Chapter 4, Zodiac Guardian

Qi Yue walked up to Zagulu, a strange smile appearing on his face. He raised his hand and patted Zagulu's shoulder, speaking in a somewhat profound manner: "Little monk, I can see that you are a person with a strong sense of justice, someone who takes the well-being of all living beings as your responsibility"

Qi Yue raised his head, looking at the young monk, his eyes flickering with complex emotions, revealing a hint of a bitter smile. "When I was young, my greatest wish was to become an extraordinary person. Now it seems that this wish is likely to come true. Although it feels like a dream, I will not evade it. The impending fate is like a criminal assaulting a woman; since I cannot choose, I can only try to appreciate the beauty within it. You go ahead and speak, but first, I would like to hear your introduction. I believe you are not an ordinary monk, are you?"

Zaglu Road: "This means that as long as your ink qilin bloodline is fully awakened, you will possess an extraordinary self-healing ability. Unless your head is severed, even if other limbs are broken, you will be able to recover in a short period of time"

"Wait a moment, what are the Twelve Earthly Branches?" Qi Yue's curious gaze left Zagulu momentarily speechless

Zagru was taken aback; after all, he was still under twenty years of age. Seeing Qi Yue turn to leave, he suddenly felt a sense of urgency in his heart. "Are you just going to leave like this? Don't you want to become the King of the Zodiac?"

Zagru smiled slightly and said: "Of course it is the Qilin; how could a cockroach compare to the Ink Qilin? Moreover, since the Qilin is a heavenly auspice, once your bloodline awakens, anyone who offends you will face the punishment of fate. Although the punishment may not be severe, auspicious signs are not something that just anyone can violate"

Qi Yue chuckled and said, "Aren't there various treasures in Buddhism? Give me two pieces, so I can defend myself in the future!" He struck a pose of righteous indignation, "As the king of the zodiac guardian deities, in order to better protect our great East, having more treasures will naturally make everything proceed more smoothly."

Zagru pointed to the ground and said, "Please sit."

Zagru exuded an aura of tranquility and said solemnly: "As the king of the zodiac, commanding the twelve zodiac guardians, your mission is to protect the East. Whenever our Eastern world encounters any abnormal situations, it is necessary for you to lead our zodiac guardians to resolve them. The birth of the zodiac guardians inevitably signifies the emergence of evil forces within the East. At the same time, as the protector of the East, you may also have to face challenges from the West"

"Mo Qilin? You say I am Mo Qilin? I believe Qilin can fly, right? If I truly become a Qilin, wouldn't I be able to as well? This thing is dark and murky, but it looks decent enough." As he spoke, Qi Yue looked at the tattoo on his chest with satisfaction, "I had wanted to get a tattoo for a long time. I used to see in movies that there was a green dragon on the left, a white tiger on the right, and an old bull in the center. That was really cool!"

Qi Yue looked at Zagulu and said, "What ability? Don't tell me that after you enlighten me, I will become some kind of super expert. I've read enough novels to understand the principle of gradual progress; no one can achieve success overnight."

Zagru shook his head and said, "No, this is not a luxury. This string of prayer beads has a history of thousands of years. Since the day the zodiac guardian spirit appeared, these relic beads have been used by the celestial guides of each generation. You are the first person to possess them aside from the celestial guides. I hope you do not betray the wishes of our ancestors. With it on you, you should feel much more at ease regarding your safety. Now, can you accept my enlightenment?"

Qi Yue spoke in a hushed voice: "Are you saying that I am the one who commands the twelve zodiac signs and must also protect some Eastern being? Is that what you refer to as the Qilin? Isn't the Qilin only a creature of legend?"

Zagru obviously did not understand Qiyue's meaning. Looking at his fidgeting fingers, he asked in confusion: "What does it signify?"

"Zagru, what are you doing?" Qi Yue's voice was filled with surprise. Although Qi Yue greatly coveted this treasure, after meeting Zagru, he developed an inexplicable respect for Buddhism. This was why he returned the Eight Relics prayer beads to Zagru, despite it being against his true intentions. However, at this moment, Zagru insisted on giving them to him, which made Qi Yue feel even more fondly towards Zagru. The feeling of being treated sincerely by someone warmed his heart.

