kvmb Chapter 255 Xue Xiang Shaves Her Head to Become a Nun: Severing Ties from the Worldly Realm
Chapter 255 Xue Xiang Shaves Her Head to Become a Nun: Severing Ties from the Worldly Realm
After an unknown amount of time, Murong Han subconsciously turned his head, only to find Xue Xiang nowhere to be seen. His heart clenched, his pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints, and the color drained from his face.
He looked around frantically, his eyes filled with panic and worry. His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and every second of waiting felt as long as a year.
"Xiang'er! Xiang'er!" Murong Han took off running frantically, his voice filled with anxiety and worry, echoing in the empty space, carrying endless bewilderment and unease. He ran and shouted loudly, his voice trembling slightly.
Xue Xiang walked heavily, as if her steps were made of lead. She walked for an unknown amount of time before finally stopping in front of a nunnery.
Looking up, the nunnery appears slightly mottled from the erosion of time. The vermilion gate has faded, and the stone lions on both sides of the gate have empty eyes, as if telling stories of the past.
Inside the nunnery, wisps of incense smoke drifted slowly from the chimney on the roof, lingering in the air, carrying a sense of tranquility and solitude. Ancient trees towered all around, their lush foliage casting a shadow over the nunnery, lending it an air of mystery and oppression.
Xue Xiang stood quietly, her gaze fixed on the half-open door, her thoughts a jumble of emotions. Past sweetness and pain flashed through her mind, one image after another. The romantic moments under the moonlit flowers, the vows they made still echoed in her ears; yet, the bitterness and helplessness of the present felt like a sharp blade, piercing her heart.
Her hands trembled slightly, and she bit her lower lip tightly, her lips turning pale.
The turmoil in her heart was like a tangled mess, each memory like a heavy hammer pounding against her soul. However, after a period of painful contemplation, her gaze gradually hardened, and a resolute look appeared on her face.
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if exhaling all the lingering attachment and reluctance of the past.
Finally, she gritted her teeth, stopped hesitating, straightened her back, and walked straight into the nunnery with firm steps. Her resolute back seemed to be saying a final goodbye to everything in the past.
Murong Che's decision to become a monk was like a heavy hammer blow to Xue Xiang's heart, shattering her last hope and attachment.
He was once the light in her life, illuminating every moment of her time. Now, that light has been extinguished forever, leaving only endless darkness and cold.
Xue Xiang gazed at the receding temple gate, her tears long since dried, her eyes filled with a desolate and heartbroken despair.
For her, there was nothing left in this world worth cherishing. All the laughter and warmth of the past, all the sweet vows, had vanished like fleeting clouds, lost in the dust of time.
She gently stroked her hair. Once, Murong Che loved her flowing black hair the most, but now, that hair could no longer hold his heart.
A bitter smile crept onto Xue Xiang's lips. She knew all too well that her past willfulness and stubbornness had pushed this precious relationship into the abyss. Now, Murong Che's departure was the harshest punishment for her.
She resolutely turned around and walked firmly into the nunnery. From this day forward, she vowed to shave her head and become a nun, spending her days with the company of the ancient Buddha and the flickering lamp, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, repenting for the mistakes she had made in this quiet nunnery. She understood that only in this way could she atone for her sins and find some peace for her soul.
At this moment, the once willful and spoiled Xue Xiang had vanished forever with these falling strands of hair. In her place stood a woman with a tranquil heart, devoted to Buddhism, who would spend the rest of her life in this quiet nunnery.
When Murong Han saw Xue Xiang, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief, as if the person in front of him was a complete stranger.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but an invisible force seemed to block his throat, preventing him from uttering a sound. His brows furrowed tightly, his face filled with confusion and pain, and he involuntarily took a few steps forward, as if trying to confirm whether all of this was real.
Xue Xiang slowly raised her head, her gaze calmly falling on Murong Han, as if he were merely an insignificant passerby. She clasped her hands together, nodded slightly, and softly parted her lips to utter, "Amitabha!" Her voice was gentle and steady, without a trace of emotion.
Her eyes were cold and calm, devoid of surprise or sadness, as if Murong Han and everything from the past had been completely forgotten in the long river of time.
Looking at Xue Xiang, who was both familiar and unfamiliar, Murong Han felt a mix of emotions. Memories of the past flooded his mind like a tide, but the reality before him was so cold and cruel that he didn't know what to do.
Murong Han stared at Xue Xiang, who was dressed in a monk's robe, his face full of disbelief. His lips trembled as he stammered, "Xiang'er, what happened to you... how could you..." His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were full of anxiety and heartache.
Xue Xiang raised her head slightly, her eyes calm and still, like a stagnant pool, and said coldly, "Now that I have entered the Buddhist order, the Xue Xiang of the past no longer exists. This world is full of suffering, and only self-salvation is possible. Now that I have converted to Buddhism, I hope you will not mention the past again."
Her words were flat and distant, devoid of any life, as if Murong Han in front of her were just a complete stranger.
Murong Han took a step forward, his face filled with heartache and despair, and said urgently, "Xiang'er, what benefactor! I'm your cousin! How could you become like this? You—why did you do this? You're still young, and you've shaved your head to become a nun like this, how will you live your life from now on? You…"
As Xue Xiang listened to Murong Han's words, a sharp pain shot through her heart, as if countless fine needles were piercing her deeply. Yet, her face remained calm and composed, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
She clasped her hands together, bowed deeply to Murong Han, and said calmly, "Benefactor, the arising and ceasing of karma are all predestined. Please return." With that, she slowly turned around and walked steadily into the meditation room, her back view revealing a resolute and lonely demeanor.
As Murong Han watched her receding figure, a sharp pain shot through his heart, as if an invisible hand were tightly gripping his heart.
His eyes were slightly red, and his face was filled with pain and helplessness. He wanted to chase after them, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground and he couldn't move.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could only watch helplessly as Xue Xiang disappeared from his sight, his heart filled with loss and despair.
As night deepened, the silvery moon hung high in the dark blue sky, its cool moonlight pouring down like frost, draping the whole world in a hazy veil.
Murong Han dragged his heavy steps toward the Prince's mansion, walking step by step in the cold moonlight. His shadow was stretched long by the moonlight, making him appear exceptionally lonely. The stone path beneath his feet gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and each step felt like stepping on his heart, producing a dull thud.
The wind tonight carried a biting chill, like sharp blades cutting into his face. Occasionally, the chirping of insects echoed from the roadside grass, sounding particularly desolate in the silent night. The houses in the distance, appearing and disappearing in the moonlight, were like silent ghosts, coldly watching him.
Murong Han's heart was filled with bitterness and helplessness. First his brother, then his cousin, had both left him. These deaths were like heavy hammer blows, striking his heart and causing him unbearable pain. He gazed at the moonlight spilling onto the ground, a wave of sorrow washing over him. But now, everything was in the past. What would the rest of his life be like without them?