In the future, Earth becomes a relic of the mythical era.

Chapter 399 A Smile with a Flower

This temple is basically no different from the one described in the story "Painted Wall".

The temples and meditation rooms were not very spacious, and an old monk was hanging in one of them.

Upon seeing the guest enter, he respectfully came out to greet him, leading and assisting him.

Xie Lingxin and the others entered and saw an old monk sweeping the floor.

Upon seeing them, he put his palms together and said, "Amitabha, have you all come here to view the mural?"

Hua Baojia asked curiously, "How did the old monk know?"

The old monk chuckled: "I've been staying here for quite some time now. This deserted temple is usually deserted, but in the last two days, over a hundred people have come to see the murals."

"Although this old monk is dull-witted, I can still guess a few things."

Hua Baojia blushed slightly.

Xie Lingxin seemed to be thinking about something, and then asked, "Master, is this where you are staying?"

The old monk mentioned in "Painted Skin" was indeed a wandering monk who stayed at a temple.

But this is a realm.

Several miles away, there was nothing but emptiness.

The old monk smiled and said, "I understand what you mean, sir."

"This place is no ordinary place. A divine being used great supernatural powers to seize a region, creating its own world, suspended alone in the vast void."

“Normally, it is rare for anyone to come here.”

"The Cave Heaven Realm?!"

Everyone was shocked when they heard this.

This is actually a grotto-heaven realm?
A 10-fold level cave realm is at least a fragment of a primordial realm.

No wonder such a treasure existed; even our ancestor was hindered at this time.

"Esteemed patrons, if you wish to see the mural, please follow this old monk."

The old monk smiled, put the broom aside, and headed towards the main hall.

The group exchanged glances and followed suit.

They were originally going to enter the world of the mural, so naturally they couldn't back down now.

We entered the hall.

As stated in the article.

The hall houses a statue of Zhi Gong, and the murals on both sides are exquisitely painted, depicting lifelike figures.

On the east wall, a celestial maiden scatters flowers, among whom is a young girl with her hair in tufts, holding a flower and smiling, her cherry lips about to move, her eyes about to flow.

There is also a mural on the west side, but it depicts a scene of everyday life.

A myriad of human beings, every trade and profession in the marketplace.

A quick count reveals over a hundred figures, each one remarkably lifelike.

"what?!"

"Isn't this Brother Baoyu?!"

Suddenly someone exclaimed.

Everyone followed his gaze and saw a man on the mural.

Apart from Xie Lingxin, all the Hua family members were shocked.

Because the man in the mural was the very person they were looking for—Hua Baoyu!

"Monk! What's going on?!"

"You're the one who trapped him here!"

One of the Hua family members, enraged, made a move.

With a wave of his hands, countless flower petals instantly surrounded him.

As his hands moved, they spun around his body and flew away gracefully.

The scene is absolutely stunning, captivating and mesmerizing.

Xie Lingxin could sense the sharpness within it, which pierced straight to the heart.

Like a thousand sharp blades.

What an amazing and ingenious way to use one's mind.

It's one thing for someone to be good-looking, but even their fighting is so entertaining.

Are all the women in the Hua family narcissists?
The old monk, surrounded by thousands of petals as sharp as blades, merely smiled slightly, neither moving nor dodging.

Countless petals, however, could not fall upon him.

The Hua family member who made the move changed his expression and was about to change his move.

The old monk smiled slightly and slowly extended his hand.

Countless petals danced and spontaneously fell into his palm, transforming into a brilliant golden flower.

The old monk plucked a flower with two fingers and smiled gently.

Seeing this, others joined in the effort.

These members of the Hua family have different methods; some are martial artists, and some are spiritual masters.

Yet they all share the same characteristic: their movements are accompanied by a shower of colorful flowers, magnificent and dazzling.

Clearly, despite the variations, they all share the same fundamental principle.

But no matter what method was used, once it reached within three feet of the old monk, it vanished without a trace.

As if it never appeared.

This method is so terrifying that it makes people feel like they've encountered a ghost or a god, sending chills down their spines.

If the old monk were so powerful that he could break their attacks with a mere gesture, they wouldn't be so terrified.

But the old monk did nothing; he just stood there.

One after another, the Hua family members made their moves, more than a dozen in total, but without exception, they all returned empty-handed.

"You esteemed benefactors are too impatient."

"All phenomena arise and cease due to causes and conditions; a thousand illusions arise from the mind."

"When a person has lustful thoughts, he will be born into a state of impropriety; when a person has impropriety, he will be born into a state of fear."

"With such a temperament, one cannot bear to look at murals."

The old monk shook his head, making no move, and the dozen or so disciples of the Hua family who had just attacked suddenly disappeared.

Without any warning, it simply vanished into thin air.

Everyone was startled and looked around frantically.

"Monk! Where did you put them?!"

Hua Baojia couldn't resist any longer. She flipped her hand, and a crystal-clear, jade-carved tree branch appeared in her hand.

There was still a bright red flower bud on the branch.

She pointed a flower branch at Xie Lingxin, and Xie Lingxin immediately felt the air turn cold.

As the buds on the branches slowly bloomed, it grew colder and colder.

In no time, the hall was covered with ice shards.

magic weapon!

Xie Lingxin was startled. She already had the Xuanhe Bise Banner in her hand. She gently shook it and protected everyone in front of her.

The azure barrier opened, and it finally felt a little warmer. What a powerful magical artifact!

"Frostflower!"

All the disciples of the Hua clan were delighted to see the flower branch.

