Chapter 62: Shaving the Head and Converting to Become a Monk
On this side, Ning Ke hadn’t walked far before he lost all his strength, leaning against a tree and sliding down to sit on the ground.
Xiao Yuan asked worriedly:
[Host, aren’t you going to treat your wound?]
“This minor injury of mine is nothing.”
Probably because he had died once.
Ning Ke’s pain tolerance had also grown much stronger now.
It’s just that, the pain in his heart…
It just wouldn’t ease no matter what.
He uncurled his right hand, and the sword wound corroded by demonic energy on his palm was clearly visible.
He had just used this very hand to break Lou Yunxiao’s bones.
He also used this hand to crush the bear yao and burn those villagers to death.
Closing his eyes and leaning against the tree trunk.
Those hoarse, exhausted cries seemed to still surround Ning Ke’s ears.
Lou Yunxiao’s eyes full of hatred surfaced in his mind.
The dummy manifested by the illusion questioned him time and time again.
Asking him if he had a heart at all.
Ning Ke previously thought he could completely handle this kind of scene well.
But when he truly faced that Lou Yunxiao who wished he could kill him, his state of mind couldn’t calm down.
Clearly…
When they were senior and junior brothers, the two of them were so good together.
Now that they changed identities, they turned against each other and became enemies…
But he also knew, this was his mission.
It was the price after he decided to become a liar.
“Serves me right…” He sighed, raised his hand, and used Fox Fire to scorch the wound on his shoulder to stop the bleeding, smiling self-deprecatingly: “I really brought this upon myself.”
It was the first time Xiao Yuan saw Ning Ke smiling uglier than crying, and she couldn’t help asking:
[Host, are you sad?]
“Sad? I wouldn’t be sad. I just figured things out.” Ning Ke stood up, stretched lazily, and changed the subject: “Didn’t you just say the third stage mission was about to start? Let’s go, I’m going to shave my head, convert, and play the role of a monk right now.”
…
After parting ways with the other sects at Ning Family Village, Abbot Wu Jue led the Buddhist disciples back home.
“It is truly unimaginable that the evil creature Ning Ke actually saved those villagers.” On the flying ship, Abbot Wu Jue furrowed his brows tightly and instructed the Buddhist elders beside him: “Notify the disciples training outside to constantly monitor the movements of the Yao Realm. See exactly what that Ning Ke is planning to do.”
The elders assented.
And the little monk Wu Gou, standing aside and listening, put his hands together and lowered his eyes in deep thought.
He had stood from afar and witnessed a portion of the battle between Yao Venerable Ning Ke and the four Sect Masters.
Only, what shocked him was not Ning Ke’s strength.
But the karma existing on Ning Ke’s body.
Massive, complex, entwined with life and death, even connected with fate, the Heavenly Dao, and the entire world.
As if everything happening in this world was related to him.
There was another point that Wu Gou couldn’t figure out: a portion of the karma on Ning Ke’s body was exactly the same as what he saw on Benefactor A-Ke during the Sect Competition.
Benefactor A-Ke died a tragic death.
He had also seen that corpse.
How could this Ning Ke be connected with Benefactor A-Ke?
“We’ve arrived!”
“We’ve finally arrived at the sect!”
The surprised voices of the Buddhist disciples came over, interrupting Wu Gou’s train of thought.
He followed the crowd and looked down from the flying ship.
He could see the magnificent and serene ancient Buddhist temple towering amidst the sea of trees.
Long stone steps stretched continuously from the foot of the mountain all the way to the mountain gate.
And at this moment, a young monk wearing a gorgeous kasaya inlaid with gemstones, holding a string of prayer beads, was standing at the entrance of the Buddhist temple.
As if sensing something, he looked up at this flying ship.
Between his brows, there was a bright red flame pattern, like some kind of seal, making his appearance even more stunning, even tainted with a bit of yao aura.
Wu Gou’s entire body stiffened.
Waves stirred on his usually calm face.
This person’s karma was the same as Ning Ke’s!
Although the appearance was different, he could be certain that this monk was that Yao Venerable!
Why would the Yao Venerable come to the Buddhist Sect?
