374: Chapter 374 [Buddhism Treasure: Heavenly Dragon Roar] First Update!
374: Chapter 374 [Buddhism Treasure: Heavenly Dragon Roar] First Update!
First Update!
The temple looked ancient; though it was a modest and unadorned small temple, it was a sacred place of Tibetan Buddhism.
Here, the rhythmic chants of the Brahman Sound seemed to have settled unchanged through the ages.
Zen Temple!
It was a common name for a temple, but it told of ancient legends.
Inside the temple, the monks debated scriptures and performed ritual dances.
The grand religious ceremonies were breathtaking.
Such scenes naturally aroused the curiosity of the sisters, Chu Qingxue, and they took out their DSLR to capture the moment.
As the group approached the temple, they naturally caught the attention of the monks inside.
Immediately, two young monks with dark complexions came out to greet them, smiling amiably with palms pressed together, and then uttered a flurry of words.
“Gah!”
The group was dumbfounded.
What were these monks saying?
They all looked puzzled, and even Chu Qingxue, who was otherwise unstoppable in the business world, felt at a loss.
At that moment, Ye Chenfeng stepped forward, and as soon as he spoke, he surprised everyone by using the same language as the monks.
Everyone’s gaze shifted to Ye Chenfeng, wondering how he had such a skill up his sleeve.
In fact, it was Tibetan.
During his time in the Qilian Mountains, there was a good chance of encountering Tibetan locals, and Ye Chenfeng had the good fortune to learn a bit, so simple communication was not a problem for him.
What the two monks wanted to know was what Ye Chenfeng and his party were doing there.
Ye Chenfeng replied that they had come to visit, had accidentally lost their way, and wanted to stay in the temple for one night.
One of the monks ran inside to report, and they were asked to wait a moment.
Soon a monk in his fifties came out, and there was a moment of surprise in his eyes when he saw Ye Chenfeng for the first time as they suddenly flashed with intensity.
From the robes he was wearing, it was clear he was the abbot of the temple.
Ye Chenfeng was quite puzzled; why was the middle-aged monk looking at him with such sharp eyes?
“Who might you be?” the middle-aged monk asked, speaking in the common tongue of the Divine Land.
At this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief; with someone who spoke the language of the Divine Land, communication was possible.
After expressing their desire to stay overnight, the middle-aged monk gave it some thought and in the end agreed, inviting them into the temple.
Whenever his gaze met Ye Chenfeng’s, there was a hint of wariness, as if on guard, which left Ye Chenfeng feeling quite disconcerted.
Are you envious that I have more hair than you, old baldy?
Entering the temple, the deep sound of the bell and the chanting of scriptures flowed into their ears, while the scent of sandalwood wafted into their nostrils, making one’s heart seem to return to a state of nature, calming down with it.
Under the guidance of the middle-aged monk, the group was taken to their accommodations, and after setting down their luggage, they all came out again.
“May we take photos?” The sisters, Chu Qingxue, sought the monk’s permission and then started taking pictures all around the temple, occasionally pulling a monk into the frame for a joint photograph.
Everyone was curious about their DSLR, crowding around them.
When they encountered several adorable little monks, they were even more delighted.
“Let’s ask around to see if anyone knows the significance of these four lines,” Ye Chenfeng said to Ouyang Qingcheng and Li Yang, and then everyone went their separate ways to explore the temple freely.
As he wandered alone, Ye Chenfeng always felt as if a pair of eyes was quietly watching him, but it didn’t give him a creepy feeling; it was as if they were just observing him.
Perhaps it was that Ye Chenfeng clashed with the temple; coming here, his heart became more and more restless.
Grabbing a couple of monks, Ye Chenfeng communicated with them, trying to find out the whereabouts of the Ancient Tomb’s marvels, but these monks knew nothing about them.
Ye Chenfeng’s heart became somewhat chaotic.
Although the map indicated this location, the exact spot remained unknown.
Deciding to make the best of it, Ye Chenfeng began to admire the woodcarvings and hand-painted murals in the temple.
Suddenly, Ye Chenfeng felt a chill on his back, and turning around, he saw that the middle-aged monk was staring at him intently.
His scalp tingled, and he couldn’t help asking, “Is something the matter?”
“My master wishes to see you,” said the middle-aged monk directly.
“Your master?” A flicker of suspicion crossed Ye Chenfeng’s eyes.
The middle-aged monk didn’t speak but silently led the way.
Gradually, the monk guided Ye Chenfeng through the majestic temple, along a very narrow plank road, to the depths of the temple complex, where they faced a steep cliff arm, towering like a thousand blades.
Above were cave Buddha niches and even some damaged Buddha statues.
The plank road’s rock walls featured many cliff carvings and a few stone steles with inscriptions.
“Go in,” the monk said, pointing to a cave, then walked away without looking back.
Driven by curiosity, Ye Chenfeng entered the cave.
The cave was small, but once inside, he realized it was incredibly spacious and well-lit.
However, it was empty except for the scrolls on the surrounding walls.
Ye Chenfeng grew somewhat bored and began to look around.
“Is anyone here?
I’ll leave if no one is around!” Ye Chenfeng didn’t have the patience to wait any longer.
Just as Ye Chenfeng was about to step out, a dragon’s hum seemed to travel from afar, causing the place to tremble.
Ye Chenfeng’s ears rang, his eardrums nearly splitting.
Ye Chenfeng quickly held his breath and concentrated, but ultimately couldn’t withstand the thunderous Heavenly Dragon Roar, a sweet taste in his heart, blood spilling from his mouth.
“Come out at once, stop playing tricks!” Ye Chenfeng was seething with murderous intent, a torrent of malevolence threatening to inundate the cave.
“Your killing deeds are vast, your sins grave.
You must be punished!” chanted a voice in a Buddhist recitation, causing Ye Chenfeng to feel an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
Buddha’s Light filled the sky, illuminating the human world, and slowly a figure appeared before Ye Chenfeng.
An old monk, draped in a red robe, his skeletal frame knotted with sinew, his face full of wrinkles, the flesh on his face and hands shriveled and dried up.
His appearance was like that of a mummy, capable of making a child cry in fright.
But amid that almost ghastly face, a pair of small eyes shone brilliantly, revealing the vastness and depth of the three thousand great laws.
“It’s you!”
Earlier outside, Ye Chenfeng had felt as if he was being watched.
Now, seeing this mummy-like monk, he instantly understood—it was him!
The old monk held Zen beads in his hand, approaching with a light and graceful step, as if surrounded by an aura.
“Greetings to you, benefactor,” the old monk said, revealing a kind expression that seemed even more terrifying as he smiled.
Seeing the other party withdraw his intimidating presence, Ye Chenfeng also reined in his intent to kill and replied with his hands together in respect, “Greetings to you, Master!”
The old monk looked over Ye Chenfeng with an amused expression that made his skin crawl.
“May I know what matter brings the master to seek me out?” asked Ye Chenfeng.
“Amitabha Buddha,” the old monk replied, “It concerns the benefactor’s deeds of killing and sin.”
Ye Chenfeng smiled indifferently, “The skill you just used was the Buddhist sacred ‘Heavenly Dragon Roar,’ wasn’t it?
But I’m afraid you’ll find it somewhat difficult to kill me!”