The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Fangzheng did not say anything further. He did not wish to explain as there was no way he could give a clear explanation anyway.

The few animals were not interested in the origins of the objects since they were already used to it. Every now and then after some random period of time, Fangzheng would produce something fantastic. Therefore rather than figuring out how the drum had appeared, Squirrel was more interested in seeing the drum. “Master, can I take a look?”

“You can, but remember, all of you. This drum is no ordinary item. Do not strike it. Act within your means and do not go too close to it,” said Fangzheng.

“Don’t worry, Master! I’m going to take a look at the drum!” Squirrel excitedly shot forward as he climbed up the wall and rushed for the drum.

Lone Wolf, Monkey, and Red Boy exchanged looks as they quickly followed. They were also puzzled and wished to see the drum.

Fangzheng did not follow as he sat in the yard in a composed manner. He made his Frost Bamboo tea and leisurely read the scriptures in satisfaction.

Squirrel was extremely fast as he whizzed up the drum tower. The moment he looked up, he felt as though a terrifying monster was standing in front of him. It stood there with one leg and had a cow’s head that looked extremely ferocious. Boundless lightning was gathered on the monster’s body! Squirrel nearly screamed out subconsciously as he quickly jumped down the drum tower. He ignored everything as he burrowed into Fangzheng’s clothes, refusing to come out. The little guy was trembling. Clearly, he had been given a fright.

Fangzheng chuckled when he saw this. “Jingkuan, what did you see?”

“A monster with one leg and a huge cow’s head. There was also a lot of lightning,” answered a trembling Squirrel.

“Then?” asked Fangzheng.

“How can there be anything else? There was such a frightening thing! If I didn’t manage to run fast, you would not have been able to see me anymore. Boohoo!” Squirrel wiped his snot on Fangzheng’s clothes, but the White Lunar Monk Robe was untaintable, so nothing dirty could adhere to it. The little guy had no choice but to hug his bushy tail and wipe his snot there…

Fangzheng smiled. “If he wanted to eat you, would you be able to run back? Your heart is pure, so you can see the drum’s original form. If your heart were filled with evil, you would see a different image. Alright, don’t be afraid. Chant the scriptures, and the horror will naturally dissipate.”

Squirrel did as Fangzheng said and began chanting. Indeed, the horror in him soon dissipated.

As for Fangzheng, he was astonished to see a Buddhist glow coruscate from Squirrel’s body while he chanted the scriptures. He seemed to be absorbing some of the monastery’s Buddhistic aura!

“What’s happening?” Fangzheng’s heart jolted, but the Buddhistic aura vanished with a flash. It did not give Fangzheng a chance to observe it.

Fangzheng suspiciously looked at the drum tower outside as he pondered over the matter.

When Lone Wolf saw how fast Squirrel ran, he curled his mouth and said, “Squirrels are still squirrels in the end. They are just that cowardly. I’ll go take a look.”

After saying that, Lone Wolf went up the drum tower.

Beneath the drum tower, Monkey held his hands to his side as he looked up. He asked, “Junior Brother, is that drum so frightening? It appears as though Jingkuan got quite a scare. Senior Brother won’t share the same fate, right?”

“Probably not. His nerves are quite substantial.” Although Red Boy made such a remark, the look in his eyes was solemn. As a great demon king, he could sense that there was something formidable at the top of the drum tower. It was something horrifying! However, he knew even better that the backer of the monastery was even more horrifying! Even his own Dharmic powers could be taken away at will, so no matter how powerful the drum was, it could only be obedient in this monastery. Therefore Red Boy was not worried…

As expected, Lone Wolf came back down shortly. He was bobbing his head, seemingly unfrightened.

“Senior Brother, you…” Just as Monkey was about to ask a question, he saw Lone Wolf’s fur stand upright as Lone Wolf howled. “F**k, it scared me to death! Awoo!” Lone Wolf ran into the monastery with his tail between his legs. On the way, he closed the monastery’s main door.

Monkey and Red Boy stood there feeling a cloud hang over their heads. They were flabbergasted!

Monkey said, “Rather than saying his nerves are sizable, doesn’t it seem more like he doesn’t even have any?”

Red Boy sighed. “That’s about it. At the place where I come from, those nerves of him would make him be rejected by everyone if he took the lesser demon test… Senior Brother, are you going to take a look?”

Master looked up and shook his head. “No, Master said to act within my means.”

“Why don’t you just say you are cowardly?” said Red Boy with curled lips.

Monkey thought nothing of it. “Amitabha. Junior Brother, go ahead and take a look if you want to.”

“Hehe, you do have an increasing resemblance with an old monk. Alright, I’ll take a look.” With that said, Red Boy climbed up the drum tower.

Shortly after, there was a loud bellow from the top of the drum tower. “Halt, don’t move! I’m the Boy Sage King. Who are you, quickly announce your name! Oh? It’s a one-legged cow? Hahaha, how ugly! Oh, it’s really a drum. Sigh, what a pitiful fellow. All that’s left is some skin. If not, it would be quite nice as a stew…”

It did not take long before Red Boy came down.

Monkey looked up and asked, “Junior Brother, what did you see?”

Red Boy’s eyes darted around as he smiled cheekily. “I saw a drum. Senior Brother, you know that Eldest Senior Brother is quite a deceitful person, right? Did you forget the matter with the dandelions? I think he’s just deliberately scaring us. To be honest though, that drum is truly domineering. It looks really nice, much better than that bell.”

Monkey was indeed tempted by his words, but he remained unmoving. He said in an unperturbed fashion, “Amitabha. I’m not going.”

With that said, Monkey turned and left…

Red Boy curled his lips when he saw this as he said disdainfully, “Coward!”

However, Monkey walked off without even turning his head.

Red Boy shook his head and mumbled, “I don’t believe it. How can the most curious Monkey endure his curiosity? To resist his innate character? He’s definitely not that accomplished…”

With this in mind, Red Boy left. But shortly after he left, he secretly climbed up the bell tower and hid himself. He peeped at the drum tower from a corner.

10 minutes. Monkey did not come.

20 minutes. Monkey still did not come.

30 minutes. Red Boy’s eyelids were struggling to remain open as he drowsily wished to sleep. He mumbled while yawning, “Did I think wrongly? That monkey really succeeded in his cultivation and can resist his innate nature? He is actually able to remain unperturbed even if the sky were to fall?”

Just as Red Boy was having his thoughts run astray, a furtive figure appeared. It looked left and right, and after ascertaining that there was no one around, it sneakily climbed up the drum tower with its limbs. The person was none other than Monkey who looked like an accomplished monk and had insisted that he would not take a look.

Red Boy immediately turned spirited when he saw this as he cursed jokingly. “Indeed, the silly monkey is still the same. Acting as an accomplished monk with me? Pui!” Red Boy’s eyes darted as he chuckled. An idea had come to him.

It did not take long for Monkey to come down the tower. His feet were trembling and apparently, he had been given quite a scare.

Red Boy immediately jumped out and laughed out loud. “Senior Brother, what did you see? Was it nice?”

Yet Monkey did not collapse to the ground in fright. Instead, he walked straight to the temple hall without looking at Red Boy. He knelt down and began chanting the scriptures. It left Red Boy confounded. What was happening? This reaction was nothing like he had imagined!