At that moment in the shop, the three men exchanged glances. The two standing by the counter looked at the middle-aged man seated in the chair, his eyes fixed on the door. A faint, knowing smirk appeared on his lips.
“Interesting…”
…
Walking down the street, Baoyu pondered the scene that had just unfolded, mulling it over in his mind.
The scruffy man with the stubble… what did he use? Something that could stir the most primal desires in people.
When those pink particles started to emanate from the man, Baoyu hadn’t sensed any qi fluctuations. The man had just lightly waved his hand, and the lust-filled particles filled the entire room.
Baoyu was certain that the man’s abilities didn’t stop there. Without using any qi, he had driven an ordinary person into a confused, drooling mess. If the man had employed his full power, even those with special abilities might not have been able to resist.
However, such powers were ineffective against Baoyu. His practice of Buddhist teachings inherently countered such deviant methods. Besides, the Violet Buddha his master gave him provided extra protection, so even if the man had used his full strength, he wouldn’t have been able to harm Baoyu at all.
But the shopkeeper was just an ordinary person with a weak mind. Under such enchantment, becoming a mindless fool was the least of his worries. He could have easily succumbed to desire, leading to mental collapse and death within a short time.
To use such a vicious method over a trivial dispute… wasn’t that going too far?
As a disciple of Buddhism, how could Baoyu simply stand by and watch someone die right in front of him without doing anything?
That’s why he had stepped in, saving the shopkeeper’s life. What happened after that, though, was no longer his concern.
As for those three men, they were not ordinary people.
Would he run into them again at the upcoming gathering?
Heh…
…
Baoyu suddenly stopped in his tracks, frozen on the spot.
“My bag?”
He reached behind him, but his bundle was gone.
Baoyu slapped his forehead.
“Damn it, I left it at the shop!” It must still be on the table where he had eaten.
He wasn’t used to carrying things around, having spent most of his time on the mountain without ever needing to take a bag with him. Now, having come down with his belongings, he hadn’t quite adjusted.
Quickly, he turned and hurried back toward the shop, hoping his bag would still be there. Hopefully, those three men hadn’t taken it.
He rushed through the door, only to find…
Just as he feared, the bag was gone. The dishes from his meal still sat on the table, but his bundle was nowhere to be seen.
And those three men were gone too.
The chubby shopkeeper was sitting behind the counter, looking dazed but somewhat recovered.
Baoyu quickly approached the counter. “Did you see those three men take my bundle? Did they leave with it? Where did they go?”
The shopkeeper snapped out of his daze, his expression now cold and impatient as he waved Baoyu off. “I didn’t see anything! They left a while ago.”
“Do you have any cameras in here? Can I check the footage?”
“Heh, you think a place like mine would have cameras?” The shopkeeper’s face showed annoyance.
Baoyu frowned but didn’t argue. He realized it made sense—what kind of scammy shop would bother installing cameras?
He turned on his heel, ready to leave, hoping he could still catch up to the three men.
“Hey, monk!”
The shopkeeper called out behind him.
Baoyu paused, turning back with a glimmer of hope.
“Did you see my bundle? Where did they go?”
“I didn’t see your bundle, but that pack of tissues you opened on the table? That’s ten yuan. You opened it, so I can’t sell it anymore. Pay up before you leave.”
“???”
Baoyu stared at the greasy, pale-faced shopkeeper in shock. Even after all that had happened, this guy was still trying to scam him.
And weren’t tissues supposed to be free in restaurants?
Without saying a word, Baoyu turned and walked out, not even bothering to look back.
The shopkeeper, unwilling to let it go, yelled after him, “Hey! You can’t leave without paying!”
Baoyu’s face darkened as he reached the door, a flicker of fire dancing in his eyes.
He placed a hand on the doorframe and paused.
No cameras, huh?
Heh.
With a subtle twitch of his wrist on the doorframe, he left without looking back.
Moments later, the shopkeeper felt a violent tremor beneath his feet, like an earthquake. He grabbed the counter for support, barely managing to stay upright.
When he looked up again, the monk was gone.
And then—
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed through the shop, triggering a chain reaction. The tables, chairs, and counter began to creak and groan under an invisible pressure.
In an instant, legs snapped, and furniture collapsed to the ground with a crash.
Right in front of the shopkeeper’s wide-eyed, dumbfounded gaze, the counter split cleanly in two, spilling dishes and food across the floor.
Dust filled the air…
…
Baoyu briskly walked down the street, his prayer beads spinning rapidly in his hands as he scanned the crowd.
But in the bustling streets, the three men were nowhere to be found.
…
He hadn’t brought many things with him on this trip down the mountain. His phone and the Violet Buddha were with him, but the bundle contained some cash, his ID, and a change of clothes.
His master had told him that during the Luotian Grand Ceremony, all accommodations and meals for participants would be covered by the Celestial Masters’ mansion, so he hadn’t brought much cash.
And because he found it inconvenient, he’d even left his monk’s certificate back at the temple.
Losing his ID would be a hassle, but he could always apply for a temporary one after the tournament. What bothered him most was losing the extra monk’s robe he had brought. Now, he only had the one he was wearing. He’d have to be extra careful with it because if it got damaged, he’d be left with no choice but to wear Taoist robes…
Finding those three now seemed impossible.
“Don’t let me run into you during the tournament!” Baoyu thought bitterly.
The truth was, he had spent the past three years cultivating in peace on the mountain, refining not just his martial skills but also his Buddhist teachings and mental discipline.
But in his previous life, he had been a carefree young man with a bit of a goofy personality. Though his time on the mountain had mellowed him out, this trip down had begun to revive some of his old tendencies.
And after what had just happened—saving the shopkeeper’s life, only for the man to try and scam him multiple times—who could stay calm?
Even with all his years of training, Baoyu couldn’t help but dish out a little payback.
As for whether this would affect his spiritual progress, Baoyu didn’t care. His master had always taught him that monks should be compassionate and true to themselves, but also live freely and without fear.
“Forget it. The stuff’s gone. I’ll head up to Dragon Tiger Mountain, pay my respects to the Celestial Master, and then deal with everything else.”
Baoyu thought to himself.
Following the signs, he soon arrived at the mountain’s base.
There, he saw a large boulder with three characters carved into it in bold red strokes:
Dragon Tiger Mountain!
Beside the boulder was a stone-paved path leading up the mountain. It was packed with tourists, all dressed in colorful outfits, making their way up.
Both sides of the path were lined with lush green trees growing from the cliffs and valleys. Birds flitted through the branches, their songs echoing through the forest.
Looking at the scene before him, Baoyu felt his frustration from the theft begin to dissipate.
His body and mind felt lighter.
Dragon Tiger Mountain!
The Luotian Grand Ceremony!
Heroes from all over!
I’m coming…
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152