After Yan Budu finished speaking, a young monk walked out of the wind and snow and stepped into the cave.
The monk carried a large sword with a grayish-green color on his back. The sword was not yet unsheathed and seemed to be sharpened by the sparks of a furnace. He was tall, but not bulky. Standing in the wind and snow, he appeared like a solitary peak that had stood there since ancient times.
Upon closer inspection, the monk had a handsome and resolute appearance, with deep facial features. There was a prominent scar on his right cheek, but his demeanor didn’t possess any aggressiveness.
Monk Kongshi*.
*Empty stone.
Yin Ci recognized this person. A hundred years ago, he used the pseudonym “Su Zhi” and, together with Yan Budu, Kongshi, and Qu Tinglei, they were known as the “Four Greats of the Martial World”. Except for Qu Tinglei, who was over fifty, the other three appeared to be under the age of forty.
They were formidable and full of youthful spirit. They could be considered the pinnacle of the martial world since the founding of the nation.
However, the good times didn’t last long. Yan Budu stirred up a bloody storm while constructing the Ghost Tomb, causing chaos throughout half the country and defeating countless masters on his own. The Jianchen Temple, which had always remained detached from the world, eventually intervened and dispatched Kongshi to capture Yan Budu.
The monks intended to capture Yan Budu and imprison him in the dungeon of the Jianchen Temple, followed by a public trial, thus condemning him to lifelong imprisonment.
Yin Ci remembered the aftermath of this story.
The monks never gave up until death, but Yan Budu wasn’t captured and taken to the Jianchen Temple. Presumably, he killed Kongshi. Afterward, Yan Budu disappeared, leaving only Qu Tinglei and himself among the Four Greats of the Martial World.
The two young masters were like shooting stars in the dark night, shining brightly but falling quickly.
When Yin Ci was still “Su Zhi”, his actions were chaotic, encompassing both good and evil, but he knew where to stop, which earned him the approval of the righteous path. He had never fought Monk Kongshi and knew nothing about him. Naturally, he couldn’t guess the secret of his past—no one knew how Kongshi died or where he died. Even to this day, the Jianchen Temple was still searching for the remains of this young venerable.
Could this be the answer?
Yin Ci couldn’t help but sit up straight, but unfortunately, he had a limp body leaning on him, which added some difficulty to this movement.
Monk Kongshi’s clothes were tattered and full of sword marks, but his aura was serene. Compared to the disheveled Yan Budu, he seemed more like someone who came to enjoy the snowy scenery.
He sat opposite Yan Budu, adjusted his clothes, and began silently chanting scriptures.
This one chant lasted for most of the day.
Shi Jingzhi couldn’t hold on any longer. He curled up, resting his head on Yin Ci’s thigh, sleeping soundly. Yin Ci continued to meditate, playing with Shi Jingzhi’s hair in one hand while watching the seemingly frozen scene in front of him.
After sleeping for a few hours, Shi Jingzhi finally woke up. He pulled his hair out of Yin Ci’s grasp and rubbed his eyes. “How is it?”
Yin Ci: “They haven’t said a word since then.”
Shi Jingzhi: “…How long has it been? Yan Qing and the others have pretty good memories. They quickly patched together the illusion of their inner demons. Are we supposed to stay here for as long as it takes for him to remember? A’Ci, we have no food or drink here—”
Yin Ci felt that his own master became several times chattier after developing his inner demon. It was a good thing that Shi Jingzhi was willing to rely on him, but this person hadn’t figured out the extent of relying on others. He seemed to want to pour out everything on his mind.
Though with such an energetic person making a fuss by his side, Yin Ci couldn’t find himself annoyed no matter what.
He patted Shi Jingzhi’s arm. “Don’t worry. Since Yan Budu wants to leave a message, he wouldn’t kill the messenger… You might as well close your eyes and feel the state of your body.”
Following his words, Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes but immediately became agitated. “I slept for so long, why haven’t I regained any energy?”
“As I thought.”
Yin Ci smiled. “Yan Budu hasn’t become strong enough to create his own small world. This place should be purely a ‘state of mind’. Everything that’s happening right now is only within our consciousness. The formation has accelerated the speed of our thoughts. ‘One day’ here is just a blink of an eye outside.”
In the real world, only an instant had passed, so Shi Jingzhi’s body couldn’t naturally recover.
