Arhats Subduing Demons: Starting with The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber

Chapter 144 Isolation from the Mortal World
Early in the morning, the noise from the dock startled Xiaomeng.

Yun Changkong was still half asleep, the fragrance of his pillow lingering and the warmth of his quilt still present, but Zhao Min was nowhere to be seen beside him.

Looking around, Zhao Min, with her long, flowing hair cascading down her back, was sitting on a stool, combing her hair in front of the small window.

A ray of morning light shone through the window, illuminating her charming smile and making her even more radiant.

Yun Changkong immediately rolled out of bed, embraced Zhao Min, and exclaimed joyfully, "Minmin, how can you be so beautiful?"

Zhao Min buried her face in his strong chest and said in a sweet voice, "Am I beautiful? Then who is more beautiful, me or the former number one beauty in the martial arts world?"

Yun Changkong was stunned for a moment, but then he thought of the Purple-Robed Dragon King's charm and thought that only if the two of them were together could he properly judge her. He couldn't help but breathe a little faster.

Zhao Min noticed his heavy breathing and blushed as she said, "Let me go quickly, Xiao Zhao will come in soon."

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "No, she wouldn't disturb my good time. The day begins in the morning, so I have to work hard to make you give me a precious son."

Zhao Min gently pushed Yun Changkong away and whispered, "Good brother, don't you ever get tired? Wasn't last night... enough?"

Yun Changkong said softly, "How could that be? Even if I could hold you in my arms for the rest of my life, I still couldn't!"
You can criticize me for not improving, but it's only because you're too charming.

Zhao Min said coquettishly, "How many people have you said this to?"

Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.

Yun Changkong's heart skipped a beat for no reason. He hurriedly put on his clothes, looking very uneasy. Zhao Min chuckled and saw that he had already put on his pants. She got up and opened the door.

Then you see Xiao Zhao's toiletries, standing gracefully outside the cabin.

Yun Changkong hurriedly said, "Xiao Zhao, you don't need to do this anymore. I can do it myself."

Xiao Zhao stared intently at Yun Changkong's face with a complex expression on her face, and said, "Did I disturb you?"

Yun Changkong said, "No, no." He quickly ushered Xiao Zhao in.

Xiao Zhao helped him wash his face, and Zhao Min combed his hair.

Xiao Zhao said, "Miss Zhou said that her master is temporarily residing in a Guanyin temple called 'White Robe Nunnery,' which is not far from here."

Mount Emei is the sacred site of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, but it is quite normal for nuns to worship Guanyin and stay temporarily in Guanyin temples.

Yun Changkong sighed and said, "Your mother didn't punish her, did she?"

Xiao Zhao shook her head and said, "No, my mother only mentioned the name of Granny Jin Hua, and Miss Zhou confessed everything."

Zhao Min snorted: "Miss Zhou is truly a remarkable woman!"

Yun Changkong knew about the feud between Granny Jin Hua and the Emei Sect. Zhou Zhiruo naturally knew what was good for her. She was certain that she and Zhang Wuji would not use any tricks on her, but others might not, especially since she had fought with Abbess Miejue. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I want to write a letter to Abbess Miejue."

Zhao Min said, "Aren't you going yourself?"

Yun Changkong shook his head and said, "Zhou Zhiruo must be taken to the isolated island. Let's proceed normally!"

Zhao Min joked, "Why take her away? Does the great hero Yun intend to embrace all kinds of things and be all-encompassing?"

Xiao Zhao's expression changed drastically, and she said, "This woman is not a good person, husband, you absolutely cannot."

Princess Zhao Min laughed loudly, "Xiao Zhao, why are you in such a hurry than I am?"

Yun Changkong sighed, "Yun Changkong has already been blessed by the heavens to have you as his wife, how could he have such thoughts?"

However, Zhou Zhiruo's nature is unpredictable. If we kill her, it would be like killing someone without teaching them a lesson, which would be a pity.

If we let her go, in this chaotic world where heroes rise up everywhere, with her beauty and abilities, if she so desired, even without relying on martial arts, simply offering herself would cause us endless trouble.”

Zhao Min said in a coquettish voice, "It seems you know a lot about this. When a woman turns love into hate, that's a terrible thing!"

Yun Changkong said, "I never underestimate women. Throughout history, countless heroes have fallen into the hands of women."

Han Xin, whose military prowess was unparalleled, died at the hands of a woman.

