Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 293 Encountering a Miracle During Site Visit

Donations were made freely, in any amount, and were placed in the donation box in the corner of the hall. Huiming would count the money every few days, and after deducting the expenses for maintaining the incense, candles, and lamp oil in the hall, the surplus was quite considerable. He kept a clear record of the accounts and handed them all over to Zhao Mengmeng to be deposited into the sect's public account.

On this afternoon, the autumn sun was warm.

The side hall was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, and there were already more than a dozen worshippers inside.

An elderly woman with white hair tremblingly lit three incense sticks, whispering prayers for her grandson to be free from illness and disaster; a well-dressed middle-aged man, his expression anxious, closed his eyes and prayed silently for a long time; and two young wandering cultivators who came together curiously examined the statues, whispering to each other that these statues seemed to have faint spiritual energy fluctuations.

Huiming stood quietly in the shadows beside the hall, holding a string of smooth, lustrous prayer beads, his gaze peacefully fixed on the people in the hall.

He had a strange feeling in his heart; the palace seemed to be quieter than usual these past few days.

It's not that there are few people, but rather the atmosphere. In ordinary crowded places, there are bound to be distractions and restlessness, but in this side hall, whether it's the devout whispers of the white-haired old woman, the curious glances of the young wandering cultivators, or even the deep sorrow between the brows of the middle-aged man, everything seems to be soothed and calmed by some invisible force, ultimately transforming into a gentle and tranquil atmosphere that lingers between the pillars and statues.

At first, Huiming thought it was due to his improved state of mind, but upon closer inspection today, he discovered something different.

The faint spiritual power surrounding the statue, invisible to the naked eye, seemed to have solidified a bit more than it had a few days ago, and its flow was more "spiritual".

They do not simply gather and then dissipate, but rather seep into the statues silently, like a trickle of water, giving the stone and clay sculptures, which are already becoming more and more "vivid" due to the spiritual energy and offerings of the sect, an extra touch of very faint and indescribable "divine charm".

"Is it nourished by the power of incense and prayers, or...?" Huiming's gaze swept over the statues of gods in the hall, infusing his eyes with a trace of Buddhist tranquility and Zen, sensing them carefully.

Sure enough, inside these statues, there seemed to be an extremely faint yet stable "core" pulsating slowly, resonating subtly with the power of will flowing within the hall and even the spiritual energy of the sect's grand formation further away.

"The incense and religious rites... are they really showing signs of revival?" Huiming was slightly shocked.

In the Dharma-ending Age, the divine path has declined, and most of the statues of gods enshrined in temples and monasteries across the country have been reduced to clay or wooden puppets.

When Huiming realized what was happening, his respect for Chen Anran grew even stronger, as he knew that all these statues were brought by Chen Anran.

"Truly worthy of being called the Buddha!"

Just as Huiming was filled with emotion, Chen Anran led Wang Rui, Sun Wei, and Zhang Hao in.

Upon seeing Chen Anran, Huiming immediately went to greet him.

"A real person."

Chen Anran entered the side hall, first glancing at the lively scene in the hall, then looking up at the statue of the deity, before turning to Huiming and saying with a smile, "Thank you for your trouble."

Huiming quickly replied, "You flatter me, Master. This is merely my duty."

Chen Anran smiled slightly and explained why he came here: "My second senior sister's movie is about to start filming, so I took the three of them around to see the sights and listen to their thoughts."

Huiming led Chen Anran and Wang Rui to a quiet spot to the side of the hall. Wang Rui, Sun Wei, and Zhang Hao followed behind.

But his eyes couldn't help but wander around.

"This place... seems to have a stronger presence than the last few times we've been here," Zhang Hao remarked.

"That's right," Wang Rui chimed in quietly, gesturing through the viewfinder. "The texture of these statues is very special... how should I put it, it feels like they're 'breathing.' The photos will definitely turn out amazing."

While the three were chatting, Huiming led them to a quiet room on the side of the side hall. This room was originally a place for the disciples on duty to rest temporarily. Now it was clean and tidy. Sparse bamboo could be seen outside the window. It was less bustling and more tranquil than the front hall.

"Please have a seat, three benefactors." Huiming gestured for Wang Rui and the others to sit on the bamboo chairs, while he went to fetch the tea set. "This humble monk only has some coarse mountain tea here; I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Master, you're too kind." Wang Rui quickly waved his hand, but his eyes couldn't help but peek through the half-open door of the meditation room at the statues in the hall, each with a different expression and bathed in the wisps of incense smoke. "This place is just so atmospheric... It would be perfect to film the 'Celestial Council' scene in Master Wei's new movie here."

Sun Wei nodded in agreement, "The hall is spacious enough, and the arrangement of the statues has a sense of depth. The lighting should create a dramatic effect. However..." She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Chen Anran, "Master Chen, during filming, some equipment may be coming in and out, and worshippers will need to be temporarily evacuated. Will this disturb the cultivation?"

Chen Anran accepted the teacup from Huiming and said gently, "It's alright. We can choose to film in the early morning or at dusk when there are fewer worshippers. I'll have Mengmeng help with the arrangements. Just be careful with everything inside the hall when filming."

Zhang Hao remained silent, holding up his small portable camera and observing the changes in light within the hall through the lens. Suddenly, he exclaimed "Huh?", adjusted the focus, and aimed the lens at the three-eyed deity statue in the center.

"What's wrong?" Wang Rui leaned closer.

"Look at the eyes of the statue... Did you see a flash of light just now?" Zhang Hao said uncertainly, turning the camera screen towards the crowd to replay the footage he had just recorded.

In the scene, incense smoke curls and the deity stands solemnly. In one frame, a faint golden light seems to flash briefly across the third eye of the deity's forehead, so fast that it is almost mistaken for a lens glare.

Huiming paused slightly in the teapot he was holding.

Chen Anran's gaze remained fixed on the screen, his expression unchanged. He was more aware of the changes in the statue than anyone else, and he estimated that at the current pace, the day when the statue would be awakened was not far off.

"It's probably just the flickering candlelight," Sun Wei glanced at it a few times, not paying much attention. "With so many incense sticks and candles here, the reflection is normal."

Wang Rui nodded in agreement: "However, this kind of accidental lighting effect is more natural and cannot be replicated in post-production. Master Chen, Master Huiming, shall we tentatively decide on this scene? We will finalize the specific shooting time with Miss Mengmeng and Master Wei in detail."

Chen Anran only said one word, "Okay".

Afterwards, Wang Rui and the other two carefully inspected the side hall again, pointing and discussing various areas, occasionally whispering about camera angles, lighting arrangements, and camera placement. Zhang Hao even pulled out a small notebook and quickly sketched out rough storyboard drafts. They were clearly extremely satisfied with the "atmosphere" here, their eyes shining with excitement.

Chen Anran stayed with them for a while, and seeing that the discussion was getting into the details, she whispered to Huiming, "You stay here and keep watch, I'll be leaving now."

"Take care, sir." Huiming clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.