Chapter 3, The dense bamboo does not hinder the flow of water, and the high mountains do not obstruct the flight of white clouds

Yang Heng expressed his confusion: "Why, as the abbot here, are you still afraid of what they might say?"

Master Mingdeng let out a satisfied burp and laughed, "Good, good, good—finally encountered a like-minded little friend"

The monk smiled proudly and said, "It is merely a trivial skill; the dog meat I prepare is truly exceptional."

He thought of doing it and quickly ran to the vegetable garden behind the temple, working hard for quite a while, even skipping dinner out of hunger

The monk, without even putting on his shoes, rushed out of the house, panting heavily. He immediately guessed who the culprit was. He hurriedly made his way over, pushed open the door, and shouted at Yang Heng, who had not yet gotten into bed: "Zhenyuan, did you put those things on my bed!"

After a tumultuous event, Master Mingdeng led Yang Heng into his meditation room. Although it was called a meditation room, the walls were bare, and there wasn't even a cushion. Yang Heng was indifferent and sat down on the ground opposite Master Mingdeng.

I have a good master, the Master Mingdeng said with a smile: "People do not look at the monk's face but at the Buddha's face"

He held a dry tree branch strung with frogs in one hand, roasting it over the fire, while fanning the flames vigorously with a tattered palm fan in the other hand. He was also mumbling to himself: "Meat and wine pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart. Amitabha, well done, well done..."

The next morning, because Yang Heng got up a bit late, he was met with a barrage of scolding from Monk Zhen Cai.

Yang Heng was momentarily taken aback, vaguely sensing that the monk's words contained hidden Zen wisdom, and casually remarked: "My home is gone"

The Moonlight Divine Nun sighed and said, "Zhenyuan, you truly make me feel distressed! If Mingtan, my junior sister, knew that you caused such a disaster on your very first day of entering the sect, I cannot imagine how heartbroken and disappointed she would be"

At that moment, Zhenhun and Zhenchan rushed over from behind. Zhenchan pulled out two steamed buns from the wide sleeves of his robe, while Zhenhun looked around and said: "Zhenyuan, hurry and eat, don't let anyone see you"

In the end, she could not bear to pass on any of her unique skills to Yang Heng. After weighing her options, she thought of a compromise and decided to teach him only the Sarva Prajñā Heart Method and the Pure Dharma Body. As for the dangerous techniques of the Yunyan Sect, such as the Flower Picking Finger and the Longshu Sword Technique, she would not teach him any of those for the time being, and would wait to see how Yang Heng's future unfolds before making a final decision.

He is not particularly old, yet his beard is already grizzled. His complexion is a yellowish hue, and his cheeks are gaunt. He has a straight and prominent nose, and his eyes are half-closed, perpetually carrying a half-drunken, half-awake smile. The wrinkles on his forehead are layered, resembling small hills. His monk's robe is partially open, revealing a dark chest, and the Buddhist beads around his neck hang askew, limply draping down to his legs.

Yang Heng interjected, "Master, where is Shewei Country located? Is it far from Emei Mountain? What about Dong Kunlun?"

Yang Heng was momentarily taken aback, slowly digesting Master Mingdeng's words in his heart, and faintly grasped something from within them

The true monk's nose was crooked to one side as he said, "Dare you still argue? I will not punish you; instead, I will inform Master Mingyue of this matter and see how she decides to handle it"

The art of finger manipulation is divided into nine ranks, with the first rank serving as the foundation and the ninth rank representing the pinnacle of achievement. Ordinary disciples of the Yunyan Sect can attain the first rank after three years of training, while those with good aptitude may reach the second rank after eight years. To achieve the third rank, it generally takes around fifteen years.

Master Mingdeng sighed, saying: "With your earlier words, who made me their master? Since I cannot allow them to sink into depravity with me, I can only feign a semblance of dignity in the teachings of the master and the scriptures."

The two individuals arrived at a quiet chamber in the backyard, where the Moon Goddess said: "Speak, how should I punish you?"

Yang Hengdao: "As for Zhen Chan, I find him quite good; he is much more interesting than Zhen Cai the monk"

The Divine Nun of the Bright Moon opened the Diamond Sutra: "Chapter One, The Division of the Causes and Conditions of the Dharma Assembly: Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the country of Shravasti..."

The monk laughed and said, "Good, good, you little monk do possess some wisdom. Come, sit down and let us enlighten each other."

