NOVPUBChapter 1346: 633 Ancient Lotus_1 Chapter 1346: 633 Ancient Lotus_1 When they arrived at Enceaf Town, Madam Aria refused the Receptionist Monk and leaned on her cane.
Relying on her years of trained hearing, she groped her way to the prayer steps.
“Grandma, are you planning to ascend the steps by yourself?” asked Charlotte Aria, looking worried.
“Your body won’t hold up.”
Madam Aria smiled faintly and said, “Many years ago, I made my vows before Buddha, hoping to find my Vanessa soon.
Although Vanessa is no more, her daughter has returned in her stead.
Today, I have come to fulfill my vow.
Even if the road ahead is fraught with trials and tribulations, my heart remains unshaken.
...
I fear nothing.”
With that, she took her first step.
Corina adhered closely at her side, never taking her watchful eyes off her, ready to assist in case anything untoward happened.
Despite Madam Aria’s faltering steps, her footing remained firm.
There was not a trace of hesitation in her stride.
As Charlotte looked at the long flight of stairs, a sense of frustration welled up from within.
The Receptionist Monk at her side offered, “If Miss Aria does not wish to take the stairs, she could follow me by carriage to the temple.”
On the other side of Magead Temple is a winding road that leads directly to the temple’s back gate.
This route is used for daily logistic operations.
Suppressing her inner discomfort, Charlotte showed a gentle smile on her face, “Thank you, Master, for your kindness.
But as my grandmother had said, these steps are like the harsh trials we face in life.
We can’t just give up so easily.”
The Receptionist Monk sighed in admiration, “Miss Aria possesses great spiritual wisdom.
You’re destined for great things.”
Charlotte gracefully accepted the compliment, “I am honored by your words, Master.”
Charlotte hitched up her skirt and reluctantly started her ascent.
The temple seemed crowded today, mostly with elderly folks.
Seeing her among this throng of people, she stood out even more conspicuously.
Despite her delicate health, she soon felt breathless.
When she looked up, she saw that Madam Aria had already surged far ahead.
Madam Aria paused to wipe off her sweat.
Waiting for Charlotte to catch up, she said indifferently, “Your physique really needs improvement.
You should exercise more regularly.”
Charlotte’s cheeks flushed – it was unclear whether it was due to the sun or embarrassment.
“Yes, Grandma.
I understand.”
“Let’s go then,” Madam Aria resumed her journey.
It was Charlotte’s second visit to Magead Temple.
Her first visit had been at night.
The temple was even larger and more magnificent than she had imagined, not unlike the royal palace she had visited before.
She recollected the legends about Magead Temple.
According to one, the founding Emperor of the Yue Dynasty had lived as a monk.
Under the guidance of a wise monk, he started as a commoner and defied his fate, creating an era of peace and prosperity while building legends of his own.
The founding Emperor personally inscribed the plaque for Magead Temple and even dedicated it as his private residence.
Whenever calamity struck, he would personally visit the temple to pray and fast.
The Chronicles of Dynasty Strange Tales contained many stories about this legendary Emperor, the most famous of which was the tale of his seven sons becoming monks, displaying his devout faith in Buddhism.
The most famous story, apart from the seven sons becoming monks, was the legend of Garuda.
It was said that when the founding Emperor was born, an unusual omen appeared – a giant bird that radiated golden light circled in the sky.
Shortly after, the Emperor was born.
He was chosen by a high-ranking monk as his disciple, due to his connection with Buddha.
Due to political turmoil and wars that made civilians suffer, the then Junior Monk, who could not bear to see the suffering of the people, realized that merely chanting scriptures and meditation couldn’t save the people.
Therefore, he decided to leave his monkhood and joint the earthly world.
His kind deeds quickly earned him recognition among the people, attracting a large number of righteous people.
Soon, they formed the largest rebellious army at that time.
On the battlefield, he turned several dangerous situations into safe ones.
People claimed they saw the golden bird, which was like a guardian, appearing where the Emperor needed help the most.
It also started the talk among the people that the Emperor was reincarnated from Buddha’s bone, and that Garuda was Buddha’s steed.
Only the reincarnated Buddha could have the protection of the Garuda.
At the beginning of the Yue Dynasty, the rumors of the golden bird and Buddha’s bone helped the Emperor quickly win over the hearts of the people and establish his supreme prestige.
His people were also his believers, deeply believing that their king, like Buddha, could lead them out of suffering.
Granny Aria was of the Royal descent of the Yue Dynasty, possessing countless secrets about the dynasty and many rare books about it that couldn’t be found in other libraries nationwide.
Charlotte Aria had known this part of history since she was a child, however, every time she read about this part of the founding Emperor’s history, she couldn’t help but sneer.
Buddha’s bone, Garuda, the phenomenon was nothing more than a fabrication by rulers to legitimize their rule.
For example, the stories of Liu Bang killing the white snake, and the white fish jumping to the king’s boat, were all the same tactics.
Only fools would believe them.
Of course, in that era of ignorance and backwardness, the people believed such supernatural phenomenons without question, and that’s why it is said that the feudal era was a backward era.
Charlotte Aria hadn’t expected that there would be so many people at Magead Temple.
It could be described as a crowd.
She supported Madam Aria and slowly made their way through the crowd.
At that time, the crowd was murmuring about something.
It seemed that they mentioned the name of Master Ichsan Groove.
Charlotte Aria was quite sensitive to this name.
The last time she accompanied her grandmother to visit Master Kurong at Magead Temple, she had seen Master Ichsan Groove.
His handsome and noble demeanor did not seem to belong to a Buddhist.
It was a pity, such a talent had chosen to become a monk, and probably wouldn’t achieve much in his life.
In the middle of Magead Temple, there was a square pool, in which several newly sprouted leaves wound around, seemingly standing still on the water surface like dragonflies.
As Charlotte passed the pool, the sunlight was suddenly blocked by dark clouds, as if the world had darkened in an instant.
“Oh my!” Charlotte heard exclamations around her.
She felt bewildered, noticing Corina looking in the direction behind her.
This emotionless girl seemed to show a rare surprise.
Subconsciously, Charlotte turned her head.
In the next moment, she was stunned by the scene before her eyes.
A multitude of lotuses bloomed instantaneously in the pool, making it an exquisite sight.
Some people couldn’t help but take out their phones to take pictures, exclaiming in awe, “My God, it’s just April, and an entire pool of lotuses has bloomed.
This sight is too beautiful.”
Hearing the exclaiming around her, Madam Aria said under her breath, “How could that be possible…?”
She knew about the lotus pond in front of the Magead Temple.
It never bloomed because it housed the seeds of the extinct Ancient Lotus.
It was said that a high-ranking monk prophesized about the Ancient Lotus.
The blooming of the Ancient Lotus would be an unusual phenomenon, which would only happen in times of disaster or auspiciousness.
To her surprise, Madam Aria suddenly grabbed Charlotte’s arm, “Charlotte, could it be that you…?”
While outsiders were unaware of the mysteries, as one of the few remaining descendants of the Yue Dynasty, she knew very well what the blooming of the Ancient Lotus portended.
