Chapter 185: Aren’t All Monks Completely Indifferent to Worldly Affairs?
Chu Luo talked for half an hour before stopping.
Everyone wanted to continue listening to her and started discussing.
“So array formations have so many tricks. Looks like the array formation books we’ve read and our understanding of them are all superficial.”
“Young Friend Chu is truly amazing. Not only are you good at studying, but your attainments in array formations are also deep. I really don’t know which reclusive expert your master is to have been able to teach a great talent like you.”
…
Xuan Xin finally couldn’t stand it anymore and interrupted everyone loudly. “Do you all still have any sympathy? My junior brother is still trapped in the array. Are you really going to ignore him?”
At this point, she glared at Jin Hui angrily. “President Jin, you’re the president of the Metaphysical Society. Don’t you care about this matter? Do you really intend to let my junior brother be trapped in the array formation for the rest of his life?”
Everyone looked at Xuan Xin in displeasure.
Was there something wrong with this woman’s head? Xuan Yi set up the array formation himself. What did it have to do with them if he couldn’t walk out?
“I believe that with Xuan Yi’s ability, he will definitely be able to walk out of the array formation he had set up himself.” The person who spoke seemed to be consoling Xuan Xin, but his words were mocking.
Jin Hui chimed in, “Don’t be anxious. Your junior brother might be studying how to transform it into another array formation inside.”
When Xuan Xin heard this, she felt like her nose was going to explode. “How is that possible? My junior brother set up the array himself. No one has ever come out after they were trapped by him.”
As she spoke, she stared at Chu Luo. “What did you do in the array formation? You actually made my junior brother stay inside for more than half an hour?”
As she spoke, her eyes turned red. “If you don’t let my junior brother out, I’ll ask my master to deal with you.”
After saying that, she quickly took out a talisman and tossed it into the air. Then, a loud and stern voice sounded. “Xin, what happened?”
“Master~~~”
Xuan Xin’s shout echoed, giving everyone gooseb.u.mps. She then spoke in an aggrieved voice.
“You sent me and Junior Brother to attend a conference held by the Metaphysics Society. Junior Brother was sparring with someone, and that person actually trapped Junior Brother in the array. Now, I don’t even know if Junior Brother is dead or alive. Come and save Junior Brother, sob sob sob…”
“What?” The loud and clear voice on the other end was even more resounding. “Who dared to trap a disciple of my Xuan Sect in the array? Tell him to wait, I’ll immediately take a plane over.”
Then there was silence on the other end.
Xuan Xin waited for the talisman to fail and turn to ashes before speaking to Chu Luo confidently. “Did you hear that? If you’re that capable, don’t leave. When my master comes, I’ll see how he will deal with you.”
Chu Luo looked at the smug Xuan Xin and smiled. She said to her, “Why don’t you call your master again and tell him that I was the one who’d taught your junior brother, Xuan Tong, a lesson?”
“What?!” Xuan Xin raised her voice. “You’re the one who robbed my Eldest Senior Brother and crippled him!”
The others also thought of what had happened to Xuan Tong and looked at Chu Luo in surprise.
However, no one stood up to criticize her.
The people from Xuan Sect were too high-profile and arrogant. Xuan Tong especially; he wasn’t open and aboveboard at all. He had offended many people in both the open and in the dark. When word spread that Xuan Tong’s ability had been crippled, many people privately felt that this person deserved it.
Xuan Xin really took out her phone and called her master.
Looking at Xuan Xin striding out of the door, Jin Hui was a little worried. He warned Chu Luo, “Young Friend, Xuan Ba, the head of Xuan Sect, is especially protective of his people and has an explosive temper. It’s inappropriate for you to tell others about how you dealt with Xuan Tong.”
Chu Luo tilted her head and looked at him. She curled her lips. “They will find out sooner or later anyway. Why don’t we let them be mentally prepared?”
It would be easier for her to deal with him then.
Xuan Xin came in after ending the call. She looked at Chu Luo and sneered, “Just wait for my master to deal with you.”
Chu Luo: “Okay, I’ll wait.”
Then, she asked Jin Hui, “Shall we continue?”
Jin Hui glanced at Xuan Xin, who was glaring at Chu Luo, and then at Xuan Yi, who had yet to come out of the array. He thought for a moment and said, “Continue.”
The morning pa.s.sed quickly.
Until now, Xuan Yi still hadn’t come out of the formation.
The monks from the monastery came to inform everyone to go eat.
Everyone walked towards the temple hall.
One of them even kindly asked Xuan Xin, “Xuan Xin, do you want to eat with us?”
“No.” Xuan Xin glared at Chu Luo before saying, “My junior brother hasn’t come out of the array formation yet. How can I possibly eat?”
Seeing how rude she sounded, the person who asked the question left without saying anything else.
Jin Hui was very familiar with the monastery’s abbot. As a group of people walked over to eat, a young monk walked over and said to him and Chu Luo, “Patrons, Master invites the two of you to go over after the meal.”
Jin Hui nodded. He was a little surprised that the abbot would call Chu Luo over.
