Ch. 14 - Grand Thunderclap Temple

At the end of the ruins, a small ancient temple emerged, silent and unassuming. It was merely a single ancient hall housing a stone Buddha statue, covered in thick dust, with a nearby bronze lamp flickering faintly.

In front of the temple stood a gnarled bodhi tree, so massive that it would take six or seven people to encircle it. Its ancient trunk was hollow, and if not for the five or six shimmering green leaves adorning it, the tree would seem lifeless.

The temple and the bodhi tree complemented each other, exuding an ancient aura that made one feel the passage of time, bringing a sense of tranquility and antiquity.

Upon reaching this place, everyone was visibly astonished. The grand palace complex behind had long crumbled into ruins, yet this small temple remained intact, evoking a sense of simplicity and authenticity.

"How can there be such a temple here?"

"That bodhi tree still has a few leaves emitting a crystalline green glow!"

The bodhi tree is often referred to as the Buddha Tree, deeply connected to Buddhism. It is said that over 2,500 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under a bodhi tree in India, becoming the Buddha.

This bodhi tree and the ancient temple seem to have grown together, both exhibiting extraordinary qualities that are truly remarkable.

"Why do I feel as if a river of history is flowing, and everything before me seems ancient, as if steeped in time?"

The fifty-meter distance was short, and everyone quickly approached, each feeling a strange sensation. What they saw resembled an old historical painting, with the atmosphere filled with the scent of ages past.

"Could this be a temple inhabited by a deity?"

"Is it possible that the Buddha truly exists? Though the temple is dilapidated, it still exudes a sense of simplicity and peaceful Zen."

The ancient temple was silent, the area serene.

"There's a bronze plaque over there with inscriptions."

The dilapidated temple had a rusted bronze plaque, engraved with three ancient characters, coiling like dragons and snakes, full of Zen meaning. Though the script was complex and hard to decipher, the first character "大" (Grand) was easily recognizable, even to those unfamiliar with ancient scripts.

"The last character is '寺' (Temple)," Zhou Yi, who had some knowledge of ancient scripts, identified the final character.

"These three characters read Grand Thunderclap Temple," Ye Fan announced.

Everyone present was astonished, displaying expressions of disbelief.

"The Grand Thunderclap Temple... I must be hearing things!"

"How is this possible..."

The legendary Grand Thunderclap Temple is said to be the Buddha's residence, the supreme holy site of Buddhism. Yet, the temple before them was so small and dilapidated, lacking any grandeur, merely a single ancient hall. How could it bear the name Grand Thunderclap Temple?

Having witnessed nine dragon corpses pulling a coffin, the group was mentally prepared, almost believing in the existence of deities. However, they were still shocked to find a temple named the Grand Thunderclap Temple on Mars. What could this mean? Perhaps many histories and legends would be reinterpreted, and the veil over ancient, lost histories would be lifted slightly.

"The Buddha's teachings, sounding like thunder, hence the Grand Thunderclap Temple!"

Could this ancient temple truly be the legendary one?

If this speculation were true, it would be incredibly shocking. On Mars, covered in reddish-brown soil and gravel, an ancient temple shrouded in dust might have an astonishing origin.

The more they observed, the more extraordinary the temple seemed.

The palace behind them had once been magnificent, vast, and grand, but ultimately it was destroyed, leaving only rubble. This temple, though seemingly broken, still stood firm, forming a strange contrast.

Accompanied by the bodhi tree, ancient lamp, and stone Buddha, a small light flickered.

Simple and serene, enduring the test of time, what remains is the "truth," while extravagance is but fleeting.

A lamp, a Buddha, a temple, a tree, seemingly eternal, existing in this world.

All of this was peaceful and tranquil, making one feel as if bathed in spring breeze, with ethereal Zen chants echoing.

"If this truly is the legendary Grand Thunderclap Temple, could the ancient tree before it be the very bodhi tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment?"

"That's impossible; it's merely a religious legend. Do you really believe that Siddhartha Gautama sat under a tree on Mars for seven days and nights, ultimately becoming the Buddha?"

"Given our experiences, nothing is impossible!"

Everything they had experienced that day felt dreamlike, yet it was an undeniable reality.

At this moment, Ye Fan suddenly stepped forward, accompanied by Pang Bo. The two of them directly entered the ancient temple. Simultaneously, Zhou Yi quickly followed, with Wang Ziwen close behind, also entering the temple.

Behind them, Liu Yunzhi seemed to recall something, his expression changing dramatically as he rushed forward. The others also came to their senses; if this was indeed the Grand Thunderclap Temple, then inside would be the dwelling of a deity. Though long abandoned and covered in thick dust, it remained an extraordinary place.

The ancient temple was small, merely a single Buddha hall, empty and barren, with almost nothing inside. Ye Fan walked straight to the stone Buddha and picked up the nearby bronze lamp.

The bronze lamp appeared ordinary, with a simple design, but felt warm to the touch, lacking the cold hardness of metal, more like holding a piece of warm jade. What was surprising was that, despite the temple being filled with dust, the bronze lamp remained spotless, as if it repelled dust.

This temple had clearly not been cleaned for many years, with thick layers of dust, yet the bronze lamp remained dust-free and continued to shine, making Ye Fan wonder if it had been burning since ancient times.

"It's truly clean; apart from the stone Buddha and the bronze lamp, nothing else remains," Pang Bo said, scanning the surroundings, but unfortunately, he saw no other artifacts.

At that moment, Zhou Yi, who had followed them in, stepped on the thick dust, producing a "clang" sound, revealing a begging bowl.

Simultaneously, Liu Yunzhi and the others entered the temple. Everyone remained silent, quietly searching.

Initially, they had not broken free from conventional thinking, still viewing the temple with the mindset of being on Earth. It wasn't until Ye Fan took the first action that they suddenly realized they were on another planet, possibly facing the legendary dwelling of the Buddha, the Grand Thunderclap Temple, where divine artifacts might exist!

Inside the temple, Ye Fan held the spotless bronze lamp, its gentle light illuminating the hall.

Suddenly, Ye Fan heard a faint Zen chant, as if coming from beyond the heavens. At first, he thought it was an illusion, but the Buddha's voice grew louder, reverberating throughout the temple, solemn, grand, profound, and mysterious.

Then, all the dust in the temple vanished, leaving it spotless and pure, as the six-syllable mantra resounded: "Om Mani Padme Hum..."

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