Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

He was about to lift his legs then he stopped. Zhangping focused intently wanting to hear the purpose of the monk’s arrival.

The owner of the peasant household spoke after considering, “There is such a Langjun indeed, does the reverend know him?”

The old monk touched his beads and replied, “There’s such a fate that exists between us, will you be willing to announce my arrival to him?”

Without waiting for the owner to decide if he should agree or reject, Zhangping stepped forward.

“Is Zixiao the person the reverend is seeking for?”

Zhangping knew Wei Ci had many friends, but this monk before him was eccentric: how does he know Wei Ci is resting here?

“Exactly, is my young friend, Wei, doing well?”

Zhangping mostly believed him, so he retreated to invite the old monk and the accompanying novice monk to enter the house. It was presently summer at its most intense, and it was kinder to invite them in from the heat of the day.

“Zixiao is down with a high fever that won’t subside… he’s been like this for the past two days till he is almost in a delirious state. All the drugs possible have been administered but have proven to be ineffective.” Speaking till now, he furrowed his brows, then added, “Perhaps there is no talented doctor in the vicinity. Anyway, his illness is making me anxious.”

The old monk smiled gently. He removed the conical bamboo hat from his head which functions to protect him from the sun. Then, he passed the hat and his wooden staff to his companion beside him to safeguard them.

“Mister, your words are far from true. Young friend Wei hasn’t recovered because he is lacking a drug catalyst.”

The owner of the household hospitably served a bowl of ice cold, pure water obtained from the well. The old monk expressed his gratitude as a Buddhist monk would: he smiled to receive it and thanked him softly.

Zhangping, however, was stunned. “Drug catalyst? The doctor didn’t mention the prescription was lacking any drug catalyst.”

After drinking a few mouthfuls, the old monk passed the ceramic bowl to his companion who was extremely thirsty, the child received the bowl and gulped down all the water.

“This drug catalyst mainly treats matters of the heart.”

The monk had a gentle and compassionate expression, he then lowered his head and spoke softly to his companion, “Have you drank enough?”

The novice monk nodded bashfully. He then returned the ceramic bowl politely to the owner.

Zhangping still did not comprehend him. “Matters of the heart?”

The old monk enlightened him: “Young friend Wei has not recovered, not because of physical reasons. I’m afraid it’s because of inner struggles thus accounting for his ill health.”

It sounded more wrong the more Zhangping listened, his capacity to understand slowed down inevitably. He supported the sickly Wei Ci and has since stayed here for three days. They’ve never seen this old monk, yet he keeps nagging as if he was omniscient: this was anything but normal!

Nevertheless, the old monk changed his perspective, Wei Ci was indeed an inauspicious person. Those whom he befriends, how can they be like the average person?

“Please wait, reverend. I will go downstairs to wake Zixiao up.”

Walking to the door, Zhangping nodded to the monk. Then he pushed the door open and went to check up on his master.

Wei Ci was running a high fever till his face appeared red throughout, both his lips cracked, even with his eyes closed he couldn’t conceal the sickly features and frailness beneath his eyes. “Zixiao? Wake up!”

“What-what is wrong?”

Wei Ci opened his eyes in a dazed state, his eyelids were swollen as if lead containing water was forced in. It took him so much effort to muster the energy just to open them.

“There’s a reverend here who claims to be your friend. He has come to visit you.”

Zhangping felt quite weird saying this. Although Wei Ci is seriously ill, he could sense that something was wrong.

As he was about to open his mouth, a shadow began to slowly lengthen and approach.

An amicable and benevolent old monk came in uninvited. He paid Buddhist formalities to him, Zhangping saw his shadows and was frightened that he awkwardly turned around. His body leaned to one corner to retrieve his weapon from on the lower shelf. His looked at the old monk with threatening eyes.

That old monk did not have any sense that he traumatised the other person, he directly sat himself down and addressed Wei Ci.

