Chapter 2

How could he be so unfortunate to encounter the great monk returning to Fangwai Mountain? With this scoundrel back, he can forget about having peaceful days ahead

Tan Yin walked under the sun for a while, becoming so hot that his back was damp again

It is said that a long, long time ago, during the peak of the fox clan, they did not select mortals to serve as laborers. At that time, the boundary between humans and immortals was still very clear. Later, as the gods withdrew, the tribes that once served the celestial deities gradually declined, with fewer and fewer members. Due to the admiration of mortals for the immortals living in the mountains, they gradually began to select mortals to enter the celestial realms of Fangwai Mountain to perform some menial tasks. Now, it has transformed into a public duty that must be selected every few years.

The monk seemed not to have heard her cursing; he touched his own face, pinched it again, and sighed, "Oh, it seems to be quite thick."

She only remembers studying the exquisite skills of her family's Linglong House day and night, neglecting sleep and food. Her family, from which she hails, is small in number, with very few girls. Her mother passed away early due to illness, and by the time she was nearly fifteen, only she and her elderly father were left to rely on each other.

Upon hearing this, the grand monk felt utterly exhausted, almost collapsing to the ground: "Make sure to have Sister Wanqiu personally handle the skinning when the time comes."

Tan Yin graciously extended his hand towards him: "Then I thank Your Highness, the Great Monk, very much."

Tang Hua was so enraged that his whole body trembled. He was usually someone who cherished his image the most, but at this moment, he could no longer care about his elegant and noble celestial persona. He grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the pond, then swept his sleeves and left.

He awaited a rejection that was either coy, shy, or a facade of strength masking inner weakness. A monk from the fox clan had always been a frivolous character, and teasing beautiful women was his specialty. His resilience in the face of various rejections was also a skill of his, a flaw that even the former monk Xin Mao could do nothing about

This time the situation is special

Upon seeing the young ladies, the grand monk's eyes immediately lit up, and the deflated balloon instantly swelled back to its round shape, floating over without touching the ground. The young girls were all maids, some familiar with the grand monk and some not. However, regardless of their familiarity, in the face of such a brazen figure, it was truly hard to harbor any dislike, yet liking him was absolutely out of the question. Everyone chattered and joked with him, but their eyes were all fixed on the elegant and noble young gentleman in white in the pavilion

Although she has not lived long, a mere seventeen years is sufficient for her to comprehend the unfathomable depths of human nature. When he speaks to you with a smile, what thoughts are occupying his mind? When he engages in shameless behavior towards you, taking small advantages, what is he thinking then?

The unique skill of the Ji family is renowned far and wide, thus they do not lack in food, clothing, and other necessities. However, the decline of the family is an undeniable fact. Before his death, the old father said: "Tan Yin, it is best for you to marry into a good family. This skill goes against the heavens, and you should never use it again, nor pass it on to your children. The Ji family has fallen to such a state, which is indeed a punishment from heaven."

The Immortal's Cave has both large and small areas, with the largest being Katori Mountain. The master of that mountain is quite extravagant, having claimed over a dozen peaks and raised several hundred beautiful young men and women as disciples, with the mountain perpetually enjoying a spring-like climate. In contrast, there is Meishan Residence, which consists of just a small hill, featuring an exquisite courtyard. The Lord of Meishan does not take in disciples, only keeping spirit beings as companions.

This ...! ... She, she agreed so readily. His gaze rolled chaotically from her delicate face to her shoulders, then to her hair, and finally back to her hands, always feeling as if he was destined to lose this first round.

Tang Hua? Tan Yin pondered for a moment before recalling that she seemed to have heard this name yesterday. Is it the immortal dressed in white? She gazed towards the pinewood pavilion, and indeed, Tang Hua was inside, pouring and drinking for herself, reveling in her own pleasure. Behind her stood two stunning maidens, one graceful and the other enchanting, overshadowing all the other girls around them.

"Your Highness, the Grand Monk." The faintly melodious voice sounded somewhat uncomfortable in his ears at this moment. "May I ask what I need to do? Clean the courtyard? Or shall I prepare incense and serve tea for you?"

She was in a daze for a while before remembering that this was the residence of the great monk. The place was peculiar, named the Hexagonal Hall. The houses of the fox clan were built in a very unique style, but the Hexagonal Hall was half buried in the ground, with three floors. Only on the second floor could one barely see some sunlight, but fortunately, the bedrooms were all on the third floor

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, calmly gazing at the man in the black robe who had been sitting by the window. Seeing that she finally looked in his direction, he excitedly waved his hand.

