Crash!!
The inn servant moved with swift expertise, clearly practiced in this sort of act. In an instant, the monk's clothes were stripped off, leaving him clad in nothing but a pair of underpants, a string of large Buddhist prayer beads around his neck, a traveler's spade in his hand, and a monk's knife at his waist — all of which were promptly confiscated. Not a single item was left on him.
"With just these few things, you dare to try and dine and dash? Get the hell out of here!"
The servant disdainfully grabbed the monk by the arm and flung him toward the entrance of the inn.
Thud!!
A loud crashing sound came from outside, followed by a pained yell.
However, the drunken monk didn't rush back in; it seemed he had lost all face and couldn't bear to show himself again.
Clack!!
Just as the guests inside were chuckling among themselves, feeling a sense of schadenfreude, a tall figure stepped through the entrance. As soon as they saw him, the guests who had been laughing suddenly froze, their faces filled with disbelief. The raucous laughter abruptly died down, replaced by stunned, almost comical expressions of shock — some even looked as if their eyeballs might pop out.
Even Yi Tianxing couldn't help but show a flash of surprise on his face.
"How is that possible?" he muttered to himself in astonishment.
"You've gotta be kidding me, another one?"
"No way. He looks exactly the same! Did that monk just go outside, change clothes, and come back in?"
"The face, the body, the spade, the knife, the prayer beads — everything is identical! Am I hallucinating? Who was the one that appeared earlier? Even twins wouldn't look this much alike!"
The guests muttered in disbelief, their jaws nearly hitting the floor.
Even the servant stood there with his mouth agape, staring dumbly at the monk before him.
Indeed, the one who had just entered was identical to the drunken monk who had been thrown out moments ago — clothing, weapons, and all. There wasn't the slightest difference, leaving the servant doubting whether he had hallucinated earlier.
"Waiter, bring me wine and meat! And serve your finest beef!"The monk barked loudly.
"R-Right away!!"
The servant snapped back to reality at the booming voice. Judging from the monk's demeanor, it was as if this were his first time entering the inn — he showed no sign of recalling the earlier humiliation. Though filled with confusion, the servant still hurriedly complied, shooting the monk a strange look as he went.
Even upstairs, Jin Xiangyu couldn't help but frown slightly, her gaze full of suspicion.
"Disguise? Or some kind of eerie supernatural art? Which one's real and which one's fake? Or was he pretending not to know? Fascinating," Yi Tianxing mused to himself, narrowing his eyes slightly.
This time, he instinctively activated his Innate Yin-Yang Eyes to examine the monk carefully.
He regretted not scrutinizing the earlier monk more closely, too distracted by that horrifying dish.
The Yin-Yang Eyes revealed a heavy aura of killing intent on the monk, mixed with a powerful Buddhist aura. He was, without a doubt, human — there was no trace of illusion or disguise. This monk was real.
"Too bad I didn't check the first one," Yi Tianxing murmured with a shake of his head.
Still, encountering such bizarre occurrences was oddly exciting.
"Sir, your wine and meat are ready. Please enjoy."
The waiter returned with the food — the same meal served earlier: a plate of seasoned beef and a bottle of fifteen-year-old Nu'er Hong wine.
"How can a good drink go without more meat? Waiter, bring me another dish — that 'Golden Abundance Platter' as well. And serve it here. I'm treating this big monk. Monk, you won't mind sharing a drink with me, will you?"
Yi Tianxing stood, smiling as he sat down across from the monk.
"Since you're kind enough to offer, how could I refuse? Drinking alone is dull. Having a brother to share a drink with is a blessing! As long as you don't mind me being a monk who drinks, eats meat, and doesn't worship Buddha,"the monk said with a hearty laugh.
The nearby guests, seeing Yi Tianxing join the monk, lost interest in gawking — no chance of another scene, it seemed.
Another set of dishes and chopsticks were brought.
The monk was straightforward and easygoing, uncorking the wine and pouring them each a large bowl.
"By the way, brother, what's your name? I'm Lu Zhishen. Because I drink and eat meat, kill when necessary, and neither chant nor pray, people call me the 'Flower Monk.' Call me whatever you like,"he said without the slightest reservation.
Hearing this, Yi Tianxing's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Zhishen — the 'Flowery Monk' from the Water Margin, the Star of Heavenly Solitude!
He really was a "Flower Monk" in every sense of the word. Yi Tianxing hadn't expected to meet such a legendary figure here.
Everyone knew the name Lu Zhishen — a monk who drank, ate meat, fought, and killed. Yet despite his rough ways, his Buddhist aura was profound. His path was one of enlightenment through violence.
As the saying goes:
"In life, he planted no seeds of virtue,Loving only killing and arson.Yet suddenly the golden cords break,Here the jade locks are loosed.Hark! The tidal bore surges on the Qiantang River —Today, I finally see my true self!"
A man of true character, his actions stemmed from his very nature. Yi Tianxing admired that.Compared to so-called "virtuous" monks who secretly engaged in vile deeds, Lu Zhishen's honesty and straightforwardness were far more noble.
"Come, Brother Yi, let's drink to that!"
Lu Zhishen laughed, lifting his bowl.
Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate. Grinning, he raised his own bowl and downed it in one gulp. The rich flavor of aged Nu'er Hong wine filled his mouth, spreading warmth throughout his body.
Inside him, his Gourmet Cells stirred, buzzing with energy.
To them, "gourmet" didn't just mean food — fine wine, delicious meals, even simple dishes could all arouse their hunger. This vintage wine was no exception, boosting his strength by a hundred jin instantly.
"Refreshing!"Lu Zhishen nodded approvingly, the sight of Yi Tianxing's bold drinking style making him warm to him even more.
Sometimes, when personalities clicked, friendships formed naturally.
After a few rounds of drinking, Yi Tianxing casually brought up the earlier incident.
"Monk, did you know there was another you earlier — came into the inn, ate without paying, got stripped and thrown out by the waiter?"
"What? Another me? And got tossed out?"Lu Zhishen's face twisted in surprise.
Yi Tianxing could tell immediately — he wasn't faking. He was genuinely shocked.
Moreover, when Lu Zhishen had entered earlier, he hadn't seen anyone outside resembling himself.
No wonder he had sensed something odd — the way the guests looked at him had been strange, but he hadn't understood why until now.
But he had seen no one outside. Not a single soul.
"You didn't see anyone?"Yi Tianxing frowned slightly."After the waiter tossed the other you out, barely a moment passed before you entered. Normally, you should've run into him. Either he deliberately avoided you... or something else is at play."
The fact that Lu Zhishen was unaware only deepened the mystery.
If the real one was here now, the previous one must have been a fake.
But then — who or what was the fake?A lookalike? A shapeshifter? Some supernatural creature imitating Lu Zhishen?
And why him?
On the road toward the treasure trove, encountering such eerie events made Yi Tianxing instinctively wary.
"If that thing shows up again, I'll teach it a lesson it won't forget,"Lu Zhishen growled, nostrils flaring.
But without a clue what or where it was, there wasn't much he could do.
"Thank you for telling me, Brother Yi. Otherwise, I'd still be in the dark,"Lu Zhishen said, grateful.
"No need for thanks. I was curious myself. I didn't expect there to really be an impostor. Encountering such strange things is fascinating in its own right. No need to dwell on it — come, let's drink!"
Yi Tianxing laughed it off.
And so, the two of them clinked bowls and drank heartily. As the conversation flowed, they quickly became more familiar, if not deep friends, at least casual comrades.
They swapped stories of distant lands and wide travels.
Naturally, talk soon turned toward the road ahead — and the treasures that awaited them.