Zagulu smiled bitterly and said: "What you are saying ultimately boils down to the two words 'power.' With power, everything becomes simple. In the East, the status of the Qilin is absolutely transcendent, and what you have to face is far less dangerous than you imagine. As the King of the Zodiac Guardian Spirits, all the Zodiac Guardian Spirits will take your safety as their own responsibility, and they will not hesitate to sacrifice their lives to protect you. Moreover, as the unprecedented Black Qilin, you possess special abilities that other Qilins do not have. You are currently only in the initial stage of awakening; once I help you open your mind, and your Black Qilin bloodline is fully awakened, you will immediately possess this special ability.

At this moment, the cool breeze suddenly transformed into a warm one, replaced by a different kind of cozy warmth that did not bring the discomfort typically associated with extreme temperatures. The two currents of air that appeared in succession seemed to continuously nourish my body.

Zagulu looked at Qiyue and felt a strange sensation in his heart. He naturally could not fail to see what Qiyue was thinking. For the first time in his life, he felt an impulse to strike someone. However, despite his young age, he was considered a virtuous monk. With a sigh, he said, "I knew you wouldn't let me off the hook. Well, here, this is for you; it is the only thing that suits you." As he spoke, he brushed his wrist and took off a string of green prayer beads, handing them towards Qiyue.

Qi Yue did not take the relic bead with him; instead, he respectfully presented the bead before Zagulu, saying, "Although I do not believe in Buddhism, I understand the significance of the relic in Buddhism. This item is truly too precious; I cannot accept it. I will promise to help you gain enlightenment."

Zaglu Road: "In a certain sense, you can understand it this way, but only to a certain extent"

Zagulu widened his eyes and said, "You actually compare the bloodline of the Ink Qilin to that kind of tattoo associated with *Tu* and rogue? Forget it, that's just your nature. I'll get straight to the point." He was truly afraid that if he continued to talk to this guy, his own Buddhist nature would be significantly diminished.

Qi Yue looked at it from different angles, but the prayer beads did not seem to possess any extraordinary qualities. Moreover, the beads were not very round; although their surface was shiny, their appearance was somewhat peculiar. "You aren't going to tell me this is some legendary Bodhi seed, are you? That kind of thing doesn't seem very valuable."

As he spoke, Qi Yue had already reached the entrance of the main hall. He accurately grasped the character traits of Zaglu; as a devoted monk, he would not force himself.

After listening to Qi Yue's metaphor, the young monk was momentarily speechless, "Your words seem to revolve around women." Although there was a hint of dissatisfaction in his words, the invisible restraints surrounding Qi Yue's body had already been lifted

The young monk took a deep breath and said, "Now, can you calm your mind and listen to me?"

Qi Yue stood at the door and turned back, his eyes revealing a gleam of longing. "In fact, my wish is quite simple. I live on the west side of the capital, and I once had an older brother who went by the nickname 'Smoke Man.' He once said something that greatly inspired me: 'Sleep until I wake up naturally, count money until my hands cramp.' Based on these two sentences, I added two more to form my entire wish: 'Beautiful women come to my bed, and my golden spear stands firm and never falls.' These four lines together represent my life ideals. However, although I am just a small person, I know that wishes are beautiful but also very difficult to realize. So, I have never had any extravagant hopes.

Qi Yue continued to lower his head, gazing at his chest. The clear black monster had a pair of silver eyes, seemingly looking back at him. A sudden feeling of being connected by flesh and blood filled Qi Yue with strength. He was astonished to discover that his muscles seemed to have expanded slightly, and the fatigue from walking after entering the temple had completely vanished. Although he was bare-chested, he no longer felt any cold.

Zagulu let out a light sigh and said: "In fact, many of the records in the myths of Yan and Huang are based on reality. The Qilin truly exists, and you are one who possesses the Qilin bloodline. The ink Qilin pattern on your body is the best proof of this. Before you arrived here, while still on the train, I had already sensed the aura of your Qilin bloodline. I encountered you through my own Buddhist power; do you remember that dream? In that dream, I used my Buddhist power as a guide to awaken your Qilin bloodline from its slumber. That is why you slept for so long, as your body needed time to nurture itself after accepting the Qilin bloodline. I brought you here to help you fully awaken your Qilin bloodline. This awakening process is referred to as the initial awakening in the context of the Twelve Zodiac Guardian Spirits and the King of Guardian Spirits, the Qilin.

