Yuan Chongzhen listened in silence, but suddenly spread his arms wide and let out a strange cry. As he did so, the giant white ape roared with an earth-shaking howl. Instantly ceasing its entanglement with the rings of pure energy emitted by Bizhen, it leaped several zhang high, dodging Bizhen’s attack. Then, stretching its arms straight out, it lunged toward Bizhen, who was hiding behind a jade bracelet.
Two whirlwinds of violent force accompanied this move, creating a sound like roaring thunder and intensifying the killing intent.
Yuan himself was not idle either. As the white ape charged toward Bizhen, he quickly flipped his hands, revealing two tiny black snakes suddenly appearing around his wrists. Each snake was only slightly more than half a foot long, coiled around his wrists like black bangles.
He crossed his palms, and the two small snakes intertwined, forming a strange knot and emitting high-pitched, sharp cries.
“You little monkey, do you still dare to fight me?” Ku Dashi faced Yuan, who was now on guard, without showing any anger, speaking calmly instead.
After speaking, Ku Dashi suddenly raised his eyes, glancing behind Yuan with a faint mocking expression.
Yuan had heard Xiaomile’s words and without hesitation, launched an attack. Yet now, seeing Ku Dashi’s demeanor and aura, he was momentarily stunned. He felt that although the monk’s expression was calm, his presence was as deep as an abyss—infinitely more profound than Xiaomile’s fake smiling face. Yuan secretly probed him with spiritual awareness, but before reaching him, he felt as if he had suffered a heavy blow. The monk seemed to be enveloped in ten-thousand-fold golden light, not allowing even the slightest doubt or probing. Yuan was greatly alarmed.
Who exactly was this monk? And why did he claim that girl was his disciple? Looking at the situation, Yuan realized that he might not be able to handle this opponent at all.
As Yuan was thinking this, he hurriedly sent out his spiritual awareness to consult with Xiaomile, only to find that Xiaomile had already vanished into thin air.
Stunned, Yuan took a moment to realize that Xiaomile had taken advantage of the situation to escape, leaving Yuan to be the sacrificial pawn.
“Amituofo, since the layman seeks his own doom, I cannot be blamed,” Ku Dashi said with a compassionate expression, shaking his head with apparent regret.
Earlier, Ku Dashi had shown a mocking smile, clearly seeing through Yuan’s deception by Xiaomile. Yuan had no time to be angry over the betrayal. He hurriedly forced a smile onto his face and said, “Wait—”
While speaking, he recalled the white ape attacking Bizhen, hoping to reason with the monk.
However, when he looked up, he saw the monk’s compassionate expression, while his left sleeve gently brushed toward Yuan.
To others, Ku Dashi’s movement seemed like a simple flick of the sleeve. But for Yuan, who stood in its path, the sensation was entirely different.
Ku Dashi’s compassionate gaze seemed to capture Yuan’s attention, making him feel as if the monk bore sorrow and pity, mixed with a faint sense of helplessness. Yet the sleeve sweeping toward him carried an unmistakable aura of ruthless and decisive killing intent.
What a strange monk.
Yuan thought this, and then clearly saw his own body disintegrate into drifting ashes under that gentle flick, not even leaving a speck on the monk’s immaculate yellow Buddhist robe.
Bizhen watched in stunned disbelief.
Ku Dashi had always appeared to everyone as a highly cultivated monk. Before he spoke, the clarity and compassion in his eyes made people unquestionably believe in his moral character. Even after breaking his vow of silence, he spoke softly, occasionally revealing a childlike innocence, embodying the compassion of a Bodhisattva who would not harm even an ant or a moth. It was hard to imagine that this monk could actually kill.
Although Bizhen had suspected that the monk was not as harmless as he appeared after learning his dharma name, the scene just now still shocked her.
Especially watching his calm, compassionate expression while silently taking a life, it was truly chilling.
“Aiya, what a sin, I’ve killed again,” Ku Dashi said after a moment of silence, still wearing a compassionate expression. He turned to Bizhen with a pensive look, saying, “Entanglements of karma—killing is never good.”
“Umm, Master,” Bizhen carefully chose her words, “would killing such a bad person bring any bad karma?”
“What a sin, what a sin,” Ku Dashi sounded like Sun Busi today. “After all, it’s still a life. Last time I destroyed an entire family in my zeal to eliminate evil, I had to keep silent for years to resolve that karma…”
Bizhen gaped for a while before stammering, “But Master, can destroying a whole family really be resolved just by keeping silent for a few years? That seems… too light.”
