Chapter 642: Enlightened High Monk

Despite the failure of his spiritual cultivation, Shi Chan, a highly accomplished monk with profound Buddhist teachings, remained undaunted.

“There is no need for you two senior brothers to worry about my breaking the precepts.”

“The path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties; how can one expect a smooth journey without any disturbances? Failure is an inevitable part of it.”

“It is precisely through failure that one learns to appreciate the preciousness of success.”

“It is precisely by experiencing the pleasure of indulging in desires that one’s mental state will become even more steadfast after successful cultivation.”

“...What if Master Jie Sha finds out about your breaking the precepts?”

“Only the three of us know about this. Monks do not lie, but since you two senior brothers are not monks, please lie if Master asks.”

Lu Yang gestured for Shi Chan to sit down and drink water instead of standing: “What if Master Jie Sha asks you?”

Upon hearing this, Shi Chan’s expression briefly changed as he remembered the consequences if his master found out. Then, he suddenly relaxed, saying, “Then this poor monk will simply have to practice silent meditation as well.”

Lu Yang: “…”

He was truly a highly accomplished monk, remarkably thorough in his thinking.

Meng Jingzhou gazed at Shi Chan with a hint of resentment in his eyes.

It was one thing for the Ancient Pure Yang Immortal Body to have a girlfriend, but now even monks could visit brothels?

Does that mean I’m the only unlucky one left?

“The Buddha said, ‘Where you fall, you must pick yourself up.’ Since this poor monk failed today, I will fight again once I earn some money. I plan to stay in this city for a few days; what are your plans, senior brothers?”

Meng Jingzhou made a ‘pause’ gesture: “Are you sure that’s what the Buddha said?”

Shi Chan smiled, rolled up his wide sleeve, dipped his index finger in water, and drew three circles on the table as he explained:

“Buddhism teaches that past, present, and future are one. There are Past Buddhas, Present Buddhas, and Future Buddhas. As a Buddhist disciple, my goal is naturally to achieve Buddhahood. Although I am not a Buddha now, I certainly will be in the future. Since past, present, and future are one, aren’t my words effectively the words of the Buddha?”

Meng Jingzhou felt that Shi Chan joining the Hanging Temple was a loss for the Dao Seeking Sect.

Lu Yang consulted the Immortal Fairy, who had single-handedly created Buddhism, as he didn’t know much about Buddhist matters.

“Fairy, is there such a saying in Buddhism?”

“I can’t remember clearly. I was only responsible for weaving stories; theoretical matters weren’t my responsibility.”

The Immortal Fairy was lazily curled up on the lotus throne, arching her back and stretching like a small cat.

At this moment, Lu Yang’s spiritual space had transformed into a spacious Grand Hall, with a glazed tile roof, bracket sets adorning the eaves, and exquisitely carved doors and windows.

The Grand Hall was filled with abundant incense offerings, housing the true form of the Immortal Fairy, the founder of Buddhism, along with her lotus pedestal.

As the founder of Buddhism, all Buddhist monks were now her grand-disciples.

Since she had encountered a grand-disciple, she might as well decorate the Second Boss’s spiritual space for a change of scenery.

“Then who was responsible for the theory?”

“Everyone except me.”

“May I ask, Senior Brother Shi Chan, what method do you plan to use to earn money?”

Given Shi Chan’s previous idea of earning money by reporting black market activities, Lu Yang highly doubted his money-making abilities.

“Performing Buddhist rituals.”

“Oh right, you’re a monk.” Lu Yang suddenly remembered that Shi Chan was from the Hanging Temple.

Shi Chan looked at Lu Yang with confusion, then glanced down at his own attire.

From his attire to his conduct, he looked every bit like a monk.

“Then this poor monk will rest for the night and meet you two here tomorrow morning.”

“Wait a moment, do you have any money left, and where do you plan to stay?” Lu Yang grabbed Shi Chan, who was bustling about, ready to leave.

Before, Shi Chan was merely too poor to afford Old Meng’s blood, though he could still visit a brothel. After visiting the brothel, however, it was hard to say if he had any money left.

Shi Chan, reluctantly pulled back by Lu Yang, explained, “This poor monk is penniless. However, when traveling the world, any place can be home. I’ve already found a bridge archway; it cannot block the wind, but it can shield from rain. Tonight, there is no wind or rain, so it’s perfect for lodging.”

Lu Yang was speechless. As fellow disciples of an immortal sect, the two of them would stay in an inn while Shi Chan slept under a bridge. Would that look good if word got out?

“Anyway, we both made a lot of money tonight, so Old Meng will pay for your inn.”

Meng Jingzhou glared at Lu Yang. So, Lu Yang gets to be the good guy while he pays?

Lu Yang appeased Old Meng: “I’m letting you do a good deed. Think about it: Senior Brother Shi Chan is a highly accomplished monk from the Hanging Temple. You usually commit many misdeeds, so providing lodging for a highly accomplished monk this time is a great meritorious act. It’s only because you shared spirit stones with me that I’m letting you have this opportunity for good karma.”

“Get lost,” Meng Jingzhou grumbled, not falling for Lu Yang’s trick. Still, staying at an inn wouldn’t cost many spirit stones, so he conceded to treat them.

“I haven’t seen Buddhist rituals before, so I’ll stay here for a few days to see how you perform them.”

“Then I thank both of you senior brothers.”

Seeing that the two were willing to stay in the city, Shi Chan was genuinely pleased.

Perhaps he would have the chance to learn two types of boxing, and also to learn from Senior Brother Meng how to restrain his desires.

The blood of an ordinary single spiritual root would not have this effect. Senior Brother Meng must have pushed himself to the extreme to create this potent blood.

He couldn’t even endure twenty drops, so he dared not imagine how Senior Brother Meng endured it while covered in blood.

Speaking of staying at an inn, Meng Jingzhou had some unpleasant memories.

“We stayed in three inns in a row, and something happened at all three. Surely, nothing will happen a fourth time, right?”

Lu Yang had always been confident in his luck: “No, it won’t. Think about our experiences: how many battles involving Integration Stage, Tribulation Transcending Stage, or Half-Immortal cultivators have we encountered? We always survived smoothly, without even a scratch.”

“This clearly symbolizes our good luck.”

Meng Jingzhou thought that Lu Yang should perhaps first consider why they encountered so many battles involving powerful cultivators.

The three successfully found an inn for cultivators. Such inns were equipped with spirit-gathering formations to aid cultivators in their practice.

If it were just Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, any inn would suffice, as their “Heaven Devouring” technique was even more effective than a spirit-gathering formation when they activated it.

However, with Shi Chan, that wouldn’t work.

“Boss, three ‘Heavenly’ rooms.” Meng Jingzhou, having rarely earned money, was in a good mood today and paid for all three rooms.

The boss was a man, so it seemed there would be no risk of a brother-in-law seizing an inheritance.

The ‘Heavenly’ rooms were plentiful, so there wouldn’t be a situation where cultivators would fight over them.

The three smoothly arrived at their respective rooms.

Lu Yang pushed open the door to find the room in utter disarray: a wardrobe and table overturned, the window wide open with a cold wind pouring in. On the bed, a man and a woman were wrestling. The man, dressed in black, held a dagger, his eyes filled with murderous intent. The woman, disheveled, struggled desperately; there were bloodstains on her neck that perfectly matched the blood on the dagger.

The room was equipped with a soundproofing array, so no sounds could escape.

The desperately resisting woman seemed to see hope when she saw Lu Yang.

Lu Yang exited the room and glanced at the room number.

He had entered the wrong room.