The melodious sounds of Sanskrit chanting and sutras seemed to come from an unknown distance and spread throughout the temple.
As if they were in a deserted place, the three of them climbed up to the high-rise building where a huge bell weighing 1,000 kilograms was placed, overlooking the situation far and near.
The main buildings in Jing Nian Temple are arranged in sequence on the central axis facing the temple gate, with the Tongdian Hall as the center of the temple, with a complete and uniform scale.
Except for the Bronze Hall, all the buildings are covered with three-color glazed tiles. The color is as new as new, but I don’t know whether it is because the monks in the temple are diligent in cleaning or the quality of the tiles. Especially the peacock blue among the three colors is the most dazzling. You can imagine how brilliant it is under the sunlight.
scene.
The bell tower they were in was located between the Bronze Hall and the other main hall, but the distance between them was quite different. The former was far and the latter was close. In front of the Bronze Hall, there was a broad platform square of 100 feet made of white stone and surrounded by white stone railings.
In the middle of the White Stone Square, there is a bronze statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva riding on the back of a golden lion. It is about two feet high. Next to the niches are the Medicine Master, Sakyamuni and Amitabha Buddha. The colorful sculptures and gold decorations are quite impressive, but they also make people feel that they are different from ordinary temples.
Convention.
On the four sides of the white stone platform, in addition to the four stone steps, there are five hundred Arhats evenly distributed. They are all made of gold and bronze. Each one has a different expression and posture. However, whether they open their eyes and protrude their foreheads or lower their eyes and keep inward, they are all lifelike and no different from living people.
.
The other buildings are distributed in an orderly manner with the main hall on the axis as a whole, separated by forest roads in all directions, giving it a solemn and sacred atmosphere.
A large incense burner was placed in front of Manjusri's shrine in White Stone Square. The burning sandalwood was sending out a large amount of fragrance that filled the entire space, making the three of them calm down and feel the atmosphere of otherworldliness.
Xu Ziling looked at the stone steps extending straight down to the foot of the mountain outside the mountain gate from a distance and whispered: It must be level 808 and it would be such a coincidence.
Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan, however, stared intently at the closed copper hall to study countermeasures.
The sound of chanting came from the main hall behind the Bronze Hall, which was only ten feet apart. There was not a single person in the rest of the temple. It was an unpredictable scene that made people dare not act rashly.
The strangest thing is that except for the lights around the White Stone Square in front of the Copper Palace and in the Buddhist niches, even the chanting hall is dark, which makes people realize that if they walk onto the White Stone Square, they will become the most obvious target.
But tonight, the bright moon shines brightly in the sky, making the glazed tiles shine brilliantly. The big trees beside the passages inside and outside the Lianlian Temple cast their shadows on the road, adding to the mysterious and unpredictable atmosphere of the temple.
Kou Zhong looked down and whispered: What's wrong? Why do I feel so angry?
Xu Ziling on the other side said: This is called a guilty conscience, do you understand?
Kou Zhong smiled and said: I am indeed a thief, but I don't have a guilty conscience. Rare treasures like He's Bi that have been passed down through the ages do not belong to anyone but only the virtuous. Of course! No one can be sure who is virtuous, so now
It just depends on who has better luck and whose fist is stronger.
Ba Fenghan stared at the copper door with dazzling eyes and frowned: "This copper palace does not have half a window. It only has four fist-sized ventilation holes on the tiles. If Master Liakong were to sit inside in person,
We wielded the treasure and did not forget to close the copper bolt. It is no wonder that we don't have a headache.
Kou Zhong moved over and put his arm on his shoulder as if he were an old friend. He smiled proudly and said: "I can guarantee that this will never happen unless he wants to try the feeling of being possessed. This kind of old bald man who has practiced hard for many years and meditates is like a lustful person."
For women, not even a day less is enough.
Ba Fenghan smiled bitterly and said: Haven't you heard the Buddhist saying that if I don't go to hell, who will go to hell? Your promise will not give you more than half a chance of success.
Kou Zhong said in astonishment: I just hope Kong is not such a great monk. How about it? How about I go down and try?
Ba Fenghan pondered for a while and then stared at Xu Ziling's back and said: Mr. Ling, do you have any objections?
Of course Kou Zhong would not be surprised why Ba Fenghan asked Xu Ziling's opinion first because he, like Ba Fenghan, had great respect and admiration for Xu Ziling's ordinary feelings.
Xu Ziling's eyes moved to the night sky and he said with longing: "Have you noticed that the way they chant sutras is to recite the sutras in one breath, so chanting sutras is like breathing and breathing. They are divided into two groups, one group and the other group. Continuing without interruption, so that it can be like the continuous flow of water, is not only pleasant to listen to, but also an excellent way to practice Qigong.
Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong looked at each other in shock when they heard this.
In fact, after the two of them entered the temple, they focused entirely on the Heshi Bi. They only listened to two verses of sutras that they did not know what to recite, and then turned a deaf ear to the chanting.
Ba Fenghan said with emotion: If the length of the chanting sound is used as a measure of the time of breathing, the monks here all have a very deep foundation in internal energy, and the number of people in each group should be hundreds of people.
Kou Zhongse changed his mind: There are more than two hundred monks with high martial arts skills, plus one of the Four Vajras who protects the temple, who practices closed-mouth Zen. My mother is the Master of Kongchan!
Xu Ziling said solemnly: "So we must not act rashly. If we alert them, the three of us will stay here forever as monks. I don't have any problem. I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it."
Kou Zhong let out a sigh of relief and said: Are we just going back empty-handed?
Xu Ziling said: "Isn't it the behavior of a man to retreat in the face of difficulties? This is also called a thief. However, nothing in this monastery is normal. Since Shi Fei Xuan is willing to entrust them with He's Bi, which is related to the fate of the world, it is natural for them to do so." I am confident that they have the power to protect the treasure and will not let you easily enter the Bronze Palace to take it or carry it with you.
Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong both felt headaches when they looked at the Tongdian.
Everything in the temple gives people an unfathomable chill.
Kou Zhong took a deep breath and asked: Will the alarm bell sound when the copper door is pushed open? Although it is a gadget, it is very effective and cannot be cracked.
Ba Feng said with a cold head: This is indeed a very smart anti-theft method. As long as we hang bells inside the doors, it will be strange if we don't fall into the trap when opening these two copper doors weighing a thousand kilograms.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Three crisp chime sounds came from the main hall where evening classes were held, and the chanting suddenly stopped.
The entire Zen temple was completely silent, with only the sound of insects chirping gradually filling the space between the hilltop and the temple.
Xu Ziling moved over and peered in at the same time as Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan.
Ba Fenghan whispered: Someone is coming out!
One after another, monks filed out of the main hall behind the Copper Hall with their palms clasped together.
Kou Zhong laughed and said: After reciting the sutra for so long, I must go to the bathroom together before going to bed. Ha! If more than 200 monks go to the toilet, some of them will be unable to bear it anymore!
Ba Fenghan and Xu Ziling laughed and laughed at this.
Then the three of them changed color at the same time.
Not only did the monks in the formation like a long snake not break up, but a blue-robed monk with an intimidating figure that was different from the other monks in gray robes walked straight towards Baishi Square.
Except for the blue-robed monk, who was holding a Zen staff weighing more than a hundred kilograms, everyone else was holding Buddha beads in their hands. They looked at the nose and heart with their eyes and nose, observing the treasures of the heart in a solemn way, but they did not worry about falling down because their field of vision was so narrow that it could not be narrowed.
Kou Zhong murmured: The toilet shouldn't be in this direction, right?
Ba Fenghan guessed: It might be the custom in the temple that after evening classes all the bald heads come here for training and then disperse.
When Xu Ziling saw that the leading group of more than ten people had entered the square in front of him, he couldn't help but shrink down two inches. Only his eyes were higher than the outer railing of the clock tower and he said with a numb scalp: I hope so!
The three of them watched helplessly as 232 monks, old and young, lined up in more than ten rows in the open space between Manjushri Bodhisattva and the bell tower, facing the Bodhisattva's niche. Although there were many people, not a single sound was heard, not even the sound of breathing.
In addition to the leading monk who is tall and burly in blue robes, there are three other monks like him in blue robes with different shapes and four corners separated from him. It is easy to guess that they are Jing Nian
The Four Great Protectors of the Zen Monastery.
The three of them looked at each other from a high position, all secretly thinking that if these monks formed a monk army, they would be able to rampage on the battlefield as if they were in an uninhabited land.
Fortunately, everyone is turning their backs to them now, which makes them feel psychologically comfortable.
Kou Zhong muttered: The old guy must have come out to lecture Kong. It turned out that his silent words were just used to cheat the sesame oil.
Ba Fenghan and Xu Ziling both held back their laughter.
Yaya!
The three of them were dumbfounded. Two heavy copper doors, one foot high, opened automatically without any wind, revealing the dark space inside. They couldn't help but feel glad that they hadn't broken in just now to commit robberies. It turned out that there was really someone in the Bronze Hall.
Unless the inside of the copper door is made of wood or hollow, the three of them doubted that they would have the skill to push it open so easily.
The person who pushed the door obviously used his inner strength to push the door open at once. But this skill has reached a level that is shocking to the world.