Qiyue chuckled and said, "Since there are two kinds of humans in this world, men and women, it is only natural for them to be attracted to each other. Now, tell me, who exactly are you? Then I will listen to your story. However, to be frank, I do not know much about Tibetan Buddhism from your region, so even if you tell me, I might not understand your identity. Nevertheless, I still want to hear it."

The moment the relic bracelet was placed on Qi Yue's wrist, the seventeen originally dark green relics emitted a layer of lustrous sheen. Although it was not a glaring light, under the soothing coolness and warmth within, Qi Yue clearly observed the changes on the relic bracelet. Even a fool could recognize the preciousness of this Buddhist treasure

Zagru felt a surge of anxiety in his heart. Although he looked down on the person before him from the bottom of his heart, the Qilin was indeed too important for all the zodiac guardians. "Wait a moment, can you tell me what wishes you have had throughout your life, or rather, what is your greatest wish?"

Qi Yue felt a secret joy in his heart and hurriedly walked in front of Zagulu. Without uttering a single polite word, he took the prayer beads. Upon holding them, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. The beads were dark green, exuding a somewhat ancient and scholarly aura. They felt slightly warm to the touch, and there was no dazzling brilliance emanating from them, making it difficult to discern what kind of magical treasure they were.

You, do you not even know the Twelve Earthly Branches? I truly feel ashamed for you as a descendant of Yan and Huang. If you do not know the Twelve Earthly Branches, you must have at least heard of the Twelve Zodiac Animals. These twelve warriors represent the guardian deities of the Twelve Zodiac Animals. They possess abilities corresponding to their respective attributes; not only are they powerful warriors, but they are also defenders of the East

Qi Yue shook his head and said, "It still won't do. If it's just about having strong recovery abilities, then I would just become a punching bag. I refuse to do it."

Qiyue's expression became calm as he asked, "If I become the Qilin you mentioned, then what do I need to do?"

Zagru shook his head and said, "Of course not. Even for me, seeking the twelve zodiac guardians that appear once every thousand years is merely a matter of luck. So far, I have only encountered three of them. The greatest challenge when the twelve zodiac guardians appear every thousand years is how to bring them together. Only when they gather in one place and complement each other can they unleash the full power of the zodiac guardians. Only then can they possess the complete ability to protect the East. Therefore, in addition to the twelve zodiac guardians, there is also a leader who has the mission of commanding the zodiac guardians and uniting them. The greatest challenge when the twelve zodiac guardians appear every thousand years is how to bring them together. Only when they gather in one place and complement each other can they unleash the full power of the zodiac guardians. Only then can they possess the complete ability to protect the East. Therefore, in addition to the twelve zodiac guardians, there is also a leader who has the mission of commanding the zodiac guardians and uniting them. He is also the chief of all Eastern guardians." At this point, Zagru's gaze fell upon the vividly lifelike black beast on Qiyue's chest.

Zagulu suppressed the urge to look at Qi Yue with a foolish gaze and forced himself to say: "One could say that the twelve zodiac animals are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. The twelve characters that correspond to the twelve zodiac animals are Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai, which are the twelve Earthly Branches. Never mind, explaining this to you now would not make much sense. You only need to know that the guardians of the twelve zodiac animals have always been protecting our East."

"What? This is a prayer bead made from relics. You, you really are extravagant!" Qi Yue stared blankly at Zaglu.

Qi Yue shook his head and said, "Since I became aware of the world, I have experienced too much of the warmth and coldness of human relationships. No one has ever regarded me highly. The world is full of deceit and treachery. However, from you, I see a truly good person, or rather, a good monk. Enough, I do not want anything; just enlighten me. From your performance, I can tell that I, the king of the zodiac, am indeed very important. Under the premise of preserving my own life, I would like to experience what it feels like to wear my underwear outside like a superhero."

Qiyue tilted his head and said, "It sounds pretty good. Alright, I can agree to your request, but shouldn't you show some kind of gesture?" As he spoke, he extended his right hand, rubbing his thumb, index finger, and middle finger together, his face adorned with a lewd and lascivious smile, fully revealing his rogue nature.

