“Taking monastic vows?”
Shui Miao smiled slightly and shook his head. “Master, I’m just here to pay homage to the Buddha. I haven’t considered becoming a monk yet.”
Indeed, Shui Miao had never seriously considered becoming a monk.
Shui Miao preferred being an ordinary person who clearly distinguishes right from wrong, and who can seek immediate retribution for grievances. He had no desire to become a monk who chants sutras all day long yet remains just an ordinary person.
If possible, Shui Miao would rather cultivate Daoist practices, ascend to the immortal realm, and live a life of freedom and ease.
Huineng, unaware of Shui Miao’s thoughts, asked curiously, “You paid such sincere homage to the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers—doesn’t that show your faith in the Arhat? Why not continue with such sincerity and take monastic vows? Perhaps this way you could move the Arhat?”
“Master, thank you for your kind intentions. Everything should be left to fate. When the day comes that I truly wish to become a monk, I will definitely take the vows,” Shui Miao replied. He realized that this master was genuinely trying to persuade him, but he himself couldn’t just agree to becoming a monk on the spot. Without proper mental preparation, becoming a monk and then later returning to secular life would be a sign of disrespect toward Buddhism.
“Uh… hehe, it’s all up to fate then…”
Hearing this, Huineng was momentarily at a loss for words.
Buddhism emphasizes the principle of karmic connection; everything depends on fate and cannot be forced.
“Then, Master, I’ll go back to my devotions!”
“Taking the tonsure to become a monk?”
Shui Miao smiled faintly and shook his head. “Venerable Master, I’m just here to pay respects to the Buddha. I haven’t considered becoming a monk yet.”
Indeed, Shui Miao had never truly thought about shaving his head and becoming a monk.
He preferred being an ordinary person who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance, living a life of straightforward emotions and vendettas. He had no desire to become a monk who chanted scriptures all day yet remained an ordinary person at heart.
If possible, Shui Miao would rather pursue Daoist cultivation, ascend to the immortal realm, and live a carefree and unburdened existence.
Hui Neng, unaware of Shui Miao’s thoughts, asked puzzledly, “You bowed so devoutly to the Subduing Tiger Arhat—isn’t that a sign of your faith in the Arhat? Why not continue with that sincerity, take the tonsure, and become a monk? By doing so, you might even move the Arhat.”
“Venerable Master, thank you for your kindness. Let things follow their natural course. If someday I truly wish to become a monk, I will do so.” Shui Miao could see that this master was sincere and genuinely urging him, but he couldn’t casually agree to ordination. Without proper mental preparation, becoming a monk and then returning to secular life would be disrespectful to Buddhism.
“Ah… well, let it be as fate wills…”
Hearing this, Hui Neng was momentarily at a loss for words.
Buddhism emphasizes fate—whether there is a connection or not, everything must follow its natural course and cannot be forced.
“Then, Venerable Master, I’ll continue paying my respects to the Buddha.”
Shui Miao still needed to return to the Zhai Xin Pavilion.
Hui Neng, unable to think of a solution for the moment, accompanied Shui Miao to the Zhai Xin Pavilion. The small room inside was damp, so Hui Neng suggested Shui Miao pay his respects before the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva instead.
With a mindset of letting things take their natural course, Shui Miao knelt and bowed before the Bodhisattva in the main hall of the Zhai Xin Pavilion.
Hui Neng retreated outside, pondering the situation. He realized that forcing the issue wouldn’t work. Instead, he should befriend Shui Miao first. Through open-hearted conversation, he could understand Shui Miao’s thoughts and intentions before deciding on a strategy.
However, Shui Miao was kneeling so devoutly and motionlessly before the Bodhisattva that Hui Neng felt it inappropriate to disturb him.
Without the sustenance of immortal power, Shui Miao began to feel ordinary again. First, the numbness in his legs and feet intensified, becoming almost unbearable. Then, he felt a bloated pain in his lower abdomen and the urge to use the restroom.
Seizing the opportunity when Shui Miao emerged from the restroom, Hui Neng called him over for some light tea and a chat.
The so-called “light tea” was simply tea brewed from bamboo leaves.
