Chapter 141: Startled! The Snake Immortal Has Been Here! (Second Update)

Hearing footsteps from not far away, seeing that people had already been alarmed, Zhao Jianhua finally came to his senses from fear.

The scattered sutras on the ground and the books spread nearby all indicated that what had just happened was real, but that snake had vanished like a person's shadow, leaving no trace.

How could a snake possibly flip through sutras?!

Zhao Jianhua simply couldn't believe it; as the footsteps drew nearer, he didn't care about anything else, gritted his teeth, flashed his body, and jumped straight out the window.

Bai Yanfei was agile, actually getting ahead of others; as soon as she arrived, she saw a black shadow dart past from the side, and her gaze instantly turned sharp.

"Who are you? What are you doing sneaking around here?"

Hearing the question from behind, Zhao Jianhua silently thought "oh no," his body didn't pause but ran even faster.

That clearly shows he's guilty.

Bai Yanfei had originally been somewhat doubtful, but seeing this she immediately chased after him.

"Stop, police!"

Zhao Jianhua wasn't stupid either; how could he possibly surrender? He wasn't a naive newcomer who'd be frightened by the police's name.

But it must be said that tonight's experience was truly full of twists and turns.

He had only intended to steal something, swindle foreigners to glorify our country, but he never expected to encounter a strange scene, and even almost got caught.

Thinking of this, Zhao Jianhua grew more fearful the more he thought, and he loudly shouted a warning:

"Don't chase anymore, there's a monster here—you all better run!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yanfei frowned, her anger grew, she sped up considerably, feeling the thief was talking nonsense, even mocking her.

Because the light was dim, Bai Yanfei could only make out the black shadow's rough outline, not seeing its face clearly; the figure was slight but quite agile.

Seeing a railing ahead, the black shadow placed one hand on it and vaulted its upper body over, agile like a leopard running through the forest.

Zhao Jianhua had come by during the day, already having memorized the surrounding routes; he was more familiar with the nearby roads than Bai Yanfei.

Although Bai Yanfei was skilled, the black shadow deliberately chose places with many obstacles, implicitly tripping her up, and the distance between them kept widening.

Until that figure vanished into the night, Bai Yanfei could only resign herself to giving up, truly unable to catch up.

This thief ran as if chased by a ghost behind him, his speed astonishing; it's a waste for him to lurk here as a thief—why not go sprinting?

"Let's go back and check the scene first."

Bai Yanfei could only return, intending to look for clues at the scene; reporting the thief to the police later would still be timely.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side, the monks and lay devotees hurried to the Cangjingge, raising their hands to turn on the lights.

Immediately, what met their eyes was the open doors and sutras scattered across the floor; for a moment, their hearts leapt to their throats.

"What's going on? Could we have been robbed?"

"I clearly remember having closed and locked the doors."

"Amitabha Buddha, this is truly a sin."

A group of monks beat their chests and stamped their feet, but they also knew better than to disturb the scene; since the person had fled, entering now would be pointless.

"Even stealing from a temple—don't they fear karmic retribution?"

"Who says otherwise?"

The lay devotees gathered at the doorway also whispered among themselves, filled with righteous indignation.

After waiting at the doorway only a moment, Bai Yanfei came running back, out of breath, facing the earnest gazes of the monks, she shook her head.

"It must have been a thief; pity I couldn't catch him—quickly check if anything's missing."

"Quickly take inventory of the sutras."

The host gave the order, and everyone hurried into the inner chambers; not knowing if it was an illusion, as they stepped in, a low Buddhist chant seemed to drift, slightly easing their unease.

Strangely enough, their originally anxious and panicked hearts instantly calmed.

After checking, they found that although the sutras were somewhat disordered, none were damaged; and deep inside the Cangjingge, one sutra lay open, as if someone had been browsing it not long ago.

"Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, perceives that all five aggregates are empty, relieving all suffering. Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form; the same holds for feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness."

The host picked up the sutra and, without thinking, recited the sentence above—it was exactly the Heart Sutra composed by Zhidun.

However, upon hearing this passage, several elder monks suddenly froze, standing still as if stunned.

"Master, what's wrong with you?"

A novice monk noticed the elder's abnormality, quickly spoke up, instantly drawing the attention of all the lay devotees, who stared puzzled.

Yet they saw several elder monks standing dazed, gazing vacantly at the Heart Sutra in the host's hands; in an instant they seemed to understand something, and slowly lowered themselves to sit on the ground.

