After emerging from the grand tent, Xu Qing glanced at the heavily guarded military camp and returned to his own tent with calm steps.
Upon entering, he detected a peculiar fragrance.
His expression remained placid as he walked in and sat on the hard cot, knees together, picking up the scriptures on the table.
“Holy Monk, you’ve broken your vows, yet you still pretend?”
A seductive, bewitching voice accompanied by the jingling of bells. A soft, fragrant jade-like body pressed against his broad, firm back, leaving no gap.
Xu Qing’s expression did not change; he simply closed his eyes.
The woman chuckled, her small mouth parting slightly as she extended her tongue to gently tease his reddened earlobe.
Tender, soft jade arms, fragrant and sweet red lips, a seductive, bone-deep laugh.
Inside the tent, passion bloomed.
The sound of silver bells accompanied the snake-like smooth and tender body as it slid down his spine inch by inch, burrowing into his embrace.
“That night, can the Holy Monk forget? Have you missed me?”
Xu Qing lowered his gaze. The woman in his arms was as alluring as a lotus, with curved brows and red lips, her smiling face like a blooming flower. The beauty mark between her brows added a touch of allure.
She wore only a thin, extremely revealing blue robe, her bosom half-exposed, her jade legs sprawled.
Despite the cool color, it looked charming and seductive on her, exuding an air of enchantment.
“Abahai, restrain yourself.”
Abahai of the Northern Desert, Yao Geluo Chiyan, always wore blue when going into battle. The fiercer her smile, the more ruthless her killing.
She pouted her red lips slightly and took a gentle bite of the man’s throat, her voice bewitching.
“Holy Monk, you were quite fierce that night, you’ve already broken your vows.”
Xu Qing closed his eyes. His ascetic face showed no flicker of emotion, no matter how the person in his arms writhed, he remained unchanged.
Chiyan raised her eyebrows, her fair hands resting on his neck, her body pressed even tighter against him.
“Since the Holy Monk has entered the mortal world, why not partake in this earthly feast with me?”
Her voice was both sweet and bewitching, like a fairy from the flowers, specializing in draining vital essence.
Xu Qing quietly chanted Buddhist scriptures, his prayer beads emitting a faint sound.
Seeing his indifference, Chiyan’s red lips curved into a slight smile.
Her slender jade hands began to knead him.
“The King of the Northern Army back then was a madman killer. After entering the Buddhist path, you still consorted with a commoner like me. What are you pretending now?”
He had killed her people in the Northern Desert and looted her cities; entering Buddhism could not erase such sins.
“Hehehe, back on the battlefield, I fell for the Holy Monk at first sight.”
Her laughter was exceptionally clear in the quiet tent, seductive and bewitching.
Xu Qing’s face, so pure and ascetic, gradually turned red from her teasing. The blush on his earlobes made Chiyan laugh even louder.
The blade sliced across his chest, blood spreading.
Chiyan looked at him as he lowered his gaze to her, his expression showing no trace of tremor. She sneered and curved her lips.
“The Holy Monk is truly as cold as ever.”
“Abahai, are you still going to kill this monk?”
His eyebrows slightly raised, his eyes, as calm as a deep pool, steadily watched her face.
Chiyan smiled playfully, “How could I bear to.”
“If that is the case, please leave, Abahai.”
He resumed his cold demeanor, which was truly infuriating.
Chiyan withdrew her blade and lightly bit his jaw, looking at him with a playful gaze. “The Holy Monk is leaving, won’t you accompany me for a night of passion?”
Xu Qing’s expression remained unchanged, “Ye Luan.”
Chiyan raised an eyebrow, “Who?”
“The woman the Crown Prince is looking for is in your Northern Desert.”
A moment of silence fell within the tent.
The melodious, bell-like laughter slowly arose. She alluringly enticed him, her breath like orchids.
“Since you’ve asked, I will definitely help him find this woman. How will you thank me?”
Her snow-white jade skin, desire beginning to rise.
She entwined herself, looking at him with enchanting eyes, her fragrance like hidden orchids, her body as soft as a snake.
“Holy Monk, kiss me.”
-----
Ye Luan had spent several days in Yuecheng searching for Han Danzhu’s whereabouts. She had even personally visited the ice mountain, but had not found Han Danzhu.
One day, as she and Ji’er were gathering herbs from Black Sand Mountain, they hadn’t been searching for long when they suddenly heard screams from ahead, startling flocks of crows.
“Sister A’Luan, who is that?”
Ye Luan picked up her fallen basket, hushed them, and slowly moved towards the mountain hollow.
This area was in the mountains, surrounded by dense thorns. Her feet stepped on fallen trees and ruins, making rustling sounds.
Clutching the hidden weapon in her hand, she pushed aside the undergrowth.
“What are you looking at? Help the old man, why are you sneaking around.”
In the mountain hollow cave, a white-bearded old man was squatting on the ground, his hair and clothes covered in leaves and dirt, looking utterly disheveled.
Ye Luan raised an eyebrow, “What’s your attitude?”
“Hey, you little brat, don’t you understand respect for elders?”
He was truly unlucky, falling while just walking.
Why cover so many leaves? He couldn’t see anything.
Pah.
Ye Luan pursed her lips and picked up her basket to leave.
The white-haired old man panicked, “Hey, give me a hand.”
“Little girl, little girl–”
“Don’t go–”
Seeing that she was almost out of sight, he quickly shouted, “Ten taels.”
“–”
“Fifty taels.”
No movement.
“One hundred taels.”
Still no movement.
“Two hundred taels, that’s all I have.”
After a moment.
A stick with a rope tied to it was thrown down.
He immediately scrambled up, pulling on the rope.
Ye Luan looked him up and down and turned to leave.
But the old man追上来 with agile steps, grinning, “Don’t you want the money?”
She did want it, but seeing that the old man had no money pouch on him, what if he tried to cling to her?
“Don’t follow me.”
“You little girl, too boring.”
The old man glanced at her haughtily, then suddenly threw her a jade bead, “I like the look of you, this is for you.”
Ye Luan, “–”
“I am from the Wu Hui Sect. You’re lucky to have met me today–”
The white jade bead in her hand was of excellent quality, feeling warm and lustrous to the touch, likely intricately carved.
Ye Luan swung the bead, too lazy to listen to his nonsense, “Thanks.”
“Hey, hey, hey, don’t go, why are you walking so fast–”
He was incredibly bored.
After descending the mountain.
Ji’er nudged her, “Sister A’Luan, the Wu Hui Sect is quite famous in the martial world.”
“Is it? What do they do?”
“They study medicine and martial arts. It’s said that many disciples flock there every year to seek medical treatment.”
Medicine and martial arts?!
Ye Luan thought of the old man from earlier and couldn’t help but chuckle.
He couldn’t even climb out of a hole, what kind of martial arts did he learn?!
“There are many rumors in the martial world. Back then, the Wu Hui Sect had a great disciple, exceptionally elegant and highly skilled in martial arts. Something happened in the Wu Hui Sect that year, and this person bloodied the entire sect, personally killing his master.”
“I also heard that this person is now an official in the court, right here in Da Liang.”
Ye Luan asked in surprise, “Really?”
“Many people in the martial world say that he’s a hypocrite, outwardly appearing aloof and detached from worldly affairs, but inwardly a thoroughly vicious black lotus.”