However, there were advantages. Even if Yan Budu’s memories spanned a whole year, in reality, only an hour would pass. They wouldn’t die of hunger or thirst, nor did they need to worry about cleanliness.
…But someone might die of boredom.
Shi Jingzhi was always restless, never able to sit still. Now being trapped in a narrow cave, he visibly wilted.
Yin Ci thought of something amusing. “It’s fine. Even if they are trapped for an entire winter, it’s only three months.”
He paused and leaned closer to Shi Jingzhi’s ear. “This time was stolen from heaven. Shizun, you don’t need to worry about illness. You might as well enjoy it… I’m here to accompany you, right?”
After their previous encounter in Yuanxian Village, Shi Jingzhi inexplicably became more composed and less playful. Now, after going through the Buddha Heart Formation, he showed a glimpse of his true self and became playful again. Yin Ci watched as a hint of blush appeared on Shi Jingzhi’s ears, feeling quite satisfied.
Shi Jingzhi seemed like he wanted to move away, yet he was reluctant to leave the warmth beside him. He could only turn his face with a stern expression, pretending that nothing had happened.
The cave was dim and cold, oppressing them like a coffin. The sound of howling winds pierced through, making the atmosphere particularly heavy. If one were trapped alone in this dull and suffocating environment, they might go insane before starving to death.
“We were too busy fighting before, so we didn’t have time to talk. Now, let’s call it a temporary truce. Why is it so quiet?”
Perhaps feeling bored as well, Yan Budu spoke again.
“The bald donkeys at the Jianchen Temple are all about saving all sentient beings. When they see me, they can’t wait to spit on me. But why is it that in front of me, Venerable, you suddenly become so tight-lipped?”
Monk Kongshi glanced at him calmly but didn’t respond.
Yan Budu’s excitement grew even higher. “Oh? Could it be that Venerable belongs to another category—self-proclaimed purity, currently free from worldly troubles, afraid of being tainted by the wicked deeds of someone like me and soiled with righteousness?”
Yin Ci remained silent. Yan Budu not only spat blood like Shi Jingzhi but also became even more talkative.
Monk Kongshi ceased his silent chanting and cleared his throat, finally speaking.
The monk’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze after rain, soothing to the ear. “Patron, I remember that you are twenty-nine this year.”
“Yes.”
“Since you established the demonic sect at the age of seventeen until now, I don’t know how much bloodshed and countless sins you have caused.”
“And so what?”
“Patron, to establish a demonic sect with your own strength and resist the righteous path with the power of your sect for nearly two years, it shows remarkable intelligence.”
Yan Budu narrowed his crimson eyes. He was used to hearing his followers flatter him, but it was the first time a monk had flattered him. He almost became alert. “So?”
“Therefore, Patron, after immersing yourself in darkness and evil for twelve years and reaching such a young age, seemingly without any problems in your mind, you must have heard everything that needs to be heard and thought about everything that needs to be thought about.”
Monk Kongshi smiled gently.
“If a few words from this humble monk could make you achieve great enlightenment, then I wouldn’t need to be here. I would have already become a Buddha.”
It was the first time Yan Budu saw such an unprofessional eminent monk that it left him momentarily confused. “You—”
Monk Kongshi showed a friendly smile. “Amitabha.”
His words were quite impolite, yet his tone and manner were surprisingly gentle, without a hint of contempt or anger.
Yin Ci: “…”
Shi Jingzhi: “…The Jianchen Temple emphasizes renouncing greed, hatred, and ignorance. But I feel like this Venerable needs to renounce a bit of his snide remarks.”
Yan Budu was caught off guard by the mild-mannered Amitabha, and when he saw the serene expression on the monk’s face, as if saying, “You think you’re so great, but you’re not as good as a stone,” he couldn’t help but feel a surge of nameless anger and spat out blood again.
Kongshi sighed and pulled out a piece of cloth, handing it over with both hands.
Yan Budu chuckled lightly, not changing his sarcastic tone. “You just broke my arm, and now you’re showing false compassion?”
Kongshi spoke earnestly, “But Patron, you have already bandaged your arm yourself. In that case, if you truly care, shall I wrap another layer for you?”
He used a negotiating tone.
Yan Budu: “…”
This monk seemed to practice Yin-Yang Zen*. Every word sounded gentle, making it impossible to find fault, and there was nothing wrong with his tone. But combined, they sounded sarcastic.
