I relied on a system to prolong my life in ancient times.

Chapter 98 Master Liaoxu

After pulling Lin Qin out of Guning Temple, Xiao Siyue glanced at Lin Qin, who was still somewhat lost in thought, and said, "Mother, let's go for a walk behind the temple."

Lin Qin forced a smile and said, "Yue'er, go ahead. I'll sit and rest for a while. I don't want to move."

"Then I'll stay with Mother too." Xiao Siyue was a little worried and wanted to ask what kind of fortune stick she had drawn that would cause this, but remembering Lin Qin's evasive manner earlier, she guessed that she didn't want Lin Qin to know, so she swallowed back the words that were about to come out.

"It's alright, you go ahead, just take your maid with you and be careful." Lin Qin refused Xiao Siyue's offer to accompany her.

"Alright then," Xiao Siyue said helplessly, preparing to go by herself and leave Lin Qin to her own devices for a while.

After taking only two steps, Xiao Siyue turned back to Lin Qin and said, "Mother, don't take the fortune slip too seriously. You can tell me if anything happens. Father and brother are here too."

Lin Qin was stunned for a moment when she heard Xiao Siyue's words. She glanced at the concern in her daughter's eyes and was speechless for a moment.

It turned out that her daughter had noticed her unusual behavior.

She quickly regained her composure and said softly to Xiao Siyue, "Mother understands, go quickly."

Seeing that Lin Qin seemed to have recovered, Xiao Siyue left with peace of mind.

However, she didn't notice that when she turned around, Lin Qin's gaze towards her was somewhat strange.

Xiao Siyue, along with Chuntao and Lanyi, walked along the path in the temple.

As Xiao Siyue walked, she was stunned by what she saw.

Before me stretched a vast expanse of golden ginkgo trees. With each gentle breeze, the ginkgo leaves drifted down like snowflakes, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of leaves, like a thick golden carpet spread across the earth, making one want to roll around on it.

"Miss, this place is so beautiful!" Suddenly, a voice exclaimed in her ear. Xiao Siyue looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Chun Tao.

“Yes, I never expected there to be such a ginkgo forest behind Guning Temple.” Xiao Siyue took a few steps forward.

These ginkgo trees are thick and tall; Xiao Siyue estimates they must be at least several hundred years old.

Xiao Siyue finally couldn't resist and ran into the woods.

Two maids called out from behind, "Miss, slow down, be careful not to fall."

Xiao Siyue happily replied, "It's okay, take your time."

Xiao Siyue ran for a while but still couldn't get out of the woods. She got tired and suddenly lay down on the thick layer of leaves.

"So comfortable, it doesn't hurt at all," Xiao Siyue murmured to herself, and even reached out to grab some leaves from the nearby leaves and put them on her body as a blanket.

Just as Xiao Siyue closed her eyes, preparing to take a nap, she heard a loud laugh.

"Who?" Xiao Siyue suddenly opened her eyes and looked around.

"Young benefactor, over here?"

When Xiao Siyue heard someone speaking, she looked over and saw an old monk waving at her in the distance.

Xiao Siyue glanced at the old monk. She hadn't expected there to be anyone else here. She wondered if he had seen what she had just done. Thinking of this, she felt a little embarrassed.

Unexpectedly, her sudden relaxation was noticed.

Xiao Siyue stood up, brushed the leaves off her clothes, and walked towards the old monk.

"Greetings, Master." Xiao Siyue bowed to the old monk and stood still.

This old monk is so leisurely; he's even brewing tea in this ginkgo forest.

"Young benefactor, would you like to sit down and have a cup of tea brewed by this old monk?" The old monk glanced at Xiao Siyue and asked with a smile.

“Okay.” Xiao Siyue sat down opposite the old monk without hesitation.

The old monk was taken aback by Xiao Siyue's impolite action, but he quickly recovered and chuckled.

He picked up a cup of tea and handed it to Xiao Siyue.

Xiao Siyue took it, took a sip, and found it very bitter, but she still finished it all.

Xiao Siyue put down her cup and looked up at the old monk.

Suddenly, someone spoke up: "May I ask your Dharma name, Master?"

"This old monk is vain."

"Oh, Master Liaoxu." Xiao Siyue thought for a moment, but had never heard of him.

"Young benefactor, what brings you up the mountain today?" Master Liaoxu asked.

"I don't ask for anything. I'm just here with my mother," Xiao Siyue said.

"Young benefactor, is there nothing you wish to ask for?" Master Liaoxu said, handing Xiao Siyue another cup of tea.

Xiao Siyue frowned as she took the drink; she didn't want to drink it anymore.

"What I don't have now, I will get myself if I want it." Xiao Siyue's insistence on praying to gods and Buddhas is just a form of spiritual sustenance; she doesn't actually believe in them.

"Young benefactor, you are quite insightful." Upon hearing this, Liaoxu laughed heartily, seemingly very satisfied with the answer.

After laughing, he said to Xiao Siyue, "Young benefactor, you have accumulated great merit, but your fate is somewhat unfavorable."

Xiao Siyue felt a little nervous upon hearing these words. Could it be that this master really had some skill and had noticed her unusual behavior?

"Master, what is my destiny?" Xiao Siyue suppressed her nervousness and looked up at Master Xu.

“The Buddha said: It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken.” Master Liaoxu smiled and shook his head.

Xiao Siyue breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, guessing that the monks hadn't noticed, otherwise they wouldn't have said that. That's what the monks in the temple always said when they didn't know the truth.

"Young benefactor, you know your fate is unfavorable, what are your thoughts?"

"Amidst the vast changes of nature, I feel neither joy nor fear." Xiao Siyue casually recited a line of poetry she remembered; she didn't believe in fate.

"Haha, young benefactor, you are quite magnanimous." Master Liaoxu was very pleased.

Xiao Siyue felt a little guilty. She wasn't magnanimous at all; she simply didn't believe Master Xu's words.

I could only chuckle a few times.

Master Liaoxu seemed to sense Xiao Siyue's discomfort and stopped laughing.

"Miss, Miss, where are you?" Chun Tao and Lan Yi's anxious voices came from afar.

Xiao Siyue quickly got up and bid farewell to Master Xu.

"Young benefactor, wait a moment." Master Liaoxu called out to Xiao Siyue.

“I have a connection with you, young benefactor. I give you this bracelet in the hope that it will be of use to you in the future.” Master Liaoxu took out a very antique-looking bracelet.

Xiao Siyue took it, thanked her, and quickly ran away.

A moment later, the voices of the three—master and servants—could be heard coming from the woods.

"Miss, where have you been? We were so worried about you."

"Hehe, sorry, I just accidentally wandered over here." Xiao Siyue's voice sounded a little guilty.

"You can't do that again next time. What if you encounter danger?"

"I understand, Chuntao, it will never happen again."

The sound gradually faded away until it could no longer be heard.

Master Liaoxu remained seated at the table, listening to the receding sounds, lost in thought. After a while, he put away his teacup and left the ginkgo forest.