Bai Ruozhu called Jianqi privately to explain the matter. Jianqi fell silent after hearing it, and after a while, with a serious face, said, "Master, are you still not giving up?"
Bai Ruozhu’s mouth twitched a bit, and her face showed a trace of embarrassnt. Jianqi was really not soone easy to like. Having soone as good as Yizi like him was truly not easy.
"What do you an I haven’t given up? How co now I can’t even command you?" Bai Ruozhu said with a stern face, "I need to break the curse. Lingering here is not an option, but Yizi cannot overexert herself, or what if her condition worsens? If I don’t leave you to watch over her, should I leave Fo Lanying and the others? I can’t command them."
Seeing Jianqi about to speak, Bai Ruozhu continued, "Could I possibly leave the dical sage behind? He is my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law is still missing. Wouldn’t that be causing trouble? Or do you think I can trust strangers to take care of Yizi?"
She sighed again and said, "I really didn’t know you disliked Yizi so much. This ti there’s no other option, and I have no ulterior motives. Once she recovers, I will find soone capable to manage her, so I won’t trouble you again."
"Master, I..." Jianqi wanted to explain, but Bai Ruozhu waved her hand, "Let’s leave it at that. If there are any developnts, send a ssage through the Comrce Association."
Jianqi had no choice but to exit the room. He waited for Jiang Yichun to return and saw Bai Ruozhu looking upset, so he asked, "Is Jianqi not getting it?"
"Yes, if only Jianqi were half as perceptive as you, why so stubborn?" Bai Ruozhu said in frustration.
Jiang Yichun rubbed his nose, wondering if this was praise for his pursuit of her back in the day.
"We’ve been through life and death together, so it’s different. After all, they haven’t known each other long. Take it slow, you’re being too impatient." Jiang Yichun sat down and helped Bai Ruozhu smooth out the wrinkles on her forehead, hoping to make her smile more often.
Bai Ruozhu also massaged her forehead, "I better stop frowning, it’s easy to form creases. Alright, I’ll not worry about this anymore, take it slowly."
Afterwards, Bai Ruozhu talked to Yizi about it, and Yizi reacted sowhat strongly, "Master, I’m fine, cough, cough, it’s just a minor illness, it’s nothing."
Bai Ruozhu shook her head helplessly, "Take a good five or six days to heal, don’t leave any lasting issues. This is decided."
"But..."
"No buts!" Bai Ruozhu firmly refused and then left. Every day she wondered for whom she was doing all this, as if she was forcing these two together, feeling heart-weary.
Early the next morning, Bai Ruozhu and the others set off, leaving Jianqi and Yizi behind.
Jianqi went to deliver food to Yizi, who looked at him with so embarrassnt and said, "Brother Jianqi, I’m sorry for dragging you down."
"It’s nothing; I’m also just taking a few days’ rest." Jianqi felt a bit distressed seeing Yizi looking so frail.
He wasn’t unconcerned about Yizi, nor did he want to avoid seeing her; it just felt a bit awkward.
"I’m fine here. You go rest." Yizi said, lowering her head, knowing her place and not clinging to Jianqi.
"Then..." Jianqi paused for a mont, then nodded and left.
If Bai Ruozhu knew this was how they interacted, she would undoubtedly be spitting out several liters of old blood.
After that, the journey went smoothly, and the group reached Xinchan Temple.
"You all wait here; I’ll go see Master Pudeng." Gao Zhou said.
Jiang Yichun nodded, and they followed the little monk to the guest room in the backyard to rest. After a while, Gao Zhou returned and said that Master Pudeng was unwell today and would et Bai Ruozhu the next day.
Jiang Yichun looked a bit anxious, but Bai Ruozhu said, "It’s fine. We’re here, so waiting another day is no problem."
"Yes, you all can also take a rest." Gao Zhou said.
They temporarily stayed at Xinchan Temple. Fo Lanying and Yuan Licheng didn’t find it boring; instead, they enjoyed the scenery of the Back Mountain and even went for a walk together.
However, there was a rule here that you couldn’t disturb the flora and fauna of the Back Mountain—no killing was allowed.
The little monk repeatedly reminded them of this, and Bai Ruozhu also emphasized it to Fo Lanying and the others to avoid upsetting the host.
The next day, Bai Ruozhu finally t Master Pudeng, a monk who looked every bit like a high monk.
He was very thin, with a shiny bald head showing neatly lined burn scars, and a small, gray-white beard on his chin.
His entire presence was very gentle, as if surrounded by a sacred aura, making others feel at ease looking at him.
Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun greeted him, and his gaze imdiately locked onto Bai Ruozhu. His normally calm, deep eyes suddenly shone with brilliance.
"Master, this is..." Gao Zhou noticed Master Pudeng’s reaction and hurriedly asked.
"She is just like you." Master Pudeng sighed and said in a mysterious tone.
Bai Ruozhu and Gao Zhou exchanged a glance; this master really was a true high monk.
Without waiting for them to respond, he continued, "Her soul is unstable. It’s already fortunate that it hasn’t been drawn away."
Bai Ruozhu’s heart skipped a beat, recalling how Ning Yu almost caused her soul to be drawn away. Master Pudeng’s words were indeed correct.
If soone skilled in magic technique ca, would they not use this to lure her soul away?
Gao Deng nervously glanced at Bai Ruozhu and asked, "Master, is there any solution?"
"Nurture the soul." Master Pudeng simply uttered two words.
"How to nurture the soul?" Jiang Yichun asked anxiously. Though he didn’t understand what an unstable soul entailed, he knew it wasn’t good.
Master Pudeng clasped his hands together, "Amitabha, don’t rush, don’t rush. Let dispel the curse for Bai Ruozhu first, and then we’ll talk about nurturing the soul."
"Alright, if there’s anything you need, feel free to say, Master." Gao Zhou quickly signaled Jiang Yichun to calm down.
"Nothing needed, just so ti. Don’t worry." Master Pudeng said, reciting Buddhist scriptures, then suddenly raised his hand and pressed a spot on Bai Ruozhu’s forehead.
Bai Ruozhu instinctively wanted to dodge; after all, having a stranger touch your vital forehead was alarming. But she found she couldn’t move, and Master Pudeng’s touch made her forehead feel cool, though she wasn’t sure why.
"It’s done. You all go rest now." Master Pudeng said.
Bai Ruozhu touched her forehead but felt nothing, yet it retained that cool sensation, and her mind seed to settle down, seeing things more clearly.
"Here?" she asked curiously.
Master Pudeng smiled and said, "Buddha’s light, go back, and co here again at this ti tomorrow."
Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Bai Ruozhu quickly bid farewell and left with Jiang Yichun to the guest room in the backyard.
The next day, a young monk ca to deliver a ssage, saying Master Pudeng requested Bai Ruozhu to co alone, and that others should not disturb his ditation.
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