The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Since he couldn’t use it but it was a set with the Fortune Incense Cauldron, Fangzheng didn’t have anything else to say about it. He immediately took receipt of the Seven Treasure Lotus Flower Lamp.

Instantly, he had a red lotus flower lantern in his hand. The lantern’s flame wasn’t the same as a mortal fire, but scarlet in color. The color didn’t appear fancy or strange, but it had a special air of solemnity. Looking at it made one feel a sense of respect.

Fangzheng called Monkey over and got him to bring it out and switch the ordinary lantern for it, making it easier for everyone to light their incense sticks.

With that, the day passed by peacefully. When night descended, the devotees slowly left. One Finger Monastery finally regained its peace and quiet. After the monastery’s door was closed, Fangzheng sat under the bodhi tree to look up at the star-filled sky. He silently recited. Amitabha.

Following that, his handsome face beamed as though he had said something but also nothing to Zen Master One Finger who was among the stars.

After an uneventful night, a huge group of tourists headed up the mountain before daybreak.

The instant Fangzheng opened the door, he saw countless pairs of eyes looking at him from opposite the Heavenly Dragon Pond.

“Look! Abbot Fangzheng is out!” Someone shouted as everyone looked over. Instantly, there were all kinds of snapping sounds from their cell phones.

Under the faint moonlight, the white rooftops, and red walls, they saw a white-robed monk walk out of the door. He was handsome with an infinite warmth to his face. He was like sunlight in winter, warming up the hearts of people.

Behind him was the tall bodhi tree, and before him was the Heavenly Dragon Pond. The sun hadn’t risen, so there wasn’t any fog above it yet. Its clarity allowed it to perfectly reflect the stars in the sky as the monk and monastery seemed to be immersed in an endless starry universe. It left everyone amazed.

Before the monk came out, everyone was already amazed by One Finger Monastery alone. Now, with the addition of the monk, it gave the picturesque scene a finishing touch, making the piece of art come to life!

As they looked at the monk and the monastery, all of them felt their thoughts go adrift. Amidst that feeling, they felt that they were standing in the depths of the cosmos, looking at the ancient monk in the starry sky. The shock they felt left them exclaiming. “This trip was worth it!”

Fangzheng walked out, and he stepped onto the stone columns that were slightly above the water surface before going up the drum tower. Together with Monkey, he struck the bell and drum.

A brand new day followed as the bell’s gong marked daybreak!

Golden sunlight scattered across the land as white fog rose up, turning into a golden fog amid the golden sunlight. The fog didn’t rise up high but remained floating around the monastery, making it seem as though the monastery was immersed in a sea of clouds and floating in the sky.

“An ancient monastery in the cosmos, a compound in the sky. This is really the residence of an immortal!”

“How beautiful…”

Just as everyone was sighing in amazement, someone suddenly asked, “Where’s Abbot Fangzheng?”

Everyone hurriedly looked at the drum tower, only to realize that both towers were empty! The monk and monkey who had been striking the bell and drum had departed at some point in time. Then, looking at the red door at the entrance, it happened to gently tremble, clearly a sign of it having just been closed.

“We were too entranced by the scenery and failed to notice Abbot Fangzheng leaving. What a pity. I still wanted to see the living Buddha up close, but I missed it.”

“I heard that Abbot Fangzheng seldom appears. He only appears for the morning and evening gongs. If you miss the chance in the morning, you will have to wait for the evening.”

“So be it. Since we are already here, how can we leave without seeing the living Buddha?”

“That’s right. Let’s wait together!”

As a result, more and more people gathered on Mt. One Finger. Finally, the villagers of One Finger Village had no choice but to arrange for some villagers to get the people who had arrived at the mountaintop to leave. Although these people were unwilling, they understood the villagers’ rationale. All they could do was leave helplessly.

And so, an additional saying appeared on the Internet as a result: “You can’t have dawn and also dusk. Which would you choose?”

In the following days, apart from the incense offerings increasing, forming a thicker column of smoke that resembled a green dragon, everything remained rather calm.

However, there were people who weren’t calm.

“Elder Yu, this is all the information regarding Mt. One Finger, One Finger Monastery, and Fangzheng.” The middle-aged man looked at Elder Yu as he placed a thick stack of documents before him.

Elder Yu put down the final piece of information in his hand and nodded slightly. “After seeing all this information, I’m rather curious about this young monk. From what he has done over the past year, it doesn’t seem like he’s an accomplished monk. However, he has done good that no accomplished monk can do. This is a monk with a kind heart that shines like sunlight.”

The middle-aged man nodded in agreement. “Yes, I’ve gone to all the villages around Mt. One Finger. Everyone is full of praise for him. Even Songwu County’s county head and secretary are full of praise for him despite having been refused a meeting far more than once or twice…” Upon saying that, the middle-aged man laughed.

Elder Yu clearly knew about this as he smiled faintly. “If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t meet them either. Besides, is there a rule that a commoner needs to meet you because you are a high official?”

The middle-aged man nodded.

Elder Yu said, “Why is the information of Fangzheng’s disciples only limited to the present and not the past? Those animals can be ignored, but the child should have some history, right? Don’t tell me he jumped out of a rock?”

The middle-aged man said with a bitter smile, “Elder Yu, I spent the most time investigating the child. However, there’s no information about him before his appearance at One Finger Monastery! The child has extremely great strength and is able to carry huge buckets of water that adults can hardly carry while running like he’s flying. He has bright eyes and beautiful teeth. His skin is ruddy and supple. He often wears a red dudou or thin monk clothes despite it being winter… Some people say…”

“What do they say?”

The middle-aged man whispered. “Some people say that Fangzheng mentioned that he’s the son of the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan from the world of immortals, the Child of Wealth at Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s side, Red Boy! However, such a thing sounds too fantastic.”

“So you didn’t write it into the documents?” Elder Yu asked.

The middle-aged man nodded.

Elder Yu laughed. “A monk that can fly has already appeared. There’s also those speaking animals, so what would be so odd about having an additional Red Boy?”

The middle-aged man didn’t say a word after giving a wry smile. He obviously knew that, but the outcome of a superior guessing it himself and him writing it down was different.

Elder Yu said, “Alright, I now understand the situation with One Finger Monastery. I’ll find some time to pay this miraculous monk a visit.”

“Eh? Elder Yu, are you going to ignore this?” the middle-aged man asked.

Elder Yu chuckled and asked, “Are you not? Did he break the law or attempt to rebel?”

The middle-aged man was rendered speechless. That’s right; he had no reason to do a thing.