Female Novel
Chapter 5504
The nun’s words landed like a bolt from the blue for both Charlie and Maria. Neither of them hadanticipated becoming the focal point of attention right in front of a remote nunnery in the ShiwanMountains, all while avoiding Morgana’s detection.
Without allowing Maria a chance to respond, Charlie fixed the nun with a vigilant gaze and inquired,“Who are you? Are you impersonating a nun, washing clothes here just to lay a trap for us?”
The nun pressed her hands together and offered a slight bow to Charlie. She replied, “Kind sir, I am noimposter. I am a bhikshuni of Greenwood Nunnery. I have dedicated myself to the path of enlightenmenthere. Our abbot knew that you both would pass by today and requested that I wait for your arrival.”
She then turned her gaze to Maria and continued with a sense of gravity, “Dear madam, our abbottbelieves you have a profound connection with Buddhism and wishes to extend an invitation for you tovisit the nunnery briefly. It won’t take much of your time.”
Maria considered the proposition for a moment and nodded gently.
Charlie interjected, “Very well, then I’ll accompany her.”
The nun gestured to the mountain road behind him and explained, “Sir, from this point onward, the entiremountain path falls within the Greenwood Temple’s jurisdiction. It is a place where novice monks andbhikkhunis cultivate their spiritual practice. Men are not permitted entry. I hope you understand.”
Charlie’s tone turned stern, “This is absurd. Without me, how can I ensure my friend’s safety?”novelbin
The nun replied respectfully, “A monk practices compassion and would never harm another being.Please rest assured, kind sir.”
Charlie was about to protest when Maria gently pulled his arm and whispered, “Honey, wait for me herefor a while. I’ll be back shortly.”
Charlie cautioned her, “Don’t act impulsively, be cautious of deception!”
Maria offered a reassuring smile and murmured, “It’s alright. With you here, no one would dare harm me.So, just wait for me here.”
Maria wasn’t privy to the abbot’s identity who awaited her at the nunnery, but her instincts assured her ofsafety. She knew that Morgana and the Warriors Den were the only threats pursuing her in this world.When she arrived in the southern province with Jagoan, Morgana had remained oblivious to theirwhereabouts. This led her to conclude that the person at Greenwood Temple couldn’t be affiliated withMorgana.
Since the individual didn’t belong to Morgana, the likelihood of malicious intent dwindled considerably.
Moreover, Jagoan was stationed at the base of the mountain. If the individual was aware of theirassociation, they would think twice about making any moves under Jagoan’s watchful gaze.
Maria’s curiosity was further piqued by the desire to uncover the stranger’s identity. If this person knewabout her, they must possess significant knowledge about her circumstances. Even more intriguing wastheir ability to calculate her and Jagoan’s whereabouts. It was nothing short of remarkable, given thatthey had decided on this route only an hour or two ago. There was no way for anyone to predict it inadvance except through meticulous planning.
The only explanation was that the stranger had orchestrated everything and was merely waiting for them.
With these thoughts in mind, Maria eagerly longed to uncover the person’s identity.
Observing Maria’s resolve, Jagoan surmised that she intended to proceed. If he forcibly accompaniedher, it might deter the abbot from appearing, and he would be denied the opportunity to uncover the truth.
With reluctance, Jagoan nodded and told Maria, “I’ll be watching from here. The countdown begins themoment you disappear from my sight. I’ll wait for you for twenty minutes. If you don’t return by then, I’ll
come find you!”
Seeing Jagoan relent, Maria nodded quickly and assured, “Alright, just twenty minutes!”
With this settled, the young nun once more clasped her hands in respect towards Jagoan and said, “Kindsir, please wait.”
She then turned to Maria and with equal respect, spoke, “Dear madam, please follow me.”
Maria nodded, cast a reassuring smile at Jagoan and whispered in his ear, “I’ll be fine. Wait for me here.”
Jagoan nodded in agreement and watched as the two of them ventured farther into the mountain.
As they gradually receded from view, with the young nun leading the way and respectfully opening thenunnery’s door for Maria, Jagoan’s unease grew.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that, even if this stranger had no ill intentions, their uncanny ability topredict his and Maria’s movements sent a shiver down his spine. Ever since he obtained the ApocalypticBook, he had never experienced such anxiety and unease.
Meanwhile, Maria had entered Greenwood Temple.
Greenwood Temple was modest in size, occupying a small area, with only a handful of bhikkhunis inresidence, including novice monks under the age of twenty. In total, the inhabitants numbered just over adozen.
The nunnery didn’t boast a thriving incense trade. Upon entering, Maria found no pilgrims offeringincense and paying homage to Buddha.
Guided by the young nun, she traversed the front courtyard, receiving bows from all the nuns sheencountered, which deepened her curiosity.
The young nun led her through the front yard to the back, where the main hall stood.
Though not grand, the main hall exuded a sense of meticulous care. Despite the aged Buddha statues,they retained their vivid colors and were untouched by dust. Clearly, they were regularly maintained andcleaned.
Inside the main hall, an elderly nun with silver hair was attending to the ever-burning lamps in front of theBuddha, carefully replenishing the oil.
The elderly nun appeared to be in her seventies or eighties, yet her physique remained robust. Sheeffortlessly handled a jug of oil, pouring it without a single drop wasted. Her steady hands spoke of herexpertise.
The young nun ushered Maria inside and addressed the elderly nun with the utmost respect, “Master, Ihave brought the benefactor.”
The elderly nun turned, regarded Maria and pressed her hands together in a gesture of respect. Shespoke with equal reverence, “I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused, dear benefactor.”
Maria returned the gesture and replied, “Master, there is no need for such formality. I am here with myboyfriend on a hiking trip. He is waiting at the foot of the mountain, so I hope we can proceed directly tothe matter at hand.”
The elderly nun gestured to the young nun, who promptly exited and closed the main hall’s doors behindher.
With the young nun gone, the elderly nun let out a sigh and said, “The path ahead is fraught with peril… Iimplore you, Miss Clark, to persuade Mr. Jagoan to halt his journey.”
Suddenly being addressed by name, Maria felt a surge of surprise, but she maintained a composeddemeanor as she met the elderly nun’s gaze. She replied calmly, “Master, Mr. Jagoan is deeply
committed to his quest. I am but a mere woman, how can I dissuade him?”
Maria then shifted the conversation, her tone serious. “Unless you, Master, can shed light on the dangersthat lie ahead?”