Chapter 148: Turns out it's a high adept manifesting sainthood? (9000-word chapter)

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A flicker of doubt crossed Sun Zhenbang's face as he instinctively retorted, "Talisman?"

The abbot nodded, his tone firm: "If we bring forth the Buddha's talisman, we can naturally deal with the wicked."

Beside them, Captain Zhou and Bai Yanfei exchanged glances, unaware what medicine the abbot was selling from his gourd.

Although Bai Yanfei said she had been to Xiguangsi before and knew there was indeed something strange here, the idea of producing a talisman to let evildoers meet their doom seemed utterly fantastical.

The old monk beside them, regardless of how others acted, moved swiftly, leading a few other monks hurriedly to the room that housed the Heart Sutra scripture and the talismans.

Amid the curling incense, the Buddha's golden statue sat cross-legged, gazing upon all beings; everything appeared peaceful and tranquil, utterly unaffected by the impending wind and rain outside.

"Amitabha, today someone does evil; we beg the Buddha to deliver all beings, to manifest his power once more and punish the wicked."

The senior monk intoned a Buddhist epithet, his eyes full of reverence, he respectfully bowed, then carefully lifted the offering table together with the talisman atop it.

When the old monk returned, everyone could clearly see what they were holding in their hands.

The dark sandalwood offering table looked quite antiquated, bearing no patterns, giving a sense of solemn grandeur.

On the offering table lay two yellow talismans; at first glance they seemed unremarkable, just like the common yellow talismans seen in Daoist temples.

Only the characters and patterns on them appeared slightly special, differing a bit from the usual ones—neither Buddhist nor Daoist, and hard to tell apart.

But the crowd didn't understand these details; at first look they just seemed ordinary.

Yet as soon as the yellow talismans appeared, all the monks bowed devoutly, as if a divine spirit had truly manifested in the world.

The onlookers and the people from the Research Center hid at a distance for safety, and this scene also fell into their view.

"This is just two ordinary yellow papers; hoping they'd save people is nothing short of a fantasy."

"Although these monks mean well, at such a critical moment, isn't this just child's play?"

"It's really hard to judge: if you say these monks have profound Dao, they still believe in these things; if you say their Dao is shallow, they can still face danger without fear and contend with the bandits."

The people from the Archaeological Center whispered among themselves for a moment, not believing these two talismans could have any effect.

But they also knew the monks' good intentions; this was sincere faith, which inevitably made everyone's mood a bit complicated.

Qin Yu and Li Hai held hostages in the inner circle, while outside was the police encirclement; the monks devoutly held up the offering table behind the police.

As for the other tourists and the people from the Research Center, they hid in the hall at a distance, observing the movements here.

At this moment, Qin Yu and Li Hai inside the encirclement also noticed the activity over there, but the distance was great, they couldn't see clearly, only knowing it seemed the monks had produced a few talismans?

Instantly, the two felt a surge of mockery, thinking this bunch of bald donkeys were too naive—if these actually worked, that would be damned.

Thus, the two merely glanced, then paid no mind, continuing to standoff with the police, guarding against police snipers.

As mercenaries, the two were richly experienced; although the atmosphere was tense, they were not panicked, able to think of many ways to escape this complex situation—if an opportunity arose, they could flee.

And not just them, even the outer police were somewhat speechless; one officer couldn't help but speak:

"Abbot, the situation is already urgent; the hostages' lives are at risk at any moment—please don't cause trouble here."

It was clear these monks were devout in faith, not panicked in the face of the bandits, even trying to persuade them; their cultivation and quality were beyond reproach, but the talismans behind them were simply too unreliable.

Just two yellow papers—what use could they have?

Putting it bluntly, this is superstition; if the talismans worked, what would we need the police for?

Could it really be like in TV dramas, where tossing two talismans makes the criminals submit to the law?

The police had the monks retreat further back, increasing the distance from the two bandits, so they wouldn't have to divert attention to worry about the monks' safety.

Looking at the human wall formed by the police ahead, it was almost airtight; clearly they had no intention of letting the monks move forward.

The old monk couldn't help but show a worried look, gazing at the small offering table: "Senior brother, what should we do now? How should we use the Buddha's talisman?"

The abbot pressed his palms together, his gaze falling on the talisman beside him, and answered truthfully: "I don't know either."

The old monk's eyes widened; he had thought the abbot, upon producing the talisman, must know how to use it, but the answer he heard was exactly this.

