Chapter 111: Silver Tongue

Huo Yuanzhen lifted his head and groggily shook it.

A burning pain radiated through his body, and it felt as though he had bled in many places. His left leg was numb.

Below his head was a shattered piece of blue stone.

Fortunately, it was his head that hit the stone. If it had been his body, the outcome could have been disastrous.

He barely managed to open his eyes. The branches above swayed, and nearby, broken twigs lay scattered—pieces that had snapped when he fell.

Thanks to those branches, which slowed his descent, he had survived by a stroke of luck.

He slowly raised his head and saw a woman not far away.

It was the demoness Luo Caiyi!

At this moment, the woman was leaning against the mountain wall, her body limp and her face twisted in pain. Her small hands were constantly rubbing her chest.

Her thin clothing couldn't hide her ample chest, which rose and fell under her hands, like ripples on the clear water.

Huo Yuanzhen froze. Was this woman serious? She had just fallen from the mountain and now, she was... this? Was she that desperate?

Hearing the noise, Luo Caiyi suddenly opened her eyes and saw Huo Yuanzhen staring at her. A blush instantly spread across her fair face, and she quickly pulled her hands away from her chest.

"You thief monk, I wish I could kill you!"

Huo Yuanzhen looked at Luo Caiyi. She appeared to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. Of course, this might not be accurate, but her appearance suggested that. And she was exceptionally beautiful.

To describe her in one word: stunning.

Large eyes, a heart-shaped face, a small chin, like a little fox, with long eyelashes that fluttered. Even the pain on her face added to her charm. Such a beauty hardly seemed to match the vicious demoness she was reputed to be.

However, although Luo Caiyi said she wanted to kill him, she remained seated, unmoving.

Huo Yuanzhen observed her closely and saw that one of her legs was covered in blood. It seemed broken, and her left hand was resting on her leg, also motionless. Only her right hand moved, and her body, like his, was covered in wounds.

Fortunately, her delicate face had no noticeable injuries, or it would have been a real tragedy.

Huo Yuanzhen was also badly injured. He struggled but managed to shift a little, lifting his upper body with difficulty. He spoke to Luo Caiyi, "Lady, I have no enmity with you. You have pursued me for hundreds of miles, and now we both have fallen off the cliff. I do not know if we will survive. Can we not continue to fight in this dire situation?"

"Thief monk! If you hadn't used your head to knock into me, I wouldn't be like this! If you hadn't fallen and struck me with a finger, I wouldn't have fallen off the mountain. Who else should I kill but you?"

Huo Yuanzhen sighed. Talking reason with a woman was indeed a difficult task.

However, he could tell that Luo Caiyi had no ability to kill him now. Without treatment, her arm and right leg might soon be beyond saving.

And he was in slightly better shape than her. His left leg seemed broken, but his hands were still functional.

After a moment of thought, Huo Yuanzhen quietly checked his supplies. He had brought along a large and small pills for healing, as well as two sets of medicine for external injuries, which were all still in his pocket and could be used now.

In fact, external injuries and fractures were not the most pressing problem; internal injuries were the real danger. Looking up, he could barely make out the crack in the gorge, and they had fallen from a great height. It was impossible not to have suffered internal injuries.

The small pill would help with internal wounds, and the medicine could treat external injuries. He had enough to treat both himself and Luo Caiyi. However, Huo Yuanzhen didn't want to immediately offer the medicine.

Luo Caiyi was a dangerous woman. If she lost control, his life would be at risk. It was better to be cautious.

His internal organs were in pain, but Luo Caiyi was no better off. If she were stronger, she might have killed him by now.

Luo Caiyi coughed a few times, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Lady, no matter how much you hate me, we are both in a perilous situation. If we continue to fight, it will only make it harder to escape. I am a monk; death is liberation for me, but you are young. If you die here, your body will be exposed to wild animals and insects. It would be a pity to let such a beautiful face be ravaged by bugs."

"Enough!"

The more Luo Caiyi listened, the paler her face became. She finally couldn't bear Huo Yuanzhen's description of the gruesome scene and interrupted him.

Although she was unwilling, she had to admit that if things went as Huo Yuanzhen had said, his words could very well become reality.

"Thief monk, stop trying to scare me! I am injured, but so are you! I don't believe that monks are not afraid of death."

