The Thirteen Trials of the Deceptive Monk

(I am here.)

(Pervert! Pervert! Vulgar! Beast! No bottom line! Why did it take you so long to warn me?!)

Lu Wenjun pondered for a moment and said, (You know I am experienced and knowledgeable, so there was some misunderstanding at the beginning. To be specific...)

Sheen slammed his fist on the table: (I don't want to hear it! I absolutely don't want to hear your rude conjectures! I never want to talk to you again!)

(Really?) Lu Wenjun asked in a sorrowful tone. (If I hadn't heard from you when I needed help, I might have collapsed somewhere in this vast secret realm, unknown to anyone. I called out Miss Sheen's name with hope but received no reply, and walked to my end in utter silence. How tragic and desolate that would have been.)

(I... I will never pay attention to you outside of work hours!) Sheen was clearly speechless.

Lu Wenjun said with a sigh: (But since you, Prophet, are my liaison, it's theoretically your job to communicate with me. Such a promising young man as you, yet you're willing to abandon your colleagues and your job? This is truly...)

Sheen, exasperated: (Ah—! Enough! Stop teasing me, you wicked agent! I won't come looking for you again unless it's important!!)

(Received, Miss. Looking forward to seeing you again.)

A loud thud echoed in his mind, likely from Sheen slamming down the phone or something similar. Lu Wenjun lay back on the bed, a broad smile on his face.

—This is bad, teasing this guy is really fun.

This is so much fun! It's like teasing the neighbor's kid who's having a really strong reaction. Honestly, I want to keep teasing her! I'll find an excuse to call Sheen for a heart-to-heart talk later; that'll be really interesting!

"Oh no, no..."

Lu Wenjun lightly slapped his forehead, quickly regaining his composure from being a sitcom viewer. The amount of information in that conversation was so overwhelming, it felt like he'd been force-fed a mental bombardment; even he was a little flustered due to excessive tension.

Calm down and think about it. It's attractive to chat with a pretty, younger blonde girl, but that's not the point right now, is it? What you should really be thinking about is her belly.

Perhaps due to spending most of her time indoors, Sheen's skin was fair, and her muscle definition was not particularly pronounced. She must have paid attention to a healthy diet to maintain her figure, as her flat stomach was free of excess fat. If one were to touch it with a finger, the fingertip would likely sink into her skin, like a drop of water falling on a tender leaf, pressing out a slight curve…

"wrong!"

Lu Wenjun slapped his thigh hard, using his extraordinary willpower to pull himself back from his delusions.

What are you thinking?! Haven't you realized the danger you're in?!

You've been mistaken for a secret agent! You bear a momentous mission that has fallen from the sky, how can you indulge in mere worldly desires now! You should focus your attention on the Eye of the Sacrifice, the Emerald Catalogue, and the Prophet's thighs—

Lu Wenjun slammed his face against the pillow, attempting to suffocate himself.

No. It's impossible.

Although he could smugly watch Sheen make a fool of himself, he wasn't exactly a seasoned player in love either, just a pathetic single male college student. After witnessing that shocking scene, his mind was now filled with a memory snapshot played out in ten times slow motion; danger, responsibility, and special agent missions were nothing compared to those bare, white thighs!

He had to admit defeat, defeat to the pent-up resentment of the past 18 years. Continuing like this, he was incapable of thinking at all, and what was worse…

Lu Wenjun glanced at the clock and felt even more devastated.

It's already 5:30, and he has an appointment to explore the Millennium Cave tonight. Linggong will be arriving in less than half an hour. He absolutely cannot appear in front of his female friend in his current state!

I need to quickly adjust my emotions... and return to a state of perfect tranquility...!

·

At the same time, on the fifth floor of the Thousand-Year Cave.

Fang Mo sat imposingly on the sofa, exuding an aura of royalty. Numerous students in black uniforms stood in two rows on either side. They bowed simultaneously and reported, "Boss, preparations are complete!"

Fang Mo chuckled sinisterly, "It's rare that you good-for-nothings can actually be of some use."

The black-uniformed henchman said fervently, "Boss, you're really underestimating us. Although we may have terrible grades, terrible social skills, and a terrible career plan, when it comes to spreading gossip and bullying the weak, no one is better than us!"

The men in black uniforms sneered, exuding an aura of utter disgust. This group of sleazy scoundrels were Fang Mo's henchmen, whose business included illegal publishing, knowledge theft, proxy classes, cheating on exams, and more—truly a scourge on campus.

"That newcomer went into the house more than ten minutes ago and hasn't come out yet. There's no way he could have escaped our trap," the black-uniformed henchman said with a sinister smile. "Boss, is it just right for us to use seventy percent of our strength this time?"

Fang Mo resisted the urge to roll his eyes and picked up his teacup: "Good my foot. You have the nerve to use 70% of your strength against freshmen? Change all of them to alternate-level spells."