“We Buddhist disciples, being of a proper sect, do have some flexibility within the karmic laws…”
“So, Master, how long will you keep silent this time for killing this guy?”
“Didn’t you see me already kept silent for quite a while after killing him?”
Bizhen, raised with Daoist teachings on karma, found it hard to reconcile the idea that killing someone and then keeping silent for just a few moments could balance the karmic scales.
Luckily, when something puzzled her too much, she simply stopped thinking about it. Having a master who dares to kill and then keeps silent must be a good thing.
So Bizhen quickly shifted her attention to the white ape now held by Ku Dashi.
“How cute this white monkey is! In the capital, I’ve seen many monkey performers, but never one that can breathe vapor like this,” Bizhen said with great interest, eyeing the pitiful white ape. If Yuan Chongzhen had known that his painstakingly cultivated guardian beast was being compared to a street performer’s monkey, he would probably rise from the dead just to scold Bizhen for her lack of appreciation.
“True, this isn’t just any monkey,” Ku Dashi said regretfully. “It’s a rare Kunwu breed, quite valuable indeed. Unfortunately, since its master died, the bond between them was severed, and the ape has suffered greatly. It’s a shame to keep it alive. I heard fresh monkey brains are nutritious. Maybe I can offer it to that old Daoist to exchange for something more interesting.”
Earlier, during their confrontation, Bizhen had found the white ape’s ferocious appearance quite repulsive. But now, seeing it so dejected and smaller in size, with its white fur drooping, she felt pity for it. Thinking about the greedy old Daoist master wanting to eat its brain, she felt even more reluctant.
The white ape, having been cultivated by Yuan for years and now spiritually awakened, clearly understood Ku Dashi’s words. It was immediately terrified. With tearful eyes, it looked at Ku Dashi and Bizhen, then turned to Bizhen, bowing repeatedly with pitiful cries. It even blinked hard, and two large tears burst from its big eyes.
“Master, look how pitiful it is,” Bizhen immediately forgot the ape’s earlier ferocity. “Why don’t we spare its life and let it accompany me?”
Ku Dashi shook his head. “What use is it as a companion? You already have that Mei Qing kid with you. This creature can’t carry anything or fight properly. Now that its old master is dead, its cultivation has greatly declined. It’s just a burden to keep and feed. Better to make a delicacy out of it.”
Saying so, Ku Dashi gazed affectionately at the white ape, even unconsciously licking his lips, which terrified the ape so much that it closed its eyes tightly. Then, realizing its mistake, it hurriedly nodded and bowed to Bizhen, showing its loyalty.
“I like it!” Bizhen tugged at Ku Dashi’s sleeve. “This little monkey is much more fun than Mei Qing!”
“Mei Qing may not be great, but surely he’s better than this white ape—oh well, never mind. Stop shaking me, I’ll give it to you.”
Ku Dashi thought for a while and then taught Bizhen a technique. It was a type of spiritual binding method, directly imprinting a spiritual lock into the ape’s mind, making it recognize Bizhen as its master, loyal forever, and allowing her to command it in battle.
However, this spiritual command was not as strong as Yuan’s direct spiritual link. Though weaker in power, it had the advantage that Bizhen didn’t need to spend any effort cultivating the ape—she simply had a bodyguard.
Master and disciple spent a long time teaching and learning, failing many times, until finally, with the white ape’s tearful cooperation, Ku Dashi’s dry mouth, and Bizhen’s cheerful giggles, the binding succeeded.
The once-giant ape was now the size of a palm, sitting on Bizhen’s shoulder, diligently giving her a massage.
Bizhen was overjoyed, playing with it for a while before finally thanking Ku Dashi. Seeing her master’s helpless smile, she felt a little embarrassed. After thinking for a while, she changed the subject: “By the way, where’s the old Daoist master?”
At this, Ku Dashi’s expression changed drastically. “Oh no! I completely forgot—when I received your message, I hurried here to help, leaving that old Daoist to hold off the nightmare spirit for a while, saying I’d be back soon…”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Zhongzhen remained silent but suddenly spread his arms and let out a strange cry. Following his action, the massive white ape emitted an earth-shaking roar, immediately ceasing its entanglement with the energy rings emitted by Bi Zhen. It leaped several meters into the air, evading Bi Zhen’s attack, and extended its arms directly towards Bi Zhen, who was hiding behind the bracelet.
Two violent gusts of wind accompanied this move, carrying a faint roar of thunder, intensifying the aura of killing intent.
