Chapter 762: True Masters Face to Face

Meanwhile, Li Ping and his family also rushed towards the main gate, moving even faster than when they had followed Ji Yuan to the backyard. By the time they reached the main entrance, Li Ping, who had hurried and even jogged twice, was already drenched in sweat. Surprisingly, Old Madam Li was not far behind, quickly catching up as Li Ping straightened his attire.

After straightening their clothes and quickly wiping the sweat from their faces with handkerchiefs, they stepped from beside the door to the entrance. Their eyes immediately fell upon a benevolent-looking old monk standing outside. The old monk was wearing a red and gold brocade kasaya, holding prayer beads and reciting scriptures with his eyes slightly lowered.

"Master..."

A servant by the door bowed and began to speak, but Li Ping stopped him with a raised hand. He then glanced at his elderly mother and concubine behind him, slightly lifted the hem of his robe, stepped over the threshold, and slowly walked outside, descending the steps until he stood two paces in front of the old monk.

"I, your humble commoner Li Ping, pay my respects to the Imperial Preceptor!" "We, your humble commoners, pay our respects to the Imperial Preceptor!"

Led by Li Ping, everyone in the Li family, including the servants, bowed deeply to the old monk.

Only then did the monk raise his head and look at the Li family.

"Praise be to Amitabha. Lord Li and all you devout believers, please rise quickly. I am Moyun, from the capital. The Emperor has sent me to treat your wife's illness."

"The Emperor still remembers me, Your Majesty... I, a mere commoner, am still blessed with the Emperor's great favor. Even ten thousand deaths would not be enough to repay such kindness!"

Li Ping was overcome with emotion, bowing repeatedly towards the capital. He then wiped away tears from his eyes with his sleeve before looking at the old monk.

"Imperial Preceptor, now that you are here, both my wife and child are saved..."

As he spoke, Li Ping quickly called over a servant and gave an instruction.

"Quickly, tell the kitchen to prepare more vegetarian dishes."

"Yes!"

Monk Moyun continued to recite scriptures, but his eyes were observing the Li manor. He saw a magnificent surge of auspicious energy emanating from the Li family residence, especially the vibrant and strong aura of descendants. He thought, 'This child is likely extraordinary.' When the Emperor had mentioned Madam Li being pregnant for three years, Monk Moyun had thought it was false, but now, seeing this, it seemed somewhat believable.

"Imperial Preceptor, please come into the manor with me. I will first arrange lodging for you."

"No hurry. Let's see your wife first. The Emperor specifically instructed me to ensure the safety of your wife and child."

Li Ping quickly prostrated himself in another bow.

"Your compassion, Imperial Preceptor, is boundless. Please follow me! This way!"

Li Ping led the way, and the old monk followed at a leisurely pace. This time, their speed was normal, and everyone no longer needed to rush.

When they were still some distance from his principal wife's courtyard, Li Ping seemed to remember something and slapped his forehead before speaking to the old monk beside him.

"Oh, Imperial Preceptor, I had previously searched far and wide for renowned doctors and skilled individuals to treat my wife's illness. Currently, there is an expert I invited inside my wife's room, examining her condition. I hope Your Excellency will not mind it later."

The old monk's eyes remained lowered, and he continued to hold his prayer beads and chant scriptures. After a moment, he kindly replied.

"It's fine."

Li Ping felt slightly relieved but then thought of something else. He gave a knowing look to the guard commander standing nearby. The commander understood immediately and quickly departed ahead of them.

Madam Li's personal maid had carefully wiped away her tears. Just then, the guard commander quickly arrived at Madam Li's courtyard, peeking through the doorway before slowing his pace to enter. He had only heard rumors about the Imperial Preceptor and was unsure of the facts. However, the person standing before him was likely a true immortal, and he dared not be disrespectful.

"Mr. Ji, the Venerable Monk Moyun has arrived. He is our imperial preceptor, sent by imperial decree to treat Madam's illness. He's coming to check on Madam's condition now. I wonder if it's convenient?"

