The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Bi Ruxin didn’t say a word, but Chen Yingying seemed to understand something.

“Yingying, why don’t we get married a little later?” The boy also seemed to understand something.

“I… I’ll go check on Dad.” With that said, Chen Yingying rushed off.

The moment she entered the room, she saw Chen Danian staring at her photograph in a daze. For some reason, Chen Yingying felt that Chen Danian looked especially lonely at that moment.

Chen Danian hadn’t even looked as depressed back when he lost his legs during the accident and lost his job while spending nearly all their savings for treatment. He remained optimistic back then, certain that he could regain everything. But the present Chen Danian was down as though he were a penniless vagrant.

The scenes came to a sudden stop here.

Chen Danian snapped awake from his memories, shattering the dream. Fangzheng and company also returned to reality. They exchanged looks and could understand why Chen Danian was feeling upset.

However, everyone was also filled with puzzlement. This matter didn’t seem to have anything to do with One Finger Monastery! Why would Chen Danian climb up the mountain in winter?

Hence Fangzheng asked, “Amitabha. Patron, why did you come up the mountain?”

Fangzheng didn’t beat about the bush. There definitely had to be a reason for him to crawl all the way up there in winter. Which idiot would do something so silly without a reason?

Chen Danian said with a rueful smile, “Abbot Fangzheng, I came to seek Buddha’s help and also to find you.”

Fangzheng was stunned. “Seek Buddha’s help? To find This Penniless Monk?” Fangzheng was even more puzzled. Why did Chen Danian come to seek Buddha’s help instead of staying at home with his family? Why did he come to find Fangzheng? Was he there to get him to act as a priest to preside over the wedding? That clearly wasn’t possible.

Chen Danian said, “My daughter is getting married. I wish to walk her down the aisle.”

“Oh.” Fangzheng still didn’t understand.

Lone Wolf, Monkey, and the rest also looked at Chen Danian in puzzlement.

Chen Danian said, “I wish to stand up and hand her over to Little Lu myself. I want to walk my daughter down the aisle on her most important day.”

Fangzheng was taken aback as he finally understood what was on Chen Danian’s mind. However, not many people knew of Fangzheng’s ability to treat illnesses. How did Chen Danian know of it? Why was he so certain that Fangzheng had the ability to treat him?”

Chen Danian said, “I went to a hospital to visit their director. He said that my legs aren’t hopeless, but that I need luck. After pleading with him, he recommended you to me, so I came here…”

Fangzheng was stunned. He had an impression of the director, but he never expected him to recommend people to him. Fangzheng felt a headache coming. Even if he had the means to treat Chen Danian’s problem, wouldn’t it make the matter feel too cheap if he treated him just like that? The most valuable thing in the world was kindness, but similarly, kindness was also the cheapest thing in the world. The saying of how enlightenment couldn’t easily be instructed shared the same logic.

“Master, I beg of you. I do not hope to walk in the future. I just need to walk a few steps, just by my daughter’s side on that final part of the aisle. I beg of you,” Chen Danian begged.

Seeing Chen Danian’s face, Fangzheng’s heart softened.

At this moment, Red Boy said, “Master, I think you can help him.”

Squirrel pulled Fangzheng’s ear, Monkey looked at Fangzheng, and Lone Wolf pricked up his ears. Hanging behind Chen Danian, Salted Fish gave Fangzheng a questioning look. Can you be that heartless?

When Fangzheng saw this, he thought, “To think these bunch of idiots are actually committing mutiny.”

Hence, Fangzheng pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. When This Penniless Monk was helping you activate your channels, he discovered that your legs are indeed treatable.”

“Really?” Chen Danian cried out in excitement when he heard that.

Fangzheng said, “Yes, but it will be very difficult to see any effects in a short period of time.”

“I… I only have three days. After three days, Yingying will be getting married,” Chen Danian said while feeling lost.

Fangzheng frowned immediately. “This Penniless Monk’s medical abilities are limited. It’s nearly impossible to get you to stand up in three days. Unless…”

“Unless what? Master, please tell me. I’ll definitely do anything within my means.” Chen Danian imagined that Fangzheng was asking to be paid, so he immediately cried out without a thought.

Fangzheng shook his head. “You can do it, but whether you can endure through it will depend on you. A word of caution beforehand; this will be very miserable, and there’s no guarantee of success.”

“I’m willing! I’m willing! As long as I can take those few steps, I’m willing to take any amount of hardship!” Chen Danian shouted without a thought. He had completely written off what Fangzheng said at the end. At that moment, he was grasping at straws and was willing to take a bet.

Fangzheng nodded and pointed to the tiny Buddha Vat he used to store water. “In that case, the water in that vat will be left to you, Patron.”

“Uh… Fetching water?” Chen Danian was dumbfounded. He couldn’t even use his feet and could barely move with his arms. Yet this monk was getting him to do work that needed both hands? This was basically not giving him a way out!

Fangzheng nodded and said, “That’s right. Fetching water. Also, you can only do so with your legs and not your hands!”

“But…” Chen Danian was flabbergasted.

“There are no buts. This Penniless Monk will not charge you for anything, but to receive treatment from This Penniless Monk and to receive board and lodging, this is necessary.”

One Finger Monastery didn’t provide board and lodging to outsiders, but this rule was not a hard and fast rule. If the person was willing to put in the effort by doing chores for the monastery, they could still stay. To put it bluntly, One Finger Monastery didn’t provide for idlers, nor did it support people who did nothing for One Finger Monastery.

Therefore, Fangzheng had given Chen Danian such a task. Of course, there was an additional meaning behind this.

Chen Danian looked at his feet and said, aggrieved, “But, my feet can’t move!”

“Jingxin, get this Patron a pair of crutches. Then teach him how to fetch water without using his arms.” Fangzheng then said to Chen Danian, “Patron, if you wish to stay behind to be treated, work hard to do the task well. Also, the water can only be drawn from the spring at the mountainside. You are not to draw water from the Heavenly Dragon Pond. Jingfa, you are in charge of watching him. If he violates the rules, he is to be chased down the mountain.”

After Fangzheng said that, he turned and left.

Upon hearing that, Lone Wolf, Squirrel, Monkey, Red Boy, and Salted Fish looked at Chen Danian with a look of pity.

However, with Fangzheng having given the orders, none of them said anything.

Red Boy got a few Frost Bamboo sticks and deftly made two crutches for Chen Danian.

Lone Wolf followed behind Chen Danian like a prison warden.

Chen Danian looked wryly at everything and asked, “This… Little Master, how is this supposed to be done?”

Red Boy said, “It’s not impossible without hands, but you need the help of others. So… I’m also going to be joining in the laborious work. Sigh.”

As a professional water fetcher for Mt. One Finger, he naturally had his unique methods. Furthermore, there were hidden leeways in Fangzheng’s instructions. All he had said was that Chen Danian had to fetch water, but he didn’t say that Chen Danian was to fill and pour the water himself! Hence, this meant that he could receive help for those tasks.