The Eight Failures stood up, its shoulders wreathed in wisps of cloud, a bright moon behind it, its shadow enveloping the mountain peaks. Its posture was ancient and rustic, like a primeval idol.
Sun Lichai stood up. Stone carved steps appeared in the void. She forgot her fatigue and ascended step by step, gradually approaching the tall Eight Failures.
Until she looked at it.
In the Eight Failures' placid eyes, intense emotions seemed to surge forth, as easily read and understood as words on a scroll.
It was joy, closeness, an unspoken understanding; a destined bond existed between the child and the cricket, tightly linking their futures.
The Eight Failures raised its hand, its giant arm carrying a gale, but as it reached Sun Lichai, it became gentle and soft. Its four-fingered palm cupped the girl, placing her on its head.
Sun Lichai and the Eight Failures simultaneously looked up at the sky. Above the moon was a pure land. The Eight Failures then stepped up, charging into the sky.
The pure land on the moon was tranquil and peaceful, with only vast stretches of ethereal blue epiphyllum in bloom. As the Eight Failures stepped into it, its body involuntarily shrank. Sun Lichai lost her footing and fell, landing in the flower bed, but the seemingly delicate petals held her up, leaving her unharmed.
The soil was golden sand and powdered glaze, emitting a 황금빛 glow, firm yet soft underfoot.
Sun Lichai and the Eight Failures strolled through the flower bed.
After an unknown amount of time and distance, the girl and the Eight Failures became separated in the beautiful sea of flowers.
Sun Lichai searched everywhere without a clue, when suddenly a cricket's chirp came from ahead. It was the Eight Failures calling her.
The chirps grew louder and more urgent, as if it had encountered some danger. Sun Lichai quickly hastened her steps.
The epiphyllum were as tall as a person, making it impossible to see while walking through them. The floral scent confused her sense of smell, and the flower's colors disoriented her mind. If not for the cricket's chirps guiding her, she would never have found her way.
The seemingly endless flowers.
Eventually had a limit.
At one moment, Sun Lichai burst out of the sea of flowers.
In a clearing among the bushes, the Eight Failures stood before a statue, beckoning to her.
The girl slowed her steps, came before the statue, and patted the Eight Failures' head, "Don't run off anymore."
The Eight Failures chirped a few times, whether in agreement or not, then pointed at the statue behind it, signaling Sun Lichai to look.
This was a Buddha statue.
A Buddha statue of Lu Yuan Bodhisattva.
The girl was startled.
The rough stone carving, though unrefined, possessed a vivid spirit. Whether it was the lotus seat, the mudra in its hands, or the pair of antlers, all were approximate outlines, yet they were very vivid and fitting. Despite the entire statue being primitive and unadorned, it still conveyed a sense of calm and peace.
Sun Lichai gently stroked the statue's face, and a warm power transmitted to her.
Under this gentle comfort, she gradually felt an overwhelming drowsiness wash over her. Unconsciously, she fell asleep before the lotus seat.
The Eight Failures lay beside her, chirping softly, as if singing a lullaby.
... ...
Jueguang picked up the little girl who had fallen asleep in the orchid patch, then saw the ugly Eight Failures on her collar.
"Oh? Why isn't the Eight Failures afraid of people? Could it be a dull one?"
A dull one was the lowest quality of Eight Failures, only fit for feeding chickens. Jueguang secretly laughed at the little girl's bad luck. After all that effort, making everyone worry, she ended up only catching a dull one. How truly...
That night, Sun Wangshi saw her daughter. She rushed over, frantic with worry, and seeing the child safe and sound, merely tired and asleep, she immediately became angry again. She raised her hand to wake her, but Jueguang quickly stopped her.
"Benefactress, please don't be like that. It's normal for children to be young and ignorant. Don't hurt her," he chuckled. "This humble monk was much worse back in my day, but my legs were fast, and my parents couldn't catch me to discipline me. I was never taught manners for so many years, only understanding reason after coming to the temple. This child is mischievous now, but she'll be fine after a period of cultivation at Yigu Nunnery."
Xu Ranxue, who had rushed from home late at night, immediately became displeased. "What are you saying, you Bald Donkey? Lichai is usually so well-behaved. She must have had her own reasons for leaving home this time!"
"What do children know? She probably just got playful..." They argued for a few sentences, and Jueguang, finding himself unable to win, immediately changed the subject. "Alright, alright, I'll go inform the Buddha Son and see what he instructs."
The Bald Donkey was very cunning, deliberately bumping straight into Xu Ranxue. He was tall and strong, and even carrying a child. How could the scholar dare to confront him directly? He pushed back a couple of steps, then was exasperated by Jueguang's toothy, strange grin, yet couldn't really complain.
Stepping into the room, Simon was at this moment gathering the chess pieces, one by one, sorting them back into the chess box meticulously and slowly. Two white pieces were stuck together on the board, while the remaining black pieces were still scattered haphazardly.
Jueguang placed the little girl beside Simon and bowed to him with clasped hands. "I have not failed my mission, Buddha Son. Jueguang has completed what you entrusted."
Simon smiled at him, then looked down at Sun Lichai.
Strangely enough, the sweetly sleeping Sun Lichai suddenly woke up, opening her eyes, looking full of energy.
Seeing the person before her, she happily cried out, "Lu Yuan, I saw you on the moon! Oh, right, I went to catch a cricket for you. It's a unique cricket king! I'm giving it to you." She cupped her hands, and the Eight Failures, very intelligently, jumped from her collar to her hands, facing Simon, and chirped softly twice.
Jueguang, standing nearby, pouted. "Unique? Telling tall tales to scare people?"
Simon extended his left index finger, and the Eight Failures climbed onto the back of his hand, curling up peacefully.
"I like it very much."
"Hehe, as long as you like it... I'm sleepy, I'll sleep for a bit, okay? I'll talk to you after I wake up." Sun Lichai was still excited in the first half of her sentence, her voice dropping with each word, and by the time she finished speaking, she lay down and fell asleep again.
Jueguang: "... ..."
Simon rested his left hand on his lap, letting the Eight Failures stay on the back of his hand, and continued to gather the chess pieces with his right hand.
Jueguang took a few steps forward. "Buddha Son, that chessboard This humble monk saw earlier... was it a divine ability?"
Excited red light glowed on the monk's dark face, looking full of anticipation.
"It can be," Simon's tone was calm, but the Bald Donkey's eyes widened excitedly upon hearing it.
"I, this... I'll go tell the abbot."
Simon watched his hurried and flustered back, sighing. These monks were going to make him worry again.
After gathering all the chess pieces, he gently touched the Eight Failures' body.
Eight Failures, human, destiny.
From the perspective of Heavenly Eye, Sun Lichai's superior affinity bead and the Eight Failures' superior affinity bead were bound together by a solid superior affinity thread. The unique Eight Failures' superior affinity bead was as massive as a mountain, and compared to it, the little girl was merely a pebble on the mountain.
Sun Lichai's superior affinity bead was nourished by the Eight Failures, constantly expanding.
"From now on, this Eight Failures will live and die with you. If it is unharmed, you will not die young. If you pass away, this Eight Failures will also perish," Simon murmured softly.
He looked up at the window.
The moonlight is truly beautiful.
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