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Глава 66

"Have you ever heard of Fengling Temple before?" Master Fei asked tentatively. Whether this person was friend or foe was still uncertain, but the skill he had just displayed showed that his martial arts were already above his own. With his master not around, he absolutely could not afford to mess things up again.

"This is my first time in Hedong, and I've never even heard of Fengling Temple before," Xu Feng replied truthfully.

"Haha, Chairman Xu," Master Fei's one eye darted around, and his attitude changed drastically. He pointed at Mayor Guo and said, "Let me introduce you. This is Mayor Guo Youcai of Fenglingdu Town, the local magistrate."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Xu Feng said with a slight bow.

When Mayor Guo heard what Master Fei said, although he didn't understand his intention, he smiled and said, "Since we're here in Fenglingdu, Hedong, Chairman Xu, please don't stand on ceremony. If you have any problems or difficulties in this area, just bring them up, and we'll do our best to be hospitable."

Xu Feng said calmly, "We are just about to go to Fengling Temple to find Master Jia. Would you two like to come along?"

"Very well." Master Fei readily agreed. Whether Chairman Xu was deceiving people or not, everything would be clear once they arrived at Fengling Temple.

"Call Shang Fu, let's go together." Master Fei said to Mayor Guo. The special police officer had a gun, so in case anything happened, there would be someone to help. Last time at Fengling Temple, he used a gun to knock down the highly skilled Master Yidu.

Mayor Guo nodded, beckoned the shop owner, Lao Wang, over, and told him to put all the breakfasts for the two tables on the town government's account. Then, he grabbed a few mutton dumplings, ate them, and walked out of the restaurant toward the town government.

After Xu Feng and the others finished breakfast, Mayor Guo drove his old Beijing B212 jeep, carrying You Fu, and hurriedly arrived.

Then, the group got into the car, left Fengling Ferry, and headed straight for Fengling Temple along the old course of the Yellow River.

The jeep drove along the bumpy old course of the Yellow River, kicking up a cloud of dust from its rear.

Inside the car, Youliang shrank timidly to Xufeng's side, his eyes warily fixed on Master Fei.

Xu Feng patted You Liang gently in comfort, then turned to Mayor Guo and asked, "Are there still monks in Fengling Temple?"

While turning the steering wheel, Mayor Guo replied, "Since Master Yidu passed away, the county has submitted a report to the Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau, saying that they would send a monk over. However, due to the issue of the candidate, there has been no response yet."

"So, it's an empty temple now," Xu Feng said.

"Perhaps. Fengling Temple is a small temple in Hedong, and the province doesn't pay much attention to it," Mayor Guo replied.

Master Fei sat in the back seat, his one eye fixed on Youliang, making Youliang feel uneasy.

With a screech of brakes, the jeep came to a stop.

"The road ahead is impassable; we'll have to walk." Mayor Guo pulled out the car keys, turned to Xu Feng, and then jumped out of the car.

"Youliang, stay by my side," Xu Feng said softly, taking the child's hand and getting out of the car. He then followed the others towards Fengling Temple, which was not far away.

The wind whipped up dry dust, casting a gray haze over the land—a scene unique to the Loess Plateau, caused by drought, water scarcity, and sparse vegetation. Looking into the distance, Fengling Temple stood faintly amidst the endless sandstorm, appearing exceptionally desolate and forlorn.

The group arrived at Fengling Temple, where the mountain gate on the steps was open.

Mayor Guo said with some puzzlement, "Huh, why is the mountain gate open? Have tomb raiders come again?"

Fu rushed up the stone steps, strode through the mountain gate, and arrived at the main hall. To his surprise, he saw an old monk in a yellow robe with a bald head sitting cross-legged on a futon.

"Could it be Master Jia again?" Mayor Guo followed closely behind, recalling with surprise that on the night Master Yidu died, Master Jia had impersonated the old monk Yidu, but was still seen through by Old Man Song. So he whispered.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Master Fei shook his head, looking at the old monk’s thin back. “Master Jia is actually fatter than this old monk.”

