A Monk of Zhasa Academy

Outside the window that had not been shut.

A gale from the Secret Dharma Region swept over the gleaming snowy peaks, skimmed through the mountain pass, and blew into the monks' quarters at the foot of the snow-covered mountain.

Lu Feng felt somewhat sick of studying.

He did not really want to keep learning anymore!

Truly, the sea of learning was boundless, and hardship was the boat.

In the real world, the rat race began in childhood.

Elementary school, middle school, high school, university, graduate school, doctoral studies.

Then he had been brought to this polluted, uncanny Secret Dharma Region.

To this place where countless Malevolent Ghosts lurked in the darkness.

And he still had to take exams, climbing upward one step at a time.

After finishing his exams in the real world, he had to keep taking them in the Secret Dharma Region!

The monks of the Secret Dharma Region had to complete their studies rank by rank, advancing among a vast sea of "classmates" through scripture debates and examinations.

From the lowest Student Monk to an initiated Lama.

From an initiated Lama to an eminent monk holding a degree of the sixth rank.

From a small village temple to a great temple in a prefectural capital.

From a great prefectural temple to the one supreme "Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas."

Every step was governed by a rigid hierarchy and demanded tremendous financial resources, material resources, and effort.

And furthermore.

The secrecy of the Secret Dharma Region lay in the secrecy of its cultivation.

Only by cultivating to a certain rank and realm could one obtain the corresponding cultivation methods.

Without reaching the corresponding degree and realm, one could not recite mantras, cultivate, or practice visualization.

Without the corresponding cultivation, being assigned elsewhere to serve as a throne holder, chant leader, storehouse monk, or guardian Lama in a small or medium-sized temple was even more impossible!

So why was Lu Feng so determined to attend school?

The first reason was that beside him lay a Human-Skin Sutra Scroll.

It was densely covered in writing that only Lu Feng could see.

[Time: (not visible), Fire Rooster Year (polluted)]

[Location: Secret Dharma Region]

[Character: Zhasa (Lu Feng)]

[Fulfill three requests to return to reality and gain the ability to bring one ritual implement from this scenario back with you]

[1. Establish a Dharma Lineage, return to Ganye Temple, and obtain the position of Triba throne holder at Ganye Temple (incomplete)]

[2. Establish a Dharma Lineage and investigate the mystery of Ganye Temple's decline (incomplete)]

[3. Establish a Dharma Lineage and bury the Ancient Tubo Vase (incomplete)]

[All accomplishments attained through cultivation in the Secret Dharma Region may be retained permanently]

[Fulfill the requests to receive additional rewards]

[Failure to complete the tasks will leave you to grow old and die in the Secret Dharma Region]

[Time stranded: 3,620 days]

This was the "cheat" that had brought him here.

If something that merely brought him here to die counted as a cheat.

Then the Human-Skin Ancient Scroll counted.

Lu Feng had studied scriptures here for nearly ten years.

He felt that competing in the real world was a little easier.

At least losing the rat race would not kill him!

That was the second reason he had to attend school here.

Here, if he did not strive to advance, he would die.

The small temple where he-or rather, this monk named Zhasa-had been born was called Ganye Temple.

It stood in a village called Gangcuo Baima and served as the village's guardian temple.

Yet just a few years earlier, a Malevolent Ghost had invaded Gangcuo Baima.

The temple's abbot, Sutra Masters, iron-staff Lamas, and others had all met murderous ends.

A Tusi's Official Fortress had become a realm of death, and that Malevolent Ghost still lingered there to this day, which meant that returning would require getting rid of it.

Only a few young monks who had been away had survived.

The current Zhasa was among them.

In the Secret Dharma Region.

Even monks could be killed by Malevolent Ghosts that appeared at any moment.

All human buildings in the Secret Dharma Region were fortified towers, built around the Tusi, the Dzongben, and the temples!

So he had to attend school.

He had to get his degree!

Otherwise, he would die.

Or live a life worse than death!

So he had to begin with the Five Great Treatises of Exoteric Buddhism, the Thousand-Character Commentary, and the Four Great Texts. He had to undergo the annual major and minor debate assemblies and temple examinations, win the abbot's recognition, then earn a Lama's appreciation to obtain a cultivation method.

This was the only proper path to survival in the Secret Dharma Region.

