Chapter 177: The Mundane Shrine of the Buddha

The morning bell and the evening drum, day after day, as if without end.

Every day seemed to be a carbon copy of the previous one; some found it monotonous, while others felt a sense of peace. The passage of time, whether long or short, was always in the heart of the beholder.

In a blink of an eye, Gui Li had been at the Temple of Heavenly Chant for many days, listening to the morning bell and the deep drum in the evening, ringing on time from some unknown place within the temple. He spent his days in silence, and somehow, in just a few days, he had already adapted to this strange environment. Each day, he was quiet and often lost in thought.

He was in the prime of his life, with a robust body. Although he was heavily injured, his youth and high cultivation, combined with the unexpected generosity of the Temple of Heavenly Chant, which provided him with the best medicines without hesitation, led to a rapid recovery. Given the temple’s status and reputation, their medicines were among the finest in the world, and their effects were immediate. His wounds healed quickly.

In just a few days, he could get out of bed and walk, albeit with difficulty. He still felt a sharp pain in his chest when walking, and after a few steps, he had to stop and catch his breath. Nevertheless, the speed of his recovery delighted and surprised Fah Xiang and the others who came to visit him. They marveled at how quickly he was recovering, predicting that he would be fully healed within a month.

Gui Li usually interacted with them indifferently. Occasionally, they would converse, but both sides avoided discussing their opposing identities. To Fah Xiang and the other monks of the Temple of Heavenly Chant, Gui Li was merely a common person they had kindly treated, not a demonic figure snatched from the Azure Ethereal Conclave at great risk. Gui Li never asked why the monks had saved him.

Days passed in this manner, and Gui Li’s health gradually improved. In recent days, he could walk more easily. Sometimes, when the morning bell and evening drum sounded, he would pull a chair up to the window, sit by it, and listen intently. It seemed that the bells and drums of the Temple of Heavenly Chant held a special meaning for him.

During his recovery, only Fah Xiang and Fah Shan frequently visited him. The other monks, including the venerable Pu Hong and the other Pu monks, rarely came. Due to his injury, Gui Li never left the room. The only view he had was a small courtyard with red walls and green tiles, and a few small trees.

To Gui Li, this ordinary, simple courtyard brought a sense of familiarity. From the day he first opened the window, though he did not show it, he immediately felt a fondness for this place.

Listening to the morning bell and the evening drum, these peaceful and leisurely days, though brief, had already made him reluctant to part with them, and he was deeply immersed in them.

Who could have known that his greatest wish was to live such a tranquil life…

On Mount Sumeru, in the vast and magnificent halls and temples of the Temple of Heavenly Chant, in that little-known, remote corner of the courtyard, he lived, and lived, and lived…

***

“Screech,” the wooden door creaked open, and Fah Xiang walked in alone. He scanned the room and then focused on Gui Li, who lay on the bed with his eyes closed, perhaps asleep.

Fah Xiang smiled slightly, closed the door, and asked, “How do you feel today? Is your chest still hurting?”

Gui Li stirred, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at Fah Xiang. “You ask this every time you come. Don’t you find it tiring?”

Fah Xiang shook his head with a smile and turned to the other side of the room where the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva was enshrined. He took three sticks of sandalwood incense from the altar, lit them with a small candle, and placed them in the bronze incense burner.

The gentle smoke rose, filling the air with a delicate fragrance. The image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, her face serene and beautiful, seemed to gaze compassionately at all beings, including Gui Li himself.

Fah Xiang clasped his hands together, bowed three times to the image, and then turned to Gui Li. “Wouldn’t you like to bow as well?”

Gui Li was taken aback and involuntarily looked at the image. For a moment, he felt a tug in his heart but then laughed coldly. “Why should I bow to her? If she truly has any power, I have prayed to the heavens and the gods countless times, and they have never shown any mercy!”

