"Hehe! You're so amazing! But don't be nervous, I'm not a bad person. I just wanted to ask you if you really want to become Daoist partners with Song Yingying?" Fang Ruotang used magic to make her shadow able to transmit her voice.

"What does this have to do with you?" Jing Tan's voice was calm and steady, without the slightest fluctuation due to Fang Ruotang's words.

"Yes! I need the Ice Heart Lotus you have. If you don't want to become Daoist partners, I'll rescue you. In return, you can give me the Ice Heart Lotus. Is that acceptable?"

Fang Ruotang spoke with great confidence.

No longer hiding, he stepped out of the shadows and openly examined the other person.

Jingtan was born with a beautiful appearance.

His face was handsome yet devoid of any worldly air; his eyes were clear and deep, revealing a wisdom that understood the ways of the world; beneath his straight nose, his lips were like painted rouge; his whole being exuded a dignified and ascetic demeanor.

He was completely different from the old monks Fang Ruotang had seen in the temple before; he had the exact same bald head and a compassionate aura.

At the same time, he also possessed the noble air of a young master from a prestigious family, aloof yet otherworldly, no wonder he could bewitch young girls so much that they would shamelessly chase after him.

She is indeed a rare beauty.

As Fang Ruotang thought this, her shadow swayed awkwardly.

After all, she knew that he was devoted to Buddhism, but because of his outstanding appearance, she imagined him to be full of worldly desires, as if it were a desecration to him.

"This is a gift for you."

Jingtan Buddhist disciple pondered for a moment, then took out a box.

Fang Ruotang was a little dumbfounded, even her shadow seemed dazed, but she took the box without any hesitation.

"You...you just gave it to me like that? You really believe I can get you out of here?"

Fang Ruotang looked at Jing Tan, who was dressed in an ivory-white monk's robe, and felt that the Buddhist aura emanating from him was even stronger, shining with golden light, as if it was about to blind her.

How can there be such kind-hearted and generous people in this world!

This is the Ice Heart Lotus.

Aside from the few that the little mirror knew about before they had fully grown, there were only a handful of Ice Heart Lotuses in the entire Cloud Deep Continent. Ice Heart Lotuses are naturally independent plants with long growth cycles.

"No need, you should leave this place!"

"Ah? So you want to become Daoist partners with Song Yingying!"

Fang Ruotang was surprised, and the shadow moved dramatically, raising its head.

The clown was myself.

Jing Tan slowly raised her eyes, her expression unchanged, but the gentle Buddhist aura around her disappeared, replaced by a cold and aloof demeanor.

"I have my own way of getting out of this predicament. You can leave now."

“Since you don’t want to form a Daoist partnership, I’ll stay and help you! I am Fang Ruotang, the sect leader of Tianyi Sect. I’m quite powerful, and I can also notify Wuding Temple. It’s better than you staying here alone and fighting by yourself.”

Fang Ruotang didn't really care whether the Buddhist monk married or not; as long as it was in his heart, she didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

It's like she wants something sweet one moment and something spicy the next.

No one stipulates that once you choose Buddhism, you can only walk this one path for the rest of your life. If he himself is determined to start over, no one else can say anything.

But if you're forced to do it, that's a different story.

Jing Tan's expression clearly faltered slightly. Before giving the Ice Heart Lotus, he hadn't inquired about the other party's identity. He could only tell that she was a young girl, and given the effects of the Ice Heart Lotus, he assumed that she was a young girl with scars who loved beauty.

Unexpectedly, the other party was the leader of a sect. Although he had never heard of this sect, he figured that someone who could become the sect leader must not be the little girl he thought she was.

He probably used a magical artifact to conceal his age; in reality, he was a powerful being who was hundreds or even thousands of years old.

"...In that case, I'll have to trouble Sect Master Fang."

Jing Tan no longer stood on ceremony.

He had said no need earlier only because he thought she was young and her cultivation level was not high, and he didn't want to implicate her. Now that he knew that the senior's cultivation level was high and he was not afraid of the Illusionary Law Sect, he would not hesitate.

"Alright, then wait for my good news. They have scheduled a Dao-completion ceremony for Song Yingying in three days. We will wait until then to come out and rescue you, so that when your sect members arrive, the Illusionary Sect will have moved you and we won't be able to find you."

"Yes, thank you for your trouble! Thank you, Sect Master Fang."

Jing Tan clasped her hands together, bowed slightly, and greeted Fang Ruotang with a respectful gesture.

Fang Ruotang waved her hand, "No need, no need. I should thank you for giving me the Ice Lotus. Saving you is just to repay your kindness. It's what I should do."

Originally, she thought there would be a negotiation, but unexpectedly, Jingtan Buddha spoke better than Xiao Jingzi, giving her no chance to speak, and the Ice Heart Lotus ended up in her hands.

But the more this is the case, the less likely she is to let the Illusionary Sect force Jing Tan to do something he doesn't want to do; good people should be rewarded.

"Then I won't bother you any longer. I'll head back now. I came to see you today, but the people from the Illusionary Sect refused. However, they allowed me to attend the ceremony. So, I will make a grand entrance in three days. Don't worry, I'm sure I've got everything planned out."

"Okay, thank you for your trouble."

Fang Ruotang didn't say anything more, and the shadow left.

Although it was just a shadow, she was, after all, a young woman, and Jing Tan Buddhist was clearly not comfortable being alone in a room with a woman late at night.

When you talk to her, there are at least ten people standing between you.

When she gets excited, she will take a few steps forward, but the Buddhist disciple will take a few steps back, always politely maintaining a social distance greater than that of ordinary people.

Fang Ruotang could multitask by sending Shadow out to do chores, so she relayed what happened with Shadow to Gu Yanjin and the other six.

When the shadow returned, Ye Wuxia took the box, held it to her nose and smelled it. Apart from the sandalwood scent of the box itself, the fresh scent of herbs did not waft out at all.

“This Buddhist disciple is a true saint, completely different from the Holy Maiden of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect we met last time. To compare them would be an insult to the Buddhist disciple.”

Fang Ruotang had only met a few Buddhist cultivators, and these were the two sects. Although she didn't want to mention them together, she couldn't help but compare them unconsciously.

"He is indeed a saint of integrity and virtue," Cui Shixu praised in acknowledgment.

In the past, when worldly people talked about him, they always liked to apply this word to him, but he himself knew his own situation.

He's not some kind and virtuous person; he just has a handsome appearance and pretends to be kinder and more noble than most.

"You all need to contact the people in the sect immediately and have them send a message to Wuding Temple: which intelligence point is closer to Wuding Temple?"

Fang Ruotang's last sentence, without needing to be called out, was something Xiao Jingzi knew was directed at him.

He immediately checked the map.

Judging from the distance alone, the intelligence point that Gu Nancheng was in charge of was closer to Wuding Temple.

Gu Nancheng immediately responded.

“Alright, I will contact the disciples of the sect and have them personally go to Wuding Temple to explain this matter.”