"My name is Xu Taiping. Since you've made up your mind, Master Xuanzhi, come along with me."
Xu Taiping nodded as he spoke.
"Thank you for taking me in, benefactor."
Monk Xuanzhi was delighted.
"I checked the map. Once we've skirted Blood Rain Forest and reached the Western Liang border, I'll have to stay on Phoenix Cry Mountain for a while. I won't be able to accompany you to Apricot Blossom Village, Master."
Xu Taiping took out the map and glanced at it.
Phoenix Cry Mountain was precisely the destination of his journey.
As long as he planted the Earth Fruit on the mountain and Fairy Lingyue entered it to sleep, One-Leaf Book would no longer be able to sense her presence.
"There are hardly any vicious creatures between Phoenix Cry Mountain and Apricot Blossom Village. I can manage on my own."
Monk Xuanzhi nodded with a warm smile.
"Oh, there's one more question."
Something suddenly occurred to Xu Taiping, and he immediately asked Monk Xuanzhi:
"If that group up ahead runs into trouble, do we save them or not?"
Monk Xuanzhi considered the question, then pressed his palms together and uttered a Buddhist invocation.
"Let fate decide."
Xu Taiping grinned at his answer.
Since the little monk could say that, at least he was not one of those hidebound people who insisted on saving everyone.
But just as the two set off for Blood Rain Forest, Xu Taiping discovered another problem-
The little monk was actually walking backward.
"Master Xuanzhi, why are you walking backward?"
Xu Taiping asked in puzzlement.
"It's a rule of Cloud-Hidden Temple: we must not walk west. If we truly must head west, we can only walk backward."
Monk Xuanzhi pressed his palms together, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"I see."
Xu Taiping nodded.
Since he had