A fierce autumn rain caught the three of them completely off guard.
This was what happened when one doesn't check the weather before going out.
Lin Miao hurriedly drove the carriage, searching everywhere for a place to seek shelter from the rain. Fortunately, they were lucky; they accidentally stumbled upon a temple.
To be precise, it was a nunnery.
Heaven-Reaching Temple.
What a bold name for a nunnery. One wonders if they can really live up to it.
Although Buddhism is not the state religion of the Da Li Dynasty, its influence is significant, especially during the previous dynasty. In the Jiangnan region, the Southern Dynasty had forty-eight temples, with flourishing Buddhist studies, attracting both empires and common folk alike to study and believe in Buddhism.
When the current dynasty was established, it ruled the world alongside aristocratic families. Buddhist temples occupied large tracts of land and did not pay taxes, amassing wealth comparable to a nation, which eventually led to their downfall during the "Buddhism Purge."
Since then, only one in ten temples in Jiangnan remained.
Northern temples were few to begin with, so the impact there was minimal. After the destruction of temples, many monks and bhikkhunis returned to lay life, especially some nunneries which became places of ill-repute and were completely abolished.
The court established the Monastic Supervision Department, and all temples in the world were brought under management, with only registered ones allowed to exist.
In the martial world, there are three types of people not to be provoked: monks (the ordained), the disabled, and women.
The ordained are at the top of the list, for obvious reasons.
Especially in a world where martial arts thrive, the Buddhist martial arts sect Tianlong Temple is a holy land yearned for by many martial artists.
If this were an abandoned temple on a deserted mountain, going in to avoid the rain wouldn't be an issue, but being a nunnery, Lin Miao couldn't help but have doubts.
Is this nunnery legitimate?
But with the rain pouring so heavily, with nowhere else to go, her senior sister's health already poor, was she to let her get soaked in the rain?
That was clearly not an option.
Regardless of whether it is legitimate or not, they just needed to avoid the rain and would leave once it stopped.
Lin Miao approached to knock on the nunnery door, and an older nun clasped her hands together, softly recited a Buddhist chant, and, upon learning they were travelers seeking shelter from the rain,
did not consent immediately. Instead, she returned to report and quickly came back.
Monastics are naturally inclined to offer assistance, especially upon seeing two women with a young attendant encountering difficulty and avoiding a storm, it was only right to help.
They were arranged to stay in the backyard meditation room.
"The temple is rather simple; please forgive us, donors,"
"The abbess is too kind. As travelers, having a place to shield us from the wind and rain is already more than enough," Sun Youwei replied softly.
The nun named Jingyi showed them where the kitchen and the restroom were before leaving.
Lin Miao and the others had brought their own dry rations and only needed the nunnery to provide a stove, firewood, and of course, water, the source of life.
The timing of the rain was most unfortunate; had it come an hour later, they might have reached the fort town ahead to seek lodging.
But the rain grew heavier, and even if it stopped, it would be difficult to reach before dark.
They could only stay overnight at the Heaven-Reaching Temple.
"Senior sister, quickly change your clothes. Wearing wet clothes could make you sick," Lin Miao instructed upon entering the room.
"Junior brother, you should change your clothes too," Sun Youwei said with concern, knowing Lin Miao's clothes were already soaked from driving the carriage.
"Thank you for your concern, senior sister. I'll change in a little while," Lin Miao nodded, then went out to find the kitchen, started a fire, and began boiling ginger tea. The rain outside seemed relentless, unlikely to stop before nightfall.
He hung their wet clothes to dry.
In the kitchen, there were two nuns, one older, around fifty years old, and the other younger, about thirty, both ordinary-looking.
However, their steps were steady, and their eyes sharp, clearly skilled in martial arts. Although it was hard to tell their level, the Heaven-Reaching Temple was not a typical nunnery.
Being merely a passerby seeking refuge from the rain, Lin Miao knew the secrets of the Heaven-Reaching Temple had nothing to do with him. What didn't matter to him was best left alone.
He had his troubles to deal with without minding others' business.
However, knowing the nuns were all martial artists with considerable skills, it would be wise to stay alert while sleeping that night.
Around the initial hour of the You time (5:00 PM), the sound of evening rituals echoed from the front hall. The melodious bell chimes resonated, and the chants were clearly audible in the backyard meditation room.
The nuns' voices were not small, quite full of energy.
