novelapdf Chapter 203 Springtime Splendor on Branches, Twin Blossoms United in Heart
Chapter 203 Springtime Splendor on Branches, Twin Blossoms United in Heart
After breakfast, Jiang Mu did not rush to meditate.
Yuan Aqing is about to attain star status, while his fourth demonic shadow is still a blank slate.
So Jiang Mu began to ponder how to obtain another star position.
So that I can truly achieve "five-core drive".
He no longer values pseudo-star positions; he only wants the genuine Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends.
It used to be quite troublesome, but now that I have the "Crimson Jade Egg" as a cheating artifact, it's much more convenient and faster.
The only problem is, where do we find the orthodox star positions?
After pondering for a while, the image of an old man suddenly flashed through Jiang Mu's mind.
Dong Wan Hai!
When he first attained the true Earthly Hidden Star, the news leaked, attracting a group of reckless martial arts cultivators who wanted to challenge him and steal his glory.
As a result, he dealt with them soundly, immediately intimidating and scaring away many lurking villains.
The last old man, Dong Wanhai, wanted to make a deal with him.
The other party hopes to use Jiang Mu to take revenge.
In exchange, he would be told the exact location of a "Celestial Dipper" level star position.
"I remember that guy's address isn't far from Huzhou. Perhaps we can look for him after A-Qing attains her star rank."
Jiang Mu was secretly making plans in her mind.
……\
At noon, the sun was scorching.
Jiang Mu, carrying some pills he had smuggled from the imperial treasury, headed to his family's medical clinic.
The plan was to hand these raw materials over to Chu Lingzhu, letting that girl use her miraculous skills to modify and upgrade them, and then concoct some kind of biological weapon.
As soon as I stepped into the clinic, I saw Chu Lingzhu taking a woman's pulse and examining her.
The girl wore a jade-green silk skirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal a small section of her slender, snow-white wrist.
Sunlight streamed through the window, dappling her fair, flawless profile and making the fine downy hairs appear fluffy, giving her a vibrant and lively beauty.
Jiang Mu didn't make a sound to disturb them. She simply found a chair, sat down, crossed her legs listlessly, and gazed somewhat unfocusedly at the bustling street outside.
This glance, however, startled him.
On the street corner diagonally opposite the clinic, there was a fortune-telling stall.
A large crowd had gathered in front of the stall.
A young monk was sitting upright behind the stall.
The monk was extremely handsome, with red lips and white teeth, and his brow seemed to naturally exude a detached, Zen-like quality.
Those gathered around the stall were mostly young women and housewives dressed in their finest attire.
Their eyes were practically sparkling with hearts.
Some covered their mouths with handkerchiefs and giggled, while others boldly reached out to tug at his sleeve.
The monk wasn't annoyed; he simply clasped his hands together, a smile playing on his lips, and gently interpreted the fortune slips. Occasionally, when teased too much, the tips of his ears would turn slightly red, further delighting the group of women.
No wonder business is so good.
Jiang Mu clicked her tongue.
However, this monk looks somewhat familiar.
Jiang Mu leaned back in her chair, stroking her chin, and quickly went through the people she had recently come into contact with in her mind.
He quickly remembered.
The other person was the monk who had been with Prince Sheng at the teahouse that day.
He remembered that the monk was with that slovenly, drunken Taoist priest at the time.
He seemed to be a highly valued guest of Prince Sheng.
"A distinguished guest of a prince, instead of enjoying a life of luxury, is running around on the street setting up a fortune-telling stall? Is he trying to experience life?"
A sense of unease arose in Jiang Mu's heart.
Then, recalling the "seven deadly sins" clues he analyzed with Ran Qingshan in the signing room...
Jiang Mu's heart skipped a beat.
"Yan Fenghuo investigated every monk in the city thoroughly, but he overlooked the distinguished guest beside Prince Sheng..."
"If this kid really is that serial killer..."
He stared intently at the handsome, smiling monk diagonally opposite him, his gaze gradually turning cold.
Just as Jiang Mu was secretly speculating...
Suddenly, a violent shoving sound came from the outer edge of the crowd diagonally opposite.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
A burly man with a face full of scars, resembling a black bear, aggressively pushed through the crowd and rushed to the fortune teller's stall.
"Bang!"\
The burly man kicked over the stall.
