Chapter Seventeen: The Signed Document

  Thanks for the rewards from Yu Hou Tingyuan, Yu Xiyan and Qing Teng! Thanks for your support to Shallow!

  In the quiet and solemn Buddhist temple, Gu Qingjin knelt devoutly on the cushion, until he felt his legs go numb beneath him. Only then did Qingjin slowly open his eyes.

  The mandarin duck beside saw that his own daughter had opened her eyes and hurriedly walked up to help Qingjin up.

  Qing Jin stood up from the mat where he was sitting, gazed at the true body of the Buddha for a moment, then turned to the swan beside him and said softly, "Let's go, Swan!" As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards the outside of the main hall.

  Just as she was about to leave the main hall, Qingjin remembered her grandmother Shen's instructions and stopped in her tracks. She turned around and scanned the area, noticing a white-browed and white-bearded old monk sitting quietly near the incense table, exuding an air of elegance and refinement. Qingjin hesitated for a moment before spotting the divination tube in front of the old monk.

  Qingxi showed his intention and walked towards the old monk.

  As she walked up to the old monk, Qing Jin saw that he was muttering to himself with his eyes cast down. She thought for a moment before speaking up, "Master, I've come to draw a divination slip."

  Seeing the old monk's demeanor, seemingly unaware and unmoving as a mountain, quiet as a bell drum, Qing Jin was about to call out again when the old monk suddenly opened his eyes and looked over, his gaze piercing. Qing Jin was taken aback by that gaze, feeling a sudden sense of peace and tranquility in her heart. Half a moment passed before she reacted, wanting to repeat what she had just said, but the old monk spoke up instead, "Old monk is empty-handed, benefactor has shown courtesy."

  When Qing Jin heard the old monk's sudden words, she was stunned for a moment, then caught the two words "Kong Wu". She didn't expect that the old monk with an extraordinary demeanor in front of her was actually the legendary Master Kong Wu, who indeed looked like a transcendent being. She had thought earlier that this monk seemed to have an unusual air about him, but she didn't know what his identity was. It turned out that he was Master Kong Wu, a master who even emperors treated with great courtesy. Qing Jin hastily opened her mouth and said, "I've long admired your great name, I'm Gu Qing Jin from the Anji Marquis's manor."

  "It's actually Master Gu Shi! Please, Master Gu Shi!" He said, handing the sign tube in front of him to Gu Qingjin.

  Qing Jin hastily took over the divination cylinder, and indeed a master is a master, so gentle and kind, truly worthy of the name of a master. Then he picked up the divination cylinder in his hand and shook it seriously twice, and one lot came out from the cylinder.

  Qing Jin was about to pick it up, but a hand had already beaten her to it and picked up the sign from the ground. Qing Jin lifted her head and saw Master Kong's calm and peaceful eyes.

  Only to see Master Kongwu pick up the sign in Qingjin's hand, examine it carefully, and suddenly look at Qingjin with a strange gaze, without saying a word, he handed the sign back to Qingjin. Qingjin didn't understand the meaning of Master Kongwu's gaze, and took the sign back into his hands.

  Only the words on the slip were: The phoenix bathes in fire and is reborn, the water moon mirror flower sentiment comes. The phoenix soars to the ninth heaven and the dragon enters the abyss, the three lives are determined on the stone of fate. Gu Qingjin looked at it with a puzzled gaze towards Kong Wu, the words on this slip seemed very straightforward, as if there was nothing special about them? But why did Master Kong Wu look at her with such a strange gaze? Could it be... Ah, yes, the phoenix bathes in fire and is reborn, could it be that Master Kong Wu saw that she was... Qingjin's heart skipped a beat, impossible, this slip wasn't even drawn for herself, but for the Anji Hou Mansion.

  She raised her head, wanting to ask the empty master in front of her if this pen had any special meaning. She cast a questioning glance at him, hoping for an explanation from the empty master. However, the empty master seemed absorbed in something and only looked at her with an eerie, hesitant gaze.

  Wait, it's strange, wanting to speak but stopping oneself. If it's about one's own rebirth, why would the empty space in front of me have an inexplicable and mysterious appearance? That is to say, there must be another meaning behind this sign, and that existing "another meaning" is what truly troubles Master Empty Void. What exactly is it?

  Qing Jin lowered her head and carefully re-examined the signed document in her hand, but still couldn't find any hidden meaning. She had no choice but to raise her head and prepare to ask the empty-handed master in front of her.

  But when she lifted her head again, there was no one in front of her. Qing Jin unconsciously asked the swan beside her: "Did you just see an old monk with white eyebrows and a white beard standing in front of me?"

  The mandarin ducks nodded at Qingjin together.

  It wasn't her illusion after all. But looking at the empty space in front of her, Qing Jin spoke again, "Then where is he? Why can't I see that old monk?"

  "The slave saw the Empty Master standing there, but when she blinked her eyes, she saw that the position in front of the young lady was empty, and the slave didn't see how the Empty Master disappeared." Yuanyang said to Qingjin.

  When she heard Yuanyang's words, Gu Qingjin turned her head to take a look. The empty and spacious great hall, except for her and Yuanyang, there was no one else. Qingjin let out a sigh, did all these superior beings like to appear and disappear mysteriously?

  Forget it, anyway she still has to stay in the Banruo Temple for a while. When she meets this Master Kongwu again one day and asks him about the fortune-telling slip she drew, thinking of this, she turns around and says to the swan goose beside her, "Let's go, we'll return to the Chan house. I still have to stay here for a while anyway, next time I meet this Master Kongwu, I'll let him interpret my fortune-telling slip!"

  Yuanyang heard Qingjin's words and followed her out of the main hall, curiously opening his mouth to ask, "Miss, was that majestic and elegant master just now really Master Kongwu?"

  "I guess so!"

  "Really? I've heard that Master Kongwu is a great master who even the emperor treats with courtesy. It's truly auspicious for you to meet Master Kongwu today, miss! I've heard it's very difficult to see him, many noble ladies and young misses from aristocratic families in the capital have come to Banruo Temple just to catch a glimpse of Master Kongwu, but no one has ever been received by him. Who would have thought that you'd meet him today? We're really lucky!" Yuanyang exclaimed with an expression of reverence.

  "......" Is this considered ancient star chasing?

  "Entering the ancient temple at dawn, the first sunlight shines on the tall forest. The winding path leads to a secluded place, the Chan house is deep in flowers and trees. The mountain light delights the birds' nature, the pool's reflection empties the human mind. Ten thousand sounds are all silent, only the bell's toll remains."

  When Qingjin walked with Yuanyang under the sun, shaded by tall trees, on the winding path to their residence, lined with flowers and woods, she couldn't help but think of this poem she had studied before crossing over.

  The mountain light makes the wild birds feel contented, the pool shadow eliminates worldly thoughts in people's minds. Gu Qingjin stands by the quiet pond of the Banruo Temple, looking at the beautiful and calm face of the girl in the pool. With the distant sound of the bell, in this silent atmosphere, Qingjin feels that her soul is becoming more serene.

  After a slight pause, Qingjin took a deep breath and continued walking towards the Zen room with Yuanyang.