[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 285

“Geumjeong, huh? What on earth…”

Whenever he pours out intimidation, he suddenly looks at me with a blank expression.

Meanwhile, Grandfather Hye Neung, whom we met at Bakju Inn, steps between us.

“Amitabha Buddha, please calm your wrath, Han Patron.”

“Grandfather Hye Neung.”

“May I ask why Han Patron is so angry?”

At Grandfather Hye Neung’s words, I point to the novice monks, and his gaze follows.

“As you may already know, I’m not from the Central Plains.”

“I had a feeling, but so it is.”

Grandfather Hye Neung nods.

“Where I lived, there were also temples. The rules there are similar to here, but there’s one big difference.”

“What is it?”

“The monks there also try to avoid certain foods for their own practice, but at least for the novice monks, they actually encourage them to eat certain foods for their health. Unlike here.”

Grandfather Hye Neung looks at the novice monks who are watching us cautiously.

“Are you saying the novice monks got sick because they couldn’t eat certain foods?”

“Specifically, meat.”

Even in the short time I’ve been wandering this world, I’ve seen all sorts of things.

From people who, when their child is sick, don’t focus on treatment but instead pour a bowl of water and start praying first, to those who draw their swords at the slightest disagreement.

It’s a world where people are indifferent to everything else and only focus on honing their personal martial skills. Coming from the modern world, it’s frustrating to see, but I guess it can’t be helped.

“I don’t particularly want to correct the wrongs of the Central Plains. It’s just pitiful to see.”

“Amitabha Buddha…”

Grandfather Hye Neung is one of the people who has been closest to me while I’ve been treating others. That’s why he can’t really fault me for recommending meat to the novice monks.

“You said they are the future pillars, right?”

“That is correct.”

“Then they should be fed as balanced a diet as possible when they’re young.”

After pondering for a while, Grandfather Hye Neung seems to make up his mind, his eyes shining.

As I’ve seen before, there’s a wisdom-filled light in the grandfather’s eyes.

“Should we just follow what Shin Yi has instructed?”

“Yes. And please give these to the novice monks, one a day.”

I hand over the multivitamins I took out from my storage space, and Grandfather Hye Neung carefully accepts them.

“These are the medicines you handed out during your medical treatments.”

“Some didn’t take them, but those people got sick from eating something dirty. These are for when they haven’t eaten. Sounds ridiculous, right?”

“Ugh… I suppose so.”

I point to the two monks who had collapsed earlier and the one wearing an eye patch, and once again, Grandfather Hye Neung’s gaze follows my hand.

“Do you see the difference between these two?”

“What exactly is different?”

“Even though they’ve trained the same, one is scrawny, and the other is robust.”

Grandfather Hye Neung alternates his gaze between the collapsed monk and Pasabul, who’s wearing the eye patch.

One body looks like it’s been starved for months, with only skin left, while the other is well-developed.

It doesn’t even seem necessary to compare.

“That is…”

“It’s not innate.”

“Ah, I see. Shin Yi, you…”

“I don’t know about mind-reading.”

“I see…”

Even if I don’t know everything, I’ve seen enough to understand how this world operates and what kind of thoughts people have.

It’s astonishing how extreme the contrasts can be.

“Isn’t the Middle Way important?”

“It is of utmost importance.”

“Can a healthy spirit reside in a broken body? The essence of the Middle Way is to avoid extremes and not lean to one side. Isn’t that so?”

“Amitabha Buddha. Shin Yi’s words are very wise. The Buddha also taught us so.”

“Our Buddha said the same thing.”

“Master, eat some snacks in moderation. You’ll get sick if you keep this up.”

“Eating is saving. And if I get sick, you’re here, so what’s the problem? You have the Ruyi Jingu Bang, after all.”

“You’re not even treating a single wound.”

“But why do you always freak out and make a fuss when you swing the Ruyi Jingu Bang?”

“Are you crazy? Of course, I’d freak out. Would you want to get hit by that?”

Grandfather Hye Neung finally nods his head.

But that’s only for Grandfather Hye Neung.

This place has been practicing like this for hundreds, thousands of years. I don’t expect or want it to change with just one word from me.

“There are countless Buddhas in the world, but it seems like this place is too fixated on just one.”

“Haha, that’s right. Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha.”

Grandfather Hye Neung, with his hands clasped, gazes into the void and repeatedly chants.

“Adults will figure it out on their own, but please make sure to feed the young monks well. That’s the treatment method I’m telling you as a divine being.”

“I’ll take responsibility and do so.”

