The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Fang Kui subconsciously turned his head, and he was dumbfounded. He mumbled. “Mommy…”

Zheng Yuan looked up as well and was also stunned rooted to the spot.

Faraway, Tan Ming held Ma Yuan to his chest as he shook his head, shouting. “Ma Yuan! Ma Yuan! Wake up! Wake the f**king hell up! Think about your family. Think of your wife and child! You can’t die!”

From the shaking, Ma Yuan opened his eyes in a daze. His vision was hazy, and it took a long while before he could focus on Tan Ming’s face. Then, he moved his gaze behind Tan Ming’s figure before widening his eyes and exclaiming. “Buddha!?”

What?

Tan Ming was taken aback. When did he become Buddha? He then realized that Ma Yuan wasn’t looking at him but behind him. He subconsciously looked back and was completely dumbfounded. He said with a look of disbelief, “Holy sh*t! It’s really Buddha!”

A few minutes earlier.

Red Boy was burning the timber to cook the congee as the villagers were setting up tents and starting fires for warmth.

As for Fangzheng, he was seated at the entrance to One Finger Monastery. He silently looked at the Heavenly Dragon Pond. Its water surface reflected the flames, tents, and nine black pots. Fangzheng found it interesting to see the burning flames in the water. At that moment, a salted fish appeared in the fire’s reflection as it grinned at Fangzheng. Fangzheng rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say a word. He only had the urge to roast the fish…

But the scene before him did resemble the roasting of fish.

Just as Fangzheng was planning to say something, he suddenly heard a sound.

Dong!

The sound came from afar and its magnificence brought with it an awful feeling.

Fangzheng immediately looked up. Others might not be familiar with the sound, but he knew it very well. It was the sound of the Yongle Bell!

“Jingfa, who struck the bell?” Fangzheng asked.

Lone Wolf walked out from behind him and whispered. “Master, if it wasn’t Jingxin or Salted Fish, then it can’t have been anyone from our monastery.”

Fangzheng looked at Red Boy who had been stirred by the bell’s gong and Salted Fish who wore a look of innocence. He then squinted his eyes at the bell tower. But from his angle, he could see that the bell tower was empty!

“Descend!”

At that moment, a drum gong sounded.

The drum gong was deep like the roars of a feral beast, but it was also like a cry with murderous intent. Fangzheng even sensed infinite killing intent from the sound. The night which was already cold turned even colder. It reached deep into the bone and sapped at the soul.

Fangzheng checked out the drum tower as well, but there was no one there either!

Fangzheng thought that he just couldn’t see it well from his angle. Someone was definitely striking the bell and drum! It was fine striking the bell, but to strike the drum?

“Which brat has a death wish!?” Fangzheng grumbled, and he rushed to the drum tower. Yet when he arrived at the top, it was empty! There wasn’t anyone.

Fangzheng was left flabbergasted the next instant. He saw that although the drumming stick remained untouched, it would suddenly fly up and strike the war drum by itself! At the same time, the bell’s gong would sound from the bell tower!.

The striking of the bell and the hitting of the drum resonated with each other without any intervention. This phenomenon was unprecedented for One Finger Monastery.

Fangzheng wore a look of puzzlement. What was happening?

The sounds also garnered the villagers’ notice. However, they only imagined that it was being done by the members of One Finger Monastery. Although they had no idea why the bell and drum were being struck at such a time, no one said a word.

At this moment, a dark cloud above One Finger Village suddenly produced a sanguine light!

Fangzheng’s heart quivered. “A murderous glimmer. That’s the light of blood! Someone is in trouble below Mt. One Finger!”

Fangzheng hurriedly activated his Heavenly Eye to look at the sanguine light and saw it expand infinitely before turning into a beam that shot to the foot of the mountain!

Fangzheng ran to the side of Mt. One Finger and looked down at One Finger Village. The sanguine beam landed in the direction of Ma Yuan’s house! Unfortunately, he couldn’t see what was happening. Neither did he understand the meaning behind the sanguine light.

At this moment, a cry sounded in Fangzheng’s mind as though someone was whispering. Yet, it felt like nothing had happened the next second. Fangzheng was instantly enlightened as he seemed to have learned and understood something.

“It’s not enough! Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Guan Yin, help This Penniless Monk!” With a stamp of his foot, he pressed his palms together, as the usual warmth in his eyes disappeared. Replacing it was a solemn look, like it was the descent of an angry-looking Vajra.

With a low bellow, there was suddenly a Buddhist proclamation from One Finger Monastery. “Amitabha!”

The warm voice had a tone of solemnity, but it also contained the great mercy of having pity on all life in the world. However, everyone could tell that it was a woman’s voice. There was a woman in One Finger Monastery? She even said a Buddhist proclamation? Could she be a nun? There was a nun in the monastery?

The villagers from One Finger Village obviously didn’t think too much of it. However, the tourists couldn’t help but look at Fangzheng with an odd look. There were even some who wanted to enter One Finger Monastery to take a look to see if there was a nun.

Someone even shook his head and said, “There’s a nun hidden in the monastery? This is going to be fun…”

But just as the person said that, his expression changed.

It wasn’t only him. Everyone on Mt. One Finger was dumbfounded. This included Red Boy and Salted Fish. This was because they clearly saw a wisp of golden light rise up from One Finger Monastery’s Ten Thousand Buddha Hall. It shot into the dark clouds and formed a lotus platform! Under the moonlight’s illumination, the darkness was gone as it was replaced by silver. It was an infinitely sacred lotus platform.

On the lotus platform, a gigantic figure appeared in midair! The figure stood there and revealed countless arms behind it. Each hand carried a Dharmic artifact. Although her face couldn’t be discerned, everyone could sense the great mercy and compassion from the figure

“Guan Yin Bodhisattva!”

It was unknown who first shouted it, but everyone soon snapped to their senses. Someone even led the crowd in kneeling down and kowtowing.

Red Boy subconsciously pressed his palms together as a greeting. But midway, he stopped and looked at the figure in the air with a frown. Then he shook his head and said, “This isn’t the Thousand-armed and Thousand-eyed Guan Yin. This is a Wish Forces Merit Dharma Aspect!”

“That’s right. This isn’t Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s real body. I’ve seen plenty of arhats and bodhisattvas. Although they are lofty, they still exude a human’s aura. However, this illusory figure doesn’t have any human aura. It’s like… It’s like a beautiful but soulless vase,” Salted Fish said.

“This is a Wish Forces Merit Dharma Aspect! Nice, Master even figured out such a move. Impressive!” Red Boy sighed repeatedly.

“Fourth Junior Brother, what’s a Wish Forces Merit Dharma Aspect?” Squirrel asked curiously.

However, Red Boy didn’t say a word because Fangzheng was already beginning his next action.