Han Ye and the other two went around the square that occupied a lot of space and arrived in front of the Hall of Great Strength.
The Hall of Great Strength was usually the most magnificent main hall in a temple, and the Divine Martial Temple was no exception. The hall was about six feet tall, and the walls were made of red bricks. The roof was covered with glazed yellow tiles, and four different ancient beasts were carved on the four corners of the roof. Each of them had a precious pearl in their mouths. Under the sunlight, the glazed tiles and pearls were dazzling and intimidating!
In front of the main hall, the eighteen steps were covered with a layer of bright red carpet, attracting countless pilgrims to explore.
The eight martial monks in front of the steps were all holding demon-subduing pestles or magic wands. They were all extraordinary and dignified. When the leading martial monk saw that Han Ye and the other two wanted to enter the hall, he stopped them with his hand and saluted them with his palm."Benefactors, are you invited by our temple? If so, please tell me your name and identity. If not, please leave this place quickly.”
Han Ye returned the greeting and said," Master, my name is Han Ye. Although the three of us weren't invited by your abbot, we came here under the guidance of a friend. If you have any questions, you can go in and report to the abbot before making a decision."”
"Senior Brother." A monk beside him whispered to the leading monk,""I heard from the abbot that there are a few groups of distinguished guests coming from the east recently, and one of them has this name.”
The leading monk nodded and saluted Han Ye with a palm.""Almsgiver Han, I didn't know your identity previously.”With that, the eight monks respectfully made way for Han Ye and the other two to enter the hall.
The hall was truly filled with heaven and earth. Sixteen golden pillars with coiling dragons stood upright, and from the outside to the inside, eighteen golden arhats were glaring fiercely. They were incomparably powerful. In the innermost part, three sixteen-foot-tall golden buddhas came into view. Their kind and harmonious appearance made people feel at ease. In addition, the inner walls, ceiling, floor, and caissons were all carved with many Buddhist patterns, giving off a somewhat dazzling feeling.
Whether it was the Great Buddha or the Arhat, there was a table in front of them to hold offerings and incense burner. In front of the three Great Buddhas was a huge cauldron. In front of the cauldron, countless praying mats were neatly arranged vertically and horizontally, extending all the way to the front door. Of course, there were still some people sitting on the praying mats. Other than the monks of the temple, there were also some distinguished guests who entered the temple.
In front of the crowd and under the Buddha, there was an old monk. He was wearing a kasaya, his hair and beard were white, and his face was kind. He was reading Buddhist scriptures to the crowd with his eyes slightly lowered. When he saw Han Ye and the other two, he was not surprised at all. He just smiled kindly at them and continued to preach.
Night and Dream found their seats and sat down. They also pulled Xue Yan down to sit. The three of them, no, two of them listened to the old monk's lecture quietly. As for the other person, he was looking around and sitting very restlessly. Time slowly passed, and finally, it was noon.
The old monk saw that it was time to eat, so he said,""Alright, this old monk will stop here for the Buddhist scriptures in the morning. Please fast first. We will continue after three quarters in the afternoon.”
Everyone dispersed, leaving only Han Ye and the other two sitting in the hall.
Seeing this, the old monk nodded and smiled. He staggered toward Han Ye and the other two and said kindly,""Benefactors, please rise."
Xue Yan was the first to stand up. She rubbed her sore calves and said to the old monk with a depressed expression,""Old monk, you look like a good person, but I don't understand a single word of what you're saying. I'm about to fall asleep!”
"Haha." The old monk was not angry at Xue Yan's rudeness at all. He raised his palm and bowed, smiling kindly."This female benefactor, the Buddhist scriptures that this old monk is talking about will be heard by those who are fated to hear it and understand it in their hearts.”
Han Ye could not help but sigh in admiration when he saw that the old monk's temperament had reached the realm of transcendence and sainthood. He bowed and asked,""Excuse me, are you Master Juekong?”
"Yes, I am." "Are the three benefactors from the east?" Jue Kong asked.”
Han Ye nodded.
Jue Kong carefully observed them again. Finally, he stroked his white beard and laughed out loud."Hehehe, Almsgiver Lin's martial arts are peerless, and he can roam the Six Worlds. This old monk knows that his friends are not ordinary people.”
Han Ye, Yun Meng, and Xue Yan were all shocked. They did not expect Master Juekong to be so smart. He had guessed their identities without even asking for their names.
Don't worry, benefactors." " I've always admired Almsgiver Lin's character," Master Juekong said kindly." His friends are also my friends. I'll arrange vegetarian meals and accommodation for the three of you when you're young…"
At this moment, they heard a commotion outside the door.
