Embers Ad Infinitum

Translator: CKtalon

Although Chang Haijiang was stationed in Icefield all year round, he came from the Salvation Army and had been promoted to the middle class. He had a certain level of understanding of various situations. Furthermore, he had seen a few monks and knew how to deal with the person in front of him.

He then asked amiably, “Zen Masters, what would you like to exchange?”

The old Red Coaster calmly replied, “Some rye bread.”

“We don’t have that.” Chang Haijiang shook his head. “There’s mixed-grain cornbread that costs the same. Do you want it?”

The old Red Coaster thought for a moment and said, “Fine then.”

He then removed a small cloth bag hanging from his waist and took out a gold piece. “Is this enough?”

Chang Haijiang took it and weighed it in his hand in identification. “You can exchange for about 100 loaves with this. Uh, I can’t provide that many in a short period of time. There are only about 30 left in the kitchen… Zen Master, do you want to exchange for some other supplies, or are you willing to wait for the kitchen to steam a new batch?”

The old Red Coaster didn’t hesitate. “Mixed-grain cornbread it is. We can wait.”

“Alright.” Chang Haijiang didn’t persuade him.

The old Red Coaster then led the monastery of travel-worn, gray-robed monks in patched clothes out of the door and found a place to sit.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of them. It was Shang Jianyao, who was holding the Six Senses Beads.

Jiang Baimian couldn’t stop him.

Shang Jianyao sat on the ground, his posture a little awkward. He pressed his palms together and said, “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti. This Penniless Monk is Redemption. How should you be addressed?”

The old Red Coaster returned the same salute. “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti. This Penniless Monk is Paranga.”

“Are you from the Crystal Consciousness Church?” Shang Jianyao asked curiously.

They were clearly not from the Monks Conclave. They had yet to abandon their bodies by choosing the technological path and ascend through mechanical means.

Paranga shook his head. “We are from the Asceticism Department.”

“The Asceticism Department?” Shang Jianyao asked in puzzlement.

He had never heard of it.

“We focus on asceticism to temper our wills, improve ourselves, and ultimately transcend,” Paranga explained concisely. He then asked, “Venerable One, where do you hail from?”

“The Monks Conclave,” Shang Jianyao replied without hesitation.

Upon seeing the monks’ expressions of surprise and disbelief, he added, “But they and I ultimately parted ways due to our different understanding of Zen and true nature.”

As he spoke, he sighed and seemed like an accomplished monk.

After explaining, Shang Jianyao answered Paranga’s question again. “I’m not a member of any monk group. I chose this path because I had interacted with different monks, read some scriptures, and was called upon by destiny. Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti.”

You make it sound like it’s real… Jiang Baimian—who was standing by the door—didn’t even want to acknowledge this fellow as her companion.

But in essence, Shang Jianyao wasn’t lying. Zen Master Redemption was indeed such a ‘person.’

Paranga sized up Shang Jianyao. He swept his gaze across the string of prayer beads in the other party’s hand and suddenly froze.

“Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti.” Paranga pressed his palms together again and chanted a Buddhist proclamation.

He didn’t ask any further.

Shang Jianyao looked at the monks around him curiously. “Why aren’t they saying anything?”

That’s right. Aren’t they a little too polite… Strict precepts? Jiang Baimian felt that something was amiss.

The monastery of monks only listened and didn’t say a word. They didn’t participate in the conversation between Paranga and Shang Jianyao at all.

Normally speaking, someone among them would more or less voice their doubts when Shang Jianyao mentioned the Monks Conclave.

Paranga didn’t lie and frankly replied, “Monks from our Asceticism Department undergo at least 20 years of silent meditation.”

“Oh, oh, oh.” Shang Jianyao had an enlightened look. “Venerable One, you’ve finished the 20 years of cultivation?”

Paranga nodded. “I’ve been cultivating silent meditation for 20 years, and I’ve also spoken for 20 years. I’m now cultivating the second round of silent meditation.”

“Then, why can you speak now?” Shang Jianyao didn’t hide his curiosity.

Paranga’s expression immediately turned adrift. “I failed. I violated the silent meditation by myself.”

“How did this happen?” Zen Master Redemption Shang Jianyao had a look of concern.

Paranga lowered his head, pressed his palms together, and chanted a Buddhist proclamation. “Namo Annutara-Samyak-Subhuti. The omen has appeared. A great calamity is imminent.”

“A great calamity? What’s the great calamity?” Shang Jianyao held the Six Senses Beads in one hand and placed the other vertically in front of his chest.

