Before Xu Ming could react, Shi Xin had already thrown herself at him, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist.
Feeling Shi Xin’s body pressed against him, Xu Ming couldn’t ignore the softness of her figure. He had always thought she had an impressive physique, and more than once, he had nearly blurted out the phrase, “big breasts, no brains.”
Now, experiencing it firsthand, he found it to be quite accurate.
To be honest, a girl with such a stunning appearance and an exaggerated figure choosing to beco a monk felt like a waste. But at the sa ti, if she didn’t beco a monk, it sohow felt like an even greater loss.
“What’s wrong?” Xu Ming asked, his arm naturally sliding around Shi Xin’s slim waist, looking every bit like a caring and considerate man.
Shi Xin lifted her head from his embrace, her golden eyes blinking as she gazed at him. “Just now, I was really scared. There were so many ghosts in the temple.”
“It’s okay, I’m here,” Xu Ming reassured her gently.
Then, Shi Xin looked up at him again, her eyes filled with sincerity. “Xu Ming, when you’re not by my side, I realize I’m always thinking about you. I think… I might have fallen for you.”
Xu Ming chuckled and ruffled her hair. “Why are you suddenly saying things like this? Did you get scared silly?”
“No, I really—”
Before she could finish, Shi Xin subtly pulled a dagger from her sleeve, aiming to stab Xu Ming in the back.
But just as the blade was about to strike, Xu Ming’s palm struck out with lightning speed, slamming into her.
Shi Xin coughed up a mouthful of blood, her body dissolving into spiritual energy as she vanished from his embrace.
Xu Ming sighed in exasperation. “What kind of secret realm is this? Do they really think people are idiots?”
The mont she had embraced him, he already knew this wasn’t the real Shi Xin. And as for her saying “I like you”— that was beyond impossible.
Shi Xin falling for soone else? Yeah, right.
This girl was practically obsessed with Buddhist teachings, so much so that the Eight Precepts of Buddhism had beco ingrained in her very soul. There was no way she would develop romantic feelings for anyone.
In fact, Xu Ming was pretty sure Shi Xin didn’t even understand what “liking” soone ant.
Shaking his head, he continued forward and entered the temple’s rear courtyard.
It was vast, covered in a thick layer of white snow.
Just as Xu Ming stepped forward, the ground suddenly began to tremble violently.
His instincts kicked in, and he imdiately leapt backward. At the exact spot where he had been standing, a massive stone golem erged from the earth. Without hesitation, it launched itself at him with a wild charge.
Xu Ming dodged again with another swift step back, then leaped forward and slashed down with his sword.
With a single strike, the stone golem was cleaved clean in two.
Xu Ming could feel how effortlessly his sword cut through it—smooth, with no resistance whatsoever.
Even though his sword spirit had yet to awaken, aning he couldn’t fully unleash the weapon’s power, there was no denying it—an ancient divine weapon was an ancient divine weapon.
It was insanely sharp.
Xu Ming had wielded many swords in his ti, but this was the first ti he had experienced sothing so precise, so devastatingly effective.
Or rather—sharpened steel was one thing, but this was like slicing through stone as if it were butter.
However, no sooner had he cut down the first golem than more began rising from the ground.
Not just golems—stone lions from the temple’s grand hall also started moving, charging at him with terrifying speed.
Xu Ming gripped his sword tightly. With each swing, another enemy fell.
One strike, one kill.
Fragnts of stone exploded into the air, scattering in all directions.
Xu Ming was completely imrsed in the battle. It was the perfect opportunity to test his new sword.
When the dust finally settled, the courtyard was littered with nothing but shattered remains.
Yet, instead of feeling exhausted, Xu Ming found himself wanting more.
And then—
“Xu Ming.”
Xu Ming heard a familiar voice calling out to him again.
Turning his head, he saw Qin Qingwan standing not far away, looking straight at him.
“Xu Ming, I finally found you! I thought you were dead!”
With that, Qin Qingwan ran toward him.
But without a second thought, Xu Ming swung his sword once more, cutting “Qin Qingwan” down. Her form dissolved into spiritual energy and scattered into the air.
“How did you see through it this ti, Benefactor?” A different voice finally spoke up.
Xu Ming let out a cold laugh. “If it were really Qingwan, she wouldn’t have cried.”
