"Could it be... that your abbot has no hobbies at all?" Xiao Hua could not help interrupting Ming Shen's endless stream of words. Rather than listening to him describe Great Chan Master Ji Mie's hobbies, it was more like listening to him pour out his grievances and recount his own history written in blood and tears.
"Flattery!!!" Ming Shen answered without hesitation. "But even if you flatter him until his ass bursts, he still won't agree to help you!"
"His usual hobbies! Like whether he likes any Buddhist artifacts or Buddhist teachings?"
"No!" Ming Shen shook his head, then explained, "Of course, this disciple does not cultivate Buddhist teachings, so I do not know whether the abbot likes such things. But speaking of what he likes..."
At this point, Ming Shen hesitated.
"What is it?" Xiao Hua immediately perked up and asked.
After thinking for a moment, Ming Shen lowered his voice. "My abbot does have a peculiar habit. This disciple only discovered it in recent years..."
"What peculiar habit?"
"On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month two years ago, this disciple went out to find wine and, unexpectedly, got thoroughly drunk. I was unable to return to Golden Mountain Temple in time. By nightfall, the Chen River water had surged greatly. Risking my life, I stole a shabby little boat to cross the river. But when the boat reached the middle of the river, I suddenly saw the abbot sitting cross-legged atop a tall stone by the riverbank. At that time, I was frightened out of my wits and knelt in the little boat, kowtowing and begging forgiveness. Yet after I had knocked my head against the deck who knew how many times, and the little boat had drifted far away, the abbot still did not open