Fortune Essence

I'm not asking you to recite much. Just one hymn-you can't just give me an "oh," can you? Huode prayed silently.

Qu Zan stood up and began reciting: "Om jetsunma pak Zhuoma la chaktsal lo om tare tuttare ture soha chaktsal Zhuoma nyurma pamo chen ni..."

He soon finished reciting the first hymn.

Seeing that the scripture teacher had not told him to stop, Qu Zan followed his memory and continued.

As he recited, the progress indicator in his field of vision slowly rose.

At last, the progress for his [Extensive Learning] talent filled completely, reaching lv2.

[Extensive Learning lv2]

The Extensive Learning talent was extremely useful. It did more than help him memorize and recite texts-the key points of all sorts of physical movements also fell within the scope of memory.

Previously, Qu Zan had learned to ride a horse in half a day thanks to his Extensive Learning talent.

If he had the chance to encounter the so-called warrior monks' training in the future, it would be a great help there too.

The instant it leveled up, Qu Zan felt his mind clear. His memory had improved once again.

In the past, when he memorized information or recalled memories, his temples would swell slightly.

That was a sign of excessive mental expenditure. Now that Extensive Learning had improved, his memory worked more efficiently.

It was like a computer hard drive from his previous life: it read and wrote faster, without freezing.

"...ge kyi lodang drakma kyi ten sung kunchok gye shya kyi ge sar chewa le ni chungma..."

The language of Mìdì was already quite a tongue-twister, and the scriptures were even more obscure. The abundance of repeated sounds, retroflex consonants, and trilled tongues added further difficulty.

"...om tare tuttare ture soha pakma Zhuoma la chaktsal lo!"

When he finished reciting the final words, the little room fell so silent that a falling needle could have been heard.

After a long while, unmistakable amazement flashed in Huo De Lama's eyes, and he praised him loudly. "Yab nu—very good! Not a single word wrong, fluent and unhindered, with steady breathing. Not only did you know it thoroughly, but more remarkably, your bearing was impeccable."

Doje's mouth hung slightly open. The look he gave Qu Zan plainly said, When did you sneak off and study behind my back?

"Didn't this fellow only arrive a few days ago? He couldn't even read before."

A hum of discussion rose in the little room.

Their gazes held curiosity and envy as they looked at Qu Zan. This fellow's memory was far too good.

Their families were indeed well-off, and they could afford private tutors, but this sort of command and rendition of Buddhist scripture was not something that could be hammered into shape with secret silver alone.

Next, Huo De Lama taught them a new scripture. When class ended, everyone left in twos and threes.

Qu Zan and Doje were just about to head outside.

"Qu Zan, stay a moment," the lama said. Qu Zan gestured for Doje to go ahead.

Only Qu Zan and the lama remained in the little room.

Huo De Lama looked Qu Zan up and down, his gaze plainly scrutinizing him.

"Have you been ill recently?" Huode asked gravely.

Utterly baffled, Qu Zan shook his head. "Reporting to you, Lama, no."

"Then have you had any dreams?"

"No, none either."

Huode nodded. "I thought this sudden awakening of yours might mean you were a Heavenly-Gifted Bard."

Heavenly-Gifted Bards were a kind of extraordinary person found in Mìdì. Originally illiterate, after a serious illness or overnight, they would awaken to wisdom as if through divine bestowal and remember epic narratives millions of words long.

Qu Zan shook his head. "Since entering the school, this humble monk has studied hard day and night, which is why I can recite the Praise to the Thirty-Six Taras. And most of the credit goes to your excellent teaching."

Qu Zan offered Huode a little flattery. Everyone liked hearing kind words, and Huode could not help smiling faintly.

"You performed very well today and did not diminish our monastery's prestige. What would you like as a reward?" Huode asked.

This put Qu Zan in something of a bind. Asked to choose a reward, he had no idea what he could choose. What he lacked most was certainly secret silver. Asking for that might be going too far and lower the lama's opinion of him.

