“Little sister!”
As soon as the white fox returned to the cave, a red fox ran over joyfully and affectionately nuzzled her head.
“Sister Honghong!”
The little white fox cried out happily as well, rubbing her head against her sister’s chin.
“Little sister, where have you been this past month?” the red fox asked worriedly. “Did something happen? I searched this entire mountain forest, but I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“I… I was injured.”
“Injured?!” The red fox was shocked. She sniffed the little white fox, and her brow suddenly furrowed. “Little sister, why do you smell like a human?”
The red fox’s first thought was of the monks at the bottom of the mountain. Could it be that those monks saw her sister and hurt her?
“Sister, I was being chased by an eagle demon and accidentally rolled down a cliff, injuring my hind leg. A little monk saved me.” The little white fox knew exactly what her sister was thinking just by looking at her. “That little monk is a good person. He took me home, and not only did he heal my wound, but he even cooked for me.”
“…”
Observing her sister’s suspicious gaze, the little white fox hurriedly explained, “He really is a good person, truly. He even gave me a very beautiful name.”
“A name?” The red fox tilted her head.
“Mhm.” Thinking of the name, the little white fox’s paws couldn’t help but flex in delight. “He calls me Tu Baili. Baili… Baili… It is a beautiful name, isn’t it?”
Looking at her simple-minded sister, the red fox sighed.
“Little sister, humans are humans and demons are demons. To us, how can there be any good humans? They often come up the mountain to skin us for fox-fur coats.”
“But Jiang Tong is really, really good.” The little white fox felt her sister was wrong. “Sister, there are good people among humans, and Jiang Tong is a very good person.”
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“I…” The little white fox thought for a moment. “I want to repay his kindness. He saved me, so I must repay him properly.”
“Oh, little sister!” The red fox felt helpless, lifting a paw to pat her silly sister’s head. “He’s not just a human, he’s a monk. The paths of demons and monks are separate. How are you going to repay him? Do you want him to kill you?”
“Jiang Tong would never kill me!” the white fox shouted petulantly. “He is my savior!”
“Not a single monk is a good person,” the red fox said, shaking her head. “Whenever a demon with a bit of cultivation appears in these mountains, they capture and kill it. They even call it delivering the soul to the afterlife…”
“Jiang Tong is different.” The little white fox stubbornly repeated, “He’s just different.”
The red fox had nothing left to say and sighed. “Then how are you going to repay him, little sister? You’re just a fox.”
‘Actually, I gave him my Demon Dan. Now, our fates are intertwined…’
The little white fox certainly would not say that out loud. If her sister found out, there was no telling what she might do.
“I know!” The little white fox narrowed her eyes, her fluffy tail wagging back and forth. “I just need to work hard and cultivate until I grow a second tail. Then I can take human form and find him to repay his kindness!”
“If I repay him as a human, he’ll never know. Hehe~”
Looking at her foolish sister, the red fox didn’t know what else to say. She brought over a bloody rabbit and dropped it in front of the white fox.
“Just eat for now. You’ve grown thin from hunger these past few days… Did that monk feed you nothing but vegetables every day?”
“The vegetables he cooked were delicious,” the little white fox muttered while wolfing down the rabbit.
“Oh?” The red fox raised an eyebrow. “Better than rabbit?”
“Um…” the little white fox answered hesitantly.
“Then don’t eat the rabbit!” The red fox snatched the rabbit back with a quick snap of her jaws, determined to correct her sister’s mistaken perception.
“Sister, I’m hungry…”
“Which one tastes better?”
“The… the vegetables.”
“Then you get nothing.”
“Sister!”
The little white fox scrambled up and chased after the red fox, who was still clutching the rabbit.
—
“You want to begin studying the Buddhist scriptures?”
A few days later, Jiang Tong approached the Abbot of Lingyin Temple with his request. The Abbot leaned on his Zen staff and looked at Jiang Tong with some surprise.
“Wutong, you are only 11 years old. By right, someone your age is not yet permitted to read the Buddhist books in the Library Pavilion.”