"Martial Uncle Liaochen, the abbot said that the disciples of our temple are not allowed to enter the hall without permission. Please don't make things difficult for our martial nephews!”Han Ye could hear the voice of the leading monk outside the door.
"Get lost!" A rough voice said,"No one can stop me today!"”
With that said, there was another sound of fighting outside the door. The sound of fighting got closer and closer until it finally reached the door.
Then, Han Ye and the others saw a man at the door. The man looked to be in his forties and had a string of 108 prayer beads hanging around his neck. He had red hair and a curly beard, and his eyebrows were thick and angry. The curly-bearded monk shook off the few martial monks who were holding his hands and shouted into the hall,"" Who is the disciple of the Reaper King?!"
Han Ye was shocked and replied,""I am."
The bearded monk turned his head and finally saw the handsome man. He couldn't help but be furious. He strode toward Han Ye and said angrily,""Brat, I've been looking for you for a long time!”
Yun Meng and Xue Yan were confused, and Han Ye only understood a little. Only Jue Kong, who was present, understood.
The curly-bearded monk rushed forward and grabbed Han Ye's clothes, saying,""Return my junior brother's life!"
"Amitabha." Jue Kong raised his palm and sighed."Liaochen, everything in the world has karma. Moreover, it wasn't Almsgiver Han who killed Huiming. The murderer had already died, and everything was over.”
"Uncle-Master!" Liaochen looked anxiously at Jue Kong." I know that he didn't kill Junior Brother, but Junior Brother Huiming died at the hands of the Reaper King. This kid took the thief as his master. How can I spare him?" In the past, you always told me not to go out and cause trouble. Alright, I'll listen to you! But now that this kid has delivered himself to my doorstep, how can I control my temper?”
"Put it down, Liaochen." "No matter how much the King of Hell has done wrong, what does it have to do with his disciple?" Jue Kong said calmly and gently. You're too vicious, Liaochen.”
"I can't let go!" Liaochen tightened his grip on Han Ye's hand and said anxiously,""Uncle-Master, are you so heartless? Huiming is my junior brother, but he is also your most beloved disciple!”
"What?!" Han Ye's eyes widened when he heard this. He did not intend to resist because he knew that his master, Zhang Kuo, had committed many murders in the past. He also understood the pain in Chen's heart, but he would never have thought that the biggest victim of this incident was Master Juekong. Therefore, Han Ye looked at Jue Kong in surprise, while Yun Meng and Xue Yan looked at the old monk worriedly.
At this moment, Jue Kong, who had been silent for a moment, spoke. With a trace of sadness that was difficult to hide, he nodded slightly and said," That's right. Huiming is my beloved disciple. Back then, he died tragically at the hands of the King of Hell. This old monk cried for seven days and seven nights because of this. The bright lamp sat there, and the sea of bitterness was boundless…" As the old monk spoke, he slowly closed his peaceful eyes.
"Did you hear that!" Liaochen glared angrily at Han Ye. His burning gaze made Han Ye feel so guilty that he could not face it directly. He said,"Junior Brother Hui Ming is such a good person! Your master cut off his head and gave it to the buyer, making it impossible for him to be buried in one piece. Such an inhumane act is outrageous!”As he spoke, Liaochen grabbed Han Ye and raised his left palm. He said angrily,"If I don't enforce justice on behalf of the heavens today, I…!”
"Then you can kill him in this Great Buddha Hall with one palm!”Jue Kong suddenly shouted angrily. Zhen De Chen slowly withdrew his left hand. After a long silence, Jue Kong said sternly,"Don't you know what kind of person Huiming is as his master? He wholeheartedly hopes that you can calm down. If you kill this innocent person in a moment of anger, how will you face him in the afterlife?”
" Uncle-Master…" Liaochen furrowed his thick brows as he gradually pulled Han Ye's hand away.
"Liaochen, I've already thought it through for seven days and seven nights.”Jue Kong sighed." Huiming's death might not be worth it in the eyes of the world, but when he passed away, even if his head was not there, his body was still sitting in front of the stage with the wooden fish in his hand. This shows that he was wholeheartedly devoted to Buddha and had already given up everything to go to the Western Paradise.”As Jue Kong spoke, he turned around and raised his palm at the three great Buddhas."Our Buddha is merciful and good at saving the world. Huiming did not forget to explain the Buddhist Dharma to the person who killed him even in death. It can be said that his merits are complete. If even he can let go of something, why can't you, as his senior brother, let go?”
