UGB Chapter 48 Protector
Chapter 48 Protector
Three firebirds flapped their wings and soared into the sky toward the white ape, but suddenly disintegrated and went out in mid-air, turning into weak sparks that followed a wisp of smoke and flew across the face of the white ape that had transformed into a white maiden in the center.
Seeing the firebird formed by the purification talisman shatter, Song Quyou glanced at the monk Huiming, who was sipping tea and mocking him.
"Brother, if your skills are not up to par, go back to your master's school for further training. Don't come down the mountain to make a fool of yourself, or we really won't know whether to laugh or not."
The speaker was a man with a knife at his side, which drew a murmur of laughter and jeers from the surrounding guests.
Song Quyou was not annoyed. He waved his hand and said, "Brother, you are absolutely right. I am not very skilled and should not have made a fool of myself here."
As he spoke, Song Quyou, carrying his sword, walked towards the man with the knife at his side, patted him on the shoulder, and said calmly, "However, a single spark can start a prairie fire; we still need to build momentum. Be patient, brother."
For a moment, no one understood what Song Quyou meant.
But then, a white-clad girl in the center of the pavilion cried out in alarm.
It turned out that, without anyone noticing, a small cluster of red flames had started burning on the white-clad girl.
The crimson flames, like thin snakes, snaked upwards along the white ape's sleeves. Wherever they passed, the fabric remained unburnt and uncurled, but emitted acrid blue smoke.
The young woman frantically patted the flames, but they wouldn't go out; instead, they burned brighter and brighter on her body, sticking to her skin and flesh and impossible to shake off.
The young woman let out a piercing scream, her beautiful and refined face twisted and deformed in the firelight.
She staggered backward, knocking over the zither table behind her. The zither fell to the ground with a dull thud.
The guests were startled and rose in alarm, but no one stepped forward to help. The refined guests who had just been praising Miss Bai's talent now retreated, afraid of getting even a speck of that eerie flame.
Monk Huiming put down his teacup, filled it with tea, frowned slightly, and casually splashed it at the white ape.
The tea turned into sweet rain, pouring down on her head. But with a "hiss," the flames receded where the tea had splashed, revealing charred skin and a hideous face, showing no trace of her former beauty.
The crowd's expressions changed drastically, some showing a mixture of disgust and pity.
Although the fire was extinguished somewhat, the red flames sprang up again.
The white-clad girl eventually lost her human form and reverted to her original form, a slender, somewhat charred ape.
……
The refined people present showed little surprise upon seeing the monkeys, simply watching them indifferently from the sidelines.
At that moment, a sudden gust of wind swept up the edge of the pool, carrying the water and transforming it into shaped pieces of jade, which were then poured heavily onto the white ape in the center.
In an instant, the crimson flames died down, and no smoke was seen. The white-clad girl, apart from being soaked, had no burn marks on her body and remained a beautiful, aloof woman.
It lay on the ground, its cheeks damp with moisture, shy and timid, breathing softly, its brows slightly furrowed, truly making all the guests feel sorry for it, and they rushed forward to help it up.
With a furrowed brow, Song Quyou stood behind the crowd, not in a hurry to make another move.
Just then, a voice rang in my ears, "Second floor."
Song Quyou did not hesitate. He bypassed the enthusiastic guests and climbed the steps. The surrounding noise receded like the tide, leaving only a faint fragrance of sandalwood.
The second-floor private room was simply furnished, with a burner of sandalwood incense, a tea table, and a man and a woman sitting on the floor.
The male character was a spirited senior sister, while the female character was a kind-looking woman wearing a lotus crown and a white veil.
The woman looked young, but her kindness was beyond what one would expect for her age.
"Please have a seat, Young Master Song."
Song Quyou didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down next to his senior sister, took the teacup she brought, and looked at the kind-looking woman opposite him who was holding a bamboo pen and copying Buddhist scriptures.
Song Quyou didn't understand Buddhist scriptures, but seeing her delicate handwriting, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Back in Jiannan County, did you allow that white ape to eat people?"
The kind-looking woman smiled and looked up at Song Quyou, saying, "That's not the case. I met that white ape a few months ago and enlightened it, making it a protector under my tutelage. Its man-eating behavior happened before I met it."
Song Quyou didn't say much, but looked at the man with a smile.
"That white ape is deeply sinful and unforgivable, but its cultivation can still save people. I will keep a close watch on the white ape from now on and use Buddhist teachings to guide it so that it can do good deeds and atone for its sins in this life."
We hope that Young Master Song will show mercy and spare the white ape's life.
Song Quyou waved his hand, neither agreeing nor refusing.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit chilly, the senior sister next to her took over and said, "Miss Jingci, then we'll leave the matter of Lord Tuolong to you."
Jingci put down her bamboo pen, looked up at Su Tang, her gaze as calm as still water.
"Don't worry, young lady. Once we've eliminated the demon's lair in Tangfang, we'll send people to guard it, making it difficult for it to bewitch ordinary people again."
……
After leaving the Wanchun Garden, a place of pleasure, the two boarded the Su family's carriage.
"Senior sister, why are there monks in this place of pleasure?"
Su Tang smiled lightly and said, "Wanchun Garden has a Buddhist background, so why do you think there are monks here?"
Song Quyou raised an eyebrow and looked at Su Tang, who was trying not to laugh.
Seeing Song Quyou's confusion, Su Tang explained, "These gold-burning dens, no matter what, are all shady businesses. The owners of these businesses have done too many bad things, so it's inevitable that they'll feel uneasy and burdened by sins."
For them, turning to Buddhism to atone for their sins became the only thing they could do.
Every year they donate incense and share in the profits of their businesses, but whether it's useful or not, nobody knows. However, listening to these people's words makes one feel a little more at ease.
In this way, the group gained peace of mind, and the Buddhist community acquired a large amount of assets, all of which now had a Buddhist background.
Song Quyou tapped his finger lightly on the scabbard, quietly watching Su Tang.
"However, that Miss Jingci is somewhat different."
Su Tang kept him in suspense for a moment, but seeing that Song Quyou had calmed down, she snapped open her folding fan and slowly said:
"Miss Jingci comes from the Fengyue Nunnery, and what she cultivates is the spirit of romance. When cultivating, she needs to absorb the spirit of wine, women, and wealth."
Using this most turbid and impure worldly air, I temper my heart and gaze upon the Buddha, seeking that one true Buddha-nature within my soul.
Song Quyou remained silent for a long time, then tapped his fingers lightly three times on the scabbard before suddenly smiling.
"The Buddhist teachings are truly peculiar. Some seek their true self by sitting in meditation, while others seek the Buddha's heart amidst the turbidity of the world."
Su Tang continued, "The laws of the world, though different, all lead to the same goal: to survive and endure."
The path of Buddhism is to avoid birth, seeking a Buddha who is neither born nor dies, while the path of Taoism is to avoid death, pursuing an immortal being who is neither born nor dies.
Therefore, Buddhism believes that everything is illusory, and only one's own Buddha-nature is true. Taoism, on the other hand, believes that once the elixir is swallowed, life and death are no longer determined by fate.
Song Quyou frowned, remaining silent and lost in thought.
Su Tang stepped forward and gently patted Song Quyou's shoulder, saying, "I know you hate evil, Junior Brother, but with a formidable enemy at hand, that white ape deserves to be killed. We're just postponing the killing for now."
During their conversation.
The carriage rumbled along the long street, the lights outside the window gradually thinned, and the noise was left far behind.