Hui’en was truly despicable. He actually fetched some urine from the latrine, mixed it with water, carried the bucket, climbed a ladder, and was about to pour the foul mixture onto Shui Miao.
But as Hui’en reached the top of the ladder, his foot suddenly slipped—the ladder broke beneath him. He fell flat on his backside. Fortunately, the room wasn’t very high—just over two meters—yet the entire bucket of urine-mixed water poured all over him. A strong, foul stench filled the air. Hui’en felt a wave of nausea and quickly scrambled up, pinching his nose, running back to take a shower and change clothes.
Trying to play a trick on Shui Miao, he ended up suffering the consequences himself.
Hui’en took two showers, brushed his teeth once, changed into clean robes, and returned to the Grand Hall in a gloomy mood.
In a corner, he puzzled to himself: Why had the ladder suddenly snapped? It had seemed perfectly fine.
Suspicious, he went back to inspect the broken ladder. He found no signs of damage—only fresh, clean breaks. He scratched his head in confusion. He wasn’t that heavy, so how could he have broken the wooden rungs? Could that kid possess some strange supernatural power? Unwilling to accept this, Hui’en grew stubborn. He returned to the storeroom and fetched a sturdy A-frame ladder made of steel tubing—solid and stable, with no chance of breaking.
Once again, Hui’en carried a wooden bucket filled with the urine-water mixture, climbing the ladder cautiously, step by step, fearing another mishap. Just as he lifted the bucket to pour it onto the roof, a thunderous voice suddenly bellowed, “What are you doing?!”
Startled, Hui’en’s legs gave way, and he tumbled off the ladder. The entire bucket of filth poured over him again, and this time, the steel A-frame ladder toppled down too, landing directly on his head. Blood poured from his wound as he screamed in pain.
Master Hui Neng had left not long before, but his heart had been uneasy. He suspected Hui’en might try to play a trick on Shui Miao, so he returned to investigate—and indeed caught him red-handed.
Seeing Hui’en injured, Master Hui Neng burst into laughter. “You brat, this is what you deserve! Hmm? What’s that smell?” Sniffing the air, Hui Neng immediately suspected urine in the bucket. Without hesitation, he grabbed Hui’en by a clean part of his robe and dragged him to see Elder Master Liao Chen.
Since Shui Miao was under Liao Chen’s special care, it made sense to report to him.
Though not a major offense, it wasn’t trivial either. Considering their childhood friendship, Hui Neng didn’t want to involve the Abbot.
Hui’en was truly despicable—he actually went to the latrine, mixed some urine with water, carried it over, climbed a ladder, and was about to pour it over Shui Miao.
But just as Hui’en reached the top of the ladder, his footing suddenly gave way. The ladder broke, and he fell flat on the ground. Fortunately, the room wasn’t very high, just a little over two meters. However, the entire bucket of urine-water mixture ended up splashing all over him. A foul, pungent odor hit him, and Hui’en felt nauseated. He quickly scrambled up, pinched his nose, and ran back to shower and change his clothes.
He had tried to scheme against Shui Miao but ended up suffering greatly himself.
After showering twice and brushing his teeth once, Hui’en changed into clean clothes and returned to the Main Hall in low spirits.
In a corner, Hui’en wondered: How could a perfectly good ladder just break like that?
Suspecting something was wrong, he went back to examine the broken ladder. He found that the wooden ladder showed no signs of prior damage—all the breaks were fresh. Hui’en was puzzled; he wasn’t that heavy! How could he have broken the ladder? Could it be that this guy had some strange energy around him? Unwilling to give up, Hui’en grew stubborn. He went back to the storage room and found a sturdy, welded steel A-frame ladder. This ladder was not only solid but also stable—there was no way it would fail again.
So, Hui’en fetched another bucket of urine-water mixture and cautiously climbed up step by step, afraid of another accident. Just as he lifted the bucket to pour it onto the roof, the Great Monk Hui’neng’s thunderous voice suddenly boomed, “What are you doing?” Startled, Hui’en’s legs went weak, and he tumbled off the ladder. Once again, the bucket of dirty water splashed all over him. To make matters worse, the steel A-frame ladder fell and struck him on the head, immediately causing him to bleed and cry out in pain.
Great Monk Hui’neng had left earlier but felt uneasy, suspecting that Hui’en might try to mess with Shui Miao. He came back to check and indeed caught him red-handed.
