Chapter 633
Chapter 633
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 633
>Chapter Title: Bardo Temple
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“Qingqiu’s lamas?”
Li Huowang recalled that three-headed, six-armed black-padded-jacket lama, along with his three heads that each represented a different method of death.
“You mean… this time the Dharma Cult has already colluded with Qingqiu’s lamas?” At the thought of this possibility, Li Huowang’s expression immediately grew extremely grave.
The heavenly dao of the Yu’er God was darkness, while those black-padded-jacket lamas worshiped death. If these lamas intended to borrow the Yu’er God’s natural disaster and use the Dharma Cult to drag the entire world into death, then the logic seemed to line up.
Even if the Dharma Cult was viewed as an intolerable evil cult by the courts of every nation and every nation’s Bureau of Celestial Surveillance, in this utterly deranged world, there would always be some people who reeked of the same foul odor as these utterly conscienceless fiends.
“Hmm, not necessarily. After all, plenty of masters from Bardo Temple have joined Qingqiu’s Bureau of Celestial Surveillance.” It was the first time Li Huowang had learned the name of those black-padded-jacket lamas’ sect from Zheng Boqiao.
“Bardo Temple…” Li Huowang recalled the neatly arranged half-human, half-goat mummies he had seen beneath the Qingqiu fox graves.
For a sect that purely worshiped death itself, Li Huowang felt it wasn’t overkill no matter how darkly he imagined them.
“Then, is there a possibility that this so-called Bardo Temple has completely taken control of Qingqiu’s Bureau of Celestial Surveillance? Maybe even now, Qingqiu itself is under the Dharma Cult’s control?”
The moment Li Huowang said this, Buddha Jade Furnace shuddered hard. If what this man was saying was true, it was far too terrifying—internal strife and external threats meant the entire Great Liang Dynasty was teetering on the brink of collapse.
Zheng Boqiao shook his horsetail whisk.
“This shouldn’t be the case. Senior Xuanpin previously traveled the lands, gathering all the celestial supervisors to discuss certain matters. If there was truly something wrong with Qingqiu’s Bureau, Senior Xuanpin would’ve spotted it ages ago.”
“Xuanpin…” Li Huowang remembered how, back when he’d sought out Xuanpin to deal with Sitting Oblivion Dao, the man had dashed out of the city on some urgent errand. He hadn’t returned until after the dice had seized the dragon vein.
He’d been wondering before what Xuanpin had been doing, running off at such a critical juncture. Now, tying it to Zheng Boqiao’s words, it turned out Xuanpin had gone to confer with the other celestial supervisors on important business.
“Hmm.” Zheng Boqiao halted mid-stride in his contemplation and turned back to Li Huowang.
“Friend Li, no need to worry yourself over this. The Bureau’s sending specialists to look into it. That said, you’re not wrong—these Great Qi Dharma Cult and Great Liang Dharma Cult lot cozying up does spell trouble.”
“I just learned via pill dao from He Xin’s brain about several major strongholds of the Dharma Cult. We might be able to root out more Great Qi Dharma Cult remnants from them. If it’s convenient for you, Friend Li—and if you’re willing to lend a hand to the Bureau of Celestial Surveillance—you could go take a look.”
At these words, Li Huowang’s expression hardened as he sized up Zheng Boqiao once more.
He’d come out this time precisely to help the Bureau deal with the Dharma Cult. Intelligence was certainly useful, but this fellow seemed to be deliberately shooing him away. Could there be something shady going on with Bardo Temple?
“Lord Zheng, you know I’m the Emperor’s man. His Majesty sent me to roam Great Liang and keep watch over all injustices. Hiding anything from the Emperor would be high treason.”
“Heh, Friend Li, what’re you talking about? I’m afraid even the Emperor can’t meddle in Bureau affairs, no?”
“The Emperor might not meddle, but doesn’t he have a right to know?” The man’s evasiveness only deepened Li Huowang’s suspicions.
Zheng Boqiao let out a helpless sigh, seemingly conceding.
“Fine. Once our men return from Qingqiu, we’ll give Your Excellency Qingcha a full, detailed report on Bardo Temple’s true state. So, will Your Excellency still assist with the Dharma Cult matter?”
Li Huowang glanced at the others around them. He didn’t want to press too hard for now—the Dharma Cult took priority. After all, the people he cared about were in Great Liang, not Qingqiu.
“Daoist, what sort of talk is that? I live in Great Liang too. I’m a member of the Bureau of Celestial Surveillance as well. Dealing with the Dharma Cult is my duty without question. Why would you think I’d refuse?”
“Heh heh heh, my mistake. No time to waste—if we don’t move fast, the Dharma Cult followers might relocate. I’ll write the locations down for you right now.”
With that, Zheng Boqiao returned to the incense burner, scooped up a handful of ash, and swiftly wrote on the floor.
Soon enough, several addresses scrawled in incense ash dotted the ground. Most were remote hamlets beyond Jiangnan Circuit. Evidently, the Dharma Cult had done as the White Lotus Cult had before—disguising themselves as ordinary folk and hiding throughout Great Liang.
Once finished, Zheng Boqiao swept his whisk over the floor. The ashen addresses swiftly coalesced into a clump and floated up into his hand.
Zheng Boqiao cradled this small lump of ash and hurried over to hand it to Li Huowang.
“I’m skilled in alchemy, Friend Li. Don’t rush off—I’ll give you some treasured pills for breath regulation and wound healing.”
Li Huowang thrust out his hand, snatched the proffered ash, and stuffed it into his robes before turning to leave.
“No need. I’m not one for pills.”
This time, he planned to go alone. Dragging along these Bureau folk, who weren’t truly on his side, would only slow him down.
“The Bureau’s dispatching men to search as well. If you run into them, just give your name—they’ll clear the way.” Zheng Boqiao called after Li Huowang’s retreating back.
Li Huowang ignored him entirely, sweeping away with Li Sui like a gust of wind.
Once Li Huowang was gone, he turned slightly toward Buddha Jade Furnace behind him.
“This man’s not one of ours. We can try winning him over, but there’s no harm in exercising caution around him.”
Buddha Jade Furnace nodded at once.
“Understood. The man clings to imperial power—utterly contemptible to the Bureau.”
Zheng Boqiao paused in place at those words, pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head.
“No, no—that’s not quite right. I suspect he’s not aligned with the Emperor either.”
They were discussing a matter of utmost importance, yet Zheng Boqiao showed zero intention of sending away the nearby abbot of Zhengde Temple.
Buddha Jade Furnace blinked in surprise at Zheng Boqiao’s words.
“He’s not with His Majesty either? Then who is he with? Surely he can’t be a Dharma Cult plant?”
“Never mind him. Let’s not delay the real work. Caution never hurts in these times. Going forward, report any contact with him to me immediately.”
“Understood.”
With his instructions given, Zheng Boqiao’s face split into a smile once more as he bowed toward the old monk Chandu off to the side.
“Master Chandu, now that the trivial matters are settled, shall we proceed to Rainflower Vegetarian Hall?”
“Amitabha. You honor me with your generosity, benefactor.”
Chandu pressed his palms together, rosary beads draped over them, and returned a Buddhist salute to the Daoist before him.