NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Three Monks and No Water
Chapter 7: Three Monks and No Water
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There was no expected pain when Lin Yao landed—instead, he felt as if someone had gently caught him.
Getting to his feet, he looked around. Though the well’s opening was small, the space below was unexpectedly vast.
A path lay before him, and at its end, he would likely find the three young monks.
Lin Yao walked forward leisurely.
Weaving Fate couldn’t pull them into the world he had woven,
so his only advantage was gone.
“Once I get out, I need to figure out how cultivation works in this world.”
The Weaver Girl had mentioned that the old yellow ox followed the Path of Beasts, which meant this world had its own unique system of cultivation.
But Lin Yao had a feeling that the cultivators here didn’t follow the paths he remembered.
Of course, that was a problem for later.
Pushing aside his thoughts, Lin Yao continued until the path neared its end.
Not far ahead, he could faintly hear the sounds of the young monks fighting.
After walking a little farther, he saw the scene described on the ox hide.
Not-Hearing and Not-Seeing were wrestling, while Not-Speaking quietly sharpened his knife.
This time, Lin Yao didn’t approach them to ask for directions. Instead, he walked past the three and continued forward.
“Shink.”
The sound of a blade piercing flesh made Lin Yao frown. Not-Speaking’s knife had embedded itself in the ground not far in front of him.
“That sound… feels off.”
It reminded him of the moment he had driven his own blade into the Cowherd’s heart.
At the sound, Not-Hearing and Not-Seeing stopped fighting.
“Who are you?”
Not-Hearing was the first to speak.
Lin Yao glanced at him. Not-Speaking stood beside him, staring intently.
“I’m an honored guest of the Buddha. Do you dare stop me?”
He watched the three young monks carefully. Not-Speaking looked to Not-Hearing for guidance, while Not-Seeing angrily gestured in front of him.
In an instant, Lin Yao understood the hierarchy among them.
Not-Hearing and Not-Seeing were evenly matched, while Not-Speaking only sharpened the knife and didn’t dare fight—meaning he was the lowest of the three.
Such a fragile dynamic could collapse with the slightest push.
Not-Hearing studied Lin Yao, as if trying to recall whether this man was on the guest list.
“If you’re a guest, then you should know the Buddha set a trial for us three. If we can fill those buckets with water, we’ll become his personal disciples.”
After speaking, Not-Hearing stared at Lin Yao intently.
Not-Speaking dragged his knife closer.
“Can’t avoid it after all.”
Lin Yao sighed inwardly. He had hoped to save his energy, but now he had to think fast.
“You—come here.”
He pointed at Not-Speaking, who froze in surprise.
Unsure how to react, the mute monk instinctively looked at Not-Hearing.
Not-Hearing wasn’t sure what Lin Yao intended, but he nodded anyway.
Lin Yao led Not-Speaking to the buckets, glanced back at the other two monks, then crouched down.
He didn’t speak, only observed carefully.
The two wooden buckets were covered in dust, as if unused for a long time.
But the carrying pole was broken, stained with traces of blood.
Lin Yao glanced at *Not-Speaking* and noticed the young monk trembling slightly.
He patted Not-Speaking’s shoulder, straightened his dirty robes,
then pulled him up and returned to the other two—though now, Lin Yao’s eyes had turned cold.
He walked to Not-Seeing and gripped his shoulder.
“Come with me.”
Not-Hearing looked at Not-Speaking, noticing a flicker of resentment in his eyes.
He wanted to stop Not-Seeing, but the blind monk ignored him and followed Lin Yao to the buckets.
Again, he glanced back at Not-Hearing.
“Have you forgotten the Buddha’s task?”
A single soft question made Not-Seein tremble uncontrollably.
“W-we haven’t!”
“‘We’?”
Lin Yao chuckled and slung an arm around his shoulders.
“Not-Speaking may be mute, but he can write.”
At these words, Not-Seeing’s trembling worsened.
Lin Yao seized the moment to whisper in his ear while staring at Not-Hearing.
“Do you really think someone would suddenly claim to be the Buddha’s guest without his orders?”
The aura of Weaving Fate seeped out.
To Not-Hearing, Lin Yao now radiated the same grandeur and sanctity as the Buddha himself.
“Y-you…”
Lin Yao smiled faintly and patted Not-Seeing’s shoulder.
“You know what to do.”
He hadn’t bothered lowering his voice, and Not-Speaking now looked equally shocked.
Lin Yao continued, “I took pity on you two, so I came to enlighten you. The Buddha likely only asked you to *fill* this bucket, didn’t he?”
Not-Seeing’s voice shook.
“Y-you mean…”
Lin Yao didn’t elaborate. He walked straight to Not-Hearing.
The latter’s eyes now burned with murderous intent, as if Lin Yao were already dead.
Not-Seeing and Not-Speaking stood opposite him, radiating hostility and hatred.
“Now, let’s talk.”
Lin Yao spoke casually, then turned his back on Not-Hearing without a care.
One step. Then another.
A sudden rush of wind came from behind.
Feeling the monstrous force approaching, Lin Yao smirked.
“Finally.”
He grabbed one of the wooden buckets and dragged it toward the three struggling monks.
No wonder Not-Hearing was their leader—even fighting two at once, he only barely lost ground.
But two against one was still overwhelming.
Soon, Not-Hearing was subdued.
Lin Yao kicked the bucket in front of them.
Not-Hearing seemed to realize something, but when he opened his mouth, only a hoarse screech came out.
A flash of steel—and Not-Hearing’s head rolled to Lin Yao’s feet.
His dulled eyes were filled with resentment and regret.
Lin Yao stared at him, his own heart undisturbed.
When had he grown so numb?
He didn’t know—and didn’t care to think about it.
The bucket was soon filled.
The ground beneath the three trembled slightly.
From the darkness behind them, three slender, elongated hands stretched out and settled before them.
“So, one of the four had to die for the others to enter the Buddha’s banquet.”
Not-Seeing and Not-Speaking stood behind Lin Yao, not daring to step forward. Only when Lin Yao placed his foot on one of the palms did the two hastily take their places beside him.
As the hands lifted them, Lin Yao looked down at *Not-Hearing*’s corpse and frowned.
“The Weaver Girl must have known about the well’s trap—that’s why she didn’t follow me down. In a fight, she might not have been able to protect me. But how will she enter the banquet?”
As he pondered, darkness suddenly swallowed his vision.
When light returned, noise flooded his ears.
“Sir, we must report to the Buddha. We’ll take our leave.”
After Lin Yao nodded, the two monks vanished into the crowd.
His faint connection to the Weaver Girl flared again—she must have entered the banquet as well.
The scene before him wasn’t what he had imagined. Instead, it resembled a lively mortal marketplace.
Every face bore smiles and kindness.
“Where is she?”
Lin Yao scanned the surroundings—
only for the cheerful noise to abruptly cease.
“They’re… looking at me?”
(End of Chapter)