[But no matter what, I must learn it. How can I lose to the barbarians!] As soon as a hint of wavering appeared in his heart, Gan Ning imdiately strengthened his resolve. He couldn’t give up halfway on his mission; losing once was acceptable, but failing to correct his mistakes was not!
Then, Gan Ning continued to observe the Parthian Navy’s training, hoping to learn sothing he could use. However, the more he studied, the more he felt the necessity of language. If he could communicate, Gan Ning believed he could learn much more.
[It’s a pity that Gan Bao also died in battle, otherwise there would be soone to communicate with.] Gan Ning had excellent hearing, but understanding what he heard was another matter, and this left him feeling helpless.
[I need to figure out a way. At this rate, there are too many things I can’t learn.] Gan Ning thought sowhat wearily. [How did those Kushan people talk directly to before? What should I do?]
Just then, Gan Ning unintentionally overheard a conversation he could understand. Turning his head, he saw a monk communicating with a horse— an Inner Qi Manifestation Dragon Horse.
Gan Ning’s eyes lit up, and he ran over. Mimicking the people he’d seen during this period, he clasped his hands together and bowed to the monk.
"May I ask, Master, why is it that I can understand what you are saying?" Gan Ning adopted a look of puzzlent and bowed to the monk.
"No need for formalities, patron. It’s not that you understand my words, but that all things can be communicated with through the heart," the monk said unhurriedly.
"Then how can I, like you, communicate with my heart?" Gan Ning respectfully inquired.
The monk stood up, patted the Dragon Horse, which snorted, shook its head, and flew away. A glint of eagerness flashed in Gan Ning’s eyes.
"The patron has a heart towards Buddha, then follow ," the monk gestured for Gan Ning to follow after the Dragon Horse left, and Gan Ning followed the monk as they departed together.
Soon, the monk brought Gan Ning to his temple, located on a high slope, nearly level with the city’s high towers. On the temple walls were carvings of the Statue of the Great Wheel Bright King, and the monk let Gan Ning observe on his own.
Unlike other places that required Spiritual Relics to illuminate, the carvings of the Great Wheel Bright King were enough for ordinary Kushan people to reflect the Buddha in their hearts.
However, such carvings were considered valuable treasures even in the Kushan Capital. Any temple possessing such an artifact would always have people coming to worship.
This particular sculpture bore traces of sacrificial smoke and fire, but when Gan Ning arrived, no one was practicing there.
Of course, Gan Ning was unaware of this. If he knew, he might realize his encounter with the master was no coincidence.
"The patron should reflect here. With a connection to Buddha, you will soon learn to communicate with your heart." Seeing Gan Ning sitting there, beginning his realization, the monk bowed and withdrew.
Gan Ning silently contemplated the Statue of the Great Wheel Bright King. Each person perceived sothing different from this sculpture, yet Gan Ning saw himself in the statue.
Gan Ning silently contemplated as ti flew by. When he regained awareness, he found it was already dark, and surprisingly, he felt a distinct fatigue.
"Patron, please have your al." As Gan Ning ca back to his senses, the monk, who had been chanting scriptures to the moon, paused his prayer beads and pushed a nearby food box to Gan Ning.
Gan Ning sat down on the bluestone floor and began eating heartily. To his surprise, there was even a large piece of venison among the delicacies.
"Monk, you’re quite sothing, even having venison to eat," Gan Ning said, turning to the monk while chewing vigorously.
"The hunters at the foot of the mountain brought it to . Do you understand, patron?" the monk asked, his eyes closed, as he rotated his prayer beads.
"I understand a bit, but there’s still much I don’t get," Gan Ning replied, chewing on the venison.
"Patron, continue observing, and you will naturally understand," the monk said slowly.
"Ha, I think so too." Gan Ning laughed, not treating himself as an outsider at all.
In the following days, Gan Ning continued his ditation in the temple, while the monk remained mostly silent, rely providing him with als and mountain spring water. Each day, the hunters from below would bring different ats, such as wild boar or deer.
During these ten days, the temple was occupied only by the monk and Gan Ning, with no other visitors interrupting. Hence, Gan Ning couldn’t help but sense sothing unusual.
During this period of over ten days, Gan Ning made noticeable progress, with significant advances in his Heart Connection skills daily. This sculpture, even if Gan Ning were foolish, he wouldn’t consider it ordinary, yet it was solely opened for him.
It wasn’t until one day after finishing his practice and while eating that Gan Ning suddenly spoke to the monk, who was chanting scriptures with closed eyes, "Monk, what’s your na?"
The monk paused his prayer beads, then slowly resud, "Congratulations, patron, for achieving your goal. As for my na, my secular na is forgotten, but the na I carry is Maudgalyayana."
"Maudgalyayana? That na sounds strange." Upon hearing the monk disclose his na, Gan Ning couldn’t help but feel a jolt and laughed, "By the way, aren’t you a Bhikkhu?"
"Yes." The monk continued to rotate the prayer beads.
"Why not call it a ’Qiu-bi’?" Gan Ning suddenly asked back.
"..." The monk was speechless and just silently resud his chanting.
"Monk, why did you help ?" Gan Ning suddenly addressed Maudgalyayana.
"It is our duty to do good," the monk replied leisurely.
"Do you know who you are helping?" Gan Ning asked, looking at the monk.
"I do not know," the monk remained unperturbed.
"Then why do you help when you know nothing?" Gan Ning pursued.
"Doing good and accumulating virtue needs no reasoning. Moreover, although you act as if to kill, it is not for pleasure. You have your limits." The monk’s calm voice ca across.
"Tell , why do you help ? I don’t like owing favors," Gan Ning said, turning serious, unlike his previous playful deanor.
"The patron need not be cautious." The monk slowly stopped his prayer beads, opening his eyes to look at Gan Ning.
"Present favors for nothing, either a traitor or a thief, how can I not be cautious? That carving is no ordinary thing, yet you generously let observe for over ten days. How could I not be wary?" Gan Ning said, unabashedly looking at the seated monk opposite him.
"Since you are already wary, why not act?" The monk gazed at Gan Ning indifferently. His calm tone left Gan Ning unable to gauge his intentions, though his constant readiness subsided greatly.
"After all, I eat your food, live in your place, use your things. If I were to strike out of suspicion upon leaving, I could not bring myself to do that," Gan Ning shook his head repeatedly, though he often acted rashly; he had principles and limits.
"The patron is indeed destined to Buddha." The monk closed his eyes, smiling as he said to Gan Ning, but before he could finish, Gan Ning’s heartfelt voice ca through.
"Maybe there’s just such a rich, foolish person. No reason to strike because of suspicion, right? Maybe the person is just an earnest fool. By the way, the monk does have quite a big head." Looking at the monk’s round, big head, Gan Ning couldn’t help but murmur.
The monk was montarily embarrassed and waved his hand, "Since the patron has learned, you may leave on your own."
"Uh, is there really nothing you want my help with?" Seeing the other was about to drive him away, Gan Ning imdiately asked.
"Originally had requests, but now I seek nothing, just felt the patron had a bond with Buddha." The monk once more closed his eyes and resud chanting, the prayer beads turning in his hand.
"You’re making this difficult for ." Gan Ning, typically the more soone insists nothing is needed, the more he wants to help.
"The patron should eat this al and then leave." The monk seed sowhat unwilling to deal with Gan Ning further.
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