novelhk Page 255
Page 255
She just stared quietly at Long Yan 0 in front of her...
"Thank you for saving me again," she said softly, her voice hoarse with the pain of surviving a near-death experience.
Long Yan shook his head, about to speak.
Suddenly, Judy reached out and gently removed the sunglasses from his face, which had been cracked in the explosion.
She could finally see clearly his eyes, which were as clear as glass, but now tinged with complex emotions due to the fierce battle and worldly troubles.
“Little monk,” she stepped forward slowly, meeting his gaze so close they could feel each other’s breath. She reached out a finger and gently touched his lips, asking softly in a tone irresistible to any man, a tone both alluring and sincere:
“I don’t believe in Buddhism or fate. I only believe that what I want, I must get.”
"Now, you've experienced life and death, witnessed love and hate, and broken your 'abstinence from women.' So tell me..."
Her red lips slowly drew closer, almost touching his, and she asked the final question with a breath as sweet as orchids:
"...Now, do you still think you can achieve a state of complete detachment from worldly desires?"
A gentle sea breeze blows. On the distant horizon, the first hint of dawn appears.
Chapter 271 Long Yan Returns to Wulong Temple! Wang Xian'er, Witch Xiao Zhen, and Tang Judy in a Love Triangle
The smoke of battle in Repulse Bay slowly dissipated with Cheng Wenjing's self-destruction and the temporary interruption of a crucial clue about "Pangu Creatures." Zhou Xingxing, due to his "heroic performance" in the operation (mainly thanks to Long Yan), successfully shed the word "probationary" and was officially promoted to inspector, becoming a rising star in the West Kowloon Serious Crimes Unit, walking with an air of arrogance.
And Long Yan, the key figure who created all these legends, quietly chose to return after the storm subsided.
He declined all material rewards and honorary citizenship offers from high-ranking police officers, and also politely declined Judy Tom's highly suggestive "personal thanks," which no man could refuse. At dawn, carrying only a simple bag, he set off alone on the mountain path back to Wulong Temple.
The mortal world is a whirlwind of love, hate, anger, and infatuation, just like a grand dream.
After waking up, he was still the same little novice monk who did his morning prayers, chanted sutras, swept the floor, and kept company with the ancient Buddha and the dim lamp every day.
However, he longed to return to tranquility, but the mortal world seemed unwilling to let him go.
On the first morning back at Wulong Temple, before dawn, Long Yan got up as usual and prepared to sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard, but he stopped in his tracks in surprise by the scene before him.
The once quiet and deserted Wulong Temple, where only birdsong and the sound of wind could be heard, was now bustling with noise and excitement!
Dozens of crew members in uniform were setting up cameras, reflectors, and microphones throughout the temple. Several production assistants were carefully laying out a long filming track on the stone path that Long Yan used every day.
In the center of the crowd, surrounded by admirers like stars around the moon, was the superstar Wang Xian'er, dressed in a white ancient costume dress, exuding an ethereal aura as if she might ride the wind away at any moment.
"Attention all units! Attention all units!" an assistant director with a megaphone shouted, "Lighting crew, soften the lights even more! We need to capture the sacred feeling of Buddha's light shining everywhere! Camera crew, when Master Longyan comes out to sweep the floor, use 8K ultra-high-definition lenses to capture his every glance and every movement! We're not making a documentary, we're making art! Art that can purify the soul!"
Wang Xian'er walked gracefully to Long Yan, put her hands together in a Buddhist gesture, and her beautiful eyes were filled with undisguised love and admiration.
"Master Longyan, good morning." Her voice was gentle as water. "I've come to Wulong Temple on behalf of the fans and the entire crew to fulfill a vow. Also... to seek inspiration for my next art film about 'Zen and life.' You... wouldn't mind if we did some documentary filming here, would you?"
Looking at the enormous setup behind her that practically turned Wulongyuan into a Hollywood film set, and then at the photographers who were practically shoving their lenses into their faces, what could Long Yan say?
He could only clasp his hands together and calmly reply, "Benefactor Wang is kind. However, cultivation lies in the heart, not in form. External vanity is all illusion."
"The master's words are brilliant!" the assistant director immediately shouted through a megaphone. "Quick! Sound engineer! Record this Zen-like statement of the master word for word! This is the theme of our film!"
Long Yan: "..."
He felt less like he was practicing Buddhism and more like he was participating in a reality show called "A Day in the Life of a Buddhist".
Before he could recover from the shock of this "movie shoot," a sudden screech of brakes and a girl's cheerful laughter came from outside the mountain gate.
Then, the witch Xiao Zhen, dressed in a brightly colored Gothic Lolita dress, rushed in, riding a broom that had been magically modified and could spew out colorful smoke.
