Chapter 446: This Humble Taoist Is a Pig

Chapter 446: Chapter 446: This Humble Taoist Is a Pig

After listening to the old Taoist’s vivid description, Ji Huan stared at him for a long time with a complicated expression.

"The only thing left at Ji Xiu’e’s house is an ox, right? ...Were you born in the year of the Ox?"

"I was born in the year of the Pig."

Ji Huan recalled the pig that had died from ramming its head into a wall. She sighed, "Why be so cruel to your own kind?"

The old Taoist was busy stuffing his face and didn’t hear clearly. "What was that?"

Ji Huan shook her head. "Can I ask why you spared only the ox?"

"Well, it’s a rule of my Taoist sect. We don’t kill oxen or eat beef."

Ji Huan’s face lit up with mock realization. "Oh, so your sect *does* have rules!"

The old Taoist finally realized Ji Huan was taking a jab at him, and he huffed, his beard twitching in indignation.

"I treat you as a dear friend, and you mock me for having no principles? You should think about who I’m doing all this for!"

His whole "I’d-take-a-knife-for-a-friend-but-I’m-so-misunderstood" act really made you want to smack him.

’Ji Huan was tempted to remind him of what really happened last time in her shop: how he’d caved under pressure and groveled at the promise of food, forced to work for her to buy his freedom and, while he was at it, earn a decent meal.’

’But this old Taoist was incredibly thick-skinned and always trying to make himself look good. She’d better save her breath.’

’Friendship, then. Voluntary help, then. She loved having friends who offered to work for free.’

"I’m not making fun of you, just curious... You’re a man of the Dao. It’s one thing not to abstain from meat, but you don’t have any qualms about killing, either?"

’She had only asked the old Taoist to play to his strengths, go to Huangban Village to stir up trouble, and while he was at it, spread some prophecies about Ji Xiu’e being blood-soaked and deeply sinful.’

’To put it bluntly, it was about giving her a taste of her own medicine, using the same tricks on Ji Xiu’e that Ji Xiu’e had once used on her.’

’She hadn’t expected the old Taoist to go above and beyond. Not only did he stir up trouble, he also created many "murder cases."’

’And to think he’d so righteously declared he wouldn’t do anything "illegal and criminal." Turns out his definition of "illegal and criminal" had a very high bar.’

The old Taoist spat a bone out of his mouth and sneered:

"Those monks may not eat meat or kill, but how many of them have achieved enlightenment and become Buddhas? Throughout history, no one has ever become a god or a Buddha just by not eating meat. Do you know why?

The Buddha said all living beings are equal, and all things have a spirit. Humans have spirits, animals have spirits—so how can you know that flowers, trees, fruits, and vegetables don’t have spirits too?

So you see, being a vegetarian is also a form of killing. When they boil a cabbage or stir-fry a plate of radishes, they are taking lives!

Unless one can truly live on wind and dew, completely abstaining from the food of the mortal world, worrying about such things is useless. It’s better to eat and drink your fill and get down to business.

Whether it’s meat or vegetables, what matters is whether it’s worth it."

Ji Huan let out a short laugh. "You’re certainly frank about it."

The old Taoist snorted. "The world is full of fools. And the trouble with fools is that they either act but don’t dare to speak of it, or they speak but don’t dare to act.

I dare to speak, and I dare to act.

You might think I’m unscrupulous, but I consider myself far better than those who mind their manners but have no real principles, or those who do small favors while committing great evils.

Besides, those chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs were raised to be eaten. They were going to die sooner or later. A wicked person’s stomach is like Hell itself. Rather than being butchered and cooked only to end up in such a foul place, I made sure they didn’t suffer. I even left their bodies intact.

That wicked old hag and her family didn’t dare to eat them. They properly buried every one and even found a monk to chant sutras for their salvation. For all we know, they’re thanking me in the afterlife."

’He made it sound so reasonable... This old Taoist isn’t just a charlatan, he’s a master of sophistry.’

’But Ji Huan had no intention of seeking justice for the dead chickens, ducks, and geese anyway. She herself had killed countless creatures while cooking, so she was in no position to criticize others, nor did she have the heart of a Bodhisattva.’

’The law of the jungle is the same everywhere. It’s the way of the food chain, an unfortunate but immutable fact of life.’

’In a way, her philosophy was similar to the old Taoist’s. As long as she could achieve her goal without committing any great evil, she wouldn’t lose sleep over a few unconventional actions.’

’Especially when it came to dealing with Ji Xiu’e.’

"Did Ji Xiu’e really hire a monk to perform rites for them?"

"That wicked hag is so terrified by yours truly that she’s in a daze and can’t handle a thing. It was her son who found the monk—a monk that I, of course, recommended."