Although they knew that Sora was a master, they would never have thought that he was a master of Ning Daoqi's level.
The monks announced the Buddha's name in unison, and the three of them were so frightened that they all felt like they were going through the motions of a snake.
A tall and handsome monk walked leisurely out of the copper hall and stood on the white stone steps leading up to the hall.
All the monks, led by the Four Vajras, joined in salute.
The Zen master among the three who wanted to practice closed-mouth meditation was Master Kong. Not only was he an old monk with a sad face, he was also so young and handsome that he could not have been over forty years old if he looked horizontally or vertically.
He has a slender figure, a straight nose, and looks very individual. The curve of his upper lip and slightly upturned lower lip add to the indescribable charm embedded in his slender face, which makes him both very good-looking and leisurely.
The way he looks. The lower collar is generous and the handsome face has a kind of worldly aura. The demeanor is neither weak nor domineering, but makes people look comfortable and natural.
The most unforgettable thing about him is his pair of unfathomable eyes that can make anyone feel unpredictable and afraid to look at them.
What Liao Kong wore was a monk's robe with a yellow inner robe and a brown jacket, which showed his natural posture like standing out from the crowd.
At this moment, one of the Dharma Protector Vajra sang "Nai", and all the monks turned around in unison to face the ten-foot-high bell tower and saluted.
The three of them were so frightened that they immediately sat down on the ground and looked at each other.
I don’t know who is shouting below: Buddhism can only be saved by fate in a quiet place!
Immediately after saying this, all the monks chanted the wooden fish bell chime together, and followed a certain prescribed rhythm. The sound of chanting came and went, and even the night sky seemed to be stained with a peaceful atmosphere, which was extremely profound and far-reaching.
Kou Zhong took a breath of cold air and asked in a low voice: Have they discovered us?
Ba Fenghan said: This is very rare. Or maybe they will break up and go to sleep after thinking for a while?
Xu Ziling shook his head next to the fence and said: I have no extravagant hopes for this. There are only two easy ways to go now. One is to run away immediately and die for He Shibi; the other is to wait here for a while until a monk comes up and bumps into it.
bell.
Kou Zhong said sternly: There is no reason for them to find us. The white-faced monk who is the most skilled in martial arts was originally going to hell in the Bronze Palace. Now it happens to be like this. We should stay here for a fucking while.
Ba Fenghan shook his head and said: In superior martial arts, it is important to advance when you should advance and retreat when you should. Although I don’t know much about the rules of your Central Plains temple, there is always a principle of chanting sutras to the bell tower instead of Buddha and Bodhisattva. It is clear that you must do it before taking action. Please save the three of us first, who were guilty of serious sins when they came here. It’s just a waste of time. We combined may not be able to defeat you. If you don’t leave, please forgive me for not accompanying you!
Kou Zhong smiled bitterly and said, "Let's go! Why do you say it so harshly? Do you think I'm not disappointed enough tonight?"
At this moment, the three of them had the feeling to look towards the huge clock in the center of the building in front of them.
when!
The three of them covered their ears long before the bell rang.
A Buddhist bead hit the bell and then bounced down in front of the three people's eyes.
The three of them turned pale at the same time.
It's actually a single copper bead that can make a loud noise that makes the entire bell tower vibrate. What kind of Zen skill is this?
The sound of clothes fluttering came up.
The three of them could not bear to peek their heads in.
All the monks below, including Master Kong, turned around and faced the Copper Hall.
The three of them, unaware of the opportunity, jumped off the bell tower and fled.
The three of them returned to the top of the mountain where they had stopped earlier, still looking with fear at the Jing Nian Zen Monastery on the distant mountain that had given them a nightmare experience.
Ba Fenghan sighed: No wonder there is such a powerful monk in the world when Concubine Xuan hid He's Jade!
Kou Zhong said dejectedly: Wang Shichong really knows how to introduce, but he asked me to break into the temple and make sure to settle accounts with him when I get back. I will spank him at least three times. Ha!
Ba Fenghan laughed and said: Thank goodness you are still interested in laughing at me. I have never been so cowardly in my life. I really want to burn down his temple.
Kou Zhong saw a smile on Xu Ziling's lips and praised him: Mr. Ling is so well-educated. Even after such a big somersault, he was still as happy as if he had just had sex.
Ba Fenghan laughed dumbly and said: Are you full of grievances and looking for someone to vent your anger on, or are you a brother?
Kou Zhong was laughing so hard that he was out of breath. He pointed at Xu Ziling and said: "He looks not only very happy, but very happy, don't you think it's strange, Lao Ba?"
Xu Ziling laughed and said, "I can't even be happy, isn't it? It's none of your business, Kou Zhong's?"
This time it was Ba Fenghan's turn to say in surprise: Why does Ziling look so happy?
