506: Yuan Fang, what do you think?

"..."

Speechless for two seconds, Tang Ku finally snapped back to reality when he saw Di Renjie eagerly bowing to him. He examined the child with a strange expression, then immediately asked, "What did you just... call him?"

Di Renjie chuckled, "Holy Monk, how could your ears be failing you? This little guy is an orphan I picked up outside. His surname is Li, and his given name is Yuanfang. I saw that he was smart and clever, and his heart wasn't bad, so I kept him by my side as an attendant. This kid loves martial arts; I hope you won't blame him for offending the Holy Monk... Yuanfang, this is the Holy Monk I've often told you about. If you have the chance to take him as your Master, that would be a meteoric rise!"

The child on the side looked Tang Ku up and down and suddenly asked, "Do I need to become a monk to take you as my Master?"

Tang Ku was taken aback, then smiled, "As you wish. If you are willing, you can become a monk. If not, practicing at home is the same; there is no need to be constrained by form!"

"With such words, it seems you are a true Holy Monk!" the child Li Yuanfang cupped his hands and said, "Your heart is vast; you are not like those wicked monks who drive people away and cannot even tolerate a beggar like me!"

"To have such insight at such a young age?"

Tang Ku couldn't help but smile, "Not bad, not bad. So, are you willing to take me as your Master?"

"Better not!"

Li Yuanfang shook his head and said, "Although I really want to, I have self-awareness. I am not qualified yet. When I have mastered my martial arts and become a true hero, perhaps I will consider joining your sect!"

"Ambitious kid!"

Tang Ku smiled at Di Renjie, "This child will surely achieve great things one day. You must Cultivate him well!"

Di Renjie smiled, "I have the same intention... Hmm, there is just one thing... I intend to pass on everything I have learned to him, but... without your approval, I dare not presume to teach him the Vajra Zen Skill and those martial arts techniques!"

Tang Ku waved his hand, "No matter. What I passed to you is yours. To what extent you can Cultivate it and whom you wish to pass it on to is your business; it has nothing to do with me!"

"In that case, Di Huaiying thanks you on behalf of Li Yuanfang... Hmm, the Holy Monk did not come here specifically to see me, did you? You must have some instructions!" Di Renjie chuckled.

Tang Ku nodded, "As expected of Di Huaiying, striking the mark with one word... Hmm, I may be away from Chang'an for a while longer. You must take charge of the defensive arrangements against cultivators in Chang'an City. Consult with Yuan Tiangang and the others when you encounter issues. I have a premonition that since I am leaving with Ksitigarbha, the enemy will definitely choose to cause trouble while we are short-handed. Therefore, you must be extremely vigilant and help Your Majesty protect Chang'an!"

"This!" Di Renjie couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Although Huaiying is good at managing various miscellaneous affairs, I have never led troops into battle, let alone fought against cultivators. With my meager abilities... I'm afraid I am unable to shoulder such a heavy responsibility!"

"Don't be so self-deprecating. You've only used two out of ten parts of your ability. If you don't push yourself, you will never know how much potential you have!" Tang Ku patted his shoulder and said, "I believe you definitely have this ability!"

Di Renjie was taken aback, then solemnly cupped his hands, "Thank you for your trust, Holy Monk. Huaiying will certainly do his utmost, even until death!"

Tang Ku shook his head, "Your words are too inauspicious... Tomorrow, take Li Yuanfang to the Du Xin Domain to get two flat peaches. The two of you, Master and servant, take one each. There will be many places where you are needed in the future!"

Di Renjie thanked him repeatedly. Tang Ku also taught him some basic Qi cultivation methods, asked him to pass them on to Li Yuanfang, and after giving some instructions, he left.

"Forget it, this world is truly becoming more and more insane!" Tang Ku couldn't help but smile bitterly as he walked down the street, "How can even a fictional character like Li Yuanfang appear? Hmm, this world really has problems... That guy Tang Xian still hasn't revealed a single word of truth to me!"

"Master... Why do you have the leisure to wander the streets?" A shout rang out, and a figure appeared before him.

Tang Ku couldn't help but be slightly startled. He looked up and smiled, "So it is Bianji. Why have you become a monk again? Has this prosperous, mundane world not blinded your eyes?"

"Hehe, being a monk at home or in a temple is the same. I am no longer constrained by form; as long as I can Cultivate, anything is fine!" Bianji looked at his old kasaya and suddenly smiled, "Besides, I changed into this today because there is something to be done!"

Tang Ku frowned slightly, then seemed to think of something, and couldn't help but chuckle, "I see. It's about those monks from Huichang Temple, isn't it?"

Tang Ku had already heard of the wicked monks that Li Yuanfang had mentioned earlier when he returned, but he hadn't found the time to investigate. Now that someone was taking the initiative to investigate, he felt much relieved.

"Master knows too?" Bianji said in surprise, "Not long ago, I heard that the monks of Huichang Temple were setting up porridge stalls to recruit believers. However, these guys only gave porridge to those who were willing to convert to Buddhism. As for those who were equally starving and cold but unwilling to believe in the Buddha Dharma, they couldn't even be bothered to look at them. Later, it was Lord Di from the Ministry of Works who gathered these refugees and used work as relief, sending them to several projects currently under construction by the Ministry of Works, and only then were they properly settled. I am going to see what kind of background these wicked monks have! If they are truly a group of wicked monks... I may have to eliminate them for the people, so as not to let these scoundrels tarnish the reputation of my Buddhism!"

Tang Ku smiled, "This is the act of a hero... Hmm, go ahead. Remember to investigate the matter clearly before taking action... Also, if you need Master's help, come to the Du Xin Domain to find me. Your Senior Brothers are all people with great Divine Ability; ordinary matters cannot stump them!"

"Hehe, Disciple is now also a person with great Divine Ability and both literary and martial talent. A mere Huichang Temple cannot stump me!" Bianji chuckled.

The two bowed and said goodbye, and both left. However, when Tang Ku brushed past Bianji, his heart surged, which made him feel uneasy for a moment. Turning back to look, he saw that the colors on Bianji's body seemed to have turned black and white, appearing very eerie.

"Could it be that my eyes are deceiving me?" Looking closely, everything was as usual. It turned out that the gray monk's robe on Bianji's body and the shaven head with slight hair stubble made the whole person look like they were wrapped in gray; this was just a visual error.

Tang Ku shook his head and said helplessly, "I have truly become like a frightened bird recently. I don't know what the true purpose of those Extraterrestrial Gods and Demons is. Are they really coming for me? But, no matter how strong I am alone, I cannot be stronger than a Saint. What is the true purpose of that so-called Master? His power has already surpassed that of an ordinary Saint, and even traversing the Universe is common for him. This can be seen from the various races under his command. Why covet this tiny piece of land called Earth?"

Perhaps all these mysteries will only be solved when I truly face him!