Abbot Xuan Kong of Baima Temple jokingly teased Monk Jiu Jiu, "I only knew that Xiao Jianglin had a cute little girl protecting him, but now how come Jiu Jiu has also fallen for worldly desires?"
After a chill ran down Jiu Jiu's spine, he clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect: "Master is joking. Your disciple has been entrusted by Junior Brother Jiang to take good care of Xiao Zhu Yi and send her back to Deng Lin."
"I see!" Abbot Xuan Kong sighed. "Thank goodness, thank goodness. I mistakenly thought you were going to leave the monastic life. My apologies!"
In a small pavilion in the woods, Abbot Xuan Kong sat and discussed the Dao. When he got tired of lecturing, he would chat and laugh with his disciples.
Jiu Jiu felt that his master's gaze was a little strange today, and he felt a bit guilty. He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to start the conversation.
The abbot, Xuan Kong, said something ambiguous: "The flames on the candlesticks before the Buddha have been littered with incense for a long time and have gradually acquired a kind of spirit. I find them playful and cute, as if they want to travel to the human world. I wonder who will become their new owner."
"Master, the candle flame before the Buddha has generated a spirit, so why does it still need to seek a master?" Jiu Jiu asked, puzzled.
"It's fate. The Buddha's fire is compassionate and can help people fulfill their heartfelt wishes. It wants to go to the human world to see the prosperity of the mortal realm, so naturally it needs someone who can take it to travel the world with it."
As he spoke, Abbot Xuankong patted Jiu Jiu on the shoulder, “Some things are better left to those who are meant to experience them, and some choices are better left to those who are meant to make them. Buddhism guides people to enlightenment and also respects their choices.”
"Respect the choices of the world..." Monk Jiujiu murmured.
Looking back, he saw Xiao Zhuyi, her eyes blurry with tears, staring intently at him, not letting him leave her side for a second, determined not to let him escape.
In the end, Jiu Jiu told Xiao Zhuyi the whole story.
Little Zhu Yi seemed to have grown up in an instant. She held back her tears and silently turned away, returning to her small vegetable garden.
"I'm afraid it will be hard to eat such good food again in the future." Abbot Xuankong sighed and instructed the boy to have an extra meal at Baima Temple tonight, and to have the main kitchen prepare an extra vegetarian dish.
The White Horse Temple was busier than usual. The person on night duty in front of the main hall was called away briefly by Abbot Xuan Kong for some business. Little Zhu Yi peeked out from the hazy night and knelt and kowtowed three times before the solemn Buddha statue. She had come to borrow a wisp of Buddhist fire, but somehow, even the jet-black candlestick made of black iron was stolen...
In the shadows, Jiu Jiu followed behind Abbot Xuan Kong, her face full of questions, hesitant to speak.
Xuan Kong gazed at Xiao Zhu Yi's departing figure from afar, and explained to Jiu Jiu, "In recent years, many young male cultivators in the Spirit Realm have died tragically. Someone has to settle this karma. The Buddha Flame yearns for the mortal world and its temperament is unstable. Let it go out with the little girl for a while to gain experience and accumulate merit."
Jiu Jiu suddenly understood, put her hands together and bowed: "Master has wise eyes. Junior Brother Jiang and Xiao Zhu Yi have already been tainted by this karma. It would be best to let them settle this matter."
Although that's what he said, Jiu Jiu was still very worried about Xiao Zhu Yi. He asked Abbot Xuan Kong for leave and secretly followed Xiao Zhu Yi to protect her.
Xiao Zhuyi remembered that she had once read about the Demon Serpent Clan in the library. After reading it quickly, she set off with the small candlestick.
Two months later, Xiao Zhuyi traveled alone to Huanshui Mountain. She used her divine soul to refine a bright candle flame. Each time the small candlestick burned, it consumed her spiritual power.
The little demon snake from Huanshui Mountain spotted her coming from afar and arrogantly blocked her way, flicking its red tongue: "Hiss~ We at Huanshui Mountain don't allow outsiders to enter! You'd better go back!"