The abbot seemed to see everyone's speechlessness, then spoke calmly: "However, since it was left by Master Zhi Dun and placed beside the Heart Sutra, I suppose this is his hint to us."

The old monk, profound in Dao, quickly grasped the abbot's meaning.

"Senior brother, do you mean we should recite the Heart Sutra to summon the talisman's divine power?"

The abbot nodded, said no more, and directly sat cross-legged before the offering table, his countenance solemn, his prayer beads turning slowly as the Heart Sutra flowed from his lips.

"When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara practices the profound Prajnaparamita, he perceives that the five aggregates are empty, thereby relieving all suffering."

"We have understood!"

The other monks followed suit, earnestly sitting cross-legged, encircling the offering table, reciting the Buddhist sutras.

As the scripture was chanted, the formerly ordinary yellow paper seemed to be infused with an invisible force; the characters and patterns on it appeared to come alive, beginning to flow slowly.

On the other side.

Qin Yu and Li Hai had exhausted their patience, glaring tigerishly at a group of police, they coldly smirked and threatened: "Hurry up and give us a vehicle, or don't blame us if we all perish together—there are so many people here, such great public pressure, can you even withstand it? Or why not call and ask your leaders for their opinion?"

Seeing the trembling middle-aged man and the composed little monk whose face had turned pale, Sun Zhenbang's expression grew grim to the extreme; he could only finally mutter: "Give them a vehicle!"

The police's duty is to protect public safety; these are two lives, they cannot stand idly by.

Moreover, as the two bandits said, the public pressure is indeed too great.

Therefore, we can only plan slowly; we must not drive them to desperation.

Sun Zhenbang's face darkened as he stalled for time: "We can let you go, but you must keep your promise and not harm them!"

Seeing the police finally relent, Qin Yu revealed a triumphant smile.

"Rest easy, officer; if we're safe, these two will be safe too—but if you dare play any tricks, we'll drag a few of you down with us before we die! By then, tomorrow's news will surely be something your leaders don't want to see."

Sun Zhenbang said nothing more, merely giving the two a gloomy look.

Soon a car was driven over.

Qin Yu and Li Hai, holding hostages, cautiously walked over.

"Step back!"

Qin Yu was fairly clever, worried that the police would ambush them as they got into the car, he shouted for all the police to retreat.

The surrounding police remained motionless, staring intently at Qin Yu and Li Hai.

Qin Yu brandished his gun, 'What? Want to back out? I'm not afraid of death, but ask the person in my hand if they're afraid.'

Sun Zhenbang gripped his gun tightly, veins bulging on his hand, he ordered in a low voice: 'Retreat!'

The police's faces were stern, and only then did they all retreat, slowly making way for a path.

A black canopy shrouded the heavens, the deafening thunder grew ever more frequent, rolling black clouds surged like a tidal wave into this world and the mountains, like ten thousand untethered wild horses galloping forth, hooves pounding and manes flying.

"Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form; feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are likewise."

The Buddhist chanting continued unabated; even in such a tense atmosphere, it still came from the mouths of monks not far away, but everyone had long since ignored this sound.

Even the originally solemn and dignified temple was shrouded in a gloom; suddenly a blinding flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the dark heavens instantly lit up.

Accompanied by the booming thunder, everyone's hearts sank, feeling ever more oppressed.

For some unknown reason, Qin Yu and Li Hai inexplicably felt anxious, always sensing that staying here would bring something bad; they quickened their steps toward the car.

From time to time they also threatened the nearby police with the hostage.

"Watch out, don't pull any tricks, or else don't blame us for being impolite!"

"If you don't want these two to die, don't make any small moves."

Li Hai's gaze was like an eagle falcon, sweeping through the police.

As the two drew nearer to the car, the policeman beside Sun Zhenbang couldn't help but ask: 'Captain, what should we do? Should we act?'

Sun Zhenbang rubbed his temples: 'For now we can't act; there are too many civilians here.'

For Qin Yu and Li Hai, the hostage was like a talisman; even if they got into the car, the police would surely not give up the chase, so they would also take the hostage with them.

Sun Zhenbang sighed: 'Later, when the opportunity arises, see if we can rescue the hostage; give the order, let others act as circumstances dictate, adapt flexibly.'

The thick black clouds plunged this world into darkness, and Qin Yu and Li Hai's expressions grew increasingly ferocious.

