Chapter 99: A Big Bowl

Zhao Yuan Kui, feeling vexed, entered the Shaolin Temple. There were many people, and in the past, he would have enjoyed the luxury of having streets cleared for him. Now, however, he found himself squeezed by the crowd and drenched in sweat. While people showed courtesy to Ning Wan Jun, they had no such intentions for him, the Second Prince.

He arrived at the Abbot's residence, but no one came to greet him.

At the door, Ning Wan Jun told them to wait here while she went to see the Abbot.

Just as she was about to knock, the door opened, and a monk named Yi Chen came out. He informed Ning Wan Jun that the Abbot was resting, and the guests were free to wander around. When it was time for the evening bell, they should go to the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower and wait.

Ning Wan Jun nodded and, with Xiao Cui, went to the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower to offer incense, leaving Zhao Yuan Kui to himself.

Zhao Yuan Kui exchanged looks with Xiao Shunzi. Though he wanted to question the old monk, he hesitated, as he was asking for a favor and didn't want to make things awkward. He and Xiao Shunzi wandered around aimlessly.

It wasn't until near dusk, after the pilgrims had dispersed, that they were told they could go to the dining hall. After eating, they were to go to the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower's top.

Zhao Yuan Kui was indeed hungry, and although the vegetarian food in the temple was simple, he could only make do with it.

After a quick meal, Zhao Yuan Kui and Xiao Shunzi made their way to the Ten Thousand Buddha Tower.

Ning Wan Jun was already waiting there. Upon seeing Zhao Yuan Kui, she said, "Young Master Huang, the Abbot is at the top of the tower. You should go up."

Zhao Yuan Kui nodded and was about to head up with Xiao Shunzi when Yi Chen stopped them.

"The Abbot has instructed that only this young master may go up."

Xiao Shunzi, who was skilled in martial arts, immediately protested, "That's not possible! I need to protect our young master. What if something happens to him on the tower?"

Yi Chen smiled and extended his hand. Before Xiao Shunzi could react, he felt a sudden numbness, and his body froze in place.

Acupoint sealing!

"Even if you follow him, you wouldn't be able to protect him."

Yi Chen then turned to Zhao Yuan Kui, saying, "Young master, please go up. Don't keep the Abbot waiting."

Zhao Yuan Kui hesitated. He was about to speak when Yi Chen added, "Are you afraid to go up alone?"

Zhao Yuan Kui, a proud prince, had been humiliated several times since arriving at the temple. Hearing the monk's provocation, his arrogance flared. He flicked his sleeve and snorted, "Hmph! No place in this world that I, this prince, dare not go!"

The night sky was dark, the moon casting heavy shadows. Wind chimes tinkled outside the tower.

Only one oil lamp was lit on each floor of the tower, making the surroundings unclear. The Bodhisattvas and Buddhas seemed to sneer in the dim light. Zhao Yuan Kui, feeling nervous, ascended the tower, every step making him more uneasy in this eerie place.

When he reached the fifth floor, a voice suddenly called down from above, "Stop!"

The empty tower echoed the words back, creating a creepy, haunting effect.

"Who... who are you?"

"I am the Abbot of Shaolin, the one who will treat your ailments."

Upon hearing the monk's voice, Zhao Yuan Kui's courage returned. He shouted up, "What do you want?"

The monk's voice, though calm, was clear and precise, though it seemed as if he had not shouted at all.

"Do you believe I can cure you?"

Zhao Yuan Kui replied, "Honestly, I didn't have much hope. Many famous doctors have failed to cure me. You, a mere monk, how can you possibly help me? I'm only here because of Wan Jun."

"Why do you think I cannot help you?"

"I can tell just by your voice. You sound young. How much skill could you possibly have?"

"Patron, one cannot judge only by appearances. What you see may not be the truth."

"Hmph! I always trust my own eyes."

"You are quite confident."

"I have read many books since childhood, learned the ways of sages and kings, and studied strategy and tactics. I may not have a deep understanding, but I certainly am not easily deceived."

"Then I suppose your heart cannot accept the views of an old monk like me."

The more the monk spoke, the more Zhao Yuan Kui felt superior. He raised his head proudly and said, "My heart is full of knowledge. Your petty views have no place in it."

"Very well. Please, approach the incense table and tell me what you see."

Zhao Yuan Kui followed the instruction, and when he looked at the table, he saw a large white bowl filled with stones.

"There is a bowl of stones."

"Do you think it is full?"

"It is full."

"Then please continue to climb. Let's see what's on the next level."

