Martial Cultivator

The heavy rain continued, and the old abbot sat comfortably in front of the main hall, holding a bowl of hot porridge. He sighed with gratitude as he remarked that it had been a long time since he had had porridge with so many grains of rice.

Chen Chao teased, “At other temples, with a donation, you can at least have a vegetarian meal. Why is it that at your temple, Master, you can't even offer a bowl of hot porridge?”

The abbot was a bit slow to react, grimacing as he said, “Benefactor looks like a person of wealth and high status, would you even appreciate this bowl of plain porridge?”

Chen Chao nodded with a smile. “I wouldn't turn it down.”

"... ..."

Hence, a short while later, Chen Chao was also holding a bowl of hot porridge, sitting alongside the old abbot under the eaves, drinking porridge together.

It seemed the old abbot truly had not eaten for a long time. He finished his bowl of plain porridge in just a few gulps. Then, he used his bony fingers to scrape the last grains of rice into his mouth, after which he looked at Chen Chao, who was leisurely sipping his plain porridge.

Chen Chao took a sip and said, “If Master doesn't feel it dishonors Buddhism for me to drink porridge and listen to your teachings, you may begin preaching now, Master”

The old abbot set down his empty bowl and smiled. “It's no issue. But which scripture would you like to hear, Benefactor? This destitute monk can recite a section for Benefactor.”

Chen Chao shook his head. “Listening to a scripture once or twice doesn't lead to true understanding. Why not tell me something outside of the buddhist scriptures, Master?”

The old abbot pondered for a moment, refraining from speaking right away. He looked at Chen Chao and then, after a pause, said softly, “This destitute monk knows a bit about face-reading. Judging by the clouded expression between Benefactor's brows, I suspect, and forgive me, as Benefactor may not like to hear this, that someone close to Benefactor has recently died because of you...”

Chen Chao, who had been quietly drinking his porridge, stopped and looked up, finally sizing up the old monk in front of him seriously.

The abbot said with surprise, “Though in my youth, this destitute monk was as handsome as jade and quite dashing, I'm now quite aged. Could it be that Benefactor still sees traces of this destitute monk's former looks?”

The corners of Chen Chao's mouth twitched. This old man in front of him was truly nothing like those so-called enlightened buddhist monks!

Chen Chao asked, “Master, do you know how many?”

The abbot replied, “Two or three.”

Chen Chao fell silent, his expression finally turning serious.

“But it looks like Benefactor didn't take it to heart. A man as indifferent as Benefactor should be a wicked doer, yet Benefactor is a good person. Strange, strange indeed.”

The abbot muttered to himself, “What's strangest of all is that the shadow in Benefactor's heart lingers over a matter involving someone who is not close to you. If this destitute monk isn't mistaken, this person is one that Benefactor keeps thinking of these days, someone you cannot forget.”

“Those close to Benefactor died because of you, yet Benefactor remains unconcerned, while the death of someone unrelated lingers in Benefactor's mind, how peculiar indeed."

The old abbot mused. “In all my life, this destitute monk has never met someone quite like Benefactor.”

Chen Chao looked at the old abbot and asked, “May I ask which ancient temple Master hails from?”

The old abbot chuckled and shook his head, saying, “Our meeting is fate, there's no need to delve too deeply. In this life, the last thing this destitute monk cares about is status. Would it make any difference if this destitute monk came from Deercry Monastery? Would that make even a fart profound buddhist teachings? Or, if this destitute monk is nothing but an abbot of this humble temple, would speaking like a lotus blossoming from my mouth be seen as mere trickery?”

Chen Chao nodded. “Master, you're right.”

The abbot smiled, saying nothing further.

Chen Chao asked calmly, “This matter weighs on my heart and won't go away. I wonder, does Master have a way to help me?”

The old abbot pointed to the donation box nearby.

