One day the number was 103, the next it was 122, and the day after that, it had become 143.
'It must be that the children from my Charitable Giving have all married and started having children of their own.' After a moment of surprise, Xu Lei immediately understood what was happening.
In this ancient world, people often married at fourteen or fifteen.
The first batch of children he had fathered through his Charitable Giving had now reached that age.
'In that case, I can finally just lie back and take it easy.'
A smile spread across Xu Lei's face. 'The reincarnation function should be securely in my grasp now.
I don't need to work so hard at Charitable Giving anymore.
I just have to lie here.
And wait for batch after batch of children to grow up.
To start their own families and have their own children.
The numbers will continue to grow exponentially.
And I will have achieved the body of an undying reincarnate.'
"Martial Uncle, Longyuan Temple's fame has declined recently."
One day, a disciple came to find Xu Lei. "We have fewer devotees, and even fewer are coming to pray for children. Should we do something?"
"The world follows its own course, a cycle of cause and effect."
Xu Lei simply said, "All is preordained; there is no need to interfere."
With that, he sent the disciple away.
After all, Xu Lei no longer needed a huge influx of people praying for children.
Naturally, he couldn't be bothered to think of ways to boost the temple's reputation.
Of course, thanks to the foundation laid over the past decade, the incense at Longyuan Temple was still burning strong.
It was just that it had become rare for beautiful female devotees suitable for Xu Lei's personal "Charitable Giving" to appear.
The one or two who occasionally came were more suited for the other disciples.
Xu Lei didn't mind.
He would just casually assign two disciples to perform the Charitable Giving, and that would be the end of it.
「In the blink of an eye, another day passed.」
"Greetings, Little Divine Monk."
This day, Liang Fangying came to find Xu Lei. "Forgive my unannounced visit."
Fifteen years had passed, and a few more wrinkles graced her face.
However, thanks to a life of comfort and privilege, she still possessed a mature charm.
She still wore elegant Brocade Clothing and was fond of wearing translucent, jade-like earrings.
As she walked, the earrings swayed gently.
It always made Xu Lei recall their first meeting more than a decade ago, the lovely image of her walking past him in the temple, her earrings swinging.
Over the years, her family's business had not grown exceptionally large, but it had been smooth sailing for the most part.
After all, Xu Lei had received the Saint's favor and was bestowed the title of Divine Monk.
Now, every new prefectural official who took office had to give Xu Lei face.
A quiet word from Xu Lei that her family had a karmic connection with the Buddha was enough to ensure they were looked after and protected from misfortune.
"Amitabha Buddha. Greetings, Madam Benefactor."
Xu Lei also pressed his palms together and smiled. "A visit from an old friend is one of life's great joys. Why speak of forgiveness? There's hardly anyone who calls this humble monk 'Little Divine Monk' anymore. You are one of the few, Madam Benefactor."
"I will be leaving in a few days."
Liang Fangying said, "My son has married and had a child, a grandson. He also passed the examinations to become a Scholar and found a post in the Prefecture City. We have some businesses there that need managing, and my husband's health is very poor, so I must go."
"Amitabha Buddha. The little boy from back then has already started his own family. How wonderful, how wonderful."
Xu Lei couldn't help but sigh. "Looking back, it seems like only yesterday. How quickly time passes, like a fleeting glimpse."
Evidently, the grandson born to Liang Fangying's son was one of the contributors to the climbing number of his descendants.
As for Liang Fangying's husband's poor health, that was perfectly understandable.
His constitution had never been very good to begin with; otherwise, his seed wouldn't have been nonviable.
Furthermore, people in this ancient era had much shorter lifespans than those on Earth.
"Before I leave, I would like the Divine Monk to give me Charitable Giving one more time."
Liang Fangying's pretty face flushed as she whispered, "Not a Charitable Giving to pray for a child, but one for carnal pleasure. I wonder, Little Divine Monk, are you still willing to give alms to me, now that I am old and my looks have faded?"
As she spoke the last words, her confidence faltered.
