Chapter 114: Opportunity, Re-entering the Time-Worn Fragment (Second Update)

Upon entering the gate, Ye Qin saw a release pool ahead.

Gold or red koi swam back and forth; likely because many people often fed them, their bodies were plump, giving them a cute, endearing air.

Directly facing the gate stood a great hall; the characters "Mahavira Hall" caught the eye, written with vigorous, powerful brushwork, looking very imposing.

Shakyamuni sat cross-legged in the center of the lotus pedestal, his eyes gazing compassionately into the distance; the towering golden statue inspired reverence, its brilliance undimmed even in dim light.

In the side halls were respectively a Guanyin holding a jade pure bottle, the compassionate savior; a Ksitigarbha Hall; and statues of the Eighteen Arhats with varied expressions, all filled with an indescribable solemn dignity.

Every hall was decorated in resplendent gold and blue, with plenty of gold lacquer; even the pillars were entwined with auspicious clouds and carved with exquisite patterns, not to mention the walls and ceilings.

It was over two meters tall and half a meter wide, with the three characters "Waiting King Village" carved on it.

Surrounding green mountains stretched endlessly, peaks on both sides forming a natural barrier; the central area was relatively open and embraced by river water, creating an excellent feng shui treasure spot.

At that moment he even thought he was having auditory hallucinations.

Its long cultural heritage and unique feng shui gave the stele a distinctive history, making it a special landscape feature standing by the river.

Here the terrain was flat and open, offering views of both riverbanks, lush and full of vitality.

After looking around, Ye Qin withdrew his gaze and continued exploring the nearby hall.

Although it might consume great mental effort, at least it saved time and energy; supplemented with Daoist temple contemplation objects, he would carefully sense them, and if he felt nothing, Ye Qin would give up and seek the next Daoist temple or monastery.

Ye Qin visited famous ancient temples merely to find the time-worn fragments therein, reopen that mysterious channel to verify his conjecture, hoping to gain opportunity from it.

In the end, left with no choice, Ye Qin even rushed to cemeteries and graveyards, and even a smaller ancient tomb site.

These days Ye Qin had toured many famous ancient Daoist temples, yet gained nothing—found no contemplative opportunity, discovered nothing special, and certainly no time-worn fragments.

Considering it, this setback was nothing; Ye Qin understood from the start that the Daoist path was never smooth, destined to encounter many obstacles.

The river water slapped against the stones, emitting a dull sound; whenever the waves surged, it sounded like ten thousand steeds galloping forward.

Not far from the riverbank, Ye Qin saw a nearby village that looked steeped in history.

When it moved, it roared and surged like a tiger descending a mountain, like myriad waterfalls hanging in the void, pouring down countless silver specks that splashed onto the nearby cliffs, glittering like distinct pearls in the sunlight.

Ye Qin's scales were originally green, and with these broad leaves providing cover, unless examined closely at close range, it was really hard to notice anything odd about them.

Profound and deep, enduring since ancient times.

Where there is wind and water, life and vitality arise; all things can flourish, becoming places suitable for human habitation.

Ye Qin had contemplated many things so far, but few contained vital energy.

Only see that the Daoist temple in White Bone's hand was also affected, trembling and humming as a sense of history swept over, forming a faint mist that circled the temple.

And upon carefully examining the ancient village's architecture, whether houses or roads, one could see the traces of feng shui, deeply influenced by the ancients' geomantic theories.

Its arrival went unnoticed, its departure left no trace, as if it had never appeared.

Ye Qin looked at the village stele with feeling; this was clearly an ancient village site, passed down for two thousand years.

Mountains and waters gathered together, presenting the posture of stars surrounding the moon, highlighting this place's superior feng shui.

Even this place's feng shui was not as mysterious as that of the Upper Pure Temple.

Like seeks like, similar responds to similar.

Ye Qin pondered; after all, having come this far, he would try every method, so it wouldn't be a wasted trip.

One cannot deny that the scenery here is truly fine; Ye Qin couldn't help but glance a few more times.

Perhaps a special opportunity could be found here.

Could it be that this place also possesses the power of time-worn fragments?!

The snake's eyes slowly opened, carrying a hint of disappointment.

