Chapter 173: Invite the Eldest Senior Sister!
Li Xingtian brought the two living treasures of Chanlin Temple up to the second floor of Yuelai Tower, seeking out his own master.
"Apologies, I arrived late, Master." A slightly helpless look appeared on Li Xingtian's face.
"It is fine; as long as everyone is safe."
Chu Xingchen nodded gently, then glanced at Yuan Jing, whom Li Xingtian had found, and understood why Li Xingtian had stayed behind to help.
At this moment, Yuan Jing truly could be described as the oil being exhausted and the lamp drying out.
Yuan Jing, who originally had Foundation Establishment cultivation, now had spiritual power fluctuations within his body that were not even as strong as those of Yuan Kong, who stood to the side with a grave expression.
His beard, which had long turned white, seemed to have lost all nutrition, sticking scattered and dry to Yuan Jing's face.
Yuan Jing's complexion was withered and yellow, and both eye sockets were deeply sunken.
In this situation, the Ten Complete Great Tonifying Pellets that Chu Xingchen refined himself might be somewhat useful.
But the moment he thought of the side effects of his pills, he feared that the Abbot would not be able to withstand it.
Yuan Kong was currently supporting Yuan Jing as the three of them took their seats.
Yuan Jing forced a smile on his withered face and said hoarsely with a voice that had lost its elasticity:
"I have troubled you, Benefactor. The favors owed are becoming more and more."
"The Abbot underestimates people. Are you the only one allowed to be concerned about the common people, and not me?"
Chu Xingchen personally poured a cup of tea for Yuan Jing and continued to speak, "When I saw you last time, the situation was not optimistic. Some things do not necessarily require you to go personally."
Yuan Jing reached out and grasped the teacup before him. Hearing this, he revealed a smile as he looked at Chu Xingchen, his gaze very gentle.
He smiled and said: "I was not going to live long anyway. It is better to do a few more things than to live a few more days."
"However, this old monk misjudged somewhat. I originally thought the Benefactor was a bit philistine..."
Chu Xingchen's expression remained unchanged as he interrupted and said: "The Abbot did not misjudge. I am a vulgar person and have always been very philistine."
"If the Benefactor says so, then so be it."
Yuan Jing nodded with a smile on his face, then his expression became slightly serious as he spoke, "However, the matter in Chizhou is definitely not a simple natural disaster..."
Chu Xingchen tapped the cover of the ancient book before him and then said: "I know about this matter. The following events have nothing to do with the Abbot anymore. Abbot, please return to Chanlin Temple with Yuan Kong."
Yuan Jing looked with astonishment at the ancient book cover in Chu Xingchen's hand—Commentary on the Water Classic.
He seemed to understand something and nodded gently, preparing to say something but then quieted down.
He wanted to ask Chu Xingchen to do his best, but he felt that these words should not be said.
Once some words are spoken, they easily become a burden to others, and one should not entrust their own expectations to others.
Although Chu Xingchen might not necessarily care, Yuan Jing himself should care.
Yuan Jing thought for a moment and said: "Then I wish the Benefactor everything goes smoothly. This old monk will wait for you at Chanlin Temple to drink tea."
"I will." Chu Xingchen nodded gently, then looked at Li Xingtian. "Xingtian, you escort the Abbot and Yuan Kong back to Chanlin Temple."
Yuan Jing shook his head and said: "There is no need for such trouble. This old monk can return by himself..."
Yuan Jing might believe this himself, but Yuan Kong to the side did not really believe it.
He said with a slightly anxious tone: "Senior Brother, are you serious? Your legs were just soft!"
Hearing this, Yuan Jing looked at Yuan Kong somewhat speechlessly. Even though he knew the soul inside this body of a young man was only a few years old.
But when it was time to be speechless, Yuan Jing was still somewhat speechless.
Yuan Jing sighed helplessly: "I didn't say I was going to walk back. At my age, can I not take a carriage back?"
"Oh..."
Chu Xingchen watched Yuan Kong support Yuan Jing as they slowly went downstairs, forcibly holding back the desire to complain in his heart.
However, at least he did not calculate any major mishaps.
Chu Xingchen asked Li Xingtian, who was sitting opposite him:
"What was the situation when you found Yuan Jing?"
Li Xingtian sighed and said: "He was persuading the villagers downstream of the dam to move away. However, no one would abandon everything because of the ramblings of a muddy mad monk who looked about to die."
Chu Xingchen nodded gently: "Then how did Yuan Jing persuade them in the end?"
"If Master were counting on him, I estimate you would have had to wait a few more days to see me."
Li Xingtian's expression was somewhat helpless as he said: "I threatened those villagers: either move, or die at my hands."
"Later, using this method, I persuaded a few villages and then came back."
Looking at Li Xingtian's expression, Chu Xingchen filled in the blanks quite a bit.
His own second disciple, with surging blood energy, holding that skull great blade, shouting angrily—either move, or die.
Chu Xingchen, holding back his laughter, said: "That must have been hard on you then."
Li Xingtian looked at his master, thought for a moment, and still voiced the doubt in his heart:
"Since we found the Abbot and are not leaving, what is Master planning?"
"To catch a big fish, a big fish I have never seen before."
Chu Xingchen gently took a sip of tea, then looked at Li Xingtian and suddenly thought of something, asking: "Can you find water veins?"
Li Xingtian was stunned when he heard this. He didn't cultivate a water-based technique, so why would he study this thing for no reason?
He shook his head gently: "No."
Hearing this, Chu Xingchen pushed the Commentary on the Water Classic before him directly in front of Li Xingtian and said earnestly:
"Then you should learn it. Work hard; time is tight."
Li Xingtian looked at the Commentary on the Water Classic pushed before him, then looked at his master's eager gaze.
Who let the master be the master...
Li Xingtian opened the first page of this Commentary on the Water Classic. Other than the table of contents...
He... seemed to not quite understand it. Is this written in common characters?
————
Two days later, inside the inn.
Li Xingtian looked at the Commentary on the Water Classic before him with tightly furrowed brows.
During these days, he had been studying this Commentary on the Water Classic all day long. It had to be said that this thing counted as the most bizarre thing he had ever seen.
Perhaps the most painful thing about reading a book is when you seem to understand what it is writing, but the conclusion calculated in your heart is completely different from the final answer.
You will once again fall into confusion—did I really understand?
When, holding the idea of starting over, you read this book again, but the summary of what you gained is exactly the same as the last time...
A thought of "forget it" floated up in Li Xingtian's mind.
Li Xingtian hadn't read an exceptionally large number of books; most were learned after he stepped onto the path of cultivation.
Regarding the matter of cultivation, he had personal experience and naturally understood some techniques and methods.
So, for some obscure techniques, they were mostly different paths leading to the same goal, and understanding them wasn't too hard.
But for this kind of track that was completely another one he had never touched before.
When past experience didn't work, Li Xingtian was somewhat at a loss.
Especially when his own master said time was tight...
Li Xingtian heavily closed the book before him, and his tone was heavy as he said:
"Master, I estimate I won't be able to learn this in a short period of time..."
Chu Xingchen's action of cracking melon seeds paused, and his gaze turned to his second disciple.
Li Xingtian's expression was serious as he said: "Please invite the Eldest Senior Sister here!"
This kind of book, I estimate only a genius like the Eldest Senior Sister can understand.
Moreover, the Eldest Senior Sister is also of the Water Spirit Root.
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