By the time the sun was about to set, we returned to our lodgings. Louis Ox still seemed unconvinced, maintaining a skeptical attitude throughout.
We were in the room. At this moment, Sonny Four had already come out and was standing beside me. Louis Ox began to feel a chill and started shivering.
"Whether what I said is true or not, you'll see for yourself."
As I spoke, I looked at Sonny Four. He gazed at Louis Ox with joy, but Louis Ox was born with strong yang energy, so Sonny Four could only stand at a distance. The three Soul Flames burning on Louis Ox's shoulders were especially intense, making it impossible for him to see Sonny Four.
I walked over, smiled, and told Louis Ox we needed to perform a little ritual. Waves of black yin wind spilled from my body—unseen by Louis Ox—and began to blow against the Soul Flames on his shoulders. Louis Ox trembled violently, his eyes wide with shock, shivering all over.
Gradually, the Soul Flames on Louis Ox's shoulders were extinguished. Instantly, the room was flooded with yin energy. Louis Ox hugged himself, and I immediately released the Yin Ghost. She began to devour the yin energy spilling from Sonny Four. This would cause Louis Ox some harm.
"Sonny Four..."
Louis Ox cried out in astonishment, his expression agitated.
"Big Brother."
Sonny Four floated over with a beaming smile. Louis Ox reached out, his hand passing through Sonny Four's body. Overcome with emotion, he trembled, lit a cigarette, and only after a long while did he calm down a bit.
"I'm the one who let my brothers down."
Louis Ox said, but Sonny Four shook his head.
"No, Boss, it's those guys who were bad. I... I've found a powerful backer now, and he promised to help me. Don't worry, Boss."
I looked at Sonny Four and smiled, saying nothing more. Then I left the room to give them space. I had Yin Ghost remain, so she could absorb the yin energy naturally flowing from Sonny Four's body, preventing harm to Louis Ox.
They probably had a lot to talk about. I returned to my own room and left Kevin Chiu's body—I couldn't stay in it forever. But now I think about it, there are still troublesome things waiting for me back home.
The only thing I need to consider now is how to get into Universal Temple. The temple doesn't have a phone, so I can't contact the monks inside.
I planned to go straight to Universal Temple, check the entrance, and try to break in. After all, Golden Howler is there. I’ll ask him—maybe he'll tell me.
I left the inn and floated up the mountain to Universal Temple's gate. Golden Howler was still a statue. I approached, squatted in front of him, and knocked on the stone, but got no response.
"Maybe he's asleep."
I looked around, raised my hands, and guessed my earlier effort wasn't enough. I decided to get a big hammer and wake him up. In my hand, baleful energy condensed into a huge hammer. I swung it at Golden Howler's head.
With a bang, then a creaking sound, and a clang, the baleful energy hammer in my hand fell to the ground. I stared in shock as cracks appeared in Golden Howler's statue. Then, with a snap, it shattered into several pieces. I cried out in surprise and retreated several steps.
I stood awkwardly in place, looking at the shattered pieces of Golden Howler's statue, glancing around.
"Glue should be able to fix it, right?"
I thought about going down the mountain to find some super glue, but just then, with a creak, the tightly shut temple gate opened.
"Amitabha, Benefactor Zhang, my master has just come out of seclusion and is waiting for you."
It was Master Jianyun. I smiled awkwardly. Master Jianyun also saw the shattered statue at the gate, but he just smiled kindly.
"Benefactor Zhang, don't be alarmed. It's just an ordinary stone. Golden Howler has already returned to the temple—it was he who notified us of your arrival."
I responded and walked over. At that moment, I saw that the temple was completely dark and empty.
"Oh, the disciples are all in the Hall of Purity."
Master Jianyun pointed to the right side of the temple. I looked over, and although it wasn’t very clear, there was indeed a faint light. Upon entering Universal Temple, you can see a huge stone wall painted with many Buddhas and celestial maidens. In the center is a large character for Buddha—a grand mural. And among them, I saw Golden Howler.
Suddenly, Golden Howler's eyes moved. I stared, rubbed my eyes, and made sure I wasn't seeing things—Golden Howler's eyes really were moving.
