Chapter 156 Chapter One

The sound of Buddhist chant and chanting, melodious and melodious, seemed to come from an unknown distance and spread throughout the temple. The three of them climbed up to the tall building where a huge bell weighing a thousand catties was placed, overlooking the situation far and near. The main buildings in the Jingnian Temple are arranged in sequence on the central axis facing the temple gate, with the bronze hall as the center of the temple, with a complete and uniform scale. Except for the copper hall, all the buildings are covered with three-color glazed tiles, and the color is as new, but it is not known whether it is because the monks in the temple are diligent in cleaning, or the quality of the tiles is so good.Especially the peacock blue among the three colors is the most dazzling.You can imagine the brilliant scene under the sunlight.

The bell tower they were in was located between the copper hall and the other main hall, but the distance between them was very different, the former was farther than the latter.In front of the copper hall, there is a platform square that is as wide as hundreds of feet, built with white stone and surrounded by white stone railings. In the middle of Baishi Square, a bronze statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva is enshrined, riding on the back of a golden lion, as high as two feet, and there are three Buddhas such as Medicine Master, Sakyamuni and Amitabha beside the niche.The painted gold decorations are quite imposing, but it also makes people feel that they are a bit out of the usual practice of monasteries.

On the four sides of the Baishi platform, except for the entrances and exits of the four stone steps, there are five hundred arhats on average, all made of gold and copper. It is lifelike, no different from a living person. The other buildings take the main hall on the axis as a whole, distributed in all directions in an orderly manner, separated by forest roads, and have a solemn and sacred atmosphere. A large incense burner was placed in front of the Manjusri altar in Baishi Square, and the burning sandalwood was emitting a large amount of fragrance, permeating the entire space, making the three of them calm down and infecting the atmosphere of birth.

Xu Ziling looked at the stone steps outside the mountain gate that stretched down to the foot of the mountain, and said in a low voice, "It should be 808 steps, and it will be such a coincidence." Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan stared intently at the copper palace with its closed gate, studying countermeasures. The sound of chanting came from the main hall only ten feet away behind the copper hall, but there was no one in the rest of the temple. It was an unpredictable scene that made people dare not act rashly. The weirdest thing is that apart from the lights around the Baishi Square in front of the Copper Hall and the shrines, even the hall for chanting sutras is completely dark, making people feel that if they walk on the Baishi Square, they will become the most obvious target.

But tonight the bright moon is in the sky, and the glazed tile roof is shining brilliantly. The big trees beside the passages inside and outside the temple all cast their shadows on the road, adding to the mysterious and unpredictable atmosphere of the monastery. Kou Zhong poked his head down and said in a low voice, "What's wrong? Why do I feel scared." Xu Ziling on the other side said, "This is called guilty conscience, do you understand?" Kou Zhong smiled and said: "I am indeed a thief, but I am not guilty. The rare treasures that have been handed down through the ages like He's Bi are not owned by anyone at all, only those who are virtuous live in them. Of course! Whoever is virtuous has no one It can be determined, so now we can only see whose luck is higher and whose fist is harder."

Ba Fenghan stared intently at the copper door, frowned and said, "This copper temple doesn't have half a window, only four fist-sized ventilation holes are opened on the tiled roof. The master personally sits and wields the protective treasure inside, and he didn’t forget to close the copper latch, so it’s no wonder we don’t have a headache.” Kou Zhong moved over, put his shoulders on his shoulders like an old friend, and said with a smile on his face: "I can guarantee that this will never happen, unless he wants to try the taste of madness. This kind of old bald man who has been practicing hard for many years , Sitting in meditation is like a womanizer to a woman, not even a day less."

Ba Fenghan smiled bitterly: "You haven't heard the Buddhist saying that if I don't go to hell, who will go to hell? Your guarantee won't have more than half the chance of success." Kou Zhong said in astonishment: "I only hope that Kong Kong is not such a great monk. How about it? How about I go down and try?" After pondering for a while, Ba Fenghan stared at Xu Ziling's back and said, "Master Ling, do you have any objections?" Of course Kou Zhong would not be surprised why Ba Fenghan asked Xu Ziling's opinion first, because like Ba Fenghan, he respected Xu Ziling's extraordinary "feeling" very much.

Xu Ziling moved his eyes to the night sky, and said longingly: "Have you noticed the way they recite the scriptures? They read the scriptures in one breath, so chanting is like breathing, and they are divided into two groups, one group After the recitation, the other group continues without interruption, so it can be like flowing water, which is not only pleasant to hear, but also an excellent way to practice." Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong looked at each other when they heard the words. In fact, after the two of them entered the temple, they put all their energy on He's Bi, and after listening to two lines of scriptures that they didn't know what to read, they took the sound of chanting scriptures as deaf ears.

