The people gathered at Shaolin, and upon seeing Master Huo Yuan, they all bowed respectfully.
Huo Yuan returned the greetings and walked towards the temple gates. Before him lay an open space, the site where he had previously planned to construct the bell tower.
Today, he had decided to perform a divine miracle before the crowd. The construction token would disappear with just a thought, so there was no need to hold it in hand, nor could anyone discern anything unusual about it.
However, before starting the construction, he still needed to make an announcement.
Huo Yuan called for all the monks of Shaolin to gather and stand before the temple gates.
The onlookers quickly realized that something significant might be happening and began to gather around. Li Yuntian and Huang Xiaofu also joined the crowd.
Huo Yuan addressed the gathered crowd, "My fellow benefactors, last night, I received a dream from the Buddha. He told me that today, at the hour of Chen, a miracle would occur at Shaolin, and the bell tower would manifest once again. The time is nearly upon us, so I have led the monks to prepare, and you, my fellow benefactors, may observe the miracle from here."
The crowd immediately erupted in excitement. Many were unable to contain their joy, including the monks of Shaolin who, aside from Guan Shan Yue, had never witnessed the Buddha's miracle before.
Li Yuntian found himself wavering in his judgment. The monk's demeanor was so calm. Could it be true that the Wanfo Tower, as the legends said, was a gift from the Buddha to Shaolin?
As time passed, Li Yuntian began to feel that the monk might be genuine. After all, once a statement like that had been made, if the miracle didn't occur, it would deal a fatal blow to Shaolin's reputation. If the abbot wasn't foolish, he would never joke about such a matter.
Looking at the time, it was already 7:30 a.m., and the time for the miracle was almost at hand. The hour of Chen was from 7 to 9 in the morning.
The monks sat in place, and the crowd was instructed to move back slightly to make room for the bell tower.
Once everything was in place, Huo Yuan silently activated the construction token in his chest.
The token vanished in an instant, and at the designated spot, the outline of a bell tower began to form.
The crowd was initially stunned by this miraculous sight. They then all kneeled in unison, tears in their eyes, chanting Buddhist prayers, their heads bowing incessantly.
Li Yuntian and Huang Xiaofu stood dumbfounded, not knowing how to react.
The bell tower slowly took shape, solidifying before their eyes.
Huo Yuan kept his eyes closed, his hands pressed together in prayer. The Shaolin monks fixed their gaze without blinking, entranced by the miraculous event they had never before witnessed.
The process continued for about ten minutes, and finally, the bell tower fully appeared.
The tower stood about ten or more zhang high, with spiraling steps leading up to its peak.
Constructed of red brick and glazed tiles, the roof had flying eaves with wind chimes hanging at each corner. Though it was merely a bell tower, its majestic presence made it seem grand and imposing.
As the crowd marveled at the sight, Huo Yuan ascended the bell tower.
He climbed the spiraling steps to the top, where a massive bronze bell hung.
The bell's mouth had a diameter of about one and a half meters and a height of over three meters. Its surface was decorated with intricate carvings of flowers, birds, fish, insects, cranes, and other auspicious creatures.
Standing beneath the bell, Huo Yuan gently tapped it, and a deep, resonant hum reverberated through the air.
Checking the system's time, it was just about 8 a.m.
Nearby, two large iron locks hung, holding a massive striking beam. Huo Yuan waited until the moment the clock struck 8 and then forcefully pushed the beam.
Bang!
The deafening sound echoed across the valley, shaking the mountains and forests. Birds flew into the air in all directions. This was a sound unlike any other, one that had never before been heard in the Shaoshi Mountain range, save for thunder.
Huo Yuan continued to push the beam, sending the bell ringing once more.
The sound of the bell reverberated through the valley, and people who had just begun their morning tasks nearby stopped and turned to look in the direction of the sound.
"That's the direction of Shaolin!"
"Listen! The bell! It's Shaolin's bell!"
"I was just there a few days ago, and the bell tower wasn't finished yet. How did it get done so quickly?"
"What are you talking about? Shaolin is blessed by the Buddha; everything here is a miracle. Didn't you see the grand mountain gate?"
"Let's go, let's go! We need to see this for ourselves!"
The bell's sound even reached the distant Fawang Temple, where people looked curiously in the direction but could see nothing.
Down below, the people felt enlightened, moved by the bell's tone. Even Li Yuntian, who had been skeptical, found himself on the verge of kneeling in reverence, his desire fading away as he turned to Huang Xiaofu, realizing that his heart was no longer clouded by lust.
