From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 340 Rescue
The mountains are densely forested, and the roars of wild beasts can be heard in the distance.

Su Xin was leaning against a dead tree, covered in blood, her monk's robe was tattered and disheveled, and one of her monk's shoes was missing.

"Is she Suxin?" Mingyue, who had been on guard in the distance, also rushed over. While looking at Suxin, she said, "There is the scent of spirits here. I'll keep watch. You go and look around."

The two had been traveling together for a long time. Mingyue was used to being a female knight-errant, and she always gave orders, while Mengyuan kept a watchful eye on her from the shadows. He wasn't even considered a deputy.

However, they had a clear division of labor, and the two often rode together on the same horse, spending every day in close proximity. Although they had not yet overcome any obstacles, they already had a great understanding of each other.

Without saying much, Meng Yuan immediately went forward to explore.

After Meng Yuan left, Mingyue knelt down and first felt Su Xin's pulse, then carefully examined the wounds on Su Xin's body.

Less than fifteen minutes later, she heard the sound of wind in the distance, and then she tidied up Su Xin's clothes.

"How is she?" Meng Yuan asked.

"It seems she was infected by some kind of poison. She had a fever and was not quite lucid. Then she fell from a height, but there were no fatal injuries." After Mingyue finished her examination, she took out a pill, put it into Suxin's mouth, and then guided the pill into her body with her finger.

“Indeed, I found traces of her fall. She must have been weak and accidentally stepped into a hole,” Meng Yuan said.

Mingyue looked up at Meng Yuan and saw the concern on his face. She said, "It's nothing serious. It's just that Su Xin has appeared here, so Su Wen shouldn't be far behind. I just don't know how Su Wen is doing."

The two traveled south together, and Meng Yuan also told Mingyue about Su Xin's journey south to find the Xiangji Kingdom.

Before departing from Ping'an Prefecture, Meng Yuan received a letter from Su Wen, saying that she had already set off, led by a senior uncle from Yunshan Temple, along with several senior sisters.

Meng Yuan and Mingyue traveled leisurely, inquiring along the way, but they had never heard of any nuns passing through their territory.

Upon encountering Su Xin, Meng Yuan knew that Su Wen must also be there, and that Xiangji Kingdom was not far away, and that these nuns might have encountered some misfortune.

Mingyue was a prudent person. She held Suxin's hand and slowly poured a stream of jade liquid into her body to cleanse the damage inside Suxin's body.

Meng Yuan stood guard nearby. After a while, he heard some noise in the distance. Meng Yuan immediately jumped up a tree and hid in the dense foliage.

Despite the darkness in the mountains, Meng Yuan could still see clearly that a fox was running towards them from afar, carrying a lotus leaf in its arms.

The fox had not yet taken human form, so it was clearly a small, insignificant spirit, probably only on par with Xiangling.

When Meng Yuan went to investigate earlier, he had already discovered the little spirit, but seeing that the spirit had no special abilities, he didn't bother with it.

Since entering the mountains, Meng Yuan and Ming Yue have frequently encountered little spirits and monsters, and they've become quite used to it.

"What are you doing?" The fox rushed over anxiously. Seeing Mingyue holding Suxin's hand, it quickly stopped, but still held the lotus leaf in its hand and asked timidly, "Are you her friend?"

Mingyue released Suxin's hand, looked at the fox spirit, nodded slowly, and asked, "Do you know her?"

The fox took two steps back but remained silent, glancing between Su Xin and Ming Yue. When it looked at Su Xin, it was full of concern, while when it looked at Ming Yue, it was full of wariness.

Moreover, the fox did not notice that Meng Yuan was in the tree; it simply kept a few steps away from Mingyue, as if afraid that Mingyue would suddenly launch a surprise attack.

After a while, Su Xin's complexion improved, and she finally opened her eyes.

"You are..." Su Xin leaned against the withered tree, her brows furrowed. She was confused at first, but then she finally recognized Mingyue and immediately grabbed Mingyue's hand. "How come I remember it was Senior Brother Meng Feiyuan who came?"

