Physician Lu and his still-recovering son exchanged horrified glances.
They never imagined Xu Lei had a master, and that he had only learned one ten-thousandth of his master's skills!
Xu Lei, however, was quite pleased with everyone's reaction.
He had fabricated an all-powerful master for this very purpose.
There was nothing for it. He didn't have a backer, so he had to make one up.
「A few hours later.」
Since the old Monk and his companions had arrived,
Xu Lei still hadn't left Physician Lu's house.
But his wait paid off. The three Monks from before returned, bringing with them a middle-aged Monk who was injured, had an infection, and was running a high fever.
Seeing this, Xu Lei knew that the old Monk's party likely hadn't deceived him.
These people probably weren't here to cause trouble.
They were simply here to ask for help.
After all, Xu Lei had only been collecting incense money in the area for a few days.
It was too soon to have drawn the malice of the local Monks.
Of course, despite this, Xu Lei knew he had to start being more discreet.
Otherwise, the local Monks might really make a move against him.
Xu Lei immediately went forward to examine the man.
He found that the middle-aged Monk's fever and unconsciousness were indeed caused by an infection.
After cleaning the middle-aged Monk's wound,
he took out the Anti-Inflammatory Medicine from his bag and gave it to the Monk to take.
The amount of Anti-Inflammatory Medicine he'd brought was very limited.
The next time he needed some for himself, he might not have any left.
'But first, I need to get through the current crisis.'
'Saving this middle-aged Monk and getting on their good side is much better than making enemies of them.'
Besides, with a life on the line right in front of him, Xu Lei couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
「The afternoon arrived in a flash.」
"Thank you for saving him, Little Divine Monk!"
The old Monk bowed deeply to Xu Lei, who was reading a book. "My junior brother's high fever is already showing signs of subsiding!"
The young and adolescent Monks who had come with the old Monk also thanked Xu Lei.
"Please, there's no need to be so formal."
Xu Lei said, "We monks are compassionate by nature. If I can save a life, how could I refuse?"
"Little Divine Monk, forgive my forwardness, but may I ask what medicine you used earlier to bring down this master's fever?"
Physician Lu, who had been standing nearby opening and closing his mouth for some time, finally spoke up. "It's embarrassing to admit, but I have seen similar cases before, and I was always powerless to save them."
"Indeed."
The old Monk added, "When we sought out other physicians, they all gave the same prognosis. That... capsule... you gave him before, what medicine was that?"
"It's a capsule-type Anti-Inflammatory Medicine."
Xu Lei explained, "To be honest, Physician Lu, this humble Monk doesn't know how to produce this medicine. I only have what I carry with me. It was originally made by my master. But to my shame, I was a mischievous child and didn't apply myself to my studies, so I only learned one ten-thousandth of my master's skills—just the barest surface. As for the method of making this Anti-Inflammatory Medicine, I have no idea."
"What?"
Physician Lu was heartbroken. "Such a divine medicine, and you, you actually... AIH, what a pity! If only I could have studied under your esteemed master."
"Little Divine Monk, I have yet to ask, what is your master's Buddhist name?"
The old Monk continued, "I am the Host of the local Buddhist temple. I have heard of all the great Monks of the Buddhist Sect across the land. How is it that I've never heard of such a master of the medical arts within our sect?"
"I'm ashamed to say, my master is a free spirit. He rarely mentions his Buddhist name."
Xu Lei said, "This humble Monk just calls him 'Master.'"
"Then where is the old Divine Monk now? Where is he?"
Physician Lu pressed, "Could you arrange an introduction? Such medical knowledge should be passed down to benefit all of humanity!"
"One day, my master bid me farewell, saying he was going to roam the world and walk the mortal plane."
Xu Lei continued, "He said he wanted to temper himself in the mortal world to single-mindedly achieve Buddhahood! This humble Monk doesn't know where my master is now. He told me not to look for him, that one day he would find me on his own. He wanted me to go out and gain experience in the world by myself."
