From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 294 News
It was early morning, and the streets were already bustling with people.

Upon hearing Xie Kaiping's words, Meng Yuan couldn't help but rub his temples. As a sixth-rank Buddhist monk, he was actually stumped by a single coin.

Seeing that Meng Yuan was unwilling to give alms, Jie Kaiping simply started to play the victim, saying that he had given away all the money he had borrowed in Songhe Prefecture, and that his begging skills were mediocre, so he had gone hungry for three days.

"Everyone says that Ping'an Prefecture is a place where Buddhism flourishes, and it's really true. When I first arrived here, someone saw my bald head and gave me food and drink. But I never expected that they were after my body!" Jie Kaiping, who is usually good-tempered, was unusually angry at this moment.

"A female bodhisattva is willing to help you, and you're still not happy?" Meng Yuan laughed.

"What female bodhisattva! It's a man! And a bald monk at that!" He released his grip on his breath and gritted his teeth. "It's only because I have some ability that my innocence is in jeopardy!"

"..." Meng Yuan was speechless for a moment.

Unveiling the screen, she muttered incessantly, "Benefactor Meng, I heard you got married. May you have a harmonious marriage and many children and grandchildren."

"Thank you for your kind words, Master." Meng Yuan saw that Kaiping could speak auspicious words, but he didn't mention the matter of borrowing money. He just led him to a breakfast shop.

Hot, boiled tofu, drizzled with a little sesame oil and topped with a spoonful of chive blossom sauce, is exceptionally appetizing.

"This monk doesn't want the chive blossom sauce," Jie Kaiping specifically instructed the vendor.

The two immediately sat down by the street, each holding a large bowl. Meng Yuan ate hot tofu while asking about the important matter.

Meng Yuan was very curious when Jie Kaiping revealed that she already knew about the traitor within Lanruo Temple. How could Jie Kaiping, while begging, have found the traitor despite the joint investigation by the Demon Suppression Bureau and Lanruo Temple?

Jie Kaiping slurped up hot tofu, still managing to speak, "After reaching the sixth rank in Buddhism, one cultivates one's own Dharma form. After the fifth rank, there are different ones. Some Dharma forms excel in attack, some in defense, some in helping others, and some in cultivating the mind. If that person doesn't want to talk about it, they can forget about it on their own. That's why it's so hard to find an inside traitor."

Meng Yuan nodded, agreeing with Jie Kaiping's words, and thus continued.

"That person must be at least at the fifth rank, or even the fourth rank, to ensure their own safety."

Unveiling the screen, she tapped his nose with her finger. "I'm a monk, and I understand monks best. I cultivate the state of Nirvana, so my ability to cultivate mindfulness is so-so, but no one can compare to me in my ability to purify mindfulness. And my ability to judge people is also very accurate!"

"So how did you figure out who it was?" Meng Yuan pressed.

"There is a young and outstanding man in Lanruo Temple. He is exceptionally handsome and treats people with kindness and gentleness." Jie Kaiping said with certainty, "I saw him from afar. Although I did not see him reveal his Dharma form, his Dharma is probably similar to mine."

So, it's like the story of you and Dugu Kang meeting once and recognizing each other as monks is repeating itself?

"Are you talking about the monk Juesheng?" Meng Yuan asked again.

"Indeed." Jie Kaiping smiled slightly, almost as if she were about to pick up a flower.

"Are you sure?" Meng Yuan was skeptical.

"I am a monk, I act according to my heart," Jie Kaiping said matter-of-factly. "Besides, how can I be sure about something that hasn't been verified?"

Working with monks is exhausting. They don't explain why, or they give some baseless excuses, and then they argue that it comes from the heart.

“There has to be some basis for that,” Meng Yuan asked weakly.

“There is a basis for this. Regardless of the high monks or those who are just loafing around in Lanruo Temple, as long as we talk about the outstanding young generation, they are mostly kind to people, but deep down they all have a bit of an arrogant air about them.” Jie Kaiping said while slurping tofu, “They consider Lanruo Temple to be the leader of Buddhism and Taoism, the best in the world, the best of the three religions, and they themselves bear the heavy responsibility of saving all sentient beings.”

