Wu Xin: The Monster Killer

Chapter 49 Cave within a Cave

There are countless scenic spots in the world called Thousand Buddha Caves, but Wu Xin, who had lived in Zhili for decades, had never heard of a Thousand Buddha Cave in Qingyun Mountain. In his memory, Qingyun Mountain was originally just a barren mountain, and now, apart from Qingyun Temple, there were no other buildings or houses on it. The mountains here were rolling hills, mostly not steep or magnificent, and the local produce consisted only of wild vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms, which was really not attractive enough to make people want to settle down.

The car sped along the straight dirt road. Because it hadn't snowed for several days, the road was easy to travel on. In just a few hours, the group entered the territory of Qingyun Mountain. Chuchenzi and Wuxin got out of the car and changed into sedan chairs outside the mountain gate. By the time they arrived at the temple, it was only afternoon.

Wuxin moved into Chuchenzi's courtyard, vaguely sensing something was amiss. He wanted to ask Chuchenzi about the situation inside the Thousand Buddha Cave in detail. However, Chuchenzi had closed the door, making it dark and gloomy. Although Wuxin couldn't see him, he could hear him bustling about—the room creaked and groaned, clearly indicating he was constantly moving heavy chests and boxes.

After dark, and even after dinner, Chuchenzi finally had some free time, and was immediately seized by Wuxin. The two sat on the large mahogany couch, and Wuxin, holding a cup of hot tea, said, "Daoist Master, since you invited me here, you should be frank with me. I want to know why your late master, as an accomplished Daoist, hid such an important secret manual in the Thousand Buddha Cave? Wasn't the manual specifically meant for you?"

Chuchenzi had just drunk a large bowl of hot soup, his face and head covered in sweat. He tilted his head back and shook his long, black hair, then gently wiped his forehead with a snow-white handkerchief, while quickly glancing at Wuxin: "Because... my late master passed away in the Thousand Buddha Cave."

Unaware that Chuchenzi was about to start beating around the bush again, Wuxin grew impatient: "Isn't there a good place in this vast Qingyun Mountain? Why does an old Taoist have to die in the Thousand Buddha Cave? I've never heard of a Thousand Buddha Cave in Qingyun Mountain. If you had said earlier that we were going to go into a cave, I might not have come with you." Then he slammed his hand on the table beside him: "Tell me the truth, what's in the Thousand Buddha Cave? Why are you afraid to go in alone and insist on having me as your helper?"

Seeing that he was throwing a tantrum, Chuchenzi couldn't help but roll his eyes as well: "I don't know! My master only told me that if my cultivation was not enough, I should never rashly enter the cave. Only by having the ability to come out of the cave unscathed can I understand the secrets in the manual."

Wuxin turned and stared at him: "You still haven't answered what's in the cave!"

Chuchenzi, accustomed to his usual haughty demeanor, was eager to hurl insults at Wuxin upon seeing his unpleasant expression: "How the hell should I know? I only peeked inside from the entrance! Thousand Buddha Cave, Thousand Buddha Cave, of course there are Buddhas inside!"

Wu Xin continued staring at him: "You don't believe your disciples and their descendants, but you believe me?"

With an air of nonchalance, he raised a hand to smooth his hair: "Nonsense! How would I know how my late master ascended to immortality? He entered the cave alive and never came out. If anything were to happen to him, how could I maintain the image of our ancestor in front of my disciples and grand-disciples?"

Wu Xin nodded in sudden realization, understanding dawning on him. Chu Chenzi's master was probably dead and his fate unclear. If the cave held any unspeakable secrets, their exposure would be detrimental to both Chu Chenzi and Qingyun Temple. Moreover, the temple was mostly populated by cultivators; their arduous practice was one thing, but if they stumbled upon methods of advancement, it could easily lead to trouble.

"What does the secret manual look like?" Wuxin softened his tone and decided to make peace with Chuchenzi.

Chuchenzi sensed his goodwill and softened his tone accordingly. He gestured with his hand to indicate the size of a small booklet and replied softly, "When I last saw the manual, my master hadn't even started writing it yet; he had only prepared a copy."

After thinking for a moment, Wuxin asked, "Is there any mark on the cover of the manual?"

Chuchenzi held up two fingers to him: "There are two big characters on it."

"What?"

Chuchenzi answered seriously, "A secret manual!"

Wu Xin immediately said "Oh," adding, "Your late teacher was truly frank."

