Chapter 196

No—definitely a wrong answer.

Xue Nianzhi was very clear that Tang Luo was just pretending to ask, and her answer could not determine his actions later that night.

"Then can I hitch a ride?" After Xue Nianzhi agreed, Tang Luo asked.

"Okay." Xue Nianzhi's reply was listless.

"Alright, that's settled then. You know where I live, right? Come pick me up tonight." Tang Luo left happily.

Left Xue Nianzhi in the lounge with a vacant stare—these days, what on earth has she been up to?

Around six in the evening.

Xue Nianzhi watched Tang Luo get into the car, feeling a toothache, extremely painful, as if she wanted to go straight to the dentist for surgery.

"Master, are you sure you want to dress like that?"

Xue Nianzhi asked.

Tang Luo in the passenger seat wore a flashy white outfit, resembling a monk's robe, yet also like a Taoist robe.

Add to that his handsome face and white hair, he looked as if he had just stepped out of a comic convention—no, more like he walked out of a heavily edited cosplay photo.

"Naturally, I am a monk who has left home." Tang Luo said, "Such attire is proper and reasonable."

"Whatever you say, Master." Xue Nianzhi blinked, smiling broadly, as the car's engine roared and then faded.

The place Shi Ren had reserved was still a private booth, with a minimum spend, and a very high one at that.

Seeing Xue Nianzhi enter, Shi Ren immediately smiled, but upon seeing Tang Luo behind her, his smile instantly vanished.

What the hell?

Is he here with his wife?

Even a simp has dignity—is this trying to force an honest man to turn dark?

"No need to serve the dishes yet; I'll call you later." Shi Ren took a deep breath and told the waiter.

The waiter nodded, not bothering with these three odd-looking, story-filled individuals, closed the door, and shut out the outside commotion.

"Sir!" Shi Ren stared at Tang Luo, "I recall, you promised me something, didn't you?"

"I do." Tang Luo smiled and said, "I said I wouldn't disturb your lives after your marriage, but aren't you not married yet?"

Even the best temper, the deepest love, at this moment could not suppress the anger.

Shi Ren clenched his fists, about to strike Tang Luo's face.

At the critical moment, Xue Nianzhi stepped forward first, pushing Shi Ren with both hands, nearly knocking him to the ground.

Shi Ren staggered a few steps, the anger on his face gradually turning into a wretched expression: "Why!" he growled low.

"Don't fight, the Master means no harm." Xue Nianzhi could only say this.

Could it be that the person behind me is a dangerous monk, possibly of Fahai's caliber, and unlike Fahai who only deals with demons, I'm actually saving you here?

"Master?" Shi Ren latched onto a key word.

"Amitabha." Tang Luo pressed his palms together, solemn and dignified, "Patron, you are fixated on appearances; I am actually a monk who has left home."

Then he produced a document.

Obtained through approaching science, a legitimate document proving Tang Luo is a genuine monk with proper status.

Recognized by the state, not some charlatan.

"A monk who has left home?" Shi Ren took the document and glanced at it—indeed, but what good is a monk who has left home?

There have been monks who gave blessings to fallen women, and in history there was even Bianji, the monk who privately communicated with a princess—of course, some say this is fabricated.

In any case, being a monk who has left home cannot completely dispel Shi Ren's anger.

"Amitabha." Tang Luo uttered another Buddhist invocation, "Patron, do not be angry. I have come here to obtain your two birth characters, your family origins, examine your palmistry, and select for you an unprecedented, auspicious wedding date."

"No need, feudal superstition." Shi Ren firmly refused.

Tang Luo smiled silently.

Xue Nianzhi sighed, knowing she had to step in: "I think it makes sense."

On the way here, Tang Luo had already told her to cooperate with him.

"Alright." Shi Ren said, readily handing over his birth year, month, and time.

"Eh, Patron, you are indeed a person of utmost yang." Tang Luo said to Shi Ren.

"What is a person of utmost yang?" Shi Ren asked.

Tang Luo said: "If all eight characters are yang, then one is a person of utmost yang."

"Is there a problem with that? This person of utmost yang." Whether Shi Ren believes it or not, Xue Nianzhi does, and he must follow suit, as it relates to whether they can marry.

"Inappropriate." Tang Luo said, "A person of utmost yang brings misfortune to his wife."

"Ah?" Shi Ren was stunned—this is serious—"Is there any way? Master."

Even the form of address changed instantly.

"Method, naturally there is one." Tang Luo smiled, leaving Xue Nianzhi dazed, wondering what this monk intended.

Could it be he wants to extort money from Shi Ren? Unlikely—first, not to mention whether he is a truly enlightened high monk, given his abilities, there should be far better ways to make money.

No need to resort to such despicable methods.

"Master, how much do you want? Money is no problem!" Shi Ren said.

"Patron, you jest." Tang Luo said, "I am a monk who has left home; what use is money? I came here naturally to help you two."

Shi Ren found it strange—you don't want money, yet you speak in riddles; what exactly do you want?