“No, you can’t!!”

At that moment, a loud voice echoes from behind.

Turning around, I see the monk named Yulsa, who was lying down earlier, standing up and walking towards me with a sharp look in his eyes.

“I was planning to let him sleep for a night, why is he already up?”

“You fool! Trying to undermine the foundation of Shaolin, built over thousands of years, with shallow words! There are demons everywhere!”

“Amitabha Buddha, Yulsa, please calm down first…”

**〈A Gust of Mad Wind〉**

Bang─!

The air is crushed as his body shoots forward.

At the same time, as he tries to punch my abdomen, a golden light begins to shimmer around his body, which is still in a prayer position.

Ding!

**〈Super Heavy Hit!〉**

Kwaaaang─!!

Yulsa is pushed back again and only stops after hitting the wall.

“Guh…!”

Thud!

Yulsa, who spat out blood, falls face-first to the ground.

“Why is the monk’s body so tough?”

It feels similar to when Hercules threw a training iron rod at me.

“Amitabha Buddha, Yulsa is the head of the disciplinary hall and a prodigy who has mastered the Diamond Immoveable Technique.”

“Is that so?”

When I knocked him out earlier, Pasabul mentioned the Diamond Immoveable Technique, so it must be something significant.

“As the name suggests, it’s a divine skill. It’s a martial art that’s impossible to master without undergoing harsh training, making it a rare technique.”

“He must be an extraordinary person.”

“Thanks to that, he’s more famous in the martial world as the Iron Buddha rather than Yulsa. So, his body should be impervious to swords, but how…”

Standing still here must also be considered a divine skill.

The more I see, the more fascinating this place becomes.

“Anyway, Buddha, I’ve sent him back to the interview room, so please take care of him. Amitabha Buddha.”

“Haha…”

“Grandfather, I’d like to plan a diet for the monks to keep them healthy. Is that okay?”

“Of course. If the divine being personally takes care of the diet, who could possibly refuse?”

Taking out paper and a pen from the storage space, I start writing, and Grandfather Hye Neung comes closer to watch intently.

“Your handwriting is elegant yet powerful, like a dragon soaring. Truly a master calligrapher.”

“Thank you!”

The monks here are underweight by default. So, I need to evenly distribute fatty plant-based foods in each meal.

“Jeon Ho, is there a sea nearby?”

“The nearest coastal city is at least 1,500 li away.”

“This land is ridiculously vast.”

600 km is already a distance that would take at least five or six hours by car where I come from.

So, 1,500 li here, with no proper roads, would take who knows how many days.

“I guess seafood is out of the question.”

“Unless it’s dried fish, everything would spoil. The only fish available inland are freshwater fish.”

“I was thinking of bringing some seaweed since the monks don’t eat fish.”

Without a frozen distribution network, there’s no other choice.

“I heard that fish for the emperor is transported using expensive ice, but this is deep inland, so fish or seaweed would be impossible.”

─Tsk,

“Phew─ Seaweed can just be dried, but what can you do. Grandfather Hye Neung.”

“Why do you say that, Shin Yi?”

At some point, the way Grandfather addresses me has naturally changed to “Shin Yi.”

“You should eat brown rice, and also have sweet potatoes and potatoes to get enough starch.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

After handing the written note to Grandfather Hye Neung, he reads it once and carefully tucks it into his pocket.

“Are there no nuts here?”

“If you mean nuts, are you referring to edible seeds?”

“Yep.”

Hearing my words, Grandfather pulls something out from a nearby jar and hands it to me.

“What’s this? Rice cakes?”

“It’s called Byeokgokdan. It’s a preserved food made by drying bean powder, shaping it into balls, and coating it with a few types of seeds and pine pollen. We used to eat it as a meal substitute when we entered the training hall.”

I sniff it, and a fragrant pine scent wafts up.

“Can I try it?”

“Of course.”

Eating is also part of learning.

“Thank you for the food.”

As I’m about to put the Byeokgokdan in my mouth, I feel a gaze on me. Baekseol and Danpung have climbed onto my shoulder.

I tear off a small piece and offer it to Baekseol, who takes it with her front paws.

“Yay!”

“Danpung, do you want to try it too?”

“Peet!”

Both of them seem to want to copy everything I do.

“I should try it too.”

As soon as I put the Byeokgokdan in my mouth, a strong pine flavor overwhelms me.

The pine flavor is so intense that I can’t even feel the texture. My tongue feels numb.

“Hmm… Baekseol, how is it?”