"???"

"How did these eminent monks suddenly sit down?"

"What happened?"

Not to mention the lay devotees being bewildered; even several novice monks had blank faces, not knowing what to do.

These monks were the most senior figures in Xiguangsi, often accompanying the green lamp; through this immersion they had deep study of the Dharma, not quite enlightened masters but still quite insightful.

Daily, the coming and going lay devotees wished to speak with these eminent monks, to resolve their doubts and receive their guidance.

But now, seeing their sudden actions, everyone was at a loss.

Having said they'd inventory the sutras, the result was they simply sat down right there!

Their demeanor was relaxed, their expressions enlightened!

It seemed they weren't at all worried about the sutras being stolen?

For a moment, in this chaotic, tense setting, the actions of those eminent monks clearly became the opposite.

Not only them, but even the host nearby seemed infected, his expression thoughtful; he then set down the Heart Sutra, pressed his palms together, uttered a Buddha's name, and also sat slowly on the ground.

Watching this, someone lowered their voice and asked the young monk: "What's going on? Isn't there been a thief? Why aren't you anxious?"

The young monk also didn't know what was happening, shaking his head to indicate ignorance.

The atmosphere suddenly turned odd; the previously tense mood was now filled with a solemn, reverent air, and no one else dared to speak up, fearing to disturb these mysteriously appearing eminent monks.

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha dwelled in Wangshecheng, in the Qischejuesshan mountains, together with a gathering of twelve thousand great bhikkhus...

The low chanting quickly drifted through the night, as if carrying an indescribable flavor, causing everyone's mood to calm accordingly.

After listening carefully for a moment, the young monk standing nearby changed color and could not help but exclaim in a low voice:

"This is the Lotus Sutra! Senior brother, isn't it?"

"Exactly!"

Upon hearing this, all the young monks immediately grew tense, even the hazy little novice monk becoming solemn-faced.

The layperson nearby, however, was utterly bewildered and could not help but ask, "Master, does this chanting have any particular meaning?"

The young monk called senior brother earnestly explained: "The Lotus Sutra is not ordinarily chanted; only on major festivals do the abbot and our uncle-monks recite it, for its purpose is to give thanks to the Buddha! Therefore the Lotus Sutra may not be casually recited on ordinary days, lest we constantly disturb the Buddha, which would be improper."

The junior monk beside him wore a complex expression and lamented: "The scripture hall has just been robbed, and it's not a major festival—how could we lightly recite such a Buddhist sutra? This must be disrespectful to the Buddha! What on earth is our master doing?"

Upon hearing the explanation, the laypeople and Bai Yanfei suddenly understood, yet their expressions grew ever more perplexed.

If we follow what the young monk said, then why did these eminent monks suddenly sit on the ground and even chant a sutra that is not to be recited on ordinary days?

They also dared not speak out to disturb, and could only watch silently as events unfolded.

"They are all arhats, with outflows ended, no more afflictions, having attained their own benefit, having ended all bonds, and their minds are at ease."

The Buddha's sound murmured low, like a bright lamp lit in the darkness, guiding the people forward.

It seemed as if even their hearts had been washed clean.

No one knew how long had passed before the abbot and several eminent monks slowly opened their eyes, their expressions somewhat regretful and lost.

Only when they slowly rose did Bai Yanfei dare to approach and inquire: "Venerable masters, what just happened was……"

The abbot lowered his gaze to the Heart Sutra in his hands and murmured in reply:

"The Buddha has come!"

After leaving that somewhat ambiguous remark, the abbot intoned a Buddhist name, then fell silent, merely lowering his head to flip through the Heart Sutra, as if having gained some insight.

"The Buddha has come? How come we didn't see him?"

"It seems my everyday heart lacks sincerity!"

The laypeople were even more bewildered, unable to make sense of the situation, silently venting in their minds.

The young monk nearby could not help but ask, "Master, what was the situation just now? Did the Buddha really come?"

"Amitabha."

The old monk gazed devoutly at the scripture in the abbot's hands, filled with reverence, and with palms together replied: "Just now, upon entering this scripture hall, my mind and spirit were cleansed; and upon seeing this Heart Sutra, I seemed to gain some insight, my heart sincere and empty, as if I had arrived in the Pure Land, glimpsing a fleeting golden light. Though I do not know why, I can only follow my true intention, sit cross-legged, chant the sutras in prayer, and feel the opportunity for sudden awakening."

