Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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As dusk fell, the sky was ablaze with crimson clouds, and orange rays streamed into the courtyard.
He gazed intently at her, his dark, calm eyes like obsidian at the bottom of a deep pool, somber and cold, their emotions unfathomable.
Seeing that she had successfully captured his attention, You Xu smiled: “Master, since you don’t believe in the marriage I divined for you, how about we make a bet?”
She was backlit, the soft light illuminating her silhouette, her hair swaying gracefully in the evening breeze. Her smile carefree and vibrant.
Wen Shu slowly asked, “What are we betting on?”
His voice was like jade beads falling onto a plate, or the gentle murmur of flowing water, clear and melodious.
“If I win, Master, you will renounce your vows and become my husband,” You Xu said, swinging her legs against the wall. “If I lose, I will do as you please.”
Such a passionate and direct expression of her feelings would have moved most people, but Wen Shu remained unmoved.
“The skin ages easily, flesh decays easily; remove the skin and flesh, leaving only bones, and bones are all the same,” Wen Shu’s slender fingers stroked the prayer beads in his hand. “If you lose, use your bones to make bone beads.”
Looking at his expressionless face, You Xu said, “The premise is that Master cannot hide from me, cannot chase me away. Can Master do that?”
It was all for a pass without limits.
Wen Shu: “Agreed.”
“Then see you tomorrow, Master.” With Wen Shu’s permission, You Xu climbed down the wall and headed down the mountain.
It was already late, and if she didn’t hurry down the mountain, the path would be difficult to traverse.
You Xu had appeared calm on the surface, but her heart was pounding, and her nerves were taut.
She hadn’t expected that after ten years, Wen Shu would still react so strongly to the mention of a cat. She thought he would have long forgotten; ten years should be enough to fade everything. If she hadn’t seen him feeding the kittens, she wouldn’t have blurted out those words.
The transmigration process was shrouded in secrecy; any mention of it would be silenced, and any hints, whether written or drawn, would erase the target’s memories. If this got out, the world would be bugged, the mission would fail instantly, with no chance of recovery.
She couldn’t explain the cat’s transformation into a human after ten years, possessing another’s body— it was all too bizarre. Ancient times were extremely fearful and taboo regarding demons and evil spirits.
If Wen Shu found out, he might mistake her for some kind of evil deity and exorcise her, or simply hide away. What would she do then?
But the more bizarre the event, the harder it was to predict. You Xu calmed herself and walked down the mountain step by step.
….
That night, Wen Shu had a dream.
He hadn’t dreamt of the scene from ten years ago in a long time.
In the dream, he saw the little wildcat again, with grayish-brown stripes, a white mouth, limbs, and belly, and bright eyes.
Those bright eyes then appeared on a woman.
As he picked up the sharp stone and smashed it against the woman’s forehead, her eyes opened, much like his.
His hand paused for a long time, unable to go any further.
Wen Shu opened his eyes, waking up. He sat up, panting heavily, his fingers curling up as he gripped the blanket tightly.
The night was still, silver light streaming through the window.
He closed his eyes briefly, and a bloody scene unfolded before him. Warm blood splattered on his face, neck, and hands. He heard someone scream in agony and saw the person’s body convulsing in pain. The malice that had been suppressed in his heart for years surged forth like a torrent, uncontrollable.
More blood, more.
He trembled with excitement, emitting a groan that was both ambiguous and painful.
He had only killed once, but that feeling had seeped into the depths of his heart through his body, as if breeding a demon within him.
The demonic monk once said, “Wen Shu, humans are both Buddhas and demons. You are not wrong; you merely helped them rid themselves of the demons.”
The inner demons, like abyssal monsters, gradually devoured his heart, spreading all sorts of darkness. He wrote a blood curse, but never used it, because the only remaining glimmer of light in his heart came from that cat.
Even so, he still walked on the edge of a cliff, ready to plunge into the abyss at any moment.
Later, Master Xuanjing appeared, guiding him to immerse himself in Buddhist practice. He found solace in the scriptures, temporarily suppressing the demons within, yet he always felt an emptiness, as if something was missing.
Until today, he seemed to have found the answer.
That woman, her life, her blood, her bones, would fall into his hands.
Thinking of this, he felt immense joy, unrelated to any affection.
Wen Shu picked up the Buddhist beads beside his pillow, gently turning them, a cold, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. He then smiled silently.
….
You Xu got up early the next morning, packed a basket of things, and headed to Shanyuan Temple. This time, she didn’t go around to the back; she went straight to the main gate. She casually handed out a box of osmanthus cakes to the monks she met, and no one stopped her all the way to Guili Garden, presumably at Wen Shu’s behest.
“Master,” You Xu knocked on the door of the room when she didn’t see anyone in the courtyard, but received no response. She wasn’t sure if Wen Shu was ignoring her or if he wasn’t there.
She thought for a moment, then lay down on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, picked up a scroll of scripture from the table, and began to read it with difficulty.
Unable to understand it, You Xu felt sleepy, yawned, and just as she put down the scripture, the courtyard gate opened.
Wen Shu was wearing a monk’s robe, his hair casually tied back with a ribbon, giving off a relaxed and peaceful feeling.
“What did the master go to do?”
Wen Shu replied, “Morning prayers, listening to the sutras.”
You Xu remembered that Master Xuanjing would give Wen Shu a lecture every day for an hour. Since monks wore robes and were all bald, Wen Shu didn’t tie his hair up in a bun; he simply tied it up loosely. His black hair and monk’s robes gave him an unapproachable air, yet also a sense of wanting to profane him.
Seeing that he was finally interacting with her normally, You Xu didn’t want to look too directly at him, so she looked away.
Wen Shu changed his clothes and began reading classics in the courtyard. Having another person in the courtyard made no difference to him, much like having an extra potted plant.
You Xu had thought he liked cats, but after a few days of observation, she realized that the kittens she had seen last time weren’t his; they belonged to the stray cats kept by the temple. They were free to come and go as they pleased. He simply put some food out for them every evening, and they would leave once they had eaten their fill. Wen Shu didn’t care what happened to them afterward.
When Wen Shu went down the mountain, You Xu naturally went with him.
Throughout the journey, You Xu did most of the talking, with Wen Shu occasionally responding with a word or two, but the atmosphere remained lively and harmonious.
They spotted a tavern, slightly larger than usual, in the distance. Although it was past lunchtime, it was still quite crowded and noisy.
“Master,” many people noticed Wen Shu but didn’t dare disturb him, so they respectfully greeted him, their gazes remaining fixed on him.
Wen Shu nodded slightly, and Ye Lingling greeted him with a beaming smile. However, upon seeing You Xu beside him, her expression softened noticeably. “Leave the right seat for the Master. I’ll instruct the waiter to serve the dishes.”
The rightmost seat by the window was separated by a carved screen; it was Ye Lingling’s reserved seat for Wen Shu, a place she always kept even when there were many customers and not enough seats available.
Wen Shu said in a flat voice, “No need, a plate of stir-fried radish[1] will suffice.”
As soon as You Xu and Wen Shu sat down, the dishes were served. Ye Lingling, of course, couldn’t just serve stir-fried radish; she also brought out many vegetarian dishes, filling the entire table.
Ye Lingling knelt beside Wen Shu, intending to pour him tea, but noticing a hint of impatience in his otherwise calm expression, she stopped. She knew Wen Shu disliked others getting close and disturbing him, especially during meals.
But what about You Xu?
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