“That’s true.” Meng Yuan recalled how, back in Qishui Town, the monk Xuanzhen insisted on saving Yang Youzhi for no apparent reason, even at the cost of a fight.

Then there were all sorts of things, including the monk Jueyuan he met in Calabash Mountain, and Master Jueming with whom he had a good relationship. They certainly couldn't be called bad people, and they all had the heart to help others.

However, he does have a certain arrogance in his actions, even to the point of having an air of self-importance.

Seeing Meng Yuan nod slightly, Jie Kaiping continued, "Having spent a long time under my master, I can guess a lot about some people just by looking at them."

“Most of Qingguangzi’s disciples are somewhat eccentric, which is indeed quite different from the monks of Lanruo Temple,” Meng Yuan said.

“That monk Juesheng, also known as the Flower Monk, is steady and refined, yet also unrestrained and free-spirited. He embodies the best of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.” Jie Kaiping said very seriously, “But I could tell at a glance that he has a touch of madness about him.”

Jie Kaiping tapped his temple. “His practice is similar to mine, but we are in different places of Nirvana. As we said before, the essence of Nirvana is the cycle of rebirth. What I seek is the state of liberation from birth, death, suffering, and all afflictions. What he seeks is probably more than I do.”

At this point, Jie Kaiping sighed helplessly, “We Buddhists seek peace and tranquility of mind, but in our constant pursuit and debate, many in Buddhism have strayed onto the wrong path. This is the essence of Buddhist cultivation of the mind; only when the mind is free of obstacles can one attain Buddhahood.”

These words were not easy to understand, but Meng Yuan still understood them. He understood that there was a hint of madness in the calm and peaceful demeanor of the monk Juesheng, which was not right. Therefore, he removed the screen and thought that there was something wrong with the monk Juesheng.

"He is at the fifth rank, and you have broken through?" Meng Yuan looked at Jie Kaiping, whose face was covered in soot and who was covered in dirt.

"Having endured numerous hardships and traveled thousands of miles," Jie Kaiping tapped his chest. "What difference does it make whether you break through a realm or not? As long as your heart has made progress, that's enough."

Uncovering the screen, he tapped Meng Yuan again, a strange smile appearing on his dark face.

“I’ve been urging Burning Heart not because I don’t trust you, but because I don’t trust Qing Guangzi,” Meng Yuan explained.

"I meant another bowl of tofu, but you're being too attached to appearances," Jie Kaiping said with a smile.

"..." Meng Yuan called to the vendor and added another large bowl of tofu to Jie Kaiping's bowl.

Unveiling the screen, he looked like a starving ghost reincarnated. As he ate, he confidently said, "Actually, in my humble opinion, Lanruo Temple has gathered eminent figures from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. They've probably already found that bald monk Juesheng, but they haven't alerted him yet, or perhaps they're not entirely sure, or perhaps..."

“Or perhaps there’s someone behind Juesheng.” Meng Yuan continued, “We haven’t found the person behind him yet. That person is even more capable, probably at the fourth rank.”

"Brother Meng, we really are kindred spirits, we even thought of the same thing!" Jie Kaiping said happily.

Who would be friends with a bald monk?

"If there is someone behind Juesheng, where do you think we should look for them? How should we look for them?" Meng Yuan was a rough and uncouth warrior who only knew how to kill, not how to interrogate monks.

“It’s not easy to find a fourth-rank monk.” Jie Kaiping smacked her lips. “That person must have had very little contact with Juesheng, and they might not even be in the same courtyard. And the methods that Juesheng practices are inherently difficult to investigate. Even if experts from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were to press him, they would probably find it difficult to get any information.”

Jie Ping, unusually serious, said, "I reckon Jue Sheng might have forgotten who's behind him, or even what he did to help Qing Guangzi."

“In Lanruo Temple, apart from the two patriarchs who are at the third rank, there are also those at the fourth rank in martial arts and those at the fourth rank in Buddhism who are on file.” Meng Yuan looked at Jie Kaiping. “That person may also want to take advantage of Qing Guangzi’s influence to try and reach the third rank of Arhat.”

