bayedsolid Chapter 204 Outside Shi'an City, Inside the Temple
Chapter 204 Outside Shi'an City, Inside the Temple
We left Shi'an City.
The team headed north.
Within two days, they arrived in the heart of Northwest China. Along the way, all they saw was desert. Then it snowed, and everything was covered in white snow.
Looking out, it truly is a scene of thousands of miles of ice and snow.
We walked for several days without seeing a single village.
Fortunately, everyone had prepared enough supplies after leaving Shi'an City.
The prisoners carried or held their bags, with each prisoner carrying a bundle.
Those who could afford it also piled their purchased supplies on their handcarts.
They definitely won't go hungry.
Even if all else fails, we still have Lord Zhu as a powerful backer! It just takes a lot of money.
Spending money is a small matter; losing your life is a big deal!
Lord Zhu's carriages and oxcarts were piled high with useful items for the journey, especially grain, several large carts full. It was said that if they ate sparingly, they could eat until they reached their destination.
That afternoon, a different color appeared in the white expanse ahead: the red of the setting sun mixed with a touch of the golden hue of the evening sun, the two colors intertwining to create a magnificent spectacle.
Wenwen, who was running in the lead, turned around and shouted to her family, "Dad, Big Brother, come quick, there's been a discovery up ahead!"
"Found something~~~"
"Found it~~~"
"Now~~~"
The falling snow, accompanied by the joyful echoes, drifted backwards, all the way until everyone rushed forward to catch up.
"Oh, what's that? It's both red and yellow!"
Is it the roof?
"It looks like it."
"Whether it looks similar or not, we'll find out once we go and investigate."
"Alright, let's speed up!"
This unique scenery gave everyone hope.
The Wen family members, leading the charge, pushed forward with all their might.
That's how it is in the Northwest; you can see a rooftop in the distance, but by the time you get there, an hour has already passed.
The Wen family members stopped in front of a temple.
A temple a thousand miles outside the city!
The five large characters on the plaque above the door are still faintly visible.
"Hey, it's a temple."
"It looks quite big, but it's a bit dilapidated."
"No matter how dilapidated it is, at least the roof has tiles, which is better than sleeping in the open every day."
Wenwen agreed, "Big brother is right. At least we have a roof over our heads. Let's go in and take a look."
The temple door was half-closed, the wooden door frame was rotten and about to collapse, and it made a grating creaking sound with the slightest push.
What you see in the courtyard is a large hall in the middle, and several small meditation rooms on the side.
The group entered the central hall.
The hall had fallen into disrepair over the years; the roof tiles were incomplete, and snowflakes drifted down through several holes, slowly accumulating on the ground. The walls were mottled and peeling, with crisscrossing cracks, and the withered traces of moss and vines remained, creating a desolate and dilapidated atmosphere.
The hall was large and empty; it looked like it could accommodate all of them.
Several statues of gods are enshrined in the middle, their Taoist robes and kasayas are old and tattered, the mottled colors have long since cracked into fragments, as if they would fall off at the slightest touch.
The furnishings in the hall seem to offer a glimpse into the former glory of the temple, but sadly, all that remains now is a scene of desolation.
After leaving the main hall, the group visited each of the small meditation rooms.
The roof tiles of the small meditation room were intact, and there were no holes.
"Father, let's rest in this little meditation room for a while, and talk to everyone when they arrive."
"Okay, this room will do. The doors and windows are intact and there's no draft."
The Wen family members entered the small meditation room, closed the doors and windows, and the wind and snow were immediately kept out.
"Phew, it's warm!" Wen Chengfeng exclaimed, jumping up and down and rubbing his hands together.
"Hey, there are a few prayer cushions here, just the right amount to use." Wenwen spotted the prayer cushions under the altar at a glance.
The small meditation room houses a statue of a deity. Over the years, the original colors on the statue have faded, leaving only black and white.
Wenwen took the prayer mat, placed it in front of the statue, and knelt down respectfully, chanting, "I have disturbed the great deity, please forgive me!"
The Wen family members all followed suit, saying, "Please forgive me, Master!"
No matter how dilapidated the temple may be, one must have a sense of awe when stepping into the former territory of the immortals.
Having reported to the master, the group sat cross-legged and began their daily practice.
Time ticked by, the snow continued to fall outside, and the small meditation room was very quiet.
After breaking through to become cultivators, the Wen family members gradually figured out their daily cultivation time through their insights into cultivation. The simplest way to tell was to stop when their meridians felt slightly swollen and painful. If they overdid it, it would cause their meridians to burst, endangering their lives.
At the same time, they also realized the most important point: they can restore their energy through cultivation. For example, during this period, they traveled non-stop during the day and cultivated whenever they had free time at night, sometimes even all night long, but they did not feel tired at all. On the contrary, they felt energetic.
Wenwen was the first to emerge from her meditative state. Taking advantage of her good spirits, she took out some books and sat on the meditation cushion to continue her studies.
Soon, Wen Qilin and Wen Chengjian and the others finished work one after another.
Hardworking people all have something in common: when they have time, they take out books that interest them and continue to study.
As dusk approached and the last rays of the setting sun bathed the entire temple rooftop, the sound of hurried footsteps finally drifted from afar.
More than two hundred people arrived one after another, and the quiet temple suddenly became lively.
"Wow, my goodness, this place is huge."
"It's not only big, but it's also not cold, which is great!"
"Yes, hurry up and go inside. At least we have a roof over our heads tonight."
"Pshaw, it feels strange not being able to see the stars and moon at night."
"You scoundrel, you're getting the benefits and you're still acting innocent!"
"Hey, there are a few holes up there, you can see the moon and stars from there."
"Hahaha......"
The hall was filled with a jumble of jokes.
Having spent so many days sleeping in the open, everyone felt a little out of place upon entering the covered hall, yet they still had the leisure to joke with each other.
That's how people are. As the environment changes and time flies, their pursuit of things gradually shifts, and their requirements become lower and lower.
At first, people focus on basic needs like food and clothing. Once those needs are met, they start to focus on their environment.
Fortunately, the Wen family had their own carts. They set up a simple treehouse in the wilderness, put down a curtain, and let everyone else do as they pleased. The whole family stayed inside to study and cultivate, and no one bothered anyone else!
Lord Zhu made everyone squeeze into the main hall.
The idea is that by concentrating everything in one place, management becomes easier, and everyone can look out for each other.
Such a pleasant reason, even the setting sun doesn't want to hear it.
As darkness falls, it's important to start a fire and cook, and after eating and drinking to our hearts' content, to get some rest as soon as possible.
After the bailiffs finished distributing the coarse bread, they shouted, "Eat your breakfast and rest. We'll set off promptly at dawn tomorrow."
There were tiles overhead, and fires were burning all around. Everyone crowded into the main hall, and the hall gradually warmed up.
The women of the Wen family used a few tree branches and a piece of rag to make do with a small space.
"Wen'er, come here and sleep next to your grandmother."
"Sister, come here quickly, it's time to sleep, lie down on the bed..."
This brat is asking for it. Is that how you use the word "lying down"?
Although the family laid the planks on the bottom of the cart, this phrase shouldn't be used carelessly.
Nestled next to her grandmother, surrounded by her familiar scent, Wenwen closed her eyes and quickly drifted into a dream.
Snow was falling outside, and the fire inside was about to go out.
Just after the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), Wenwen shivered a few times, her whole body convulsed, and her eyes suddenly opened.