Chapter 64: Junior Master Fenglin
Yu Xiaoxiao’s face showed its first visible hint of anger. Who doesn’t want eternal life? So as it turns out, every world has its lunatics!
“All humans die eventually,” Yu Xiaoxiao told the Eternal Life Temple monk icily. “In the future, you’ll age and die too. Eternal life? Have you gone senile after becoming a monk? Balderdash!”
No one knew what balderdash meant, but they could tell that it wasn’t anything nice. Who could dare to tell Eternal Life Temple monks to their face that they were senile? Princess Linglong was the first in history.
Zuo You didn’t believe in eternal life either, but Eternal Life Temple was the majority faith in this world. Thus, even though Grand Marshal Zuo was an influential figure of White Tiger Nation, he’d never shown their monks attitude. Seeing Yu Xiaoxiao do what he’d always dreamed of but never dared made his gaze grow heated and more intense.
After a moment of silence, the Eternal Life Temple monk told Yu Xiaoxiao, “Princess, it’s better to show discretion in speech.”
His Excellency Zhang didn’t hear any anger in the monk’s voice, only the same melodious gentleness. He sighed in relief and began to shoot Yu Xiaoxiao meaningful looks. Leave Fengtian a lifeline, princess!
“You still aren’t convinced?” Yu Xiaoxiao ignored His Excellency Zhang to ask. “Then fight me, ah!”
His Excellency Zhang’s eyes were about to cramp from all the staring. Hearing Yu Xiaoxiao’s latest proclamation turned his legs into jelly. If not for the guards behind him holding him up, he would have collapsed to the floor already.
“Ignorant married woman,” a tall monk beside the main monk rebuked Yu Xiaoxiao before seemingly lifting a heavy weight with his left hand. Yu Xiaoxiao felt a stream of air before seeing a gaseous ball form in the hand in question. After raising it above his head, the monk waved it in the air.
One of the men that Yu Xiaoxiao had “planted” into the ground was plucked clean out of his hole by the monk. Both Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei exchanged looks before dashing forward to shield Yu Xiaoxiao behind them.
His Excellency Zhang tried to mediate the peace. “Th, this is just a misunderstanding. E-everyone, let’s not–let’s not get mad now.”
Zuo You only felt that things had grown complicated. That monk seemed to have martial arts as strong as Yu Xiaoxiao herself. If they really started fighting and he helped Princess Linglong, wouldn’t his big sister the empress dowager of White Tiger Nation skin him alive when he got back?
Gu Xinglang laughed coldly. “There’s no point in people taking counsel together who follow different ways. We don’t believe in eternal life, so you Eternal Life Temple members are just ordinary folks to us. Why does the princess need to show discretion in her speech?”
Yu Xiaoxiao silently gave Gu Xinglang kudos in her heart. Those who didn’t believe in eternal life were good comrades!
Gu Xinglang continued, “As for the incense sticks, anyone could tell if they were damp before purchasing the goods. Why did these men find the merchant only after buying them? Tell me what kind of reasoning they used.”
The monk under Gu Xinglang’s scrutiny didn’t say a word.
Yu Xiaoxiao harumphed and said, “How can someone who hides his own face be any good? If eternal life really exists, go die and come back to life for me to see.”
His Excellency Zhang cupped his hands into a fist at Yu Xiaoxiao. Ancestor, can you stop saying so much?
The taller monk took a step forward and looked between Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang. “Ignoramus,” he sneered. Even Yu Xiaoxiao, a girl who couldn’t read tones of speech, recognized the scorn in his words.
Well, dang!
Unable to bear the insult, she prepared to fight.
“Wu,” the head monk called out. “Withdraw.”
“Yes,” the monk named Wu (武)1 replied.
Meanwhile, the head monk removed his hat with the white gauze veil.
“Junior Master!” multiple other monks cried out.
“Your Royal Highness, this humble monk is Eternal Life Temple’s Fenglin,” the bare-faced monk bowed slightly towards Yu Xiaoxiao, his hands clasped in a heshi.2
The crowd gave a collective intake of breath. The so-called Junior Master was a young, slender man with painted brows and an indifferent expression, but ethereal in being, He gave off the sensation of deep mountains and green bamboo.
“This is a real person?” Zuo You asked in disbelief. He looks like he belongs in a painting.
“That’s Junior Master Fenglin?” Xiao Zhuang blurted out, floored by the monk’s looks.
Gu Xinglang was shocked as well. He had long heard of Eternal Life Temple’s Junior Master Fenglin. This was the direct disciple of Eternal Life Temple’s Master Mo Wen (莫问).3 His martial brother was Zhuri’s State Preceptor monk, thus making Junior Master Fenglin’s status in Eternal Life Temple quite exalted. Who knew he was just a young man?
While everyone was still stunned by Junior Master Fenglin, Yu Xiaoxiao felt blood rush to her chest.
Crap! She wanted to spit up blood at the sight of the man before her. The heck, why’s the Emperor Consort Wen Fenglin a monk, ah?! Life’s hard enough as is, don’t burst my bubble, cruel female emperor! Just how much do you fancy monks?!
“Princess,” Xiao Wei looked at Yu Xiaoxiao. She couldn’t just stand there after the junior master greeted her, she had to respond.
Yu Xiaoxiao felt dizzy as she replied, “I still have food upstairs, let’s go back and keep eating.”
Xiao Wei’s legs began to shake. Princess, even if you look down on His Majesty, that’s okay because he’s your father. But you have to show some respect to Eternal Life Temple, ah!
Junior Master Fenglin simply smiled at Yu Xiaoxiao, his expression light and airy. “Princess, this monk once heard Cheng Guan4 say that you were pious and devout, but it seems like Cheng Guan didn’t understand the princess well at all.”
Yu Xiaoxiao looked towards Gu Xinglang, who happened to be looking her way as well. When their eyes met, Yu Xiaoxiao suddenly realized that his type was best suited for her tastes. He was neither deviously seductive or some fake celestial, but simple a normal human. (Author: Your man’s also a handsome youth, alright? =.=) She walked to his side and declared in a small voice, “You’re still the best.”
Gu Xinglang coughed lightly, but his icy gaze now showed a layer of warmth.
Yu Xiaoxiao muttered, “He’s obviously a guy, but he looks like a sissy.”
Gu Xinglang looked at Junior Master Fenglin and held himself back from laughing. For some reason, he was suddenly in a much better mood.
“Princess?” Junior Master Fenglin was still smiling at Yu Xiaoxiao.
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t dump everything on our State Preceptor’s shoulders. Are you very close to him?”
Oh lord. Xiao Wei covered his face again.
“Is she playing dumb on purpose?” a monk muttered in a low voice.
Junior Monk Fenglin just laughed. “This monk has never spoken with Cheng Guan, but he hails from my Eternal Life Temple. Doesn’t Your Royal Highness know this?”
What? Yu Xiaoxiao was struck speechless again. That handsome uncle type, Cheng Guan, is part of Eternal Life Temple too? What a cocky organization. How come I never saw them in the cruel female emperor’s memories? That can’t be right. Yu Xiaoxiao stared closer at the young monk who used to be the female emperor’s Emperor Consort. He was surrounded by strong guards, so how could the female emperor have snatched him away to be her husband? It just wasn’t scientific, ah!!
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