Chapter 61: Liu Ruoyi (1 / 2)

To my surprise, Jiang Shiyu didn't seem all that shocked—just wide-eyed with curiosity. Master Miaoyin smiled at me, then picked up the two cursed items. Without another word, he walked over to the Buddha statue, placed them on the altar, and covered them with a golden alms bowl.

Before I could even react, he gently rested his hand atop the bowl and began chanting sutras. He went on like this for half an hour.

When he finally lifted the bowl, I was stunned.

Thanks to my spiritual vision, I could clearly see that the evil aura from both items had completely disappeared.

How could this be? Could Buddhist power truly be this vast?

I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the shock in my heart. But when I looked closer, I understood what had really happened.

Next to the cursed jade pendant and the willow leaf, now lay a small black beetle and a tiny centipede.

I had once read in the Secrets of Yin-Yang Arts about a method where the resentment of cursed objects could be transferred into other vessels. Master Miaoyin had done just that—but with living creatures.

These insects would now dwell in the temple, listening to sutras daily until their grievances dissolved. In their next life, they'd be reborn as humans.

This act was pure compassion. I was filled with admiration. Bowing deeply, I said,

"This humble Daoist is in awe of Master's benevolence. Now that the matter is settled, I won't overstay my welcome."

As a Maoshan disciple bound by Taoist precepts, I usually rely on Maoshan techniques to deal with evil spirits, especially with the ancestral spirits guiding me. While Taoism and Buddhism may share the same end goal, our paths are different—and it's best not to cross lines unnecessarily.

Master Miaoyin also bowed politely,

"You and the Buddha share karmic ties. We will meet again."

His cryptic smile made goosebumps rise all over me. Not because of fear—but because in our tradition, betrayal of nation, faith, or sect is considered a grave offense.

We weren't enemies, sure—but neither were we on the same path.

Just as I stepped out of the temple gate, Jiang Shiyu came running after me.

"Wait up, don't walk so fast!"

I stopped and looked back at my old classmate, smiling.

"Didn't expect you to be so familiar with this place. What's up?"

"Of course I'm familiar," she replied with reverence. "My dad said when I was little, I was in poor health. It was Master Miaoyin's blessings and rituals that gradually healed me."

From how she said rituals, I figured it had something to do with astrology or fate correction, but since I didn't know her birth chart, I couldn't comment. I was ready to brush things off and go home for a rest, but then she asked:

"Last time I called you and couldn't get through—what have you been up to lately? Still… reading fortunes on the street?"

She seemed hesitant to ask.

Maybe my profession wasn't exactly glamorous and often misunderstood, but I've never felt ashamed. I make a living with real skills—I'm not deceiving anyone.

"Yeah. So what? Want a reading?" I asked casually.

"No, no." She waved her hands quickly. "I don't do fortune-telling. Last time I was just messing with you. Actually, we had a class reunion recently and I mentioned you. A few classmates said they saw you, but weren't sure until I told them."

"So? What about it?" I asked, a little puzzled.

"Ugh, I did it again." She sighed, looking flustered. I could tell she was one of those people who blurted things out without thinking. Anyone else might have taken her words as an insult, but I sensed she didn't mean it that way.

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it. I've got things to do, so I'll be heading off."

I smiled politely.

"Don't go!" she immediately stepped in front of me. "We're having a get-together at Yuanshan Mountain tomorrow at noon. I used to be the class monitor, so everyone made me responsible for contacting everyone. I felt bad that we missed you last time. You're not getting away this time."

"Just now when I asked about your profession, it wasn't to make fun of you. We've created a class profile book, and I need to fill out everyone's info. You're the only one I couldn't fill in, and once I get yours, I'll email the full version to everyone."