Heng Yuan frowned, feeling that something was not right. The expressions of the two gatekeeper monks had been strange since he introduced himself.

After passing the message, there was a subtle hostility.

"Please lead the way!" Heng Yuan lowered his head obediently.

Under the guidance of the gatekeeper monks, they passed through the front yard and main building, and arrived at the backyard.

In the corner of the eaves, in the corridor, stood a middle-aged monk. He was wearing a monk's robe that was convenient for traveling, with a round face and thick earlobes.

He looked at Heng Yuan expressionlessly.

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"Heng Yuan from Qinglong Temple?" Monk Jingchen scrutinized Heng Yuan with sharp eyes.

"It is I, this humble monk."

Heng Yuan also scrutinized Monk Jingchen. At this point, he had already realized that this group of fellow disciples from the Western Regions had a subtle hostility towards him.

Heng Yuan didn't know why there was such hostility, as there had been no previous contact between the two sides.

"A monk does not lie!" Monk Jingchen said in a deep voice.

Upon hearing these words, Heng Yuan's most immediate feeling was that an alarm bell was ringing in his ears. He couldn't lie and had to answer honestly.

"It is I, this humble monk." Heng Yuan clasped his hands together and replied calmly.

Monk Jingchen fell silent.

He had just used the ability of a law enforcer and could confirm that the monk who called himself Heng Yuan did not lie. Unless the other party was also a law enforcer who could modify the precepts on their own.

The question arose: if the person in front of him was Heng Yuan, then who was the person from earlier?

What was their purpose?

Monk Jingchen carefully reviewed the conversation and suddenly realized that the other party had come for the seal of Sangbo.

In that case, the nature of the matter was not as simple as impersonating Heng Yuan. It involved the Demon Monk, and he had to treat it with caution.

"The martial monk earlier also knew the Lion's Roar of Buddhism. Even if he is not Heng Yuan, he must be someone from the Buddhist sect... As for the person in front of me, even if he is truly Heng Yuan, is his arrival really just for a visit, without any other intentions?"

Various thoughts flashed through Monk Jingchen's mind, and he immediately made a decision, pointing at Heng Yuan and shouting, "Capture him!"

Immediately, two monks in blue robes stepped forward and held Heng Yuan's shoulders.

Boom!

Heng Yuan's aura surged, easily shaking off the two monks.

In the corridor, Monk Jingchen formed hand seals and chanted, "The body cannot move, the hands cannot move, the mouth cannot speak."

As his words fell, golden ripples like water waves spread from his hand seals, gently and firmly sweeping over Heng Yuan.

In an instant, Heng Yuan felt as if he was trapped in a quagmire. His body had lost control, but his thoughts were still functioning.

"Bang bang bang..."

Ripples of air waves appeared around Heng Yuan, like small fireworks.

He was using brute force to resist the precepts, trying to break free from the quagmire.

Monk Jingchen furrowed his brows. This monk who called himself Heng Yuan was stronger than he had expected. Unable to hold back, he shouted, "Capture him quickly!"

Several martial monks, as well as a few mages and Zen masters, rushed out of the room. The latter two had weak combat abilities and had to rely on the martial monks to capture people.

But before the martial monks could surround Heng Yuan, he broke through the "precepts" and dragged out afterimages with extremely fast speed, pouncing towards Monk Jingchen.

Heng Yuan was angry and wanted to teach this fellow disciple from the west a lesson.

Just at that moment, a figure stood in front of Monk Jingchen. It was a young monk dressed in a blue robe, with delicate features. It was Monk Jingsi.

He calmly looked at Heng Yuan who was pouncing towards him and slapped his palm.

At the beginning of the palm strike, there was nothing unusual, but during the process, a touch of golden paint spread from the palm, quickly covering the palm and arm, and then the whole person became like a golden statue.

Bang!

The palm landed precisely on Heng Yuan's chest, as if he had been hit by a battering ram, and he flew out, crashing through the walls of the inner courtyard and the main building.

The post station's postmen were scared, trembling inside the house and not daring to come out.

These monks started fighting with others as soon as they arrived. In a few days, wouldn't they demolish the post station?

"Cough cough..."

With a cough filled with hidden pain, Monk Heng Yuan walked out, staring silently at Monk Jingsi.

Monk Jingchen said calmly, "You stay at the post station and wait for Master Due'e to return. There are things we need to ask you."