Xu Ziling said calmly: Because this treasure stealing game has just begun, I am in a good mood, do you understand?
Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong were stunned and could only stare at him but couldn't find anything to say.
As long as you are not a lunatic, you should not dare to steal treasures again.
Xu Ziling said again: But you must promise me one thing, that is, not to kill any monk in the temple.
Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan were even more shocked.
If those monks didn't come to kill them, how could they have any other extravagant hopes when they should be doing blessings to the gods?
Xu Ziling stood proudly and looked at the dimly lit Jing Nian Temple in the distance and said: "I can feel that He's Bi is indeed in the Bronze Hall."
Kou Zhong was puzzled and said: So what happens there? Even if you are willing to let us go on a killing spree, we have no chance of success.
Ba Fenghantou agreed.
There is a huge disparity in strength between the two sides.
Xu Ziling smiled slightly and said, "As long as we do one thing, He's Bi will be ours tonight."
They both asked: What's the matter?
Xu Ziling said calmly: As long as we can hide in the bell tower again, we will be done.
Kou Zhong scratched his head and said: Master Xu, can you be more clear?
Under the eager anticipation of the two people, Xu Ziling said spontaneously: Just before the bronze door opened, I felt the Heshi Bi in the palace for the first time.
Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan were stunned.
If Xu Ziling's Bronze Hall opened the door and he sensed that He's Bi was in the hall, it would be logical for the two of them. Because it would be like seeing something when the door is opened.
Xu Ziling went down with great energy and said: That was about ten breaths of time when Kong was pushing the bronze door with his true strength. As expected, Kong was still practicing some kind of meditation with the Heshi Bi until that moment.
This is why I can't feel the existence of He's Jade. I can't feel the He's Jade until the moment he finishes the exercise.
Kou Zhong frowned and said: What does this have to do with whether the treasure theft can be successful?
Ba Fenghan said happily: Of course it has a lot to do with it. Did Ziling feel that there was something strange about He Shibi?
Xu Ziling said, "That's why even being empty can't stand it. So I have to open the door and leave for the time being. Wang Shichong did not lie about his family's jade, and it is indeed unstoppable, but only a Zen master who has reached the innate realm can do it."
You should feel the strange power contained in the jade. You should have felt it too, but you couldn't sense it because you were too distracted and too far away at the time.
Kou Zhong felt confident and said: Quickly come up with your plan to steal the treasure.
Xu Ziling said: First of all, we must assume that Wang Shichong's He's Bi will continue to change with the stars. This is not bragging. If this is the case, then the changes of He's Bi should also cycle back and forth like the stars.
Ba Fenghan was shocked and asked: Does Ziling mean that the He family's jade is gradually undergoing changes that are harmful to people in the Zen way, so all the monks must stay away from the Tongdian and can only be stationed in the outer areas?
Kou Zhong thought hard: The only brightly lit Baishi Square opposite the main entrance of the Tongdian Hall in the entire Zen Temple. As long as we send a few monks with good eyesight to monitor around the square, I'm afraid the flies can't hide it from them, so how can we enter the temple?
Xu Ziling said: This is completely a gamble. What I bet on is that something went wrong while practicing meditation with Heshi Bi. So we have to find a place to meditate to give us an opportunity.
Ba Fenghan said in confusion: It's just that the four great protector Vajra and more than 200 monks with high martial arts skills are beyond our ability to handle. Judging from their well-trained appearance, they may also know something like the Arhat Formation and the Vajra Formation.
Son.
Kou Zhong clapped his legs and sighed: I understand that as long as we can attract them to take action in front of the Bronze Palace, they should be more influenced by He's Bi than us. They might hit them twice and then run away with their heads in their hands! This is really interesting. But after we succeeded,
How to escape?
Xu Ziling smiled and said: You are so eager that you will be confused. As long as we can grab the He's Bi, we will be able to get the evil spell to deal with the monks. But we have to wait until the moment when the He's Bi is the most harmful to them before we start to seize the treasure.
.If you miss the opportunity, you have to wait for its next cycle, but you should also take precautions!
Ba Fenghan said: Ziling seems to be sure that we will not be like those monks who will be adversely affected by the He's Bi and have our power greatly reduced. What's the truth behind this?
Xu Ziling smiled and said: It is purely an intuitive reason, and the jade will only make me want to get close to it. However, I cannot predict how far it will change, so I must first hide in the place closest to the jade.
Watch the changes and wait until the most appropriate time to take action. Do you understand?
Both Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan were in high spirits and washed away their useless and frustrated moods.
Xu Ziling's tiger eyes flashed with light and lightning and said calmly: Go!
He took the lead and shot toward Jing Nian Temple.