Offering Incense

As soon as Xinhui finished speaking, he seemed to realize his slip of the tongue and quickly put his palms together, closing his eyes slightly to offer a prayer facing the west.

"Amitabha, my apologies, I have violated the precept of anger. I will transcribe the scriptures a hundred times as a form of penance."

After saying this, Xinhui raised his head again, his expression calm as he looked at Li Huowang. After a careful inspection, he nodded gently. "The old monk understands why you have come. Xuanyang, please follow me."

Seeing the monks watching him with suspicion, Li Huowang had no choice but to follow. He inserted his sword back into its sheath and turned to follow Xinhui.

Instead of taking him elsewhere, Xinhui led him back to the area where the unfinished Buddha statues had been carved earlier.

"Xuanyang, were you referring to the filth you saw here before?"

Li Huowang froze, as the grotesque, fleshy, half-carved stone statues from before seemed to mock him, reappearing in front of him. "How could this—"

"Please continue following me."

With Xinhui's guidance, Li Huowang slowly walked forward. After passing the area of the unfinished statues, they arrived at the place where the livestock had been.

There were no animals there, only rows of incomplete stone lions and stone qilins—various-sized statues of auspicious beasts lined up neatly, silently staring ahead.

At this moment, Xinhui suddenly drew Li Huowang's sword and slashed downwards. A stone lion's head, about the size of a palm, fell to the ground with a thud.

Xinhui picked up the stone lion's head and handed it to Li Huowang.

Li Huowang touched the stone lion's head with his fingers. The texture of the stone, the weight—it was undeniably real!

"How could this—" Confused, Li Huowang didn't give up. He walked forward and carefully touched the other statues, confirming they were indeed genuine stone carvings.

Finally, he stood at the entrance of the great hall and looked inside. There, a giant stone Buddha sat cross-legged on a lotus seat, with a bowl in his left hand and his right hand pointing to the ground, exuding a regal aura.

"This is impossible! I saw it clearly just now! How could it be fake?"

Upon hearing Li Huowang's words, Xinhui sighed softly. "Amitabha, Xuanyang, you are seriously ill."

Li Huowang turned in confusion to look at Xinhui and asked in disbelief, "Could it be that I'm ill? Was everything I saw just an illusion?"

Xinhui nodded gently. "You are the best judge of what illness you suffer from. We outsiders cannot say."

"Could it be that the black toad I've consumed has only supported me for this long? Am I starting to see hallucinations again?" Li Huowang clutched his head in pain, mumbling to himself.

Upon hearing this, the monks who had been standing around began whispering among themselves.

"Turns out he's a lunatic."

"If he's no use, we should send him away. What if he starts having a seizure and injures someone?"

"Quiet!" Xinhui's sharp command silenced all the monks.

He then stepped into the hall, lit four incense sticks, and turned back to offer them to Li Huowang.

"Although it's nothing to trouble us Buddhist disciples, disturbing the Buddha is another matter. Please, offer incense to the Buddha."

"Offer incense?" Li Huowang's muscles tensed up immediately as his eyes flickered between the giant Buddha statue, Xinhui, and the four incense sticks in Xinhui's hands.

"Xuanyang, what are you waiting for? This is your own fault," Xinhui said, holding out the incense sticks towards him.

Li Huowang's mind flashed back to the horrifying, squirming creature, the grotesque being covered with monks. If that creature was real, wouldn't offering incense to it be like handing it food?

"Xuanyang, what are you hesitating for?"

Li Huowang looked at Xinhui. His face now showed a hint of displeasure.

He felt the weight of the stone lion's head in his hand, looked up at the blazing sun overhead, and then tossed the lion's head aside. He took the incense sticks from Xinhui's hand and, after a deep breath, stepped through the doorframe, walking slowly toward the giant Buddha statue.

His pace was slow, his body and mind tightly tense, sweat forming on his forehead.

No matter how slowly he walked, Li Huowang eventually reached the statue of the Buddha. The Buddha was still the same, nothing had changed—it hadn't turned into the grotesque monster he had seen earlier.

Li Huowang held the incense sticks in both hands and stood before the incense burner, his head tilted upward to gaze at the Buddha. From this angle, the massive statue seemed to look down at him with its serene yet imposing gaze, evoking a deep sense of reverence.

With the incense sticks held high above his head, Li Huowang gently shook them. White smoke swirled in the air before drifting toward the ceiling.

After three bows, Li Huowang placed the incense sticks in the burner with utmost respect, turned around, and walked back outside.

Seeing that the conflict had been resolved, the monks gradually scattered, returning to their work, the sound of chisels clanging on stone filling the air.

Xinhui and Li Huowang slowly walked down the stone path through the statues.

"Xuanyang, since your condition is so severe, you should not wander around. Please wait for the grand purification ceremony."

"Though your illness is troublesome, compared to your condition, I believe that Dan Yangzi is even more dangerous. One step at a time, one thing at a time," Xinhui said, absentmindedly turning his prayer beads as he spoke.

Li Huowang raised his head and stretched lazily, enjoying the sunlight. "Master, does the temple have any way of dealing with my hysteria?"

"Hmm... I could ask my disciples to try, but whether it will work is uncertain. After all, we do not have the teachings of Huangqi here."

"It's fine. I was just asking. I've been mad for so long, I'm used to it," Li Huowang said nonchalantly. "By the way, Master, how did you manage that earlier? How did what I was holding suddenly end up in your hands?"

"Hehe, just a little trick, nothing to brag about," Xinhui replied with a smile.

"Master, don't be modest. If it's nothing, then what am I? A worm?" Li Huowang joked.

"Xuanyang, things are not calculated that way. Though Dan Yangzi's abilities were inferior to mine, he was still considered a mid-level practitioner outside. Yet, he was still defeated by you."

"Mid-level? Then how strong are the top-tier practitioners? Master, among you high-level practitioners, is there a difference in strength?"

"There is, indeed. There are concepts like heaven, earth, and the four directions, but they are just foolish terms invented by those who know nothing. A monk does not seek fame, nor do we care about such things."

The two continued to talk as they walked along the stone path. Li Huowang learned a lot of useful information from Xinhui about the world.

After leaving the sculpting area, Li Huowang stopped and bowed to Xinhui. "Thank you, Master, for your guidance."

"Not at all, it was but a small effort. Xuanyang, you are in poor health. Please return and rest," Xinhui said with a gentle smile.

After exchanging polite words, Li Huowang looked around, but did not see the old monk. He then turned and walked toward his quarters.

He walked slowly, appearing deep in thought, as though something was troubling him.

After walking for about half an hour, Li Huowang finally arrived at his quarters. As he closed the door, his expression twisted into one of anger. Clenching his fists, he slammed his hands into the wall.

Although he wasn't sure how the monks had deceived his senses, as someone accustomed to switching between hallucinations and reality, Li Huowang was especially sensitive to these things.

The feeling he had when standing before the giant Buddha had been distinctly off—something about it reminded him of the sensation he had felt in the hospital, a feeling he couldn't quite place.

"Those statues were fake! The Buddha was fake! It was all an illusion, created to deceive me!"