The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Song Yuhe looked around and couldn’t find any rope to save the man. Hence he said, “How are you? Can you move? Hold on a little longer. I’ll get someone to help you.”

“Quick, save me. My legs are broken, and I can’t use any strength. Also, the tree is about to break. There’s not much time. Please, save me. I don’t want to die! Sob…” The ugly man cried out.

Song Yuhe turned anxious as he circled the area thrice but failed to find anything that could be used to save the man.

At this moment, the ugly man shouted again. “This tree’s roots are rather thick. It shouldn’t be a problem for two people to stand on it. However, the middle part of the tree doesn’t seem like it will hold out much longer. Can you come down and help me up?”

Song Yuhe was stunned when he heard that. When he carefully looked at the tree’s height, it was slightly more than a meter tall. It was neither very tall nor very short. It was impossible to reach by extending his hand, so if he wished to save the ugly man, doing as he said might really be a solution.

However…

Song Yuhe looked at the dried tree bark and the deep precipice down below while feeling the northeastern winds, and he thought, “If a person accidentally falls down from here, there’s a hundred percent chance of dying!”

With this in mind, Song Yuhe felt a little afraid. He thought, “This man is so ugly, and he’s wearing such crappy clothes. He’s probably a vagrant or a beggar. As for me, I’m one of the three medical sages of TCM. Is it worth it for me to risk my life to save such a person?”

Song Yuhe had countless thoughts flash past his mind. He thought of his career and his family…

At that moment, he heard a soft cracking sound of wood followed by the ugly man’s screams. “It’s about to break. It’s about to break! Save me! Save me!”

Upon hearing his cry for help, Song Yuhe’s mixed feelings were instantly thrown into disarray before all his thoughts were gone. He cried out loud. “Don’t worry, I’ll save you!”

As he spoke, Song Yuhe knelt down and extended his leg out in preparation to save the man.

At that moment, Song Yuhe suddenly heard someone ask him, “If a famous doctor like you tries to save a beggar and you die when the tree breaks, will it have been worth it? You are worth a lot more than a beggar.”

However, Song Yuhe didn’t even entertain a single contradicting thought as he just cursed loudly without looking up. “So what if I’m a famous doctor? If you aren’t f**king helping, cut the crap!”

Song Yuhe was stunned after he shouted. Someone had been beside him? That wasn’t right. The voice didn’t come from above him but from below!

At that moment, Song Yuhe heard a Buddhist proclamation. “Amitabha. Patron, your heart has good in it. You are a good person.”

When the Buddhist proclamation sounded, Song Yuhe felt his feet get pinned down by a hand before he was pushed up by a tremendous force.

Just as Song Yuhe found himself sitting on solid ground, he turned his head and saw a monk standing by the side of the cliff. His hands were pressed together as he looked at him with a smile.

At that instant, Song Yuhe was stunned. He then shouted as he rushed to the side of the cliff and looked down. He saw that there was an old tree peeping out the cliff. It was dry and withered, but it didn’t show any signs of breaking. As for the top of the tree, it was completely empty!

“Where is he!?” Song Yuhe’s heart sank. Where’s the ugly man? Could he have fallen down to his death?

The monk by the side pressed his palms together and asked, “Patron, who are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the beggar. Did you not see him? Why didn’t you save him?” Song Yuhe asked.

Silently, Fangzheng looked at Song Yuhe in amusement.

Song Yuhe thought that Fangzheng was tacitly admitting to his accusation, turning him more incensed. He roared. “Why are you still smiling? Every life is important, how can you smile? How can you smile at a time like this?”

After Song Yuhe finishing shouting, he looked down the cliff and took out his cell phone, prepared to call the police.

At that moment, the ugly man’s voice sounded from beside him. “Are you looking for me?”

Song Yuhe was stunned as he turned his body to take a look. The ugly man was standing where the monk had been!

Although the ugly man was truly ugly, he had a unique kind of charm when he smiled.

Song Yuhe looked at the ugly man and then at his feet. He looked at his surroundings and immediately after, he felt creeped out. His lips quivered as he asked, “How… How did you get up? Weren’t your legs broken? Where’s Abbot Fangzheng?”

The ugly man smiled and looked up at the sky. Song Yuhe subconsciously looked up as well to see an empty sky. When he looked down again, he was stunned to realize that the ugly man had vanished. I stead, Fangzheng had appeared once again. His fair appearance looked particularly good when he smiled, especially with his eyes twinkling like stars while appearing like the ocean which could take in everything. They contained wisdom and the force of placidness.

Looking at Fangzheng and then at the surroundings, Song Yuhe rubbed his eyes and swallowed his saliva. He asked, “Abbot Fangzheng, you and that person… Are the both of you… No… Are you a man or ghost?” Song Yuhe asked, his words in a jumble.

Fangzheng said with a smile, “Amitabha. Patron, does it matter?”

Song Yuhe scratched his head and said with a wry smile, “I-I’m a little afraid.”

Fangzheng said, “This Penniless Monk is Mt. One Finger’s One Finger Monastery’s Abbot Fangzheng. This Penniless Monk came to Patron hoping to spread a message.”

“What is it?” Song Yuhe kept feeling creeped out when he looked at Fangzheng. His means of being able to transform repeatedly, to the point of switching between two entirely different people, were definitely no ordinary feat! Even magic shows required a good setup and coordination between props. Even in Sichuan opera where they changed faces, they were only changing faces, not swapping bodies!

Therefore, Song Yuhe was eager to just run, but he was also curious, curious as to what message Fangzheng wanted him to spread.

Fangzheng ignored Song Yuhe’s horror and continued. “Three days from now, This Penniless Monk plans to hold a seminar on the mountainside. Theoretically, This Penniless Monk invites anyone who is of good character.”

“Uh, Master, you are going to teach?” Song Yuhe found his mind unable to keep up with the developments and the monk’s thought process. It wasn’t weird for a monk to hold a seminar, but to get a doctor to spread the news was weird.

Fangzheng nodded slightly as an indication that he was right.

Song Yuhe asked, “Master, then… What do you plan on talking about? What kind of people would you like to attend? Also, you’re talking to the wrong person. I’m a doctor, not a salesman who can help you sell tickets and get people.”

Fangzheng shook his head and said, “This Penniless Monk doesn’t need you to sell tickets. All you need to do is spread the news.”

“Alright, but what do you plan on talking about?” Song Yuhe thought of Fangzheng’s actions on the mountain and felt quite irked by him. He thought, “Is he trying to sensationalize things again? Is this monk not done yet? He wants to run a seminar now? What can he even talk about? Buddhist scriptures?”

Unfortunately, with the situation he was in, Song Yuhe was a little afraid, so he didn’t dare ask.

Fangzheng said, “This Penniless Monk will be talking about medicine.”

“Medicine?” Song Yuhe nearly jumped up. He had disgraced himself today because of Fangzheng’s medical livestream. It was going to happen again? He really wished to rip Fangzheng apart! Wasn’t this darn monk done with his sensation-seeking behavior?