"Master, Master, I bought everything back..." About half an hour later, Xiao Huan came running back with a paper bag in her hands, a fine layer of sweat already beading across her forehead.
The little maid panted heavily as she ran up to Chen Luo. While pulling things out of the paper bag, she said, "These are goose-feather tubes plucked from Aunt Wang's geese. As you instructed, I removed the feathers and scalded them with boiling water."
"This is the pig's bladder I asked Old Uncle Liu for. I washed it myself and scrubbed it several times inside and out. This is goose intestine. I cleaned it too, and soaked everything in the strongest liquor, just as you ordered..."
"And this..." Xiao Huan finally pulled out a large jar of clear water. "The finest green salt. As you instructed, one part salt to one hundred parts water. I used boiled water and let it cool."
"Thanks for the effort!" Seeing how exhausted Xiao Huan was, Chen Luo nodded.
Xiao Huan's pretty face flushed slightly, and she put on a faintly proud air. "It was no trouble. As long as Master makes that stinking monk eat humble pie, Xiao Huan would gladly run three more trips."
With that, she turned her head and gave the monk a disdainful "Hmph."
The monk did not bicker with Xiao Huan. Instead, he looked at the pile of things beside Chen Luo and asked, "Benefactor, are you planning to use these vulgar objects to save someone?"
Chen Luo merely replied flatly, "Just watch." Then he poured the saline solution into the pig's bladder and connected the goose-feather tube, goose intestine, and pig's bladder, thus making a simple infusion device.
Earlier, Chen Luo had carefully examined the ragged youth. The youth's body was robust, so Chen Luo estimated that the cause of his shock and false death was dehydration. As for the lack of energy from not eating for so long, he should still be able to hold out for another two days.
"There's no helping it. In this era, the most I can get you is some saline solution. Nutrient fluids and glucose are genuinely impossible to find..." Chen Luo thought helplessly. "This saline solution probably has impurities too, but there's no other choice."
Holding the goose-feather tube, one end of which had been sharpened, Chen Luo said to the youth, "My method might save you, or it might harm you. You can still choose..."
The youth struggled to open his eyes and looked deeply at Chen Luo. As though he had exhausted every ounce of strength in his body, he said one word—
"Do it!"
Chen Luo nodded. "It'll hurt a little. Bear with it..."
In his previous life, Chen Luo had depended on his grandmother for survival. Before she passed away, he had been responsible for giving her injections every day, so his technique was fairly practiced.
"Mm—" The goose-feather tube pierced the youth's body. Despite his weakness, the youth still let out a muffled groan through his nose. Then, as Chen Luo deliberately controlled the flow of the saline solution, the youth's expression gradually relaxed, and the rise and fall of his chest showed that his breathing had steadied somewhat.
"Master, it worked?" Delight appeared on Xiao Huan's face. Chen Luo carefully examined the youth, then gave Xiao Huan a slight nod.
The onlookers also erupted in cheers.
At that moment, the monk's expression looked somewhat strange. He sensed carefully and discovered that the dying youth's body had indeed recovered its vitality. His brows furrowed slightly.
Damn it. If he died beneath my Silent Meditation, this spirit child's soul would become a ghost under my command. When I establish my Buddhist kingdom in the future, he would surely become my reincarnation guardian. And now this brat has ruined it!
The monk narrowed his eyes slightly. A phantom image of a Wrathful Vajra flashed across his body and vanished. He then opened his mouth and unleashed a Buddhist Thunderous Sound: "This method is cheating. I refuse to acknowledge it!"
The thunderous sound shook everyone present until their souls were unsteady. While they remained dazed for a moment, the monk seized the opportunity to stride forward, intending to take the youth away.
Just then, a ring of light suddenly appeared beneath the monk's feet and enveloped him. When the monk tried to move forward, he seemed to encounter some obstacle and became trapped within the ring of light.
Great Xuan Official Art: Draw Ground as Prison!
When everyone came to their senses, they saw a sedan chair appear before them, seemingly slow yet actually swift. The bearers lowered it, and Cai Tongchen stepped out.
"Greetings, my lord!" Everyone bowed in succession. Only the monk stood inside the ring of light, once again putting on the bearing of a high monk.
Cai Tongchen looked at Chen Luo. "Nephew, what happened?"
Chen Luo hurried forward and explained the whole sequence of events in a few sentences. Only then did Cai Tongchen turn toward the monk. With a hook of his finger, the gambling contract flew from the monk's robes into Cai Tongchen's hand.
Cai Tongchen read it carefully, then gave a cold laugh. A flash of green light passed over his hand, and the gambling contract instantly turned into scraps of paper.
The monk frowned. "County Magistrate, what do you mean by this? Is this how the Great Xuan Dynasty treats agreements of trust and honor?"
Cai Tongchen walked up to the monk with his hands behind his back. "Agreements of trust and honor are naturally protected by the Great Xuan Law. However, the Great Xuan Law clearly stipulates that such agreements must be verified and stamped by the authorities before they can take effect. Which colleague of mine verified your gambling contract, and which government office stamped it?"
"If there was none, then cursing and casting spells upon a citizen of Great Xuan is a capital offense!"
Upon hearing this, the monk pressed his palms together and bowed. "This poor monk's study of the Great Xuan Law was insufficient, and I nearly caused a grave mistake. This poor monk will return to the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom at once. I ask that my lord show some leniency."
Cai Tongchen was about to say something else when he suddenly noticed a black lotus mark on the back of the monk's hand. His expression changed slightly. After pausing for a moment, he waved his sleeve and dispelled Draw Ground as Prison, saying, "The spell is undone. Leave now."
The monk did not waste words. He walked up to the youth, recited a string of tongue-twisting sutras, and pointed at him. A streak of golden light flew out of the youth's mouth and entered the monk's body.
The monk gave Chen Luo a deep look and pressed his palms together. "Benefactor, when this poor monk reaches the Arhat Realm, we shall meet again!"
After saying that, the monk turned and left. But after only a few steps, he transformed into a wisp of green smoke and vanished without a trace.
Chen Luo hurriedly signaled Xiao Huan to feed the youth the rice porridge they had taken out earlier. He then went to Cai Tongchen and bowed. "Thank you, Uncle, for helping me out..."
Cai Tongchen waved his hand dismissively. After carefully examining the simple infusion device Chen Luo had made, he asked, "Where did you learn this method?"
Chen Luo's head began to buzz, and his thoughts spun rapidly. He stepped forward and said, "Earlier, in Peach Blossom Forest, the Peach Blossom Immortal and I drank wine and chatted. He happened to mention this method."
"He said that people can go many days without food, but cannot go many days without water. If someone collapsed from a lack of water, this method could be used in an emergency. It's just that most water in The Human World is unclean, and most salt is impure, so it can only be used as an emergency measure!"
Cai Tongchen sighed. "A true master indeed! If only I could also drink and make merry with the Peach Blossom Immortal..."
"Uncle, do you have official business to attend to? Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea?" Chen Luo hurriedly changed the subject. Otherwise, once he became interested and asked Chen Luo to recount the entire conversation, wouldn't the truth be exposed?
"No need. I came specifically to find you." Cai Tongchen finally remembered the important matter and said, "Quickly tidy yourself up. Come with me to meet my teacher!"
"Ah, your teacher? He wants to meet me?"
Cai Tongchen nodded. "Go get ready quickly. You must not be disrespectful. My teacher is a Great Scholar!"
The north wind swept across the land, snapping the white grass. What could one do without support? Please add this to your collection, recommend it, and vote for it—please~~~~
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