Chapter 39 – The Iron Buddha

The “Eight Deities of the Heavenly Realm” that Wei Yang mentioned was not the novel of the same name by Jin Yong, but rather the eight great protectors of Buddhism, also known as the “Eight Legions” or the “Eight Dragon Deities.” They are composed of eight powerful deities and demons that are neither fully human nor fully ghostly. Due to their widespread fame and their status as the Buddha’s appointed guardians, the Eight Deities of the Heavenly Realm are frequently depicted in various Buddhist ritual instruments and sculptures, making them one of the most common themes in Buddhist art.

However, the jade carving displayed at today’s exchange meeting was quite different from previous sculptures of the Eight Legions. It wasn’t carved from a single piece of jade to create a group of figures. Instead, it was meticulously crafted from a massive piece of Dushan stone, measuring 35 centimeters in length and 50 centimeters in height. The surface of the stone was divided into four colors: black, green, yellow, and brown. The yellow and brown parts were mostly the outer layers of the stone, while the green and black were the stone’s natural hues. Such a mixed color palette is often difficult to handle, but this sculpture brilliantly divided the four main colors into four distinct areas.

In the black section, a strikingly handsome Yasha wielded a Vajra pestle in a fierce battle against the six-armed, three-headed Asura, with black smoke swirling around them. In the yellow section, the Kinnara with a single horn on its head played a musical instrument, while the Gandharva danced with graceful movements, its long silk ribbons flowing like waves, and heavenly flowers rained down. In the brown section, the Garuda, with its wings fully spread, let out a long cry, its sharp talons tightly gripping the Naga Mahoraga, whose serpentine body coiled around the bird’s legs, its human face twisted in agony, as if howling in pain. In the central green section, the majestic Indra sat with a solemn expression, surrounded by coiled dragons and serpents, with divine light radiating from behind him.

Four colors, eight sculptures, and countless battling demons, heavenly flowers, treasure trees, and auspicious clouds were all seamlessly integrated into one piece. The entire jade carving wasn’t a flat, static structure; every layer and every color transition was perfectly executed. It transcended traditional techniques, incorporating elements of modern sculpture, breaking conventions while displaying unparalleled craftsmanship. A piece of Dushan jade of this size wasn’t particularly rare, but to utilize it to this extent was something not every jade carver could achieve.

It was only at this moment that Wei Yang believed the earlier jade lotus platform was truly a practice piece. While imitating antiques and creating fakes might be the Liu family’s specialty, it was this kind of innovation and continuous refinement of techniques that allowed the Liu family to thrive and maintain their position in the antique world. With talents like Liu Qu, it was no wonder he was considered the top of the fourth generation.

And yet, this prodigy now looked completely unkempt, casually chewing another piece of gum: “This piece is just here to make an appearance at the exhibition. It took me two years to finish this. It’s definitely going to make a splash at an international exhibition.” As he spoke, he blew a small bubble with his gum, which popped with a crisp sound.

But as soon as he finished speaking, a voice rang out: “Why won’t you sell it? Do you think we can’t afford it, or that we’re not qualified to buy it?”

The voice carried an irritating arrogance, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Liu Qu glanced over and immediately frowned: “Oh, it’s that dog again.”

The speaker was the same elite man who had been barking at the front desk earlier. Now, he stood arrogantly by the display case, pointing at the jade carving and spouting nonsense. Master Su had appeared beside him at some point, smiling and explaining something. Seeing this, Liu Qu immediately perked up: “Oh, he’s got his eyes on our treasure now. Ah Yang, let’s go take a look!”

His voice was filled with excitement, and with his dyed yellow hair, he looked like a troublemaker itching for a fight. Wei Yang forced a smile, finally understanding why Heipi had been so frustrated when he said he couldn’t come. This kid really wasn’t someone who could be left unsupervised. But before Liu Qu could push through the crowd to get closer to the display case, another voice sounded: “Xiao Wang, don’t break their rules. Manager Su, could you please invite Master Liu over for a chat?”

The speaker was an elderly man with graying hair, probably in his sixties. He was thin and dressed simply, but his demeanor and the way others treated him were telling, especially the elite man, who immediately lowered his head like a submissive dog when the old man approached. Seeing this, Liu Qu immediately lost interest and turned to leave: “Let’s go, Ah Yang, let’s check out something else. Getting caught up with these people would be such a drag.”

This time, however, Wei Yang didn’t follow him. He didn’t even bother to say goodbye to Liu Qu, instead heading straight for a display case to the left. The reason was simple: the Little Celestial Master, who had been quietly following him, had suddenly moved in that direction. Despite all the commotion, Wei Yang hadn’t forgotten the real reason he was at the exchange meeting. Now that his radar had picked up something, he had to follow. Seeing the two of them walk away, Liu Qu was momentarily stunned but quickly followed out of curiosity.