Chen Chao was taken aback, at a loss whether to cry or laugh. Nonetheless, he rose and tossed a few more skygold coins into the donation box. When he looked back at the abbot, to his surprise, the abbot shook his head.

Hence, Chen Chao dropped a few more skygold coins into the box.

The old abbot sighed, “Your comprehension is lacking, Benefactor.”

Chen Chao frowned, “Now, that's a bit much, Master!”

The old abbot then smiled, “When this destitute monk pointed to the donation box, it wasn't to ask Benefactor give more incense money. That's why this destitute monk shook my head when Benefactor dropped more coins in.”

“Then what did you mean, Master?” Chen Chao stared at the old abbot.

The old abbot chuckled, “The words 'merit and virtue’ on the box.”

“Benefactor keeps thinking about your mistakes, so your heart remains knotted, hoping to make up for them with good deeds. But who in this world is without faults? Since it was an unintentional mistake, why cling to it so tightly and let it weigh on you? Acting under such a burden, your heart will naturally remain knotted.”

The old abbot smiled as he said, “In the end, it's Benefactor who is making things hard on yourself.”

Chen Chao fell into silence.

The old abbot said nothing further, his gaze drifting toward the outside of the temple. Heavy rain continued to pour, and soon a group of people entered the temple's gate. Seeing the old abbot, a rather handsome young man clasped his hands and said, “We seek refuge from the rain in your revered temple. I hope Master doesn’t mind!”

The old abbot stood and greeted them with a smile, “Please, Benefactors, come in and enjoy some hot tea.”

But that young man merely shook his head, and the group stayed under the eaves, not approaching. However, he did cast a couple of glances at Chen Chao.

The old abbot did not press them and just remarked with a sigh, “That young benefactor, in terms of appearance, was not much different from how this destitute monk looked in my youth.”

Chen Chao teased, “Master, don't you feel guilty saying that?”

The old abbot replied seriously, “While this destitute monk's skill in buddhist teachings may not be outstanding, I've never thought myself lacking in looks compared to others.”

Chen Chao could only give a big thumbs-up.

The old abbot nodded, very satisfied.

After that, the two fell into silence, perhaps because of the presence of strangers. The old abbot said little more, and about an hour later, the rain stopped. That group of unknown cultivators departed, doing so swiftly and without hesitation.

Chen Chao muttered, “Two in the Bitter Sea Realm, one Great Beyond realm.”

The old abbot smiled and asked, “Benefactor, are you curious about where they're headed?”

Chen Chao asked curiously, “Master, you know?”

The old abbot nodded but did not speak.

Chen Chao gave a bitter smile, “I'm really out of money.”

The old abbot then laughed heartily and said, “Eight hundred miles from here, there's an estate. The master of the estate has a treasured family heirloom, passed down through generations, carefully kept from outsiders. Now, as the estate has fallen into decline, the old master knows he doesn't have much time left, so he wishes to entrust the treasure and his young son to a sect. These people are all here to recruit a disciple.”

Chen Chao asked curiously, “Are they truly just recruiting?”

The old abbot smiled, “Why look at it so incisively, Benefactor?”

Chen Chao chuckled, “Since the rain has stopped, I'll be taking my leave too.”

The old abbot smiled, “Allow me to see you off, Benefactor”

The old abbot sent Chen Chao to the temple gate, before stopping there to say, “Buddhism teaches of pure detachment, yet even after a lifetime of practice, this destitute monk still can't reach such a state. When this destitute monk is hungry, I still think of getting some money to buy rice and drink a warm bowl of porridge. When this destitute monk wears this patched-up robe for too long, I can't help but yearn for a new one. In life, we strive to be faultless, but who is perfect? Even saints aren't free from flaws, and this destitute monk doesn't believe they truly live without fault either.”

“Having swindled some money from you, Benefactor, this destitute monk will leave you with a few words.”

Chen Chao nodded, “Please speak, Master.”

The old abbot slowly said, “The moon waxes and wanes, no one is without flaws.”