Upon hearing this, the old monk's smile deepened. "Hehehe, I'm sorry to disappoint you, benefactor. I am not a spiritual being, but a spiritual being."
"Spiritual connection"? That sounds similar to "spiritual perception." They must be fellow disciples of the same generation, so their magical abilities shouldn't be too different, right?
"Greetings, Master Lingtong. Were you speaking to me just now? Do you know where I came from?"
“Amitabha Buddha, benefactor has come from afar.”
"The distance? How far is it?"
"Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."
Cheng Ruyi's eyes immediately lit up; there was hope!
"Master, do you know how I can get back?"
"This is not difficult."
"Really???!!!" This was so exciting! The thought that she had finally found a way to go home made Cheng Ruyi so happy that she almost cried. "Master, what should I do? Please tell me the method! I... I'll go and donate money for incense oil to you right away! I can donate all my wealth to you!"
Compared to Cheng Ruyi's excitement, Master Lingtong appeared much calmer. "I have already given you the answer."
Huh? When did you say that?
Wait, could it be one of those vague and unrealistic statements about cause and effect?
Cheng Ruyi was on the verge of tears. "Master, I'm not very bright. Can we be a little more direct?"
The Buddha said: Heavenly secrets must not be revealed.
Cheng Ruyi:............
Calm down! Monks always talk like this, you'll get used to it. Since we need their help, let's be sincere and patient!
Cheng Ruyi forced a friendly smile and coaxed, "Master, you suddenly appeared before me, surely you intend to help me? Since you're trying to help, wouldn't it be better to be clearer? Otherwise, if I misunderstand, not only will I waste your efforts, but I might also disrupt the cycle of cause and effect, disturbing your luck and cultivation. Wouldn't that be counterproductive and a disservice to your good intentions?"
Master Lingtong nodded in satisfaction, “You are indeed a person with wisdom, what you say is very true.”
"Please explain in detail, Master. I will definitely remember it carefully!"
"This old monk observes that you, benefactor, possess great merit and must be a kind and generous person who helps those in distress. Since we are destined to meet, I will make an exception and give you eight words today: 'Keep your original heart and let nature take its course.'"
Uh... so what does this mean?! Charitable giving? Maintaining one's true nature? Does it mean remaining kind? Does it mean she has to do good deeds all the time? Does she have to be like the Zhou family, constantly accumulating good karma? How long does that take? To what extent? She doesn't have the Zhou family's wealth and resources...
What about letting nature take its course? Does that mean as long as you keep doing good deeds, you'll eventually be able to go back? It's still just as unrealistic and uncertain!
Cheng Ruyi frantically considered countless possibilities, but still couldn't be sure. However, when she looked up to ask Master Lingtong again, she found that the master had already disappeared.
Looking at the empty courtyard, she couldn't tell for a moment whether what had just happened was just a hallucination caused by her longing to go home.
Undeterred, she searched everywhere again, but still found nothing. With a heavy heart, she returned to the temple gate to reunite with her family, and dejectedly ate a vegetarian meal with everyone.
On the mountaintop, everything that needs to be eaten and drunk must be carried up by hand, so the vegetarian dishes are naturally not very elaborate or plentiful; they are simply vegetables, tofu, and steamed buns.
However, during the Lunar New Year period, they ate meat and fish almost every day, so now that they occasionally had some light flavors, the Cheng family found it quite delicious. Except for Cheng Ruyi, everyone ate with great relish.
Cheng Ruyi was preoccupied with what had just happened and had no appetite. She only ate a few bites before going to the window for some fresh air.
This is a two-story building, which is currently packed with people. Xu Cui managed to snag a window seat on the far end of the second floor thanks to her shamelessness. So, looking out from this window, there is a cliff beyond the courtyard wall below, with only a few exceptionally tall trees standing out abruptly among the strange rocks not far away.
Cheng Ruyi was staring blankly at the scenery outside. She hadn't had much hope of going home. So many people had traveled through time, but not many could go back again. But if what had just happened was true, and if what Master Lingtong said was true, it was like a seed had been planted in her heart, making her itch with longing all the time.
She was in a state of utter confusion and had no clear thoughts.
Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past on the treetop of the cliff in front of Cheng Ruyi, startling her!
What is that? Are there demons or monsters in a temple in broad daylight? And so fierce?
She was about to lean out to get a better look when the dark figure leaped lightly onto the wall below, glanced up at her, and then turned and jumped off the cliff...
Cheng Ruyi was completely stunned. If she wasn't mistaken, that should have been a... Taoist priest? And a Taoist priest wearing a tattered Taoist robe and eating a chicken leg?
A Taoist priest travels a long way from a mountain to a temple to steal chickens? Wait, how come there are chickens in a temple?
She suddenly felt terrible; what was happening here was far beyond her imagination!
"Ruyi, what's wrong? You look so pale." Xu Cui was about to come over and call her back when she noticed Ruyi's pale face and shocked expression. She couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Are you feeling unwell? Oh dear, why did you have to hide here in the wind instead of eating? You must have a headache! Hurry up and go back to sit down!"
Cheng Ruyi, holding her forehead, was pulled back to the table by Xu Cui and sat down. Her appearance frightened the other members of the Cheng family, who all asked her with concern what was wrong.
Cheng Yan wanted to go downstairs to ask the monks for some hot tea, but Cheng Ruyi quickly stopped him, saying, "Father, I'm fine, don't go to that trouble."
"You still say you're fine? Look how pale you are! What happened?"
She was physically fine, but she was emotionally overwhelmed by what had happened that day, so she could only make up some excuses to get by, "I'm really fine, I just feel... I might have some kind of bad luck with this Dabeisi Temple."
Isn't this just bad luck? Thinking back on this day, first she met the Zhou family and had a picnic together, then she encountered a mysterious, incredibly beautiful couple, then a monk who told her she could travel back home, and finally, she met a Taoist priest who seemed to possess unparalleled lightness skills and a kung fu prowess...
This schedule is way too packed! Even TV dramas wouldn't dare to portray it like this. Aren't they giving the audience time to process it all?
"Incompatible?" Xu Cui suddenly tensed up after hearing this, as if she had thought of something. "Really? In broad daylight, in a temple, are those unclean things really that fierce?"
"Aunt Cui, what's unclean? What's fierce?" Cheng Yunle asked with a curious look.
"Don't worry about the kids!" Xu Cui glanced at Yun Le and Yun An, then at Xiao Man and Cheng Mande in her arms, and suddenly stood up, pulling everyone away quickly. "Let's go, let's go, we have so many children in our family, let's leave quickly and go home before dark!"
Although that wasn't what she meant, Cheng Ruyi was indeed a bit tired at the moment, so she didn't say anything, took her two daughters' hands, and left without looking back.
However, her attitude seemed to the rest of the Cheng family as confirmation of Xu Cui's earlier statement: how could such a famous temple like Dabeisi be haunted by unclean things? Was the temple even efficacious? Had they just wasted their money on incense?
Dabei Temple: Its reputation has been damaged!
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