Chapter 15

The rain came very suddenly, without warning. Not even a single cloud was present within the sky.

The watering couldn’t be too precise, and so the deviation caused by the wind in the air also made the surrounding area covered by heavy rain.

Pitter patter

In the city and on the streets, people ran to the nearest buildings, avoiding the rain and looking surprised.

“Wow—”

The heavy rain came wave after wave.

A cold wind blew into the lobby, and everyone except Lin Tuo ran under the eaves in disbelief. Some children stretched out their hands and let the rain wet their clothes.

After a while, the Tao County chief suddenly turned around and looked at Lin Tuo with an extremely complicated expression. He seemed to have thought of something, but he hesitated, but only gave a deep salute, saying:

“I thank you on behalf of Tao County for the great kindness you have showed! I’m afraid I’m unable to repay it, so please take a rest at the house and wait for the county to arrange for someone to prepare a gift…”

“That’s not necessary.” Lin Tuo shook his head, interrupted him, and changed the conversation, “However, I have a presumptous request.”

“Please say.”

Lin Tuo stood up, looked through the heavy rain in the courtyard, looked at a hill in the south, and said, “When I came, I saw a closed and abandoned academy on that mountain. I wanted to stay for a few days. I don’t know if you could agree to that.”

Academy?

The chief of Tao County was taken aback. This was completely beyond his expectation, and he couldn’t help but say, “Of course it can be arranged, but… dare I ask, why does a gentleman like yourself fancy it?”

Lin Tuo glanced at him and said, “I am going to open a lecture hall, wait for some people, and then teach a few courses.”

‘Lecture? Waiting for someone?’ The county chief’s head was blank. He only felt that the young man in front of him was full of mystery, and subconsciously asked, “Waiting for whom?”

Lin Tuo smiled and pointed to the direction of Kyoto, and said, “They are already on the road.”

…

After demonstrating the magical method of “praying for rain”, Lin Tuo’s request was naturally satisfied without any issues.

After the rain stopped, Lin Tuo refused the invitation of the county chief and followed the officials to live in the deserted academy.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he sent these people away and confirmed that there was no one around.

‘I hope this endeavor isn’t a waste of my energy.‘

Lin Tuo went to Tao County to drop rain deliberately, just to promote his reputation.

‘If there were no accidents, the chief of Tao County should have realized that my identity was abnormal… at least, associations would also arise.

After all, the news from Kyoto to the southeast had just arrived, so presumably, he should have sent someone to report to Kyoto at this time.‘

‘According to my previous observations, the emperor of Chi had already left Kyoto a few days ago and came to the southeast. I might meet him on the road.‘

‘A person who can call the wind and rain. Should this be enough to attract his attention?‘

He switched his conciousness back to his main body.

Lin Tuo sat in the renovated study and looked at the shadow of the tree on the martial arts ground.

‘Though this seems like it still may not be enough. I better create a weird phenomena since nobody’s ever seen a real saint before. Go big or go home, right?‘

After making a decision in his mind, Lin Tuo had a plan.

…

“Have you heard?”

“About what?”

“In the old academy up in Mt. Nanshan, there lives a Mr. Lin. It’s said he was the one that made rain happen earlier.”

“Really? No wonder. Is that why there was such a heavy rain on a sunny day? Is that Mr. Lin an expert of Shintoism?”

“I don’t know… But, he should be. Otherwise, how could there be such a big rainfall?”

After Lin Tuo’s stunt with rain, there were more discussions about Lin Tuo in the teahouses and wine shops of Tao County.

In small places, news always spreads faster.

Of course, there was no expert like that in Chi country, but this did not delay people’s imagination.

However, all the discussions avoided the saint option.

This option was too big. Even if the people of Tao County exhausted their imagination, they could only imagine Lin Tuo as an expert in the magical way.

They didn’t even dare to think about the connection with the legendary saint.

This discussion continued until the sun set in the west, and endless darkness spread from the horizon.

The county government.

The chief of Tao County also ordered people to pick up the lamp and prepare to light the candle.

However, at this instant, he heard exclamations from outside the courtyard.

“What’s the noise outside?” He couldn’t help but ask.

Immediately, he heard louder outdoor noise.

“Chief, come and see!” even the official in the office shouted.

The county chief was taken aback and had to put down the documents he was reviewing. He hurriedly walked through the courtyard and saw that there were many people on the dim street, looking at the distance and pointing.

He suddenly raised his head and immediately he was stunned to see that a huge beam of light appeared in the clouds over Nanshan.

As if cast from the heavens, it penetrated the sky and illuminated the entire mountain.

In the dim sky, it was very eye-catching. It was like a miracle.

“This… could it be… related to that Mr. Lin?” Seeing this unusual phenomenon, the county chief was startled at first and then couldn’t help but think.

