The Pure Land Mountain was silent in the dead of night. Among the many meditation rooms, the lights moved silently. Liuli knew that these must be the young monks patrolling the Bodhi Temple at night.
When the demons returned and once again set foot in the Central Plains, the number of young monks on night duty in the temple increased significantly.
But given Liuli's cultivation level, how could she possibly take these monks, whose highest cultivation level was only at the Buddha Heart Realm, seriously?
She arrived in the air above Pure Land Mountain at nightfall, sat on the lotus platform in the serene night, and gazed at Bodhi Temple from afar, waiting quietly.
In the darkness, her all-black attire and the lotus platform she sat on blended into the night, making her difficult to spot.
The crescent moon in the sky moved quietly; it was already past midnight.
Liuli withdrew her gaze from the crescent moon, and the lotus platform she sat on suddenly moved, arriving above the meditation room complex before descending directly down.
She landed at the end of the meditation room complex, where a Buddhist hall had been built. According to the information Liuli had heard, he was staying in this Buddhist hall.
After the lotus platform in the dark night landed on the ground, it disappeared quietly, and Liuli's feet landed silently on the ground. She looked at the faint candlelight reflected in the window of the Buddhist hall, paused for a moment, and then silently stepped up a few steps to the door of the Buddhist hall. She gently pushed the door open, and it made a "creak" sound.
Who is it?
His voice immediately came from inside the Buddhist hall, just like many years ago when she secretly sneaked into the Bodhi Temple to see him. It's just unknown whether he will still treat her as a dream this time.
Liuli stepped gently into the Buddhist hall and closed the wooden door behind her.
The Buddhist hall was spacious, and only two red candles were lit in front of the Buddha statue at the very back. So, Liuli could see Shichan in the darkness, but Shichan could not see her in the darkness.
Zen Master was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat in front of the Buddha statue, and even though it was late at night, he was not sleepy.
Hearing the sound, he stood up in confusion and looked into the darkness. The slender figure he vaguely saw looked so familiar. A look of surprise appeared on his face, but he was still unsure whether it was her or not. So he watched the dark figure approach from afar without speaking rashly.
Finally, she emerged from the darkness into the candlelight, dressed in black, her aura icy and aloof.
The surprise on Shi Chan's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of delight. He smiled at Liu Li and called out gently, "Miss Liu Li."
By the candlelight, Liuli stared intently at Shichan. He seemed to have lost a lot of weight since she last saw him, which showed that he had not been doing well these past few days.
After a brief moment of surprise, Shi Chan frowned again. He lowered his voice and said, "Miss Liuli, how could you come here alone? If the disciples of the temple find you, you will be in danger! Miss, you should leave quickly!"
Liuli remained motionless, her gaze towards Shichan filled with longing.
Only then did she speak softly, saying, "Shi Chan, I have come here today to ask for an answer."
Shi Chan asked in confusion, "What answer are you referring to, young lady?"
Liuli asked directly, "Shichan, this is the last time I'll ask you. If I want you to return to secular life and marry me, would you agree?"
Shi Chan was stunned. He opened his mouth again and again, but couldn't utter a single word.
The flickering candlelight stretched the shadows of the man and the fox as they stood facing each other before the Buddha statue, whose gentle eyes silently watched them.
As she waited, the expectation in Liuli's eyes gradually faded, turning into a slight disappointment.
After a long while, Shi Chan's gaze shifted to the memorial tablet of Zen Master Daming and the Buddha statue, then he turned his gaze to Liuli and said in a hoarse voice with difficulty, "I'm sorry, young lady. The rekindled demonic calamity has not yet passed, and the suffering beings have not yet been liberated. This humble monk... cannot return to secular life."
Liuli lowered her eyes, her face full of disappointment.
After remaining silent for a while, Liuli raised her eyes and gave Shichan a deep look before turning around and walking out of the Buddhist hall without saying a word.
She quickly walked into the darkness where the candlelight couldn't reach, and her slender figure was swallowed up by the darkness.
So Shi Chan opened his eyes wide but still couldn't see her clearly. However, he could vaguely see that she took a few steps and then suddenly stopped.
Liuli stood in the darkness without turning around or looking back, but said softly, "Shichan, after I go back this time, I will marry Li Molin... but there should be a few more days. In these few days, think it over carefully. If you are willing to leave the monastic life, come to the City of Gods and Demons to find me, take me away, and we will go into seclusion. From then on, the turmoil of the mortal world will have nothing to do with you and me. I can also give up the blood feud of my Nine-Tailed Fox clan... But if you do not come to find me, I will be Li Molin's wife, and I will have nothing to do with you anymore."
Having said that, she didn't linger and slowly walked away.
With the creaking of the temple door, her presence was no longer felt in the hall.
Shi Chan stood before the Buddha statue, gazing into the darkness ahead, motionless for a long time. The dim candlelight illuminated his face, revealing the sorrow that filled it.
He desperately wanted to stop her, to tell her that he loved her very much, that he was willing to marry her, and to take her to live in seclusion.
However, he did not want to let down Buddha, his master, and his fellow disciples. He could not fail their expectations, nor could he abandon suffering beings...
So, is it that I can only betray my own heart, and betray... her?
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