When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 64

Qin Wu had long since caught the silent interaction between Shi Yining and Shu Mo out of the corner of her eye. Feeling both amused and exasperated, she kept her expression neutral, merely offering a light cough. With the playful air of an elder, she shot a teasing glance at Shu Mo.

“The days ahead are long indeed. You will have plenty of time alone with Ning’er, Little Friend Shu Mo. If your possessiveness is this strong now, I fear you’ll have an endless supply of vinegar to drink in the future.”

Her words were blunt and mischievous. Hearing this, Shi Yining’s cheeks—already warm from her gaze with Shu Mo—instantly flushed a deep crimson.

She cast a bashful glance at her beloved before quickly turning back to Qin Wu. Her voice was soft and hurried, carrying an obvious note of pleading: “Master… please stop speaking…”

The smile in Qin Wu’s eyes deepened as she arched a Willow-leaf brow, though her tone remained solemn. “I am only speaking the truth. Why… is Ning’er feeling protective already?”

“Master!” Shi Yining’s face was beet-red. Shamed beyond measure, she didn’t even dare to look at Shu Mo for a moment.

She scrambled to change the subject, attempting to shift the attention of everyone in the forest away from this embarrassing teasing.

“Master, let us speak no more of this… official business is more pressing! There is no time to lose; Shu Mo and I will depart immediately for Mount Jiuhua and Mount Yuanzhao to visit the two Great Buddhist Sects. We will also keep a sharp lookout for traces of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.”

Watching her disciple’s desperate urge to flee, Qin Wu couldn’t resist poking fun one last time. “Very well, go then… Sigh, I suppose Ning’er only has room for her Daoist partner in her heart now. Is there even a tiny corner left for your Master?”

“Master!” This time, Shi Yining was truly flustered, her foot stomping involuntarily. “Master, how can you say such a thing! In my heart, Master is like a mother to me—your kindness is as vast as a mountain. You will always be the person I respect and love most!”

She spoke with such urgency that the rims of her eyes turned slightly red; she had clearly taken the joke to heart, terrified that her Master might actually misunderstand.

Seeing this reaction and hearing the hint of grievance in her voice, the playfulness in Qin Wu’s heart vanished instantly. When she spoke again, her voice was filled with tenderness.

“Alright, alright. I was only joking with you. Why take it so seriously? How could I not know your heart, Ning’er?”

She paused for a moment. Though she knew her disciple’s cultivation had surged to a level where few in this world could match her, her tone still carried a weight of gravity.

“Go then. Be extremely careful on the road. Consult with each other whenever things arise and do not try to be a hero. Buddhist lands value ‘fate’ above all else; let things take their natural course. If a task proves impossible, return early so we can plan anew. I only care that you both return safely. Do you understand?”

“Yes… I will remember!” Shi Yining nodded vigorously, the embarrassment from moments ago finally settling.

She stole a glance at Shu Mo beside her, only to meet a gaze as soft and deep as water. Beneath their overlapping sleeves, their fingers were tightly intertwined, inseparable.

Two incense sticks’ time later, Shi Yining and Shu Mo were riding the wind, approaching a majestic, continuous mountain range.

Mount Jiuhua was now before them.

The terrain here was strangely magnificent, with peaks piercing straight into the heavens and vast mists swirling eternally around them. Upon closer inspection, one could see a faint golden aura flowing within the clouds. As the mountain wind blew, the sea of clouds churned, and the sound of chanting Sanskrit often drifted through the air.

The Thousand Buddha Sect was hidden in the deepest reaches of these misty, celestial mountains.

Shi Yining and Shu Mo descended from the clouds, arriving before a set of ancient stone steps. The stairs wound upward, disappearing into a mist so thick it seemed impossible to dissolve, hiding the summit from view.

Just as they prepared to ascend, a mysterious, metaphysical sensation quietly enveloped them. In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze. The seemingly ordinary mist ahead appeared to contain an entirely different world within it.

Shi Yining immediately realized that the Illusion of Vanity was right before them.

This realm attacked the heart. It would quietly reflect the entrant’s deepest fears and heaviest obsessions, magnifying and twisting them into illusions so realistic they could trap one’s soul. Ordinary cultivators—even those with high cultivation—could easily lose themselves here.

However, the two who stepped forward hand-in-hand were completely unaffected.

Shi Yining’s thoughts were anchored to Shu Mo; Shu Mo’s soul was tethered to Yining. The most important person in their lives, their deepest bond, was right there beside them. With fingers locked and breaths mingling, the illusions attempting to sprout and deceive them vanished in an instant under the weight of such indestructible devotion.

This illusion, which had trapped countless beings since its inception, was a mere trifle to them.

Fingers interlaced, their spiritual power resonated faintly at their joined wrists. The mist parted automatically as they passed and slowly closed behind them, as if afraid to tarnish a bond so pure and steadfast.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Shi Yining reached the end of the stone stairs. The impenetrable mist gradually dissipated.

A scene of towering majesty suddenly revealed itself.

A mountain gate, carved from blue-grey rock and standing over thirty feet high, stood silently between two natural cliffs. Above the lintel, the words “Thousand Buddha” were inscribed in ancient Sanskrit. The strokes were rounded and restrained, showing no sharp edges, yet they carried an indescribable power.

“Amitabha.”

A peaceful, lingering chant drifted from the depths of the gate.

Shi Yining looked toward the sound and saw a nun clad in a golden kasaya walking slowly from behind the towering gate. Her face was lean and refined, her eyes clear and transparent, and her stride was composed.

“This poor nun is Liao Kong. I greet the two benefactors.” Liao Kong pressed one palm vertically against her chest and bowed slightly, her voice warm and free of worldly agitation.

