Chapter 155: Chapter 151 Flame Cloud Sect Chapter 155: Chapter 151 Flame Cloud Sect “Brother, slow down with your drinking; no one is competing with you.”

After a few gulping sounds, Mahaparinirvana, the Defrocked Monk, had finished two pots of tea clean and then looked at Li Ping’an, foolishly wiping his mouth:

“I traveled all the way from Mount Wutai, braving mountains and rivers, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, not to mention encountering a bunch of ill-tempered bird-catchers. Today, it’s only for your sake that I didn’t slaughter them all!”

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“Brother, you truly live freely, skilled at saving others but clumsy at strategizing for yourself.”

“You, young man, understand me by seeing me just once. You seem to be a person of no ordinary background yourself.”

Li Ping’an and Mahaparinirvana spoke intimately while the tea stall owner busily packed up his things, sighing helplessly:

“You monk, so reckless. Today, you’ve beaten up the Young Official of Minister Cen and brought about a massive disaster. If I leave later, I might also end up in court with you.”

“Ah, you old fool, your words are like farting!”

Mahaparinirvana pointed at the tea stall owner and cursed with a raised hand:

“Today, that beast molested a girl not from your family. If it were your daughter, could you still stand there making cold remarks? If the world didn’t have reckless monks like me, even a dog from a powerful family could defecate on your heads, don’t you believe that?”

“If you are so powerful, why not kill all the bad people in the world?”

The tea stall owner quickly packed up his things and left with his cart.

“Hey, are you provoking me? I’ll clean up all the bad people in Chang’an right now!”

Mahaparinirvana spoke and was about to chase after Cen Fuda and others, but Li Ping’an firmly held him back:

“Brother, why bother getting angry with this old man? You said you’ve traveled here from Mount Wutai through storms and rain. Today, fate has made us brothers. Let’s celebrate by welcoming you with a meal, why not eat something to fill our stomachs first?”

Mahaparinirvana, touched, patted his stomach and said awkwardly:

“I’m just a poor monk; I’ve given all my travel expenses to the needy people I met on the road. I was worried about where to eat, but after a hearty meal and drink, it wouldn’t be too late to return to the monastery.”

“Come on, come on, let’s go!”

Li Ping’an quickly pulled Mahaparinirvana away, and before leaving, he glanced back once to ensure no one from Cen Fuda’s group was following, then quickly left the area.

Fortunately, Li Ping’an had been wandering aimlessly through Chang’an City these days and had thoroughly grasped the city’s layout. To prevent Cen Fuda from bringing people to seek revenge, Li Ping’an led Mahaparinirvana through multiple diversions, from hall to chamber, arriving near the relatively secluded Wolong Pit. They found a tavern and chose a spot near the street, undisturbed.

Once the two were seated, Li Ping’an ordered the Waiter:

“Two bowls of vegetarian noodles!”

“Yes.”

The Waiter was about to go to the kitchen to inform them, but Mahaparinirvana, unwilling, immediately stopped the shop assistant and complained to Li Ping’an:

“Brother, are you reluctant to spend the money on food?”

“Although I don’t have much left, spending any amount to befriend a hero like you is completely worth it.”

Mahaparinirvana immediately retorted:

“Then why don’t you treat me to something better?”

“Brother, since you are a monk, does that mean plain food isn’t to your taste?”

“Oh, it’s all my fault for not being clear!”

Mahaparinirvana suddenly slapped his head and continued:

“Back at Mount Wutai, under my master Zen Master Zhizhen, I often ate meat and drank alcohol in the temple. Once drunk, I would make a scene and disturb the peace of the temple.”

“The other disciples couldn’t stand it and would often complain to my master, but Zen Master Zhizhen cherished me greatly and always protected me, so I stayed in the temple.”

“But a few days ago, when I went down the mountain to get some wine, I accidentally killed a bully who had some connections with the Official Residence. The Official Residence wanted to charge me, so my master sent me to Chang’an to join the True Buddha Temple under Abbot Emperor Tathagata, who is one of the Three Great Buddha Heads in the world.”

Li Ping’an asked doubtfully:

“Really? So by coming to the True Buddha Temple, you can escape legal troubles?”

“Exactly. I heard that in the Three Auxiliaries of Chang’an, disciples of both the Buddhist and Taoist orders can commit three crimes without punishment. Emperor Tathagata Dragon Tree Divine Monk is also one of the Emperor’s Buddhist teachers. Though he has no authority, no one dares to provoke him. My master said that if I indulged myself here, Emperor Tathagata could completely protect me and I could also follow him in Buddhist cultivation.”

After hearing Defrocked Monk Mahaparinirvana’s explanation, Li Ping’an finally understood:

“I see, so since you wish to eat meat and drink, let’s just order according to your desires.”

“Thanks, brother, hehe!”

Defrocked Monk Mahaparinirvana then joyfully ordered the food:

“Waiter, slice three pounds of beef, roast a leg of lamb, three fat geese, five fat chickens, and bring five jars of Western Gale Liquor!”

The waiter was stunned after hearing this:

“Big Monk, can the two of you really finish all this?”

“Alright, alright, just serve the food and you won’t lose a Silver Coin.”

“Yes.”

Seeing Li Ping’an, who often came here to eat, speak up, the waiter immediately notified the kitchen.

Mahaparinirvana looked at Li Ping’an, patting his belly happily, and said:

“Thanks to you, brother, this time my body temple won’t suffer at all.”

Li Ping’an then teased:

“Brother, you really are a monk who breaks precepts, with drinking, meat-eating, a penchant for killing, and all those fancy embroideries. You don’t look like a monk at all, more like a living bandit.”

“How did you know that before I became a monk, I was a Mountain King who controlled a mountain? Don’t you look down on a monk born from a bandit?”

Upon hearing this, Li Ping’an immediately grabbed Mahaparinirvana’s hand excitedly:

“What a coincidence, I too was a Mountain King who controlled a mountain before I took up cultivation!”

“Hahahaha, what fate!”

“Brother, since you were a Mountain King before, how did you become a monk?”