" Junior Brother Huiming…" Liaochen let go of Han Ye in his hand, his weathered face filled with guilt. He staggered to the front of the three Buddhas, knelt down, and bowed deeply. Finally, he piously and steadily fiddled with the prayer beads in front of his chest and said,""Amitabha. Almsgiver Han, this poor monk was too vicious and rude to you previously. I won't make things difficult for you anymore. It's just that your master has done many evil things. Although he's already in the ground, I hope you can break away from his master-disciple relationship as soon as possible so that you won't be hated by others.”
"Although I understand the pain in your heart, I will not sever my relationship with Master.”" Back then, he was instigated by Chen Yaohai and harmed countless people," Han Ye said sadly." But he also taught me martial arts and died for me. You won't understand how I felt."”
At that moment, Yun Meng saw the bitterness in Han Ye's heart and wanted to tell him " I understand ", but she couldn't. She didn't know why, but she could only look at Han Ye quietly. Other than silently showing concern, she didn't dare to approach him to comfort him.
"Indeed, Chen Yaohai is not a good person. Back then, my junior brother said that he had evil intentions and suggested that he abdicate. Because of this, he was killed.”Liaochen tried his best to maintain a calm state of mind and said,"But Almsgiver Han is only speaking one-sidedly. For example, regarding the matter of being instigated by someone, your master might also be suspected of shirking responsibility.”As he spoke, he sighed again." Benefactor, it's better for you to meet This Penniless Monk less in the future, lest This Penniless Monk's bad roots are not eradicated, and I stir up dust again."”
Han Ye looked at the dust and knew that it would not be effective to explain these things for his master because most people in the martial arts world believed that the Reaper King was guilty of heinous crimes. Chen Yaohai was a sect master and was good at deceiving people. Therefore, no matter how hard Han Ye tried in the past eight years, he could not help his master get rid of the evil devil's infamy. Chen Yaohai was still the sect master of the Eight Trigrams School.
Jue Kong saw that Han Ye seemed to be very distressed, so he did not make things difficult for him. He only peacefully raised his palm and said,""Amitabha. Almsgiver Han, let's ignore these past grudges and temporarily stay in our temple.”
Xue Yan tugged at Han Ye's sleeve and whispered,""Idiot, just ignore that coarse monk. There aren't many households in this 70-mile radius. Aren't we going to stay here and rest?”
Han Ye looked at Yun Meng and saw her nod at him quietly. He then said respectfully to Jue Kong,""Master Juekong, I'm rushing to Mount Shu. However, the journey is long and I need to rest. I'll be staying with my friends for a few days at your temple. I'll leave after I'm done resting.”
"Haha." Jue Kong stroked his white beard and smiled amiably."Benefactor Han, why are you so formal? Wait for a moment, I'll get someone to arrange a room for you.”
As Jue Kong spoke, he called a martial monk at the door and asked him to call a young monk over.
"Abbot, do you want me to arrange a place for someone else again?”Following a childish voice, a young monk about ten years old walked in from the door. There was a long string of Buddhist beads hanging around his neck. He opened his clear eyes and lowered his head slightly as he walked in front of everyone.
"Little Bald Head? It's you!" Xue Yan asked in surprise.
" Pretty Sister…Abbot…" The small monk bowed to everyone and then shouted to Liaochen who was in front of the Buddha statue,""Master."
"Chengxin, I'm in a hurry. Don't disturb me.”Liaochen only spoke a few words, but he did not turn his head to look at the small monk. He only lowered his head and closed his eyes to recite the scriptures. Perhaps he wanted to use this to suppress the karmic fire in his heart.
"Oh." Chengxin nodded obediently and went to see the abbot again.
"Chengxin, lead these guests to the east wing to put their luggage, then take them to the vegetarian room to eat."”
"Yes, Abbot." Cheng Xin nodded obediently and said to Xue Yan and the others,"Everyone, please follow me."
Thus, Cheng Xin led everyone out of the hall.
Jue Kong sighed when he saw everyone leave. He said to Liaochen behind him,"Liaochen, those benefactors have left. Can't you calm down?”
Liaochen slowly opened his eyes and said,"Martial Uncle, there are still some negative karma that are difficult to remove. Once it is removed, your heart will naturally calm down."”
"The sea of bitterness is boundless.”As Jue Kong spoke, his weathered eyes stared straight at the few people who had gone out."However, there's still a distinguished guest in the room. I'm afraid he's been waiting for a long time.”
Han Ye and the other two followed Cheng Xin to the east wing. The east wing occupied a large area and had hundreds of rooms. All the guests who came from the east were basically settled here.