At the age of nine, Yang Heng had only spent less than ten years honing his skills, even if he had started training from the womb. However, he had already mastered the Flower Picking Finger to the third rank. Apart from the dedicated instruction from the Song Yang family, his innate talent was indeed remarkable

Master Mingdeng said: "Well, that is understandable. I am a lay monk who took up the path halfway; I was accustomed to a carefree and leisurely life in the past, so I find it difficult to adhere to these rules and precepts."

Suddenly awakening, he thought: "Why did that monk not finish the frog before leaving? Could it be that he has sensed the true dish is about to arrive? Who exactly is this person, and how can he dare to consume meat and drink alcohol while being on Mount Emei?"

To everyone's surprise, the monk did not turn back, but smiled and said, "Alright, alright, once I have saved these poor frogs, I will go with the young monk to meet the Abbot Mingdeng."

By noon, no one had called him to eat, and it seemed that Zhen Cai had indeed given instructions to let him go hungry for a day

In the past two days, Yang Heng encountered the monks and nuns of the Yunyan Sect, regardless of age or gender, all of whom exhibited dignified appearances and wore neat clothing. Even while walking, they were careful not to let their shoes step into the muddy puddles. Observing the monk's demeanor, he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and thus asked, "Great Monk, where did you ordain? Are you a disciple of the Yunyan Sect?"

Yang Heng blew on it to cool it down, afraid it would be hot, and took a small bite first, exclaiming, "It smells so good"

The Master Mingdeng smiled and said: "My disciples are either incredibly foolish or hopelessly dim-witted. It is rare to encounter a clever and intelligent child like you who suits my taste, so naturally, I will treat you well."

Master Mingdeng patted his messy hair and said: "I am ashamed, I am ashamed, I have only been a monk for eight more years than you"

The Moonlight Divine Nun nodded slightly and said: "I promised yesterday to impart to you the supreme teachings of the Yunyan Sect. However, do you understand that in order to cultivate the unique skills of our sect, one must first comprehend the teachings of Buddhism. Moreover, reading the scriptures to gain enlightenment is fundamental to this process"

The Moon Goddess was greatly troubled, gazing at Yang Heng's face full of questions, truly unsure of how to fulfill the role of a master

Yang Heng felt no admiration or reverence for this unwilling master from the depths of his being. He furrowed his two dark eyebrows, thought for a moment, and then raised his head to ask: "Then why doesn't my father study Buddhism? You said that all things possess Buddha nature; does the ultimate skill for extinguishing the Demon Palace also possess Buddha nature?"

Yang Heng, with a frog bone in his mouth, smiled and said: "I am guiding these frogs, helping them to ascend to paradise early"

The monk let out a belch and laughed, saying: "The child is indeed teachable. Well, I shall take my leave first; you may eat slowly."

Zhen Cai shot a glance at Zhen Hun and Zhen Chan, asking: "What are you two doing here instead of doing your homework?"

Zhen Cai was taken aback and turned around, her face frozen in anger as she lowered her head and called out: "Master!"

"Why can't they be compared? To be honest, my mother's abilities are not as great as my father's."

Master Mingdeng shook his head and said, "Without mentioning him—come here, I will give you something good to eat." He pulled out two chicken legs from his greasy sleeve, which he had somehow obtained, and said, "Let’s make it two plus one equals five; no one will bully anyone."

Little did anyone know that Yang Heng was not afraid at all. He had been accustomed to debating with his mother since childhood. Although Yang Nantai was taciturn, he had always encouraged him to ask questions and think deeply, so he found it hard to change his old habits even when facing Mingyue Shanni.

Yang Hengdao: "This is just one instance. This morning, he also hit me with a broom and refused to let me have breakfast. You are indeed the master of the novice monk, so you should properly discipline him as well"

Yang Heng turned around and saw the Zen monk Zhen Cai along with several monks from the Fa Rong Temple coming to the creek to fetch water. He secretly exclaimed that it was bad, hurriedly turned his back and stuffed the frog into his mouth, swallowing it in a few bites, and said, "I... I didn't do anything."

Yang Heng immediately disregarded the teachings of the Moon Goddess, saying: "Of course I dare, why not go?"

Then I heard the person behind me laughing and asking, "Really, Cai, who are you going to teach a lesson to?"

It turns out that the one who stopped Zhen Cai was none other than the monk who had been seen stealing a kiss by the creek this morning, Yang Heng.

Yang Heng shook his head and said: "This is indeed strange. If you wish to punish me, why do you ask for my opinion? Do you think that if I say no punishment is necessary, you would let me off the hook?"

Yang Heng said with a mix of laughter and tears: "I am not joking with you; my home has truly been destroyed by bad people. Moreover, I am not a little monk, but a lay disciple newly accepted by the Mingyue Divine Nun."