"Brother Longyan! I've come to see you!" She lightly jumped off the broom and, as if presenting a treasure, pulled out a huge gift box wrapped in pink silk ribbon from behind her. "Look, look! This is my latest creation, the 'Seven-Colored Glazed Bodhi Sacred Fruit'! I used Tian Shan snow lotus, thousand-year-old ginseng, and a drop of my heart's blood to refine it for forty-nine days! Eating it will not only increase your cultivation by a hundred years, but also make you immune to all poisons and preserve your youth forever!"
As she spoke, she opened the gift box. Inside was no sacred fruit at all, but rather a huge, shimmering, rainbow-colored heart-shaped lollipop made of chocolates and various candies.
This "magical realism" gift plunged the already noisy scene into an eerie silence. Even the seasoned assistant director was stunned and forgot to yell "cut."
Wang Xian'er looked at this "love rival" who had appeared out of nowhere and was dressed like an anime character, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes. She stepped forward gracefully and smiled at Xiao Zhen, saying, "Little sister, you're very thoughtful. However, Master Longyan is a Buddhist and has long since given up sweets. Your gift is probably... not very appropriate."
"None of your business!" Xiao Zhen retorted without hesitation. "Brother Long Yan understands my feelings! Unlike some people who only know how to use vulgar, money-grubbing things to taint this pure Buddhist land!"
Her words were clearly a veiled criticism of Wang Xian'er for bringing the film crew into the Shaolin Temple.
"You..." For the first time, Wang Xian'er's smile faltered.
The first-ever showdown between a "fairy" and a "demon" in the history of Oolong Temple is about to erupt.
Just as tensions were rising, a deep, magnetic engine roar approached from afar. Outside the mountain gate, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom, gleaming like obsidian, slowly came to a stop.
The car door opened, and a long, slender leg encased in a top-quality silk dress stepped out first. Immediately afterwards, Judy Tom's stunningly beautiful face, adorned with enormous sunglasses, appeared before the crowd.
As soon as she got out of the car, four bodyguards in black suits and wearing headsets immediately followed behind her. Her powerful queen-like aura instantly overwhelmed Wang Xian'er's ethereal beauty and Xiao Zhen's demonic aura.
Without even glancing at anyone else, she walked straight to Long Yan, removed her sunglasses to reveal a pair of captivating eyes, a playful smile playing on her lips, and parted her red lips slightly:
"Master Longyan, it's been a long time. I hope you've been well."
Her voice was languid yet aggressive.
“I heard that the scripture pavilion of Wulong Temple is in many inconveniences due to years of disrepair. So…” She snapped her fingers lightly.
A bodyguard behind her immediately stepped forward and opened a silver briefcase. Inside, instead of money and jewelry, was a beautifully crafted blueprint.
"...I took the liberty of hiring a world-class architect to design a brand-new, fully intelligent, temperature- and humidity-controlled scripture library for you and Wulongyuan. The entire building will be constructed using top-grade bulletproof glass and golden nanmu wood, and will be equipped with a 24-hour fresh air system and automatic fire prevention devices to ensure that every scripture can be perfectly preserved."
She paused, then added in a nonchalant tone, "Oh, by the way, all the design, materials, and construction costs were donated in full by me personally."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.
Wang Xian'er and the crew's so-called "fulfillment of vows," and Xiao Zhen's "heart's blood lollipop," instantly paled in comparison to this "fully intelligent library," even appearing somewhat... ridiculous.
This is no ordinary pursuit.
This is an absolute dimensional reduction attack launched by a mature queen!
Long Yan looked at the three women in front of him, each with a different style but equally determined, then at the crew members and fellow disciples around him who were completely stunned, and then at Uncle Da in the distance who was hiding behind a pillar, watching the commotion with excitement...
He took a deep breath.
He knew that the peace and quiet he longed for was probably... a long way off.
Chapter 272 Three Women Pursuing Him! Long Yan's Troubles
Faced with Tang Judy's overwhelming financial power, the entire Oolong Temple was plunged into an unprecedented, frenzied, and eerie atmosphere. Master Long Eyebrows stared at the blueprint for the Sutra Repository, designed to be even more luxurious than a seven-star hotel in Dubai. His hand, stroking his beard, trembled slightly as he muttered, "Amitabha, forgive me, forgive me," but his eyes remained fixed on the blueprint.
Uncle Da, Xiao Long, and Chou Pi Wen, among others, were eager to immediately erect a longevity tablet for Tang Judy, this "female bodhisattva." They surrounded Tang Judy, showering her with compliments such as "Your Excellency possesses profound Buddhist nature" and "Your Excellency's merits are immeasurable," their flattery so loud it made one's ears ring.
In this uproar caused by "money," Wang Xian'er and Xiao Zhen were the first to feel the pressure.
Wang Xian'er's team's "documentary film" seemed insignificant compared to the grand blueprint of the "fully intelligent library." Watching Tang Judy surrounded by a crowd, she experienced the pressure of meeting her match for the first time. However, as a top-tier actress, she possessed her own pride and methods.