Just now, the grand monk changed his mind and said he wanted to go out for a walk. They traveled south from the hexagonal hall filled with celestial flowers, passing by small lakes and through the tranquil and cool bamboo forest. Along the way, the grand monk did not utter a single word, his back resembling a deflated balloon, his entire being seemed to have lost its vigor.

She thought of many, many methods, some of which were malicious, others cruel, yet in the end, she could only let out a barely audible sigh

*

The last words of her old father still echoed in her ears, yet she could not bring herself to stop. At that moment, she was engaged in the creation of another exquisite tool, unlike the delicate house which could be large or small; she aimed to craft something that had never existed in the world before, a vessel capable of containing all things under heaven.

Wan Qiu was indeed not fooled, and laughed, saying: "Is the false face you wear just another layer of false face underneath? With so many layers of skin on your face every day, it really is quite thick"

Although the Fangwai Mountain of the Fox Clan is not as grand as the Katori Mountain, it possesses a unique and graceful scenery, characterized by wooden bridges, flowing water, artificial hills, and celestial flowers. Additionally, the clan members are naturally attuned to their surroundings, adapting to the seasonal changes throughout the year. Therefore, this July, during the height of summer, is particularly sweltering

Tan Yin showed no reaction to his dejection, calmly appreciating the scenery. After crossing a wooden bridge and passing through a rockery, the sound of flowing water could be heard, and the view before him changed dramatically. A small range of emerald peaks stretched from north to south, with several delicate waterfalls cascading down moss-covered boulders, splashing like pearls and jade, ultimately flowing into the pond below. A pinewood pavilion was built over the pond, further connected by a winding, exquisite bridge linking the pavilion to the shore.

He appeared quite pleased with himself, as if he had finally managed to turn the tide, but the composed young maid only paused for a moment before nodding in agreement

Tan Yin opened his eyes, the sunlight outside the window was bright and beautiful, flowers were red and willows green, an unfamiliar scenery

In front of the Hexagonal Hall, the courtyard is not planted with trees such as pines and cypresses; instead, it is filled with large patches of celestial flowers, white as snow, each flower the size of a palm, with white stamens, the variety of which is unknown. To the south of the hall lies a small lake, with colorful flowers and green willows along the shore, creating a striking contrast with the expanse of white in front of the hall

Although the scenery is exquisite, at this moment, a dense crowd of young women is packed along the shore and on the bridge, making even the most beautiful landscape appear quite out of place

Like everyone in her family, she was afflicted with a terminal illness, with no cure available

The grand monk blinked and said, "I have not heard of any immortal who sleeps while sitting." After saying this, he kindly glanced at her thigh with great tenderness, asking, "Is your leg numb? Shall I carry you off the bed?"

He reluctantly reached out to grasp her arm, pulling her down from the bed while keeping a distance from her. Why did he agree so readily? He had a belly full of sweet words that he couldn't use.

She cannot remember how long it has been since she last dreamed; now, unexpectedly returning to the world, her body surprisingly allows her to dream.

Perhaps for these long-lived immortals, the fresh faces that change every few years also serve as a means to alleviate loneliness. All beings fear solitude; humans do, and so do immortals.

Tang Hua felt an impulse to curse, as all his refined thoughts of enjoying flowers and drinking were clouded by chaos. He let out a cold laugh: "Elder Ding Xu asked me to convey a message this morning, telling you to investigate the matter of the wind chimes blown off the Frost Flower Tower yesterday, to see if it was the work of demons or a provocation by the battle spirits. If you cannot find out, I will skin you alive and take your fox fur!"

The grand monk rested his chin on his hand, smiling as he looked at her, as if he felt there was nothing wrong with his behavior at all

Tang Hua could no longer bear to watch and coldly said: "Instead of fooling around here, you might as well go find Elder Ding Xuchang. You should have gone to register after receiving your maid yesterday"

"Your Highness, the Grand Monk, this is my room," Tan Yin said calmly, "I am sleeping"

The maid named Wanqiu surprisingly did not get angry, but smiled and greeted him: "Your Highness, the Great Monk, have you changed your mask again? I almost didn't recognize you yesterday"

A feeling that is both familiar and unfamiliar

That was a long, long time ago, so long that she can no longer remember many details

The monk lazily chuckled and said, "How bothersome, how far away, I certainly will not go"