The fortune-telling slips from the bamboo tube scattered all over the ground with a "clatter."
The onlookers gasped in fright, quickly retreating as if avoiding a plague, afraid of being implicated by this fierce-looking brute.
"You filthy bald monk, how dare you lie to me!"
The burly man roared, and a rough, large hand grabbed the handsome monk by the collar, lifting him off the ground like a chick.
His eyes flashed with ferocity, and he roared viciously:
"Spit out your money, or I'll crush your bald head in my face today!"
Even with his feet off the ground and he was being held in mid-air by the burly man, the young monk still wore a gentle smile.
"Amitabha."\
The monk asked calmly, "Why do you say this, benefactor? Where exactly have I deceived you?"
"You fucking pretend you don't know anything?!"
The burly man's neck veins bulged as he roared,
"You told my fortune before, saying I'd have great wealth coming my way."
And what happened? I believed your lies and gambled away all the money I had left. I lost it all.
You damned monk, what else could you be but a liar?!
The burly man grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, clenching his other hand into a fist and waving it forcefully in front of the monk:
\
"We agreed beforehand that I paid you ten copper coins for the divination, and if the prediction was wrong, you'd have to pay me ten times that amount—ten taels of silver!"
If you can't come up with the money today, I'll take your life!
Several locals who were listening to the interpretation of the divination slips were dissatisfied and were about to speak up for the monk, but seeing his violent and menacing aura, they all dared not utter a word.
Jiang Mu remained seated calmly in the chair outside the clinic, observing coldly.
"fury……"\
He looked at the burly man, who was in a state of rage, his lips moved slightly, and he uttered two words.
However, the monk, suspended in mid-air, merely shook his head slightly and sighed, "Benefactor, you are indeed mistaken. This humble monk did not deceive you; you have indeed made a fortune."
"Bullshit! Where's my money?!"
The burly man, enraged, laughed instead.
The monk smiled slightly and asked in return, "May I ask, benefactor, what do you consider to be the most valuable thing in this world?"
"What's the most valuable thing?"
The burly man was taken aback by the question. He instinctively thought for a moment, then said gruffly, "Of course it's gold, silver, and women! What kind of bullshit are you spouting?"
"No."
The monk stared into the burly man's bloodshot eyes and said softly,
The most valuable thing in this world is life.
My friend, you were originally destined to suffer a bloody disaster and risk your life. But the divination I performed for you the other day averted the calamity and saved your life.
Since you have saved this priceless life, isn't this the greatest fortune in the world?
This sophistry completely baffled the burly man, who had little education.
He stared blankly at the monk, his mind racing for a long time before he finally came to his senses.
"You fucking dare to mess with me!?"
The burly man flew into a rage.
He grabbed the monk by the collar with both hands, lifted him high above his head, and made as if to slam him to the ground.
Several screams erupted from the crowd.
The monk, who had maintained a calm and collected demeanor as if he were a hermit, finally panicked and lost his composure.
"Hero! Hero, spare my life!"
The monk flailed his arms and legs in mid-air, his voice panicked, "This humble monk will give you the money, this humble monk will give you the money, please don't be impulsive!"
The burly man snorted coldly, then casually tossed the monk to the ground.
The monk rubbed his sore backside in a disheveled state, frantically rummaging through the wide sleeves of his robe for a long time before finally pulling out a few pieces of silver.
With a pained expression, he held out the loose silver coins to the burly man with both hands, pleading:
"Good, good man... This humble monk only has this little bit of loose silver on him. Could you perhaps make an exception for this...?"
Before he could finish speaking, the burly man snatched all the loose silver from his hand and stuffed it into his own pocket.
"Pooh!"\
The burly man spat out a mouthful of phlegm, pointed at his nose, and threatened him menacingly.
"Consider yourself lucky today. If I ever see you, you bald monk, on this street again, I'll beat you up every time I see you. If I see you twice, I'll skin you alive!"
The monk sighed softly:
"Good sir, taking this money is tantamount to selling your life. It's not a worthwhile deal."
"You damn bald donkey, you dare curse me here, huh?!"
The burly man raised his fist menacingly.
The monk trembled with fear.
He scrambled to hide behind the overturned small wooden table, clutching his bald head and trembling.
"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you!"
Seeing this, the burly man gave a satisfied sneer, turned around, and strode away.