Yuan Zhongzhen himself was not idle. As the white ape attacked Bi Zhen, he swiftly moved his hands, and two small black snakes suddenly appeared on his wrists. These snakes, each about half a foot long, coiled around his wrists like black bracelets.
He crossed his palms, and the two small snakes intertwined, forming a peculiar knot and emitting two sharp, high-pitched cries.
“Little monkey, do you still wish to challenge this old monk?” Master Ku, facing the fully prepared Yuan Zhongzhen, showed no sign of anger but instead spoke with a calm expression.
After speaking, Master Ku suddenly raised his eyes, looking behind Yuan Zhongzhen with a hint of mockery on his face.
Yuan Zhongzhen, who had just acted without hesitation upon hearing the words of the Laughing Maitreya, was now stunned by Master Ku’s demeanor. He felt that although the monk appeared calm, there was an unfathomable depth to him, far more profound than the Laughing Maitreya’s false smile. When he tried to probe with his spiritual sense, he was immediately overwhelmed, feeling as if the monk was enveloped in a radiant golden light, leaving no room for doubt or testing. He was utterly shocked.
Where did this monk come from? And he keeps referring to that girl as his disciple? Given the situation, it seems I am no match for him.
Thinking this, Yuan Zhongzhen quickly released his spiritual sense, intending to discuss a strategy with the Laughing Maitreya, only to find that the surroundings were empty, and the Laughing Maitreya had disappeared.
Yuan Zhongzhen was stunned for a moment before realizing that the Laughing Maitreya, seeing the unfavorable situation, had tricked him into being the scapegoat while he himself had fled.
“Amitabha, since you seek your own demise, this old monk cannot be blamed,” Master Ku said with a compassionate expression, shaking his head with deep regret.
Recalling the monk’s earlier mocking look, Yuan Zhongzhen realized that he had been seen through by Master Ku, who had understood that he had been deceived by the Laughing Maitreya. Before he could even feel anger at the Laughing Maitreya’s betrayal, he hurriedly forced a smile and said, “Wait…”
As he spoke, he recalled the white ape attacking Bi Zhen, intending to explain himself to the monk.
However, when he looked up, he saw the monk, with a compassionate expression, gently flick his left sleeve towards him.
To others, Master Ku’s flick of the sleeve seemed like a light, casual gesture. But for Yuan Zhongzhen, who was directly in its path, the experience was entirely different.
The compassion in Master Ku’s expression seemed to lock onto Yuan Zhongzhen’s gaze, making him feel the monk’s sorrow, pity, and a faint sense of helplessness. Yet, the approaching sleeve carried an unmistakable, ruthless intent to kill.
This monk is truly a strange one.
Yuan Zhongzhen thought this, and then he clearly saw his own body disintegrate into specks of ash under the flick of the sleeve, leaving no trace on the pristine yellow robe of the monk.
Bi Zhen watched in stunned silence.
Master Ku had always appeared as an enlightened monk in front of others. Before he spoke, the clarity and compassion in his eyes left no doubt about his cultivation and virtue. After breaking his vow of silence, he spoke softly and slowly, occasionally revealing a childlike innocence, embodying the compassionate heart of a Bodhisattva who would “not harm an ant while sweeping the floor and would shield a moth with a gauze lantern.” It was hard to imagine this great monk would resort to killing.
Although Bi Zhen knew, upon learning the monk’s title, that this master was not as harmless as he appeared, the recent scene was still difficult for her to accept.
Especially seeing his compassionate and calm expression while he took a life and extinguished a soul without a word, it was truly chilling.
“Alas, sin, sin, this old monk has killed again,” Master Ku said after a moment of silence, still wearing a compassionate expression. He turned to Bi Zhen with a troubled look and said, “The entanglement of karma makes such killing always unfavorable.”
“That… Master,” Bi Zhen cautiously chose her words, “killing such a bad person won’t bring any negative karma, will it?”
“Sin, sin,” Master Ku today resembled Sun Bu-si: “A life is still a life. Last time, in my haste to eliminate evil, I wiped out an entire family, and it took me several years of silent meditation to resolve that karma…”
Bi Zhen was speechless for a while, then stammered, “That… Master… wiping out a family and then just meditating in silence for a few years to resolve the karma? That seems… too lenient, doesn’t it?”
“We are disciples of the Buddha, and a renowned orthodox sect. There is always some flexibility in the matter of karma…”
“Then, after killing this guy, how long do you plan to meditate in silence, Master?”
“Didn’t I just remain silent for a long time after killing him?”
Bi Zhen, who had been taught about karma since entering the path, found it hard to reconcile the idea that killing someone and then being silent for a few moments could balance the scales of cause and effect.
