Four

Mikawa fell silent, gently stroking the little Taozi who was soundly asleep on her pillow. It was only at this moment that she realized the kind of disaster the outside world was facing, which filled her with fear yet left her feeling powerless

An Qingye nodded slightly, turned over, and entered the passage, signaling Mi Chuan to follow him.

An Qingye gently stroked the silver ring, her narrow eyes sparkling: "Michuan, are you interested in exploring the underground palace of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda with me?"

An Qingye slightly furrowed her brow: "In ancient times, the transportation of scriptures was not easy. Why did Master Yijing specifically bring them here?"

You have been searching for the true underground palace

An Qingye gave a bitter smile and said, "Your condition has nothing to do with the hospital; it was Xiao Taozi who saved you. The 'Shan Hai Jing' records that the divine beast Feifei can absorb toxic gases by itself. Thanks to it these past few days. However, to save an entire city, Xiao Taozi is far from sufficient."

At least our medical standards have improved now, right?" Mi Chuan said with the last glimmer of hope, "Look, I'm fine now.

Mikawa carefully brushed away the dirt on the wall: "This is the Peacock King. You see, he is facing east, wearing a crown and ornaments, and sitting in a meditative posture. The most obvious symbol is his mount—the peacock." Mikawa pointed to the branch-like tail, "This is it. If my sources are correct, Master Yijing translated the "Sutra of the Great Peacock King" in Luoyang, and later he brought the scriptures to Chang'an, where he built the Small Wild Goose Pagoda to house the texts, so there would be a carving of the statue of the Peacock King here."

What are you wearing? asked Michuan

Juli, however, did not give a clear answer, only slightly squinting his eyes and asking, "So how did you know I was looking for the underground palace?"

An Qingye's voice was calm and unhurried, as if he were meeting an old acquaintance: "Hi, we came to play at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and accidentally wandered into the underground palace."

In response to the epidemic following the earthquake, Mijuan replied

Let us review the clues once more. During the Tang Dynasty, Master Yijing brought the "Peacock King Sutra" for the removal of diseases to Chang'an, where it was stored in the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. In the Ming Dynasty, due to an earthquake, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda cracked, and a plague lasting over thirty years began in the city of Chang'an; after a second earthquake, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda "reunited with the divine," and the plague was eradicated. An Qingye murmured.

The street is unprecedentedly desolate, with staff dressed in tight protective suits spraying disinfectant.

Inside the Small Wild Goose Pagoda Park, there remains no one, not even any staff members in sight. Upon reaching the base of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Mi Chuan indeed observed a crack on the tower's body, which meandered along its surface, allowing a glimpse of the internal structure of the pagoda through the gaps.

Mikawa and Anqingye exchanged a glance. Everything was in disarray; perhaps this person before them knew something.

The man's expression finally relaxed, his gaze sweeping over the stone carving, and he said lightly: "It seems we are doing the same thing."

Mikawa coughed and said, "Just a guess"

The man remained silent, his gaze growing increasingly sharp.

An Qingye simply conveyed their guesses to Ju Li

"Why have you come here?" the man finally asked

"Do not be nervous," An Qingye said with a smile, "Perhaps our goals are aligned."

"Buddha beads." Ju Li asked, "How did you find the Small Wild Goose Pagoda?"

Mikawa looked apprehensively at the dark entrance: "Is this the entrance?"

We apologize, we will go out now

An Qingye seemed to know what she was thinking and reached out to pat her shoulder: "Don't be discouraged, perhaps we can do something." He opened the next document and continued to point it out to her, "This matter is also quite strange. It states here that 'the Small Wild Goose Pagoda cracked during the Chenghua period and closed again during the Zhengde period due to earthquakes.' However, the most severe earthquake in the Guanzhong region was not during these two periods, but during the Jiajing period, which we commonly refer to as the 'Guanzhong Great Earthquake.' Does this mean that after the Small Wild Goose Pagoda 'miraculously closed' during the Zhengde period, it became more solid than ever before? Furthermore, you mentioned that there are no signs of cracks inside the Small Wild Goose Pagoda; could it be that some kind of supernatural force restored it to its original state?"

Seeing Qingye and Michuan shake their heads, Juli continued, "Perhaps I should start with a story from Buddhism. The Peacock King, known to the world, became famous because a hermit was bitten by a poisonous snake and suffered immensely. His disciples sought the Buddha's help, and the Buddha said: 'I have the mantra of the Peacock King, the Great Bodhisattva, which possesses great power and can eliminate all poisons, fears, disasters, and afflictions.' The faithful recited the mantra of the Peacock King and were indeed healed. Therefore, in Buddhism, the Peacock King signifies the removal of malevolent spirits, poisonous harm, and diseases."

As soon as the cement board was placed on top, all light was instantly extinguished. The dark and damp tunnel felt somewhat humid as they groped their way to the bottom, discovering that this was a closed chamber of approximately 20 square meters, completely empty.

"So, is it true that the Little Wild Goose Pagoda, as the place where the "Sutra of the Peacock King" is stored, is indeed related to this epidemic?" After a long while, An Qingye raised his head from the materials and spoke.

Miasma, the mantra of the Peacock King... There exists a subtle connection between the two, yet Mijuan cannot articulate exactly what it is. Clearly, this question also troubles An Qingye, who takes out his laptop from his bag and begins to search for information.

The man was taken aback upon hearing this

"You have already recognized the Peacock King. " Julu crossed his ten fingers and asked, "Do you know why he appeared at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda?"

An Qingye pulled Mi Chuan towards the entrance of the tunnel, but Mi Chuan stopped beside that man: "This is not the real Xiaoyanta underground palace, is it?"

The once bustling street now finds it hard to see any signs of life, with only one coffee shop still open, where three people ordered drinks and sat down

Mikawa had not yet responded when he heard a crack from the cement slab at the exit. Before long, a bright beam of flashlight light shone through. Mikawa instinctively closed his eyes, but then he heard a familiar voice: "Who is it?"

An Qingye walked straight to the right side of the tower, lifted a cement slab, and called out to Michuan: "Come here"

"Could it be that the answer lies within the 'Sutra of the Great Ming King of the Peacock,' as the tower's body cracked open, leading later generations to discover the scriptures, thus eliminating the plague?" Mi Chuan's eyes lit up, "We should investigate the crack in the Small Wild Goose Pagoda."

The man named Julu took off his trench coat, rolling up his white shirt to the elbows, revealing the dark brown wooden beads worn on his wrist

An Qingye held the flashlight and shone it on the wall, saying with great interest: "Look, there are still some stone carvings remaining here"

Seeing that Julu did not pursue the matter further, Michuan asked: "If a solution can be found to eliminate the plague from that year, then the current difficulties can also be easily resolved"

"Is it you again?" The man with the short beard had a sharp gaze. He snorted coldly and said, "Did you not see the iron fence in front of the entrance to the underground palace and the sign that says 'No Entry for Tourists'?"