The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Fangzheng happened to be in Vietnam when he entered China. This was Fangzheng’s second visit to Vietnam. The last time was in the mountains, and this time… it was still in the mountains.

There was mountain after mountain. Standing atop a mountain, all he saw were mountains…

Fangzheng mumbled helplessly, “When will this end? From the looks of it, I need to ask for directions.”

At that moment, Fangzheng saw a figure at the foot of the mountain opposite him. Although it was very small and he couldn’t see clearly, he was certain that it was a person!

Fangzheng was immediately overjoyed. He jumped down and a tree’s branch automatically extended over to hold Fangzheng’s feet. Fangzheng jumped once again. The trees below kept supporting him.

Just like that, while others needed to circle a mountain path for a descent, Fangzheng rushed down like a nimble monkey.

“Brother, put me down. I can walk.”

At the foot of the mountain, a young man was carrying a little girl with vertical pigtails, panting as he walked up the mountain.

The youth wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “It’s nothing. I’m not tired.”

The little girl said, “But you’ve sweated so much.”

The youth said, “It’s good to sweat. It expels any toxins.”

The little girl wrinkled her nose and appeared very cute. She lowered her smiling face and leaned on the youth’s thin shoulders. She laughed and said, “Brother, are there fireflies on the mountain?”

The youth said, “Of course. This was what Grandpa Zhang said. He said that he saw a lot of fireflies on this mountain when he was young. It’s really beautiful.”

When the little girl heard that, her eyes immediately turned bright. Unfortunately, if someone looked closely, they would definitely notice that although the little girl’s eyes were bright, there was no focus. Clearly, there was something wrong with her eyes.

“Brother, let me down,” the little girl said.

“Little Sun, be obedient. Just let me carry you. You can come down and walk by yourself when we reach the mountaintop. You can do whatever you want when the time comes.” The youth was Little Sun’s elder brother. His name was Jin Jiatong. He was 12 years old this year. His skin was tanned and his eyes were bright like the sun. Every time he looked at Xin Xin, it would be filled with endless sadness and pity.

Little Sun’s name was Jin Jiaxin. She was eight years old this year, and her skin was also a little tanned. Her face was slightly chubby and she had two dimples when she smiled, making her look very cute. This little girl seemed to like smiling very much, and her big eyes turned into tiny crescents. Her small mouth would curve, revealing her teeth. She gave off very delightful and sunny vibes.

It was precisely because Jin Jiaxin liked to smile like the smiling faces people drew that Jin Jiatong loved calling her Little Sun. Little Sun became her nickname…

They lived in a village behind another mountain. This time, Jin Jiatong brought Jin Jiaxin over to see fireflies.

“Brother, remember to tell me when you’re tired.” Little Sun wiped the sweat off Jin Jiatong’s forehead with her sleeve.

Jin Jiatong nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry!”

The two of them did not notice a figure appearing on the crown of the tree. The white monk robes fluttered in the wind like a god.

Fangzheng had originally planned on heading down to ask for directions before immediately leaving. However, after listening to the conversation between the two children, he suddenly changed his mind. He did not head down to ask for directions. Instead, he silently followed the two children.

In the deep forest, even though there were few jackals and leopards, it did not mean that there were none.

Of course, in Vietnam, what was most terrifying wasn’t these, but the wandering wild elephants. Although wild elephants were a spectacle to behold, they were more terrifying than a lion or a tiger when enraged. Its massive body ran like a truck. No matter who it was, one would be crushed to death if they were stepped on by elephants.

In Vietnam, there were cases of wild beasts attacking people almost every year, and there was a high chance of death.

Fangzheng followed the two children to ensure their safety.

Secondly, he was touched by the relationship between the siblings. He wanted to follow them, protect them, and see if he could help them.

There were many mountains in Vietnam that had not been developed yet. There were no roads here and one could only rely on their legs. The mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk on. It was difficult for the boy to walk by himself. Furthermore, he had to carry his sister with poor eyesight?

Jin Jiatong’s sweat trickled down his face, but he desperately tried to slow down his panting. He was afraid that any accelerated panting would make his sister imagine that he was tired and insist on getting down. That would only exhaust him faster. The sickle in his hand slowed down a lot as well. He stopped to rest a few times, but when he looked up at the sky, he gritted his teeth and continued walking.

After Fangzheng followed them for about half an hour. When Jin Jiatong finally couldn’t move, he put down his sister and the siblings sat under a tree. They drank some water and chatted for a while before Jin Jiatong carried his sister away again.

Little Sun shook her head and said, “Let’s forget it. You’re tired. I’m not going. I’ll walk with you; if not, I’m not going to see the fireflies.”

Jin Jiatong said, “It’s nothing. I’m your elder brother. I have plenty of strength. I can carry you, Xinxin.”

Little Sun shook her head firmly and took a few steps back. Only then did Fangzheng realize that Little Sun’s leg seemed problematic. She was limping!

Upon seeing this, Fangzheng finally understood why Jin Jiatong was so adamant on carrying her on his back. Her legs weren’t good, and her eyes weren’t good either. Climbing a mountain? It was too difficult for a girl with such a bad fate!

Just as the siblings were arguing, Fangzheng pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. Hello, Young Patrons.”

The two children jumped in fright when they heard the voice of a stranger. Jin Jiatong instinctively stood in front of her and asked warily, “Who is it?”

“Look up,” said Fangzheng with a smile.

The siblings looked up and saw a monk standing on a tree. He took a slight step forward before falling to the ground.

“Be careful!” Although Jin Jiatong was vigilant, he still shouted out kindly.

Little Sun couldn’t see clearly, but she subconsciously tightened her grip on the corner of Jin Jiatong’s shirt.

Bang!

With a thud, Fangzheng landed on the ground with a calm smile. He pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. Young Patrons, don’t worry. This Penniless Monk is fine.”

“Uh, Master, are you alright?” Jin Jiatong was truly frightened. He jumped down from a ten-meter-tall tree and landed straight on the ground. Yet, the monk was fine? Was he still human?

However, he was still a child after all. He was brave and his curiosity overpowered his fear. In addition, there had been many martial arts and fantasy dramas recently. Jin Jiatong’s ability to accept such matters was quite remarkable. He quickly calmed down and asked, “Are you a monk?”

Fangzheng spread his arms and circled the area before asking, “This Penniless Monk’s attire is that of a monk. If not a monk, could he be a Daoist priest?”

Upon hearing that Fangzheng was a monk, Jin Jiatong immediately heaved a sigh of relief.

Many Vietnamese were pious Buddhists.