Although Chu Chenzi spoke with lingering doubts and seemed uneasy, Wuxin roughly understood the cause and effect. The next morning, he and Chu Chenzi got up. Wearing the grey squirrel fur coat that Master Gu had discarded, he silently began eating breakfast. Chu Chenzi, however, was thoughtful, having prepared a rain sack containing biscuits, candies, a lantern, and a water bottle. He tied his long hair into a large ponytail with a black ribbon, and in front of Wuxin, he rummaged through a box under the bed and pulled out pistol bullets.

He didn't drink water, but instead stuffed himself with rice and steamed buns. Chuchenzi asked him, "Do you want a gun?"

Wu Xin shook his head: "I'll use a knife."

Chu Chenzi concealed a Browning pistol inside his clothes, while a Mauser C96 pistol slung at his waist. A gleaming short sword hung on the wall, which he plucked down. The sword, once drawn, gleamed coldly; it was clearly not just a decorative piece. Chu Chenzi sighed, wiped the blade with a handkerchief, then stood before the kang table, swung the sword, cut half a steamed bun, and took a tasteless bite.

Seeing Chuchenzi's preparations, Wuxin suddenly became a little nervous: "Daoist Master, is it really necessary?"

Chuchenzi had no appetite; he took one bite of a steamed bun and then stopped eating: "Hmph, I hope I'm just overthinking it."

Before dawn, Chuchenzi led Wuxin out.

Qingyun Temple nestled against Qingyun Mountain. Slipping out of the temple's back gate, one could directly enter the mountain. In terms of human activity, Qingyun Mountain was far less populated than Pig Head Mountain, and in the early morning of winter, it was utterly deserted, not even a wild animal to be seen. Wuxin followed Chuchenzi, running and jumping, secretly memorizing the route. Suddenly, Chuchenzi stopped abruptly. Wuxin looked ahead in the dim morning light and saw that the path ended, leading to a sheer cliff. The two took a few more steps, and then it became clearer: the cliff wasn't high, much less precipitous; it was more like a steep, large earthen slope.

Having no idea what to do, Wuxin asked Chuchenzi, "How do we get down?"

Chuchenzi pondered for a moment before replying, "I came in the summer back then, and I easily climbed down by pulling on the vines. Although there are no vines now, the trees are still there. If we are careful, they won't stop us."

The trees were indeed there, growing crookedly on the slope, but their branches and leaves had fallen, making them difficult to climb. Chuchenzi was the first to crouch down, stretching out a long leg and stepping onto a thick, withered branch below. He cautiously tested the ground, no longer caring about the ice and mud, and slowly slid down the slope. Finally, he spread his legs and sat on the withered branch. Tightening his grip on his bag and steadying his mind, he moved like a monkey and a gecko, inching his way down the tree.

Unwilling to imitate him, and even more agile than him. Grabbing branches where there were branches, and the roots of dry grass on the slope where there were no branches, in short, not letting themselves slide down too fast. After a struggle, the two landed on the ground covered in dust. Looking up at the large earthen slope again, they found that, probably because the sunlight was gradually brightening, the slope looked like an upright earthen wall, and actually had a somewhat majestic aura.

Wuxin rubbed the half-melted snow and dirt off his hands, then turned to ask Chuchenzi, "So, how do we get there?"

Chuchenzi looked up at the sun, then waved to Wuxin. Wuxin immediately followed him, and the two walked along the earthen slope. As they walked, they came across a small, abandoned grave, just a mound of earth with a wooden sign stuck in it, the sign so blurred that even the person on it was indistinct. It was fortunate that they came in winter; in summer, with flowers and grass providing cover, they would hardly have seen it.

Chuchenzi stopped and pointed at the grave: "This is it."

Wu Xin remained silent, waiting for Chu Chenzi to explain. Chu Chenzi untied the tarpaulin bag he was carrying and pulled out a brand-new small shovel. The shovel was the kind gardener used to loosen the soil in flower beds; it was incredibly small, but sturdy enough. Chu Chenzi squatted down in front of the grave and began digging, saying as he did so, "This grave is a fake; it's a mark I left years ago."

Wuxin squatted down to the side as well: "What's under the fake grave?"

Chuchenzi moved ruthlessly and quickly, frantically digging into the soil: "There is a natural crevice below, big enough for one person to pass through."

Wu Xin asked, "Could the crevice be the entrance to the Thousand Buddha Cave?"

Chuchenzi shook his head: "No."

He dug away half of the small grave, revealing a layer of iron plate level with the ground. Wuxin, seeing this, couldn't help but think of the ghost cave in Pig Head Mountain. Chuchenzi's thoughts were no different from Lord Gu's; gritting his teeth, he used his strength to move the iron plate, revealing a dark crack to Wuxin.

