The old monk spoke ambiguously, seemingly concealing endless mysteries. And judging by the aura emanating from him, he was certainly no ordinary person…

"Thank you, sir. Please go ahead," Mo Tian said, though surprised, he didn't show it and didn't move.

The old monk's eyebrows twitched, and he naturally understood what he meant. He pursed his thin lips, curled the corners of his mouth slightly, and took the lead, slightly hunching his back, walking slowly towards the side of the door frame. The old monk's steps were steady and his pace was a bit slow.

Mo Tian followed behind him, and when she looked up, she saw a colorful turtle pattern on the back of his neck above his collar. This cute little turtle even had a pair of tiny wings.

"Brother, there's something strange about this old monk." Qiao Mei reached out and tugged at Mo Tian's sleeve, whispering in his ear.

"Mm." Mo Tian reached out a hand and patted Qiao Mei's hand.

With that one pat, Qiao Mei glanced sideways at Mo Tian, ​​let out a soft breath, and seemed to feel a little more at ease.

Stepping over the high threshold, the main hall was resplendent in gold and jade. However, the furnishings before me were somewhat unexpected. The hall was rather empty, and directly opposite the threshold was a rectangular altar table about half a person's height, paved with white jade.

On the altar, however, there was no sign of Guanyin, the Tathagata, or any of the other deities or Buddhas...

There are only two empty, round jade stakes, about ten centimeters high, placed side by side. One wooden stake is in the shape of a pure blue animal, and the other is in the shape of a red plum blossom.

The entire wall behind the altar is inlaid with a single piece of jade with gold-edged emerald. Two yellow lanterns hang on the wall, their shimmering light reflecting off the jade surface in a pure and bright way.

The altar was spotless, with nothing else on it except for a few sticks of incense burning in front of the jade plate, from which wisps of smoke rose.

Upon seeing the magnificent sight of the hall, Mo Tian stopped in his tracks and stood before it, while the little goldfish peeked out.

“This is…” Mo Tian raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with doubt.

“It’s nothing, it’s just that,” the old monk turned around, saw Mo Tian’s expression, smiled, and shook his head, “unlike ordinary temples, this place enshrines the god in my heart, and is also a kind of obsession of mine.”

"Oh," Mo Tian said, seemingly understanding but not quite, then looked away and turned away.

"It's late. Some tea has been prepared in the back room. Please have some tea and get some rest." The old monk didn't explain much, but simply bowed slightly and pointed to a wooden door behind the platform on the right.

Since the other person was unwilling to talk, it wasn't appropriate to press further. Although feeling uneasy, Mo Tian could only gently shake her head and follow them towards the door. Before leaving, she sniffed, then turned back to look at the incense stick...

A standard courtyard house, with green tiles and high walls, a small square courtyard, about ten square meters, shrouded in a light mist, like a fairyland.

Looking around the yard, one sees some rare and expensive flowers and trees planted around the perimeter. The small trees stretch out their branches, appearing delicate and verdant.

Looking again at the flowers and plants, there seemed to be not a single withered leaf. The petals exuded fragrance, delicate and beautiful, not at all like the desolate scenery of winter. How beautiful! This is no longer a scene of the human world; even a fairyland could not compare.

Upon entering the courtyard, a wave of warmth quickly washed over me, as if spring had arrived and winter had long since departed...

The courtyard was so quiet that you could clearly hear the breathing of the people around you and the whispers of the flowers.