The little girl continued:
"All you do is cry, cry, cry! Can you do anything else? Are you going to agree to our marriage or not? Give a straight answer! Although our Yang Clan practices polyandry, my mother said I can only marry you, so you don't have to worry about being bullied by other young monks!"
Hearing this, Jieku actually stopped crying.
He wiped his tears and snot with the robe that covered him entirely:
"I can't go with you now, I have to... wait for soone."
"Who are you waiting for? Can't you wait at my house? If you don't co with , my mother will spank !"
"Does your mother hit hard?"
The little girl gave Jieku a disdainful look:
"Soone like you would probably cry for a whole day. I'm not afraid, at most I'll cry for half a day and be fine!"
"Then you're... pretty tough."
"Of course I'm tough. Let tell you, I have even more impressive things! In my backyard, there's..."
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At this mont, the woman beside her coughed lightly:
"Get to the point."
"Oh. Will you agree to marry ? You can wait for him at my house, it's the sa."
"What does it an to marry you?"
"It ans you beco my husband, and I beco your wife. Other than that, it's no different from being friends!"
Jieku thought about it, and since it was just making friends, it seed okay.
Just as Jieku was about to agree, Zhu Xiaosuo spoke up.
"Jieku, I've co to see you."
The woman from the Yang Clan was furious.
Seeing her niece about to succeed, a roadblock suddenly appeared to disrupt the flow.
When Jieku saw Xiaosuo, he burst into tears again.
The little girl knocked on Jieku's head with a "bang":
"Stop crying! All you do is cry!"
Jieku was imdiately frightened into silence, just looking at Zhu Xiaosuo with teary eyes.
Zhu Xiaosuo found the two kids quite adorable and didn't bla the girl, just took big strides forward.
Everyone was about to question him.
Zhu Xiaosuo imdiately used the newly learned "Wind-Chasing Steps," instantly appearing in front of Jieku.
Jieku stared blankly at Zhu Xiaosuo, very surprised.
"Jieku, I'm here."
Zhu Xiaosuo smiled and extended his hand.
"Okay."
Jieku also extended his small hand to grab Zhu Xiaosuo's two fingers.
The little girl behind was unhappy:
"Even if you can use immortal arts, you can't take him away. My mother is also an immortal! Mmm mmm mmm..."
Before the little girl could finish, the woman from the Yang Clan who brought her covered her mouth and said with a hint of apology:
"Greetings to the head of the Zhu Clan."
The surrounding people from other families, upon hearing that Zhu Xiaosuo had arrived, imdiately paid their respects.
Zhu Xiaosuo returned the greeting:
"My little friend has caused you trouble, he won't be getting married for now, please go back."
Zhu Xiaosuo had figured it out.
The reason these people were surrounding Jieku was likely because they had heard about the matters involving the Old Monk, Jieku, and himself, as well as the note left by the Old Monk.
Directly attaching themselves to the Zhu Clan was too difficult, but if they had Jieku as a link, it would be much easier.
Even if Zhu Xiaosuo forgot about Jieku, it wouldn't matter; these families could always drive Jieku away again.
It's just that their status wasn't high enough, so they hadn't seen Zhu Xiaosuo's appearance.
Otherwise, they would have paid their respects earlier, and maybe left a good impression.
Now that Zhu Xiaosuo had issued an order to leave, it was too late.
Others initially wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to Zhu Xiaosuo, but seeing he had no such intention, they stopped bothering him.
"Please convey my regards to Daoist friends Yang Linqiu and Yang Shuru. I understand their intentions."
Zhu Xiaosuo said to the woman from the Zhu Clan.
This little girl was probably the daughter of the Yang Clan's head, Yang Linqiu.
Her proposal represented the Yang Clan's attitude.
The Yang Clan wanted to use Jieku to show goodwill to the Zhu Clan, and he needed to respond.
I understand your goodwill, and there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future.
