The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Noticing that Fangzheng’s red eyes looked as if he was about to grab them and throw them into the pot to stew any moment, Lone Wolf immediately shouted. “Master, I’m heading out to patrol the mountain.”

Monkey hurriedly said, “Master, I’ll help take care of the monastery.”

When Squirrel saw that everyone quickly ran off, leaving him alone to face the red-eyed Fangzheng, his mind raced rapidly, hoping to come up with a good excuse to leave. However, the more anxious he was, the more he couldn’t think of anything. Finally, he sobbed and said, “Master, I want to poop…”

Fangzheng looked at these fellows and instantly smiled. His appetite was just an innate desire that was stimulated by the pickled vegetables. It was an innate desire he had as a human, but what made humans human was precisely their self-control. And what made monks monks was precisely the fact that they had better self-control than ordinary people. If he couldn’t even control himself this much, what kind of monk was he?

However, looking at the chubby meatball in front of him, a wicked glint flashed across Fangzheng’s eyes. He chuckled and said, “Jingkuan, it’s easy to take a sh*t. Go off and relieve yourself. Once you are done, come back. Let’s go to the kitchen and discuss how the cooking should be done.”

Upon hearing that, Squirrel’s heart skipped a beat. The cooking? Are you really going to cook me? He looked at Fangzheng with grievance and said, “Master, I only know how to eat, not cook. Also, look, half of winter has passed already, and I’ve lost half my weight. I’m so skinny that I only have bones left.”

As he spoke, Squirrel tried hard to pinch his own body, but was it skin? It was all flesh!

Pinching his arm? It was all flesh!

Pinching his buttocks? It was all flesh!

No matter where he pinched, it was all flesh. Realizing that the darn baldy’s eyes were getting brighter and brighter, with an increasingly wicked look, Squirrel reeled in anxiety. After fumbling around for a while, he suddenly felt something hard. He almost reflexively shouted. “Master, look, I’m so skinny that I’m all bones!”

Fangzheng looked into Squirrel’s two eyes and was completely speechless. To think that this little fellow could come up with this. He hurriedly kicked his fat butt and said, “Leave quickly, you…”

When Squirrel heard that, he ran away as if he had gotten amnesty.

After teasing Squirrel, Fangzheng placed the pickled cabbage on the kitchen top. After thinking for a while, he left through the back door. Fangzheng didn’t walk to the main path as it was broad daylight, and the path would be filled with visitors. If he were to go out, he would either have to use A Golden Millet Dream or be questioned with all kinds of questions all the way. If he were to meet a female pervert, he might lose his ass.

Once bitten, twice shy…

After finding Lone Wolf, he asked Lone Wolf to go down the mountain to fetch some potato glass noodles.

The moment Lone Wolf heard that, he knew that he just needed to wait to be fed! Hence, he ran down the mountain, his speed as fast as the wind.

Fangzheng looked at the fellow’s back and clicked his tongue in wonder. “So the famous ‘Hurricane Wolf’ from the novels was a result of hunger…”

Not long after, Lone Wolf came back. Fangzheng was shocked. He did not know whose family was so thoughtful, as if afraid that Fangzheng didn’t have enough food, but they actually gave Lone Wolf a whole sack of potato glass noodles.

Thankfully, Lone Wolf was strong and tall. Otherwise, with Lone Wolf’s foolish way of biting at things, he would have long bitten through the potato glass noodles.

Fangzheng heaved a sigh of relief when he saw only a small portion of crushed potato glass noodles.

After washing a large handful of potato glass noodles of different lengths, he placed them in a large pot where they were soaked in Unrooted Clean Aqua.

Then, Fangzheng left.

Seeing that Fangzheng wasn’t cooking anything nice, and that he was instead soaking the glass noodles, Lone Wolf wore a puzzled look. He chased after him and asked, “Master? Aren’t you continuing?”

“Not for now. I’ll soak it for a while.” As Fangzheng walked out, he said, “These potato glass noodles are very tough. They’re hard to cook if they aren’t soaked for a while.”

“Then why don’t we use another ingredient? If it’s so troublesome, why must we use it?” Lone Wolf asked.

Fangzheng smiled and said, “It’s precisely because it’s resistant towards cooking that makes it chewy and not prone to tearing. It will be smooth in the mouth, extremely soft, and taste excellent.”

“Is that so? Master, what kind of taste does this powder have? Is it sour? Sweet?” Lone Wolf was even more curious, and the corners of his mouth started to drool. Clearly, this fellow was getting his appetite whetted.

Fangzheng smiled. “This powder doesn’t have much taste. Its taste is very bland.”

“Then what’s so nice about it?” Lone Wolf shook his head in disappointment and dropped his tail.

At that moment, Monkey called him over for help. Lone Wolf stopped asking and immediately ran off.

When Fangzheng saw this, he smiled and didn’t say anything else.

After soaking the potato glass noodles for more than an hour, Fangzheng pinched them. The white glass noodles were a little soft—smooth and slippery, a joy to touch.

Only then did Fangzheng begin to start a fire and cook. The disciples were busy. As the master, since it wasn’t convenient for him to go out, he might as well stay in the back.

After cooking the rice, he washed the pot and heated up some oil in it. Fangzheng added some condiments and poured the sliced pickled cabbage into the hot oil. A sizzling sound could be heard as Fangzheng quickly stir-fried the pickled cabbage. Soon, the pickled cabbage was covered in oil, becoming golden and beautiful! It even began to glisten with light.

The aroma of the pickled cabbage was thoroughly stimulated. Once the hot oil sizzled, the fragrance emanated.

However, when the northeast wind blew, the fragrance was dispersed by the time it reached the entrance. It did not drift out far.

When the pickled cabbage was almost done, Fangzheng poured the glass noodles in and stir-fried it. Finally, he poured some water and covered the pot.

…

At the same time, in the front yard of the monastery.

“Senior Brother, what is Master doing in the backyard? What did you bring back?” Squirrel jumped onto Lone Wolf’s head and asked curiously.

Lone Wolf shook his head and said, “Master said it’s potato glass noodles, some kind of noodles. I think it’s for tonight…”

“Er, what kind of noodles are potato glass noodles? Are they delicious?” Salted Fish asked curiously.

Beside him, Red Boy pricked up his ears as well.

Lone Wolf said, “Master said that it doesn’t have much taste. It’s just that it’s silky smooth, so I reckon it probably doesn’t taste good.”

“It doesn’t taste good? That’s good…” Salted Fish mumbled and left in satisfaction.

Red Boy heaved a sigh of relief as well.

These two fellows were destined to miss dinner, so after hearing that dinner wasn’t going to be delicious, they felt a rare sense of comfort in their hearts. They left happily and began their work.

After night fell and the bell and drum were struck, One Finger Monastery began to close for the day. The visitors dispersed one by one.

Salted Fish and Red Boy sat at the entrance and watched the moon gradually rise and the stars twinkle. It was unknown why they were in a daze.

“It looks like the food in the backyard isn’t that great. I don’t hear anything,” Salted Fish said.

Red Boy nodded and rubbed his stomach. “I guess it’s nothing much. Didn’t Senior Brother say that the noodles had no flavor and didn’t taste good?”

“Yes, yes. Eh? Do you smell something?” Salted Fish suddenly asked.