Chapter 3, Seeking Roots in the Ancient Temple

Hong Ning said: "That object must be quite large, to have collided with such a high cliff. Could it have flown in from mid-air?"

The expanse beneath the stage is vast, with ethereal mists rising.

What could have collided with that? Hong Ning also found it strange and looked up closely

Before she could finish speaking, an extremely cold gust of wind suddenly swept up

The one in the tall hat, with a serious demeanor, clasped his hands in congratulations: "I have heard that the esteemed deity has achieved mastery in cultivation, and the ascension to the heavenly realm is just around the corner, which is indeed a great joy for all."

The young monk could not answer that year: "This ... ... "

On the left, the player with the black pieces is a man in his thirties or forties, dressed in a cloud robe and wearing a tall crown. His white face and black beard give him an air of authority. Not far behind him stand the Golden Boy and Jade Girl, each holding a magical artifact. The figure on the right is much younger, clad in a brocade robe with an embroidered sash, exuding a handsome demeanor, with a faint smile at the corner of his lips; he is indeed the brocade-clad one. Behind him, not far away, stand two beautiful women holding flower branches, both charming and coldly elegant, each with their own unique allure.

Bai Ling sneered: "That talisman may not be particularly brilliant; it is evident that this person lacks sufficient magical power and can only resort to such expedient measures, which are unlikely to last long"

Hong Ning said: "Will it..." Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly heard a splash from the pond. Thinking it was the dragon again, she couldn't help but turn her face back in surprise, only to find that Bai Ling had returned.

The Splendid Path: "Her descent into the mortal realm is always due to my influence"

The monk said: "When it reached midnight, and it was nearly the hour of Zi, there was still no movement outside. The gatekeeper, feeling disgruntled, decided to take a break, thinking that he could just make up an excuse the next day to get by."

Bai Lingdao: "How do you intend to proceed?"

The two of them were taken aback and simultaneously turned to look behind them

Seeing that she was young, clever, and endearing, the two monks did not blame her curiosity and both smiled, saying: "Little benefactor, you may not know that our temple was originally called Xiyin Temple; it is said that the name was changed fifty years ago"

She found it interesting, and the monk spoke with great vigor: "The elder was indeed overjoyed, firmly believing in this matter, and specifically instructed everyone in the temple to bathe and recite scriptures in preparation for welcoming that immortal."

It is evident that the relationship between the two is unusual. The girl is being humble and submissive, yet she is treated in such a manner, which is indeed rare. Hong Ning couldn't help but frown; although she felt it was inappropriate, she thought to herself that she was still young and should not matter in the eyes of others. Thus, she remained composed and allowed him to hold her hand as they walked, after all, it was common to do so when they were "young".

"Is she your junior sister?" Seeing her indeed had a somewhat clueless demeanor, the woman in white softened her tone, speaking softly, "Are you still blaming me? But I only wanted to be with you..."

The one wearing the lofty crown casually dropped a piece: "Immortals, demons, and mortals belong to different races and cannot unite. At that time, she insisted on entering the mortal realm to repay her kindness, narrowly escaping divine punishment. Fortunately, the revered deity provided her with water from the Yaochi to assist her in her transformation, allowing her to retain her essence. Now, she is no longer of the revered deity's lineage"

Bai Ling's complexion was not very good: "There are many branches in that cave, one of which leads to a well ten miles away. I don't know who placed a talisman on the well, but just now, I was careless and almost got caught by it."

A Sigh of Splendor: "Back then, the revelation of heavenly secrets nearly brought disaster to the heavenly court. My master originally intended to impose a severe punishment, but it was the Emperor who interceded on my behalf, resulting in only a reduction of my cultivation by thirty thousand years and my demotion to a celestial being. Now, I have been in charge of my clan's affairs for nearly ten thousand years and have never considered returning to my original position"

The white piece fell onto the chessboard, and Jin Xiu raised her gaze, turning her face to look at the clouds rolling beneath the stage, sighing: "Our clan, limited by our physical form, finds it difficult to cultivate, leading to a decline in our ranks. Since I am in this position, being able to nurture even one more is a merit. Everything depends on her own fate."

Jinxiu picked up a white seed from the bowl beside her: "Transferring from the future to the past, it is merely to help her understand that all phenomena in the world are subject to change, that time can also flow backward, and that the past and future are not absolute. Only the path of immortality is eternal. She possesses great spiritual energy, yet she has never been able to comprehend the reasoning behind it all."