From the perspective of the ancient village's history,

For a hundred years, vitality has surrounded it, endless and self-renewing.

With hope, Ye Qin once again set out on the journey.

The water sparkled like flowing glass, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds; brilliant sunlight fell on the river surface, at first glance resembling silver snakes swimming.

Not only is the location superb, the entire ancient village's feng shui layout is also very particular, consistent with the Han dynasty Confucian master Dong Zhongshu's advocated idea of "heaven and earth as one".

He faintly felt it was extraordinary, but that feeling was fleeting; when he went to seek it again, it vanished instantly.

Although that feeling flashed by, having passed many ancient temples and Daoist monasteries before, Ye Qin had never had such an illusion; he faintly felt his opportunity might lie here.

The village contained plenty of greenery, becoming Ye Qin's natural cover; plus, it was still early, so few people walked the streets.

He also didn't know what he would encounter this time.

Whether due to moonlight or because White Bone's body was entwined with a faint Daoist resonance, it held a delicate little Daoist temple in its hand; inside the temple it did not seem out of place, but rather had an inexplicable sense of harmony.

The stele faced the river directly, the boundless sky low-hanging, distant mountains lush green.

Occasionally a breeze brushed past, letting Ye Qin's heart also gradually calm; at some point, the primordial White Bone slowly manifested on the spiritual level.

Gray bricks and tiles, antiquated and fragrant; Ye Qin crawled within, gazing at the surrounding ancient buildings, as if crossing time once more.

A human figure plunged into the river, swaying gently with the ripples.

He left the mountains, wandering all the way here; although he gained nothing, the scenery along the way also calmed his originally somewhat impatient and uneasy heart.

Here the mountains embraced verdure, giant trees shaded the sky, and there was river water nearby; it could be said to be nestled against mountains and water, indeed a fine place.

Inhabited places and uninhabited places still show a clear distinction; Ye Qin perceives this deeply, and moreover, having now formed a golden core, his perception of heavenly and earthly qi is even clearer.

Considering that Bodhi Temple is a monastery, it might not be able to link with a Daoist temple; not ruling out that possibility, this time Ye Qin chose a Daoist temple.

Moreover, Ye Qin's position was low; most people's sightlines were level, so they would not notice the corner nearby.

Yet Ye Qin felt nothing much in his heart, even a faint disappointment, because he sensed no special energy field within.

Therefore, as long as Ye Qin concealed his figure and used the surrounding vegetation for cover, he was not easily discovered.

Going with the flow brings benefit; going against brings harm.

A mysterious and powerful energy surge swept over everything around, including Ye Qin who was amidst it.

Returning once more to the stele, this time Ye Qin's state of mind had changed, and he also sensed its strong ancient aura.

As time trickled by, more than half an hour passed, and Ye Qin's released mental power sank like a mud ox into the sea, receiving no response.

Whether in Longyuan Village or the ancient village where Ye Qin now resides, the people living there did not overly interfere with the local environment, nor did they recklessly cut down trees; instead, they formed a state of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Perhaps it's not necessarily a famous ancient temple or tomb relic; maybe even a historical site like this could give me some insight.

Yet in contemplation he never triggered the mottled fragments of time, nor activated the power of time, to once again confront time.

Or is it that Zuoci's tomb is simply too rare?

Ye Qin felt a slight gloom in his heart, but he quickly rallied, thinking of how Bodhidharma Patriarch faced the wall for nine years before finally attaining the Dao.

When he earlier wandered the ancient village, he hadn't seen any large bell there, so where did the bell sound come from?

Because the surroundings are all vegetation, even in summer it remains refreshingly cool, never hot.

It seems this place won't work; I should try another spot.

The fifth one.

Even if a place's feng shui and terrain are excellent, if its internal conditions are poor, it will also affect the outside.

Although he failed, Ye Qin was not discouraged; Wu Du has many renowned temples and Daoist monasteries, Awakening Temple being just one of them—if it's not here, he can still try his luck elsewhere.

At this moment the temple can be described as utterly silent, those monks having already entered the realm of dreams.

The Huainanzi, Spirit Training, says: "Heaven and earth move and interconnect; all things gather into one."

This viewpoint needs to be examined conditionally and dialectically; one cannot condemn an entire group with a single sweep.

