The first chapter of the eighth chapter! Big Brother Yun would be leaving Qingshui City in three more chapters. How exciting!
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Lingjue Temple was a large and ancient temple. Historical records said that it was built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties of China.
The layout of Lingjue Temple was square with a north-south axis: the Mountain Gate Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Hall of Great Strength, the Hall of Worship, the Hall of Law, and the Scripture Pavilion. It was symmetrical, stable, and orderly.
Along this central axis, the buildings in the front and the back rose and fell, like a lively piece of music echoing from the front and the back.
Through the architectural layout of Lingjue Temple, Ling Yun could see that it had a very deep Yin-Yang cosmology and an aesthetic mentality that advocated symmetry, order, and stability.
Ling Yun and Murong Feixue passed through the Hall of Great Strength and the Scripture Pavilion. They soon arrived at the backyard that Murong Feixue mentioned.
Ling Yun couldn't help but laugh. This wasn't the backyard of Lingjue Temple. It was the monks' quarters and the vegetarian hall.
Of course, Murong Feixue was a jewelry appraiser and designer. Her understanding of the temple was similar to most ordinary people. From her point of view, since this was where the monks of the Lingjue Temple lived and prayed to Buddha, wasn't it the backyard of the Lingjue Temple where no one was allowed to enter?
Because this was the monks' quarters of Lingjue Temple, it wasn't open to the public. That was why it was cold and quiet. However, the Zen aura was even stronger.
The two of them arrived at the entrance of the courtyard. Murong Feixue said politely to a young monk at the entrance, "Hello, please go in and inform him that I would like to see Venerable Xuanzhi."
The young monk looked at the two of them and saw that they were well-dressed. He placed one palm in front of his chest, bowed slightly, and said, "Benefactors, please go back. Master Xuanzhi has said that he will not see any pilgrims today and will not sign anything."
Murong Feixue was disappointed, but she didn't want to give up. "Please go in and inform him that Murong Feixue from the Murong Family wishes to see him," she pleaded.
Murong Wenshi and Master Xuanzhi were good friends. Murong Wenshi would come to Lingjue Temple almost every month to drink tea and discuss Zen with Master Xuanzhi. That was why Murong Feixue knew Master Xuanzhi.
When Murong Feixue was eighteen, Murong Wenshi brought her to the Lingjue Temple to ask for a marriage lot. Back then, it was Venerable Xuanzhi who interpreted the lot for her. Murong Feixue didn't really believe in it and never took it seriously. Now that it had come true, Murong Feixue naturally had to thank him in person.
Ling Yun stood at the entrance of the monastery and released his divine sense. Then, his expression changed slightly. This was because his divine sense detected an old monk sitting on a futon in a very simple meditation room in the east of the monastery.
The old monk wore a grey robe with a kasaya on the outside. He had a simple appearance, and he sat cross-legged with a solemn expression. He twirled the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand while his lips opened and closed as he muttered. Obviously, he was chanting in meditation.
Of course, what made Ling Yun's expression change wasn't because he suddenly saw a monk chanting scriptures, but because he couldn't see through this old monk's strength and cultivation!
Even though this old monk looked like an ordinary monk, Ling Yun knew that this old monk was definitely not an ordinary person. His cultivation was at least above Xiantian Realm Level Six!
God! Lingjue Temple actually had such a master!
Ling Yun had been expanding his divine sense to the maximum ever since he came up the mountain. He wanted to see if there were any ancient martial arts practitioners in this famous Lingjue Temple. However, he didn't find a single Houtian Realm master. Ling Yun was a little disappointed at first, but he didn't expect to find one the moment he came to the backyard of the Lingjue Temple. Moreover, it was a master!
So far, Ling Yun had only seen three people who could be considered masters: Qin Dongxue, Liu Suifeng, and the Devil Sect's Holy Virgin.
Qin Dongxue was at the pinnacle of Xiantian Realm Level Four, and Liu Suifeng was at the beginning of Xiantian Realm Level Five. As for the Devil Sect's Holy Virgin, Ling Yun couldn't tell at all. It could be said that she was unfathomable.
Of course, Ling Yun and Bai Xianer were naturally masters as well.
Ling Yun had also seen two monks who practiced ancient martial arts. One was Master Compassionless at the early stages of Houtian Realm Level Eight, and the other was Master Xingchi at Xiantian Realm Level One. The former was killed by Ling Yun, and the latter committed suicide in front of Ling Yun.
Now, Ling Yun saw another one, and this one's cultivation was so high that Ling Yun couldn't even see through it. How could he not be shocked?
Ling Yun guessed that this must be the Master Xuan Zhi that Murong Feixue had mentioned.
Ling Yun was secretly shocked. He felt that the other party's strength wasn't inferior to his. He looked at Murong Feixue, who was begging the young monk, and said casually, "Big Sister Murong, since Master Xuan Zhi isn't seeing any guests today, why don't we go back first and come back another day?"
Ling Yun didn't want to be entangled with the Buddhists. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, Ling Yun wanted to retreat.
