Eternal Life Starts as a Hunter-Chapter 347 - 136: Buried in the Mountain, Awaiting Harvest, the Emperor’s Truth

Chapter 347: Chapter 136: Buried in the Mountain, Awaiting Harvest, the Emperor’s Truth

Li Yuan had a pleasant chat with this group of younger brothers and laughed, "Sure."

Upon his agreement, all five of them were overjoyed.

Along the way, Li Yuan casually pointed out some insights on the path of cultivation for the five of them.

When they arrived at the monastery, it was indeed as Liu Buqu had said, filled with incense offerings and worshippers.

Though not grand, it exuded an ancient simplicity.

The abbot of the monastery was skilled in medicine, and even at this late hour, he was out and about, responding to a call from the novice monk that he had gone to save someone in the neighboring village.

The novice monk was also familiar with the five people, and quickly arranged a vegetarian meal, followed by accommodations in a meditation room for them to rest.

The snowy night was long, and Li Yuan strolled through the monastery, where some homeless people and travelers were also staying.

Even at midnight, there were still people worshipping Buddha in the main hall.

Late at night, the abbot returned, stepping through the snow.

By then, the main hall was empty.

Li Yuan vaguely heard a conversation in front of the main hall.

"Old Wang from Anshan Village is beyond saving. His illness is from starvation, suffering, and cold.

Treating him requires a lot of money to buy supplements.

He has no money, and we barely managed to gather some silver taels for two doses of medicine for him.

Amitabha, we still couldn’t save him," the abbot sighed. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"There’s no need to blame yourself, Abbot. The current chaos with wars and soldiers, the rise in medicine prices, and successive years of poor harvests, alas..." another monk tried to console him.

Li Yuan’s heart stirred, and he stepped forward from outside.

The abbot was startled, then seeing who had come, bowed and said, "I am Xuan Xiang, greetings to Donor Zhang."

Li Yuan didn’t say anything; the Beggar Gang had previously put a bounty on him, so his portraits were posted everywhere, making it unsurprising that the abbot named Xuan Xiang recognized him.

He silently stepped forward, took out six silver tickets with a "five hundred taels" denomination from his bosom, and placed them in the abbot’s hand.

The abbot hurriedly declined, saying, "How could this be appropriate?"

Li Yuan smiled and said, "If ill-gotten gains can be used for acts of chivalry, it can be considered a great joy!"

The abbot and another monk beside him both had a glimmer in their eyes, then bowed in unison, praising, "Amitabha, Donor Zhang, truly a knight."

Hearing the words "knight," Li Yuan couldn’t help but show a bitter smile.

He had been arduously pursuing the "Path of the Knight" for more than a year, yet could never take that final step.

The title "knight" sounded harsh to his ears.

The abbot noticed this and smiled, "It seems Donor Zhang is also troubled by ignorance in his heart. Perhaps I could recite scriptures to help calm your mind."

Li Yuan nodded and said, "Sorry for the trouble, Abbot."

Moments later, in front of the slightly aged main hall, under the midnight candlelight, the old monk tapped the bowl with a rod, spreading soothing Buddhist chants, while his lips moved, murmurously reciting the scripture.

Li Yuan couldn’t catch it clearly.

But he still gazed at the mottled Golden Body statue before him.

The statue appeared compassionate in the darkness, its eyes slightly closed.

Li Yuan bowed three times, then knelt on the cushion, pondering where he had gone wrong, why he couldn’t take that half step on the "Path of Chivalry."

He had spent over a year on this.

He had saved many people.

He had carried out the chivalry in his heart, yet why was it still not enough?

He felt somewhat agitated.

The abbot smiled and looked at him, "Donor, if your worries haven’t dissipated, why not sit for a while longer, as I continue to recite scriptures to bless you?"

Li Yuan said offhandedly, "Perhaps it’s the bloodstained hands making it hard to sleep."

The abbot smiled, "Buddha is compassionate, yet also has wrathful eyes.

What you’ve eliminated are sins, where’s the bloodshed on your hands?"

Li Yuan was taken aback.

This abbot is indeed insightful, speaking such wisdom of "eliminating sins, not people," to someone like him who has traveled through time.

Unfortunately, his troubles were not due to this, otherwise, he might have had an epiphany.

The abbot said, "May I ask, Donor, what were you praying for when you bowed to Buddha earlier?"

Li Yuan was momentarily stunned.

What was he praying for?

He was praying for peace of mind, hoping to soon comprehend the "Path of Chivalry."

But...

Suddenly, he furrowed his brows.

Without warning, he understood.

He wasn’t praying to Buddha, but to his own desires.

Although he had saved many people, a virtuous deed, his purpose was still desire.

His desire wasn’t "to embody chivalry," but to reach a higher realm.

While saving people, he secretly sold "Seventh Grade Top Level Weapons," and those weapons caused chaos and left many homeless.

He suppressed the Beggar Gang on one hand, yet on the other, acted as the mastermind behind the dark underworld of the Social World.

He engaged in chivalry, but clearly knew there were things he couldn’t manage and shouldn’t manage.

After all, he never intended to become a righteous knight filled with wrath and compassion, caring for the country and its people.

Is such a person truly a "hero"?

"Donor?" The abbot noticed he seemed distracted and gently called out.

Li Yuan came back to his senses and said, "Apologies, Abbot, I’d like to take a walk myself."

"Feel free, Donor," the abbot smiled.

Li Yuan walked into the wind and snow outside the Ancient Hall, looking up to take a deep breath of the cold air.

Suddenly, he recalled a television show he watched before his time travel. In it, a man of longevity sought to become a strong figure, living under aliases, infiltrating major sects to learn various cultivation skills, ultimately combining them into a Divine Technique. He had been a Martial Arts Alliance Leader, and even achieved the highest position of the emperor, the leader of the Righteous Path, and a demon in the Demonic Path. But ironically, this eternally influential figure was surpassed by some emerging talents and even became a laughing stock.

In some ways, how similar he was to that man of longevity now?

"I see."

Li Yuan understood, and he laughed heartily.

Not being a "knight," how could he ever walk the Path of Chivalry?