Wood Buddha Temple [II]

Wood Buddha Temple is located in the southern district of Huanyang City.

This ancient temple, having weathered nearly a thousand years of storms, is a living epic in its own right.

Although parts of its halls and pavilions have collapsed several times over the long passage of time due to a lack of maintenance, it has been rebuilt repeatedly by later generations, and the historical depth and cultural value it has accumulated remain exceptionally high.

It is also one of the few nationally protected cultural heritage sites in the Yu State.

Wood Buddha Temple stands majestically atop the mountain, with an endless stream of pilgrims and tourists visiting throughout the day, and the mountain paths are always bustling with figures.

At this moment, the morning sun is just rising, spilling golden light downward, while the morning mist still curls and lingers.

Looking up from the foot of the mountain, one can see the golden tiles and vermilion eaves appearing and disappearing between the morning light and the thin mist at the peak of the layered green ridges, as if a Buddhist realm had descended upon the mortal world.

--Dong!

The next moment, a deep, resonant bell toll rippled out from the summit, echoing leisurely across the mountains and fields.

On the stone steps that wind like a dragon, the figures of tourists, like ants, are slowly climbing upward.

Some people, upon hearing the bell, press their palms together and close their eyes in prayer.

The mountain is not low, and the terrain is quite steep.

For every stretch climbed, one can see tourists leaning on hiking sticks or resting against railings halfway up.

There are also those who arrived early to watch the sunrise, laughing and chatting as they descend the steps.

On a protruding giant rock by the side of the road, a young couple is sitting close together to rest.

The two open their snacks and unscrew their bottle caps, gulping down drinks to replenish their energy.

"This mountain is way too high... my calves are trembling."

A boy with acne on his face wipes the sweat from his forehead and says, panting.

"Who told you not to exercise? You're a grown man, yet your stamina isn't even as good as mine. We've barely climbed any distance..."

The girl with round-rimmed glasses adjusts her frames, glances at her boyfriend, and speaks with a hint of disdain.

The boy opens his mouth, wanting to argue, but can't find the words, so he just sheepishly takes a gulp of water.

Just then, a commotion comes from the mountain path below.

The two look toward the sound and see eight shirtless, burly men carrying a bamboo sedan chair, walking upward quickly with steady strides.

Sitting leisurely on the chair is a thin young man with a buzz cut.

"That looks so nice..."

The boy with acne can't help but whisper, his eyes full of envy.

"I asked about that sedan service; it's two thousand for a one-way trip and four thousand for a round trip. Do you want to take it?"

The girl with the round face raises an eyebrow and asks.

The boy's expression stiffens.

It's not that he can't afford four thousand, but spending that much money just to save a bit of mountain climbing is painful.

"Forget it, forget it."

He shakes his head and looks away.

But he still mutters a sentence, as if looking for an excuse for himself.

"Climbing a mountain is meant for exercise; taking a sedan chair defeats the purpose and wastes money. There are better things to do with that cash."

Most of the other tourists around are the same, either watching or whispering, their expressions revealing a degree of longing.

The person on the bamboo sedan chair is Hu Long.

Although his body has recovered some vitality, it is still far from being able to hike up a mountain.

Since there is an easier way, why bother torturing himself?

These sedan carriers earn their hard-earned money, and he gets to take it easy; it's a case of mutual benefit.

The men below are the sedan carriers with the best stamina he could find; one look at their physiques confirms it.

Of course, the price is naturally higher as well.

There are eight of them in total, with four taking turns to carry.

Therefore, the speed is not slow at all.

More than half an hour later, Hu Long is carried by the men to the summit, arriving at the open space outside the halls of Wood Buddha Temple.

"Handsome, we've arrived. Take it slow."

Carefully setting the sedan chair down, a burly man to the side turns his head and says with a chuckle to Hu Long, who is sitting on the chair.

This person was extremely generous.

Carrying this trip was worth three or four days of normal work. Plus, since they were taking turns, Hu Long wasn't heavy, and carrying him wasn't tiring at all, so their attitude was naturally impeccable.

"Hmm, wait for me here!"

Hu Long nodded.

He walked forward.

"Alright, no problem! You go ahead and enjoy yourself; call us anytime if you need anything."

The man's voice rang out from behind.

Hu Long didn't linger, merely casting a brief glance before stepping directly over the threshold of the Wood Buddha Temple.

