[Oh my heavens-the abbot Li still offers male courtesan services!!]
The worshippers: ??!!
No way, no way.
He was already an abbot, so why was he still offering male courtesan services?!
What had been a pretty inspiring story had suddenly turned into a tale of someone with no self-respect.
This was getting more and more bizarre!
They wouldn't believe it, not unless someone produced evidence!
[But abbot Li doesn't even bother with ordinary people. He only serves high-ranking officials and nobles. This service even has an elegant name: "communing with the gods"!]
One worshipper immediately said, "Oh, my friend who's an official bragged about that last time. I didn't believe him, but it turns out it's true! It's just very expensive. Ordinary folk like us can't afford it."
The worshippers: Oh, so that was how it worked.
No wonder ordinary folk like them knew nothing about it.
Officials certainly knew how to have more fun than the common people.
[He deserves to make that money. Most people really couldn't put themselves out there like that!]
The worshippers nodded in agreement: True dat.
They had actually started sympathizing with him while enjoying the gossip.
"Hey, does anyone know how this climbing a mountain of blades and plunging into a cauldron of oil works?"
"Could abbot Li really 'commune with the gods'?"
"Have I never received divine protection because I've never been a kept pretty boy?"
"Is it too late for me to become a kept pretty boy now?"
[Abbot Li used to perform acrobatics. The skin on his soles is thick, so as long as he steps on the blades without moving, he won't get hurt.]
[There's vinegar in the oil cauldron. The vinegar boils first, making it look like the whole thing is boiling, but the temperature is actually very