Breaking through to the second layer had come as naturally as water flowing into a channel, unfolding without a hitch. Qin Sang had initially prided himself on being a cultivation prodigy, but now he could not help but begin to doubt himself.
Even if he were no prodigy, possessing ordinary aptitude was acceptable enough—surely he could not be a complete fool?
He had no idea whether stalling like this was normal, but after so long without making an inch of progress, his patience was being ground away bit by bit, leaving him inevitably anxious.
With no master to guide him, Qin Sang could only ponder it on his own. His breakthrough to the second layer had been so effortless, yet now he was thoroughly stuck at a bottleneck. Aside from the cultivation technique itself, could there be another reason?
For instance, the medicinal bath.
After settling into the Blood Cloak Tower, Qin Sang had seized a chance to return to Sanwu City, only to find neither Daoist Priest Jixin nor Mingyue. Word had it that shortly after the Daoist temple burned down, they had ceded the grounds to refugees and taken a boat south, departing the Great Sui.
Counting the days, that had been precisely when Prince Dongyang and Prince Zhenshui raised their banners in rebellion.
Unable to find Daoist Priest Jixin, Qin Sang had no choice but to seek alternatives. He managed to gather several prescriptions for bolstering foundational vitality from the Blood Cloak Tower, but unfortunately, their efficacy fell short of the medicinal bath.
A knock suddenly sounded at the courtyard gate.
Water Monkey’s low voice came from outside. "Hall Master, General Zhou has arrived."
Delight showed on Qin Sang’s face. He hurried to his feet, straightened his robes, and called out, "Quickly, invite him in!"
Before long, Water Monkey led an armor-clad, middle-aged man through the door. The man stepped up before Qin Sang and bowed low. "This humble officer, Zhou Mingguang, pays respects to Mr. Qin!"
On the surface, Qin Sang was an adviser to Princess Dongyang without official rank, so everyone outside the Blood Cloak Tower addressed him as Mister.
Qin Sang extended his hands to support Zhou Mingguang and sized him up with a smile. "General Zhou, we are old acquaintances. There is no need for such ceremony. I have felt uneasy all this time knowing that I troubled you to detour to Hunwu County, dreading that it might disrupt the Commander's critical military affairs."
Zhou Mingguang was a trusted confidant of General Mu. Qin Sang had met him once when Hening County fell two months ago.
General Mu had taken Hening County without losing a single soldier, achieving remarkable merit. With Princess Dongyang’s recommendation, he had been promoted to Right Commander of the Valiant Camp. Riding that wave of success, Zhou Mingguang had risen to Strike General, commanding the Crossbow Battalion.
Qin Sang, too, had rightfully been promoted to a Hall Master of the Blood Cloak Tower, though the official dispatch had yet to arrive.
The only matter that rankled Qin Sang was that Wang Liu, despite his dereliction of military duty, had not only escaped punishment but had picked up a massive windfall during the assault on the Jiang Prefecture capital, now serving as the Right Commander of the Xuanwei Camp.
"This humble officer would not dare!" Zhou Mingguang had witnessed the hellish scene inside Chu Dazhuang's manor with his own eyes, and his deference toward Qin Sang was absolute. "Mr. Qin, the Commander asked me to convey his regards. He intended to pay you a visit in person, but urgent military developments forced him to march along the main road toward Beiping Prefecture. Even so, the Commander had me bring the entire Crossbow Battalion under his command—a total of five hundred Divine Arm Crossbows—to place at Mr. Qin's disposal!"
"Excellent!" Qin Sang clapped his hands, his face glowing with joy. He had shared the lion’s share of military merit with General Mu and lingered in Hunwu County for so long precisely for these crossbowmen.
His objective was naturally Xuanji Temple, located within the borders of Hunwu County!
Ever since learning from Master Yuanjue that Xuanji Temple held the legacy of an immortal cultivator, Qin Sang had been pondering how to lay his hands on it.
His lightness skill could not rival that of the realm's top martial masters, meaning he could not sneak into Xuanji Temple undetected. Though Master Yuanjue was dead, Xuanji Temple still possessed a Xiantian expert and countless first-rate martial artists watching over it.
He could certainly rely on Yanwang’s powers to slaughter them in secret, but Xuanji Temple held the status of a sacred ground, renowned throughout every corner of the Great Sui. If news broke that Xuanji Temple's eminent monks had been wiped out overnight, it would inevitably cause an uproar across the entire realm.
And above the Great Sui, there were Immortal Masters watching.