Seeing Hui’en injured, the Great Monk laughed heartily. “You rascal, you brought this on yourself! Hmm? What’s that smell?” Detecting the unusual odor, Hui’neng immediately realized that Hui’en had likely mixed urine in the bucket. He grabbed Hui’en by a clean part of his clothing and dragged him to see Uncle Liaochen.
Since Shui Miao was under Uncle Liaochen’s care, it was appropriate to bring the matter to him.
The incident wasn’t major, but it wasn’t minor either. Considering they had grown up together, Hui’neng didn’t want to involve the Abbot.
Outside the meditation room, Hui’neng tossed Hui’en to the ground and addressed the door: “Uncle, you asked me to take the young benefactor to the Zhai Xin Pavilion to meditate and reflect. But this Hui’en despicably mixed urine with water and tried to pour it on him. I’ve brought Hui’en here for your judgment.”
“Go, take him to wash up and tend to his injuries first,” came a calm voice from inside the meditation room, with no hint of punishment.
Hui’neng, unsatisfied, added, “Uncle, Hui’en is always causing trouble, but this time he’s done something so vile. If you don’t punish him, how will anyone be convinced?”
*Crack!*
The wooden door suddenly opened. Inside the meditation room sat three white-bearded elder monks: besides Uncle Liaochen, there were also Hui’neng’s master, Liaoyuan, and even Abbot Liaokong.
Master Liaoyuan waved his hand impatiently. “Hui’neng, what have I always taught you? Once you enter the Buddhist order, you are bound by fate. Hui’en may be mischievous, but he has deep Buddhist roots. As his fellow disciple, instead of taking him for treatment first despite his severe injuries, you rush here to demand punishment. What kind of reasoning is that? Do you have no compassion in your heart?”
“This…”
Hui’neng was taken aback. Reflecting on his master’s words, he suddenly understood and quickly apologized. “Master, I was wrong. I’ll take him to get treated right away.”
“There’s no need for treatment. Just give him some ginger soup.”
Abbot Liaokong suddenly spoke up.
“Ginger soup!?”
Hui’neng was stunned. Hui’en had suffered physical injuries, not a cold—what good would ginger soup do?
“Stop questioning! Do as your senior says,” Master Liaoyuan scolded impatiently.
Hui’neng stood still, blinking in confusion. Something felt off—his master was usually so gentle. Why was he like this today?
Just then, Hui’en struggled to his feet, swaying unsteadily. He managed to stand and waved his hand. “I’m fine. Thank you, Master and Uncle, for your concern. I can walk on my own…”
His head spinning, Hui’en staggered away.
Seeing Hui’neng still there, Master Liaoyuan was about to lose his temper again, but Uncle Liaochen stopped him. He beckoned Hui’neng inside the meditation room, closed the door, and had him sit down.
Then, Uncle Liaochen spoke: “Hui’neng is straightforward and possesses innate divine strength. With him here, he might be able to assist us.”
“Since he’s already here, we might as well proceed,” Master Liaoyuan said somewhat helplessly.
Abbot Liaokong handed Hui’neng a talisman—a Buddhist Vajra Buddha Light Body Protection Talisman. Carrying it would help maintain righteousness and ward off all evil.
Seeing the talisman, Hui’neng asked in surprise, “Abbot, why are you giving this to me?”
“Take it if it’s given to you. We told you to leave, but you stayed. Now you’re asking questions. Do you think the three of us are here just chatting and drinking tea?” Master Liaoyuan said angrily.
Uncle Liaochen gently patted his junior brother Liaoyuan and said to Hui’neng, “Listen carefully. Understand as much as you can. If you have questions, wait until you’re allowed to ask.”
“Oh…”
Hui’neng nodded. Though straightforward, he understood righteousness. His master’s unusual irritability today surely had a reason, so he didn’t blame him at all.
After settling down, Abbot Liaokong began chanting Buddhist scriptures, continuing for a while before stopping.
Hui’neng wondered: Why were they reciting the Vajra Subduing Demon Sutra? Had a demon arrived at the temple?
Then, Liaochen spoke: “I believe helping Shui Miao is an opportunity for us and a blessing for Buddhism. If we can guide him into our faith and have him convert, it would be an immense merit. That’s why I invited Abbot Liaokong and Junior Brother Liaoyuan here—to discuss whether we should help Shui Miao and, if so, how.”
