Junior Sister is skilled in subduing demons.

Chapter 142 Guanyin Temple

"Tuanbao, Tuantuan, the Iron-Eating Beast."

Shen Anzhi's tears flowed like a burst dam. She gently shook Tuantuan, calling its name, hoping it would open its eyes again.

Tuantuan's lifeless body lay in Shen Anzhi's arms, and Shen Anzhi's grief overwhelmed her like a surging tide, her eyes burning with the flames of anger.

She slowly stood up, gripping her sword tightly in her hand, and walked step by step toward the burly man.

Seeing the murderous look in Shen Anzhi's eyes, the burly man felt a surge of fear and protested, "This beast injured my mother first, so it deserves to die."

"Shut up!" Shen Anzhi roared, "You vicious old woman! First you stole my money, then you falsely accused me of burning down your house, and now you're instigating your son to kill my Tuanbao! You..."

Shen Anzhi raised her longsword, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight. There was no hesitation in her heart, only the determination to avenge Tuantuan and to settle the score for last night's unpleasantness.

However, just as she was about to swing her sword down, the old woman suddenly rushed over and blocked the strong man's path.

"Girl, please, don't kill my son. He acted impulsively. He knows he was wrong, and I know I was wrong too. I know you are a kind person," the old woman pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Shen Anzhi looked at the old man, her heart filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow. She knew that if she killed the strong man, the old man would be plunged into great pain, but she could not let go of the death of Tuantuan.

Faced with this difficult choice, Shen Anzhi was plunged into deep anguish; her hand trembled slightly, and the sword remained suspended in her hand...

Seeing that Anzhi had softened his heart, the burly man very sensibly and quickly led the old woman away.

Shen Anzhi held Tuantuan tightly, tears streaming down her face. Her heart was filled with despair and grief, as if the whole world had lost its color. Was she destined to have no friends in this life? One after another, they would leave?

Suddenly, Shen Anzhi seemed to remember something. She hurriedly took the demon-slaying gourd from her waist and slowly poured the thousand-year snake wine into Tuantuan's mouth. She hoped that the wine could bring Tuantuan a little warmth and allow it to open its eyes again.

"Tuantuan, drink it, you'll definitely get better," Shen Anzhi murmured softly, his voice filled with expectation and pleading.

However, Tuantuan remained unresponsive, and wine dripped from the corner of its mouth onto the ground. But she kept pouring wine into Tuantuan, as if a miracle would happen if she didn't give up.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, with only Shen Anzhi's sobs and the sound of wine flowing. In this sorrowful moment, Shen Anzhi's heart was filled with longing and reluctance to part with Tuantuan.

She knew that from then on, she would face the world alone, without Tuantuan's company.

Shen Anzhi, holding Tuantuan, collapsed to the ground, despair ever-present. Her tears flowed like a burst dam; she couldn't believe that such a ferocious creature had died so easily.

Her cries echoed in the air, filled with endless sorrow and pain. Each sob seemed to be an indictment of fate, an expression of her resentment at losing Tuantuan.

……

At the ferry crossing, the river flowed quietly, rippling gently.

The bamboo groves and sky on the shore are reflected on the water, creating a beautiful picture.

Occasionally, one or two small birds would fly out of the bamboo grove, skim across the water, and break the tranquility.

Anzhi held the lifeless Tuantuan in her arms. She knew that Tuantuan would never come back, but she just couldn't control her emotions. It was as if only by crying could she release the unbearable pain in her heart.

At this moment, the boatman slowly walked over with his oar in hand, ready to welcome the new guest. When he saw Tuantuan in Shen Anzhi's arms, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

“Young lady, this is…” The boatman hesitated, seeing the grief in Shen Anzhi’s expression. Shen Anzhi didn’t speak, but simply held Tuantuan tightly, tears dripping onto Tuantuan’s soft fur.

The boatman was even more puzzled and asked curiously, "This iron-eating beast is incredibly ferocious, how come? How come?"

“He was beaten to death,” An Zhi said painfully.

"Beaten to death?" The boatman was even more curious. What kind of person could kill this iron-eating beast? "Who was it?" The boatman looked around curiously, as if searching.

An Zhi stood up expressionlessly: "It's that old woman over there."

After saying that, Anzhi couldn't help but cry.

The boatman seemed puzzled. He looked up in the direction Anzhi had pointed and said with a furrowed brow, "Old woman? There's no one around here for miles. Where did this old woman come from?"

Faced with the boatman's questions, Anzhi recounted what happened last night and blamed the boatman for not taking him for a ride.

"It's all your fault! If you had been able to ferry me across the river last night, my precious Tuanbao wouldn't have been beaten to death!"

"At worst, I'll pay you back the money I owe you for crossing the river later."

……

Seeing Shen Anzhi's eyes welling up with tears and her voice trembling slightly, the boatman seemed even more bewildered. He asked, "Miss, what are you talking about?"

"I said if you had ferried me across the river last night, I wouldn't have encountered this unreasonable old woman and her son." Shen Anzhi said, wiping away the tears that he couldn't hold back from his eyes.

The boatman frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Young lady, there are no houses around here, only a Guanyin temple? You, you must be mistaken."

“Yes, over there, over in the bamboo grove,” Shen Anzhi pointed.

The boatman nodded even more firmly: "Oh, by the bamboo grove, that's the Guanyin Temple."

"A Guanyin Temple?" Shen Anzhi exclaimed in surprise. Had he stumbled upon something...?

Anzhi dared not think any further, and carrying Tuantuan, she went to the old lady's house again with a heavy heart.

Sure enough, the dilapidated mud house from the morning had been transformed into a Guanyin temple.

The vermilion gate was tightly closed, with the three characters "Guanyin Temple" on the plaque above it.

Anzhi stood in front of the temple, his heart filled with doubt. Suddenly, he remembered what Old Village Chief Yang had said: the bamboo forest was where Guanyin Bodhisattva practiced. Anzhi frowned and looked down at his arms.

"Tuanbao, Tuantuan."

The little girl who was just in my arms has disappeared.

At this moment, melodious chanting filled the Guanyin Temple. The sound was ethereal and far-reaching, as if it came from the distant sky and echoed in the depths of people's hearts.

Anzhi slowly walked towards the main hall of the Guanyin Temple, quietly listening to the chanting. The sound was like a clear spring, gradually soothing her soul.

She closed her eyes, feeling the sacred atmosphere. In the chanting, she seemed to see Tuantuan playing happily in a beautiful place, without pain or sorrow.