Chapter 32 - 23 Alms Bowl

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Gazing at the bustling shops on either side, Lin Fang truly felt the breath of the Mortal World for the first time.

For cultivators, such a place saturated with desire wasn't suitable for the practice of cultivation, as it would disturb the mind and make it difficult to find peace. However, if one was just sightseeing, then naturally, there are countless scenic spots in the Mortal World.

The two continued to eat and drink, taking interest in the surroundings; the busy scenes of the Mortal World were indeed astonishing.

At that moment, they encountered a monk; he held a Zen Staff in his hand, draped in a Kasaya, appearing to cautiously beg for alms. However, it was clear that in Baoxiang Kingdom there weren't many followers of Buddhism, so most of the time his begging ended fruitlessly. Yet the monk didn't seem to have a bad temper, maintaining his composure regardless.

Lin Fang nodded to himself, appreciating that the monk did indeed have the demeanor of a high monk, unperturbed by honor or disgrace.

This very monk had been extorted at the city's gate official's office, and now he was endeavoring to redeem his Alms Bowl. Upon seeing Lin Fang and his companion, a warm smile appeared on his face.

"Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, could you spare some wealth for this poor monk?" said the monk with a dignified expression.

Lin Fang chuckled lightly and responded, "Monk, aren't men of religion supposed to regard wealth as mere dirt? Why insist on begging for money?"

"Truth be told, my Alms Bowl was confiscated by the city gate official because I couldn't pay taxes," the monk said this without shame, his demeanor calm.

Lin Fang laughed and had Little Fox hand the monk some silver. But just then, the usually amiable-faced monk suddenly changed his expression. He grabbed Little Fox's hand and said with a fierce look, "I could tell at first glance that you're not human! What Monster dare causes trouble in the Mortal World?"

Little Fox was so scared that he froze. He hadn't expected such a friendly person to suddenly show such a face. Lin Fang was also greatly surprised; the monk's transformation was too drastic, almost like a split personality.

"Monk, you must be mistaken. Where is there a Monster here?" Lin Fang said with a smile.

"He might deceive others, but he can't fool me," the monk said with certainty, his aura becoming evident as he stared intently at Little Fox.

"Could you be mistaken?"

"This monk's eyes do not make mistakes," the monk said with confidence.

"Is that so?" Lin Fang's voice carried a trace of depth, and the monk suddenly felt an astonishing aura burst forth from Lin Fang. While pure and natural, it was clearly Demon Qi.

The monk's eyes widened in disbelief. The young man before him was, by all appearances, a pure member of the Human Clan. Yet in a twist, he revealed himself to be a Monster—an illogical turn of events.

While the monk was still shocked, Lin Fang's fist had already struck him, sending the Monk flying into a nearby river. Lin Fang quickly seized Little Fox and the two swiftly vanished into the lively street.

The monk leaped out of the river, but Lin Fang and his companion were long gone. Golden Buddha's Light shone from his body, drying the water, and now all he could do was sigh in frustration.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Lin Fang and Little Fox were feasting at a restaurant, enjoying delicious food, which helped Little Fox forget the unpleasant encounter, his face beaming with a radiant smile again.

"Big Brother Lin, what was up with that monk? I didn't do anything so terrible as to deserve his hatred," said Little Fox with his mouth full, still feeling indignant.

It just didn't make sense—according to the stories, the Human Clan was supposed to like their Race.

"Don't mind him, he's just a guy with a screw loose. Who knows what's with him."

Seeing that Little Fox was still upset, Lin Fang suddenly got a great idea, "That monk lost his Alms Bowl, right? Let's go take that thing away, as a little payback."

Little Fox was still quite mischievous and immediately nodded at the suggestion, his face lighting up with excitement.

Lin Fang led Little Fox to the city's gate official's office and quickly inquired about the whereabouts of the Alms Bowl. After all, there were many witnesses at the time. They headed toward the Pawnshop at the center of the city.

On the way, they saw Wang Er with a look of joy—as he and his gang laughed and walked by. It seemed their trip to the Pawnshop was very satisfying.

"Boss, who could've guessed that Alms Bowl was such a treasure? That Pixiu of a shop owner was actually willing to pay so much," said one of the gangsters, flattering Wang Er.

Wang Er, shaking off his previous dejection, declared proudly, "Of course, did you not see who our boss is? The things he values could never be cheap."

"But what do we do when that monk comes looking for it?" someone asked worriedly.

"What to do? Just chill him out. Tell him it's at the Pawnshop, and let him redeem it for himself. What's it got to do with us then?" Wang Er said with a sly grin.

Everyone immediately gave him thumbs up, praising the boss's wisdom.

As Wang Er laughed heartily, basking in his followers' flattery, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure, which abruptly cut off his laughter.

"It's you..."

The gang, feeling like they faced a formidable enemy, winced from the pain of their injuries, looking warily at Lin Fang and his companion approaching.

Lin Fang hadn't expected to encounter these fellows so soon and so conveniently. While he greeted them cheerily, they scattered like bereaved dogs, escaping frantically.

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