After all, she was already older than Xu Lei to begin with.
And a woman in her thirties or forties truly couldn't compare to her younger self.
But Xu Lei was a man, and a man is in his prime at thirty.
Although the Xu Lei of today no longer had his youthful air, he had gained the charm of a mature man.
He had even grown more handsome, more charismatic.
She truly didn't know if Xu Lei would still be as willing to give her Charitable Giving as he was back then.
Xu Lei was taken aback.
"Amitabha Buddha."
Then, he naturally replied, "An old friend is about to depart. Of course, I will grant any request. Besides, you are mistaken, Madam Benefactor. In this humble monk's eyes, you still look the same as you always have."
Nearly seventeen years had passed since he transmigrated here.
Xu Lei himself was almost thirty-four.
Liang Fangying had aged.
Xu Lei had aged too.
Naturally, he wouldn't look down on her.
"Really?" Liang Fangying's beautiful eyes blinked.
"A monk does not tell lies," Xu Lei said with a smile. "When this humble monk was studying under my master, he once spoke of a subject called psychology.
"It mainly studies the changes in the human mind. Within it, there is a concept called the primacy effect.
"This concept states that a person often remembers the first time they see someone and will remember that image for a very long time.
"The goddess of a young boy's dreams may, fifty years later, be an old woman in the eyes of the neighborhood kid.
"But in the eyes of that once-young boy, she will forever be the dazzling and bright vision from their first meeting."
"Little Divine Monk, you have such a silver tongue."
Liang Fangying smiled shyly. "If I hadn't looked in the mirror before leaving today, I might have actually believed you and been completely bewitched by your words on the spot."
"When this humble monk first saw you, it was right here in this temple square."
Xu Lei pointed ahead. "At that time, you entered the temple with your husband, your Jade Pendant earrings swaying gently, your face like a flower.
"Later, you came out of the hall, pulling at your husband and whispering, your beautiful eyes filled with tears, looking heartbreakingly lovely.
"Thinking back now, I remember it as if it were yesterday.
"In the years that followed, every time we met again, even though others might see the wrinkles forming on your face...
"In this humble monk's heart, you have truly always remained the same as you were back then."
"I believe you."
Listening to him, Liang Fangying's eyes glistened. She said, "Little Divine Monk, give me Charitable Giving. Now. I want you to give me Charitable Giving now."
「In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.」
「This day.」
「In the Almsgiving Room.」
Liang Fangying climbed down from the bed, put on her clothes one by one, and hung the Jade Pendant back on her earlobe.
"Little Divine Monk, I originally intended to just come for one night to say goodbye."
She rose gracefully, walked over to embrace Xu Lei, and kissed his lips. "But your words bewitched me.
"For fifteen days straight, I came to find you every day.
"It was as if in your arms, I truly was as you said, my beauty unfaded, still the same as all those years ago.
"I truly want to keep lying in your arms like this, letting you give me Charitable Giving until the end of time.
"However, ours is a relationship that we must forget the moment we leave the temple.
"I really must go to the Prefecture City.
"It's just that after receiving your Charitable Giving for over ten days, it seems I'm pregnant again.
"My stomach felt unsettled today when I ate meat.
"I don't know how I'll explain this at home.
"Many people my age are already looking after their grandchildren.
"And here I am, about to give birth to a newborn.
"I'll surely be terribly embarrassed then."
Just as Xu Lei was about to say something...
"Shh." Liang Fangying's slender finger gently pressed against Xu Lei's lips. "Don't talk. Kiss me."
Xu Lei did as she asked.
Afterward, Liang Fangying, wearing her Jade Pendant, rose gracefully, flashed a brilliant smile, and descended the mountain.
Her steps were light, her posture confident, as if she had truly returned to being the magnificent young woman she once was.
While aging was an undeniable fact, the feeling of having been truly enveloped in someone's love, of forever holding a beautiful place in their memory, made the process far less difficult to accept, no longer an irreconcilable struggle.