After Shui Miao took a sip, he noticed Hui Neng’s deeply furrowed brow and asked, “Venerable Master, you seem troubled by something?”
“Yes indeed!”
Hui Neng nodded. “Young friend, you have no idea! I’ve been constantly wondering when I’ll be able to take on a disciple.”
“Take on a disciple?”
Shui Miao was slightly taken aback. This monk truly seemed to be creating troubles for himself, idly pondering when he might get a disciple.
Hui Neng sighed. “Yes, taking on a disciple. I grew up in this temple and have mastered considerable martial arts. Unfortunately, despite my skills, I have no successor. Don’t you think that’s something to fret about?”
“So that’s how it is…”
Shui Miao hadn’t expected that Venerable Hui Neng was also a martial arts expert. Although the monk looked robust, he had no visible muscles and didn’t resemble a martial artist at all. “By the way, Venerable Master, what kind of martial arts do you practice?”
Seeing Shui Miao’s interest, Hui Neng’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he smiled. “I know many styles, but my specialties are the Dragon Subduing Palm and the Tiger Taming Fist. Since you’re interested, let me demonstrate for you!” Hui Neng took out a wooden board from his robe, channeled his energy, and lightly struck the board with his palm. He then placed the board on the table and asked Shui Miao to pick it up.
What kind of trick was this?
Seeing that Hui Neng carried a wooden board with him, Shui Miao found it rather strange.
Watching Hui Neng lightly strike the board, Shui Miao felt as though he was being treated like a fool.
However, when Shui Miao went to retrieve the board, he found it had cracked into two parts, precisely at the spot where Hui Neng had struck it, leaving no visible trace.
Could it have been broken from the start?
Shui Miao strongly suspected that this was a clever trick played by Hui Neng. He examined the half-piece of wood in his hand—it seemed perfectly normal. He handed it back to Hui Neng. “Venerable Master, could you demonstrate the Tiger Taming Fist on this piece of wood? Consider it broadening my horizons. Who knows, I might even help you find a disciple.”
“That would be wonderful, haha!” Hui Neng took the half-piece of wood, channeled his energy, and lightly punched it. He then placed the wood on the table. When Shui Miao went to pick it up, he found it had shattered into countless tiny wooden fragments!
“Whoa, no way!?”
Shui Miao stood dumbfounded, his eyes wide with astonishment. How was this possible?
Seeing Shui Miao’s growing interest, Hui Neng waved his hand dismissively. “This is nothing special to me. It’s just a pity no one is willing to learn.”
“How could that be? I want to learn it myself! But I’m afraid you might not teach me.”
Shui Miao genuinely wanted to learn this skill. Though it appeared simple and unremarkable, it concealed earth-shattering power. Anyone would desire to master it.
Hui Neng scratched his bald head. “But I have an unwritten rule here: to become my disciple, one must first take the tonsure and become a monk.”
“Ah… well…”
Shui Miao suddenly had a thought—it seemed like Hui Neng was trying to recruit him as a monk! He had repeatedly brought up ordination; wasn’t that too obvious?
“Of course, let everything follow fate. Go with the flow—I won’t force anything.”
Hui Neng waved his hand and began cleaning up the wooden fragments himself.
Staring at the wood chips, Shui Miao licked his lips, still somewhat skeptical of Hui Neng’s incredible ability. He felt there might be some trickery involved.
“Venerable Master, wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”
Shui Miao ran out of the temple and spotted a vendor selling gourds at the entrance. He bought a sturdy large gourd and hurried back. Addressing the tall monk Hui Neng, he said, “Venerable Master, I’d like to ask a favor. Could you use your hand to split this gourd open? I want to take the seeds inside and plant them, so they may blossom, bear fruit, and propagate life.”
While Shui Miao said this outwardly, his actual intention was to test Hui Neng with his own prop, to see if the monk could miraculously split the gourd.
“What’s so difficult about that?”
Venerable Hui Neng touched the gourd with his hand, smiled faintly, channeled his energy again, and struck it lightly. He then placed the gourd on the table, and with a crash, it shattered.