I thought that once this magical artifact appeared, the old monk would at least make a move, right?
The next moment, however, was even more horrifying.

The old monk remained unmoved and unyielding, smiling as he held up a flower.

Thick frost covered the entire hall, but his body remained unchanged for several feet.

"A nameless anger arose, and my heart was filled with resentment. Even you, my female benefactor, cannot bear to watch."

The old monk shook his head.

Xie Ling's heart skipped a beat, and a flash of inspiration struck her. She quickly shouted, "Put away the magic weapon!"

It was too late to call him; Hua Baojia and he didn't have that tacit understanding, so she wouldn't listen to him immediately.

As Xie Lingxin cried out, she released the Xuanhe Barrier and snatched the flower branch away.

The old monk and Hua Baojia were both taken aback.

Hua Baojia snapped out of her daze and immediately shouted angrily, "What are you doing?!"

Xie Lingxin then put away the Xuanhe Bise Banner and the flower branch.

The old monk suddenly showed a look of amazement.

"This young benefactor is truly quick to understand."

Everyone was completely baffled.

Hua Baorui seemed to be deep in thought.

Hua Baojia looked confused, then angrily shouted, "What do you mean? You surnamed Xie, what exactly do you want? Give me back my magic weapon!"

Xie Lingxin ignored her and stared at the old monk.

"How did you, young sir, see through this?"

The old monk spoke first.

"Didn't the master already tell me?"

The old monk chuckled and said, "Amitabha... Your wisdom is profound, and you are worthy to view this mural."

Hey! What are you guys doing, playing dumb?!

Hua Baojia became even more irritable.

Xie Lingxin thought to himself, "The Buddha once preached on Mount Ling, but he did not utter a single word. He simply picked up a golden flower, held it in his hand, and remained silent."

"The Venerable Kasyapa smiled knowingly."

The Buddha was pleased and said: "I have the true Dharma eye, the wondrous mind of Nirvana, the true formless form, the subtle Dharma gate, which is not established in words, but is transmitted separately outside the teachings. I entrust it to Mahakasyapa."

Hua Baojia's eyes were blank, and she seemed to be spinning around.

Others are not much better.

Only the old monk responded with a smile.

You wouldn't understand even if I told you...

Xie Lingxin sighed and said helplessly, "When you see a flower, you simply see the flower, without any discrimination or words, and you have an understanding in your heart, that is the state of Zen."

“When the Buddha held up a flower, I understood immediately. No words were needed; this was a true meeting of minds.”

"A smile while picking up a flower points directly to one's true nature. All things return to oneness. The blooming and withering of flowers is natural, and the expression of one's true nature is also natural."

"Master, this is only natural. No matter how many attacks you launch, they will all miss. This is also natural."

"The Buddha picked up not just a flower, but the supreme Dharma that directly points to the human heart."

"The master said that the human heart is ever-changing, and one's circumstances arise from the mind."

"In short, if you don't have any other thoughts or desires, then everything will be fine."

"Tsk!"

Hua Baojia felt a throbbing in her head, and her brain throbbed with pain in waves.

I really want to shout: Stop reading!
"Just say I'm not going to do anything and don't want to do anything, okay? Why say so much unnecessary stuff!"

Xie Lingxin rolled her eyes.

Damn illiterate!
"So...you just saved me?"

Hua Baojia also realized that Xie Lingxin had snatched her magic weapon to save her.

If she had continued her attack, she would probably be the one who disappeared by now.

Instead, because her anger was directed at Xie Lingxin, everything was fine.

The old monk sighed softly: "Since you have seen through my trick, I will not stop you any longer. If you wish to see the mural, go and see for yourself."

Hua Baojia shouted, "Old monk! Don't think you can get away with this! Where are those people? Release them now!"

Hua Baorui tugged at her.

"what?"

Hua Baorui pointed to the mural on the west side and sighed, "See for yourself."

Hua Baojia looked closely in the direction he was pointing, and suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! How come they're all in the painting?!"

The remaining members of the Hua family also went to look, and they were all shocked.

There were more than a dozen people inside; weren't they the ones who had just disappeared?
Moreover, they discovered that many of the figures in the murals were quite familiar.

Upon closer inspection, they discovered that they were all members of the Hua family who had entered earlier!
Xie Ling thought to herself, "Let's not worry about them for now. They're actually safer inside the painting."

Hua Baojia asked suspiciously, "How did you know?"

Xie Lingxin sighed, "With the master's supernatural powers, even if you don't believe it, what can you do?"

This old monk is unfathomable.

If they were to actually fight, none of them combined could possibly be a match for them.

Hua Baorui said, "Let's listen to Brother Xie. He's the one who saved us just now."

Everyone then came to their senses.

Yes.

If Xie Lingxin hadn't stopped them, they would have attacked the old monk.

They were probably all locked inside this mural back then.

And what he just said, although I didn't quite understand it, was pretty impressive.

This person is indeed as our ancestors said; they are truly incomparable to him.

At least in terms of understanding these strange and unusual things, I am far better than them.

In this realm, perhaps listening to him is the right thing to do.

Hua Baojia also realized what was going on: "So what do we do now?"

"Didn't I say? Illusions are created by people."

Xie Lingxin walked to the painted wall on the east side.

The text states: Zhu gazed intently for a long time, his mind suddenly swaying and his thoughts becoming hazy. Suddenly, his body floated up as if riding on clouds, and he was already on the wall.

Now, he is the same.

After staring at the mural for only a short while, my mind wavered, and I felt as if I were floating on clouds...

(End of this chapter)