Chapter Eighty-One: Before the Temple of Transformation

The giant golden-eyed eagle swept its massive wings, stirring up a powerful wind as it slowly landed on the official road outside Linqing Prefecture. Jiang Yan and Tang Wan leapt from the eagle’s back, and at Jiang Yan’s command, the eagle took flight once more, returning toward Mount Hua.

Tang Wan’s delicate face was alight with joy, her eyes wide and sparkling as she gazed at the towering city walls of Linqing Prefecture in the distance, amazement flickering in her beautiful eyes. The walls were imposing, much grander than those of Qingyang Town, or the Dongping defense outside Qingyang, or Hexie County. It was no wonder that Tang Wan, who had never before left the courtyard, was so taken aback.

It was now dusk. If they did not hurry into the city, the gates would soon close, and they would be forced to detour to the gate near Jin Yan Sect on the west side. Jiang Yan reminded Tang Wan of this, and, leading the way, headed toward the city.

The two of them entered Linqing Prefecture, one after the other. Just as they passed through the city gate, twilight fell, and the rune-lit lampposts lining the streets flickered to life in unison as they stepped from the gate.

A moment earlier, the streets of Linqing Prefecture had been shrouded in darkness beneath the night sky; now, in an instant, they were awash in light.

At the gate’s threshold, the first lanterns of night glowed against the silence; only Jiang Yan and his junior sister stood quietly at the end of the street, watching the sudden radiance fill the avenue—a world unto themselves.

“How beautiful, Senior Brother,” Tang Wan breathed, her eyes gleaming with wonder, fascination sparkling like black stars within them.

“Where shall we spend the night?” Jiang Yan was silently pondering, not hearing Tang Wan’s words at all.

The hunt for demons would not begin until tomorrow. Jiang Yan had expected to arrive in Linqing Prefecture the next day and head straight for Huasheng Monastery to join the hunt. What he hadn’t accounted for was the speed of the golden-eyed eagle after its advancement; it had covered the distance from Mount Hua to Linqing Prefecture in a single day, much faster than Jiang Yan’s estimate of a day and a night. Now, he would need to find lodging at Huasheng Monastery again.

Jiang Yan and Tang Wan walked through the bustling marketplace district of Linqing Prefecture, arriving at the gates of Huasheng Monastery.

Tonight, however, Huasheng Monastery was unusually lively.

Where once the entrance to the monastery was peaceful, rune-lit lampposts now shone at the gates, and the plaque above the entrance glowed with a gentle golden light, the three characters for "Huasheng Monastery" emanating a soft radiance against the night.

On the plaza before the monastery, numerous tents had been pitched—so many that they spilled onto the wide street, occupying half of it. Groups of sword-bearing cultivators sat before their tents, talking loudly about the demon hunt the next day, but more often voicing their complaints about Huasheng Monastery.

“I say, Boss, why can’t Huasheng Monastery open a few meditation rooms for Cold Moon Mountain? We’re a first-tier sect, too, you know!”

“Master, why are those bald monks at Huasheng Monastery so stingy? Don’t they have plenty of rooms? If we took a few, surely they wouldn’t say a word…”

Jiang Yan was puzzled. Wasn’t the entrance to the demon-hunting grounds supposed to be at Jin Yan Sect? Why was Huasheng Monastery so busy tonight, with so many first-tier sects camping outside? Despite his curiosity, he strode straight toward the monastery gates, Tang Wan following half a step behind, close at his heels.

“Amitabha, benefactors, please halt,” intoned two monks wielding long spears, blocking Jiang Yan as he stepped onto the stairs of the monastery.

“Our abbot has instructed that all cultivators participating in the hunt are to lodge outside the gates tonight and enter the monastery tomorrow. Please rest outside,” the stern-faced, dark-skinned monk on the left stated evenly, bathed in the yellow glow from the plaque above the entrance.

Jiang Yan did not stop, but continued up the steps, clasped his hands in greeting, and smiled. “Masters, would you kindly announce my visit? Tell them that Jiang Yan of Mount Hua seeks an audience with…”

But as he began to say whom he wished to see, Jiang Yan found himself at a loss. The little novice was indeed a monk of Huasheng Monastery, and with his cultivation, he must hold a high position here. If the little novice came out, surely, given their comradery in battle that night, finding a room to stay would not be a problem. The trouble was…

What was the little novice’s Dharma name?

Seeing Jiang Yan suddenly freeze, the dark-faced monk kindly prompted, “Benefactor, may I ask which elder you wish to see?”

Jiang Yan’s handsome face stiffened; after a moment’s composure, he replied, “Master, is there perhaps a highly accomplished little novice at your monastery?”

The monk was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a question. The fat monk beside him suddenly brandished his long spear, the gleaming tip pointed at Jiang Yan, and shouted, “Boy, are you here to make trouble? There are plenty of empty tents below—find one to sleep in and come back tomorrow.”

