"This Buddhist tower is the so-called divine relic? It doesn't look that impressive!" The girl in green walked toward the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower. Though she was awestruck by its towering presence, her words were indifferent.
"Xiao Cui! You're going too far!"
The white-clad girl had never really scolded Xiao Cui before, but this time, even the monk, Huo Yuanzhen, who was walking behind, could hear her dissatisfaction.
"This is a temple, before the Buddha. Moreover, this tower is a divine relic. Speaking disrespectfully about the Buddha here is truly disappointing. You stay here; you don't have to accompany me inside."
The white-clad girl shook off Xiao Cui's hand and walked toward the tower alone.
Xiao Cui stood there, tears welling in her eyes, but she didn't dare to say anything.
Huo Yuanzhen glanced at Xiao Cui, secretly feeling a sense of satisfaction. Although he, as the abbot, wasn't necessarily the most devout follower of the Buddha, he still couldn't tolerate others showing disrespect in his temple.
Huo Yuanzhen hurried ahead of the white-clad girl, reaching the tower first. He opened the doors of the Buddha tower.
It was already getting dark, and the inside of the tower was dim. After entering, Huo Yuanzhen lit a few oil lamps.
The first floor of the tower housed the statue of Guanyin.
In the past, Guanyin Bodhisattva had almost as much popularity within Buddhism as the Buddha himself. Known for her great compassion and the ability to relieve suffering, she had millions of followers.
Although Buddhism was not as prosperous in this world as it had been in the past, Guanyin Bodhisattva was still very well-known.
There were three forms of Guanyin: the most common Water-Moon Guanyin, holding a willow branch and a lotus vase; the Thousand-Armed Guanyin; and the Guanyin who bestowed children.
The first floor of this tower was dedicated to the Water-Moon Guanyin.
At first, Huo Yuanzhen thought that the white-clad girl would offer her prayers to Guanyin, but after a few bows, she did not linger and proceeded to the second floor.
Huo Yuanzhen followed her, lighting the oil lamps on the second floor.
The second floor held the statue of Lingji Bodhisattva, but the girl quickly prayed and moved on to the third floor.
The third floor had the statue of Amitabha Buddha, with a couplet on the side: "The big belly can contain the things the world cannot bear. Always smiling, to laugh at the ridiculous things in the world."
Amitabha, also known as the Buddha of the East, was highly revered.
But after offering her prayers, the girl continued on to the fourth floor.
There were also the statues of Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Lamp Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Tathagata Buddha.
The girl bowed in front of each statue, and finally, she reached the ninth floor.
The ninth and final floor housed the statue of Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Huo Yuanzhen followed her here, lighting the oil lamps without a hint of displeasure on his face.
The white-clad girl noticed his calm demeanor and was secretly surprised. She thought to herself, this young abbot truly had great composure. He was a completely different person from the one who had shouted at the gate earlier.
Huo Yuanzhen, meanwhile, had his own calculations. This was like the service industry in his past life—if I do my job well, I won't have to worry about the customer not paying. Moreover, this girl clearly looked like someone with money, so the offering should be substantial.
As he was lost in thought, the white-clad girl kneeled before the Buddha.
Though she had kneeled several times before, this time was different. She lifted her veil.
She glanced at Huo Yuanzhen before speaking. "Abbot, today, you accompany me into the tower. Please keep what I say confidential."
Though Huo Yuanzhen was outwardly calm, internally, he was shocked.
Though he had imagined that the white-clad girl must be beautiful, it was one thing to imagine it, but now that she had removed her veil, she was indeed a breathtaking beauty.
Comparing her to the world-renowned beauties in his past life, she was slightly shorter, but in every other way, she was even more stunning.
However, Huo Yuanzhen had seen enough in his life. While the girl was indeed beautiful, it was impossible for him to lose composure.
He nodded slightly and stepped back a little.
The girl secretly admired his composure. Despite being a monk, this young abbot was not moved by her beauty—he was the first one to remain unaffected in all these years.
The white-clad girl turned back, took a stick of incense, lit it, and solemnly prayed three times. Afterward, she offered the incense and joined her hands in prayer, her eyes slightly closed, as she fervently prayed for something.
The tower was silent, with only the sound of the wind chimes and the flickering oil lamps.
Huo Yuanzhen stood quietly to the side, waiting for the girl to finish.
The girl slowly spoke.
"I, Ning Wanjun, sincerely pray to the Buddha. Please bless my father with a swift recovery. I know his injury is very serious, but he insists on hiding it. His heart is in pain, but he must persist. I don't think his persistence is right. He's clinging to his position, and to me, it seems meaningless, but he can't let go. He has already forgotten how mother passed away."
Her voice was soft, yet it pierced through Huo Yuanzhen's heart. It seemed that this girl was indeed a tragic figure, much like someone from a single-parent household in his past life.