How the Yang Clan wanted to cooperate with him wasn't a problem.
But if they wanted to cooperate with Zhuang Yun, whom he represented, that was impossible.
Zhuang Yun was definitely going to be kicked out.
Jieku looked at the group of people who suddenly appeared and then left, feeling bewildered and at a loss.
Zhu Xiaosuo found a cushion to sit beside Jieku.
"How did you beco the abbot?"
"It was supposed to be Senior Brother Jieqi, but a few days ago, the County Magistrate ca to the Empty Form Temple and said I was very clever, so he made the abbot."
"Amitabha. The County Magistrate said you have great wisdom."
Jieqi corrected from the side.
Very clever, Jieku was good at praising himself.
A few days ago?
Probably not long after the banquet at the Red Pavilion.
Having witnessed Zhuang Yun's strength, he ca to the Empty Form Temple to indirectly praise Xiaosuo.
Xiaosuo asked again:
"Jieku, do you want to be the abbot?"
"No. Being the abbot is too tiring, so many people are fighting to marry ! Let Senior Brother be the abbot!"
"Amitabha, only you, Junior Brother, are like this. I, as your Senior Brother, can accompany the ancient Buddha with a green lamp for a lifeti."
Xiaosuo laughed:
"Since you don't want to be the abbot, how about coming with ?"
"Where to?"
"To see the world, have so fun. While you're still young and carefree, you should experience more."
"Sounds fun. Do I have to get married if I go out with you?"
"No."
"Then I'll go!"
After saying that, Jieku struggled to take off the abbot's robe and respectfully handed it to his senior brother.
"Amitabha, Senior Brother, I'm going out to play, you be the abbot."
"Junior Brother, you don't have to make the abbot, you can take over when you co back."
"No, no, no, I can't be the abbot, the abbot has to lead the chanting, and I can't morize a single sutra. You be the abbot, Senior Brother, I know you have them all morized!"
"Amitabha, Junior Brother, could you wash the snot and tears off the robe before giving it to ? Although the Buddha has no form, and the robe has no form, but... ugh..."
Seeing his senior brother in pain, Jieku was a bit at a loss.
Xiaosuo patted Jieku's little head:
"It is a bit gross, all yellow and sticky, go wash it quickly."
"Oh, okay."
With that, Jieku dragged the robe to the backyard to wash it.
"What should I call you, Master?"
Zhu Xiaosuo started chatting with his senior brother.
"Amitabha, this humble monk's dharma na is Jieqi."
"...Did your master give it to you?"
"Yes. Master said I was too curious, so he nad Jieqi."
"...By the way, I still don't know your master's dharma na. I noticed on his morial tablet you only wrote 'First Abbot,' I've always wondered why."
"Amitabha, because Master never wanted others to ntion his dharma na, so naturally we wouldn't write it on the tablet."
"Oh? Then what is your master's dharma na?"
"Shi Kengngguaipian."
"Huh? What was your master's master thinking when he gave him that na? Shi Kengngguaipian? Why not Shi Chihoupiaodu?"
"Amitabha. Master wrote in his diary that in his youth, because he had no money to eat, drink, or gamble, he resorted to deception. Later, he was enlightened by the grandmaster and given this dharma na."
"Alright, that makes sense. Hey, does your master let you read his diary?"
"Amitabha, a monk does not lie. I accidentally saw it while cleaning Master's room."
"Where did your master keep the diary?"
"In a rather conspicuous place."
"Specifically where?"
"Why is the benefactor so curious?"
"I don't keep a diary, just wanted to ask where people who do keep diaries put them. Do you keep a diary?"
"Amitabha, this humble monk does not keep a diary either."
"Exactly, so I can only ask people who do keep diaries. Your master is gone, so I have to ask you."
"Amitabha, the law is not passed on to a third ear, I hope the benefactor will keep this between us and my master."
"Rest assured, Master."
