Chapter 142: Poetry Recital (2)
Translator: Deep_Blue Editor: Kurisu
“Yunxi… I’ve kept you waiting,” Lu Sheng rose to his feet and couldn’t help but whisper as he gazed at this girl who had been waiting for him.
At the sound of those words, Chen Yunxi’s eyes immediately turned red.
“Brother Sheng…”
“Let’s go. Today’s weather is rather fine. I’m sure Golden Light Temple must be lively,” Lu Sheng walked up and gently held Chen Yunxi’s right hand.
“Anything that Brother says…” Chen Yunxi said softly with her head bowed.
Quickly, the two of them packed some items. Chen Yunxi alone climbed onboard Lu Sheng’s horse carriage and they slowly headed in the direction of Golden Light Temple.
Golden Light Temple was situated outside Mountain-Edge City, near the Eastern Mountain. It was a famous Buddhist temple known for its effectiveness in answering prayers. Many tourists and Buddhists would come and piously offer incense at the Temple.
Golden Light Poetry Recital was one of the poetry recitals with prizes organized by the temple. It was held once every three months and was a mini-event that garnered popular support. It was somewhat like those guessing contests with prizes in Lu Sheng’s previous life on earth.
Lu Sheng led Chen Yunxi all the way to the foot of the hill Golden Light Temple was on. Numerous carriages had already been parked at the foot of the hill, and many Buddhists and tourists could be spotted coming up and down the hill.
Both the plainly-dressed and the richly-robed were among them. Many pious Buddhists began kowtowing and reciting sutras even at the foot of the hill, praying for the Buddha to show himself to them.
Alighting first, Lu Sheng held onto Chen Yunxi’s hand and strolled into the entrance of the hill path. Not many subordinates followed them. Only two men subtly followed them from a distance.
“I heard that praying to the Buddha here is very effective. I wonder if that’s true?” Lu Sheng smiled.
Because he was bald, he wore a scholar’s cap to cover his head. Still, the lack of eyebrows on his face gave him a ferocious and harsh look.
Fortunately, he had asked Little Qiao to dress him up. The loose white robes on him billowed in the wind, concealing his muscular body and adding a scholarly air to him to ameliorate the harsh look caused by his lack of brows.
“My Youngest Mother also comes to pray often. It seems effective indeed. But, I don’t believe in these,” Chen Yunxi shook her head lightly and smiled.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re just here to sightsee,” Lu Sheng led Chen Yunxi through the entrance and climbed up the stone steps, step by step.
With his physical endurance, even in his severely wounded state, he had stamina far ahead that of most people. In less than half an hour, he had reached the temple gates.
There were stalls at the temple gate which sold incense joss sticks. Chen Yunxi bought two sets for Lu Sheng and herself. Then, they began touring the temple with the rest of the tourists.
Finally, they entered the main hall. Like the rows of tourists, they lit their incense joss sticks and stuck them into a large incense altar.
Then, they knelt on small praying mats, put their palms together and shut their eyes in prayer.
“Gong…”
“Gong…”
“Gong…”
A series of gong sounds rang out. Dusk gradually fell. Amidst the sea of chanting sounds, Lu Sheng watched Chen Yunxi put her palms together—her eyes shut—and pray towards the Buddha statue. He too turned his head towards the Buddha statue and began praying silently.
‘I pray that my parents, family, loved ones, and friends would remain healthy and blissful all their lives, then lead peaceful, quiet lives.’
‘I pray that my wounds will recover sooner and I’ll get to upgrade my Ultimate Crimson Nine Furies Skill further. Then, hack anyone in my path to death!’
Chen Yunxi and Lu Sheng both shut their eyes and prayed, but the thoughts in their minds were heaven and earth.
After offering up incense, the extraordinarily lively Golden Light Poetry Recital began. At this recital, every one could compose a poetry. Naturally, the theme was determined by the Abbot.
The prizes were all displayed on a platform on a square outside the temple. More than a few hundred, maybe even a thousand people surrounded the platform. As the day turned into night, one could still see a sea of heads, densely packed into a large crowd.
Lu Sheng was uninterested in poetry and had no time and energy for some supposed poetry recital. He had booked a chamber in a restaurant overlooking the square. With Chen Yunxi in tow, they went to the chamber and watched the proceedings of the recital from their vantage point.
“This is a good view. We can hear their poems and be spared from the squeeze,” leading Chen Yunxi into the chamber with a smile, Lu Sheng gazed downwards through the window.
On the platform at the center of the large circular square, several old monks cloaked in dark yellow monk robes were speaking to the young men and women who were partic.i.p.ating in the recital.
These young people were couples. They looked confident, clearly about to show off in front of their partners.
If their poems won the people’s recognition, the temple would carve their work into the Golden Light Wall that the temple had erected specially for the recital.
“It’s a pity I don’t know poetry. Otherwise, I could try to leave my name on the Golden Light Wall,” Chen Yunxi looked enthusiastic.
“If you want, we can give it a go,” Lu Sheng smiled. This Golden Light Temple had to have a formidable background as well. Otherwise, it was bound to have trouble knocking on its doors in these dangerous times.
Crimson Whale Sect had once investigated this temple. The intelligence gathered showed that an expert was hidden in the temple, such that the average ghost was no match for this Golden Light Temple.
“I can’t… let’s forget it…” Chen Yunxi waved her hands continuously, her cheeks blus.h.i.+ng. She took a step back, knocking into Lu Sheng who had been standing behind her. Her shoulder-length hair rubbed against Lu Sheng’s nose tip. It felt itchy and carried a refres.h.i.+ng fragrance.
Chen Yunxi froze, rooted to the ground, not daring to move a single inch.
