The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

“… and it’s a replica!”

Fangzheng nearly spewed a mouthful of blood when he heard that. He cursed himself inwardly. Are you a pig!? This f**ker is known for dragging out his sentences. Why did you fall for it?

Although he was cursing inwardly, Fangzheng also knew that being fooled wasn’t something he could avoid. An item like a kasaya was no ordinary item.

An embroidered kasaya was also known as a Buddhist cassock. The origins for this name came from the story of the Sixth Patriarch washing a sash given to him by the Fifth Patriarch. There were two explanations for its name. The first explanation was the literal one—a simple Buddhist robe. As for the other, it meant Buddhist ordination ¹

To put it simply, only with a kasaya was one considered an actual, primary Buddhist monk! Without a kasaya, no matter how one sugar coated it, they would ultimately be a secondary monk at best. No one knew when such secondary members would be thrown out as cannon fodder.

Although Fangzheng wasn’t in such a dire state as to become cannon fodder, he couldn’t be considered a proper monk without the proof of being one. Yet he couldn’t renounce asceticism either. This left him stuck in the middle and uncomfortable. During the two times he participated in the activities of other monasteries, everyone had been wearing a kasaya while he hadn’t. Quite a few eyes were rolled at him; hence, considering how Fangzheng couldn’t renounce asceticism, he dreamed of having a kasaya.

Now that he had a kasaya, and an embroidered kasaya at that, how couldn’t he be excited? Unfortunately, sorrow follows extreme joy. Just as he had jumped up, he had fallen into a trap.

“System, this isn’t the end of this!” Fangzheng said through clenched teeth.

“Don’t be unhappy. Although you have some merit, how can you compare to the Golden Cicada ¹ from back then? He had given up his golden body to reincarnate as a human to fetch the Buddhist scriptures back so as to redeem humanity. What kind of merit is that? It’s obvious that with that tiny bit of merit you have, it’s impossible to hold the same kasaya as the Golden Cicada! But don’t think lowly of it. Although it’s not a high-quality replica, it was made from the hands of a divine maiden!” the System said.

Fangzheng’s eyes lit up. Divine maidens? He had never seen one before, but looking at one of their products wouldn’t be too bad either. He even believed that the System might have felt pity for him, with him being a single male spending his days alone with a bunch of animals and demons on a mountain. Finally, the System was giving him something to tide through the pain.

“Indeed, a divine maiden. It was woven personally by the female attendant of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Although it’s lacking a lot of treasures, countless techniques were used to create it. This kasaya was made of dark silk drawn from the South Sea’s sea silkworm. It’s indestructible by fire or water and invulnerable. It’s embedded with eighteen emeralds, twenty-four green pieces of cornelian, thirty-six pieces of jadeite, and seventy-two threads of green silk…”

The System droned on, pausing midway as though it was taking a break.

Fangzheng was still listening in relish in the beginning until he felt something amiss. Why were the items on the kasaya all green? Although he was a monk and destined to be single his entire life, to be covered in green was something any male creature would feel uncomfortable with— even as a monk.

The System was just about to continue when Fangzheng hurriedly shouted. “System Bro, can I not accept it?”

“No!” The System said “no” for the first time. In the past, this fellow would yearn for Fangzheng to reject and immediately send it back if he could. It was like he could earn some spare cash that way.

So Fangzheng was puzzled. “No? Why?”

“This item’s original owner only has one request. Anyone who obtains it via any means has to keep it! Furthermore, are you sure you do not wish to hear all of its effects? You have to believe that the System’s products are definitely excellent items! I wouldn’t keep in store any items that aren’t special.”

“Don’t bother. I’m puzzled. Why must you listen to that person? When have you ever been this obedient?”

“Well, I’m just recycling to begin with… Ahem, I obviously have to keep their wishes in mind when taking their items. Therefore, respect the item donator’s will! Remember, the System’s products are not to be sold. You can choose not to use it, but you must keep it well.” With that, the System vanished.

Meanwhile, a yellow glow appeared in front of Fangzheng. Once it shattered, a soft kasaya appeared in Fangzheng’s hands. It was cold to the touch, but not freezing cold. Instead, after Fangzheng’s hands felt a little cold from touching it, the kasaya automatically emitted some warmth. It was apparently maintaining Fangzheng’s normal body temperature.

“Hehe! This is pretty good.” Fangzheng sighed as he opened the kasaya. He pulled it from the corners and flicked it into the air.

Whoosh!

The kasaya was spread open.

At the same time, Fangzheng switched on the lights, planning to carefully observe the first kasaya he could call his. But the moment he opened it, all he saw was a splatter of green!

The kasaya was red as a whole, but the threads were all green. The green was so reflective that they were clearly no ordinary green threads but looked like green golden threads instead! They were embellished with all sorts of cornelian, gems, and jadeite… Any of these gems were crystalline without any other impure colors.

Although Fangzheng didn’t know anything about gems, he could tell that any of these would be a priceless treasure if he yanked them off.

However, they were part of the kasaya. He could look and touch, but not sell!

As for wearing it?

Fangzheng lifted it up and draped it over his body. However, his face turned ashen the moment he looked into the mirror.

The kasaya was automatically glowing, glowing green! As it glowed, Fangzheng’s bald head would reflect a little light. Hence, his head would have a swath of greenness. At a glance, it was as though someone had lit up a light over the Hulunbuir plains, making him look freaking green ¹ !

Fangzheng didn’t say a word and took off the kasaya before throwing it on the bed. He said with an ashen expression, “Amitabha. Take it if you want!”

With that, Fangzheng no longer cared what a kasaya represented. All he knew was the meaning of the great greenery on his head.

Hence, less than three minutes after he received his kasaya, he put it far in the back of his mind.

While in bed, however, Fangzheng felt more pissed the more he thought about it. He had gone through so much effort to save so many people; yet all he got was this. He felt like he had suffered a tremendous loss. Besides, this matter was a little strange. Typically, the System’s items were all good. He couldn’t understand what was wrong with the System this time. Why had it given him something like that!?

The more he thought, the more he couldn’t hold it in. Finally, he asked, “System Bro, are you sure you aren’t colluding with someone to pull a prank on me?”

“System products are definitely excellent items!” the System said.

“I’m calling bullsh*t on your excellent items. A perfect pure male monk like me has been made into the Hulunbuir plains by you, and you have the nerve to tell me it’s an excellent item? If I were to wear this outside, do you think I’d be improving the reputation of Buddhism or disgracing myself? Others would probably laugh to death before I could even say a word!” Fangzheng cried out, feeling furious.