PDLP Chapter 174 A Tribulation Upon Tribulation? Supernatural Powers No Match for Fate?
Chapter 174 A Tribulation Upon Tribulation? Supernatural Powers No Match for Fate?
Master Xuanming stood there, stunned.
He looked around, sensing carefully.
There was no sign of life, no energy fluctuations.
Those two monks...
Where have you been?
Hallucination?
No.
It's not a hallucination.
With his current level of cultivation, it's impossible for him to be easily deceived by illusions.
Just a moment ago, he clearly saw two monks.
They were there.
Right here in this room.
Smile at him.
But why did it disappear in just a moment?
Master Xuanming stood there, completely baffled.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his doubts.
I began to examine the room carefully.
The room was very small.
You can see everything at a glance.
He walked to the table and looked at the withered lotus flower.
The lotus flowers are withered.
It withered so much that all its color faded, leaving only a grayish-brown.
But strangely, it didn't break or turn to ash.
It stood there quietly, maintaining its blooming posture.
Master Xuanming reached out, wanting to touch it.
He reached out halfway, then stopped.
He thought about it and decided not to touch it.
He turned around and walked towards the bed.
The bed was made of wooden planks; it was very simple.
A thin layer of straw mat was laid on top, which was already rotten.
On the straw mat, there was that bamboo tube.
The bamboo tube was not large, only about a foot long and about the thickness of a bowl.
Its surface is smooth and dark brown, clearly indicating that it is an old item.
Master Xuanming carefully examined the bamboo tube.
The bamboo tube has lids at both ends, which are tightly sealed.
He picked it up and shook it gently.
A faint rustling sound came from inside.
It looks like some kind of granular thing.
Master Xuanming looked at the bamboo tube in his hand.
He didn't open it.
Instead, she gently placed it on the table beside her and then continued to examine the rest of the bed.
There was a small pile of dust at each end of the bed.
The dust is very fine and grayish-white in color, quite different from ordinary dust.
more like...
Ashes.
Master Xuanming was startled.
He remembered the smile he had just seen.
The two monks sat not far away, smiling at him.
Then it disappeared.
And now, these two piles of dust on the bed...
Is it...
Did they leave these behind?
It belonged to the two eminent monks, Hanshan and Shide...
Ashes?
Master Xuanming took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and doubt in his heart.
He stood up, took two steps back, and carefully examined the two piles of ashes.
If these are the ashes of two eminent monks, why are there no energy fluctuations?
Master Xuanming couldn't understand it.
He stood by the bed, staring at the two piles of ashes, remaining silent for a long time.
Just then, footsteps came from the doorway.
"senior?"
It was President Qin's voice.
Master Xuanming came to his senses and turned around to look.
President Qin stood at the door, looking inside.
His face showed obvious worry.
"Senior, are you alright?"
Master Xuanming shook his head.
"It's alright, come in."
Only then did President Qin step across the threshold and enter the room.
As soon as he entered, his eyes were drawn to the furnishings in the small space.
Wooden table.
Withered lotus flowers.
Bamboo tube.
Wooden bed.
Two piles of dust.
"Senior, this is...?"
President Qin looked at Master Xuanming.
Master Xuanming remained silent for a few seconds.
Then, he slowly began to speak, recounting the scene he had witnessed upon entering.
After hearing this, President Qin stood there stunned.
He looked at the two piles of ashes.
Then I looked at the withered lotus flower.
Then he looked at the bamboo tube.
My mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts.
"Senior," he said, his voice trembling slightly.
"What you're seeing, could it be...?"
"Could it be the two eminent monks, Hanshan and Shide?"
Master Xuanming remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he nodded.
"That's what I think too."
President Qin took a deep breath.
寒山拾得。
The Two Immortals of Harmony and Union.
A prominent monk during the Tang Dynasty.
Legend has it that he is an incarnation of a Buddhist bodhisattva.
In the end, they turned into these two piles of ashes?
is it possible?
But if it wasn't them, then who could it be?
President Qin walked to the bedside, squatted down, and carefully examined the two piles of ashes.
It is very fine and uniform, with no impurities visible.
"Senior." He looked up.
"If these are the remains of the two eminent monks, Hanshan and Shide..."
Why are they here?
Master Xuanming shook his head.
"This humble Taoist priest does not know either."
He paused.
"But one thing is certain."
"This room is protected by some kind of power."
President Qin was stunned.
Some kind of force?
guard?
He looked around.
The room was simply furnished, withered lotus flowers, and bamboo tubes filled with things...
Each one looks very ordinary.
"Senior." President Qin stood up.
"Do you think it could be one of these two items?"
He pointed to the lotus flowers and bamboo tubes on the table.
Master Xuanming walked to the table and stared at the withered lotus flower for a long time.
Then, he reached out and touched it gently.
The moment my fingertips touched the lotus flower...
hum!
A very faint buzzing sound came from the lotus flower!