"But boss, I'm still at the Otherworld level..." the black-uniformed underling said shyly.

Fang Mo spat out a mouthful of tea: "Are you kidding me? You've repeated three years and you're still talking nonsense?!"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have failed to graduate... Besides, we've already set a trap, so why should we go easy on you?"

Kano stepped out from behind the sofa and said seriously, "Everyone! You must not have such thoughts. Although we sow discord, spread rumors, damage relationships between classmates, and disrupt school order, we still have our own principles."

The black-uniformed underlings fell silent as they listened to Kano-senpai say, "If we even abandon this sense of propriety...aren't we just a bunch of scumbags?"

Fang Mo roared, "Damn it, aren't we just simple scumbags now?!"

Kano said in surprise, "Now that you mention it, it makes sense."

"Enough with the chit-chat, are all the spells changed? Hurry up, listen to my command and begin the operation..."

"Boss, wait a minute!" a henchman reported. "There are new recruits in the cave."

"Oh?"

Fang Mo pulled the curtains open a crack and saw a girl with fox ears.

·

Linggong carried a basket of snacks and happily walked into the gate of the Thousand-Year Cave.

She had arranged to meet Lü Wenjun at 6 o'clock, but she arrived at her destination half an hour early. This was because, as a demon, she was always adept at sensing the "aura" of those around her.

The "temperament" the monster spoke of referred to the sum of a series of states, including personality, emotions, and mental state. These past two days, Lü Wenjun's temperament carried a faint weariness. She thought it was because he was trying to adapt to his new life while also painstakingly preparing homemade food to save money.

Sandwiches made with demon pork jerky were never going to taste good, and eating that every day would make even the most energetic person feel unwell. So she bought some freshly baked pastries to soothe her friend's ailing stomach.

If I come too late, Lü Wenjun will probably just make do with sandwiches again, so I might as well arrive a little earlier, before mealtime, and say that I accidentally bought too much and brought it over to share...

That way, the person who's been working so hard will be happy too.

To create a sense of surprise, Ling Gong didn't contact him again, but instead asked the black-uniformed staff at the front desk for Lu Wenjun's room number. She went to the second floor and cheerfully knocked on the door.

"Wenjun, are you there?"

"Reiyumi-san?!" came an exclamation from behind the door. "What... wait a minute! I'll tidy up the room and be done in about five minutes!!"

Ah, it's the usual messy room of a guy living alone. I didn't expect Wenjun to be so bad at tidying up; it's really different from his usual self…

Thinking this, Ling Gong's fox ears twitched.

wrong.

There is an evil aura.

Behind that door, an unfamiliar aura was constantly emanating. It was an "evil aura" that had never been sensed from Lü Wenjun before!

Ling Gong immediately focused, gently pressing her fox ears against the wall to use her fox demon's keen hearing to listen to what was happening on the other side of the wall.

She heard heavy breathing and the rustling of the sheets. Lü Wenjun seemed to be doing something on the bed, making indistinct whispers…

What, what happened?

What exactly was Lü Wenjun doing in the house?!

Linggong's mind began to race. Suspicious behavior, flustered words and actions, and this unnaturally sluggish movement... the increasingly obvious sinister aura... all the clues pointed to one conclusion...

He is very likely possessed by an evil spirit!

If the person waiting outside at this moment were an ordinary female college student from the outside world, she might have some rather impolite speculations! However, Miss Linggong is a fox spirit from a prestigious family, and what sets her apart from ordinary people is her rigorous magical mindset!

The Thousand-Year Cave is a haunted place rife with strange tales and curses. Men living alone there, with their strong yang energy and lack of protection, are most susceptible to attracting spirits. Lu Wenjun stayed there for two full days; it was only natural that he was possessed by an evil spirit.

His strange behavior and prolonged absence suggested he was being manipulated by an evil spirit to perform a bizarre ritual. Had she not arrived in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

"Wenjun, are you done yet?"

"I'll be right there, right away! I'll wash my face and come right away!"

While talking to him to lower his guard, Ling Gong used the jade pendant to log into the school forum and search for relevant information.

Keywords: Thousand-year-old cave, drastic change in temperament, evil aura. Search...

There were nearly 200 related posts on the forum, and the first post surprised her.

[Help! My boyfriend's personality changed drastically after entering the ancient cave; he seems to be possessed by evil spirits!]

The main post vividly described the entire process of a male college student's downfall. It started as a way to unwind after failing an exam, but things quickly spiraled out of control. He became a recluse, often talking nonsense, emitting eerie laughter when alone, and eventually even stopped contacting his boyfriend.

I miss the competitive guy he used to be. What can I do to get him back...?

- Ah, this is definitely hopeless, let's give up.