Paranga shut his mouth and didn’t say a word as if he had returned to a state of silent meditation.

Zen Master Redemption was calm and benevolent. He didn’t go overboard, so he gave up on asking and slowly stood up.

After passing Jiang Baimian and returning inside the rest stop, he placed the Six Senses Beads back into his tactical backpack.

Jiang Baimian didn’t say a word. She followed Shang Jianyao—who had switched to an unknown personality—back to his original seat and sat down.

Bai Chen and Long Yuehong looked up at them before glancing at the dining table.

Chang Haijiang had already carried a large bowl of dried meat and a large plate of yellow cornbread over.

Why would such a monastery of monks come to Icefield… Could they also be going… Just as this thought flashed through Long Yuehong’s mind, he forcefully turned his attention to the plate of game meat.

He knew that the Subhuti domain had abilities like Mind Reading and Heavenly Ears. With the two parties less than ten meters apart, it was neither convenient for them to discuss nor think about it.

The Old Task Force ate the dried meat and cornbread. Chang Haijiang also served roasted onions and deer meat, smoked Beian Lake fish, pickled cucumbers, mixed vegetables, and steamed meat pancakes one after another.

The soup was a different kind of cabbage soup that had a slightly sweet taste.

“The smell of deer meat is a little strong. Fortunately, it’s roasted.” Long Yuehong focused his attention on the food as he ate.

Jiang Baimian also commented, “This is clearly not manually bred or reared. It was hunted from the wilderness.”

In this season, this area to the south that had later been ‘swallowed’ by Icefield had plenty of feral animals.

“Hmm.” Shang Jianyao stuffed his mouth full with food.

Bai Chen nodded. “The pickled cucumbers are surprisingly good.”

It was very refreshing and could neutralize the gamey taste.

Overall, the Old Task Force was rather satisfied with their meal after days of traveling in the wilderness.

Upon seeing that the cups and plates were empty, Jiang Baimian stood up and said, “Let’s return to the parking lot. We can’t leave Old Ge there alone.”

“Alright.” Shang Jianyao replied enthusiastically.

Bai Chen and Long Yuehong roughly guessed what Jiang Baimian meant: It was unknown if these monks had Mind Reading, but it was better to stay away from them.

Jiang Baimian had previously said that they were taking the day off and that she would get two rooms here so that they could sleep on spacious beds. Long Yuehong had some anticipation for that.

After returning to her jeep in the parking lot, Jiang Baimian simply instructed, “Night shifts as per normal.”

She didn’t discuss the ascetic monks with her team members, afraid that they had Heavenly Ears.

Writing didn’t work either. Heavenly Eyes also existed in this world.

However, the parking lot was dozens of meters away from the terrace houses at the rest stop. With the characteristics of Mind Reading, it was very unlikely that Paranga and the other monks could hear the thoughts of the humans here, even if there were Mind Corridor-level Awakened among them.

Jingfa from before was considered powerful in the Sea of Origins, but he could only ‘hear’ some keywords within two to three meters.

Considering the improvement in different aspects, it was already pretty good for an Awakened to be able to ‘hear’ a person’s thoughts from a range of seven to eight meters after entering the Mind Corridor. Even if one explored the depths, it was very difficult for them to undergo a qualitative change.

Of course, this was Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian, and the others’ empirical inference. Pangu Biology didn’t provide precise data.

Due to this, Jiang Baimian’s thoughts relaxed a little. A monastery of monks came to Icefield. They should be heading for Tai City…

If it’s just an arduous path they are taking for cultivation purposes, they could’ve chosen to come in winter…

Besides, they also gathered some gold along the way to exchange for supplies. This is clearly because they aren’t willing to waste too much time replenishing their food supplies…

For a moment, Jiang Baimian didn’t know if she should slow down and wait for the ascetics to finish paying their respects at the Holy Land before reaching Tai City or be ahead of them to prevent any accidents from happening.

At this moment, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genava were also immersed in their thoughts.

…

The next day, the Old Task Force replenished their supplies with their remaining negotiables. Bai Chen drove the car away from the rest stop and continued northeast.

Seven to eight minutes later, Shang Jianyao realized that Paranaga and the other monks in gray patched clothes were silently walking by the side of the road. He suddenly rolled down the window and asked loudly, “What does ‘great calamity’ refer to?”

Paranga ignored him. He lowered his head slightly, pressed his palms together, and walked forward step by step..