Chapter 18
Chapter 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Shaolin Temple
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Shaolin Temple Abbot, Jeonghae, had been feeling deeper wrinkles forming on his forehead lately.
Amidst the many troubles plaguing his mind, the sight of the visiting Pill Refining Pavilion Leader only made his chest tighten further, rendering all his cultivation meaningless.
It was because the Pill Refining Pavilion Leader's expression was exceedingly grim.
"Abbot, the worst has happened, just as we feared."
"The worst... What exactly has occurred?"
"Do you remember what I said at the start of the year? That the erratic weather might force us to advance the final stage of the pill refinement sooner than expected?"
The Great Returning Pill refinement period averaged thirty years. However, depending on climatic conditions, it could extend or shorten.
Herbalists across the nation had been scouring every mountain for Fire Spirit Herbs over fifty years old, but no news had come yet.
If they now had to rush the refinement even further, the thirty years of effort might truly end in failure.
"I remember. How much time do we have left?"
"We thought we had at least a month more, but the condition deteriorated rapidly these past few days, and by this morning, degradation had begun.
We must start within three days to preserve the full potency. And even if delayed, we need to complete the final stage within a fortnight to salvage any effect."
"Three days? That... doesn't seem feasible. A fortnight... that's also... Ugh."
"And if it goes beyond that..."
The Pill Refining Pavilion Leader trailed off, letting out a deep sigh.
Jeonghae Abbot was already envisioning the worst-case scenario.
'The Great Returning Pill refinement fails, and all the time and funds invested vanish into thin air.'
Even for the Shaolin Temple, with its countless lay disciples and offerings from people across the world, refining the Great Returning Pill consumed enormous resources.
A single refinement cycle could produce only seven or eight pills.
Their efficacy was unrivaled in the world, but they had many drawbacks.
The thirty-year refinement period, the extremely limited quantity per batch. And even after such a arduous process, they could not be preserved indefinitely.
Thus, the Great Returning Pills went to the current Shaolin Temple Abbot and the Four Great Vajras, who represented the temple's future.
The remaining two or so were bestowed upon those who had rendered great service to the Shaolin Temple, a tradition spanning centuries.
'We've gathered all sorts of rare spiritual herbs without issue until now, yet we're on the brink of failure over the relatively common Fire Spirit Herb. Buddha's will is beyond my comprehension.'
Jeonghae Abbot could not bear the thought of failing the refinement for the first time in his tenure.
"Amitabha..."
He murmured softly.
Someone called for him from outside.
"Pill Refining Pavilion Leader, return for now."
"...Yes, Abbot."
As Jeonghae Abbot stepped out, a monk delivered a message.
"Abbot, a physician named Baek Yuseong from Luoyang Medical Hall has arrived, saying he brings the belongings of the herbalist Chosan. What shall we do?"
"...!"
Herbalist Chosan.
He was someone Jeonghae Abbot had come to know before becoming the Shaolin Temple Abbot.
While seeking a secluded place to organize his enlightenment, he had encountered a young herbalist named Chosan desperately clinging to the edge of a cliff.
He had rescued Chosan, who was on the verge of exhaustion, and received profound gratitude.
"Thank you! I thought I was done for, slipping like that. I'll never go near a cliff again."
Even after that incident, Chosan often visited the Shaolin Temple, made offerings, chatted amiably with Jeonghae Abbot, and departed.
Yet now, word had come that this old friend, who had boasted he would procure a Fire Spirit Herb over fifty years old, had died.
"Guide him to the reception hall."
"Yes, Abbot."
***
Since he had heard little about it, Yuseong did not know the full extent of the relationship between Chosan and Jeonghae Abbot.
Even when passing the message to the gatekeeper monk, he had doubted whether he would actually meet the Shaolin Temple Abbot.
"Amitabha. I am Jeonghae. You have brought the belongings of my old friend, Lay Disciple."
Jeonghae Abbot, his eyes brimming with sharp insight yet bearing a benevolent expression, had come personally to meet Yuseong.
"Were the two of you friends?"
Jeonghae Abbot opened his mouth with a wistful gaze, as if reminiscing about the past.
"I, who had secluded myself in the Shaolin Temple practicing only martial arts, met my first friend outside the temple."
Some people possessed such an innate affinity.
Hadn't Yuseong himself felt a closeness to Chosan after just a few brief encounters?
It seemed Jeonghae Abbot had felt the same.
After a short conversation, Yuseong drew a wooden box from his bosom.
"Chosan asked me to deliver this to you, Abbot."
Jeonghae Abbot carefully opened the wooden box.
"This is..."
No one else might recognize it, but Jeonghae Abbot could not fail to identify a Fire Spirit Herb less than fifty years old.
"Chosan wanted to repay you, who saved his life in the past, with a Fire Spirit Herb over fifty years old. He fell from the cliff while harvesting this one."
"A cliff... He said he'd never look at one again..."
Jeonghae Abbot, looking somewhat sorrowful, continued.
"You wouldn't happen to know if Chosan realized this Fire Spirit Herb wasn't fifty years old?"
"No. By then, he could no longer see. He just said it felt good."
"At least he passed peacefully."
"Indeed."
"Amitabha. This is Buddha's compassion."
Yuseong observed Jeonghae Abbot's expression.
