The Beauty and the Swordsman

Kuang Ye proposed going down the mountain to travel, mainly for Pei Lingyou's sake.

Firstly, to help her regain the points;

Secondly, everyone thought that Pei Lingyou's robbing of military funds to raise money was over, but he had been observing what would happen next.

According to the latest information, because the amount of money involved is huge and there are many suspicious points, the matter has reached the ears of the emperor.

The emperor was furious and ordered a thorough investigation into the truth.

Kuang Ye was worried that if he stayed in Tongchen Sect, and the clues pointed to Pei Lingyou, even if the theft of military funds had nothing to do with her, he would still be implicated in a major disaster.

After careful consideration, Kuang Ye felt that it was most appropriate to take Pei Lingyou to avoid the limelight for the time being.

Adding to the incident at Qingfeng Mountain, everyone, including Kuang Ye, realized that Pei Lingyou was not some arrogant and reckless man with high martial arts skills.

She is straightforward and genuine, and often acts without considering the consequences. It's not that she doesn't know the consequences, but that she simply doesn't care.

She's like Sun Wukong causing havoc in heaven; she just wants to have fun and doesn't care who she offends.

But when she gets serious, she's clearer than anyone else.

Therefore, Kuang Ye felt that going down the mountain to travel was a good thing with no harm whatsoever.

As for the debt of over a thousand taels, he never took it seriously from the beginning.

Pingping joined the team solely to make money.

She couldn't bear to see her senior sister suffer alone with such a huge debt.

Therefore, she ordered several disciples of the Tongchen Sect to carry five boxes of silver coins to the money exchange at the foot of the mountain to exchange them for silver notes, so that they could be sent back to the Huntian Gang.

It just so happened that Kuang Ye had brought along several disciples who had been busy collecting silver coins for two days.

The disciples didn't say anything, but they were complaining inwardly. They didn't know what was wrong with these people. One minute they were exchanging silver notes for silver coins, and the next minute they were exchanging silver coins for silver notes. Now they felt like vomiting whenever they saw silver.

You can't spit it on the ground, because Chen Gui will keep a small notebook to keep track of the score.

Fortunately, Chen Gui and Shou Mo were already packing their bags. As soon as the two of them left the mountain gate, the entire Tongchen Sect felt a great sense of relief and could relax for a few days.

Ren Wofei and Zhao Xingxing also bid farewell to the smiling representatives of various sects.

Upon hearing that the Great Demon King Pei Lingyou was leaving for a long time, the representatives of various sects were practically ready to set off firecrackers in celebration, bowing and sending him off, and repeatedly wishing him a safe journey.

Thus, six out of the seven people had already made their arrangements.

Everything was ready, except for Pei Lingyou.

Everyone in Tongchen Sect searched inside and out, but no one knew where she had gone.

Pingping said, "Senior Sister went out before it got dark. She didn't say what she was going to do, just that she would be back at dawn."

Everyone was used to Pei Lingyou's unrestrained style, except for Kuang Ye, who looked worried and sensed something unusual.

He remembered that the last time Pei Lingyou disappeared was when the priest was about to be born.

At that time, he was busy with the martial law inside and outside Huaguang Mountain, participating in the grand ceremony and other affairs, and was so busy that he didn't have time to rest.

But he noticed that she seemed to have stayed out all night, just like today.

Calculating the time, it's exactly thirty days.

"What day is it today? It seems to be the end of the last day of the month, and the new moon is about to appear," Kuang Ye murmured, gazing at the dark, moonless night sky.

The sigh in his voice was a sense of desolation at having no right to ask questions.

Meanwhile, on the other side, at the Xinghan Hall of Wanxiang Mountain.

Inside the absolutely sealed inner chamber, a huge warm pool was filled with steam. Pei Lingyou, wearing only a single garment, was submerged in the pool.

She curled up in a ball, trembling uncontrollably, the intense pain causing her to scream.

But the warm water blocked out all sound, and all that could be seen was her face, contorted and broken in the ripples of the water, as she was in so much pain.

She was almost completely submerged in the water, with only one pale arm sticking out of the pool.

Si Lin, dressed in a priest's robe, sat cross-legged by the pool with his eyes closed, chanting scriptures while pressing his slender fingers on Pei Lingyou's pulse.

His expression was as cold as the moon, as distant as a deity enshrined in a temple, with only the slight dampness at his temples indicating that he was also a mortal.

When the pain reached its peak, Pei Lingyou couldn't help but turn her hand over and grab Si Lin's wrist.

She instinctively strained because of the pain, her fingers almost tearing through his pale skin.

But he never dodged; he simply chanted the sutras faster and more firmly.

Pei Lingyou would occasionally climb up from the water to catch her breath. When she saw Si Lin's face was slightly flushed, her forehead was sweaty, and her wrists were covered in red welts from her scratches, she gasped for breath despite the excruciating pain, but still managed a forced smile and teased him:

"You know... don't we look alike... like we just did *that*? Hahaha..."

Si Lin, being inexperienced in such matters and having only learned about them from the elephant, didn't understand what she was talking about at first. When she realized what she was saying, a hint of helplessness appeared between her brows. She didn't speak, but it was clear that she was saying that even though Pei Lingyou was in such a bad state from the poison, she still couldn't resist being sarcastic.

Seeing through his thoughts, Pei Lingyou laughed again and sank back into the water.

Over and over again, countless times.

Pei Lingyou gradually felt exhausted and was almost drowning at the bottom of the pool.

But Si Lin's hand was like the last straw, holding her tightly and giving her the thought that she could persevere and hold on a little longer.

About an hour later, the transition between the new moon and the waning moon finally passed.

Pei Lingyou slowly climbed out of the pool and collapsed onto the soft blanket, utterly exhausted.