After eight consecutive bell chimes, Huo Yuan descended from the bell tower.
Though the bell had only rung eight times, its sound lingered in the hearts of the listeners, making them wish it would continue endlessly.
Returning to the gathered monks, Yikong asked, "Abbot, why only eight chimes? Shouldn't it be nine? Nine is a number of auspiciousness."
Huo Yuan was about to say that it was because it was exactly 8 o'clock, but then he remembered that in this world, there was no concept of hours and minutes, only the "shichen" system. He paused and replied instead, "Eight signifies prosperity. It shows that Shaolin is about to flourish."
"Abbot is wise, but we are Buddhists. Whether we prosper or not has little to do with us."
Huo Yuan glanced at Yikong and replied, "Your new clothes, your living quarters, your meals—haven't they all improved greatly? Don't you need money for those? I see you eat more than anyone else."
Yikong fell silent, realizing the truth in Huo Yuan's words. Shaolin's standard of living had indeed risen sharply. Aside from the restriction on meat, they could now eat nearly anything. Sometimes, they even had monkey head mushrooms to make soup. He had gained quite a bit of weight lately.
Yikong couldn't argue with the reality of the situation. When it came to practical matters, he decided it was wiser to agree with the abbot.
Having completed the bell ritual, Huo Yuan had fulfilled his purpose for the day. He approached Li Yuntian and Huang Xiaofu, saying, "Since fate has brought us together, I still have matters to attend to. I will not see you off."
After speaking, Huo Yuan turned to leave.
Li Yuntian, who had been in a daze, suddenly ran up to him. "Abbot, you truly communicate with the Buddha! You're incredible! Are you a god?"
Huo Yuan shook his head. "I am but a humble monk. My heart is with the Buddha. I know not what gods are."
"Forgive me for being forward, Abbot. I think this place is wonderful, and I would like to... stay here for a while."
The extraordinary events Li Yuntian had just witnessed filled him with curiosity and admiration for Shaolin, and for the abbot, who was about the same age as himself. He almost felt a sense of worship and longed to stay longer.
However, Huo Yuan shook his head. "Benefactor, you are not suited to stay here."
"Why?" Li Yuntian was confused.
Huo Yuan glanced at Huang Xiaofu, who was trailing behind Li Yuntian, and said, "Your heart is filled with love, but love cannot bear the fruit of Zen. You should return and do what you must. I see that you have a heart for the Buddha, but both entering and leaving the world are part of the path of cultivation. As long as your heart remains with the Buddha, it doesn't matter where you are."
Li Yuntian wanted to argue, but something held him back. He found himself unable to speak the words. Was it possible, as the abbot said, that his heart was already leaning towards Buddhism? He couldn't be sure.
Seeing that Li Yuntian was lost in thought, Huo Yuan smiled inwardly, though he called out, "Go, search for what belongs to you. If your heart is true, come back and visit me."
Li Yuntian, still uncertain, followed Huang Xiaofu out of the temple gates. As they reached the door, he suddenly turned around and shouted, "Abbot, I will definitely come back often!"
"Amita Buddha!" Huo Yuan called out from afar.
Li Yuntian, still intent on paying his respects, hesitated. But Huang Xiaofu, noticing the situation, found it odd. Why was her older brother showing more respect to the monk than to her?
Her instincts kicked in, and she hurriedly grabbed Li Yuntian's arm, pulling him out of Shaolin.
Huo Yuan, watching them leave, felt satisfied. Today's events had likely been staged for Li Yuntian's benefit. He had planted the seed of Zen in Li Yuntian's heart, and soon, it would grow.
Love may not always bear the fruit of Zen.
However, Huo Yuan had no intention of ever accepting Li Yuntian as a monk. Disrupting a beautiful marriage was not his goal. What he sought was everything concerning the Heavenly Dao Alliance.
More people were making their way up the mountain, drawn by the sound of the bell.
Guan Shan Yue approached Huo Yuan and whispered, "Abbot, everything is ready. It's down the mountain, and we can leave tonight."
Huo Yuan nodded. "Good, let's go tonight."
Guan Shan Yue thought for a moment and added, "But it's quite heavy. We can't carry it by hand. We'll need a cart."
"That's fine. I recently obtained a white horse. We'll hitch it to a cart and head out soon."
The white horse, grazing in the back mountains, shuddered involuntarily, sensing that something unpleasant was about to happen to it.