Saint Venerable's Methods, Infinite Storage Space

Green Province Prefectural Governor's Mansion.

After three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes.

Lin Changqing set down his chopsticks, lifted his teacup, and took a sip.

This meal had indeed been excellent.

It was countless times better than those Michelin Restaurants from his previous life. After all, the ingredients themselves were things from entirely different dimensions.

As he savored the moment, he caught sight of Ma Yuanzhong standing off to the side.

The Prefect of Green Province was twisting the corner of his robes in both hands, his face wearing an expression of hesitation.

His lips moved, then closed. They moved again, then closed again, as though he had something to say but did not dare speak.

Lin Changqing chuckled inwardly.

He had noticed Ma Yuanzhong acting like this for some time now.

He knew that expression well.

The colleagues from his previous life who went to report work to their superiors all wore that look before entering the office.

It seemed the man had something to ask of him.

So be it.

One could not bite the hand that fed them. He would consider this meal payment made in advance.

Lin Changqing set down his teacup and took the initiative. "Prefect Ma, do you have something to say?"

Ma Yuanzhong jolted as though his thoughts had been seen through.

After hesitating for a moment, he dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Saint Venerable, your insight is like a blazing torch. This subordinate truly... truly has a matter to request!"

His voice was tinged with unease, his forehead pressed tightly against the floor.

"This subordinate has a young son who just turned seven this year. Since birth, the child's meridians have been blocked, and he has been unable to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

"This subordinate searched out every renowned physician in Green Province and even had people invite imperial physicians from the Capital City. We used untold amounts of heavenly treasures, yet the child remains an ordinary person to this day, unable even to become a First-Rank Martial Artist."

Ma Yuanzhong raised his head.

The old eyes that had weathered the storms of officialdom were red and wet.

"This subordinate is sixty-seven this year and has only this one young son. I do not expect him to achieve great things in the future. I only hope he can cultivate like a normal child, even if he only reaches the First or Second Rank."

"Saint Venerable, your divine abilities are vast. This subordinate dares to beg you to examine the child. If there is a way to save him, this subordinate is willing to exhaust everything he has to repay your great kindness!"

He was about to kowtow again when Lin Changqing raised a hand to stop him.

To be honest, Lin Changqing felt somewhat troubled.

He truly did not know how to heal illnesses or save lives. Asking him to cleave a Demon in two with one sword stroke would be effortless.

But asking him to diagnose someone?

He was neither a doctor nor knowledgeable in medicine. What was he supposed to use?

It seemed he could only regretfully decline this time.

Just as Lin Changqing was about to refuse, the system's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

["Ding! Random task triggered: Treat the young master of the Green Province Prefectural Governor's Mansion and restore his meridians to normal (0/1). Reward: Infinite Storage Space."]

["Infinite Storage Space: A system-exclusive storage space capable of holding any item other than living beings, with no limit on quantity or weight. Time inside the space is frozen. Stored items will never spoil, spiritual energy will not dissipate, and medicinal effects will not diminish."]

Lin Changqing's eyes lit up at once.

Another task had been triggered!

And the reward—Infinite Storage Space!

Although he was a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint and could tear open a Spatial Rift with a casual gesture, even opening a small space for storage—

That crude storage space was nowhere near the system's, not even on the same level.

The storage spaces opened by martial artists still had time flowing within them, only at a slower rate than the outside world!

Pills stored inside would lose their efficacy, spirit herbs would wither, and the spiritual energy in spirit stones would slowly leak away.

The longer something was kept there, the less valuable it became.

Even a space opened by a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint could at most maintain its time flow for a hundred years.

Any longer than that was impossible.

But the system's Infinite Storage Space had frozen time within it!

That meant no matter what he placed inside, when he took it out, it would be exactly the same as when he had put it in!

This was simply a divine tool for home, travel, murder, and robbery!

Lin Changqing withdrew his thoughts and looked at Ma Yuanzhong, who was still kneeling on the floor.