"Amitabha, seven inches to the right of Master's bed is a chanism. Open it, and a secret room appears on the side of the bookshelf. Inside are thirty-two puzzles, including the Nine Linked Rings and Black-and-White Chess. Solve them all, avoid forty-nine traps, and you can see the diary."
Xiaosuo rubbed his face after hearing this.
"Truly a conspicuous place..."
"Amitabha, a monk does not lie."
"Master Jieqi, your master was quite perceptive."
"Amitabha, the benefactor flatters ."
"Give a copy of the diary, or I'll tell your other junior brothers."
"...I treat the benefactor sincerely, why treat this way? Moreover, the benefactor is a cultivator, should uphold their status, and keep their promises."
"Because I have no sha."
Jieqi's face twitched.
"...Fine. But benefactor, one cannot step into the sa river twice, and there are no two identical leaves in the world."
"What does Master Jieqi an?"
"You cannot use the sa thing to threaten soone twice."
"Alright. I'll stay for one night, give you ti to copy the diary for ."
"Amitabha, no need, this humble monk has copied several, there's one ready. Benefactor, take it and... leave, I assu your ti is very precious."
"...Oh, okay."
With that, Jieqi turned and ran to get the diary.
By the ti Jieku finished washing the robe, Zhu Xiaosuo had been standing outside for quite a while.
After hurriedly offering incense to Old Huang, the Shop Assistant, Shi Kengngguaipian, and the substitute, he was chased out by Jieqi.
Patting the diary in his arms, Zhu Xiaosuo was very satisfied.
"Let's go, Jieku."
"Oh, okay."
"Walking is too slow, Zhu Sixiu, find a few fast horses, we'll ride."
"Is that okay?"
"Yes, Master!"
Zhu Xiaosuo rode a horse, with Jieku sitting in front.
There was no rush, so they leisurely rode along.
After a while, Xiaosuo would rub Jieku's little bald head.
Jieku didn't resist.
Suddenly, Jieku looked up and asked:
"Benefactor Zhu, have you really beco an immortal?"
"More or less."
"Oh, they all say you're an immortal, so it must be true."
"Yes, to ordinary people, I am an immortal. They didn't lie to you."
"Since you're an immortal, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"Well, the first ti you ca to the temple, you seed to have a lot of worries. After becoming an immortal, did those worries disappear?"
Zhu Xiaosuo thought for a mont and said:
"Those previous worries did disappear, but there are new ones."
"Oh, so they didn't disappear."
"Pretty much."
"Since the worries didn't disappear, did you get what you wanted?"
What did he want?
Probably freedom and immortality.
Freedom was locked away by Zhuang Yun, and immortality... better not to ntion it.
"Not yet, but I believe I will in the future."
"So you haven't gotten it."
"That's one way to understand it."
"Since your worries didn't disappear, and you didn't get what you wanted, what's the point of becoming an immortal?"
What's the point of becoming an immortal?
Good question.
It was like a heavy blow struck Zhu Xiaosuo's funny bone.
aning?
Then what's the aning of living?
This philosophical question is hard to answer in a way that satisfies everyone.
Zhu Xiaosuo didn't directly answer the question.
Instead, he asked back:
"You cry every day, does crying make your worries disappear?"
"Doesn't seem to."
"Mm, does crying get you what you want?"
"Doesn't seem to."
"Then when you cry, your worries don't disappear, and you don't get what you want, what's the point of crying?"
"Master said because I'm a child, I can cry. When I grow up, I won't have to cry. So, Benefactor Zhu, can you stop being an immortal in the future?"
At this point, Zhu Xiaosuo recalled for the first ti the words on the cover of the "Cultivator's Beginner Guide":
"Cultivation is a path of no return. You can no longer live a mortal life, do not regret it."
Zhu Xiaosuo sighed slightly.
"You can stop crying, but I can't stop being an immortal."
"So you'll be an immortal for life?"
"Yes, until death."
"Then what's the point of becoming an immortal?"
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