The layout of Universal Temple is set up like ascending steps, with three rows. Most of the halls on both sides are dedicated to Buddhas, and the main hall is higher up. On the left are guest quarters, on the right are the monks' quarters. I followed Master Jianyun toward the right.
After passing through a rustling bamboo path, I saw a small two-story house. The second floor was lit, and the door on the first floor was open. Above it was a sign: 'Tranquil Abode.'
I walked over. Master Jianyun made a Buddhist gesture and said:
"The master is waiting for you upstairs."
I nodded and hurried upstairs. As soon as I entered, I saw a low table. Master Mingde smiled as he brewed tea. The room was dimly lit, with only an oil lamp illuminating the small table.
"Master Mingde, sorry to bother you so late."
"It's no trouble, Benefactor Zhang. Please, have a seat."
I nodded, sat cross-legged before Master Mingde. He poured me a cup of tea, and I took a sip.
"How is it?"
To my surprise, even as a ghost, I could drink this tea—and it had flavor.
"A bit bitter, but very refreshing."
(Irrelevant passage skipped—reader instruction, not part of the story.)
Then Master Mingde poured me a second cup of tea.
"How is it?"
After I drank it, Master Mingde asked again.
"Still a bit bitter, but not astringent—there's a hint of sweetness."
Master Mingde nodded and poured me a third cup of tea, gesturing for me to drink. I did.
"How is it?"
I looked at Master Mingde in surprise, but still nodded.
"Very bitter. This cup has only bitterness, nothing else."
"Amitabha, Benefactor Zhang, the so-called Three Bitternesses are just like your tea. All these worries and hardships pressing on you are called 'bitter suffering.' Benefactor Zhang, all the impermanence and change in the world is ultimately futile. A person's character determines their own transformation."
I responded, but only half-understood what Master Mingde said.
"Benefactor Zhang, let this old monk tell you a story."
Master Mingde began to speak. Once, there was a farmer who watched his neighbors' fields yield better harvests day after day, and he happily tended his own land every day.
But the farmer was troubled. Even though only a small ridge separated the fields, his own harvests grew worse each year, despite using the same water source.
One year, there was a drought and no one had enough to eat. The farmer's land couldn't yield crops anymore, but he was surprised to see his neighbor still had surplus grain, even sharing it with the village.
Gradually, his worries grew. The farmer came up with a plan: he asked the village steward to swap the two fields. He thought his neighbor had absorbed all the nutrients from his land, which was why his own crops were poor.
After the drought passed, the farmer happily started planting again, and sure enough, there was a good harvest. But to his surprise, his original field produced even better yields than his own.
One year, then another, and as before, the field he had swapped for kept yielding less and less.
The farmer became more and more troubled, growing paranoid. He spent some money to have the village steward swap the fields back again.
His harvest improved again, and he was happy. But his neighbor's field didn't do well, and as the seasons changed, his own land returned to its previous state.
When the story ended, I looked at Master Mingde in astonishment, completely unsure what he was trying to tell me.
"In the end, because of all this pressure, the farmer lost his mind. During the drought, he starved to death in his own home."
I swallowed. Master Mingde took a sip of tea and smiled.
"There was nothing wrong with the land itself. The neighbor always kept a good attitude, so he worked hard. But the farmer, plagued by suspicion and paranoia, had a poor mindset and couldn't work effectively, always coveting what others had."
I responded, suddenly understanding Master Mingde's point.
"Benefactor Zhang, when you came upstairs, I sensed your heart was in turmoil, just like that farmer. You're trying hard to restrain yourself, but one day, all that you're holding down will be released."
I nodded. It's true—my mood is terrible right now, especially after what happened with Howard Fang. My state of mind has been deeply shaken. I’ve started to hate the people from the Immortality Society and want to tear them to pieces.
"Why do you think you fight, Benefactor Zhang?"
Master Mingde asked, and I looked at him seriously.
"To stay alive."
I spoke each word slowly. Master Mingde nodded with satisfaction.
"To survive in this world is simply to live, Benefactor Zhang. How long has it been since you laughed heartily? Bitter and sweet coexist—that’s what living is. To know the torment of suffering and taste the joy of happiness, that’s the real order. You’ve got things backward, Benefactor Zhang."
Master Mingde seemed to see right through me. He kept smiling kindly, and I nodded.