-A new victim of demonic possession has arrived wwwwww

- You're a freshman, right? The following is a pre-written statement:

One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Thousand-Year Cave possesses the magic to create evil spirits. Anyone who harbors any illusions will be possessed by these spirits, gradually turning into a useless shut-in. A stern warning: if your semester's overall grade isn't an A, don't even think about messing with them. If you're a freshman, please stay as far away from the Thousand-Year Cave as possible; you'll bear the consequences of being tormented there.

Why would this happen?! This school is so weird! I'm going to protest to the student council!

……

Thank you everyone for your help. The problem is solved. I'm now living with him in the Thousand-Year Cave. I feel peaceful and incredibly relaxed. We plan to continue living this carefree life.

-Congratulations! wwww

-Langbao: The Hikikomori (socially withdrawn) cult praises new recruits.

After reading the post, Ling Gong felt a chill run through her body.

He stays indoors all the time. His whereabouts are mysterious. He talks nonsense...

How similar this is to Lü Wenjun's current situation!

They underestimated the dangers of campus ghost stories; such a dangerous place should be avoided at all costs. Lü Wenjun only managed to get through one night before letting his guard down, unaware that he had already been taken advantage of by an evil spirit and was likely about to become a member of that wicked cult.

It's only been a day and a half, and he's already showing obvious signs. If things continue to worsen, what will become of him?

Ling Gong made up her mind; this was no time for frivolity. For Lü Wenjun's reputation and for the safety of those around him, she had to exorcise the evil spirit as soon as possible.

We have no choice but to show our true abilities.

She summoned the fox spirits one by one, and then began preparing her second spell.

"Hang in there, Wenjun." Linggong's profile was illuminated by the light. "I'm coming to save you!"

·

In the room separated by a wall, Lü Wenjun sat cross-legged with his hands clasped together.

“Either observe the body internally, or observe the body externally; and observe the body both internally and externally…” He closed his eyes and whispered, “No problem. My mind has calmed down. My visualization method is perfect!”

What was the true nature of those eerie whispers? The answer is that they were Buddhist practices undertaken by Lü Wenjun to calm his mind!

In Buddhism, there is a practice called the "Four Foundations of Mindfulness," which consists of contemplating the impurity of the body, the suffering of feelings, the impermanence of the mind, and the non-self of phenomena. These are used to control desires and see through illusions. Among them, "contemplating the impurity of the body" is a visualization practice targeting lust and craving. It involves breaking down and reciting each part of the human body in detail, achieving a mental effect similar to anatomy, thereby understanding the impure nature of the human body and severing lustful desires.

Lu Wenjun was well-read and had a good memory. He had some knowledge of this topic from reading casual books before, and it came in handy now. He recited it one by one and combined it with anatomical visualization. After several mental suggestions, he successfully reached the mental state of "seeing short sleeves and immediately thinking of white arms, immediately thinking of the coracobrachialis muscle, and immediately thinking of the radial nerve".

The moment a thought arises, the mind conjures up vibrant, bulging muscles; the will is utterly transcendent. Desire, let alone agitation, has already died out; even the senses are numb.

"Sorry, it's been a long wait."

Things are basically back to normal now, and it wouldn't be good to leave the girl waiting outside. Lü Wenjun straightened his back, quickly adjusted his facial expression, and cheerfully went to open the door.

"You're here really early—"

His words were cut short by an arrow.

A gleaming arrow was pointed directly at his forehead; the bowstring was drawn taut, and his eyes were cold and sharp.

"Don't worry." Ling drew her bow, "It'll be over in a second!"

Chapter 20 Everyone Has Amazing Wisdom

With lightning speed, Lü Wenjun fell backward, bracing himself with his hands on the ground in a perfect backbend. The arrow, released from a bow, flew past his hair and struck the wall squarely.

The shot, without an arrowhead, created a fist-sized crater in the wall, and fragments of plaster flew past his eyes!

Lu Wenjun was genuinely taken aback; he hadn't expected Ling Gong, who looked so frail, to be so physically strong. If he were hit by that arrow… he would likely have bruises!

He sprang to his feet, bracing himself with both hands, and cautiously stepped back: "What's wrong, Miss Ten'in? There are still three months until the New Year. According to any calendar, it's not a suitable time for exorcism, is it?"

He clearly saw the design of the arrow. It was blunt, adorned with waterbird feathers, and tied with red and white ribbons. This was a "demon-slaying arrow" used in Japan to purify evil spirits, typically used in New Year's prayer ceremonies.

Ordinary priestesses wouldn't use this to shoot people. Moreover, anti-magic arrows are usually made of bamboo, not magic.

Ling bowed lightly in one hand, magic coalescing in her palm into a new arrow to ward off evil. She drew the bow, nocking the arrow, the cold light reflecting off her glasses.

"Sorry, this arrow won't miss...!"

As Ling Gong aimed, Lü Wenjun suddenly crouched down and rushed forward from the side, attempting to seize the bow. However, at the same moment he moved, four afterimages darted out from behind Ling Gong. Those were Hu Ping, who had been lying in ambush!