He had originally intended to refuse.

But now... the system had issued the task, and the reward was so tempting. No matter what, he had to cure that child.

If he could not handle it himself, then he would invite several renowned physicians from across the land. If the Great Yu Dynasty had none capable, he would look among the surrounding powers.

In any case, he was determined to complete this task!

Lin Changqing set down his teacup and said calmly, "I am not a physician and do not understand medical theory or prescriptions. If you expect me to prescribe medicine, you are making things difficult for me."

Ma Yuanzhong's heart sank instantly.

Even Saint Venerable could do nothing?

But Lin Changqing continued, "However, bring the child here first and let me have a look. Whether he can be cured or not, we will only know after I examine him."

Ma Yuanzhong froze, then was overwhelmed with joy.

Saint Venerable had not refused outright! He was willing to take a look! That meant there was still hope!

"Yes! Yes! This subordinate will go at once!"

Ma Yuanzhong scrambled to his feet and shouted at the servants by the door, "Quick! Go to the rear courtyard and bring the young master here! Tell him Saint Venerable wishes to see him!"

The servant dashed away.

Not long after, an old servant entered the banquet hall while holding a child's hand.

The child looked six or seven years old and was half a head shorter than others his age.

His little face was pale, his lips white, and he stood timidly at the doorway.

Yet his manners were quite thorough.

He first bowed to Ma Yuanzhong. "Greetings, Father."

Then he turned to Lin Changqing at the seat of honor and gave a proper bow.

"Greetings, Saint Venerable."

His voice was childish, but his tone was very serious.

Ma Yuanzhong hurriedly pulled the child before him and said to Lin Changqing, "Saint Venerable, this is my son, Ma Chengye."

Lin Changqing's gaze fell upon the child.

He released his divine sense and swept it through the child's body.

The divine sense of a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint Peak was immensely powerful. Every meridian, every acupoint, every drop of blood within the child's body appeared clearly in his mind.

After several breaths, Lin Changqing withdrew his divine sense.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

No wonder the system had issued this task to him.

This condition... he really could cure it.

The child's meridians were indeed blocked from birth, and it was the most troublesome kind of total blockage.

Every major meridian throughout his body had been completely sealed.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth simply could not enter. Even if he consumed countless heavenly treasures, he could not absorb their Spiritual Power, which could only accumulate within his body.

More fatal still...

Lin Changqing looked at Ma Yuanzhong and spoke evenly. "Prefect Ma, your son was born with blocked meridians. They should have been slowly cleared with gentle medicinal power."

"But you gave him a great amount of nourishing heavenly treasures. Unable to absorb their medicinal power, it all accumulated within his meridians."

"If this continues, then barring any surprises, your son will not live past ten."

Ma Yuanzhong's face went utterly white.

Not live past ten? His Chengye could only live another three years?

"Saint... Saint Venerable..." Ma Yuanzhong's legs gave out, and he fell to his knees again.

This time, even his voice was trembling.

"I beg Saint Venerable to save Chengye! This subordinate has only this one son! This subordinate was foolish—it was this subordinate who harmed the child! I beg Saint Venerable to show mercy!"

As he spoke.

He slammed his forehead heavily against the ground.

In this world, the higher one's cultivation and the deeper one's martial realm, the harder it was for a cultivator to produce offspring.

Ordinary Great Grandmasters and Martial Saint-level supreme experts were mostly childless their entire lives, leaving no descendants behind.

Or they had children only when their cultivation had still been weak.

Ma Yuanzhong had cultivated for half his life and reached his current realm of a Seventh-Rank Grandmaster. Only after passing sixty had he finally managed to have this son.

That was why he was willing to fight with everything he had to preserve the child's life.

Seeing his father like this, Ma Chengye bit his lip, and his eyes reddened as well.

But he did not cry.

He walked to Ma Yuanzhong's side and said softly, "Father, do not be like this. Get up."

Ma Yuanzhong pulled his son into his arms, tears streaming down his aged face.

