Chapter 90: Ghost Bodhisattva in the Nunnery

However, these rumours were quickly suppressed by the government. A notice was issued saying that bandits nearby had run into the temple and killed everyone there.

But from then on, because people considered it taboo, no one dared go to that temple anymore.

At the time, He Zhong had gone there because he believed himself to be a wandering hero, so a meddlesome person asked whether he dared go to that temple. Naturally, he agreed at once. Later, the two sides agreed that he only needed to describe what the main hall looked like after seeing it.

He Zhong still remembered that he had gone at noon that day. Although he did not believe in demons and evil spirits causing trouble, going at night always felt chilling, and he also planned to return that same day to tell that person what the main hall looked like.

He still remembered that the sun had been extremely fierce that day. The blazing, scorching sun made him feel very safe. He felt that even if ghost creatures existed in this world, they could not possibly come out in the middle of the day.

However, the closer he walked toward the temple, the more uneasy he felt, as if something were wrong.

At the time, he did not know the reason. Only when he reached the area near the temple did he suddenly realise that the closer he got to the temple, the quieter it became. This place seemed to have already become a dead land. Even insects did not dare make a sound.

At that time, he had already become somewhat afraid. Even though the sunlight was scorching and blazing, his body had still begun to feel cold.

But he did not believe that strange things existed in this world, so he thought that since he had already come, he might as well go take a look. Otherwise, if people learned of it, he would definitely be mocked.

So he walked to the temple entrance and opened the temple’s main gate. He remembered very clearly that the temple gate was somewhat old, and it made an ear-piercing sound that carried very far through the silent temple at the time, startling even him.

In truth, he had not really visited this temple much before. After all, he considered himself a wandering hero, so how could he believe in these vague and intangible deities?

After opening the gate, he saw the temple’s appearance. This temple was not very large. There were two side halls on the left and right, with a relatively long corridor in the middle.

In the middle of the corridor stood a square cauldron. The square cauldron had a lid, clearly to keep out rainwater. In addition, there were vaguely some candles and the like inserted on it, making it difficult for him to see the main hall behind the square cauldron clearly.

Originally, he had planned to open the gate, glance at the main hall, and leave. But he had not expected this square cauldron to disrupt his plan.

In order to see clearly whether there was anything strange about the main hall behind the square cauldron, he braced himself and walked into the temple. To his surprise, there was no blood or anything like that inside the temple, as if no massacre had ever happened there.

It only looked somewhat old. Dust was everywhere, weeds had already grown out from between the stone slabs, and everything presented a desolate scene.

What made people feel strange was that there were no spiderwebs here, and not even insects or anything of the sort. It was completely silent, so silent that he could hear his own footsteps clearly.

Seeing this, the hair on his body nearly stood on end. Although he was somewhat reckless, he was not a fool. This place had been abandoned for more than a month, yet he could not see even the slightest sign of snakes, insects, rats, or ants. He could not even hear insect cries.

This was clearly abnormal. Combined with the fact that it had grown quieter and quieter when he came here earlier, his heart turned cold with fear. There was probably truly something in this temple.

So he no longer intended to go look at the temple’s main hall and prepared to turn back and walk out through the temple gate.

He suddenly turned around, and at that very moment, the heavy gate actually shut with a sudden slap. This made coldness spread through his whole body, and he froze completely.

At this time, he felt wisps of cold air blowing against the back of his neck. He could even imagine something behind him leaning its head close to his neck and blowing cold air.

Thinking of this, he dared move even less, afraid that he would anger the thing behind him and be killed directly.

At this moment, a burst of noisy suona music suddenly came from outside, as if a wedding procession were passing by.

The sound of the suona startled him awake from his fear. He immediately scrambled and crawled to the temple entrance, opened the gate, and fled outside.

What made him feel strange was that he felt nothing chasing him from behind, as if everything just now had been his illusion and the door had been shut by the wind on its own.

Thinking of this, he could not help turning back to look in the direction of the temple. With this one glance, he felt a chill run through him. He saw a white-robed woman with her hair tied in a bun, like a Bodhisattva, hanging from the temple’s old gate by white silk, staring at him from afar with venomous eyes.

And at that very moment, a wedding procession suddenly appeared beside him and headed toward Fengmen County.

At the time, his head was dizzy, and he was muddled and dazed. All he could think about was getting back quickly, so he followed the wedding procession to Fengmen County.

After arriving in Fengmen County, the wedding procession vanished. He also ran home. After returning home, he fell ill in bed, and that illness lasted several months. He did not even dare leave Fengmen County.

Many people had laughed at him over this matter, and he no longer had the face to call himself a wandering hero, so he started working as a carriage driver.

Later, he also felt that not only was there something strange about that temple, but even that wedding procession had been somewhat strange. Although he had been muddle-headed at the time, when the wind lifted the curtain, he had vaguely seen that inside the bridal sedan was not a bride, but a boy as delicately beautiful as carved jade.

Only, he also did not dare tell people about this matter carelessly, afraid that speaking too much would bring disaster upon himself and cause strange things to cling to him.

As time passed, this matter was buried deep in his heart and gradually forgotten. It was only after encountering this strange peach grove over the past two days that he remembered that old incident.

“Grandpa He, what are you thinking about?” Suddenly, a girl’s voice came from beside him, startling He Zhong, who had been immersed in his memories, into a shiver.

He Zhong was startled and could not help clutching his heart, which was pounding wildly in fright, while breathing heavily.

Then, looking at the father and daughter staring at him strangely, he said somewhat awkwardly, “I remembered something from before, and I still feel lingering fear now.”

In truth, that was indeed the case. If Li Si had not helped him during this encounter with the strange, he would already have been planted into a peach tree. How could he have had the chance to escape?

So He Zhong was full of gratitude toward Li Si and had also resolved to do well in the matter Li Si had entrusted to him.

Shu Rong and his daughter also thought of what had happened earlier, and their hearts were filled with mixed feelings. Only, they were not too sorrowful, because Madam Shu Fang had already entered reincarnation.

“Let us go. We must quicken our pace, or else we will have to spend another night outside.” He Zhong smiled and strode directly ahead.

Shu Rong and his daughter nodded, then also quickened their pace and followed behind He Zhong.