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Chapter 50 First Encounter with Buddhism
Leaving Wei Zheng's house, Chen Guangrui wore a bitter smile. Wei Zheng was, after all, a human official in the Heavenly Court, and it was indeed inconvenient for him to interfere in these human-initiated conflicts in the mortal realm.

By sharing information about this evil spirit with him today, I've only planted a seed in Wei Zheng's heart. When that seed will take root and sprout remains to be seen. Once he learns that the evil spirit originated from Buddhism, his choice will become crucial.

Some groundwork cannot be rushed.

As night fell, Chang'an was about to be under curfew. Upon returning to the inn, Chen Guangrui immediately noticed that Zhang Changling, who had been waiting in the courtyard to chat with him for the past few days, was nowhere to be seen.

Chen An, carrying a lantern, looked around the entrance and asked, puzzled.

"Brother, it's almost curfew, where did Zhang Bangyan go? He hasn't come back yet."

"He's not coming back."

Chen Guangrui spoke calmly, his gaze sweeping over the somewhat deserted front hall of the post station.
"At this critical juncture, he should be avoiding me as much as possible, why would he deliberately run into me?"

Chen An was even more puzzled: "Why hide?"

"It seems that Sun Fujia is about to take action against Lord Wei Zheng."

Chen Guangrui saw things clearly: "Since Zhang Changling has already gotten on Sun Fujia's good side, he naturally knows how to avoid danger. His close association with me at this moment is harmful to him."

Chen An curled his lip, somewhat indignant: "What a snob!"

Chen Guangrui took it in stride, even showing a hint of approval: "Snobbish? It's already quite remarkable that someone with powerful backing would still keep me informed and warn me."

He stopped dwelling on the matter and decisively ordered, "Pack your things, we're moving out."

Chen An was stunned, completely taken aback: "Huh? Moving things? Where are we moving to? We were living comfortably..."

“Look carefully,”

Chen Guangrui gestured for Chen An to be aware of their surroundings.
“In the past, when we came and went, besides Zhang Changling, the innkeeper would always be there to greet us with a smile. Today, Zhang Changling is nowhere to be seen, and although the innkeeper is inside, he is avoiding coming out. Although he didn’t openly kick us out like last time, this silent indifference is more dangerous than an overt expulsion. The situation… is much more serious than last time. There’s no need to talk anymore, let’s just leave.”

Chen An then became alert and quickly nodded. He hurriedly packed his simple belongings. Chen Guangrui placed two hundred coins on the table in the front hall of the inn, settling the room fee. The two of them carried their bundles out, making a small commotion, but enough to alert the people in the inn.

However, even after they stepped out of the inn and disappeared into the streets of Chang'an at night, there was still a deathly silence behind them; not even the innkeeper appeared. This deliberate silence confirmed Chen Guangrui's judgment.

Avoiding suspicion is a done deal.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed hollowly on the quiet streets before curfew. Inside the carriage, Chen An, unable to contain his worry, asked in a low voice, "Brother, are we just going to stay at an inn for the next few days...? Should we do something?"

"I'll stay at the inn."

Chen Guangrui said, "These days, you don't need to follow me around all the time. Just sit in the inn where there are many people and lots of eyes, listen to the gossip and rumors, and write down everything you hear. There's no need to ask around, the more casual the better."

Chen An quickly replied, "I understand! And what about you? What are you busy with?"

In the dim light, Chen Guangrui's lips curled into a slightly frivolous smile, and his voice was lazy: "Me? Of course I'm going to the brothels to listen to music and watch dances, to have some fun."

…………

Under the same cold moonlight, the atmosphere in Wei Zheng's small, simple study was as heavy as a mountain. A shallow pit on the ground had not yet been filled in; it was a trace left after he had just taken some wine.

Wei Zheng sat at the table, the old wine on the table had gone cold, but its aroma still lingered, yet his mind was not on the wine at all. Suddenly, a figure silently emerged from the ground.