Dong Zhuo bullied the imperial family, treated the officials like slaves, and committed arson, murder, rape, and abduction. The eighteen warlords could do nothing against him. Yet, a mere woman, relying on her beauty and wisdom, used her influence to sow discord and caused him to suffer the calamity of having his navel burned, resulting in the extermination of his entire family.

If Zhou Zhiruo is truly filled with resentment and goes all out, countless men would be willing to risk their lives for her. This is something we must be wary of!

Xiao Zhao smiled and said, "I'm relieved that you think that way, my husband."

Prepare writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone immediately.

Yun Changkong quickly wrote a letter, went out, found an innkeeper at the dock, gave him a silver ingot, and asked him to deliver the letter to Baiyi Nunnery. He also said that if the letter was delivered, the other party would give him ten taels of silver.

The waiter was overjoyed and went immediately.

After Yun Changkong boarded the ship, he immediately weighed anchor.

Granny Jin Hua had already inquired about the location of Peach Blossom Island from the surrounding boatmen.

The wind rose, the boat moved, rounded a cape, and entered a vast ocean. Although there were waves along the way, it was not a big problem, and soon we arrived at Peach Blossom Island.

The island is named after the immortal Ge Hong, who cultivated Taoism there. When he ascended to heaven, he splashed ink on a rock, and the ink transformed into peach blossoms that remained there. Originally, there were no peach trees on the island; it was only after Huang Yaoshi settled there that many peach trees were planted.

Winter had arrived, and the flowers and trees had withered, yet the trees still stretched as far as the eye could see. The group climbed to the top of a tree on the island and looked around. To the south was the sea, to the west were bare rocks, and to the northeast were endless trees, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly, Granny Jin Hua said, "The paths here are arranged according to the five elements and directions, so you must not wander around randomly."

Yun Changkong nodded, confirming that this was indeed Peach Blossom Island.

Granny Jin Hua and Xiao Zhao are both proficient in the Five Elements and Qimen Dunjia techniques. If they were to investigate, they would surely know how to enter the island.

Yun Changkong immediately ordered the boatmen to unload the prepared food and supplies, and left several small boats behind. Zhao Min, Jin Hua, and Xiao Zhao then discussed the route to the island.

While watching Granny Jin Hua calculate the path, Zhao Min laughed and said, "Brother Yun, do you think Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, is the best in terms of his skills in medicine, divination, astrology, Qimen Dunjia, and martial arts?"

Yun Changkong said, "Any skill is fine, enough to make a living. He has a song called 'The Rising Tide of the Azure Sea,' which is what I admire most!"

Xiao Zhao asked, "What is 'The Song of the Rising Tide of the Azure Sea'?"

Granny Jin Hua asked, "Is it a flute piece?"

Yun Changkong nodded and said, "This piece of music is extraordinary. It can trap people in an illusion. If someone has done something wrong, no matter how strong their internal energy is, they will not be able to resist it." He glanced at Zhou Zhiruo.

Zhou Zhiruo stared at him and said, "What do you mean?"

Yun Changkong said, "It doesn't mean anything!"

He was referring to Zhou Botong, a man with profound internal strength. However, due to his affair with Ying Gu, he felt guilty and was almost driven mad by Huang Yaoshi's song, but was saved by Guo Jing.

Neither of them had superior internal strength, and both were of pure heart. However, Zhou Botong had a guilty conscience, so he was unable to resist, while Guo Jing was not only able to resist but also to save Zhou Botong, leaving the latter completely puzzled.

Zhao Min laughed and said, "No wonder you said people should have a conscience."

Yun Changkong pointed to his heart and said solemnly, "The so-called righteousness and evil, good and evil, are right here in this small space. Ordinary people talk about judging by actions rather than intentions, because no one is perfect when it comes to intentions."

However, those who cultivate internal energy focus on the mind rather than the actions. Especially when cultivating profound internal energy, if one cannot align one's mind and intention, one will naturally not be able to achieve perfect harmony, and even a lifetime of practice will not yield much success.

Therefore, the "Azure Sea Tide Melody" is the martial art that Huang Yaoshi finds most difficult to resist!

As they were talking, the boatman finished unloading the goods. Yun Changkong gave them a hundred taels of silver and sent them back. Then, with a single palm strike, he sent a hundred-pound boulder flying into the sea, saying, "If anyone dares to leak this matter, this boulder will serve as an example!"

