"Grandpa, Grandpa, he's waking up!"
"..."
In his daze, Qin Zheng only heard the tender voice of a child ringing by his ear.
After his eyelids twitched a few times, he suddenly opened his eyes and sat bolt upright.
He swiftly swept his gaze over the surroundings and saw that he was in a ruined temple.
Several children between three or four and eight or nine years old surrounded him.
His sudden movement startled the children, and they all fell to the ground in fright.
Where is this?
That was the first thought to surface in Qin Zheng's mind.
He only remembered faintly hearing a Buddhist invocation before he lost consciousness.
Immediately afterward, Qin Zheng lowered his head to inspect himself, then reached into his clothes.
His garments had not been disturbed, and the things in his bosom were still there.
That made Qin Zheng let out a slight sigh of relief.
"Benefactor, you're awake."
At that moment, an old monk appeared at the entrance of the ruined temple.
He was lean and gaunt, dressed in tattered clothes. He looked less like a monk than a beggar.
Holding a bowl of medicine, he slowly approached Qin Zheng.
As the old monk arrived, the children who had been frightened earlier hurried behind him, peeking at Qin Zheng fearfully.
"All right, go outside and play first."
The old monk spoke kindly to the children.
The children then ran out of the ruined temple with giggles.
"May I ask, Master, where is this place?"
Only then did Qin Zheng speak, questioning the old monk before him.
"Amitabha. Those who have left the secular world dare not presume to call themselves masters. This poor monk's Dharma name is Chongming. Benefactor may simply call me Chongming."
After saying that, the old monk continued, "You are now in Black Goose City. This is a temple in the eastern part of the city."
Qin Zheng nodded upon hearing this, immediately understanding that this old monk Chongming had brought him back.
Looking at the old monk before him, a sense of familiarity surfaced in his mind.
After thinking back briefly, he instantly recalled that this was the monk who had begun chanting Buddhist scriptures outside the execution grounds after every one of Qin Zheng's executions several days ago.
At that thought, Qin Zheng looked at the old monk and saw only clear, pristine eyes, as pure and untainted as a child's.
At the same time, the Merit Scroll within the sea of his mind trembled slightly, and a line of words emerged.
Monk Chongming, entered the monastic life midway through his life; his character is pure and kind. Kill him, and one hundred taels of merit will be deducted.
The instant those words appeared, Qin Zheng's heart jolted.
Previously, the people shown on the Merit Scroll had mostly been sinners steeped in evil, people who could be killed for merit.
Or, like Bailiff Xu, there had simply been no information at all—ordinary people with neither sin nor merit.
But the appearance of this old monk Chongming today revealed an entirely new situation.
If he killed this man, he would actually have one hundred taels of merit deducted!
Qin Zheng had not even accumulated one hundred taels of merit yet. If one hundred taels were deducted, he had no idea what consequences might follow.
However, this also proved that old monk Chongming truly was a good monk with the heart of a Bodhisattva, one who performed virtuous deeds and good works.
With such a kind character, there was no need to worry that the man would harm him. He could be trusted.
That was what Qin Zheng thought.
"Benefactor, you forced yourself to exert strength and injured your inner body. You need to rest and recuperate in peace for some time."
As he spoke slowly, old monk Chongming offered the bowl in his hand to Qin Zheng.
He continued, "This medicinal decoction may help heal your inner body."
Qin Zheng reached out and accepted the bowl. Inside was a thick, pitch-black decoction that gave off curling heat. It had clearly just been brewed.
However, Qin Zheng did not drink it immediately. After some thought, he looked at the other man and said, "Thank you, Master, for helping me and bringing me back."
"But since you reside within the city, Master, why were you there at that time?"
Though he could confirm the old monk was a good person, he still needed to ask.
After all, the place where he had collapsed had been deep in the mountains outside Tongguan Town, not somewhere travelers would pass through.
Anyone who appeared there must have had some purpose and gone there deliberately.
Hearing Qin Zheng's question, old monk Chongming pressed his palms together and quietly recited a Buddhist invocation before slowly saying, "Benefactor Shi Dian's sins run deep."
"This poor monk went there precisely to awaken Benefactor Shi Dian, so that he would cease his stubborn delusion and no longer harm others and himself."
"I simply did not expect to encounter you and your group on the way there."
Qin Zheng's gaze darkened slightly as he asked, "So, Master witnessed the entire process?"
Then his circumstances could no longer be concealed!
"Amitabha!"
Old monk Chongming recited another Buddhist invocation.
When he looked at Qin Zheng again, his eyes were already filled with admiration.
"Benefactor has an affinity with our Buddhist faith. Your martial arts carry the intent of a Buddhist Vajra, and coupled with your compassionate heart, you will surely enjoy great wealth and high status in the future!"
Old monk Chongming said this.
Yet Qin Zheng frowned slightly upon hearing it, then raised his head and looked at the old monk in surprise.
Not only had the old monk witnessed him beat Shi Dian to death.
This old monk's martial arts were surely no trifling matter either!
Otherwise, what ordinary monk would dare claim he was going to awaken a tyrant suffering the grief of losing his son?
And he had even discerned that the roots of Qin Zheng's martial arts were connected to Buddhism!
Thinking of this, Qin Zheng hesitated briefly before saying, "Master, I ask that you keep what I did a secret."
Old monk Chongming nodded and said with a smile, "This old monk is but an ascetic. In this vast Black Goose City, no one pays attention to me."
"And since this poor monk is a monk, I naturally will not wag my tongue and reveal your information. Benefactor, please rest assured."
Qin Zheng nodded. Then he looked at the medicinal decoction in his hands, lifted it, and drained it in one gulp.
Sure enough, once the bowl of medicine entered his stomach, warmth immediately spread from his belly.
Streams of warm currents swiftly flowed into every part of his body, nourishing them and soothing the pain.
His body immediately felt much better.
Qin Zheng set the bowl aside, rose to his feet, and bowed to old monk Chongming. "Qin Zheng thanks you for this, Master!"
Old monk Chongming returned the bow as well.
Since he had awakened and his body had recovered somewhat,
Qin Zheng did not intend to remain there any longer and promptly bade farewell.
Before he left, however, the old monk gave Qin Zheng a prescription and told him to buy the ingredients listed on it and brew them into medicine to heal his inner injuries.
He also cautioned him, "Benefactor possesses exceptional bone structure and uncommon comprehension. Being able to rapidly master martial arts should have been a joyous matter."
"However, without internal cultivation as a foundation to temper the body's roots, forcibly practicing martial arts and improving yourself will only injure your body and damage the source of human life."
"In the future, unless it is absolutely necessary, Benefactor should not forcefully unleash power beyond what your body can bear, lest misfortune befall you again."
Qin Zheng nodded upon hearing this, understanding that the other man meant well.
After bowing once more, Qin Zheng left the ruined temple.
He first went into the streets and bought medicinal ingredients according to the old monk's prescription.
After returning home, he brewed the ingredients over a fire.
Only after he had some free time did he take out the martial arts manual he had obtained from Shi Dian.
At the same time, he separated a thread of consciousness and sank it into the sea of his mind.
Before you continue