The onlookers, who had been watching with great enthusiasm, shook their heads upon seeing the monk's cowardly demeanor and his earlier sophistry and unreasonable arguments.
"I thought he was some enlightened monk, but he's just a conman."
"that is."\
"What bad luck, what bad luck! Let's all go, let's all go."
In no time at all, the surrounding crowd had dispersed.
All that remained were bamboo sticks scattered on the ground and a young monk squatting there silently cleaning up the mess.
Jiang Mu stood up, slowly crossed the street, walked to the fortune teller's stall, casually pulled over a bench, and sat down.
Hearing the noise, the monk stopped picking up the fortune sticks.
He looked up and saw Jiang Mu sitting opposite him. He was slightly taken aback at first, but then his gentle, serene smile returned.
He clasped his hands together, gave Jiang Mu a slight bow, and spoke in a clear voice:
"Amitabha. Greetings, Lord Jiang. May I ask what troubles you, Lord Jiang, that you have graced this humble stall with your presence today, and wish to have your fortune told?"
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow slightly: "You know me?"
"This humble monk has just arrived in Huzhou City and has already heard of Lord Jiang's illustrious reputation."
The monk explained with a smile,
"Furthermore, when we met by chance at the teahouse a few days ago, Madam He mentioned your name to us, and I have naturally kept it in mind."
Jiang Mu chuckled, her gaze fixed intently on the monk's eyes, her tone laced with mockery:
"You, a cultivator with considerable skill, were humiliated in the street by that utterly incompetent street thug? Not only were you robbed of your money, but you were also spat on. And you just swallowed your anger like that?"
Upon hearing this, the monk gave a wry smile and shook his head, saying:
"Amitabha Buddha, Lord Jiang is joking."
As Buddhist disciples, we prioritize cultivating our character and mind. Our precepts state: "Patience is the foremost virtue; those who practice it are worthy of becoming Buddhas."
It's nothing more than a little money and an outward humiliation.
If my momentary forbearance can quell the anger and resentment in that benefactor's heart and prevent an unnecessary conflict, what harm is there in suffering a little hardship?
"The first principle of forbearance? Heh heh..."
Jiang Mu pondered those words carefully, her gaze growing increasingly profound.
He recalled the words the mysterious cloaked figure had spoken to him in the cave.
The tone was exactly the same.
"What's your name?" Jiang Mu suddenly asked.
"My Buddhist name is Ku Hai (苦海)," the monk replied calmly, his hands clasped together.
sea of bitterness……\
The sea of suffering is boundless; can one turn back and find the shore?
Jiang Mu stared at him, a cold smile creeping onto her lips:
"Since your Dharma name is 'Bitter Sea,' may I ask you a question: Regarding the saying 'The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore,' do you believe that for all living beings, if they truly turn back… there is ultimately no shore?"
Upon hearing this, Ku Hai paused in his work of picking up the bamboo skewers.
He raised his head, meeting Jiang Mu's gaze, and smiled as he asked, "Then, in Lord Jiang's opinion, where exactly is this shore?"
Jiang Mu crossed her arms:
"Don't play games with me. I'm asking you a question; I want to hear your expert opinion."
Ku Hai gazed at him silently for a moment.
He then placed the last bamboo stick he had picked up into the stick container, shook it gently, and it made a crisp clinking sound.
"Where is the shore...?"
He sighed, his gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd on the street, his voice heavy with melancholy:
"All sentient beings are adrift in a sea of suffering, bound by greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, love, aversion, and desire, unable to break free."
Since this mortal world is itself a boundless sea of suffering, where can one find this shore?
Whether there is a shore or not, what difference does it make to these ordinary people mired in the mire? It's merely swimming from one sea of suffering to another.
"oh?"\
Jiang Mu sneered,
"Since the master believes that all beings suffer and there is no turning back, then you sit here telling fortunes, are you trying to single-handedly save them from this sea of suffering?"
Master Kuhai smiled:
"Amitabha Buddha, Lord Jiang has misunderstood."
"This humble monk is but a mortal, with only flesh and blood; how could I possibly be qualified to save all sentient beings from this boundless sea of suffering?"
He paused, his voice suddenly becoming low and deep.
"In this world, only the Buddha, with his compassion, is qualified to guide them and cleanse them of their sins."