"What happened?" Mingyue asked.

"Drink water." The fox spirit leaned forward, and the lotus leaf in its hands was clearly filled with water.

"I won't drink it!" Su Xin had recovered much of her strength thanks to the elixir, and she glared angrily at the fox spirit.

The fox spirit was so frightened that it retreated repeatedly, its face dejected. It wanted to say something, but when it saw the sword at Mingyue's waist, it dared not speak.

"Miss Mingyue, please save us!" Suxin grabbed Meng Yuan's wrist, her voice filled with anxiety and confusion, clearly recalling past events.

"Tell us what happened, and we'll definitely help you." Mingyue pressed down on Suxin's wrist again.

Su Xin calmed down considerably, and said helplessly, "Alas, it's truly a blessing in disguise."

She was young and rather lively. After sighing a few times, she said, "Our group originally came with Junior Sister Suwen to search for the Kingdom of Fragrance, but unexpectedly, an unnamed fog suddenly appeared. The fog contained deadly poison, and my master and Daoist Yu also met with misfortune. Only I, being playful, fell behind..."

As she spoke, Su Xin suddenly burst into tears, "Senior Sister told me to quit and go home, I..."

"Highly poisonous?" Mingyue frowned slightly. "When did this happen?"

“It was yesterday.” Su Xin remembered it clearly. She grabbed Mingyue’s sleeve and said, “There was a great demon in that mist. My uncles and the others didn’t die; they were captured by the demon!”

"What kind of demon?" Mingyue asked.

Su Xin couldn't answer, and only said dejectedly, "I can't see clearly either."

Mingyue looked at the fox spirit again, and the fox shook its head blankly, meaning it didn't recognize it and didn't know it.

“In that case, let’s go and rescue them.” Meng Yuan slowly descended from the tree.

When the fox spirit saw that there were still people around, she trembled with fright, spilling a lot of water from the lotus leaf she was holding.

"Senior Brother Meng!" Su Xin was overjoyed and immediately stood up, grabbing Meng Yuan's sleeve. Her eyes were red, but there was clearly hope in them.

It is clear that Su Xin had more faith in Meng Yuan's abilities than in Ming Yue.

"Let's talk as we walk," Meng Yuan said gently.

Su Xin knew that Meng Yuan had killed the monk Jin Hai and defeated the Nine Tribulations Master, so seeing Meng Yuan calm and composed with his hand on the hilt of his sword, she felt very at ease.

"Senior Brother Meng, you are the most capable and love reading at night. You are a good person!" Su Xin had already lost her composure, grabbing Meng Yuan's sleeve and refusing to let go. "Junior Sister Su Wen is going to return to secular life. We sisters have been asking you to be our son-in-law. You must help us!"

What is all this nonsense? Meng Yuan was at a loss for words, while Mingyue chuckled.

"Let's go now, you lead the way," Meng Yuan said.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Su Xin quickly followed.

"Tell me slowly, starting from when you left Yunshan Temple." Seeing that Su Xin was still somewhat confused, Meng Yuan encouraged her to speak so that she could gradually calm down.

Su Xin now regarded Meng Yuan as her pillar of support, and said whatever he asked without any concealment.

They left on the same day that Li Weizhen killed the Arhat Wusheng with his sword. There were seven of them in total, and they were led by Abbess Liaocun.

These nuns were very disciplined; they did not ride horses and traveled on foot the entire way.

After leaving Ping'an Prefecture, she changed her clothes, covered her face and head, and made sure not to reveal her identity as a nun. She did not cause any trouble, nor did she communicate with outsiders. She traveled day and night, wearing a cloak and rain, and just kept on her way.

Yunshan Temple has very strict rules. The nuns never go down the mountain to beg for alms. They rely on the nuns in the temple to grow and feed themselves. Therefore, these disciples are used to hardship.

A little over a month later, the nuns entered the mountains. After entering the mountains, they traveled more slowly due to the large number of people, but the nuns still had little contact with the barbarians.

