Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 656: Performing Good Deeds and Accumulating Virtue

Chapter 656: Performing Good Deeds and Accumulating Virtue

“Then how do you plan to attract business? By going door to door?”

Shi Chan shook his head and pulled out a large banner from his identity jade tablet. The front listed various services, from exorcising ghosts to praying for children to healing illnesses; it had everything one could need.

The back of the banner read “Price Negotiable.”

Shi Chan led the two to the city’s busiest area. He paid a venue fee, secured a small empty spot, set up his stall, unfurled the banner, and sat down steadily behind the table. His movements were practiced, indicating it wasn’t his first time doing this.

He kindly brought out two extra chairs for Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou to sit on.

To Shi Chan’s left was a noodle vendor, and to his right was a shaobing vendor. Shi Chan’s banner was similar to a fortune-teller’s and especially eye-catching. Passers-by frequently turned their heads, noticing this idiosyncratic monk. However, as he was so unconventional, no one dared to approach for help at the beginning.

Shi Chan felt regretful. Every time I set up my stall, business will be slow at first. Later, when people realize I’m indeed a capable monk and line up to seek help, I will see a huge crowd, find the workload too much for me to handle, and leave early.

“People lack an innovative spirit and dare not accept new things. If I had your esteemed shifu’s gift of the gab, I would certainly also tell stories in teahouses to promote Buddhist teachings to the world.”

It was Lu Yang’s first time encountering someone praising his shifu, and he felt overwhelmed. If Shifu Nine Springs learns about this in the Nine Springs below, he’ll probably be gratified.

“By the way, Senior Brother Meng, have you considered joining a Buddhist sect? This poor monk observes that your Buddhist affinity runs deep; you’re even self-taught, developing the Single’s Curse Fist yourself. You must be a future Buddha like me.”

“...My Single’s Spirit Root doesn’t mean I’ll never have sexual activities in this lifetime.” The Single’s Spirit Root forces one into singlehood, while Buddhism demands voluntary singlehood. They are two different things.

Meng Jingzhou had long inquired with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy through Lu Yang. As long as I become an immortal, I will no longer be restricted by the Single’s Spirit Root and can freely indulge in my lustful desires.

“Brother Meng, that’s a fallacy. Buddhism advocates performing good deeds and accumulating virtue to gain good fortune.

“Once, a bhikkhunī (Buddhist nun) asked Buddha, ‘If someone originally intended to commit an evil deed but accidentally performs a good deed, can it bring good fortune?’

“Buddha replied, ‘Yes, it can. For those who perform good deeds, it is the action and not the intent that counts.’”

“So...?” Meng Jingzhou was perplexed, not understanding what point Shi Chan was trying to make.

“This poor monk is saying ‘it is the action and not the intent that counts.’ Senior Brother Meng, although you are forced to have no affinity with the opposite gender, in reality, you have achieved Buddhism’s requirement to stay away from lust. This is precisely a sign of deep Buddhist affinity.”

Meng Jingzhou, “...”

Just you wait! I’ll see when you save enough money to go to the brothel. I’ll book the entire brothel in advance, then give you another twenty drops of yang-boosting blood. Let’s see how you hold it in!

With no business for the moment, Lu Yang chatted with the uncle selling noodles on the left, while Meng Jingzhou chatted with the uncle selling shaobing on the right.

After waiting about an hour, they finally got a customer.

The visitor was dressed opulently, adorned with gold and silver. He had a jade thumb ring on each thumb and a large, protruding belly.

“Master, my luck hasn’t been good lately. I’ve been having a streak of bad fortune. Several business deals fell through. Can I seek wealth here?”

Shi Chan wore a serene expression as he pressed his palms together. “Benefactor, if I could seek wealth, I wouldn’t be setting up a stall here.”

The wealthy merchant was rendered speechless. He had never met such an honest young monk. I thought he’d spout some nonsense, urge me to donate incense money, and then pretend to seek wealth for me.

Shi Chan introduced a second method. “Benefactor, if you insist on seeking wealth, you can ask my senior brother for help. Senior Brother Meng’s family is immensely wealthy, rivaling a nation. If you seek wealth from him, you can obtain a loan.

“You can also perform more good deeds to offset your bad luck.”

The merchant found this young monk quite unreliable, so he shook his head and left.

Seeing the wealthy merchant depart, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy shook her head, somewhat regretful. “How foolish.”

In the Mahavira Hall, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy was draped in a kasaya and sat on her lotus throne, her bearing solemn and majestic. However, her little feet were restless, her pink, pearl-like toes wiggling continuously.

“Who’s foolish?” Lu Yang was confused.

“That wealthy merchant. He doesn’t recognize others’ kind intentions and won’t listen to advice. This immortal has always advocated for performing good deeds and accumulating virtue. It’ll definitely dispel his bad luck.

“This advocacy of mine stems from personal experience. My life has been smooth-sailing, and it is related to frequently performing good deeds, contributing to charitable causes, and being willing to lend a hand.

“Thinking far back about the time before I ascended to an immortal, the world was in chaos. Killing was rampant, and conflicts between two parties invariably ended with one’s death.

“This immortal once challenged beyond my level, defeating the Heaven Mandate Immortal and the Qilin Immortal. Not only did I spare their lives, but I also cooked for them, turning conflict into harmony. For a time, I spread it as a beautiful tale.

“Buddhism often says ‘saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.’ The principle originates from this event.

“In the ancient era, communication was limited. If one wished to learn from others, they must undergo harsh trials and swear deadly oaths. Even then, mastering true skills and knowledge wasn’t guaranteed; their shifu would keep some techniques to themselves. Worse, some used cultivation techniques to control disciples, planting gu poison, curses, or whatnot.

“This immortal was different. Seeing that Lianyi and Little Ling had talent, I imparted to them my cooking skills and the Play-Dead Technique without reservation.

“And there was the Barbarian Tribe. Seeing that they were naturally slow-witted, possessing great physical strength but not knowing how to use it, I enlightened their minds, allowing them to grow stronger.”

As Lu Yang listened to the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s recount, he finally understood that sheer strength was the only true principle.

Could it be that my numerous misdeeds attracted the scourge that is the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, bringing me bad luck?

Despite the first sale flopping, Shi Chan was not discouraged and continued waiting for the next one.

“Eh? Little monk, what are you doing here? Are you out of money?” A rather attractive woman stopped, looking at Shi Chan with interest.

“So it’s Benefactress Miaoshan.”

“Who is this?” Meng Jingzhou asked.

“Let this poor monk introduce you to her. This is Benefactress Miaoshan from the Spring Fragrance House. She was one of the many female benefactors who attended to me last night.”

Last night, after Shi Chan refined the twenty drops of pure yang blood, he wished to achieve the best tempering effect, so he called for multiple benefactresses at the Spring Fragrance House to test him.

“Little monk, if you’re out of money, I can serve you for free once.” Miaoshan licked her lips seductively.

“You jest, Benefactress Miaoshan. This poor monk indeed couldn’t withstand the trial last night and failed in tempering my mental state. But only one night has passed. At the moment, my heart is still like water and will definitely not be tempted by you, Benefactress.”

Seeing Shi Chan refuse, Miaoshan was rather disappointed. Noticing the services listed on Shi Chan’s banner out of the corner of her eye, she asked again, “What if I say I want to pray for a child?”

“Then you’ll have to pay, Benefactress.”

Meng Jingzhou’s eyes were red from envy. Is this the result of Shi Chan performing good deeds and accumulating virtue?