My father is a Confucian sage, but the system forces me to be a crude warrior

Chapter 387 A First-Rank Expert? Or perhaps even higher?!
Zeng Anmin felt that his figure resembled someone from a movie or TV series in his past life.

"Er Yuehong has come seeking medicine."

……

I want to laugh a little bit.

He looked at the old monk in front of him, trying his best to remain serious.

This is a simple, quiet room.

A house built with thatch.

The floor inside the house wasn't paved with bricks; it was just the most primitive yellow earth.

"Pap~"

The old monk usually drinks only the cheapest tea leaves.

The old monk, Lao Hongji, held the earthen teapot filled with boiling water and slowly poured it into the teacup.

The tea had a slightly yellowish tinge.

"Please have some tea, benefactor."

Zeng Anmin picked up the teacup with its cracked surface on the table and fell into deep thought.

Is this really drinkable?
He stared at the teacup for a long time.

Looking up, I was met with the old man's smiling face, tinged with a hint of expectation.
"This humble monk's tea skills have long reached the pinnacle; even on a tattered straw mat, I can brew the flavor of top-quality tea."

……

Zeng Anmin didn't believe a single word of it.

Is the old monk trying to subtly change the subject?
Can a tattered straw mat produce the flavor of fine tea?

Can you make coffee with urine?
But I've come here today because I need something from someone.

He forced a smile onto his face:

"Then I'll try your cooking."

The old monk's expectant expression made him unsure how to refuse.

"Ahem." He coughed lightly first, then picked up the teacup and brought it to his lips.

"Whoo~"

He blew out a breath and gritted his teeth.

The tea entered the stomach.

……

Ok?
What causes a lingering fragrance in the mouth?
Zeng Anmin's eyes widened.

He looked up at the old monk, then looked down at the empty cup.

"hehe."

The old monk smiled broadly: "How is it?"

Zeng Anmin sensed a hint of pride in those two words.

"The master's tea ceremony is truly admirable!"

Zeng Anmin felt a surge of admiration from the bottom of his heart.

"Actually, when it comes to tea, our human race has a tea ceremony history of seven thousand years. From the time when the ancient immortal Qin Li Fu brought back tea trees from the sea, to the present day, many tea masters have cultivated different tea trees according to the environments of various regions of our human race..."

Once the old monk started talking about tea ceremony, he couldn't stop.

His voice was neither arrogant nor impatient, and every word he spoke carried his own unique rhythm.

Zeng Anmin listened for a long time, his face becoming somewhat numb.

After a long while, he cautiously raised his hand:

“Master Hongji, may I interrupt?”

"Speaking of tea in the Holy Dynasty, the one that catches my eye the most is Lu on Fengqi Road..."

Interrupted by Zeng Anmin, the old monk showed no displeasure; instead, he appeared dazed, then gave an apologetic smile.
“Amitabha, it is this humble monk who has broken the precept against greed.”

"May I ask what brings you here, Benefactor Zeng?"

Now we've finally gotten down to business.

Zeng Anmin breathed a sigh of relief. He bet that if he hadn't interrupted, the old monk, with his knowledge of tea ceremony, would have talked until tomorrow.

“Yesterday, I went to the Ji residence to search it. I was possessed by an evil spirit, but fortunately, my father used a Confucian and Taoist demon-subduing golden ring to restrain it, which temporarily saved my life…”

Zeng Anmin didn't mention anything about the Heavenly Dao Diagram; he only mentioned that evil energy had entered the body.

"My father highly reveres Buddhism. I wonder if Master Hongji would be willing to help me out of this predicament?"

Zeng Anmin's eyes lit up with anticipation.

If I can dispel that strange, dark aura without using my [last reserve], it will definitely be beneficial to me.

"Oh?"

After hearing Zeng Anmin's words, the old monk's expression became somewhat serious.

He looked Zeng Anmin up and down.

Then a look of admiration appeared on his face:
"Amitabha."

“The father of Benefactor Zeng was truly a sage of Confucianism and Taoism. That Confucian and Taoist demon-subduing golden circle is indeed powerful.”

"With the naked eye of a mortal, this humble monk cannot discern the slightest clue."

……

Zeng Anmin paused for a moment.

He then asked, "How can you make a diagnosis?"

"Please extend your hand, benefactor." The old monk's face remained kind.

"This humble monk needs to use the power of Buddha as a medium to enter the benefactor's sea of ​​consciousness to investigate."

……

Zeng Anmin remained silent.

There are too many secrets in my own sea of ​​consciousness.

"Is there another way?"

He was somewhat afraid to look up at the old monk.

The old monk paused, taken aback.

Then he looked enlightened.

"It was my rudeness."

It was clear that he had guessed Zeng Anmin's concerns.

Zeng Anmin pursed his lips.

I came here seeking medical treatment.

And you still have so many demands.

If I were that old monk, I wouldn't care who you are, I'd just tell you to get lost. Why are you dawdling over treating my illness?

"If it's impossible... then let's just forget about it."

Zeng Anmin thought about it carefully.

All the secrets within one's own sea of ​​consciousness must never be exposed.

Even if it means wasting the entry for "last reserves".

“There is a way. This humble monk can use Buddhist and Taoist methods to deduce what you experienced that day.”

The old monk smiled and clasped his hands together, saying, "However, this method consumes a great deal of energy."

"One thousand taels of gold."

……

Zeng Anmin's lips twitched slightly.

This old monk, all he talks about is money.
Fortunately, money is the most useless thing to the Duke's mansion.