Thunder, chanting, noisy discussion……

They swirled around the ears, the entire temple falling into a special state.

The two talismans on the offering table seemed to have golden light flowing, faintly intertwined with purple radiance, as if responding to the thunder and lightning in the heavens, filled with an unknown power.

An extraordinary qi drifted slowly through the air, even altering the surrounding magnetic field, as energy gathered here.

Within the heavy cloud layer countless lightning snakes danced, drawn thither, wandering and converging upon the spot where Qin Yu and Li Hai stood!

In the distance, the mountains were reduced to dark outlines; the black clouds were so heavy they pressed down the peaks, and even the originally peaceful temple fell into gloom.

Qin Yu and Li Hai inexplicably felt palpitations, their hearts grew ever more tense, palms sweating; this inexplicable intimidation came from nowhere, heightening their desire to flee the place.

"Hurry up, I just feel a bit uncomfortable."

Seeing Qin Yu's hand already touching the car door, all the police had their hearts in their throats, yet for a moment they found no chance to act.

Crack!

Just then, accompanied by large raindrops washing over people's vision, a blinding white flash of lightning instantly engulfed the entire sky, like a towering wave stirred up on the sea, plunging heaven and earth into a blank whiteness.

Even the entire Xiguangsi was illuminated, its red walls and black tiles exuding an indescribable dignity.

At the same time, the two talismans on the distant offering table traced purple arcs of electricity, with golden threads and purple light shuttling through the characters, the patterns and strokes seeming to come alive!

But it happened too fast for the human eye to catch.

But the abbot who had been chanting sutras now seemed to sense something, suddenly raising his head to the sky and shouting loudly: 'May the Buddhas of Prajna manifest their true forms!'

The host made Buddhist hand seals with his hands and chanted the eight-character Buddhist mantra.

"Om! Ma! Zhi! Mou! Ye! Sa! Lie! De!"

As the mantra hit the ground, the sky exploded with a thunderclap.

Boom—!

As if the earth were moving and mountains shaking, two bolts of purple lightning, carrying the force to split heaven and earth, appeared out of nowhere and struck without warning atop Qin Yu and Li Hai's heads, like a judgment sword!

"Crack!"

The thunder dragon roared, heaven and earth trembled.

Because the lightning was too blinding, everyone couldn't help but raise their hands to shield their eyes, vaguely seeing a lightning serpent darting toward Qin Yu and Li Hai.

An indescribable pressure enveloped them, as if myriad mountains weighed upon their bodies; the two were nearly split in liver and gall, every hair stood on end, and finally they could not help but buckle at the knees, collapsing straight to the ground.

"What's going on?"

Qin Yu's eyes were about to burst; from fear, his features twisted, and under this oppression the two had no way to flee, nowhere to escape.

Thoughts flashed like lightning—this was their final thought and doubt before death.

"Ah~!"

The next moment, only two shrill screams were heard; the electric arc had already engulfed them.

"Get out of the way!"

"Thunder's coming, fall back!"

Immediately after came a clamor of loud shouts; everything had happened too fast, but in the blink of an eye, once people came to their senses they hurriedly had the crowd retreat.

"How did a thunderstorm suddenly erupt?"

"Is everyone all right?"

The police questioned each other, faces filled with astonishment and uncertainty, hearts pounding nonstop; the recent thunderbolt had truly frightened everyone.

It was mainly because they were too close!

This lightning struck right before their eyes, nearly blinding them.

Now gradually calming down, everyone also noticed the suddenly changed scene, their faces turning strange at once.

"This is..."

Straining their eyes, they saw that not far away on the ground lay two charred black lumps, hardly recognizable as human, devoid of any sign of life.

Most importantly, the two humanoid charcoal corpses were still in a kneeling position when they died, as if they were atoning!

They were exactly those two thugs!

The two hostages had fallen seated not far away, yet they suffered no injuries.

Their expressions were dazed, their faces filled with shock and lingering fear; they probably never imagined they could actually survive.

"Struck dead by lightning?"

Sun Zhenbang jerked his head up to look at the sky; it was still overcast with clouds, thunder rumbling continuously, but there was no longer the huge commotion from before.

The Buddhist chant ceased.

The clamor died down.

Only the muffled thunder and rain filled their ears.

The entire venue fell deathly silent; everyone who witnessed this stared wide‑eyed, dazed and unable to snap out of it.

"Namo Amitabha, the Buddha is compassionate."

