Chapter 63: Thousand-Armed Buddha Eye

Uncle Yong’s promotions were always subtle and imperceptible, never of the loud and boastful kind where someone declares, "I’ve got your back, and I’ll handle whatever trouble comes your way."

The last time he showed up at the night market stall to share a table with us, and this time when he introduced me first to these old men who called him "Old Five," saying he wanted to take me as his foster son—the nature of these gestures was the exact same. They seemed like casual, offhand actions and remarks that didn't immediately grant me any tangible benefits, but when accumulated, these things would undoubtedly play a crucial role at specific moments.

Therefore, the moment Uncle Yong finished introducing me, I half-bowed, stepped forward, and shook hands with the old men one by one. "Uncles and elders, just call me A-Cheng," I said. "I hope you will all guide and advise me in the future."

The old men were all very composed. Not everyone possessed a deep level of cunning, but anyone who could reach this age and still hang out with Uncle Yong was definitely not simple by any means. It was utterly impossible for them to reveal their emotions in front of a group of outsiders.

Only one old man chuckled and said, "Old Five, is there really not a single young man among our clan and village who catches your eye? How is it that the monk from afar chants the scriptures better?"

His words carried a question, yet they were delivered as lightly and breezily as a joke, ensuring that no one would feel uncomfortable.

Before Uncle Yong could reply, another old man, dressed almost identically to him, spoke up. "Old Nine, Fifth Brother’s eye for people is far more accurate than yours or mine. As for him choosing a child from the outside to groom, he naturally has his own plan, so there's no need for us to worry. I think this A-Cheng is quite good, especially his physiognomy. I can faintly sense a rather unusual aura from him."

His remark caused the other three old men to emit sounds of surprise, and they instinctively turned to look at my face, making my thick-skinned face flush slightly.

That same Old Nine immediately pressed further. "Old Seventh, what's so unusual about it? Why don't you spell it out clearly? You know I love listening to you talk about these mystical and occult things."

They all addressed each other by seniority numbers, which left me somewhat confused.

However, I forced myself to remember their physical traits and their rankings so that I could greet them properly next time and avoid mixing up their names.

When the others pressed Old Seventh, he decided to play hard to get instead. "I’m just a half-baked amateur and can't see things very clearly; I only have a vague hunch. When things aren't certain, one shouldn't speak recklessly. Taoism emphasizes that words carry genuine consequences; it wouldn't matter if I talked nonsense once, but what if a certain word wasn't said right and affected A-Cheng's fortune? That wouldn't be good either, would you say so, Fifth Brother?"

Uncle Yong smiled faintly and said, "Old Seventh, don't test me. I might as well tell you, this kid is an insider—at least half a foot has already stepped across the threshold. You would never guess who the guide was that brought this child across the threshold. If you can guess it, I’ll find a way to get you the official document for the plot of land your child has set their sights on."

Old Seventh looked surprised. "Oh? A young man who has crossed the threshold? Interesting. A-Cheng, shall we trade some jargon and test our knowledge?"

I smiled awkwardly, not daring to speak at random.

Uncle Yong pointed at Old Seventh and said, "Don't give the boy a hard time. I'm telling you to guess, not to interrogate him. If you ask him what sect or school he belongs to, is he supposed to answer you honestly or keep it a secret from you?"

At this moment, everyone fell silent, including the remaining old men. When Uncle Yong used the official land approval document as a stake, this was no longer a casual chat; it was merely the appetizer before a sparring match between martial arts masters.

Old Seventh walked around me in a circle and finally said, "A-Cheng, let Seventh Uncle read your bone structure. How about that?"

I looked toward Uncle Yong, acting like an obedient and well-behaved child.

Seeing Uncle Yong nod, I extended my hand. Old Seventh grabbed my left hand, starting from the thumb, and began to pinch every joint of my hand with his own thumb and forefinger. He felt it with extreme care, going finger by finger, and finally pressed his thumb firmly against the palm of my hand, rubbing it. After this process lasted for about five minutes, his brow furrowed. "Have you encountered something unclean in the past couple of days?"

Huh?

Not only was I bewildered, but the entire group was also somewhat confused, because the conversational topic had taken a rather drastic leap just now.

From traditional martial arts to sparring, to seniority and insiders, and now suddenly to something "unclean."

However, what on earth did this "unclean thing" refer to?

Seeing that I didn't reply, the bald Old Nine chimed in. "Don't be nervous. This Seventh Uncle of yours didn't lose his virginity until he was thirty. Before thirty, he served as a spirit medium in a temple, a boy-body personally appointed by the mountain god. He possesses spiritual merit and Taoist cultivation, and he's asking you whether you bumped into evil spirits or encountered any wicked matters over the past couple of days."

Subconsciously, my mind flashed back to the eerie experience I had earlier this evening inside Lai Dingwen's Zhiyi Hall.

To be honest, even when Wu大海 said he sensed an unusual aura, I had merely dismissed that experience as Lai Dingwen playing psychological tricks and putting on a show to frighten me. As for the reason, I interpreted it as a deliberate fabrication intended as a warning to me. But right now, Old Seventh's words instantly plunged me into a deep state of self-doubt.

He definitely hadn't colluded with Lai Dingwen, yet he could perceive this matter. Could that strange Buddha statue truly possess something supernatural?

At this moment, Uncle Yong also spoke up. "A-Cheng, say whatever is on your mind. Seventh Uncle is not an outsider. By the way, Old Seventh, is the situation quite serious?"

Old Seventh nodded. "It's not simple. That malevolent aura actually dared to push back against my presence."

Uncle Yong frowned. "A-Cheng, go ahead."

"Uncle Yong, uncles and elders, this matter concerns an insider. I received a favor from that Old Hai, and if I were to reveal this matter, it would be equivalent to smashing his signboard. Therefore, it really isn't convenient to talk about it in this setting. Seventh Uncle, could we step aside and speak privately?" I asked with a hint of plea.

Saying this naturally stemmed from my own concerns. To speak of the evening's experience meant I had to mention Lai Dingwen's Zhiyi Hall. With so many people around, gossip was inevitable, and if the secret leaked, wouldn't I be ruining someone else's livelihood?

The bald Old Nine sneered. "What you just said is somewhat unappreciative of favors."

However, Old Seventh directly reached out to stop him. "To still care about an insider's reputation under these circumstances is not being unappreciative; rather, it shows a mature understanding of the bigger picture. No wonder Fifth Brother is grooming you like this. Come along, let's talk over there. Rest assured, I will never leak matters concerning outsiders—Fifth Brother can vouch for my character."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," I quickly shook my head.

Old Seventh walked off to the side, and Uncle Yong followed as well, his concern clearly visible. In front of the two of them, I naturally had no reservations, so I recounted my visit to Lai Dingwen, specifically detailing the incident with the Buddha statue at the very end.

"A Thousand-Hand Buddha Eye? From what you describe, it doesn't sound like something from the Central Plains; nine times out of ten, it's an evil artifact forged by Tantric Buddhism or some heterodox wicked sect. For a malevolent entity to borrow the form of a Buddha—if it's not a ritual implement, it must be a great demon. Yet it ended up weeping blood from both eyes because of a single kneel from you? It couldn't bear your kowtow? A-Cheng, your destiny and birth characters appear to be extraordinary. Did you have ancestors in your family who practiced the occult arts?" Old Seventh asked.

"I've never heard of such a thing. Most likely not," I shook my head.

"How strange. Fifth Brother, I can roughly guess who led him across the threshold, but those two characters carry too much weight, so I'd rather not say them lightly. This matter is a bit troublesome. Open the doors of the ancestral hall," Old Seventh said.