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t pay attention to the two behind him and walked straight to a display case in the corner. Inside was a statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva was adorned with jewels, holding a sword in one hand and pointing downward with the other, as if subduing some demon or monster. His legs were crossed on a lotus throne, with long silk ribbons wrapped around his arms, giving the impression of flying. However, this fierce-looking Vajra had a compassionate face, with slightly closed eyes, slender eyebrows, and a smile on his lips, exuding both majesty and serenity.

Normally, such a statue would be considered a masterpiece, but this one wasn’t gilded or made of bronze—it was entirely cast in iron. Over time, the iron had turned dark and dull, making the Bodhisattva’s features somewhat indistinct and giving the statue an eerie quality.

Liu Qu, who had followed behind, let out a surprised exclamation: “This thing has some age to it. It looks like it’s from the Yuan Dynasty.”

It wasn’t surprising that Liu Qu would say this. Each era’s Buddhist statues have their own distinct characteristics, as these statues were carved for monks or wealthy patrons, and the aesthetic differences between periods are hard to erase. Thus, the style of Buddhist statues is particularly distinct, making it easier to date them, unlike jade artifacts, which are often imitated, making it harder to distinguish the real from the fake.

This statue had the intricate and ornate decorative style typical of the Yuan Dynasty. The iron Buddha was adorned with lavish jewels, a crown, earrings, and other ornaments. The lotus throne beneath it was carved with exquisite patterns, and even the sword in its hand had been sharpened to a fine edge. Yet, despite all this, the statue wasn’t gilded, remaining a dull, blackened iron, which was quite unusual.

Liu Qu was a connoisseur. Whether it was jade or wood carvings, the use of color didn’t matter much, but metal Buddhist statues were rarely made without gilding. In ancient times, Buddhists were among the wealthiest and most leisurely groups, and they were more than willing to donate to temples. Any statue, or even the main hall of a temple, had to be gilded to the point of dazzling brilliance. This was especially true during the Yuan Dynasty, when Tibetan Buddhism flourished and the empire controlled much of the wealth of Eurasia. How could they not have the funds to gild a statue? Therefore, there must have been a reason this Buddha was made of raw iron.

Thinking this, Liu Qu poked Wei Yang: “So, you guys are interested in this? Iron Buddhas are rare, but they’re usually pretty sinister. It’s best not to keep something like this at home.”

Wei Yang didn’t need Liu Qu to remind him of this. The tradition of using bronze for rituals and iron for suppression had been around for countless years. Any object used in royal ceremonies or religious rituals had to be made of pure bronze—whether it was green, red, or yellow bronze, it had to be bronze and bronze alone. However, when it came to punishment, suppression, or extermination, iron was used. For example, an iron coffin was needed to trap a vengeful spirit, and an iron sword was required to kill an evil entity. This was because iron carried a murderous aura and was associated with warfare. Only iron could suppress those malevolent spirits.

Such a basic principle would certainly not be lost on Zhang Xiuqi, a Celestial Master from Longhu Mountain. Seeing the man’s focused expression, Wei Yang felt a chill run down his spine and leaned in to ask softly, “Brother Qi, is there something wrong with this Buddha statue?”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t answer, only shaking his head. Wei Yang hesitated. This kind of neither-good-nor-bad response wasn’t like the Little Celestial Master’s usual behavior. Normally, he was an easygoing, quiet person who rarely expressed his own will, but when it came to matters of the supernatural, he was extremely decisive and had even caused quite a few headaches in the past. Why was he so silent about this Buddha statue?

Just as Wei Yang was about to ask further, a voice came from behind them. Master Su had appeared at their side and was speaking to Liu Qu with a smile: “Master Liu, Elder Lin would like to discuss something with you…”

If it had been anyone else, Liu Qu probably wouldn’t have bothered, but Master Su was an acquaintance of his father, so he had no choice but to turn around. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed the elite man standing nearby and immediately lost interest, curling his lip in disdain.

The elite man was also surprised and looked at Master Su with some confusion: “Su Er, is this the Master Liu who carved the Buddha statue?”

Though his words weren’t disrespectful, his tone made it clear: this kid is the Liu family’s jade carving master? Are you kidding me?

Before Master Su could answer, Liu Qu chuckled: “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person…”

Just as he was about to make a quick escape, the elderly man called Elder Lin, who was standing next to Master Su, waved his hand with a smile and stopped Liu Qu in his tracks: “So you’re Master Liu. I didn’t expect you to be so young and talented, and with such a deep understanding of Buddhist artifacts. Since we’ve run into each other here, I’m quite curious—what do you think of this Buddha statue?”

As he spoke, he pointed to the iron Buddha in the display case, smiling with a hint of pride.