Fah Xiang looked at him for a long time. Gui Li met his gaze with a cold smile, showing no signs of regret. Finally, Fah Xiang sighed and bowed to the image, muttering something softly.

Gui Li watched him with a smirk.

After Fah Xiang finished his prayer, he turned back, his expression now calm and smiling. “You look well today, and your body seems to have recovered. Let’s go out.”

Gui Li was surprised. “Go out? Where to?”

Fah Xiang smiled. “To see the people you want to see, and go to the places you want to go.”

Gui Li frowned, then raised an eyebrow. “Do you mean Venerable Pu Hong…?”

Fah Xiang nodded. “Yes, my master heard about your recovery and is very pleased. He asked me to check on you and, if you are not too tired, to bring you to see him. What do you think?”

Gui Li studied Fah Xiang for a long moment, then laughed. “Good, good, good. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Of course, I will see him. Even if I were still severely injured, I would crawl to see him if he wanted to meet.”

Fah Xiang clasped his hands. “Please follow me.”

With that, Fah Xiang led the way, opening the door and walking out. Gui Li followed, but before leaving the room, he suddenly turned and looked at the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva. In the gentle smoke, her compassionate face seemed to be watching him.

Gui Li frowned, huffed, and turned away, walking straight out, leaving the faint scent of sandalwood to linger in the empty room.

***

Outside the courtyard was a long, two-zhang corridor, four feet wide, with red walls over two men tall and green glazed tiles on the roof. At the end of the corridor was a circular archway. As they approached it, they could hear a strange noise from outside.

The sound was peculiar, seemingly the chanting of monks, but mixed with other sounds: village women chatting, devotees loudly reciting prayers, and even children crying. These noises were not what one would expect to hear in the Temple of Heavenly Chant, one of the three great sects of righteousness.

Gui Li was confused and looked at Fah Xiang, who remained unperturbed, leading the way out through the archway. Gui Li frowned, composed himself, and followed.

Outside, the scene opened up, revealing a plaza paved with white jade, and stone steps leading up to the Grand Hall of the Great Sage Buddha. There were nine steps in each set, totaling eighty-one sets. The grand hall, with its golden roof and carved dragon heads, stood majestically. The statues of auspicious beasts on the eaves were lifelike and varied.

The temple’s grandeur was beyond imagination, but what truly shocked Gui Li was the number of common people moving about, holding incense, and praying devoutly. The Temple of Heavenly Chant, a sacred place, was open to the public, allowing ordinary people to come and pray.

Gui Li, who grew up on Azure Ethereal Peak, was used to the idea that only cultivators could access such divine places. On Azure Ethereal Peak, no commoners ever came to pray.

He turned to Fah Xiang, surprised. “What…?”

Fah Xiang smiled. “Today is the first day of the lunar month, so there are more people. Although our temple is always bustling, we usually don’t see this many. On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, people from the surrounding areas come to pray.”

Gui Li shook his head, hesitated, and finally asked, “I’m curious, why do you let commoners come to pray here?”

Fah Xiang, expecting this question, nodded and gestured for Gui Li to follow. “In the past, the Temple of Heavenly Chant, like the Azure Ethereal Conclave, was not open to the public. But after my master, Venerable Pu Hong, became the abbot, he and his fellow monks realized that the Buddha is for all beings, not just for the monks. So, they decided to open the gates to the public.”

Fah Xiang stopped and pointed to the long, winding stone steps. “Do you see those steps?”

Gui Li nodded. “What about them?”

Fah Xiang clasped his hands. “A senior monk saw that the path was steep and difficult for the weak and elderly to climb. Using his great powers, he single-handedly carved out this flat path over ten years, making it easier for pilgrims to reach the temple and perform their devotions.”

Gui Li was impressed. “That is truly remarkable. May I know his name?”

Fah Xiang paused, then said softly, “His name was Pu Zhi, and he passed away over a decade ago.”

Gui Li froze, as if struck by lightning. The name “Pu Zhi” resonated in his mind, shattering his thoughts.