"And this Heart Sutra is the work of Master Zhi Dun." As he spoke, he pointed with lingering intent at the scriptures on the ground, "Therefore these scriptures must have been perused by Master Zhi Dun; just now I merely chanted the sutras for a moment, yet my thoughts became clear and the Buddhist principles advanced greatly—truly inconceivable!"

At that moment, the other elders who had been seated in meditation also nodded in turn, their faces showing the same expression, all filled with nostalgia and regret.

"It must be that Master Zhi Dun, the Buddha, has come!"

After hearing the elder's explanation, the little monk suddenly understood, instantly grasping everything.

The other monks wore the same expression; they had been awakened in the middle of the night, originally exhausted, yet upon arriving at the scripture hall they became spirited and alert.

Especially after listening to the abbot and the eminent monks chant the sutras, all fatigue was swept away, their hearts inexplicably empty and serene, as if they had gained many new insights into the Buddhist teachings.

So it turns out there was a reason—Master Zhi Dun had indeed come before?

Although we didn't see him……

But never mind all that; whatever the master says goes.

"Master, I, I have understood!"

The old monk eyed the little novice dubiously, but in the end said nothing more.

At the same time, the laypeople nearby and Bai Yanfei were utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend the master-disciple dialogue, but could roughly grasp the meaning.

But precisely because of that, they felt even more unable to understand—could it really be that miraculous?

Recalling the black shadow just now, Bai Yanfei came to her senses, feeling somewhat anxious; now is not the time to chant sutras and discuss Buddhist doctrine.

"Abbot, I think you should still take an inventory of the scriptures to see if anything is missing; if something is missing, we can promptly file a case."

After Bai Yanfei's reminder, the monks then began to inventory the quantities without hurry.

"No problem; when Master Zhi Dun, the Buddha, turns the pages, nothing will be lost."

They seemed convinced that nothing here would be lost, but Bai Yanfei did not think so.

She also searched for clues inside the scripture hall; there were footprints at the main gate, extending continuously into the interior and finally stopping at the window.

Strangely, there were no footprints beside the bookshelves, nor any traces of human activity.

That means the thief could not have taken the scriptures away; he certainly could not perform telekinesis.

Then who took these scriptures down?

Bai Yanfei's suspicions deepened, and she suddenly recalled what the thief had said while she was pursuing him.

"Any monsters?"

And also the thief's sudden cry earlier.

Could it be that the thief originally intended to steal something, but instead ran into something here?

Various speculations arose in Bai Yanfei's mind.

"But surely it couldn't be that he bumped into the Buddha, mistook him for a monster, and thus cried out in fright and fled?"

Bai Yanfei muttered aloud; a monk nearby heard the fragment and immediately admonished solemnly: "Patron, do not speak nonsense; the Buddha is the Buddha, the Buddha manifests in a hundred forms, and even if there truly were monsters, they would still be the Buddha."

Bai Yanfei looked speechless, only able to repeatedly agree without retorting.

Soon after, the monks quickly finished the inventory: "Abbot, the scriptures have not suffered any loss."

The abbot and several eminent monks were not surprised by this; it seemed they had anticipated it all along, merely keeping their eyes on the Heart Sutra while caring about nothing else.

"Patron, you can rest easy now."

The monk's words pulled Bai Yanfei's thoughts back to reality; she nodded, dazed.

"It really wasn't stolen? Could the person turning the pages not be a thief? Besides a thief, is there someone else here? But why is there no trace at all where the pages were turned?"

I don't know if it was the monk's words influencing her, but she suddenly felt that this place might indeed be somewhat extraordinary.

Late at night.

The Cangjingge's doors were closed again, but that copy of the Heart Sutra was taken by the abbot to be specially enshrined, after all, it was the very scripture that Master Zhi Dun had personally manifested to peruse!

Peace returned to the temple; after a restless night, clearly unable to sleep, the monks began their studies while visitors chatted in small groups.

Outside the temple, unknown to anyone.

Ye Qin was cultivating, consolidating his newest object of contemplation—the scriptures.

Had he not been suddenly disturbed, Ye Qin would have been consolidating in the Cangjingge; when his interest in reading arose, he was startled awake, Ye Qin also felt a bit annoyed, but after thinking it over he decided to let it go and not bother that person any further.

