Namo Amitabha Buddha…
“As they say, while hell is not empty, Ksitigarbha won’t become a Buddha. When evil spirits dare to profane Buddha’s heart, how can a Buddha save them?”
Namo Amitabha Buddha…
“Have I questioned the Buddha? Why the silence? Or perhaps, once the Buddha removes their kasaya, they no longer wish to guide me to the Pure Land?”
Namo…
The familiar sutras, usually flowing effortlessly through her mind, now seemed disrupted by demonic interference. Unable to recall a single word, Nan Yan lifted her gaze. Without deliberately avoiding it, she felt his scorching breath close to her face and whispered, “Shao Cang, you’ve been corrupted by ghostly energy.”
“The pain of ghostly corruption is nothing compared to the agony of losing you.”
Nan Yan knew his determination well. Even now, a hint of restraint lingered in his eyes as his gaze traveled from her brow to her pale pink lips, where it lingered.
“Shouldn’t some things always start with the man?” he suddenly asked after a moment of intense staring.
Such boldness would be unforgivable from anyone else, but… sometimes even she couldn’t deny that her ability to distinguish had surpassed the most basic precepts of Buddhism.
Something began to stir in her chest.
Nan Yan fumbled for her prayer beads, only to remember she had put them away.
“Forgive my impertinence.”
Nan Yan remained still, neither moving nor resisting. The prayer beads she had just reached for clattered to the ground.
It began with a tentative touch, quickly abandoning years of self-restraint. Though he seemed somewhat inexperienced, he never let Nan Yan notice, always becoming skilled before she could realize it.
Every intertwining of their lips, every shared breath seemed to convey a message—the evil spirit was seeking her charity.
Nan Yan’s thoughts became a confused jumble. She recalled her childhood reverence and admiration for Shao Cang, which had evolved into a complex mix of emotions as she grew older. The wind rustled through the treetops three times. Nan Yan could hear insects crawling through the grass and water trickling over distant rocks. Yet these sounds gradually evaporated and burned away in the heat of their embrace, until all she could hear was the beating of their hearts.
Only when a soft whimper escaped her throat did Ji Yang finally release her, though he remained close. He cradled her neck, gently kissing her now crimson lips. His other hand traced her slender neck, slowly but firmly parting the layers of her scarlet wedding dress.
As he exposed half of her jade-like shoulder, Nan Yan grasped his hand. “Are you determined to ruin my cultivation today?”
“You destroyed your soul blood, and you accuse me of ruining your cultivation? If you truly object, seal my primordial spirit and ghostly energy. I won’t resist.”
He had acted with a reckless, all-or-nothing attitude, but after speaking these words, he felt the tense, rigid body in his arms gradually relax. She even wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
“A Yan?”
Nan Yan lowered her head without speaking, her raven-black hair cascading around her. After a long moment, she murmured, “Monastics abstain from alcohol and lust, but they also avoid insincerity.” She pointed to his heart, then to her own, her eyes brimming with suppressed emotion.
She loved him deeply but dared not speak of it.
Ji Yang pressed his ear to her chest, listening to her warm, strong heartbeat. He closed his eyes, allowing the tide of emotion to recede slightly before asking, “Then why don’t you return to secular life?”
Nan Yan gestured for him to release her and said, “I’ll tell you when the time comes.”
“Why not now?” Seeing her smile without answering, Ji Yang, unsatisfied, captured her lips again, savoring them for a long while before saying, “This probably isn’t the first time I’ve let you go… is it?”
To Ji Yang’s surprise, he found that even without exerting force, Nan Yan didn’t let go. Instead, she clung to his neck, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder as her body began to heat unnaturally.
The red wedding dress swayed gently, its exquisite phoenix pattern emitting a subtle golden-red glow that seeped into her body through her ankles, knees, and all her meridians.
“I feel… strange,” Nan Yan said, clutching at his shoulder with a bewildered expression. A faint pink flush spread from her cheeks to her neck and collarbone. Her usually calm eyes became misty and unfocused.
Ji Yang quickly realized the situation. For a young phoenix who had prematurely initiated the awakening ritual, the cleansing of bloodlines would coincide with the unique mating season of the demon clan. If she were still in Xuan Cang Jue’s territory, high-level demons would help suppress it and allow her to choose a suitable partner.
But here… This was a deserted flower valley in the Nine Tribulation Sea, witnessed only by the glowing grassland and jade-like trees.
He had seized her at the perfect moment.
A cool strand of hair slipped through his fingers as Ji Yang lifted her higher. He lowered his head to gently bite the edge of her light apricot-colored tube top, then looked up at her with a hint of desire. If one could ignore his ominous blood-red eyes, his refined face, bearing a touch of asceticism, might have appeared harmless.
He murmured, “Remember, among all the beings you’ve saved, I’m the most unforgivable.”
…
The next morning, a small nine-colored deer radiating silver light appeared in the desolate forest. It crouched low, avoiding the ominous ghostly sentinels scattered about, and stealthily slipped into the heart of the woods.
Soon, the deer spotted its target – a woman in plain white Buddhist robes, sleeping peacefully on a hastily arranged jade couch beneath a jade tree.
Excited, the deer nuzzled her waist with its newly sprouted antlers, forcefully rousing her with insistent whimpers.
Nan Yan hadn’t slept so deeply in ages. As she opened her eyes, she first noticed the ache throughout her body. Then, memories of the previous night flooded her mind unbidden.
