On the eighth day of the sixth lunar month, the annual Huguo Temple Fair is held. It is a lively and bustling event. On this day, Zen Master Kongfan will perform divination for those with affinity. Zen Master Kongfan is the most prestigious Zen master in Huguo Temple, and his divination is highly sought after.

Yan Wan sneaked into the temple alone. She had quietly slipped out after Ji Mohan left in the morning. Ever since she was almost injured last time, Ji Mohan had restricted her from leaving the manor. Whenever she left, he would send someone to follow her. Sigh!

In the morning, she pestered Ji Mohan until he put on a gold-threaded soft armor. As soon as he left the mansion, Yan Wan also put on a gold-threaded soft armor and then climbed over the wall to come out.

Yan Wan wandered around the temple, unable to find the way to the back mountain. Helpless, she looked at the ancient tree she had seen for the fifth time and kicked it in frustration. "So annoying! This damn tree, this damn place, it's just a waste of time!"

"Amitabha Buddha, please have compassion, for all things in the world have feelings."

Yan Wan turned around and saw the white-browed old monk sitting under the tree with his hands clasped together, holding prayer beads in his palms. He looked at Yan Wan with an air of otherworldly wisdom and a smile in his eyes.

Yan Wan thought for a moment, since there was someone there, why not ask him how to get to the back mountain?

Yan Wan did just that. She walked up to the old monk, piously put her hands together in prayer, and sincerely asked, "Master, may I ask how to get to the back mountain of the temple?"

"Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, we have a karmic connection. Why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea with this old monk?" The old monk did not answer Yan Wan's question, but instead warmly invited her.

Yan Wan looked at the old monk with suspicion as he took out a teapot and teacups from behind his back. How come she hadn't seen them before? How strange. Yan Wan cautiously wondered if his tea was genuine. Unexpectedly, she blurted out, "Is your tea genuine? I have important business to attend to at the back mountain. Sorry."

Yan Wan turned to leave, but the old monk slowly said, "Benefactor, you are a person from another world. You know that all things in this world are Bodhi, the wondrously bright original mind. The essence of the mind is all-pervading and encompasses the ten directions."

Yan Wan stopped after taking only two steps, her heart filled with shock. He actually knew that she was a transmigrator. She had a guess in her mind and turned around to ask, "Are you Zen Master Kong Fan?"

The old monk remained silent, but slowly picked up the teapot and poured Yan Wan a cup of tea, gesturing for her to sit down.

Yan Wan didn't hesitate and sat down. Remembering that Jing Xi had said she wanted to ask Zen Master Kong Fan at Huguo Temple today, and since she had just met Zen Master Kong Fan, she asked, "Since you already know, Zen Master, I have a friend. Can she go back?"

"Amitabha Buddha, the chosen one has appeared in this world, but his fate is unknown."

"How can her fate be unknown? Wasn't her fate already predetermined?" Yan Wan asked in surprise. Jing Xi is the female lead, the protagonist of the book. It can be said that everything about her was predetermined. How could her fate be unknown now?

"Don't you also want to defy fate for someone?" The old monk's sharp eyes swept over Yan Wan, and he said in a gentle voice.

“Yes, fate was unfair to him, so I defied it,” Yan Wan said, her face full of anger and her eyes fierce.

"Amitabha Buddha, the arising and ceasing of causes and conditions are all due to cause and effect. Good and evil are one's own responsibility, and retribution comes from the heart." The old monk closed his eyes and turned the prayer beads in his hand, saying helplessly.

"What utter nonsense about retribution! It's just someone using a pen to write down characters they completely control, openly and blatantly acting biasedly. They fabricate stories under the guise of enriching the characters, arranging misfortunes for others with a sense of righteous indignation, causing them pain and misfortune, all just to highlight the protagonist. They treat others like ants, disregarding life, and yet you call it destiny? To hell with the Book of Destiny! A mere broken book, yet it's used to imprison someone's entire life. What kind of logic is that?" Yan Wan angrily spoke out against the injustice, expressing Ji Mohan's bitterness. Destiny, destiny, to hell with destiny!

"Amitabha, benefactor, your insight is profound. Everything is preordained, all worldly phenomena are empty, and destiny is created by oneself." The old monk opened his eyes and said with a smile.

"Thank you, Master. I understand. If Heaven is unfair, I will fight for it. I believe that human will can overcome anything," Yan Wan said confidently.

"Your understanding is exceptional. There is a divine will at work at play. It may not be possible for others, but you are certainly worth a try," the old monk said with a smile. The girl before him was a variable; perhaps she could truly prove that human will can overcome fate, just as she said.

"Thank you, Master. Yan Wan understands. Then Yan Wan will take her leave." Yan Wan bowed respectfully, turned and left, but stopped after a few steps. Something was wrong. After talking for so long, the old monk still hadn't told her how to get to the back mountain. Just as she was about to turn back and ask, the old monk's voice came, "Benefactor, if your mind is clear like a mirror, put aside your distracting thoughts and you will see the truth."

Yan Wan closed her eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, calmed her mind, and felt refreshed and clear-headed, able to see the road ahead clearly. Yan Wan turned around to thank him, but saw that the old monk was no longer there, as if nothing had happened. Yan Wan shrugged indifferently and walked away.

"This damn tree, this damn place, it's such a waste of time. I just saw Wan'er here, how come she's gone in the blink of an eye?" Jing Xi's annoyed voice rang out, and she kicked the ancient tree. She had seen this damn tree almost ten times, but she just couldn't get out of it.

"Jingxi, don't worry, let's search more carefully. I suspect we've stumbled into a trap." The gentle and refined man softly advised the annoyed girl.

"Jiang Bai, I think this ancient tree is quite old. Why don't we just cut it down? Even if we can't get out, we can still annoy the tree's owner. What do you say?" Jing Xi said mischievously, her eyes darting around.

Tree: How presumptuous of you!

Before Jiang Bai could speak, a voice sounded from behind, "Amitabha, well said, well said. Please have compassion, benefactor. All things in the world have feelings."

After seeing Yan Wan off, Kong Fan rushed over and arrived just as Jing Xi was about to start sawing the tree. Kong Fan breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he had run fast.

"Hey, old monk, have you seen a little girl about my age leave from here?" Jing Xi said rudely. He was already annoyed that he couldn't find Wan'er, and now a monk had appeared.

"The young lady you just mentioned has already left."

"She left? Where did she go?" Jing Xi asked anxiously.

"Don't be impatient, benefactor. You must be the friend that young lady mentioned. She just asked me a question about you," Kong Fan said calmly.

"Question? Are you Zen Master Kongfan?" Jingxi remembered that she had told Wan'er that she wanted to ask Zen Master Kongfan when she could return to the modern world. She didn't expect that Wan'er would actually ask for her. Jingxi was slightly touched.

That brat, at least she has some conscience. It wasn't for nothing that I risked my life to come to Huguo Temple to help her.

"Then, Master Kongfan, what is your answer?" Jingxi asked excitedly. After being here for so long, she finally had a clue to go back.

“Amitabha, benefactor is…” the old monk said, staring intently at the two people in front of him.