Ji Yuan looked back at the guard commander, nodded, and said nothing. Seeing that this revered expert showed no displeasure, the commander felt a slight ease.

After the guard commander withdrew, Ji Yuan continued to look at the woman.

"Madam Li, is your heart a little calmer now?"

"Yes! I was just crying uncontrollably, making a spectacle of myself before you, Sir..."

"It's alright. I know you are in great pain. Here, eat the fruit and keep the pit in your mouth."

As he spoke, Ji Yuan took out a large, reddish-green date from his sleeve and handed it to Madam Li.

"Is this... a date?"

The date was very large and looked exceptionally appealing. Madam Li, who had long lost her appetite and had to force herself to eat to sustain herself, swallowed at the sight of the date and instinctively reached out her weak hand to take it.

Ji Yuan gestured to the maid who wanted to help, telling her not to intervene, and placed the date into Madam Li's hand. As she held the date, she felt a gentle warmth, and then brought it to her mouth and took a bite.

"Crunch."

As the crisp sound echoed between Madam Li's teeth, a refreshing fragrance wafted from the broken surface of the date, making the maid beside her frequently swallow as she watched.

"So sweet, so crisp..."

Madam Li didn't know where she found the strength, but in a few bites, she finished the entire egg-sized date. As she chewed the pulp and swallowed it, a warmth and pure energy immediately spread throughout her body. The heavy burden and pain seemed to ease considerably, and even with the pit in her mouth, a continuous hint of sweetness and pure energy persisted.

Madam Li's complexion visibly improved, becoming more rosy. Although she was still very emaciated, she was surprisingly no longer as alarming to look at.

"Thank you, Sir. I feel so much better!"

"Hmm."

Ji Yuan responded casually, his clear eyes fixed on Madam Li's belly. He was pondering how to safely bring the infant into the world.

After observing for so long, Ji Yuan had discerned a bit more. Although the fetus gave him an ominous feeling, it seemed to be instinctively protecting its mother; otherwise, the woman would have been drained long ago.

Of course, it was also possible that if the fetus became too powerful, it would lose its support. But at least Ji Yuan preferred to think of it in a positive light.

"Imperial Preceptor, please come in. My wife is inside the room!"

Li Ping's voice came from outside first, followed by his entrance into the room. He immediately bowed to Ji Yuan.

"Mr. Ji, our Imperial Preceptor, the Venerable Monk Moyun, has arrived."

As he spoke, Li Ping then turned slightly and gestured towards Ji Yuan for Monk Moyun.

"Imperial Preceptor, this is Mr. Ji, also a distinguished expert who has come to treat my wife."

"Greetings, Master."

Ji Yuan nodded towards the Imperial Preceptor, who responded with a Buddhist chant.

"Praise be, Mr. Ji."

However, in the monk's mind, this Mr. Ji was likely someone seeking fame and recognition. After all, from every angle, he appeared to be an ordinary person. But he did not expose him directly, so as not to embarrass him.

In Ji Yuan's eyes, however, the old monk's spiritual power and divine light were quite discernible.

After the two exchanged polite greetings, the old monk activated his spiritual vision and looked at Madam Li. He nodded slightly at her complexion, then looked at her abdomen, his eyes slightly brightening, and instinctively took a few steps closer.

"What an auspicious fetal presence, what an auspicious fetal presence! This child is destined to be extraordinary upon birth!"

Naturally, the Li family was delighted by the Imperial Preceptor's words, but Li Ping did not lose his head. He looked at Ji Yuan with concern, then turned to the Imperial Preceptor.

"The Li family is naturally pleased by your words, Imperial Preceptor, but my wife is already too weak, and there are no signs of the baby being born. What should we do?"

"Hmm? Although your wife is emaciated, her complexion is good. With sufficient dietary supplements and medicinal remedies, her vital energy will certainly be restored."

