76: Chapter 76 The Monk's Kung Fu

Daoist Master Qian became cross-eyed, staring fixedly at the tip of the blade as cold sweat poured down his forehead. "Head Constable Chen... let's talk this over. Don't... don't be impulsive."

"Do you have a solution?" Chen Mo asked.

"No... I really don't. This is the poison of an Iron Zombie..."

"Then shut your mouth."

Chen Mo flipped his wrist and slammed the back of his blade hard against Daoist Master Qian's shoulder, knocking the old Daoist onto his backside. "If you say another word, I'll throw you into that pile of corpses and let you get intimate with them."

Daoist Master Qian covered his mouth and curled into a ball, not daring to make a sound.

Just then, the sound of lip-smacking came from nearby.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Daoists of today are truly getting worse with each generation."

Great Master Wu Nian chewed and swallowed the last of the roast chicken bones, haphazardly wiped the grease from his hands onto his monastic robe, and swaggered over.

With his physique, he walked like a moving mountain of flesh, blocking out most of the moonlight in the courtyard.

"Out of the way, out of the way! Don't block Lord Buddha from doing his business."

Wu Nian shoved Chen Mo aside with his backside and squatted in front of the Little Runner.

He extended a finger as thick as a carrot and poked at the blackened wound.

"It hurts, it hurts..." the Little Runner cried out dizzily.

"It's good that it hurts. If it didn't, you'd be a dead man."

Wu Nian chuckled. He turned to look at Chen Mo, the fat on his face bunching up into an incredibly punchable expression. "Benefactor Chen, did that Ox-Nose Daoist just say he's beyond saving?"

Chen Mo nodded. "He said the corpse poison has reached the heart."

"Reached his ass!"

Wu Nian spat disdainfully. "This is just a bit of Evil Qi entering the body and blocking the Meridians. In this Poor Monk's eyes, it's no different from constipation. It'll be fine once it's cleared out."

Having said that, his expression suddenly turned solemn.

His previous slovenly demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a type of... dignity that actually looked quite convincing.

"Watch closely! This Poor Monk is going to show you a thing or two about what 'Boundless Dharma' really means!"

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling high.

"Om! Ma! Ni! Pad! Me! Hum!"

As the Six-Syllable Mantra was uttered, Chen Mo clearly felt the surrounding air vibrate.

Wu Nian's large, greasy hand suddenly emitted a layer of soft golden light. It wasn't as violent as when he was fighting the zombies; instead, it carried a warm temperature.

He slapped his palm onto the Little Runner's crown.

Pa!

The sound was crisp and loud.

"For Lord Buddha—Begone!"

With that thunderous shout, the layer of golden light flowed from the top of the Little Runner's head, rapidly spreading throughout his body like running water.

A miraculous scene unfolded.

The Little Runner's body jerked violently. Immediately after, black blood began to spray from his wound. The black blood was incredibly foul-smelling, but once it was out, his blackened skin quickly returned to its natural color.

The black lines crawling up his veins encountered the golden light and dissipated rapidly, like mice scurrying away from a cat.

In just a few breaths' time.

The Little Runner exhaled a long breath of turbid air, his eyelids fluttered, and he actually woke up.

"Ow... Great Master, your hand is so strong, my head is ringing..."

The surrounding Runners watched, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"A Divine Monk!" Old Liu was so excited he nearly fell to his knees.

Wu Nian withdrew his hand, and the golden light dissipated. He was very satisfied with everyone's reaction, and his smug expression returned.

He stood up, brushed off non-existent dust, and squinted at Daoist Master Qian, who was cowering in the corner.

"See that? That's what you call professional. Don't come out and embarrass yourself with that pathetic wooden sword anymore. Go back to your temple and chant the 'Dao De Jing' for a few more years."

Daoist Master Qian's face turned the color of pig liver, but he didn't dare to say a single word in rebuttal.

Chen Mo watched this scene, his heart in a state of upheaval.

This monk really has some skill.

That move just now was more than just simple detoxification. Chen Mo keenly sensed that although the Little Runner was weak after waking up, his eyes were clearer than before, and his complexion was even slightly better than it had been before the injury.

"Great Master," Chen Mo approached with a beaming smile, handing over his half-finished water skin. "That was hard work. Have some water to moisten your throat."

Wu Nian didn't stand on ceremony. He took it and guzzled it down, then wiped his mouth. "At least you have a bit of discernment, kid."

"What was that move you used just now, Great Master?" Chen Mo asked tentatively. "I saw that when the golden light entered his body, not only was the poison neutralized, but the kid's spirit and energy seemed to have strengthened significantly."

"Heh, you've got a good eye."

Upon hearing someone praise him, Wu Nian immediately became animated. He gave a thumbs up. "That move is called the simplified version of the 'Great Sun Tathagata Marrow Cleansing Incantation'... It's a secret technique of my Jinshan Temple!"

He lowered his voice, looking mysterious. "This thing can not only neutralize corpse poison and break Evil Qi, but most importantly—it can strengthen the foundation and extend life! A normal person who receives a palm strike from me is guaranteed to live to ninety-nine at the very least. If a martial artist learns it, heh heh, they can wash away all their Old Injuries. No more backaches or leg pains; you could climb five floors in one go without breaking a sweat!"

Extend life?

Wash away Old Injuries?

Chen Mo's eyes instantly lit up, even brighter than when he saw gold earlier.

Serving as an official in this world, although he practiced Returning Origin Strength, it was a common technique that mainly relied on endurance. Besides, how could a constable not get injured? His body surely harbored years of accumulated hidden ailments.

If he could learn this move...

Not only would his survivability skyrocket, but even if he stopped being a constable in the future, he could open a medical clinic and specialize in treating wealthy merchants. Wouldn't the silver just come pouring in?

This wasn't just Buddhist Dharma; this was practically a money-printing machine!

The beads of the abacus in Chen Mo's heart were clicking away.

He looked at Wu Nian with an incredibly fervent gaze, as if he were looking at a long-lost father.

"Great Master," Chen Mo rubbed his hands together, his tone even more humble. "Look, we've fought side by side; that's fate. Doesn't Buddhism emphasize 'Saving People'?"

Wu Nian warily took half a step back and covered his chest. "What are you trying to do? This Poor Monk doesn't swing that way."

"..." Chen Mo's mouth twitched. "The Great Master is joking. I'm saying, looking at my Aptitude, don't I have a pretty good Root of Wisdom? Could this 'Marrow Cleansing Incantation' possibly be..."

"Stop right there!"

Wu Nian thrust out his palm in a "stop" gesture. The smile on his face vanished instantly, changing faster than one could flip a page.

"You want to learn?"

Chen Mo nodded frantically.

"No way."

Wu Nian shook his bald head like a rattle. "This is Jinshan Temple's signature skill, passed only to insiders. Unless you shave your head and come back to the temple with me to be a monk, eating vegetarian meals and chanting sutras, carrying water and chopping wood for eight or ten years—and even then, it would depend on whether the Abbot is in a good mood."

He sized Chen Mo up and tsked twice. "Besides, I see that you're covered in Evil Qi and have too much killing intent. You clearly aren't the type to stick to a vegetarian diet. Buddhist Dharma is about Compassion; you won't be able to learn it, you won't be able to learn it."

Chen Mo didn't give up. "Great Master, rules are fixed, but people are flexible. I can provide Incense Money—lots of Incense Money."

At the mention of money, Wu Nian's eyebrows visibly twitched.