Chapter 102: Offending the Abbot and Still Wanting to Continue?

The rain drizzled down, softly tapping the face of the Taoist, but despite the gentle sensation, his face felt as though it were on fire.

Why was that?

Could this bald monk summon the rain?

How did he know it was going to rain? Just moments ago, it was still clear skies. The clouds gathered quickly, but how could he have known they were coming?

And how did he know about the returning scholar? How could he have known about the clouds approaching? Did he possess some kind of far-seeing ability?

The people around remained, standing in the rain, eager to see how the Taoist would handle Abbot Yijie.

Those who had their fortunes told earlier now harbored doubts.

The rain seemed to sober the Taoist up a little. The monk in front of him was no ordinary person. He had to tread carefully, or things would go awry.

Coldly, the Taoist spoke, "Monk, I admire your weather predictions, but that doesn't mean everything I've foreseen for others is wrong."

"I never said your predictions were wrong. I came here because I only want to eat that watermelon," Abbot Yijie replied, still pointing at the watermelon, treating it like a sworn enemy that he would not relent on eating.

The Taoist grew agitated. "What's wrong with you, monk? Why must you eat my watermelon?"

"It's just a watermelon. Why is it such a big deal for you, Taoist? Could it be... that there's something you don't want others to see inside?" Abbot Yijie suddenly raised his voice, startling the Taoist.

The crowd around them began to sense something was amiss. Why was the Taoist so unwilling to let the monk eat this particular watermelon?

Some curious villagers approached the watermelon, examining it closely. One of them suddenly cried out, "Ah, this watermelon has been opened! The cut is at the bottom, you can see it!"

The Taoist glared at the villager with a dark expression.

"Open it! Let's see what's inside!"

Many of the pilgrims echoed the call, especially the one who had lost money earlier, now suspecting the Taoist might have tampered with the watermelon. They were eager to find out the truth.

Abbot Yijie turned to Yichen, saying, "Yichen, go ahead and open it. If there's nothing wrong, we will compensate the Taoist with ten watermelons and apologize to him in front of everyone."

"Yes, Abbot!" Yichen replied.

He walked over, ignoring the Taoist's murderous glare, and placed the watermelon on the table. The onlookers gathered around, inspecting it carefully. They noticed a small opening at the bottom of the watermelon, and when Yichen cut it open, a pile of coins tumbled out, landing on the table!

"Ah! These are my coins! The old Taoist stole them! He took my offering money! I'm going to deal with him!" A pilgrim shouted, rolling up his sleeves, ready to take action.

Abbot Yijie quickly intervened, pulling the pilgrim back. The Taoist stood there, frozen with a pale face. Abbot Yijie could tell the Taoist had remarkable skills, and Yichen was also wary of him. If the pilgrim rushed forward, the Taoist would certainly not hold back.

The crowd erupted with indignation, loudly condemning the Taoist. They cited Buddhist teachings, with some more extreme individuals saying the Taoist would be cast into hell for stealing. Others, older and wiser, tried to reason with the Taoist, urging him to abandon his Taoist practices and convert to Buddhism, suggesting he should become a disciple of Abbot Yijie for proper spiritual training.

However, there were differing opinions. Some argued that the Taoist should not seek the abbot's guidance, as he was unworthy. Instead, they suggested he should seek out a monk from the Shaolin temple, a disciple of the Hui lineage, to receive proper Buddhist training.

The more they talked, the colder the Taoist's expression became.

Just as Abbot Yijie was about to intervene, another pilgrim stepped forward and asked, "Abbot, the Taoist told me I would face a blood disaster. Not long ago, I tripped and almost fell. Could it be related to his prediction?"

Abbot Yijie smiled faintly and signaled to Yichen.

Yichen nodded, raised his hand, and released a light surge of internal energy that lightly struck the pilgrim's ankle. The pilgrim staggered and almost fell again.

"Those who practice martial arts develop internal energy. This Taoist possesses profound power. If he wanted you to fall, it would have been an easy task," Abbot Yijie explained, further inflaming the crowd's anger.