*Meditation practice that integrates the concepts of yin and yang. It emphasizes cultivating a balance between opposing forces both within oneself and the external world, aiming to harmonize and transcend dualistic concepts by realizing the interdependence of interconnectedness of all things.
Yin Ci could see what Yan Budu was thinking.
If this were a monk with a troubled expression who cared deeply about the welfare of sentient beings or a vengeful Arhat*, Yan Budu would be better off. Those two types of people were easy to see through, but the monk in front of him was shrouded in clouds and mist. Yan Budu couldn’t see him clearly at all.
*One who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved Nirvana and liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth.
Seeing Yan Budu silently accept the cloth, Kongshi maintained a Buddha-like expression and resumed his meditation.
If they didn’t know about the sins committed by Yan Budu, the master and disciple would have almost started to sympathize with him. Shi Jingzhi leaned back against Yin Ci, realizing that in comparison, his disciple was gentle and amiable.
Outside the cave, it gradually darkened, and the wind and snow showed no signs of stopping. Kongshi opened his bag, took out an iron bowl and rice, and melted some snow water, skillfully cooking white porridge.
Yan Budu: “…After fighting with each other for five days and nights, traveling thousands of miles in the mountains, do you still have the leisure to carry rice?”
Kongshi replied leisurely, “People still need to eat.”
He cooked the porridge, let it cool for a moment, and pushed it toward Yan Budu. “Patron, please have it first.”
Yan Budu didn’t hesitate and quickly poured the porridge into his stomach. He regained some strength, and a bit of killing intent dispersed. “Baldy, do you know what I’m thinking?”
The monk continued to cook porridge, his tone light. “Patron is thinking that you’ll find an opportunity to kill this humble monk later. That way, with rice and human flesh, you can sustain yourself longer.”
“Then, would Venerable care to offer himself as tiger food?”
Kongshi blew on the porridge. “No.”
Yan Budu sneered and moved his red jade smoking pipe. With a sharp sword aura, he decisively slashed towards Kongshi. The latter casually deflected it with his stone sword, leaving a deep crack in the ground.
“Ah… Opposing techniques are truly bothersome.” Yan Budu leaned against the rock wall, sighing deeply.
“Patron, it’s better to stop. If you were to kill me, I’m certain you wouldn’t be able to leave.”
“And why is that? Once the storm stops, there is nothing to fear.”
The monk continued to blow on the porridge. “The premise is that Patron knows how to descend the mountain. I’ve seen traces of ancient formations around, and this mountain has been disturbed by formations, leaving illusions everywhere. To proceed normally, you must break through the illusions with an exorcism spell.”
Yan Budu was taken aback but not entirely surprised. “Zongwu Mountain is quite vast and often has strange occurrences. Perhaps some immortal practiced here and left behind some trouble.”
After finishing his words, his killing intent also dissipated.
Monks didn’t tell lies. For well-known eminent monks like Monk Kongshi from the Jianchen Temple, he wouldn’t lie just to save his life.
Yan Budu quickly adjusted his emotions. When he spoke again, his tone returned to laziness, as if he wasn’t the one who had just made a move. “What about food? This bit of rice won’t be enough for the two of us.”
Kongshi remained serene. “This mountain isn’t barren. On the way here, I saw many wild vegetables and mushrooms that can be eaten. Patron will certainly not starve.”
“No meat. Monks are really troublesome.” Yan Budu glanced discontentedly at his severed arm and reluctantly accepted his fate.
After finishing their meal, the monk put on his bamboo hat and stepped into the snow. He returned when the night was pitch black, and his backpack was indeed filled with wild vegetables and tender mushrooms.
However, Kongshi was covered in snow. When he approached the fire pit in the cave, the snow melted into water, making the cloth damp against his skin. Kongshi took off his outer garment and used tree branches to prop it open, drying it by the fire.
Yan Budu dried his tobacco pouch by the fire and took a pinch of tobacco, slowly smoking.
The monk was facing away from him, illuminated by the flickering firelight and surrounded by white smoke. His sturdy back was exposed, emitting a slight sheen.
Perhaps truly bored, Yan Budu let his long hair down and blew smoke bit by bit. “What a pity, what a pity. Among the Four Greats, apart from that old man Qu Tinglei, Su Zhi and you can both be considered beauties, and each one is difficult to handle.”