"I'll go ask." Youfu stepped into the main hall.

"Excuse me, Venerable Master, are you someone recently sent to Fengling Temple from the province?" Youfu asked respectfully, looking at the old monk's back.

“Indeed, I am Liaokong, from Mount Wutai, the newly appointed abbot of Fengling Temple,” the old monk said in fluent Mandarin, his attitude humble, still with his back to the temple door. “Benefactor, why do you ask this?”

"Oh, I am Guo Youfu, the special police commissioner of Fenglingdu Town," Youfu introduced himself.

"Are those people outside the hall with you, benefactor?" the old monk asked without turning his head.

"Yes, we came together," Youfu replied, thinking to himself, "This old monk has pretty good hearing."

Master Fei glanced at Xu Feng and said coldly, "Chairman Xu, where is Master Jia...?"

Xu Feng smiled faintly and said, "I'll ask the old monk." After saying that, he pulled Youliang into the main hall. Master Fei was worried and followed closely behind with Mayor Guo.

"Excuse me, Master, has an old man wearing a white sheepskin headscarf brought a young girl here these past few days?" Xu Feng asked.

"No," the old monk answered decisively.

“Master, when you meditate with your back to the outside of the hall, how do you know they haven’t come?” Xu Feng continued to ask.

“My mind is pure and clear; why should I need to see?” the old monk replied.

Upon hearing this, Xu Feng wondered to himself, "Is this old monk truly enlightened, or is he just feigning madness?" He carefully examined the old monk and then chuckled to himself.

"Why are you laughing, benefactor?" the old monk asked, seemingly displeased.

"Since you can know what's behind you without even looking, Master, tell me, how many of us are there in total?" Xu Feng was determined to test the waters.

“Four adults and one child,” the old monk snorted.

"What colors are you all wearing?" Xu Feng then asked.

"The man with a youthful face and white hair, dressed in a black robe, is an old Taoist priest. The middle-aged man in a blue Zhongshan suit looks like a township leader. The one-armed youth in a yellow military uniform has a military air about him and claims to be a special police commissioner. You and this little boy are both wearing dark suits and dressed like father and son, but your appearances are very different. His head is round, while yours is flat, like a mantis." The old monk rattled off the attire of everyone behind him and even guessed their identities.

Xu Feng was taken aback by what he heard, and the Taoist priest Fei and the Guo brothers behind him were even more dumbfounded, looking at each other speechlessly.

Only now did Xu Feng realize that there truly is "someone beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens" in this world. This "old monk" from Mount Wutai could actually see with his eyes closed, and even see through the back of his head—could this be the Buddhist concept of "divine eye proving wisdom"? Taoism also has the concept of "opening the third eye," located at the glabella (between the eyebrows) at the root of the nose. About two inches inside the glabella is a gland resembling a pine cone, known in modern medicine as the "pineal gland." Contemporary anatomy has discovered that the pineal gland contains a degenerated retina, yet it still possesses the ability to form images. Taoists believe that through diligent cultivation, once the third eye between the eyebrows is activated and opened, one can freely see inwards, microscopically, see through objects, and remotely. Even with the eyes closed, images can be formed in front of the forehead, allowing one to see incredible things invisible to ordinary people, such as ghosts and other yin-related dark matter. Before the age of three, when the pineal gland has not completely degenerated, it is easy to see some genital tissue that adults cannot see. However, as children grow older, the pineal gland completely degenerates and closes, and it can no longer be seen.

Master Xufeng bowed respectfully and said, "Master, your insight is indeed profound. I apologize for my rudeness earlier."

The old monk snorted and said, "You can leave now."

Xu Feng smiled slightly and cupped his hands again, saying, "I still have one question, and I would like to ask the master to clarify it."

"Sigh... What is it? Speak quickly." The old monk remained seated with his eyes closed, but he seemed somewhat impatient.

"Since you are a high-ranking Buddhist monk, why is there no 'burning scar' on your head?" A strange smile appeared on Xu Feng's face.

