Crisis

"Oh, it's Jingming! Your stance is steady and powerful, your eyes bright and spirited. What, have you broken through to Skin Refining Mastery?"

Seeing Gu Han stride over, Monk Yuanqing, clad in yellow robes, brightened and asked with a smile.

"That's right! You have a keen eye, Martial Uncle. Jingming only broke through a few days ago."

Gu Han answered with a smile.

Martial artists possessed meticulous control over their bodies, their qi and blood hidden deep within. Even martial artists of a higher realm generally found it difficult to see another's exact cultivation level; otherwise, Gu Han would not have been able to conceal himself for the past two years.

He had only just broken through, and for the moment, his qi and blood had not been fully reined in, with a trace leaking out. Moreover, the progress he had deliberately displayed in the past had already been close to Skin Refining Mastery. That was why Yuanqing had dared to make such a bold guess. He had not expected it to be true, and his heart was overjoyed as he could not help but praise him.

"Good! As expected of the martial prodigy our Arhat Hall sees only once in several decades—you truly are formidable! With such progress in martial arts, even the Dharma Institute and Prajna Hall probably have few who can compare with you!"

Yuanqing exclaimed happily. Then he picked up a porcelain bottle from the table and handed it to Gu Han.

"Jingming, these are your pills for this month. Put them away first. Also, your breakthrough to Skin Refining Mastery has brought honor to our Arhat Hall. Once I report this to the Hall Chief, there will be an additional reward in two days. Go back first and await the good news!"

"Oh, there's an additional reward?"

Gu Han's heart leaped with joy at this, and his face filled with surprise.

After all, he had never heard of anyone in the hall receiving any reward after breaking through to Skin Refining Mastery. It was only Skin Refining Mastery, after all. Not to mention the whole of Treasure Pearl Temple, even within their Arhat Hall, there were no fewer than a hundred people at this level. If everyone received a reward, how many resources would that squander?

Therefore, expecting the hall to offer some reward merely for breaking through to Skin Refining Mastery was simply impossible, no matter how wealthy Treasure Pearl Temple was.

Could this be the treatment reserved for geniuses?

Thinking of this, Gu Han was delighted. He secretly thought that deliberately displaying his "talent" over the past two years had indeed brought many benefits. Not only had it made the many martial uncles and junior brothers in the hall respect and value him more, but his monthly allotment of Hundred Herb Pills was also one pill greater than that of ordinary disciples.

Ordinary disciples received three pills each month, their combined effects equivalent to a month of hard cultivation for an ordinary person. He, however, received four—one-third more than others, equivalent to the fruits of an extra ten days of hard cultivation every month. Now that he had broken through to Skin Refining Mastery, there was even an additional reward.

This feeling, it had to be said, was simply too satisfying!

Gu Han chuckled inwardly, then opened the porcelain bottle to take a look. He was immediately surprised once more, because there were actually two more pills inside than usual.

At that moment, six blackish Hundred Herb Pills, each the size of a soybean, lay quietly inside the porcelain bottle.

"Eh? Why are there six? Martial Uncle Yuanqing, have you made a mistake?"

Looking at the six pills in the bottle, Gu Han immediately pointed it out, without the slightest thought of pocketing them.

It was not because two years of being a monk had truly made him take refuge in the Buddha and become a devout Buddhist believer.

Rather, within a sect such as Treasure Pearl Temple, one's personal conduct was absolutely more important than anything else.

The pills produced by Treasure Pearl Temple's Medicine Master Institute each month all had fixed quotas. If he dared to pocket these pills today, then should he be reported and discovered in the future, he would immediately be consigned to eternal damnation. No matter how great his martial talent was, Treasure Pearl Temple's upper ranks would certainly abandon him. That would truly be picking up sesame seeds only to lose a watermelon—more loss than gain!

"Hehe! Rest assured, Nephew Jingming. There is no error in the number of pills."

Yuanqing smiled at his words, highly satisfied with Gu Han's conduct, and explained.

"A few days ago, the Abbot issued a decree ordering the Medicine Master Institute to refine more pills each month from this month onward, to supply the temple's disciples in their cultivation and improve their martial arts.

"Thus, the number of Hundred Herb Pills allotted to our Arhat Hall this month is far greater than in previous months, and naturally, the amount distributed to each of you disciples is greater as well."

"Oh, so that is the case. But may I ask, Martial Uncle, why did the Abbot suddenly issue such a decree?"

After hearing Yuanqing's explanation, Gu Han immediately asked in confusion.

As far as he knew, the various medicinal ingredients needed to refine Hundred Herb Pills were quite precious. In order not to deplete the temple's reserves, the number of pills the Medicine Master Institute could refine each month was fixed.

The custom of ordinary Arhat Hall disciples receiving three Hundred Herb Pills every month had continued in the temple for more than a hundred years. Such an abnormal change now—could some major event have occurred?

Sure enough, Yuanqing's next words confirmed his suspicions.

"Alas! Your guess is correct, Nephew. But this matter is already common knowledge, so there is no harm in telling you."

Yuanqing sighed, then began to speak.

"One year ago, King Yan passed away. The Crown Prince was still young, allowing Empress Dowager Zhou to seize control of the court. Yet ever since she took power, she has indulged in pleasure. The moment she grasped authority, she began wildly scraping the people's flesh and blood, brutalizing Great Yan's citizens and causing all under heaven to suffer.

"Until several months ago, Zhang Guangyun, the Yunhai Prefecture Military Governor of Great Yan, rose in rebellion and declared himself King Yunhai. In the months since, beacon fires have blazed across the lands of Yan, and the various vassal kings have risen in revolt one after another. Great Yan now stands on the verge of collapse, and chaos under heaven has become inevitable!

"Though everyone in our Treasure Pearl Temple has left the secular world behind, we are located under King Tang Li Hanhai's domain. I fear we will not be left in peace either. That is why the Abbot ordered the Medicine Master Institute to refine more pills, increasing the temple's strength so that we may protect ourselves in the future."

"So that is how it is. Jingming thanks Martial Uncle for clearing up his doubts. Since that is the case, this nephew shall take his leave."

Gu Han pressed his palms together and performed a Buddhist salute. After excusing himself to Monk Yuanqing, he left the main hall of the Arhat Hall.

"Tap, tap..." Steady footsteps rang out as Gu Han walked along the bluestone-paved paths of Treasure Pearl Temple, his mood somewhat heavy.

He had come to this world because he lacked time in reality, hoping to steadily improve his martial arts here so that he could resolve the crisis in the real world.

He had originally thought that he could cultivate peacefully in a martial holy land like Treasure Pearl Temple. Who would have thought that after merely two years, his tranquil life was about to be shattered?

"Alas! When soldiers come, generals block them; when water comes, earth dams it. It seems I must cultivate even more diligently from now on. I only hope King Tang notices Treasure Pearl Temple later, giving me more time to cultivate."

Gu Han sighed inwardly. Recalling the past two years, he could not help feeling somewhat ashamed.

Although he had cultivated rather diligently at Treasure Pearl Temple during these two years because of the crisis in the real world, peaceful days could indeed corrode one's heart. He had lived too comfortably these past two years. Though he had felt a sense of crisis within, he had inevitably become somewhat lax over the past few months.

Otherwise, judging by his former pace, he should actually have broken through to Skin Refining Mastery last month. He had to take this as a warning and never make the same mistake again.

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