"Being able to sit at your feet and listen to your teachings often is already an immense blessing for this humble monk. How could I dare ask for more?" Qu Zan retreated in order to advance.

"It's all right. We get along well in private. Speak freely," Huode said.

"Since entering the monastery, this humble monk has not yet returned home to see his family. Might I ask for a day's leave?" Qu Zan said.

"Just that?"

Huode was slightly taken aback. That was simple indeed.

"That's very simple. I need only say a word to your steward." After pondering briefly, Huode pulled back his sleeve, exposing his arm.

Several bracelets adorned his wrist: gold, silver, turquoise, agate, amber...

Qu Zan secretly drew in a sharp breath. Even for a scripture teacher, Huode was far too wealthy.

Huode untied a red cord, from which hung a black dzi bead with white markings.

He handed it to Qu Zan. "There is a karmic connection between us. I bestow this One-Eyed Dzi Bead upon you.

"This bead is an old object I happened upon by chance. It has been with me for many years."

"Lama, this is too precious. How could this humble monk dare accept it?" Qu Zan said.

Huode was very fond of this humble, sensible Attendant Monk.

"If I give it to you, then you deserve it."

Qu Zan declined repeatedly before finally bringing his hands together and respectfully accepting the dzi bead.

The instant he touched it, a passage of text flashed across his vision.

[You have touched Fortune Essence. Absorb it?]

Fortune Essence?

What did that mean? That this dzi bead contained a strange, mysterious aura?

Qu Zan's heart trembled, but his face remained expressionless.

Suppressing his joy, he tucked it inside his robe.

He couldn't absorb it in front of someone. Who knew whether some strange phenomenon might appear and arouse suspicion?

"Gyatso, I have high hopes for you," Huode said. "You have the potential to become a scholar monk, and the ability to explore virtuous knowledge."

Becoming a scholar monk would allow him deeper access to supernatural powers.

Qu Zan knew all too well how difficult becoming a scholar monk was.

Each Dratsang, or constituent college, offered very few scholar monk places each year. Priority went to disciples of living Buddhas and children sent to the monastery by noble families. An Attendant Monk like him would never get a turn.

Qu Zan pressed his palms together. "This humble monk yearns for the Buddhist teachings, but unfortunately, my family has no spare wealth to offer in donations."

"In three months, our college will hold a Great Dharma Assembly of Sutra Recitation," Huode said. "If you can astonish everyone with a single cry there, you can be admitted as a scholar monk by special exception.

"Before then, you must memorize the Sutra of the Excellent Lion's Roar and the Treatise on Weighing the Twenty Actions in full.

"I have both of these major scriptures here. From now on, come here every evening and read in the side room next door..."

Qu Zan was delighted to hear this. He had not expected such a shortcut to exist.

This was an information gap. To cross the barriers between social classes, one still needed the support of an influential benefactor, along with an information gap.

"Thank you, Lama." Qu Zan bowed deeply in formal respect. "This humble monk does not know how to repay you."

"Just study the scriptures diligently. You may go."

Huode watched Qu Zan leave.

"Three months, with only a tiny amount of time to memorize two major scriptures. I wonder whether this young monk has that kind of talent."

Within the monastery, factions stood like a forest of mountain strongholds. The various powers had to compete for wealth and prestige while also recruiting promising individuals to expand their own ranks.

Disciples like Qu Zan, who had no established backing but possessed talent, were the most welcome. They could be used to bolster one's own forces.

Leaving the Sutra Lecture Hall, Qu Zan drew a deep breath, filled with joy he could barely suppress.

He had known he could gain some benefits, but had not expected them to be so great. There was actually a path to becoming a scholar monk.

Memorizing two major scriptures in a short time was naturally difficult.

But Qu Zan had the [Extensive Learning] talent, so this little difficulty amounted to nothing.

First, let's see what the Fortune Essence on the panel is!