After Wangxin helped Xiao Mo disperse the Evil Qi, he tried to persuade her to leave again. This ti, he didn’t threaten her with his blade but spoke with heartfelt earnestness.
But just as Xiao Mo had expected, Wangxin didn’t leave. She simply continued to follow behind him.
Although Wangxin appeared incredibly gentle and weak—even when Xiao Mo bullied her, she would only sit there blankly by herself, not even knowing how to be angry.
Yet, deep within her, there was a stubbornness etched into her very bones.
However, Xiao Mo noticed that ever since he’d had that talk with her, Wangxin had beco even more silent than before.
And she often spaced out.
Sotis, when Xiao Mo stopped walking, Wangxin would keep going.
She would only stop when she bumped into a tree, letting out a little "Oof!" as she clutched her head, her eyes welling with tears.
Xiao Mo had no idea what was on her mind.
When Xiao Mo asked, Wangxin would only shake her head repeatedly, refusing to say a word.
But before long, Wangxin gently tugged on the corner of Xiao Mo’s sleeve, her clear, translucent eyes blinking as she looked up at him.
"What is it?" Xiao Mo asked, turning around.
"I... I want a knife..." Wangxin said timidly, a hint of nervousness in her eyes.
Xiao Mo paused, slightly stunned. "What do you need a knife for?"
"..." Wangxin kept her head down and didn’t answer.
Seeing her expression, though Xiao Mo was very confused, he didn’t press the issue. He just took a black dagger from his Storage Pouch and tossed it to Wangxin. "This dagger was forged for by my junior sister. I’ve never used it. It’s yours."
"Oh... okay..." Wangxin nodded, cradling the dagger in her hands with a pensive look.
"Is there a problem?" Xiao Mo asked. "You’re not satisfied with the blade?"
"No, that’s not it." Wangxin shook her head, lifting her delicate face, her eyes blinking. "Xiao Mo, you have a junior sister?"
"Yeah. Not long after you left Blood Sin Peak, the Blood Demon brought her back. Why?"
"It’s nothing." Wangxin shook her head again. "I can feel that your junior sister was very dedicated when she forged this dagger."
"Who knows." Xiao Mo turned and continued walking. "That blade is sharp. Be careful."
Before they knew it, night had fallen.
Xiao Mo found a small clearing on the mountain, lit a campfire, and closed his eyes to rest. But he realized Wangxin had disappeared sowhere.
But Xiao Mo wasn’t worried.
With Wangxin’s Realm, very few people could harm her.
Not to ntion she had a Protective Magical Treasure given to her by the Abbot of Kongnian Temple. Even he would have to put in so effort to kill her.
Around midnight, a rustling sound ca from the bushes opposite him.
Xiao Mo had just opened his eyes when he saw Wangxin jogging out from the bushes.
She was holding a doe in her arms.
The doe’s front paws were draped over Wangxin’s arm, its belly exposed and its hind legs dangling. It was being held by Wangxin with a look of utter confusion, not struggling or resisting at all.
"Why’d you bring a rabbit over? Are you going to roast it for to eat?" Xiao Mo asked curiously.
"N-No..." Wangxin jumped in fright and quickly turned around, as if afraid Xiao Mo would sprinkle cumin on the bunny in her arms. "It’s not for you to roast..."
Seeing how nervous she was, Xiao Mo didn’t ask any more questions and closed his eyes again.
When Wangxin saw that Xiao Mo held no ill will toward the bunny in her arms, she placed it on the ground so distance away, blinking her eyes as she watched it...
The rabbit also looked quizzically at the human who had carried it over, not knowing what she was about to do.
...
「The next morning.」
When Xiao Mo opened his eyes, he saw Wangxin pointing the black dagger at the big white rabbit.
The big white rabbit stared blankly at Wangxin with its red eyes.
The small hand Wangxin used to grip the dagger was trembling slightly.
Finally, as if she had made up her mind, Wangxin thrust the dagger toward the rabbit.
The big white rabbit didn’t dodge, still looking at Wangxin with curiosity.
Just as the black dagger was about to pierce the rabbit’s back, it stopped abruptly. Wangxin swallowed hard, unable to bring herself to stab it.
Once.
Twice.
Three tis.
Wangxin tried to stab the rabbit again and again.
But each ti, the dagger would either freeze in mid-air or stab the ground next to the rabbit’s paws.
One ti, the dagger finally managed to touch the rabbit—and a tuft of the rabbit’s fur fell off.
Wangxin yelped in shock and quickly reached out to stroke the rabbit gently, as if checking to see if she had hurt it.
"What are you doing?" Xiao Mo asked.
"Ah!"
Wangxin jumped, and the dagger slipped from her hand, clattering to the side.
Xiao Mo looked at Wangxin. "Are you trying to kill the rabbit?"
Hearing his words, Wangxin lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers.
Finally, Wangxin nodded. "Mhm..."
Xiao Mo grew even more confused. "Why? Why would you suddenly want to kill it?"
"Because... because I want to practice first..." Wangxin said softly.
"Practice?"
"Mhm."
Wangxin looked up, her gaze serious as she t Xiao Mo’s eyes.
"Last ti, you asked if I would help you kill your enemies if soone tried to kill you...
I thought about it for a long, long ti.
And I finally figured it out."
Xiao Mo: "Figured what out?"
Wangxin clenched her small hands tightly. "If I have to kill to protect you, then I will."
"But Xiao Mo, I’ve never killed anyone before. I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it when the ti cos... so... so..."
As she spoke, Wangxin’s gaze fell once more.
"So you decided to practice on this rabbit first?" Xiao Mo said, speechless. "Was that why you asked for the dagger before?"
"Mhm... But a whole night has passed, and I still can’t bring myself to kill this bunny..." Wangxin’s head sank so low it nearly touched her chest. "Xiao Mo, am I useless...?"
"Sigh... This has nothing to do with whether you’re useless or not."
Xiao Mo sighed and looked at the clueless rabbit.
"You’re kind by nature. When you raised the dagger, even the rabbit didn’t believe you would kill it. The fact that it didn’t even try to run proves that you don’t have a shred of killing intent in your heart. And how can soone who has no killing intent commit the sin of killing?"
"I... I..." Wangxin looked earnestly into Xiao Mo’s eyes. "Give so ti. I’ll try my best!"
"Try your best?" Xiao Mo stared right back into her eyes. "The day you can finally bring yourself to be ruthless, your Buddhist heart will shatter, your path of enlightennt will be destroyed, and you won’t even be able to be a Monk anymore. Is it worth it?"
"It’s worth it..."
Xiao Mo’s reflection was mirrored in Wangxin’s clear eyes.
"If it’s for you, then I’ll just stop being a Monk..."
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