Entering through the main door and bypassing the screen wall, the rooms were divided into eight rows that were neatly arranged inside. It was neat and spectacular. Upon entering, they found that the rooms were not as monotonous as they had imagined. There was an ancient tree every five rooms, a green landscape every ten rooms, and a small garden in the middle of every thirty rooms. There were flowers, trees, stone paths, pavilions, rockery, ponds, and wooden bridges in the garden.
Xue Yan followed behind the small monk with her hands behind her back. She looked around with interest and asked,"Hey, little baldy, where are we staying?”
The small monk said," Martial Uncle Huizhen, who's in charge of the rooms, said that starting from room #87, there are three consecutive rooms that are empty. I'm going to bring you there now."”
"Ah?" "We have to go so far?" Xue Yan asked with wide eyes.”
Han Ye didn't ask about this. He just drank his wine and seemed to have a lot on his mind. He was probably thinking about how to settle the grudge between his master and the Divine Martial Temple.
Yun Meng vaguely knew what he was thinking, so she rarely looked away from him."Ye, I only wish you well. No matter what, I will accompany you on this path of atonement.”
When the four of them reached the wooden bridge in the second garden, Night and Dream stopped in their tracks because there was someone standing on the wooden bridge.
The man was wearing a purple brocade robe and looked to be in his forties. He had a full beard and his black hair was mixed with a few traces of whiteness. He stood on the bridge with his left hand on the guardrail and quietly looked at the fish in the pool.
Yun Meng's eyes widened when she saw that person. She put her hand on her clothes and said nervously and carefully,""Father ~~!"
Han Ye looked at the person whom he should address as " uncle ", but he did not feel any kinship. Although he had once spread the word that he had become the disciple of the Reaper King of Hell, Situ Sheng and Ji Yun immediately ignored him after hearing it. As for the disciples of the Howling Sword Hall, they scoffed at Han Ye when they saw him again. These were all reasons that made Han Ye's heart turn cold. Therefore, he returned to the Howling Sword Hall only to inquire about the news.
Although Han Ye could understand the so-called " those who achieve great things do not care about trifles ", it was unrealistic to say that he really wanted to see this uncle.
Situ Sheng seemed to have noticed the arrival of everyone, but he was not surprised. Instead, he stood up and placed his hands behind his back. His ancient eyes were fixed on Han Ye. After a long time, he finally sighed and said,"Good, nephew. I haven't seen you for eight years, but I didn't expect you to grow so handsome and elegant. You look even more elegant than your father.”
"Uncle, you flatter me." Han Ye chuckled coldly.""Although my father was famous for his delicate appearance back then, how could he be as glorious as uncle?”
Yun Meng understood the meaning behind Han Ye's words. She frowned and looked at Han Ye worriedly.
No matter what, Situ Sheng had been in the underworld for so long. How could he not hear the jealousy in Han Ye's words? However, he suppressed the anger in his heart and said to Han Ye in a deep voice,""Nephew, let's not talk about this anymore. I'm here to bring you and my daughter back.”
"Why should I go back?" When Han Ye thought of the attitude of the Howling Sword Hall, he couldn't help but feel resentful. In addition, he planned to settle the grievances of the Divine Martial Temple, so he didn't want to go back. He sneered and said,""Uncle, it's been eight years and you've never thought of visiting my nephew. Why did you suddenly want to bring me back today?”
" Ye, don't say anymore…" Yun Meng saw her father's ashen face and quickly pulled Han Ye's sleeve.
Situ Sheng was caught off guard by Han Ye's words. He thought to himself,'Isn't Han Ye clearly resenting us for not caring about this?' "Nephew, although I'm also in the wrong, you should understand my difficulties."”As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed." The King of Hell is a murderous devil and the public enemy of the martial arts world. If you want to learn martial arts, just look for us. Why do you have to acknowledge him as your master?"”
As if he thought of something, Situ Sheng added,"By the way, you said that you are the disciple of the King of Hell. Where is he now?”
Han Ye couldn't help but sneer, thinking, Things have come to this, and you still want to find out about Master's whereabouts, but you don't know that he's long gone.”
Thinking of this, Han Ye said,""Uncle, there's no need to ask where he is. He's already dead. I took him as my master not because he taught me martial arts, but because he was willing to give up everything and even his life for me.”Then, Han Ye coldly asked Situ Sheng,""And you?"
Han Ye's cold words pierced Situ Sheng's heart. Situ Sheng was silent for a while, then he raised his head, closed his eyes, and sighed."Second brother, the sins of the past must be repaid now. It's time to bring the child home.”Thinking of this, Situ Sheng looked at Han Ye with a gentle gaze and said,""Don't say anything. Let's forget about the past. Come home with me, child.”
If it were anyone else, they would think that this would turn into a touching family relationship. Unfortunately, Han Ye did not think so.