Fah Xiang noticed the change in Gui Li’s expression and sighed. “Let’s go, the abbot is waiting for us.”

Gui Li followed Fah Xiang, his steps now heavy. After walking a short distance, he turned and looked back. He saw the crowd of devotees, young and old, walking up the stone steps, their faces filled with piety, reciting prayers, as if drawing closer to the Buddha.

Gui Li’s expression was complex. He clenched and unclenched his fists, then finally turned and walked on. Fah Xiang, who was waiting, clasped his hands and continued forward, saying nothing.

Together, they left the crowds and the silent path behind, leaving the human world behind them.

This place, once a heavenly realm, was now a part of the human world.

***

After passing the Grand Hall of the Great Sage Buddha, there were more halls and buildings. The Temple of Heavenly Chant, being a great sect, was grander than any ordinary temple. Fah Xiang led Gui Li to the back of the mountain, bypassing the other structures.

Gui Li followed silently, his mind preoccupied, ignoring the elaborate architecture around him.

Finally, Fah Xiang led him out of the back gate of the Temple of Heavenly Chance and onto a small path leading up Mount Sumeru. Gui Li frowned. “Is Venerable Pu Hong not in the temple?”

Fah Xiang nodded. “No, although our temple is open to the public, the monks still need peace and quiet. My master and his fellow monks prefer to live in the small temple on the mountaintop, which we call ‘Little Temple of Heavenly Chant.'”

Gui Li nodded and followed Fah Xiang up the mountain.

Mount Sumeru, though not as towering as the Celestial Peak of the Azure Ethereal Conclave, was still a significant height. The Temple of Heavenly Chant was halfway up the mountain, and they walked for half an hour before reaching the small temple.

From the outside, the Little Temple of Heavenly Chant was indeed small, with only a few courtyards. It was far from the bustling world, surrounded by pine and bamboo forests, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere.

Gui Li, still recovering from his injuries, was sweating from the climb. He paused to rest and looked back at the Temple of Heavenly Chant, seeing the incense smoke and the devout worshippers. After a while, he turned and followed Fah Xiang into the Little Temple.

Inside, it was much simpler. They walked through the main hall, turned right, and entered the back hall, where there were three small, clean meditation rooms. Fah Xiang called out, “Master, Zhang Xiaofan has arrived.”

A warm, elderly voice replied, “Please come in.”

Fah Xiang gestured for Gui Li to enter. Gui Li hesitated but walked in, noticing that Fah Xiang stayed outside.

Inside the meditation room, Gui Li saw that it was simple and unadorned, similar to the room where he had recovered. Seated on a meditation cushion, Venerable Pu Hong, holding a string of prayer beads, smiled at him.

“You’ve come,” Venerable Pu Hong said calmly.

Facing this revered monk, Gui Li’s agitated heart calmed down. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes.”

Venerable Pu Hong observed him carefully, his eyes filled with compassion. “You have questions for me, don’t you?”

Gui Li nodded. “Yes, I am curious. Why did the Temple of Heavenly Chant risk angering the Azure Ethereal Conclave to save me, and why…?”

Gui Li’s voice was urgent, but he stopped mid-sentence when Venerable Pu Hong raised his hand, signaling him to stop.

Gui Li, puzzled, looked at Venerable Pu Hong, who recited a prayer and stood up. “Before you ask me, I will take you to see someone.”

Gui Li was surprised. “See someone? Who?”

Venerable Pu Hong did not answer but led the way, saying, “Someone who has wanted to see you for a long time, and I know you also want to see him.”

Gui Li was stunned but followed, feeling his palms sweat and his heart race, as if he were facing something fearful.

Fah Xiang, standing quietly outside, saw Venerable Pu Hong and Gui Li leave. He stepped aside, and Venerable Pu Hong, without a word, led Gui Li to the last courtyard, which was against a cliff.