Chapter 52 Old Friend

After Nujiao sent Wei Yuan back to the museum, she casually took out a piece of millennia-old ice and pressed it against his forehead. With a flick of her finger, the ice transformed into a fluorescent light, scattering into Wei Yuan's body. Although it couldn't compare to the power of the Kunlun Lord, it did alleviate Wei Yuan's pain.

Clearly, even if he failed the Kunlun Mountain test, this elder sister had a way to ease his suffering.

Nujiao stared at him intently and said, "You really don't remember?"

Wei Yuan's mouth twitched. "Remember what?"

"Oh..."

"Very good."

The white-haired fox woman was expressionless. "Showing it only to that woman, the Queen Mother of the West, but not letting your sister know?"

"Yuan, you've grown up."

"As expected, once a younger brother grows up, he can't be kept anymore."

The smile on Wei Yuan's face froze, and the hairs on the back of his neck almost stood on end.

Even now, wielding the Xing Tian Axe, he still felt his scalp tingle.

A long-lost cry echoed in his heart.

Yu, where are you…

I can't handle this situation.

However, Nujiao was only venting her dissatisfaction at, in a sense, losing to the Queen Mother of the West. She glanced at Wei Yuan, seeming to remember something, and said she would take him to Kunlun Mountain in ten days. In the meantime, he should rest well. Then, she left in a flurry.

Wei Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In the days that followed, he simply focused on healing and recovering his body.

Wei Yuan still sat in the wheelchair that had been crushed and then repaired.

In his spare time, he could only browse through some ancient books in the museum.

In his current condition, it was essentially unsuitable for cultivation.

He just didn't know why.

He always felt that the Great Monk Yuanjue looked at him with a strange gaze.

It was a honeyed smile that sent shivers down his spine.

Wei Yuan turned a page, looked up, and saw Yuanjue quickly lower his head again, a smile so wide it could hold an oil bottle. Wei Yuan's mouth twitched, and then he fell into thought—had he offended this monk at some point? Why was this smile so strange, making his forehead feel cold?

At lunchtime, Yuanjue brought the dishes to Wei Yuan.

For some reason, this monk used to prefer heavy flavors, with a fondness for chili and such. But today, the dishes were all light Jiangnan cuisine. It was quite peculiar. These Jiangnan-style vegetarian dishes were exceptionally authentic, leaving Wei Yuan full of praise.

Then, as Wei Yuan hesitated to pick up his chopsticks, the monk put his palms together and asked with a smile:

"Curator Wei."

"Do you know where the Buddha-dharma lies?"

"Huh?!"

Wei Yuan's thoughts slowed for a moment, and then he looked suspiciously at the smiling monk before him—

Did this monk intend to convert him into a monk?

So, originally intending to say something high-sounding like Buddha-dharma lies in karma, he hesitated, pointed at the dishes on the table with his chopsticks, and answered casually, "Buddha-dharma lies only in food and drink."

Unexpectedly, Yuanjue muttered a few words, his eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Amitabha…"

"It really is you."

Huh?!

Was that all it took?

Wei Yuan was dumbfounded.

Yuanjue, however, felt joyful and lighthearted. The true spirit of his past life had returned, and he remembered many things. As a true cultivator of Buddhism, the method of recovering his true spirit's memories was different from others. Buddhism cultivates the self, cultivates the true nature, a lifetime of perfection like a relic.

The past self and the present self are one person, yet not one person.

It is me and not me, the Buddhas of the three worlds.

Originally, only he alone sat on the spiritual platform, but now another monk sat opposite him.

After hearing Wei Yuan's answer, Yuanjue's past and present selves simultaneously put their palms together, rejoicing and praising: "Buddha-dharma is in the moment of thought, Buddha-dharma is in the hearts of people, Buddha-dharma is in the endurance of nature."

"Buddha-dharma is in the mortal world."

"Buddha-dharma is also in food and drink."

"Amitabha, it really is him."

Past and present, they simultaneously shook their heads regretfully.

"The comprehension is quite high, what a pity. I wanted to convert him to Buddhism as early as the Song Dynasty."

"The comprehension is quite high, what a pity. I still wanted to convert Curator Wei to Buddhism some time ago."

The monk's two true spirits looked at each other, revealing a calm smile, and confirmed that the great thief of the past was indeed the current Curator Wei. It was just a pity that he had made a vow back then, and the monk did not intend to violate what he had said.

Wei Yuan felt even stranger in his heart. He lost his appetite and, after thinking about it, put down his chopsticks and looked at Yuanjue, asking earnestly:

"Yuanjue, is there something you want to say to me?"

The monk was surprised, and then pondered for a moment.

His past and present selves talked to each other in his mind.

"How should I start?"

"We should ask gently."

"Indeed, we can't be too direct. Curator Wei doesn't seem to remember what happened back then."

"Being too direct is indeed not good."

"That's right, that's right, we should open our mouths gently."

"That's how it should be."

So Yuanjue put his palms together, his voice gentle, and asked with a smile:

"Curator Wei."

"Do you still remember Hongyi from back then?"

The true spirit of Fahai: "…………"

………………

Wei Yuan was stunned: "Hongyi?"

Yuanjue nodded slightly, smiling encouragingly:

"Yes, Hongyi, with a heroic spirit, a golden ring high ponytail, skilled in using a long sword."

Wei Yuan frowned, thinking seriously, a red-clothed woman with a heroic spirit, did he know anyone like that? But Yuanjue was so confident, he couldn't fool this friend, so he had to think hard. But then again, this was just a multiple-choice question, and he didn't know many women.

First, eliminate one wrong answer.

It definitely wouldn't be Jue.

