Chapter 29: The Barbarian Encounters a Literary Star
Bai Fan stood up silently, and Wang Ran followed. The two got off the bus one after another.
Bai Fan still showed no intention of speaking.
Wang Ran thought this couldn't go on, so he searched through the memories in his mind, then sidled up to Bai Fan with a grin: "I heard that Yong'an Temple was built by the great monk Yong'an in the Tang Dynasty, and has been renowned for its efficacy throughout the dynasties." The original owner of this body had visited Yong'an Temple before, so there was some knowledge about it in the memories.
At this moment, Bai Fan stopped in his tracks, looking towards Yong'an Temple.
Wang Ran gazed ahead. He saw many people queuing at the entrance of Yong'an Temple.
The sacred temple was majestic, the pure land tranquil.
Yong'an Temple was famous far and wide, with tourists from all over the country coming to visit every day. To protect the buildings and scenery inside, the temple had limited the number of visitors allowed at any one time.
One person out, one person in.
Although it was morning, there was already a long line at the gate. If they queued up obediently, it would probably take until noon.
Bai Fan probably didn't want to queue.
After all, Bai Fan wasn't a devout Buddhist, he just came to draw a fortune stick because he heard Yong'an Temple was efficacious.
If he hesitated a bit longer, he might give up.
Wang Ran's eyes darted around: "There are many more people coming to worship Buddha at Yong'an Temple this year than last year. I know a shortcut that doesn't require queuing, it can save a lot of time."
Bai Fan snorted lightly: "You seem to know quite a bit."
Finally willing to speak.
Wang Ran smiled: "Follow me!"
Wang Ran led Bai Fan towards the east side of Yong'an Temple.
"Living people offering?"
Bai Fan saw a line of gilded characters printed on the outer wall of the temple and exclaimed in surprise.
"Is the temple also doing human sacrifice?"
Wang Ran's ears twitched slightly.
Also?
What did that mean?
Had the Doomsday Apostles done human sacrifice before?
While pondering, he reminded Bai Fan: "You read it backwards, this line should be read from right to left!"
"Oh - Dedicate one's life?" Bai Fan suddenly realized, "I was thinking, it's the 21st century now, doing human sacrifice would be too outdated!"
Clearly, Bai Fan was against human sacrifice.
If the Doomsday Apostles did human sacrifice, this was definitely one of the reasons why Bai Fan betrayed them.
Bai Fan asked: "Where's the shortcut you mentioned?"
Wang Ran revealed a mischievous smile: "Right in front of you!"
Bai Fan looked blankly at the vermilion courtyard wall before him.
He asked in confusion: "We're here?"
Isn't this just a wall?
Wang Ran said with a smile: "There's no one inside or outside the wall, we can climb over and avoid queuing."
Bai Fan took a deep breath: "This is the shortcut you were talking about to avoid queuing?"
Wang Ran answered matter-of-factly: "Yes! No need to queue!"
Bai Fan glared: "But where's the path?"
Wang Ran replied without changing expression: "There were no paths in the world originally, when many people walk it becomes a path! If you can pass, isn't it a path? You're not saying you can't climb over, are you?"
Bai Fan said angrily: "Who says I can't climb over?"
Wang Ran asked in return: "Then what are you unsatisfied with?"
No need to queue √
Path √
Isn't everything there?
Bai Fan said in a deep voice: "Aren't you afraid of offending Buddha?"
Wang Ran asked back: "How do you know this isn't Buddha's arrangement?" After saying this, he leapt up and grasped the courtyard wall.
"Stop dawdling!"
He pushed up with both hands, sat gracefully on top of the wall, then leaned back and fell towards the inside of the wall, quickly disappearing from Bai Fan's sight.
Bai Fan said urgently: "Hey! Wait for me!"
...
The plaque of Yong'an Temple was personally written by Liu Zongyuan, one of the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties. After restoration by generations of monks, it was gilded by royal decree in the Ming Dynasty, with a market value estimated at 30 million RMB.
