bookbashuk Chapter 334 Night
Chapter 334 Night
This is where dreams begin, and where dreams come true.
Chen Anran felt there was no solution to the current situation.
He drew the curtains, and the dim light in the room clearly illuminated the melancholy between his brows. Qi Lan, Ling Dang, and Shi Tou all looked at him, awaiting his decision.
After a long pause, Chen Anran slowly exhaled. "Hiding, maneuvering, explaining... Faced with such a powerful and overwhelming force, these tricks are nothing but self-deception. He Qingyun, with his 'ironclad evidence' and his reputation for grief and indignation, has gained the upper hand. Tomorrow, in the public debate, no matter what reasons we give or what loopholes we find, as long as we prevent them from searching, or fail to find anyone, this label of 'colluding with a cult and harboring criminals' will never be removed. Public opinion can melt metal and destroy bones."
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the three of them. The last trace of hesitation in his eyes vanished, replaced by a resolute determination in the face of certain death.
Chen Anran said, word by word, "Now, we can only meet force with force and water with water."
Lingdang's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but Chen Anran stopped her by raising her hand.
"Qi Lan, leave the bell in the secret room. There's no need to leave." Chen Anran looked at Qi Lan, "Can your 'Meow Fairy Abode' hold out for long?"
Qi Lan's amber vertical pupils narrowed slightly. "It's my shop, of course I can protect it. As long as I'm still standing here, anyone who wants to force their way in tomorrow will have to think twice."
"Okay." Chen Anran nodded. "Shitou, protect the bell and guard the entrance to the secret chamber. Tomorrow, no matter what happens outside, unless I or Qi Lan personally call you, do not come out."
Stone puffed out his chest and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Brother Chen! I'm here, the door's still here!"
Chen Anran looked at the bell one last time: "Tomorrow, no matter what you hear or see, keep your mind calm. The restrictions within your body must not cause any more trouble. The truth will eventually come to light, but the prerequisite is that you must live."
Lingdang nodded emphatically, her eyes still filled with worry and fear, but also with a ruthless determination to never sit idly by and wait for death.
After arranging things at "Meow Fairy Residence," Chen Anran didn't linger.
"I'm going back to the mountain to make some arrangements. I'll come back before the public meeting begins tomorrow." With that, he opened the shop door and disappeared into the deepening night.
On the way back up the mountain, the night wind was like a knife. Chen Anran walked swiftly, but his mind was as clear as the mountain path beneath his feet.
When soldiers come, generals will meet them head-on; this is not about reckless bravery. There must be a method to do so, and those who deserve protection must be protected.
Back at the Cloud Hidden Sect, the main hall was brightly lit. Su Wan and the others were indeed still awake, and upon seeing him return, they immediately surrounded him.
Chen Anran didn't elaborate, and said directly, "There may be a major change tomorrow. He Qingyun and the people behind him are probably targeting more than just 'Miaoxianju'. Just in case, you should go to Guangzhou City for temporary refuge first thing tomorrow morning."
"Junior Brother!" Feng Xiaolu exclaimed anxiously, "I'm not leaving! I want to stay!"
Although Wei Qingyi did not speak, her posture in the same place said it all.
Chen Anran looked at them, "Third Senior Sister, Second Senior Sister, I understand your intentions. But if a conflict really breaks out tomorrow, the scene will inevitably be chaotic. With you here, I need to spare some attention to protect you. You go to Guangshi to protect Eldest Senior Sister, Xiao Ling'er, Zhao Mengmeng, and Lin Xiaoman. That will be to guard my most important rear. There is no room for discussion on this matter."
His tone was resolute, carrying an unusual air of authority. Feng Xiaolu opened her mouth, but seeing the deep resolve in Chen Anran's eyes, she ultimately lowered her head, her eyes reddening.
Su Wan sighed softly and squeezed Chen Anran's hand: "Anran, be careful. Yunyin Sect can live without its sect, but it cannot live without you."
"Don't worry, senior sister. I'll contact you once I've sorted this out." Chen Anran squeezed her slightly cool hand in return before letting go. "There's no time to lose. You should pack your things now. I'll contact Fatty Li later and have him drive you away."
After seeing off Su Wan, Feng Xiaolu, Zhao Mengmeng, Lin Xiaoman, and Xiao Ling'er, who kept turning back to look at her, and watching their figures disappear around the corner, Chen Anran finally felt a little more at ease.
He turned around, but instead of going back to his room, he went straight out of the mountain gate and headed towards the side hall halfway up the mountain.