Yang Hengyi could not help but ask, "Why?"

The monk shook his head and said: "There are no wild dogs on Emei Mountain; the last time, I had to sneak down the mountain before I caught one."

Master Mingdeng shook his head and said: "A master is not to be feared, but to be transcended with sincerity."

Yang Hengping suppressed his anger and replied coldly: "My mother taught me the Sarva-prajna heart method, as well as the Nianhua finger and the pure dharmakaya"

The monk was taken aback, turning his face towards Yang Heng for the first time. After a deep glance, he smiled and said: "Well said, well said. I did not expect that you, this young monk, have a more profound understanding than I do. I always thought of the world as my home, with a home in my heart that need not be sought. You, however, have simply emptied the concept of home. Good, very good"

Master Mingdeng said: "True Zen is a good child, but he also has his own issues. He is too self-deprecating and timid, always feeling that his inability to speak makes him inherently inferior. When he sees me, he doesn't even dare to breathe, fearing that he will make a mistake"

As the monk waded across the stream to the opposite bank, he replied, "Those who are destined to meet will come together even from a thousand miles away; those without fate will not recognize each other even when face to face. There is no need for you to seek the poor monk, for you will not find him. Yet, the fact that we can encounter each other is already fate." As he spoke, the figure vanished into the woods on the opposite bank

Originally, the plan was to teach for one hour, but it was not until the sky turned completely dark that the class finally came to an end. It was not that the Moon Goddess had too much free time, but rather that Yang Heng's peculiar questions were endless.

Yang Heng felt a twinge of melancholy as he brought the last frog to his lips, preparing to eat it before returning to the temple, when suddenly he heard an angry shout from behind: "Zhenyuan, what are you doing?"

Yang Heng was already dumbfounded, never having dreamed that he would actually be stealing frogs with Master Mingdeng.

Upon hearing the name of Mingyue Shennie, Yang Heng felt a headache coming on and inwardly lamented: "What bad luck. If I had escaped with that monk just now, I wouldn't have been caught by Zhen Cai."

The Moon Goddess furrowed her brow, but she had long noticed that this child particularly enjoyed probing for answers. She had already thought of her response last night, so she said: "All things in the world possess the nature of Buddha. The various profound teachings of our sect are also derived from the insights of Buddhist doctrine. If you cannot comprehend the subtleties of Buddhist teachings, it is like trying to draw water from a well with a bamboo basket; in the end, it will all be in vain"

"If it is not you, then who could it be?" The Moonlight Divine Nun saw that Yang Heng not only showed no signs of remorse but also stubbornly denied everything, which only fueled her anger further. With a stern expression and a fierce tone, she said, "You are speaking nonsense with your eyes wide open; how uncultured you are, child!"

Yang Heng played and rested by the stream for a long time before leisurely returning to the Fahong Temple

The monk inserted the fan into the back of his collar and said, "Come, you try the monk's skill first." He took a roasted frog from a dry tree branch and handed it to Yang Heng

The monk, with his eyes fixed intently on the frog that was about to be roasted, replied: "The heavens hang low over the mountains beyond, where is there a refreshing breeze that does not belong to an old home? You ask me where I took my vows, but I still wish to ask you, where is your home?"

Yang Heng asked while gnawing on a chicken leg: "Since that is the case, why do you still want to take them as disciples?"

Zhen Hun Zhen Chan hurriedly made his escape upon hearing this. The Divine Nun Mingyue asked, "Zhen Yuan, do you know your mistake?"

Yang Heng nodded and said, "Rest assured, I guarantee to keep it under wraps, lest those old monks and nuns find out and start chattering. Moreover, if I were to speak, wouldn't that implicate myself as well?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Don't try to scare me with that old nun; it's shameless to rely on the power of others."

Upon mentioning Ming Tan, the anger that filled the heart of the Divine Nun Mingyue instantly dissipated like smoke. She looked at Yang Heng and gently sighed, then after a moment said: "As a practitioner of the monastic life, how could I act out of anger? Today, I will begin with the teachings of the Diamond Sutra. Once you have gained some understanding, I will then impart the fourth transformation of the pure Dharma body."

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No matter how clever Yang Heng was, he could never have imagined that his master harbored such thoughts. He merely pouted and said, "Do as you wish; in any case, I will not stay here for long."