"Amitabha, I didn't know that there would be distinguished guests today. Please come in …" A Buddhist chant came from inside the room. "Amitabha, I didn't know that there would be guests today. Please come in …"
Although the voice was old, it was vigorous, like the evening drum and morning bell, so loud that even the deaf could hear.
Ling Yun immediately used his divine sense to sense that the old monk had stood up with one hand on the ground. He didn't use any Qinggong and looked no different from an ordinary person.
"Venerable Xuanzhi invites the two of you in …" The young monk bowed to Murong Feixue and said.
"Thank you, Little Master …" Murong Feixue smiled brightly.
Then, she pulled Ling Yun's arm and dragged him into the courtyard. Ling Yun had no choice but to follow with a bitter smile.
The two of them entered the courtyard and saw the old monk walking out of the room. Perhaps it was because he was meditating just now, but his eyes were clear and full of energy. He walked towards Ling Yun and Murong Feixue with a smile.
"Greetings, Master Xuan Zhi …"
Murong Feixue let go of Ling Yun's arm hurriedly when she saw Master Xuan Zhi coming out personally. Her face was a little red as she put her palms together and bowed to Master Xuan Zhi.
Master Xuan Zhi naturally returned the greeting with his palms together. "You don't have to be so polite, Feixue. I'm your grandfather's best friend. I drink his tea every year. If I were to reject you today, I'll have to buy my own tea from now on …"
"Master Xuan Zhi really knows how to joke …" Murong Feixue smiled shyly, bringing a bright and lively atmosphere to the simple courtyard.
Ling Yun stood with his hands behind his back. He didn't say anything. He only smiled along with Murong Feixue.
"Please come in …"
Master Xuan Zhi led the two of them into his room. After sitting down, he ordered the young monk to brew tea. "May I know who this young benefactor is?" Master Xuan Zhi asked with a deep smile.
"Ling Yun." Ling Yun smiled and answered honestly, neither servile nor overbearing.
"What? Ling Yun?! "
Master Xuan Zhi's expression changed when he heard Ling Yun's name. He stood up immediately and scanned Ling Yun from head to toe.
His gaze was as though he was looking at an alien. There was shock and a trace of indescribable confusion.
Ling Yun and Murong Feixue looked at each other before looking up at Master Xuan Zhi. "Why, have you heard of me, Master Xuan Zhi?"
Murong Feixue was astonished, but Ling Yun knew what was going on. Master Xuanzhi's skills were profound. If Master Xuanzhi was at the Lingjue Temple when his mother picked him up, then it would be hard to hide the fact that Qin Qiuyue picked him up that night from the Lingjue Temple.
"That shouldn't be the case …" Master Xuan Zhi muttered to himself as he sat down slowly under Murong Feixue's astonished gaze.
"Master Xuan Zhi, Ling Yun is my boyfriend. What you mean by shouldn't be …" Murong Feixue asked, puzzled by Master Xuan Zhi's rare loss of composure.
"Feixue, I'm sorry, I lost my composure just now …" Master Xuan Zhi blamed himself before looking at Ling Yun again. "Benefactor Ling Yun, I have a very rude question to ask you. Can I ask you?"
"Please speak, Master." Ling Yun smiled faintly.
Now that Ling Yun knew that he was a descendant of the Ling Family, his biological mother was the previous Holy Virgin of the Devil Sect, and Qin Qiuyue was from the Qin Family, there was no need for him to hide his identity in front of outsiders.
He had to take care of the Ling Family and the Qin Family. The burden of reviving these two declining families was on Ling Yun's shoulders. He couldn't afford to lose his composure in front of a master like Master Xuan Zhi.
Moreover, Ling Yun wanted to find out more from Master Xuan Zhi if he really knew something.
For example, why was he picked up by Qin Qiuyue at Lingjue Temple and not somewhere else? There was obviously more to it than meets the eye.
"Young Benefactor Ling Yun, may I know if your mother's surname is Qin?" Master Xuanzhi didn't beat around the bush.
"That's right, my adoptive mother is called Qin Qiuyue." Ling Yun nodded.
Master Xuan Zhi was completely dumbfounded.
Murong Feixue was equally shocked. "Master Xuan Zhi, do you know each other?" She looked at Ling Yun and Master Xuan Zhi.
"I don't …" Master Xuan Zhi shook his head.
"Big Sister Murong, there's something you don't know. My mother picked me up at Lingjue Temple eighteen years ago," Ling Yun replied.
This wasn't a secret. It was recorded in the Public Security Bureau, so there was no need to hide it.
Ling Yun had already made up his mind. He wanted to see if Master Xuan Zhi was a friend or foe. If he was a foe, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Master Xuan Zhi on the spot, even if he had to use all his trump cards!
Murong Feixue was shocked. She didn't expect Ling Yun's background to be so bizarre!
"It's really you!"
Grandmaster Xuanzhi's expression changed again when he heard that. He immediately stood up from his seat and his kasaya fluttered in the wind. It was obvious that he was extremely excited. (To be continued.)
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