Then it couldn't be Nujiao either.

She used weapons left by the Shennong Clan.

Finally, Wei Yuan's brow slowly relaxed, and he found someone, it seemed it could only be Kua Lin.

But how would the monk before him know her?

He was suspicious in his heart, watching the calm monk, and said: "Yuanjue, do you know her?"

"Curator Wei, have you remembered?"

The monk was surprised. To be honest, in his memory, he had now recovered his memories of the great thief, but he still couldn't see the face of the red-clothed constable. It was faint and vague, and it might only be useful if he really saw the real person. But now, the great thief Curator Wei before him actually remembered her.

Was it really unchanged for thousands of years?

The monk smiled and said: "Amitabha, that would be the best."

"Curator Wei, do you have feelings for her? This poor monk can…"

Before he could say the word "officiate," Wei Yuan was stunned, and then shook his head and said:

"Of course not!"

The monk's smile froze.

Huh?!!

He widened his eyes: "No?"

"Definitely not."

"But you two had already reached that step back then!"

Wei Yuan was dumbfounded, only thinking that the monk was talking about the black history of almost being kidnapped and married back then. Did Nujiao actually tell the people at the museum about this? He said helplessly: "I was forced back then, I didn't want to do that."

Forced?

The monk's Buddhist heart froze.

Scenes floated in his mind.

For example, the red-clothed girl forcing the great thief to say those words in public with a sword.

Then pretending to refuse.

The entire past story changed its nature all at once.

This, this, this…

Could it be that the constable back then actually had such a personality?

Or was Curator Wei lying, was he actually a villain who played with people's feelings?

Didn't want to do it? Was forced?

In the true spirit, Fahai slowly rose and slowly clenched his fist.

The aura of Buddhism rose mightily.

Buddhism observes the heart, observes the words, and observes the actions.

You took the initiative to speak.

But the woman waited for you her whole life, and you said you had no thoughts or feelings.

Amitabha.

This poor monk has something to say, please listen quietly, benefactor.

Fahai's true spirit clenched his fist, and the aura of Buddhism was heavy and mighty, like a dragon rising.

"No feelings?"

But Yuanjue looked solemn, and thinking of what he had said in his previous life, he pondered for a long time and still said:

"Then Curator Wei, could you trouble yourself to re-cultivate your feelings with her?"

He said sincerely: "This poor monk has a vow shackle that requires the two of you to cooperate."

Wei Yuan: "…………?"

"Is that even possible?"

The two were dumbfounded, and the weapon spirit took the initiative to appear, helplessly interrupting:

"Master, what you are saying is impossible. After all, there is also Miss Jue…"

"Miss Jue?"

The monk was stunned, and then a certain mist in his mind was dispelled.

The appearance of the red-clothed constable became vivid, it was the girl who lived opposite the museum. The expression on the monk's face froze, and then relaxed, looking at Wei Yuan. And Wei Yuan discovered that the monk's face once again showed that honeyed smile after a sudden realization, and the heaviness of Buddhism disappeared.

"Amitabha, so that's how it is, so that's how it is."

"Haha, very good, very good ah…"

Wei Yuan: "…………"

Was there something wrong?

Yuanjue also understood that he and Wei Yuan were not talking about the same thing. He looked at Wei Yuan and asked with a smile: "Curator Wei, do you still remember what happened in Jiangnan back then?"

Wei Yuan frowned and shook his head.

But to be honest, he himself was not sure what was going on.

Yuanjue was so sure.

Could it be that he was a reincarnation of himself?

The monk thought in his heart, and said with a free and easy smile:

"It's meaningless for this poor monk to say it, Curator Wei, you may not believe it. If Curator, you have nothing to do, why not go to Jiangnan with this poor monk to relax? This poor monk happens to have a place I want to go back to."

"What place?"

Yuanjue raised his eyes, the expression in his left eye was clear and peaceful, but his right eye was like an old monk in silence.

He put his palms together.

"Jinshan Temple."

The White Snake is about to break free.

……………………

Outside the East Sea.

Storms rose.

Strands of black aura reassembled.

Faintly transformed into the appearance of a flood dragon, crossing the mountain and sea fissures, following the Yangtze River estuary, flowing towards the direction of Jiangnan Dao again.

Wei Yuan finally agreed to Yuanjue. He couldn't cultivate in the museum, and he was very bored.

It was good to go out and relax.

With this in mind, Yuanjue brought Wei Yuan to Jinshan Temple.

Once one of the four famous temples in the world.

Yuanjue looked at this unfamiliar and familiar ancient temple, looked at the sentient beings coming and going, the fallen leaves entered the forest, and the yellow leaves flew like Jinshan. There were monks dressed in monk's robes sweeping, and the sound of the large broom sweeping across the fallen leaves made people feel relaxed, and it was peaceful.

Yuanjue was in a trance, as if seeing the past.

"Curator Wei…"

"You go up first."

Wei Yuan had a faint feeling and smiled and nodded.

Yuanjue nodded, with nostalgia, his right foot gently stepped on Jinshan Temple.

The wind stopped here.

Those tourists and monks were all shocked.

Then that 1,600-year-old heavy Buddhist bell suddenly shook mightily.

As if seeing an old friend.

The monk lowered his eyes, and the Buddhist bell rang twelve times, resounding through the clouds.

Never stopping.

The twelve links of dependent origination, going back and forth.

A thousand years of time, returning to the old place.

In the midst of astonished gazes, the monk who had just been pushing the wheelchair stood with one hand upright in front of his chest, the sides of his monk's robe slightly raised towards the back, and said softly: "Amitabha…"

PS: Today's first update………three thousand two hundred words