Yang Hengda was delighted, having lost the small knife and flint, he sat down beside the monk, and only then did he clearly see the profile of the other party

Suddenly, a filthy hand reached out from behind and grabbed his arm. Zhen Cai, filled with rage, shouted, "Don't stop me, or I'll teach you a lesson too"

Not long after setting off, he felt a gnawing hunger and thought to himself, "Alas, had I known it would be like this, I might as well have sneaked into the kitchen to grab a couple of steamed buns to eat."

Yang Heng smiled without speaking, feeling a subtle regret in his heart. Why was his master not this witty and open-minded Master Mingdeng, but rather a rigid and dull Master Mingyue?

Master Mingdeng said: "You are teasing Zhen Cai because he reported your misdeeds to Master Mingyue?"

The Moonlight Divine Nun showed a look of astonishment and said, "You have already cultivated the Flower-Picking Finger to the third rank?"

Suddenly, he heard the sound of water flowing ahead, as if a small stream was passing by. Yang Heng felt a surge of joy and quickened his pace towards the direction of the sound. Before reaching the stream, he first caught a whiff of an enticing aroma in the air, as if someone was roasting something over a fire, which invigorated him and made him exclaim: "I am not alone on this journey; it turns out that early in the morning, there are others like me who sneak out to satisfy their cravings."

Yang Heng smiled and said, "Who made you his master? If he is not afraid of you, then who else would he fear?"

Yang Heng would not submit to his authority, and they immediately retorted at each other, arguing fiercely. Fortunately, Zhen Chan and Zhen Hun intervened to prevent them from coming to blows. In a fit of anger, he skipped breakfast and ran out of the Fa Rong Temple.

The monk paused for a moment and asked, "Aren't you afraid of breaking the precepts, little monk?"

Zhen Cai was left speechless, pointing at Yang Heng, "You, you and - picture - book, you," clicking a few times without being able to speak, then turned around and left.

Yang Heng eagerly asked, "You still haven't told me who you are. Where should I go to find you in the future?"

The master and apprentice stood in a standoff, each refusing to yield to the other, staring at each other for quite some time. In the end, Mingyue Shanni gazed at Yang Heng, who bore a striking resemblance to her junior sister, and her heart softened. She sighed inwardly, "This child has been deeply affected by Yang Nantai's legacy; why should I hold it against him?" She then softened her tone and asked, "When you were at home, did Mingtan Shimei teach you the unique skills of our sect?"

He rushed over and, from a distance, saw a monk with disheveled hair and a conical hat sitting by the crystal-clear stream. This monk was tall and thin, wearing a tattered robe, with more holes in it than the lice he harbored on his body. A cloth belt was loosely tied around his waist, and his straw sandals lay beside him while he was barefoot.

Yang Heng detected the surprise in her voice and said with some pride: "Yes, I am not lying about this."

Yang Hengda found it amusing and had a mischievous thought. He quietly approached the monk from behind and suddenly shouted, "Hey, you monk, how dare you take a life? Come with me to see Master Mingdeng!"

Yang Heng did not expect him to respond this way, and exclaimed: "Does eating them count as enlightenment?"

After the evening class, the monk Zhen Cai returned to his room with his fellow disciples, washed up, and spread out his bedding in preparation for sleep. Unexpectedly, just after lying down for a short while, he felt an itch all over his body, and scratching was of no help. He had no choice but to get up and, by the light of the oil lamp, took a closer look, nearly vomiting on the spot. It turned out that his bedding and the area under his pillow were crawling with small insects

Yang Heng looked innocent and asked with a smile, "Really, Master Cai, what do you have on your bed?"

Yang Heng looked at the string of frogs roasted to a golden yellow and swallowed hard, saying: "Hearing you say that does make some sense. Monk, can I help you in transforming these frogs?"

Yang Heng said loudly: "Yes, my parents are not around, so naturally there is no one to teach or raise me. But I never asked you to take care of me!"

Yang Heng secretly cursed Zhen Cai for seeking personal revenge, yet he smiled and said: "Master, I have made quite a few mistakes these past two days; I wonder which one you are referring to?" As he spoke, he shot a fierce glare at Zhen Cai, as if to say that trying to use Master Mingyue to suppress him was out of the question

Yang Heng pondered and said: "The disciples of the Sāṃkhya Prajñā Heart Method have reached the second level, the Flower Picking Finger has attained the third rank, but the Pure Dharma Body is still lacking, having just learned the first three transformations."

Master Mingdeng sighed and said, "There is no way around it; I cannot refuse those who come to me for guidance, can I?"

Yang Heng's expression changed, and he exclaimed: "What is wrong with my father? He is a man of great stature, a true hero!"

The monk, with a face turning blue from anger, shouted: "It must be you; I will definitely kill you!" He raised his hand and was about to strike Yang Heng's face.