Now, even the more sympathetic individuals began murmuring to themselves, mentally condemning the Taoist.

"Did I not tell you, Taoist? You will face humiliation today. I hope you've tasted the bitterness of disgrace. As I predicted, you will be beaten. How accurate is my prediction?" Abbot Yijie added, his voice steady.

The Taoist suddenly burst into laughter. "Yijie, you're quite good. My plans have failed, but don't get too smug. There will be others seeking you out. And do you really think these peasants are capable of beating me?"

"Let's find out!" Abbot Yijie replied with a calm but firm voice.

With that, Yichen sprang forward, striking at the Taoist with a flurry of palm strikes.

The Taoist kicked the table aside and tossed his feather duster and cloth banner aside, meeting Yichen's blows with his own.

The two clashed in the air, exchanging several fast and fierce strikes, neither giving ground. But as they descended back to the ground, the Taoist was still off balance, his energy not fully recovered from the earlier exchange.

That was when Abbot Yijie made his move.

With a sudden motion, both hands clasped, and only the index fingers remained extended. He waited for the right moment and unleashed a burst of internal energy that shot from his fingertips!

"One Finger of Huangliang!"

Abbot Yijie had learned the names of various techniques from the "Wu Xiang Jie Zhi" and found that saying them during battle added an extra sense of power. When he had defeated a Fuso swordsman previously, he had used two fingers and executed the "One Finger of Twilight Flower" to win. But the Taoist before him was a pre-heaven warrior, so he needed a stronger technique.

The Taoist was in a bad situation. Though he was a pre-heaven warrior, he had just fought with Yichen, and his internal energy was still recovering. Now, with no space to move while mid-air, he could only muster enough strength to protect himself, hoping to block Abbot Yijie's strike.

"Bang!"

Abbot Yijie's finger struck the Taoist with a dull thud. The Taoist felt as if he had been hit with a powerful punch. His internal organs flipped, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

With the force of the strike came a burning sensation, as if he were being set on fire. The Taoist struggled to channel his internal energy to resist the heat.

But he was focused on dealing with the "Wu Xiang Jie Zhi" strike, and didn't notice that Yichen had already approached. With two swift motions, Yichen sealed the Taoist's pressure points.

"Abbot, he's temporarily immobilized. But his internal energy is powerful. It won't be long before he can break the seal," Yichen warned.

Abbot Yijie nodded, then addressed the crowd of pilgrims, "This man has been stealing and harming others. He is truly wicked. I had intended to turn him over to the authorities, but we are too far from the government office, and I don't have the time. So, I ask you, good people, to take him to the authorities for me."

With that, Abbot Yijie turned and left, leaving the Taoist behind, helpless and bound.

The Taoist was desperate. Unable to move or speak due to the pressure points, he realized that being handed over to the common people would be far more humiliating than facing the monk's wrath.

The pilgrims, eager for retribution, quickly bound him up tightly with ropes, vines, and even belts, ensuring he was secured tightly.

Afterward, Yichen sealed his pressure points more thoroughly, knowing that even if the Taoist regained his strength, it would take him at least ten days to break free.

With that, Abbot Yijie and Yichen returned to the mountain. They had no intention of interrogating the Taoist further, knowing he was unlikely to reveal much. The man would endure the consequences of his own misdeeds.

This Taoist's fate was clear. After being turned over to the authorities, he would be a laughingstock in the Jianghu. Such a disgraceful fate would be a bitter lesson to others in the future.

Though the method may have been harsh, Abbot Yijie didn't care. Anyone who dared to trouble him would have to be prepared for failure.

Having offended the abbot, there was no escape.

And after this event, the Taoists and monks would surely learn to be more cautious in the future, understanding that Abbot Yijie was not someone to be trifled with. Should they come again, he would be ready. 

Abbot Yijie looked up at the vast sky. A small white dot appeared, faintly visible amidst the clouds.