The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

After Zhang Huixin was done crying and adapting to the dark, she clearly saw the monk who had been the first to help her so much in a long time. Countless images of him had gone through her mind, but she’d never imagined that Fangzheng was a real monk! After all, the number of monks she had encountered growing up could be counted on her fingers. How could there be such a coincidence that Keke would bring one back? Furthermore, it was a good monk? From her point of view, there was absolutely no person in the world who would be nice to someone for no reason, unless they were family or secretly conspiring something. However, what did she have that anyone could scheme for? She had imagined that he perhaps fancied her looks, and she was willing to sacrifice herself in exchange for a stable environment for Keke.

But to her surprise, the man before her was a real monk! He was fair and clean, and although his face didn’t have a mellow beauty to it, it came with a masculine warmth and handsomeness. With the white monk robes draped over his body, he was like a hero from ancient times.

In an instant, Zhang Huixin felt a little mesmerized, thinking, “How can there be such a handsome man in this world? How fascinating. I thought this could only happen in books.”

Zhang Huixin’s mesmerization wasn’t caused by love but by her human preference for the aesthetic. Furthermore, she had been blind and had not seen what a living person looked like for too long. To see such a handsome monk so suddenly, along with gratitude filling her heart, all of this combined made Fangzheng look like a god to her.

Some people had put this reaction in words already as “After having been imprisoned for three years, even a sow would rival a beauty to you…”

“Thank you, Master.” Zhang Huixin recognized Fangzheng’s identity as a monk for the first time. It was also the first time she was reverently addressing him as master. However, she felt a little regret. If Fangzheng wasn’t a monk, together with his miraculous medical skills, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to give Keke a warm home if she had really caught his fancy… Unfortunately, Fangzheng was really a monk in the end.

Fangzheng pressed his palms together and smiled. “Patron, congratulations. Shall we begin treating your legs?”

With her eyes already treated, Zhang Huixin naturally had the utmost confidence in Fangzheng. She nodded and liberally showed her legs.

But when she looked up, she realized that Fangzheng had already closed his eyes.

Zhang Huixin asked in surprise, “Master, what’s wrong?”

Fangzheng shook his head. “It is improper for men and women to touch each other. But don’t worry, This Penniless Monk will be able to treat your condition even without his eyes open. Patron, lie down. This Penniless Monk will be applying acupuncture.”

Zhang Huixin sighed when she saw this. At that moment, she even wished that Fangzheng wouldn’t be an upright gentleman, or that he’d be someone who could immediately renounce asceticism. However, looking at Fangzheng wearing a look of righteousness, she suddenly felt sorry for her thoughts. Without thinking further, she quietly lay down.

Unbeknownst to her, Fangzheng was lamenting inwardly. It’s so hard to be a good person… Being a good monk is even harder… I haven’t seen a woman take off her pants all my life. Now that I have the chance, I still can’t see a thing. Amita-many-bhas. Sigh.

Although Fangzheng was lamenting inwardly, he had been brought up as a monk from a young age. He shut his eyes tightly and sensed where Zhang Huixin’s body was. He could sense nearby objects by releasing his aura. Fangzheng condensed his Qi into a needle and began applying acupuncture on Zhang Huixin’s legs from the height of a millimeter.

Zhang Huixin wasn’t naturally crippled; her condition was a result of various reasons caused by her accident. It had led to dead nerves and blocked blood vessels. In fact, Fangzheng’s medical skills couldn’t be categorized under existing systems of medicine. He was using his Qi to repair her nerves, and he was using the Qi needle to clear her vessels so as to provide treatment.

Of course, popular medicine could treat her as well, but the process would be much slower. At the same time, plenty of good medicine would have to be used. That was something Zhang Huixin clearly couldn’t afford.

About ten minutes later, Fangzheng retracted his hands and said softly, “Patron, try standing up.”

Fangzheng waited all day, but Zhang Huixin didn’t move. When he cocked his ears, he realized that she had already fallen asleep.

Fangzheng quietly covered Zhang Huixin with a blanket and walked out with a lonely look.

Standing at the balcony and looking up at the moon in the sky, he mumbled inwardly. A woman taking off her pants on bed, facing a man she’s not particularly familiar with, actually fell asleep with ease… Do I look that harmless? Why do I feel like I smell like a ten-thousand-year-old bachelor dog? How miserable…

After an uneventful night, Fangzheng woke up early the next morning to buy food.

Although he had treated Zhang Huixin and Keke and had filled their nutritional void with his Qi, they still needed some nourishment.

Fangzheng bought another chicken under the odd gaze of the store owner and a large bunch of vegetables. On his way back, he heard the sound of rumbling chains. Only then did Fangzheng recall that he had thrown Song Bin into the Door to Hell yesterday. It was time to let this fellow out!

Fangzheng hurriedly cast A Golden Millet Dream to pull everyone around him into a dream, making them ignore the existence of the Door to Hell. Meanwhile, Fangzheng was also curious whether Song Bin had changed after spending a night in Hell. If he still remained incorrigible, Fangzheng wouldn’t mind throwing him in again to give him a full day’s tour of Hell.

Just as Fangzheng’s thoughts were wandering, the door opened with a crack as the demonic ghost on the door reached in and plucked Song Bin out like it was pulling out a chicken, and it threw him onto the ground. It then pressed its palms together and bowed at Fangzheng. Only then did the Door to Hell slowly sink and vanish.

On the ground, Song Bin’s eyes stared straight ahead of him as though he had turned silly from the ordeal.

Fangzheng walked over, and before he could even speak, Song Bin suddenly got to his feet. Then he turned around and knelt, kowtowing at Fangzheng’s feet, slamming his head so hard that it bled. Regardless, he didn’t show any intention of stopping. He cried out. “Master, Arhat, Bodhisattva, Buddha, I was wrong. I know my faults. I’ll never dare to bully the weak again. I’ll never bully orphans or widows. No—I’ll never do bad deeds again. I swear that I’ll be a good person from now on! Please, I beg you, Master, Arhat…”

Seeing Song Bin in such a state, Fangzheng knew that this child had more or less been reformed. The only thing that hadn’t changed was that he remained talkative.

Fangzheng said, “Since you are aware of your faults, get up. Hell is only punishment. How you redeem yourself will depend on your future deeds.”

“Yes, yes, yes. Master, Arhat…”

Realizing that this fellow was about to chant his string of titles again, Fangzheng hurriedly stopped him. “Enough, speak less, do more. That’s how you show sincerity. Go on.” Fangzheng didn’t have the time to listen to Song Bin drone on as he was still in a hurry to return to cook breakfast for Keke and Zhang Huixin. He urged Song Bin to go away.

Song Bin immediately got to his feet when he heard that he could leave. He scuttled off without a word of thanks.

Fangzheng looked at his back and rubbed his nose, mumbling. “He’s really obedient. I told him to speak less and do more, and he immediately did as told. He didn’t even say a word of thanks…”