Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Heart's Desire led everyone into the Hall of the Bodhisattva, lighting a stick of incense on the Incense Table. With a calm expression, he said, "Please, take a seat!"
Li Xiaonan found a spot and casually sat cross-legged. Her fair thighs were partially visible, the smooth, white skin radiating a subtle glow. Beside her, Chen Yaojin looked on in shock. Glancing around, he quickly pulled out a blanket from the Heavenly Jade Ring and draped it over Li Xiaonan's legs, his face awkward as he said, "Boss..."
A dark line appeared on Li Xiaonan's forehead as she thought to herself: How could I forget that I'm a woman now? Thankfully, Little Jin acted quickly; otherwise, I would have been exposed to all these monks. Hmm! I need to remember that I'm a girl!
With a flirtatious glance at Chen Yaojin, she teased, "Little Jin, why are you making that silly face like the Great Monk?"
Hui Nian took a seat across from Li Xiaonan, his complexion shifting from red to white, then to green and finally purple, struggling to contain himself. If it weren't for Heart's Desire being present, he would have already dealt with the two creatures across from him.
Leaning closer to Li Xiaonan, Chen Yaojin couldn't help but blush as he gazed at her delicate neck. "Boss... this feels strange. It's uncomfortable with something pressing against my chest. I think I should hide for now..."
Li Xiaonan nodded in agreement. "That's fine!"
Reluctantly, Chen Yaojin stole one last glance at Li Xiaonan's alluring figure, wiped his mouth, and vanished with a swift motion into her body.
The three monks were startled but soon relaxed when they saw that Li Xiaonan remained calm and unchanged.
Qing An shifted his gaze back and sat between Li Xiaonan and Hui Nian, quietly observing the Buddhist beads in his hands. His long eyelashes drooped slightly, trembling gently in the candlelight.
He felt a mix of emotions; this woman was truly special. Her understanding of the Sutra and insights into Buddhism and Taoism were profound. Such a person could not be bad; she was destined for greatness. Perhaps the rise and fall of Buddhism and Taoism truly rested upon her shoulders.
With a slight smile, Heart's Desire gently rolled the sandalwood beads with his thumb as he sat opposite Hui Nian, forming a circle with the four of them.
Li Xiaonan couldn't help but furrow her brow. What exactly was this Great Monk up to? Weren't they supposed to be heading to the Buddhist Sacred Ground? What was happening now?
Heart's Desire seemed to sense Li Xiaonan's thoughts and smiled as he said, "The Buddha resides within the heart." His expression then turned serious as he solemnly declared, "With the Buddha in the heart, step into the Pure Land, where the lotus blooms in unison, and the light of the Buddha shines forth. Begin!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a series of bell sounds echoed through the room—deep, resonant, and enduring. The bell rang in a rhythm that alternated between urgency and calmness, as if it contained some profound meaning.
Li Xiaonan furrowed his brow, recalling what his grandmother had told him in his childhood. He closed his eyes slightly, adopting a serene demeanor. With his hands forming a mudra, right hand on top and left hand below, he pressed his thumbs together at his navel and listened intently as he chanted: "With the sound of the bell, troubles lighten, wisdom grows, Bodhi arises, escaping hell and leaving behind the fiery furnace. May I become a Buddha and save all beings..."
The bell rang exactly one hundred and eight times—a number symbolizing the twelve months of the year, twenty-four solar terms, and seventy-two seasonal divisions. Together they total one hundred and eight, representing the cycle of thoughts and the enduring nature of heaven and earth. In life filled with troubles, the ringing of one hundred and eight times could dispel all worldly worries.
As the final bell sound faded away, its lingering echoes danced lightly in the hall. Li Xiaonan slowly opened his eyes to find that a thin mist had risen around him without him noticing. The air was ethereal and elusive, gradually distorting all images around him. The incense table was no longer an incense table but had transformed into a mass of grayish-red.
The atmosphere among the four grew tense as an indistinct door began to materialize.
Startled, Li Xiaonan jumped up from the ground, causing his blanket to slip aside. He clenched his fists tightly; his knuckles turned white as his breathing quickened. If anyone dared to say that Starry Illusion Continent had nothing to do with Earth, he would not hold back!
The door before them was not an ordinary wooden door with copper rings and iron nails but a familiar alloy security door known to Earthlings. The reddish-brown door was adorned with intricate patterns, and its shiny handle nearly blinded Li Xiaonan.
"Little North, this is the door to the Buddhist Sacred Ground. It's just that our opportunity has not yet arrived; we have been unable to open it," Heart's Desire said slowly as he stood up with his hands pressed together. Although he did not understand why Li Xiaonan was so shocked, he had a faint premonition that this girl before him must be the key to unlocking Buddhism's treasure.
Li Xiaonan chuckled awkwardly. What did it mean to have a security door? Fireproof, corrosion-resistant, anti-pry, dustproof! How could he open it without a key? Wait... what?
He blinked rapidly and chuckled again; indeed, he once knew a girl who specialized in opening security doors. Although she resembled a fierce dragon in appearance, she was quite skilled at unlocking doors. Li Xiaonan had spent many days living off her generosity until she confessed her feelings for him—he panicked and cut off all contact from then on.
"Li Xiaoyang, pay attention! This security door is only secure against thieves; otherwise, it's just like that iPhone—weak in phone functionality but strong in everything else! Look! Just aim for the lock core like this!" These were words spoken by a rich girl who specialized in breaking into her own mansion's doors.