“Very well.” Zeng Anmin’s face turned solemn: “One thousand taels it is.”

"But if I can't deduce the result, I won't pay for the consultation."

"Hehe, this gold doesn't need to be sent to the temple. It can be used together with the one thousand taels from last time to help Xiliu."

As the old monk spoke, he pulled a lotus-shaped object from his sleeve.

When the lotus-shaped object appeared, Zeng Anmin felt his heart calm down.

"hehe."

The old monk first smiled gently, and then golden light slowly flowed around his body.

"Om~"

One lap, two laps, three laps...

Golden wheels began to appear behind him.

Now look at the old monk.

At this moment, his face was full of pity, and he was muttering to himself.

Golden specks separated from the golden wheel behind him, like countless fireflies dancing in the dark night sky...

These golden dots were poured into the lotus flower on the table.

A magical scene happened.

The lotus petals open one by one.

The petals swayed gently in the wind.

"Om!!"

A golden orb of light rose from the center of the petal.

Zeng Anmin's pupils contracted.

A very familiar scene appeared within that golden sphere of light!

The secret chamber of the Ji family mansion!
My own figure appeared!
Then he touched the Xi Huang Diagram himself!
Then, a dark aura appeared and entered his body!

"Om!!"

The golden light dissipated instantly.

Everything came to a halt!

“Pada~”

One arm slumped limply onto the table.

Zeng Anmin subconsciously looked up.

Then he saw that the old monk in front of him had more wrinkles on his face and his complexion was extremely pale.

Large beads of sweat dripped from his face.

"hehe."

The old monk forced a smile, his gaze still kindly fixed on Zeng Anmin:
“This old monk already knows the harm suffered by the benefactor.”

Just look at the old monk's appearance.

Zeng Anmin felt that this thousand taels of gold...

It was definitely worth the money!

"What is that dark aura?"

Zeng Anmin asked solemnly.

"A foul, stagnant aura." The old monk sat up with some difficulty. He slowly took out a yellowed towel from his pocket and gently wiped the sweat from his face.

He looked up, revealing that familiar, kind gaze, and said only two words: "This humble monk can cure you."

call!
Upon hearing this, Zeng Anmin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed up by asking:
What is the "stagnant, decaying odor"?

"It manifests as the accumulated resentment within the body of a great being after death."

"Great power? How great is that power?"

"A first-grade expert, or perhaps even higher."

……

Zeng Anmin fell silent.

A first-rank expert?
Or even higher?
Zeng Anmin was somewhat dazed.

It's understandable, as the Xihuang Diagram is a priceless treasure, passed down from ancient times to the present day.

During this time, he might have come into contact with the corpse of a first-rank official...

But why me? Why wasn't Ji Qing affected by this stagnant, decaying energy?

It was as if they could read Zeng Anmin's mind.

The old monk Hongqi patiently explained to Zeng Anmin:

"After the decaying aura is formed, it will not be triggered immediately. Instead, it will lie dormant on objects or people for a long time. When the time is up, it will awaken a trace of intelligence and then trigger the event."

Zeng Anmin understood after hearing this.

In other words, Ji Qing was lucky; he managed to avoid the awakening of the corrupting energy while he was still alive.

And I... am just an unlucky guy.

"Please, Master, save me!"

Zeng Anmin stood up and bowed deeply to Master Hongqi.

Seeing this, the old monk's face slowly broke into a smile, and he slowly extended a finger.

Uh……

Zeng Anmin's lips twitched slightly.

He knew what that meant.

I need money.

"Didn't I just pay?"

"The consultation fee is the consultation fee, and the treatment is the treatment." The old monk's face remained kind.

He even winked at Zeng Anmin, feigning innocence.

"Alright, alright, as long as it can cure him, I'll take another thousand taels." Zeng Anmin was too lazy to argue with this greedy monk.

“No.” The old monk slowly shook his head, looking intently into Zeng Anmin’s eyes:

"It's ten thousand taels."

Zeng Anmin's eyes widened suddenly.

The old monk, still smiling, watched Zeng Anmin's fascinating expression and added two words:

"gold."

Ten thousand taels of gold?
Why don't you just rob someone?

Even if the Duke of Qi's mansion doesn't value money, they can't just take out 10,000 taels of gold so easily.

My father's position no longer requires greed to satisfy him.

He himself had just taken office as the Southern Commander and hadn't even had a chance to embezzle...

Zeng Anmin had no shortage of money.

He can now receive 20% of the profits from the output of the Qinghai Bay Spirit Mine.

Over the past year, the amount of money he has received has far exceeded the amount the old monk had mentioned.

Moreover, there's chicken essence, and Shen Jun's Jin Taiping Chamber of Commerce has enough money to give him.

But... that's all my money!

"Make it cheaper!"

Zeng Anmin stared intently at the old monk: "The Duke's Mansion can't afford that much money right now."

The Duke's Mansion is the Duke's Mansion, what does it have to do with me, Zeng Anmin?

The old monk was taken aback at first, then asked Zeng Anmin, "Are you sure, benefactor?"

“Confirmed!” Zeng Anmin took a deep breath: “Only seven… no, five thousand taels.”

"Including the thousand taels you paid to save Hu Zi last time, plus the consultation and treatment fees this time, the total is seven thousand taels."

"No more."

Zeng Anmin's tone was more resolute than ever before.

"Hehe." The old monk chuckled and shook his head: "Since that's the case, then it'll be seven thousand taels."

Ok?
Zeng Anmin was visibly stunned for a moment.

He hadn't expected the old monk to be so easy to talk to.

(End of this chapter)