In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

During those three days, Tushan Jing Ci came to Sikong Temple every day with a food box, bringing Xiao Mo pastries she had made by hand.

After dropping off the pastries, Tushan Jing Ci wouldn’t leave right away. Instead, she would wander around Sikong Temple.

She seemed to have an endless fascination with the place where Xiao Mo had grown up, eager to know every last corner of it.

Furthermore, if Xiao Mo was helping someone with fortune-telling and came across a pilgrim who couldn’t write, Tushan Jing Ci would offer to help, writing down their birth details for them. She acted as Xiao Mo’s assistant, then sat quietly to one side, listening.

If Xiao Mo was sweeping the temple, Tushan Jing Ci would also pick up a broom and join him in clearing away fallen leaves and dust.

Gradually, Tushan Jing Ci’s visits became about more than just bringing pastries.

Around noon or in the evening, she would also bring him vegetarian meals she had prepared.

Although Xiao Mo felt this was highly inappropriate and had refused her many times, it was of little use.

If Xiao Mo wouldn’t eat, Tushan Jing Ci would refuse to leave, insisting on watching him finish the food before she would relent.

Over time, because Tushan Jing Ci visited so frequently and always made a beeline for Xiao Mo, the monks at the temple all took notice.

Eventually, whenever Tushan Jing Ci arrived, the monks would tell her where Xiao Mo was before she even had to ask.

One day, after Tushan Jing Ci arrived again, an Elder of Sikong Temple finally couldn’t hold back. He walked up to Abbot Yuan Kong and asked in a low voice, “Abbot, is this… really not a problem?”

No one was a fool.

Anyone with eyes could see the woman’s feelings for him.

“Has this benefactress committed any theft?” Yuan Kong asked his junior brother.

“She has not,” the Elder replied, shaking his head.

“Then has this benefactress committed any robbery?” Yuan Kong pressed.

“No, she hasn’t.” The Elder shook his head again.

“Since this benefactress has neither stolen nor robbed, nor has she done anything else out of line—in fact, she has even taken the initiative to study the Buddhist Dharma and help us at Sikong Temple by sweeping the courtyards and doing what chores she can…”

Yuan Kong paused, his gaze calm as he looked at the Elder.

“Then what problem could there be?”

“…” The Elder was speechless at the Abbot’s words.

Yuan Kong said no more. He turned and looked toward a tall, upright figure in the distance.

The young man, clad in a Monk’s Robe, was standing in an open space by the lotus pond, patiently explaining a Buddhist Scripture to the common folk seated around him.

Beside him, the woman in simple linen clothes sat quietly on a small stool, her hands folded on her lap, listening in silence.

It was impossible to tell if she was earnestly listening to the Buddhist Scripture or if her focus was solely on the man before her.

An hour later, Xiao Mo finished his sermon. Tushan Jing Ci stayed behind “after class,” wanting to ask Xiao Mo about “Buddhist principles.”

Just then, Abbot Yuan Kong ambled over to Xiao Mo.

“Abbot.”

“Greetings, Abbot.”

Xiao Mo put his palms together and bowed respectfully.

Tushan Jing Ci, standing beside Xiao Mo, also curtsied gracefully.

“Que Yin—”

Yuan Kong looked at his disciple with a kind expression and spoke in a heartfelt tone.

“As your master, I need to spend the next few days in the temple annotating and organizing some scriptures, so I’m afraid I won’t have much free time. Your medical skills have always been quite good. Starting today, why don’t you go down the mountain in my place to practice medicine and see patients.”

After instructing Xiao Mo, Yuan Kong turned his gaze to Tushan Jing Ci, his tone warm and sincere.

“Miss Jing Ci, my disciple here is going down the mountain to practice medicine, and he happens to need an assistant. I’ve noticed you often come to the temple to help out these past days, and you’ve become quite familiar with this student of mine.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, would you be willing to help my disciple? Sikong Temple can pay you thirty wen a day as a stipend for your trouble.”

“Of course, I can!” Tushan Jing Ci immediately agreed. “Thank you, Abbot!”

“There’s no need to be so polite, Miss.”

Abbot Yuan Kong smiled amiably.

“Since you’ve agreed, Miss, then it’s settled. Que Yin, you must take good care of the young lady. Don’t let her do all the work, do you understand?”

“…”

Xiao Mo wanted to refuse, but seeing the look in his master’s eyes, he knew he couldn’t.

“Yes… This disciple understands.”

…

「Meanwhile, at Wangyue Peak in Tushan.」

Tushan Grand Elder Tushan Meng sat alone in her study, flipping through a thick stack of scrolls. Her expression was as still and deep as water.

The entire study was filled with an inexplicable, deathly silence, as if the very air had frozen.

Tushan Hongxia stood silently before the Grand Elder, not daring to breathe too loudly. She stood with her hands by her sides, her heart pounding with anxiety.

She was the one who had brought these scrolls, which came from the border between the Demon Race’s World and the Western Regions.

After a long while, Tushan Meng finally set down the scrolls. She slowly raised her head, looked at Tushan Hongxia, and asked, “The Saintess has met Xiao Mo by now, hasn’t she?”

“Yes, Grand Elder.”

Tushan Hongxia sighed helplessly and answered truthfully.

“Ever since the Yuzhu Secret Realm collapsed, we all believed Xiao Mo’s body and soul had been utterly destroyed.”

“So back then, even though the Saintess went to great lengths to find Xiao Mo’s reincarnation, we didn’t pay it much mind. We just thought it was a futile effort.”

“But who would have known…”

Tushan Hongxia paused, a hint of resignation in her voice.

“We don’t know what Xiao Mo went through, but his Divine Soul actually managed to reincarnate! And to top it all off, the Holy Daughter actually found him… What are we supposed to do now?”

“Hehehe…” Tushan Meng chuckled lightly, her tone nonchalant. “Don’t be anxious. I’m not anxious, so why are you? Besides, from my perspective, Jing Ci finding Xiao Mo’s reincarnation might not necessarily be a bad thing.”

“Don’t forget, Xiao Mo has no memories of his past life. Right now, he is just an ordinary member of the Human Race, and a compassionate monk at that.”

“And Jing Ci is the Saintess of our Tushan. She represents not just herself, but all of Tushan, and by extension, a large part of our Demon Race’s World.”

Hearing Tushan Meng’s words, Tushan Hongxia’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she’d had a realization. She lowered her voice and asked, “You mean…”

“Over the years, although our Ten Thousand Demon Alliance has annexed most of the Demon Race Dynasties and Sects, the Human Race has been developing in the shadows, taking advantage of our endless infighting.”

“Compared to a few decades ago, their power is far greater. Moreover, Cultivators from the World of Ten Thousand Laws have been sneaking into the Demon Race’s World to lend them aid.”

Tushan Meng stood up and clasped her hands behind her back, pacing slowly around the room as she spoke in an unhurried tone.

“To repel foreign invaders, one must first bring peace to the interior.”

“The Human Race and the Demon Race are as incompatible as fire and water.”

Tushan Meng stopped pacing and turned to look at Tushan Hongxia. The corners of her lips curved into a subtle, meaningful smile.

“Tell me… if a few Demon tribes were to get carried away in a blood frenzy, and on an impulse, they wiped out Sikong Temple, and while they were at it, slaughtered every last person in the surrounding villages and towns… That would be considered a normal occurrence, wouldn’t you say?”

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