The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

When Fangzheng heard that, he took off his shoes. And indeed, when his feet stepped into the puddles of water, they didn’t get dirty. It even felt dry and comfortable! Although it felt a little cold, it was not unbearable.

He strode forward with Lone Wolf following closely behind. The water pattered onto Lone Wolf’s fur, instantly turning him into a drenched dog. His majestic appearance became somewhat wretched.

Fangzheng got to the large metal door and opened it. However, he did not see anyone. “Eh? Where is he?”

“Wu Wu.”

“M- Master, look down. I’m here.” When Han Xiaoguo saw Fangzheng, he felt like he was seeing Buddha from the boundary of hell. His face was filled with hope! The look in Fangzheng’s eyes changed as they sparkled quite uniquely.

Fangzheng looked down and to his surprise, there was someone sitting by his door— Han Xiaoguo.

“Patron, didn’t you refuse to stay behind in the temple?” asked Fangzheng.

Han Xiaoguo blushed and said embarrassingly, “Master, it’s too cold outside. I’m too hungry, and I can’t stand it anymore. Please have mercy on me. Let me take shelter inside and have something to eat. I’m dying.”

Creak.

The door closed!

Han Xiaoguo was dumbfounded. He believed that the monk was a benevolent person, so putting up a small act of pitifulness and sadness would reward him with a few mouthfuls of rice. However, all he got was a shut door.

“Master, don’t do that! Master, don’t close the door! It was my fault before. I know my faults! Just give me a little to eat,” yelled Han Xiaoguo.

Fangzheng asked, “You know your faults? What are your faults?”

“I should not have pointed a gun at you, Master. I should not have been rude to you or shot at you, Master. I should have not left the temple,” Han Xiaoguo’s thoughts raced as he yelled.

Fangzheng said, “These faults are faults. However, if you want to enter, think carefully what truly are your faults. If you can’t figure it out, then stay outside until you do. Heaven and hell are just separated by a single thought. Patron, please consider it carefully.”

After Fangzheng said that, there was nothing but silence.

When Han Xiaoguo heard that, his mind went blank. He truly could not figure out how he had offended Fangzheng.

At that moment, he spotted lights coming from a distance. Han Xiaoguo hurriedly ran to the grass patch nearby to hide.

Not long after, two voices approached.

“Wu Hai, we actually came all the way here again?” grumbled a policeman.

Wu Hai said with a bitter smile, “Although I don’t like that young monk, his life is at stake. If the weather had been fine, with Han Xiaoguo’s skills, he would have been able to hide the entire night. However, under this pre-winter rain, he will definitely not dare light a fire. Without the fire, he will certainly freeze to death! We can’t do anything if he has gone deep into the mountains, but if he is hiding on this mountain, the only place for him to hide from the rain is this temple. If he were to come to this temple, that young monk would be in danger. So, there is a need for us to come take a look.”

“Wu Hai, you really mean well despite having a sharp tongue. I wonder who it was that kept denouncing the young monk for not cooperating with us. But here you are. Heh, heh,” a fat policeman said with a laugh.

“Fine, cut the crap. When we’re wearing this uniform, we cannot show any of our unhappiness. However, this darn weather is really cold! Let’s quickly take a look at the temple. If it’s fine, we will head back to camp,” said Wu Hai.

The fat policeman was baffled and asked, “Wu Hai, why aren’t we staying in this temple? There are rooms here, and it would be a comfortable stay. Why do we need to pitch tents? It’s as if we are causing suffering to ourselves.”

“We have to block the mountain’s entrance. Furthermore, according to the chief, this temple is a small one. It doesn’t provide lodging. Apparently, it’s the rules of the temple… Even if we don’t believe in religion, we have to respect their beliefs and rules. Anyway, there’s a lot in this matter that I don’t understand either. Enduring a bit of discomfort is nothing. As long as we catch Han Xiaoguo, it will be worth it,” as Wu Hai spoke, they arrived at the door.

Due to the din of the rain and the thunder in a vast open area, the duo had to shout in order to converse.

Fangzheng naturally heard everything clearly. Therefore…

Just as Wu Hai and Pang Wei came to the doorstep, the door opened, and a bald monk in snow-white clothes appeared behind it. The door had been opened precisely at the right moment. It felt as though the monk had been waiting for them.

“Master, where are you going at this time?” asked Wu Hai subconsciously.

Fangzheng said with a smile, “Of course, This Penniless Monk is waiting for the both of you.”

“You knew that we were coming?” Pang Wei was frightened.

Fangzheng shook his head and said, “Of course not. However, This Penniless Monk happened to go to the courtyard and overheard your conversation, so I came to welcome you by opening the door.”

“So that’s the case. You frightened me! I thought you could foretell the future,” Pang Wei said with a chuckle.

“Amitabha,” Fangzheng gave a Buddhist proclamation. “This Penniless Monk is only an ordinary monk. How could it be possible for This Penniless Monk to be able to foretell the future? Officers, what are you here for?”

“Nothing. We found it quite nice when we sightsaw in your esteemed temple during the day. However, we do not know what it looks like at night, so we are here to sightsee again. Is it convenient?” Wu Hai was quick to learn. Since it wasn’t right to use the term ‘search’, he had used the term ‘sightsee’.

Fangzheng naturally did not stop them. He cooperated with them by circling around the temple once. When the policemen were certain that Fangzheng was not being threatened and safe, the two bade farewell.

However, while the duo left, a person was looking at them as if he wanted to eat them.

“What the f*ck is this? I’m almost freezing to death!” Han Xiaoguo cursed with teeth gritted.

Seeing the door about to close once again, Han Xiaoguo hurriedly ran forward and shouted, “Master, Master! Don’t close the door. I do not know what my fault is. Master, please enlighten me!”

Fangzheng looked at the kneeling Han Xiaoguo and nodded slightly, “If you do not know, how can This Penniless Monk enlighten you? If you haven’t figured it out, continue thinking.”

Then, Fangzheng closed the door once again.

Han Xiaoguo had a look of despair. He truly did not know what he had done wrong.

And a great distance away, Pang Wei and Wu Hai were walking when Wu Hai suddenly exclaimed, “That can’t be!?”

“What is it, Wu Hai? Don’t suddenly yell. Don’t you know that it can frighten others to death?” Pang Wei subconsciously held his gun before grumbling.

Wu Hai said, “Pang Wei, let me ask you. Did you notice the monk’s attire?”

“Why should I? It’s such a cold day, and all my focus was on Han Xiaoguo’s whereabouts.” Pang Wei asked alertly immediately after, “Did you discover something? Could it be that Han Xiaoguo is really in the temple?”

“Bullsh*t! We even checked the water vat. Where could he hide? We arrived rather suddenly so if he were inside, the monk could have just pointed at him and he would have been doomed. What I’m talking about is the monk’s clothes. Did you not notice anything? They weren’t wet in any way! And his feet neither. When the robes occasionally fluttered up, I believe they revealed that he was barefooted. He was not wearing any shoes!”

“Come on, have you read too many novels? Not wearing shoes and not getting wet under such a downpour? You really think he knows martial arts or that he has cultivated into an immortal? Why hasn’t he flown into the sky then? Look at that bolt of lightning. Why don’t you just say that he’s transcending some tribulations?” Pang Wei said disdainfully.