After all that commotion, dawn was nearly upon them.
"Master, wait here. The two of us will gather some wild fruit and find some spring water for you," the two men said with smiles.
"You two should be careful. It is not fully light yet."
The two of them left.
Watching the two men depart, Xuanzang sat there without moving. After a while, he shook his head. "I still hope you can turn back from the wrong path. Do not continue making mistakes."
After leaving Xuanzang, the two men found a stream.
They held Xuanzang's alms bowl and shook it for the whole night.
One of the men looked around. After making sure no one was nearby, he took out a packet of poison from his robes. "That monk is quite formidable. Let's pour this poison into the water. It is colorless and odorless, so he will never be able to tell. If he drinks it, he will surely die."
The other man gave a sinister chuckle. "That monk is still too young. We fooled him with a few sweet words. If we make him drink this poisoned water now, he will never see it coming. That little monk does not understand the rules of survival in this world. He is too kind, and people who are too kind die easily."
After saying that, the two men could not help bursting into laughter.
They then picked some wild fruit and returned to Xuanzang in high spirits.
"Master, please have some water." One of the men offered the alms bowl to Xuanzang with both hands.
Xuanzang glanced at the man and smiled calmly. He took the bowl and drank a mouthful. "Mm, this water is cool and sweet. Very good."
Both men smiled. This monk truly had no guard up.
"Hehehehe..."