Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 253 Wishing Plaque in the Wind

The vermilion doors of the side hall were wide open, revealing a brightly lit interior filled with the smoke of candles.

Wearing a slightly worn gray monk's robe, Huiming stood at the entrance of the side hall, his hands clasped together, greeting each pilgrim who entered. If any pilgrim came to inquire about the origin of the statue, he would answer them one by one, so Huiming was surrounded by a crowd.

When these tourists heard the stories behind these statues, they often exclaimed in amazement and shock, after all, they had never seen these statues before.

Medicine King, Yue Fei, Guan Yu, the Loyal and Martial God, Wenchang Emperor...

An elderly pilgrim squeezed to the front and pointed to the nearest statue, asking, "Master, could you tell me the origin of this statue?" Huiming nodded slightly and calmly recounted its history.

Everyone listened intently, nodding occasionally.

Chen Anran and Feng Xiaolu stood on the stone steps outside the side hall, looking at the bustling scene before them, both feeling somewhat dazed. Just a few days ago, there were only a few scattered worshippers, so quiet that one could hear the wind rustling through the falling leaves. Now, however, it was teeming with people, as if it had become a popular spot for taking photos overnight.

"My goodness..." Feng Xiaolu's eyes widened. "There are so many people! Can Master Huiming manage all of this by himself?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Huiming stepped out of the crowd and strode towards them. The monk's forehead was damp with sweat, but his expression remained serene. Upon seeing Chen Anran and Feng Xiaolu, he clasped his hands in a respectful greeting: "Master Chen, Benefactor Feng."

"Thank you for your hard work, Master Huiming," Chen Anran replied.

"It's alright, just a bit crowded." Huiming smiled slightly. "It's a good thing that the incense is plentiful, but I didn't expect it to come so quickly. It's thanks to Miss Zhao's advance arrangements for security guards and volunteers to maintain order, otherwise, this old monk alone would have been overwhelmed."

Chen Anran looked up into the hall, and through the swirling incense smoke, he could vaguely make out the outlines of the statues. Unlike before, he could now clearly feel the faint fluctuations of divine power.

Those are the thoughts emitted by the devout worshippers during their prayers, which, like a stream, are slowly nourishing the statues inside the temple.

"Want to go in and take a look?" Feng Xiaolu couldn't wait any longer and grabbed Chen Anran's sleeve to squeeze into the crowd.

The two slowly moved into the hall with the flow of people. The side hall was not small, but it felt crowded at the moment.

Several statues of deities are arranged on both sides, with Emperor Wenchang in the central position.

Before each statue was an altar, with flickering candlelight and incense burners filled with freshly lit incense sticks. Worshippers knelt, clasped their hands in prayer, or simply gazed at the statues in silence, their whispers creating a buzzing background noise.

In front of the Medicine King statue, a middle-aged woman was praying softly for her family's recovery; in front of the Guan Yu statue, several young people were earnestly discussing the meaning of "loyalty and righteousness" in the present day; in front of the Wenchang Emperor statue, a group of students lined up to offer incense, their expressions devout—probably praying for good luck in their exams.

Feng Xiaolu leaned close to Chen Anran's ear and whispered, "Junior Brother, don't you think... these statues seem a little different?"

How could he not know about the changes in Chen Anran's actions?

Chen Anran nodded gently: "With the gathering of incense and the nourishment of wishes, over time, it may indeed cultivate some 'divinity'."

"Divinity?" Feng Xiaolu's eyes lit up. "Doesn't that mean they might be able to manifest their power in the future?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Chen Anran shook his head. "The matter of divine manifestation is not so simple. Incense and prayers are certainly precious, but without the corresponding methods to guide and refine them, at most they can only make the statue more 'efficate' and enhance its protective power. It is still a long way from truly 'coming alive'."

"Oh..." Feng Xiaolu seemed to understand, but her attention was quickly drawn to something else. "Look over there!"

She pointed to a corner inside the hall. There were several donation boxes there, and worshippers were lining up to put coins or cash into them. Nearby, volunteers were distributing "prayer plaques," which worshippers could write down their wishes and hang on the wishing tree outside the hall. That old tree was now covered with colorful little wooden plaques, which tinkled gently in the wind like wind chimes.

"It seems the donations are quite substantial," Chen Anran said in a low voice.

However, he values ​​the power of the incense offerings more than the money itself.

The two walked around the hall, not wanting to disturb the busy Huiming, and quietly withdrew. The viewing railings at the edge of the platform outside the hall were crowded with tourists taking photos. Some were taking selfies with the sea of ​​clouds and mountains as a backdrop, some were live-streaming on their phones, and others were sketching.

"The Cloud-Hidden Immortal's Footprints truly live up to its name!" A young girl holding a selfie stick exclaimed excitedly into her phone camera. "Look at this sea of ​​clouds, look at this ancient temple, doesn't it have that ambiance? Let me tell you, when I was offering incense inside just now, I felt completely at peace..."

Her companion added, "And I heard there really are monks practicing here! They live on the mountaintop! It's a pity it's not open to the public, otherwise I'd really like to go up and see..."

Chen Anran and Feng Xiaolu exchanged a smile, quietly slipped away from the edge of the crowd, and walked to a relatively quiet spot on the other side of the platform.

"Now our Cloud Hidden Sect is quite famous among ordinary people." Feng Xiaolu leaned against the railing, gazing at the faint outline of the resort visible below the mountain. "But Junior Brother, do you think so many people coming here will disturb the peaceful cultivation in the mountains?"

"Now our Cloud Hidden Sect is quite famous among ordinary people." Feng Xiaolu leaned against the railing, gazing at the faint outline of the resort visible below the mountain. "But Junior Brother, do you think so many people coming here will disturb the peaceful cultivation in the mountains?"

"Therefore, the activity area should be limited to below the mountainside."

"That's true." Feng Xiaolu nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, if Second Senior Sister's movie were really filmed here, wouldn't it be even more lively?"

"Filming time is limited, and we can announce it in advance to guide fans to avoid peak times." Chen Anran had already considered this issue. "Moreover, appropriate exposure is also beneficial to the sect. At least on the surface, we are a 'tourist attraction' or 'film and television location,' not some reclusive cultivation sect, which can reduce a lot of unnecessary speculation and covetousness."

"You're really thinking ahead." Feng Xiaolu tilted her head to look at him. "Junior brother, just how many twists and turns are in your head?"

Chen Anran chuckled: "Not much, just enough."

The two stood there for a while, watching the sea of ​​clouds surge and the mountain breeze rustle. After a long while, Feng Xiaolu suddenly asked softly, "Junior Brother, what do you think... our Cloud Hidden Sect will become in the future?"

Chen Anran was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "It will get better. There will be more disciples, a more complete inheritance, and stronger strength. But some things will not change, that is, this place is still our home, my senior sisters are still my senior sisters, and we will still keep Master's teachings in our hearts."

Feng Xiaolu turned to look at him. In the sunlight, Chen Anran's profile was clearly defined, his eyes calm and resolute. She suddenly realized that this junior brother had truly grown up, no longer the little boy who needed their care and whose eyes held secrets.

"Yes." She nodded emphatically, a bright smile spreading across her face. "It will definitely get even better!"