At this moment, Lu Huaming and Gu Hualing had also arrived at the entrance of Jinshan Temple. They seemed to hit it off and were chatting in a low voice.
Seeing Shen Luo coming over, Gu Hualing immediately stopped talking and walked to the side.
"What are you two whispering about?" Shen Luo's face flashed with a hint of mockery.
Gu Hualing blushed and glared at Shen Luo.
"Ahem! What are we whispering about? I'm just telling Gu Hualing about the things to pay attention to when we go to Chang 'an. Brother Shen, how's your body recovering? "Lu Huaming coughed awkwardly and changed the topic.
"I'm basically fine now. After returning to Chang 'an, I'll be fine after a few days of seclusion …" Shen Luo didn't continue to tease them.
Just as the three of them were chatting, Zen Master Hai Shi, Chan 'er, and Elder Zhe Shi walked out of Jinshan Temple.
Chan 'er walked at the front. She looked completely different. She was wearing a red kasaya and a five-colored Buddha crown. She held a golden staff in her hand. She looked completely different from the shabby gray robe from before.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Chan 'er bowed with one hand.
"Master Chan 'er, you do look like the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada." Lu Huaming returned the bow with a smile.
"Although I'm not used to this outfit, the Buddha Beads said that since I've become the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, I must pay attention to my appearance. I think it makes sense, so I can only dress like this," Chan 'er said seriously.
"As the saying goes, Buddha depends on gold. If you don't dress up more luxuriously, no one will believe you. The Golden Cicada also had a set of embroidered kasaya and a nine-ringed staff given by Guanyin Bodhisattva. It's much more luxurious than yours," the Buddha Beads said.
"Benefactors, Chan 'er almost never goes out. I'll let Junior Brother Zhe Shi accompany me to Chang' an. Please take care of me along the way." Zen Master Hai Shi stepped forward and said.
"Don't worry, Master Abbot. We'll definitely protect Master Chan 'er." Lu Huaming patted his chest and promised.
He waved his hand and summoned a flying boat. The few of them boarded the boat, and the boat soared into the sky. It turned into a white light and flew toward Chang 'an City.
…
Noon of the second day.
In Chang 'an, a horse carriage was moving leisurely towards the Tang government.
On the left shaft of the carriage, Lu Huaming was wearing a bamboo hat and holding a bamboo whip. He was not in a hurry to drive the carriage. He just slowly drove the carriage through the streets.
Inside the carriage, Shen Luo and Gu Hualing sat opposite each other. One closed his eyes to rest, while the other lowered his head to think about something.
In the middle of the carriage, there were two monks sitting cross-legged. One of them was a tall middle-aged monk with a sickly face. He was the elder of the Jinshan Temple, Elder Shi. The other monk was a young novice monk in a moon-white monk robe.
The two of them followed Lu Huaming back to Chang 'an on the flying boat and were invited to represent the Jinshan Temple in the Water and Land Spiritual Assembly.
At this moment, Chan 'er was holding the violet wood Buddhist beads in her hand, and her fingers were slowly moving them. Even though she was chanting scriptures, she still seemed to be slightly uneasy.
"Chan 'er, you can only meditate when your heart is calm. If your heart is not calm, even if you chant the scriptures, it will not help your cultivation." Elder Shi noticed her abnormality and said.
"Elder Shi, although I have been in the temple for a long time, I have never participated in the Water and Land Spiritual Assembly. I can't help but feel a little scared. I'm afraid that I can't save people or ghosts." Chan 'er stopped chanting and slowly put down the Buddhist beads in his hand.
Even though he was the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada and had the Heart of Seven Orifices since he was a child, he was still young and had always been suppressed by "Jianglu". It was inevitable that he was too introverted.
"If I don't save people, the Dharma will save them. Since you have the Mahayana Dharma in your heart, why are you worried that you can't save people or ghosts?" Elder Shi said with a kind smile.
"I understand." Chan 'er's eyes lit up and she straightened her palm.
An hour later, the carriage stopped outside the government office.
They entered the government office. Lu Huaming took Gu Hualing to meet Cheng Yaojin first, while Shen Luo took Chan 'er and Zen Master Zhe Shi to Chongxuan Hall, which was an institution in charge of religion in the Tang Empire.
Although sects like the Huasheng Temple had a transcendent status in the cultivation world, some of their affairs in the mortal world were also subject to the supervision of the Tang Empire's government. It was just that some of the restrictions were strong and some were weak.
Chongxuan Hall was located in the northwest corner of the Tang Empire's government office. Shen Luo had never been here before. Along the way, he had to ask people for directions. Only then did he take the two through many winding corridors and courtyards.
Compared to the busy scenes at the various halls of the Tang Empire's government office, Chongxuan Hall was much quieter. There were no soldiers outside the courtyard where the hall was located. There were only two stone lions squatting in front of the gate.
Before he entered the courtyard of the hall, Shen Luo heard the sound of a gong being struck. The sound was ethereal and distant, and it was pleasant to hear.
Chan 'er and Elder Zhe Shi put their palms together and chanted Buddha's name at the same time.
As they entered the courtyard, they saw three monks dressed in silk kasayas and a middle-aged man dressed in the robes of an official of the Great Tang standing under a bodhi tree.
Seeing them come in, the middle-aged official came to greet them. After looking at them for a while, his eyes fell on Chan 'er. He saluted them and said,
"These two are Zen Master Jiangliu and Zen Master Zhe Shi from the Jinshan Temple, right?"
"Yes," Shen Luo said.
"Amitabha." Chan 'er and Zen Master Zhe Shi hurriedly chanted Buddha's name and saluted back.
Hearing this, the monks under the bodhi tree also came over and saluted Shen Luo and the other two.
"I've long heard of Master Jiang Liu's name. Today, I finally get to meet you. You are indeed extraordinarily intelligent. No wonder you are the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, the disciple of the Buddha. You have the Light of Buddha around you. You have great merit in cultivation. What a fortune," the white-browed old monk who was the leader of the group said excitedly.
"Zen Master, you flatter me. I am just an acolyte of the Jinshan Temple. I have only cultivated for a short time. How can I have any merit?" Chan 'er's ears turned red and she said embarrassedly.
"This is …" Shen Luo asked.
"This is Zen Master Baoshu from the Baoxiang Temple in Jingji. The other two are also Bhadanta in the temple. They are Zen Master Lude and Zen Master Luchen. This Water and Land Spiritual Assembly will be hosted by Zen Master Baoshu. The ceremony will also be arranged by the monks of the Baoxiang Temple. At the time, together with the eminent monks of other temples, they will cast spells to cross the innocent people of Chang 'an to the Underworld, "the official of Chongxuan Hall quickly introduced.
"Greetings, Zen Masters." Chan 'er put her palms together and saluted.
Shen Luo and Elder Zhe Shi followed suit and saluted.
After the crowd chatted for a while, Shen Luo finished his task of escorting and leading the way and was about to leave.
"Everyone, I still have some things to deal with. I will not stay here any longer." Shen Luo said goodbye to Chan 'er and then saluted to the crowd.
"Thank you, Immortal Master Shen, for escorting us all the way." Elder Zhe Shi saluted.
Chan 'er, on the other hand, smiled at him. She put her palms together and bowed her head.
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