"Since you are also wandering the world, Little Divine Monk, how can your master find you?"
Physician Lu asked, "Is it a matter of fate?"
"Legend says that our Buddhist Sect does have truly Enlightened masters."
The old Monk said, "They are beings who truly possess supreme Magical Power and Divine Power. Perhaps, Little Divine Monk, your master is such a truly Enlightened Monk! What a pity that this old Monk will have no fate to meet him! And you, Little Divine Monk... you... to have such a great opportunity, yet you were too playful and didn't study hard... that is truly—it's a chance countless people beg for and can never get."
"Thinking back on it now, my regret comes too late."
Xu Lei also feigned a sigh. "But I was young and ignorant then."
This last sigh, however, was genuine on Xu Lei's part.
When he was a student on Earth, he had also been playful in his youth and didn't particularly like studying.
If he had been more serious back then, perhaps he would know and be able to use much more now that he had transmigrated.
「The next day.」
The injured middle-aged Monk's fever had broken.
Therefore, the old Monk prepared to take him back to the temple.
"Little Divine Monk, since you have nowhere else to go,"
the old Monk invited, "why not come stay at our temple? You could cultivate there for a while. What do you think?"
Xu Lei was tempted.
This meant he had been accepted by the local Monks.
From now on, if he continued to perform rituals as a Monk to earn incense money, he likely wouldn't have to worry about any repercussions.
But Xu Lei hesitated.
'After all, my goal is to have lots of children.'
'I can't believe that by casually pretending to be a Monk, I'm now straying further and further down the path of a 'Divine Monk'.'
'It's not easy to marry and have children with the title of a Monk.'
Just as Xu Lei was about to refuse the invitation, planning to part ways with them, ditch his Monk identity, use the five taels of silver he had obtained as capital to start a business, get married, and then have many children,
"The Saint is about to go on an inspection tour!"
"The Government is conscripting labor!"
"One person per household is required!"
Suddenly, a group of Government Officials in uniform rode into the village entrance on horseback.
They immediately began rounding up able-bodied men in the village.
"Forced labor!" Physician Lu's son's face turned pale.
Physician Lu quickly said, "I'll go! Officer, let this old man go! My son's injuries haven't healed yet!"
Xu Lei stared in stunned silence at the chaotic scene.
Just then, a young man tried to run, but he was caught and dragged back by the Government Officials.
"I don't want to do forced labor! Dad, I won't go!" the young man cried out.
"I'm already old, and your younger brother is still so young," an old man sighed.
Xu Lei was silent.
He had been stunned just now because of the sudden appearance of these officials.
But from the books he had read at Physician Lu's house, Xu Lei already knew something about the state of the Da Yu Dynasty.
The Da Yu Dynasty had been founded over two hundred years ago.
Going by the 300-year cycle of dynasties in Earth's history,
the Da Yu Dynasty was already considered to be in its later stages.
As such, corruption was rampant throughout the Dynasty.
This could be seen in the poetry of some of the frustrated and disillusioned scholars.
And now, a Saint was going on an inspection tour!
Large-scale construction projects were being launched across the land!
This kind of forced labor was the most terrifying.
It was comparable to Yang Guang's construction of the canal on ancient Earth.
Many people would be worked to death during their service.
But this kind of service was impossible to refuse.
After all, paying taxes and performing service were the duties of every commoner!
Of course, at that moment, Xu Lei, the old Monk, and his companions were not being dragged away for labor by the officials.
Because in the Da Yu Dynasty of this world, just as in the history of Earth, members of the Buddhist and Daoist Sects were exempt from taxes and service—a fact that some people found difficult to understand.
"Actually, this humble Monk was also thinking of going to my senior brother's temple to cultivate for a while," Xu Lei immediately said to the old Monk.
Compared to being a commoner dragged off to do hard labor,
it was much better to first enter a temple and become a Monk. Besides, Xu Lei was only seventeen.
'As long as I can have enough descendants before I die of old age, there's no need to rush.'
'As for having children? I can just make a new plan for that later.'