Fairy, please don't do this!

"How to seduce him, how to be intimate with him before the Buddha, how to drag my master into the mortal world and restore him to his former glory."

"Let me see if your holy form can truly achieve the enlightenment you speak of, or if you will only sink into it again, becoming even more despicable than me!"

"If you can remain clear-headed after experiencing all of this again, then I will willingly return to you."

"But if you succumb again, then this body will belong to me!"

This bet is utterly devastating!

Not only should Miao Tan relive that past she considered sordid, but she should also remain clear-headed amidst lust.

Gu Jinchao frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased.

The two used him as the basis for their bet, but did not ask for his opinion, clearly regarding him as someone who could see through the illusions of emptiness and form.

However, upon reflection, he realized that if he didn't resolve the matter, the painted-skin ghost would continue to haunt him, so he didn't interrupt.

At this moment, Miao Tan lowered her eyelids, gently bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, and clenched her slender hands, as if she were struggling.

The female ghost sneered, "Why don't you dare agree? Are you afraid of falling into that trap again?"

Miao Tan took a deep breath and finally nodded, saying, "This humble nun agrees!"

"If that's the case, then let's begin!"

The female ghost's lips curled into a cold smile, and her body suddenly exploded, sending out countless streams of dark energy.

In the next instant, it solidified into a huge black curtain, like an overturned black bowl, which suddenly swallowed up Miao Tan, Gu Jinzhao, and Abbess Miaoyu.

Gu Jinzhao felt a sudden dizziness and lost consciousness.

……

When Gu Jinzhao opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a somewhat old temple.

Blinding sunlight poured down from the azure sky, wisps of smoke rose from all directions, blending with the thin mist in the mountains, and the air was filled with the clamor of voices.

Inside and outside the mountain gate, many pilgrims dressed in various styles came and went, including believers with their families, curious tourists, and nuns in monks' robes.

They either greeted pilgrims or swept and cleaned the courtyard; everything was in perfect order.

This used to be a nunnery!

"How did it turn into daytime?"

Gu Jinzhao looked dazed and said subconsciously.

He paused, startled, as soon as he finished speaking.

Because when he tried to recall what happened last night, his mind was completely blank, with no relevant memories.

Just then, a nun dressed in simple robes walked gracefully over and stopped in front of him.

She clasped her hands together, her voice clear and melodious like a mountain stream: "I wonder if you've come to worship Buddha or to draw lots?"

Gu Jinzhao looked up and was immediately stunned by the beauty.

This nun was extremely beautiful.

Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting, and her lips as red as rouge without any lipstick. Her whole face was like a meticulously carved jade statue, exuding a detached charm that seemed to disregard all living beings.

Especially those glassy eyes, devoid of any warmth, looking at people as if they were cold, lifeless objects.

Seeing him standing there in a daze, the nun said again, "My Buddhist name is Miaotan. May I ask if you have come to worship Buddha or to draw lots?"

Gu Jinzhao snapped out of his daze and returned the greeting with clasped hands: "So it's Zen Master Miaotan. I am Gu Jinzhao, and I have come here today..."

At this point, he suddenly paused.

He seemed to have forgotten why he came to this temple on the mountain.

For some reason, Gu Jinchao felt that something was off about what had happened today.

I inexplicably found myself in a temple on the mountain, and inexplicably couldn't remember what happened last night, as if my memory had been erased.

Miao Tan frowned slightly: "Benefactor Gu?"

Gu Jinzhao seemed to remember something and quickly said, "I want to draw a fortune stick to ask about my marriage."

Upon hearing this, Miao Tan nodded slightly: "In that case, please follow me, Benefactor Gu."

After saying that, she turned around and led Gu Jinzhao through the bustling crowd of worshippers towards the interior.

Before long, the two arrived inside the main hall.

The hall was solemn and dignified. A compassionate Bodhisattva statue looked down upon all living beings, and incense smoke swirled around it. Many worshippers were kneeling and praying inside.

Miao Tan walked straight to the divination table next to the Buddha statue, took out the ebony divination tube, and handed it to Gu Jinzhao.

Miao Tan said calmly, "Benefactor Gu, please join me in sincerely reciting Buddhist scriptures. Once your mind is calm, then shake the divination sticks."

Gu Jinchao did as instructed, kneeling on the prayer mat and closing his eyes.

The clear and gentle chanting of the sutra by Miaotan reached my ears: "When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, he perceived that the five aggregates are all empty..."

Gu Jinchao also began to softly recite the familiar scriptures.

After an unknown amount of time, Miaotan's chanting stopped.

Gu Jinzhao felt a sense of clarity in his mind, picked up the divination tube with both hands, and slowly shook it.

With a soft "click," an ebony skewer fell to the ground.

Gu Jinzhao opened his eyes, picked it up, and looked at the fortune slip, which read:

[Clouds veil the moon's radiance, dew condenses its fragrance; a Zen mind, even in daylight, conceals the moon's light.]

[Form and appearance are but shadows in the sky; the true nature of phenomena lies hidden within their subtle workings.]

Chapter 297, The Love-Hate Entanglement Between Master and Disciple and the Scholar (Part Two) (3K)

Although Gu Jinchao was a scholar, he was not well-versed in Buddhist scriptures and stories.

The imagery in this divination slip is vague; one can only barely understand that the first two lines describe a scene of clouds obscuring the moon's radiance and a Zen-like mind being inwardly restrained.

The last two sentences seem to suggest that appearances are all illusions, but fate is hidden in mystery.