Heng Yuan nodded, "Alright."

With the last note of "alright," he turned into afterimages again and fiercely pounced, but this time, his target was not Monk Jingchen, but Monk Jingsi.

Monk Jingsi, whose body emitted a metallic texture, raised his hand again and slapped towards Heng Yuan. This time, he didn't hit, but Heng Yuan intercepted his arm joint. His fist, the size of a cooking pot, continuously smashed into Monk Jingsi's face, making a loud "clang clang clang" sound.

Monk Jingsi, who had been struck in the face, headbutted Heng Yuan, and after a dozen or so moves, he was once again countered by Heng Yuan.

Heng Yuan grabbed his wrist, growled in a low voice, and threw Monk Jingsi to the ground with a shoulder throw.

Boom!

The green bricks laid in the courtyard were instantly blasted into the sky, and the ground cracked.

Heng Yuan's knee pressed against Monk Jingsi's throat, and his right fist turned into afterimages, relentlessly smashing his head.

Clang clang clang... like a bell ringing, the sound waves mixed with air waves swept through every corner of the courtyard.

Roof tiles fell, flower beds exploded, willow trees snapped... in an instant, it was a mess.

Monk Jingsi had no ability to resist and could only cover his face to endure the blows.

"Enough!" Monk Jingchen said in a deep voice.

Only then did Heng Yuan stop, swinging his bloody and flesh-covered fist, coldly staring at Monk Jingsi. "You're just thick-skinned."

At this point, the martial monks' violent temper was finally vented.

Xu Qi'an had always misunderstood Heng Yuan, thinking that he was a simple and gentle "Lu Zhishen." In fact, Heng Yuan was a thug disguised in the clothing of simplicity and honesty.

A person with a non-violent temper would not have committed the act of breaking into Pingyuan Manor at night, killing people, and leaving afterwards.But in Heng Yuan's heart, Mr. Xu was a kind and generous person who deserved to be treated gently.

After entering the post station, he was targeted everywhere. He came with good intentions but encountered "sticks". He was so angry that this little monk came out to show off, as if Heng Yuan was nothing. He was easily pushed away with a palm.

In the end, he was just a tough little monk.

.........

At the beginning of the hour, the warm spring sun hung in the west.

Master Du'e held a Zen staff and wore a golden red kasaya as he walked back. He paused at the gate of the post station, then took a step forward and entered the inner courtyard.

The inner courtyard was in a mess. The postmen were climbing on ladders, repairing the roof and tiles. The warrior monks were carrying sand to solidify the cracked ground.

The most hardworking among them was a stranger with a bald head. Master Du'e glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Master Du'e appeared as a thin old monk with dark skin and wrinkles all over his face. His thin body was wrapped in a loose kasaya, which looked somewhat funny.

"Master Uncle!"

Monk Jingchen came out of the house and spoke in the language of the Western Regions: "Something happened while you were in the palace..."

He detailed the true and false Heng Yuan's experience to Master Du'e.

"Heng Yuan defeated Monk Jingsi without any resistance?"

Master Du'e turned his head and looked at Heng Yuan who was working diligently.

"Yes," Jingchen nodded, then added, "But Junior Brother Jingsi was not injured. The Diamond Sutra cannot be broken by ordinary people."

There was a hint of pride in his tone.

Master Du'e did not express his opinion and instead asked, "When the first Heng Yuan talked to you, did he mention any information about the evil object? For example, did he know the root of the evil object or any information about it?"

Jingchen recalled for a moment and shook his head, "He only mentioned that the seal under Sangpo is related to the Buddhist sect, and when talking about the case, he said he had seen the severed hand residing on Junior Brother Heng Hui."

"Master Uncle, this matter can actually be verified. Just summon the Heng Yuan outside and question him."

However, Master Du'e asked again, "Did he really not reveal any information about the evil object to induce you to disclose more inside information?"

Jingchen shook his head, "No."

Master Du'e made a sound of "Hmm": "I know who he is now. Go to the Nightwatcher's office and find the chief officer Xu Qi'an. I have something to ask him."

.............

Xu Qi'an came out of the theater, feeling light all over his body. He felt like his bones were soft. While enjoying the horse massage, he watched the play and listened to the music. This kind of life was truly carefree.

Within an hour, the girls in the theater changed batch after batch. Smiling beauties came in, and trembling hands left.

