Chapter 693 - 552: This Life of His, I Want to Give It a Try
Chapter 693: Chapter 552: This Life of His, I Want to Give It a Try
"I’ve never really thought about that," Xiao Mo said, his voice still serene. "Truthfully, chanting Buddhist scriptures every day is quite nice. As for marrying and having children... a family would be nice, of course, but marriage comes with its own set of troubles."
"Ohhh—" The woman drew out the sound, her lips forming a slight pout as her expression turned a little cross.
Behind Xiao Mo’s back, she secretly clenched her hands into fists, looking like she wanted nothing more than to knock some sense into his thick skull.
But in the end, the woman restrained herself and didn’t press the subject.
By dusk, Xiao Mo had carried the woman on his back all the way into the village and to the courtyard of her home.
"Should I go get the village chief’s wife for you? You’ve sprained your ankle, and living alone might be difficult." Xiao Mo asked with concern, glancing around the quiet courtyard.
"That won’t be necessary. I can take care of myself." The woman shook her head, her tone light. "I’ll find a stick to use as a crutch later. I don’t want to trouble anyone."
"In that case, I shall take my leave." Xiao Mo took a small medicine jar from his sleeve, placed it gently on the table, and added, "Apply this medicine to your ankle daily. It should be fully healed within three days."
"Thank you, Monk." The woman happily tucked away the medicine jar, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled at him. "But I haven’t thanked you properly yet. Why don’t you stay for dinner? I don’t mean to brag, but I’m a pretty good cook."
"Thank you for your kind offer." Xiao Mo pressed his palms together in a gesture of respect. "But the Abbot is waiting for me to report back at the temple. Besides, it wouldn’t be proper for me to stay long with a young woman alone."
"Alright then..." A flicker of disappointment flashed in the woman’s eyes, but she still smiled and said her farewell, "Be careful on your way up the mountain."
"Thank you for your concern. I’ll be on my way, then." Xiao Mo nodded and turned to leave the courtyard.
"Monk..." Xiao Mo had only taken a few steps when the woman’s voice called out from behind him.
"Is there something else?" Xiao Mo stopped and turned around.
"Monk, you saved me, but I still don’t know your name." The woman gave a gentle smile, her features as lovely as a painting.
"My dharma name is—Que Yin."
"Que Yin..." The woman repeated softly, as if etching the name into her heart. "In that case, Master Que Yin, my name is Xiao Jingci. Make sure you remember it."
Hearing the woman’s name, Xiao Mo smiled slightly and nodded gently.
"Hey, Monk, don’t just nod without saying anything! I said my name is Xiao Jingci. Did you remember it or not?" The woman pouted slightly, waiting for Xiao Mo’s answer.
"I have," Xiao Mo affirmed.
"It’s not enough to just remember it; you have to remember it well," the woman said, beaming. "You’re my savior, after all. You can’t just forget all about me in a couple of days."
"You can rest assured. I have an excellent memory," Xiao Mo assured her. "I won’t forget."
"Good. You should hurry back, then. It’ll be dark soon." The woman waved her hand, watching as Xiao Mo turned and walked out of the courtyard.
The moment Xiao Mo left the courtyard and his figure vanished from sight, the woman stood up.
As if nothing was wrong, she walked to the door and stared in the direction he had left, her gaze lingering for a long, long time.
’And he said he’d remember...’ The woman’s slender fingers gently gripped the faded, worn doorframe. Her eyes trembled slightly, her voice a whisper only she could hear. ’But you... you’ve already forgotten me, haven’t you...?’
’But that’s all right... If you’ve forgotten, we’ll just start over.’
After a long moment, the woman finally looked away and turned back into the courtyard.
An hour later, the gate to the woman’s courtyard opened again, and another woman dressed in a similar linen shirt and skirt walked in.
The first thing she saw upon entering was her lady, hanging laundry out to dry.
Crystal-clear water droplets, catching the twilight, slid slowly down her lady’s pale arms, refracting faint glimmers of light.
Her lady’s beautiful, almond-shaped eyes seemed to ripple with sincere joy, her expression filled with a tenderness she couldn’t conceal.
"My Lady? Why are you doing such rough work? Please, allow me." Yue Shi hurried forward, reaching for the clothes in her lady’s hands.
"It’s fine. It’s just washing and hanging laundry," Tushan Jing Ci said with a slight shake of her head, her tone casual. "Besides, I’m just an ordinary woman right now. If I can’t even do rough work like this, Xiao Mo might notice how strange I am. Wouldn’t that give me away?"
She paused, then turned her head and asked casually, "By the way, what’s the situation with those nearby Sects? Have they all been dealt with?"
"To answer, My Lady, the small Sects around Luoyun Town have already submitted to Tushan. They all follow your orders and would never dare to disturb your peace."
Yue Shi reported dutifully, then looked up at her lady.
"But, My Lady... you’ve... already seen him?"
"Yes." A gentle smile bloomed on Tushan Jing Ci’s face as she recalled him carrying her on his back along the mountain path. "He’s a monk at Sikong Temple now. He’s just like he was before... his personality is the same, too."
"But My Lady, he is a monk now," Yue Shi said, choosing her words carefully, her tone tinged with worry. "And based on the intelligence we’ve gathered, the Abbot of Sikong Temple is likely a formidable character."
’To be honest, she was terrified her lady would do something rash, like forcibly kidnapping Xiao Mo from the temple.’
"I know what you’re worried about, Sister Yue Shi." Tushan Jing Ci spoke at a measured pace while hanging the clothes on a bamboo pole. "Relax. I know what I’m doing. I won’t fight Sikong Temple to take him, and I don’t need to."
"Do you already have an idea, My Lady?" Yue Shi asked.
"Sister Yue Shi, think about it..." Tushan Jing Ci tilted her head slightly. "Xiao Mo might be a monk now, but if he were to break his vow of celibacy, could he still be a monk? Would he even want to be one anymore?"
She turned around slowly, the corners of her mouth hooking into a smile filled with absolute certainty.
"If he no longer wants to be a monk, what reason would that Abbot Yuan Kong have to stop Xiao Mo from leaving?"
"And besides..." Tushan Jing Ci’s voice trailed off, but her beautiful eyes grew sharp and cold, a faint hint of killing intent seeping from them.
"Even if I truly decided to take him away by force, what could Sikong Temple possibly do to me?"
She lifted her chin, gazing toward Sikong Mountain.
"In this life—I will not let anyone take Xiao Mo from me again."
"I absolutely will not allow it!"
...
「On Seeking Immortal Mountain, within Seeking Immortal Temple.」
A woman had finished packing her belongings.
She placed her travel pack into her Storage Pouch, gently closed her door, and left the courtyard, descending the stone steps toward the foot of the mountain.
But just as she was about to pass through the mountain gate, a still-beautiful woman in a Daoist Robe was already there, waiting quietly for her.
"Master." Gui Junmeng walked forward and bowed respectfully.
"You’re going to Sikong Mountain?" Daoist Yun Xi asked softly, looking at her disciple.
"Yes." Gui Junmeng nodded, her voice soft. "I want to bring him back to our temple."
"Are you sure?" Daoist Yun Xi shook her head slightly, a hint of worry in her tone. "Your sister should have already arrived at Sikong Mountain. She will not let you take him."
"I know..." Gui Junmeng lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes trembling.
But a moment later, she lifted her eyes. Her gaze was clear and resolute as she looked directly at her master.
"But, Master..."
Her voice wasn’t loud, but each and every word carried clearly on the wind before the mountain gate.
"For this life of his, I want to try."