This time, Shui Miao didn’t exclaim in surprise. Instead, he stared intently at Hui Neng’s hand and said calmly, “Venerable Master, what is that faint, thin thing in your palm?”
“What thing?” Hui Neng turned his hand over, revealing nothing.
Shui Miao had vaguely seen something golden and shimmering in the master’s palm, but it vanished in the blink of an eye.
Something was wrong—definitely something wrong!
Examining the shattered gourd pieces, Shui Miao detected a strange odor. The break surfaces were unusually neat, unlike natural fractures. He suspected that Venerable Hui Neng was deceiving him. The wooden board had been pre-treated, and the gourd had been tampered with—touched by Hui Neng, who had secretly applied some powder. Moreover, he concealed a small metal object in his hand. Under the metal’s stimulation, items coated with the powder would become extremely brittle, allowing him to achieve such effects.
Now, to shatter Shui Miao’s hand—that was clearly impossible.
“Heh, Venerable Master, you must have been a magician before becoming a monk, right?” Not wanting to embarrass Hui Neng, Shui Miao treated it as a joke. He sighed and said earnestly, “I appreciate your kindness, Venerable Master, but I truly haven’t considered becoming a monk. I need to go back and think it over. If I return within three days, I’ll ordain. If not, then let it be.”
“Alright, alright!”
Faced with such an astute Shui Miao, what else could Hui Neng say?
※※※
Back at his shop, Shui Miao had nothing to do. Aside from sleeping, he spent his time idly pondering.
In the evening, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi visited. They informed Shui Miao that the child was out of danger and recuperating in the hospital. However, the child was emotionally agitated, constantly crying and asking to see his grandfather. The doctors had no choice but to sedate him and assign two experienced caregivers to communicate with him.
Wang Yong also visited often, and the child had come to see Wang Yong as family.
Additionally, Guo Jing hadn’t fled. Through various channels, he had anonymously donated the gold to charity and sent money to orphanages and nursing homes in the city. He had even sold some properties, using the proceeds to do good deeds. He had also divorced, and his wife received a sum of money and went to Sanya for a vacation.
Everything had proceeded smoothly, and Shui Miao felt at ease.
The three of them had a meal together. During dinner, Shui Miao mentioned his thoughts about temporarily becoming a monk and sought Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi’s opinions.
To Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi, Shui Miao’s idea seemed rather unconventional.
After a moment’s thought, Chu Miaoyi said, “Since you’re considering it, you could give it a try. Treat it as experiencing life—it’s not like you’d be a monk forever.”
“Mm, I think so too. Perhaps through this, you might resolve the doubts in your heart. Once you’ve figured things out, you can return to secular life, marry, and live a proper, ordinary life.” Lin Xue knew Shui Miao’s circumstances were different from most people’s. After all, becoming a monk wasn’t a bad thing. Setting his mind straight and returning to normalcy was what truly mattered.
“Right! I also want to experience being an ordinary person. Since it’s not a lifelong commitment, I’ll treat it as experiencing life.”
Shui Miao raised his glass and downed its contents in one go. He had realized that merely paying respects to the Subduing Tiger Arhat wasn’t enough. He needed to enter the temple, become a monk, and move the Buddhas and deities with his sincerity.
After the meal, Shui Miao returned to his shop. Tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, he simply got up and went to Xingguo Temple in the middle of the night.
“Haha! My uncle was indeed right. He said if you didn’t show up tonight, young friend, you’d never come. But here you are!” At the entrance of Xingguo Temple, Monk Hui Neng was already waiting. He chuckled and wrapped an arm around Shui Miao’s shoulders. “Come quickly, I’ll take you to the Arhat Hall. Three of our temple’s most esteemed figures are waiting for you there.”
“…”
Shui Miao was astonished, finding it incredible. How were the eminent monks of Xingguo Temple so remarkably perceptive? It was as if they could foresee events!
“Boom!”
Suddenly, a dull thunderclap echoed through the night sky. Hearing the thunder, Shui Miao halted and looked up. The moon was bright, and the stars sparkled brilliantly—how could there be thunder on such a night?
