for a change of scenery." I comforted her.The scenic area I had in mind was Shenjia. Shenjia was originally located within the scenic area, managing the Taoist temple on top of the mountain. There w..."Amitabha, lay donor, this is called a begging bowl, isn't it" Master Huisqing couldn't help but correct me.

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't see clearly in the dark." I awkwardly apologized to him.

A bowl is a Buddhist transmission tool. Before a high monk passes away, they will give their robes and bowl to the successor monk, proving the lineage of transmission. The term "passing down robes and bowls" comes from this practice.

Although different paths may diverge, mutual respect for each other's heritage should still be upheld.

Master Huqing wore a string of Buddhist beads on his wrist, chanting sutras with his fingers moving like lotus petals. The golden scriptures faintly shimmered on the beads.

He held a begging bowl in one hand and a rosary in the other, silently chanting. The faint golden glow actually pierced through the darkness.

This is not mere illumination, but a radiance subdued as water, rippling through the layers of darkness. When the golden light touched the young monk's feet, Master Huisqing roared, "Come from where you originated, return to where you belong! You malevolent spirits, quickly return to your place!"

The voice had a deep, metallic quality. The Buddha beads suddenly blazed with light, startling me.

The black object devoured itself from the abdominal rupture, a fissure appearing out of thin air, like magic, before it was swallowed by the golden light.

The speed was so fast that it blurred my vision. Before I could even gasp in surprise, the black shadow vanished.

"What kind of demons and monsters are these" Huisqing monk sheathed his weapon, his expression grave.

Mu Wanchen held my hand and whispered, "...Perhaps we got it all wrong. The village buried under sand and sealed off might be the eye of the formation, not the shrine in the center of the village."

"What, what do you mean!" He suddenly blurted that out, and I couldn't keep up.

“The year is one of upheaval, the earth trembles and mountains shake. There are many such villages sealed off and abandoned today, all reduced to ruins, deserted... The ancient monster seeks to overturn boundaries; his scheme cannot be limited to what lies beyond the magical barrier. That place is merely an eye in the formation.”

"That monster just came out of a rift and vanished into another one. It's a guardian servant of the magical formation. Our movements must be known to it."

I tilted my head and thought for a moment: "You mean there are still quite a few villages like this that the old monster is using"

"Well, there's no better time than now."

"What use is a village deserted of people" I couldn't fathom that.

“What use are the reflections of the Mirror City of Wuzhang Haven't you forgotten”

A mirror, it created a parallel space, and just like the Wuzhishan City where the ghosts used to live before they died. Those souls were wandering around inside the mirror, thinking they were still alive. As time passed, they became numb and confused.

Such a lifeless and desolate village might be a suitable abode for some things, restless spirits, demons and goblins. There was once a ghost princess who even wanted to establish a ghost city within the Dharma Gate to counter the cycle of life and death. Could the old monster's aim also be to achieve immortality

"What do we do now I don't know how many people are still alive in this village. Should we take this old bachelor out And what about Xi Linzhou, haven't we found her yet" I scratched my head impatiently.

"Xi Lingzhou" While Abbot Huqing was putting away his alms bowl, he listened to our conversation.

Mu Wanchen spoke to me in a soft voice, he might not have heard me, but I wasn't as quiet when I spoke. I didn't expect him to know Xi Lingzhou either.

"Isn't she Master Ma's disciple What are you looking for her to do" Huisqing, the monk, didn't know what had happened to Xi Linzhou.

" ... You really are the head of the Tong Xuan Hui A legitimate organization Not a fake monk, are you" I looked at him with suspicion.

"Amitabha Buddha, although this old monk is not renowned throughout the world, since inheriting my master's robes, I have never done anything that would disgrace the Buddhist faith. How could I possibly deceive a female donor"

I'm starting to believe him, the way he chanted sutras just now, it didn't feel like a conman.

"...How about this, I'll make a bet. I don't believe the female donor will look back and investigate this."

f, flag!

I still think he's a fake monk!

However, that fake monk did know quite a bit about the inside scoop.

He bowed to Mu Wanchen and said, "This benefactor, seeing your close relationship with this lady benefactor, you must be fellow travelers...Most people in this circle have been renowned even without meeting. I dare ask, what sect is the benefactor from What noble family are you descended from"

"There are no sects or noble families..." Mu Wanchen shook his head. "It's useless to talk too much, let's just search separately for that little witch."

He kept pulling me along, half-hiding me behind him. The guiling also stayed by my side the whole time, never leaving.

This made Master Huqing keep looking at me - he definitely thought something was off about me, but couldn't put his finger on what.

He might not be willing to leave first, he could just be watching my every move.

But Mu Wanchen didn't give him a chance, took me to the back of the slope. It was pitch black here, I don't know what he came here for.

"Wǎnchen, it's so dark here, why are you going this way"

"There was a broken basket in the room just now, with the stench of blood and earth. This old bachelor must have carried Xi Lingzhou into the mountains to hide him, waiting until the heat dies down before bringing him out again."

In these remote villages, it was already difficult to find a wife. That old bachelor was probably pointing at Xi Lingzhou as his bride, right And this kind of mentally unstable and disabled woman is even better; she wouldn't resist or run away.

But Xi Lingzhou, who was she A crazed soul driven by revenge. Even in her deranged state, she remembered to seek vengeance. To provoke her would be courting death—she'd bite you without hesitation!

Master Huisqing and his young disciple followed us from afar. I wasn't at ease with him trailing behind, and he didn't seem comfortable with me either.

I think he probably wasn't lying. He is the leader of that kind of exorcist group, right The one who considers it their duty to protect people from evil spirits. Otherwise, why would he be so nervous Afraid I would do something subversive

With the help of the Gu spirits, we followed the faint scent of blood through the forest, finally finding Xi Linzhou in a tree hollow lined with grass.

She had been tortured beyond recognition.

I don't know what she went through, but just from her willpower alone, she's like a steel-willed warrior.

An ordinary woman who had gone through so much torture would have probably lost the will to live, maybe she would have died already.

Yet, in those brief moments when she could regain her composure, she remembered her enemy.

".....Is she, still alive" I didn't dare to get closer. This hollow was a bit deep, and I was afraid of slipping in.

Mù Wǎnchén didn't approach either. He let Fēng Hún spit silk threads, forming a net to pull Xī Língzhōu out.

Xí Língzhòu was so thin she looked almost inhuman. Her whole body was curled up, and the place where her arm had been broken was haphazardly bandaged by that old bachelor. I could see blood seeping through.

"Who do you want to save" Mu Wanchen tilted his head and looked at me.

Is this just nonsense We finally found her, are we just going to watch her die

"...Seeing them die without helping would always feel bad in my heart, and besides, their grudges with each other are none of our business. Since we bumped into them, we should try our best to save them if we can." I said quietly.

Mu Wanchen smiled: "Saving someone on the brink of death is not easy."

"That's it She can't be saved" I felt a pang of sadness in my heart. Was I going to have to watch her die And then figure out how to bury her

"Humph... You said you wanted to save me, I naturally can't disappoint you. Besides—" He glanced at my belly and gave a faint smirk: "Doing more good deeds is always a good thing..."und of something falling echoed through the room.Almost in that instant, I felt goosebumps rise on my skin. The incense smoke from the three incense sticks suddenly flickered and drifted out towards t...