What this humble monk must do is to help them go to see the Buddha as soon as possible.
really!\
This guy's quitting the act.
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Mu's eyes as his right hand reached for the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Whether Buddha is qualified to save them is none of my business. But you certainly are not qualified to let them see Buddha!
Good and evil, sin and depravity in this world, are not necessarily sinful just because you perceive them as such.
"And you, by proclaiming yourself the judge, cannot control their lives and deaths!"
What seven deadly sins? What world purification?
It's just a ridiculous excuse fabricated to satisfy his own condescending and perverse bloodlust.
Is it a sin to be greedy?
Is greed a sin?
Then everyone in the world might as well just slit their own throats and commit suicide!
In Jiang Mu's view, as long as one doesn't intentionally harm others, how others choose to live is their freedom.
What right do you have to condemn me?
Master Kuhai's gaze fell on Jiang Mu's hand gripping the hilt of his sword, and he smiled slightly: "Where's the evidence?"
Jiang Mu fell silent.
Although he was absolutely certain in his heart that the Master of Bitter Sea before him was the real culprit behind the serial murders.
But he had no evidence.
A few Zen sayings, full of witty banter, are not enough to condemn a person.
Moreover, the other party is now a distinguished guest of Prince Sheng.
They also couldn't determine the other party's cultivation level.
"Boss!"
A clear, melodious female voice, like that of a lark, rang out behind Jiang Mu.
Chu Lingzhu, the young female doctor who had just finished examining the woman, stood gracefully behind Jiang Mu.
The girl's eyebrows curved into crescents, her bright eyes sparkling with laughter:
"Oh, I never would have guessed! You usually seem so unreliable, but you actually believe in these fortune tellers? What, you've come all this way to seek divine intervention?"
Jiang Mu hesitated for a moment, then her hand, which had been resting on the hilt of the knife, quietly slipped down.
Ku Hai clasped his hands together and gave Chu Lingzhu a slight bow:
"Amitabha Buddha, may this lady also wish to have her fortune told? This humble monk has some experience in physiognomy, bone reading, and predicting good and bad fortune."
"Forget it, I don't believe in you charlatans who swindle money!"
Chu Lingzhu wrinkled her cute little nose.
She turned to look at Jiang Mu, and asked with a curious expression:
"Master, you've been sitting here for ages, what kind of divination did you have done? Were you asking about your future and fortune, or your love life and romance?"
Jiang Mu glanced at Chu Lingzhu, a smirk playing on her lips, and said:
"That's perfect. Why don't you ask the master to predict my future marriage prospects with this girl?"
Let's see how many big, healthy boys she can give me in the future.
"You! What nonsense are you spouting!"
Chu Lingzhu was taken aback at first, then her face flushed bright red, all the way down to her jade-like ears.
She pinched Jiang Mu's arm hard, both embarrassed and annoyed, then stomped her little boots in embarrassment and said coquettishly:
"Who...who wants it?"
"I had your baby! Shameless!"
The girl made a move to turn and leave.
Seeing that Jiang Mu had already picked up the divination stick container and was shaking it, he shuffled his toes on the ground but didn't move.
"Clatter."
A bamboo skewer fell from the container onto the table.
Jiang Mu reached out and picked up the bamboo skewer, handing it to Master Ku Hai across from her without even glancing at it.
Master Kuhai respectfully accepted the bamboo stick with both hands.
He glanced down at the signature, and his face, which had been adorned with a gentle smile, suddenly stiffened slightly.
His brows furrowed.
Chu Lingzhu, who had been closely watching him, felt a sudden jolt of anxiety. She had initially pretended to be indifferent, but now she was genuinely worried.
She blurted out:
"What's wrong, Master? Is this a bad divination slip?"
The words had barely left her mouth when Chu Lingzhu regretted them, wishing she could bite off her own tongue.
She coughed lightly, turned her face away as if to cover up her embarrassment, and feigned nonchalance:
"Ahem... well, I was just asking casually..."
Master Kuhai gently placed the bamboo stick on the table and smiled, saying, "The stick bears the inscription: 'Spring's joy fills the branches, twin blossoms unite in heart.'"
This humble monk observes that this divination slip indicates an extremely auspicious omen.
The two benefactors are not only deeply bound by fate, a match made in heaven, but they are also destined to be a harmonious couple, blessed with both children, and enjoy the bliss of family life.