The ultimate master in the city

Zhou Fengchen asked, "Why is his temper acting strangely?"

The old man said, "Master Wu, I don't know where he came from. He suddenly appeared here ten years ago, built a temple and took in disciples. He doesn't usually accept incense money. He just goes to people's homes to treat illnesses or handle some difficult matters. But if you ask him for help, he won't help you easily unless you pay him. He decides how much money to pay. Sometimes it's hundreds of billions. Who has that kind of money? Or you can do something for him in exchange. This thing might be stealing someone's underwear or carrying manure for someone. It's very strange. I don't know what he's thinking."

Zhou Fengchen and the other two exchanged glances. Monk Yuanzhi said, "Heh! He's got guts. How about we beat him up?"

The old man shook his head and said, "Someone tried to beat him up before, but they failed. The man died the next day after falling off his bicycle."

Zhou Fengchen waved his hand, "Alright! Just tell me where he is. Let's go find him and see."

"Twenty miles to the west, Sunflower Town!"

……

After dawn, Zhou Fengchen and his two companions finished breakfast and were led by a man named Ali, whom they had visited before. By the time they arrived at their destination, it was almost noon.

Sunflower Town is said to be surrounded by sunflowers in the summer, making it look beautiful. However, it is winter now, and the town is bare. The brick houses and bamboo houses are mixed together, and people dressed in Miao costumes wander around, making it look very chaotic.

The group of four arrived at a secluded spot on the westernmost edge of the town. Ali pointed to a Buddhist temple built on the mountainside and said, "This is it!"

"Here!? This isn't a Taoist temple?" Zhou Fengchen and the other two found it strange.

Judging from the name Wu Daozhu, one would expect him to be a Taoist priest, but it turns out he is actually a Buddhist monk.

Ali said, "This is the place. It's the only temple for miles around, and Master Wu is the abbot."

"Okay! You can go back now." Zhou Fengchen waved his hand.

After Ali left, the three of them discussed it. Zhang Shisan said, "People with strange tempers usually have great abilities. We're asking Master Wu to help us summon the spirit, but it's hard to say whether this is a big deal or a small deal for him. We should prepare the money first and see what happens."

The three of them took out all their money. Monk Yuanzhi had no money at all, Zhou Fengchen had more than 10,000 yuan, and Zhang Shisan had 3,000 yuan, totaling 14,000 yuan.

The money was soaked in water, sticky and wet. Zhang Shisan patted it twice and said, "Fourteen thousand, and it's been soaked in water. Buying the souls of three girls, I doubt it'll be enough."

Zhou Fengchen said, "Never mind, let's go inside first and talk about it later."

The three of them arrived at the temple gate and saw that the temple had a strange name: Painting Soul Temple.

It read strangely unsettling, and the three of them pondered it for a while but still couldn't figure it out.

Upon entering the temple, there weren't many people inside. Two young novices were sweeping the floor, and three middle-aged monks were fetching water and washing vegetables, seemingly preparing lunch.

Strangely, these monks all had red eyes, were bound with hemp rope, and wore mourning clothes, as if someone in their family had died.

At this moment, a young monk who looked like a guest master rushed out of the main hall. He was also wearing a hemp rope and a mourning cap, and he put his palms together. "Amitabha! What brings you here, esteemed benefactors?"

Zhou Fengchen and his two companions were taken aback. Could the monks in a temple ask worshippers what they wanted? Then they realized that the temple didn't accept donations.

Zhang Shisan stated directly, "We've come to see Master Wu; we have a favor to ask!"

The monk in charge of receiving guests reddened his eyes and said, "Brother Wu Miao from the temple died last night. The master is heartbroken and may not accept worshippers."

The monk Yuanzhi, with his sharp eyes, pointed into the main hall and said, "Aren't there two worshippers over there?"

Zhou Fengchen and Zhang Shisan looked into the hall, and sure enough! Under a strange Buddha statue, two girls were kneeling.