Ba Fenghan said with emotion: "If the length of the sutra chanting is used as the measure of the time for breathing, the monks here all have a very deep foundation of internal strength, and the number of people in each group should be in the world." Kou Zhong changed his face and said: "More than two hundred monks with high martial arts skills, plus the Four King Kongs who protect the temple, and a Chan Master Liaokong who practices closed-mouth meditation, my mother!" Xu Ziling said in a deep voice: "So we must not act rashly. If we disturb them, the three of us may stay here as monks forever. I have no problem, I'm afraid you will not be able to bear it."

Kou Zhong took a breath and said, "Could it be that we just returned empty-handed?" Xu Ziling said: "It's a manly thing to retreat in the face of difficulties. It's also called thieves. However, there is nothing in this monastery that is reasonable. Since Master Concubine Xuan is willing to entrust He Shibi, which is related to the fate of the world, They are confident that they have the power to protect the treasure, and they will not let you easily enter the Copper Palace and take it with you." Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong cast their eyes on the Tongdian again, both felt a headache.

Everything in the temple has an unfathomable chill. Kou Zhong took a deep breath and said: "If you push the copper door open, the alarm bell will ring loudly. Although it is a small gadget, it is very effective and cannot be cracked." Ba Fenghan nodded and said: "This is indeed a very clever anti-theft method. As long as a bell is hung on the inside of the door, it's no wonder that we didn't fall for the trick when we opened these two bronze doors that weigh a thousand catties." "Ding! Ding! Ding!" Three crisp chimes came from the main hall where the evening class was held, and the chanting stopped suddenly. The entire Buddhist temple is completely silent, only the sound of insects chirping and chirping, gradually filling the space of the mountain and the temple. Xu Ziling moved over and peeked out at the same time as Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan. Ba Fenghan said in a low voice: "Someone has come out!" One after another, monks came out of the main hall behind the bronze hall with palms together. Kou Zhong said with a smile: "After reading the scriptures for so long, now we must go to the toilet together before going to bed. Ha! If more than two hundred monks go to squeeze the toilet, some people must wait until they can't bear it, ha!" Ba Fenghan and Xu Ziling couldn't help but laugh. Then the three of them changed color at the same time. I saw that there were monks in the formation of long snakes, not only did not leave the group, but also a blue-robed monk with an intimidating figure, which was different from other monks in gray robes, headed straight towards Baishi Square. come over. Except for the blue-robed monk who is holding a Zen stick weighing more than a hundred catties, everyone else is holding Buddhist beads in their hands, looking at their noses and hearts. Kou Zhong murmured, "Isn't the toilet in this direction?" Ba Fenghan guessed: "Or it's a habit in the temple. After evening classes, all the bald people have to come here for training, and then leave the team." Xu Ziling saw that more than a dozen people leading the team had entered the square in front of him, he couldn't help but shrink two inches, only his eyes were a little higher than the outer fence of the clock tower, and his scalp was tingling: "I hope so!" The three looked helplessly at the 232 old and young monks, neatly lined up in more than ten rows in the open space between Manjusri Bodhisattva and the bell tower, facing the Bodhisattva altar.Although there were many people, they didn't hear a sound, not even the sound of breathing. In addition to the tall and burly monk in the blue monk robe who is the leader, there are three other monks in blue monk robes like him, with different shapes and separated from him.It is easy to guess that they are the four guardians of Jingnian Temple. The three of them looked down from the heights, all of them felt hairy, secretly thinking that if this group of monks formed a monk soldier, they would definitely be able to rampage on the battlefield, as if entering a land of no one. Fortunately, everyone is now turning their backs to them, making them more comfortable psychologically. Kou Zhong muttered: "It must be that old guy who waited for Kong to come out to give a lecture. It turns out that his silent phrases are only used to deceive sesame oil." Both Ba Fenghan and Xu Ziling suppressed their laughter. "Yah!" The three of them were stunned, and the two heavy copper doors, one foot high, opened automatically without wind, revealing the dark space inside.He couldn't help but rejoice that he didn't break in to act as a thief just now, it turned out that someone was really in the copper hall. Unless the inside of the copper door is made of wood or hollow, the three of them wondered whether they had the skill to push it open so easily. The person who pushed the door obviously pushed the door open with an internal force.It's just that this skill has reached the point of shocking the world. Although they knew that Kong was a master, they would never have thought that he was a master of Ning Daoqi's level. All the monks proclaimed the Buddha's name together, and the three