Free Web NovelChapter 736: Chapter 289: The Enlightened Are Always Blessed
"Thus have I heard, for nine thousand years, Shituo listened to the wind, for nine thousand years observed the subtle, for nine thousand years lit incense, for nine thousand years lifted Nashe..."
Miaomu Continent, Great World Zen Institute, in the solemn and majestic Scripture Hall, eight hundred Buddhas sat neatly, draped in monk robes, chanting Buddhist scriptures with the Great Clothing Calamity Buddha who held the central position of meditation.
The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha, resembling the carved roots of a withered tree, was the presiding Great Buddha of the Zen and Buddhist Studies in Miaomu Continent.
The eight hundred Buddhas chanting alongside him were leaders from various Buddhist halls, Zen institutes, and temples around the world. Only they were qualified to sit there.
The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha, wearing thick and overlapping black and red monk robes, closed his eyes and rhythmically struck the wooden fish before him.
The wooden fish was covered with mottled marks, its age undetermined. Yet the sound it produced was penetrating and impactful, resonating in the hearts of each Buddha, allowing them to sense the awakening and mysteries of Shituo back then.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps mixed with the solemn chanting.
The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha stopped tapping the wooden fish, opened his eyes lined with brown spots, and looked towards the hall’s entrance to see a young monk with rosy lips, white teeth, and a delicate appearance, dressed like a little novice, walk in.
"Jian Shi, you’re late." The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha’s voice was deep yet kind.
The young monk smiled,
"My Buddha, this little monk could have been here first, but I encountered a strange event on the way, which caused the delay."
All the Buddhas turned to look at him.
The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha asked,
"Why aren’t you wearing your monk robes?"
The young monk smiled and said, "The robes are my Buddha’s pure possessions. This little monk was afraid the strange event might soil them."
Only then did the Great Clothing Calamity Buddha ask,
"What strange event?"
The young monk’s smile deepened, revealing rows of white teeth,
"There was actually a mortal who desecrated the Celestial Buddha. Truly, that was a strange event. As the watcher monk for the Celestial Buddha’s garments, how could this little monk ignore it? So, I was delayed."
Disobeying the Celestial Buddha...
Though the Zen and Buddhist schools of Miaomu Continent were detached from worldly affairs and focused on delving into the Buddhist Technique, they were not completely isolated from the world.
In a moment, all the Buddhas realized that the individual who defiled the Celestial Buddha, as mentioned by Jian Shi Tathagata, was the renowned disobedient to the Heavenly Dao from the external world.
They couldn’t help but speculate, considering the casual and relaxed demeanor of Jian Shi Tathagata, that he had likely already pacified that mortal.
The Great Clothing Calamity Buddha, with neither joy nor sadness, closed his eyes once more,
"Anashituo."
The young monk joined his hands and devoutly chanted,
"Anashituo."
The eight hundred Buddhas present also voiced in unison,
"Anashituo."
...
The gigantic Dharma dragon soaring in the high skies lost its direction, unsure of where to proceed, and began to slowly circle within the clouds.
Because its master did not know where to go.
"How could this be..." Luo Qingyao looked blankly at Fan Wubing, whose face was filled with confusion and pain.
Zhuge Hong murmured, "The bad thing still happened."
Luo Qingyao asked, "Do you know something?"
Zhuge Hong took a sip of his lips in apology and said, "Before heading to Sun-shooting Pass, I already had a bad feeling. I always felt that as long as we went to Sun-shooting Pass, something bad would happen. But since the outcome at Sun-shooting Pass was good, I thought it was my mistake. But now it seems..."
"Why didn’t you say so earlier?"
Zhuge Hong said, "Because even if I had said it, the master would still have gone to Sun-shooting Pass to find you."
"Was there something else I don’t know about that happened at Sun-shooting Pass?" Luo Qingyao asked through gritted teeth.
Zhuge Hong shook his head, "I only know that the master went to Sun-shooting Pass to look for the mistress, and also something else. But he never told me specifically what it was. When he was at the Fan Family, he often dazedly. It was during those dazes that I secretly snapped pictures of him... but I still don’t know what exactly troubles him."
Luo Qingyao clenched her fist, "Not a bit has changed, really not a bit has changed... It was the same in the past; I always found it difficult to help my brother share some of the burdens!" Her nails nearly dug into her palm.
Zhuge Hong cautiously asked Fan Wubing,
"Master, master? Don’t you remember me?"
Fan Wubing held his forehead, his head dizzy,
"You... who are you?"
"I am Xiaohong."
"Who is Xiaohong?" Fan Wubing sat down, gasping for breath, his face pale, and lips void of color, resembling someone recovering from a severe illness.
"Senior brother!" Luo Qingyao hurriedly stepped forward, trying to support him.
Fan Wubing instinctively backed away from her.
This was completely the reaction of maintaining distance from a stranger.
Luo Qingyao stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do. It was her first time encountering such an event... Her most important senior brother completely forgot about her, even forgetting himself. This... wasn’t it equivalent to losing her senior brother? The fear of the Sea of Eternal Life surged up in her heart once again.
"Dammit! Is there an enemy?"
Luo Qingyao released her spirit, enveloping the space within hundreds of thousands of miles. Her sharp and swift Sword Intent, together with her spirit, filled every corner of this space. She held nothing back, thus every being who sensed this Sword Intent couldn’t help but feel terror, unable to move.
Yet, she did not find any potential enemy presence.
"How could this be..."
Zhuge Hong looked at Fan Wubing, not blinking. She greatly admired Fan Wubing, feeling that this man seemed omnipotent, consistently giving a refreshing impression. Initially, she wanted to become his disciple because of this sensation, wanting to learn the methods of nurturing life from him.