After entering the mountains, they hadn't gone far when Abbess Liaocun encountered a Daoist nun who turned out to be a descendant of the Qingyang Palace, named Yun Huanian. The Qingyang Palace was one of the three major Daoist sects, and Abbess Liaocun gladly invited her to join her. They then traveled together for the rest of the journey.

In this way, there are a total of eight people. Master Liaocun is a fifth-rank Buddhist, Yun Huanian is a fifth-rank Taoist, there are two sixth-rank people, and the rest are young disciples, all of whom are at the seventh or eighth rank.

The group consisted entirely of women, and they were quite capable. Although they encountered unexpected events along the way, none of them were serious.

Moreover, because there are so many nuns, even if they encounter monsters blocking their way, they usually just teach them a lesson and never kill them.

However, after a month or so in the mountains, the group lost their way. Suwen originally had a map leading to the Xiangji Kingdom, but it was completely illegible and could no longer be compared with the mountains and rivers.

Having exhausted all other options, Abbess Liaocun and Yun Huanian discussed the matter and decided to continue their journey.

The deeper they went into the mountains, the more spirits and monsters they encountered, and snakes and insects appeared frequently. Fortunately, Suwen was the most knowledgeable in medicine, so no one was harmed.

The young nuns had never traveled such a long distance before. Although they were under the guidance of their teachers, as time went on and they had not encountered any harm, they inevitably became more carefree and felt a sense of liberation. As a result, they slowed down and stopped to admire any rare flowers or plants they encountered.

Master Liaocun was a gentle person. Although she did not indulge her disciples, she gradually became more lax.

Five days ago, the group arrived at a valley.

The entrance to the valley was narrow, but the further one went in, the wider and deeper it became. After walking three or four miles, one saw exotic flowers and rare herbs, flying birds and white deer, cranes and flowering trees, like a fairyland on earth.

Master Liaocun rarely traveled far, but she was not young after all and knew that there must be something strange about this place. Therefore, she and Yun Huanian from Qingyang Palace split up. She led a few disciples in front, while Yun Huanian and the others followed behind.

But after traveling another mile or so, they saw only a few spirits drinking and laughing by a stream, and there was nothing unusual about them.

The valley was long and winding, and Master Liaocun had no idea where it stretched to. She explored for more than ten miles before turning back.

Seeing this, Abbess Liaocun decided to set up camp, but strictly forbade her disciples from collecting medicinal herbs, fearing that something else might happen.

Yun Huanian of Qingyang Palace was also cautious. After checking the surroundings and finding no danger, he agreed to set up camp and rest.

As evening approached, the valley was bustling with activity, with flowers, birds, butterflies, white deer, and cranes either hiding or flying away.

No one noticed anything amiss. Abbess Liaocun took two disciples on night duty, while the rest of the people rested.

But at midnight, a large plume of yellow smoke suddenly appeared in the valley, instantly obscuring the area where the tents were pitched.

Master Liaocun and Yun Huanian were originally cautious, and they set up tents in all four directions in a scattered manner, forming a triangular formation. However, the smoke came too fast and too fiercely, and they couldn't react at all.

The smoke was strange; it wasn't particularly pungent, but just smelling it made you feel weak and dizzy.

The nuns who were able to come on this official business trip all possessed some special abilities, but even though they practiced Buddhism, they could only use about 30% of their supernatural powers.

That nun Liaocun was quite skilled in Taoism, but for some unknown reason, she also fell victim to the spell. When the fog rose, she disappeared without a trace, and it was impossible to tell whether she was dead or alive.

It was by chance that Su Xin found out. She couldn't sleep at night, so she used the excuse of needing to urinate to take Su Wen to find that stream, hoping to wash away the dirt.

However, Suwen was an honest child and dared not do it without the permission of his teachers. In the end, he could not resist Suxin's pleas and only agreed to help guard the place, but he dared not wash it at all.

The stream was about waist-deep, and Su Xin was enjoying herself, even catching a few fish to play with. Just as she was having a good time, Su Xin heard Su Wen's anxious calls.

