The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

Upon hearing Fangzheng’s words, Xie Ming felt a lot better. Liu Tao and Xiaolei naturally had no objection. The four of them descended the mountain together.

Fangzheng paid attention to his surroundings the entire time. When he arrived at the ill-fated spot, he deliberately stayed close to Liu Tao. He could save him easily if an accident happened.

This was noticed by Xie Ming, Liu Tao and Xiaolei. Xie Ming and Xiaolei looked at Fangzheng and Liu Tao oddly while Liu Tao felt uneasy. He tried to keep a distance away from Fangzheng but due to the narrow mountain path and with Fangzheng staying close to him, he had nowhere to hide. All he could do was secretly take precautions against Fangzheng.

After they reached the foot of the mountain, Fangzheng bade them farewell before heading up the mountain again.

Xie Ming gulped a mouthful of saliva. “Master, this monk seems interested in you! He said that he has matters to tend to at the foot of the mountain but the moment he arrived, he returned up the mountain… There isn’t anything he’s tending to. There’s a conspiracy!”

“Master, I noticed that your ass was real tight as you descended the mountain,” said Xiaolei as he stifled his laughter.

“Master, to be honest, that young monk does look pretty. If he grows his hair out and wears feminine clothing… Hehe…” Xie Ming said with a cunning smile.

“Scram! What has this got to do with any of you? I’m telling you, don’t shoot off your mouth or don’t blame me when I skin you!” Liu Tao rebuked angrily. He felt aggrieved for this was the first time he had experienced such a thing. He tightened his asshole the entire journey down the mountain. Simultaneously, he swore secretly to distance himself from the problematic monk!

Although he had such a thought in mind, Liu Tao still felt uneasy every time he thought of Mt. One Finger’s monk. Also, he had a nagging feeling that others looked at him oddly as though they were discussing him secretly behind his back.

Fangzheng did not know that his actions had caused distress to Liu Tao. At the moment he was sitting at ease in his own yard reading scriptures.

Fangzheng woke up the next day at dawn but had no idea when the construction team would begin work. As such he woke up early so as to be prepared.

After sweeping the temple hall and eating his breakfast, he made Monkey continue sweeping the fallen leaves before he went down the mountain himself. At the fateful spot, Fangzheng looked up. Indeed, there was a huge boulder above him. The boulder was part of the mountain. It looked extremely secure and it was impossible to remove with his bare hands. It was impossible for him to resolve the issue ahead of time. Furthermore, there was no way for him to climb up the cliff due to the weather conditions. Fangzheng only had a simple yet annoying solution to wait!

Liu Tao, Xie Ming, and Xielei arrived at the foot of the mountain with the construction team. The raising and transportation of the rock, as well as the operation of machinery was delegated to the construction workers.

Liu Tao, Xie Ming and Xiaolei were busy. Xiaolei and Xie Ming got down to work as Liu Tao supervised them. He also observed the situation of the mountain according to the engineering progress. Not long after they started mending, someone shouted, “There’s a monk on the path. He has been standing there all day. Who knows what he’s doing.”

Liu Tao subconsciously tightened his asshole the moment he heard that. He looked at Xiaolei and Xie Ming. They were biting their lips as they stifled their laughter.

Xie Ming even shouted as well, “You might have seen things wrong. Isn’t that the stone that gazes out for her husband, Amah Rock in Hong Kong?”

“Go f**k yourself!” Liu Tao grabbed a shovel and chased after Xie Ming who fled amid laughter. After the he calmed down a bit, Xie Ming said, “Master, this won’t do. Why don’t you ask the monk what he is up to. If he does not have a suitable reason, just ask him to make way for the mending of the path. We can’t do any work with him in the way.”

Liu Tao thought about it and it was indeed reasonable. He scaled the mountain and saw Fangzheng standing by the mountainside silently. His head was looking up at the sky but he had no idea what the monk was looking at. Blue skies, green mountains and a white-robed monk. Logically speaking, this would have been considered a beautiful scene but… thinking back to the strange actions of the monk the previous day, Liu Tao was still put out.

Liu Tao stepped forward. “Venerable One, is there something amiss?”

Fangzheng looked at Liu Tao and smiled. He pressed his palms together, “Amitabha. This Penniless Monk is here to peer at the sky and mountain. It is good to contemplate.”

“I see. We are mending the path. If there’s no specific reason to stand here could you make way?” asked Liu Tao.

Fangzheng shook his head. “This Penniless Monk is trying to save someone.”

“Save someone? Venerable One, that’s interesting. You are here alone. Who are you saving?” asked Liu Tao not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Fangzheng’s gaze landed on Liu Tao as he had an ominous feeling. “This Penniless Monk saves the fated. Whoever is fated will be saved.”

Liu Tao was confused. “Venerable One, I do not know anything about the fated but if you stand here all day, we can’t work.”

Fangzheng continued shaking his head. “This Penniless Monk will stand here for the coming week and not leave.”

Liu Tao was still about to say something when he heard the foreman’s voice from below. It sounded like an order. Seeing how he could not persuade Fangzheng, he could only bid farewell and leave helplessly. He was cursing inwardly. “This monk is mad…”

Fangzheng looked at Liu Tao’s back with thoughts running through his head. According to their speed, it would probably take a week for them to reach where he was. If it really could not work out, he could come again when that happened? If not, standing there daily was not the best option. His monastery was not considered big and with the roadwork, devotees could not travel all the way up. He ended up as free as he could be. However, the temple needed sweeping and the three animals needed food. That was the biggest problem…

Just as Fangzheng fell into a daze, Liu Tao felt that the gaze behind him. He turned to look and happened to see Fangzheng staring straight at him. He rubbed his arms to get rid of the goosebumps as he hurried down the mountain.

Liu Tao shook his head when Xie Ming and Xiaolei inquired about the situation. He did not say a word and went to busy himself.

From that day forth, the construction workers of the road realized the strange phenomenon. There was a bald monk standing in the same spot every single day. At the midsection of the mountain, he would stand, his motives unknown. Someone rumored that the monk was waiting for someone. There were also others that said that the monk was meditating over the Buddhist Dharma. However, there were also people who spread the unspeakable story of Fangzheng and Liu Tao. Everyone showered Fangzheng and Liu Tao with odd looks.

Fangzheng did not know about the rumors that were spread. Although he felt their gaze, he thought nothing of it.

Liu Tao knew the suffering of sitting on a bed of needles daily… Later on, even the foreman knew of their story. He secretly pulled Liu Tao to the side and asked, “Liu Tao, do you know that monk at all?”

“Goddammit! Bro, do you also think that there’s some relationship between the two of us?” Liu Tao nearly blew a top.

The foreman chuckled, “I wouldn’t know if there’s a relationship between the two of you but the effects he has standing there daily isn’t good for business. Why don’t you go ask him again?”

“No way! Since he likes standing, let him do as he pleases. What has this got to do with me!?” Liu Tao decisively rejected the notion. He did not even wish to see Fangzheng.