"We've got the same idea!" Jie Kaiping said happily. "In Buddhism, advancing from the fourth rank to the third rank is about making a grand vow and fulfilling that vow. Therefore, such a person's actions will inevitably leave a traceable record."

Unwrapping the screen, he stopped eating and started counting on his fingers. "Anyone in Lanruo Temple who aspires to advance further must have made grand ambitions and started planning long ago." "It's just that no one knows what grand ambitions that person made," Meng Yuan said.

“That’s it. Not everyone is like the Guru, who has made a name for himself even before achieving enlightenment.” He untied the screen, put his palms together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and then buried his head in eating hot tofu. “But since it is a great vow, it certainly cannot be accomplished by simply helping a few people in a small way.”

Jie Kaiping, as expected of a Buddhist master, immediately began to elaborate, "According to the records of our predecessors, some vowed to eradicate the plague, some vowed to bring peace to a country, and some even vowed to kill great demons and evil spirits!"

He rambled on for a while before finally concluding: "If it's a grand, legitimate aspiration that benefits the country and its people, then many people will surely know about it; if it's done in secret, harming the country and its people, then it certainly won't be announced to the world. Of course, nothing is absolute."

"Make a grand vow, and fulfill it. But what if the days go by and the vow remains unfulfilled?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

“Great and virtuous monks naturally depart with the wind; if they don’t succeed, they don’t succeed. They can simply return in the next life after passing away. But if one is stubborn, one may be troubled by inner demons, have one’s clear mind clouded, and fall into the demonic path,” Jie Kaiping said with a smile.

"Is this person really that hard to find?" Meng Yuan was still unwilling to give up. "Lanruo Temple has two Rank 3 Masters, can't they be found either?"

“Fighting and magical duels are certainly possible.” Jie Kaiping tapped his chest with her chopsticks. “But in Buddhism, we cultivate the mind. If the heart is tightly closed, it is extremely difficult to open. It’s like…”

After thinking for a while, Jie Kaiping said, "Just like that friend Xiangling, you can take her away with just an egg, but even if I offer her mountains of gold and silver, she might not come with me."

Why do you sound like I'm trying to scam innocent children?
Meng Yuan understood the meaning behind Kai Ping's words, and then asked, "Lanruo Temple has many eminent monks, but even those at the fourth rank started from the lower ranks. Even if we don't know what their grand ambitions are, we still know what kind of Dharma they cultivate."

“Currently, most of those who have reached the fourth rank in Lanruo Temple are of the ‘Zhi’ generation, and there are only two of them of the ‘Liao’ generation.” Jie Kaiping continued to list them in detail. “It is difficult for outsiders to know what kind of Dharma they cultivate, but you should be able to find out.”

"What are your thoughts?" Meng Yuan asked.

After unraveling the screen and thinking for a while, he said, "There are countless forms of Dharma, but they all conform to the principles of Buddhist Zen. It's hard to say."

This is what I don’t know!
"Tell me about the past and present of your Buddhist sect." Meng Yuan remembered the storybook given to him by Master Zhitong and wanted to verify it with Jie Kaiping.

"Amitabha. Are you interested in my Buddhist teachings, benefactor?" Jie Kaiping got excited, taking big bites of a piece of hot tofu, not caring that it was burning his mouth, and immediately started pulling at it.

After listening for a while, Meng Yuan realized that it was not much different from what Master Zhitong had recorded, so he stopped asking questions.

Thinking of this, Meng Yuan asked, "Do you know how Dugu Kang is doing?"

"Being under the throne of the Holy King of Light, one's heart must be filled with light." Jie Kaiping sighed helplessly, then asked curiously, "Who was the master who guided Junior Brother Kong?"

"Master Zhitong of Lanruo Temple," Meng Yuan said without hiding anything.

“I had never heard of Master Zhitong having a successor before. I never imagined it would be Brother Liaokong.” Jie Kaiping had obviously heard of the name of the monk Zhitong. He immediately nodded and said, “Master Zhitong is considered young among the ‘Zhi’ generation. Moreover, he rarely concern himself with worldly affairs and only focuses on studying Zen principles. Although his reputation is not prominent, I heard that he is also at the fourth level of the Zen realm and has extremely high virtue.”

