The Pauper

"No matter how big the trouble is, you can't come in here. Get out!" the disciple barked.

Zhang Lingshan had no choice but to leave the main hall.

Fortunately, Shi Lei followed him out as well. Expressionless, he asked, "What happened?"

Zhang Lingshan said, "Li Fu and his family of three hanged themselves."

"Oh."

Shi Lei showed no reaction. He merely took out the money pouch Li Fu had given him earlier and handed it to Zhang Lingshan. "I failed in my task. Return this money to them."

With that, he turned and left.

Zhang Lingshan knew Shi Lei had been shaken, so he could not say much. In any case, Shi Lei could not help him now. The reason Zhang Lingshan had sought him out was for these twenty taels of silver.

Only with silver in hand could he go to Red Leaf Temple to ask for talismans. If he went empty-handed, who would care what Zhang Lingshan was there for?

There was no time to waste. The moment Zhang Lingshan got the money, he dashed out of the city.

Knowing the way like the back of his hand, he headed straight for Red Leaf Temple.

Because his physique had recently improved, he was twice as fast as before, and even when he reached the foot of Red Leaf Mountain, he was not tired.

But—

To Zhang Lingshan's surprise—

When they had previously delivered supplies to Red Leaf Temple, this place had been sparsely populated. Now, however, it was packed to the brim. Even at the foot of the mountain, crowds stood shoulder to shoulder in a dense mass.

Is it really this popular? Is everyone here to pray to gods and worship Buddha?

Zhang Lingshan was quite astonished.

Judging by how slowly the crowd was moving, he probably would not be able to squeeze his way up the mountain even by noon.

But that did not stump him.

After all, he had worked here for half a year, and he knew every route up the mountain by heart.

Before long, he found a concealed shortcut and entered Red Leaf Temple.

"Benefactor."

A young monk in gray robes was practicing Standing Posture in the rear mountain. When he suddenly spotted Zhang Lingshan, he hurriedly stopped him. "How did you come up from here? Outsiders are not allowed to use this path."

"Greetings, little master. I lost my way and wish to find a master to ask for a talisman to drive away evil."

Zhang Lingshan pressed his palms together.

The gray-robed monk did not respond. Instead, he stared at Zhang Lingshan with bright eyes for a long while before sighing. "Your condition is complicated, Benefactor. There is a mass of black qi within your body and a layer of bloodlight around you. This little monk cannot see through it. I only know that misfortune hangs over your head. Please come with this little monk to meet my master. My master is the renowned Du'e Zen Master. He will surely have a solution."

"Thank you, little master."

Zhang Lingshan was overjoyed.

This young novice looked only twelve or thirteen, yet his discerning eyes were like torches. At a glance, he had seen Zhang Lingshan's condition.

The black qi within his body was clearly the cause of the red marks on him.

The bloodlight outside him was naturally the curse from Li Fu's family of three.

If even this novice could see it at a glance, his master's methods had to be even more profound. He would surely have a way to drive away evil and resolve Zhang Lingshan's misfortune.

It seemed this trip had brought hope.

Filled with anticipation, Zhang Lingshan's steps grew lighter as he followed behind the young novice. After turning through several corridors, they finally arrived at a simple, elegant courtyard.

"Master, your disciple Hui Xiu encountered a benefactor who climbed up from the rear mountain. His condition is complicated, and he asks you to clear his doubts."

The young novice called out loudly from the courtyard gate.

"Come in."

An aged yet kindly voice came from within.

Just from the voice alone, one could tell it belonged to an old monk who cultivated his character, possessed the bearing of an immortal, and commanded great respect.

Creak.

The courtyard gate opened.

Sure enough, Zhang Lingshan saw an old monk seated amid a sea of red leaves. His yellow monk's robe stood in sharp contrast to the scarlet leaves carpeting the ground, making him especially eye-catching.

Faintly, there even seemed to be a layer of yellow light spilling from his body.

Buddha's light?

Zhang Lingshan had not expected that Red Leaf Temple, which had only recently been completed, would already have such a master living in seclusion here.

He hurriedly pressed his palms together in greeting. "Little Scholar pays his respects to the holy monk."

"Amitabha."

