Chapter 835: Chapter 513: Desire Is the Ladder of Progress (3)
The Sage smiled and said, "I am the Four Emperors’ Calamity. Do you think I’d deceive you commoners?"
Not having desire doesn’t mean lacking intelligence or insight.
The news bird doesn’t care about unknown islands or not; it flies along its path and reports wherever there’s human habitation. The fame of the Four Emperors is nearly universal in the New World.
These people clearly don’t fall into that category.
"Only nine are left."
The Sage glanced around, suddenly extended his hand and threw, like scattering flowers, gold beans splattering from his hand to the surroundings. Then, he shouted abruptly, "Grab them!"
The sudden shout triggered the people with wavering eyes. Almost instinctively, two people stepped forward. With that step, it was as if they’d ignited some fuse.
"No!!"
Bode roared with eyes wide open in desperation, and at that moment, everyone stepped forward, reaching out their hands, regardless of gender or age, all scrambling for those shimmering gold beans on the ground.
"Hahahahaha!"
The Sage’s lips almost stretched to his cheeks as he laughed aloud.
"No, it’s not like this, it’s not..." Bode’s eyes filled with despair, his breath weakening like a deflating balloon slowly collapsing.
"It is exactly this way!"
The Sage turned to him, saying, "Now, back to the previous question, where did your clothes come from..."
"It’s because of desire! You wear clothes because you don’t want to be naked, a robe to signify your Monk identity; otherwise, why not wear something else?"
He pointed at Bode and said, "Your clothes come from others’ weaving. Why weave? Because there’s demand, and where there’s demand, there’s trade, and with trade, someone wants to earn, someone wants to exchange this item for what they need."
"You inherently have desire; how can you force others to be desireless? Even if forcibly suppressed, it’s useless. You think I’m tempting them; no, I’m just giving them the power of choice, a chance to live better."
"People possess fire because they don’t want to eat raw food, clothes because they’re afraid of cold, weapons because they want to kill, and because of endless desire, they have various choices."
"Save the world? Absorb ’sin’? Don’t joke around; a guy like you isn’t qualified for such tasks because of human desires..."
...
"Bode, you’re so weak you deserve to be bullied; if you pay today, I won’t hit you."
I hate these bullies, their discriminatory glances, and malicious sneers.
"Bode, now you’re a famous boxer; you’ve got to give others a more thrilling experience. I’ll tell you, make sure there’s blood!"
I despise the malicious cries of those spectators, and I hate the greedy merchant blinded by money.
"Bode, going out to sea is for money! We’re all illegally sailing; if we’re going to be seen as pirates anyway, why not actually rob?"
I detest my companions’ malevolence and the captain’s ferocity.
"Bode..."
"Bode?"
"Bode!"
I loathe the commoners’ pettiness, my friends’ power-driven eyes, the nobles’ arrogance, and the Heavenly Celestial Dragons’ disregard for human lives and their privilege.
Humans, why can’t they coexist peacefully?
Why must they all have desires?
Desire is truly detestable.
Desire...
"It’s the ladder of progress!!!"
The voice like a resonant bell briefly cleared Bode’s muddled eyes, revealing the residents he had painstakingly helped rid of desire and make peaceful and docile on this island.
At that moment, they seemed crazed, scrambling for the gold beans on the ground. Those who grabbed them showed greedy yet joyous, heartfelt laughter.
And there, that white-haired man with arms wide open, displaying a wildly reckless smile.