"It's a pity that the girls in the theater are actually seafood vendors, not professional masseuses. Their skills are lacking. In this era, there are brothels, official brothel sectors, and theaters, but there are no foot massage parlors or massage parlors. It's a shame."

At this point, it was already late, and there was no need to go to the yamen anymore. Xu Qi'an hired a carriage on the roadside and returned to the Xu Mansion.

"You finally came back, Young Master. Someone from the yamen has been waiting for you in the mansion for a long time. They have already drunk two pots of tea." Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, hurriedly greeted him when he saw Young Master returning.

Someone from the yamen is looking for me... Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and guessed that it was someone from the Western Buddhist sect looking for him.

Entering the reception hall, he saw a black-clad official sitting on a chair, drinking tea and frequently looking outside.

"Ah, Mr. Xu, you finally came back."

After countless glances, the black-clad official finally saw Xu Qi'an's figure and was overjoyed. He said, "If you didn't come back, I would have had to stay overnight in your mansion after the curfew."

"What's the matter?" Xu Qi'an got straight to the point.

"A high-ranking monk from the Buddhist sect came to the yamen looking for you but couldn't find you, so he went to see Lord Wei. Lord Wei sent me to wait for you in the mansion." the black-clad official said.

Just a monk, and Wei Yuan treated him so seriously? What's so great about these Westerners? I am a nobleman from the Central Plains. When will I be able to stand up and be proud?

Xu Qi'an said expressionlessly, "I understand. I will go and see him later."

The black-clad official breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take his leave when he suddenly remembered something and smiled, "Lord Wei heard that you have been wandering around recently, not waiting for assignments at the yamen or patrolling the streets. He is very angry and said that your three months' salary is gone."

........Dad, let's talk about it! Xu Qi'an's face froze.

After seeing off the black-clad official, Xu Qi'an remembered that his little mare was left at the Nightwatcher's office. He ordered someone to bring Xu Xinnian's horse.

The Xu Mansion had three horses, one for Xu Pingzhi, one for Xu Qi'an, and a carriage for the women of the family to use when traveling.

Xu Xinnian heard that his older brother had returned and hurriedly came out of the study, worriedly saying, "Big Brother, those two suspicious guys came again after you left today."

"What?" Xu Qi'an didn't react for a moment.

"There was a swordsman in a green robe and a monk who looked more like a butcher. They came uninvited, saying they wanted to congratulate us. Father said that guests are guests, so he invited them into the mansion for a drink."

Xu Xinnian frowned, "I always feel that they looked at me strangely."

Xu Qi'an remembered that when he saw Heng Yuan in the afternoon, he seemed to have mentioned that he had just come from the Xu Mansion after drinking.

"Second Brother, don't worry about these nameless people. You are now a Huiyuan, your vision should be set higher." Xu Qi'an didn't know how to comfort his younger brother and patted him on the shoulder:

"Let me borrow your horse for a while. I'll return it to you tomorrow."Just at this moment, a servant brought a horse from the back door and waited outside the main gate. Xu Qi'an immediately left.

When he arrived at the Sanyang post station again, the setting sun had already hung in the west, and the twilight sunlight was a gorgeous golden red.

"You..."

The two gatekeepers knew that they had been deceived and stared at Xu Qi'an with unfriendly expressions.

"I am Xu Qi'an, the main investigator of the Sangbo case. Master Du'e summoned me here. Please show me the way." Xu Qi'an smiled and handed over the reins.

The two gatekeepers took a deep breath, suppressed their anger, and one of them took the reins while the other made a gesture of "please".

Following the gatekeepers, Xu Qi'an entered the inn.

It seemed like a fight had just taken place here... Heng Yuan was also working here... I feel guilty. I must become a better person in the future.

He lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with Heng Yuan, and under the guidance of the gatekeepers, entered a room.

There were three monks in the room, with the one in the middle sitting on a stool. He was an old monk with dark skin, a face covered in wrinkles, and a thin body that couldn't fill the loose kasaya, which looked somewhat comical.

On the left and right were Jingchen and Jingsi, whom Xu Qi'an had met before.

Jingchen stared at Xu Qi'an with an unfriendly expression.

"Master Du'e!" Xu Qi'an clasped his hands together and bowed.

The old monk returned the gesture and said gently, "Why did Mr. Xu disguise himself as Heng Yuan, a warrior monk from the Orient Loong God Temple?"

