In the tunnels deep beneath the Mountain Purification Temple, the unceasing chant of sutras echoed across the barren stone walls. The scent of incense wafted through the stale air. The deeper one delved, the stronger the fragrance grew, soon bordering on the unbearable.


    Chun De navigated her way through the tunnels with a lit torch in hand. At the end of the path she saw the dim glow of lanterns seeping through the cracks and windows of a crude wooden structure. She unlocked the heavy doors with a rusty key and stepped inside.


    On the other end of the vast single room hall, the wall was lined with shrines, incense burners, scriptures, and the bronze statues of saints, bodhisattvas, and Buddha. Before them, the hulking figure of a man in a monk''s robes sat on the bare wooden floor, his bald head anxiously bobbing up and down in a steady rhythm as he continued with his prayers. In his heavy hands he tightly gripped his prayer beads as though he was holding on for dear life.


    Unfastened iron shackles were scattered around the floor.


    Chun De smiled at the sight of him, and made her way over to kneel in the middle of the room. Even when she stood tall, the man''s seated figure towered over her diminutive self.


    "Master." She greeted.


    The monk''s frantic chanting slowly ceased. When the echoes faded, he intoned, "Chun De. Did you win the tournament?"


    "Yes, master!" She eagerly exclaimed.


    "Wonderful!" The man sputtered. In his excitement, his hefty fingers tightened their grip on his prayer beads. He threatened to crush them in his grasp. His grasp loosened and tightened again, coming and going like waves on the shore. His chest heaved, his shoulders waned, his body tensed and convulsed. The monk doubled over, but he kept hissing praises through gritted teeth. "You have done so well!"


    Chun De observed him with a proud smile. When the Sleeping Asura had calmed, she spoke again.


    "I''ve also made a friend. His name is Bai Guo."


    Her master breathed out unsteadily in acknowledgement, his painful joy slowly building up once more. "Tell me about him."


    She regaled the tale of their fateful meeting during the examinations, and the many events that followed. Her story was the first time the man was made aware of the night''s battle against the Kunlun Sect. The master listened, his massive body twitching every once in a while.


    "Master, I would like you to meet him." Chun De said.


    Her suggestion made the man freeze. He contemplated her words for a long time.


    "You should ask the abbot." He said.


    "But master..." Chun De whined.


    "I won''t meet anyone without the abbot''s permission." Ji Yan cut her protests short.


    He began to chant the sutras again, but only in quiet whispers. He kept his voice low as if out of the polite consideration to let the girl remain easily audible should she choose to speak.


    Chun De meekly spoke again, "But you would like to meet him, right? You wouldn''t mind, right?"


    His broad shoulders rose. His voice boomed like a thunderclap. "Chun De! What did I just say?"


    The monk''s ire flew by like a spark.


    "Even if he''s like you say, it can''t be done..." He muttered. "It shouldn''t be done... Not without the abbot''s permission..."


    Chun De was on the verge of tears. She briskly tapped her forehead against the floor and took her leave.


    When she left, the chanting again picked up in volume. The monk''s voice soon filled the empty tunnels.


    ...


    The next morning, Bai Guo and the Golden Witch met again. They spoke in hushed whispers.


    "I took a walk around the temple grounds," She explained, "But I hadn''t sensed anyone that might fit your description."


    "That means he''s hidden somewhere." Bai Guo said. "The rumors say that the monks have a demon in their basement, but that must be lower down than one would expect. Or maybe he''s not on temple grounds at all, and a rumor is all it is..."


    "What should we do?" The woman asked.


    Bai Guo thought about it for a while. "I don''t think we''ll be able to find him unless the abbot agrees to the meeting."


    "Do you think we could convince him?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know, master..." Bai Guo shook his head. "I already failed to persuade him once, and if I keep insisting on it, he might take offense. And to tell you the truth, master, I don''t wish to offend these people after everything they''ve done for me. Maybe if, after a few days, we still don''t have an opportunity to meet this man, we''d be better off letting the matter rest and just taking our leave."


    "It sounds to me like you''ve given up already." The Golden Witch said. "Why did you bring it up to me in the first place if you were going to act like this? You knew I''d be interested."


    Bai Guo sighed. He couldn''t deny that. The desire to please his master and the debt of gratitude to his rescuers waged a fierce war within him.


    "I''ll see what I can do." He resigned. "Just please don''t do anything rash."


    With the matter settled for the time being, Bai Guo continued to practice the breathing method under his master''s watchful eye. But on the second day of their stay at the temple, the young man insisted that he go help the monks with their daily duties. The Golden Witch reluctantly let him have his way.


    She continued to explore the temple while the disciple was gone. She came across a dusty storage room full of colorful costumes and ornate masks. Her curiosity had been briefly piqued, but her attention hadn''t lingered on the outfits for long. Though the objects and their purpose made for a curious little mystery, they were not what she was looking for. She continued her wanderings.


    As she stared at the frozen pond out in temple courtyard, she was approached by the old abbot Qing Duyi.


