Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Chapter 301: Reward and Trade

Chapter 664: Chapter 301: Reward and Trade

The spacious hall seemed rather silent.

Lu Yuan sat on the throne for a while, lost in thought, until a faint sound of footsteps approached gradually from afar, snapping him back to reality.

“Old Monk Jihui pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

An elderly monk dressed in a yellow monk robe, draped in a red kasaya, entered the hall and immediately bowed respectfully to Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked over.

He saw that Saint Jihui, compared to their meeting nine years ago, had aged significantly.

His eyebrows and beard were streaked with white, his face covered in wrinkles, and his figure hunched over. He looked like an old man who was on the verge of death, as if he would gasp for breath after taking just a few steps.

Admittedly, the monk before him was indeed an old man – he was 101 years old.

However, for an Inborn Grandmaster with a lifespan of 150 years, being 101 years old was far from the twilight of one’s life; it was still considered the prime of life.

Theoretically, Jihui still had 49 years to live.

Yet, in such a person who had plenty of time to squander, Lu Yuan sensed an aura of death surrounding him.

‘Is it because he depleted a significant portion of his lifespan while previously engaging with Inborn Grandmasters in battle, despite his heavily injured body?’ Lu Yuan thought to himself.

Last year, when Jihui was besieged in Jianchuan, he suffered a severe injury during a surprise attack by King Yongchang of Nanzhao Kingdom while leading his troops to break through the encirclement.

Afterward, it took great effort for him to escape back to Xichuan, only to face the crisis of Nanzhao Army’s advance. With no choice, he had to drag his injured body to fight against Zhao Changqing.

First, he persevered for several months in Panshi Prefecture City against Zhao Changqing. When the city eventually fell, he escaped to Nanchong Prefecture City, where he could finally catch his breath after a few months of rest.

However, in April this year, before Jihui could fully recover, Zhao Changqing led his troops to attack again, forcing him to enter the battlefield with his injuries.

Although relying on some secret techniques, Inborn Grandmasters could still display tremendous strength and fight against enemies even when severely injured.

However, these secret techniques inevitably came at a high cost, often involving the depletion of an Inborn Grandmaster’s life origin, or vitality.

The importance of these aspects could be inferred just by hearing their names.

And indeed, it was true.

Upon consuming a significant amount of life origin and vitality, an Inborn Grandmaster’s body would be severely depleted, causing rapid aging and a substantial reduction in lifespan.

Such was Jihui’s current situation.

In fact, his condition was even more severe than Lu Yuan had imagined.

‘Initially, I thought that even if this old monk had consumed a lot of his lifespan, he would lose at most twenty years and still have twenty to thirty years left to live.

However, looking at him now, it’s questionable whether he can even survive another two or three years.’

Lu Yuan silently observed Jihui for a moment, his heart filled with disappointment.

An Inborn Grandmaster with only two or three years left to live was of significantly less value to the Chu State.

Such a person’s role had changed from long-term nuclear deterrence to short-term intimidation.

Nevertheless, even an Inborn Grandmaster with only two or three years left to live still held considerable value and could play numerous roles.

Consequently, Lu Yuan quickly adjusted his mindset, hid his disappointment, and smiled as he raised his hand. “Saint, there is no need for formality.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Upon receiving permission, Jihui straightened his waist.

Seizing the opportunity as he stood up, Jihui also observed his old acquaintance before him, especially his youthful face. His heart couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

He remembered when he first met the King of Chu, the latter’s face looked just as it does now – no, perhaps even younger.

And the vibrant vitality emanating from him spoke of his youth, with plenty of time to squander.

In comparison, Jihui, now shrouded in senescence and filled with sorrow, felt like a rotten log in the morning sun – utterly wretched and ugly.

Furthermore, when he thought about the Great Chu, which was now rising like the sun, and the White Phoenix Temple, which had lost more than half of its disciples and had become a homeless sorry lot, the stark contrast between the two filled Jihui with a profound sense of loss and pain.

“This time, the venerable monk has offered to surrender and incorporate Xichuan into the Great Chu. Your act of benevolence and righteousness has earned my utmost admiration.”

Although the Xichuan offered by Jihui had been reduced to half a prefecture, and even that piece of land could only be defended with Chu’s assistance, Jihui still nominally held the title of “King of Xichuan,” granted by Pre-Yue, on par with the Chu State.

Theoretically, their status should be equal.

The fact that such a figure chose to surrender to the Chu and offer his land carried immeasurable political and symbolic significance.

If properly publicized and utilized, this would undoubtedly elevate Chu’s standing and prestige internationally.

Moreover, if the Chu handled Xichuan’s surrender well, it would set an example for other smaller countries, making them more likely to give up resistance.

Just considering these two aspects alone, the Chu State could not afford to mistreat Jihui and the White Phoenix Temple and had to make proper arrangements for them.

Lu Yuan looked at Jihui’s aged face and pondered for a moment before saying, “For such a great contribution, you must be rewarded. I have previously mentioned to Hui An that the White Phoenix Temple can be relocated to Longyu Mountain in Qianzhong County.

Qianzhong is a newly opened territory with a population consisting largely of barbarian tribes who defy the king’s rule and follow foreign deities.

The White Phoenix Temple, as a sacred Buddhist sect, has always guided people toward goodness. If they could settle in this county, they would surely spread the tenets of Buddhism and bring peace to the region.”