Chapter 1906: Fan Yin Si (Part I)

Hu Xiaotian lay on the carpet, Xi Ma's soft, delicate body pressed against his chest, gentle as a lamb; she wished to hold this moment forever, but she knew dawn would come soon, and she must face another day of life. Her fingers drew circles on his chest, when suddenly two crystal tears fell onto his chest.

Hu Xiaotian reached out and gently stroked her silk‑soft hair.

Xi Ma kissed his cheek, lay down beside him, gazed dreamily at his handsome face, then whispered, "Go! Never come back."

Hu Xiaotian frowned. "Why?"

Xi Ma said, "I don't want you to risk yourself for me; this is Black Hu, not your country."

Hu Xiaotian gave a faint smile, cupped Xi Ma's pretty face, and said word by word, "What I say I will do; you are my woman, no one can take you from my side."

Xi Ma threw herself into his arms, her heart blissful to the utmost; if his words were a lie, she would rather live forever in deception.

Xi Ma asked, "You came to the northern desert not just for me, right?" Though she was simple‑minded, she was not stupid.

Hu Xiaotian didn't hide it from her either; matters between men and women are strange—once this happens, distance suddenly shrinks, and the best way to shorten it is to get to know each other deeply. He said, "Taking you away is the most important thing; another is to retrieve what Fan Yin Si took from me."

"What thing?" Xi Ma obviously didn't know the details.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Two skulls."

"I'll help you!" Xi Ma didn't even ask why; once a woman decides to follow a man for life, she devotes her whole body and mind to him—especially since Hu Xiaotian isn't targeting the Black Hu Empire, but merely taking back what rightfully belongs to him from Fan Yin Si.

After several days of heavy snow, Fan Yin Si was buried in thick snow, only the Golden Summit Hall remained uncovered; the sun rose in the east, golden light shining brilliantly, making it stand out even more in the silver‑white world.

The Black Hu Princess Xi Ma, escorted by a troop of warriors, arrived outside Fan Yin Si accompanied by High Priest Ya Su. At the foot of the stairs to Fan Yin Si, the warriors dismounted; per Fan Yin Si's rule, ordinary warriors must stop here and may not proceed further. Because of the princess's special status, High Priest Ya Su accompanied her to Fan Yin Si and into the Golden Summit Hall.

Xi Ma's expression showed some nervousness, because the High Priest Ya Su beside her had been swapped by Hu Xiaotian's design; the real High Priest Ya Su had his acupoints sealed and hidden somewhere by Hu Xiaotian, though he had promised her he would spare Ya Su's life, so she presumed she would be unharmed.

Glancing at Ya Su beside her, his height and build revealed no flaw; the high priest wore a white cloth over his face, showing only his eyes—Ya Su's eyes were deep‑blue like seawater, and this person's eyes were the same. Xi Ma silently mused that a disguise could change one's appearance, but she hadn't expected it could even alter eye colour.

On her right stood a maidservant—actually Hu Xiaotian in disguise. Though he was dressed as a woman, he still had no chance to enter the Golden Summit Hall; only High Priest Ya Su could do so. He glanced at Ji Feihua, who was impersonating Ya Su, and she gave him a firm look, telling him not to worry about himself.

Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua flanked Xi Ma on left and right as they ascended the steps; Xi Ma whispered, "Nothing can be hidden from the Living Buddha."

Hu Xiaotian heard her timidity in her words, softly reassured her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here with you." At the same time he sent a mental message to Ji Feihua: "Be careful; if anything changes, I'll rush in right away."

Ji Feihua replied calmly, "I'll handle what's inside; you just need to follow the plan."

The stairs to Fan Yin Si have nine levels; after climbing three, a troupe of red‑clad lama monks came to greet them. Their leader, broad‑eared, was one of Fan Yin Si's eight great dharma protectors, Mituo. Though the air was cold, he bared his arms, revealing knotted, well‑developed muscles; palms together, he intoned like a great bell, "Junior monk, acting in my master's name, has come specially to greet the Princess."

Xi Ma nodded. "Master, you've worked hard; please lead the way."

Twelve lama monks split into two columns, marching ahead to guide them. Xi Ma's real worry was Hu Xiaotian being exposed; after all, a grown man dressed as a maid—she glanced at him, saw his downcast, obedient demeanor, with no trace of his former self, and his female attire almost made her laugh out loud. Remembering where they were, she stifled the urge. Having Hu Xiaotian beside her, her heart steadied considerably.