Loud laughter erupted from the bored cultivators gathered behind Jiang Yan.

“Hey, kid, come join us in the tents—getting into Huasheng Monastery isn’t so easy!”

“Handsome boy, come back down; you’re making a fool of yourself up there. Plenty want to stay inside, but Huasheng Monastery isn’t a place you can enter just because you wish.”

“Kid, have a three-hundred-round bout with the fat monk—they’ll let you in then…”

Tang Wan’s fair face paled; she edged closer behind Jiang Yan and whispered softly, “Senior Brother, let’s just stay outside.”

The fat monk shook his spear, yellow afterimages trailing from the tip as he barked, “Hey, boy, get down here at once! If not, don’t blame this monk for showing no mercy!”

Jiang Yan’s face darkened. So it was true what they said: the King of Hell is easy to meet, but the little devils are hard to deal with. He knew that meeting the little novice would get him into the monastery, but not knowing the Dharma name meant he couldn’t even have the monks announce him.

Berated by the fat monk at the gate, mocked by the gathered cultivators, and hearing Tang Wan’s faintly aggrieved voice behind him, a surge of pride suddenly rose in Jiang Yan’s chest. If he couldn’t even get through this door, how could he hope to survive the demon hunt?

“Jiang Yan of Mount Hua requests to see the little novice of Huasheng Monastery!” Jiang Yan gathered his spiritual power, infusing it into his voice, and called out loudly at the gates. Since he didn’t know the Dharma name, he would simply call out at the entrance.

His voice, imbued with spiritual power, thundered over the noise at the gate and rolled far into the distance.

Silence—utter, complete silence descended. As Jiang Yan’s voice echoed through the air, the cultivators who had been speaking loudly all fell silent, staring in astonishment at the two youths in blue standing upon the steps, unable to believe they dared shout so boldly at the gates of Huasheng Monastery.

“...Little novice…” Jiang Yan’s words echoed above the monastery.

The dark-faced monk’s expression turned stormy, his face growing even darker as he replied harshly, “Mind yourself, benefactor. Huasheng Monastery is not a place for wild antics.”

“Hey!” The fat monk’s angry shout was thick with rage, his plump face trembling with fury. As he roared, his jowls quivered as if about to fall off.

“Boy, how dare you make a scene at the gates of Huasheng Monastery—leave at once, or face my spear!” The fat monk struck an imposing pose and shouted at Jiang Yan.

…

“Boy, get down from there—this is no place for your nonsense,” called a righteous-looking cultivator from the bottom of the steps.

“Hey, kid, have a three-hundred-round match with the monk—see if he lets you in then…”

“Boy, shouting for the little novice? If he doesn’t come out, you’ll be eating humble pie!”

“Tch, just get down. If you can’t even handle the two senior monks at the gate, how do you expect to see the little novice…”

“How overconfident…”

…

“Hey, boy, get down at once!” the fat monk shouted, his spear’s tip trembling, tracing yellow afterimages in the air, spiritual power gathered at the weapon’s point—ready to strike with overwhelming force at any moment.

“How overconfident…” Many of the cultivators at the gate watched with schadenfreude as Jiang Yan made a spectacle of himself.

“Senior Brother, let’s go,” Tang Wan said quietly behind him, her tone calm.

To Tang Wan, Mount Hua was a minor sect; only since her senior brother became sect master had things begun to look up. But this was different—they stood outside Huasheng Monastery, where even the leaders of many first-tier sects were camping in tents. Mount Hua was only a second-tier sect, and not long ago had been a mere vassal. If the first-tier sects were barred from the monastery, how could her senior brother hope to gain entry?

“Hey, boy, take my spear!” the fat monk shouted, his face quivering as he thrust the weapon, now wrapped in bright yellow light, toward Jiang Yan. The fat monk’s fiery temper had finally erupted in genuine anger.

“Swish… swish… swish…” The spear sliced through the air, producing a series of sharp, piercing sounds.

The faces of the cultivators below turned grim: even a gatekeeper at Huasheng Monastery possessed such power! With a casual spear, he could deliver five thrusts in the blink of an eye. To achieve five strikes per breath required at least third-level Qi Refinement—a level considered core strength in many sects. For a mere gatekeeper to be so powerful!

“Those two young men in blue are in serious trouble…” Regret welled in the hearts of the cultivators from Linqing Prefecture watching from below.

“My junior is too rash—those two are in for a hard time now,” thought the dark-faced monk, surprised.

“Jingnian, stay your hand!” A voice, old yet commanding, suddenly rang out from within Huasheng Monastery.

PS: I’ve seen a few book reviews full of righteous anger. If you have recommendation votes, toss them this way and help me lower my anger bar…