He couldn't tell how this world's Buddhism differed from what he knew, and though curious, he restrained himself.
Exploring a new world requires curiosity.
The premise is that safety is assured.
Amid the Buddhist chants, Lin Miao's emotions gradually calmed; the power of Buddhism seemed indeed quite mystical.
After the evening rituals ended, the rain gradually ceased, leaving the bluestone paved ground looking as if it had been washed clean by the rainwater.
It's very slippery.
Strangely, since entering this nunnery, that feeling of being on edge has vanished.
"Honored guests, our humble temple has prepared some vegetarian dishes. If you don't mind, you are welcome to join us," a young Bhikkhuni came over, knocked on the door, and bowed with clasped hands.
"Thank you, Master, we have brought our own dry food."
"Amitabha, then please yourself," the Bhikkhuni didn't insist and left.
When traveling, caution is crucial, especially with food. Who knows if this Heaven-Reaching Temple is truly a place of genuine practice?
Anyway, we're leaving in the morning, so let's avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Mrs. Yun, when you sleep, make sure to close the windows and the door, and bolt them. I'm right next door, and I'll be there if there's any movement," Lin Miao reminded.
"Don't worry, I understand," Yun nodded in agreement.
Sun Youwei took the medicinal soup prepared by Lin Miao, and as sleepiness came over her, she went to sleep.
Lin Miao returned to his room next door and lay down. Alone in a strange place, his nerves were highly tense, naturally making it hard to sleep.
This is a nunnery, and as a man, it's not appropriate to wander around at night. Seeing something one shouldn't could lead to trouble.
So, he could only stay in the room. Lighting a lamp would attract attention, hence reading wasn't an option. He could only ponder the mutual verification and contemplation of the Yijinjing and the Yijing Bone Forging Chapter in his mind.
Sometimes, when you let go of your obsessions, things become clearer, and many shackles will open.
Even without systematic assistance.
However, his lifelong learning isn't something a mere system could compare to.
Without the system or extraordinary advantages, he was confident he could manage well in this world, albeit starting off slightly more challenging.
One must not rely too heavily on external objects.
Medicine is about discovering the mysteries of the human body, while martial arts explore and manifest the body's potential from the inside out!
The human body is a huge, complex system, and many people struggle to understand even a fraction of it in their lifetime.
Lin Miao did not consider himself able to achieve that.
But he did his utmost to attempt it.
However, there is a theory that explains the rules of this system's operation, namely the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory, which is also the foundation for traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts cultivation.
Using this theory to understand this world's Muscle and Bone Strengthening Chapter offered a completely different understanding from before, improving it by countless levels.
This equates to an epiphany on the original basis, allowing him to advance from the mid-stage to the high stage of muscle changing and even reach perfection in an extremely short time.
Of course, the cultivation technique given by Sun Simiao was rather ordinary, far inferior compared to the Yijinjing.
If he were to switch to cultivating the Yijinjing, his Perfect Stage of Muscle Changing could see significant improvement...
Yet, in his previous world, the Yijinjing wasn't a secret, and anyone could access it if they wished. Why couldn't it achieve the same effects here?
This Lin Miao couldn't explain, nor find an answer in a short time, perhaps never in his lifetime.
But this doesn't affect the fact it's quite an intriguing process.
Suddenly.
Ah!
The scream was like a thunderclap, suddenly exploding in the night sky, nearly startling Lin Miao who was channeling his energy.
In the middle of the night, how could there be a woman's scream, and this scream seemed to come from behind the Buddha hall of the Heaven-Reaching Temple!
Could it be that this Heaven-Reaching Temple is truly a place of hidden filth?
There were motions of getting up in the room next door. Lin Miao quickly jumped down from the bed, hoping the ladies wouldn't mind.
Just then, another scream came, more harrowing than the first.
This sound seemed to imply unbearable pain from torture.
"Miss, Mrs. Yun, did you hear that?" Lin Miao rose and opened the door, coming to the room next door and saw the light inside, pressed against the door, and asked inside.
"Yes, it sounds like a woman's scream. Teacher... little Miao, what's happening here?" Sun Youwei's voice came from inside.
"Miss, whatever you hear, please don't come out. We are merely guests seeking shelter from the rain, and we must adhere to the rules and not meddle unnecessarily," Lin Miao said.
"Okay, I understand."
"No matter what happens, I'm here!"
Lin Miao's words instantly reassured the two women considerably.