The third day after leaving Qian Lü Town.
On the highway towards Jinling.
Brother Yang had already dismissed the events at Side Temple as a dream, casting them aside.
His mind was now solely occupied with his daughter.
Oldies from the eighties and nineties played on the truck's stereo, and Brother Yang hummed along with gusto. Meanwhile, Yan Shouyi, seated in the passenger seat, was lost in a dream.
It was strange, Brother Yang had barely ever seen Yan Shouyi sleep, he even wondered if Yan Shouyi needed to sleep at all.
However, with the bright sun shining, it was the perfect time for a nap. Seeing Yan Shouyi also asleep, Brother Yang's lingering curiosity vanished.
What a beautiful day it was!
Yan Shouyi actually didn't need much sleep, but he had been feeling drowsy these past two days, a condition brought on by the Evil Buddha.
The Mind Demon had indeed used Yan Shouyi's own strength to eliminate the Evil Buddha, but after consuming it, the Mind Demon had used the Evil Buddha's power to nourish itself, leaving Yan Shouyi only with the Evil Buddha's ability to invade others' bodies.
Therefore, Yan Shouyi had been dozing off intermittently these past two days, needing rest to recover his energy.
Concurrently, he was continuously trying to familiarize himself with the Evil Buddha's abilities, occasionally controlling birds in the sky, mice by the roadside, and even some cats and dogs.
With his experience in controlling his Dharma body, Yan Shouyi could now control other animals with great ease.
However, he had not yet attempted to control humans, nor was he sure how many he could control simultaneously.
At this very moment, in his half-awake state, he could faintly hear Brother Yang's pig-like humming, making his sleep restless.
"Master... Master..."
Then, he heard a faint call.
Yan Shouyi, guided by the sound in his dream, found himself back at Side Temple.
Side Temple was just as he had left it, except the two young martial monks were gone. Yan Shouyi only saw Abbot Haixin sitting in the temple.
Abbot Haixin was seated on a meditation cushion before the Buddha statue, but he sat with his back to Yan Shouyi. He held no prayer beads, nor was there a wooden fish nearby. He simply sat there, appearing somewhat dispirited.
Yan Shouyi walked closer curiously and asked, "Abbot Haixin, was it you who called me?"
Abbot Haixin nodded and smiled at Yan Shouyi, "I haven't had the chance to properly thank the master for saving this humble monk from the sea of suffering."
This was a dream.
Yan Shouyi knew very well that he was dreaming.
But why was he seeing Abbot Haixin in his dream?
He instantly thought of a possibility, and his expression turned terribly grim.
"You died?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Abbot Haixin's expression froze for a moment, then he nodded helplessly.
This was a dead person sending a dream.
Yan Shouyi felt an immense surge of anger. He asked Abbot Haixin, "Who killed you? Was Ru Nan also an accomplice?"
At the same time, a wave of self-reproach washed over him. He thought that it would have been best if he hadn't intervened with the tree demon abbot that day. Then he wouldn't have had to kill Ru Nan, and Abbot Haixin might not have died.
If only he could have stayed for two more days.
Abbot Haixin shook his head and, in turn, comforted Yan Shouyi:
"This humble monk has lived long enough. My only regret is that in life, I aided the wicked and did not accumulate enough merit. Perhaps I will still have to suffer punishment in hell in the end."
"Alas, let us not dwell on it!"
"Master, this humble monk has used up all his merit to send this dream. There is something important I must tell you!"
Yan Shouyi's expression turned serious, "What is it?"
"After the master left, Monk Miaohua from Hanshan Temple arrived. His objective seemed to be to find the Buddha statue within Ru Nan's body. This humble monk was unwilling to reveal the master's whereabouts, but I could not withstand Miaohua's severe torture and eventually told him everything truthfully."
Abbot Haixin finished speaking, the self-reproach on his face no less than Yan Shouyi's.
Yan Shouyi's breath hitched, and he asked, "Did Miaohua beat you to death to interrogate our whereabouts?"
Abbot Haixin remained silent.
"You scoundrel!!!"
Anger burned in his chest. Yan Shouyi almost woke up from the dream, but he forcefully suppressed it, willing himself to remain within the dream.
Abbot Haixin sighed and said, "It wasn't Miaohua who killed this humble monk, but the Buddha in my heart. I have chanted scriptures my entire life, yet I could never see through this mortal world, ultimately meeting such an end... Forget it, forget it. This Buddha, it's not worth believing."
The Buddha of Hanshan Temple and the Buddha of Side Temple were different.
Yan Shouyi's gaze softened as he comforted Abbot Haixin:
"Abbot, please rest assured. When I return, I will visit Side Temple again to check on your two disciples and take good care of them."
Abbot Haixin stood up and bowed deeply to Yan Shouyi, "Thank you, benefactor."
With that, his figure dispersed with the wind.
Yan Shouyi also opened his eyes.
"How could I bear to blame you for your mistakes~~ It was I who let your freedom go too far~~ making you lonelier~~ thus falling into an emotional vortex~~~ Woo ooh~~"
Brother Yang beside him was still singing loudly. Yan Shouyi suddenly punched the radio, silencing both the radio and Brother Yang.
Looking at the deformed, smoking radio, Brother Yang forced a smile and said, "Xiao Long, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare and get upset?"
Yan Shouyi's face was grim, and he remained silent.
Brother Yang cleared his throat twice, "Well... you have to pay for damaging the radio..."
"When we reach Jinling, bring my two friends and continue north. They have money and will compensate you," Yan Shouyi replied.
"Then... then that's fine."
Brother Yang closed his mouth after speaking, not daring to sing anymore. He feared that if he continued singing, Yan Shouyi would next smash his mouth instead of the radio.
The matter of Abbot Haixin weighed heavily on Yan Shouyi's chest.
He firmly remembered the name "Miaohua."
Hanshan Temple was the sect of Uncle Miaoji and Changshan. Given the upright character of Uncle Miaoji and Changshan, how could this Miaohua be so despicable!
As a Buddhist disciple, not only did he take lives, but he killed a fellow disciple, and moreover, he killed Abbot Haixin, who was advanced in age and completely unrelated to this affair!
He had utterly wasted his scriptures!
They were not present when Ru Nan wreaked havoc with the Evil Buddha.
They were not present when the tree demon abbot held Side Temple hostage to extort passing pilgrims.
As soon as he dealt with these two scoundrels, they appeared.
What kind of esteemed sects were these? They were merely those who prospered under my will and perished against it!
Yan Shouyi didn't know if he was being influenced by the Mind Demon, but for a moment, he found himself agreeing with Li Genmiao's viewpoint.
No... such thoughts are not good...
Yan Shouyi took a deep breath.
He shook the previous thought out of his mind.
While there might be scoundrels like Miaohua among the esteemed sects, there were more good people like Changshan, Yu Lumen, and Yuan Jianxin.
If he were to adopt such prejudiced views, he would be no different from Li Genmiao, and there would be no point in struggling; he might as well take over Li Genmiao's position.
He began to ponder again.
Ultimately, Miaohua should still be coming after me.
Now that he knew my whereabouts, the path ahead would likely be turbulent. I must rendezvous with Uncle Gou and the others as soon as possible, then find a way to escape.