The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism
chapter-142

Chapter 142: Savior

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

“There are really fish!” Fangzheng smiled when he saw a huge school of fish swimming over.

“Who’s calling us?” a fish popped up from the water and asked.

Fangzheng hurriedly said, “Amitabha. It’s This Penniless Monk.”

“Why are you calling us?” asked the fish directly.

Fangzheng said with a smile, “This Penniless Monk wishes to cross the river. Would it be possible for all of you to send This Penniless Monk over?”

“Are you speaking to us?” asked the fish in a daze.

“Fangzheng said, “That’s right. This Penniless Monk is talking to you.”

“What do you want?” asked the fish.

“This Penniless Monk wishes to cross the river and hopes that all of you can help This Penniless Monk,” explained Fangzheng patiently.

“Who are you speaking to?” asked the fish with even greater patience.

“You obviously,” replied Fangzheng.

“Why did you call for me? Tell me straight,” asked the fish in a serious manner.

“This Penniless Monk wishes to cross the river and hopes that all of you can help This Penniless Monk,” explained Fangzheng.

“Who are you speaking to?” asked the fish in greater seriousness.

Fangzheng: “#@[email protected]#%”

Fangzheng stared at the fish in front of him. He swore that if he weren’t a monk, he would absolutely fish it out and steam it before frying it in oil! This fellow was definitely teasing him!

At that moment, a tiny fish swam over and asked, “Mommy, what are you talking about?”

“I didn’t say anything. Did I?” asked the fish.

“Is that so?” asked the little fish adorably.

When Fangzheng saw this, he suddenly came to a realization. It was claimed by certain experts that fish only had a memory span of seven seconds!

“Seven seconds? Seven seconds my ass! This fish’s memory didn’t even last three seconds, alright?” Fangzheng grumbled inwardly. Against a fish with terrible memory, Fangzheng finally gave up the plan of getting them to ferry him across the river. If not, these fellows could agree but forget midway. He would be in trouble if they simply dispersed.

Therefore, Fangzheng waved his hand and said, “It’s alright. You can leave.”

“Who is this man speaking to?” the mother fish asked the little fish.

The little fish shook its head and said, “He’s probably sick in the head. Let’s go.”

Therefore, the school of fish dispersed immediately.

When Fangzheng heard that, he smiled bitterly in his heart. He was sick in the head? If he were not a monk, he would have entered the river to punch them!

He could not rely on the fish. He looked up and wondered what he could do. It was a problem.

On the other side of the river, Elder Du saw the school of fish disperse when Fangzheng stood up. He knitted his brows. Fangzheng had squatted down, spoken a few words to gather a school of fish. When he stood up, the fish dispersed. He would have understood if it were a fish pond. However, River Bai only had wild fish. He had never seen anyone with such an ability despite his old age!

“It has to be a coincidence,” Elder Du mumbled inwardly.

Wu Ming, who was on Village Viewing Cliff, did not see the school of fish due to the great distance. All he saw was Fangzheng squat down and stand up while seemingly prattling on. He brushed it away as Fangzheng being out of ideas. He was delighted as he happily sat down where his fellow monks were located. As long as Fangzheng could not cross the river, there was nothing for him to worry about.

Just as Fangzheng was at the end of his ropes, the System said, “A friendly reminder, you obtained a commendation from the System when you chased the robbers away. Together with the commendation from helping Lu Shuangshuang finding the confidence to continue living, you have accumulated two commendations.”

“Commendations? Wait, if I recall correctly, don’t two commendations give me a chance at the draw?” Fangzheng suddenly recalled the matter!

“Ding! Congratulations, you have finally remembered it. That’s right, you currently have one chance at the draw,” said the System.

Fangzheng was rendered speechless. He grumbled, “Why didn’t you remind me earlier?”

“Why should I remember something that you have forgotten?” asked the System.