The monk in charge of receiving guests shook his head. "These two are widows from the town. They are determined to become nuns, but our temple does not accept nuns."

Monk Yuanzhi acted like a rogue, saying, "I don't care, since there are people here, we're going in too."

The monk in charge of reception had no choice. "Well... alright, please come in, three benefactors!"

The three followed the monk into the main hall. As soon as they entered, they all shivered for no reason, feeling that something was wrong; it was chilly.

The Buddha statue enshrined in the main hall is an eight-armed, wrathful heavenly king, ferocious and strange, with wide-open bronze eyes that seem to be staring at everyone who enters the hall. Even if the temple did accept incense offerings, no one would want to come here, and it's easy to have nightmares at night.

After the monk handed over three bundles of bedding, he whispered, "I'll go tell the master," and went to the back hall.

Monk Yuanzhi blinked, pointed at the Buddha statue, and whispered, "Is this Wu Daozhu out of his mind? Buddhism emphasizes compassion and universal salvation. It would be much better if you worshipped the Tathagata or Maitreya Buddha, or even Guanyin or Samantabhadra. Why worship this thing?"

Zhou Fengchen shushed him, "Why do you care what they worship? It's none of our business if they worship Mickey Mouse. Sit down and wait."

"Hey!" Monk Yuanzhi chuckled and threw down the bundle.

The three men sat on the mat, looking around for a while, and then their eyes fell on the two widows next to them. They were both young, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, and looked pretty. However, they had their eyes closed, their faces were haggard, and they were muttering something to themselves.

Monk Yuanzhi, who was nearby, became curious and listened intently. Looking bewildered, he turned back and whispered, "They're actually swearing?"

Zhou Fengchen and Zhang Shisan thought he was talking nonsense, so they turned their heads to listen, and sure enough...

The two women were muttering to themselves, their mouths filled with vulgarities:

"Thief, villain, you killed our husband!"

"You've taken over our bodies, but you don't want us anymore! You disgusting thief!"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!

……

The three looked at each other, wondering what was going on.

Just then, the guest monk returned, palms together, and said, "Amitabha! My master asked me to ask you something."

Wow! They really have a big attitude!

Zhou Fengchen frowned and asked, "Isn't Master Wu coming out?"

The monk in charge of receiving guests said, "Didn't I tell you? My senior brother died last night. Master is grieving and doesn't wish to see any guests!"

Zhou Fengchen said, "Alright! We have three Scattered Flower Cave maidens in our family who have lost their souls. We would like to ask Master Wu for help."

Zhang Shisan, standing nearby, shoved the money over and said, "That's right! This is all the money we have, look..."

"Please wait a moment, gentlemen, while I go and inquire."

The monk who received the money hurried to the back hall, and returned shortly after, handing the money back as well. "Master said the matter can be handled, but the money is insufficient!"

Zhou Fengchen and the other two exchanged a glance, breathed a sigh of relief, but felt quite awkward.

Zhang Shisan scratched his head and asked, "How much more is needed?"

The monk in charge of receiving guests looked puzzled. "Master said we're still short 190 billion pounds!"

"Fuck your mother, you bald monk!"

Zhou Fengchen and his two companions suddenly became famous. 190 billion...in pounds? That's an incredible sum! Even if we pawned our underwear, it wouldn't be a tiny fraction of that.

The monk who was in charge of receiving guests took two steps back and said, "Don't be angry, don't be angry! Master also said that if you don't have money, he can help you with something to exchange for it!"

Zhou Fengchen said coldly, "Speak!"

The monk in charge of receiving guests said, "Master said that two of the three benefactors have pure auras and profound Taoist skills. They should have learned Taoist arts and have some ability to exorcise demons. Seventeen miles north of Sunflower Town, there is a town called Iron Head Town. The house of the town's steward, Master Miao, has recently been haunted by evil spirits. Go and help exorcise them!"

I like the novel "The Strongest Master in the City".