Huineng, unable to think of another way at the moment, accompanied Shui Miao to the small room. Finding the room damp, Huineng asked Shui Miao to worship before the statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
“Taking monastic vows and becoming a monk?”
Shui Miao smiled faintly and shook his head. “Master, I’m just here to pay respects to the Buddha. I haven’t considered becoming a monk yet.”
Indeed, Shui Miao had never truly thought about shaving his head and becoming a monk.
He preferred being an ordinary person who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance and lived a life of passion and vendetta. He had no desire to become a monk who chanted sutras all day yet remained an ordinary person at heart.
If possible, Shui Miao would rather pursue Taoist practices, ascend to the immortal realm, and live a carefree and unfettered life.
Hui Neng, unaware of Shui Miao’s thoughts, asked in confusion, “You paid such sincere respects to the Subduing Tiger Arhat—isn’t that a sign of devotion? Why not continue with that sincerity and take monastic vows? By doing so, you might even move the Arhat.”
“Master, thank you for your kindness. Let things take their natural course. If someday I truly wish to become a monk, I will do so.” Shui Miao could see that this master was sincere and well-intentioned in persuading him. However, he couldn’t casually agree to become a monk without proper mental preparation. To take vows and later return to secular life would be disrespectful to Buddhism.
“Ah… well, let it be as fate wills…”
Hearing this, Hui Neng was momentarily at a loss for words.
Buddhism emphasizes fate—whether there is a connection or not, everything should follow its natural course and cannot be forced.
“Master, I’ll continue paying my respects to the Buddha now.”
Shui Miao still needed to return to the Zhai Xin Pavilion.
Hui Neng, unable to think of a solution for the moment, accompanied Shui Miao to the Zhai Xin Pavilion. The small room inside was damp, so Hui Neng suggested Shui Miao pay his respects in front of the Bodhisattva Guanyin.
With a mindset of letting things take their natural course, Shui Miao knelt and prayed to the Bodhisattva in the main hall of the Zhai Xin Pavilion.
Hui Neng retreated outside, pondering the situation. He realized that forcing the issue wouldn’t work. Instead, he should befriend Shui Miao first. Through open-hearted conversations, he could understand Shui Miao’s thoughts and intentions before deciding on a strategy.
However, Shui Miao was kneeling in prayer with utmost sincerity, remaining completely still. Hui Neng felt it inappropriate to disturb him.
Without the sustenance of immortal power, Shui Miao began to feel ordinary again. First, the numbness in his legs and feet intensified, becoming almost unbearable. Then, he felt a bloated pain in his lower abdomen and the urge to use the restroom.
Seizing the opportunity when Shui Miao emerged from the restroom, Hui Neng called him over for some light tea and a chat.
The so-called “light tea” was tea brewed from bamboo leaves.
After Shui Miao drank some tea, he noticed Hui Neng’s deeply furrowed brow and asked, “Master, you seem troubled by something?”
“Yes indeed!”
Hui Neng nodded. “Little brother, you have no idea! I’ve been thinking about when I’ll be able to take on a disciple.”
“Take on a disciple?”
Shui Miao was slightly taken aback. This monk truly seemed to be creating problems where none existed, idly pondering when he could take on a disciple.
Hui Neng sighed. “Yes, taking on a disciple. I grew up in this temple and have mastered formidable martial arts. Unfortunately, despite my skills, I have no successor. Don’t you think that’s something to worry about?”
“So that’s how it is…”
Shui Miao hadn’t expected that Master Hui Neng was also a martial arts expert. Although he looked robust, he had no visible muscles and didn’t resemble a martial artist at all. “By the way, Master, what kind of martial arts do you practice?”
Seeing Shui Miao’s interest, Hui Neng’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he smiled. “I know many styles, but my specialties are the Dragon Subduing Palm and the Tiger Taming Fist. Since you’re interested, let me demonstrate for you!” Hui Neng took out a wooden board from his robe, channeled his energy, and lightly struck the board with his palm. He then placed the board on the table and asked Shui Miao to pick it up.
What kind of trick was this?
Seeing that Hui Neng carried a wooden board with him, Shui Miao found it rather surprising.
Then, watching Hui Neng lightly strike the board, Shui Miao felt as though he was being treated like a fool.