Do you monks always like to speak so mysteriously?

Suppressing his nature, Shi Ren asked: "Then what do you want me to do, Master?"

"Very simple, I will just give you a blessing." Tang Luo said.

"A blessing?" Shi Ren shuddered, what does that mean?

"Yes, consecration." Tang Luo reached out, slowly grabbing Shi Ren's hand.

Shi Ren stepped back sharply: "You! You..." His face was filled with terror.

"What are you afraid of, benefactor?" Tang Luo said with a smile.

Now even Xue Nianzhi's gaze toward him seemed off.

"This won't do! This absolutely won't do!" Shi Ren refused firmly.

"Why won't it?" Tang Luo asked, "Does the benefactor not want this poor monk to consecrate you?"

"Get lost!" Shi Ren roared, the sycophant's bottom line finally broken, "Take your nonsense and get out! Otherwise I'll really make you suffer."

"Female Bodhisattva, won't you advise the benefactor?" Tang Luo looked at Xue Nianzhi.

Xue Nianzhi was desperate, how could she persuade him? She could only steel herself and say: "Just consecration, as long as you chant a sutra it should be fine, right, Master?"

"Indeed." Tang Luo nodded.

Shi Ren's expression froze instantly, then after a moment he slowly relaxed, only to show anger next: "Damned monk! Are you playing with me?!"

"No." Tang Luo smiled, "This poor monk only intends to consecrate the benefactor, whether the benefactor accepts or not, have you decided?"

"Then consecrate it is." Shi Ren looked at Xue Nianzhi's slightly pleading expression, raised his head, appearing heroic.

"Good."

Tang Luo suddenly reached out and grabbed Shi Ren's wrist.

Shi Ren widened his eyes, saying it was just supposed to be chanting sutras! Saying monastics don't lie! You monk are deceiving people!

With a "crack" sound.

Shi Ren's forearm was actually snapped directly by Tang Luo, his eyes bulged, mouth opened, emitting a silent scream, his other hand slammed onto the table, expression in extreme pain.

"……" Xue Nianzhi suddenly stood up from her seat.

What exactly does this monk want to do! His actions are so strange and vicious!

"Amitabha." Tang Luo pressed his palms together and intoned a Buddhist name, "This poor monk has already selected a suitable time for both of you, which is a hundred years from now."

Xue Nianzhi said nothing, desperately suppressing the fox demon's traits from showing.

She realized she might have trusted this Tang Xuanzang too much—blindly believing in the other's immense strength, thinking he had no need to deceive her.

But she forgot, feline creatures have a nasty habit of toying with prey.

Even, is this person really a monk? No, is he really a human? Could he actually be a demon, a cat demon!

That's why he made that terrifying little cat so obedient—because he himself is a far more terrifying demon!

"A hundred years..." Shi Ren struggled to speak, "You fucking kidding me!"

"Anyway you won't die, right?" Tang Luo said.

Xue Nianzhi came to her senses, looking at Shi Ren's forearm snapped by Tang Luo, with bones even exposed, the blood flowing out was extremely strange.

Although it had the color of blood, it gave the feeling of being extremely greasy.

Just like oil stained with blood.

"Corpse oil, from a dead person who can speak, has heartbeat, pulse, and temperature." Tang Luo said, "Being able to do this is indeed not easy."

Shi Ren's face turned ferocious, about to rise, only to hear a bang.

The utensils on the table trembled slightly.

Shi Ren was pressed down on the table by Tang Luo's hand, unable to rise.

"He..." Xue Nianzhi said, "Is he human or ghost, or demon?"

"Hard to say, to be honest, I've never seen such a thing before." Tang Luo said, "Maybe count him as a corpse?"

"You're the corpse!" Shi Ren no longer hid anything, roared.

Also thanks to this private room's excellent soundproofing, otherwise they'd probably have drawn outsiders over.

"Corpse oil has already flowed out, benefactor, why won't you accept reality and go where you should go?" Tang Luo said, meeting Shi Ren was purely accidental, "But before that, this poor monk has some things to ask you."

"Kill me if you can, kill me if you have the ability!" Shi Ren raged violently, the sycophant reduced to nothing, completely darkened.

"Little fox, try your ability on him to see if it works." Tang Luo said.

"Oh, okay." Xue Nianzhi came to her senses, "That, Master, let him look into my eyes."

Tang Luo still pressed on Shi Ren's head, stood up and walked to the other side, grabbed Shi Ren's neck, forcibly lifting his head.

Before them, Xue Nianzhi's eyes had become vertical pupils, looking quite strange.

She looked into Shi Ren's eyes.

"Ah!"

A miserable cry rang out, Xue Nianzhi instantly revealed a pair of beast ears, two streams of fresh blood flowed from her nose, she collapsed onto the chair.

Her face turned pale, terror to the extreme, her body kept trembling.

"It seems your secrets are more than I imagined, benefactor." Tang Luo spoke.