Ornate Chambers of Buddhism

Xiao Yu looked at Lingxin in some surprise. This woman still dared to speak to him?

Just now, she had been acting like the world was ending.

Before he could say anything, Lingxin walked inside with reddened eyes.

Xiao Yu watched the mortals burning incense and worshipping Buddha before the temple hall, then stepped forward.

The solemn, extravagant temple was wreathed in incense smoke.

Some knelt, some stood, all reverently placing bundles of incense into the burner.

The incense burner overflowed, its rich fragrance rising like clouds of smoke.

Xiao Yu too wanted to imitate those devout men and women by pressing his palms together.

Yet for some reason, he could not bring himself to raise his hands.

He merely stood there with a cold gaze.

He looked around once more.

The prosperity of this place was not merely skin-deep.

The incense donation boxes were stuffed full, and the offering tables piled high.

An old monk held a golden Buddhist staff, while the abbot wore a multicolored cassock.

Even the incense burners used for kneeling worship were golden.

Xiao Yu clearly remembered the great mass of disaster victims outside Jiangliu City.

Within Buddhism's ornate chambers were nectar and jade liquor, blossoms blooming like brocade.

Yet beyond the city gates, the poor could not cover their bodies with clothes.

Those who could not fill their bellies were beyond counting.

He had once thought the saying "wine and meat rot behind vermilion gates while frozen bones lie by the roadside" was already bitterly ironic.

How could even this Buddhist sect...

Listening carefully with his head lowered, it seemed many people were praying for peace.

Others prayed for wealth and blessings.

War had cast its shadow here as well. Some mortals prayed for the heavens to end this conflict.

Xiao Yu slowly walked to the side and asked a young monk, "Little Master, may I ask whether the eminent monk Ling Huo is in the temple?"

The monk bowed with palms pressed together. "Amitabha. This humble monk greets you!"

The man simply remained bowed, showing no sign of straightening.

Xiao Yu stared at that bald head and froze.

Was this thing asking him for money?

He truly had no money left. The monk across from him remained bowed for a long while, still waiting for Xiao Yu to pay up.

By the time he came back to his senses, Xiao Yu had already vanished.

Outside the temple hall, Xiao Yu wore a disdainful expression as he thought of Lingxin again.

Why were all the monastics here so greedy for money?

What a decline in public morals.

Just as he planned to sneak around back to find the fire monk, he seemed to hear shouting and curses from next door.

"Lingxin, you lazy good-for-nothing! You dared to sneak out again?! See if I don't teach you a lesson!"

"You're truly rebelling! You run outside every other day!"

Xiao Yu hurriedly hid in a corner.

Ahead, three nuns were surrounding Lingxin and beating her.

Xiao Yu's eyes darkened. Looking at Lingxin, whose clothes were covered in blood, killing intent had already risen in him.

No matter what, Lingxin was his woman.

Those cheap bitches...

Lingxin held her sleeve with a vacant expression, allowing them to trample and beat her.

It was as though she had long grown used to it.

At that moment, the leading nun suddenly snatched the money pouch from her sleeve. "Well, well?! You even dared to hide money?"

"You still haven't paid the tribute money you owed last time!"

When Lingxin saw her money being taken, she could no longer care about anything else.

She rushed up and bit her.

The nun beside them flew into a rage at once, picking up a stone from the ground to smash it at Lingxin.

The next second, the three nuns disappeared.

The money pouch also dropped to the ground.

Lingxin hurriedly picked up the pouch with a panicked look, glancing all around.

"Hmm... a gourd? Where did that gourd come from...?"

Xiao Yu had already put away the Jade Maiden Gourd at top speed, yet she had still seen it.

After casting the spell, Xiao Yu's eyes were anxious as he scanned left and right.

Once he made sure there was no one in the sky, he slowly walked over to Lingxin.

Seeing the injured Lingxin, Xiao Yu wanted to step forward and comfort her.

Lingxin suddenly stood up and dodged away with a face full of shame and indignation.

Before she had gone far, she abruptly stopped and looked back at Xiao Yu.

She could not help recalling how he had bought her things.

He had cast a spell just now, hadn't he?

He was an immortal...

How could an immortal possibly fail to see that the things she sold were fake!

Why had he helped her?

But why did he do that sort of thing to her after helping her?

And judging from his reaction just now, he seemed extremely wary of the sky. Could he be from the demonic path?

Yet he had helped her...

While she was still lost in thought, Xiao Yu said in a low voice, "Why stay in a disgusting place like this? Return to secular life and follow me!"

Lingxin turned her face away, unwilling to look at him.

"I only wanted to ask for directions, and those bald donkeys asked me for money! How are your injuries? Let me see!"

As Xiao Yu approached, Lingxin blushed in panic.

"Y-You... don't come over!"

When their eyes met, she suddenly thought of something. "Quick... come with me!"

Xiao Yu followed her in some surprise.

After several twists and turns, he arrived at a woodshed. Lingxin shut the door and slowly exhaled.

"Whew... you're far too bold. Don't you know there are cultivators from the righteous path here? You still dared to use magic?"

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered. "I couldn't possibly watch them bully you! You know I'm from the demonic path?"

Lingxin subconsciously swallowed. "Don't kill Senior Sisters and the others. Many people in our Spirit Light Temple had no choice... those people from the Profound Spirit Sect come here every month to collect money from us... Senior Sisters don't deserve to die..."

Xiao Yu gave a cold laugh. "Anyone who dares beat my woman deserves death ten thousand times over!"