of them jumped in fright again, feeling like the shadow of a snake bowed in a cup and bowed in their hearts. A tall and handsome monk leisurely stepped out of the bronze hall and stood on the top of the white stone steps leading up to the hall. Under the leadership of the four great King Kongs, all the monks paid homage together. The Chan master of the three who wanted to practice closed-mouth meditation, Master Liaokong, was not only an old monk with a sad face, but also so young and handsome, he would not be over forty years old in any way. He has a slender and handsome figure, a straight nose, and looks very individual.The curved curve of the upper lip and the slightly upturned lower lip further exude a certain indescribable charm, embedded in his slender face, it is not only very good-looking, but also looks leisurely and content.The lower collar is broad and generous, and the beautiful face has a kind of radiance that is beyond the world. The expression is neither weak nor domineering, but it is comfortable and natural for people to see. The most unforgettable thing is his pair of deep and unpredictable eyes, which can make anyone have a heart that is both unpredictable and dare not be underestimated. That Lie Kong was wearing a yellow inner robe and a monk's uniform with a brown overcoat, showing his detached posture like standing out from the crowd. At this moment, one of the Dharma Guardian King Kong sang, and all the monks turned around in unison, facing the ten-foot-high bell tower, and saluted together. The three were so frightened that they immediately slid to the ground and looked at each other. I don't know who shouted from below: "Buddhism is quiet, and there is only destiny!" As soon as this remark was finished, all the monks recited it together, and the wooden fish bell and chime followed a certain rhythm in the sound of chanting, one after another, and even the night sky seemed to be covered with a peaceful atmosphere, which was extraordinarily deep and far away. . Kou Zhong took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, "Have you found us?" Ba Fenghan said: "It's hard to say, or they read it for a while and then dispersed to go to sleep?" Xu Ziling leaned against the fence, shook his head and said: "I don't have any extravagant hopes for this. There are only two ways to go now, one is to slip away immediately and die of love for He Shibi; the other way is to wait here until the time comes. A monk came up to ring the bell." Kou Zhong said ruthlessly: "They have no reason to find us. The one with the highest martial arts, the little white-faced monk Li Kong, was originally going to hell in the copper hall, but now it should happen to be like this. We should all stay for a while." Ba Fenghan shook his head and said: "Superior martial arts, you must advance when you should advance, and retreat when you have to retreat. Although I don't know much about the rules of your Central Plains temples, there is no reason why you should chant sutras to the bell tower instead of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They want to save the three of us, who are sinners in their eyes, before doing anything. It’s just that we may not be able to defeat one of them together, so if you don’t leave, I’ll forgive you if you don’t accompany me!” Kou Zhong smiled wryly and said, "Let's go! Why do you say it so hard? Do you think I'm not disappointed enough tonight?" At this moment, the three of them had a feeling at the same time, and looked at the huge clock in the center of the building in front of them. "when!" Before the bell rang, the three of them covered their ears. After a Buddhist bead hit the bronze bell, it bounced back and fell in front of the three of them. The three of them changed color at the same time. It is actually a copper bead, but it can make a loud noise that shakes the entire bell tower. What kind of Zen skill is this? There was the sound of flapping clothes. The three of them couldn't bear it, and looked around. All the monks below turned around, including Master Kong, they all faced the copper hall. The three of them didn't know what to do, so they hurriedly jumped down the bell tower and fled in a panic. The three of them returned to the mountain where they had stopped earlier, and looked at the Jingnian Temple in the distance on the mountain that they had experienced like a nightmare with still lingering fear. Ba Fenghan sighed: "No wonder Master Concubine Xuan hid He's Bi there, there are such powerful monks in the world!" Kou Zhong said dejectedly: "Wang Shichong really understands the introduction, he actually asked me to go to the temple, and I will settle the score with him when I go back, at least spank his butt three times. Ha!" Ba Fenghan laughed and said: "It's because you are still interested in joking, I have never tried such a useless thing in my life, I really want to burn down his monastery." Seeing Xu Ziling's mouth smiling, Kou Zhong praised: "Master Ling's self-cultivation is really good, after such a big somersault, he's still as happy as if he just fucked a little girl." Ba Fenghan laughed dumbly and said: "You are full of grievances, so you find someone to vent your anger on, and you still call it a brother?" Kou Zhong gasped out of laughter, pointed at Xu Ziling and said, "He looks not only very happy, but very happy, Lao Ba, don't you find it strange?" Xu Ziling laughed and said, "Isn't it okay for me to be happy? It's none of your Kou Zhong's business?" This time it was Ba Fenghan's turn to say in surprise: "Why does Ziling really look happy?" Xu Ziling said lightly: "Because this game of stealing treasures is just beginning, so I'm in a good mood, understand?" Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong were stunned, they 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 treasure 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 astonished. If those monks don't come to kill them, they should already be blessed by the gods, so how dare they have other extravagant hopes. Xu Ziling stood proudly, looking at the dimly lit Jingnian Temple, he said spontaneously: "Heshibi is indeed in the copper hall, I can feel it." Kou Zhong was very puzzled and said: "What's the matter there, even if you let us kill, we don't have the slightest chance of success." Ba Fenghan nodded in agreement. The strength of the two sides is too disparity. Xu Ziling smiled slightly and said, "As long as we do one thing, Heshibi will be ours tonight." The two asked together: "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 make it clearer?" Under the eager anticipation of the two, Xu Ziling said spontaneously: "Before the opening of the bronze gate, I felt the Heshibi in the hall for the first time." Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan were astonished. If Xu Ziling said that "when the door of the bronze hall was opened, he sensed that He Shibi was in the hall", it would be logical, and the two of them would not be surprised.Because that means it is like opening a door to "see" something. Xu Ziling continued to speak vigorously: "It was about ten breaths before the bronze gate was pushed by Kong Kong with real strength. As my younger brother expected, it was not bad, until that moment, Kong was still doing something with He's Bi This is why I can't feel the existence of He's Bi. I can't feel He's Bi until the moment he receives the power." Kou Zhong frowned and said, "What does this have to do with the success of Pirate Treasure?" Ba Fenghan said happily: "Of course it has a lot to do with it. Does Ziling feel that he is in the same situation as Shibi?" Xu Ziling nodded and said: "That's right, I can't stand it even when I'm empty. So I have to open the door and go out, and leave for now. Wang Shichong didn't lie, and it's true that those who are in harmony with Shibi can't change, but only those who have reached the innate state Only those who are masters in the way of Zen can feel the strange power contained in the bi. You should have felt it too, but it was because you were distracted and the distance was far away that you couldn't notice it." Kou Zhong gave birth to confidence and said, "Quickly tell us your grand plan for stealing treasure." Xu Ziling said: "First of all, we have to assume that Wang Shichong's statement that He's Bi will continue to change with the stars is not bragging. If this is the case, then the changes of He's Bi should also go back and forth like the stars." Ba Fenghan was startled and said, "Does Ziling mean that Heshibi is gradually undergoing changes that are harmful to Zen practitioners, so all monks must stay away from the Copper Hall, and can only be stationed in the outer area?" Kou Zhong thought bitterly: "In the entire Zen courtyard, only the Baishi Square facing the main entrance of the Copper Hall is brightly lit. As long as a few monks with good eyesight are sent to watch around the square, I am afraid that flies flying by will not be able to hide them. How can we enter the temple?" ?” Xu Ziling said: "This is completely a gamble. I bet that something went wrong with Kong Yinyi and Shi Bi's meditation practice, so we must find a place to meditate, so we can take advantage of it." Ba Fenghan was puzzled and said, "It's just that we are no longer able to handle the four great Dharma guardians and more than two hundred monks with high martial arts skills. Seeing how well-trained they are, they might know something about the Arhat formation and the Vajra formation." That sort of stuff." Kou Zhong patted his legs and sighed: "I understand, as long as they can be lured to attack in front of the bronze hall, they should be more influenced by He Shibi than us, and they might slip away with their heads in their hands after two hits, ha! Interesting. But how do we get away with it?" Xu Ziling laughed and said: "You are so eager to be confused. As long as we can grab He's Bi, we will wait until we can get the evil curse against the monks. But we have to wait until the moment when He's Bi is most harmful to them." Let's start to grab the treasure. If you miss the timing, you have to wait for its next cycle, but people should take precautions!" Ba Fenghan said: "Zi Ling seems to be sure that we won't be affected by He's Bi like those monks, and our gong will be greatly reduced. What's the reason for this?" Xu Ziling smiled and said: "That's purely an intuition, because He Shibi will only make me want to get closer. However, I can't predict how it will change, so I must first hide in the closest place. In the place of Baobi, watch its changes, and wait until the most appropriate time to act. Do you understand?" Both Kou Zhong and Ba Fenghan lifted their spirits, and washed away the frustration they felt just now. Xu Ziling's tiger eyes flashed, and he said lightly: "Go!" Take the lead and shoot towards Jingnian Temple.