But when Shui Miao went to pick up the board, he discovered it had split into two pieces, breaking cleanly along the line where Hui Neng had struck it, without any visible marks.
Could it have been broken from the start?
Shui Miao strongly suspected that this was a trick played by Hui Neng. He examined the half-piece of wood in his hand—it seemed perfectly normal. He handed it back to Hui Neng and said, “Master, could you demonstrate the Tiger Taming Fist on this piece of wood? Consider it a way to broaden my horizons. Who knows, I might even help you find a disciple.”
“That would be wonderful, haha!” Hui Neng took the half-piece of wood, channeled his energy, and lightly punched it. He then placed the wood back on the table. When Shui Miao went to pick it up, he found it had shattered into countless tiny fragments!
“Wow, no way!?”
Shui Miao stood frozen in shock, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. How was this possible?
Seeing Shui Miao’s growing interest, Hui Neng waved his hand dismissively and smiled. “This is nothing special to me. It’s just a pity that no one is willing to learn.”
“How could that be? I’d love to learn! I’m just afraid you wouldn’t be willing to teach me!”
Shui Miao genuinely wanted to learn this skill. Although it seemed unremarkable on the surface, it concealed earth-shattering power. Anyone would want to learn it.
Hui Neng scratched his bald head. “But I have an unwritten rule here: anyone who wants to become my disciple must first take monastic vows.”
“Ah… well…”
Shui Miao suddenly had a thought: it seemed like Hui Neng was trying to recruit him as a monk! He had repeatedly brought up the topic of becoming a monk—wasn’t that too obvious?
“Of course, let things take their natural course. I won’t force anything.”
Hui Neng waved his hand and began cleaning up the wood fragments himself.
Shui Miao stared at the wood fragments, licking his lips. He still found it hard to believe that Hui Neng possessed such incredible power and suspected there might be some trickery involved.
“Master, wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”
Shui Miao ran out of the temple and saw a vendor selling gourds at the entrance. He bought a sturdy large gourd and hurried back. Holding it out to Hui Neng, he said, “Master, I’d like to ask for your help. I want to borrow your hand to split this gourd open so I can take out the seeds inside and plant them. That way, they can bloom, bear fruit, and continue the cycle of life.”
On the surface, Shui Miao said this, but in reality, he wanted to test Hui Neng with his own prop to see if he could miraculously split the gourd.
“What’s so difficult about that?”
Master Hui Neng touched the gourd, smiled faintly, channeled his energy again, and struck it lightly. He then placed the gourd on the table, and with a crash, it shattered into pieces.
This time, Shui Miao didn’t exclaim in surprise. Instead, he stared intently at Master Hui Neng’s hand and said calmly, “Master, what is that faint, shiny substance on your palm?”
“What substance?” Hui Neng turned his hand over, revealing nothing.
Shui Miao had vaguely seen something golden and shimmering in the master’s palm, but it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Something was wrong—definitely something wrong!
Shui Miao examined the broken pieces of the gourd and noticed a strange smell. The breaks on the surface were unusually neat, unlike natural fractures. He began to suspect that Master Hui Neng was deceiving him. The wooden board had likely been pre-treated, and the gourd had been tampered with. The entire shell of the gourd had shattered, yet the seeds inside remained completely unharmed. Wasn’t that too unnatural?
Noticing Shui Miao’s scrutiny of the broken gourd, Hui Neng patted his shoulder and said, “Little brother, I feel a certain connection with you. How about you take monastic vows for a few years and learn these skills from me? If you find temple life unsuitable, you can always return to secular life after a few years.”
Temptation—unabashed temptation.
Shui Miao suddenly extended his right hand. “Master, could you please use the Tiger Taming Fist on my palm? If you can shatter my hand, I will become your disciple. If not, then let’s forget it, and I’ll take my leave.”
“…”
Hui Neng was stunned. There was no way he could do that.
Just as Shui Miao had suspected, the wooden board had been specially treated with a chemical solution. The gourd had been coated with a powder when Hui Neng touched it, and he also concealed a small metal object in his hand. Under the stimulation of the metal, objects coated with the powder would become extremely brittle, allowing him to create such effects.