“Senior Brother Liaochen, your understanding of Buddhism far surpasses ours. I should follow your lead, but I’m still uneasy. Shui Miao’s enemy is too mysterious—we don’t even know who it is. How can we confront them? I think we should proceed with caution. This matter is too significant. If we fail, at best we lose our lives; at worst, innocent people suffer, and the entire temple could be implicated.”
“So this is a gamble!” Abbot Liaokong opened his eyes and said gravely, “Junior Brother Liaochen, I trust you, but I also think the risk is too high. Unless we can find out who Shui Miao’s enemy is, we must not act blindly.”
“That… is both difficult and not difficult. I can perform a ritual to enter a transcendent state and investigate. However, I’ll need Shui Miao’s cooperation.” Liaochen stroked his beard. “From observing Shui Miao’s demeanor and his sincere worship, I think he is a good person and should fully cooperate with us.”
“If we can identify his opponent, that would be ideal.”
Liaoyuan sighed in relief, silently marveling at why Liaochen’s Buddhist cultivation was so much higher than theirs, even though they were all disciples of the same master.
“Heh, it seems you already have a plan, Junior Brother Liaochen. Tell us, what exactly do you intend to do?” Abbot Liaokong also smiled lightly. He admitted that his spiritual power was less than one-tenth of Liaochen’s, so if Liaochen insisted, he had nothing more to say.
Liaochen stroked his beard and looked at Hui’neng. “Hui’neng, I think you’ve gathered some idea from what you’ve heard. Now, Uncle wants to assign you a task: try to persuade Shui Miao to shave his head and become a monk. Can you do it?”
“Th-That’s hard to say!”
Hui’neng was honest—he didn’t like making promises he wasn’t sure about.
“Heh…” Liaochen smiled faintly. “Hui’neng, haven’t you always wanted to know your origins? If you can persuade Shui Miao to become a monk, Uncle promises to help you enter the transcendent state once so you can learn about your background. How about that?”
“Really!?”
Hui’neng was instantly excited.
Liaochen nodded gently. “Monks do not lie. Of course, it’s true.”
“Then it’s settled! Even if I have to risk my life, I’ll make him become a monk!” Hui’neng jumped up, ready to leave.
But Liaochen waved his hand. “Hui’neng, don’t misunderstand. Uncle isn’t asking you to risk your life. I want you to use wisdom and persuade him sincerely.”
“Oh, I understand!”
Though rough around the edges, Hui’neng wasn’t stupid. He understood Liaochen’s meaning.
After Hui’neng left, Liaoyuan looked at Liaochen in confusion. “Senior Brother, how is this related to Hui’neng? Didn’t you pick him up from the streets? Why do you need to enter the transcendent state to investigate?”
“Heh, Junior Brother, you don’t know this, but Hui’neng is no ordinary person. When I found him, it was a heavily snowy, freezing day. He was just a baby wrapped in a thin blanket, laughing in the icy weather. Don’t you think that’s strange? Of course, the reason I sent Hui’neng is also related to Shui Miao’s worship of the Taming Tiger Arhat.” Liaochen narrowed his eyes and said to the Abbot and Liaoyuan, “Just keep this to yourselves. If you encounter Shui Miao and he asks about certain things, remember to smile and say nothing.”
Liaochen was profound and had long devised a plan.
Abbot Liaokong and Master Liaoyuan exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
※※※
“Haha, young friend, you’ve been worshipping for quite some time. Have you gained any insights?”
Hui’neng strode into the Zhai Xin Pavilion and pushed the wooden door open. Seeing Shui Miao drenched, he exclaimed in surprise, “Oh no! You’re all wet! Ah, I remember now—those brats must have mistaken you for a temple novice who broke the rules. Quick, come with me to change into dry clothes.”
Without his immortal powers, Shui Miao had long been shivering from the cold.
Following Hui’neng to his room, Shui Miao changed into a set of monk’s robes.
Seeing Shui Miao in monk’s clothing, looking refreshed, Hui’neng gave a thumbs-up and grinned in approval. “Young friend, with this outfit, you really look the part of a Buddhist disciple! Since you have such a strong connection with Buddhism, why not shave your head and join our order?”
True to his nature, Hui’neng got straight to the point in just a few sentences.
“Go on, wash him up first and tend to his wounds,” came a calm voice from inside the room—no sign of anger, just quietness.