He was a short, withered old man with sparse, messy white hair and beard. He wore a faded, old brown robe and leaned on a worn-out, crooked peach wood cane. His face was deeply lined with wrinkles, showing the vicissitudes of time and an almost instinctive cautiousness.

He was the local deity in charge of the land where Wei Zheng resided, the Earth God. At this moment, he was facing Wei Zheng, trying his best to put on the most humble and ingratiating smile.

"Summoned by the immortal, this old man has come immediately," the Earth God's voice was dry, with a trembling, obsequious tone.
"What business does the immortal have with me? The unfamiliar faces in Chang'an you asked about yesterday, especially those associated with demons and evil spirits... I truly, truly have never seen them before! Not a single word is false!"

He patted his sunken chest to assure them, but his eyes involuntarily darted slightly.

Wei Zheng sat upright in his chair, the candlelight casting flickering shadows on his striking face. He scrutinized the old man's face, which was etched with honesty yet subtly evasive, and Chen Guangrui's words flashed through his mind: "He's lying."

"Chang'an is under the emperor's nose, how dare ordinary demons and monsters..." The old earth god was still rambling on in defense of himself.

"Alright." Wei Zheng suddenly interrupted, his voice low and slow, carrying an invisible pressure.

He didn't press the matter about demons; instead, as Chen Guangrui had suggested, he changed direction, his sharp gaze closing in.

"You really haven't seen it before?"

"I've never seen it, absolutely, I really haven't seen anything like it."

"Oh? Something entered Daxingshan Temple. You must have seen it, right?"

The old man's expression instantly turned as if he had been struck by lightning!
The ingratiating smile froze on his face, followed by an undisguised and immense panic!

His dry, loose skin twitched slightly, his cloudy old eyes widened suddenly and then quickly drooped, and his fingers gripping his cane tightened involuntarily. He instinctively avoided Wei Zheng's sharp, hawk-like gaze, and stammered an explanation.

"Da...Daxingshan Temple? A Buddhist temple is a place of purity...how...how could something unclean...enter..."

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, and a few beads of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead, reflecting a faint glow in the dim candlelight. He frantically tried to wipe the sweat with his sleeve.

No need to ask anymore! Wei Zheng's heart sank. The old man's reaction in that instant had completely betrayed him! That panic and fear were not feigned!
A long-lost air of authority, befitting a high-ranking official, silently emanated from Wei Zheng, carrying the invisible pressure of the Heavenly Court's decree. His gaze was fixed on the old Earth God, his voice not loud, yet each word struck the old Earth God's heart like a heavy hammer blow.
"How dare you lie and evade my questions?"

"thump!"

The old man felt an irresistible, immense pressure emanating from the depths of his soul rushing towards him. His legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees!

The power of the officials in charge of human affairs to patrol and supervise the human world on behalf of Heaven suddenly became apparent!

"Immortal, please forgive me! Immortal, spare my life!"

The old man dared not hide anything any longer; he collapsed to the ground, trembling like a leaf, his voice trembling with sobs.

"This old man is guilty...this old man deserves to die! There is...there is such a...no, not human! It's...a lion demon! With thick blue fur...looking...so fierce!"

“The blue-haired lion…” Wei Zheng repeated in a low voice, his gaze growing increasingly unfathomable, “Why is it something you fear so much? How dare you hide it from me!”

The old man suddenly raised his head, his face contorted with extreme fear, his voice shrill and desperate.

"Because...because...because that lion demon...it was surrounded by...Buddhist light! Golden and magnificent...how can this be considered...considered a demon? It can't be! Immortal! It's Buddhist...Buddhist..."

Oh? !

Wei Zheng's pupils suddenly contracted! All the muscles in his body tensed instantly, and the rough porcelain wine bowl he had just picked up and put down was knocked over unconsciously, spilling cold, leftover wine onto the table and soaking a patch of his sleeve without him even noticing.

The only sounds in the study were the crackling of the burning candlelight and the heavy, fearful breathing of the old man.

Buddhism! A blue-maned lion! A demon bathed in Buddhist light?!

(End of this chapter)