Chapter 86 Do not rely on its abilities
Xie Mianmian looked at the old monk in front of her with a puzzled expression. He was very thin, almost withered, skin and bones, as if he hadn't eaten a full meal in a long time.
She pulled a paper package from her bosom, inside which was a piece of white, tender rice cake that she had never eaten before.
Xie Mianmian held the unfolded paper package in both hands and handed it over, saying, "Master, here, have some, this is delicious."
Master Qianjing's hands trembled as he took the rice cake. His eyes, filled with complex emotions, showed both grief and longing.
He didn't eat it; he just carefully wrapped it up.
"Master, why aren't you eating? Aren't you hungry?"
Master Qianjing shook his head and said only, "My time has come."
"The time has come?" Xie Mianmian was confused, but suddenly felt a bit resistant to the words.
He raised his head, his compassionate eyes looking at the child. "When I learned that Kongming had successfully cracked the Linglong Peach Pit, I knew it was coming."
"Him? Who is he?" Xie Mianmian scratched her head. Was it the little ant that got lost after passing through the peach pit?
Master Qianjing didn't speak, but pointed upwards with his withered index finger. It was that, the Heavenly Way.
Suddenly, he bowed deeply to Xie Mianmian.
The frightened child quickly ran over and helped Master Qianjing up, feeling as if he were holding a tree branch.
"This humble monk is grateful to the Xie family. Thanks to you, Fohua Temple was not completely destroyed by that wicked disciple."
"Huh? Mianmian didn't do anything, she just ran around playing hide-and-seek. Master, you must teach that evil monk a lesson when you get out! He even raised a knife to scare Mianmian!"
Xie Mianmian sat next to Master Qianjing, rambling on and on about her grievances, even gesturing wildly when she got to the important parts.
Master Qianjing listened with a smile on his face, nodding occasionally. This was the most relaxed he had been in a long time.
Finally, Xie Mianmian also mentioned the puppet, saying, "He actually dressed up as a puppet and danced. What a strange person."
Master Qianjing gazed into the void, his voice heavy, “When the Nuo dance begins, all calamities will vanish.”
He knew the Xie family would be arriving soon, and while waiting, he wanted to talk to the child as much as possible.
“He was a good child. He was abandoned at the gate of the temple when he was a baby. Everyone fed him with porridge and water. When he was seven years old, he went down the mountain to learn a skill. Who knew that he would come back after he finished learning? From then on, he performed Nuo dance for the people in the countryside.”
"It can drive away ghosts and welcome gods, ward off evil and bring good fortune, and pray for peace and prosperity."
Xie Mianmian rested her face on her hands, listening intently, her gaze drifting into the distance, as if through that small hole, the puppets were silently performing a grand Nuo dance behind her.
Outside the stone tower, the puppets are dancing earnestly.
Every day he would come to keep Master Qianjing company. He couldn't speak, but he could only perform the prayer dance for the master again and again, hoping that he could get through this safely.
At this moment, a large group of people arrived; they were members of the Xie family.
Xie Huaijin hurried up and anxiously asked the doll, "Is Mianmian inside?"
He and Bai Yun had just worked together to subdue those vicious monks, but they couldn't find the child, so they came looking for him.
During this time, they also caught two monks fighting fiercely in the basement of an open, abandoned well. Regardless of the reason for their infighting, they tied them up as well, but still did not find the child.
The doll nodded and pointed inside.
Upon hearing her third brother's voice, Xie Mianmian excitedly shouted, "Mianmian is alright, and Master Qianjing is alright too!"
Hearing the child's voice, the Xie family breathed a sigh of relief and searched outside for the mechanism to open the door.
Xie Mianmian said with a grin, "Great! Master can finally go out now."
Master Qianjing remained silent, took off the Buddhist prayer beads that had been with him for a long time, and gestured for the child to extend his hand.
Xie Mianmian reached out her hand, completely bewildered.
He slipped the prayer beads onto the child's wrist and wrapped them around several times, saying, "Perhaps it can protect you from that disaster."
"Boom." That was the sound of the stone door slowly opening.
Master Qianjing lowered his head slightly, his voice weary, "Remember, do not rely too much on the abilities it gives you."
"Master!" Xie Mianmian exclaimed.
A soft figure picked up the child; it was Wen Shuwan.
Xie Mianmian's eyes were gently covered. Everyone was silent, and the child couldn't see the doll dancing silently in sorrow.
After a while, Xie Huaijin said, "Let's go and get the temple sorted out first."
Leaving only the puppets to guard the place, the group returned to the main hall.
Xie Huaijin's men arrived, and they thoroughly searched the temple, arresting all the monks with problems and sending them to the Dali Temple.
Suddenly a young monk walked in from outside. Xie Mianmian recognized him; he was Master Kongming.
He staggered, looking around at the Imperial Guards and the bound monks, and asked tremblingly, "What happened? Where is Master?"
A young monk ran over and said a few words to Kongming sadly.
Kongming tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and clenched the prayer beads in his hand. "No wonder, my master ordered me several times not to come back before noon today."
Kongming wondered if his master had already foreseen this. He recalled Master Qianjing's furrowed brows and his hands constantly calculating. His master probably didn't want to believe that his wicked disciple would actually dare to do such evil things.
The monks were convinced of Kongming's abilities, and when the group was leaderless, Kongming became the abbot of Fohua Temple.
With things mostly settled, it was time for the Xie family to head home.
On the long stone steps, Xie Mianmian held a freshly baked rice cake in her hand, eating it in small bites as the cool breeze blew.
The old woman followed closely behind, carrying a food box filled with rice cakes coated in bean flour. Knowing that the child liked them, the doll had packed them up for him.
Xie Mianmian had already shared rice cakes with each family member, so she picked up another piece and ran to Bai Yun at the back, saying, "Sister Bai Yun, you should have some too!"
"Thank you, Mianmian." Bai Yun lowered her eyes and accepted the rice cake.
The Xie family members in front also stopped. Xie Mingyi called them over, "I heard that this matter was dangerous. It was Miss Bai who rescued my foolish brother. I thank Miss Bai for this."
Bai Yun walked over and felt a mocking gaze. She chose to distance herself from Xie Huaijin and ran to Xie Mingyi's other side.
"Sir, your skills are excellent. Bai Yun only threw a few pebbles; it's nothing to mention."
"Not at all, you're clearly very skilled." Xie Mingyi gently pulled Bai Yun aside. "Teach us, how can you throw those pebbles with such skill?"
Wen Shuwan nodded.
So the three women walked side by side in front, talking enthusiastically.
Xie Mianmian and Xie Huaijin followed slowly behind. While chewing, she mischievously peeked at her third brother, looking like she had something to say.
Xie Huaijin crossed his arms and stared straight ahead. "Speak."
The child clung to him, saying, "Hero saves the beauty, hehe, Third Brother is a beauty."
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