Hui Neng protested, “Master, Hui’en has always been a troublemaker, but this time he’s gone too far. If you don’t punish him, how can you maintain discipline among the disciples?”
“Crack!”
The wooden door suddenly opened. Inside sat three elderly monks with white beards—Elder Liao Chen, Master Liao Yuan, and even Abbot Liao Kong.
Liao Yuan waved impatiently, “Hui Neng, what have I always taught you? Once someone enters the Buddhist door, they are connected by fate. Though Hui’en is mischievous, he has deep karmic ties to Buddhism. As his senior brother, you should have taken him for treatment first when he was injured. Instead, you rushed here for retribution. What’s wrong with you? Do you have no compassion in your heart?”
“Th… this…”
Hui Neng was taken aback. Reflecting on his master’s words, he suddenly realized his mistake and quickly apologized, “Master, I was wrong. I’ll take him out for treatment right away.”
“No need for treatment. Just give him some ginger soup.”
At this moment, Abbot Liao Kong spoke.
“Ginger soup!?”
Hui Neng was stunned. Hui’en had suffered a physical injury, not a cold. What good would ginger soup do?
“Don’t ask so many questions. Do as your senior master says.”
Master Liao Yuan scolded impatiently.
Hui Neng stood still, blinking. Something felt off—his master was usually gentle, but today he was unusually harsh.
At that moment, Hui’en slowly got up from the floor, swaying unsteadily. He waved his hand, “I’m fine. Thank you, Master and Elder for your concern. I can walk on my own…”
His head spinning, Hui’en staggered away.
Seeing Hui Neng still standing there, Liao Yuan was about to scold him again, but Liao Chen stopped him. He gestured for Hui Neng to enter the meditation room, closed the door, and sat cross-legged.
Then, Elder Liao Chen spoke, “Hui Neng is upright by nature, possesses divine strength. With him, we may gain a powerful ally.”
“Since he’s here, we’ll have to deal with it,” Liao Yuan sighed helplessly.
Abbot Liao Kong extended his hand and handed Hui Neng a Buddhist talisman.
This was the Vajra Buddha Light Protection Talisman—wearing it could guard one’s body and mind against all evil spirits.
Seeing the talisman, Hui Neng exclaimed, “Abbot, why are you giving this to me?”
“If I give it, you take it. You wouldn’t leave when I told you to, and now you’re asking too many questions. Do you think we three seniors are here just for tea and chat?” Master Liao Yuan was furious.
Elder Liao Chen gently patted his younger brother’s shoulder and turned to Hui Neng, “Listen carefully. Understand as much as you can. When I allow you to ask questions, then you may speak.”
“Okay…”
Hui Neng nodded. Though straightforward, he understood righteousness. His master’s unusual temper must have a reason, so he bore no resentment.
After a moment of silence, Abbot Liao Kong began chanting Buddhist sutras. After a long chant, he stopped.
Hui Neng was puzzled—why were they chanting the Vajra Subduing Demon Sutra? Was there a demon in the temple?
At this moment, Elder Liao Chen spoke, “I believe helping this Shui Miao is both an opportunity and a blessing for Buddhism. If we can guide him to take refuge in the Buddha, it would be a great merit. That’s why I invited Elder Brother Abbot and Liao Yuan here—to discuss whether we should help Shui Miao, and if so, how?”
“Elder Brother Liao Chen, your Buddhist cultivation surpasses ours by far. I should follow your lead, but I still feel uneasy. The enemy of Shui Miao is too mysterious—we don’t even know who he is. How can we fight him? I think we should proceed cautiously. This matter is too serious. If we act recklessly, we risk not only our lives but also endanger the entire monastery.”
“So this is a gamble!” Abbot Liao Kong opened his eyes solemnly. “Elder Brother Liao Chen, I trust you, but this risk is huge. Unless we can somehow discover who Shui Miao’s enemy is, we must not act rashly.”
“This… is both difficult and not difficult. I can enter a meditative state to investigate. However, that would require Shui Miao’s cooperation,” Elder Liao Chen stroked his beard. “Judging from his appearance and his sincere devotion to Buddhism, I believe he will cooperate fully.”
“If we can identify his enemy, that would be ideal.”
Liao Yuan exhaled in relief, secretly wondering why Liao Chen’s Buddhist cultivation was so much higher than theirs.