He deliberately said to Chu Luo, “Young Friend, the abbot is a very kind person and knows a lot. When the time comes, you can come with me to listen to him talk.”
Chu Luo nodded. “Okay.”
The young monk waited for the two of them to nod before leaving.
The two of them continued to follow the others towards the temple hall.
The temple hall was seven to eight minutes away from the hall where they were meeting.
The vegetarian dishes were sumptuous and delicious.
Jin Hui was at first a little worried that Chu Luo wouldn’t be used to eating them, so he deliberately said, “The vegetarian dishes in the monastery are all made from crops planted by the monks. There’s no pesticide used, but it’s all vegetarian and no meat at all. Little Chu, try it and see if you’re used to eating them.”
Chu Luo nodded at him. “Very good.”
After the meal, the two of them went to the abbot’s courtyard.
There was a ginkgo tree planted by the wall in the abbot’s courtyard. It was during this season that ginkgo fruits hung everywhere. There was a door beside the courtyard wall, and with the door open, one could see a large plot of vegetable field outside.
An older monk walked in with a bucket.
When Jin Hui saw who it was, he quickly led Chu Luo over. “Master Qinghe.”
Qinghe nodded at him with a smile and looked at Chu Luo.
“Young Patron, you are charming and extraordinary.”
Chu Luo nodded at him and greeted him, “Master Qinghe.”
She didn’t expect Master Qinghe to put down the bucket, put his palms together, and bow to her. Just as Jin Hui was feeling a little surprised, Master Qinghe said, “Please sit inside.”
After saying that, he led them to the room in the middle.
This room was also a meditation room. There were consecrated Bodhisattvas and prayer mats.
Master Qinghe and Jin Hui went over to bow to Bodhisattva, but Chu Luo stood there without moving.
Jin Hui found this a little strange. He turned around and asked, “Young Friend, aren’t you going to pray?”
Chu Luo shook her head at him but didn’t say anything.
However, Master Qinghe said in an understanding tone, “Young Friend has a different faith from us. It’s fine if you don’t want to pray.”
Jin Hui was even more puzzled. However, after Master Qinghe bowed, he began reciting the scriptures. He had no choice but to shut up.
After about five minutes, Master Qinghe bowed again with Jin Hui before getting up.
The three of them went to the tea room at the side and sat down. Qinghe personally brewed a pot of tea for the two of them, and the three of them chatted casually.
Not long after, someone called Jin Hui and said that they had something to discuss with him.
Qinghe said to Chu Luo, “Patron Chu, if you’re not in a hurry, you can drink more tea before leaving.”
Qinghe obviously had something to say to Chu Luo in private. Jin Hui stood up and said to her, “Young Friend, you can come directly to the hall later. I’ll leave first.”
“Okay.”
After Jin Hui left, Chu Luo picked up her teacup and looked at the steaming tea. She said, “Master Qinghe, if you have something to say, feel free to say it.”
Qinghe pressed his palms together and said, “Patron Chu, can you tell me where you’re from?”
“No,” Chu Luo said. “Aren’t all monks completely indifferent to worldly affairs? Why do you have to know certain things so clearly?”
Qinghe thought for a while and nodded. He didn’t say anything else and only advised, “Patron Chu is too high-profile. It’ll be good for you and the people around you to keep a low profile occasionally.”
Chu Luo continued to look at the steaming tea and didn’t answer him.
Qinghe said, “I know Patron Chu has the ability to protect yourself and the people around you, but humans have seven emotions and six desires. Maybe the people around you have no choice sometimes. If you act too high-profile, you might accidentally harm them.”
Chu Luo still didn’t answer, but she started thinking about these words.
Seeing that she was silent, Qinghe suddenly said, “Patron Chu, you can go to the peach forest after you leave my courtyard. If you want to eat peaches, you can go and pluck some.”
“Oh? Those peaches are from your monastery?”
“Sort of.”
When Chu Luo heard this, she stood up and walked out of the door. When she reached the door, his clear voice was heard again. “Patron Chu, this world is about karma and reincarnation. Since you’ve taken over this body, you have to accept some of her responsibility.”
Chu Luo suddenly stopped and turned to look at Qinghe. She raised the corners of her lips and said, “Master Qinghe, I know that you monks have a kind of broad-mindedness that wishes to deliver salvation to all living things, but… I forgot to tell you that I can judge the good and the bad in people’s hearts and also determine life and death.
“You were obviously trying to persuade me just now because someone asked you to. My fate with the Chu family isn’t with Chu Zhengyang. Don’t force what you shouldn’t.”
After saying that, she walked out.
At this moment, Qinghe clasped his hands and bowed in the direction Chu Luo had left. “I was too abrupt.”
Just as he finished speaking, he heard footsteps approaching from outside the door. Following that, he saw a monk about his age walk in.
The person who came was his junior brother, Qingping.
Qingping asked Qinghe, “Senior Brother, did you persuade Patron Chu?”
Qinghe looked at him with those clear and wise eyes and said, “Junior Brother, there are some things that we shouldn’t force.”
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the futon.