However, Bi Zhen decided not to dwell on what she couldn’t understand. Having a master like this monk, who dared to kill and then remain silent, must surely be a good thing.
So, Bi Zhen quickly shifted her attention to the white ape that Master Ku had captured.
“This white ape is so amusing! I’ve seen many monkey performers in the capital, but this one that can spray air is a first for me,” Bi Zhen said with great interest, staring at the pitiful white ape. If Yuan Zhongzhen could hear from the afterlife that his painstakingly cultivated guardian ape was being compared to a street performer’s monkey, he might be so furious as to come back to life and scold Bi Zhen for not recognizing a treasure.
“Zhen’er, this is not a monkey but a rare Kunwu white ape. It’s a precious creature. Unfortunately, with its master dead, the bond between them has been severed, and the ape has suffered greatly… Keeping it would be a waste. I’ve heard that fresh monkey brains are quite nourishing, and that old Taoist would surely love it. It might be a good idea to trade this for something else interesting…” Master Ku said with some regret.
When Bi Zhen had faced the white ape earlier, she had found its ferocious appearance quite repulsive. But now, seeing it looking dejected, its body much smaller, and its white fur drooping, she felt pity for it. The thought of this creature being served as a dish by her gluttonous Taoist master made her quite uncomfortable.
The white ape, having been cultivated by Yuan Zhongzhen for many years, was already highly intelligent. Although severely injured today, it understood Master Ku’s words and was terrified. With tearful eyes, it glanced at Master Ku and Bi Zhen, then bowed repeatedly to Bi Zhen, whimpering pitifully and squeezing out two large tears from its big eyes.
“Master, look how pitiful this little thing is,” Bi Zhen said, immediately forgetting the ape’s earlier ferocity. “Why not spare its life and let it be my companion?”
Master Ku shook his head, “What use is it as a companion? Don’t you have Mei Qing to keep you company? This thing can’t carry or lift anything, and with its master dead, its cultivation is greatly diminished. It won’t be of much use in a fight, and it would be a waste of effort and money to keep it. It’s better to make it into a dish.”
As he spoke, Master Ku gazed at the white ape with deep affection, even unconsciously licking his lips, which frightened the ape so much that it quickly closed its eyes and then nodded and bowed to Bi Zhen, showing its loyalty.
“I like it!” Bi Zhen shook Master Ku’s sleeve. “This little ape is much more fun than Mei Qing!”
“Mei Qing, though lacking, is still better than this white ape—never mind, stop shaking me, I’ll give it to you,” Master Ku said, fearing that continued shaking might dislocate his arm, finally relented.
Master Ku then found a method and taught it to Bi Zhen. It was a form of spiritual technique, directly imprinting a spiritual lock in the white ape’s consciousness, making it regard Bi Zhen as its master, loyal and obedient, and allowing her to command it in attack or defense.
However, this spiritual command was not as profound as Yuan Zhongzhen’s spiritual connection. Although its power was much weaker, the advantage was that Bi Zhen didn’t need to spend any effort cultivating the ape; it was like having a ready-made bodyguard.
The master and disciple spent a considerable amount of time teaching and learning, failing many times before finally succeeding, amidst the white ape’s tearful cooperation, Master Ku’s exasperation, and Bi Zhen’s delighted laughter.
The white ape, which had been twice the size of Bi Zhen, had now shrunk to the size of a palm and was perched on her shoulder, diligently massaging her.
Bi Zhen was overjoyed and played with it for a long time before remembering to thank Master Ku. Seeing Master Ku’s resigned smile, she felt a bit embarrassed and, after some thought, changed the subject, “By the way, where is the old Taoist master?”
Hearing this, Master Ku’s expression changed dramatically, “Oh no, I forgot—when I received your message, I rushed over to help, leaving that old Taoist to hold off the nightmare spirit, saying I’d be back soon to relieve him…”
At that moment, they heard Zhang Shi-san’s hoarse, frantic voice from the distance, “Old bald man! Stinky monk, didn’t you say you’d be back soon? It’s been eight meals’ time, and you’re still not back, leaving me here to hold the fort… I knew monks were no good, always running away at the last minute, leaving others to take the fall… Ouch, this damn skeleton is so tough…”
Master Ku and Bi Zhen exchanged glances, both wearing mischievous smiles, then quickly pretended they hadn’t heard anything.
Ku Dashi and Bizhen exchanged glances, both wearing mischievous smiles, then quickly pretended not to have heard anything.
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