Chapter 270
"Yawn! Yawn!"
Tao Tao sneezed several times in a row. Ning Yue, who was beside her, looked at her with concern and asked, "Have you caught a cold?"
She looked up at her and shook her head. "It shouldn't be, but I still feel a chill down my spine, it's a bit creepy."
"You've caught a cold. Let me pour you a cup of hot tea to warm you up."
Ning Yue picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of hot tea, then handed it to her with a smile, "Xiao Tao, here you go."
"Where will you go after you recover from your injury?"
Tao Tao took the tea, and just as she brought it to her lips, she heard her ask, "I want to go to the Xia Kingdom."
"Xia Kingdom?" She stared wide-eyed in surprise.
"That's very far. Why do you want to go to such a far place?"
"I've never been there, but I'd like to go and see it," Tao Tao said casually without offering any further explanation.
Ning Yue nodded slightly, cupped her face in her hands, and suddenly felt a longing, murmuring to herself, "I want to go too. I heard it's a lot of fun there, and there's the sea."
"Have you ever seen the sea? Oh, I forgot, you said you've never been."
"It's a pity that we live in the Central Plains, where there is no sea."
She muttered to herself, and Tao Tao nodded silently in agreement.
Ning Yue was in high spirits and chatted with her about all sorts of things. Most of the time, Tao Tao was a listener, quietly watching her talk and nodding from time to time, which gave her a great desire to confide in Tao Tao.
She only stopped when she got sleepy.
"It's getting late, so I'll head back now."
Tao Tao smiled and said, "Okay, goodbye."
"Goodbye?" A hint of doubt appeared in her eyes.
"Uh, see you tomorrow."
Ning Yue nodded happily, stood up, and walked towards the door.
After the person left, she closed the door and began to change the dressing on her arm. It was a little troublesome to do only one arm, but it wasn't too strenuous.
After changing her dressing, she planned to rest early, but suddenly there was another knock on the door.
Tao Tao remained silent, waiting for the person outside to speak first.
Yuan Xiu stood outside the door, coughed involuntarily, and looked weak and haggard. He said softly, "Is Benefactor Tao resting?"
He frowned unconsciously as he recalled what the abbot had told him.
Tao Tao was surprised to find it was Yuan Xiu. She had heard that he hadn't woken up all day, and the first thing he did after waking up was come to her.
She thought that Abbot Bai Ri had come to find her, but she had ignored him. Could it be that Yuan Xiu had come to find her because of the abbot's matter?
He stood outside the door for a while, muttering to himself, "It seems that Benefactor Tao is resting."
The door opened the next second.
"Master Yuanxiu, what's wrong? Is there something you need from me?"
Tao Tao looked at the person who was about to leave and said with a faint smile.
He turned his head, his eyes slightly brightening, and a smile he himself didn't even realize appeared on his lips. He said softly, "I'm sorry to bother you so late at night. It's my fault."
"It's alright, Master Yuanxiu, please come in if you have something to say."
Tao Tao smiled and made way for them, revealing the dimly lit interior.
The pale yellow candlelight flickered in the breeze, and dark shadows danced wildly on the wall. The silence was so profound that you could hear a pin drop.
Looking at her smiling face, Yuan Xiu felt inexplicably nervous and subconsciously refused, "No, no need, it's too late. This humble monk was just asking casually."
She pursed her lips and gave him a strange look. "So what do you want to ask? Just say it."
"I'd like to ask, did you see anything on Uncle-Master Yizhen's body?"
"Yes, I have."
Upon hearing this, he opened his eyes slightly in surprise, "Is it a red bead?"
She leaned closer and whispered, "It's white ashes."
Yuan Xiu was completely stunned after hearing this, as if he had turned to stone.
Before long, an embarrassed look of being teased appeared on his face.
“Benefactor Tao…”
Tao Tao tilted her head to look at him and laughed, "What's wrong? Am I wrong? But I really only saw white ashes."
Suddenly she realized, "I know, you want to ask if there are any relics. Well, I'm sorry, I really haven't seen any."
"Perhaps your master is too special, so Heaven is unwilling to leave you even with relics."
"Don't you think so?"
Yuan Xiu took an awkward step back, turned his head, and stammered, "Perhaps...maybe..."
"Don't worry about it. If it's not happening, it's not happening. It's not a big deal. The funeral will proceed as planned."
Tao Tao reached out and patted his shoulder.
He became even more uneasy, retreating in fear as if she were about to devour him.
This left her completely bewildered. Looking at her empty palm, she casually withdrew her hand. "How are you feeling? You don't look too well?"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiu quickly expressed his gratitude, saying, "I have no way to repay Benefactor Tao for saving my life. Please let me know if you ever need my help in the future, and I will do my best to assist you."
Before she could finish speaking, Tao Tao continued, "You'd even be willing to kill someone?"
Upon hearing these horrifying words, his eyes widened instantly, and he stared at her in shock, stammering for a long time before being unable to utter a word.
Finally, he managed to utter a sentence: "As a monk, I cannot do anything that violates heaven and reason."
This made her laugh out loud. "I was just saying, why are you so scared?"
"Don't worry, this time we may never see each other again in this lifetime, so there's no need to talk about repaying a debt of gratitude. It doesn't matter."
Suddenly, he seemed a little dazed, and felt a strange emptiness in his heart.
"I see..."
"Alright, I really don't have what you're looking for here. Why don't you look around in that pile of rubble again?"
"If that's the case, then this humble monk will not disturb you any longer." Yuan Xiu put his hands together, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.
Tao Tao gazed at his departing figure, her smile gradually fading into calm.
Once the figure disappeared from sight, she turned and went inside, closing the door behind her.
Early in the morning, before she was fully awake, she heard a commotion outside. Frowning and with a hint of impatience on her face, she sat up lazily.
"Hey! Hey! Don't run away! No, don't fly away! Come down!"
Ning Yue looked up at the colorful parrot flying overhead and reached out, hopping around as if trying to catch it.
This parrot looks like a little eagle, so fat and big, it's like it just popped out of nowhere.
The monks around seemed to have never seen anything like it either; they all looked on with curiosity, pointing at the parrot circling in mid-air and discussing it endlessly.
Li Jianxin was both amused and exasperated. "Be careful, don't fall."
"Why did you go and catch it for no reason?"
Ning Yue turned to look at him and said reproachfully, "Oh, senior brother, please help me out. Don't you think this bird is beautiful? I just want to take a look."
Left with no other choice, Li Jianxin had to help her catch the bird.
The parrot seemed to know what they were trying to do, and deliberately flew down as if to provoke them.
Just as Li Jianxin was about to succeed, it suddenly soared into the sky.
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