At this point, he unlocked the screen, looked at Meng Yuan, and asked, "What does Zen Master Zhitong think?"

“He naturally had no choice.” Meng Yuan didn’t mention Li Weizhen’s matter.

"Amitabha." Jie Kaiping finished the soup at the bottom of the large bowl and said, "Actually, it may not be a bad thing for Junior Brother Liaokong to follow the Master. If he gets the opportunity, he will surely be able to make further progress. However, under the Holy King of Light, it is difficult to hide the shadows. It will be extremely difficult for Liaokong to get out of this predicament."

“The Holy King of Light is the greatest shadow,” Meng Yuan said.

“That makes sense,” Jie Kaiping agreed wholeheartedly.

Seeing that it was already bright outside and there were more and more people on the street, he untied the screen and stood up, saying, "Amitabha."

"What are your plans, Brother Jie?" Meng Yuan also stood up.

"A sage from the Buddhist kingdom has come from the west, and it happens to be a grand occasion, so this humble monk naturally wants to stay a little longer." Jie Kaiping's face was covered in dust, and he chuckled, "Both the literary and martial arts contests are exciting, and this humble monk, though unable to see the light of day, still wants to observe them!"

"If something happens, where can I find you?" Meng Yuan asked.

"You don't intend to kill someone and drag me into it as an accomplice, do you?" Jie Kaiping was surprisingly wary, only clasping her hands together and bowing her head, saying, "In the Cloud Recesses, why does Benefactor Meng need to seek out an outsider like me?"

"Farewell!" Meng Yuan then took his leave.

"See you again someday." Jie Kaiping said very kindly.

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" The hot tofu vendor quickly caught up, pulling Meng Yuan with one hand and Jie Kaiping with the other. "It's just a small business, pay your bill before you go!"

"Amitabha, this is the donation from this benefactor." Jie Kaiping pointed to Meng Yuan and then said, "Benefactor, you haven't lent me any money yet!"

"I'll only pay for my meal." Meng Yuan wasn't foolish enough to be generous; he simply asked the vendor, "How much?"

"Ten coins a bowl," the vendor replied, still clutching the untied screen with his other hand.

"This is way too expensive!" Jie Kaiping exclaimed in disbelief.

“It’s the New Year’s festival, and the Great Assembly is here, so it’s bound to be more expensive than usual!” The vendor made a good point. “Master, we know you’re an ascetic monk, but the rules of Ping’an Prefecture dictate that you have to explain beforehand when you ask for alms. You can’t just not pay afterward! If you don’t pay, we’ll go to Lanruo Temple and talk to them about the rules!”

Jie Kaiping sighed helplessly, chanted a Buddhist prayer, bowed to Meng Yuan, and said, "I hope Brother Meng can lend a hand. This humble monk intends to travel around the western part of the city. If Brother Meng needs anything, just come to me."

"If something happens, will you really help?" Meng Yuan asked with a smile.

Uncovering the screen, one sees Meng Yuan's hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Clearly, he has no intention of killing, but it implies that he might need Meng Yuan's help with a murder.

"Amitabha." Jie Kaiping said helplessly, "Let's talk about it again."

Meng Yuan smiled, paid the bill, and waved to leave.

"You haven't lent me any money yet!" Jie Kaiping chased after him.

Left with no other choice, Meng Yuan could only take out a few taels of silver and hand it over.

Unwrapping the screen, she accepted it with both hands, overjoyed, saying, "Thank you for your generosity, benefactor!"

After resigning from his post and opening the screen, Meng Yuan sent out the letter and then found Lin Yan and the others. They then left the city together and returned to Lanruo Temple.

"Amitabha." Upon arriving at the meditation hall, Abbot Juesheng was already standing guard outside. As soon as he saw everyone, he stepped forward and bowed. "I heard from Brother Jueming that you brothers went to Yunshan Temple. I wonder if you gained anything?"

At this point, Juesheng looked at Meng Yuan and said with a smile, "I didn't know that Benefactor Meng was a member of the Ying family. My apologies."

(End of this chapter)