain is located?”
Since Cien Temple was not situated on a mountain, naturally there would not be an actual back mountain. Chen Yuan thought that ‘back mountain’ might just be a name.
The monk in the blue robe stated frankly:
“Benefactor Chen, this is a secret of our temple, please forgive this humble monk…”
Chen Yuan handed over a piece of silver.
“This…”
The face of the monk in the blue robe showed hesitation, as if he wanted to take the silver, but seemed to be wary of something.
Seeing the monk’s struggle, Chen Yuan smiled and took out another two pieces of silver and handed them over.
The monk in the blue robe gritted his teeth, quickly pocketed the silver, and pointed towards the direction of the main hall:
“There is a small temple next to the main hall, and within it, there is a door. Pushing open the door, you will find the road that leads to the back mountain. The back mountain was named by the first abbot; it is actually used to discipline monks who violate the rules of the temple, and also…”
“Also, for seclusion and cultivation.”
Chen Yuan nodded, placing one hand over his chest:
“Thank you for the information, Master. I am deeply grateful to you.”
The monk in the blue robe bowed his head again and resumed sweeping the floor:
“As long as Benefactor Chen does not reveal that it was this humble monk who told you of the back mountain, I would be most thankful.”
“Naturally.”
Chen Yuan nodded and then turned around, with Wang Ping preparing to return to the main hall once more.
After Chen Yuan and Wang Ping were completely out of sight, the monk in the blue robe raised his head and whispered:
“This filthy place is finally about to disappear.”
…
When they returned to the main hall, the men, women, old, and young who had been praying before had left, and a new group of devotees replaced them. The monk who had been collecting the silver stood indifferently to one side, watching the kneeling worshippers without an ounce of compassion on his face.
Not a trace of mercy showed on his face.
Chen Yuan gestured with his eyes, and Wang Ping nodded imperceptibly. He stepped towards the monk while Chen Yuan discreetly approached a small temple next to the main hall.
The door of the small temple was open. There were no Arhats or Bodhisattvas enshrined within, and it did not resemble a structure belonging to the temple, but rather looked like a run-down little house.
Chen Yuan walked in, glanced around, and then focused his attention on a ragged curtain that hung awkwardly on the wall, clashing with the otherwise bare surroundings.
“Swish.”
Chen Yuan pulled back the curtain, his pupils contracted.
Before him lay a winding path obscured by dense vegetation, and after hesitating for a moment, Chen Yuan chose not to enter.
His eyes shimmered with a green light as the Heavenly Eye opened.
Chen Yuan furrowed his brow; nothing special caught his eye, unlike the time when the Marrow Cleansing Spirit Pearl had emitted a glow that he had noticed.
“Could it be too far away?”
A thought struck Chen Yuan; perhaps that was the reason.
But even so, Chen Yuan still chose not to enter and investigate.
He let out a sigh of relief, Chen Yuan let down the curtain, suddenly, a movement at the corner of his ear, uneven footsteps reached his ears.
“What are you doing here? Why do you want to come in?”
A dull voice came from behind him.
Without changing his expression, Chen Yuan turned around and said,
“I saw this small temple and thought to come burn some incense.”
As he turned around, a somewhat plump, bald monk with a scar from a precept-branding on his head and a deep knife-scrape near the corner of his eye appeared before Chen Yuan.
He looked somewhat fierce and threatening.
“Burn incense at the main hall, those who are not from this temple are not allowed inside,” the plump monk said in a low voice.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
Chen Yuan smiled and walked past the plump monk.
The plump monk watched Chen Yuan leave, locked the door, and limped away in a direction with one leg hobbling.
“Lame leg! Fatso!”
A light flashed in Chen Yuan’s eyes.
If it were anywhere else it might have been fine, but it just so happened to be in Cien Temple; this made Chen Yuan think of the body shape of the murderer he had inferred from footprints after the Liu Family’s annihilation case.
He finally understood why he hadn’t found the culprit despite a long search in the city, the man had been hiding in Cien Temple all along, disguised as a monk!
There might be coincidences in this world, but definitely not this many!
With just this guess, Chen Yuan was one hundred percent certain, Cien Temple was the No-Life Sect’s stronghold in Ping’an County!
Even if that Mister Zhang arrived, Chen Yuan could report with confidence.
After discovering the lame man, Chen Yuan did not continue to stay inside Cien Temple, but quickly left with Wang Ping to avoid raising the alert of certain individuals.
Now was a critical moment; Chen Yuan did not wish for any complications!
…
…
The next day,
City East.
Sanhe Boxing Club, back yard.
Having confirmed something fishy about Cien Temple, Chen Yuan no longer made any deliberate observations; all that was needed was to wait for Mister Zhang to arrive, and then it would be time to act.
Chen Yuan didn’t know the strength of the No-Life Sect in Ping’an County, but he suspected it was definitely not weak.
After all, being able to directly control a force with a Gang Condensation strongman in charge and not letting outsiders notice, one could only imagine its strength.
A Gang Condensation strongman was surely possessed; it was just unknown how many, and there would likely be even more Martial Artists below the Gang Condensation level. For Chen Yuan in his current state to provoke them would be like throwing an egg against a rock.
He would not do such a foolish thing.
“Mister Zhao, please.”
Chen Yuan personally poured a cup of tea for Zhao Nanshan.
Zhao Nanshan accepted the tea with a smile, took a light sip, and said,
“I had to invite Mister Chen over hastily, as those guys come to bother me every three to five days. I hope Mister Chen is not annoyed.”
Chen Yuan laughed,
“What Mister Zhao said is too serious. They need my protection, and they also bring me Silver, how could I be annoyed?”
“In this world, who would quarrel with Silver?”
Chen Yuan’s visit to Sanhe Boxing Club that day was due to several rather powerful individuals from City East wanting to make his acquaintance, yet they themselves had no channel to do so. By accident, they heard that Sanhe Boxing Club was under Chen Yuan’s protection.
Thus, they visited multiple times, agitating Zhao Nanshan.
Consequently, he sent someone to the Government to find Chen Yuan and explain the situation, after which Chen Yuan decided to come.
“That’s good…” Zhao Nanshan pointed to the door and continued, “If so, shall we let them in?”
Chen Yuan nodded slightly, and with a smile, he said to Wang Ping beside him,
“Open the door, let the outside bad air blow in.”
What do you think?
Total Responses: 0