Panting faces, damp hair clinging to cheeks, undulating shoulder blades…
And the subject of all this was a youth who appeared no older than sixteen or seventeen.
…How sinful, how immoral.
Nan Yan buried her face in the jade couch, slowly clenching her fist and striking it several times. She turned to look at the small nine-colored deer bouncing beside her and asked, “What are you so happy about? Isn’t the demon clan fighting with Ten Karma Mountain anymore?”
The deer called out twice, then released a faint light from its mouth, carrying the Deer Lord’s voice.
“Time is short, so I’ll be brief. Two days ago, the peak of Ten Karma Mountain collapsed, creating a spatial rift. Spiritual energy is about to pour out. I’ve contacted the myriad demons of the Nine Tribulation Sea. Before long, the entire Nine Tribulation Sea will be swept into the human realm by the force of dimensional imbalance.”
Nan Yan’s expression immediately turned solemn. “Will that affect the human realm…?”
“No need to panic,” the Deer Lord’s voice sounded almost relaxed. “We originally thought the fate of Ten Karma Mountain and the Nine Tribulation Sea would be mutual destruction. Now, with the chance to enter the more stable human realm, more of our clan’s descendants will survive.”
Nan Yan fell silent, looking at the ethereal nine-colored deer that seemed to belong in a celestial realm. She thought of her aunt Jiao Niang and worried, “But in the human realm, cultivators are at their peak. Even if I don’t consider it from their perspective, I must warn you… If the Nine Tribulation Sea enters the human realm, forget about the demon clan – those few spirit wells alone will inevitably lead to more devastating wars.”
The Deer Lord replied, “I’m well aware. I’ll do my best to coordinate with the various clan leaders to prepare. Ideally, we can contact the descendants of the demon kingdom scattered in the human realm. Once we establish a foothold, we’re willing to negotiate with humans to share the spirit wells.”
Nan Yan couldn’t help but think of Yin Ya, also of royal demon lineage. His journey had been to rescue the Celestial Fox clan, but even if rescued, they would struggle alone. Perhaps they could join forces with the demons from the Nine Tribulation Sea, forming a united front. Their noble birth meant they had no interest in common human flesh, unlike some malevolent demons. With proper management, they could find a place to settle in the human realm.
But Yin Ya had disappeared without a trace, and Nan Yan no longer knew his whereabouts or actions. She dared not make any promises. At this moment, the Deer Lord seemed to sense something and asked with a gentle, amused female voice, “Have you finally found a suitable partner?”
Nan Yan: “…How did you notice?”
“The purifying jade beneath you is a rare treasure. Using it carelessly for a nap rather than cultivation reminds me of when I first partnered with my wife. I wanted to give her only the best things in the world.”
With no one else around, Nan Yan’s face flushed red. But as she pondered these words, something seemed amiss. “Did you say you and your… wife?”
Deer Lord: “Yes, I’m the father of two children.”
Nan Yan: “…But your gentle female voice???”
Deer Lord said kindly, “Of course, it’s to deceive you, young humans.”
Oh, so this feminine-voiced Deer Lord was… male.
As the little nine-colored deer giggled, Nan Yan began to feel slightly annoyed. Suddenly, the deer leaped up as if encountering something terrifying and darted into the depths of the dense forest.
Bewildered, Nan Yan watched the deer flee, unable to understand why. Just then, someone embraced her from behind. The figure seemed slightly taller than the night before, now bearing the appearance of a young man.
“Last night, A Yan cried out intensely, complaining half the night about my youthful form,” a voice filled with obvious joy sounded by her ear. “It’s because the ghostly energy hasn’t fully condensed. I had planned to refine it while you rested, but I didn’t expect you to wake so early.”
Nan Yan stammered, “You… we… last night?”
Ji Yang said politely, “Last night was passionate. I can’t pretend nothing happened. If you feel uneasy, we can perform three kowtows to heaven and earth after we rescue Mother. How does that sound?”
“…”
This time, Nan Yan didn’t object. Sighing, she tucked away her prayer beads, thinking she’d likely face punishment at Huishan Temple. After silently apologizing to all the Buddhas of the universe, she turned to look at Ji Yang’s current appearance.
His was a face that could easily captivate hearts. If not looking at her, his expression would have carried an innate nobility and coolness, reminiscent of when she first met him – though he could chat casually with strangers, his smile kept people at a distance.
Snapping out of her reverie, Nan Yan realized her spiritual power had fully recovered, and her soul force was no longer weak. She asked, “What do you think about what the Deer Lord said earlier?”
Ji Yang pressed his forehead against hers and lowered his gaze. “About us being partners?”
“…About the Nine Tribulation Sea entering the human realm.”
Ji Yang hummed, seemingly unconcerned about these complications. He intertwined his fingers with Nan Yan’s and said, “Foreign clans settling in the cultivation world is a big deal. Those with a say are mainly from the Upper States. Now that Chen and Si States have just ceased hostilities, as long as the Nine Tribulation Sea is willing to give up some spirit wells, there’s room for negotiation.”
“Is it that simple?”
Ji Yang replied, “Don’t forget why the Mountain and Sea Prohibition exists. In matters like this, the Emperor’s decision is crucial.”
Nan Yan suddenly realized, “I didn’t notice – did you finally decide on a victor in that great hall?”
Ji Yang: “Hmm? Didn’t I tell you? Zhen Ting is both civil and martial, truly a child of destiny. Even if I interfere further, the crown of mountains, rivers, and seas belongs to none other than him.”
Nan Yan: “…”