Chapter 10: The Temple Master

Bai Yichen's expression remained calm. Seeing Master Guanzhi's demeanor ease slightly, he spoke calmly: "Master, when I first learned of this matter, I wanted to return to the temple immediately, but I feared it might alert the snake by striking the grass, so..."

"Only today, upon returning, did I report this to you alone."

Hearing this, Master Guanzhi let out a long sigh, nodding in approval, clearly recognizing Bai Yichen's cautious actions.

"Indeed, the fewer people who know about this, the better."

After hesitating for a moment, Master Guanzhi seemed to have made a decision and said: "This matter cannot be decided by me alone; we must let the temple master decide. You… should come with me to see him."

Seeing this, Bai Yichen nodded eagerly, feeling a surge of joy in his heart.

He had finally achieved his first goal in conveying this matter. Only by meeting that old temple master and observing his words and actions could he better decide on his next steps.

...

Beyond the deep ancient woods behind Xuanzhen Temple, the sunlight dappled through the gaps, casting patterns on the stone-paved path. Before them opened a serene courtyard concealed within.

It was as if:

Surrounded by green bamboo, ancient trees stand deep,

A courtyard hidden in the heart of mountains and waters;

Gentle breezes bring forth a fragrant atmosphere,

Stepping into a peach blossom land, one seeks within a painting;

With a tranquil heart and light steps,

One feels as if in a celestial realm, forgetting worldly concerns.

As Master Guanzhi hurriedly knocked on the door and entered, they found in the center of the courtyard an ancient stone pavilion standing quietly, surrounded by murmuring streams. The sound of water and wind intertwined, creating a tranquil and profound atmosphere.

Bai Yichen was taken aback; this was… a feng shui arrangement.

In this world, feng shui was not a mere illusion. It focused on the environment's dragon veins, sand observation, water observation, point selection, and orientation, adjusting the layout of the environment and buildings, pursuing a unity of heaven and man in accordance with natural laws.

Once reaching the innate realm, combining internal energy could lead to different changes.

In his past life, the palace had some arrangements for health and peace of mind, catering to the royal family. After gaining power, he had enjoyed such benefits, which greatly aided his martial arts training.

However, he remained vigilant, aware that everything has its yin and yang. This feng shui could aid people but could also harm them.

Bai Yichen carefully observed his surroundings, suddenly feeling a strange sensation.

The flowing water in the courtyard, the ancient trees surrounding it, the stone pillars of the pavilion...

With his extensive experience in the martial world, his keen intuition told him that this seemingly perfect feng shui arrangement concealed certain mysteries. Some subtle details exuded an unusual aura, hinting at hidden dangers.

In the middle of the stone pavilion sat an old man in a plain Daoist robe, meditating. His hair was as white as snow, and his face was gaunt. The passage of time had left deep marks on him, yet he radiated a serene detachment from the mundane world.

Master Guanzhi stepped forward to pay his respects, and Bai Yichen followed closely behind.

"Greetings, Master. Today, I come to report unusual changes I have recently heard about."

"Greetings, Temple Master."

The temple master seemed to have sensed the newcomers even before they arrived. He was brewing a pot of hot tea on a stone table and opened his deep-set eyes to ask, "What's the matter that has you so anxious?"

Master Guanzhi then recounted the details he had learned from Bai Yichen, one by one, and handed over the letter.

The old temple master gazed at Bai Yichen with an all-seeing look, as if he could see through his very being.

Did he discern something?

Fortunately, Bai Yichen was experienced and adept at cultivating his energy, so he maintained a face of worry and urgency.

Afterward, the old temple master shifted his gaze back to the letter.

Half a stick of incense later, the old temple master put away the letter, closed his eyes in deep thought, and then said, "Shaochong, you are indeed gifted. At such a young age, you have already cultivated your strength and reached the acquired realm. In the past few hundred years, there have been only a handful in our temple who can compare to you."

Bai Yichen's heart trembled. What a clever old sparrow from Xuanzhen Temple! He had tried to keep his abilities hidden, yet the old master had still detected something.

It seemed his cultivation level was not just...

However, in an instant, Bai Yichen's face revealed a look of shame, and with a hint of guilt, he spoke: "It's not that I intended to hide it, but I learned of this matter just a couple of days after my breakthrough, and seeing the temple in such a critical situation, I didn't want my own affairs to affect it."

Before either of them could respond, Bai Yichen continued, "There is one more thing I wish to inform my grandmaster and uncle."

Then, apart from being identified as a spy for Heishi, Bai Yichen detailed the relationship between himself and Daoist Guanzhi, feigning poison, luring thieves into a cave, and shutting the door on the dogs, recounting these strategies one by one.

The reason he revealed all this was just as mentioned earlier; after meeting the old temple master, he sensed that his strength should not be underestimated.

Every breath he took seemed to synchronize with the surrounding feng shui, exuding a natural grace. He could even see through Bai Yichen's strength, realizing it was far from ordinary, despite his old age.

However, if coupled with a bit of strategy, the chances of winning were still significant. Thus, he decided to be candid. After all, Bai Yichen had grown up in the temple and had considerable affection for it. Although he had the opportunity to become a guiding party, he aspired to be a good person in this life.

The old temple master nodded frequently, seemingly quite satisfied, not at all entangled in matters of cultivation, and slowly said, 

"Indeed, the enemy comes with great force. Engaging them directly is certainly not the best strategy. We should fully utilize our advantages, such as foresight and the temple's terrain, to lay out our defenses and cleverly set traps for any hope of victory."

On the other hand, Master Guanzhi stood by, a bit dumbfounded. He had never expected that this disciple was not only so powerful in martial arts but also had such impressive strategic acumen.

In the end, Bai Yichen raised a question: "Regardless, we are still likely to encounter the experts from Heishi. I just wonder if our temple's strength is..."

This was what he cared about most. Given Heishi's habits, they were likely to send more experts than Xuanzhen Temple could muster.

Other matters were negotiable, but if two innate realm martial artists were to arrive, he was unsure how the old temple master would respond.

Upon hearing this, the old temple master smiled slightly and confidently said, "If this matter were to happen hastily, coupled with poison, it would indeed pose a life-and-death crisis. However, if we had foreknowledge, I would have my own decisions. How could I let you, a junior, worry about everything?"

He then referenced the situation at Xuanzhen Temple, adding many wise words that made the entire plan more robust.

Among them, the old temple master instructed Bai Yichen to relay a message to Heishi that Xuanzhen Temple would hold a Daoist fasting and ritual ceremony on the ninth day of the ninth month for the birthday or ascension of several imperial deities.

At that time, with many people present, and everyone from the temple gathered, it would be convenient for Bai Yichen to poison the entire temple through the kitchen and catch them all at once.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yichen naturally nodded in agreement.

The old temple master then asked several questions about his martial arts studies, and seeing Bai Yichen answer fluently, he was even more pleased and stroked his long beard.

After that, he explained some misunderstandings, and Bai Yichen gained further insight into the Daoist scriptures.

"I, Pindao Yungshou, will be here. If you have any confusions about martial arts in the future, you can come to me."

Master Guanzhi seemed somewhat immune to the shocks he had received today and finally regained his composure.

Bai Yichen felt a flicker of surprise and hurriedly expressed his gratitude. After noticing that the two had fallen silent, he understood their intentions and respectfully took his leave.