Since that's the case, why not join us and go to Xin Fo Temple together, shave your head and become a monk, meditate and practice Zen, stay far away from delusional dreams and all disputes of right and wrong?”

Hooked!

Brian Cooper was very pleased in his heart, but on the surface he frowned: “Shave my head and become a monk?

This...”“To tell you the truth, the moment I first saw you, I felt a sense of closeness.”

The burly monk suddenly straightened his expression and spoke slowly.

Hearing these words, David Grant sneered a few times from the side, looking at the mud-yellow patterns on both sides of the burly monk’s neck, his expression unreadable.

William Grant had always been close to the dead, and now he actually said he felt close to an old man?

Looks like the old man doesn’t have long to live...

The burly monk ‘William Grant’ ignored David Grant’s sneer, looked sincerely at Brian Cooper, and continued: “Previously, I couldn’t figure out why I felt such a sense of closeness to an old man I’d never met before.

Now I understand.

It must be that the old man possesses deep Buddhist wisdom, and I just happen to be the guide monk of Xin Fo Temple.

In the unseen, the Buddha has instructed me to guide the old man into our Buddhist sect.

This is destiny!”

Well, well!

Brian Cooper had thought he was setting up others, but now suddenly felt like he was the one being set up.

Could I have fallen into some kind of trap?

He felt a bit hesitant, but then thought that with his current body, wandering alone in the wilderness, he definitely wouldn’t last three days.

Gritting his teeth inwardly, Brian Cooper sighed and said, “For an old man like me, becoming a monk might actually be a good place to end up.”

...

A thousand acres of fertile fields sprouted new shoots, like a vast emerald lake.

Terraced fields clustered around the mountains, and along the ridges, gray-robed monks could often be seen carrying farm tools, tending the land.

“Climb up the mountain steps and you’ll reach the temple gate!”

Leading the group through the fields and around several herb gardens, Monk William Grant carried Brian Cooper on his back, stopping with the others at the foot of a towering mountain.

He bent over, one hand supporting Brian Cooper’s knees, the other pointing at the stone steps winding through the green trees, and turned to the young men, saying,

William Grant’s face was flushed, sweat beading on his forehead.

After carrying Brian Cooper for more than twenty li, he was this exhausted, which was rather surprising.

After all, Brian Cooper was just a skinny old man, nothing but skin and bones.

Earlier, he had thrown several young men across the river in a row, and his breathing had remained steady as usual.

He had even carried a young man for over ten li before, without showing any sign of fatigue.

But now, seeing him like this, people couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

Fortunately, the Xin Fo Temple gate was near, and everyone was excited, not paying much attention to this oddity.

David Grant was the first to step onto the mountain steps, his expression calm as he said to William Grant, “I’ll wait for you in front of the temple hall, senior brother.”

With that, he didn’t pause, the tips of his shoes tapping the stone steps like a dragonfly skimming water, and with a few light leaps, he disappeared along the winding mountain path.

The young men couldn’t help but envy such skill, while William Grant shook his head and smiled, “Let’s go up the mountain too.”

He carried Brian Cooper, took a step onto the stone steps, but before his other foot could follow, his body swayed and he let out a sudden breath, as if he was out of strength, panting as he joked, “Old man, you’re not exactly light...” Yet he didn’t put Brian Cooper down, just adjusted his breathing and continued up the steps with him on his back.

Brian Cooper saw his words and actions and knew the monk wasn’t lying, nor was he unwilling to carry him out of laziness.

But that’s exactly what was strange: he was clearly as thin as a stick, barely any flesh on his bones, so how could carrying him tire out such a strong man?

Especially since William Grant was no ordinary man.

Puzzled, he lay on William Grant’s back, turning his head to look at the path they’d walked.

To his shock, he saw that on the road, long since packed hard by countless footsteps, there were several deep footprints!

Even when William Grant stepped onto the stone steps, he left shallow marks on the stone!

How much weight would it take to leave marks on stone?

I actually weigh that much?

Brian Cooper’s mind raced, and after a moment’s thought, he suddenly understood: “It’s absolutely impossible that my body is too heavy. Most likely, it’s because there are too many yin spirits hidden in the acupoints of this body, and it’s the ‘weight’ of those spirits that left marks on the stone steps!”

How many ghosts are hidden in this body of mine?

Why do I feel nothing when I walk myself, and notice nothing unusual?

But when William Grant carries me, it causes the yin spirits in my body to react—could he be hiding something?

And now that he must have noticed my abnormal weight, yet still hasn’t shown it—could he have some ulterior motive?

Brian Cooper looked up at the sun filtered through the forest canopy. Even though sparse sunlight fell on him, he still felt as if he were standing at the edge of an abyss.

Chapter 4: Ghost Spirit Pill

The young men followed William Grant up the steps, walking from noon until dusk, all drenched in sweat and barely able to go on, when they finally reached the gate of Xin Fo Temple.

There stood a grand hall blocking the mountain pass, cutting off the way forward.

There were no monks guarding the hall; the main doors were tightly shut, only the side doors on either side were open, with gray-robed monks coming and going through them.

“We’re here!”

William Grant looked at the temple gate, let out a long breath, put Brian Cooper down from his back, wiped the sweat from his brow, and led the group toward the great hall.

Brian Cooper followed slowly behind the others.