"We bow in thanks to the Buddha's manifestation; please return the talisman to the hall for enshrinement."

Only when the abbot's voice broke the original silence did it also awaken the stunned onlookers.

As if in response to what the presider had said, another bolt of lightning fell from the sky, the horizon blazing like daylight, sending ripples through everyone's hearts.

"Dead?"

"Struck dead by lightning?"

"This..."

At this moment, everyone finally came to their senses, staring agape at the scene before them, unable to believe what had happened.

Recalling the scene just now, plus the abbot's loud shout almost in sync with the lightning, and the two thugs kneeling on the ground, everyone's gaze turned horrified.

It was simply too much of a coincidence: at the critical moment a bolt of lightning struck, yet it spared the many and instead killed the two thugs who had shown disrespect to the temple!

Even the hostage closest to the strike was completely unharmed—nothing short of an unbelievable miracle!

"That talisman..."

Sun Zhenbang instinctively turned his head to look; in the distance, on the offering table, lay two talismans, one of which had already turned to ash!

The monks reacted quickly; they respectfully lifted the offering table and sent it back into the hall, where one talisman remained, left for continued enshrinement.

The abbot then stepped forward, and the police instinctively made way for him.

Gazing at Qin Yu and Li Hai lying on the ground, the abbot pressed his palms together and softly intoned a Buddhist invocation: "Namo Amitabha, if only you had known today, you would have had a chance to turn back."

"Alas, the Buddha is compassionate."

"Namo Amituoye, Duoheduoye, Duyeyeta, Amili dubopo bi, Amili duo, Xidan dubopo bi, Amili bi, Pojielandi, Amili bi"

The abbot regained his usual kind and benevolent gaze, no longer bearing the fierce aspect of the Wrathful Vajra; he softly began to chant the Rebirth Mantra, and the other monks joined in.

The thunder in the heavens grew fainter, the scriptures drifted between heaven and earth, slowly carrying away to the distance.

The work that should have been handled by the police for aftermath was temporarily set aside; all the officers stood in place, silently watching, their feelings complex, some unable to wrap their heads around it.

After the Rebirth Sutra finished being recited, the abbot pressed his palms together and said, "Namo Amitabha, may you in your next life refrain from evil and cleanse yourselves of sin."

Having spoken, the presider stepped aside and led the congregation of monks back into the temple.

No one expected things to end this way: the two thugs were struck down by lightning, the hostages were unharmed, and the police hardly had to lift a finger.

The police quickly cleared the scene, and the two hostages were also sent personnel to comfort and guide them, so as to avoid psychological trauma.

After the incident, many tourists were frightened; the abbot made a side room available for them to rest temporarily, and those who wished to return directly to the city could do so, since the matter here was already settled.

"I was really scared to death just now; fortunately, those thugs were finally struck dead by lightning, otherwise keeping them around would truly be a disaster."

"Who says it isn't? But that lightning is just too miraculous, as if it had eyes, specifically striking those two."

"Today's affair, when I go back I'll have to brag about it a lot—I really witnessed a miracle."

"These two thugs have had eight lifetimes of bad luck—even the heavens can't stand to watch."

"Maybe it's the Buddha manifesting his power—I haven't heard, but I saw the abbot say this is the Buddha's talisman!"

"Do you also believe that? It's just a coincidence; these two were simply struck by lightning by accident—there's nothing miraculous about it, two pieces of talisman paper can't summon lightning."

"You can't say that either; Xiguangsi is still quite spiritual—I've heard that before there were stories of the Buddha manifesting his holiness, and I've heard about this incident as well."

"In short, if you believe, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. I'll go burn some incense first to clear my bad luck."

Tourists chattered in discussion; some were still shaken, planning to light a stick of incense inside the temple before leaving, seeking peace of mind, while others immediately rushed back to the city, wanting to stay away from this place of right and wrong.

The police heard these incense‑burners' discussion; while carrying out aftermath work, they also couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"It seems there are still plenty of superstitious people around—those are just two ordinary talismans; the thugs' deaths by lightning are mere coincidence, with no real connection, right?"

"It just happened to be a thunderstorm; although it's hard to believe, all we can say is that the two thugs met their just deserts, taken by the heavens."

Coincidentally, a monk passing by overheard this conversation and shook his head.

"You two benefactors are mistaken—why did the lightning strike only those two, while the nearby hostages came away unharmed? This is no coincidence; it's the power of the talisman!"

