Covering the sky

At the end of the ruins, an ancient temple emerged, silent and still, modest in size, hardly grand. It consisted of a single hall, inside of which stood a stone Buddha, covered in thick dust. Beside it, an ancient bronze lamp flickered softly, casting faint glimmers of light.

In front of the temple stood a gnarled Bodhi tree, its trunk so thick that six or seven people could not wrap their arms around it. The old trunk was hollowed out, and were it not for the five or six green leaves that still shimmered, the tree would seem to be dead.

The temple and the Bodhi tree were intertwined, exuding an ancient aura that made one feel as if time itself was quietly passing by, carrying with it an endless sense of tranquility and age.

As they approached, everyone couldn't help but express their amazement. Behind them, the majestic palace complex had long been reduced to ruins, yet this small, ancient temple stood unchanged, evoking a feeling of peaceful return to simplicity.

"How could there be such a temple here?"

"That Bodhi tree... the few leaves left on it actually shimmer with a green glow!"

The Bodhi tree, often referred to as the Buddha's tree, is deeply associated with Buddhism. According to legend, over 2,500 years ago, Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree, ultimately becoming the Buddha.

The Bodhi tree and the temple before them seemed extraordinary, which made it hard not to be surprised.

"Why does it feel like there's a river of history flowing here? Everything before me seems so distant, as if it's steeped in the passage of time."

Though only fifty meters away, they quickly reached the temple. Each person was filled with a strange sensation, as if they were gazing at a faded historical painting, the air thick with the aura of time.

"Could this be a temple where a deity resides?"

"Could it be that the Buddha truly exists? Though the temple is in ruins, it still carries a sense of peace and serenity."

The temple remained silent, an oasis of peace.

"Look, there's a bronze plaque with inscriptions."

In the decayed temple, there was a weathered bronze plaque, etched with four ancient characters, coiling like a dragon or a snake, full of deep meaning. The script was complex and difficult to decipher, but the first character, "Da" (大), was easily recognizable.

"The last character is 'Si' (寺)," said Zhou Yi, who had some knowledge of ancient script, recognizing the final character.

"These four characters read 'Da Lei Yin Si' (大雷音寺)." At this moment, Ye Fan read out all four characters.

Everyone present was stunned, their faces showing disbelief.

"Da Lei Yin Si… Did I hear that right?"

"Is that even possible…"

The legendary Da Lei Yin Si is said to be the residence of the Buddha, the highest holy place of Buddhism. Yet, the temple before them was so small, with no grandeur to speak of, just a single hall. How could it bear the name Da Lei Yin Si?

Having witnessed the remains of nine dragon corpses pulling coffins, everyone had grown somewhat accustomed to the idea of gods and deities, but this revelation still sent a chill down their spines. A small, ancient temple on Mars named Da Lei Yin Si? What could this mean? Perhaps many historical and mythological stories would be reinterpreted, and lost histories might be uncovered.

"Buddha's teachings are like thunder, resonating far and wide," this was the meaning of Da Lei Yin Si!

Could it be that this was indeed the fabled temple?

If this was true, it would be an earth-shattering discovery. On the red, rocky soil of Mars, an ancient temple had been buried by dust, yet it had such an extraordinary origin.

The more they observed, the more they felt that this temple was not ordinary.

Behind them, the once mighty heavenly palaces had been destroyed, leaving only rubble. Yet, this small temple, though in ruins, still stood strong, creating a strange contrast.

The Bodhi tree stood beside it, the bronze lamp flickering faintly, casting a small light.

Simple, quiet, and enduring through time, what remains is "true," while the fleeting luxury is just passing smoke.

A lamp, a Buddha, a temple, and a tree—seemingly eternal, always present in the world.

All of this exuded harmony and peace, making one feel as if they were immersed in a spring breeze, as if a distant Buddhist chant echoed softly.

"If this truly is the legendary Da Lei Yin Si, could the Bodhi tree in front of the temple be the same one under which Siddhartha attained enlightenment?"

"That's impossible. It's just a religious legend. Do you truly believe that over 2,500 years ago, Siddhartha meditated under a Bodhi tree on Mars for seven days and nights and became the Buddha?"

"From everything we've experienced, nothing is impossible!"

What they had all gone through today made them feel as if they were in a dream, yet everything was undeniably real.

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

At the rear, Liu Yunzhi seemed to recall something, and his face changed. He hurriedly ran forward. The others quickly followed, realizing that if this was Da Lei Yin Si, then the temple might contain relics left by deities, even if it had long been abandoned and covered in dust.

Inside the temple, it was small, just a hall, and nearly empty. Ye Fan walked directly to the stone Buddha and grabbed the bronze lamp beside it.

The lamp was unremarkable in appearance, its design simple and ancient, but it felt warm to the touch, not cold and metallic, almost like holding a piece of jade. What was surprising was that, though the temple was covered in dust, the bronze lamp was spotless, as if it could resist dust.

The temple had surely been abandoned for many years, with dust piled thickly, yet the bronze lamp remained clean and forever lit. Ye Fan found it strange—could it have remained lit since the distant past?

"It's so clean. Apart from the stone Buddha and the bronze lamp, there's nothing else left." Pang Bo scanned the area, but unfortunately, no other objects were visible.

At that moment, Zhou Yi, who had entered just behind them, stepped on the thick dust, making a loud "clang" as a bowl rolled out.

Meanwhile, Liu Yunzhi and the others entered the temple as well. Everyone fell silent, all quietly searching.

Initially, they were still caught in the mindset of Earth, approaching the scene with a sense of doubt. But once Ye Fan took the first step, they suddenly realized they were on another planet, and they could very well be standing in Da Lei Yin Si, a place possibly inhabited by deities. It was highly likely that relics from such an ancient and extraordinary place still existed here.

Inside the temple, Ye Fan held the spotless bronze lamp. Its soft glow illuminated the space, filling the temple with light.

Suddenly, Ye Fan heard a faint, ethereal chant, like it was coming from the heavens. At first, he thought it was an illusion, but gradually the Buddhist sound grew louder, resonating throughout the temple, reverberating like the booming of a great bell—majestic, grand, sublime, and mysterious.

Then, the entire temple seemed to purify, the dust vanishing, leaving everything clean, and the Six-Syllable Mantra echoed:

"Om, Ma, Ni, Padme, Hum…"