Su Xin then realized that fog had rolled in. She hurriedly put on her monk's robes, but lost one of her shoes. She wanted to go find Abbess Cun, but she heard Su Wen's voice coming from the fog, telling her to run away quickly and find help.

"I had no choice but to run out of the valley, but the mist still seeped into my body, and I became dizzy and weak. I barely managed to get here."

Su Xin was still shaken. "I took the wrong path and wanted to go back to find my martial aunts, but I had no strength left. The poisonous fog attacked my heart, and I fell from a great height..."

She was quite young, and suddenly faced with such a calamity, she began to cry as she spoke.

"Did you see a monster with your own eyes?" Mingyue asked.

"No." Su Xin quickly shook her head. "I just heard shouts in the mist, and it sounded like there were also shadowy figures fighting. Actually, I didn't see any monsters, so I'm not sure..."

Seeing this, Mingyue and Mengyuan exchanged a glance, both quite certain that Suxin had never traveled far from home or encountered any misfortune.

However, since everyone ended up inside, there must be some explanation for that poisonous fog.

Moreover, the poisonous fog doesn't form early in the morning or late at night; it just so happens to form at night.

It's strange that Abbess Liaocun and Yun Huanian of Qingyang Palace, both of whom possessed Taoist skills, couldn't withstand the poisonous fog.

Those who cultivate themselves, especially those who follow Confucianism, Buddhism, or Taoism, have methods to isolate themselves from such external disturbances.

Even though the poisonous fog was strange and the younger generation couldn't resist it, it was still a bit strange that the two experts fell for it and neither of them escaped.

"Did that Daoist nun Yun Huanian from Qingyang Palace really not say anything strange?" Mingyue couldn't help but suspect that Yun Huanian was behind it.

Upon hearing this, Su Xin shook her head repeatedly and said, "That senior sister is very kind and gentle! She told us a lot about things in the outside world, and we learned a lot!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan recalled Xiang Ling mentioning the old fox who had arranged the marriage for her.

After glancing at the fox spirit following behind him, Meng Yuan asked Su Xin, "What brings Yun Huanian into the mountain? Why is Abbess Liaocun willing to travel with her?"

"She said she came to find the son of an old friend." Su Xin said, glancing at Mingyue, "She said his name was something like Dugu Kang."

Hearing this, Meng Yuan and Mingyue believed it.

"Why are you still following me?" Su Xin asked, glaring at the fox spirit who was still following her.

"We made a deal, I'll help you this time, and you can agree to anything I ask!" The fox spirit had already thrown away the lotus leaf and was now hiding behind a tree, peeking out with its head, clearly afraid of Meng Yuan and Mingyue.

Su Xin blushed instantly. She remembered that foxes in the supernatural tales she had read were mostly lustful, and she said angrily, "A monk does not lie, so of course I agree! But if you want me to be your wife, that is absolutely impossible!"

"Are you crazy?" the fox spirit exclaimed in surprise. "I'm just trying to earn some money, and you want to marry me? Only a fool would get married. If we divorce, we'd have to divide the inheritance, and I'd still have to earn money to feed her. Don't think that just because I'm a mountain fox, you can harm me!"

"..." Su Xin remained stunned, unable to utter a word.

"What you say couldn't be more true, young friend." Meng Yuan smiled, took the money, and tossed it to the fox spirit.

The fox spirit took the silver, weighed it carefully, and was clearly satisfied. He said nothing more and turned to leave.

But after walking a few steps, the fox spirit turned back and said, "Ahead lies the territory of the legendary Xiangji Kingdom. Be careful."

"You've been inside?" Mingyue pressed.

"I've heard my elders talk about it, but I've never seen it," the fox spirit shook its head earnestly.

Meng Yuan asked again, and they were already planning to give money.

But this fox spirit was clearly too inexperienced and naive; without taking any money, she revealed everything she knew.

Seeing that the fox truly did not know, the three continued on their way.

(End of this chapter)