Chapter 1014: Nameless Little Temple (2/2)

This temple was situated along a desolate ridge. Very few people came to this modest-sized temple. It seemed to only be a small square-shaped courtyard.

From the peeling red walls, one could tell that it had been built a very long time ago. Moreover, it could be seen it was not a popular place since there were no pilgrims visiting here at all.

There were too many temples at the plateau. Some were very prosperous, so naturally, the other extreme existed as well.

Although this temple had no visitors offering incense, it was still open and welcomed visitors.

Li Qiye went before it and became quiet for a moment before he eventually entered. It was a bit dark inside with a very simple yet elegant design. Despite the lack of guests, there was still incense burning inside. This meant that there were still monks wors.h.i.+pping Buddha in this temple.

In the main hall, Li Qiye saw a statue across the wafting smoke. To be exact, it was the statue of a Bodhisattva.

One could faintly see it through all the smoke. It was a woman with her left hand forming a lotus mudra while her right hand formed an unidentifiable mudra. She sat on a lotus flower while leaning so no one could really see her face. From her figure, she should be quite beautiful, to a transcendent level in fact. It was very rare to find a statue of this caliber. Perhaps out of all the temples in this plain, only this temple wors.h.i.+ped the Bodhisattva.

Li Qiye slowly sat down in a meditative pose on a futon and quietly stared at this Bodhisattva.

Suddenly, he became overwhelmed and lost track of time as if he had forgotten everything else. He continued to stare at it.

It was a relic of the unrecallable past, but Li Qiye couldn’t help but remember bits and pieces at this moment.

“Enchantress or G.o.ddess… this doesn’t matter. In the end, it was as ephemeral as a wisp of smoke.” Li Qiye was lost in a daze and murmured: “There were too many unforgettable things back then. I, I don’t really know what to say. All along, I have never liked conversion, but if it gave you peace and freedom, then I am glad for it.”

Having said that, he sighed softly and felt a bit lost. There had been countless pa.s.sengers of all shapes and forms in his life. Immortal Emperors, true G.o.ds, mortals… Some were more unforgettable than others.

He had many followers once. They were willing to contribute everything for him and would even sacrifice their own lives for his sake! This Bodhisattva ahead was one of them. There were dangerous moments back then, moments when she was the first to stand in front of him!

The years went by and during a peaceful era, she chose to convert to Buddhism and peacefully pa.s.sed away here.

Li Qiye’s heart quivered while looking at her statue and felt his emotions running amok. His stone heart had been polished so many times that there was no shaking it. However, this was an exception. Time was the cruelest thing in this world. Even if it couldn’t take away an immortal being, it could take away other things… Those who stood by your side, family, friends.h.i.+p…

An old nun came by while he was dazed. She had a cold demeanor and was as calm as the water in a well. She asked: “Offering incense or seeking shelter?”

Li Qiye didn’t answer right away. He stood up and quietly lit some incense then bowed once. After putting the incense sticks on the altar, he looked deeply at the Bodhisattva for a bit before turning around.

He looked at the old nun and flatly said: “Just shelter for one.”

The nun was indifferent. She took out a key and handed it over to Li Qiye before coldly saying: “The room on the west side, take care of your own meals.” With that, she turned away.

Li Qiye didn’t say anything else. He took the key and entered the room on the west side. Judging from the dust that had built up, there hadn’t been anyone staying here for a very long time.

He was not in a hurry and silently meditated to embrace this rare moment of tranquility. Before anyone knew it, he felt isolated and solitary. This was a type of serene peace that allowed one to be without distress.

Perhaps when she came here that year, she was also pursuing this kind of tranquility.

No one came to bother his meditation in the temple. There was only an old nun in this place. She was both the abbess and the caretaker.

She didn’t care about anything and didn’t ask Li Qiye anything either. Outside of meditation, she usually chanted scriptures. She pa.s.sed her time in this manner for what seemed to be an unchanging eternity, as if there was no time here, no sun or moon. Everything was forgotten in this place — mundane matters, time, fame, fortune… they all lapsed into oblivion, leaving only peace behind.