Oliver took a few steps in the darkness, then suddenly stumbled and fell. Assuming it was his lazy donkey lying on the ground, he chuckled softly, "Stubborn donkey? Playing hide and seek with me?" He reached out and touched something sticky and cold, but he couldn't discern what it was.
Suddenly, lightning illuminated the scene, accompanied by booming thunder, and the hall was bathed in a bright blue-purple light.
He gasped, his hairs standing on end, almost jumping up in shock.
The floor of the hall was littered with the bodies of monks, sprawled in various positions, mouths agape, eyes wide with expressions of shock, anger, and sorrow. Their chests were ripped open, their deaths gruesome, blood pooling on the ground, some of it already congealed into dark purple ice.
As quickly as the lightning had come, darkness returned to the hall.
The chilling wind howled, banners fluttered wildly, and the hall was shrouded in a sinister coldness. The Buddha statues seemed to loom ominously, casting an eerie atmosphere.
Despite his usual courage, Oliver couldn't help but feel a chill creeping into his heart. Buffeted by the cold wind, he felt his spine shiver, his teeth chattering involuntarily. He wanted to turn and flee the hall, but his legs felt weak, unable to move.
After what seemed like an eternity, his frantic heartbeat gradually calmed, and suddenly he thought, "Could it be that bandits raided the temple and massacred the monks?"
In these remote mountains and old forests, bandits were numerous, and temple treasures made them lucrative targets. This deduction seemed plausible.
Gathering his resolve, he thought, "Oliver, these are just unfortunate souls. What is there to fear for a man of your stature?"
He bowed to the surroundings and declared loudly, "Revered monks, come dawn tomorrow, I shall descend the mountain and report to the nearest magistrate. The murderers shall be brought to justice, in honor of your spirits..."
Before he could finish, a bray came from behind one of the Buddha statues to the right.
"Stubborn donkey!" Oliver's heart had calmed by now, and amidst the darkness filled with corpses, hearing the donkey's call was as soothing as heavenly music.
His spirits lifted, and he cautiously made his way toward the Buddha statue. True enough, he caught a whiff of the donkey's scent.
The donkey brayed excitedly, rubbing its furry head against him, clearly delighted to see him.
Oliver couldn't help but shiver violently, sneezing loudly. He was trembling all over, feeling unbearably cold. Without hesitation, he used the abbot's robe to gather up all the scattered items on the ground. Then, he grabbed the donkey and hurried back to the temple's backyard chamber, where he found the kitchen and lit a fire for warmth.
Completely drenched, Oliver sat by the fire, stripping off his wet clothes inside and out, wrapping himself in the monk's thin blanket, and hanging his clothes on the rack to dry.
The donkey circled the fire a few times before lazily lying down on the ground, chewing and humming contentedly.
"Stubborn donkey, your temper is too much, isn't it? Can't even respond when spoken to? Well, have a piece of steamed cake to cool off," Oliver said, unable to contain his amusement. He heated up some dry steamed cakes over the fire, tore one in half, and tossed it to the donkey's mouth.
Without even looking at him, the donkey rolled its eyes and arrogantly snatched the cake, chewing it with a smug expression.
Oliver chuckled, eating his own dry cake while carefully examining the items wrapped in the robe. Earlier, he couldn't see clearly in the thunderstorm, but now, with the firelight and proximity, everything was clear.
The red prayer beads were actually made up of thirty-six beads of different materials, including precious gems like amethyst, agate, coral, as well as bone beads, amber, and many other unidentifiable ones. Each bead was lustrous and radiant, emitting a red light that illuminated the kitchen.
The agate gourd was exquisite and delicate, complementing the red jade tripod perfectly, creating a beautiful and magnificent sight.
Oliver picked up the gourd and shook it gently, hearing a crisp sound from inside, but he couldn't see what was in it.
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
The Serendipitous Scholar: A Journey to Wealth
Phiêu lưuThe novel revolves around a young scholar named Oliver, who embarks on a journey from his hometown to the capital city to take the imperial examination. Along the way, he encounters various challenges and injustices. During his travels, he meets a d...
