Urban Martial Saint

Ye Qing had just returned home with everyone, and before he could sit down, he suddenly received a phone call from Fang Tingyun: Broom Star was sick!

Broom Star was a child that Ye Qing had adopted here in Shenchuan City. This child had a maturity far beyond his years, one could even say it was full of philosophy. It was unknown what the matter was or what he had experienced, but every word he said was filled with wisdom.

Out of curiosity and compassion for this child, Ye Qing had specifically asked Fang Tingyun to take special care of him. Later, Ye Qing became busier and visited the orphanage less frequently, thus seeing Broom Star less often. Unexpectedly, at this late hour, Fang Tingyun called with such news.

Ye Qing knew that Fang Tingyun was a very responsible girl and would not call him randomly. Since she made this call, it must mean that Broom Star’s illness was not minor. So, Ye Qing did not dare to delay, and quickly drove to the orphanage.

By this time, it was already early morning, and most people at the orphanage were asleep. However, there were still a few people busy in the infirmary. Broom Star’s sudden illness in the middle of the night was very worrying.

Ye Qing walked into the infirmary where everyone was gathered around the hospital bed, each face filled with anxiety, not knowing what to do.

Seeing Ye Qing come in, Fang Tingyun ran over, teary-eyed and exclaimed urgently, ”Ye, Broom Star... he’s been running a high fever, talking nonsense, and is unconscious. This suddenly started tonight, but... but the doctors can’t find out what’s wrong...”

”Don’t worry, don’t worry!” Ye Qing comforted Fang Tingyun a few words and quickly walked to the bedside.

On the bed, Broom Star had his eyes tightly closed, mumbling something that couldn’t be clearly heard, and his face was flushed red. Ye Qing reached out to touch him, and he was alarmingly hot.

”What’s going on?” Ye Qing asked anxiously.

”I don’t know!” said the doctor nearby. ”I just took his temperature, fifty-three degrees, this... this isn’t a temperature a human can have...”

”Fifty-three degrees?” Ye Qing’s eyes widened in shock, ”Is the thermometer broken?”

”A regular thermometer can’t measure it. I used a temperature gauge for an approximate reading,” the doctor paused and said, ”But it shouldn’t be off by much. At this temperature, being a degree or two off doesn’t mean much, it’s not a humanly possible temperature. A normal person would have been burned to death.”

”So what’s going on?” Ye Qing was even more astonished.

The few doctors behind exchanged glances and shook their heads, they had never seen anything like this, it was beyond their knowledge.

Ye Qing furrowed his brows, ”Prepare a car, we’re going to the hospital.”

The doctors rushed to handle this. Broom Star was burning so fiercely earlier that they dared not move him. Now that Ye Qing had arrived and personally gave orders, they dared to act.

Ye Qing picked up Broom Star, hurried downstairs, got into the car, and headed straight to the hospital in the city. Along the way, he checked Broom Star’s pulse and found his body to be normal with no abnormalities, aside from the high fever, unconsciousness, and nonsense-talking. He was otherwise normal, without a trace of abnormality from the high fever—what was going on?

In less than half an hour, they arrived at the hospital. Ye Qing was very familiar with the place. Seeing him personally come, the hospital naturally dispatched their best doctors for an examination. But the result was the same, no different from the measurements at the orphanage—Broom Star’s high temperature was bizarre.

”Can we give him a fever-reducing injection first?” Fang Tingyun was almost crying, as she watched over Broom Star every day and was very fond of the child.

”No!” the doctor shook his head. ”His temperature is different from normal; we can’t treat him with standard methods. Plus, all his internal metrics are normal except for the high fever and nonsensical talk. We can’t randomly administer medication. I have never even heard of a case like this, I really don’t know what to do!”

”Then... what should we do?” Fang Tingyun asked urgently.

The doctor hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, ”There’s nothing we can do now; it’s best to find the cause of the illness first. Random medication could be dangerous. I suggest—it’s just a suggestion—we start with physical therapy and address the cause later.”

”What do you mean by physical therapy?” Fang Tingyun asked curiously.

The doctor said, ”Just use a damp towel to wipe his body to help dissipate some heat.”

”What?” Fang Tingyun’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, ”He’s burning like this, and that’s all we do?”

The doctor looked helpless and said, ”This... This kind of situation has never occurred before, I really don’t know what else to do. Using medication could be even more dangerous; conservative treatment is the safest.”

Fang Tingyun was helpless and turned to look at Ye Qing beside her.

Ye Qing also furrowed his brows and was silent for a while, then said, ”Let’s listen to the doctor, Tingyun, you first go get a basin of water, it needs to be warm.”

Seeing Ye Qing say this as well, Fang Tingyun naturally didn’t argue further, quickly went out to bring in a basin of water, and began using a wet towel to wipe Broom Star’s body to lower his temperature.