Weighing his options, relying on secular might was the safest course. Confronted by five hundred Divine Arm Crossbows, even Xuanji Temple's abbot would not dare act recklessly—unless he wished to see the temple exterminated.
Hearing that Qin Sang’s target was Xuanji Temple, Zhou Mingguang showed a conflicted look. "Mr. Qin, this humble officer has heard that Xuanji Temple is guarded by a Xiantian master. Merely five hundred crossbowmen, I fear..."
"General Zhou, you need not worry!" Qin Sang said with confidence. "If that Xiantian expert dares step forward to kill, I will handle him myself. The only concern is that the monks of Xuanji Temple remain obstinate and unruly, still siding with the false emperor and defying royal authority. That is why I require General Zhou to bring troops to cow them. If they know what is good for them, confess their offenses, and submit to punishment, the Prince has no wish to slaughter them all... I have already prepared meat and wine. Please take them back to reward the officers and men. We set out at first light tomorrow to avoid delaying the march. Once this is done, Qin Sang will reward you generously."
"This humble officer obeys your command!"
***
At dawn the following morning, Qin Sang led the Blood Cloak Tower's operatives to rendezvous with Zhou Mingguang. After taking their meal, the force set off on a forced march, encamping before Xuanji Temple's mountain gate before midday.
Deep mountains hid an ancient monastery.
The mountain wind gusted through the dense forest with a rustling sigh.
The path up the mountain was paved entirely with half-pace-wide green slabs, stretching from the foot of the peak straight to the temple gate, broad enough for five horses to ride abreast.
*Xuanji Temple.*
From those three vigorously carved characters, an archaic and solemn aura washed over them.
Before the mountain gate, two stone lions glared down the approach with ferocious eyes.
Fallen leaves swirled across the high stone steps, yet not a single monk was in sight. Two vermilion doors several zhang tall were tightly shut, and complete silence reigned within.
The autumn wind felt desolate.
Before the temple gate lay a vast, level courtyard. Wearing the armor of an ordinary soldier, Qin Sang looked up at this sacred martial ground, his gaze drifting past the towering outer walls to take in the soaring eaves and upturned cornices within.
He could hear the tense breathing coming from inside Xuanji Temple.
Taking the lead, Zhou Mingguang waved a hand behind him. A rapid flurry of footsteps ensued as over a thousand soldiers fanned out in orderly ranks. Five hundred Divine Arm Crossbows were drawn taut simultaneously, their bolts leveled at the vermilion doors.
Zhou Mingguang looked toward Qin Sang, who nodded slightly.
"Switch to fire arrows!" Zhou Mingguang roared.
The moment the words left his mouth, a resonant Buddhist chant sounded from within Xuanji Temple.
"Hold!"
A hurried rush of footsteps echoed from the temple. The vermilion doors swung open, and an old monk with a ruddy complexion and pure white hair and beard walked out at the lead.
Behind him, a contingent of monks filed out in procession, their expressions indignant as they leveled their wooden staves at the soldiers ahead.
Catching sight of the cassock draped over the old monk, Qin Sang surmised that this had to be Xuanji Temple's Abbot Yuanzhen—Master Yuanjue's junior brother and one of the most venerated figures in the martial world of the Great Sui.
"Amitābha."
With sorrow in his eyes, Abbot Yuanzhen swept his gaze across the gathering, settling on Zhou Mingguang. In a grave voice, he asked, "This poor monk is Yuanzhen. May I ask the general's name?"
Zhou Mingguang said in a deep voice, "I am Zhou Mingguang, an unworthy officer serving as a general under the Prince's command."
Abbot Yuanzhen nodded, his expression turning solemn as he challenged, "General Zhou, all within Xuanji Temple are men of the cloth who have always harbored compassion in their hearts, keeping perpetual company with blue lamps and ancient Buddhas without meddling in the mortal world. What offense could we possibly have committed to warrant the general raising arms and leading troops to attack us?"
"Blue lamps and ancient Buddhas?" Zhou Mingguang let out a mocking laugh. "Those monastic soldiers who aided the false emperor in defending Duling County and slaughtered countless sons of our Dongyang Commandery—could they have been disciples of some other temple?"
Abbot Yuanzhen's expression remained unchanged as he countered, "The general may not be aware, but those monastic soldiers merely studied their craft at Xuanji Temple. Once they descended the mountain, they had nothing further to do with us. I have already explained the truth of this matter to the Heir in person; the general need only ask him to know."
Chapter 36