The Monk That Wanted To Renounce Asceticism

“Brother, now that you say it, there is a great resemblance between that Buddha and Fangzheng. And Fangzheng also has a boy attendant, doesn’t he?” Third Brother didn’t like thinking. His muscles often acted faster than his brains, but this didn’t mean he couldn’t think.

Song Xianhe narrowed his eyes and nodded. Back when he first met Fangzheng, he had the feeling that the monk wasn’t a simple person. And when he silenced Xizi and company on the mountain, he exchanged looks with Fangzheng. At that moment, he had felt that Fangzheng’s eyes were unfathomable, as though he could see through everything about him.

But he had only written it off as an illusion. Yet now, on careful thought, that look was how Buddha would look at a sinner! However, this Buddha didn’t seem to be in a rush. He was silently waiting for something.

Then, what is he waiting for?

Song Xianhe could sense that the monk was waiting for him! Or perhaps, it should be said that he was waiting for them.

With this in mind, Song Xianhe felt uneasy all over. He subconsciously looked up at the ceiling and felt as though someone was watching him through the ether.

In the evening at the top of Mt. One Finger.

“Where am I?” Second Brother sat up blankly as his gaze was unfocused. Following that, his pupils constricted as he looked around him in a guarded manner.

“Amitabha. Patron, since you have awoken, go down the mountain.” Suddenly, a faint voice sounded.

Second Brother turned around abruptly and saw a white-robed monk under the dim yellow lights. He was sitting at the door, looking outside. All he saw was a back, but this back left him relaxed.

However, his memories were also evoked by that same back. He exclaimed. “Didn’t… Didn’t I fall down the cliff to my death? That’s not right. I’m not dead!” Second Brother touched his body and asked, “Are you Abbot Fangzheng?”

Fangzheng slowly turned around and nodded slightly. “Patron, go down the mountain.”

“But, I…” For some reason, Second Brother felt more uneasy the more calm Fangzheng acted. Thinking back to the scene of him falling off the cliff, he refused to believe that he should still be alive! Who could have saved him from plummeting down such a tall cliff?

“If you have any questions, you can ask Buddha. Otherwise, go down the mountain.” Fangzheng began chasing him away again.

Second Brother got up and rubbed his belly. The stab wound still hurt, reminding him that it hadn’t all been a dream. He wished to question Fangzheng, but he realized that Fangzheng had already gotten up to walk away.

Second Brother hurriedly got up and followed. By the time he chased up to him, he saw Fangzheng enter the temple hall. He was sitting behind a huge wooden fish and began striking it.

When Second Brother heard the wooden fish’s strikes and the Buddhist charms of the chanting, together with his recollection of how he had had a near-death experience, he seemed to realize something in enlightenment. But it wasn’t clear to him what it was.

The cloud over his mind became thicker as he entered the temple hall, knelt on a mat, and looked up at the Buddhist plaque. He pressed his palms together and closed his eyes.

Instantly, he felt his body turn ethereal. In his reverie, his entire body soared into the sky as he flew into the heavens. It felt like he was experiencing samsara, and countless memories flashed through his mind.

At the same time, Fangzheng slowly opened his eyes as a glint flashed in them. A Golden Millet Dream!

The scene before Fangzheng’s eyes changed.

“Wah! Wah! Wah!” A baby’s cries sounded.

The scene was somewhat blurry as though tears were blocking the vision. All that could be seen was a blurry figure.

“I’m sorry, my child. Mommy can’t afford to raise you. Mommy won’t be able to live for long either. All I hope is that some kind-hearted soul will take you in and give you a home. I’m sorry…” The figure seemed to be sobbing as well, leaving as she spoke. Finally, she vanished from the field of vision.

At that instant, Fangzheng could sense the child crying desperately. However, it was too young and helpless. All it could do was flail its tiny arms without grabbing anything and constantly cry loudly.

Others might not have understood what the infant was shouting, but Fangzheng could understand it. It was shouting. “Mommy! Come back!”

At that instant, Fangzheng felt a stabbing pain in his heart. This was because he too was an abandoned child. He could sense the despair and pain from the infant. A child who was about to lose its mother was helpless, in despair, and in pain. The temperature around him seemed to turn colder.

What a cold world!

The scene was plunged into darkness. By the time it lit up again…

Fangzheng still felt the extreme coldness, as though his blood was about to freeze. The kind of cold he felt wasn’t just a result of the temperature, but it was a coldness that stemmed from despair.

“Yet another pitiful child.” A warm voice suddenly sounded. It was extremely warm like the sun during winter. It left Fangzheng’s body trembling.

The child slowly opened its eyes and saw a middle-aged man come over. The man had a pair of extremely warm and genial eyes. Upon seeing those eyes, the child stopped crying and subconsciously reached out its hands.

“Alright, since no one wants you, I’ll want you. In the future, your name will be Song Xianshu.” The man smiled as he carried the infant.

Sensing the man’s warmth, the infant suddenly laughed.

The man laughed out loud. “Oh my, you are small in size, but quite strong. By the way, you also have an elder brother named Song Xianhe.”

With that said, the man carried the infant away.

The scene went dark once more. By the time it lit up again…

“Xianhe, come take a look. You have another younger brother. In the future, you will be his elder brother. You must take care of him.” The man smiled as he brought the infant to another child who was about one-plus year old.

The moment the boy heard that, he ran over and exclaimed. “Brother! Brother!”

The scene changed again. In a flash, the children had already grown quite a lot. One of them was three while the other was a bit over one year old.

When taking their meals, the man didn’t have much food on the table. There was only a potato and a bowl of vegetable soup.

Song Xianhe and Song Xianshu sat there with half a potato in front of them with each of them taking turns to take a bite. Song Xianhe would often take a small bite, but Song Xianshu wasn’t that sensible yet at his age. He would chomp down on it with big mouthfuls. By the time they were done eating, most of the potato had been finished by Song Xianshu…

The man said, “Xianhe, eat this.” As he spoke, he handed the potato in his hand to him. Song Xianhe shook his head. “I don’t want it. Dad, I’m not feeling well and can’t eat. You have to work every day, so you need to eat more. Brother is still growing, so he needs to eat more too. When I grow up, we can work together. When the time comes, we can each have two potatoes for every meal!”

When the man heard that, his eyes turned moist. It was unknown if he was moved or if he felt remorseful towards the two children. As for Song Xianshu, he had his head cocked, completely unaware of what was happening.

The scene changed again, and the children had grown up even more.