Fangzheng was left at a loss for words. Although it should be the responsibility of the System, it never seemed to be very reliable. He couldn’t count on it. All it did was tease him. He was better off relying on himself.

Therefore, Fangzheng said, “Forget it. Help me do the draw. I hope I can get something useful. If not, the only thing left for me will be to swim across. Sigh. Wouldn’t it seem rather pathetic to be swimming over?”

Fangzheng had the White Lunar Monk Robe, so although the water was ice-cold in winter, it would not harm him other than him feeling cold. That was obviously not the problem with swimming over. The only problem was that it was quite pathetic and humiliating.

Now that Fangzheng knew that someone was deliberately causing him trouble, he was unwilling to head over in such a pathetic manner!

“Do you want to do the draw now?” asked the System.

“Yes, now!” Fangzheng confirmed.

“Ding! Congratulations on obtaining Buddha Shoes—Savior!”

“What? A pair of shoes?” Fangzheng asked disparagingly.

Pa!

A pair of shoes landed in Fangzheng’s hands. It was a pair of straw shoes. They didn’t look like anything impressive. They were the quintessence of austerity. That was naturally worth disparaging!

No matter how Fangzheng looked at them, they looked like a pair of straw shoes that were thrown at a cobbler in a tiny town’s supermarket entrance. It might depend on a buyer’s mood whether it managed to be sold for two yuan, much less ten yuan a pair. He could not tell what was special about them.

“Ding! The Buddhist shoes’ name is Savior. When wearing it, you will not sink in water or burn in fire. You will not sink in mud or be tainted by grime. They will remain spotless and odorless.”

“Then doesn’t it mean they can prevent Athlete’s foot? Eh- They won’t sink in water?” Fangzheng immediately realized how impressive the pair of shoes were! His problem was resolved!

Fangzheng immediately answered, “System, are you sure I cannot sink in water while wearing this pair of shoes?”

“The System’s products are honest and genuine goods,” replied the System.

“If they remain spotless and odorless, doesn’t it mean I do not need to wash them? They’re meant for Athlete’s foot and even don’t need washing?” Fangzheng quipped.

“Yes.”

“Nice!” Fangzheng immediately changed his evaluation of the shoes. He looked at River Bai and smiled. How could a mere river obstruct the Grand Venerable Fangzheng? He wanted to posture today!

Fangzheng laughed with joy, so much that he eventually looked up and roared with laughter.

As for Elder Du and Hong Xiang, they exchanged looks and shook their heads, “This monk has really gone mad.”

Meanwhile, on the mountain.

A monk dressed in a red Kasaya and a staff walked to Village Viewing Cliff with an entourage. He asked an acolyte monk softly, “Is everyone here?”

“Abbot, everyone is basically here except for One Finger Monastery’s Abbot Fangzheng. I’m not sure if he’s not coming or if he got held up,” whispered the acolyte monk.

“One Finger Monastery’s Fangzheng?” Zen Master Baiyun’s brows knitted together. He looked as though he was recalling which monastery One Finger Monastery was.

“Senior Brother, it’s One Finger Monastery which was recently the talk of the town on the news. Apparently, that Fangzheng’s calligraphy is good, and he beat some calligrapher. Also, his incense offerings have increased recently. That’s why we sent him an invitation,” an old monk whispered.

“This Penniless Monk remembers. So that monastery’s abbot is still a child. It’s quite tough on him. Since he’s not here yet, let’s all wait for him,” said Zen Master Baiyun softly. Following that, everyone took their seats.

When Wu Ming saw Zen Master Baiyun, he immediately went forward. He was incensed not only because he heard the conversation about Fangzheng, but because of the need for everyone to wait for him! He was immediately displeased! Even Hongyan Monastery did not encounter such treatment in the past! However, he conveniently forgot the fact that Hongyan Monastery’s Zen Master Hongyan was always one of the earliest to arrive, so when had they ever been late? Furthermore, no one had made things difficult for them!