"I won't go back." Han Ye said calmly, ignoring Xue Yan's surprised gaze and Yun Meng's longing gaze.
"Why?" When Situ Sheng asked this question, he was actually a little angry. No matter how bad Han Ye was, he was still his nephew. Now that he was unable to step down, where would he put his face?
" If I go back now, I won't have the chance to atone for my master's sins," Han Ye explained calmly." I won't have the chance to avenge my parents."”
"Oh?" Situ Sheng's eyes flashed coldly as he asked in a strange tone,"Do you think that someone in the Howling Sword Hall wants to harm you? Or do you think that I, your uncle, am incapable of protecting you?”
"Both," Han Ye said coldly.”
"Good! Not bad, hahaha!" Situ Sheng laughed angrily." As expected of Second Brother's son. He's so stubborn."”As he spoke, his right hand touched the hilt of his sword at his waist and he said to Han Ye with a murderous look,""Nephew, I haven't seen you for eight years. I wonder how much your martial arts have progressed. Why don't you let me, your uncle, experience your skills?”
Situ Sheng was at daggers drawn against Han Ye. Situ Yunmeng was undoubtedly the most nervous person among everyone present. On one side was her father, who was as grateful as a mountain, and on the other side was the person she had liked since she was young. Yun Meng would definitely feel bad if she hurt anyone. Therefore, she frowned and begged Situ Sheng,"Father, don't!"
If two men wanted to fight, how could a woman stop them? Situ Sheng pulled out his Purple Lightning Sword. The purple lightning-shaped sword emitted a faint glow under the sunlight. He pointed the sword at Han Ye and said,"Han Ye, I'll give you another chance now. Are you coming back with me?”
Han Ye didn't dare to meet Situ Sheng's gaze. He lowered his head and said,""I have my own reasons for not going back.”
Situ Sheng did not intend to ask further. Although his real goal was to bring Han Ye back, it was inevitable that he would emit waves of killing intent when they really fought.
Situ Sheng walked toward Han Ye with his sword raised. The Purple Lightning Sword in his hand drew a purple lightning bolt, and the slightly fluctuating light made people feel more or less terrified.
Han Ye didn't draw his sword. Although he was against Situ Sheng, he knew that Situ Sheng was his father's brother and the father of the person he loved. Therefore, he couldn't draw his sword against Situ Sheng no matter what. He just dodged the sharp edge of the Purple Lightning Sword.
However, Situ Sheng's movement technique and attack speed were not undeserved. When he fought with Reaper Yama, he was able to catch up with his opponent's speed. It was enough to show his strength of " a flash of lightning and a head falling." Besides, Han Ye had learned from Lin Yin how to attack while defending, but he couldn't attack now. How could he not be at a disadvantage?
Although the Starburst Technique could increase his speed in an instant, it was extremely taxing on his zhenqi. Han Ye was already panting after dodging for twenty to thirty rounds. Situ Sheng, on the other hand, was not satisfied. When Han Ye's body was slightly chaotic, he seized the opportunity and struck his Purple Lightning Sword straight at Han Ye's right shoulder.
Han Ye wanted to dodge, but the lightning was too fast. Although it couldn't hit his shoulder, it still hit his right arm. Han Ye was hit by the sword and felt his whole body go numb, and his mind went into a trance. However, he remembered that he still had to settle the grudges of the Divine Martial Temple and go to Mount Shu to ask about the murderer. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to retreat. His left hand pressed on his numb right arm as he looked at Situ Sheng.
Situ Sheng saw that Han Ye's movements had slowed down a lot, so he raised his sword and stabbed Han Ye's leg again. It was obvious that he wanted to injure Han Ye's leg this time so that he could bring him back.
Just as the Purple Lightning Sword was about to touch Han Ye's body, Situ Sheng stopped the sword in his hand. He did not do it on purpose. Instead, he suddenly condensed a spinning wind wall between the Purple Lightning Sword and Han Ye. The Purple Lightning Sword was trapped in the eye of the spinning wind wall, and its power was instantly dissolved. It was like a sword returning to its scabbard, unable to go any further.
Just as Situ Sheng was feeling puzzled, he saw his daughter not far away speak. She quietly knelt down and closed her tearful eyes. She lowered her head and said softly," Don't hit me…Father, I'm not going back. I'll accompany you back…"
Note:
1. Cavern-a unique decorative part of the ceiling in traditional Chinese architecture. It was usually made into a well shape that rose upwards, with square, hexagonal, or circular concave surfaces, surrounded by various flower patterns, carvings, and paintings. It was mostly used in palaces, thrones in temples, and the most important parts above the Buddhist altar.
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