Inside the hall, only a single lamp burned dimly. Huiming was not asleep; he sat cross-legged on the prayer mat before the statue as usual, silently turning the prayer beads one by one in his hand.
Chen Anran walked to his side, crossed his arms, and looked up at the statue of Wenchang Emperor in front of him.
"Tomorrow, it will all depend on you all."
Huiming paused slightly as he twirled the prayer beads, then slowly stood up and bowed to Chen Anran. "The True Man also senses something. The guardian deities, having received incense offerings and found peace in this place, will naturally protect this mountain and this gate. If anyone dares to cause trouble here tomorrow, it would be blasphemy."
Chen Anran nodded. He walked to the statue, respectfully lit incense, and asked, "Huiming, have you heard anything about what happened just now?"
Huiming replied, "When Headmaster Su returned to the mountain, he came specifically to tell this humble monk."
What do you think?
"Wherever the Master is, that's where this humble monk will be."
After offering incense, Chen Anran turned to face Huiming. The dim light illuminated his profile. "Tomorrow, it is very likely that the Yunyin Sect will become an evil sect that everyone in the righteous sects will want to kill."
Huiming slowly stopped holding the prayer beads. "Since childhood, I have been practicing under the guidance of my late master. I have learned the Dharma, observed the precepts, and heard the teachings of equality for all beings and the infallibility of cause and effect. When my late master was alive, he often taught me that the distinction between right and wrong does not lie in the plaques of a sect, nor in the names of its practices, but in one's actions and intentions, and in the direction of one's karmic retribution."
He turned slightly to look at the statue, its solemn outline faintly visible in the dim light, as if whispering to a memory in the void.
"What my late master did later... He used the guise of spiritual practice to plunder; he chanted compassion while harboring greed and malice. At that time, the plaque of Longxiang Temple still gleamed with gold, and the chanting still echoed through the mountains. In the eyes of the world, he was an enlightened monk, a model of the 'righteous path.' But what was inside?" Huiming gently shook his head, a bitter smile, almost pitying, appearing on his lips. "Heaven and earth are silent, yet they respond. What difference is there between the so-called 'righteous path' and evil demons and heretics if one loses one's true nature?"
He turned his gaze back to Chen Anran, his eyes clear and firm.
"On the contrary, although my time in the Cloud Hidden Sect has been short, what I have seen and felt has been genuine. Sect Leader Su is kind and gentle, guiding people towards goodness; Master Chen, though he acts with ruthless methods, always retains a shred of compassion, protecting the weak and keeping his promises. Although the sect members are not bound by worldly etiquette, and laugh, laugh, and scold as they please, they support each other without any barriers between their hearts. The pure spiritual energy and peaceful life in these mountains are proof of this."
Huiming clasped his hands together and gave a slight bow.
"Is it righteous or wicked? This humble monk is dull-witted and cannot fathom the lofty ideals and titles spoken of by those great figures, nor can he discern the complex grudges and feuds between sects. This humble monk only knows that the Cloud Hidden Sect has provided this humble monk with a place to live and establish himself, treats this humble monk with sincerity, and acts with integrity and a clear conscience. With the example of my late master before me, this humble monk understands even more clearly that the word 'righteous' that is pasted on one's forehead and shouted from one's mouth is the most illusory. The true righteous path is found in the mountains and fields, in the marketplace, in the daily meals, words, and deeds, in having good intentions and acting with moderation."
Huiming raised his head, his brows relaxed, and a hint of magnanimous smile appeared on his face.
"This humble monk remains here, chanting my scriptures and guarding my temple. If the gods and Buddhas truly possess spirit, they will illuminate people's hearts and discern right from wrong. If weapons are truly laid upon this body..." He glanced at the silent statues in the temple, then looked at Chen Anran, "Even the guardian deities have moments of anger. This body and this heart, now that I have fallen into the Cloud Retreat, will share the same dust and light with the Cloud Retreat, and weather the storms together. True man, there is no need to worry; tomorrow, this humble monk knows where to stand."
After speaking, he sat down cross-legged again, began to count the prayer beads, closed his eyes, and began to chant scriptures softly. The melodious chanting echoed in the quiet side hall, blending into the deep night outside.
Chen Anran stood quietly for a long time, watching Huiming's calm and composed back. The last ripple in his heart caused by the unknown storms of tomorrow gradually subsided.
He said no more, but solemnly bowed to Huiming's back and the statues of gods in the hall, then turned around and strode into the increasingly dark night outside the hall.