"Abbot Hongbian? Abbot Hongbian?"

The calls came near and far away, finally waking up the wandering old monk from the strange and strange things he had experienced many years ago.

At this time, it was noon in Xitan Temple, and the sound of Huang Zhong Da Lu was ringing from the second floor of the bells and drums. Abbot Hongbian was surprised to find that he had not realized it before. He only felt that the foam in his mind was shattered into clumps by the rain in an instant, and the remaining

All that was left of Xia Chengqi was the strange figures that appeared one after another when the moonlight illuminated the flower forest. They still lingered before his eyes, struggling to emerge one by one...

Jiang Wen, who was concentrating on reading the scriptures, naturally didn't know why the old monk in front of him suddenly became dazed. He just thought it was an elderly man who often wandered around.

The reason why he woke him up and looked at Abbot Hongbian expectantly was because he wanted to wait for the old monk to ask for help, so that he could get off the road and tell the whole story about his request to borrow two manuscripts written by Xu Xiake.

But to his surprise, the first thing the elderly and comatose abbot did after he woke up was to quietly take the book manuscript back into his hand, turn around and hide it in the secret room behind the screen.

This series of postures and movements all seemed particularly awkward and weird, as if the stack of lonely works in front of him that were universally recognized were, in his eyes, just a bunch of evil omens of the world stained with unclean things, and the glyphs and semantics were also filled with twisted and terrifying words.

Only by locking it firmly in a secret room and burying it deeply in a tomb can the harm caused by leakage be slightly prevented and it will no longer cause harm to the world.

However, the strange appearance and nervous movements were only displayed for a very short time. With the isolation of the screen, it was difficult for outsiders to see Abbot Hongbian's embarrassment.

When Jiang Wen hesitated, the old monk had already retreated from the secret room. At this time, in Jiang Wen's eyes, every wrinkle of the old monk in front of him was full of compassion, joy in giving up, spreading the Dharma, and the great wisdom accumulated after studying.

Wisdom and great joy were displayed in front of him like a vast ocean, but it also made him feel a little strange and inexplicable.

"The two Tan Yue's help this time has planted immeasurable roots of kindness. Everyone in Xitan Temple is grateful and grateful. There will definitely be unimaginable blessings in the future."

The old monk holds a rosary in one hand, and his eyes are filled with an elusive Zen feeling. Even if he doesn't say a word at this moment, people can't help but think of the Buddhist Zen koan in his expression that seems to be smiling but not smiling.

"Uh...my scriptures..."

Jiang Wen still kept turning the book with both hands, and didn't even put his hands down, but the table in front of him was already empty. At this time, he stretched out his hand tremblingly, and was about to point to the secret room behind the screen, but was stopped by Abbot Hongbian.

Hold your wrist tightly.

"Where can I find any sutras? Tan Yue stretched out his hand with two fingers, and his gestures coincided with 'one leaf of kindness, two ends of blessing and wisdom'. He is indeed a person with great wisdom. Why not let the old monk chant sutras for the two of them to increase their blessings?

good?"

After saying this, the old monk chanted sutras and prayed softly, his face full of joy. Even Luo Shuang'er was infected by the atmosphere and learned to clasp her hands together. Only Jiang Wen was furious and couldn't figure out why the old monk refused to admit that Zhishu was disabled.

It was as if these two things had never existed from beginning to end.

Jiang Wen calmly withdrew his hand, then slowly turned his face sideways, and at an angle where Luo Shuang'er couldn't see his expression, he whispered: "Abbot Hongbian, Jiang just made a mistake..."

The joy of holding the rare book slowly faded away, and Jiang Wen finally remembered that the harmless old monk in front of him still dared to shelter the Buddhist boss who protected Southern Shaolin behind his back, and he was indeed very cunning in what he did.

Tsk, so people who are involved in the world are dirty in their hearts. There are only a handful of people who are recognized as gentlemen in the world like me, and there are many people who are very smart. It is better not to show such dark things naked in front of children.

.

Dealing with people in the temple is definitely different from ordinary interactions in the past. You must add to the other party and subtract to yourself. The rich will be called poor, and the noble will be called poor. Only by relying on some counter-logical operations can you be a monk.

Things get done in the pile.

For example, if Jiang Wen wants to stay and make ends meet, he must whisper softly and be nice to other people's houses. But when he gets to the temple, Jiang Wen must move into the guest house confidently, and the more confident he behaves, the more convenient he will be.

Take a good look at yourself.

But at this time, he had fallen in love with something. In other people's houses, he would just ask directly to see it. If the price is right, it is not impossible to let the other party part with it. But in the temple, this matter must not be brought up so blatantly.

Naturally, the other party will not pick up on your words. You have to let all the "fate" happen naturally.

