Chapter 8

Yet the young man was stubborn; he wouldn't listen, wouldn't listen, wouldn't listen at all—even if he didn't turn Pan Yun over to the authorities, he refused to let her go.

"Letting someone like this go makes me uneasy; who knows when she'll grow into a great weapon of destruction? You say killing evil stops evil, but isn't letting evil go also evil?" The young man pointed at Pan Yun: "Isn't she already an evil person?"

The young woman thought for a moment, then nodded: "Third Senior Brother is right. Let's take her back and have her cultivate her mind and spirit—only release her once she's improved."

Pan Yun interrupted: "My heart is kind. I kill only in self-defense, by accident, not on purpose. As for killing a cat—that's nonsense. We were companions. Before you arrived, I was treating its wounds; that's why it screamed so loudly from the pain."

"The wounds on its body were inflicted by Wang Yong—truly!"

The black cat let out a sharp "meow" beside her, snorting at Pan Yun.

To the young man and woman, it looked as if the cat was testifying for Pan Yun.

The young man chuckled awkwardly: "You were healing it? I misunderstood."

"I forgive you," Pan Yun studied their expressions, then pressed further: "But may I make a request?"

Her eyes welled with tears: "I haven't seen my father in a long time—I miss him terribly. I want to go to Datong to find him…"

The young man: "No, you're too violent. How can we possibly let you go like this…"

The young woman, tired of their bickering, cut in: "Either come with us, or go to the county jail. Choose one."

Pan Yun fell silent at once.

She dared bargain with the young man, but dared not argue with the young woman.

The black cat suddenly lifted its upper body, raised its head toward the forest's edge, and began meowing: "Someone's coming."

This time, the voice didn't come from inside her mind—it came through her ears.

Pan Yun couldn't help glancing at it, but didn't hesitate; she turned at once to the young woman: "Someone's coming."

The young woman also sensed it, turned her head to glance outside: "You have half a quarter-hour. Best fill the pit and erase all traces."

Saying this, she walked out. As she passed the stones Pan Yun had used to set her array, she paused, kicked them with her foot, and shifted their positions.

Pan Yun saw this, her eyes flickering—it was a simple illusion array, not strong enough to trap anyone, but enough to make intruders unconsciously avoid this spot.

The young man leaned on his shovel, eyes gleaming: "Ah! You use occult arts! This body was buried so flat—how could someone your size have done it without occult arts?"

Pan Yun said: "That's not occult art—it's cultivation technique."

Having cultivated more qi over time, she didn't delay; she immediately formed the hand seal, making the excavated earth ripple and slide back into the pit, gradually compacting until all traces of digging vanished.

Not only that—the ground she had previously stepped on or fallen upon also softly rippled, erasing every mark, leaving no hint at all.

The young woman returned, saw it all, and immediately sealed Pan Yun's meridians.

Meeting Pan Yun's wide eyes, she smirked slightly: "This is for our safety. Only when we're safe can you be safe."

Saying this, she tossed Pan Yun to the young man: "Let's go."

The young man grabbed her and walked off. Before leaving, Pan Yun couldn't help glancing back toward the forest's edge—her gaze passed over the plum trees and caught a fleeting human face.

It was Liu Jing.

Pan Yun instantly went still; the spirit talisman hidden in her sleeve slowly dissolved, and she pressed her palm against the black cat's belly.

The black cat sensed the familiar spiritual energy leaking from her and immediately absorbed it—but far weaker than its true form, it absorbed less than one-tenth before the talisman vanished completely.

【You've got some conscience,】 the Spirit Realm said in her mind: 【We're inseparable allies.】

Pan Yun: 【You're right. Cooperation is pleasant, black cat.】 Black cat: 【Call me Spirit Realm.】

Pan Yun said nothing inside or out, for the young man and woman had brought her into a temple. They entered a courtyard with practiced ease, opened the door, and stepped inside.

The young woman said: "Pack your things. I'll bid farewell to the abbot."

The young man nodded, placed Pan Yun on the kang, and began packing.

Pan Yun sat on the kang, hugging the cat, swinging her legs, and asked sweetly: "What should I call you, brother?"

The young man glanced at her: "Call me Uncle. I am Tao Ji."

"Uncle Tao, what about that young lady?"

Tao Ji folded his clothes neatly onto a large cloth, straightened up, and stared at her silently: "You call me Uncle, but call my junior sister 'sister'? Don't you fear she'll beat you when she returns?"

Pan Yun: "Girls don't like being called old."

"My junior sister isn't an ordinary girl. Besides, who doesn't enjoy being an elder?" Tao Ji studied Pan Yun, then his eyes brightened. He leaned in: "Hey, why not become my junior sister's disciple? You use cultivation techniques too, and at such a young age—your talent must be exceptional."

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Pan Yun boasted: "My master isn't someone just anyone can be."

Tao Ji snorted: "My junior sister's disciples aren't for just anyone either. She's from the Zhang family of Long Hushan, heir to the mysterious arts. You? You barely know a few occult techniques."

Pan Yun: "Do you train at Long Hushan too?"

"Of course not. I am a Daoist of Mount Sanqing's Sanqing Temple. My junior sister trains there too. This time, we're bringing you back to Sanqing Temple to cultivate your spirit…"

"Third Senior Brother!" The young woman entered holding a set of clothes, frowning at him.

Tao Ji snapped back to himself—he'd revealed too much.

He glared at Pan Yun, then turned to resume packing.

The young woman said: "Come. Change into these clothes in my room. The plum forest's illusion array won't hold him long—he'll either find the corpse or track us to the temple."

Pan Yun obediently followed her.

The clothes the young woman brought were common dark blue fabric, half-worn, boy's attire. When Pan Yun put them on, the sleeves were too long—but rolling them up fixed it.

Pan Yun didn't really want to wear them. Though she smelled the scent of soap on them—clearly washed—she still felt uncomfortable.

"Whose clothes are these?"

The young woman had already packed her own things, tied her bundle, and slung it over her shoulder. She looked up at Pan Yun for a moment before answering: "They're from the temple's charity shed. Some pilgrims donate oil money; others wash and donate unused clothes for those in need."

Pan Yun no longer minded. She folded her old clothes, wrapped them in the small cloth the young woman handed her, and tied them on her back just as the woman had done.

Hmm. She was a person with luggage now.

Tao Ji called out from outside. The young woman picked up Pan Yun: "I am Xuanmiao. Stay obedient on this journey. I'm nothing like my brother—I won't be fooled so easily."

The two reunited and immediately took a back path out the temple's side gate.

Not long after they left, Liu Jing, who had been circling around in the plum grove, finally found his way out and pushed open the temple's back door.

Frowning, he searched the temple but found no trace of Wang Yong. After a moment's thought, he decided to trust his own feeling and return to the plum grove to keep looking, but this time he grabbed a Monk to accompany him.

That plum grove was clearly strange, and since it belonged to the temple, the monks ought to know where the strangeness lay.

(End of chapter)