Although Chang Haijiang was stationed in the Icefield year-round, he came from the "Salvation Army" and had risen to the middle ranks. He had a certain understanding of all aspects of the situation and had also met several monks, knowing how to deal with the person in front of him.
He asked with a kind attitude:
"Venerable Monks, what would you like to exchange for?"
The elderly Red River person replied calmly:
"Some black bread."
"We don't have any," Chang Haijiang shook his head. "We have cornbread made of mixed grains of equal value. Would you like some?"
The elderly Red River person thought for a moment and said:
"That will do."
He then took down a small cloth bag hanging from his waist and took out a gold piece from it:
"Is this enough?"
Chang Haijiang took it, weighed it, and identified it for a while:
"It's about enough for a hundred... uh, I can't get that many out right now. There are only thirty-odd left in the kitchen... Venerable Monk, would you like to exchange for other supplies, or wait for the kitchen to steam some more?"
The elderly Red River person did not hesitate:
"We only want cornbread made of mixed grains. We can wait."
"Okay," Chang Haijiang didn't try to dissuade him.
The elderly Red River person then led the group of dusty, patch-clothed gray-robed monks towards the door, found a place, and sat down on the ground.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of them.
It was Shang Jianyao, holding the "Six Senses Beads".
Jiang Baimian couldn't stop him.
Shang Jianyao followed and sat on the ground, his posture a little awkward.
He put his hands together and said:
"Namo Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi, this humble monk is Pudu. What are your names?"
The elderly Red River person returned the same courtesy:
"Namo Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi, this humble monk is Palanga."
"Are you from the 'Crystal Consciousness Sect'?" Shang Jianyao asked curiously.
Clearly, they weren't from the "Monk Order". They hadn't abandoned their flesh, used technology to prove the Dao, or achieved mechanical ascension.
Palanga shook his head:
"We are from the 'Ascetic Department'."
"'Ascetic Department'?" Shang Jianyao asked with a puzzled voice.
He hadn't heard of it.
"We focus on asceticism to temper our will, improve ourselves, and ultimately transcend," Palanga explained succinctly, without going into lengthy details.
He then asked:
"May I ask where this Dharma Master is from?"
"Monk Order," Shang Jianyao replied without hesitation.
Seeing surprise on the faces of Palanga and the other monks, filled with "disbelief", he added:
"But I ultimately parted ways with them because of different understandings of Zen and the true nature of the self."
As he spoke, he sighed, looking like a highly virtuous monk.
After explaining, Shang Jianyao finally answered Palanga's previous question:
"I am not a member of any monastic order. Because I have had contact with different monks and read some scriptures, I have obtained some affinity, and I chose this path. Namo Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi."
He said it as if it were true... Jiang Baimian, standing by the door, didn't even want to admit that this guy was her companion.
However, in essence, Shang Jianyao wasn't lying. Zen Master Pudu was indeed such a "person".
Palanga sized up Shang Jianyao.
His gaze swept over the string of prayer beads in the other party's hand and suddenly froze.
"Namo Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi," Palanga put his hands together again, chanting the Buddha's name in a low voice.
He didn't ask any further questions.
Shang Jianyao curiously looked at the surrounding monks:
"Why aren't they talking?"
Yes, they were too polite... Were they under strict discipline? Jiang Baimian had felt something was off earlier.
The group of monks only listened and didn't speak, not participating in the conversation between Palanga and Shang Jianyao at all.
Normally, when Shang Jianyao reported the name "Monk Order", some of them should have questioned it.
Palanga didn't lie, answering frankly:
"The monks of our 'Ascetic Department' practice a vow of silence for at least twenty years."
"Oh, oh, oh," Shang Jianyao said with a "I understand" expression. "Dharma Master, have you completed twenty years?"
Palanga nodded:
"I practiced a vow of silence for twenty years, then spoke for twenty years, and am now practicing a second vow of silence."
"Then, why can you speak now?" Shang Jianyao didn't hide his curiosity.
Palanga's expression suddenly became slightly dazed:
"I failed. I broke the vow of silence myself."
"How could such a thing happen?" Zen Master Pudu Shang Jianyao looked concerned.
Palanga lowered his head, put his hands together, and chanted the Buddha's name again:
"Namo Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi, the omen has appeared, a great calamity is coming."
"A great calamity? What great calamity?" Shang Jianyao held the "Six Senses Beads" in one hand and raised the other to his chest.
