The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism
chapter-493

Chapter 493: Towering Old Tree

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

“Surrender? Are you stupid? We are the ones calling the shots here.” Xu Yin sneered when he saw the motionless Fangzheng. He knew Fangzheng was afraid of harming the innocent.

Fangzheng shook his head. “Are you sure you want to continue?”

“It’s over. Either you put down the door and let yourself be tied up by us, or you send these people to their deaths. And again, same thing. No matter what ghostly tricks, as long as I sense something wrong, I’ll stab him! I don’t believe my stab will also be a hallucination when I see a hallucination!” Xu Yin said nastily.

What he said was not without reason. Although Fangzheng was confident in being able to guide them into a dream to the point of temporarily making them lose control of their bodies, there was always a slim chance of something going awry. With lives at stake, Fangzheng did not dare bet on it. However, Fangzheng did not have only one divine power!

Old Chen said, “Fangzheng, it would be a mistake if you think we are joking. They are not the first, nor will they be the last. People who enter this compound either produce money or lose their lives. There is only one outcome from the two choices. Having a few missing limbs is par for the course! Of course, if you insist on being stubborn, amputating their four limbs and pouring some acid on them before throwing them on the streets as beggars will earn us quite a lot.” Old Chen deliberately said that to scare Fangzheng.

However Fangzheng’s eyes did not show a sense of hesitation when he heard him. He threw the door down.

Old Chen, Xu Yin, Li Jingchu, Chen Xiao, and even Liu Dacheng who was sprawled on the ground, all laughed. They knew they had won!

However, was it true victory?

Fangzheng pressed his palms together and looked at them benevolently. “Amitabha, Buddha is compassionate.” Simultaneously he activated the divine power in his mind. Tree Transformation Art!

“Compassionate my- Uh, my hand!” Xu Yin was just about to curse when he realized that his hands could no longer move. He subconsciously tried to move but realized that his entire body had frozen up. Xu Yin yelled in horror, “What’s happening? Why can’t I move?” At the same moment, Xu Yin saw that the rest were unable to move as well. Furthermore, their skin was undergoing changes. They turned gray as thick tree bark grew on them! Li Jingchu’s head even had a sprout grow on the top of her head!

Old Chen was the same. He looked at his hands in horror as his hands kept producing tree bark. Bit by bit, he was turning into a wooden structure! Old Chen cried out. “What’s happening? What the f*ck is happening?”

“Whatever Man does, Heaven watches! If the punishment is not forthcoming, it is because the time has not yet come. Today, the time has come. The few of you have brought suffering to the world in your life up to now. In the future, provide humanity with your shade in the form of towering trees as a way to redeem yourselves,” Fangzheng’s voice sounded

If Fangzheng had said so previously, they would not have thought much about it, thinking that he was up to his tricks again. But now they had to admit that there were afraid, terrified!

Chen Xiao yelled, “Fangzheng, we are former classmates. You can’t do this to me! Save me! I beg you, let me go!”

“Amitabha!” Fangzheng pressed his palms together and gave a loud Buddhist proclamation. His voice sounded extremely loud and clear, like heavenly music.

Under the moonlight, the people who were shouting finally ceased their clamoring. Their bodies distorted and warped as layers of bark grew over their skin, and each of them turned into wooden people. Following that their bodies were enveloped by layers of wood, only to eventually transform into towering trees!

As for the hostages, they had fainted the instant their attackers had started becoming trees. They had no idea why they felt so sleepy, but they only managed to last a moment before falling asleep.

However there was one person who had not fallen asleep. That was none other than Liu Dacheng!

Liu Dacheng looked at Chen Xiao and company who had turned into trees. He felt as though his soul was escaping from his body out of fear. Snot dripped down his nose as he knelt in front of Fangzheng with tears welling in his eyes. He began kowtowing rapidly as he shouted, “Fangzheng, I was wrong! I know I was wrong! I was inhumane! I beg you. Don’t change me into a tree!”

“Liu Dacheng, you are kowtowing in the wrong direction,” said Fangzheng.

Liu Dacheng immediately turned around and kowtowed in the direction of the sleeping Qi Liya. He did so manically until his forehead was stained with blood. He did not stop, for he knew that he couldn’t. Pain was better than death!

However Qi Liya remained unconscious. Fangzheng did not indicate for him to stop as he silently walked to Xu Yin’s side. As he had turned into a tree, a simple chop shattered him, and his items inside fell to the ground. Fangzheng picked up his cell phone and silently called the police.

Following that, Fangzheng lifted Liu Dacheng up and threw him into the yard.

Liu Dacheng wept. “Fangzheng, on account of us being former classmates, spare me. I really, really will not do this again in the future!”

“Liu Dacheng, if you like to plant trees that benefit the world that much, This Penniless Monk will grant you your wish today. Go. Some sins cannot be wiped off with just a word of repentance,” said Fangzheng.

“Fangzheng, you can’t do that! Isn’t there the saying ‘repent and ye shall be saved?’ I’ve repented!” cried Liu Dacheng.

Fangzheng stared at Liu Dacheng and said, “Then tell me what you have seen and heard here. Talk about those who passed away as well.”

Obviously Liu Dacheng did not dare say no. He was afraid he would turn into a tree if he was too slow. Hence he hurriedly said, “Fangzheng, I’ll confess everything. This is a nest of cheats. There are two compounds. One of them is the one you were at, the Home. This is the Dark Home. We deal with those who are unwilling to cooperate here. Our methods are very simple. We lock them up and do not feed them. If they do not cooperate, we beat them! Beating them until their skin ruptures is very common. If they still do not submit in three months, we sell them to our upline, a man named Knife Head. He will disfigure and cripple them before throwing them on the streets to be beggars.”

At that moment, police sirens sounded outside.

Fangzheng sighed. “Leave whatever else you have to say to the police. Remember, confess everything. The more people you save, the greater the merit. If you are unable to use merit to wash away your sins, those trees will be your future too.”

With that said, Fangzheng got up and left.

It did not take long for the police to enter. They were given a fright when they entered, thinking that they had entered a primeval forest. The yard had more than ten towering trees! More importantly, they had never seen these trees in the past. After all, they were policemen from the neighborhood. How could they not know of such large trees in the village? However there were just too many trees. They did not look fake in any way, so instantly, they were baffled.

But soon they were overwhelmed by anger. They saw the large metal doors in the yard, with clutter covering the ground. There were unconscious people, each as thin as sticks. Their skin was sallow, and their bodies were covered in injuries.

Upon seeing the buildings that looked like metal cages, they were horrified by their guesses.

At that moment, Liu Dacheng suddenly ran over and knelt to the ground. “I want to surrender myself! I want to surrender! This is a network marketing nest. Everyone here is evil!”

Following that, more police cars came. This was not the only place. The original compound was also surrounded by the police, and everyone inside was apprehended. Those who had not done any wrongdoings were sent away, while those who had committed crimes were dealt with by the law.

With Liu Dacheng as a lead, the police managed to find his upline, Knife Head, as well. This scourge of society was soon wiped out.

Star Ocean was also pursued in various locations. Half a month later Star Ocean, which had been thriving in the Bei River, was completely taken down.

A week later, Fangzheng was surprised to see a certain woman come to pay her respects to Buddha.