The monster avenged her and helped her mother resurrect, while she helped the monster absorb nutrients.
Yun Lian sensed that the young Taoist priest had changed; a hazy mist had appeared around him, making him difficult to see clearly.
Her sudden voice interrupted Yichan's wandering thoughts.
"Little Taoist priest, what are you thinking about?"
The wind blew through her hair, making even the individual strands appear free and unrestrained.
Unconsciously, Yichan's fingers touched her messy hair. Before he even realized it, his hand had already tucked her hair behind her ear.
"It's a mess."
Yun Lian approached him step by step, and this time he didn't shrink back as usual. Instead, he stared intently at Yun Lian as she drew closer.
"Little Taoist priest, what's all this commotion?"
Her fingers slid from Yichan's cheek down his neck to his heart, her eyes half-closed, a bewitching light appearing on her pale lips.
Is your heart in turmoil?
Yichan pinched her fair, delicate fingers.
His wheat-colored skin contrasted sharply with her paleness, and when his large, well-defined hands grasped her, she felt a sense of being controlled.
But the reality was quite the opposite; he was the one who was firmly imprisoned by Yun Lian.
Her slender, white fingers slipped from his palm, her red lips gradually approached, and her eyes locked with his. As she drew closer, Yichan slowly closed his eyes.
Yun Lian stopped just an inch away from his thin lips.
"Young Taoist priest, do you still stand by what you said when you entered Liu Family Village?"
Yichan suddenly opened his eyes, his lips and teeth seemingly carrying a hint of rust.
Why are you asking this?
Was she really that unwilling to go to the Taoist temple with him?
"Of course it's for freedom. I hate all Taoists and monks except you."
Yichan sat up straight and explained impatiently, "Our Taoist temple is different from other places. Master and fellow disciples are all very kind. Even if you come to the temple with me, you won't be harmed by them."
Yun Lian gave an irrelevant answer.
Why did you close your eyes just now? Did you think... I would come closer?
Yichan suddenly stood up, produced a wooden fish from somewhere and started striking it, his face once again displaying that compassionate expression.
"Once you recover from your injuries and leave Liu Family Village, you will be free. As for the Taoist temple... as long as you don't commit any heinous crimes, I won't force you to go."
Yun Lian then stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Little Taoist, do you really not understand my heart? I hate Taoists because I am afraid of them, who indiscriminately ruin my thousand years of cultivation."
But if it's to see your family, I'd be willing to go through fire and water with you.
Hearing her words, Yichan felt extremely conflicted.
Ecstasy and self-loathing filled my mind.
He took it upon himself to vanquish demons and monsters, but the rules were repeatedly broken by her, and he forgot his original intention.
The chanting of scriptures grew louder and louder, and the wooden fish was struck even more forcefully, but at some point, the heart seemed to have lost its own control, unable to find peace.
Until Yichan felt a slight dampness on his neck.
Yichan stiffly turned his head, and the chanting and the sound of striking the wooden fish disappeared at the same time.
"Little fox..."
He couldn't say the rest of the words.
But the little fox was exceptionally understanding; it withdrew from him almost without him saying a word.
"No need to say anything, little Taoist priest, I understand. Since ancient times, humans and demons have been on different paths. Moreover, we are born to be on opposite sides. I was just being delusional."
The heat source behind him suddenly disappeared, and Yichan instantly felt as if he had been frozen, so much so that he could shatter at the slightest touch.
He opened and closed his thin lips again and again, but he couldn't utter any words to save the situation.
He didn't understand what was wrong with him.
But the moment he saw the little fox's tears, it was as if water had covered his mouth and nose, making it impossible for him to breathe.
Yun Lian worked quickly and packed her things in no time.
“Young Taoist, now that the crisis in Liu Family Village has been averted, I shall take my leave. From now on, we shall go our separate ways and never meet again.”
After she finished speaking, she turned and left.
The person and her language are equally exquisite.
Yichan chased after her as she went out, but slowly disappeared into the withered yellow scenery.
She walked extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, her figure had completely disappeared.
Only the crushed, withered leaves on the ground remain, a testament to the fact that someone had just passed by.
Yichan was like a walking corpse, not even knowing when he returned to the Taoist temple.
Inside the Qingzhen Temple.
The white-haired abbot silently brought him a bowl of ginger soup with a bitter taste.
"Drink it quickly. Your mission was a great success. Liujia Village suffered the fewest casualties, and almost everyone was rescued. It was much better than we expected."
Yichan's gaze was vacant. He drank the ginger soup in one gulp without saying a word, not even noticing the few drops of liquid rolling down the corner of his mouth.
He used to be extremely clean, how could he tolerate himself like this?
"Master, what is the true meaning of our efforts to subdue demons and monsters?"
"Naturally, I use my existing power to protect the peace of the region and eliminate demons, simply to have a clear conscience."
Yichan murmured, "A clear conscience?"
His gaze was blank as he stared out the window. The abbot did not disturb him and sat down beside him to make tea.
"Master, my heart seems to no longer be under my control; I feel as if I have developed worldly desires."
The abbot sighed.
Even as he braved the heavy rain to climb the mountain, his clothes soaked through, he knew that he might not be able to keep this apprentice.
"Since your worldly ties are not yet severed, why don't you go down the mountain again to gain more experience? Qingzhen Temple will always have a place for you."
After much deliberation, Yichan finally asked, "Master, are humans and demons really..."
"Alright, alright, Master, just pretend I was never here today. Your disciple takes his leave!"
Yichan stumbled and almost staggered as he ran down the mountain.
The abbot of the Qingzhen Temple stood beside the pine tree behind him, a faint worry in his eyes.
Even before he went down the mountain to gain experience, he had foreseen that Zen would face a calamity.
If you can get through this safely, you will surely rise to great heights in the future.
But if we can't get through this ordeal, I'm afraid...
"Yichan, I hope you can live with a clear conscience."
*
The border of Qingxuan City.
Yun Lian supported a half-dead white-robed youth, muttering curses under her breath.
"You're really something, aren't you? You're so weak, yet you insist on acting tough and playing the hero. I don't know what I owe you or what made me run into you."
The young man in white had his black hair secured with a white jade hairpin, and only a small section of the arrow stuck in his chest remained outside.
"I was unaware of your abilities before, and I truly do not wish for such a wonderful person to perish before me. I beg your forgiveness."
If he had known that stepping forward to shield the heroine would only hinder her, he would have preferred to stand behind her and cheer her on, instead of enduring such humiliation and having her support him.
Faced with his exceptionally handsome face, Yun Lian couldn't bring herself to say a harsh word.
"Fine, fine, I'll just accept this loss since you're good-looking."
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