Given the tremendous power of lightning, by rights the hostages so close should have been affected too; yet they were completely unharmed, which is truly bewildering.

When questioned, the police were left speechless; they too had no answer to this problem.

Beside her, Bai Yanfei felt the memory of her earlier visit to Xiguangsi resurface, and added to this incident, her heart couldn't help but ripple.

Could it be, as the monks said, that the Buddha truly manifested his power?

And what about what happened that day—how should we explain it?

And there was that mysterious giant snake that flashed by……

Zhou Dui, meanwhile, fell into deep thought, gazing at the not‑far ground where the thugs' corpses have been cleared, leaving only two blackened patches.

Is it the Buddha's manifestation or merely a coincidental accident?

If it had been in the past, he would naturally have denied it outright, but after experiencing the Longyuan Mountain incident, his state of mind can no longer be steadfast.

This also became an unsolvable mystery in everyone's mind.

However, even if they don't believe it's due to talismans or the Buddha, the police still firmly believe in this kind of 'karmic retribution'.

Good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil rewards—they have always firmly believed this!

Especially when it happens in a place like a temple, it makes even unbelievers feel awe and not want to speak much.

But because of their police identity, they also shouldn't discuss it too much.

But, except for Sun Zhenbang!

Because before this, he had already encountered many more strange and unusual things.

In recent years, the events that have occurred on Longyuan Mountain have become even stranger, with more coincidences; if one said there was no intervention by supernatural forces, Sun Zhenbang would not believe it.

Although he had never seen it with his own eyes, Sun Zhenbang had already come to accept all of this imperceptibly.

"Could it be that, besides Longyuan Mountain, there is also some mysterious existence inside this Xiguangsi Temple?"

Sun Zhenbang was so deep in thought that he didn't hear the nearby police calling him several times.

"What are you thinking about, Team Leader, to be so absorbed?"

Sun Zhenbang shook his head, opened his eyes and told a lie: "I'm thinking about the case."

"Team Leader, the scene has been mostly cleaned up; when should we head back? The city leaders are still waiting."

Sun Zhenbang and the others had come chasing from Wu Du; at this moment the criminals were already dead, but they still had to return to report.

"You go wait for me in the car first; I still have a few things to take care of."

The police watched Sun Zhenbang hurry away, feeling a bit strange: "Haven't you already finished everything? What's Team Leader rushing off to handle?"

……

In the room, the abbot was chanting sutras; the wooden fish in his hands had a steady rhythm, producing a long, tranquil melody amidst the curling incense smoke, his expression as serene as the Buddha statue being worshipped, devoid of joy or sorrow.

Despite what had just happened, he showed little disturbance, because from beginning to end he believed the Buddha would surely intervene.

At that moment, hearing footsteps, the abbot slowly opened his eyes and uttered a Buddhist invocation: "Amitabha, benefactor, please come in."

Sun Zhenbang appeared at the doorway, said "Excuse me," then opened the door and, facing the mountain, explained his purpose.

"I have a matter I hope the abbot can clarify for me."

The abbot seemed to know what he wanted to ask, slowly placing his wooden fish aside, and said, "Benefactor, are you wanting to ask about the talismans?"

Sun Zhenbang nodded, feeling a bit curious: "Could it be that inside Xiguangsi Temple there is also some mysterious existence like that on Longyuan Mountain?"

"Since you're interested, benefactor, I might as well tell you."

Immediately, the abbot recounted the recent events concerning the Buddha's manifestation.

"The manifestation of these two talismans today is the best proof."

If before this it was merely their speculation, now that they have witnessed the power of the talismans, the monks can be said to believe without doubt.

The room fell into a brief silence; neither Sun Zhenbang nor the abbot spoke.

The abbot let out a faint sigh: "It's a pity we have no fate to glimpse the Buddha's true form, but saving two lives counts as merit as well."

Having been a police officer for many years, Sun Zhenbang could judge the truthfulness of some words from a person's demeanor and subtle expressions.

It was clear that the abbot spoke without any reservation; he obviously believed wholeheartedly in the Buddha's manifestation.

Sun Zhenbang hesitated a moment, then asked his final question: "May I ask, abbot, do you believe that supernatural powers exist in this world?"

The abbot gave a slight smile and answered without hesitation: "Naturally, I do."

His tone paused, his expression somewhat meaningful: "I suspect you, benefactor, also believe this, and perhaps you have already encountered such things before; otherwise you wouldn't be asking this."