When the tide is level, the banks are wide; the wind fills a single sail.

The sun shines brightly, clouds stretch for ten thousand li, and on the river arise ripples of gold like myriad golden snakes surging within.

The river before him flows endlessly, incessantly, possessing both primal natural beauty and a hint of human vitality, a rather special feeling.

Meanwhile the villagers live a life of work at sunrise and rest at sunset; few people live along the river, most residences lying some distance from the bank.

One cannot say that human existence is purely bad; indeed certain human behaviors damage the environment, but humanity is also part of the ecosystem and can likewise benefit it.

It seems that whether temples or Daoist monasteries, these are actually not the key; after all, Zuoci's tomb is not a famous ancient relic either.

The surroundings are high, the center low, with continuous mountain ranges that from afar look like a green dragon guarding the land, its head facing the nearby stone tablet and the ancient village.

This blur is not visual; it seems the surrounding scenery is rapidly receding, as if an invisible pair of great hands were erasing their traces.

Scanning his surroundings, sure enough, just as before, Ye Qin finds himself in a Daoist monastery.

The earlier Highest Purity Temple, being remote and deserted, housed two Daoists, but ultimately its vitality had mostly dissipated.

It seemed to come from the void, yet also from another high‑dimensional space, emerging from the ages, spanning time‑space like a long river, forming a special ancient bridge that linked to Ye Qin's spirit.

Yet the result was no different; although this Daoist monastery had a good reputation and many people, Ye Qin's use of its contemplation object still brought no change.

Later, to save time, it was impossible to wait until nightfall each time to explore; Ye Qin devised a method, directly releasing his mental power outside to search.

Here the vegetation is lush; although centennial ancient trees are few, their intertwined roots form a natural giant canopy sheltering every corner of the ancient village, even some vines climbing up tigers and covering the entire exterior of the houses.

Still no good; it seems Awakening Temple, though its incense flourishes, has nothing special, no temporal power at all, not even remarkable feng shui.

At a glance Ye Qin saw something extraordinary; the feng shui of this place is very particular.

Could his luck really be this bad?

In Journey to the West, the four disciples needed eighty‑one trials to obtain the true scriptures, yet he has spent only this much time.

Human vitality transformed into an endless stream of life force injected within; the surroundings became even more veiled in greenery, lush and vibrant, with added vitality.

Last time it was because, within Zuoci's grave, various factors converged, producing a faint, ineffable connection with Zuoci.

This ancient village was built according to the stone tablet; his gaze involuntarily fell on a nearby spot, intending to have a look there.

Soon Ye Qin's figure vanished into Awakening Temple as he hurried to the next destination.

Endless human vitality surrounds it; since ancient times humans have been said to be the spirit of all things, capable of forming a special magnetic field and energy that exerts a positive, upward effect.

By the characters, wind is the moving air that flows from heaven; water walks along the earth, it is the earth's blood vessels, the reliance for all things to grow.

Ye Qin had practically climbed every inch of the temple inside and out, yet still gained nothing.

Originally, per Ye Qin's plan, he was to continue onward, but at that moment he felt an impulse to linger awhile.

Most of these are old buildings from the Republican era; one can see some have been renovated, yet many still retain their original flavor.

Mountains and waters gather together, with the ancient village as a reliance; the three can be said to be indispensable to each other.

Probably due to harmonious coexistence with the nearby ancient village, this gave Ye Qin an unprecedented feeling; he had already decided what to contemplate—the river before him.

From far to near, drawing ever closer, it then affected his mind, like a small stone dropped in, stirring ripples in his previously calm heart‑lake.

I hope this time there will be some clue.

Ye Qin focused his mind and quieted his breath, slowly extending his mental power, trying to use it as a bridge to connect temple and Daoist monastery, to see if he could provoke their resonance.

From a feng shui perspective, it is a typical auspicious site of an Azure Dragon coiling around the river and sealing the three directions.

Not far from the village lies a stone tablet, which originally was a village marker.

After leaving the Daoist monastery, Ye Qin again headed for another relatively famous temple, needing to pass a river along the way; since it's far from the city, there are few people here.