Shi Yining and Shu Mo straightened their expressions and returned the salute formally, stating their identities and purpose.

Liao Kong’s gaze swept lightly over them. Though she appeared neither joyful nor sad, it seemed she had already perceived much.

“I am already aware of your intentions. Please follow me to the Great Hall of Compassion within the temple for further discussion.”

“We thank the Master for leading the way.”

Half a tea-cup’s time later, an ancient hall appeared before them. Stepping inside, a solemn atmosphere took hold. Tall Buddha statues looked down with lowered eyes, radiating mercy, while the scent of sandalwood permeated the air.

Inside the hall, several monks and nuns lined both sides. Shi Yining’s gaze swept across the room, and her eyes inadvertently caught two slightly familiar faces.

They were a pair of sisters with extremely similar features, both dressed in simple grey monastic robes. Their hands were pressed together in prayer, their expressions devout.

Shi Yining froze for a moment before recognizing them: An Lan and An Mu, the sisters she had assisted back in Kaiyuan City while undertaking a sect mission.

In her past life, the younger sister, An Mu, had fallen into the demonic path to save her sister. In this life, because of Yining’s timely intervention, the trajectory of their fate had shifted. She just hadn’t expected to encounter them again here, in this pure land of Buddhism.

At that moment, An Lan and An Mu spotted her as well. Both sisters broke into smiles—a look of profound gratitude and the surprise of a long-awaited reunion.

An Mu’s eyes quickly brimmed with tears. Bound by temple etiquette, she only managed to call out “Benefactor” in a hushed tone.

Liao Kong was clearly aware of their past history and did not intervene, merely standing aside with a peaceful expression.

Seeing the unspoken permission from the Abbess, An Mu stepped forward half a pace. She pressed her hands together and bowed deeply to Shi Yining, her voice trembling with suppressed excitement and a hint of a sob. “Senior Shi, it has been a long time. Congratulations on your great advancement in cultivation. My sister and I were able to enter the Buddhist path and find inner peace all thanks to your helping hand back then. We shall never forget this kindness as long as we live.”

An Lan followed her sister in saluting. She was more reserved and not a woman of many words, but the sincere gratitude and joy radiating from her face were unmistakable. The way she looked at her benefactor was filled with unshielded closeness and trust.

Shi Yining knew that those who enter the Buddhist fold do so because of a predestined affinity. Looking at the sisters, she said softly, “I am very happy to see that you are both well and have found the path that suits you. There is no need to keep the past in your heart.”

The brief exchange was warm and harmonious.

However, in Shu Mo’s eyes, this harmony was quite eyesore.

She knew perfectly well that this was merely an ordinary greeting between old acquaintances. Yet, the bitterness arising from seeing Yining show concern for others could not be suppressed. As long as Yining’s gaze strayed even slightly from her to someone else, regardless of the reason, that possessiveness hidden deep within her soul would restlessly wake and churn.

While Shi Yining was responding warmly to the An sisters, her jade-like hand hanging at her side was suddenly pinched, neither too hard nor too soft.

Her heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously turned around, instantly meeting a pair of eyes filled with unspoken accusation.

Realizing her beloved was jealous yet again, her mind stirred, and she quietly sent a secret transmission to soothe her.

“Mo’er, don’t be like this… You know I only met them a few times in Kaiyuan City. I’m just happy to see they are doing well now, so I’m catching up for a moment.”

The moment the thought left her, a response immediately echoed in her sea of consciousness: “Ning’er, don’t forget why we are here. We carry a vital task concerning the safety of the Canglan Realm.”

The implication was clear: Stop reminiscing with others.

A faint, phantom-like scratching sensation tickled her palm—exactly as it had back in the Wuyou Forest.

Shi Yining’s heart softened instantly. Yielding to Shu Mo’s wishes, she seamlessly ended the conversation with the An sisters. She then looked up at Liao Kong, who had been standing quietly by.

“Master, I have a question to ask. I have heard that Buddhism is best at resolving evil intent. If this intent originates from the Heavenly Dao itself, does the Master have a way to resolve it?”

Liao Kong pressed her hands together and chanted a Buddhist name.

“Amitabha. This nun is already aware of the matter regarding the Demon Lord. To tell the truth, Abbess Jing Ci of the Tianyin Sect is also within the temple. The evil intent transformed from the Heavenly Dao is no small matter; ordinary purification methods are unlikely to be effective. Abbess Jing Ci and I have consulted many times and, by combining the merit and willpower accumulated by our two temples over thousands of years, we have refined a Pearl of Ten Thousand Profound Breakers.”

“This pearl condenses the purest and most righteous Buddhist power to break evil. Once unleashed, it can dispel ten thousand evils… However, facing the evil intent of the Heavenly Dao, I have no absolute certainty that this pearl alone can complete the task. To this end, I once cast a divination through Buddhist law to seek traces of the legendary Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the bane of all evil. If we can obtain the aid of the Karmic Fire, success can be guaranteed.”

Shi Yining followed up immediately, “May I ask if the divination yielded a result?”

Liao Kong fingered her Buddhist beads and chanted once more. “The benefactors may find it hard to believe, but according to the hexagram, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire is right here, inside this Great Hall of Compassion.”

Shi Yining was stunned. She subconsciously looked around the solemn, incense-filled hall.

“In here?”

In her subconscious, a celestial wonder like the Red Lotus Karmic Fire should exist in a place of extreme heat, like the core of a volcano. How could it be hidden within a quiet, merciful Buddhist hall?

Seeing her doubt, Liao Kong explained slowly, “The Karmic Fire is formless and shadowless. It does not rely on external objects to exist but manifests according to affinity. Whether it can be summoned depends entirely on the destiny and luck of you two benefactors…”

Support