The boatmen were so terrified by the power of his palm strike that they all swore an oath and sailed away.

Granny Jin Hua also figured out how to get to the island, so she immediately led the way. She took Xiao Zhao's hand, Xiao Zhao took Zhao Min's hand, Zhao Min took Yun Changkong's hand, and Yun Changkong took Zhou Zhiruo's hand.

Along the way, the group observed carefully and discovered that the island was covered with lush trees, and a clear stream meandered out of the woods and flowed into the sea, with schools of fish and shrimp swimming in it.

Occasionally, one or two deer or lambs would leap across the stream, creating a scene of utter paradise, which captivated the group.

Zhao Min said, "It's still winter. If it were springtime, this place would be so beautiful. Wouldn't it have been better for Guo Jing and Huang Rong to enjoy themselves here back then? Why did they have to sacrifice their lives for Xiangyang City? Sigh!"

Zhou Zhiruo said, "Hero Guo has the ambition to stand tall and upright and the heart to save the people from suffering. Heroine Huang also has the desire to relieve the world from its predicament and save the lives of the common people. How can they be compared to ordinary mortals?"
Those who indulge in pleasure and cling to beautiful women, seeking only liberation through a life of debauchery, naturally cannot understand this.

Zhao Min was annoyed by Zhou Zhiruo's sharp rebuke, but she kept a straight face and said with a smile, "Is it to relieve the suffering of the people? I, the Great Emperor Kublai Khan, also said so. But as you Han people Wen Tianxiang said, what you are doing is trampling on the lives of the living!"

Knowing that the two women were at odds and constantly clashing, Yun Changkong said to Zhou Zhiruo, "It is precisely because the great hero Guo and his wife helped those in distress, rectified the world, and disregarded their own interests that they deserve the title of 'great hero.' If someone as frivolous and reckless as me, indulging in the pleasures of men and women, could be like him, would the great hero Guo still be worthy of his name being passed down for hundreds of years?"

His words left Zhou Zhiruo speechless, but she said with great resentment, "The Mongols have made this world a place of misery, with bones scattered everywhere and fields lying barren. We should help them and restore order."

But some people, who clearly possess great skills, just fawn over a few women; they don't deserve to have those skills at all!

Yun Changkong smiled slightly and said, "Of course there will be heroes who will save the world, but not someone like me who is wandering in the dust!"

Xiao Zhao said, "What Miss Zhou said makes sense, but you only know the surface and not the essence."

Zhou Zhiruo asked, "What do you mean?"

Xiao Zhao said, word by word, "Everyone has their own ambitions! Forcing someone to do something they don't want to do is the worst thing you can do!"

Yun Changkong laughed heartily: "Xiao Zhao's words resonate deeply with me!"

He added, "Miss Zhou, how much will you have to go through to become the leader of the Emei Sect? Not to mention, in this time of great chaos and the rise of heroes, how will you bring order to the world?"

Throughout history, spanning thousands of years, it has all boiled down to the struggle to become emperor.

However, if you wish to exert your power throughout the land and spread your virtue across the world, the first priority is to win the hearts of heroes and make them serve you. If you can't even win the hearts of your fellow disciples in the Emei Sect, how can you expect to win the hearts of the entire world?

Even if you have the ability and they listen to you, people's hearts are fickle. Can you be sure they will never change their minds? Won't they develop the idea of ​​replacing you?
We must be on guard at all times, and even then, it might not be effective!
How many emperors have been successfully usurped from the throne?

You are a woman. Even if you become empress one day, who knows if the emperor's other concubines will not want to take your place?
Or perhaps you have a son and will inevitably make plans for him, but others don't, and don't want to become emperor?
How much messy things are involved? Have you ever thought about it?

Among the emperors of the past, Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Taizu of Song are the most famous. When Qin Shi Huang was alive, his mother and lover wanted to replace him. After he died, all his children were killed.

Emperor Wu of Han was a powerful and valiant ruler throughout his life, but in his later years, the witchcraft scandal led to the tragic deaths of his empress and son. Do you think he was happy about that?
Emperor Taizong of Tang killed his brother and imprisoned his father, yet he considered his achievements as his own. As a result, his crown prince rebelled, and his children were not virtuous. Do you understand his suffering?
Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, was renowned throughout the land for his martial prowess and extraordinary prowess. Which emperor could compare? But what was the outcome?