“Amitabha,” the voice continued. “Benefactor, such heavy killing intent is not good for cultivating the mind.”
Xu Ming sneered. “I am a sword cultivator—a warrior. My sword techniques and martial arts exist for one purpose: to kill my enemies. And you’re telling my killing intent is too heavy? Then what’s the point of my cultivation?”
He glanced around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. “Besides, I’m no monk. Why would I cultivate the mind? And judging by those murals, the monks in this temple don’t seem to have much less blood on their hands than I do.”
“You misunderstand,” the old man’s voice echoed again. “We kill only to save more lives. But you, Benefactor, have been cutting down everything in your path without discernnt. Do you not fear making a mistake? What if you encounter soone real? What then?”
Xu Ming smirked. “That’s not a concern.”
By now, he had locked onto the voice’s origin. Raising his sword, he continued, “Because if it were really them, the first thing they’d do is test how well I can take a punch or a sword strike.”
With that, Xu Ming swung his sword.
A powerful sword aura tore through the air, as if it could split the entire temple in half.
The force of his attack cleaved a room straight down the middle. As the roof collapsed, a towering golem erged from within—three heads, twelve legs, wielding eight different weapons, charging straight at him.
—
“Xu Ming.”
“Xu Ming, are you here?”
“Xu Ming!”
Inside the temple, Shi Xin continued calling out his na.
She was feeling a little frustrated.
She had been holding onto the corner of Xu Ming’s robe the whole ti, yet sohow, she had still ended up losing him. Would he be mad at her later?
And where was this place, anyway?
Just a mont ago, the temple had been full of people, but now… everyone was gone.
Shi Xin was filled with confusion but still proceeded cautiously.
Then, not even half an incense stick’s ti later—
“Shi Xin.”
A voice called out.
Shi Xin lifted her head and saw Xu Ming walking toward her.
Her golden eyes lit up as she hurried to his side.
Xu Ming smiled. “Good, I’ve been looking for you. I thought you got lost.”
Shi Xin hesitated. “You’re not mad at for not keeping up?”
“Why would I be mad? You’re safe, that’s what matters.”
“You really aren’t mad?” She blinked at him.
Xu Ming nodded. “I really am not.”
Hearing his answer, Shi Xin’s gaze flickered slightly.
She raised her head. “Xu Ming, where is this place?”
Xu Ming shrugged. “No idea. Just stick close and don’t get lost again.”
“Mhm.” Shi Xin nodded obediently.
Walking behind Xu Ming, she stared at his back, blinking.
Sothing about him seed… off.
But she couldn’t quite put her finger on what.
“Xu Ming.” Shi Xin called out softly.
Xu Ming turned around. “What is it?”
Shi Xin thought for a mont before asking, “I was looking at those murals earlier, and I don’t think Buddhism should be like that. The monks in those paintings carry too much blood on their hands.”
Xu Ming considered her words and nodded. “You’re right. I agree with you. Buddhism should be about guiding all beings toward salvation, not simply adding to the cycle of slaughter.”
“Mhm.” Shi Xin nodded, seemingly pleased that Xu Ming agreed with her.
But in reality, she instinctively took a step back, putting an extra bit of distance between them.
As the two of them continued forward into the rear courtyard, suddenly, several stone golems crawled up from the ground and charged at them.
Shi Xin quickly ford a hand seal, casting a Golden Bell Shield to protect them both.
“Boom!”
The stone golems and the stone lions slamd into the golden barrier, producing deep, muffled echoes.
But none of them could break through Shi Xin’s defense.
“Shi Xin, stay here. I’ll handle them!”
Xu Ming drew his ancient divine sword, Hongxiu, and prepared to charge.
But the mont he took his first step forward—
His sword suddenly flipped in his grip, slashing toward Shi Xin instead!
“Clang!”
A sharp ringing sound echoed through the air as tal t resistance.
A faint golden sheen covered Shi Xin’s body—her natural Buddhist defense. The sword failed to even scratch her kasaya robe.
“Xu Ming” frowned. “How did you see through it?”
Shi Xin remained calm. “I truly do believe the monks in those murals were wrong. Monks should guide all beings toward salvation, not use killing to stop more killing.
But if I were to say this to Xu Ming, he would only call naive and mock as so kind of ‘saint.'”