Abbot Hongbian's attitude just now was actually very clear. Jiang Wen's previous contribution was indeed very great, but the corresponding purpose was to help him accumulate merit and plant a field of blessing. Anyway, the Buddha had already recorded it -

- If you really want to receive merit and reward, you can go to the Buddha and say so, but for the most part, don’t even think about accepting the reward in front of my old monk.

Fortunately, Jiang Wen has rich experience in martial arts. After slowly thinking of this, the operation in his mind became clear - since what I have done for Xitan Temple is a meritorious deed, the more the better, so I can only trouble the old abbot.

, help me accumulate more merit.

"Abbot Hongbian, I saw Master Anren was seriously injured last night. I wonder how he is recovering now? God is kind to you. Jiang has actually been a doctor for many years, and he is willing to do his best."

Jiang Wenduan sat up and softly uttered these words, which indeed made Abbot Hongbian's eyes flash with a strange color.

Anyone who has ever gone to a large temple to burn incense and add incense will understand that the host will never hold out a QR code in front of the pilgrims and ask for money.

request.

When the enemy advances, we retreat, and when the enemy retreats, we advance. Jiang Wen deduced Abbot Hongbian's thoughts in reverse. He suddenly hid the fragments of Xu Xiake's posthumous manuscripts just now. He may have wanted to put away this favor first and use it as a retreat.

Go ahead and risk your face and use it elsewhere.

After further thinking, Abbot Hongbian was naturally not short of money. The only things that could make him bother to discuss so much at the moment were Monk Anren's injury and the predicament of Xitan Temple.

"Amitabha, thank you very much Tan Yue."

Since Jiang Wen had guessed what was on his mind, Abbot Hongbian agreed without saying a word. His natural look almost made Jiang Wen feel a little bit happy about getting what he wanted. He just felt that he could be of help.

It is a blessing in three lifetimes.

The three people stood up and turned outside. An old monk in gray clothes with white beard and hair was standing outside the door, waiting quietly. There was a hint of surprise in his expression. He hesitated for a while but did not speak. Abbot Hongbian also said.

He pressed his hands softly, nodded slightly, and led the person in another direction.

The site of Xitan Temple is vast. Looking west to the Dalongtan of Jizu Mountain, there is a scene of steaming clouds and rosy clouds every day and night. In summer, there are even swaying stones and floating smoke and clouds. Unfortunately, the water is gradually shallowing, and only the gurgling water is left.

Among them, the place where these sources of living water originate is the Shigu Peak, which is backed by the Sidtan Temple. No matter how cold, hot, dry or flood the outside world, the peak has never changed its appearance of trees and sky.

Climbing up the mountain, no matter how exquisite the embroidered sculptures of Xitan Temple are, they are forced to become sparse in front of the strange rocks near the Shigu Peak, leaving only a few stone niches and scattered scriptures.

Scattered on the roadside, there were some majestic handwritings written by scholars on the cliff, but Abbot Hongbian ignored them all and just led the two of them down the cliff peak.

When they reached the end of the road, Jiang Wen and Luo Shuang'er discovered that there was a large mountain gap between the dangerous peaks under Shigu Peak. After repeated excavations by later generations, a hidden cave had been formed.

The sturdy little hall in the mountain naturally has the mountain rock as the roof and the mountain wall as the wall. It is extremely strong inside and out. If it were not for standing so close, no one would be able to discover that there is a cave behind the stone gate.

"Abbot Hongbian, this is such a place, why is it so hidden and there isn't even a plaque?"

Jiang Wen was the first to approach the stone door uninvited. He pressed his hands against the rough surface of the stone slab and exerted force. After a while, the thick stone door made a roaring sound and slowly and steadily opened back.

There was no plaque on the stone gate here, but when he pushed the stone gate open, he clearly saw the three-eyed snail-shaped Dharma Protector Vajra statue that was carved deeply into the stone gate and was not painted. At this time, he was glaring at Jiang Wen. Fortunately, he followed the stone gate along the edge of the stone gate.

The ground trough was pushed to the end, and the ferocious Dharma Protector turned into a solemn appearance standing sideways against the wall, holding a whip to protect the righteous Dharma. The appearance was completely different from before.

"Two Tan Yue, please come in first and then we can talk."

Abbot Hongbian slowly stepped in, and while the monk's robes were shaking in the wind, a stream of moist and warm water vapor rushed towards his face, forming a thick wall of vapor that blinded his eyes, causing serious visual interference, so that even

The extremely strong bitter smell of herbs in the room invades the throat and nose, and it takes a long time before it reaches the brain.

The stone chamber was deep and unknown. Jiang Wen protected Luo Shuang'er behind him and blinked his eyes to adapt to the humid, hot and dark environment behind the stone chamber. He slowly discovered that there was the sound of water waves not far away, and it turned out to be a large pool made of stone.

