Just past midnight, the smoke and dust rose suddenly at the gate of Universal Temple. The incense worshippers queued before the censer began their rituals. I blended into the crowd, waiting for the first group to finish. Soon, they donned devout expressions and stepped through the temple gate. I followed the surging crowd, guided by the monks inside, continuing up the mountain.
The Golden Howler had already warned me: there was a barrier on the left side near the meditation rooms, so I should head to the right. I saw monks everywhere on both sides of the stairs, making it hard to act. I began moving toward the left, quietly waiting for my chance amid the shifting crowd.
The streak of red light in the sky had already landed in the meditation area on the right side of Universal Temple. It must be Ray Lin bringing the Underworld Court judges.
I wasn't in a rush to go over immediately. After all, this negotiation was unlikely to satisfy either side in such a short time. The Buddhist sect had always remained aloof—their faith dictated it. I couldn't understand it, nor did I want to. None of this mattered to me.
My real purpose for coming this time was Brother Owen. That guy would never behave himself. Everything he'd done in the past vanished after his reincarnation. In the eyes of the Buddhist sect, anyone who could turn back and embrace Buddha was free from past and future.
Suddenly, I noticed a quarrel breaking out among several incense worshippers, prompting some monks to hurry over and mediate. The line came to a halt. With a thought, I vanished from the crowd, moving onto a bamboo-lined path. It was quiet, no one around, just a three-story house at the end of the path—empty. This was the residence of Old Monk Ming. I decided to wait there until dawn, leaving at six in the morning.
Soon, I arrived at the small building and went straight to the rooftop. Standing on the terrace, I looked around—monks were preparing items for the Buddhist assembly along the small paths, and crowds of people moved densely up the mountain steps. Outside the temple gate, more people queued up, with the right side for those going in and the left for those coming down.
The earlier disturbance had subsided. I had already used my powers to blend my presence with everything nearby—there was no way they could find me for now. Now, I needed to locate Serena Qing. John Chou had told me to handle it myself.
I smiled slightly, my eyes cold. Once I found Serena Qing, I planned to eliminate her quietly—the safest way. I had received word that the Buddhist sect was already negotiating with the people from the Underworld, hoping Rachel Lan could come to assist and heal her condition. It was Brother Owen who suggested it. I would never wait for trouble to erupt before acting. If there was a hidden danger, I would eliminate it at its source before it could manifest.
This was my true reason for coming to Universal Temple this time. The Golden Howler seemed to know what I was planning, so he said he couldn't help—only point the way.