Li Xiaonan squinted at the keyhole for a moment before grunting softly. He casually pulled out a silver hairpin from his hair; his long azure silks cascaded down like a waterfall to rest comfortably on his shoulders.
Qing An stared blankly at Li Xiaonan's profile, quickly gripping the Peach Wood Prayer Beads in his hand and lowering his head, a faint blush rising on his wooden expression.
Li Xiaonan squinted, slowly poking the hairpin into the lock. After fiddling with it for over half an hour, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and a few strands of hair stuck to his brow. He grumbled inwardly, "Why is it so hard to open a door? All that theoretical knowledge is useless! It's just talk without action; why can't I get this lock core right?"
With a "clunk," the lock core popped, and Li Xiaonan chuckled, his mouth stretching into a wide grin that reached his ears. He slowly turned to the three tense monks behind him, gripping the silver hairpin in his left hand while placing his right hand on the doorknob. With a gentle press, "creak!" The door opened! A blinding white light poured out, obscuring the view of another world beyond.
"Ah... thank you, Little North!" Heart's Desire sighed in relief, a smile spreading across his face, revealing bright white teeth as light flashed from left to right.
Li Xiaonan's mouth twitched; was he filming a toothpaste commercial? But he said, "Please, Master!" Who knew what awaited on the other side of the door?
As cannon fodder leading the charge, Li Xiaonan would not take that role at this moment. Life as second is always better than being first; all he needed to do was look ahead. If the sky fell, the first would bear it; if fire broke out, the third would handle it. The middle path was Li Xiaonan's way of dealing with life—everything should be just right. Of course, he would occasionally lose his temper, but only when he had enough strength.
Heart's Desire nodded and stepped boldly into the white light first. Next was Li Xiaonan, followed by Qing An and finally Hui Nian. The four of them slipped through the door like a string of candied haws.
As the light faded, Li Xiaonan stood there in a daze. What was happening? Where did everyone go? Four had entered, yet he was left alone.
The door behind him had vanished, leaving only a pale world with no boundaries or ends—just endless desolation.
Li Xiaonan swallowed hard and called softly, "Is anyone there? Great Monk? Little Monk?" He shrank back slightly; apart from his echo, there was nothing. Clutching his sleeves tightly and frowning, he realized he had no True Essence Power and was stuck in this desolate place. What now? Just chill?
Grinding his teeth, he chose a direction and took a step forward. With that single step, black lotus flowers bloomed beneath his feet, spreading out ahead of him and paving a path through the white world. Was this meant for him to follow?
Sighing, Li Xiaonan walked step by step along the lotus pattern. With each step he took, the scenery around him changed rapidly—the white ground transformed into lush green grass as tall trees shot up from the earth. The sky was no longer a dull white but a tranquil blue like glass. A breeze blew through, rustling the leaves and tousling Li Xiaonan's hair.
In an instant, the greenery turned yellow; autumn winds howled as fallen leaves returned to their roots, leaving bare branches behind. Gradually, white snow began to fall from the sky while distant red plums bloomed defiantly. Li Xiaonan silently observed everything before taking another step onto the lotus flower; as he did so, ice and snow melted away revealing new buds sprouting forth—a faint sign of life emerging.
In just a short distance of a hundred steps, scenes from life seemed to flash before Li Xiaonan's eyes. Year after year, filled with joy and sorrow, yet in the blink of an eye, they all turned to emptiness, leaving only the present self. With hollow eyes, Li Xiaonan gazed at the changes around him, his heart growing quieter. Gradually, everything around him seemed unrelated; his heart remained still, and the mundane world did not stir.
"You finally came..." At the end of the lotus pattern was a Lotus Seat, where a figure sat. It was impossible to tell whether it was male or female, nor could one discern their features. Behind them, a wheel of Dharma spun continuously, radiating a faint golden light.
With slightly closed eyes and a calm demeanor, Li Xiaonan said, "Where did I come from, and where should I go?"
The figure on the Lotus Seat plucked a flower with one hand, emanating a gentle golden glow. "You come from where you always have and go to where you always will."
Li Xiaonan chuckled lightly, "Who am I?" As he walked closer, it felt as though too many memories were slipping away.
The figure smiled and replied, "You are simply you."
"What nonsense! My sister is still waiting for you!" A sudden jolt brought Li Xiaonan back to reality as a voice echoed in his mind. He muttered to himself: Fool? Phew! That was close; what was I just thinking? Right, I'm now in the Buddhist Sacred Ground. If that fool hadn't called out to me just now, I might have lost myself forever in this strange world.
Furrowing his brow, Li Xiaonan slapped his head and sat cross-legged. He began to sort through all his memories: My name is Li Xiaonan, I came from Earth, I have many beautiful wives! I have an adorable son! There are still many things I haven't done; I must avenge Mother of the Mountain!
As he thought this, the brilliance in his eyes intensified as he glared fiercely at the glowing figure. "I am naturally myself; what are you? How can such deceptive beings exist in the Buddhism Pure Land?"
"Alas... Just a little more and I could have been liberated. Forget it... Ha ha... Young lady, I advise you not to meddle in idle matters! Otherwise, you'll die a very ugly death!" As the light dispersed, three paths of Lotus Path suddenly spread out on the ground while everything else returned to a pale void.
Li Xiaonan spat at the vanishing light. "Ah! Ptooey! Do you think I'm easily scared? Oh no! Those three Bald Donkeys are definitely going to fall for it!"
Comment 0 Comment Count