The old Taoist shook his head smugly, his words dripping with self-satisfaction.

’Needless to say, that monk must be one of his associates, and he definitely took a cut from the deal.’

Ji Huan couldn’t help but retort, "Why didn’t you just do it yourself?"

The old Taoist rolled his eyes. "I wanted to, but didn’t you tell me to be cautious and not expose myself?"

"Ji Xiu’e is an incredibly shrewd person. If she found out you were in contact with me, it would be very difficult to proceed... By the way, that Huang Junping has seen you and spoken with you..."

"Don’t worry. I was in disguise that day. Not even the founder of my sect would have recognized me, let alone that foolish boy."

’Judging by his tone, he almost sounded regretful. It seemed he was complaining that Ji Huan was holding him back.’

Ji Huan watched him. Ever since he’d entered the shop, he’d been burying his head in his food, stuffing his face without pausing even to talk to her. A pile of bones and scraps was already mounting in front of him.

She reached out and tapped the table.

"I’m saying, can’t you show a little restraint for a moment? Maybe learn from your associate and chant some sutras. Pray for those chickens, ducks, geese, and that pig of your birth year. Bless them so they aren’t reborn as animals and can hopefully come back as humans."

"We Taoists only cultivate this life; we don’t concern ourselves with the next. Besides, being a human isn’t necessarily better than being an animal."

The old Taoist picked up his wine cup, drained it in one gulp, and clicked his tongue in satisfaction before continuing:

"And don’t you think I’m doing all this purely on a whim.

You know better than I what kind of person that wicked hag is. She’s done every evil thing imaginable and treats human life like it’s worthless.

People like her naturally lack any sense of reverence. They don’t really believe in ghosts and gods, or else they wouldn’t act so unscrupulously.

Didn’t you also say that to deal with her, you have to make her believe in what she doesn’t believe in, and then completely shatter her, what was it... her psychological defenses?

But if we just read her fortune, spread some rumors in the village, and do that ’guiding public opinion’ thing you mentioned—it would affect her, but not by much.

As for the villagers, they’d gossip for a while and then move on. At most, they’d keep their distance from that wicked hag in the future, but they wouldn’t get too emotionally invested.

As for the wicked hag herself, she knows these tricks better than anyone. It wouldn’t scare her at all, let alone get her to take the bait.

Your intention isn’t just to get revenge for her ruining your reputation, is it? You also want to push her into a corner so she acts recklessly... so naturally, I had to make a bigger scene.

A prophecy stained with blood sinks into a person’s mind much deeper than some flimsy rumor. The more you play at ghosts and gods, the more people believe it.

The people in Huangban Village aren’t just avoiding the wicked hag now; they’re outright hostile. They’re terrified she’ll bring harm to their families next, or that they’ll be tainted by her bad luck.

But my little tricks were just the appetizer. The real killer move was your tombstone with the words in blood!

You should have seen it. When that wicked hag saw the bloody handprint on the tombstone and the words you had me carve... tsk tsk, she nearly went mad on the spot."

Ji Huan smiled meaningfully. "The bloody tombstone was effective, true, but it was you blowing up her son’s grave that was the true masterstroke."

"Practice makes perfect. I had better control this time. Just blew a small opening without disturbing the long slumber of the one inside..."

In truth, he still had many tricks up his sleeve that he hadn’t used. But Ji Huan had repeatedly told him to take it easy and not actually scare the woman out of her wits. Ji Xiu’e couldn’t go mad. Ji Huan wanted her to experience everything with a clear mind, and then, with that same clear mind, face justice and pay for her crimes.

After they exchanged a round of mutual flattery, Ji Huan’s expression turned serious.

"Have you found the person I’m looking for? Since they’re in the same trade as you, it shouldn’t be too hard, right?"

The old Taoist was deliberately mysterious. "This can’t be rushed, can’t be rushed. He will appear when you need him."

Having eaten and drunk his fill, the old Taoist picked up his bamboo banner and prepared to leave. Just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"My methods may be extreme, but I do have my bottom lines. First, I do not kill in the spring. Second, I do not kill the young."

After saying this with a perfectly straight face, he stroked his beard, raised his head proudly, and swaggered out.

Ji Huan: "..."

’Taoism teaches that spring is the season of growth, when plants sprout and animals give birth to their young. To kill during this time is considered a destructive and inhumane act, like draining a pond to catch all the fish—a detail Ji Huan had vaguely heard before.’

’Not killing the young was even easier to understand.’

’But coming from the old Taoist’s mouth, something about it felt off.’

’It was just too bad for those chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs. They were either too fat, or had grown too large, and hadn’t had the good fortune to be in springtime. That... was what he meant, right?’