“Haha, so Elder Brother Liao Chen already has a plan. Please share it with us.”
Abbot Liao Kong smiled lightly. He knew his own spiritual power was but a fraction of Liao Chen’s, so he had no objections.
Elder Liao Chen looked at Hui Neng, “Hui Neng, I believe you’ve heard enough to understand the situation. Now, Elder Brother has a task for you—convince Shui Miao to take monastic vows. Do you think you can do it?”
“Well… it’s hard to say!”
Hui Neng was honest—he didn’t like making promises he couldn’t keep.
“Haha…” Liao Chen smiled gently. “Hui Neng, haven’t you always wanted to know your origins? If you can persuade Shui Miao to become a monk, I promise I will help you enter the meditative state and reveal your true identity.”
“Really!?”
Hui Neng’s eyes lit up with excitement.
Liao Chen nodded slightly. “A monk never lies. Of course it’s true.”
“Great! I’ll do whatever it takes to make him a monk!” Hui Neng jumped up, ready to leave.
But Liao Chen waved his hand, “Hui Neng, don’t misunderstand. I’m not asking you to fight. I’m asking you to use wisdom and sincerity to persuade him.”
“Oh, I understand!”
Though Hui Neng was rough and blunt, he wasn’t stupid. He grasped Liao Chen’s meaning.
After Hui Neng left, Liao Yuan asked Liao Chen in confusion, “Elder Brother, how does this relate to Hui Neng? You found him on the street as a baby. Why would we need to investigate his background?”
“Haha, younger brother, you don’t know the whole story. When I found Hui Neng, it was a freezing winter day—snowing heavily, the ground frozen solid. Yet that infant, wrapped only in a single blanket, was laughing in the snow. Isn’t that strange? Also, Hui Neng’s involvement relates to Shui Miao’s worship of the Taming Tiger Arhat.” Elder Liao Chen narrowed his eyes and said to the Abbot and Liao Yuan, “You two just keep this in mind. If Shui Miao asks anything, just smile and remain silent.”
Liao Chen was profound and mysterious, already having a hidden plan in mind.
Abbot Liao Kong and Master Liao Yuan exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
※※※
“Haha, young brother, you’ve been worshipping for quite some time. Have you gained any insight?”
Hui’en was really despicable—he actually went to the latrine, mixed some urine with water, carried it over, climbed a ladder, and was about to pour it over Shui Miao.
But just as Hui’en reached the top of the ladder, his footing suddenly gave way. The ladder broke, and he fell flat on the ground. Fortunately, the room wasn’t very high, just a little over two meters. However, the entire bucket of urine-filled water splashed all over him. A foul, pungent odor hit his nostrils, and Hui’en felt nauseated. He quickly scrambled up, pinched his nose, and ran back to shower and change his clothes.
He had tried to scheme against Shui Miao but ended up suffering greatly himself.
After showering twice and brushing his teeth once, Hui’en changed into clean clothes and returned to the Main Hall in low spirits.
In a corner, Hui’en wondered: How could a perfectly good ladder just break like that?
Suspecting something was wrong, he went back to inspect the broken ladder and found that the wooden ladder showed no signs of prior damage—all the breaks were fresh. Hui’en was puzzled. He wasn’t that heavy! How could he have broken the wooden ladder? Could it be that this guy had some weird energy about him? Unwilling to give up, Hui’en grew stubborn. He went back to the storage room and found a sturdy, welded steel A-frame ladder. This ladder was not only solid but also stable—there was no way it would fail again.
So, Hui’en fetched another bucket of urine-mixed water and cautiously climbed up step by step, afraid of another accident. Just as he lifted the bucket to pour it over the roof, suddenly, the Great Monk’s thunderous voice boomed, “What are you doing?” Startled, Hui’en’s legs went weak, and he tumbled off the ladder. Once again, the bucket of dirty water drenched him. To make matters worse, the steel A-frame ladder also fell, hitting him on the head and causing it to bleed. He screamed in pain.
Great Monk Hui’neng had left earlier but felt uneasy, suspecting that Hui’en might try to play a trick on Shui Miao. So he came back to check and indeed caught him red-handed.
Seeing Hui’en injured, the Great Monk laughed heartily. “You rascal, you brought this on yourself! Hmm? What’s that smell?” Detecting the unusual odor, Hui’neng immediately realized that Hui’en might have mixed urine in the bucket. He grabbed Hui’en by a clean part of his clothes and dragged him to see Uncle Liaochen.
