Chapter 5

Before she finished speaking, she walked away, her attention drawn to the clay sculptor on the other side.

Tan Yin did not pay attention to what he was mumbling. She originally got on the car out of curiosity about his face change, but now she had no interest in his face at all. This novel and prosperous town had completely captured her attention. She jumped off the car, looked around, and felt dazzled by the array of sights, not knowing where to begin her exploration.

This is the last piece of information left by our kin. The grand monk opened his palm, revealing a line of glowing small characters: Encountered remnants of the battle spirits, estimated to be six individuals, urgently report to Orange Lake for our clan to take precautions.

He let out a long sigh, clasped his hands together, and silently paid his respects to the corpse of the red fox. The corpse gradually became transparent, eventually transforming into numerous shimmering specks of light that lingered around him reluctantly, slowly dissipating after a long while

Having spoken, he immediately set off in pursuit, but how could he catch up? In no time at all, she had vanished without a trace. The monk suddenly halted, the mountain breeze gently passing by, bringing with it a wave of elegant fragrance. His expression was as solemn as water, and he slowly walked eastward, following the scent, when suddenly he noticed a pit on the ground opposite him, as if it had been excavated by a giant, extremely deep and vast.

A vendor approached, shaking a rattle, with a wooden box half his height strapped to his back. The box was adorned with a variety of colorful pinwheels and trinkets. As he walked along, he called out to passersby. Tan Yin's gaze was instantly drawn to him, and she found herself stepping forward involuntarily, picking up a small carp made of bead strings that was hanging from the box, examining it closely and reluctant to let it go

She rarely felt a bit embarrassed: "It is not that I am not knowledgeable, but although ebony is precious, it is not suitable for making axles due to its hardness and brittleness. It would be better to use a cypress axle, which would be much more comfortable."

Tan Yin straightened up, tossed a small hammer into a worn leather pouch at his waist, and said: "The axle has a crack, it is bent, we need to replace it with a new axle"

One, two, three, four... The grand monk counted, five battle demons. No wonder the messenger from the clan died so quickly and so tragically

The grand monk blinked his eyes, and after a while, the look of astonishment slowly faded. He rolled his eyes and said, "Since I recognized it from the *Tu* *Shu*, this is indeed a rare treasure"

She really did not take a good look at the scenery in the mountains; at that time, her mind was filled only with making things, and nothing else.

Now she rides on the back of the blissful bird, which flies slowly, skimming the treetops. Several times, leaves brush against the hem of her skirt. In the distance, the green mountains are faintly visible, and the sky is high with light clouds. This is a scene that exists only in the mortal realm. The great monk also rides on a blissful bird, following her side, chattering incessantly about who knows what; his idle talk is always so abundant.

Cypress tree

The leader of the battle demons coldly declared: "You have harmed our clan's Lord Li Chaoyang first. Today, we shall slaughter all the foxes of Orange Lake to avenge Lord Li Chaoyang."

He did not wait for Tan Yin to speak, but instead persisted stubbornly, shamelessly dragging her to the carpenter's shop in the city. To his surprise, the old carpenter was not there; it was said that he had gone up the mountain to select timber

The expressions of the warriors changed instantly; they had long heard of the great monk from the fox clan, but they never expected that the seemingly unremarkable person before them was actually him. One of the warriors, unable to contain himself any longer, drew out a long whip from his waist and swung it towards his head.

Seeing Tan Yin silent, he quickly added with a smile, "I am not saying that you, Sister Ji, are childish; your childlike heart is still intact, and I like it very much"

The grand monk, while blowing on a windmill, crushed the string of beads and carp in his palm. In an instant, a whisper lingered in his ear: "After a long investigation, there has been no gain; the young lady's background is indeed peculiar, and the search continues."

Tan Yin was completely absorbed in admiring those small beaded trinkets, hardly paying attention to what he was saying. During her lifetime, the world was not as prosperous as it is now, let alone these interesting little items. Even though the craftsmanship of the Ji family was exceptional, no one would make such things. She saw a small fox made of red beads, vividly lifelike and very cute, and couldn't help but hold it in her hand and caress it

He sank down again, murmuring: "This... men and women should not be too familiar with each other; as a young lady, you must be a bit more reserved."

The vendor watched her walk away, then turned back to glance at the monk, giving a slight nod. The monk smiled and picked up the string of beads that she had fondled in various ways, asking: "How much?"