The splendid scene has returned to tranquility, with a smile: "One can anticipate others, yet cannot foresee oneself. It is not only you and I; even the Emperor is the same. The secrets of heaven cannot be divulged. As for me, knowing how matters unfold or not makes no difference; everything is left to the will of heaven"

The monk shook his head: "This matter sounds rather fanciful. The other monks in the temple are just like the young benefactor, unwilling to believe it. They only say that the elder is taking the dream too seriously. On the night of the 15th, the elder originally planned to set up an incense altar to welcome the celestial being along with the other monks, but he feared that a grand ceremony might startle that deity. Therefore, after much consideration, he decided to let everyone rest as usual, only instructing the senior monk to be vigilant at the gate while he himself meditated in the Zen room."

Initially thinking she was just another female demon coveting Bai Ling's beauty, Hong Ning, upon hearing the implication in his words, realized that the two of them were actually acquainted. She quickly turned her face to look at Bai Ling. Since being taken in by Wen Xin during her childhood, this senior brother had always been present, yet she had never heard him mention any past events.

Knowing what he wants to do, Hong Ning expressed her concern: "Since it is a divine object, whether it can be found depends on fate. It concerns the secrets of heaven, and rash divination will surely exhaust one's spirit. Perhaps..."

How?

In fact, there is nothing to fear in an ordinary temple. However, this ancient temple has a history of over one hundred years, with a strong incense offering and strict precepts. Coupled with the chanting of scriptures by eminent monks, over time, it has garnered the protection of Buddhist light, which ordinary demons cannot withstand; they would tremble even at a distance. Fortunately, Bai Ling has nearly four hundred years of cultivation, so entering is not a problem, but she can no longer use her demonic powers.

Hong Ning understood: "Wait for me outside."

Through the trials of the mortal world, one can ascend to the ranks of immortals; this is the heavenly decree. Had she not been infatuated with the mortal realm, it would not have come to this. Everything is predestined, and this principle is surely clearer to the divine being than to us. No wonder the Emperor often says you are too sentimental. The one in the peaked cap smiled and said, 'Having already traversed ten lifetimes and repaid her debts of gratitude, it is not impossible for her to cultivate immortality in a mortal body. The divine being is about to retire and take back control of the Heavenly Palace; it would be best to transform her soon, lest we jeopardize great matters.'

It is a fact that Bai Ling is beautiful, and her temper is not particularly good, but she is not incapable of self-control. When provoked by an ordinary fairy, she might only teach them a slight lesson by creating a few blocks of ice, and she has never been seen to act so harshly. Hong Ning originally found it strange, but upon hearing these words, she guessed the reason: this woman has harmed others, and that person must be very important to her.

The monk spoke as he walked: "I also heard from my master that fifty years ago, Elder Haikong, who was in charge at the time, was quite famous. There were not many people in the temple then. One night, the elder suddenly had a dream and upon waking, he said someone was looking for him, claiming to be the Golden Boy, the timekeeper of the Southern Heaven Gate. He felt that the scenery of our temple was very beautiful and wished to descend to the mortal realm to reside here permanently. He asked the elder to open the temple gate at the midnight of the full moon night to let him in."

Wen Xin shook his head: "It is about ten zhang above the ground there. Who would carve something at such a high place for no reason? I don't think it was carved; rather, it looks like marks left by something that collided with it."

Hong Ning smiled and said, "Then why is it called the Divine Bell Temple again?"

In this era of reverence for Buddhism and Daoism, several masters and disciples have resided in this mountain for many years, earning the love and respect of the surrounding villagers. Upon hearing of the incident at the Evil Dragon Pool, several esteemed elders in the village were taken aback and hurriedly sent messengers to convey the news to the villagers, repeatedly expressing their gratitude

Two monks allowed the two individuals to enter

Hong Ning let out a sigh: "How is it?"

Bai Ling turned to face her, the leisurely lift of her gaze was truly captivating, yet her voice was as cold as ice: "If you continue to entangle yourself, I will ensure that your very soul is scattered."

Hong Ning smiled and said: "Indeed, it must have been causing harm over there all these years, using people's souls to cultivate spirit pearls. Recently, I don't know which esteemed person cast a spell to seal off the path over there, and it has run out of food, so it had no choice but to return here"

Splendid Path: "At the beginning, when she was brought from the future, the fate changed, and now I cannot even predict my own future. If there were to be any unforeseen events, would it not be my fault? I must take care of her."

