552 Meeting an Old Friend Under the Bamboos (1/2)
Chapter 552: Meeting an Old Friend Under the Bamboos
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
In the autumn rain, Ning Que seemed to be praying sincerely, but was in fact grimly threatening the Buddha stone statue on the top of the Wa Mountain. However, he was clearly aware that the Buddha had long been dead and it was the Master Qishan in the Wa Mountain that knew how to cure Sangsang. In the next day, therefore, he took Sangsang to the Wa Mountain along the mountain path in the black carriage.
The mountain path behind the temple was still quiet and the pagoda trees along the path remained wet. There were traces left behind by carriage wheels on the smooth road surface.
Sitting by the window, Ning Que looked at the tracks left on the mountain road with knitted brows. He thought about how the Yulan Convention was to be held a few days later in the Lanke Temple, so the diplomatic corps from different countries or the world of cultivation should be in the Lanke Temple, if they wanted to discuss the southward movement of the Desolate Men or the Underworld Invasion. But why were there so many carriages heading for the Wa Mountain?
Naturally, he thought of the noble from the South Jin Kingdom, whom he had met yesterday morning in the Lanke Temple. He could easily guess who he was at that point. The person who could be accompanied by a powerhouse at the Knowing Destiny State from the Sword Garret must be the Crown Prince, if not the Emperor of the South Jin Kingdom. But he wondered what these people from the South Jin Kingdom were doing there in the Wa Mountain.
The monk, Guan Hai, appeared once again under the big pagoda tree. He saluted the carriage with one hand and said with a smile, ”I thought Senior Brother Thirteen would arrive earlier.”
Ning Que got off the carriage to return the salute and asked in a seemingly casual manner, ”Are there already a lot of people?”
”Indeed,” Guan Hai replied.
”I don't understand what that means,” Ning Que asked.
Guan Hai was slightly taken aback, realizing that Ning Que did not know what his teacher coming out of retreat meant to the world. So he carefully explained that every time Master Qishan did so, he would choose a fated person to answer his questions or to indicate the direction of his life.
It was not unfamiliar to hear about Buddhist masters enlightening believers since there were quite a lot of stories about it. However, Master Qishan was not an ordinary Buddhist master in the eyes of the world; what he had said to the chosen people when coming out of retreat, several times over the past decades, all had become a reality.
It seemed to prove that the Elder Qishan could predict the future, which was even more amazing than the Great Divine Priest of Revelation in the West-Hill Divine Palace, almost like the tale of Buddha who could always satisfy all demands. It was no wonder why the world became crazy about him.
After the murder in the Lanke Temple, the Elder Qishan retired from public life for a number of years, probably because he was sad about the viciousness of his old friend Lotus, or was afraid of the blood in front of the Temple. The news that the Master was going to come out of seclusion naturally became a great matter even in the world of cultivation. All the cultivators, including the high officials and the noble lords from different countries who were attending the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival went to the Wa Mountain without hesitation, to see whether they could get the opportunity to be the next destined person for the Master.
It was only then when Ning Que came to know that the name, the Elder of the Lanke Temple, had such meaning for the world. All of a sudden, a melodious bell was heard from the Lanke Temple in front of the mountain, when he was going to say something.
It was common to hear the morning bell and the evening drum in the Buddhist temple. But he was surprised at the second bell after the first bell in the morning to convene the morning class.
As a monk in the temple, Guan Hai heard more messages from the bell and his expression changed slightly.
”What is it?” Ning Que asked.
”We have some guests from afar,” Guan Hai said, ”The abbot uses the bell to ask me to receive them.”
”Then you'd better go now,” Ning Que said.
Guan Hai really appreciated it. He sincerely apologized to Ning Que and bowed to Sangsang through the window before he left hurriedly.
Looking at the back of the young monk on the mountain path, Ning Que raised his brows slightly in silence. Then he sat on the cushion in the front of the carriage, lightly kicked the Big Black Horse's hip, and said, ”Go.”
The Big Black Horse felt a bit sleepy for he was catching autumn grasshoppers till late into the night in the Temple. After being kicked by Ning Que, he gathered his energy and pranced toward the Wa mountain.
In the midst of the rumble made by the wheels, Sangsang said with some anxiety, ”It must be a big shot.”