572 The Cause and Effect of Xuankong Temple (1/2)
Chapter 572: The Cause and Effect of Xuankong Temple
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
Sangsang's greatest wish in her whole life was to become white.
Not to turn the black chess into white pieces, but to whiten her skin.
Looking at the black chess pieces, she thought about Master Qishan's words and laughed at it with embarrassment. She thought that it would be great to become white whenever she wanted, without using the cosmetics in Chenjinji Cosmetics Store. That would be convenient as well. No wonder the master said it was called the convenient method in Buddhism.
Master Qishan felt surprised at this, and he did not understand why she was laughing. Was there anything wrong with the convenient method he had said, which was just discovered by this little girl?
The only person in the world who could guess the true reason of why Sangsang was laughing was Ning Que, who couldn't help laughing along as he saw Sangsang's slightly shy smile.
The dark and cold cave was filled with sounds of laughter, which gradually calmed. Master Qishan's voice was heard from time to time, along with some of Sangsang's questions.
Without knowing how long it had been, the lesson for today had come to an end. Looking at Ning Que, Master Qishan said, ”It is always a long process to cure the disease. It is damp and chilly here, and therefore not good for her recovery. You'd better take her down the hill and have a rest in the temple. If given time, before going to bed, let her think about what has happened today.”
Ning Que said, ”It is inconvenient to go downhill and then come back. We might as well stay here.”
Master Qishan replied, ”I will also go downhill at night, so let's meet at the temple tomorrow morning.”
Ning Que felt shocked because everyone knew that Master Qishan had lived in seclusion in the Wa mountain for several years and he wouldn't go downhill for even the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival. Why did he say that he was going to leave here tonight?
Master Qishan said, ”This is probably the last time that I will leave the cave. I have to go to the temple so that I can feel at ease.”
After saying this, the Master picked up the black chess piece on the ground in front of the futon, and put it into Sangsang's palm.
Listening to the master's words, Ning Que had guessed something vaguely. While being shocked, he felt gratitude towards the master all the more. Not knowing what to say, he saluted to him solemnly and then helped Sangsang walk outside the cave.
At the entrance of the cave, he said to Master Qishan, ”You will come to the temple tomorrow, right?”
Master Qishan sighed and said, ”Don't worry, I will come.”
Ning Que left reluctantly, and said, ”Sangsang's illness is still in treatment, so you cannot die before her.”
Master Qishan laughed in anger and said, ”Where have you developed such a bad temperament? Now I can understand why the Headmaster always gets irritated, but can't find a way to punish you.”
Ning Que smiled and said, ”The Headmaster just likes my honesty, and I know he loves me, so he never punishes me.”
They left the cave.
Ning Que entered the horse carriage with Sangsang in his arms.
Sangsang leaned against the bedding and clasped her fist for fear of losing the black chess. She looked at Ning Que and asked, ”The master... is going to die, right?”
After a moment of silence, Ning Que nodded and said, ”Don't think too much about it. It has nothing to do with you. All Buddhist monks know their destiny, let alone such masters as him who can predict the future.”
The night breeze came gradually, lifting a corner of the curtain.
Looking at the solitary shrine next to the mountain path, Ning Que frowned slightly. He did not know why the chief monk of the Xuankong Temple was waiting outside the cave all the time. Why was no one guarding beside the shrine?
...
...
Quni Madi had brought all the sadhus of White Tower Temple in the Yuelun Kingdom to the foot of the mountain. Monks of the Lanke Temple had left earlier, and monk Guan Hai had sent the black horse carriage downhill. There was no one around the cave.
The night wind blew through the autumn forest, making a rustling sound, but it did not disturb the birds. A subtle ringing of bells sounded, but it seemed to be unreal and disappeared in an instant.
The Buddha chariot outside the cave was still quiet. Suddenly, one hand stretched out from the yellow curtain and opened a gap. A monk in a dark brown coat stepped down from the Buddha chariot.
The monk's eyebrows were straight as a horizontal ruler, and his eyes were like precious stones. The vicissitudes of life could slightly be seen from his eyebrows and eyes, with wrinkles in his forehead. However, one could not tell his age. It would make sense if either one said he was over sixty or said around thirty.
This monk was the president of Commandment Yard of the Xuankong Temple.
The monk stepped down from the Buddha chariot and slowly walked into the cave. Through the dim light, he looked at the string of tiger mahogany bracelets on the ground and he made a Buddhist gesture with one hand. He asked, ”Uncle, what on earth have you seen?”
”Baoshu, why do you ask about that?” Master Qishan replied calmly.
Master Baoshu, the president of Commandment Yard, looked at Master Qishan quietly and said, ” We monks never tell lies. Today, you have played the three games of chess on Wa Mountain, and called out the chessboard left by Buddha especially. Certainly, you do not want to make things difficult for the poor and sick girl, to make sure if she is that person.”
Master Qishan smiled and said, ”The Great Divine Priest of Revelation cannot see it. The Great Divine Priest of Light thought he had seen it, only to find that he was wrong. How could I see it then?”
”Did Wei Guangming really misjudge it?”
Master Baoshu looked indifferently and said, ”What if he didn't get it wrong? What if the Son of Yama was really born in the General's Mansion? What if Ning Que really was the Son of Yama?”
Master Qishan shook his head and said, ”If Ning Que is the Son of Yama, how could the Headmaster accept him as his disciple?”
Master Baoshu shook his head and said, ”The Headmaster is not an ordinary person, so he can do some extraordinary things. Even if he accepts the Son of Yama as his disciple, it is still acceptable.”
Master Qishan looked at him and said, ”If things are as simple as what you have imagined, it is meaningless for the Xuankong Temple and Zhishou Abbey to do anything.”
Baoshu understood what he said. If the Headmaster knew that Ning Que was the Son of Yama and still accepted him as his disciple, then he would be on Ning Que's side, even if the whole world wanted to kill him.
But it seemed like the Headmaster did not know.
Because Buddha had said that there were no omniscient people in this world.
Baoshu said, ”I want to know what you have seen on Buddha's chessboard. What did he do?”
After a moment of silence, Master Qishan said, ”I saw a black horse carriage stopping between the criss-crossed streets.”
Baoshu asked again, ”Where was the Lady of Light?”
”She was waiting on the mountain.”
Master Qishan answered. But he didn't tell Baoshu all what Sangsang had experienced in the world of the chessboard.
Baoshu went forward and sat on the futon. He remained silent for a long time.
The oil lamp on the wall of the cliff cave was slightly disturbed by the night wind.