But what exactly it refers to, and how it relates to the marriage he seeks, remains a mystery.

Gu Jinzhao seemed to remember something and handed the wooden slip to the beautiful nun beside him: "I am foolish and do not understand the profound meaning of this slip. Please enlighten me, Zen Master Miaotan."

Miao Tan gently raised her delicate hand and slowly accepted it.

When his gaze fell on the fortune slip, he was slightly taken aback.

Gu Jinzhao noticed her unusual behavior and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Miao Tan took a deep breath, suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, and said softly, "The gist of it is that Benefactor Gu's destiny has arrived."

"However, one's true nature will be obscured by physical appearance, and one will need to go through some twists and turns before finding the destined person."

Previously, her master had told her that the destined person who could guide her through the bitter sea of ​​mortal life was about to arrive, but she never expected it to be this scholar in front of her.

The reason I think it's Gu Jinzhao is because of the last line, "The Dharma is naturally hidden within the wonders."

The character “妙” has multiple meanings in Buddhism. It can refer to mystery or wonder, or it can refer to a woman whose name contains the character “妙”.

Her Buddhist name was Miaotan!

Therefore, it can be concluded that she and Gu Jinzhao have a predestined relationship, and that he is her destined one.

But why is it that the moon's brilliance is obscured by clouds, making it difficult to discern one's true nature?

Clearly, this refers to Gu Jinzhao's true feelings being blinded by physical attraction, leading him to fall in love with someone else!

Miao Tan felt an indescribable displeasure.

Why are you unhappy?

It wasn't that she fell in love with Gu Jinzhao at first sight, but rather that he would fall for someone else because of her looks.

In this way, he would naturally miss his chance to marry her, and also let her miss the opportunity to enter the sea of ​​suffering in the mortal world.

Seeing that Miao Tan still looked somewhat dazed after interpreting the divination slip, Gu Jinchao cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Zen Master Miao Tan!"

"I have important matters to attend to at home, so I will not disturb you any longer."

Miao Tan did not respond, still staring at the wooden stick in her hand, lost in thought.

Gu Jinchao turned and left the main hall.

He was still pondering the profound divination slip and the ambiguous interpretation of the divination stick, and his steps became somewhat unsteady.

Just as he stepped out of the palace gate, the light in front of him suddenly dimmed, and he bumped directly into a beautiful figure that happened to be entering!

The next moment, Gu Jinzhao felt his cheek suddenly sink into a soft, plump area.

Then, the force knocked him backward, and he tripped and fell to the ground with a thud.

Just then, a soft, melodious voice, tinged with concern, rang out: "Benefactor... are you alright?"

Immediately, a fair and delicate hand grasped his wrist and pulled him up.

Gu Jinzhao steadied himself before looking at the woman in front of him, and was slightly taken aback.

Standing before me was a nun who was at least eight feet tall.

She was dressed in a gray monk's robe, which, although extremely loose, could not conceal her voluptuous and alluring mature figure.

Looking up, there was a stunningly beautiful face!

Her features were exquisite, her nose high and straight, and her lips full and red, creating a captivating and alluring mature charm.

Strangely enough, her alluring appearance, paired with the solemn monk's robe she wore, and the dignified beauty that emanated from within, felt perfectly harmonious.

Instead, the allure of that charm added a touch of approachable, loving, and peaceful aura.

She seemed to be both a tempting enchantress and a compassionate bodhisattva.

Gu Jinzhao was stunned for a moment, his gaze fixed on the other person's face, forgetting to respond.

Seeing his appearance, the nun asked with concern, "Have you fallen and injured yourself, benefactor?"

"I was careless just now and walked a little too fast."

Gu Jinzhao then came to his senses and quickly waved his hand, "It's nothing! It was my own carelessness, it has nothing to do with the nun."

As he spoke, he tried to take a step back to create some distance.

However, the moment he moved his leg, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his right ankle!

His body involuntarily staggered, and he swayed to the side again.

Just as he was about to fall again, the slender hand that was holding his wrist pulled him back.

Gu Jinchao then threw himself into that warm and soft embrace once again, his vision immediately obscured by the two full moons.

A rich, alluring fragrance wafted into his nostrils, causing his body to stiffen and his mind to flutter.

The nun noticed Gu Jinzhao's unusual behavior, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she slowly took a step back, looking down at his right foot, which he clearly dared not put any force on: "You must have twisted your ankle, benefactor."

"There are too many people here, so it's inconvenient to inspect."

"If you don't mind, this humble nun will help you back to your meditation room and apply some medicinal wine for you, shall we?"

Gu Jinzhao instinctively wanted to refuse.

Men and women should not touch each other, especially when the other party is a monk.

But the moment he looked up and met the nun's alluring yet tender peach blossom eyes, all the words of refusal stuck in his throat.

Gu Jinzhao nodded as if possessed: "Then... I'll have to trouble you, Master."

"You're too kind, benefactor."

“Come, lean on this humble nun and walk slowly.”

The nun helped Gu Jinzhao up, letting him put one arm on her shoulder, half-supporting and half-carrying him, and slowly walked towards the meditation area in the backyard of the temple.

At the entrance of the main hall, Miao Tan gazed at the two figures pressed tightly together, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

She remembered the fortune slip that Gu Jinzhao had just used to ask about marriage.

[Clouds veil the moon's radiance, dew condenses its fragrance; a Zen mind, hidden even in daylight, conceals its brilliance like jade.]

[Form and appearance are but shadows in the sky; the true nature of phenomena lies hidden within their subtle workings.]