Shattering Shui Miao’s hand was clearly impossible.
“Hehe, Master, you must have been a magician before becoming a monk, right?” Shui Miao didn’t want to embarrass Hui Neng and treated it as a joke. He sighed and said sincerely, “I appreciate your kindness, Master, but I truly haven’t considered becoming a monk. I need to go back and think it over. If I return within three days, I’ll take the vows. If not, then let it be.”
“Alright, alright!”
Faced with such a perceptive Shui Miao, what else could Hui Neng say?
※※※
Back at his shop, Shui Miao had nothing to do. Aside from sleeping, he spent his time lost in thought.
In the evening, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi paid him a visit. They told him that the child was out of danger and recuperating in the hospital. However, the child was emotionally unstable, constantly crying and demanding to see his grandfather. The doctors had no choice but to sedate him and assign two experienced caregivers to communicate with him.
Wang Yong often visited, and the child had come to see him as family.
Additionally, Guo Jing hadn’t fled. Through various channels, he had anonymously donated the gold to charity and sent money to orphanages and nursing homes in the city. He had even sold some properties and used the proceeds to do good deeds. He had also gotten divorced, and his ex-wife received a sum of money and went to Sanya for a vacation.
Everything had proceeded smoothly, and Shui Miao felt at ease.
The three of them had a meal together. During dinner, Shui Miao mentioned his thoughts about temporarily becoming a monk and asked for Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi’s opinions.
To Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi, Shui Miao’s idea seemed rather unconventional.
After a moment of thought, Chu Miaoyi said, “Since you’re considering it, why not give it a try? Think of it as experiencing a different way of life. It’s not like you’d be a monk forever.”
“Mm, I think so too. Perhaps this could help you resolve the doubts in your heart. Once you’ve figured things out, you can return to secular life, marry, and live a normal life.” Lin Xue knew Shui Miao’s circumstances were unusual. Becoming a monk wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—it could help him straighten out his thoughts and eventually return to a normal life, which was what truly mattered.
“Right! I also want to live a normal life. Since it’s not a lifelong commitment, I’ll treat it as an experience.”
Shui Miao raised his glass and downed its contents in one go. He had made up his mind: merely paying respects to the Subduing Tiger Arhat wasn’t enough. He needed to enter the temple, become a monk, and move the gods with his sincerity.
After the meal, Shui Miao returned to his shop. He lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Eventually, he got up and went to Xingguo Temple in the middle of the night.
“Haha! My uncle is indeed a master strategist! He said that if you didn’t come tonight, little brother, you would never come. I didn’t expect you to actually show up.” At the entrance of Xingguo Temple, Monk Hui Neng was already waiting. He laughed heartily and wrapped an arm around Shui Miao’s shoulders. “Come quickly, I’ll take you to the Arhat Hall. Three of our temple’s most esteemed figures are waiting for you there.”
“…”
Shui Miao was astonished, finding it almost unbelievable. How could the eminent monks of Xingguo Temple be so incredibly perceptive? It was as if they could predict the future!
“Boom!”
Suddenly, a dull thunderclap echoed through the night sky. Hearing the thunder, Shui Miao stopped in his tracks and looked up. The moon was bright, and the stars sparkled brilliantly. How could there be thunder on such a night?
Huineng stepped outside, thinking deeply. He realized that forcing the issue wouldn’t work. He needed to first become friends with Shui Miao, talk openly with him, understand his thoughts, and then devise a plan accordingly.
But Shui Miao was kneeling in deep, unwavering devotion, so Huineng didn’t want to interrupt.
Without his supernatural powers, Shui Miao had become an ordinary person again. The numbness and soreness in his legs grew increasingly unbearable. Soon after, he felt a pressure in his abdomen, a sign that he needed to use the restroom.
Huineng called out to Shui Miao as he came out of the restroom and invited him to drink some light tea and chat.
The so-called “light tea” was simply tea brewed with bamboo leaves.
After drinking some tea, Shui Miao noticed Huineng’s furrowed brow and asked, “Master, you seem troubled about something?”