Hu Xiaotian's eyes darted left and right; along the way he often saw practicing lamas, roughly estimating he'd seen several hundred. No wonder Fan Yin Si and Heaven Dragon Temple can stand as rivals—setting aside the temples' histories, just the number of monks is enough to match.

After entering the front hall, Mituo stopped and said to Xi Ma, "Princess and High Priest, please follow me!"

Ji Feihua had already sent his words to Hu Xiaotian via mental transmission; Xi Ma, speaking in Hu language, told Hu Xiaotian to wait. Fan Yin Si also arranged a reception: a young, handsome red‑clad lama approached Hu Xiaotian, made an inviting gesture. Hu Xiaotian feigned shyness, lowered his gaze to his toes, and followed the young lama behind him to the left‑hand courtyard to rest.

To reach the left courtyard one must pass a long sutra‑chanting corridor. The young lama muttered something to Hu Xiaotian in a language he didn't understand; Hu Xiaotian simply kept his head down and silent. Fortunately he was disguised as a woman, so the lama suspected nothing, thinking the maid was merely shy, and turned into a side courtyard—likely a guest reception area.

Inside there was no one else; the lama had Hu Xiaotian sit, then brought over a steaming cup of butter tea and handed it to him.

Hu Xiaotian smiled, took the butter tea; the young lama said something else, but seeing Hu Xiaotian still silent, suspicion crossed his face. Hu Xiaotian thought, "Oh no, if this continues I'll almost certainly be exposed." He feigned surprise, pointed behind the lama; the lama, unaware it was a trick, turned—Hu Xiaotian struck him in the back of the neck with a palm, knocking him out. He sealed the lama's acupoints, swiftly stripped off his monk's robe, removed his female disguise, used Tendon Changing Bone Shifting to restore his original build; the lama's physique was similar to his own, so Hu Xiaotian donned the robe, put on the hat, dragged the lama to a corner and hid him, then strode out openly.

Although Fan Yin Si has many lamas, they don't necessarily know each other; Hu Xiaotian, following the map memorized in his mind, took a side path toward the Sutra Pavilion.

Ji Feihua and Xi Ma arrived before the Golden Summit Hall; its doors were shut, four brown‑clad lamas stood guard. Mituo stepped forward and explained the situation to them. Xi Ma's heart tightened; Ji Feihua sent her a mental message: "Don't worry they won't suspect you've teamed up with us; if anything happens, they'll surely send lamas to protect you—remember, do not resist, follow them as they flee, and Hu Xiaotian will come to rescue you at once."

Xi Ma bit her lip; though she didn't know who the speaker was, she felt the words carried an irresistible force, and she felt an inexpressible awe toward Ji Feihua.

The Golden Summit Hall's doors slowly opened; Mituo returned to Xi Ma's side and said respectfully, "Princess, please enter; High Priest, please enter."

Xi Ma and Ji Feihua entered the gate; Mituo did not follow them inside. The one leading them was a novice monk in plain white robes, holding a butter lamp. The hall's light was dim; as they stepped in, the doors closed behind them. The novice said, "Please take off your shoes and follow me." He held the butter lamp, barefoot, walking ahead; with each step the gold tiles beneath lit up.

Xi Ma and Ji Feihua also removed their leather boots; clean white socks stepped on the gold tiles, which lit up in response. The pattern etched on the tiles was "lotus at every step." As they walked forward, golden lotuses lit up one after another, and the whole hall grew much brighter.

The novice stopped before the Buddha's golden image; Xi Ma and Ji Feihua came to the prepared cushions and paid homage. As Xi Ma knelt, she murmured prayers, silently hoping the Buddha would not blame her for today's deeds.

The novice set down the lamp, then said, "Please wait a moment; I'll go fetch the master."

Xi Ma said softly, "Thank you, little master."

The novice turned and left; the empty hall held only Xi Ma and Ji Feihua, but after a long while the novice still hadn't returned—not only Xi Ma, even the usually composed Ji Feihua sensed something was amiss.

Xi Ma was about to speak, but Ji Feihua stopped her with mental transmission, whispering, "Just act as if nothing happened; I have the feeling someone is watching us from the shadows."

Ji Feihua said it was only a feeling; with her keen perception she detected no breathing or heartbeat. If someone were hiding nearby, they could fool her senses, and their martial arts must be unfathomably profound.

After a while of impatient waiting, they finally heard the novice's pattering footsteps; his slight figure appeared in the lantern light, smiling narrowly as he said, "Sorry to keep you waiting; the master invites you to come in." (To be continued…~^~)