Chapter Fifty-two Changes

  He drew two large, mysterious symbols on either side of the entrance to the Baofa Building using golden lacquer, resembling a pair of Spring Festival couplets written in wild cursive script, or perhaps a dragon and phoenix dancing together.

  Three sheep stood beside Fu Chuan with a golden lacquer: "Master, when can you teach me to paint this? It looks pretty good."

  Fuhe's mouth twitched as he said, "You'd better practice drawing those talismans first. This isn't urgent. You haven't even mastered walking yet, and you already want to learn how to fly."

  Fujiang sometimes felt depressed too. Why was he so smart but took in such a stupid apprentice? It's really unfortunate for the school.

  Fuhe said to San Yang: "These talismans can only hold off the invasion for a few weeks."

  "Master, several weeks is enough time already."

  "I'm afraid that by then, even after thinking for a long time, I still won't have come up with a way to get rid of Hua Zi."

  Fujiang understood in his heart that it wasn't easy to eliminate Huazhu, even if they gathered all their strength. The resentment of Huazhu had accumulated too much resentment from other ghosts. Fujiang also knew why Huazhu pulled those lonely and wild ghosts into Jiahao Building, it was to enhance her power.

  At this moment, three monks appeared outside the gate of Bao Fa Building. They were a bit old but looked spirited. When they saw Fu Chuan, they asked: "Excuse me, is Hui Ling here?" They seemed to know that Fu Chuan knew Hui Ling.

  Fu Chuan didn't know why these three monks appeared here, but when he looked down, they were carrying a cloth bag with the words "Fahua Temple" embroidered on it. Fu Chuan then understood that they should be people from Fahua Temple. A few days ago, Fu Chuan had divined for Hui Ling and said that something would happen to him in the next few days.

  Is this how things were going to go?

  Fu Chuan took a look and it seemed like something had happened at the Fahua Temple, they came to find Hui Ling, but it didn't seem like they were looking for trouble with Hui Ling. Fu Chuan pointed inside the door: "He's in room 401 on the twelfth floor."

  Just as the three monks passed by Fuhe's side, one of them, who was slightly shorter, smiled at Fuhe with a deep meaning and said, "Donor, this talisman is drawn quite well."

  Fujiang watched as the three of them left, their backs disappearing into the distance, "Three Sheep."

  "Yes, Master."

  "Go and listen to what those three are looking for Huiling."

  "Yes, Master." San Yang reluctantly followed, wondering why Master always sent him to listen at people's walls, but in the end he still had no choice but to obediently follow.

  Two hours later, when Fu Chuan settled the matter downstairs and went upstairs, he saw San Yang following behind Hui Ling as she walked out of the elevator.

  Fu Chuan asked: "Three people are looking for you." Hui Ling nodded and told Fu Chuan to come in and chat, Fu Chuan knew something was up but didn't expect it was because Ran Yi Dashi had passed away.

  When Huiling told him about this matter, Fu Chuan felt very strange. He looked at Huiling and asked, "Was it those three people who just told you that Master Ran Yi had passed away?"

  Huiling nodded, her eyes sorrowfully gazing out the window. "Three senior brothers told me that Master passed away three days ago."

  "Three days ago?" Fu Chuan felt even stranger: "Do you believe it? Yan Yizong, the great master who had not shown up for ten years, actually passed away as soon as he appeared."

  Huiling didn't know what to say either and wasn't sure if she should believe it. "That's what the senior brothers told me, I don't believe it either."

  Fu Chuan said: "I think you should go back to Fahua Temple and investigate the cause of your master's death, as well as why your master has not appeared in the past ten years."

  "I think so too."

  Fu Chuan asked Hui Ling why the three masters came to find him, Hui Ling was in a difficult situation, he told Fu Chuan that the three masters were there to let him return to Fa Hua Temple as the abbot.

  Fujiang also thought so earlier. Although Huiling has not set foot in Fahua Temple for ten years, no one in the temple has been qualified to take the abbot position over the years.

  "I think you should go back," Fu Chuan suggested.

  Huiling's heart was filled with contradictions, he didn't know whether he should go back or not, and whether he should continue to be a host or not. He had already gotten used to life outside, whether it was bitter or sweet, he had already adapted to it. If he went back to being a host, continuing to be a monk, Huiling really didn't know if he could get used to it, he thought that he probably wouldn't be able to.