Ye Qin quickly extended his mental power, feeling a strand of extraordinarily special force—steady and weighty, full of historical sense, with a hint of unfathomable mystery.

Gleaming light leaps with gold; still shadows sink like jade.

The surrounding river nourishes the ancient village; likewise, the village's cultural aura generates a unique force that feeds back into the river.

Soon Ye Qin realized the bell sound came from the Daoist monastery on White Bone's hand.

And this river also carries the momentum of escorting the dragon vein, coming from the Three Qins Land, where the soil is fertile, nurturing a mighty aura that travels everywhere and finally settles here.

When he felt his mental power somewhat depleted or fatigued, Ye Qin would find a secluded, uninhabited spot to rest briefly, drawing heaven‑earth qi to replenish himself.

In the imagined spiritual realm, under the bright moonlight, a white bone over half a person's height gradually coalesced, and a human silhouette was projected onto the real ground.

Here humanity developed with the aid of the stone tablet and the surrounding terrain; likewise, their own vital energy, transformed by feng shui, constantly feeds back into the river.

Hum——

Ye Qin focused his mind in contemplation; the river never ceased, waves striking the cliff and emitting a dull resonance, as if he heard faint bell sounds.

The third.

Sitting cross-legged, gazing at the riverbank, the hollow eye sockets could feel a tangible gaze, long and profound.

And the Daoist temple cradled in its palm was filled with a faint ancient charm, an intangible gas swirling within, as if something had awakened from slumber.

Ye Qin had an impossible thought pop into his mind.

And the river water hugged the city and embraced the town, passing three sides of the town, at the mountain foot forming a U-shaped ring, which is the colloquial chair-shaped feng shui.

The river water surged continuously, appearing boundless.

Ye Qin chose a secluded corner, and as the qi pellet within him circulated, the surrounding mist grew denser.

The ancients always emphasized that humans and nature complement each other, in harmony and unity.

"Or is it that the physical form is hard to discern, and only by releasing the Origin Contemplation Object can one sense it?"

At this moment, the white bone seemed to possess its own consciousness.

Only seen were rows of stilted blue-tiled houses, interspersed among the vigorous big trees, simple and practical, the old houses with stone walls and earth walls, one story with a basement, all were whitewashed with lime.

"Fate" is something wonderful beyond words, often occurring in just that moment.

The river water escorting the dragon vein surged ceaselessly from the Three Qin Lands, flowing south to north, then bursting forth from the endless green mountains to the north, like a great dragon pouring forth for ten thousand li.

After much difficulty arriving at the Stone Tablet Ancient Village, noticing the special terrain and feng shui here, I planned to stay a moment; after seeing the depths here, I thus gave rise to the idea of contemplating the rivers.

But after visiting all the way, passing many Daoist temples and ancient monasteries, there was no discovery at all.

Even though Ye Qin had cultivation level support, wandering for so long also made him a little tired.

Due to his surprise, Ye Qin even had his serpentine fork suspended in midair, time as if hit pause, thus freezing here.

Ye Qin's serpentine fork trembled, like a human sighing, the mist gradually thinned, and the Origin White Bone dissipated in midair.

The white bone and the temple complemented each other, both having a feeling of solemnity and reverence.

The fourth.

Moreover, it is located at the confluence of the mountain range and the river, the northward meandering mountain range serving as the 'coming dragon' of the stone tablet's feng shui.

Between the two, it can be said they are mutually beneficial and coexist harmoniously.

Ye Qin could clearly feel that the surrounding scenery was gradually becoming blurry, just like the feeling he had in the tomb before, exactly the same.

Ye Qin inexplicably felt a surge of curiosity, couldn't help but go over, and found that the village stele bore many more characters, introducing the village's origin.

The river nourished this land, and likewise the people living on this land continually gave back in return.

"If I count the Daoist temples and monasteries I've visited these past days, together they probably number over ten. I've already toured all of Wu Du."

He knew this power posed no threat to him, so Ye Qin let it act, being swept up in the torrent of time, his spirit and soul seeming to become much lighter, with a sensation of the soul leaving the body.

One time raw, two times familiar.

But alas, still no gain.

Ye Qin's gaze also fell toward the distance; the river water was sometimes still, sometimes moving, and when calm it resembled a flashing, glowing belt encircling the mountain base.