Du'e Zen Master slightly raised his eyes. After his cloudy gaze swept over Zhang Lingshan, he shook his head. "Benefactor bears the karma of killing, has stolen a dead man's wealth, and has become entangled in a debt of grievance. Your allotted fate has run out. You should go down the mountain."

"Master, please save my life!"

Zhang Lingshan hurriedly took out the twenty taels of silver.

Yet Du'e Zen Master did not even glance at it. He calmly closed his eyes and waved his sleeve. "Hui Xiu, take him down the mountain."

Whoosh!

Zhang Lingshan felt a clear breeze sweep toward him, and his entire body was sent staggering backward against his will.

By the time he came to his senses, he was already outside the courtyard, while the gate creaked softly shut.

Everything had happened in an instant.

Du'e Zen Master's methods left Zhang Lingshan stunned.

"Benefactor, since my master says he is powerless to help, you can only seek your own blessings. Please follow this little monk down the mountain."

Hui Xiu made an inviting gesture.

Zhang Lingshan's heart grew heavy.

With only a few words, Du'e Zen Master had briefly summed up everything Zhang Lingshan had experienced lately. That showed just how capable he was.

Yet even he said Zhang Lingshan's allotted fate had run out.

Could it be that he truly could only close his eyes and wait for death?

With a heavy heart, Zhang Lingshan followed the young monk Hui Xiu down the mountain step by step.

Suddenly, Hui Xiu stopped and sighed. "This little monk sees that Benefactor is not an evil man. There must be hidden circumstances involved.

"My master lives in seclusion from the world and does not wish to become stained by karma, but this little monk believes that saving one life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.

"This little monk has two talismans here. One is a Ghost Suppression Talisman, which can suppress the Greedy Ghost within Benefactor's body.

"The other is a Grievance Resolution Talisman, which can ward off the curse of a debt of grievance."

As he spoke, he took out two talismans from his robes.

Zhang Lingshan asked in delighted surprise, "Can these two talismans truly resolve my predicament?"

"Of course. But Benefactor must seek and receive the talismans with sincerity."

"How should I show sincerity?"

"However Benefactor showed sincerity before this little monk's master just now, that is how you should show sincerity now."

As Hui Xiu spoke, his eyes flicked toward the money pouch in Zhang Lingshan's arms.

Zhang Lingshan suddenly understood.

"Haha!"

He abruptly laughed, laughing heartily. "I understand. Farewell!"

Too lazy to continue wasting words with Hui Xiu, he turned and left at once, racing down the mountain and returning to Hong Clan Martial Hall.

Rather than spend twenty taels of silver buying Hui Xiu's two worthless talismans, he might as well hurry back to Hong Clan Martial Hall. At least there, he could still get a bowl of food that would increase his energy by 0.1.

Why call them worthless talismans?

Because Du'e Zen Master had already said that Zhang Lingshan's allotted fate had run out. Even that old monk could not save him, so how capable could one of his novice disciples be?

It was obvious he wanted to swindle Zhang Lingshan out of his money.

Earlier, in his desperation, he had actually thought of praying to gods and asking for talismans to save his life.

How foolish.

Better to rely on oneself than beg others.

Rather than spend money on spirit talismans, he might as well spend it on Medicinal Ingredients and dried meat to stockpile energy.

As long as he had enough energy, his strength would improve and his qi and blood would be abundant. Why should he fear some Greedy Ghost or curse of grievance?

Ghosts feared wicked men.

As long as he was fierce and vicious enough, he would not need to fear any Evil Spirit.

Why did Li Fu's family of three not dare curse Three Rivers Gambling House? Because they were vicious enough!

Once Zhang Lingshan understood this, the whole world suddenly seemed wide and open.

His steps grew even lighter, fearless and unafraid.

Right now, forget Evil Spirits—even if the emperor himself came, Zhang Lingshan would dare take a bite out of him.

As long as I am not afraid, it is others who should be afraid.

"Ugh, that pauper just ran off. Does he look down on my talismans?"

Watching Zhang Lingshan flee without even looking back, the young monk Hui Xiu felt a wave of displeasure.

No wonder Master had only taken one look before driving that kid away, not even deigning to say a single word to him.

Master truly had discerning eyes. At a glance, he had seen that this kid was a pauper.

Buddha only ferried the wealthy across.

That pauper could not even afford these two talismans. What right did he have to buy Master's high-grade spirit talismans?

Pah!