Alex wasn't just bluffing when he said he was becoming a monk; he meant it.
That day, he packed his belongings and headed to a well-known Zenyoist monastery in Seastone, Mossroot Monastery.
In modern times, becoming a monk involved a thorough screening process.
Aside from confirming a clean background and no special identities, one must study the Zenyoist doctrine and undergo a year of training and assessment within the monastery. It was only upon passing that one could be officially ordained.
Being a Jensen, Alex could pull some strings to skip the screening process, but the most he could do was enter the monastery as a devotee and join the monks in cultivation.
Such cultivation methods were fairly common. Urban hustlers overwhelmed by stress or disillusioned by the chaos of everyday life could sign up for free spiritual practices at monasteries.
They would stay within the monastery and engage in short-term practice while retaining their secular status. It was like a monastic version of a summer camp and wouldn't last too long.
Everyone in the Jensen family knew Alex couldn't possibly last long, so none took it too seriously.
Among all of them, Eva and Scott were the only two who seemed to attach much importance to the issue.
Scott managed to keep his emotions in check, but as an eight-year-old, Eva burst into tears when she learned Alex had left for the monastery.
"Is it true that Daddy left to be a monk? Is he gonna leave me behind?"
The last sentence plunged the whole room into a moment of awkward silence.
Hank looked the most frustrated as he knew this would happen. Alex had never been reliable, and he'd only gotten worse after his divorce from Linda.
He took Eva's hand and hesitated to comfort Eva when Hector suddenly spoke up. "Uncle Alex left for some vegetarian food to give his stomach a cleanse. He'll be back in a few days."
Hector's voice was calm and reassuring. All the kids in the Jensen family, including Eva, trusted him greatly.
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