Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 589 - 583: This Tripitaka Does Not Want To Leave [Seeking Subscription and Monthly Ticket]_1

Tang Sanzang had broken his vows.

The hunter Liu Boqin and his family were dumbfounded. They looked at each other, their hearts pounding with terror.

Things were not supposed to develop this way. Monk Tang was supposed to refuse the meat and wine they offered, and they were to insist several times before he finally agreed.

But who would have expected Monk Tang to show no aversion to meat or wine, indulging in both?

Not only that, Monk Tang didn't even seem to want to leave. He was content to linger, showing no desire to return to his journey, and even said he would like to stay for a year or half a year.

They were here to test Monk Tang, not to keep him there.

If Monk Tang truly settled down here and refused to leave, their crime would be immense, and they would be unable to report back to Heaven.

Thus, the hunter's family could only look at each other, completely at a loss. While Monk Tang was still eating and drinking, they could only hastily discuss among themselves what to do.

"What should we do? This Monk Tang doesn't seem to be the same as described by the Jade Emperor."

"Isn't he a monk? Isn't he supposed to be compassionate, eating only vegetarian food and abstaining from meat? How can he drink wine and eat meat? I even saw him personally kill a tiger in the woods with his own hands!"

"Is such a violent, murderous monk, one who also eats meat and drinks wine without restraint, truly the Holy Monk designated by Buddhism to journey to the West to worship Buddha and seek scriptures?"

The hunter's family looked at each other, completely at a loss. Ultimately, they decided the old woman should return to Heaven to report the situation, urging the higher-ups to make new arrangements quickly.

That evening, the hunter's family prepared bathing water for Monk Tang and left him to wash up.

Monk Tang made himself completely at home, enjoying the hunter's family's service without any reservation.

After eating and drinking his fill and taking a bath, he neither meditated nor recited scriptures, but simply covered his head and went straight to sleep.

「The next day.」

Monk Tang only rose when the sun was high in the sky. He then took the initiative to ask the hunter where his mother had gone. This made the hunter somewhat nervous, unsure how to explain.

However, Monk Tang only asked casually, not genuinely concerned about the old woman's whereabouts. He then asked again if there was any fine wine or game.

The hunter had already hidden all the jerky overnight and poured out all the fine wine.

Only some vegetables, fruits, rice, and at most some mountain spring water were left on the table.

There was no chance of having fine wine or game.

Monk Tang was also puzzled. "Brother Liu, what has happened to your household? How have you become so impoverished overnight?"

The hunter dared not speak the truth and could only reply, "Last night, the Elder went to bed early, and wild beasts came to the house, stealing the jerky and cured meat hung outside the courtyard."

Monk Tang then asked, "And what happened to the wine?"

The hunter quickly replied, "The Elder drank half of that wine last night, and the rest was spilled on the ground by the beasts as they left."

"Elder, are you not an enlightened, eminent monk? Indulging in fine wine and delicacies, making no distinction between meat and vegetarian fare—how can such behavior be worthy of our sincere devotion?"

"If Tathagata Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva knew about this, they would surely blame you."

He didn't want to discuss fine wine and delicacies further, so he quickly changed the subject, bringing up Tathagata Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva, hoping to intimidate Monk Tang.

But Monk Tang wasn't the least bit afraid and even laughed. "Meat and wine pass through the intestines, while Buddha remains in the heart. As long as my heart is devoted to Buddha, possessing a Buddha's heart that wishes to deliver all living beings, then what I eat or drink is of no importance, is it?"

The hunter's family were dumbfounded. They never expected Monk Tang to utter such heretical words.

Nor did they imagine Monk Tang would have such thoughts. The bitterness in their hearts was beyond words.

Monk Tang ignored them, grabbed the vegetables and fruits before him, and began to eat heartily.

Only halfway through, he said, "These are too plain, too vegetarian. Brother Liu, why don't we go into the mountains later and hunt something?"

The hunter was so frightened his eyes went wide. His wife and children, all gods in disguise, also had expressions of disbelief flash across their faces.

They hadn't expected Monk Tang would still be thinking of hunting. And from his tone, it seemed he planned to stay here long-term.

At this thought, the hunter secretly regretted bringing Monk Tang home. It truly was a case of "inviting a god is easy, but sending one away is hard."

The hunter forced an awkward smile. He wanted to refuse, but he was afraid that if he did, Monk Tang would go hunting alone in the mountains and harm many innocent creatures.

If he stood by and watched Monk Tang break the precepts, he would surely have difficulty reporting back.

The hunter could only agree, planning to secretly drive away any game so Monk Tang wouldn't see it.

If they truly encountered any, he would step in himself and absolutely prevent Monk Tang from committing the sin of killing.

Monk Tang was an impatient man, entirely lacking the gentle refinement of a monk.

After breakfast, he picked up his Nine-ring Tin Staff, instructed the woman to feed his white horse, then eagerly dragged the hunter off into the mountains to hunt.

The hunter didn't want to go but couldn't resist Monk Tang's insistence, so he had to take his steel trident, bow, and arrows, and follow him into the mountains.

After they both left, the hunter's wife and children reverted to their divine forms. They exchanged glances, then turned to ascend to Heaven, intending to report what had transpired.

「In the mountains.」

Watching Monk Tang's impatient eagerness, practically itching to start a massacre, the hunter couldn't help but ask, "Elder, drinking wine and eating meat is one thing, but why must you also take life?"

Monk Tang replied matter-of-factly, "I need to eat a large amount of meat to replenish my stamina for the Journey to the West to seek scriptures."

"If I don't eat the meat of these animals, do you expect me to eat human flesh? Wouldn't I then become a demon monk?"

The hunter was speechless for a moment, stunned.

He thought for a moment, then said, "But you are a member of Buddhism. Eating meat and drinking wine is bad enough; if you also wantonly take life yourself, it would surely be improper. How about you let me do it?"

Monk Tang replied, "You've been kind enough to shelter me for a year or half a year; that's already a significant imposition. How could I trouble you to exert yourself so much?"

"Let me hunt some game to bring back as a small token of my appreciation. Otherwise, I'll feel too ashamed and won't even be able to recite my Buddhist prayers."

The hunter thought to himself, So you do know you're supposed to observe a vegetarian diet and chant scriptures!

However, Monk Tang's words dispelled his intention to intervene, leaving him momentarily unsure what to do.

He then decided to make the game flee and secretly employed his divine power.

But just as he was about to use his power, Monk Tang suddenly let out a strange cry, interrupting his attempt.

"Aargh, a tiger!" Monk Tang suddenly screamed, pointing ahead.

The hunter was aghast. He had scanned the area with his divine power before coming out; how could there be a tiger?

He hurriedly looked over but saw nothing, only a dark yellowish rock.

The hunter then said teasingly, "It's just a rock, Elder. Don't jump at shadows."

"If the Elder is afraid, please go back. I will personally hunt some game and bring it back, ensuring the Elder doesn't go hungry."

But at that very moment, Tang Sanzang suddenly pointed in another direction and said, "There's a real tiger over there! Watch me, I'll get it for tonight's drinks!"

The hunter looked and, indeed, there was a tiger. It appeared majestic when it first emerged, but upon seeing Tang Sanzang pounce towards it, it began to tremble uncontrollably.