Chapter 223: Reading Palms to Know Someone

Chapter 223: Reading Palms to Know Someone

The white-browed old monk walked out of the main hall and just happened to see Chen Chao who was waiting in the distance.

Chen Chao took the initiative to approach and said, "Master, please follow me."

In the mountains, there were wailing cries of tormented souls. With the white-browed old monk's profound buddhist dharma and profound cultivation realm, others could not discern where those tormented souls were. However, Chen Chao knew, because he had dug many graves that year.

Among those people, many were young refugees who had fled with him from Wei Prefecture. They had all been deceived into coming to this mountain. In the end, apart from him, they had all died.

Walking along the familiar path toward the rear of the mountain, Chen Chao's mood grew rather heavy.

Back then, after escaping from here, Chen Chao's thoughts and actions were all about returning here someday to do something.

At the very least, he wanted to do something for those deceased companions.

The white-browed old monk followed behind Chen Chao. Looking at this young man's silhouette. he could not help but feel that the young man in front of him was remarkably similar to that young prince he had met in the Divine Capital all those years ago.

He did not know what kind of person this young man would become in the future, but he was very clear that the young prince he had encountered many years ago had later become a remarkable emperor.

That was the current Great Liang Emperor.

No matter how long a road was, there would eventually come a day when you reach the end. Moreover, this road here was not particularly long to begin with. The white-browed old monk did not speak, and the two of them remained silent.

"Master, we've arrived."

Chen Chao stood in front of an open area. This was the rear of the Sublime Bright Mountain, and the seemingly ordinary ground before them was barren, with blackened soil.

The white-browed old monk suddenly let out a sigh.

Chen Chao also understood why.

For plants to grow, they naturally require fertile soil. To some extent, it could be said that corpses act as a kind of fertilizer. With corpses buried deep underground, plants should thrive even more. However, if there were too many corpses buried in this soil, there was a point of diminishing returns. Naturally, the vegetation would not be able to grow, and this place would appear barren. When plants did not grow, it meant that there were many corpses buried underground.

The white-browed old monk stood there, his palms pressed together, and he softly recited a buddhist chant rather sorrowfully, "Amitabha."

Then, he slowly sat down, crossed his legs, and his monk's robe draped down. He began to recite scriptures related to the transference of spirits to the afterlife.

As the white-browed old monk began reciting the scriptures, complex characters with radiant buddhist light emanated from his mouth. These intricate characters were no longer recognized by many today. They were originally brought back from a distant buddhist land by a monk who returned with scriptures on a white horse. That was just a legend and the exact location of this buddhist land was now unknowable.[1. Fun fact, this somewhat hints at the monk on a white horse to be Tang Sanzang, from Journey to the West, who is the master of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong.]

Today, only a few monks could fully comprehend and read these characters from the distant buddhist land. But without a doubt, any monk capable of understanding these scriptures from a distant buddhist land was destined to be a high-ranking monk in Buddhism

As those intricate characters shimmering with buddhist light appeared one by one in the world, Chen Chao also heard some moans. These sounds were quite strange, like that of someone who had been trapped for a long time and had finally found relief, emitting a contented moan.

After a moment, moans filled the air everywhere, one after another, right next to Chen Chao's ears.

The white-browed old monk quietly recited the scriptures, and at this moment, his entire being radiated with buddhist light, resembling a true Buddha.

Chen Chao was silent. He could sense the strange occurrence was due to the white mist within him, but he could not say it.

The white-browed old monk observed Chen Chao's still-extended hand, feeling somewhat emotional as he said "This old monk's cultivation is insufficient and can't see these things clearly. If Benefactor is interested, you could make a trip to Deercry Monastery. There's a senior in the monastery who might be able to provide answers."

Chen Chao asked, “May I ask, Master, what answers do I want?”

Previously, the white-browed old monk had mentioned "reading the palm to know someone," and Chen Chao did not know what he wanted to see. Now that the monk said this, Chen Chao was naturally very confused.

The white-browed old monk looked at Chen Chao and asked, “Doesn't Benefactor have something you want to know?”

Chen Chao fell into silence, his eyes complicated as he looked at the old monk.

"Will there be answers to everything?" Chen Chao thought about it and asked softly.

The white-browed old monk shook his head and said with a smile, “Perhaps there are things that Benefactor won't need to ask because your heart already holds the answers.”

Chen Chao smiled and did not reply.

The white-browed old monk said, “In any case, I would like to invite Benefactor to visit Deercry Monastery.”

Deercry Monastery, as the buddhist leader of Buddhism, it had actually maintained a low profile for many years. They seemed indifferent to worldly affairs and rarely invited outsiders into the monastery.

Chen Chao was silent for a long time before nodding his head.

Since there was no specific time frame, there was nothing to worry about. He could visit whenever he wanted.

The white-browed old monk looked at him, as if he had discerned Chen Chao's thoughts. But he did not say anything. He just walked toward the main hall.

Chen Chao followed behind him, looking at his own palm.

......

......

Inside the main hall, discussions did not cease with the departure of the white-browed old monk. After all, the real authority lied with the daoist in green robes and the Warden.

The Warden looked around and said calmly, “The Sublime Bright Mountain should no longer exist, this is the imperial court's request. The remaining disciples can be thoroughly investigated. Those with minor transgressions will be crippled of their cultivation and be expelled from the mountain. Those with major offenses will be sent to the Divine Capital for a proper trial.”

Hearing this, several Sublime Bright Sect disciples who had been listening in a corner wore grim expressions. After Daoist Master Ironcloud's death, they had initially thought all pursuit of their wrongdoings would cease. However, to their dismay, the Warden had now mentioned that the entire Sublime Bright Sect would be implicated.

This filled them with fear, leaving them no choice but to look at the few daoists around, hoping that these fellow daoists would help them.

But, no one paid them any attention.

This made them feel utter despair.