Zaglu Road: "This string of prayer beads was passed down to me by my ancestors. It has the effects of calming the mind and dispelling evil, and it is my most treasured possession. As a Qilin, I will give it to you, but to fully harness the Buddhist power within, you must continuously cultivate and comprehend it yourself. There are a total of 17 beads, smaller than lotus seeds but larger than soybeans. Do you know what these prayer beads are?"

Qi Yue was taken aback, "What the hell, am I a Qilin or a cockroach?"

"Look at yourself." The young monk stepped back a step.

In our East, there has always been a group of true guardians. Although their numbers are not many, they all carry the ancient mission passed down through generations, which is to protect our Eastern land, ensuring it remains untainted by malevolent forces and unbroken by external enemies. This group of guardians is led by twelve warriors, each representing one of the twelve Earthly Branches.

Qi Yue instinctively lowered his head and happened to see his flat chest, where black patterns gradually emerged. Accompanying this was a faint silver light. The spiral-shaped black and silver long horns looked so majestic and handsome. Qi Yue was completely stunned, "What is this?"

Indeed, as soon as Zaglu spoke these words, it immediately piqued Qi Yue's interest. "Oh? Then tell me, how can it be achieved? Is it possible to realize it just by becoming a Qilin? Even if it were true, I would not want to enjoy it for just a few days before dying"

Qi Yue nodded, looking at the relic beads in his hand, feeling somewhat unusual in his heart. "What should I do now?"

"Are you really in charge of such a large temple? Well, I will listen to you." This time, Qi Yue was genuinely surprised. Looking at the mysterious young monk before him, he had already begun to believe in his heart. Although this monk was about the same age as him, he felt as if he could encompass everything, much like the vast ocean.

Zagulu looked at Qiyue. At this moment, the lewd glimmer in Qiyue's eyes had vanished, and his clear gaze revealed that he sincerely intended to return the relic bead. The somewhat disheveled individual before him seemed to have transformed, which made Zagulu feel somewhat uncomfortable. He did not reach out to take it, saying, "If we are talking about magical artifacts, I only possess this one. As a wandering monk, I truly do not have any of the treasures you might imagine, and I have nothing else."

Zagulu smiled at Qiyue and said, "I, the Buddha, am compassionate and seek to save all beings. I hope these seventeen relics can bring you a brand new world. There is no need to hesitate any longer; your resolve is unstable. Carrying them during the process of enlightenment can help avoid potential dangers. I know you have many questions in your heart. After I help you awaken, and when your Qilin bloodline is fully awakened, I will explain everything to you."

Zagulu saw that Qiyue was about to leave and hurriedly said, "Your wishes are not impossible to achieve." Although, as a monk, he truly did not wish to involve himself in worldly matters, he felt compelled to agree in order to keep Qiyue from leaving

Qiyue suddenly said: "So that's how it is. I know the twelve zodiac signs; I could recite them when I was in elementary school. Aren't they just the Rat, the Ox, and so on?"

Qi Yue replied without turning his head: "Who would want to be the king of any zodiac? Being a hero is not that easy. No need to ask; if I were to become what you call the king of the zodiac, the enemies I would face would surely be terrifying. You also said that I am a rogue, or rather a scoundrel. For a rogue or a scoundrel, nothing is more important than staying alive. I am only nineteen years old; I haven't lived enough yet. Although I have had dreams of being a hero, I have watched plenty of television and read many novels. Being a hero is not that simple; if things go wrong, one might end up dying before achieving anything. Therefore, I have no intention of becoming a hero. I am just a small person and only wish to be a small person. Wanting to be like that superhero who wears his underwear outside, that's just a dream. Please stop bothering me; I am neither a warrior nor a hero."

It was only then that Qi Yue noticed several depressions on the ground. Zaglu said: "This is the place where I and the previous two masters practiced. Sitting for a long time can even change hard rock. This is the principle of water dripping through stone. Although a minute of practice may not have much effect, if you persist through each of these minutes, you will achieve a qualitative leap."

The young monk smiled faintly and said, "Although the status of the Holy Buddha Temple in Tibet is not as prominent as that of the Potala Palace, it possesses its own unique significance. Only the most devout lamas practice here. More than ten years ago, when the most esteemed master of this place passed away, I was still an ordinary child. He chose me to inherit his teachings and entrusted me with the most precious collection of scriptures, which in a sense, you could understand as being the abbot of this Holy Buddha Temple." At this point, he paused, met Qi Yue's gaze, and spoke solemnly, "Therefore, I am merely a disciple of the Buddha who has diligently practiced Buddhism since childhood. We practitioners view everything in the outside world with indifference; fame and such are all illusions. Thus, I naturally do not have the credentials you might expect to prove the truth of my words. As a monk, my best explanation is simply this: a monk does not speak falsehoods."