Not only did his younger brother seize the throne, but his own son also died under mysterious circumstances. Do you think conquering the world is so easy, and being a leader is so easy?
Let me tell you, there are countless people who want to reach the pinnacle of power, but only one can actually sit on it and stay there.

The others didn't make it up; they died!

Some people die in a spectacular way, while others choke to death while eating, drown while playing in the water, or die on a woman's belly, never knowing why!
A girl shouldn't be so ambitious. If she could live a peaceful and carefree life with her beloved in a picturesque place, that would be the greatest happiness in life.

Yun Changkong has always disliked tedious affairs and only sought leisure and freedom. Therefore, even in this chaotic world, knowing that if he stood up, there would be people to help him, he was unwilling to worry about it.

For example, if he were the emperor, would he dare to let a martial arts expert like Zhao Min sleep next to him?

Why did Ying Gu cuckold the Southern Emperor? It was because he was the emperor and couldn't teach his concubines acupressure techniques for fear of causing trouble. Zhou Botong taught them, leading to their secret affair. Zhou Zhiruo, unaware of all this, listened in a daze.

As they spoke, the group arrived at a bamboo grove and entered.

Inside the bamboo grove stands a pavilion made of bamboo branches. It looks dilapidated, but there is a horizontal plaque on the pavilion that can be vaguely seen with the three characters "Sword Testing Pavilion". On both sides hang a couplet that reads: "Peach blossoms fall, shadows fly, divine swords fly; blue sea tides rise, jade flutes play."

Inside the pavilion are bamboo tables and chairs, all old items from many years ago. Beside the bamboo pavilion stand two large pine trees, several meters tall, with gnarled branches, which must be hundreds of years old.

Zhao Min laughed and said, "We can't just rest here; we need to find a place to settle down!"

The group wound their way out of the bamboo grove and came upon a large lotus pond. For some reason, the pond was still filled with the fragrance of flowers, and a small stone embankment ran through it.

Looking around, I found the scenery here to be quite pleasant.

The spring water flowing down from the mountain all gathers into the lake, and the overflowing water flows into the sea through three streams, one of which we just saw.

Xiao Zhao said, "This place is really beautiful."

Zhou Zhiruo coldly replied, "If Master Huang and Hero Guo knew in the afterlife that the Mongol Tartars had entered this place, they would surely be dissatisfied."

Zhao Min was furious, her face turning pale with rage, and she wished she could kill Zhou Zhiruo immediately. However, she was always a composed person, knowing that killing Zhou Zhiruo now would only displease Yun Changkong. And she would never do anything to displease Yun Changkong.

Yun Changkong laughed and said, "Island Master Huang and Hero Guo's sons-in-law are both Khitan Tartars, and the father of this Khitan Tartar was once the Prime Minister of Mongolia. How could he possibly find it strange!"

Zhao Min smiled slightly, while Zhou Zhiruo glared fiercely at Yun Changkong.

Behind the small dike stood several elegant houses. The houses were all built of unpeeled pine trees, and the outside was covered with climbing vines. Each person entered a house, which was filled with dust and showed no signs of human habitation.

Yun Changkong said, "It's quite ideal that my family is here."

Zhao Min laughed and said, "On the condition that there are no crocodiles in this lake!"

Yun Changkong said, "This paradise on earth can only have mermaids!"

The girls all blushed.

Yun Changkong said, "Alright, I'll check around to see if there are any wild beasts. I don't want my precious little one to get hurt!"

Zhou Zhiruo snorted: "What ferocious beasts would a disciple of Emei be afraid of?"

Zhao Min said, "You're talking about his darling, aren't you?"

Zhou Zhiruo's face flushed red, and she was speechless.

Yun Changkong looked around and hunted some wild game. There were only fish, shrimp and water birds in the lake, no crocodiles or other ferocious beasts.

Granny Jin Hua and the other women also started cleaning the house.

Zhao Min, being of noble birth, also joined in. Zhou Zhiruo, despite her firm words, naturally dared not refrain from intervening.

Yun Changkong started a fire by the lake to roast wild game. In the evening, the group ate the delicious game by the lake while discussing the situation on the island.

After the meal, the group went off the island again, carried the boxes back to the house, and started cooking.

Yun Changkong said he wanted to learn to play the flute from Zhao Min, the Purple-Robed Dragon King, and Zhao Min. He thought of Huang Yaoshi's "Blue Sea Tide Song". If he could learn how to play the flute and incorporate his internal energy into the music, it would be a great innovation.