, a pool of hot springs was turbulent and turbid in it, and Monk Anren, whom he had not seen for a long time, was resting his arms on the edge of the pool, with most of his body soaked in the water, his face downcast and his expression unclear.

"Senior brother...you are here..."

Monk An Ren seemed to have heard something unusual. It was rare for him to stay awake in an environment where his vision was blurred and his mouth and nose were full of bitterness, and he could distinguish the sounds of people. This stone room is not big, and the air is quite turbid. The culprit is

The culprit was the medicine cage that was being fumigated with slow fire in the four corners of the stone room. Thick black medicine smoke that was so bitter that it entered the brain was pouring out every moment.

After Monk An Ren said this, there was no other movement for a long time. Jiang Wen's eyesight was as good as lightning, and he had adapted to the dark room environment. He found that the water in the soup pool here was deep, the color was deep, and there were countless strings of medicine packets floating on the water.

Apparently, he was boiling medicinal herbs in hot springs to help Monk Anren recover from his injuries.

"Two Tan Yue, this is the medicine pool in the medicine room where Xu Xiake's benefactor used to treat rubella. Fumigation into the bones should have the effect of getting twice the result with half the effort, but my junior brother has not seen any improvement for a long time..."

Abbot Hongbian's forehead was dripping with sweat, and his eyes were bleeding red from the smoke, but his expression remained calm and serene, and his posture was not moved by external objects. "It's a pity that the old monk knows nothing about martial arts and is of no help. Thinking

After much deliberation, I hope you two can come to my rescue."

Jiang Wen suddenly looked at the old monk. He was indeed an old monk. He must have guessed from his request for medicine for Luo Shuang'er that he had a need to seek medical treatment for his stubborn illness, so he took advantage of the situation and showed the medicine room, like

This may seem like a casual mention, but it is actually the most attractive reward for yourself!

When dealing with temples, you cannot rely on common sense. This time, on the surface, I helped the old monk save people, but in fact, it turned into the old monk helping Luo Shuang'er to cure his illness. He said that he was not polite, but he had to thank the old monk for his help.

Suddenly I couldn't even bring myself to say that I wanted to borrow Xu Xiake's manuscript...

Jiang Wen didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this time, and he didn't know why the old monk in front of him was so resistant to contacting Xu Xiake's manuscripts. However, Luo Shuang'er's matter was really important at this time, so he had to put it aside and nodded firmly in agreement.

"Abbot Hongbian, Master Anren's injury is pending for me to explore the meridians before making any plans. There is just one thing, I am sorry that I have been confused."

Jiang Wen calmed down, grabbed Monk An Ren's arm and felt his pulse, and asked some irrelevant questions, "Since the two masters came from the same sect, I think Master An Ren's martial arts can be regarded as the first-class master in the world.

Abbot, why do you know nothing about this?"

Abbot Hongbian narrowed his eyes and slowly looked at the short and thin monk who was soaking in the medicine pool. Before he spoke, he still let out a slowly ringing Buddhist chant.

"Amitabha, Tan Yue and my junior brother, Master Anren, practice martial arts. In fact, it is a helpless thing. This is also a regret that the family has no Zen master before dying..."

Abbot Hongbian told the two of them with a sigh that his junior fellow monk Anren was actually far better at practicing Buddhism than he was, and he should have been the abbot of Xitan Temple.

When Zen Master Hongbian was still studying Buddhist scriptures, Monk Anren realized the Four Zen and Eight Concentrations without any teacher at an early stage, and advanced to the state of being single-minded, formless, and thoughtless. His progress was unprecedented in a century.

Zen Master Benwu originally had high hopes, thinking that if Monk Anren worked hard and diligently, he would soon be able to transcend the four realms of meditation, break the three realms, stay away from all evil karma, and achieve the status of Arahant. This was not just a dream.

But things in the world are unpredictable, and no one expected that Monk Anren, whom everyone expected to return to, would find Master Benwu Zen Master late one night, and tell the Master that he had meditated on the "Huayan Sutra" like chaff, and suddenly an uncontrollable thought came into his mind.

There are various wrong views such as the view of cause and effect and the view of constant judgment.

Zen Master Benwu hurriedly asked how he knew the wrong views.

Anren said honestly that he heard in his dream that someone was performing a Dharma assembly at the Bodhi Dojo and said the sixth chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. After hearing this, wrong views grew uncontrollably and he could no longer enter meditation.

Zen Master Benwu was alarmed at that time. He held the Dharma pestle in his hand and shouted, "Do you still see the Buddha? Is the Buddha holding the flower in his left hand? In his right hand?"
To be continued...