Rare? She could not understand the phonetics, and she had always believed that after so many years, there must be capable individuals in the world who could create many more magical bags.

Do you like it? The grand monk's expression was strange; this string of carp beads was neither exquisite nor unique, and could be found everywhere. How did it catch her attention?

Before he could finish speaking, a loud cracking sound echoed through the air, and the blissful bird he was riding let out a mournful cry. One of its wings was brutally severed, blood splattered everywhere, and it almost instantly plummeted downwards

The grand monk chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head while stroking his right arm, and said: "So it is for Li Chaoyang. I indeed have an account to settle with her. It was I who sealed her in ice, and my right hand was also severed by her. It took great effort to reattach it, and even now it is still not quite nimble."

The great monk slowly walked over and looked down, only to see a bloodied red fox lying at the bottom of the pit, long dead. Next to the corpse lay a broken wooden box, half a person tall, with many small beaded trinkets scattered on the ground. The fox clan is skilled in making spices, and their blood contains fragrance; the more blood, the stronger the scent. However, that fragrance was gradually being blown away by the mountain wind.

Heart, beloved one? ... The great monk was taken aback, only to see two more figures emerge from the forest. One was dressed in black with red eyes, the sixth battle demon, and in his hand was... a girl covered in blood, who was none other than Tan Yin

The vendor smiled wryly but said nothing, took down the fox and carp from the bead string and handed them to him, and also gave him a small windmill before leaving

Tan Yin put away the windmill, took a sip of tea, and said: "Now you have to show me your true face?"

The grand monk fell silent, and after a moment, he smiled and said: "Sister Xiao Ji actually understands so much, could it be that it is a family tradition?"

She died young. Although she had anticipated that the four bags of the universe she created would inevitably attract countless admirers, she never expected that even after so many years, there would still be people who recognized them

Tan Yin did not respond, and stood up to ask: "Is the car downstairs?"

The grand monk, with a blank expression, gently wiped away that line of text with his finger. He slowly turned around, suddenly sighed, and said: "Has the War Demon clan now also learned to secretly spy and attack in unison?"

Tan Yin stopped at the top of a tree, bent down to pick up a leaf and examined it closely. The great monk also came over, eager to get close to her, and asked: "What kind of tree is this?"

The grand monk leaped down the moment the blissful bird's wings were severed. As he landed lightly, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure flashing atop a tree across from him. After a moment's thought, he chose not to pursue. Looking up, he saw the bird ridden by Tan Yin flapping about chaotically, flying further away. He deliberately shouted, "Sister Xiao Ji! Don't be afraid! I'm coming!"

The grand monk was about to speak when he suddenly heard a piercing roar coming from the distant mountains to the east. His expression remained unchanged as he turned to look, only to see a thin line of red mist slowly dispersing in the distant eastern sky

Tan Yin clearly took a liking to the windmill. She played with the small fox made of beads for a while before putting it into her sleeve pocket, but she kept the windmill in her hand, examining it closely. After a moment, she gently blew on it, watching it spin in a swaying manner, colorful and vibrant

Tan Yin was taken aback and was about to lower her head to check on the situation of the great monk when a strange whistling sound suddenly echoed from beneath the tree. The blissful bird she was riding was drawn by the whistle, looking around anxiously. Suddenly, it spread its wings and flew about in a frenzy, nearly throwing Tan Yin off. She hurriedly embraced its neck, attempting to calm the panicked spirit bird.

With a sharp sound of "whoosh," another piercing noise cut through the air. This time, however, it was not directed at a bird. Tan Yin felt a sudden chill in her knee, followed immediately by excruciating pain. She looked down and saw that her knee had been sliced open by some sharp object, leaving a deep and long wound, with blood yet to flow out. A greater shock filled her heart as she glanced around, but she could not see a single person in sight.

The grand monk's jaw nearly dropped as his eyes fixated on the old cowhide pouch at her waist, and after a long pause, he finally spoke: "... Is that a Qiankun pouch?"

Tan Yin silently shook his head: "... ... Go find a craftsman to replace the axle."

Note: The entanglement between Li Chaoyang and the great monk is described in detail in the book "A Perfect Match"

The grand monk shook his head and changed the subject: "Sister Ji, can you repair cars?"