This year's major examination.

Was just seven days away.

If he failed to seize his chance at the major examination in seven days, he would have to wait another full year!

He would have to take the major examination again at this time next year!

But his study of the Five Great Treatises.

Was still somewhat lacking.

More importantly, he was out of money!

At the academy, Student Monks did not have to pay tuition, but hiring an additional renowned teacher or eating even a little better required extra spending.

And more fatally still, after passing the scripture debate and examination, one had to hold a "Great Offering."

Each "Great Offering" cost roughly one to two thousand taels of silver.

It involved distributing highland barley porridge and copper coins to all the monks in the temple.

Only after completing the entire sequence of "scripture debate," "examination," and "Great Offering" rituals could a Student Monk possibly obtain the "Kalyāṇamitra" degree.

Become a Lama.

And receive initiation.

So Lu Feng's current problem was that even if he passed the scripture debate and examination, he could not carry out a Great Offering.

He was out of money!

Within the temple.

There were many monks like him from small establishments whose Dharma Lineages had been severed.

After completing their studies, most spent thirty or forty years working to earn money.

They did odd jobs around the temple, earning enough silver to advance their degrees.

But for Lu Feng.

Stay here for thirty or forty years?

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible!

He could not accept it!

Thirty or forty years was far too long, but unwillingness was useless. With no money left, he could only work while studying.

Lu Feng glanced at the letters sent over by the surrounding Tusi or Dzongben Nobles.

In the Secret Dharma Region, Tusi and monks sustained one another.

The Tusi needed monks to pray for their blessings, help drive away Malevolent Ghosts, and keep them safe.

The monks needed support from the Tusi and nobles, who provided resources and sustained the temples.

Lu Feng soon found a cushy job among the nearby Tusi nobles.

The nearby Gaqila Tusi's grandmother had a birthday coming up, and a monk was needed to chant scriptures and pray for blessings for his grandmother over three days. The requirements were a resonant voice, a pleasing appearance, and the ability to recite the Diamond Sutra, the Heart Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, and others fluently, to delight the old lady.

But for a cushy job like this.

They were not inviting just one monk.

Several monks would go together.

And compete for the position.

In the end, even those who did not get the opportunity to chant.

Would receive generous gifts.

With at least five taels of silver guaranteed.

"This is the one."

After ten years of studying scriptures, Lu Feng knew the scriptures the Tusi requested so thoroughly that they rolled off his tongue.

As for requirements such as a resonant voice and a pleasing appearance.

Lu Feng was extremely upright and handsome in appearance.

His voice rang like a great bell.

He had the makings of a fine scripture chanter.

Having settled on his course, Lu Feng went to request leave when dawn broke the following day and the temple gates opened. His superior had seen plenty of Student Monks who "worked while studying" like this, and naturally waved him on his way.

Monks were allowed to ride horses.

But Lu Feng was poor.

Never mind a horse.

He could not even afford a donkey.

He could only walk toward the Tusi's Official Fortress. By the time he arrived, he had walked from morning until evening and was drenched in sweat.

Looking at the Tusi's Official Fortress before him, Lu Feng could only feel envy.

Lu Feng saw that the Tusi's Official Fortress before him consisted of seven fortified towers forming an enclosure. Soldiers with weapons on their backs patrolled the surrounding area, leading numerous mastiffs that could lunge out and bite at any moment.

Seeing Lu Feng approach, these men gathered around him.

Lu Feng hurriedly explained that he was a monk from a nearby temple, here to pray for blessings for the Tusi's grandmother.

The soldiers could not read either, so they could only go and fetch the steward.

Just as they were speaking in front of the Tusi's cluster of fortified towers.

An image suddenly appeared on the human-skin scroll that Lu Feng had rolled up and tucked close against his body.

First, a kindly old woman wearing a robe, emeralds, and an agate necklace appeared on the Human-Skin Sutra Scroll.

Then this kindly old woman began to change, her form growing abstract. In moments, she had turned into a stooped Malevolent Ghost with a tiger-like face!

That human face actually looked somewhat like a tiger's!

Judging by this Malevolent Ghost's appearance, it was none other than the Gaqila Tusi's grandmother here!

The Gaqila Tusi's grandmother was actually a Malevolent Ghost?

Hiding inside fortified towers where people lived!