In the realm of heaven and earth, only those who attain immortality can open up a cave of heaven. To become an immortal, one must endure the tribulation of heavenly thunder. The Ji family is merely a group of ordinary mortals. While mortals may possess the skills to open a cave of heaven, lacking the baptism of the thunder tribulation experienced by immortals is tantamount to defying the heavens

*

The unfamiliar scenery was viewed without intention, as if she had dreamt last night

As the three of them just exited the Pinewood Pavilion, they saw a great monk floating over with his eyes shining brightly. Tanghua felt her scalp tighten, so she simply crossed her arms to give him way. Sure enough, the next moment he pounced in front of Wanqiu, clinging to her without letting go, his voice so gentle it seemed to drip with water.

Your Highness the Grand Monk? The young maidens immediately displayed expressions of both admiration and pity towards her. What a pitiful sister, quite beautiful in appearance, and she seems very gentle as well. How could she have become his maid? Truly a flower placed in a pile of dung

Tan Yin's gaze followed the hair of the great monk downward, finally resting on the black silk glove on his left hand

Tan Yin smiled and said: "I am merely accompanying His Highness the Great Monk for a stroll, and we happened to pass by here."

Tanghua let out a disdainful snort, here we go again! Back when the young girl Wanqiu was just sent here, the great monk used this set of flowery words to amuse her. Even after three or four years, he still resorts to the same tricks.

Are you sleeping while sitting?" He asked with great interest. To his surprise, upon closer inspection, he found that the young maid he had brought back was not lying down to sleep; instead, she was sitting cross-legged on the bed, appearing quite impressive and mysterious.

A few young maidservants, noticing her unfamiliarity, approached her to speak, asking, "Sister, are you also here to see Lord Tanghua?"

Tan Yin stood far away in the shade of the tree, watching the great monk turn his head to chat with one person and then turn back to tease another. He was the most lively in the entire venue, like a big monkey

In fact, he does not know either. As a high monk, he has always been elusive. Due to the ongoing disputes with the War Demon clan in recent years, the elders often assign him some rather unsavory tasks. For two cycles of the zodiac, he has never had a maidservant by his side; he does not need one, and the elders would not provide him with one.

"Wanqiu, Lanxuan, let us change to another place." Tanghua sighed deeply, deciding to make a hasty retreat

She listened, but did not take it to heart. As the daughter of the Ji family, mastering the family’s secret techniques had become her instinct. She was so dedicated and passionate that she had never considered marriage or matters of love.

Most members of the fox clan reside in this Fangwai Mountain, not far from Yuancheng

At the age of seventeen, she finally crafted four unparalleled and exquisite bags of the universe, and thereafter, she quietly passed away after spitting out several pints of blood

The grand monk was so pleased that he almost wagged his tail, and even Tan Yin felt as if the words "lecher" and "pervert" were engraved on his face. He touched his cheek, his eyes beaming with joy: "If it is Sister Wanqiu who wishes to see, I will take off my mask and let you look to your heart's content"

The grand monk stared blankly at her snow-white little hand, as if it might suddenly transform into a monster.

Perhaps she is not qualified to think this way, but neither is she exempt from it. Once one becomes a mortal, it is akin to wearing many masks; not only are there masks on the face, but one must also don masks in the heart, for the heart is the softest yet the hardest of all things in the world

Her understanding of the Fox Clan is limited, and she knows even less about the position of the Grand Monk. Is it really such a joyful thing to be the Grand Monk of the Fox Clan? He spends his days smiling, idly passing time, either engaging in idle chatter or gently touching the young ladies' hands. Is that truly so delightful?

The grand monk and the maidens were laughing heartily outside the pavilion, their laughter incessant. Tang Hua, who had originally intended to take a break and find a secluded spot to satisfy his craving for alcohol, finally set down his wine cup due to the noise.

Sister Wanqiu, have you secretly thought of me?

Her craftsmanship is even more exquisite than that of her father; the delicate houses she creates can fit into a sleeve, yet can also cover an area of thousands of acres

Alright

Mask? Tan instinctively glanced at his face, only to find that he was wearing a mask. Is there really such a lifelike mask in the world? She had not noticed it at all before.

... ...

The grand monk rested his chin on his hand and pondered for a long time. Suddenly, his eyes brightened, filled with a smile as he looked at her, and gently said: "How about you help me bathe?"

Tan Yin responded particularly smoothly: "Because I envy the immortals, I am learning to practice a bit myself"