The moment he stepped inside, a scent mixed with the fragrance of grass and aged wood rushed to meet him.

Looking up, the temple's walls, corridors, and even the eaves were wrapped in dense, dark green vines and moss, making it nearly impossible to see the original color of the wood.

Those plants grew wantonly, winding and clinging to every surface.

Yet, if one looked closely, they would notice that amidst the deep green, a few charred black spots were occasionally revealed.

Wood Buddha Temple.

The reason it was named this was because the Buddha statues here were different from those in other temples, which were made of various metals, coated in bronze paint, or carved from stone.

The Buddha statues in this temple were all made of wood.

As for those charred marks, according to the information Hu Long had researched, they were caused by a fire that had occurred here over a hundred years ago.

Precisely because of this, although the temple didn't charge an entrance fee, it strictly prohibited carrying lighters or other flammable items.

After passing through an instrument check at the main gate, Hu Long followed the flow of people inside.

Although this Wood Buddha Temple couldn't compare to the major temples, it wasn't small either. Built into the mountain, it covered an area roughly the size of three or four football fields.

It contained all the main structures, such as the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Buddhist Pagoda.

As for his purpose in coming here, it was naturally to see if there was any way to resolve the problem plaguing him.

According to the information he had gathered, the Wood Buddha Temple had always been exceptionally efficacious, with many miraculous events recorded there.

It was said that during the fire a century ago, someone had witnessed a green light illuminating the night sky, suppressing the flames and allowing the Wood Buddha Temple to be preserved.

Regarding this, Hu Long had even found a photo from that time online.

However, due to the limitations of technology back then, it was a black-and-white photo taken late at night from a distance; the image was blurry and hard to distinguish, making it unclear whether that green light was a natural phenomenon or something else entirely.

Still, he was prepared to come and try his luck.

Or perhaps, if he encountered some kind of expert, he could download a skill from them.

Thinking this, as Hu Long walked forward, every time he brushed past a tourist, a silver light visible only to him would flash in his eyes.

Those were the skills possessed by these people.

[Target: Liu Liqing]

[Skill: Car Driving (Proficient)]

[Size: 4M (Status: Downloadable)]

(Description: Possesses over ten years of driving experience; proficient in driving various types of sedans with skilled operation and ease.)

[Target: Wen Yue]

[Skill: None]

[Target: Huo Hai]

[Skill: Culinary Arts (Skilled)]

[Size: 2.5M (Status: Downloadable)]

(Description: Can skillfully prepare home-cooked meals...)

As the number of people increased, the skills naturally multiplied, but they were all ordinary skills. Besides those, there were also some rather "bizarre" ones.

Thinking of this, he looked at a young woman who had just brushed past him, wearing a bun, with a slender figure and a shy expression.

[Target: Lu Zhuo]

[Skill: Cross-dressing Makeup (Proficient)]

[Size: 4M (Status: Downloadable)]

(Description: Master of female makeup techniques; capable of creating various looks ranging from pure, sweet girls to cold, glamorous queens. Can achieve a highly natural feminine appearance on a male, making it difficult to distinguish the truth without physical contact.)

That "woman" was originally holding her phone, taking selfies and recording a video.

Seemingly sensing Hu Long's gaze from the side, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled shyly, embodying the complete posture of a girl.

There wasn't a trace of masculinity in that appearance; there wasn't even an Adam's apple.

"What a talent!"

Hu Long sighed inwardly.

Yet, he still tugged at the corner of his mouth, offering a polite smile.

He turned his head, quickened his pace, and swiftly departed from the spot.

Half an hour later.

Hu Long pinched three sticks of "Merit Incense," each several times thicker than those held by the others.

He stood still before the Gilded Incense Burner.

The swirling smoke blurred the compassionate, downcast silhouette above.

His wrist dipped, and he firmly planted the incense into the center of the burner, letting the red embers slowly gnaw away at the sandalwood. Only then did he turn, his gaze falling upon the monk in green robes standing with hands at his sides at the side of the hall.

The monk was very young, with fair, clean skin.

"Little Master."

Hu Long spoke, his voice low—just loud enough for the other to hear clearly, yet not enough to disturb the murmuring chants within the hall.

"Might I ask if the Abbot is in the temple today?"

"Amitabha!"

The guest-reception monk pressed his palms together, his eyelids lifting slightly as he swept a quick glance over Hu Long.

From the designer clothes on his body to the custom-made shoes on his feet.