She sighed softly, looking a little aggrieved. “Even though I don’t actually know what ‘saint’ ans… I do know that Xu Ming would never agree with .”
Then, her voice lowered slightly, tinged with quiet grievance.
“Also, if I really got lost… Xu Ming would definitely scold .”
—
“Qin Qingwan? Qin Qingwan!”
Inside the temple, Wu Yanhan paced back and forth, shouting loudly.
She was getting frustrated.
What the hell is going on in this place?
Not long ago, she and Qin Qingwan had arrived at Bìlóng Lake, only to be attacked by a Bìlóng Dragon and a Heluo Fish.
The two of them worked together, successfully driving the creatures away.
Then, at the lake’s center, the doors of an ancient temple mysteriously swung open.
Naturally, they stepped forward and entered.
But the mont they set foot inside… she and Qin Qingwan got separated.
And then, she ran into “Xu Ming.”
At first, she truly believed it was him and followed along without suspicion.
But as they walked and talked, suddenly, “Xu Ming” reached out—smiling—as if to pat her on the head.
Without hesitation, Wu Yanhan punched him straight into the wall.
Xu Ming would never do sothing like that.
He always maintained a certain distance from her, deliberately or not. There was no way he’d casually try to touch her.
Sure enough—that Xu Ming was fake.
That was when she realized—this place had to be an illusion.
Even if it wasn’t, nothing here could be trusted.
—
“Boom!”
Just as Wu Yanhan continued pacing, trying to make sense of the situation, a deafening explosion erupted in the distance.
Without hesitation, she turned toward the sound and ran.
—
“Wu Yanhan?”
“Wu Yanhan!”
“Your Highness!”
“Big fiery horse!”
Still, no one appeared.
Qin Qingwan let out a small sigh, her expression tinged with lancholy. “This is getting really strange.”
The first illusion she had encountered…
Was Xu Ming.
But the mont Qin Qingwan saw the illusion of Xu Ming, she imdiately felt that sothing was off.
She couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly was wrong—it was just a feeling.
Sothing about him just didn’t seem like the Xu Ming she knew.
So, she asked “Xu Ming” a question.
“Who do you think is prettier, Wu Yanhan or ?”
“Xu Ming” replied smoothly, “Of course, Qingwan, you’re the most beautiful.”
Qin Qingwan let out a sweet “Mhm.” She looked quite pleased, as if she enjoyed the complint.
But the mont “Xu Ming” turned around—
Qin Qingwan blasted a spell straight into his back.
In an instant, a gaping hole was punched through his body.
The fake Xu Ming dissolved into spiritual energy, vanishing into the air.
—
After that, Qin Qingwan knew for sure that this place was completely wrong.
She kept encountering one illusion after another—familiar faces from her past.
So were her fellow disciples, so were old acquaintances, and one was even her master.
But all of them—every single one—were riddled with obvious flaws.
To be honest, Qin Qingwan had no idea what the creator of this illusion was thinking.
If they really wanted to fool her, shouldn’t they at least make the illusions more convincing?
Like, seriously—her master?
What kind of ridiculous nonsense was that? As if her master would ever show up in a place like this.
—
As she continued walking, Qin Qingwan stumbled upon a massive Buddha statue.
But this statue was grotesque and twisted, its expression far from serene.
One look at it, and she could already tell—this thing wasn’t anything holy.
So, she destroyed it.
The statue crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces, sending up a cloud of dust several ters high.
“Cough, cough.”
Qin Qingwan coughed a few tis, waving away the dust in front of her.
And when the dust finally settled—
A familiar figure stood before her.
“Oh?” Qin Qingwan raised an eyebrow as she looked at Wu Yanhan. Her lips curled into a smirk. “Didn’t expect you to show up too.”
Without hesitation, she ford a hand seal, casting a spell straight at Wu Yanhan.
Wu Yanhan, who had just stepped into the courtyard, was also stunned to see Qin Qingwan.
But just like her, Wu Yanhan imdiately assud this was another fake.
So—she threw a punch.
—
anwhile—
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In another section of the temple, Xu Ming had just finished cutting down a bizarre statue shaped like a giant crab.
With one final kick, he sent the broken remains flying.
And at that very mont—
Shi Xin appeared in front of him.
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