    "I couldn''t help but notice that you have been turning down our meals." The elder regarded her with a kind smile. "I understand a meatless diet may not be to everyone''s liking, but it reflects badly on us to let an esteemed guest go hungry."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I don''t need to eat often." She replied. "Spare the matter no thought."


    "I see." The old man chuckled. "I''m still quite far from that level. So despite the differences in our age, it could very well be the case that the likes of me should be addressing you as a senior."


    A sudden thought seemed to spring to his mind.


    "Actually, what you said doesn''t quite match some of the things I''ve heard." He noted. "One of our benefactors had no end of harsh phrases to fling your way for stealing meals from his restaurant."


    The Golden Witch smiled slightly. "Those were not meant for me. During the past month, my disciple was immersed in practice and had no time to spare on such trifling matters, so I had to take care of his needs."


    The abbot laughed. "You certainly went about it in a unique fashion!"


    Qing Duyi crossed his hands behind his back. "But I''m a little curious. Did the young man assent to what you were doing?"


    "I made sure he had no time to complain about it." She said, her smirk growing larger.


    The abbot seemed to derive some kind of meaning from her words; he pondered them in silence. The Golden Witch took notice of the mild peculiarity of his reaction.


    "You know," The monk began, "You and your disciple appear to be quite close. So much so that it''s apparent with just a passing glance. You seem so used to one another that you might not even realize just how you appear to outsiders. It is my personal impression that you might have very well have gone beyond the conventions afforded by a master and disciple relationship. And I think others might assume so too."


    The Golden Witch glanced at him. Her gaze grew cold. "What are you trying to say?"


    Qing Duyi shook his head. "You may have heard that, during my tenure, I have gone about certain matters rather unconventionally."


    "Like that female monk you have running around?"


    His smile widened. "Exactly! So do understand that I''m not a stickler for traditions. To be frank, your closeness warms my heart."


    The woman''s hostility waned a bit. She looked away.


    The old man continued. "However, you must understand that most people will be far less inclined to think the same way. It''s why I can only help Chun De while putting up this silly pretense."


    "I don''t care what they think."


    "I can see that. But what about that disciple of yours? Do you think he also doesn''t care?" He asked.


    The Golden Witch dismissively brushed a hand through her long hair. "Don''t presume to speak of my disciple like you know him better than me."


    "Well, let me tell you my impressions of the young man, and do correct me if I''m wrong. He is forthright in his convictions, stubborn in the pursuit of justice, and possesses a strong sense of propriety." Qing Duyi paused to give her a chance to interrupt. Because she remained silent, he continued. "So I''m just wondering, how could it be that a young man with such a personality doesn''t have a care for how he is perceived?"


    "Perhaps his propriety is more than just something to be paraded before others." The Golden Witch suggested, a hint of anger in her voice.


    "Or perhaps he feels compelled to act against his nature."


    "What are you trying to say?" When the Golden Witch glared at him again, she found him still wearing that polite smile. "I''ve never forced him to do anything against his will."


    The two stared each other down. The old monk''s inquisitive eyes bore deeply into hers.


    Qing Duyi was the first to cast aside his gaze.


    "Well, that''s good to hear!" The abbot sighed. "I was a little worried for the young man there. But really, it wouldn''t be any business of mine even if it were true, right? Do forgive this old man if you feel that I''ve overstepped. An old habit of mine, prying where I''m not needed..."


    She seemed surprised by how quickly the old man conceded the matter. Though assailed by inexplicable frustration, she had no desire to continue this conversation.


    The matter was silently dropped.


    Qing Duyi looked over the snowed over courtyard. He sighed again, as if suddenly moved by the sights. "Beautiful place, wouldn''t you agree? I understand that life here at the monastery can seem rather boring for the uninitiated, so I''m glad you''ve found a good way to pass the time. You''re welcome to continue exploring our beautiful temple at your leisure. I only ask that you not disturb any of our brothers as they go about their tasks."


    The abbot turned away, taking his leave.


    A sudden realization washed over the Golden Witch like an unpleasant premonition. The point of their conversation had dawned on her.


    The abbot was just letting her know that not only was he aware of what she was up to with all this wandering, but he even realized that she might have had Bai Guo acting on her behalf. It was almost like a challenge, a provocation.


    She glanced at the old man''s hunched back.


    "You know, I''ve heard another story about those unconventional approaches of yours." She said, her temper flaring. "The Sleeping Asura."


    Qing Duyi stopped.


    "I''ve been wondering." She continued. "How did someone so unremarkable manage to subdue a man with such a fearsome reputation? Is his fame perhaps undeserved?"


    The old man turned his head, chuckling. "Subdue him? I have done no such thing. I don''t know whose account you had heard, but what I''ve done should not be described with such bold words. The truth is, Brother Yan came to me of his own accord. The man was eager to find salvation. Anyone could have done what I did. And someone of more talent could have done much better."


    His eyes suddenly turned stern, his smile disappearing. "And young lady, would it be too much to ask that you not refer to him by that moniker? To call him the Sleeping Asura is to suggest that the Asura might one day awaken. It makes a mockery of the man''s efforts. It is unsightly behavior."


    The Golden Witch remained silent. Qing Duyi left her alone by the pond.


    ...