Relief. It seemed genuine.
As if praying for his friend to be reborn in paradise.
Now, it was time to give Jeonghae Abbot space to honor Chosan.
Having completed his task, Yuseong rose from his seat.
"Then I shall take my leave..."
Suddenly, his heart stirred.
A sense of fullness welled up.
This was entirely different from the incremental growth in Divine Power from receiving gratitude for delivering the belongings.
It was an overwhelming surge of Divine Power, incomparable to anything before.
It rivaled the sensation when he had first sprouted the seed of divinity in this world.
Yuseong realized it.
For some unknown reason, an enormous amount of Divine Power had flooded in at once, granting him access to [Catalysis] and [Detoxification].
"You are leaving now?"
Jeonghae Abbot felt grateful to Yuseong for delivering news of his friend's passing but believed their connection ended here.
Unless he visited Luoyang Medical Hall later, there was no reason for it to continue.
However.
"If I may ask, among the Fire Spirit Herbs you've gathered, how old is the oldest one?"
Jeonghae Abbot's gaze turned to the wooden box.
"What Chosan left behind is the oldest we have."
Yuseong had intended to request the Fire Spirit Herb temporarily.
Uncertain since it was his first time cultivating this herb, but by leaving Divine Power in it daily during treatments, he might grow it to fifty years within the deadline.
But Jeonghae Abbot spoke first.
"Do not worry yourself, Lay Disciple. This batch of Great Returning Pills is as good as failed anyway. New variables have arisen—we must begin in three days for a perfect pill."
Was the situation not as urgent as he thought?
Yuseong grew anxious.
What started as a small connection with Chosan, he now wanted to see through to the end: succeeding the Great Returning Pill refinement.
He would have given up without the Catalysis skill, but now the possibility was high.
And.
Crass as it was, if he provided decisive aid in creating the Great Returning Pill, how immense would the Shaolin Temple's gratitude be?
After thirty years of effort, no less.
"I'm sorry, but may I stay here for three days? And lend me that Fire Spirit Herb for a while."
He wasn't certain how much he could grow the Fire Spirit Herb with the Catalysis skill over three days.
However, based on experience cultivating various herbs including mandragora, growing it by ten years seemed feasible.
Time was tight, so he planned to save travel time between the Shaolin Temple and elsewhere by using the skill here.
"Three days... To honor my friend's spirit? Very well. You are the one Chosan entrusted his affairs to, Baek Lay Disciple."
Perhaps thinking Yuseong wished to hold a modest three-day vigil with the belongings, Jeonghae Abbot readily permitted it.
Yuseong took the wooden box and, guided by another monk to his quarters, asked,
"Is there good soil suitable for planting herbs?"
"There is a prepared herb garden not yet in use. Why do you ask?"
"As I told the Abbot, I wish to honor my comrade's spirit for three days."
"In the herb garden?"
"Circumstances demand it."
"It is unused anyway, so please keep it clean."
Fortunately, though puzzled, the monk yielded the herb garden without issue.
It was a spacious empty plot, and even to Yuseong's untrained eye, the soil looked excellent.
Perhaps they had prepared it themselves due to the Fire Spirit Herb shortage?
He first planted the Fire Spirit Herb in the garden.
Whether because Chosan had dug it carefully despite the hardship, the roots were in pristine condition.
It could be regrown if replanted.
Catalysis could be applied broadly across the wide garden or focused on a single plant.
He activated the Catalysis skill concentrated on the single Fire Spirit Herb.
Srrrr—
The power of divinity did not betray his expectations.
Visible changes occurred in the Fire Spirit Herb.
'Success!'
The leaves retained their characteristic red aura, but their length had slightly increased.
'Three days should be enough.'
Yuseong's mind eased somewhat.
Now, he just needed to apply the skill several times a day at regular intervals.
"Oh, right. I need to inform the medical hall."
Yuseong sought out others.
Today was his day off, but he needed to take two days of leave.
Having accumulated Divine Power with burning focus, Yuseong had never used a single day of vacation during his time at Luoyang Medical Hall.
He could use them all at once now.
"No way, Physician Baek! What brings you to the Shaolin Temple on your day off? I heard you went to the slums to do good deeds."
By chance, someone recognized him.
"Circumstances. Sorry, but could you pass a message to Luoyang Medical Hall for me?"
"Ah! Of course. What should I say?"
"That I need to take leave for two days tomorrow and the day after for important business."
"Certainly. I'll relay it on my way back."
The Luoyang Medical Hall matter was settled.
There might be patients left waiting in vain, but that couldn't be helped.
This was the priority now.
Yuseong focused on herb cultivation with peace of mind.
***
The next morning.
Jegal Yeongyeong's steps toward Luoyang Medical Hall were exceedingly light.
At dawn, she had finally perfectly comprehended the first formation in the Comprehensive Analysis of Celestial Divination Formations.
'The best day ever. I pushed harder at the end and my head hurts more than usual, but it'll be fine after Physician Baek's acupuncture. Almost at the hall—just endure a bit longer.'
Humming a tune, she arrived and heard shocking news.
"Oh dear, what shall we do, Chief Strategist? Physician Baek has taken leave..."
"W-What? Th-then tomorrow, he'll be in tomorrow, right?"
"Well... tomorrow too..."
She staggered slightly from the shock.