  "I don't know if I should go back or not, but I want to tell you that I've gotten used to life here."

  "Did you refuse them?" Fu Chuan asked.

  Huiling shook her head and said, "I don't have that kind of courage. If I refuse them, I think I won't even have the chance to see Master for the last time. If I don't refuse, I'm really afraid I won't be able to do it, so I said I need to consider it."

  Fu Chuan nodded, thinking that Hui Ling was right, but in his heart, he hoped Hui Ling would return to Fahua Temple. The outside world was not suitable for someone like Hui Ling, and the secular world was only a mundane place for him. Although Hui Ling thought he had gotten used to life on the outside, Fu Chuan knew that Hui Ling was born to be a monk.

  The outside world is not suitable for someone like Hui Ling. If he really got used to the life outside, he wouldn't always be carrying prayer beads and dressing up as a monk. Fu Chuan said: "Don't you think it's strange? Your master was in seclusion for ten years, but as soon as he came out, he passed away. What do you think your master was doing during those ten years? Don't you want to know?"

  "Qing'er's death, and you said Master had an inexplicable passing, don't you think it's strange?" Fu Chuan said.

  Huiling nodded and said: "Yes, it's all very strange. I even think that this matter is related to Qing'er's affairs, but I don't know what kind of connection there is."

  Fu Chuan had always been persuading Hui Ling to go back and investigate these matters, Hui Ling's feelings about Qing Er were always a regret in her heart, Fu Chuan knew that even if it was for Qing Er, Hui Ling would still go back.

  Fu Chuan suggested that Hui Ling immediately go back to check if there was anything unusual about Ran Yi's body. If there was, she could call him and he promised to help her.

  For Fu Chuan's promise, Huiling was grateful, "Alright, I'll go back."

  Huiling didn't know if her decision was correct, but she knew that if she didn't investigate Master and Qing'er's situation, she would never be at peace for the rest of her life.

  At that time, Huiling was eighteen years old and had only one month left before Master Ranyi would hand over the position of abbot to him. However, it was at that time that Huiling's affair with Qing'er was exposed. Master Ranyi originally wanted to hush up the matter and suppress it by simply expelling Qing'er from the temple. But somehow, the Council of Elders found out about this, and Master Ranyi had no choice but to expel Huiling from Fahua Temple.

  Later, Qing'er was harmed, and this matter seemed to be a chain reaction. At that time, Hui Ling had thought about whether it would be the old bald donkeys of the Yuanshanghui who did this good deed in order to cover up this scandal. However, Hui Ling thought again later and felt that it was unlikely to be done by the people of the Yuanshanghui. The Yuanshanghui is prestigious and respected, although those people are very stubborn, but they wouldn't necessarily do things like murder and silence.

  Moreover, after Qing'er's death, the police also arrived at the scene and concluded that it was a robbery and murder.

  Huiling returned home and took out his kasaya from the purple sandalwood box he had brought back from Fahua Temple. This kasaya had been with him since he was ten years old, and every year as he grew bigger, Master Yizhen would mend it for him. All the clothes Huiling wore during his many years at Fahua Temple were made by Master Yizhen's own hands.

  Looking at the patches on his kasaya, Huiling couldn't help but sob. He looked at the kasaya and said to Qing'er behind him: "The kasaya was given by Master, but I didn't listen to him."

  "He didn't even get to see his old man one last time."

  Qing'er knew that Hui Ling was uncomfortable, because the Buddhist robe had a Buddha seal on it, she didn't dare to get close, and could only stand behind Hui Ling to comfort him. "I hope you go back, don't worry about me, I also feel that Master Ran Yi's death is suspicious, over the years I have known that you have always missed Master and wanted to go back. Fahua Temple can't be without you, I support your return. I promise you, after this matter is resolved, I will listen to Daozhang's words and peacefully go for reincarnation."

  Huiling sighed and said, "You know I didn't mean it that way." Huiling was afraid that Qing'er would think wildly, and Qing'er's words were like Huiling driving her away.

  Huiling thought that if possible, the three Shixiong would not come to find him. Huiling thought that if they did not come to find him, he would rather take the risk of being separated from the world of humans and ghosts or breaking off relations with Fu Chuan, than be apart from Qing'er for a lifetime.