Since Shui Miao was under Uncle Liaochen’s care, it was appropriate to bring the matter to him.
The incident wasn’t too serious, but it wasn’t trivial either. Considering they had grown up together, Hui’neng didn’t want to involve the Abbot.
Outside the meditation room, Hui’neng threw Hui’en to the ground and addressed the door: “Uncle, you asked me to take the young benefactor to the Zhai Xin Pavilion to meditate and reflect, but this Hui’en despicably mixed urine with water to pour over him. I’ve brought Hui’en here for your judgment.”
“Go, take him to wash up and treat his injuries first,” came a calm voice from inside the meditation room, with no hint of punishment.
Hui’neng, unsatisfied, added, “Uncle, Hui’en usually causes trouble, but now he’s done something so vile. If you don’t punish him, how will anyone be convinced?”
*Crack!*
The wooden door suddenly opened. Inside the meditation room sat three white-bearded elder monks: besides Uncle Liaochen, there were also Hui’neng’s master, Liaoyuan, and even Abbot Liaokong.
Master Liaoyuan waved his hand impatiently. “Hui’neng, what have I always taught you? Since entering the Buddhist order, we are bound by fate. Hui’en may be mischievous, but he has deep Buddhist roots. As his fellow disciple, instead of taking him for treatment first when he’s seriously injured, you rush here to demand punishment. What kind of reasoning is that? Do you have no compassion in your heart?”
“This…”
Hui’neng was taken aback. Reflecting on his master’s words, he quickly realized his mistake and apologized, “Master, I was wrong. I’ll take him to get treated right away.”
“No need for treatment. Just give him some ginger soup,” Abbot Liaokong suddenly interjected.
“Ginger soup!?”
Hui’neng was stunned. Hui’en had suffered physical injuries, not a cold. What good would ginger soup do?
“Stop questioning. Do as your senior says,” Master Liaoyuan scolded impatiently.
Hui’neng stood still, blinking in confusion. Something felt off—his master was usually so gentle. Why was he like this today?
Just then, Hui’en struggled to his feet, swaying unsteadily. “I’m fine. Thank you, Master and Uncle, for your concern. I can walk on my own…”
His head spinning, Hui’en staggered away.
Seeing Hui’neng still there, Master Liaoyuan was about to lose his temper again, but Uncle Liaochen stopped him. He beckoned Hui’neng into the meditation room, closed the door, and had him sit down.
Then, Uncle Liaochen spoke: “Hui’neng is straightforward and possesses innate divine strength. With him here, he might be able to assist us.”
“Since he’s here, we might as well proceed,” Master Liaoyuan said somewhat helplessly.
Abbot Liaokong handed Hui’neng a talisman—a Buddhist Vajra Buddha Light Protection Talisman. Carrying it would help maintain righteousness and ward off evil.
Seeing the talisman, Hui’neng asked in surprise, “Abbot, why are you giving this to me?”
“Take it if it’s given to you. We told you to leave, but you stayed. Now you’re asking questions. Do you think the three of us are here just chatting and drinking tea?” Master Liaoyuan said angrily.
Uncle Liaochen gently patted his junior brother Liaoyuan and said to Hui’neng, “Listen carefully. Understand as much as you can. If you have questions, ask only when permitted.”
“Oh…”
Hui’neng nodded. Though straightforward, he understood righteousness. His master’s irritability today surely had a reason, so he didn’t blame him at all.
After settling down, Abbot Liaokong began chanting Buddhist scriptures, continuing for a while before stopping.
Hui’neng wondered: Why were they reciting the Vajra Subduing Demons Sutra? Had a demon arrived at the temple?
Then, Liaochen spoke: “I believe helping Shui Miao is an opportunity for us and a blessing for Buddhism. If we can guide him into our faith and have him convert, it would be a tremendous merit. That’s why I invited Abbot Liaokong and Junior Brother Liaoyuan here—to discuss whether we should help Shui Miao and, if so, how.”
“Senior Brother Liaochen, your Buddhist knowledge far surpasses ours, so I should defer to you. But I’m still uneasy. Shui Miao’s enemy is too mysterious—we don’t even know who it is. How can we confront them? I think we should proceed with caution. This matter is too significant. If we fail, at best, we lose our lives; at worst, innocent people suffer, and the entire temple could be implicated.”