Xu Qi'an replied seriously, "I want to find out what is sealed beneath Sangbo."

The old monk squinted his eyes and silently looked at him. His calm and gentle gaze seemed like a human body scanner.

In front of this old monk, Xu Qi'an dared not have any inner thoughts. He restrained his wandering mind and said, "I personally investigated the Sangbo case and discovered many secrets. The Eternal Mountain Temple was built on a large formation, and there is an evil object sealed within the formation. After the temple was destroyed and the evil object escaped, I personally went underwater to investigate and found Buddhist scriptures engraved on the remaining formation pillars."

"At first, I thought the seal beneath Sangbo was the previous generation's supervisor, but as the case progressed and with the appearance of Heng Hui, it turned out that what was sealed beneath Sangbo was a severed hand."

"Based on this, I speculate that the severed hand is related to the Buddhist sect. However, whether it is the supervisor or the royal family, they keep it a secret."

"I, Xu Qi'an, have solved many major cases in the capital and there is no case I cannot solve. But this question is like a thorn in my throat, keeping me awake at night and unable to eat or drink."

Master Du'e nodded slowly, "So that's why you made the previous attempt?"

"Exactly!" Xu Qi'an said.

He had already planned this speech when he impersonated Heng Yuan. He pretended to be a "madman" obsessed with solving cases, and he was deeply concerned about the origin of the severed hand and the hidden secrets behind it.

So after the Western Region mission entered the capital, he came here to test the waters as Heng Yuan.

His test had no flaws. He only asked questions without revealing any information about Shen Shu and the others, fully playing the role of an investigator who only knew part of the truth.

Master Du'e smiled and said, "Mr. Xu wants to know about the evil object?"

Xu Qi'an felt delighted and showed a desire for knowledge, "Would Master be willing to tell me?"

The thin old monk smiled and said, "There's no harm in it, but you have to join our Buddhist sect and become a disciple under my guidance."

Damn it... Xu Qi'an's face twitched, and he shook his head in refusal, "I practice martial arts and cannot learn the Buddhist sect's techniques."

Master Du'e seemed to have expected this response and said calmly, "You can become a warrior monk."

Becoming a warrior monk... It seems that warrior monks and martial artists are on the same path. My guess was correct. The warrior monk system in the Buddhist sect is prepared for "external disciples".

A speculation that Xu Qi'an had kept in his heart for a long time was confirmed.

What is the next rank after an eighth-rank warrior monk?!

"Can I marry and have children?" he asked.

"Although warrior monks don't have to abide by the precepts, they cannot marry and have children. This is not related to cultivation, but a rule of the Buddhist sect." Master Du'e shook his head.

"Just like the Buddhist sect, those who have left the secular world cannot start a family. How can a monk who has left the secular world start a family?" Xu Qi'an said regretfully.

Master Du'e was somewhat happy. He didn't expect Xu Qi'an to be so friendly towards the Buddhist sect.

"If Mr. Xu has any questions in the future, feel free to come to the post station and ask. I will tell you everything I can without pretending to be a disciple of the Buddhist sect."

"I understand my mistake."

Master Du'e nodded and instructed Jingsi to see Xu Qi'an off.

After Jingsi escorted Xu Qi'an away and returned to the room, Master Du'e said in a deep voice, "Summon Heng Yuan."

"Yes!"

Jingchen went out to call him.

After a while, Heng Yuan, covered in dust, returned with Jingchen. Master Du'e smiled and said, "Call me 'Master Uncle' like Pan Shu does. Since you are his disciple, you can call me 'Master Uncle Ancestor'."

In fact, the Western Region Buddhist sect and the Orient Loong God Temple have no hierarchical relationship. Previously, Jingchen called Xu Qi'an "brother" out of politeness.

"Master Uncle Ancestor." Heng Yuan clasped his hands together.

Master Du'e nodded and asked, "Jingchen said that Xu Qi'an claimed to have an unbreakable bond with you?"

Heng Yuan answered, "Yes."

"The previous misunderstanding was caused by this person. Do you have any grievances in your heart?" Master Du'e stared at Heng Yuan.

"No matter what Mr. Xu does, I can forgive and understand." Heng Yuan said.

He owed his life to the third brother and Xu Qi'an. These were great favors.Du'e nodded again, "What kind of person is he?"

...........

PS: Update first, revise later. It seems like there are ten thousand words today.