Zhao Min, the Purple-Robed Dragon King, and Xiao Zhao were all skilled in music, and Yun Changkong was even more pleased that he had taken the initiative to ask them for advice.

However, Zhou Zhiruo never said another word, only gazing at the horizon from time to time, lost in thought.

Yun Changkong and Zhao Min found it inconvenient to talk to her, so only Xiao Zhao would sometimes go over and say a few words to her. After they finished speaking, the two of them would fall silent again.

On this day, Yun Changkong and Zhao Min arrived at the highest mountain on the island. A bright moon rose from the sea, its clear light drifting down, turning the thousands of miles of sea waves into a silver world.

Yun Changkong and Zhao Min gazed at the sea, sat down side by side, looked at the moon over the sea, and listened to the sound of the waves.

Zhao Min leaned on Yun Changkong's shoulder and suddenly said, "I reckon Abbess Miejue will be here soon. Can you persuade her to stay?"

Yun Changkong smiled and said, "How can there be any certainty? No one can truly understand the pain of having their own family member killed."

Zhao Min said, "What about Zhou Zhiruo? You've been so good to her. If the person who keeps threatening to kill you were a man, would you say something like 'killing someone without warning'?"

Yun Changkong sighed: "Actually, she's been holding back a lot of anger for a long time, she just needed to find someone to vent it on. I've known her for a while, so she sent it to me."

But upon closer reflection, it is precisely this feudalistic dogma of arranged marriages caused this trouble.

Zhao Min laughed and said, "Only you dare to say that arranged marriages are dogma. How many people in this world can actually decide their own marriages? It's always been this way!"

Yun Changkong said, "That's always been the case, but it's not necessarily right! If a man and a woman don't meet, don't know each other, and don't ask for each other's opinions, but you force them to get married, that's disrespectful and harmful."

Suddenly, a crisp voice said, "Since you say you're harming people, aren't you doing the same thing?"

The two of them shuddered and turned around to look. They saw Xiao Zhao, dressed in green, standing to one side, her eyes like autumn water, gazing into the distance.

She had a delicate and refined oval face, eyes with a hint of sea blue, and snow-white skin, possessing a unique beauty compared to women from the Central Plains.

The moonlight shone on her, forming a curtain of light that made her look incredibly beautiful.

Yun Changkong stared at Xiao Zhao, lost in thought.

"Stunned?" Zhao Min pouted and snorted, "Xiao Zhao, what do you mean by that?"

Xiao Zhao said, "My mother said she hopes I will find a good partner for life. Leader Zhang is a good person. She asked me if I like him and said that when Lord Yun leaves the island, I should go and meet him. Isn't it because you think I'm in your way?"

Yun Changkong and Zhao Min exchanged a glance. Yun Changkong said, "Sect Leader Zhang is indeed a good person, but we don't think you're in our way!"

Xiao Zhao snorted coldly: "Is that so? You don't say it, but you think I'm in your way."

Zhao Min suppressed a laugh and said, "That's what your mother thinks, it has nothing to do with us. Don't take your anger out on us!"

Xiao Zhao's delicate body trembled, and her heart ached again. She said coldly, "Master Yun, I think that besides the order from her parents, there's also the reason why Miss Zhou hates you so much. Let me ask you, did you actually tell Abbess Miejue that you would marry Miss Zhou to her?"

Yun Changkong's face flushed: "Those were things I did when I was young and impetuous, and I have apologized for them many times."

"Is an apology enough?" Xiao Zhao said with great dissatisfaction. "A girl's reputation is the most important thing. What gives you the right to take what you want and then refuse it? You look down on women."

Yun Changkong asked in surprise, "What did Zhou Zhiruo say to you? Why are you speaking up for her like this?"

Xiao Zhao's clear, beautiful eyes flashed with a cold light as she sneered, "I'm a woman, and I can understand her misfortune. I think you're in the wrong in this matter. A man's word is his bond. Since you said it, you should have done it. You can play around with life and treat everything as a game, but others aren't you. You're just taking advantage of your strength to bully girls!"

Yun Changkong was speechless after being scolded by her.

Zhao Min laughed and said, "So you think it's only natural that people hate him to the bone because he refused to marry Miss Zhou? That's why you've come here to interrogate him?"

Xiao Zhao blushed and said, "I, I..."

Zhao Min said, "Are you stuttering? Can't you speak properly?"

