Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As they stepped through the entrance, the interior was just as dilapidated as the outside. The large courtyard appeared desolate, with no intact bricks or tiles on the walls. Many of the stones used for paving were cracked, and weeds thrived everywhere. In one corner stood a water tank about two meters high, seemingly undamaged. From the outside, it was impossible to tell whether it contained water. Wang Chao casually asked, "Elder, is there water inside?"
The monk paused, turning to look at Wang Chao for a moment. Wang Chao felt somewhat uneasy under the monk's gaze until he finally spoke, "If you believe there is water inside, then there is water. If you believe there isn't, then there isn't! What do you both think? Is there water inside?"
Wang Chao shook his head. Although the tank was not broken, given the temple's dilapidated state, how could there possibly be water? Did this old man fetch water himself? Despite the elder's formidable strength, far surpassing his own, it seemed too unrealistic. With that thought in mind, Wang Chao shook his head again, convinced that there was no water inside. Shen Zhitao, however, held the opposite opinion and believed there was indeed water.
"You two can check for yourselves!" The elder continued to smile at them.
Sure enough, Wang Chao then noticed a small wooden ladder next to the tank. He climbed up first and peered inside, only to find no water. He shook his head and said to Shen Zhitao, "There’s no water inside; you guessed wrong this time!" Shen Zhitao was not deterred and stepped forward to squeeze beside Wang Chao, looking at him with confusion. "If that's not water, then what is it?"
Then Shen Zhitao reached in with his hand, and clear water pooled in his palm, slowly trickling down. Wang Chao's confusion deepened like the depths of the tank itself; he had clearly seen that there was no water inside! He quickly reached in as well but felt nothing—like waving his hand in darkness—nothing at all. When he withdrew his hand, it remained dry unlike Shen Zhitao's.
Shen Zhitao noticed this too and looked at Wang Chao in surprise. They both turned to gaze at the elder. The elder smiled faintly and said, "Did I not just say that if you believe there is water inside, then there is; if you believe there isn’t, then there isn’t? Everything exists only as you perceive it. You see this Ancestral Hall as broken down; perhaps it is merely a veil obscuring your vision?"
"Would you like to look again?" As he spoke, Wang Chao and Shen Zhitao felt the entire temple transform into a dazzling spectacle of gold; even the ground was paved with golden bricks. It appeared magnificent and breathtaking! In awe, Wang Chao felt an even greater respect for the old monk and wondered how he achieved this—was it a collective illusion? Yet Wang Chao felt an undeniable clarity.
Following the old monk into the main hall, he sat on a mat and gestured for Wang Chao and Shen Zhitao to sit as well. Little Wolf and Polar Bear were left outside, quietly lying on the ground without making a sound. Even Wang Chao and Shen Zhitao felt an overwhelming sense of tranquility; it seemed that before this old monk, all burdens could be laid down.
"Our meeting is fate," said the old monk as he placed his two-meter-long staff flat on the ground and began to speak slowly. "The person you are looking for is no longer here."
Upon hearing this, Wang Chao quickly asked, "Elder, do you know our purpose for coming here?"
"Indeed!" replied the old monk. "The person you seek is Zhang Fusheng."
The two nodded simultaneously.
The old monk closed his eyes and said, "That young man is about to do something remarkable. I have mentioned before that there are three people who can wrestle with me for such a long time: one is named Zhang Yunhao, another is Zhang Fusheng, and the last one is you. However, everything is predestined. I haven't seen the other two in a hundred years, and unexpectedly, in these past two months, I have encountered both of you."
"Our purpose in coming here is to find out what Zhang Fusheng intends to do. We wonder if the elder could offer some guidance," Wang Chao said earnestly. It seemed that Zhang Fusheng had already mobilized that mysterious force and left this place. What exactly did Zhang Fusheng want to accomplish? Wang Chao was puzzled and hurriedly asked the old man before him.
"I don't fully understand this matter either; I only grasp a part of it," the elder replied. "I can make guesses, but everything has its cause and effect. What I say now as a cause will certainly not be the effect when the time comes, so I cannot speak of it, cannot mention it, cannot even think about it. This is also why I have lived in seclusion for a hundred years without stepping into the world."
Although Wang Chao could not comprehend the deeper meaning behind the elder's words, he nodded and said, "In that case, we must find him ourselves."
"Everything arises from something else; love and hate are all illusions. While I cannot speak of it, I can teach you a principle." As he spoke, the old man picked up his cane and placed one end on Wang Chao's head, muttering in a language Wang Chao could not understand: "Pohsuo oh ye bobanna." He repeated this three times before lowering the cane and saying, "All things boil down to understanding—taking up and letting go. I have shared this with Zhang Fusheng before; today I pass it on to you. Do well with it!"
His words hinted at sending them off. Wang Chao understood this unspoken message. Although he did not know the old monk's background, he could tell that this elder was extraordinary; he even knew Zhang Yunhao. It was hard to guess how many years he had lived—he looked to be over one hundred fifty years old. Wang Chao nodded and said, "Thank you for your guidance!"
He then took Shen Zhitao by the hand and left the room. Outside, Little Wolf had also heard the commotion and stood up. With a wave from Wang Chao, the three of them exited through the main door. Shen Zhitao remarked, "This elder's strength is truly unfathomable, and he has even met Zhang Fusheng. What could his parting words mean?"
Wang Chao shook his head to indicate he didn't know either. However, the elder's words were undoubtedly profound; otherwise, he wouldn't have called Wang Chao in just to convey that single phrase. As they walked away, Wang Chao turned back for one last look at the Ancestral Hall but was stunned by what he saw: there was nothing behind him where the Ancestral Hall had been—just an empty expanse with only endless snow-capped mountains.
"Did we really go inside?" Shen Zhitao exclaimed in astonishment at this bizarre scene.
Yet behind them lay only emptiness.
Comment 0 Comment Count