The sub-district official didn't understand what was going on and said with a smile, "These Daoists are from Linshui Temple. They said they want to apologize to you. You had a small misunderstanding before, right? Little Duan, I know this Director Shao and Daoist Jiang. I often go to Linshui Temple to burn incense. If there's any misunderstanding, just talk it out. Young people should be more open-minded."

"Yes, yes, Sis, I understand. I don't blame them, really." Duan Jiaze said, nodding.

Shao Wuxing said politely, "Mr. Duan, could we have a word in private?"

The sub-district official said, "It's fine, you guys chat. I'll head back to the sub-district office first, alright?"

Duan Jiaze really wanted her to stay, but the official thought he was just being polite and also didn't want to disturb the Daoists, so she left on her own.

Duan Jiaze had no intention of letting them in, so he said dryly, "Daoists, what do you want to say?"

Shao Wuxing said seriously, "Sir, there is a demon lurking in your zoo, and it's a powerful one. We hope you can cooperate with us. Otherwise, any action from such a great demon could endanger the lives of everyone in Donghai City. I know you don't believe in ghosts and gods, and this matter is indeed a bit incredible, but we can prove it to you."

"You're here to spread feudal superstition again, aren't you? Calling the police on you wasn't enough, was it?" Seeing that the sub-district official had left, Duan Jiaze spoke recklessly, "Believe it or not, I'll expose you online! Linshui Temple is a scam! No matter what tricks you use, I won't believe it! I'm also going to report you to the 610 Office. I don't think you're proper Daoists at all!"

Hearing that he wanted to report them to the 610 Office, Shao Wuxing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "We are not a cult! Linshui Temple has a lineage passed down for a thousand years and was even named one of the city's 'Top Ten Units for Jointly Building Spiritual Civilization' for the year. If we were selling dog meat under a sheep's head, would they have awarded us that title?"

Duan Jiaze: "..."

He had just been spouting nonsense, but he didn't expect this Daoist to be so eloquent and able to go along with his conversation...

Shao Wuxing held out a finger. "I can temporarily open your Heavenly Eye, then you'll be able to see demonic energy."

"Go away! Go away!" Duan Jiaze backed away. "You think I'm stupid? Are you trying to drug me? Flick some powder in my face, and I'll believe whatever you say and even tell you my bank card password."

Shao Wuxing: "..."

Jiang Wushui said, face lined with exasperation, "Little brother, you should look at your social media feed less. That's a rumor."

Duan Jiaze: "Impossible! A friend of a friend was scammed like that! Don't try to fool me!"

"..." Shao Wuxing and Jiang Wushui exchanged a glance, both a little helpless. They regretted letting the official leave first so as not to scare her. They hadn't expected someone as young as Duan Jiaze to be so stubborn and superstitious about rumors.

Jiang Wushui was a bit angered by Duan Jiaze's attitude. "Then what do you want? Tell me, how do you want me to prove it?"

Shao Wuxing added, "We absolutely won't charge a single cent! You can rest assured!"

Duan Jiaze: "That's what all scammers say. Some scammers even give you eggs first, just to lull you into a false sense of security..."

Shao Wuxing, Jiang Wushui: "..."

They both thought, 'Unbelievable, now you decide to be sharp?'

At this moment, Luo Wuzhou, who had been silent all along, suddenly said with a sharp gaze, "Senior Brothers, I believe this person has been bewitched by a demon. We should stop wasting our breath on him. I'll take him directly to the temple and set up an altar to perform a ritual. Then he will know the truth!"

Luo Wuzhou had actually seen through part of Duan Jiaze's act, feeling that he was pretending to be stupid. As he spoke, he lunged directly at Duan Jiaze.

Terrified, Duan Jiaze turned and ran. Passing the ticket booth, he swung a leg over the railing of the visitor passageway and shouted to the peeking Xu Wen, "Call the police!"

Luo Wuzhou seemed to have practiced martial arts. Without even a running start, he vaulted over the railing from a standstill and ran exceptionally fast. Duan Jiaze glanced back as he ran, and seeing him getting closer and closer, he couldn't help but shout, "Brother Lu!"

He absolutely did not want to be dragged back to watch some ritual.

Luya sensed Duan Jiaze's call and, as expected, emerged from a nearby exhibit hall. It wasn't the aviary at all, but he remembered not to expose himself in front of mortals, so he had moved to the nearest exhibit hall to come out.

Duan Jiaze grabbed Luya's arm, made a sharp turn to get behind him, and hid, saying, "This Daoist is trying to harm me! Bro, get rid of him!"

Hearing himself being slandered again, Luo Wuzhou grew even angrier. Seeing that Luya looked like a normal person and was Duan Jiaze's older brother (he wasn't), he said, "Sir, your younger brother doesn't believe it, but this zoo really does have a demon. I can prove it to you!"

As he spoke, he tried to open Luya's Heavenly Eye.

Luya flung him away with one hand and directly summoned his magical implements—a saber in one hand and a sword in the other, both emitting a faint, cold glint. Watching from behind, Duan Jiaze couldn't help but clutch his clothes tighter. "What are you doing?!"

'Won't this expose you?'

'Besides, you can't just attack people!'