Jiang Tong pressed his palms together and said piously, “The Buddha said: ‘The body is like the Bodhi tree, the mind like a bright mirror’s stand. Frequently and diligently wipe it, and let no dust land.'”
“Abbot, I have made up my mind. I wish to borrow Buddhist books from the Library Pavilion so that I may read and study them every day.”
The Abbot’s eyes filled with a smile, and a hint of admiration appeared on his face.
However, a monk nearby couldn’t stand it and stepped forward to shout an accusation. “That is a fallacy! When did the Buddha ever say such a thing?”
He turned to the Abbot and pressed his palms together. “Abbot, Lingyin Temple has followed these rules for a thousand years. Novice monks have their own duties. Letting him borrow Buddhist scriptures now would be unfair to the other Disciples.”
“Is that so?” The Abbot chuckled. “Hui Yin, you have been neglecting your studies. The Buddha did indeed speak those words; they are recorded quite clearly in the scriptures.”
“I…” Hui Yin opened his mouth, his face flushing bright red.
Once those words were spoken, any further objection from him would only look ridiculous.
The Abbot looked back at Jiang Tong and nodded slowly. “Good.”
“Wutong, from this day forward, you may borrow Buddhist books from the Library Pavilion. Just make sure not to lose or damage them.”
Jiang Tong showed no emotion, simply bowing slightly. “Yes.”
On the side, Hui Yin’s eyes darted around.
After receiving the Abbot’s permission, Jiang Tong headed to the Library Pavilion. Under the startled gaze of the Elder, he selected several Buddhist books.
By the time he left the Library Pavilion with the books in his arms, the news that an 11-year-old novice monk could borrow books had already spread like wildfire. The entire temple knew.
As Jiang Tong walked down the path with his books, monks stared at him repeatedly. The younger novice monks were bolder, pointing and whispering at him.
Jiang Tong, however, paid them no mind.
He carried himself upright and followed the rules. He had not stolen or snatched anything. Even if the Buddha himself were here, He would have no grounds for criticism.
After leaving Lingyin Temple, the novice monk struggled along the path home with the scriptures in his arms. Lingyin Temple gradually blurred behind him until it vanished from sight. Jiang Tong was now on the mountain path.
After rounding this bend, the courtyard would be just ahead.
At that moment, Jiang Tong’s ears twitched. He sensed movement in the woods beside the road.
“Wutong!”
A bald, chubby boy stomped out of the trees, pointing at Jiang Tong. Though he was only 14, he carried the arrogant air of a 40-year-old. “Stop right there!”
Jiang Tong stopped and sighed, looking at the chubby boy who was taller than him. “Is there something you need?”
He felt a bit helpless. In his eyes, this chubby boy was just a child, but he currently had no cultivation and was only 11 years old. He could still win a fight, but it would take some effort.
“Wutong, you’re clearly only 11. What right do you have to borrow Buddhist scriptures?” the chubby boy shouted. “I’m 14, and I haven’t even caught a glimpse of a Buddhist book yet. Why do you get to borrow them so early?”
Jiang Tong looked at him with pity and spoke slowly, “To know that many desires bring suffering; the fatigue of life and death arises from greed.”
In plain terms: You are too greedy. Continuing like this will only lead to exhaustion and death. Go home and go to sleep.
“What are you babbling about?” The bald, chubby boy was annoyed and waved his hand. “Go! Grab his scriptures or tear them up! Make sure he can never enter the Library Pavilion again!”
Several novice monks leaped out from the forest, lifting their chins at Jiang Tong and his books.
“Amitabha.” Jiang Tong looked at them. “Fist techniques are also Dharma.”
He was confident he could take down two of them, but this body was, after all, still underdeveloped. As a child, he was incredibly weak. He was not confident in his ability to protect the books.
But he had no more time for hesitation. He scanned the surroundings for a clean spot to set the scriptures down so he could use his fists.
However, just as the chubby boy and his group were closing in aggressively, Jiang Tong suddenly heard a short, urgent cry.
*Chirp!*