The Person in the Cocoon Will Not Die

The sky was bright and the sun was gradually rising higher, approaching noon.

The Hang Prefectural City, which had been bustling all night, was still somewhat chaotic by daytime.

I heard that the Darughachi's residence suffered a major disaster last night, with houses collapsing and buildings crumbling. The extent of the casualties is still unclear.

Senior Chu dispatched people to provide disaster relief and helped take over the management of that mansion.

The sheer number of people dispatched this time greatly surprised the people of the city.

It turned out that it wasn't just the original servants of the Zhao family, but also many able-bodied young people from the refugees. After a few days of good food and new clothes, they joined the group.

The Darughachi's residence, the Wanhu's residence, the prefectural government office, and the entire Hang Prefectural City were all guarded by a new group overnight.

In today's world, many soldiers under the command of rebel kings were once refugees. Neither the refugees themselves nor the local people find this rapid transformation surprising.

After a period of anxiety, the local people saw that these people seemed to be under strict control.

Having already occupied Hang Prefecture, the fact that they hadn't engaged in any open looting or plundering gradually put people at ease.

The streets and shops, restaurants, and shops are bustling with activity under the warm midday sun.

There was also a lot of smoke rising from the houses.

On the shores of West Lake, the smoke from the temples on the hilltops is much less frequent.

Lingyin Temple is located on the West Lake and was highly revered during the Song Dynasty.

During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song of Song, 13,000 mu of fertile land were granted to Lingyin Temple in Hang Prefecture and Xiu Prefecture.

The official explanation was that the monks needed these fields to distribute porridge to the common people and spread their benevolence.

As for why, monks who need land can actually receive land as a reward, while the common people who receive porridge can only wait for an occasional day to receive porridge again.

This is something that cannot be explained to outsiders.

Although the Great Yuan revered Buddhism, it primarily admired Tibetan monks and did not place much importance on temples like Lingyin Temple.

After the chaos of war and dynastic changes, the former property of Lingyin Temple was no longer recognized, its disciples scattered, and the Dharma Hall overgrown with weeds.

Many monks bribed their way to become disciples of Tibetan monks or sought refuge in large temples with Tibetan monks in charge.

Only a few monks who truly have a heart for Buddhism and are self-sufficient are left, still willing to carry on the tradition in Lingyin Temple, go out to beg for alms, perform rituals, and strive to repair and maintain one or two halls.

Many other palaces and meditation rooms are riddled with insects and rodents, half-collapsed and half-leaning; most of the buildings scattered throughout the mountains are now abandoned.

The mountain road is steep, the mountain air is damp and cold, and there are also wild beasts and poisonous insects.

Ordinary beggars and vagrants would not want to stay in these abandoned temples for long, but today there are several nuns hiding in an abandoned monastery.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, with a large, broken water vat in the center, surrounded by broken tiles and rotten wooden benches.

The nuns had no interest in cleaning; they sat on the stone steps, eating their dry rations, their brows furrowed and their hearts heavy with worry.

"Master is probably not dead, but he was most likely taken back to the Zhao residence."

A middle-aged nun with very light eyebrows said, "That Senior Chu seems to be a reasonable person, and his actions are those of a righteous and chivalrous hero."

"If Master is willing to reveal his identity, perhaps we can turn enemies into friends and even bring powerful reinforcements to the Heavenly Maiden?"

A nun with slightly pointed ears, closed eyes, and thin lips said softly, "Master would never easily reveal her identity, and we can't go looking for her rashly. The Heavenly Maiden should be arriving in Hang Prefecture in the next few days. Let's wait here and await her orders."

This pointed-eared nun, who looked to be only around thirty years old, was not the oldest among them, yet she seemed to have a very high reputation.

Once she spoke, no one else said anything more.

After finishing their dry rations, the nuns, following the customs of their sect, began to meditate and practice their skills.

About half an hour later, the pointed-eared nun's ears twitched slightly.

Someone is approaching from seven miles away, so fast!

These nuns are all successors of the Water Moon Sword Sect and disciples of Granny Putuo.

The one with pointed ears is named "Tingyue". She was an orphan who was picked up by Granny Putuo. She was born with extraordinary hearing.

Many masters in the contemporary martial arts world possess the bloodline of exotic beasts, which naturally makes it possible for them to have children with exceptional talent.

But the martial arts world is fraught with bloodshed and instability. Even if both husband and wife are masters, they may suddenly lose their lives. Some children die along with them, while others become orphans.

Tingyue's background is not unusual, but her exceptional auditory talent is extremely rare.

Granny Putuo taught her according to her aptitude, and a year ago, when the celestial maiden secretly visited the Water Moon Sword Sect, she even gifted her thirty years of internal energy.

Now, her hearing is so sharp that she can even detect the subtle movements of a master of Celestial Person Resonance from ten miles away.

The person was seven miles away when she heard him.

Just as the nuns were about to become wary, she added, "It's a celestial maiden!"

The dilapidated door of the abandoned monastery was suddenly blown open.

The nuns only felt a blur before their eyes, and suddenly a tall girl in a blue cloth outfit appeared in the courtyard, bending all the weeds in the wind.

The girl had bright eyes and white teeth, and her black hair was tied up on top of her head. However, there was a thin scar on her left cheek, as if it had been added not long ago.

She was also carrying a large, bulging sack in her right hand; it was unclear what was inside.