But Luya raised his left hand, aiming the Man-Saving Sword straight at Luo Wuzhou's spiritual altar. The tip of the sword was only an inch from his forehead, and the sword's aura shot straight into Luo Wuzhou's spiritual altar...

Duan Jiaze almost screamed!

However, in the next moment, he discovered that there was no splash of blood. After the sword's aura entered Luo Wuzhou's spiritual altar, it left no wound. Instead, a dazed look appeared in the young Daoist's eyes, and he stood frozen on the spot.

At this point, Shao Wuxing and Jiang Wushui had also caught up. They looked at Luya's magical implements with alarm and uncertainty, then went to help Luo Wuzhou.

Luo Wuzhou, however, closed his eyes, sat down cross-legged, and entered a state of meditative concentration on the spot.

Duan Jiaze didn't understand. He thought, 'You didn't even get a scratch, and you're sitting down to heal? Are you trying to pull an insurance scam?'

Shao Wuxing looked at Luya with reverence, so incoherent that he knelt down directly. "Se-Senior..."

Having proven his identity, Luya withdrew his magical implements and said with a wave of his hand, "Leave. There's nothing for you to do here."

After speaking, Luya turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Duan Jiaze had wanted to stay and make sure they left, but he was afraid of weakening his imposing air, so he ran after Luya——

Duan Jiaze scurried to the surveillance room to check the monitors. He saw that the Daoists had indeed left; the young Daoist was still in meditation and was carried away by his two senior brothers.

Duan Jiaze couldn't help but ask, "Daoist Lord, what trick did you just pull?"

Luya said smugly, "I didn't hurt anyone just now. I used a little Buddhist trick to make them think I am a lay Buddhist practitioner. Naturally, they won't feel it's appropriate to bother me again."

Duan Jiaze nearly choked. "Hahahahaha, nice, that was well played. This way, even if they detect demonic energy here, they'll just think you're here subduing demons and monsters and persuading them to be good. Since you're not of the same path, all communication will be avoided."

'Luya really knows how to play things,' Duan Jiaze thought, then asked, "I didn't expect you to be so multi-talented, bro. Are you sure you can fool all of them? Their temple has many other Daoists, and the abbot hasn't even shown up. That guy just now seemed to be only an office director."

"It should be fine. I hung around in Buddhist circles for a while in my early years." Luya sounded a bit uncertain, but seeing Duan Jiaze's expression, he said unhappily, "What are you doubting?"

"Nothing, just asking. Of course I believe you." Duan Jiaze gave a thumbs-up.

He was just having some reasonable doubts. After all, this wasn't Luya's main field. Who knew if he could pull off the act flawlessly, especially since it was something he learned in his early years... But he couldn't say that in front of Luya.

......

Linshui Temple.

Zhou Xintang looked at Luo Wuzhou, who was still in meditation, and could barely maintain his Daoist composure. No matter how he tried, he couldn't awaken Luo Wuzhou from his meditative state.

Generally speaking, entering meditation isn't a bad thing. In today's restless society, it's difficult for ordinary people to enter a meditative state. Zhou Xintang himself usually only meditated for a day or half a day. But now, Luo Wuzhou had been in meditation for the better part of a day.

This had already surpassed Luo Wuzhou's previous record. He still hadn't woken up yet, and there was no telling how long he would remain in meditation. This seemed like a good thing, but the problem was the way Luo Wuzhou had entered meditation—he had been prodded into it by the sword aura of Luya's Man-Saving Sword!

Zhou Xintang turned and asked urgently, "Are you both certain?"

Jiang Wushui was sweating profusely. "This disciple didn't dare believe it at first either, but that aura, that form... it truly seemed to be the Man-Saving Sword given shape! And look at Junior Brother..."

Shao Wuxing also nodded in agreement, saying blankly, "Director, what should we do?"

His and Jiang Wushui's worldviews had been completely overturned.

What were the Man-Slaying Saber and the Man-Saving Sword? It was originally a Buddhist metaphor. The Man-Saving Sword refers to the wisdom that can awaken the spirituality in a person's heart, usually used to describe a master enlightening or guiding their juniors. The Man-Slaying Saber is its opposite.

But today, the lay practitioner they met had actually refined formless wisdom into a real saber and sword that could harm people. What level of cultivation was this?!

No one in the present age could do it, let alone anyone from the past several thousand years.

People today speculate based on records that the spiritual energy in the human world has been dissipating ever since the Qin and Han dynasties. By now, perhaps not even ten or twenty percent remains. Various cultivation techniques have also been lost over time. Therefore, it is difficult to see anyone ascend in this day and age.

But, if this lay Buddhist could transform wisdom into tangible blades, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this was an existence capable of achieving Buddhahood on the spot, right?

This fact was like a clap of thunder, leaving the Daoists of Linshui Temple at a complete loss.

Never mind the soaring demonic energy—that was no longer an issue at all!

Besides the existence of that Buddhist Senior, they had another, very thorny issue before them.

That Buddhist Senior had tapped Luo Wuzhou's forehead with his magical implement, unleashing its fundamental power to prove his identity.

This action could be simply translated as: He had injected a piece of wisdom into Luo Wuzhou's spiritual altar.

—Damn it all! Their Temple Master Zhou's only disciple, a once-in-a-century Daoist genius, the designated future director, had been enlightened by a lay Buddhist whose cultivation was unfathomably profound!