*Plop.*

Baekseol, who had frozen mid-bite, drops the Byeokgokdan and starts wiping her mouth repeatedly.

It seems it really doesn’t suit her taste.

Even in this situation, she doesn’t say she dislikes it, so she must be quite the positive rabbit.

“Danpung, how about you?”

“Pee…”

Her usually fluffy tail droops.

“This is serious.”

I scratch Danpung’s chin, and she flops down on my shoulder.

“Is it that bad?”

“Peet!”

“Really?”

Danpung sticks out her tiny tongue. It seems her tongue is numb like mine.

“Pee-peet!”

*Crunch, crunch.*

Suddenly, Danpung jumps up, pulls out a sunflower seed from her cheek pouch, and quickly peels off the shell.

“Pee.”

“Should I put this in?”

“Peet!”

I feel bad for Danpung, but adding her favorite thing won’t make this ruined food any better.

This dish is already a lost cause.

“Hmm.”

Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamins and extremely high in calories.

“Alright. Let’s make some snacks for the monks before we go.”

“Okay!”

“Peet!”

“Grandfather Hye Neung, you don’t eat honey, right?”

“We follow the practice of Nakjangjeong (酪漿淨), so milk and honey are given to the novice monks.”

“That’s good.”

Grandfather Hye Neung clasps his hands together and bows his head to me with a kind smile. He’s a rare person with a broad perspective in this day and age.

Meanwhile, the Bangjang (Room Master), who had been puffing himself up since we arrived, is still muttering while staring into the void.

I have no idea why he’s like that.

“Let’s make it.”

*Rustle.*

I take a handful of sunflower seeds and place them on the counter. Danpung, perched on my shoulder, points at them.

“Peet?”

“Danpung, can you peel the shells?”

“Peet!”

“Thanks.”

Danpung climbs onto the counter and quickly starts peeling the sunflower seeds.

Meanwhile, I take out some jujubes, remove the seeds, and tear them into small, bite-sized pieces.

“Baekseol, can you freeze the jujubes for me?”

“Okay!”

Baekseol climbs onto the counter and approaches the pile of jujubes.

“Magic!”

“Thanks.”

“Yes!”

The cold energy flows from Baekseol’s cotton gloves, quickly freezing the jujubes.

Originally, freeze-drying involves rapid cooling and then lowering the pressure to sublimate the frozen moisture.

But since that’s not possible now, it seems sufficient to freeze them once and then quickly roast them over high heat.

“Grandfather, please dry the jujubes with the seeds removed in the sun before using them. I’m in a hurry, so I’m doing it this way.”

“I will do as Shin Yi says.”

Once you roast the jujubes, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds, the ingredients are ready.

“In autumn, you can also crush chestnuts and add them.”

“I will remember that.”

After that, it’s simple.

Grind the sunflower seeds, pine nuts, jujubes, chestnuts, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts finely, then use sticky honey to form them into round balls.

“Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, and it’s done! Baekseol, Danpung, try some.”

Breaking off small pieces of the newly made monk’s snack and feeding them to Baekseol and Danpung, both of them munch happily.

“How is it?”

“Delicious!”

“It’s great!”

“Behold, the Byeokgokdan Roshé.”

Truly, an energy bar for the martial world.

“Grandfather Hye Neung, can you give this to the young monks for their lunch and dinner?”

“Byeokgokdan, you mean?”

“Yes. Try one. As you saw, there’s no meat at all.”

Grandfather Hye Neung takes a piece of Byeokgokdan and puts it in his mouth.

“Oh, this is…!!”

“How is it?”

“It tastes like the secular world. So dangerous.”

Handing another piece of Byeokgokdan to Grandfather Hye Neung, he tightly closes his eyes.

“Ugh…”

“If your conscience pricks you, chant Amitabha Buddha once before eating.”

“Shin Yi, my age…”

“Come on, hurry up.”

“…Ah, Amitabha Buddha.”

Chanting the Buddha’s name, the grandfather subtly reaches out his hand.

“There’s plenty, so eat as much as you want.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

As I join my hands in prayer to match the grandfather’s, he smiles kindly again.

“Should we make some potato chips for the kids to enjoy?”

“Exciting!”

“It’s great!”

“I’m excited too!”

***

“It’s great!”

Danpung, who climbed up onto my palm, plops down an acorn.

“Huh? Danpung, where did you get this?”

“Pii- It’s great!”

“You got it from over there? But potato chips aren’t made by adding things you like, they’re made from potatoes.”

“It’s great!?”

“Is that really so shocking?”