"If that's the case, just follow your heart; whether it exists or not is entirely up to how you, benefactor, think."

"It's all a matter of mind!"

These words echoed the meaning of what the Daoist priest Qingwei had said earlier; Sun Zhenbang, lost in thought, thanked him and left the room.

As Sun Zhenbang left, the sound of the chanting wooden fish rang out again, as if possessing a special power that purified everyone's spirits.

Sun Zhenbang, however, stood at the doorway, lost in contemplation.

According to the abbot's description, the phenomenon at Xiguangsi Temple differs from that on Longyuan Mountain; the temple itself is nothing special, the special thing is that unknown existence.

As for that unknown existence, whether it is the Buddha's manifestation cannot be known.

Because the monks have never seen the true face of the "Buddha," everything is inferred from the traces left behind.

This is similar to my own experience with the Longyuan Mountain incident—I never saw it directly, yet everywhere hints at mystery.

So what exactly is this "Buddha" existence?

Will it appear again in Xiguangsi Temple in the future?

Likewise, what exactly is the "Mountain God" on Longyuan Mountain?

If Sun Zhenbang knew that the "Buddha" the abbot spoke of and the "Mountain God" of Longyuan Mountain were actually the same entity, he would probably be dumbfounded on the spot.

But for now, he has not yet discovered that hidden secret.

After all, one is in Wu Du, the other in Yun Ling; one is far deep in the mountains, the other is in a bustling temple.

Regardless, this matter is temporarily concluded; as they prepared to return, Sun Zhenbang glanced at Xiguangsi Temple, where amidst the curling incense smoke the solemn and dignified temple inexplicably exuded an air of authority.

Sun Zhenbang couldn't help but recall the Mountain God shrine in Longyuan Village; although the two are completely different, they inexplicably gave him a feeling of familiarity.

"It's probably just an illusion; setting aside the distance, their beliefs differ as well—one enshrines the Buddha Bodhisattva, the other enshrines the Mountain God."

Just as Sun Zhenbang was gazing lost in thought, footsteps sounded behind him; turning around, he saw Bai Yanfei and Team Zhou.

"We've been looking everywhere for you; it turns out you're hiding here to enjoy some leisure."

"How did you come over?"

Team Zhou laughed heartily: "I heard you were leaving, so I came to see you off, but your colleagues said you still had some unfinished business."

He sized up Sun Zhenbang's expression, somewhat puzzled: "The criminals have already been brought to justice; why do you still look so worried?"

Sun Zhenbang instinctively touched his face, then let out a long sigh: "What do you both think about today's incident?"

Team Zhou and Bai Yanfei exchanged a glance, immediately understood Sun Zhenbang's meaning, and fell silent for a moment.

He wasn't asking about the criminal case, but about the miraculous coincidence that happened afterward.

After a long pause, Bai Yanfei finally spoke: "Actually, the news of the Buddha's manifestation at Xiguangsi had already spread far and wide; I was there too."

She recounted the detailed events of that night, feeling deeply moved; she never expected that returning to Xiguangsi would once again refresh her understanding, each time more bizarre than the last.

"Do you think the Buddha really manifested his power?"

Such words shouldn't come from a police officer's mouth, but when faced with Sun Zhenbang's question, Captain Zhou and Bai Yanfei didn't answer right away.

If it were before, they would have hesitated not at all, but after experiencing these things, they realized some things truly cannot be explained by science.

Captain Zhou countered: "What about you? Do you believe or not that the Buddha manifested his power?"

This time, none of the three spoke.

"Officer Sun—Officer Sun—"

From not far away came the calls for Sun Zhenbang; the police from Wu Du were preparing to set off.

"I hope that when we meet again, we will already have the answer in our hearts."

After Sun Zhenbang, Bai Yanfei, and Captain Zhou said their goodbyes, the group quickly drove away from Xiguangsi; the red walls and black tiles of the temple kept shrinking, gradually becoming a tiny black dot that vanished from his sight.

The scenery outside the car window kept receding, but the police officers' hearts could not calm down.

Although this mission resulted in no casualties, for them it was still heart-pounding.

As the police departed one after another, the horizon gradually cleared; the overcast sky suddenly revealed a glimmer of light, and multicolored ribbons of cloud spanning the heavens wove across the firmament.

