69: Monks and nuns

“Holy Monk, where are we going now?”

“Holy Monk, I heard you’re invincible with Iron Fist Points. If our people come looking for me, you have to protect me!”

“Holy Monk, I heard you have a Disciple who is very manly and impressive. Can you introduce me to him?”

“Holy Monk, I’m hungry. Can we find a place to eat something first?”

“Holy Monk, can I not wear these clothes? They’re so ugly. Can you find me a monk’s robe with flowers?”

“Holy Monk…”

…

“Can you shut up!”

Tang Ku suddenly turned around and roared at Aphrodite, who was now wearing a monk’s robe.

At this moment, his forehead was throbbing with veins, his internal heat was rising, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was snorting through his nostrils, just like an enraged bull.

He raised a finger and said to Aphrodite, “Can you close your mouth? You’ve been nagging me all morning, the entire morning! I’ve been listening to you nag even when I eat, drink, or go to the toilet. Are you a chatterbox by birth? I already agreed to let you go, but you refused. I even agreed to let you stay, but you insist on nagging. Do you know that even Buddhas get angry? Do you know that even in Buddhism, there are wrathful Vajras who can get angry and kill at any moment!”

Aphrodite poked her two index fingers together, lowering her head and saying, “I… I didn’t want to, but… but if we don’t talk, what else can we do? You won’t do those loving things with me…”

“Then reflect on your mistakes, face the stone wall… Yes, that cliff over there, recall what mistakes you’ve made… And, I never really agreed to take you in. We’re just temporarily cooperating… If your people come, I promise to protect you three times. That’s the limit. If they come looking for you again later, it has nothing to do with me, understood?”

Tang Ku finished speaking all this in one breath, his chest rising and falling constantly, clearly tormented by this Greek beauty.

“Oh… okay…”

The beauty turned around and walked towards the cliff, sitting cross-legged like Tang Ku, facing the wall and staring blankly at her own shadow.

“Uh…”

Tang Ku felt as uncomfortable as if he had punched cotton. “By the way, she’s not refuting this time? Before, whenever I scolded her, she always had a million reasons to infuriate me!”

“However, this is good too. At least my ears are much quieter!”

Tang Ku stood on the cliff, looking at the half-suspended moon about to rise, recalling what had happened before, and couldn’t help but sigh, “How did I bring such a disaster upon myself?”

Aphrodite, with her compassionate nature, had tied herself to his chariot, leaving Tang Ku no room to object.

“If I’m really targeted by our people, my end will be very miserable, because I haven’t completed my mission, which will lead to the complete failure of the entire plan. Our Great Leader will surely grind me to dust. I’m so fragile, the weakest among them. If I’m caught, I’m truly dead… And all of this is because you drove me out of Chang’an City. Your Buddhist sect talks about Karma. You wouldn’t just abandon me, would you!”

Aphrodite was beautiful and had a tongue that could deceive gods and ghosts. Tang Ku truly had no room to argue against her words.

“…I really shouldn’t have impulsively taken her in…” Tang Ku muttered to himself in frustration, “By the way, I haven’t fallen for this demoness’s charm spell, have I? But, the System hasn’t received any Iron Fist Points… This is truly strange…”

Tang Ku hammered his head with his fist in distress.

“Hm, holy crap… why are you here again? You, you’re so close… What do you want to do?”

Tang Ku suddenly took a step back, looking at Aphrodite’s beautiful face with a wary expression.

Just now, Aphrodite had been facing him with a serious expression, only about fifteen centimeters away.

“Holy Monk, I’ve comprehended!”

Aphrodite imitated Tang Ku, looking at him with a serious expression, hands clasped together.

Tang Ku’s mouth twitched, knowing this character definitely had some trick waiting for him, so he lightly coughed and calmly cooperated, “Oh, what have you comprehended?”

“Hm, I’ve comprehended… my mistake is… being too beautiful… Oh, what do you Middle Kingdom people say… a femme fatale!”

Aphrodite narcissistically preened in front of Tang Ku, pulling out a mirror from who knows where and gazing at herself.

“Damn it…”

Tang Ku was instantly floored, his mouth twitching as he said, “Then good luck to you, I can’t save you anymore!”

“Sigh, what good is being beautiful? I’m still repeatedly abandoned… And, some people don’t even want to look at me straight!”

Aphrodite looked at Tang Ku with a resentful expression.

Tang Ku finally grew impatient from her teasing. He sneered and said indifferently, “Heh heh, abandoned? Do you dare say it’s not your own doing? Who gave you the title of ‘promiscuous’? Me? Or all the other gods? If you didn’t behave so wantonly, would you have such a reputation? If you want me to look up to you, you have to act upright and sit straight, and I also said, you’re not my type… Oh, right, I think the words ‘worn-out shoes’ actually suit you very well!”

“You…” Aphrodite was stunned by the retort, tears instantly welled up, and then she gave a bitter, sorrowful smile, “You… you’re right, all of this… is my own doing… Heh heh… Heh heh heh…”

Tang Ku was momentarily taken aback. Looking at her pitiful appearance, a trace of sympathy suddenly rose in his heart, and he thought, “Did I speak too harshly just now?”

“…If… if I tell you that what I did was not out of my own free will, would you believe me?”

Aphrodite glanced at Tang Ku, a faint glint always in her eyes.

“I…” Tang Ku thought for a moment, then sighed and said, “I really want to say I believe you, but a monk doesn’t lie, I can’t deceive you… You and I are always enemies, not friends. To say I believe you would be a lie. But what I do believe is that everything has Karma. Whether you’re good or bad, the result of today is entirely due to the causes you chose before. If you want me to believe you… you must first understand this point yourself!”

Aphrodite froze. She suddenly remembered something, and abruptly knelt down, facing Tang Ku, her hands devoutly clasped together. Gone was her previous unrestrained demeanor. She bowed her head in obeisance, and when she raised her head again, she said, “I don’t know the rules of your Buddhist sect, and I don’t know if I can enter your Dharma Eye, but for now, I am your Disciple. Many of your words are very reasonable, but I cannot fully comprehend them. Can I stay by your side and often listen to what you say? This is my request, and I will repay you in the future!”

“Heh heh, a beautiful woman like you is too eye-catching, I…”

Before Tang Ku could finish speaking, he saw a golden light emanating from Aphrodite’s right hand. With a light touch over her head, all her golden hair instantly fell off, and a brand new bald nun appeared before Tang Ku, her face incomparably exquisite.