Zhao Yuan Kui moved up to the sixth floor, where another bowl sat on the table. This time, the bowl not only contained stones, but the spaces between the stones were filled with sand.

"This bowl is the same size as the one below. Do you think it is full?"

Zhao Yuan Kui hesitated but still insisted, "I didn't see it clearly before. Now it should be full."

"Good. Please continue up and see what the seventh floor holds."

Zhao Yuan Kui obeyed and moved to the seventh floor, where he found a bowl filled with stones, sand, and water.

"Do you think this bowl is full?"

After a long pause, Zhao Yuan Kui finally said, "This time, I see clearly. It can't hold anything more. If you try to add anything, the water will spill over."

The monk's voice still urged him to continue. Zhao Yuan Kui reluctantly ascended to the eighth floor.

Here, the bowl was filled with stones, sand, water, and incense sticks, with ash from the incense falling into the bowl without making a mess.

Before the monk could speak, Zhao Yuan Kui exclaimed, "Monk, this is all you can do! The ash is too light to spill over! Now I'm certain this bowl cannot hold anything else!"

Without waiting for a response, he stomped his feet and moved to the ninth floor.

At the top, a monk sat cross-legged, manipulating another large bowl. Upon seeing Zhao Yuan Kui, the monk turned and smiled at him. "Patron, you are like this bowl. You think you've learned a lot, and your heart is full of your own views. You cannot accept other perspectives. But in fact, what you take for granted is often wrong. Let me show you this bowl."

The monk stepped aside, revealing the bowl. Zhao Yuan Kui was stunned.

The bowl contained stones, sand, water, incense ash, and other materials, all compacted together, almost as if they had turned into a kind of clay. In the center of this mixture, a candleholder stood firmly, with a wooden board placed on top. Four smaller bowls sat on the board, each containing the same mix of materials, none of which had spilled out.

"Do you think this bowl can hold anything else?"

Zhao Yuan Kui was silent. He realized that he had been wrong all along. The monk before him had genuine skill.

As Zhao Yuan Kui stood lost in thought, the monk sat back down and began softly tapping a wooden fish, chanting an unknown Buddhist scripture.

With each tap, Zhao Yuan Kui felt an urge not to interrupt. Yet, he was tired of standing. Glancing around, he saw a cushion nearby and sat down, waiting for the monk to finish.

In the past, Zhao Yuan Kui would have been bored in mere moments. But today, as he sat and waited, time seemed to slip by unnoticed.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the sound of the wooden fish ceased. Zhao Yuan Kui slowly opened his eyes.

"Master, what time is it now?"

Looking out through the tower window, Zhao Yuan Kui saw the moon at its zenith. It seemed like quite a while had passed.

"Patron, it is just past midnight."

"Midnight!"

Zhao Yuan Kui suddenly realized that he had been sitting here, listening to the monk chant for three or four hours. It was an unbelievable feat.

And the most incredible part was that all his negative emotions had disappeared.

"Do you now believe that I can heal your wounds?"

Zhao Yuan Kui thought for a moment, then nodded, "Whether you succeed or fail, Master, I trust you to try."

The monk hesitated. "I am reluctant to proceed. I promised Miss Ning, and I do not want to disappoint her. But more than that, I see a great potential in you, Young Master. After treating you, I would not only need to use the sacred relics of our temple, but I would also have to expend ten years of my own strength. That's the real concern. Though my strength will replenish in time, I worry that if things go wrong, it may harm you."

Zhao Yuan Kui was deeply moved. "Master, you need not worry. I have suffered for years, and I thought my time was short. I did things recklessly. But now, having met you, I believe in your skill. No matter the result, I will not blame you."

He hesitated again, then added, "As for the ten years of your strength, I feel guilty. But I do not understand martial arts, and I do not know how to repay you. Miss Ning once mentioned never bringing up money in front of you, as it would be disrespectful. I... I'm unsure of how to handle this."

After speaking, Zhao Yuan Kui seemed troubled.

Huo Yuan Zhen could not help but roll his eyes. He thought, Ning Wan Jun, that extravagant child! You don't spend a penny yourself, and now you've influenced others to do the same. I'll waste ten... no, ten minutes of my strength for his treatment. What's the point of that?

But of course, he couldn't express that openly. He swallowed his frustration and told Zhao Yuan Kui, "In that case, I will proceed. But be warned, this treatment is not only a long process, but it may also be painful. Are you ready?"

"Ready!" Zhao Yuan Kui closed his eyes, thinking, How painful could it be?

Huo Yuan Zhen slowly approached him, thinking to himself, If you don't pay, I'll make sure you experience some discomfort before you open up.