Behind the plaque was a grand square courtyard.
In the center of the square stood an incense burner cast from 9 tons of white copper. Visitors who saw this incense burner were willing to buy incense to offer, causing the smell of incense to linger in the air day after day.
Walking past the incense burner and looking up, one could see the magnificent golden Buddha pagoda of Yong'an. The pagoda housed 686 Buddha statues and countless precious esoteric Buddhist treasures, normally closed to visitors.
"I'm truly amazed! This temple is so extravagant!" Bai Fan marveled at the scene before him, "Even the roof of the hall is gilded?" So far, every main hall they had passed was shimmering with gold.
Wang Ran agreed: "Extravagant beyond reason!"
Yong'an Temple received offerings from Buddhist believers throughout the ages. The total value of all items in the temple added up to over 2 billion, and it was said that rare and precious sariras were hidden in the golden Buddha pagoda, which were priceless treasures!
But what use was it?
Wang Ran murmured: "The incense burner can't fulfill wishes, Buddha statues can't resolve suffering, faith is just an illusory spiritual sustenance." When doomsday came, how many people did this thousand-year-old temple shelter?
Not a single one!
The rescue teams didn't even go in the direction of Yong'an Temple, because no one survived here, from the abbot to the followers, all died tragically without exception.
Bai Fan looked at Wang Ran in surprise.
A gray-robed monk approached Wang Ran: "All beings suffer, Buddha is with us, to seek ultimate bliss, one must save oneself."
Wang Ran lowered his head: "No offense intended."
The monk put his palms together: "No matter!"
Bai Fan asked: "Where do we go to draw fortune sticks?"
The monk revealed a serene smile.
"Please follow me."
The monk led Wang Ran and Bai Fan to a side hall, where many people had gathered to draw fortune sticks. A huge transparent donation box was placed outside the hall.
The monk explained: "Drawing and interpreting fortune sticks are free. If you're willing, you can donate some incense money, any amount is fine." He turned to fetch a fortune stick tube.
"Who's first?"
Wang Ran looked at Bai Fan.
Bai Fan reached out: "I'll go first!"
The monk gently shook the fortune stick tube a few times. He said in a mild tone: "Draw a stick based on intuition, don't think too much."
Bai Fan nodded.
He drew out a stick with four lines of small characters written on it.
A time of danger meets great peace,
The well water in the gate is clear,
Prosperity like the sun and moon,
The barbarian encounters a literary star.
Bai Fan stared at this fortune stick, looking at it over and over. He seemed to think of something, and only after a few seconds did he hand the stick to the monk: "Please interpret this fortune for me, Master."
The monk took the stick and looked at it: "What do you want to ask about?"
Bai Fan pondered: "I want to do something, it's a bit dangerous. I want to know if I can succeed in doing it."
Wang Ran looked up at the monk.
The monk held up the fortune stick and mused: "Years of wandering in the realm, no success in fame or fortune, trapped on the road..."
Bai Fan's face darkened.
Though he didn't understand fortune interpretation, these two lines were clearly not good words.
The monk changed his tone: "Today you meet an official's noble power, good spring scenery fills the imperial capital!"
Bai Fan asked in confusion: "What does that mean?"
"At the beginning of what you want to do, you will encounter obstacles. You may find it difficult to move forward, making you consider giving up halfway." The monk said solemnly, "But you should use your wisdom and persevere to the end. When the time comes, there will be noble people to assist you, and you will surely succeed!"
Wang Ran's eyelids twitched violently.
Bai Fan looked bewildered: "Noble people to assist?"
"Today you meet an official's noble power. Patron, think carefully about any special people you've encountered these past two days?" The monk said softly, "They might be your noble helper."
Special people...
Bai Fan pondered for two seconds, then turned his head to look at Wang Ran.
Read ahead up to chapter 400 at