The next day, Wang Xian'er launched a media offensive.
Overnight, the front pages of major entertainment newspapers were all changed to headlines such as "Actress Wang Xian'er Devotes Herself to Buddhism, Joins Hands with Master Longyan to Promote Zen Culture" and "Exclusive Visit! The Beginning of Master Longyan and Wang Xian'er's Buddhist Connection." The news articles were also accompanied by a large number of carefully selected and beautified "stunning stills," showing Wang Xian'er devoutly worshipping Buddha at Wulong Temple, while Longyan quietly sweeps the floor nearby.
In no time, the name "Master Longyan" quickly gained popularity thanks to Wang Xian'er's fame. Outside the gates of Wulong Temple, Wang Xian'er's fans and reporters from various media outlets began to gather, all eager to see the true face of this "holy monk" who had captured the heart of an award-winning actress.
Wang Xian'er was shrewd; she wanted to use this opportunity to "bind" herself to Long Yan, creating an image of a "golden couple" and a "match made in heaven" in the public eye. You, Tang Judy, may have money, but I, Wang Xian'er, have fame and influence!
The witch Xiao Zhen, however, doesn't play by the rules at all. She has no money and no fame, but she has... magic.
Seeing Long Yan reciting tedious scriptures every day, she came up with a plan. She secretly sneaked into the scripture pavilion and used her newly learned "dynamic illustration magic" on the Diamond Sutra that Long Yan often read.
As a result, when Long Yan opened the scripture again, he was surprised to find that all the words on the book had come to life!
The four characters “Thus have I heard” are transformed into four lively little figures hopping and playing around. “Bodhi is not a tree, nor is the bright mirror a stand” is accompanied by an animation of a Bodhi tree that automatically grows, blossoms, and bears fruit. “All conditioned phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows” is transformed into a spectacular cosmic special effects blockbuster comparable to a top-tier Hollywood production.
The most outrageous thing is that on the last page of the scripture, there is a chibi version of Xiao Zhen wearing a kasaya, making a heart shape with her hands towards Long Yan, accompanied by a line of large, twisting pink text: "Brother Long Yan, you've worked hard chanting the scriptures! Mwah!"
Long Yan held this "3D animated version" of the Diamond Sutra in his hands, remaining silent for a long time. He admitted that the sutra was indeed much more interesting. But how could he possibly face the phrase "like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow" with equanimity in the future?
He felt that his path of spiritual cultivation was being led in an increasingly strange and unpredictable direction by these diverse pursuits.
Faced with Wang Xian'er and Xiao Zhen's "counterattack," Tang Judy simply smiled dismissively. In her eyes, these were just little girls' tricks. She chose a more direct and subtle approach.
Instead of making any major moves, she used the pretext of "discussing the details of the construction of the Sutra Repository" to legitimately settle down next to Wulong Temple. She booked the most luxurious hot spring hotel in the vicinity and personally delivered top-quality vegetarian dishes, meticulously prepared by a Michelin three-star chef team, to Wulong Temple every day.
From matsutake mushroom stewed with morel mushrooms to white jade tofu seasoned with black truffle, each dish was as exquisite as a work of art. The monks of Wulong Temple, led by Uncle Da, ate with gusto, their mouths greasy and their resolve almost wavering.
She never actively disturbed Long Yan, but after meals, she would "casually" brew a pot of top-grade Pu'er tea in the small pavilion on the back mountain where Long Yan often meditated, and quietly read a book. She created an atmosphere of "we are the same kind of people, both enjoying tranquility and a high-quality life," attempting to subtly permeate Long Yan's life.
For a time, a strange balance was formed in the entire Oolong Temple.
In front of the mountain gate were Wang Xian'er's fans and media reporters, who were responsible for creating public opinion momentum.
Inside the temple, it is Xiao Zhen who occasionally pulls magical pranks, responsible for creating "surprises" and chaos.
The kitchen and the back hill are Tang Judy's territory, where she uses top-notch material comforts to win people over and create an atmosphere.
Long Yan, the eye of the storm, became the most innocent "victim".
(Zhao Ma Zhao) He wanted to sweep the floor, but found that the floor had been swept cleaner than a mirror by Wang Xian'er's fan club.
He wanted to recite the scriptures, but the scriptures turned into animated cartoons.
He wanted a light vegetarian meal, but instead, expensive matsutake mushrooms and truffles were served.
He felt like he wasn't cultivating himself, but rather participating in a reality show competition called "Conquering Dragon Flame," co-hosted by three top-tier wealthy women and a witch, and that he was the only and final prize.
Uncle Da, Xiao Long, and Chou Pi Wen, among others, became complete opportunists. They sided with whoever offered the most benefits. Today they were pointing out the meditation positions for Wang Xian'er's fans, tomorrow they were helping Xiao Zhen test the "love potion," and the day after they were comfortably enjoying the top-notch cuisine provided by Tang Judy.