  "They've come for you, are you going?" Qing Er understood that people and ghosts have different paths, she had always been destined to part with Hui Ling. But after all these years, she missed Hui Ling so much, she just wanted to use the remaining time to spend these days together with Hui Ling.

  But why do those people still come to destroy?

  She's no longer human, having been a ghost for so many years is enough, she had the intention to leave early, but instead let her meet Huiling again, Qing'er wants to cherish this period of time.

  "We won't be apart, even if I promised Fu Chuan something before, when the time comes, I won't let Fu Chuan take you away, I will come back, you promise me, this time I will definitely come back, you must wait for me here."

  Qing'er looked at Hui Ling, didn't want to force him into anything, so she nodded and said: "I'll wait for you, you must come back."

  Huiling left, packing some things and leaving, while Qing'er was left alone in this home filled with Huiling's scent. Qing'er felt very scared, and because of the fear, she felt as if her body had entered an icy world.

  In that world, there was only her, alone watching the heavy snow fall from the sky. Qing Er didn't dare to think about what Hui Ling said before she left.

  She didn't know why she didn't believe Huiling's words at all. Huiling left, just like last time, and when he came back, Qing'er was already separated from him by heaven and earth.

  Qing'er is a kind-hearted woman, even if she became a ghost, she never harmed anyone. But this time, her body knew why all the accumulated resentment wanted to erupt.

  "He won't come back, he's gone and won't return."

  "It's as if he abandoned you for the first time, and once he leaves, he won't come back."

  Hua Zi's voice came through the door, and with a resentful tone, she transmitted her voice into Qing Er's ears, "Come back to me, come back to my side, I can help you kill all those who don't want you."

  Qing'er covered her ears, but it was no use, she could still hear those sounds getting closer and clearer.

  Huāzi found Xīng'ér, and Xīng'ér knew that Huāzi was not a good person, she just wanted to use her for her own benefit. However, what Huāzi said also made some sense.

  For the first time, Huiling made a promise to her that he would definitely come back for her, but when he came back, she had already died. Who knows if he really came back or not?

  "Let me show you what he's been up to for the past decade."

  Huāzi's absurd life of the past decade was reflected on the wall like a movie projector, allowing Qíng'ér to see it clearly and thoroughly.

  In those images, Qing'er saw Hui Ling in a bar with women of all colors **flirting**, and various women lying beside him, he was so into making ***love*** with them.

  Qing'er didn't want to watch anymore, suddenly feeling that everything was just a joke. She wandered the world only to find him and see him one last time, but he had long forgotten her.

  "Come back to me and bring the music box with you!"

  Just then, the door was opened and Fu Chuan walked in, scattering some golden powder against that white evil wind. The evil wind was dispersed and quickly escaped from the window.

  Fuhe knew that the talisman at the door was no longer effective, and Huazhi's power was getting stronger and stronger. He looked at Qing'er and asked with concern: "Are you okay?"

  Qing'er shook her head and said, "Nothing."

  Qing'er didn't tell Fu Chuan what Huazi had just said to her. When Fu Chuan was about to leave, Qing'er asked him, "In all these years, do you know how many women Hui Ling has had?"

  Fu Chuan shook his head and said, "You want to ask me how much rent he owes me, I remember, but you want to ask me how many girlfriends he has, I really don't know. Besides, it's not allowed to bring women back here casually."

  Fuhe knew that Huiling was acting strangely, but he didn't want to ask about it. After all, this kind of thing should be handled by Huiling himself when he returns. "Don't think too much about it, Huazai is trying to drive a wedge between us now, we can't fall into his trap. You'd better go back into the cauldron and follow me to Baofa Hall, it's safer that way."

  Fu Xiang wanted to put Qing'er alongside the ancestral portraits like the other ghosts, but Qing'er said it wasn't necessary, she would just wait for Hui Ling's return in this room.

  Fu Chuan didn't think that Qing Er's attitude was a good phenomenon, and he also felt that Qing Er had changed somewhat. However, he didn't pay much attention to it. When he left, Fu Chuan still drew a boundary outside the door, not allowing Qing Er to take a step out of the room. Everything would have to wait until Hui Ling returned.