The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

At that instant, Yao Zhen’s heart pumped with excitement. There’s someone here?

She had no idea from where she managed to muster the strength to do it, but she tried her best to raise her head. Her mind that had seemed like it could lose consciousness at any moment turned a little clearer. However, she still couldn’t make out her surroundings. Vaguely, she saw a white-clothed person slowly walking over. The person looked somewhat odd, and in this world, he appeared especially clear. And around him were a bunch of big monsters! Yao Zhen’s heart chilled. Could it be the White Impermanence ¹ ?

It frightened Yao Zhen enough for her to blink her eyes with all her might. Only then did she make out the person, seeing that it was a white-robed monk. She couldn’t make out his features, but she was astonished to discover that the monk’s body was glowing! Furthermore, the thing beside him wasn’t a monster but a huge and very majestic wolf.

“Are you Buddha?” Yao Zhen posed an almost inaudible question.

The person pressed his palms together, shook his head, and used a voice filled with magnetism, peacefulness, and gentleness. “Amitabha. This Penniless Monk is not Buddha, but you have gone astray. Patron, are you aware of your faults?”

“Yes, please save me!” Yao Zhen discovered that the monk’s voice seemed to have some magical element to it. When his voice entered her ears, her body warmed, and she regained her strength. She immediately started pleading.

What she didn’t realize was that a young monk was sitting on the tree above her, casting his Dharmic powers to warm her up. Meanwhile, he was grumbling softly. “Seriously, I’m the one doing all the dirty work, and Master gets all the credit. Sigh.”

The people who had come were none other than Fangzheng, Red Boy, and the rest.

“Since you know your mistake, go back. Follow this path and keep walking straight, and you will return home,” Fangzheng said softly. He waved his hand, and Yao Zhen looked over. She saw a path lit by stars in the pitch-black forest! The road was bathed in a silver glow, making it look extremely sacred and majestic.

Yao Zhen was about to say that she lacked the strength, but she then found the monk looking at her. His eyes were extremely warm, as though he was bestowing her with limitless strength. Yao Zhen gathered her strength and slowly got up before staggering forward. The more she walked, the easier it became, the warmer she felt, and the faster she could walk. Suddenly, she snapped to her senses. She had not thanked him yet!

Yao Zhen suddenly turned her head, only to find that the spot she had been sitting at was empty! There was no one there. It was as though the monk had never appeared.

But when she turned her head, the road with the silver starry light still existed. She had not been dreaming!

With this in mind, Yao Zhen really wished to cry. Having walked the path bordering life and death in what seemed like a dream, nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered now was that she had finally understood something. In this world, she was not the protagonist. She could and would also die one day! Especially when faced with nature, she was no princess. She was an ant who could die at any moment. Compared to troubling people by dying here while seeking thrills, she might as well do something more meaningful with her life.

“A dream is not a dream, and reality is not reality. It seems like a dream and imaginary, but also real and actual. Amitabha.” Fangzheng watched Yao Zhen depart as he whispered. This was the first time he was planting a dream in someone’s heart. It generated a path to lead her back to the path of light. Of course, this path wasn’t given by Fangzheng but was just the same path she had taken before as she remembered it. Fangzheng had only instilled her with the notion that the correct path would glow.

As for her warmth, Red Boy had resolved that with a trivial divine power.

Red Boy said, “Congratulations, Master. Your control of your divine power has broken through again. In the future, you can posture even more easily.”

Bam!

Fangzheng raised his hand and smacked Red Boy. Then he said in all seriousness, “Keep a low profile!”

Red Boy was rendered speechless. Keep a low profile? You actually dare tell me that? If you want to keep a low profile, why add a layer of divine light to yourself? Why make a starry path? Seriously, how shameless can you be! However Red Boy didn’t dare to say that out loud. All he could do was secretly grumble in his heart.

Fangzheng ignored his dissatisfaction and asked him to quickly find the rest.

Meanwhile, not far from Tianzhu Peak’s bottom.

“Is this Tianzhu Peak?” Glasses shouted in excitement as he looked up at Tianzhu Peak as it rose up into the clouds like an enormous pillar.

“We did it!” Xunzi laughed.

Monk smacked his lips. “I think we should consider how to spend the night now. The weather is getting colder.”

Wei Yaqin also added. “That’s right. Xunzi, what do we do now?”

Just as he was about to say something, Xunzi’s expression changed.

“Xunzi, what are you looking at?” As Glasses spoke, he traced Xunzi’s gaze and looked over as well, only to have his expression freeze.

Monk and Wei Yaqin looked over curiously as well upon seeing their expressions. Instantly, all their hair stood on end!

A distance away, there were green specks of light which resembled fireflies. They were coruscating in pairs at random rates. However although the lights of fireflies were beautiful, the lights they were currently seeing sent a chill down their backs.

“What are those?” Wei Yaqin subconsciously asked.

Monk immediately covered Wei Yaqin’s mouth. He suppressed his voice and said in horror, “Shut up. Don’t make a sound. Don’t agitate them!”

“Them?” Wei Yaqin’s heart skipped a beat. Were they not fireflies? A moment later, Wei Yaqin suddenly came to her senses. How could there be fireflies in this frozen wasteland? Was her mind numb from the cold? Why would she have such a ridiculous thought?

The green lights approached and slowly, Wei Yaqin saw things beyond the green lights with the reflection of the snow. These green lights were not flying in the sky, but they were attached to black shadows! The shadows approached, and Wei Yaqin’s pupils dilated. She finally realized what they were. It was a pack of wolves!

The wolves had their heads lowered as they slowly walked over while facing the blizzard. They bared their fangs and let out low grunts. Clearly, that wasn’t a warning but just a prelude to their meal.

Wei Yaqin looked at Xunzi who was silent and trembling in fear.

Glasses was also at a loss.

At that moment, Monk shouted. “Run!”

Almost at the same time, Monk began running. Wei Yaqin reflexively followed.

Glasses jumped in fright as he fell to the ground. In his flustered state, he tried to get up, but the snow was too slippery, causing him to stumble a few times before he finally scrambled forward.

Xunzi snapped to his senses and pulled at Glasses. The two began running with all their might.

With the first snowstorm having just finished, the bottommost layer of snow had turned into ice. The snow layer above had not turned into a hard snow crust from the wind yet. Instead, as it was early winter, the snow was very sticky. Taking a step would leave a huge footprint, making it a burden to run across the sticky snow. It felt like they were pulling carriages with each step. That was nothing. With the ice layer beneath the snow layer, it would be fine if you took the time to walk slowly. But once the group of backpackers began running, their feet slid across the ice!