Lingxin grew somewhat angry. "Don't kill them. Whatever you want to do, I'll help you..."

Xiao Yu nodded. "Mm... I came to find the eminent monk Ling Huo. Do you know where he is?"

Lingxin froze at his words. "Martial Uncle Ling Huo went out. He won't return for another three days! Why are you looking for him?"

Xiao Yu said nothing. He did not want her to know too much.

Lingxin slowly exhaled and spoke softly as she looked at the silent Xiao Yu. "You're an immortal from the Hehuan Sect, aren't you? I heard in the city before that there was a group like that, cultivating by seizing others' primal yin."

"You're far too bold. You still dared enter the city under such circumstances? You even dared cast a spell just now... If you were caught, you'd be finished!"

Xiao Yu raised his brows with a cold gaze. "My woman was being bullied. Forget being caught—even if I died, I couldn't stand idly by!"

Lingxin's eyes were filled with panic. She had grown up in Spirit Light Temple and had never encountered such things.

After coming back to herself, she hurriedly held her prayer beads in one hand and chanted, "Sinful... sinful..."

The moment Xiao Yu saw her pick up her prayer beads again, he strode over.

Lingxin suddenly widened her eyes. Looking at Xiao Yu across from her, she nearly cried out.

But when she thought there might be righteous-path cultivators in the sky, she tightly closed her eyes.

Seeing her like that, Xiao Yu reached out and touched her bald head.

The feeling was quite novel...

Her bald head was hot, and warm too.

Lingxin did not dare move.

This was too crazy...

Inside the temple...

Did he truly have feelings for her?

An immortal had risked himself for her, a mere mortal...

What should she do!

What should she do?

Return to secular life...

Should she return to secular life...

But if she did, how would she earn money to save those children?

One hour later...

Lingxin excitedly picked up a ladle and poured water into her mouth to rinse it out.

Then she turned to Xiao Yu and slapped him. "You bastard!!!"

Xiao Yu caught her hand at once. "You can take care of those children for a day, but you can't take care of them for their entire lives! Follow me, and I'll help settle them down!"

"Are you really going to rely on scamming money for the rest of your life?"

Lingxin had yet to accept reality. It all felt like a dream.

Just now, she had actually been in the woodshed of Spirit Light Temple...

At once, she sat on the ground with a face full of grievance, holding her prayer beads as she began chanting the Tranquilizing Mind Mantra. "Sinful, sinful... The heart is like a bright mirror, and dust shall never stain it... Dust shall never stain it!"

Not long after, she carried a bundle of belongings on her back and followed Xiao Yu out of Spirit Light Temple.

"I didn't come out with you because I want to follow you... I'll still return to the temple!"

"I only want to help those children. Their parents are all dead, and they're alone and helpless!"

"You aren't planning to sell me, are you..."

"Martial Uncle Ling Huo usually takes good care of me. If you dare bully me, Martial Uncle Ling Huo definitely won't let you off!"

Lingxin talked nonstop the entire way.

She did not dare speak loudly, and her face was red beyond belief.

Xiao Yu looked at the three female nuns inside the Jade Maiden Gourd, the corners of his mouth rising.

They might not be as pure and holy as Lingxin.

But they were abbesses, after all...

Tonight, he would have to properly discuss things with them!

He might as well take these three days as a little vacation and visit Li Qingyun's home.

After all, her mother was seriously ill. As her son-in-law, shouldn't he help treat her?

When they returned to that shabby courtyard, Lingxin hurriedly called out, "Yaya, Da Long, come out quickly! Pack up today and go to the Li family with Big Sister!"

The children looked blankly at Lingxin, who had returned once more. "Big Sister, why did you run out again? If they catch you, won't they punish you?"

Xiao Yu smiled faintly. "It's fine. Your Sister Lingxin was worried about you, so she specially took three days off to find you a good home!"

Yaya looked at Lingxin with grievance. "Big Sister... Big Sister, are you not going to care for us anymore...?"

Lingxin's eyes immediately reddened. "N-No, how could Big Sister possibly abandon you..."

Da Long, the slightly older boy beside them, softly persuaded them, "There are more than a dozen mouths for us to feed. Big Sister definitely can't take care of us all by herself. Li Residence? Is that the Li Residence in the south of the city?"

"If we really go to the Li Residence... we won't have to worry about food or clothing!"

Suddenly!

A slingshot pellet shot over. Xiao Yu caught it in his hand, and his face instantly darkened.

Lingxin hurriedly cried, "Don't... don't hit them. They're still children!"

"Oh, honestly, you kids. Stop being naughty. This big brother will take us to the Li Residence later, so be polite to him!"

The children in the back shouted excitedly, "Would some big idiot have good intentions? He definitely took money from the Li Residence! He's going to sell us to the Li Residence as servants!!!"

"We're not going anywhere! Big Sister, don't let him trick you!"

"That's right! How could there be such a good thing? Sending us to the Li Residence? We'll definitely just be servants!"

Da Long glanced sideways and shook his head. "Stop making a fuss. Do you know how many people want to become servants at the Li Residence but never get the chance? Working there, everyone gets their own separate room..."

"Do you want to stay here and wait for death forever? Or keep burdening Sister Lingxin forever?"

"A person must rely on themself. We've burdened Big Sister for half a year already. Do you remember how Big Sister was punished by the temple because she ran out?"

All the children lowered their heads.

Lingxin slowly let out a long breath. "Alright, Da Long, let's go~"