Lin Changqing watched the scene before him.

Though Ma Yuanzhong was an old hand in officialdom, endlessly skilled at flattery, he truly cherished his son.

He set down his teacup and rose to his feet.

"Stop crying. I never said I would not save him."

His tone remained calm, but to Ma Yuanzhong's ears, those words were sweeter than heavenly music.

"Prefect Ma, there is no need for this."

Ma Yuanzhong abruptly raised his head, his face filled with disbelief.

Saint Venerable said he could save him?

Lin Changqing walked over to Ma Chengye and looked down at the child.

"Little fellow, it may hurt a little in a moment. Can you endure it?"

Ma Chengye looked up at Lin Changqing and nodded vigorously.

"Chengye can endure it."

"Good."

Lin Changqing extended his right hand and pressed his index finger to Ma Chengye's brow.

A strand of Spiritual Power, pure to the extreme, flowed from his fingertip and entered the child's meridians.

This Spiritual Power was completely different from the ordinary spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

It was purer and more vast, carrying the unique holy might of a Ninth-Rank Martial Saint.

Lin Changqing controlled this Spiritual Power and slowly pushed it forward.

The meridians that had originally been completely blocked within Ma Chengye's body were blasted open inch by inch beneath the impact of this Spiritual Power.

He was not forcibly widening them.

He was completely shattering the obstructions, then reshaping them anew!

Ma Chengye's little face instantly flushed red, blue veins bulging on his forehead as his body felt as though it had been thrown into a fire.

Every inch of his meridians was tearing apart!

Yet he gritted his teeth and did not make a sound.

His fists were clenched tightly, his nails digging into his flesh.

A trace of approval flashed through Lin Changqing's eyes.

This child had backbone.

He continued driving the Spiritual Power onward through Ma Chengye's body, opening every blocked meridian.

The medicinal power that had accumulated in his meridians for years was also carried into his blood by the Spiritual Power.

Then he slowly refined that medicinal power, blending it strand by strand into Ma Chengye's muscles, bones, and flesh.

Ma Chengye's body began to change.

His formerly pale skin turned rosy, and his thin little body visibly filled out.

Muscles grew, and bones strengthened.

His aura began to rise as well.

Before everyone's eyes, Ma Chengye's cultivation directly soared to the First-Rank Peak!

He was only one step away from breaking through to the Second Rank!

Lin Changqing withdrew his finger.

Ma Chengye opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.

He tried clenching his fists and felt a strength he had never known flowing through his body.

He tried circulating his cultivation technique, and for the first time, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth answered his call.

"I... I can cultivate!"

The child's voice trembled, but this time it trembled with excitement.

Ma Yuanzhong stared blankly at his son, at the little body that had visibly grown larger, feeling the aura of the First-Rank Peak.

His lips trembled violently before he dropped heavily to his knees.

Bang!

This kowtow was even heavier than the last, and a red mark immediately appeared on his forehead.

"Thank you, Saint Venerable! Thank you, Saint Venerable!"

"This subordinate kowtows in thanks to Saint Venerable on behalf of Chengye and the entire Ma Clan!"

His voice was hoarse, and tears streamed down without end.

Ma Chengye knelt as well and solemnly kowtowed three times.

"Chengye thanks Saint Venerable for the grace of giving me new life."

Lin Changqing waved a hand.

"Get up."

Just then, the system's voice rang out in his mind.

["Ding! Random mission completed: Treat the young son of the Green Province Inspector and help him return to normal (1/1). Obtained: Infinite Storage Space."]

["Would the host like to claim it immediately?"]

"Claim."

As Lin Changqing's thought fell, a strange ripple merged into his body.

With a thought, his consciousness sank into the system space, and a boundless void appeared within his perception.

The void had neither boundaries nor direction; it was a chaos of nothingness.

But Lin Changqing knew that this was his Infinite Storage Space!

He could place a cup of hot water inside, and when he took it out a hundred years later, it would still be hot.