"What old servant?"
Qu Zan lowered his voice and pointed downward. "The gap-toothed old servant we ran into down below."
"No!" Doje said. "If I see that old bastard again, I'm going to give him a good beating. He was the one who said I was suited to being a warrior monk, and I actually went and became one. It's killing me!"
Doje looked as though he wanted to cry but had no tears left.
"That's why I'm asking. Aren't you curious who that old servant really is?" Qu Zan said.
Doje thought it over carefully. "You think he might be one of the monastery's higher-ups? Like those important figures in storybooks and epics who go out incognito, hiding their true identities? That he actually spotted our talent and innate potential, so he gave us a leg up?"
Qu Zan shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure either. But we can't rule it out. First, we need to find that old servant..."
"Leave finding him to me," Doje said. "Training like this every day from now on is going to bore me to death. Having something to do would be good."
After dinner, Qu Zan went to the side room of the lecture hall.
Sure enough, scripture teacher Huode was teaching there.
He was rather surprised to see Qu Zan.
"Gyatso, I heard you've already become a Scholar Monk. That's truly impressive!"
"Lama, it's all thanks to your instruction," Qu Zan said sincerely.
He was not merely being polite or exchanging pleasantries. Back when he was a servant monk, this Lama had still valued him, taught him, and been willing to point out a path for him.
He had recommended that Qu Zan attend the branch academy's Dharma Assembly and had even been willing to guide his scripture reading every night. None of that had been part of his duties.
He had acted purely out of goodwill.
In a shithole like Mìdì, such goodwill was exceedingly rare.
Huode smiled gently. "It was no more than lifting a hand. You won't need to attend the Dharma Assembly now."
"Lama, can I still attend the Dharma Assembly in a little over a month?" Qu Zan asked.
"You still want to attend?" Huode was taken aback.
"Lama, everything I know came from your instruction. Naturally, I hope to bring you renown," Qu Zan said without hesitation.
"Good child, good child. Of course you can attend..." Huode said, visibly moved.
He addressed Qu Zan with great affection.
Qu Zan had already learned that the quarterly Dharma Assembly awarded prizes according to rank. Those who placed could receive ritual implements, Secret Silver, silk, and other rewards, directly improving their status and treatment.
Qu Zan believed that with his [Extensive Learning] talent, even placing in the lowest tier would earn him extra silver pieces and butter.
However, he had not said outright that he wanted the rewards, but rather that he wanted to bring Huo De Lama renown.
His words left the old scripture teacher deeply moved.
Who would not want a successor who remembered his roots and knew to repay kindness?
Now, when he looked at Qu Zan, he truly felt the affection of looking at his own grandchild.
Especially after hearing "everything I know came from your instruction," the old scripture teacher was so thoroughly charmed that he had practically turned back into an embryo.
Qu Zan asked Huode some more questions about collected topics, and the latter naturally shared everything he knew, holding nothing back.
"So it's Nepa Lama who teaches you collected topics!"
After Qu Zan described the day's lesson, Huode said, "Child, that Lama is extremely capable. You must learn from him diligently."
Qu Zan bowed and assented.
After a while, Qu Zan said, "Lama, I yearn for the Buddhist teachings and would like to read more scriptures. But as you know, borrowing scriptures requires a scripture teacher's guarantee." He spoke with some embarrassment.
This was his most important reason for coming tonight.
Huo De Lama gave him a kind, generous smile. "You're a Scholar Monk now, with sufficient learning and knowledge of proper conduct. Reading more scriptures can only benefit you. I trust you won't damage them, either."
"Yes, Lama."
Huode fetched a wooden slip and began writing on it. Suddenly, he looked up. "Which scripture would you like to read?"
"Lama, I'll follow your recommendation. Preferably several-the more, the better," Qu Zan said.
"Child, when reading scriptures, you must remember that if you bite off too much, you won't be able to chew it," Huode said. "I'll choose three for you to start with."
After pondering briefly, he wrote the titles of three scriptures on the wooden slip: "Autocommentary on the Treasury of Abhidharma," "Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Treatise on the Four Truths," and "Eight Sufferings, Five Chapters"...
"Read through these three scriptures first," Huode said. "Remember to read carefully. Don't just chase quantity!"
"Yes, Lama. This humble monk will heed your instruction." Qu Zan accepted the wooden slip respectfully.
The monastery's various branch academies and halls all had their own scripture repositories.
Huode was a scripture teacher at the lecture hall and held a Geshe degree, so he could request access to a great many scriptures from the Sutra Academy.
There was a scripture repository right beside the lecture hall.
The entire wall, from the floor to the painted ceiling, was fitted with layer upon layer of scripture cases, one box to each compartment, densely packed together.
Qu Zan handed the wooden slip to the duty monk, who consulted it and fetched three sets of scriptures.
The scriptures could not be taken outside to read. They had to be spread out on the stone slabs beside the repository and read there.
The scriptures lay in dark-red lacquered wooden cases, their edges worn shiny.
Over the years, countless monks' hands had rubbed the wood until it had developed a patina.
On the stone slabs nearby, Qu Zan also saw monks grinding ink and copying scriptures.
The air hung heavy with the scents of butter, pine soot, and aged paper and ink.
Qu Zan first opened the "Autocommentary on the Treasury of Abhidharma" and leafed through it page by page.
Thanks to his [Extensive Learning] talent, Qu Zan possessed an astonishing memory, and he read through the "Autocommentary on the Treasury of Abhidharma" once.
A vast amount of knowledge entered his mind. He closed his eyes and pondered for a while, feeling the scripture flow through his heart.
[Consciousness 2.2]--[Consciousness 2.3]
His mind became clearer and cooler, and even the outside world seemed a little clearer to his eyes.
[You have acquired more knowledge. Much-Hearing Talent experience increased by 1%]
I didn't gain insight into any talent or technique. Qu Zan felt somewhat disappointed.
Just as Qu Zan was about to keep reading, the duty monk reminded him that the lecture hall was about to close.
Qu Zan could only return the scriptures and wait until the next day to read them.
The days passed like this. Qu Zan attended lessons during the day and listened to Huo De Lama expound the scriptures at night. Afterward, he went to the repository to read scriptures on his own.
During this time, Qu Zan also had a day off. He made a plea to Huo De Lama, and on that day off, he left the monastery to visit Meiduo.
Qu Zan discovered that, as he studied, his consciousness had naturally increased by 0.3 points. Ask more.
The increase in consciousness made his inner mind more open and lucid, his thoughts clearer, and it became easier for him to concentrate.
That evening, Qu Zan read through "Eight Sufferings, Five Chapters" and reached the final passage: "...do not destroy its roots and lose your former efforts. Once you lose the resolve to follow the path, kalpas may pass at every turn. Take heed, take heed!"
When he closed the scripture, its words continued to linger in his mind. There were still no notifications on the panel.
Could this trick of grinding scriptures for techniques not work? Was my previous insight into [Lion's Roar Heart Mantra] purely a coincidence?
Qu Zan placed the scripture back into its case. The instant "Eight Sufferings, Five Chapters" touched the bottom, a notification suddenly appeared on the panel.
[You have practiced "Eight Sufferings, Five Chapters" and gained insight into Pain Reduction lv1]
Finally! At the sight of the notification, delight welled up in Qu Zan's heart. He had indeed gained insight into a new technique.
Before you continue