“So this is a gamble!” Abbot Liaokong opened his eyes and said gravely, “Junior Brother Liaochen, I trust you, but I also think the risk is too high. Unless we can find out who Shui Miao’s enemy is, we must not act blindly.”
“That… is both difficult and not difficult. I can perform a ritual to enter a transcendent state and investigate. However, I’ll need Shui Miao’s cooperation.” Liaochen stroked his beard. “From observing Shui Miao’s demeanor and his sincere worship, I think he is a good person and should fully cooperate with us.”
“If we can identify his opponent, that would be ideal.”
Liaoyuan sighed in relief, silently marveling at why Liaochen’s Buddhist cultivation was so much higher than theirs, even though they were all disciples of the same master.
“Heh, it seems Junior Brother Liaochen already has a plan. Tell us, what do you intend to do?” Abbot Liaokong also smiled lightly. He admitted that his spiritual power was less than one-tenth of Liaochen’s, so if Liaochen insisted, he had nothing more to say.
Liaochen stroked his beard and looked at Hui’neng. “Hui’neng, I think you’ve guessed some of the situation from what you’ve heard. Now, Uncle wants to give you a task: try to persuade Shui Miao to shave his head and become a monk. Are you confident?”
“Th-That’s hard to say!”
Hui’neng was honest—he didn’t like making promises he wasn’t sure about.
“Heh…” Liaochen smiled faintly. “Hui’neng, haven’t you always wanted to know about your origins? If you can persuade Shui Miao to become a monk, Uncle promises to help you enter the transcendent state once so you can learn about your past. How about that?”
“Really!?”
Hui’neng was instantly excited.
Liaochen nodded gently. “Monks do not lie. It’s true.”
“Then it’s settled! I’ll risk my life to make him become a monk!” Hui’neng jumped up, ready to leave.
But Liaochen waved his hand. “Hui’neng, don’t misunderstand. Uncle isn’t asking you to risk your life. I want you to use wisdom and persuade him sincerely.”
“Oh, I understand!”
Though rough around the edges, Hui’neng wasn’t stupid. He understood Liaochen’s meaning.
After Hui’neng left, Liaoyuan looked at Liaochen in confusion. “Senior Brother, how is this related to Hui’neng? Didn’t you pick him up from the streets? Why do you need to enter the transcendent state to investigate?”
“Heh, Junior Brother, you don’t know this, but Hui’neng is no ordinary person. When I found him, it was a bitterly cold, snowy day. He was just an infant wrapped in a thin blanket, laughing in the snow. Isn’t that strange? Of course, the reason I sent Hui’neng is also related to Shui Miao’s worship of the Taming Tiger Arhat.” Liaochen narrowed his eyes and said to the Abbot and Liaoyuan, “Just keep this to yourselves. If you encounter Shui Miao and he asks about certain things, remember to smile and say nothing.”
Liaochen was profound and had long devised a plan in his heart.
Abbot Liaokong and Master Liaoyuan exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
※※※
“Haha, little brother, you’ve been worshiping for quite some time. Have you gained any insights?”
Hui’neng strode into the Zhai Xin Pavilion and pushed the wooden door open. Seeing Shui Miao drenched, he exclaimed in surprise, “Oh no! You’re all wet! Ah, I remember now—those rascals must have mistaken you for a temple novice who broke the rules. Quick, come with me to change into dry clothes.”
Without his immortal powers, Shui Miao had long been shivering from the cold.
Following Hui’neng to his room, Shui Miao changed into a set of monk’s robes.
Seeing how refreshed Shui Miao looked in the robes, Hui’neng gave a thumbs-up and grinned in approval. “Little brother, with those on, you really have the demeanor of a Buddhist disciple! Since you have such a strong connection with Buddhism, why not shave your head and join our order?”
True to his nature, Hui’neng got straight to the point in just a few sentences.
Without his divine powers, Shui Miao was already shivering from the cold.
Following Hui Neng to his room, Shui Miao changed into a set of monk robes.
Seeing how neat and composed Shui Miao looked in the robes, Hui Neng gave him a thumbs-up and grinned, “Young brother, you wear the robes like a true Buddhist disciple! I see you have such a deep connection with Buddhism. Why not take the vows and officially join our monastery?”
True to his nature, Hui Neng wasted no time revealing his true purpose.
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