Chapter Ninety-Seven of the Main Text

"Burning incense scars" is a practice unique to China, where incense is burned into the heads of monks to create scars. It is said to have originated with Emperor Wu of Liang (Xiao Yan) in the Southern Dynasties. He was greedy for worldly power and honor, yet also persistently pursued liberation from the world. He reportedly "abandoned himself" three times to become a monk at Tongtai Temple, earning him the title "Bodhisattva Emperor." In the first year of the Taiqing era, Emperor Wu granted amnesty to all death row inmates, ordering them to convert to Buddhism. However, fearing they might not be faithful in the temple and would re-enter society to "commit crimes," he borrowed from ancient Guizhou punishments and burned incense scars on the heads of released prisoners for identification. This marked the beginning of the practice of burning incense scars in Chinese Buddhism. From the Southern Dynasties onward, "burning incense scars" became the starting point for ascetic practice in Buddhism and a marker for identifying monks.

At this moment, the newly appointed abbot of Fengling Temple, Monk Liaokong, sat upright on the futon. His head was shiny and smooth, without a single scar or even a single stubble of hair, as clear as a mirror.

"Really? The old master's head is completely bald. I remember Master Yidu had ordination scars." Mayor Guo stepped forward to take a look and said with a puzzled expression.

“That’s right. I’ve heard that the Buddhist Association of China once wanted to abolish the outdated practice of ‘burning the ordination scars’ on monks, but it hasn’t been implemented yet.” Master Fei was also full of doubts.

"If there's a scar in your heart, there's a scar on your head; if there's no scar in your heart, there's no scar on your head," the old monk said slowly.

Youfu then interjected, "Actually, it doesn't matter whether a monk has a monastic scar on his head or not. Just like how women used to bind their feet, it's just a way for the ruling class in feudal society to fool the common people."

At this moment, Xu Feng was pondering in his heart whether or not the old monk burned his ordination scars was a trivial matter. The key point was that he said that Master Jia had never been to Fengling Temple, which was suspicious. The conversation he overheard in Tongguan and the boatman's confirmation both pointed to this place...

"Master Liaokong, are you sure the person I'm looking for hasn't come?" Xufeng asked again.

“As I have already said, this has never happened before,” the old monk replied.

"And then what?" Xu Feng, with his sharp mind, seized upon the inaccuracies in the old monk's words and pressed on relentlessly.

"This old monk does not know," the old monk Liaokong said calmly.

“Master, since you can see behind your head, you must have already achieved ‘divine eye and wisdom’. Why not have a compassionate heart and look into the world to see where the person I am looking for is now? I would be eternally grateful for this,” Xu Feng said sincerely.

"Yes, Master Liaokong, I am Mayor Guo of Fenglingdu. If the temple encounters any difficulties in the future, the town government will do its best to help. Please have mercy and see where Master Jia and Nizi are." Mayor Guo put on an official tone to exert pressure.

The old monk Liaokong pondered for a long time, then slowly said, "Come again at midnight tonight..." After saying that, he began to strike the wooden fish with a "bang bang" sound, and then said nothing more.

The group left the main hall and went to the outside of the mountain gate.

"What could Monk Liaokong possibly have to say now, instead of making us come back tonight?" Youfu asked, puzzled.

“The actions of a master cannot be fathomed by ordinary minds. Since the master has already explained it, there must be a reason for it. We can only come back tonight,” Xu Feng said thoughtfully.

“Alright,” Master Fei instructed Mayor Guo, “Go back to the town government and immediately contact the Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau and the Buddhist Association to verify the identity of this Master Liaokong. If he is an imposter, arrest him and interrogate him immediately. He might be an accomplice of Master Jia.”

Mayor Guo nodded and said, "Okay, let's go back to town right away."

Xu Feng sneered inwardly, thinking that with the skills of the monk Liao Kong, it probably wouldn't be that easy.