The gap wasn't large, just enough for an adult of average height to pass through. In the dead of winter, the ground was frozen solid, the withered grass and remaining snow all congealed; but the soil near the gap was black and damp, as if the earth had been injured. Wuxin put his hand into the gap and found that it was clearly warmer and more humid inside than outside.

Chuchenzi knew what was going on, so he wasn't afraid for the time being. He put on the oilcloth bag and was about to stick his leg into the gap when Wuxin grabbed him: "Daoist, I have something to say."

Chuchenzi looked up at him: "You've changed your mind?"

Wuxin looked into Chuchenzi's eyes and said, "Daoist Master, if anything happens to me inside, you must transport my remains back to my home in Tianjin. Do you understand?"

Chuchenzi nodded, at the same time sensing that Wuxin was even more pessimistic than himself: "No problem."

Wuxin pointed to Chenzi's nose again: "Remember, never forget."

Chuchenzi casually agreed, then stuck his foot into the gap: "Don't be afraid, it's sloping inside, kind of like a slope. Just follow me and move in."

Wuxin, carrying the short sword given to him by Chuchenzi when they set off, watched as Chuchenzi waddled into the crevice, so he sat down on the ground and stretched his legs into the crevice as well. There were never any large wild beasts in the crevice, at most snakes; and he was not afraid of snakes, nor was he afraid of poisonous ones.

The crevice was pitch black. Wuxin lay on the slope, inching his way down with Chuchenzi. The crevice was initially very narrow, almost pressing against his body, but it widened as they went down. Finally, Wuxin sat up and followed Chuchenzi by feel. As he rubbed, Chuchenzi stopped moving, and then a dim yellow light appeared below. Chuchenzi had taken out the lantern with the glass cover and lit it.

Now that there was light, Wuxin could use his eyes. Turning his head to look around, he found that the surrounding environment was similar to the cellar, except that it was pitch black below, still unfathomably deep. Chuchenzi changed to a four-legged position, carrying the lantern as he crawled forward. Wuxin couldn't help but ask, "Daoist Master, when will we reach the Thousand Buddha Cave?"

Chuchenzi, somewhat tired and panting, replied, "Almost there."

He said they were almost there, but in reality, they climbed for another twenty minutes or so, and the earthen cave still seemed bottomless. Chuchenzi, with his long arms and legs, was struggling to climb; Wuxin, with his eyes closed, felt quite comfortable. Every hair on his body could sense the rise and fall of the cave walls, and every slight undulation allowed him to easily use it for support as he crawled. Following closely behind Chuchenzi like a dragon, Wuxin suddenly bumped into the wall. Chuchenzi turned around angrily and said, "Why did you bump into my butt?"

Wuxin quickly took a foot back: "You were too slow—why did you stop?"

Chuchenzi sat up, curled up, clutching the lantern in his arms: "There's a huge pit ahead; we have to jump in!"

A thin chain was attached to the handle of the lantern. Chuchenzi lowered the lantern first, then jumped down himself. Wuxin, confused and bewildered, followed suit. Only after jumping did he realize he had fallen into a pit.

The pit was about a person's depth, an earthen pit, and as big as a side room. Wuxin stood there, circling around, then suddenly asked, "Master, the cave is quite warm and humid, and not stuffy at all. Why isn't any vegetation growing?"

Chuchenzi picked up the lantern: "I don't know, and I don't care to know. If it weren't for the secret manual, I wouldn't have come even if this place were made of gold!"

Wuxin then asked, "We're already underground. Are there Thousand Buddha Caves underground?"

Chuchenzi glanced at him: "Actually, the name Thousand Buddha Cave is something I made up, because I did see a Buddha statue at the entrance of the cave. There is no record of Thousand Buddha Cave in the county annals of Chang'an County, and the local mountain people have never seen a Buddha statue in the mountains. I suspect that the cave was dug a long time ago, but for some reason it was abandoned halfway, so it was abandoned early on, and now no one knows about it."

Wuxin realized that Chuchenzi was actually quite ignorant and unambitious, hardly like a successor to Yue Qiluo's school. Chuchenzi picked up the lantern and shone it along the pit wall, finally stopping at one spot and squatting down. Wuxin followed and saw yet another hole.

Wuxin plopped down: "Daoist Master, forgive my bluntness, but I don't know much about your master's cultivation level. However, his ability to burrow was indeed superior to that of an ordinary field mouse."

Chuchenzi sat down as well, pulling a packet of biscuits from his oilcloth bag. "Don't speak recklessly. If you dare insult our master again, I'll beat you up. I'll eat a few bites first, then we can go into the cave. Don't worry, this cave has a small entrance but a large interior. Back then, I dared to venture in alone, and now there are two of us. Are you afraid?"

(End of this chapter)