“My name is Liaochen, I’m from Hejian.”

The name Hejian county intrigued Wei Ci, his pupils lit up and he signalled to Zhangping not to be suspicious of everything.

“Reverend, please forgive me, my weak and tiresome body is unable to rise and accord the formalities due to you.” Wei Ci discreetly bit the tip of his tongue to ensure he is mentally more alert. He spoke with a hoarse voice, “Xiheng mentioned that the reverend knows me, but I am still in a feverish state from the illness and have no recollection of when I saw him before.”

Master Liaochen smiled till his eyes couldn’t be seen, he surveyed Wei Ci’s face thoroughly and understanding flooded his heart.

“Young friend, you and I truly have never met before, but I know someone that is no stranger to you.”

Wei Ci’s innermost heart jittered, a taboo name floated in his head, leaving him feeling defeated.

Even in this present state, he couldn’t let go of that someone, he must be possessed.

“Who does the reverend refer to?”

“Liu Xi from Hejian, magistrate Liu’s son. From what I notice, both of you have a unique fate in this mortal world.”

Wei Ci’s face was already red, his body temperature instantly increased by two degrees. Additionally, he was overwhelmed with embarrassment.

“Ci and that Langjun are both men… Cough, when did reverend assume the duties of a matchmaker?”

Although Zhangping put away his weapon, he was however still wary of the old monk’s movements.

Nonetheless, after listening to their conversations, he felt he had heard some earth-shattering news.

Wei Ci and Liu Xi… are both males…

Does Zixiao have such homosexual inclinations?

Liaochen did not answer but questioned instead, “Is my young friend heading north, to seek for Liu Langjun?”

Wei Ci responded in silence.

Liaochen continued, “Do you know, this time you haven’t recovered not because the medications have no effect but due to your entanglements of the heart?”

“Reverend, please feel free to speak your mind. I will give you my undivided attention.”

His patience was wearing thin. Due to the prophetic dream, Liu Xi has become the entanglement that he is unwilling to be involved in.

Back then, if he was more persistent in his advice and stopped her from going to Shangjing, it well may have well been that she would not have encountered an earthquake that should never have happened.

Dongqing is situated in the north, there are only three records of earthquakes thus far. His mind is still sharp, naturally he remembers it clearly.

In his previous life, the earthquake did not occur in Dongqing!

But it has happened now..

He can’t help but ponder deeper, is this earthquake a warning from the heavens that a demon is to be born?

In this world, besides the dead being resurrected, who else can be considered an inauspicious demon?

“Liu Langjun is well, she has a long life. Rather my friend, if you continue in this state, I’m afraid you won’t have many days left.” Master Liaochen said it plainly, “The true ruler with the heavenly fate, has got the imperial aura and fortune such that demons and devils cannot draw near.”

Wei Ci heard this and was startled till he broke out in a cold sweat. If not for his sickly body that was weighing him down so that he was without strength he would have startled physically: he almost sat up feeling stunned.

“Master’s words…” Wei Ci looked into Master Liaochen’s eyes, with a chilling look set to kill.

His face did not change, but the surrounding atmosphere was no longer peaceful but had hints of forceful negative energy.

Master Liaochen remarked, “She is still alive, I didn’t come specially to seek for you, only came to deliver a message to you. Young people indeed are increasingly impatient one generation after another. Back then, Liu Zhongqing was able to patiently hear me out till I finished…”

He ended his speech with an expression of an elder disappointed as he looked into Wei Ci’s eyes.

Again, Wei Ci responded in silence.

Sure, this seemed to signify, I will shut my mouth, reverent one, please continue speaking.

“When the earthquake happened a while back, as is within my expectations, I am afraid it was not natural… rather it’s a man-made disaster.”

Zhangping heard and laughed involuntarily, “Reverend, your words are sensational, who has the ability to move the mountains and command the seas creating such a natural phenomenon?”