“Yes,” Huineng nodded. “Young friend, you probably don’t know this, but I’ve been wondering when I will finally be able to take a disciple.”
“A disciple?”
Shui Miao was slightly taken aback. The monk was actually worrying about such a trivial matter, pondering when he could take on a student.
Huineng sighed, “Yes, a disciple. I grew up in the temple and have mastered many martial arts skills. Unfortunately, I have no one to pass them on to. Isn’t that something to be troubled about?”
“I see…”
Shui Miao hadn’t realized that Master Huineng was actually a martial arts expert. Though Huineng was strong in appearance, he didn’t seem to have any noticeable muscles, making it hard to believe he was a martial artist. “By the way, Master, what martial arts do you know?”
Seeing Shui Miao’s interest, Huineng’s eyes lit up, and he smiled. “I know many martial arts, but my specialties are the Dragon-Subduing Palm and the Tiger-Taming Fist. Since you’re interested, let me demonstrate for you!” He took out a wooden board from his robe, sliced it lightly with one palm strike, and placed it on the table for Shui Miao to examine.
What kind of trickery was this?
Shui Miao was surprised that Huineng carried a wooden board on him. Seeing him strike it lightly, Shui Miao felt as if he were being treated like a monkey being entertained.
However, when Shui Miao picked up the board, he found it cleanly split into two halves at the point of Huineng’s strike, with no visible cracks beforehand.
Could it have been broken already?
Shui Miao strongly suspected that Huineng was playing a trick. Examining the half of the board in his hand, he found nothing wrong with it. He handed the piece back to Huineng and said, “Master, would you mind demonstrating the Tiger-Taming Fist on this piece of wood? Let me see something new. Maybe I can even help you find a disciple.”
“That would be great, hahaha!” Huineng took the half piece of wood, gathered his energy, and lightly punched the top of it. He placed it back on the table. When Shui Miao picked it up, he found it had turned into many tiny splinters.
“Wow, are you kidding me!?”
Shui Miao stood there, stunned, his eyes nearly popping out in disbelief. How was this possible?
Seeing Shui Miao’s interest, Huineng waved his hand with a smile. “For me, this is nothing. Unfortunately, no one wants to learn from me.”
“Nonsense! I want to learn. This technique may seem simple, but it hides immense power capable of destroying heaven and earth. Anyone would want to learn it.”
Huineng scratched his bald head. “But there’s an unwritten rule here: to become my disciple, you must first take monastic vows.”
“Uh… this…”
A sudden realization struck Shui Miao. He felt that Huineng was trying to persuade him to become a monk. Mentioning monastic vows repeatedly seemed too obvious.
“Of course, everything should be left to fate. I won’t force you.”
Huineng waved his hand and began cleaning up the wooden splinters.
Looking at the splinters, Shui Miao licked his lips, still somewhat skeptical of Huineng’s abilities. He suspected there was some trickery involved.
“Master, wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”
Shui Miao ran out of the temple. At the temple gate, he saw someone selling gourds. He bought a sturdy, large gourd and hurried back to the monk Huineng. Holding the gourd, he said, “Master, I’d like to ask a favor. I want you to help me break this gourd open with your bare hands so I can take out the seeds and plant them in the ground, allowing them to bloom and bear fruit, spreading life.”
On the surface, this was his stated intention, but in reality, he wanted to test Huineng’s abilities with his own props to see if the master could miraculously break the gourd.
“That’s easy enough.”
Huineng gently touched the gourd, smiled faintly, gathered his energy, and lightly struck it. Then he placed the gourd on the table. With a loud crack, the gourd shattered.
This time, Shui Miao didn’t express surprise. Instead, he stared intently at Huineng’s hand and said calmly, “Master, what’s that thin thing on your palm?”
“There’s nothing,” Huineng flipped his hand over, revealing nothing.
Shui Miao had briefly noticed something golden and shiny on Huineng’s palm, but it vanished in an instant.
Something was definitely wrong!
Examining the broken pieces of the gourd, Shui Miao smelled a strange odor. The fracture lines on the gourd’s surface were unnaturally neat, not resembling a natural break. He began to suspect that Master Huineng was deceiving him. The wooden board must have been prepared beforehand, and the gourd had also been tampered with. The entire shell of the gourd was shattered, yet the seeds inside remained intact—an abnormality too suspicious to ignore.
