Chapter 26: The Demonic Enchantress and the Aloof Son of Buddha (12)

She had traversed so many worlds and accompanied countless people through their lives, yet she never again fell in love with any of them. Ever since the day her heart was carved out as a sacrifice to the heavens, she had forgotten the feeling of a heartbeat. Love was something she had long since lost the ability to find.

However, Kong Xuan. Fan Sijin looked back one more time. Under the moonlight, the tall, gentle monk stood with his palms pressed together, chanting scriptures with devotion. Whether it was Buddha or the Dao, Fan Sijin did not believe in them; she only believed in herself. As a task-taker defying the heavens, no matter what mission she had to complete across these three thousand worlds—among gods, Buddhas, demons, ghosts, spirits, or mortals—she would certainly achieve it!

Because she wanted to go back. She wanted to return to the time before her sacrifice. What had she missed? Why did everyone who was good to her die because of her, only for her to have her heart carved out by the person she loved most? She had to go back; she absolutely had to!

She existed in a state between life and death, neither divine nor demonic. In a corner unnoticed by the heavenly way, she had become the Fan Sijin she was today.

Early the next morning, Fan Sijin rolled out of bed, her bare feet chiming with crisp bell sounds as she went to find Kong Xuan, acting as if yesterday’s confession had never happened. Her mission was to conquer the Buddha-son’s heart; even if he had confessed, there was still a long way to go before he was truly won over.

Kong Xuan had already prepared breakfast and was waiting at the table. Seeing her arrive, he wore a faint smile. "Morning."

"Morning? It’s already broad daylight," Fan Sijin grumbled. His gaze was so gentle and peaceful that as she stood under it, she felt her ears growing warm.

Hearing her grumble, Kong Xuan found her quite childlike and smiled slightly.

Fan Sijin caught him smiling and immediately grew annoyed. "You’re laughing at me!" It was a statement, not a question.

Before Kong Xuan could reply, she tapped him on the shoulder, then flashed a triumphant grin. "At that martial arts assembly, did you see your little childhood sweetheart?"

It took Kong Xuan a moment to realize who she meant. "You mean Abbess Yueguang?"

"So you know to call her 'Abbess' now?" Fan Sijin hummed. "Didn't you notice she’s gotten fat?"

Uh... he truly hadn't noticed.

"I planted a gu-poison on them. It’s harmless to the body, but it makes one’s appetite skyrocket, especially for meat." Fan Sijin deliberately wiggled her fingers in front of him. "That old nun Cifa is much older than you and has been a nun for so many years, yet even she couldn't resist. I wanted to see if you could."

At this, Kong Xuan understood and calmly pressed his palms together. "You mentioned earlier that you wanted me to be your test subject; I suppose this was the gu you meant? As long as you are happy."

Fan Sijin rolled her eyes. "As long as I'm happy"—if he weren't immune to all poisons, she wouldn't bother with him!

Just as she was feeling sulky and preparing to take only a few bites of food, she was stunned to find garlic in the dishes! She stared at Kong Xuan in surprise, picking out a piece of garlic with her chopsticks. "This is non-vegetarian. Did you freeze your brain in cold water last night?"

Kong Xuan merely smiled. He followed a vegetarian diet, but that did not mean others had to follow suit. Fan Sijin fell silent for a moment, then realized this dish had been prepared specifically for her; he would not eat anything containing garlic. This monk was truly steadfast.

Halfway through her porridge, Fan Sijin said to him, "I’m going down the mountain later."

"Down the mountain? Where to?"

"Hmph, none of your business." Fan Sijin blew on her porridge again, feeling it was too hot—she had delicate lips. In reality, Kong Xuan had already cooled it, but she was still dissatisfied. "Anyway, it’s not to..."

"I wasn't worried that you were going to..."

"You keep saying 'this poor monk,' but you weren't like that last night," Fan Sijin teased him intentionally.

However, Kong Xuan’s mental state was too high; he remained calm. "I am still a monk, so naturally, I must refer to myself as such."

"Oh? Is that so?" Fan Sijin drew out the words, suddenly lunging forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "Then tell me, do you still like me?"

Then, Fan Sijin witnessed a miracle. The ever-composed, compassionate Master Kong Xuan began to blush. Because he had no hair to hide it, it was particularly clear, spreading all the way from his earlobes, even though his expression remained perfectly calm. It was a charming contrast.

Fan Sijin giggled and let go, deciding not to tease the monk further.

"Be good and wait for me in the valley."

"How long will you be?" Kong Xuan asked persistently.

"If it's short, maybe three or five days. If it's long, a year or so is quite possible," Fan Sijin shrugged, acting indifferent.

"I will go with you."

"Do you even know what I'm going to do?" Fan Sijin asked in surprise. "What if I'm going to pick a fight? You’ve lost all your internal energy; you can't help me, and you'd only be a burden."

Kong Xuan opened his mouth. If you asked him to talk about Buddhist scriptures, he could go on for seven days and nights without repeating himself; he could also spout profound logic. But when faced with this mischievous, whimsical girl, trying to persuade her was another matter. His handsome face flushed red once more.

Fan Sijin was amused by the pure-hearted monk. She patted his bald head—the smooth texture felt quite nice. "You, you’d better find a way to deal with the hunger-gu in your body. I hope you’re still alive when I get back. There are wild hares and pheasants in the valley; if you want to eat, just catch them. Once I leave, no one will dare to enter, and your reputation as the Buddha-son won't be tarnished."

With that, she pushed her bowl aside and departed with a flourish.

Kong Xuan watched her retreating figure and sighed softly. Once she was gone, he lost his appetite. He tidied the dishes and returned to the tree to meditate. He had always been accustomed to solitude and never felt lonely when alone. Yet, after living with Fan Sijin for so long—with her constantly teasing and bullying him, leaning in close with her dainty, charming demeanor, and causing all sorts of trouble—now that she was gone, Kong Xuan felt an unusual sense of emptiness.

The valley was quite large, and everywhere he looked, he saw her shadow: the sound of her laughter by the lake, her playful banter on the swing under the tree, the chime of the bells on her snow-white ankles as she walked, and the image of her approaching him under the moonlight when he closed his eyes.

Kong Xuan smiled. He knew this was his trial of love—it had come quickly and would be slow to depart; perhaps he would never overcome it in this lifetime.

Fan Sijin returned seven days later, looking furious, her small fists clenched the entire way.

Kong Xuan was meditating when he heard the familiar sound of bells. His heart leaped with joy, and he was about to call out to her, but she stormed past him, ignoring him entirely. She sat on the swing and glared at him. "It’s all your fault!"