Kongshi: “Patron’s definition of ‘beauties’ is quite broad.”
Yan Budu laughed heartily. “Venerable, your features are handsome, and your figure is excellent. There’s no need for self-deprecation. As for Su Zhi, he usually wears a mask, which is true, but I have heard interesting rumors about him. Furthermore, beauty lies in the bones, not the skin. I’ve seen so many beauties, and I never make mistakes.”
Kongshi: “Oh.”
Yan Budu: “But I love beautiful people, even if they’re dead. I wonder what kind of demon possessed Su Zhi; his eyes are dead, and he is completely rotten on the inside. Such a person is the most uninteresting, wasting that good bone structure.”
Yin Ci: “…”
It felt quite fresh to overhear others speak ill of oneself behind one’s back. However, Yan Budu’s words might not qualify as “speaking ill”; they were more like facts.
As expected of a genius, Yan Budu’s insight into people was remarkably sharp.
However, at this point, Yin Ci couldn’t help but have some strange thoughts. Yan Budu’s skill in reading people was somewhat similar to Shi Jingzhi’s, only more refined and mature than Shi Jingzhi.
Could it be a coincidence?
On the other side, Yan Budu and Kongshi continued their conversation.
Kongshi clearly had little interest in the conversation. He focused on wiping his body—ordinary people didn’t possess the abnormal inner force of Shi Jingzhi, so maintaining body temperature was already the limit. The more moist the body, the faster the heat dissipated, resulting in a waste of true qi.
However, as the topic became more and more inappropriate, Kongshi turned his head and glanced at Yan Budu.
Encouraged by this, Yan Budu became more spirited in his speech. “Talking about him makes me angry. That kid intentionally picked the Chigou Sect, a third-rate sect, and turned it into the ruler of the North. If he hadn’t taken over the north, our sect wouldn’t have been so ruthlessly defeated. Haa, he had to cause trouble for me at such a crucial moment.”
He was halfway through his words when he felt aggrieved again. “If it weren’t for that Su Zhi, I would be lying in silk sheets right now, with a fragrant and tender beauty in my arms.”
Kongshi treated Yan Budu as murmuring air and remained seated in meditation with his upper body exposed.
Little did he know that Yan Budu silently converged his true qi and approached. Without a trace of killing intent, he pressed himself against Kongshi’s back. His arm crossed over Kongshi’s shoulder and reached towards his chest.
“Compared to that Su Zhi, Venerable is different… In Venerable’s eyes, there is vitality—very captivating.”
Yan Budu deliberately slowed his speech, and his voice was as smooth as silk, filled with a hint of laughter.
Silky hair, swirling smoke, both mingling with warm breath, were gently brushed over Kongshi’s bare skin.
“I must say, Venerable, we have a connection. Life is unpredictable; who knows if we will both die here… Since we have spare time, why don’t I teach you some other forms of entertainment, as a token of gratitude for the meal?”
Unfortunately, Yan Budu’s attempts at seduction were in vain, as the monk remained unresponsive. Kongshi turned his head to the side, looking at Yan Budu as if observing a wolf chasing its own tail.
In a swift motion, Kongshi seized Yan Budu’s severed arm. Taking advantage of Yan Budu’s pain, he instantly activated several acupoints, then moved Yan Budu back to his original position. He even kindly covered Yan Budu with a coat.
After completing these actions, the monk resumed his seated position, his expression earnest. “Patron, our temple excels in close combat techniques. You should remember that.”
“Once we leave here, I will definitely kill you.”
Kongshi continued in a friendly tone, teasing him. “Oh, really? So, Patron, you didn’t plan on killing me before?”
Rarely encountering an eminent monk with both good looks and martial skills, it was a pity that Yan Budu’s desire for conquest was quickly extinguished.
Such a decent monk—how did he end up having such a sharp tongue?
Yan Budu’s expression fluctuated, unsure of what to say. “…Forget it. Continue with your scriptures.”
The author has something to say:
Yan Budu isn’t a normal demonic lord, but unfortunately, the eminent monk isn’t a normal eminent monk either (?
Fox Shi: I’m in trouble now → But I’m gaining time → No food or drink → But A’Ci is here. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if he was winning or losing (?
Demonic Lord Yin: ?