Cultivation involves karma and merit; having just succeeded in contemplation, feeling good, he reluctantly let that brat off the hook.

As for what later happened at the temple, Ye Qin naturally sensed it as well.

All this was because he contemplated the Dao in the Cangjingge, contemplating the Heart Sutra, and because the Buddha uses the mysterious, thus leaving a trace of his cultivation, causing those ordinary monks who have long practiced Buddhism to gain insight, and firmly convincing them of the Buddha's manifestations.

"Strange, after this contemplation my realm is perfected, yet no heavenly tribulation appeared. It's been two times in a row without it—I'm actually not used to it!"

Ye Qin was puzzled; just as when he contemplated the river before, after finishing contemplation of the Heart Sutra there was similarly no sign of tribulation.

"Maybe something big is really brewing!"

Ye Qin felt a bit panicked, but there was nothing he could do.

As dawn light broke across the horizon, a streak of azure cut through the darkness, bringing a glimmer of light.

Amidst the radiant light, all things were gilded with a faint gold sheen, even the green serpent scales.

"A karmic debt here—I'll repay you another day."

Ye Qin glanced back at Xiguangsi, then departed into the morning glow.

……

In the temple's side rooms.

They stayed until the next morning, and after breakfast Bai Yanfei and her grandfather also prepared to take their leave.

"Feifei, this Xiguangsi is indeed extraordinary—even Master Zhi Dun has manifested. I got you this amulet; you must wear it well, it will protect you."

All the way, his grandfather kept muttering, firmly believing in last night's events—not just him, but other visitors too.

Although no one saw anything supernatural, only a mess on the ground, the eminent monks' reactions were genuine; seeing their solemn demeanor, everyone felt compelled to believe as well.

Bai Yanfei looked thoughtful; in the late night her mind was full of last night's events.

Although nothing was stolen inside the temple, judging by the traces at the scene and the furtive shadow, Bai Yanfei could be certain it was definitely a thief.

Yet the scene's clues showed that the scripture that had been flipped through had nothing to do with the thief.

But how could it really be the Buddha manifesting, with Zhi Dun reading the scriptures?

That's just too absurd!

Thinking again of the monster the thief mentioned, she couldn't tell for a moment whether it was a joke or the truth.

Is this related to the monks' talk of the Buddha manifesting?

What exactly did that thief see?

For a time, this matter became an unsolvable yet lingering mystery in Bai Yanfei's heart.

……

This matter quickly spread, and even many people came out of curiosity, all wanting to venerate the Heart Sutra that had been enshrined.

Xiguangsi's popularity was already good, now it's overflowing, to the point that the temple gate had to temporarily post a notice: "Due to excessive crowds, reception is suspended."

After Bai Yanfei returned from vacation, everyone noticed she had an extra amulet around her neck; a colleague couldn't help but ask curiously: "I recall you don't like wearing accessories."

"It's the amulet my grandfather got for me at Xiguangsi; I couldn't refuse the old man's kindness, so I wore it, hidden in my clothes— the bureau chief probably wouldn't see it."

Upon hearing the three words "Xiguangsi," the colleague's eyes lit up instantly.

"Isn't that the temple that's been saying the Buddha has manifested lately?"

"I've heard that too; the temple is quite effective, its popularity is high, my mom said yesterday she'd go to Xiguangsi to pay respects this weekend."

"I advise you not to go; recently Xiguangsi's crowds are insane, like a dumpling boil—almost got people crushed."

"Yanfei, you just got back from there—tell us, is it really that efficacious?"

Bai Yanfei glanced at her amulet, recalling that night, and answered vaguely: "Maybe, anyway, it's pretty puzzling."

Seeing her dazed expression, nobody thought much of it when someone suddenly warned: "When you go, be careful—I heard someone saw a big snake nearby, though I think it's just rumor, since the fire department hasn't been dispatched."

Hearing that, Bai Yanfei startled, as if suddenly triggering a memory, she froze on the spot.

She recalled the dazzling scene she had inadvertently seen upon arriving at the temple yesterday daytime.

"Monster..."

"Snake..."

No one noticed Bai Yanfei's oddness; after chatting a bit more, everyone went about their own business.

Regarding the Buddha's manifestations, some believe, some do not.

But regardless, from then on Bai Yanfei's amulet has been constantly worn, except when washing up, she never took it off again……

(End of chapter)