The old monk was stuffed into the censer, his limbs flailing wildly. Yet, he was like a turtle flipped onto its belly, unable to turn over. Instead, he stirred up a storm of incense ash, choking himself half to death.
"Spare me! Spare me!"
The old monk was no match for Yan Shouyi. Seeing that things were not going his way, he could only beg for mercy.
"Shut up!"
Yan Shouyi found it irritating and simply grabbed a handful of incense ash, stuffing it into the old monk's mouth.
This indeed had an effect. The old monk was too busy spitting out ash to shout loudly.
The two martial monks, who had stumbled to their feet by then, saw how ruthless Yan Shouyi was and dared not step forward.
Yan Shouyi said coldly, "Bring my friend to me, or I'll stuff every hole in this bald donkey with incense ash!"
Upon hearing this, the old monk cried out incessantly, clearly urging the two martial monks not to abandon him.
The two martial monks gritted their teeth and said to Yan Shouyi,
"Benefactor, we cannot make this decision."
"Who can?" Yan Shouyi turned to the old monk, "You?"
The old monk quickly shook his head, his eyes burning with impatience.
Fortunately, the martial monks were sensible and hurriedly said, "We all take orders from the abbot. If the abbot doesn't agree, you can kill us, and we still won't dare to release him!"
"So, you mean this bald donkey is not the abbot?" Yan Shouyi asked, confused.
"Abbot Haixin was the previous abbot..."
Yan Shouyi frowned.
An abbot and a master were different. An abbot managed all the temple's affairs and held considerable power, while a master was a spiritual leader. Although a master had less practical power, their prestige surpassed that of an abbot.
If there was a disagreement between the two, the master's opinion would certainly carry more weight.
A temple would definitely have a master, but not necessarily an abbot. Under normal circumstances, an abbot and a master were very likely to be the same person.
However, the old monk named Haixin, who was called a master, was also the former abbot. He should have held high prestige, but his position in the Sizhuan Temple seemed to be rather low.
This Sizhuan Temple was indeed full of strangeness.
Never mind all that!
Yan Shouyi said to the two martial monks, "Call your abbot out to see me!"
The martial monks looked troubled.
"This is also not allowed?"
Yan Shouyi's expression turned cold. He turned and grabbed a handful of incense ash, saying to Abbot Haixin, "Master, when you reach the Pure Land, please convey my regards to the Buddha!"
"No! No, no, no!"
Abbot Haixin, having finally spat out the incense ash, disregarded the bitterness and astringency in his mouth and quickly waved his hands, "We can discuss anything!"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. A monk does not lie!" Abbot Haixin said quickly.
"But I think this son of a bitch will deceive me."
"If I lie, may I be struck by five thunderbolts!"
Yan Shouyi still didn't believe Abbot Haixin. So, he thought of a way to test if Abbot Haixin was a true monk.
Yan Shouyi grabbed Abbot Haixin by the collar and held his ash-filled hand in front of him, threatening,
"Recite the Diamond Sutra, and I'll believe you. If you can't recite it..."
Abbot Haixin's face turned pale with fear, but he instinctively clasped his hands together and began to recite the Diamond Sutra.
"Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the Jetavana monastery, in the Anathapindika park, with a great assembly of monks, twelve hundred and fifty in number. At that time, the World-Honored One, at mealtime, having dressed himself, took his alms bowl and entered the great city of Shravasti for alms..."
He recited it quite smoothly.
Yan Shouyi observed Abbot Haixin and could barely believe he was a genuine monk.
He then pulled Abbot Haixin out of the censer, but still held onto him without letting go:
"Alright, stop reciting. Why can't your abbot come out to see me?"
Abbot Haixin said with a苦 face, "Benefactor, you may not know, but the abbot is of enormous size and never leaves his quarters. Even if we personally carried him, we couldn't get him out... If the benefactor is willing, this old monk can take you to see the abbot, but..."
"But what?" Yan Shouyi frowned.
Abbot Haixin gritted his teeth, "This old monk can tell that the benefactor is no ordinary person, but still hopes the benefactor will not cause further trouble. This old monk will go in and plead on your behalf. If the abbot is willing to release the person, you should quickly take your friend and leave Qianlü Town!"
Unexpectedly, Abbot Haixin had some compassion.
However, Yan Shouyi did not fully believe Abbot Haixin.
He was determined to get his friend back. As for how to deal with the abbot, that was Yan Shouyi's decision, provided he met him first.
So, he released Abbot Haixin, patted the incense ash off himself, and said loudly,
"Lead the way!"
Abbot Haixin hobbled out, supported by the two martial monks.
The three glanced back at the one-eyed Yan Shouyi, feeling a flicker of anticipation in their hearts.
"This way, benefactor..."
Led by the three, Yan Shouyi bypassed the main hall and went to the back courtyard. After walking along a winding path, they arrived outside a building that was only slightly smaller than the main hall.
All eight large doors of the building were wide open. Large and small incense burners were placed inside and out, each lit with incense. The strong aroma of incense was almost suffocating.
Yan Shouyi saw that Yang Ge was kneeling on a prayer mat inside the building, his head shaved. He was kowtowing to the ground with great "sincerity," muttering incantations.
Yan Shouyi approached the threshold and asked Abbot Haixin, "Where is the abbot?"
Abbot Haixin lowered his head and said, "Isn't the abbot inside?"
Hearing this, Yan Shouyi looked up, and his pupils contracted slightly.
In front of Yang Ge was a massive "lump of flesh." The lump rhythmically expanded and contracted. Upon closer inspection, there was a dark, gaping hole filled with foul-smelling filth.
It was an obese monk as tall as a mountain, who had to lower his head while sitting inside the building lest he break through the ceiling. He was barely clothed, his fat accumulated in one mass, his body like a heavy turtle shell, his limbs even capable of retracting into the fat.
At this moment, this "abbot" was fast asleep, his snores like thunder, and his drool flowing like a small river, passing by Yang Ge.
This was the abbot of Sizhuan Temple?
Yan Shouyi narrowed his eyes.
No wonder Abbot Haixin said earlier that the abbot couldn't come out to see him. This abbot couldn't even leave this room.
The numerous incense burners here were likely meant to mask the abbot's stale odor... Well, he hadn't noticed it before, but now that he was closer, he could smell it faintly.
This incense smoke concealed not only the abbot's stale odor but also - demonic energy!
Yan Shouyi also noticed that the abbot's appearance somewhat resembled the inner demon he had seen in the illusionary world of Mistress Miaohui.
Speaking of inner demons, Yan Shouyi felt his anger rise!