Chapter 574: Rules
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Red Boy asked puzzled, “What are you doing? Why are you trembling before the fight?”
“What do you know? This is called relaxing your body! It allows me to control my strength. I’m afraid I might deliver too much strength and end up killing your master with one punch.” Liu Beijun bragged a bit in pa.s.sing. The bragging could scare his opponent, and he could psyche himself up with it too. This was a battle strategy.
When Fangzheng heard that, he said, “So that’s how it is. This Penniless Monk shall relax his body too then.”
And so, Fangzheng stamped his feet.
Dong dong dong!
The ground quaked as Fangzheng stamped his feet. Although it was not on the level of an earthquake, the shaking was something Liu Beijun could feel acutely. More obvious was the state of the ground. A huge footprint was left in the ground when Fangzheng stamped his foot! The marks from the bottom of his shoe could be clearly seen.
Liu Beijun attempted to stamp his foot, but the ground did not move at all.
At that moment, Fangzheng struck out into the air, and the air produced a cracking sound. It was like a martial arts film!
Fangzheng did not think much of it. All he wanted to do was relax his body. He had not used all his strength and felt that delivering those few strikes was nothing. After this he said, “Patron, can we begin?”
When Fangzheng looked up, he saw n.o.body!
“Where is he?” Fangzheng was stumped as he gave Red Boy an inquisitive look.
Red Boy pointed in the direction of the main door, where the sounds of sweeping could be heard…
Fangzheng was rendered completely speechless. What happened to the saying that the youth know no fear? Indeed, fairy tales are all lies. Sigh.
Noon soon arrived. Monkey finished preparing lunch as Fangzheng and his disciples took their seats. Liu Beijun came over when he caught a whiff of the Crystal Rice’s fragrance. He had been bent on running previously, so he hadn’t carefully observed the monastery. Now that he was behaving himself, he finally began to notice certain details about the monastery. For example, it was the first time he noticed that the tables and chairs were all made of emerald green Frost Bamboo. The workmans.h.i.+p was intricate, and every piece of furniture looked beautiful. Under the sunlight, the pieces emitted a mysterious green that made them extremely beautiful.
Although Liu Beijun was still a child, he was not a fool. He could tell at a glance that the furniture was worth a lot. Besides, the most famous things of One Finger Village were its Frost Bamboo products. However, compared to those at the foot of the mountain, these were a lot more beautiful. Liu Beijun was at a loss for words. Thinking about the prices of the bamboo products down the mountain and then looking at the furniture in the monastery, he soon figured out that any piece of furniture there was worth a lot.
He looked down at the broom in his hand. Apparently, it was also made of Frost Bamboo. He suddenly realized that he had entered a baller’s nest…
However, Liu Beijun was even more astonished at how extremely intelligent the animals in the monastery were, almost as though they were demon spirits! The way the monkey sat there as he ate looked identical to a human’s behavior. Even the squirrel sat properly, using a piece of bamboo as his bowl…
There was no need to mention Red Boy. The only thing that left him slightly comfortable was the huge white wolf. The big guy did not sit at the table to eat. Instead, he ate on the ground with his a.s.s high up in the air. The only thing special about him was that his food bowl was huge, really huge!
But after his astonishment, his stomach began to growl. He had fought with his father, Liu Hongyun, in the morning, so he had not eaten breakfast. He had swept the leaves an entire morning, and now he was truly hungry. Furthermore, he discovered that the rice on the mountain was unlike the rice he usually ate. Each grain of rice looked filling and ample. The grains were crystalline, like they were vessels of ambrosia. The smell was refres.h.i.+ngly fragrant and the more he took it in, the more it whet his appet.i.te. He really wanted to eat.
At that moment, Fangzheng looked up. “Has the yard been swept clean?”
Liu Beijun immediately said, “Almost! Can I eat once I’m done sweeping?”
Fangzheng nodded. “Of course, but you have to be quick. If you are too slow, there won’t be any left.” Although Fangzheng had asked Monkey to cook an additional portion, everyone on the mountain had bottomless stomachs. If these guys really wanted to eat, finis.h.i.+ng Liu Beijun’s portion would be nothing.
When Liu Beijun heard that, he instantly turned anxious. He rushed back to the front yard and quickly swept clean the few leaves on the ground. However, he did not realize that the instant he ran off, Lone Wolf, Red Boy, and Monkey sped up their eating. Even Squirrel squeezed two rice b.a.l.l.s into his mouth and without even swallowing, he rushed out with his bowl for more.
Liu Beijun was very fast. After he swept the yard clean and confirmed that no more leaves fell, he quickly returned to the backyard. Before he could even say a word, he saw the huge white wolf on the ground. His stomach was round and full, his tongue was hanging by his mouth, and his legs were facing the sky. It was as though he was completely satiated.
On the table, Squirrel sat there motionlessly like a ball.
By the side of the table, the child was leaning on the chair, rubbing his stomach.
The only one who looked normal was the monkey. He sat there like a rock. His completely unperturbed state made him resemble an accomplished monk.
Upon seeing this, Liu Beijun had an ominous feeling. He rushed to the kitchen and saw a particular monk finish the last mouthful of rice…
“Where’s the rice? Where’s the rice? Where’s the rice!?” Liu Beijun’s furious roar sounded from the kitchen as the sound of a scoop grazing the bottom of a pot was heard.
When Monkey heard that, he quickly dashed off. Only when he stood up did everyone notice that he had two rice b.a.l.l.s in his hands. He had hidden them under his robes, but unfortunately, Liu Beijun had not noticed.
As for Lone Wolf, Squirrel, and Red Boy, who appeared as though they were dead, they immediately returned to their own hideouts when they heard the commotion. It was as though the situation had nothing to do with them.
At that moment, Liu Beijun rushed out as he angrily demanded for an answer.
Fangzheng stood up and smiled at him. “This monastery has the rule that the final person to eat has to do the dishes. You are the last one, so remember to wash the dishes after you are done eating.”
With that said, Fangzheng left.
Liu Beijun stood in his spot and looked at the bowls on the table that were so clean that they looked as though a dog had licked all over them. A cold wind blew across him as he felt aggrieved. As a dreary feeling rose in him, he wailed.
Fangzheng sat in his meditation room and listened to Liu Beijun cry. Although his heart softened a little, he bore with it. Fangzheng knew very well that Liu Beijun acted so capriciously because his family had given into him too much. Hence he now believed that the whole world would give into him, and he acted as he wished everywhere, believing that people would treat him well nonetheless. Fangzheng wanted to make him understand that no one would be nice to him for no good reason. Even a kind monk would not be a goody two-shoes for no reason. It was all too true that helping a man once gained grace and not helping him a second time gained hatred. It was not that easy to be a nice person.
Regardless of how sadly Liu Beijun cried, he still had to do the dishes. And then he continued sweeping the yard with an empty stomach the entire afternoon. Having witnessed how the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds in the monastery had hearts of stone, Liu Beijun no longer dared challenge the monastery’s rules. The only thing he had in mind was to finish sweeping the yard before dinner. There was not to be a single fallen leaf, and he would be the first to eat. He was adamant about not letting those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds eat his food!