The prolonged lack of results indicates that the matter is certainly not simple. Hong Ning sensed that something was amiss and felt anxious. Just as she was about to think of a way to call Bai Ling back for assistance, Wen Xin had already reopened her eyes

Bai Ling paused for a moment

Upon exiting the temple gate, Hong Ning smiled and said: "This perfectly matches the stone imprint on the cliff; its size and shape clearly indicate that it was left by the bell striking against it. The monk did not open the door, the divine bell was angered and had nowhere to go, so it could only fly chaotically. In its carelessness, it crashed into the stone wall and fell into the pool, where it was obtained by that dragon, which is why it has quickly transformed into a dragon."

The monk laughed and said, "Little benefactor, it claims to be the timekeeper of the Southern Heavenly Gate, also known as the Golden Boy. Combined, does that not form the character '钟'?"

Wen Xin nodded and sat cross-legged

Hong Ning quickened her pace and walked down the main road: "Let's find a car to take us back, I can't walk anymore"

The sky was dim, and a horse-drawn carriage was conveniently parked on the road. The driver, an elderly man dressed in blue, held a water pipe in his hand. Upon seeing the two, he immediately smiled and said, "It is quite late; you two must still be planning to walk. Why not come up and ride in the carriage?"

Hong Ning found it difficult to obstruct him, so she walked over to protect him. Looking at the emerald green pond, she momentarily recalled the matter of the evil dragon, and then thought of the camellias scattered all around and that mysterious brocade, which left her somewhat unsettled.

He stared at the old man and said, "What are you here for"

Indeed, as the monk sighed, the moment the door was shut, a loud bang was heard, startling everyone in the temple. The door, which was originally thick and sturdy, was forcefully knocked out, creating a hole. The master, realizing that something was amiss, hurriedly opened the door to check, but the object was already nowhere to be seen. The elder immediately scolded him harshly and went out to set up an incense altar to chant scriptures as an apology. However, the divine bell, displeased that the door had not been opened, had already flown away to another place and never returned. With the situation having come to this, the elder could only lament that the temple was fated to be unable to keep its treasure and thus changed the name of the temple.

Hong Ning intended to slow down her pace, carefully observing her surroundings while making strange expressions and chatting with them: "Shenzhen Temple... Master, this temple name is quite interesting"

In the distance, the mountain peaks are lush with trees, among which an ancient temple appears faintly, with its spire towering in the wind

Hong Ning was overjoyed and nodded, ready to climb onto the carriage, but unexpectedly, Bai Ling suddenly reached out and pulled her back behind.

Hong Ning said: "Is there a divine bell here?"

After half a day, Wenxin's complexion gradually turned pale, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead

I precisely wish to resolve this matter before stepping down

Are you also jealous of the child? Hong Ning did not want to cause trouble, so she had a sudden idea. She looked up innocently and blinked at him, suppressing her disgust as she shook his arm, pretending to be naive: "Senior brother, who is she?"

Bai Ling lightly hummed and continued to walk forward: "It's just a small temple, what is there to be afraid of."

The elder, Xi Mainong, chuckled and said, "Little benefactor, you may not know that fifty years ago, the temple was on the verge of receiving a divine bell, but unfortunately, the gatekeeper mishandled the matter."

Whether one can ascend to immortality depends on fate and destiny, and cannot be forced. The one wearing the peaked cap shook his head, "Is the esteemed deity too obsessed? Just the other day, the Emperor mentioned you, seemingly quite worried..."

On the way back, Hong Ning informed Bai Ling about the circular imprint on the stone wall

The two monks shook their heads: "No."

The one with the lofty crown said: "I do not know this; apart from the Emperor, who else can divine the matters of the revered deity? Perhaps it would be wise to inquire further?"

Hong Ning said: "Something must have happened!"

On the stage, there is a chessboard, and two individuals are seated, intently engaged in a game.

The one in the tall hat asked: "Does she understand?"

The Lord of Stars mocks me

Bai Ling slightly raised her eyes and unceremoniously uttered a single word: "Get lost"

The one wearing the tall crown smiled and said: "What is unexpected, fellow disciples, the Emperor has high hopes for the revered deity. Since the revered deity was demoted to oversee the affairs of flowers, the Central Heaven has been left unguarded, naturally hoping for your early return to your position"

In front of the temple gate, two young monks were conversing when they suddenly noticed a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old approaching with a little girl. They quickly fell silent, clasped their hands together in greeting, and asked, "Are you here to pay your respects or to fulfill a vow?"

Jinxiu shifted the topic: "Do you still remember the Hong Ning I mentioned, Xing Jun? I returned from the South Sea the day before yesterday and saw her captured by the evil dragon, her essence nearly taken away, so I saved her life."

Hong Ning hurriedly asked, "What happened?"