This village stele is already quite old, covered in much moss, the characters looking somewhat blurred, as if in the long river of time it continually endures the baptism of wind and frost, everywhere traces of the vicissitudes of ages can be seen.

And at the stone tablet, the inner and outer feng shui complement each other, forming a virtuous cycle, resulting in this place producing outstanding people and talented spirits, attracting many scholars to settle here in their later years.

Then came a strong sense of weightlessness; when Ye Qin slowly opened his eyes, the surrounding scenery had quietly changed.

That mysterious feeling surged again, indescribable in words, as if his entire mind and spirit had been emptied.

"I never imagined the village actually had such a history; it's like seeing history unveil half a page, what a strong sense of fate..."

Ye Qin could not help but wonder whether the problem lay with these places or with himself, such that among those dozen or so, not a single one was special.

The village is not small in area, comparable to some small towns; its residents are self-sufficient, and there is even a primary school nearby with fairly complete facilities.

After yielding no result, Ye Qin once again left the Daoist temple.

The mental power that had previously sunk like a stone finally had a faint feedback.

Prosperous incense does not indicate great strength; for example, the earlier Upper Clarity Temple, though its incense was not prosperous, the surroundings possessed a special feng shui magnetic force.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps between leaves, casting down and giving these buildings an additional layer of unreal color, like a layer of hazy halo.

The two words feng shui are indeed very particular.

However, this ancient village gave Ye Qin a feeling of a heavy history hitting him head-on; it had endured too much in the long river of history, finally having witnessed all the vicissitudes of mortal life, returning to its essence.

Although the Bodhi Temple was bustling with incense, it itself seemed not particularly special, unlike when I first glimpsed the Upper Clarity Temple from afar and immediately sensed a special energy field.

This river is one of the important tributaries of the Yangtze River; as previously said, the feng shui and terrain here are excellent.

Even with prior experience, Ye Qin still felt somewhat excited and exhilarated, after all this was the second time; such an opportunity is rare to encounter.

This discovery made Ye Qin somewhat excited, as more mental power spread out, and the previously vague bell sound also became clearer.

【During the Spring and Autumn period, this place was a contested land between the states of Ba and Chu; later a group of people migrated here to serve as tomb guardians for the lord of the state, and thus multiplied to the present day, hence the name 'Waiting for the King', meaning the anticipation of the Chu king's return.】

After Ye Qin finished touring around, he chose a place with relatively higher terrain.

The Book of Changes, Explanation of the Trigrams, once recorded: 'He who disturbs all things is none so urgent as wind; he who moistens all things is none so nourishing as water.'

The moonlight was pure, a sprinkle of silver light fell on the temple, coating it with a faint glow; the glazed tiles refracted a special color, making the whole temple look even more holy.

From a feng shui perspective, the stone tablet strictly followed the principles of 'anchoring the mountain, embracing the water, painting the screen' in its development.

I recall that the last time I had this feeling was also in Zu Ci's tomb; likewise, after hearing the bell sound, subsequently there arose mottled fragments of time.

From this angle one can see the entire village's extent.

Unlike the previous passive experience, this time he actively took hold of that mottled time fragment, confirming the ancient saying: 'Intentional planting yields no blossoms; unintentional insertion of willow yields shade.'

If it were really as simple as drinking water, then it wouldn't be called cultivation.

As the saying goes, 'Read ten thousand volumes, travel ten thousand miles,' there are no hard rules; it is not necessary to be a famous ancient temple to produce some kind of special power.

What he seeks this time are all places with flourishing incense, so they are relatively easy to find, unlike the Upper Clarity Temple which is located in a remote spot.

It feels completely different from a bustling metropolis, and also somewhat different from the previous Longyuan Village.

Longyuan Village lies in a remote place, with few outsiders coming; although the villagers' lives are austere, they can still be self-sufficient, possessing a primitive natural ecological beauty.

Everything can only be said to be a twist of fate; though it seems like a coincidence, it is actually filled with an indescribable affinity.

So this time, what kind of person will he meet?

Or perhaps he will meet nothing at all?

Ye Qin, full of anticipation, slowly crawled out from inside the Daoist temple.