Lu Sheng smiled and gently placed his hands on her waist. However, Chen Yunxi immediately spun round and stepped away.
“Brother Sheng, let’s watch the recital first.” Her face was red as beetroot. Staring at the ground, she whispered softly, “This… this isn’t the place to…”
Lu Sheng was speechless. He had not intended to do anything. It seemed like his action of holding her waist had shocked Chen Yunxi. “Let’s watch the recital, watch the recital,” he hurriedly said.
The two of them stood together again, gazing down at the poets from the window. Still, Chen Yunxi’s face had nervousness written all over it.
“Out of the room in Golden Light,
Under the tree in frosty night,
Divine scriptures nowhere to find,
Return to see them in plain sight.”
A poem was accepted and read out loud by a monk, winning a sea of applause and acclamation.
“The poem describes a person pursuing the legendary state of enlightenment described in the scriptures kept in Golden Light Temple. Legend has it that once a man attains enlightenment, he can roam freely in the world and receive the Dao of eternal life and the secrets of heaven,” Chen Yunxi a.n.a.lyzed softly. “The poem begins ordinarily, but the last line points out the truth that while everyone seeks the treasured scriptures everywhere, they are oblivious to the fact that the greatest treasure is in one’s own house. This last line lifts up the poem to a whole new level. Not bad indeed.
But, Golden Light Temple is but a small temple. Such a majestic poem doesn’t fit it aptly.”
Lu Sheng nodded in agreement. Such a poem was but of average standard. Fortunately, this Golden Light Poetry Recital was not an official recital, but just an event held for liveliness. Thus, its standards were not high.
“Don’t underestimate this Golden Light Temple. It’s still got some pretty impressive people in it,” he casually remarked.
“How does Brother Sheng know that?” Chen Yunxi glanced at him.
“Since I’ve said it, there must be some truth to it,” Lu Sheng smiled.
The crowd below was beginning to choose the second poem.
“Hark the jadeite swallows cry…” The first line was pretty grand.
Lu Sheng suddenly felt a warm sensation on his hand. Chen Yunxi, who had been standing in front of him, was drawing closer to him.
The short jade green skirt was lifted up slightly by her hand. The skin of her thigh under her skirt touched the back of Lu Sheng’s palm. It was the back of her thigh. Against his palm, it felt like fine silk, smooth and warm, tender and fine.
Lu Sheng stared at Chen Yunxi. Her cheeks were blushed and she acted as if she had not noticed. But, how could one not notice such intimate skin contact?
Especially when it was a sensitive zone like the back of the thigh. Any higher and he would feel her bottom and mysterious zone. Such an obvious permission lit Lu Sheng’s heart ablaze in l.u.s.t instantly.
Slowly, he turned his hand around to rest his palm against Chen Yunxi’s thigh.
Chen Yinxi’s cheeks turned even redder. But, she continued pretending to watch the poetry recital.
“Low the waves of Nine Lakes lie.” The second line was read.
Chen Yunxi was worried that Lu Sheng would be offended by her jumping away earlier. Hence, she was trying to compensate him.
‘I jumped away from Brother Sheng earlier. I ought to make it up to him. He likes my legs. So, I’ll just let him touch them,’ she was still suffering from low self-esteem because of her legs. At the same time, she also wanted to test Lu Sheng. If he truly did not mind that her legs were too long, then he wouldn’t move his hand away.
As for rules that prohibit improper conduct between man and woman, Chen Yunxi naively thought that there was nothing wrong with letting Brother Sheng touch her just a little bit. She liked Brother Sheng and would end up belonging to him, anyway. It didn’t count as improper to let him touch her leg just once.
Chen Yunxi wasn’t wrong, either. Given the liberal atmosphere of Mountain-Edge City, even the entire Northern Lands, touching the leg was really not much indeed. But, what she did not understand was how difficult it was to push a man away once the fire of desire was lit in him…
Behind her, Lu Sheng’s eyes were glazed. His body temperature rose quickly as he lightly caressed the back of her thigh with his palm. Both of them were getting warmer and warmer.
Lu Sheng’s hand began moving upwards towards Chen Yunxi’s crucial part too.
Chen Yunxi’s body heated up immediately and turned into jelly. She tried to push Lu Sheng away, only to find that it was like an insect trying to push a tree away.
“Young Master!”
A voice rang out from outside the chamber, breaking Lu Sheng out of his horniness.
“What’s the matter?” Lu Sheng sucked in a deep breath of air. He understood that these bodyguards would not ever interrupt him unless it was a matter of high importance.
Yin Yang Jade Crane Aquarius Qi circulated in him, rapidly suppressing the fire of desire in him. His eyes recovered clarity and sobriety as he withdrew his hand from Chen Yunxi’s thigh.
“An urgent memo,” the bodyguard replied outside the door.
Lu Sheng let go of Chen Yunxi and quickly walked to the door, opened it, and took a wax-sealed letter.
Unfurling the letter in a jiffy, Lu Sheng read its contents and his eyes immediately turned dark.
Li Shunxi had met with mishap.
The letter was sent by the Liu sisters. Martial League was screening for traitors in its midst and shockingly found five suspects. In one such screening, Li Shunxi had been framed by others. They found many leads in his living quarters, identifying him as the murderer of an old senior in the league.
Enraged, the League Master of Martial League locked him up immediately. Presently, he was awaiting trial. Liu Qin wrote to ask him to testify for Li Shunxi to prove that he was not the murderer. If possible, he ought to help him as well. After all, he was the only friend left whom Li Shunxi trusted.
But, Lu Sheng smelled something fishy in this incident.
Slowly, he folded the letter and crumpled it in his hand. Activating his Needle Qi, he pulverized the letter into powder in a second.