Chapter 546: Morals Greater than Talent
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Qiu Xiaoye’s brows were tightly knitted as she looked at Fangzheng in a different light. She had first found the monk handsome, and his clean look had given her a feeling akin to the summer meeting the winter. It felt awesome! But now, she felt that he was only draped in a nice piece of skin. Inwardly, he was an jerk that stank! She viewed him in contempt.
Fan Qing shared the same thoughts as Qiu Xiaoye. He felt that he had judged Fangzheng wrongly. What a disappointment!
Jiang Zhou did not have much of a view. All he did was wait in silence, his heart filling with some antic.i.p.ation…
However, Fangzheng said with a smile, “It’s good if it’s worth money, but here, it can only be used as firewood. Jingxin, chop it up.”
“Hai!” Jingxin answered as the saber in his hand cleaved down. With a crack, the chair split into two!
“Stop!” This time, Jiang Zhou was the first to shout.
Jingxin p.r.i.c.ked up his brows and said, “Aren’t you all irritating? Must you be so naggy about chopping a chair? Any more of that nagging and I’ll eat you all!”
Unfortunately, no one took Jingxin seriously because of his doll-like appearance and treated it as a child’s babbling. Instead, it was Fangzheng’s answer that lit up Qiu Xiaoye’s and Fan Qing’s eyes. This monk was a real monk after all. He was not some stinking monk that wanted money!
However, Guan Xiangfeng was disappointed. He had been able to resolve most of the problems he had encountered since young resolved with money, with Jiang Zhou being the exception. Despite thinking that that would be the first and last exception, he ended up meeting Fangzheng… He felt that his view of the world was on the cusp of collapse. When had money become so meaningless?
Jiang Zhou hurriedly said, “Venerable Fangzheng, this chair is a rare object. Why don’t I offer money to buy it?”
Guan Xiangfeng echoed, “Yeah, we will pay for it!”
Fangzheng pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. Patron, if This Penniless Monk loved money, would he chop it up?”
“But…” Jiang Zhou was pushed to the brink of tears from his anxiety.
Qiu Xiaoye said, “Venerable One, the chair is useless to you, but it’s a priceless treasure to us. Please give the chair to us.” After Qiu Xiaoye said that, her face blushed red. To ask for a priceless object for free was truly a test of her shame! It was especially so when they had just mentioned the chair’s price. She suddenly realized that she was a lot more thick skinned than she’d thought! She shot a glance at Guan Xiangfeng and Fan Qing who secretly gave her a thumbs up. However, the looks in their eyes were still odd…
Fangzheng was not overcome with anger; instead, he returned with a question, “Oh? Patron, what do you want it for?”
“All of us study carving. There are some techniques used on this chair which we know, but we are not very skilled at. Then there are also some techniques that we have never seen before. If you give this chair to someone else, they will either sell it for money or keep it as a collection item. However, we will take it back and study the carving techniques that produced it so as to improve our craft. My master is a college professor. He will spread these techniques to even more people, benefiting the ma.s.ses. Therefore, Venerable One, please give us the chair. This is not only for us, but for the entire industry.” The more Qiu Xiaoye spoke, the redder her face became. It was not because of shame, but it was a result of her excitement. She suddenly realized that what she was using as an explanation was actually really the greatest value of the chair!
Fangzheng nodded slightly as he looked at Jiang Zhou.
When Jiang Zhou saw Fangzheng remain silent, he believed that Fangzheng was hoping for him to take a stand. Therefore, he immediately said decisively, “Venerable One, you saved my life and although I wouldn’t consider myself the best of good men, I’m someone who doesn’t go back on his word. If you were to give me this chair, I’m willing to gift it to the school when I’m back. It will be used as research material. I will not monopolize it.”
However, Jiang Zhou had no idea that Qiu Xiaoye’s words had blasted open Fangzheng’s somewhat closed-off mindset like lightning. She had made him see a bigger world! As for what Jiang Zhou said, Fangzheng did not hear him clearly, but he had the general idea.
Therefore, Fangzheng said, “Amitabha. Patron, remember what you said today. This Penniless Monk will give you this chair.”
“Venerable… Uh… Ah… Ah!?” Jiang Zhou was still under the impression that Fangzheng would reject him, but just as he was about to add more reasons, he suddenly realized that Fangzheng had agreed! He was so surprised that he stood rooted to the spot.
Beside him, Qiu Xiaoye, Fan Qing, and Guan Xiangfeng wore looks of joy! They held back their exclamations to prevent themselves from making a din in a place of wors.h.i.+p.
Jiang Zhou snapped back to his senses as he hurriedly thanked Fangzheng. “Thank you, Venerable One! Fan Qing, Xiangfeng, Little Ye, bring the chair over.”
Guan Xiangfeng was taken back. Xiangfeng? His master was actually calling him Xiangfeng? Was this a form of acknowledgment? This was the first time he was being addressed in such a manner! Immediately, Guan Xiangfeng felt like he had won the lottery as he ran over to take the chair.
Red Boy did not stop him. He could not fathom why these people treated their junk as treasure. Seriously, what the f**k. There were really all kinds of fish in the sea.
With the chair in hand, Jiang Zhou began touching it. He admired every carving mark and discovered that he too could gain new ideas from it the more he looked at it. It was as though the chair could further progress his skills! This was more exciting for him than simply obtaining a top-grade material.
However, Jiang Zhou did not forget what he had to do. He put down the chair and asked curiously, “Venerable One, might I ask which master built this chair? I wish to visit him or her and learn from them.” Jiang Zhou’s eyes were still sharp. Although the chair was excellent, it was obvious that it had been recently made. This prompted his question.
When Fangzheng heard that, he scratched his nose in embarra.s.sment. He was actually at a loss for an answer. To say that he was the one who made it? That would appear as though he was posturing. It would be quite embarra.s.sing to end up praising himself…
Therefore, Fangzheng said very seriously, “Amitabha. This was made by This Penniless Monk!” At the same time, he added a thought in his mind. “This Penniless Monk cannot lie. Uh. If he could, This Penniless Monk would definitely not admit to it. Amitabha. Sad, why can’t I believe my own words… Man!”
“So it’s… Uh, what? Venerable Fangzheng, you were the one who made this?” Jiang Zhou suddenly recalled what Guan Xiangfeng had previously mentioned. Back then, he only took it in without believing him. How old was Fangzheng? Was he even twenty? To have such skills at the age of twenty? What about him? He was decades old, and he bragged about how much of a diligent genius he was everywhere he could, calling it the cause of his present-day achievements. But now when he compared himself with Fangzheng, he felt his face burn!
Qiu Xiaoye and Fan Qing were completely dumbfounded as they had looks of disbelief.
Guan Xiangfeng long since knew that Fangzheng was skilled. He looked composed as he prodded Fan Qing and chuckled. “Does it hurt?”
Fan Qing’s face blushed red… It hurt!
Fangzheng blushed as well. He really could not withstand the pressure of making the claim. Although he was the one who had made it, it was not a result of his hard work. It was because of the System’s powers, so he still felt a little ashamed.
“Ding! Why are you feeling ashamed? Is having good morals easy? Is exchanging merit for abilities with the meritorious work you do shameless? Abilities might be monetarily valuable, but too many people are talented without the necessary moral conduct. In contrast, has having good moral conduct now become worthless?” said the System.