Chi Yan left the palace and headed straight for Xuankong Temple.
The journey to Guwai was long. She rode her horse relentlessly, chasing him for days, but couldn't even catch a glimpse of him.
That scoundrel, deliberately avoiding her.
If the monk couldn't be found, the temple certainly could. She'd just go to Xuankong Temple and intercept him.
Chi Yan was no longer in a hurry. She rode her horse at a leisurely pace.
The frontier desert was vast and sandy. Eagles soared high above, their cries echoing. The scorching sun bathed the boundless sky, stretching as far as the eye could see.
She sat at the foot of a sand dune, leaning against the surrounding rocks. Looking at the single clear spring beneath a withered ancient tree, she seemed lost in thought, tears welling up in her eyes.
After a long while, she came back to her senses, picked up her sword, mounted her horse, and galloped swiftly towards Guwai.
Xuankong Temple was built during the reign of Emperor Gaozu, located beyond the Northern Qi frontier. It was a place of fervent worship, with a long flight of blue stone steps winding all the way to the mountaintop.
Recently, the weather had been gloomy, and the temple was not crowded.
However, Xu Qing was avoiding her, refusing to let her enter the back mountain abodes.
Chi Yan couldn't find him. Everyone there seemed to know her, likely having been warned beforehand, and paid her no mind.
She pursed her lips, went to light incense, and knelt on the prayer mat to meditate with the monks.
He didn't appear even after nightfall.
She wanted to stay in the abodes, but the monks said that visitors were not allowed to stay recently and there were no vacant rooms, urging her to descend the mountain as soon as possible.
With no other option, Chi Yan prepared for a prolonged stay and bought a wooden house at the foot of the mountain.
During the day, she would go to the temple to look for him. Upon hearing that he was in seclusion, she would listen to the eminent monks recite scriptures outside. When she had nothing else to do, she would wander around the back mountain.
The mountain scenery was beautiful, with lush trees, swirling clouds, and a cool, misty atmosphere, making it a pleasant place to be.
At night, she would sneak over the wall and into the temple to find him. After searching for several days without seeing him, she finally found the house where he lived.
It was a very secluded courtyard, located not far from the temple, close to the back mountain.
There was a well in the courtyard, and the environment was serene and leisurely.
Under the moonlight, Chi Yan entered the house. The interior was bare and sparsely decorated: a table, a chair, and a scroll of books – all easily visible, exuding elegance and noble character.
She walked to the table and picked up the portrait lying there, gazing at it quietly.
A corner of her sleeve fluttered in the wind, and tears fell silently, dampening the fabric.
At that moment, the door creaked open, and a figure entered, enveloped in moonlight.
Chi Yan suppressed her emotions, picked up the portrait, and waved it at him with a smile.
"The holy monk has entered the monastic life, yet he still keeps my portrait."
This was a portrait from when she had first met him. They had traveled with a Hu merchant, and she, a mischievous spirit, had danced in a dancer's attire to entertain him.
Xu Qing's expression was placid. He glanced at it casually, closed the door, and entered the room.
His dwelling was secluded, and few people ever came here, so he kept his belongings quite casually.
"Do I need to ask you to leave?"
He needed to bathe, and her presence made it very inconvenient.
Chi Yan put down the portrait and looked at his indifferent face. She then proceeded to undress in front of him, carelessly collapsing onto the bed.
Her fair skin was strikingly visible in the dim room, and her red chemise was particularly vibrant.
Xu Qing immediately averted his gaze.
Chi Yan half-closed her eyes, swung her long legs, and her rosy lips parted.
"I'm so sleepy, I want to sleep."
He took a deep breath, turned, and walked out of the room. Striding to the well, he scooped up water and poured it over his head.
The icy water trickled down his firm jawline. The broad, muscular lines of his back were clearly visible. His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, and his powerful arms were slick with water under the moonlight, incredibly alluring.
Chi Yan stood inside the house, watching his actions through the open bamboo window, a shadow flickering in her eyes.
The mountain wind blew, bringing a slight chill to her cheeks.
Seeing him enter the adjacent side room to rest, she didn't press the issue and quietly lay back down.
From that day on, it was as if they had reached an unspoken agreement. When she sneaked in at night, he would ignore her, finishing his scriptures before meditating in the side room.
She clung to him like a fox. When he copied scriptures, she would stare at him intently from the side. When he meditated, she would deliberately make noises to disturb him.
But he remained unmoved, letting her cause a commotion.
One day, a torrential rain suddenly struck the mountain, with roaring waves outside, accompanied by lightning and thunder.
Xu Qing sat in the room, glancing out the window. The wind ruffled his wide robes, obscuring any change in his expression.
After a moment, he stood up, took an umbrella, and went out.
Chi Yan had gone to the city early in the morning to buy tea. However, the tea she wanted was difficult to find, and she had to visit several shops before she could purchase it. After buying it, she hurried back up the mountain.
But unexpectedly, she encountered heavy rain on the way. In her haste, she took a secluded path. Now, she was completely lost in the mountains.
The light drizzle gradually intensified, lightning split the sky, and dark clouds churned. Hearing the thunder, her face turned ashen.
She had been afraid of thunder since childhood and quickly sought shelter in a mountain cave.
The thunder outside grew louder and louder. Fearfully, she curled up, her mind involuntarily flashing back to childhood memories.
Ana had died on such a thunderous day. Dunjin personally killed her, and her father, the Khan, did not save her. She hid in a cabinet and watched Ana die before her eyes.
Ana was a princess from the Central Plains, sent to marry for peace, but she suffered endless humiliation in the desert.
On the day of her death, lightning flashed outside the window, and blood flowed from the ground to her feet. The sticky blood was like a nightmare that haunted her day and night.
It was as if her soul had been drained, her eyes staring blankly at the cold corpse that seemed to be staring back at her.
The rumbling thunder was like a nightmare's curse, engulfing her body and mind.
When Xu Qing found her, he saw her trembling in the cave, her eyes terrifyingly vacant.
He dropped his umbrella and strode over, pulling her into his arms.
The warm, familiar scent enveloped her. Chi Yan instantly regained her senses, her reddened eyes softening, and she clutched him tightly.
"Brother Ah Xuan."
Xu Qing remained silent, stroking her long hair with one hand and patting her back with the other.
The surrounding air was silent, save for the rumbling thunder outside and the incessant downpour. Within the cave, an eerie quiet prevailed.
After an unknown period, the rain outside stopped.
Xu Qing looked at the unconscious woman in his arms. He lifted her horizontally and carried her back.
After entering the room, he placed her on the bed.
Her clothes were soaked. With a calm expression, he gently removed her wet attire and changed her into his robe.
The tightly wrapped tea fell out from her undergarment.
Xu Qing lowered his gaze, his eyes darkening slightly. He paused, picked up the wrapped tea, and placed it on the table beside him before going to the kitchen to make ginger soup.
After feeding her the ginger soup and tucking her in, he turned to leave.
Chi Yan seemed to be having a nightmare, her brows furrowed tightly. Sensing the departure of a familiar presence, she immediately reached out to pull him back.
"Brother Ah Xuan, don't go--"
Xu Qing's back stiffened. He turned his head and saw her with her eyes closed, her small mouth pouting as if she were about to cry from distress.
He lowered his gaze, sat down, and gently placed her hand back under the covers.
The wind outside was biting cold, and the candlelight flickered within the room.
He leaned against the bedside, quietly observing her sleeping face. Upon closer inspection, his deep brown eyes seemed to swirl with an unreadable meaning.