Zagulu was taken aback and said, "I am merely doing what I am meant to do. Everyone has their own destiny, just like you, who was born with the bloodline of the Qilin."

"So what does this have to do with me? I was born in the Year of the Monkey. Do you really think I am one of these twelve guardian deities?" Qi Yue was becoming somewhat interested; at least the title of zodiac guardian deity sounded quite impressive.

Zaglu shook his head and said, "Of course not. You are absolutely right; gradual progress is a process that any cultivation method must undergo. The effort you put in will determine the abilities you possess. In ancient times, the Qilin was one of the most powerful divine beasts, but it had a fatal weakness: its single horn. Once the horn was severed, the life of the Qilin would also come to an end. However, among the Qilin clan, there is one exception, which is the Ink Qilin. The Ink Qilin possesses a vitality unmatched by other Qilin; even if its horn is severed, it can still survive, and the horn will regrow."

In fact, from the moment he saw the qilin pattern emerge on his body and heard Zagulu speak of his dream, Qi Yue had already believed him. When Qi Yue expressed his intention to leave, it was merely a tactic of feigned retreat. From a very young age, Qi Yue had vowed that in his lifetime, even if he could not be remembered in history, he would ensure that his name would be infamous for eternity, never allowing his life to be in vain. With such a great opportunity suddenly presenting itself, how could he possibly give it up? However, to take advantage of someone is indeed the nature of a rogue. This young monk before him was clearly not an ordinary person; how could Qi Yue be satisfied without gaining some benefit from him?

The smile on Qi Yue's face grew even more pronounced, "Because you are a good person and a monk with a compassionate heart, I believe that if I insist on leaving, you certainly would not stop me, would you? Farewell." With that, he turned and walked out.

At this moment, it was not only Qi Yue who was astonished; a similar glimmer of surprise flashed in the young monk's eyes. "Mo Qilin? It is actually Mo Qilin? When I first saw you, I had already prepared for the worst, but fate has played a huge joke on me. You are actually the strongest among the Qilin clan—Mo Qilin. I never imagined that Mo Qilin would emerge in this generation"

Zagulu took the prayer beads and grasped Qi Yue's left hand, saying: "Human nature is inherently good; you have finally allowed me to see the kindness within you. Since this string of beads has been given from my hand, it proves that it is destined for you. There is no need for you to decline. Although the relics are precious, as long as they are used for a righteous purpose, I believe the Buddha would approve." As he spoke, he placed the relic beads onto Qi Yue's left wrist.

The young monk smiled calmly and said, "You may call me Zaglu. I have just mentioned the word 'Qilin,' so you can probably guess that the pattern resembling a tattoo on your body is indeed a Qilin. In fact, this is not a tattoo, but a symbol that has been sleeping in your blood, or rather, the Qilin bloodline. The Qilin is a heavenly auspice, the leader of all beasts, symbolizing auspiciousness and peace. There are many types of Qilin; the common Qilin has golden fur and a silver body, but you are different. You are, in fact, the most special and powerful of all, the Ink Qilin. As far as I know, you are also the first human in history to inherit the Ink Qilin bloodline."

Qi Yue clearly felt a cool breath rising along his wrist pulse, as if all thirty-six thousand pores of his body had opened up, an indescribable comfort. The deepest sensation came from his brain, where an unprecedented clarity seemed to make everything around him become clear.

Qiyue said calmly: "What do you mean by saying this to me?"

Zagulu gazed at the prayer beads, his eyes reflecting a sense of reverence. "This string of prayer beads cannot be measured by value. With them on you, unless faced with a demon of a thousand years of cultivation or an ancient primordial beast, you will absolutely be invulnerable. These seventeen prayer beads are the relics of the Buddha's teeth from the seventeen masters of our ancestors, and they are an invaluable treasure in Buddhism."

Qi Yue exclaimed in surprise: "Are you saying that from now on, anyone who provokes me will be in trouble?"