"My father believes that after mastering his martial skills, his injury will heal, and he has been deceived by wicked people. He even started practicing forbidden arts. I saw him a few days ago—his hair had already turned white, and he was... terrifying. Buddha, I am afraid, what should I do? I've depended on my father all my life. I don't want him to leave me, and I don't want him to become someone unfamiliar."
"Forbidden arts?" Huo Yuanzhen silently speculated. Who could the girl be talking about?
Ning Wanjun seemed to have been overwhelmed by her emotions. Two streams of tears slid down her delicate face, and her emaciated shoulders trembled gently, making her seem even more pitiful.
"I'm so scared. I can't persuade my father. He doesn't listen to anyone else. What should I do? I heard that this place has a divine relic of the Buddha, so I came here specifically to ask the Buddha for guidance. Buddha has unparalleled wisdom. Please, guide me out of this confusion..."
Ning Wanjun began to sob uncontrollably, her voice growing louder and louder. Eventually, she collapsed on the prayer mat, her petite body curled into a ball as she wept incessantly. Anyone who heard it would be moved with sorrow.
Huo Yuanzhen stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. He wanted to go over and help her, but his position made it difficult. But letting her cry like this wasn't an option either.
After thinking for a moment, Huo Yuanzhen gritted his teeth, walked over to her side, but instead of offering comfort, he used a slight technique of the Lion's Roar. He raised his voice and said, "Fool! Fool!"
Although it was only a tiny amount of internal energy, in the silent Buddhist tower, the sound reverberated powerfully, causing Ning Wanjun to immediately stop crying.
She looked up at Huo Yuanzhen with tear-filled eyes, "Abbot, what did you say?"
"Amitabha. If the young lady is willing to listen, please get up and speak."
Ning Wanjun realized her unseemly behavior and hurriedly stood up, wiping her red eyes, following Huo Yuanzhen to a chair at the corner of the room.
Huo Yuanzhen pondered for a moment. "Life consists of seven sufferings, which represent the various trials people go through. Right now, young lady, you are experiencing one of these sufferings."
"Please, abbot, what are the seven sufferings?" she asked.
"First, the suffering of birth. When a person is in the womb, it is cramped and uncomfortable, and once they are born, they are exposed to cold winds and the discomfort of the outside world. Second, the suffering of old age, when the body weakens and strength fades. Third, the suffering of illness, when the body aches and there is no peace. Fourth, the suffering of death, when the body deteriorates, or when one dies suddenly."
Ning Wanjun was captivated by Huo Yuanzhen's words. "Abbot, this is very insightful. What are the remaining three sufferings?"
"Fifth, the suffering of resentment and hatred, when one's heart is filled with jealousy and frustration, unable to obtain their desires, only to hurt oneself in the process."
Ning Wanjun nodded, "Yes, jealousy is indeed a poisonous snake that gnaws at the heart. I understand now."
"Sixth, the suffering of unfulfilled desires. In life, most things do not go as one wishes. When people become too obsessed, they fall into a trap, unable to accept reality, which only deepens their suffering."
After Huo Yuanzhen finished speaking, Ning Wanjun fell silent. She realized that her current situation was precisely an example of unfulfilled desires.
She looked down, her face dimmed. After a long pause, she softly spoke, "The abbot is right. I have been too obsessive, but many things are beyond my control."
Huo Yuanzhen smiled without responding.
"Please, abbot, what is the final suffering?" she asked.
"The final suffering is the suffering of separation. The greatest pain in life is the separation from loved ones. When loved ones leave, and there is nothing one can do, the heart feels sorrowful. I can see that you are young, and although you may not have experienced the pain of losing a lover, I'm sure you've felt the pain of a loved one leaving you."
As Huo Yuanzhen finished speaking, Ning Wanjun's tears began to fall again. She gently covered her mouth, trying not to cry aloud.
Seeing her cry again, Huo Yuanzhen felt unsure of what to do. In his past life, he could have offered his shoulder for comfort, but now, given his position, he couldn't act in such a way.
However, he hoped that his words would have some effect.
After a while, Ning Wanjun stopped crying, stood up gracefully, and bowed deeply to Huo Yuanzhen. "The abbot's words on resentment, unfulfilled desires, birth, aging, illness, death, and separation are indeed profound. I have learned a lot today. Abbot, they say you are someone who can communicate with the Buddha. I must ask you now: what should I do?"
Huo Yuanzhen suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed. He had read a Buddhist scripture and could discuss Buddhist theories, but resolving this girl's real-life problems was beyond his confidence.
Besides, wasn't this supposed to be the Buddha's job? Why was it falling on him?
Huo Yuanzhen helplessly looked at the beautiful girl in front of him, who was full of hope, unsure of how to begin.
4o mini