The poison always exhausted her, leaving her so tired that she didn't even want to move a finger.

Si Lin sat back down in front of the incense table and began to fiddle with the leaves as before.

A single-leaf grass leaf with teeth marks, and two red maple leaves that were tried to be preserved but still have some crumbs falling off.

His expression was calm, neither happy nor sad.

"Thanks, you silly boy," Pei Lingyou said weakly.

Knowing that the poison would take effect that day, she left Tongchen Sect before sunset and headed straight for Wanxiang Mountain.

Originally, she didn't trust anyone in this world.

But Si Lin had already witnessed her poisoning and helped alleviate much of her pain. Afterwards, he did not reveal her poisoning to anyone, so she simply came to find him again.

Si Lin clearly knew she would come, and had already ordered a hot spring to be prepared in the inner room.

"Then what will you do? The seven of you will be traveling down the mountain for at least six months. You won't have time to come to me every month when the poison flares up."

Pei Lingyou knew that nothing could escape Si Lin's divination, and sighed:

"Give me a copy of that A or B scripture. I'll need it if I get poisoned during my travels."

Si Lin didn't respond immediately, but after a while he said:

"The Taiyi Salvation and Protection Sutra is useless to you."

"Huh? Then why do you recite it every time? My pain has been much less these past two times than before. Isn't it because of the scriptures?" Pei Lingyou asked curiously.

Si Lin fell silent for a moment, unsure how to explain. The scripture was merely used to calm his mind, so he could only say:

"I am just a priest, not a doctor."

Pei Lingyou's eyes revealed worry and fear, yet she forced a self-deprecating smile with her pale lips:

"Oh no, I guess I'll have to find a deserted cave to suffer through this. I'll go buy some medicine that can temporarily silence me, so I won't be discovered."

Si Lin glanced at her, and as expected, handed her a bottle of pills:

"Aphonia Pill. It takes effect immediately upon ingestion and lasts for six hours."

He had anticipated that she would need this.

This feeling of being seen through and cared for is something that most people would find wonderful and thoughtful.

Like a god who sees through the cold indifference of the world, he keeps a forbidden, tender heart for you alone.

But Pei Lingyou was used to being righteous, so she viewed others the same way.

She thought Si Lin was a really good person, such a good friend, so she took the bottle and patted Si Lin's shoulder generously like a brother, making his thin shoulders and back tremble.

Feeling her weakness subside a little, she stood up, supporting herself on her knees, changed out of her soaked clothes, and put her golden phoenix tail crimson robe back on.

"I won't thank you enough, just put it on the tab. I'm leaving now." Pei Lingyou waved her hand and strode out.

Seeing Pei Lingyou about to go from being fragile and needing care to gradually reverting to her seemingly invincible, rebellious self, Si Lin couldn't help but call out to her, finally asking the question that had been lingering in his mind for so long:

"Why don't you ask me to do a fortune telling?"

Whether you ask Zhu Shamei if there's another solution, or ask Kuang Ye, or even the Hun Tian Gang, you can do so.

Or ask them how their seven-person trip down the mountain went, and whether it would be successful.

Like everyone else in the world, she was entangled in mundane affairs and had many secrets.

But she was different from everyone else in the world. Facing this priest who was difficult for others to even meet and who knew everything about the rise and fall of a divination, she asked him nothing.

Si Lin had been curious for a long time, but as the saying goes, a doctor doesn't knock on the door, and a Taoist doesn't offer divination. He couldn't take the initiative to tell Pei Lingyou's fortune without her even asking.

He had kept this question to himself for a long time, but today he finally couldn't help but ask it.

Pei Lingyou stopped, turned around and leaned against the door, crossed her arms, bent one long leg slightly, and looked at Si Lin with a leisurely smile.

Because she had little strength, her posture looked somewhat languid, and her eyes were not as bright as usual, appearing slightly unfocused.

The dim light made her already beautiful face appear even more soft and alluring.

"You Taoists believe that fate, whether calculated or not, is predetermined, is that right?"

After she asked the question, Si Lin just stared at her blankly without answering.

It wasn't until she said, "Hey, I'm talking to you, what are you spacing out for?" that Si Lin lowered her eyes somewhat unnaturally.

Pei Lingyou said, "I haven't learned any of your profound Taoist techniques. Since a person's life, and all things in the world over millions of years, are all predetermined, even which Taoist sect a person encounters, what divination they cast, and whether things change or remain the same after the divination, are all predetermined. So what is there to see?"

Si Lin nodded; what he said was true.

Honor, disgrace, life, and death are all predetermined; even if one desires them, there is nothing to desire.

"Even so, people are still eager to peek into the future. Why don't you ask?" Si Lin was puzzled, especially since Pei Lingyou was naturally lively and curious. How could she have no interest in the mysterious and unknown future?

Pei Lingyou saw through Si Lin's thoughts, and a signature Pei-style wicked smile appeared on her lips as she said:

"Si Lin, you are good, but the priest is not. The existence of this thing only adds trouble to the world."

After saying that, she pushed open the window and flew away, leaving only a faint red shadow in the night, leaving Si Lin standing there for a long time.

Pei Lingyou's words were not profound, but they puzzled Si Lin, leaving him confused and unable to understand them. His mind was in turmoil for a long time.

He gazed in the direction Pei Lingyou had left, recalling the question she hadn't answered earlier, and finally couldn't resist scattering three leaves to cast a divination for their journey.

As the leaves fell to the ground, Si Lin glanced at them and his expression changed slightly.

The upper trigram is Dui (兑), and the lower trigram is Xun (巽), which forms the hexagram Da Guo (大过).

This is an extremely ominous sign according to the divination.