"My name is Zhu Yi, and I have come to visit Lord Lan Dian Snake. Please tell him that I, Zhu Yi, will help him heal his old ailment. If Lord Snake is willing to return to the Demon Snake Clan and overthrow the old patriarch's rule, I, Zhu Yi, will be eternally grateful!" With that, little Zhu Yi took out a peach wood sword from his bosom and handed it to the little snake boy guarding the mountain gate.
The pure and ethereal luster of the peach wood gave people a sense of peace and tranquility. The little snake boy flicked his tongue, hesitated for a long time, and then went into the mountains to spread the word.
The Kuafu Staff is a rare ancient artifact, containing pure and abundant immortal power, and its rich wood spirit has the function of calming people's hearts.
Snakes naturally prefer to live in dark and damp places, and are eccentric and solitary by nature. If they are not careful, they are prone to going astray in their cultivation.
Zhu Yi used forbidden techniques to extract half of the peach forest essence from his own soul and forged it into a peach wood sword, which he then gave to Lan Dian Snake Venerable to settle his body and soul. With such a peach wood sword condensed with immortal power, all the demon snakes of Huanshui Mountain could benefit from it.
Such a generous gift, and Xiao Zhuyi just sent it out like that!
The fat monk Jiu Jiu, who was secretly protecting Xiao Zhuyi, felt sorry for this little girl! Wasn't he afraid that Lan Tian, that big scoundrel, would covet the peach wood sword and abandon her?
The orchid-adorned snake-shaped vessel responded.
Xiao Zhuyi used the flame from the small candlestick in front of the Buddha to heal Lan Dian's old illness. Lan Dian then led the demon snakes of Huanshui Mountain back to the demon snake clan to seek revenge, catching the old demon snake clan chief off guard.
The Serpent Clan was embroiled in internal strife, and the elder clan leader had been unable to spare the time to cause trouble for Jiang Lin.
“Little girl, the demon snakes of Huanshui Mountain are all pitiful snakes who were bullied by Que Ze and had nowhere to go. Many demon snakes have come to seek refuge with me to avenge their relatives who were devoured by Que Ze.”
"The forbidden technique of possession by the Demon Serpent Clan can only be broken by using the power of the Nine Heavens Mystic Jade as a catalyst. This technique for breaking the curse is given to you, but you must think carefully. This is a matter of life and death, and even if you exchange yourself, you may not succeed."
Xiao Zhu listened attentively and sincerely bid farewell to Lan Dian.
The little girl's earnest and devout appearance prompted Lan Tian to say a few more words.
What Lan Tian didn't know was that Xiao Zhu Yi had found several books about the secrets of the Demon Serpent Clan in the library of Bai Ma Temple. She was already very familiar with these grudges and affections.
Under the lingering shadow of the setting sun, half of the Huanshui River was bathed in red light. Little Zhu Yi, guarding the flickering candlelight, felt as excited as a fish leaping in the river. Her next destination was the Jiang family.
Time break — Now, Zhu Yi has followed Jiang Lin to a residential house near Flower Street.
Xiao Zhuyi changed into a brocade red dress that was completely different from her usual attire, and quietly waited for Jiang Lin's arrival in the bedroom.
The bright red brocade curtains were embroidered with golden mimosa flowers. When Jiang Lin saw Xiao Zhuyi in his hurried steps, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
I have never seen her so beautiful.
Jiang Lin was momentarily lost in thought, his lips moving but no words coming out.
Her calm and composed expression was hardly that of someone who had been given aphrodisiacs.
But her tender, almond-shaped eyes silently told him that she knew everything.
"Brother Jiang Lin, do you think I'm pretty?"
As the peach-colored incantation was cast, the half-closed door behind Jiang Lin closed.
The sporadic bird calls outside the window were drowned out. Monk Jiujiu was boiling water and making tea in the neighboring house. The water boiled, and the tea leaves on the large teacup were washed away, but he didn't care.
His feelings at that moment were indescribably complicated.
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