The jeep bumped its way back to Fenglingdu. Xu Feng and You Liang were invited to rest in the town government meeting room, accompanied by You Fu. However, You Cai told his younger brother that they were absolutely not allowed to leave, which was essentially putting them under house arrest in the town government.

Mayor Guo called his father-in-law, Secretary Qin, and told him about the monk Liaokong from Fengling Temple, asking him to contact the provincial authorities to verify his identity.

Around noon, Secretary Qin called back. The Shanxi Buddhist Association had confirmed that Master Liaokong was indeed the newly appointed abbot of Fengling Temple, and that he did not have the usual "burned ordination scars" on his head. They also stated that Master Liaokong was an enlightened monk and asked the local authorities not to disturb his meditation as much as possible.

"Chairman Xu, the province has confirmed that this monk Liaokong is indeed a high-ranking monk. He has invited us to Fengling Temple tonight, so please be polite then," Mayor Guo said to Xu Feng, seemingly with some dissatisfaction.

Xu Feng nodded and said quietly, "Everything will be clear by midnight tonight."

That night, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and the stars twinkled. Around 10 p.m., the jeep stopped on the old course of the Yellow River, and everyone walked to Fengling Temple.

The gates of Fengling Temple were wide open, and the monotonous sound of a wooden fish drum could be faintly heard from inside.

The main hall was brightly lit by candles. The old monk Liaokong sat cross-legged on a futon, still with his back to the hall door, as if he was unwilling to show his true face to anyone.

"Master Liaokong, we have come as promised," Xufeng said, bowing.

"Go and close the mountain gate," the old monk Liaokong said without turning his head.

"What does the master mean? Why close the mountain gate? We still need to go back to town tonight." Master Fei blinked his one eye and asked, puzzled.

"Do you still want to go back?" the old monk Liaokong chuckled coldly.

“Yes, of course we’re going home,” Mayor Guo said, puzzled. “If we’ve done anything disrespectful to you…”

The old monk Liaokong calmly asked, "What time is it now?"

“Master, it is already midnight,” Xu Feng replied.

“You have disturbed my peaceful cultivation, so you must pay the price,” Liaokong said.

"I'm sorry, Master Liaokong, I'll send someone to deliver some rice and cooking oil to the temple tomorrow..." Mayor Guo said hurriedly, apologizing.

"No, the price I want is not food or other necessities," said the old monk Liaokong, shaking his neck.

"I wonder what price you require, Master. Please state it clearly." Xu Feng pulled You Liang behind him and said warily.

"Of course, I'm going to take your lives..." Before the old monk Liaokong could finish speaking, without moving his body, his bald head, which had been turned away from everyone, suddenly turned 180 degrees to face them...

A strange smile appeared on the old monk Liaokong's thin, bony face, and his neck made a series of "crackling" sounds... Then, something terrifying happened: the old monk's neck suddenly stretched out to more than two meters!

Everyone present was completely stunned...

Mayor Guo's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, his crotch already wet. Although his younger brother Youfu was a demobilized soldier who had participated in the Sino-Vietnamese War and had faced life and death before, he still could not bear the sight of this unbelievable horror. He trembled all over and could not speak.

Master Fei was, after all, a scholar who studied the supernatural and a martial arts master. At first, he was so frightened that he took a few steps back, but he quickly recovered and stood firm. He stared at the bald head on the long neck with his single eye, his heart pounding.

Youliang was completely terrified, standing there dumbfounded, his limbs completely immobile. Among the crowd, only Master Xufeng, skilled and daring, remained unmoved after a slight shock, and let out a cold laugh: "Master Liaokong, are you a high-ranking Buddhist monk or a ghost or demon? I, Xu, have truly broadened my horizons today."

The old monk laughed wildly a few times, still sitting upright on the futon. The bald head hanging on his long, milky-white neck swayed, and his two blood-red triangular eyes stared fiercely at Xu Feng. He said, "How dare you few birdmen disturb my good time, Li Di Huo? You've asked for your own death. It's getting late, prepare to die."