Hong Ning said: "Just based on a dream, is he not afraid it might be false?"

Wen Xin gazed at the stone print, remaining silent

The woman in white suddenly changed her complexion and vanished in an instant. Hong Ning was startled and hurriedly looked around, only to see her standing two zhang away, with an expression of disbelief: "Bai Ling, you... you are attacking me?"

Hong Ning asked: "Is it really coming?"

Hong Ning had no choice but to step forward and say, "We have come to pay our respects at your esteemed temple."

The one in the tall hat was astonished: "Are you still worrying about it?"

The woman in white, with a sorrowful expression, spoke softly: "I thought you had been taken by the Taoist priest. I was determined to save you and searched for a long time before I found out you were here. Why won't you speak to me kindly?"

Bai Ling did not object, and after sending a message to Wen Xin using a sound transmission talisman, she set off on the journey with her

Hong Ning raised her eyes and saw that he was pointing at the circular stone imprint in the cliff. She immediately smiled and said, "I saw that when I was a child, but I don't know who carved it."

Hong Ning asked: "Where did it fly in from?"

Wen Xin shook his head and smiled, saying: "Relying on mere Taoist techniques to pry into the secrets of heaven is indeed a futile endeavor"

Hong Ning tentatively suggested, "Why don't we go to the temple first?"

Wen Xin nodded and said, "I do not know where this cave leads. If we use a talisman to seal this side, it may cause harm elsewhere. It would be better for me to set up a formation to prevent it from going far. You two should go and inform the nearby villagers to stay away from here."

The one who wears the lofty crown said: "To view the past life through the eyes of the present world is indeed a profound effort of the revered deity"

The one in the tall hat said solemnly: "Indeed, we are the foolish ones."

Wen Xindao said, "Let me give it a try." After speaking, he closed his eyes and focused, forming a hand gesture.

He nodded and said: "It is indeed a divine entity, yet its nature remains unknown."

Hong Ning could not help but exclaim: "What a pity!"

Bai Ling tightened her beautiful face and pulled Hong Ning along as she walked

Hong Ning was unable to use the method of shrinking the ground, while Bai Ling could, but she could not carry such a mortal body as hers. Therefore, the two walked to the ancient temple, and by evening, they saw the setting sun slanting to the west, with rays of sunset illuminating the sky. Ascending the clean stone steps, they walked through a path lined with lush trees and babbling streams. Before long, they reached the mountain top, where the temple gate stood tall and solemn, inscribed with the three large characters "Shen Zhong Si," exuding an extraordinary presence. Inside, the evening bell rang, accompanied by waves of chanting, confirming it was indeed a pure land of Buddhism.

Previously, it was merely a casual question, without any serious thought. Now that I understand, Hong Ning also feels a bit awkward, offering a few perfunctory remarks before hastily accompanying Bai Ling to the palace to offer incense. After spending a few coins, they took their leave and exited.

Bai Ling did not respond

Bai Ling did not respond: "Let it be."

Hong Ning was feeling inexplicably perplexed when she suddenly saw the old man transform into a woman in white. The young woman's delicate face and cherry-red lips were quite beautiful, but her hair was as white as snow. She looked at Bai Ling and reproached her, saying: "I was wondering why you suddenly disappeared; it turns out you went off to cultivate immortality with the Taoist priest."

After a while, the one wearing the tall hat threw down a piece and said with a smile: "Your Excellency seems to be distracted today, likely due to the impending joyful event, which means you are bound to lose this game."

Wen Xindao said, "Although I cannot determine what it is, this object is indeed related to that demon dragon." After speaking, he stood up and examined the marks on the stone wall: "Since this object collided with something, it must have subsequently fallen into this pool, where it was obtained by that jiao, which, with the aid of spiritual energy, transformed into a dragon shape"

Of course, it was not appropriate for her to ask too many questions, after all, it concerned someone else's privacy, and probing into it would seem gossipy. Thus, she discreetly withdrew her hand and smiled, urging him to leave quickly

Bai Lingdao: "The sky is getting dark."

Just after taking two steps, the woman in white stood in front of them, blocking their way, with a face full of jealousy: "Who is this child?"

Hong Ning felt a stir in her heart: "Could it be related to that evil dragon?"

Bai Ling could not help but mock: "Indeed foolish."

Hong Ning asked: "How do you know it is the Divine Bell?"

The woman in white lamented, "If it were not for your constant indifference, how could I have acted against Xiao Ke? You will come to regret this!" With a wave of her sleeve, she vanished

Hong Ning said, "There is really no other way; let us accept it as it is."