Could it be that he wanted to treat the Buddhist Sect the same way he treated the Liuyun Sect?
But…
Wu Gou frowned.
He couldn’t feel half a bit of killing intent or malice from Ning Ke.
So, what exactly was his purpose?
“Who are you?” The flying ship stopped, and Abbot Wu Jue flew down.
He looked Ning Ke’s attire up and down.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
It was really because he had never seen a monk dressed so ostentatiously wealthy…
The gemstones inlaid on this kasaya, if he saw correctly, were all top-grade gemstones, and they were also covered with a layer of array blessings, equivalent to a high-grade magical artifact.
And the string of prayer beads he was holding also looked like a magical artifact.
In addition, although this person’s cultivation seemed to only be at the Deity Transformation Stage, it made even Abbot Wu Jue, whose cultivation had already reached the Tribulation Crossing Stage, feel a hint of unpredictability.
Ning Ke’s eyes curved in a smile. He gave Abbot Wu Jue a monk’s salute and recited the lines he had prepared in advance: “Hello, Great Master.”
“I am a monk from the distant Great Tang of the East. My Dharma name is Ming Xin. Cultivating along the way, I passed by this place, and I just wanted to ask, are you still recruiting disciples here?”
[…]
Xiao Yuan was already powerless to roast this sense of deja vu from the ’86 version of Journey to the West.
The monk guarding the gate beside them said to Abbot Wu Jue: “Abbot, this person didn’t use any spiritual energy. He walked step by step up the stairs from the foot of the mountain to here and has already waited at the door for a day and a night. He can be considered sincere… What do you think?”
Abbot Wu Jue frowned, his eyes like an eagle’s, attempting to see through Ning Ke.
But his doing so was obviously futile.
After all, right now Ning Ke’s true body had taken the stage, and his transformation technique had reached the peak of perfection. The flame pattern between his brows both sealed his cultivation and acted as a blindfold he cast.
Even a Tribulation Crossing Stage master couldn’t tell he was Ning Ke.
Seeing him hesitate, Ning Ke immediately flattered him: “This little monk is devoted to the Buddha. During my travels, I heard that the Buddhist Sect here is the greatest, truly the strongest existence among the major sects. So I rushed over from thousands of miles away, hoping the Abbot would take me in to cultivate here. Even just doing odd jobs would be fine.”
No one dislikes being praised.
In the previous Sect Competition, the genius of the Buddhist Sect was overshadowed by disciples of other sects.
A few days ago, the battle with Ning Ke also dealt a blow to Abbot Wu Jue’s self-esteem.
All of this made him feel somewhat unhappy in his heart.
Now that the Buddhist Sect was described by this Ming Xin as the strongest existence among the sects, that breath of resentment in his heart eased.
His complexion also improved a lot.
Seeing there was hope, Ning Ke “inadvertently” shook his sleeves.
Two sandalwood boxes fell to the ground.
And automatically opened.
Gemstones, gold artifacts, and pills instantly blinded the eyes of all the disciples.
“Great Master, this is a little token of this little monk’s sincerity. Even if you don’t accept me into the sect, these can just be considered as incense money this little monk offers to the Buddha. I hope you will accept it.”
Abbot Wu Jue’s old face went blank.
He froze for a few seconds, then swiftly changed his expression.
With a wave of his hand, he closed the boxes.
He said solemnly: “Your sincerity towards the Buddha, this old monk has already felt it.”
“This incense money will naturally be kept, and you, must absolutely join our Buddhist Sect. Serve the Buddha!”
After saying that, he turned and walked into the mountain gate.
“You may come in.”
“Third Elder, arrange a place to stay for Ming Xin!”
Translator’s Note:
- Great Tang of the East (東土大唐): A hilarious reference to Journey to the West, where the famous monk Tang Sanzang constantly introduces himself this way!
- Dharma Name (法號): A new name given to a Buddhist monk upon ordination. “Ming Xin” (明心) means “Clear Mind” or “Illuminated Heart”.
- Incense money (香火錢): Donations given to temples. Ning Ke is practically buying his way into the sect!
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