The thunder hid within the clouds; eventually the dark clouds dispersed, and the long-absent sunlight shone upon the temple, as if the Buddha's light bathed all, dispelling the gloom and panic brought by the criminal incident.

"Hey, look, the sun's out!"

Inside the temple, many people stood still, gazing up at the sky, drawn by the beautiful scenery.

At the capital's Archaeology Center, Professor Song and the others had complex expressions as they recalled what the abbot had said earlier and the talisman paper he had introduced to them.

Back then, nobody took it to heart, thinking it was just the temple monks exaggerating, even engaging in mystifying deception.

But not long after, they experienced such an unfathomable event.

A young man in the group couldn't help but let his imagination run wild: "Could it really be the Buddha's blessing, with Master Zhi Dun manifesting his power again?"

"Ancient texts record that Master Zhi Dun dabbled in Buddhist mysticism; though there's no clear record of whether he knew talisman arts, perhaps this talisman paper was indeed drawn by him."

If it were before, many would surely have objected, but now the people at the Research Center remained silent; though they thought it unrealistic, they momentarily didn't want to argue.

That bolt of lightning was incredibly precise—though the hostages were so close, they were unharmed, and it struck only the criminal, as if it had eyes.

Moreover, the criminal's final kneeling posture seemed to be atoning for his sins, and the talisman paper ultimately turned to ash, really sparking the imagination.

"If Master Zhi Dun really manifested his power, that would be great—I could ask him about that bronze ancient sword."

As they were lost in thought, the abbot walked over to Professor Song and the others, saying, "Amitabha, today's events have frightened you all."

"The abbot is being polite."

Professor Song wanted to speak but held back, eventually blurting out: "May I ask whether today's events were truly the Buddha's blessing and manifestation, or whether it was the talisman's power?"

The abbot smiled: "If the patron believes, my answer doesn't matter; if the patron doesn't believe, no matter how much I say, it's useless."

Professor Song shook his head, laughing helplessly, also realizing he was fixated on appearances.

The people at the Research Center had originally wanted to leave, but because of this matter they ended up staying again in the temple.

If it really was Master Zhi Dun manifesting his power, could they approach it from this angle?

Although this idea sounds like a fantasy, there are currently no clues, and they truly have no recourse.

Professor Song couldn't help but sigh: "If Master Zhi Dun could truly manifest his holiness, I also hope he could help us solve the mystery of that bronze ancient sword."

The abbot then recalled: "Back then, Master Zhi Dun once debated the Dao with an eminent person, which had a profound influence on his Buddhist studies; it could be said to be a major turning point in his life."

Professor Song and the others nodded, saying, "We also know this history, but it's strange—there's no detailed record of this matter in the ancient texts, just a passing mention; I don't know why the abbot suddenly brought it up."

The abbot pondered for a moment: "Could it be that this eminent person was the one who gave the sword?"

"This..."

Professor Song and the others were momentarily stunned; this line of thought had never occurred to them.

The bronze ancient sword and the eminent person's origins are a mystery, with no related records in the histories.

Upon careful thought, it actually makes sense—after all, both are similarly mysterious.

Unfortunately, the eminent person's identity and origins are also a mystery, with no information preserved.

Beside him, Assistant Li seemed to have thought of something: "The appearance of Master Zhi Dun's remains and the Buddha's manifestation in the temple occurred almost at the same time."

Professor Song pondered for a moment, then half-jokingly said: "If it really was Master Zhi Dun manifesting his power, it should have been at the place where he entered final nirvana."

Of course, the premise is assuming the Buddha's manifestation is real.

Upon hearing Professor Song's words, this time it was the abbot who was stunned.

This is the temple founded by Master Zhi Dun; aside from him, there seemed to be no other candidate, so when they initially saw the Heart Sutra being flipped through, plus the special aura lingering in the air, the monks' first reaction was that Master Zhi Dun had once been here.

But after the Research Center's discussion, the abbot's mind turned to another idea.

You see, Xiguangsi had never experienced anything extraordinary before; it was only during that period that such things appeared, as if an invisible pair of hands were secretly manipulating everything.

The abbot felt something, and a hint of regret appeared on his face.

"Amitabha, earlier I assumed it was Master Zhi Dun manifesting his power, but now it seems to be someone else, not the Buddha."

"Perhaps it is indeed that mysterious eminent person who debated the Dao with Master Zhi Dun, manifesting his power and leaving behind talismans to protect our temple!"

(End of chapter)