"Don't bully Xiao Zhao!" Suddenly, footsteps were heard, and Zhou Zhiruo came from behind.

Zhao Min straightened up and said, "What are you doing here?"

Zhou Zhiruo slowly walked to a spot three or four steps away from Yun Changkong and stopped, looking him over.

Zhou Zhiruo appeared indifferent, yet her eyes flickered with a complex mix of emotions.

By the moonlight, Zhao Min saw her exquisitely beautiful face, and even her green dress could not hide her graceful figure. She was taken aback and thought to herself, "Brother Yun said that with her looks, if she harbored evil intentions, there would be endless trouble. It is indeed true!"

Zhao Min, born into royalty, naturally knew the destructive power of beautiful women; men would do anything to win them over. She felt a pang of pity for her, let alone for the old servant, and thus understood Yun Changkong's concerns and supported his actions.

At this moment, the sea breeze blew, the moon hung in the sky, and its light shone across the mountaintops. Zhou Zhiruo was enveloped in it, like Chang'e descending to earth, her whole body emitting a faint glow.

Seeing this, Yun Changkong suddenly felt a surge of emotion: "If I didn't have the advantage of foresight, would I, like Zhang Wuji, be willing to be deceived by a girl like her?"

Xiao Zhao said, "Master Yun, are you going to have my mother marry me off to Leader Zhang? Tell me!"

Yun Changkong was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, "I didn't!" But he knew that if he said that, he would disappoint the Purple-Robed Dragon King's plans for his daughter!
He felt that as a mother, it was only natural for him to have this plan!

No mother could possibly want herself and her daughter to follow the same man; that would be utterly absurd!
Just as they were in a dilemma, they suddenly heard a soft sigh: "A tragedy, all of this is a tragedy!"

A figure in purple robes floated in as if riding the wind.

"who are you?"

Zhou Zhiruo turned her head and was very surprised.

It turned out that Granny Jin Hua had appeared in the form of the Purple-Robed Dragon King.

Zhou Zhiruo saw that beneath the purple robe was a beautiful woman with pale skin, almond-shaped eyes, and peach-blossom cheeks.

Her jet-black hair was piled high, adorned with a kingfisher feather hairpin with eight phoenixes. Under the moonlight, it shimmered and made her face appear even whiter and more delicate. She had an apricot-shaped face and peach-like cheeks. Her hair and eyes were black, but she had a high nose and deep-set eyes, quite different from women from the Central Plains. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, and she exuded a charming and mature aura.

Whether it was from walking quickly just now or from what Xiao Zhao said, the Purple-Robed Dragon King's face flushed slightly, adding to her charm.

Zhou Zhiruo, who was confident in her beauty, couldn't help but stare blankly.

Even though this wasn't Yun Changkong's first time seeing the Purple-Robed Dragon King, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Her mature beauty is truly unmatched."

Zhao Min, Zhou Zhiruo, and Xiao Zhao are all charming and beautiful, each with their own unique style. However, the former number one beauty in the martial arts world possesses both alluring beauty and a dignified and solemn air. The pained and reluctant expression on her face as she looks at Xiao Zhao makes the hearts of the others tremble.

Xiao Zhao lowered her head and said, "Mother, I don't want to go anywhere!"

Zhou Zhiruo then realized and was suddenly startled: "You are Granny Jin Hua?"

That's what she called her, but it felt like she was an older sister; the word "mother-in-law" didn't suit her at all.

Yun Changkong asked, "Miss Zhou, what brings you here?"

Zhou Zhiruo pondered for a moment, then immediately understood. Granny Jin Hua was in disguise; she was an extremely intelligent person. She said, "I've heard what you said and I understand. Your words about marrying me were spoken only to my master; there was no third person."

My master said that your father had proposed to Chief Shi, and to save face, he said that you had proposed to her, but she refused because she was too young. It was just a polite formality.

You never showed me any affection; it was just wishful thinking on my part. I was wrong.

As for Master Zhang, I've always considered him someone I met by chance, but he's been very kind to me.

Besides, since he agreed to marry Yin Li, she is someone who can care for and love him, and I am far inferior to her.
Furthermore, his adoptive father killed my master's older brother. Even if the hatred could be resolved, they could not be married. I should hate him even more!

I believe time can change everything, so as soon as my master arrived, I became a nun, secluded myself from worldly affairs, and devoted myself to Buddhist practice.

(End of this chapter)