The next morning, Baoyu had already finished washing up early.
He stood at the entrance of the mountain path, dressed in a gray monk’s robe, wearing traditional cloth shoes with thick soles, and hiding the Purple Buddha in the wide sleeve of his robe. He carried a small pack on his back.
Master Jiekong and Senior Brother Baowen stood behind him.
Master Jiekong, with concern for his disciple in his eyes, slowly spoke, “Baoyu, a friend of mine will meet you at the foot of the mountain and take you to the train station.
Since you’ve never been down the mountain before, I was worried and wanted my friend to have one of his men accompany you, but he said it just so happened that he was heading that way and would meet you personally. He should be there soon. Your ticket is already taken care of.
Ah, and my friend’s surname is Dou. You can call him Uncle Dou!”
Baoyu nodded, “Don’t worry, Master. I’m not a child anymore. I’ll remember everything you told me, and I’ll make sure to bring honor to you at the Luotian Daoist Gathering!”
“Good, now go ahead. Be careful on the road!”
“Goodbye, Master. Goodbye, Senior Brother. Call me if anything comes up.”
“…”
“…”
“In the first month, there are no flowers to pick…
In the second month, flowers begin to bloom…
In the third month, peach blossoms red like the sea…
In the fourth month, grape vines bloom…”
“…”
Baoyu hummed softly to himself…
Since coming to this world three years ago, to Lingyin Temple, he had discarded his former bad habits.
Now, he almost forgot that he used to be a brash, undefeated young man from the digital battlefield of Zhuo’an for several years…
In the purity of the Buddhist sanctuary, he had trained his body and mind, cultivating restraint from greed, ignorance, and anger.
All those crude words and behavior were long left behind.
Now, as he walked down the mountain path, Baoyu felt a lightness in both his body and mind, like a bird released from its cage…
No, wait…
I can’t think like that. Baoyu shook his head, clearing those thoughts from his mind.
Lingyin Temple was his home. He loved it here. Master Jiekong and Senior Brother Baowen were the only family he had in this world…
Before transmigrating, Baoyu had been three years older than his current self. In his previous life, he wasn’t completely powerless, but he had been a recluse lacking physical exercise.
Now, in this 21-year-old body, there was explosive power, with the innate vital energy flowing through him like a rushing river.
The Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic…
The Great Compassion Palm…
Xin-Yi Fist…
The Eighteen Arhat Hands…
The Light Body Technique…
The Breath Counting Meditation…
He had a solid foundation in many Buddhist martial arts, and could now be called someone who possessed exceptional skills.
Master Jiekong had said that in today’s younger generation, there were very few people from various sects or factions who could best him. It wasn’t an empty compliment!
…
Baoyu moved swiftly and soon reached the base of the mountain.
Since this was the back exit of the mountain and it was still early, there weren’t any tourists around—only a black car parked by the roadside.
A Volkswagen Passat.
The car was still running, and someone was inside. Baoyu wasn’t sure if this car was here to pick him up.
Just as he was about to take out his phone…
Click
The front door of the car opened, and a bald man emerged from the driver’s seat…
Wait, no, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline emerged.
The man was tall and thin, with balding at the top, surrounded by a ring of black hair on the sides like stars encircling the moon.
Baoyu subconsciously rubbed his bald head, where a bump on his forehead stood out. He missed the days when he had hair.
The man with the receding hairline held a cigarette between his fingers, wearing a gray jacket, black straight-legged trousers, and shiny leather shoes.
The man smiled warmly as he approached Baoyu, “You must be Master Baoyu. Master Jiekong asked me to take you to the train station.”
Baoyu stepped forward, clasping his hands together, “You must be Uncle Dou. My master instructed me to follow your arrangements on the way. Thank you for coming all the way here!”
Uncle Dou chuckled and took out a train ticket from his pocket, handing it to Baoyu. “Master Baoyu, no need to be so polite. Master Jiekong and I go way back. Here’s your ticket.”
Baoyu accepted it, “Thank you, Uncle Dou.”
“Haha, Master Baoyu, you’re quite handsome. Your senior brothers don’t compare!”
Baoyu looked puzzled, “Senior brothers? My master only has me and Senior Brother Baowen as disciples.”
“Ah, um…”
“Oh, right, I must’ve misspoken. Please, Master Baoyu, get in the car.”
“…”
They drove in silence. There wasn’t much traffic, so they reached Hangzhou train station in just half an hour.
Baoyu stood outside the station, “Uncle Dou, I’ll head inside now.”
“Alright, Master Baoyu. Just take your ticket and board the train. Stay safe on the journey!”
“I will. Take care, Uncle Dou.”
With that, Baoyu strode into the waiting hall.
…
Uncle Dou drove his Passat through the streets, smoking a cigarette.
His phone rang, and he tapped his Bluetooth earpiece.
“…”
“Hey, Zizai, what’s up?”
“Dou, what’s going on in the south? Why are the people from the north getting involved? Isn’t that your turf?”
The voice on the other end of the line belonged to a middle-aged man with a deep, magnetic tone. From the sound alone, one would assume he was a refined, gentle person…
Uncle Dou answered casually.
“Ah, it’s because of Zhang Chulan. The Grandmaster is stirring things up big time, and it’s all centered around him.
The company is taking the opportunity to clean up Quanxing, as their recent activities have gotten too excessive.
So, the company decided to let the Xu family from Central China handle the matter. We’re just here to assist, catching some small fry…”
“Heh, I don’t mind. As a temp worker, I’m just doing grunt work for you anyway. But this isn’t like you, Dou. This job could earn you a lot of credit. Are you just handing it over? That’s not your style!”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. We’re all coworkers. Who handles it doesn’t matter…”
Uncle Dou paused for a moment. “By the way, Zizai, you’ll never guess who I was just with.”
“Oh? Off to meet one of your little girlfriends this early in the morning?” The voice teased.
“…”
The veins on Uncle Dou’s forehead throbbed.
“I just came back from Lingyin Temple, where I went to pick up your junior brother!”
“…”
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
“My junior brother… You mean… Baoyu?” The voice trembled slightly.
“That’s right. He’s also going to the Luotian Daoist Gathering this time. Master Jiekong asked me to take him to the train station.”
“Whew~”
The man on the other end exhaled deeply, clearly stirred by the news.
“Heh, it’s been so many years, almost twenty, right? When I was still at the temple, Baoyu was just a toddler…
He didn’t even know how to call me senior brother back then. And now he’s going to compete with the finest young talents. That’s something…”
The man, called Zizai, paused. “Dou, how’s… Master Jiekong’s health?”
Uncle Dou gripped the steering wheel tightly, his thoughts elsewhere as he slowly replied, “I didn’t see the master, but when we spoke on the phone, his voice was full of energy.”
“That’s good… That’s good!”
“…”
“Well, Dou, I have some other things to take care of, so I’ll talk to you later.”
“Alright, talk soon.”
…
After hanging up, Uncle Dou rolled down the window and flicked his cigarette butt far out of the car.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152