"It's you all! This is the emergency contact point. Why are you all here? Has something happened to Granny Putuo?"

The girl looked a little tired, but her voice was still clear and crisp. She started the conversation and explained the situation in just a few words.

The nuns, their faces filled with excitement, ignored the scars on the girl's face, clasped their hands together, and devoutly said, "Greetings, Heavenly Maiden."

"Get up, let's get down to business."

The girl's tone carried a hint of helplessness.

Living in the Great Yuan, rebellion was legitimate, but to rebel and engage in superstition was unlikely to end well, especially since one's surname was Han, which was very unlucky in the context of the Yuan Dynasty.

However, the idea of gods and Buddhas descending to earth is really useful. A couple of years ago, there were some things that were hard to explain, so I couldn't help but use some supernatural rhetoric. Now I can only suffer the consequences myself.

Fortunately, my name is Han Baiyu, not Han Lin'er.

The nuns rose and Tingyue briefly recounted the events that had occurred in Hang Prefectural City.

"Tsk, where did this amazing expert come from?"

Han Baiyu had a slight toothache and asked, "Didn't you hear the specific details?"

Tingyue replied, "There were too many powerful figures that day, and the Meteor Gods and Devils might even have appeared. To ensure our safety, Master didn't let me get too close."

Han Baiyu nodded slightly.

In other words, we can only roughly determine that this person's current stance is not on the side of the imperial court.

Although it was still a huge variable, it was much luckier than what we encountered on the road before.

Han Baiyu steadied himself, lifted the sack with his right hand, and carried it into the house.

There was no clean spot in the house, so she stomped her foot to sweep the dust away before carefully putting the sack down.

Inside the bag was a huge silkworm cocoon, about five feet tall, crystal clear and snow-white.

Tingyue's ears twitched, and a look of horror suddenly appeared on her face.

She heard that inside the cocoon was a young man, dressed in blood-stained blue, missing his left leg, with a large, charred hole in his chest, and a wound on his waist that almost severed him at the waist, with only a thin layer of skin connecting them.

What's terrifying is that this person is not only still alive, but also seems to be fully conscious.

Seemingly aware of Tingyue's shock, the man even gave a reassuring smile.

Others cannot see what's inside the cocoon; only Tingyue's ears can construct a picture of what's happening inside.

That smile was clearly for her.

Tingyue looked somewhat dazed. "Celestial Maiden, who... who is this?"

"He is my protector."

Han Baiyu's voice was somewhat annoyed as he recounted the incident, "We encountered a group of Shaolin monks on the road. We didn't want to provoke them, but one of the old guys there suddenly attacked my protector."

"Originally, the two of us might not have lost against their whole group."

But then an old beggar passed by—

Han Baiyu's face showed hatred.

She didn't know the old beggar at all.

But the old beggar said, "Young man, you're so young, yet you can fight this old bald man so fiercely. How can I let you live any longer?"

After saying this, the old man made his move. The killing intent he expressed was directed at the protector, but his actual attack was aimed at Han Baiyu first.

Han Baiyu was protected.

When she escaped after a fierce battle, her protector had become like this.

Han Baiyu gazed at the silkworm cocoon, gently placed her hand on it, and whispered, "You'll get better, won't you?"

A faint sound emanated from the silkworm cocoon.

"With the protection of a celestial maiden, of course I will live to be Baisui."

Han Baiyu's eyes trembled slightly: "I—"

"A celestial maiden is a celestial maiden, without a doubt."

The person inside the cocoon said softly, "Does the Heavenly Maiden intend to break my will? My divine skill is still in its infancy; if I lose my will, I fear... alas!"

Damn! You still have the nerve to turn around and manipulate me? I'd like to see if you can really recover!

Han Baiyu blinked quickly, concealing the tears welling in her eyes, and turned to leave.

She went outside, asked the nuns for some dry food, and sat on the stone steps to slowly eat it.

She chewed the hard, unpalatable biscuit repeatedly until she tasted its sweetness.

The weeds in the yard swayed in the cool breeze, but never fell over.

Han Baiyu's mind gradually calmed down.

After her fierce battle with the old monk and the old beggar, she fled for her life, hiding and disappearing. She appeared calm, but in reality, she was just tense up even more.

She had just arrived in the courtyard when she heard about the upheaval in the Hang Prefecture, leaving her in a state of utter confusion.

Only now, surrounded by the aroma of grains, can she begin to think seriously and sort things out from the beginning.

Han Baiyu knew that the trap set up by Meteor Gods and Devils and the others in Suzhou and Hangzhou was to lure him in.

However, since Meteor Gods and Devils and his group have been won over by the imperial court, they will inevitably take action against the rebel king sooner or later.

With Granny Putuo as her inside accomplice, Han Baiyu harbored the intention to turn the tables on this scourge and eliminate it, thus pacifying the martial arts world of Jiangnan.

Unexpectedly, she encountered an old monk and a beggar on her way and almost lost her life. In Hang Prefecture, things also took an unexpected turn.

Neither side's plan proceeded as intended.

Should we wait and see? But—

Han Baiyu still held half a cake in his hand, staring unfocused at the weeds, and stopped chewing.

She didn't need to turn around to sense the life force of the person inside the cocoon; it was so faint, almost extinguished.

That was her protector, and also the strongest expert among the rebel forces in Central Shu.

Even disregarding other factors, it is her trump card in the future against the imperial court.