Palanga kept his mouth shut, not saying a word, as if he had returned to the state of practicing a vow of silence.
Zen Master Pudu was peaceful and compassionate, not overly concerned with himself, and gave up asking, slowly standing up.
After passing Jiang Baimian and returning to the rest area, he put the "Six Senses Beads" back into his tactical backpack.
Jiang Baimian didn't say anything, following Shang Jianyao, who had switched to an unknown personality, back to their original position and sat down.
Bai Chen and Long Yuehong looked up at them and then turned their attention to the dining table.
Chang Haijiang had already brought over a large bowl of dried meat and a large plate of yellow cornbread.
Such a group of monks coming to the Icefield, were they also going to... As soon as Long Yuehong had this thought, he forcibly shifted his attention to the plate of wild game.
He knew that the "Bodhi" domain had abilities such as "telepathy" and "clairaudience". With the distance between them being less than ten meters, it was inconvenient for them to discuss and they didn't dare to think about it.
The "Old Task Force" ate the dried meat with the cornbread. Chang Haijiang successively sent over grilled onion venison, smoked North An Lake fish, pickles, mixed vegetables, and steamed minced meat patties.
The soup was a mutated cabbage soup, slightly sweet.
"The venison has a bit of a strong smell, it's good it's grilled," Long Yuehong said as he ate, trying to focus all his attention on the food.
"This is obviously not artificially bred and raised, it was hunted in the wild," Jiang Baimian also commented.
At this time of year, there were many wild animals in the southern part, which was later "swallowed" by the Icefield.
"Mmm, mmm," Shang Jianyao stuffed his mouth full of food.
Bai Chen nodded:
"The pickles are surprisingly good."
Very refreshing and neutralized the strong smell.
Overall, after traveling in the wilderness for many days, the "Old Task Force" was relatively satisfied with this meal.
After looking at the empty plates, Jiang Baimian stood up and said:
"Let's go back to the parking lot, we can't leave Old Ge alone there."
"Okay," Shang Jianyao responded very enthusiastically.
Bai Chen and Long Yuehong probably also guessed Jiang Baimian's implication:
They didn't know if this group of monks had "telepathy", it was better to stay away from them.
--Jiang Baimian had said before that today was a day off, and they would open two rooms here and sleep in spacious beds. Long Yuehong was a little expectant.
After returning to their jeep in the parking lot, Jiang Baimian simply instructed:
"Normal night watch, take turns."
She didn't discuss the ascetic monks with her teammates, fearing that they had "clairaudience."
Writing was also not an option, "clairvoyance" also existed in this world.
However, the parking lot and the houses of the rest stop were tens of meters apart. With the characteristics of "telepathy", even if there were "Mind Corridor" level Awakened among Palanga and the other ascetic monks, and they had obtained this ability, they would most likely not be able to hear the human voices here.
The mechanical monk Jingfa was considered powerful within the "Sea of Origin", but he could only faintly "hear" some keywords within two or three meters.
Considering the different directions of improvement, after entering the "Mind Corridor", it was already quite good for an Awakened to be able to roughly "hear" a person's inner thoughts within seven or eight meters. Even if they explored the depths, it was difficult to have qualitative changes.
Of course, this belonged to the experiential deduction of Shang Jianyao, Jiang Baimian, and others. "Pangu Biology" did not provide precise data.
Based on this, Jiang Baimian's thoughts relaxed slightly:
"A group of monks came to the Icefield, they should be heading to Taicheng...
"If it was simply for asceticism to prove the Dao, they could have chosen to come in winter...
"Moreover, they collected some gold along the way to exchange for supplies, which clearly shows that they are unwilling to waste too much time on replenishing food..."
For a moment, Jiang Baimian didn't know whether to slow down and wait for the group of ascetic monks to visit the holy site before arriving at Taicheng, or to rush ahead of them to avoid any accidents.
At this time, Shang Jianyao, Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and Genaava were also immersed in their own thoughts.
…………
The next day, the "Old Task Force" replenished their supplies with the remaining vouchers, and Bai Chen drove the car, leaving the rest stop and continuing northeast.
Seven or eight minutes later, Shang Jianyao discovered that Palanga and the group of monks wearing drab, patched clothing were silently walking along the road.
He suddenly rolled down the car window and asked loudly:
"What exactly does the great calamity refer to?"
Palanga ignored him, slightly lowering his head, putting his hands together, and walking forward step by step.