Yang Heng and his companions finished eating the frog, and after spitting out the bones, he asked, "So when shall we go catch a wild dog for you to cook for me to taste again"

She slammed the table with a "bang" and feigned anger, saying: "How dare you compare the unorthodox techniques of the Demon Palace with the supreme Buddhist teachings of our sect?"

The Moon Goddess asked: "To what extent have you cultivated these three ultimate skills of our sect?"

The monk said: "The young monk is unaware that these frogs are born in the mundane world. They fear becoming food for others, and they also dread not being able to catch flying insects, leaving them hungry and troubled. Now that they have attained liberation, they have also provided the monk with a delicious breakfast. If the merit of this act is attributed to others while the enjoyment is mine, is it not a case of achieving two benefits with one action?"

Master Mingdeng smiled at him, wrapped the eaten chicken bones in paper, and handed them to Yang Heng, saying: "Later, secretly take these chicken bones outside and bury them, do not let Zhen Cai and the others see them"

Yang Heng exclaimed, "So you took up the monkhood later in life; I thought you had been a monk since childhood"

The monk, with a face ashen, exclaimed: "I have seen it all, you are eating frogs!" Upon further inspection of the small knife and flint beside Yang Heng, it could be considered irrefutable evidence, infuriating him to the point of exclaiming: "You, you!"

The two of them each took a big bite, and the monk, feeling spirited, took the wine gourd from his waist and gulped down a couple of mouthfuls. He said, "Little monk, you must not tell anyone about my treating you to frogs."

At this point, the Moon Goddess truly became angry, her expression darkening as she said: "What do you understand? The demonic sect's techniques are inherently devious, employing any means necessary to achieve their ends. How can they compare to my Yunyan Sect, which is grounded in Buddhism, upright and expansive? It is like sailing on the vast ocean; in the midst of a storm, a ship may harness the wind to sail faster than in calm waters, but the danger of capsizing and losing lives is ever-present, making such a method hardly commendable"

Just then, outside the temple gate, the Moon Goddess Mingyue coughed, and accompanied by Monk Zhen Cai, walked in. Yang Heng pretended not to see and took big bites of the steamed bun, deliberately trying to provoke Zhen Cai.

After the class ended, Yang Heng escorted the Mingyue Shennü out. Upon returning to the temple, he happened to run into the Zhen Cai monk. Seeing him walk into the main hall with an air of indifference, Yang Heng was immediately reminded of how he had been bullied by him earlier that morning and had reported it to the Mingyue Shennü. Anger surged within him as he thought: "This monk is so arrogant and truly detestable. I need to come up with a way to play a trick on him, so I can vent my frustration."

Yang Heng was already hungry; he took the chicken leg and began to eat it with great relish. He asked, "Master, why are you so good to me?"

"Who is your master?" Yang Heng asked after a moment of thought, "Aren't you and my master fellow disciples?"

Yang Heng, seeing the Moon Goddess in anger, instead became calm and said with a smile: "Please do not be angry. As the saying goes, the more one debates, the clearer the truth becomes. I have questions in my heart, and naturally, I must raise them. If you become upset and my mother finds out when she returns, she will blame me for causing trouble"

Yang Heng scoffed as she mentioned her mother's name again, saying, "If my mother were here, she wouldn't care about me eating frogs. Besides, those frogs weren't caught by me; not eating them would be a waste."

The Moon Goddess felt displeased and, not wishing to reprimand her disciple in front of Zhen Cai, said: "Of course, it is about this morning's matter. Follow me to the back to talk."

Yang Heng was even more surprised and asked, "So you have been promoted to the abbot of the Fa Rong Temple so quickly?"

The Moon Goddess thought: "This child, at such a young age, already possesses a head full of fallacies and heresies. If I do not subdue him now, who knows how far it might escalate in the future"

Yang Heng put away the chicken bones and said, "Master, I feel that you are indeed somewhat different from other monks and nuns"

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Yang Heng smiled and said: "The Buddha said: 'If I do not enter hell, who will enter hell?' If my sins can save all beings, how wonderful, how wonderful."

Master Mingdeng said: "Don't ask so many questions; it's all the same for monks, regardless of their sect. By the way, after being punished this afternoon, do you still dare to accompany me to catch wild dogs to eat?"

Yang Heng took the steamed bun and joyfully said: "Truly meaty, truly Zen, you two are really good friends"

The Divine Nun of the Bright Moon, extremely enraged, exclaimed: "You are truly incorrigible, resembling that demon with the surname Yang!"