However, this treatment method wouldn’t really reduce his temperature much, as Broom Star’s high temperature continued unabated. In fact, even the doctor beside them was quite astonished. Such high temperature would definitely have killed any normal person, yet all of Broom Star’s bodily indicators were normal, which was entirely beyond their scope of knowledge!

Despite the limited effect, Ye Qing didn’t dare to stop, continuing to use the wet towel to wipe his body. Fortunately, to his relief, all of Broom Star’s bodily indicators were fine, besides being slightly feverish, there were no other changes. Looking at this situation, at least there was no immediate threat to his life, which was a little comforting. However, if his temperature continued at such levels, it would still be unacceptable.

Fang Tingyun sat nearby, watching Broom Star with concern, actually more worried than Ye Qing. After all, she had spent much time with these children, and had grown attached to them.

”Ye, listen, he... he seems to be saying something?” After sitting for a while, Fang Tingyun remarked curiously.

Broom Star had been muttering something, but it was unclear. Yet, over this time, Broom Star’s murmurings became clearer until it was almost possible to discern what he was saying.

Ye Qing listened carefully, and after a while, he finally heard two sentences clearly, and said quietly, curiously: ”He Buddha is my Buddha, my Buddha is also he Buddha? What does that mean?”

To the west of Western Frontier lies the birthplace of Buddhism, the land of Tianzhu. In Tianzhu, everyone believes in Buddha, and it is said there is no one who does not honor Buddha. However, the Buddhism in Tianzhu is different from that in Huaxia. Here in Tianzhu, due to differences in doctrine and the Buddhas they trust, many branches have been formed. Among them, Brahmanism is the most extensive, with believers everywhere.

At the westernmost part of the Western Frontier, at the border of Huaxia and Tianzhu, there is Zhashi Palace, where the True Buddhas of successive generations of Brahmanism reside.

Brahmanism is different from Buddhism, it believes that the True Buddha resides in humans, existing in the mortal world. Therefore, successive generations of leaders of Brahmanism can only be incarnations of the True Buddha. With Brahmanism’s influence and the vast number of followers, the True Buddha holds an extremely high status in Tianzhu and even the border regions of Western Frontier, respected by all. It can be said that in Tianzhu, the True Buddha’s influence far surpasses that of the Tianzhu government. A word from the True Buddha is far more consequential than that of Tianzhu officials.

Zhashi Palace is the residence of the True Buddha, and at the edge of Tianzhu and Western River, it is an absolute Holy Land. Many people walk thousands of miles, bowing with every ten steps, just to come here to pay homage to the incarnation of the True Buddha. This constitutes an absolute faith, a faith in Buddha.

On an ordinary day, Zhashi Palace is always very busy. Even at midnight, it is not uncommon to find ascetic monks or pilgrims from all over outside the palace.

However, today’s circumstances at Zhashi Palace are somewhat unusual. There are no ascetic monks or pilgrims outside, yet it is filled with Buddhists from various regions. Judging by their clothing, they belong to different doctrines, but each has the same pious look on their face. All seated cross-legged outside Zhashi Palace, with eyes closed, chanting silently, as if waiting for something, praying for something.

Inside Zhashi Palace, the main hall is also filled with people. If anyone familiar with the area were here, they would be astounded, for those seated in the hall are the most respected monks from this area. These monks, whom one would usually need a stroke of fortune to meet, all gathering here at once is truly surprising.

Undoubtedly, something significant is set to occur in Zhashi Palace tonight.

And in Zhashi Palace, what else but a matter concerning the True Buddha could draw so many esteemed monks back here?

Behind the main hall, there is a row of buildings, the meditation rooms of Zhashi Palace. Although these monks are eminent and respected in their own locales, they must all behave themselves at Zhashi Palace. Everyone looks expectantly towards the back of the main hall, yet none dares to enter hastily. That place is the Holy Land where the True Buddha resides, stepping inside would be disrespectful!

Finally, in the midst of the crowd’s anxious waiting, a monk ran out from the back.

Seeing the monk come out, everyone immediately gathered around, one person urgently asking, ”How is it? Has the True Buddha spoken?”

”Not yet!” The monk replied, ”I guess they’re waiting for the Purple-robed Elder to return!”

”Then where is the Purple-robed Elder now?” Another asked urgently, ”The Time System the True Buddha mentioned is almost here, and if the Purple-robed Elder doesn’t return soon, won’t the True Buddha leave an instruction? Without an instruction from the True Buddha, how can we find the reincarnated True Buddha?”

A monk in a black robe declared, ”Actually, there’s no need to look further. In my Religious District, there is a child very connected to Buddha. I believe he must be the reincarnated True Buddha!”

”Hmph, I’ve met that child of yours, how could he be connected to Buddha? I say, in my Religious District, that child is truly connected to Buddha, much more so than yours!” Another quickly followed up.

The two started to argue, and naturally, the others would not be outdone, quickly joining in the dispute, each proclaiming that the talent in their Religious District is the real reincarnated True Buddha.