Seeing Shui Miao examining the broken gourd, Huineng patted his shoulder and said, “Young friend, I feel a strong connection with you. Why not take monastic vows for a few years and learn these skills from me? If you find monastic life unsuitable, you can always return to secular life after a few years.”
Temptation—relentless temptation.
Suddenly, Shui Miao extended his right hand. “Master, I’d like you to use the same method you used earlier with the Tiger-Taming Fist to strike my palm. If you can break my hand, I’ll become your disciple. If not, then I’ll take my leave.”
…
Huineng was momentarily stunned. He knew he couldn’t possibly do that.
As Shui Miao suspected, the wooden board had been specially treated with chemicals by Huineng beforehand. The gourd had also been secretly coated with some powder when Huineng touched it. Hidden in his palm was a small metal object. When substances treated with the powder came into contact with the metal, they became extremely brittle, allowing Huineng to create such effects.
Now, breaking Shui Miao’s hand was obviously impossible.
“Hehe, Master, you must have been a magician before becoming a monk, right?” Shui Miao didn’t want to embarrass Huineng and treated it as a joke. Sighing, he said sincerely, “Master, I appreciate your kindness, but I’ve truly never considered becoming a monk. I’d like to go home and think about it. If I come back within three days, I’ll take the vows. If not, then forget it.”
“Alright… fine!”
Faced with such a perceptive Shui Miao, what else could Huineng say?
※※※
Back at the shop, Shui Miao had nothing to do except sleep and ponder aimlessly.
In the evening, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi visited, informing Shui Miao that the child had already recovered from danger and was resting in the hospital. However, the child was emotionally agitated, constantly demanding to see his grandfather. The doctors had no choice but to administer sedatives and arrange for two experienced caregivers to look after him and communicate with him.
Wang Yong also visited frequently, and the child had come to regard Wang Yong as family.
As for Guo Jing, he had not fled. Through various anonymous channels, he had donated gold to charitable organizations, given money to local orphanages and nursing homes, sold some of his properties to fund good deeds, and even divorced his wife, who received a large sum of money and went to Sanya for a vacation.
Everything had gone smoothly, and Shui Miao felt at peace.
The three of them had dinner together. During the meal, Shui Miao mentioned his slight inclination toward becoming a monk for a while and wanted to hear Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi’s opinions.
To Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi, Shui Miao’s idea seemed quite unconventional.
After thinking for a moment, Chu Miaoyi said, “If you really want to do this, you could give it a try. Consider it an experience of life. It’s not like you’d be a monk forever.”
“Yeah, I think the same. Perhaps this experience could help you resolve some inner doubts. Once you’ve found clarity, you can return to secular life, marry, and live a normal life.”
“Exactly! I want to live as a normal person. It’s not like I’d be a monk forever. Just consider it an experience of life.”
Shui Miao raised his glass and drank it in one go. He had made up his mind. Simply paying homage to the Arhat Who Subdues Tigers wasn’t enough; he needed to enter the temple, become a monk, and move the Buddha with his sincerity.
After finishing their meal and drinks, Shui Miao returned to the shop. Tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, he finally got up and headed to Xingguo Temple that very night.
“Haha! My senior master was truly wise. He said that if you didn’t come tonight, you’d never come at all. I never expected you’d actually show up!” At the entrance of Xingguo Temple, monk Huineng was already waiting. Laughing heartily, he put his arm around Shui Miao’s shoulder. “Come on, I’ll take you to the Arhat Hall. Three of our temple’s most important figures are waiting for you there.”
…
Shui Miao was greatly surprised, finding it almost unbelievable. How could the high monks of Xingguo Temple be so extraordinary, seemingly able to predict the future with divine accuracy?
“Boom!”
Suddenly, a deep, muffled thunderclap echoed across the night sky. Hearing the thunder, Shui Miao instinctively stopped and looked up. The night sky was clear, with a bright moon and countless stars. Under such a sky, how could there be thunder?
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