The voice was very low.
Very low.
But in this small room, it was exceptionally clear!
At the same time, a warm and vast power surged from the lotus flower!
The power was gentle and enduring, giving rise to a sense of peace in one's heart.
Master Xuanming quickly withdrew his hand.
That force also subsided.
It fell silent.
"This lotus..." he murmured, "is still alive."
President Qin's pupils contracted.
A living lotus?
It's so withered and dry, how can it still be alive?
He walked to the table and gently touched it.
The same buzzing sound.
The same power.
"Senior." President Qin withdrew his hand and looked at Daoist Xuanming.
"There is an extremely strong power within this lotus flower."
Master Xuanming nodded.
He looked at the bamboo tube.
"And this too."
President Qin also looked at the bamboo tube.
The bamboo tube lay quietly on the table.
The surface is smooth.
Dark brown in color.
It looks quite ordinary.
But having learned from the lotus's experience, neither of them dared to underestimate it.
President Qin stared at the bamboo tube.
"Senior, may I open it and take a look?"
Master Xuanming thought for a moment.
Then he nodded.
He held the bamboo tube in both hands and examined it carefully.
Both ends of the bamboo tube have lids that are tightly sealed.
There are no gaps between the lid and the bamboo tube; they look as if they grew together.
Master Xuanming gently twisted it.
The lid didn't budge.
He added a little more force.
It still doesn't move.
He took a deep breath and circulated his inner energy.
hum!
The lid finally loosened and was slowly unscrewed.
A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted from the bamboo tube.
The fragrance was very faint.
It's very refreshing.
Master Xuanming lowered his head and looked into the bamboo tube.
The bamboo tube was filled to the brim with...
Meter.
Yes, rice.
One by one, It is round and smooth, and its color is as white as jade.
It looks no different from ordinary rice.
But that delicate fragrance, that faint energy fluctuation, clearly told the two of them...
This is not ordinary rice.
Master Xuanming carefully placed the bamboo tube back on the table.
The two exchanged a glance.
They both saw the shock in each other's eyes.
Lotus flowers.
Bamboo tube.
The rice inside.
Each one contains immense power.
"Senior," President Qin said, his voice a little hoarse.
"Could these... be the source of the secret realm's existence?"
Master Xuanming remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he nodded.
"Very likely."
"These two items contain extremely powerful energy."
"Their existence sustains this secret realm and protects this room."
After listening, President Qin remained silent for a long time.
He looked at the withered lotus flower.
Looking at the bamboo tube filled with rice.
Looking at those two piles of ashes, which might be the remains of Hanshan.
"senior."
"Should we... take these things out of here?"
Master Xuanming remained silent.
He knew what President Qin was worried about.
These things are the source of the secret realm.
If taken out, the secret realm will dissipate.
But if we don't take it out and leave it here...
Who can guarantee that they are completely problem-free?
"Take him out," Master Xuanming said slowly.
"These things cannot be left here."
President Qin nodded.
He thought for a moment, then said:
"Then this..."
He looked at the two piles of ashes on the bed.
Master Xuanming also looked over.
There was a few seconds of silence.
Then, he slowly began to speak.
"Take it with you too."
"If it is the remains of a high-ranking monk, it should be laid to rest in peace."
President Qin nodded.
The two began to fight.
Master Xuanming took out a piece of cloth from his pocket and spread it on the ground.
Then, he channeled his inner energy and carefully lifted a pile of ashes from the bed.
The true energy, like an invisible hand, lifted the pile of ashes entirely off the bed.
Then, gently place it into the cloth.
President Qin also took off his coat, and similarly channeled his inner energy to lift up another pile of ashes.
Two piles of ashes were wrapped up separately.
But at that moment, President Qin's gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Senior, look!"
He pointed to the bed.
After the ashes were removed, two lines of text were revealed on the bed board.
The handwriting is very faint.
It looks like it was carved with a finger.
Master Xuanming quickly went over.
On the left side of the bed board, three characters were carved:
[A double calamity]
On the right, five characters are engraved:
Supernatural powers are no match for Heaven.
The two stared at those words, remaining silent for a long time.
A calamity upon a calamity?
Even supernatural powers cannot overcome the heavens?
What does this mean?
President Qin squatted down and examined it carefully.
The five characters on the right, after the character "天" (sky), there is one more stroke.
It is a point.
It's very light and faint.
But it does exist.
"Senior." President Qin looked up.
"There is one more stroke after the character '天' (tian, meaning 'sky').
There should be one more word.
Master Xuanming also squatted down to examine it carefully.
indeed.
That dot, though very shallow, was definitely carved on purpose, and it should be the first stroke of a certain character.
He stared at that spot, his mind racing through all sorts of possibilities.
What the heck?
The world?
Beyond the heavens?
Number of days?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.
"Mr. Qin, do you think... this unfinished character might be the character for 'number'?"