His magnificent and resplendent car was parked in the inn's backyard, where the attendants treated it with utmost respect, not daring to show the slightest negligence. Even the four blissful birds pulling the carriage had their feathers groomed, making them even whiter and more handsome.

After a while, several figures slowly emerged from the forest, all dressed in black, their expressions stern. The pupils of each person's eyes were blood red, gazing at him with a chilling intensity

The vendor, seeing that she liked it, smiled and said: "These are all handmade trinkets, they don't cost much. If the young lady likes it, buy one and I will give you another one for free"

The monk coughed awkwardly twice, looked around, and said in a low voice: "There are people coming and going here, and I fear that if we reveal our true identities, we won't be able to escape. Come, let us finish this cup of tea first. Then, little sister Ji, you can rest in the guest room for half a day while I go into the city to find a craftsman. My cart hasn't been repaired for a long time, and it's jostling my bones painfully. Once the cart is fixed, we can go to Orange Lake, which is a place of my clan, quiet and peaceful. I will show you around, alright?"

Before she could react, a sharp sound rang out again. Tan Yin felt as if a knife had stabbed her sharply in the back, causing her whole body to tremble in pain. Her hands could no longer hold onto the neck of the ecstasy bird, and her body tilted, falling straight down from the high altitude

Tan Yin was indeed quite moved. Suddenly, her sleeve was gently tugged. The grand monk leaned closer, looking at her with great anticipation: "Sister Xiao Ji, do you like foxes so much? How about I transform into one for you to see? I guarantee it will be a thousand times more beautiful than this..."

For Tan Yin, there is generally only one purpose for going to the mountain, just like that old carpenter: to select timber

The grand monk stretched lazily and said, "Why not just cut down this tree and use it to make an axle..."

"Since there's nothing much to do, Sister Ji, shall we go up the mountain to have some fun?" The monk continued to gaze at her with expectant and shining eyes

The leading battle demon sneered, "You can injure Lord Li Chaoyang, and we dare not be negligent in our hearts. Today, let us send you and your beloved together to the underworld."

The grand monk rested his chin on his hand, languidly leaning on the table, and sighed: "Is this really so entertaining? It is everywhere, only a three-year-old would enjoy it"

At that time, she was still very young, yet she exhibited a maturity beyond her years. Unlike the other children in the family who would laugh and play while climbing the mountains, she always followed her father closely, listening to him speak about the various uses of wood. Later, when her father was gravely ill and on the brink of death, he was unable to put his mind at ease regarding her. He said: "Tan Yin, you have never played recklessly like the other children since you were little. As I am about to leave this world, I have no worries about you. It is just that with your mature demeanor, introverted nature, and few words, how will you find a suitable husband in the future?"

His expression remained unchanged as he turned around and smiled, saying: "I do not understand the quality of wood. Since you, Sister Ji, do, would you accompany me?"

The grand monk looked at her in astonishment as she descended the stairs and asked, "Sister Xiao Ji, where are you going?"

The grand monk took a step back, and immediately a large pit was smashed out at his feet. He waved his hand and said, "Take it slow, take it slow. I am quite lazy; you are not all here yet. I will wait until everyone is gathered before we strike together"

The Qiankun bag was crafted by an ancient artisan, and the exact number made remains unknown to this day. It is only known that one is hidden within the palace of the Qiong Kingdom, one belongs to the War Demon Clan, and another is rumored to have appeared in the Eastern Dayan Kingdom, while the rest of the rumors are false. Whose Qiankun bag is this one at her waist

Tan Yin reluctantly withdrew her gaze, calmly looking back at the great monk, and asked in return: "Why do you have so many faces? Or shall we discuss your true appearance?"

Car repair? Is she repairing the car or smashing it? The monk, seeing that his beloved little car was in danger of being destroyed, hurriedly followed after her

He blew the windmill until it spun wildly, then slowly walked over to Tan Yin, patted her, and said with a smile: "Little Sister Ji, come, let me give you something to play with"

Tan Yin bent down to inspect the car's axle, and she unexpectedly held several small black hammers in her hand. She tapped here and there. The little heart of the monk was almost knocked out by her, and he quickly forced a smile, saying: "Sister Ji, how could I trouble you with such rough work..."

Tan Yin smiled slightly: "Do you recognize it too?"

Repairing cars