"Complexion is good?"

Li Ping and Old Madam Li paused in surprise, then approached to look at the woman on the bed. Her face was serene, showing a rare lack of pain, and her complexion was indeed quite rosy.

The woman still had the date pit in her mouth. At this moment, she didn't care that speaking with something in her mouth sounded strange, and spoke softly.

"Master, it was Mr. Ji who gave me medicine and saved me. I'm only feeling a little better now; I was in extreme pain just a moment ago."

As the woman spoke, a peculiar fragrance from the date pit in her mouth diffused out, invigorating those who smelled it, and making the old monk glance sideways. The unusual fragrance from the woman's mouth was so special that its spiritual aura overflowed but did not dissipate. Besides the faint traces inhaled, it would return to the woman's mouth and be swallowed with her saliva. This was certainly no ordinary item.

Ji Yuan had specifically chosen a substantial date and had already pierced the pit, allowing the unique spiritual energy within to slowly flow out.

The old monk's thoughts raced. He immediately grasped the key point, turned to face Ji Yuan, and bowed deeply with his palms pressed together.

"This humble monk failed to recognize a truly enlightened person. I hope you will forgive me, Sir. Praise be to Amitabha Buddha!"

Ji Yuan slightly cupped his hands in a gesture of greeting.

"Master, you have not been disrespectful or offensive in any way. There's no need for this."

The Li family members exchanged glances, not daring to speak, but their excitement grew considerably. The guard commander secretly thought, 'Indeed, this gentleman is truly profound,' though he didn't understand why the Imperial Preceptor hadn't recognized him at first.

"Sir, how do you intend to save Madam Li?"

Ji Yuan's gaze swept over the Li family members. The old monk understood immediately, turned, and spoke.

"Lord Li, Old Madam Li, Mr. Ji and I need to discuss something. Please withdraw for now. Leaving one maid to attend to Madam Li will suffice."

"Uh, in that case, we shall withdraw first..."

Li Ping and the others naturally wanted to stay, but they had no choice but to obey. Aside from the other party's status as an immortal or Buddhist expert, even the Imperial Preceptor's official position was enough to command absolute deference.

Once everyone had left, the old monk looked at Ji Yuan again and asked in a low voice.

"Sir, is this matter of the fetus very troublesome?"

Since the other party's cultivation was so profound that Moyun initially mistook him for a mortal, and he had just been frowning in contemplation and used a spiritual elixir on the woman, the fetus must certainly be troublesome.

"Yes, the fetal energy of this child in the womb is too strong. It's already very dangerous and cannot be prolonged. It would be best if it could be born soon, otherwise, both might be in danger. Moreover, I observe that the Li family prioritizes saving the child over the mother, and Madam Li's..."

"Wuu... wuu..."

As Ji Yuan spoke these words, the fetus inside Madam Li's womb emitted faint sounds through her belly. Two small handprints appeared on her bulging belly, and strong fetal energy even spread a faint mist around Madam Li's abdomen.

"Waaah... waaah..."

The mist formed into the shape of a fetus and let out two cries before dissipating upwards.

Ji Yuan and the old monk watched this scene with solemn expressions, while Madam Li and her personal maid, clutching each other's hands, had already cowered together in fright.

"Ah... ah... Ugh ah... Sir, Sir, my stomach hurts so much, it hurts so much..."

Madam Li, who had just been feeling well, suddenly felt a piercing pain in her abdomen. She clutched her maid's arm tightly and began to struggle.

"Madam? Madam, what's wrong?"

Ji Yuan and the old monk immediately moved to the bedside. Ji Yuan extended his hand and lightly tapped in front of the woman, sealing her vital acupoints with spiritual energy.

"She's going into labor? Why now?"

At the old monk's words, Ji Yuan narrowed his eyes, seemingly realizing a possibility: Perhaps it was precisely because of his date that Madam Li's condition had improved, making it possible for her to give birth.