He grabbed the door and watched the bustling subordinates, and confirmed, “Have the people sent to Kyoto set off?”

“Already set off.”

“That’s good…that’s good…” Tao County’s chief looked at the strange celestial phenomena that penetrated the world, muttering to himself, looking worried about gains and losses.

The subordinate next to him was puzzled and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Chief, do you think this Mr. Lin is really.?”

The county chief’s eyes widened, and the same lowered his voice, but he said very seriously, “Heaven descends from the sky, I’m afraid… he really is!”

The saint!

According to the decree sent out of Kyoto, did the saint whom the emperor was looking for really came to Tao County?

The county chief’s heart was agitated, his face surged with blood. Suddenly he seemed to remember something, he returned to the house, took out his official position token, and hurriedly told his subordinates:

“By the way! You immediately take everyone, rush to Nanshan and block the road. Don’t let the idlers and others disturb Mr. Lin! Go!”

“Huh? Yes, sir!”

…

Lishan martial arts hall, in the study.

Lin Tuo stood by the sand table and plunged his right hand into it. Holding a flashlight, he shone the light straight on Mt. Nanshan.

Well, it was the lowest level of brightness adjustment, but it was also eye-catching enough to be noticeable.

‘In this case… no matter how slow, people should know that something is up with me.‘

Lin Tuo thought silently, then turned his gaze to Kyoto and found the emperor and his party.

Visual inspection, coupled with frequent use of clones to visit various areas and listening to the situation, he had already known the emperor’s position very early.

‘According to this distance, if everything goes well, the team from Kyoto should be able to reach Tao County at the earliest tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.‘

After estimating the time needed, Lin Tuo nodded with satisfaction.

This speed was still in line with his expectations.

The only problem was…

‘Uh, I would have ordered a shelf or something on the Internet if I knew I had to hold the flashlight for this long…‘

…

Given that he was really tired, Lin Tuo didn’t play with the lights for too long.

But for the people of Tao County, this was enough to shock them.

Even after the phenomena dissipated, their emotions remained the same.

“Have you heard?”

“You mean last night on Mt. Nanshan, there was light that day?”

“It is said that the public officials in the county were troubled and stayed up all night, guarding all the intersections leading to Mt. Nanshan.”

“You guys… what’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid it’s related to that Mr. Lin. It hasn’t happened before. The night when he moved into the academy, there was such an occurence. I’m afraid…”

“Afraid about what?”

“You said…could he be the rumors in Kyoto, the saint in the world that His Majesty the Emperor was looking for?”

“Sss..”

Similar discussions gradually spread and spread throughout the town.

It lasted until the evening, when the smoke rose and went out.

That night, in Mt. Nanshan of Tao County, the phenomena came again. The people of Tao County felt that tonight’s vision was more stable and longer than last night.

…

Lin Tuo didn’t care about those discussions, but he was happy to see the results.

Putting his clone in the academy on Mt. Nanshan and switching occasionally was enough.

When another morning arrived, the red and warm light illuminated this remote city. However, a brightly colored army hurriedly rushed into the county.

“Where is the chief of Tao County?”

When the county chief who stayed up all night saw the brigade of troops outside the door, fluttering banners, and heard the head of the Royal Army commander asking.

The skinny middle-aged man shivered fiercely, then straightened his waist, trembling in response.

The entire Tao County was boiling over.

…

On the morning of the third day when Lin Tuo arrived in Tao County, the whole city was under martial law. The emperor led his entourage and his army and horses across the streets of this small city.

…

At the same time.

Lishan martial arts hall.

Lin Tuo, who had known the arrival of the emperor through the sand table, silently stuffed the last dumpling on the table into his mouth.

Then he took another sip of soy milk, wiped the corners of his mouth, and threw the takeaway packaging into the trash can.

He sat down in front of the computer and checked the documents.

Only then did he lightly hiccup and say, “Switch.”

…

Nanshan Academy.

In an elegant and simple house, Lin Tuo, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes. He then touched his slightly bulged stomach, and couldn’t help muttering something about being fat.

Immediately, he heard the sound of horns coming from the mountain. The noise of the queue of carriages and horses also followed.

Then, he saw several armored shadows flying up along the mountain road, standing outside the dilapidated wall of the academy.

They said:

“The emperor requests an audience with Mr. Lin!”

Lin Tuo, who had been prepared for a long time, didn’t intend to slowly test with this group of people.

Immediately he walked out the door, and then in the stunned eyes of a few military officers, he said lightly, “You all, I know why you’re here.”

“I beg your Majesty to prepare a hundred and twenty talented and intelligent people. I will open an academy here and give the world what I have learned throughout my life.”