Huo Yuanzhen smiled slightly. "I have studied the Three Sutras of Buddhism. I understand the Three Disasters and Eight Difficulties in life. If I am to die here, it is my fate. I will leave this foul body and go to the Pure Land to meet the Buddha."

"You're being hypocritical!"

Luo Caiyi scoffed at Huo Yuanzhen's words. Unable to move, she couldn't argue verbally, so she spoke with a hint of resentment. "You are so carefree, so I suppose you have a way to escape death?"

At that moment, Huo Yuanzhen took out a small healing pill and showed it to Luo Caiyi. "This is a small healing pill, a miraculous medicine for treating internal injuries. I once helped a benefactor and he gave me this in return. I've carried it for years but never used it. Now, I will use it, and I am confident it will help me recover enough to leave this gorge."

Luo Caiyi looked at the pill in Huo Yuanzhen's hand, a glint of desire flashing in her eyes, but she then lowered her head. "I wonder, is this pill enough for two people to share?"

"If shared, the effectiveness will be lost. One person cannot be saved."

Although Luo Caiyi longed for the pill, she was reluctant to ask for it, especially since they had just tried to kill each other.

But to her surprise, Huo Yuanzhen didn't hesitate to throw the small pill in her direction.

Luo Caiyi was surprised, and after hesitating for a moment, she reached out and took the pill.

"You're really giving it to me? Aren't you worried you'll lose out?"

Huo Yuanzhen shook his head with a smile. "You doubt me, you harbor suspicion and confusion, which only brings more trouble. If I give this to you, and you receive it with joy, peace, and a heart full of kindness, you will come closer to the true teachings of Buddhism. So who has gained, and who has lost?"

This time, Luo Caiyi didn't argue. She held the pill in her hand, lost in thought.

She didn't speak, and neither did Huo Yuanzhen. He closed his eyes, trying to meditate despite his injuries.

After a long while, Luo Caiyi spoke again. "If I take the pill and recover, will you still try to kill me?"

Huo Yuanzhen opened his eyes, slightly surprised. "Why do you ask such a thing? Since I gave you the medicine, it is yours now. As for my life and death, you don't need to worry about it."

Luo Caiyi's face showed a hint of unease as she asked, "If I recover, I will still come after you. What will you do?"

"If you want to kill me, I have no choice. That blow wasn't intentional, but it seems destined. I will accept it without a word."

Luo Caiyi nodded slowly. "Monk, when I went to Mount Song, you were the only one who didn't join the Heavenly Dao Alliance, right?"

Huo Yuanzhen nodded in acknowledgment.

"Why didn't you join them? They've all allied together to deal with our Holy Sect. Why didn't you?"

"Because I have no enmity with the Holy Sect. Why should I go against them?"

Luo Caiyi was speechless for a moment. Wasn't it natural for the righteous sects to oppose the Holy Sect? Why even ask?

She thought for a moment and asked, "Don't you think we are part of the demon sect?"

"The demon is a being that harms lives, misguides people, and brings death. They kill the Dharma body and wisdom of practitioners, always filled with malice and never nurturing any good thoughts. But I don't see such traits in your Holy Sect, so I can't agree with calling you a demon sect."

"Do you really think so?"

"Naturally. I have a friend who is also from your sect."

"Who?"

"Ning Wanjun."

Luo Caiyi was momentarily stunned, then asked, "You know Wanjun?"

"Miss Ning has a firm heart towards Buddhism. She once lived at the foot of Mount Shaoshi. Every day, she would visit Shaolin to burn incense and pray to Buddha. She would come in the morning and leave at dusk. I often had the chance to meet her."

"I heard that she and the prince have broken off their engagement and that she took him to a temple for treatment. Was it your temple?"

"Indeed. The benefactor's injury has healed and left, and Miss Ning has also departed."

Luo Caiyi was silent for a long time, finally sighing deeply. "Looks like I was wrong."

"Things in this world are not about right or wrong. There is no need for you to blame yourself."

Luo Caiyi gazed at the sky above, a faint sadness in her eyes. "Monk, if I can leave, I will come to save you, even if it costs me my life."

She picked up the pill and was about to swallow it.

"Wait!"

Huo Yuanzhen suddenly spoke.

Luo Caiyi looked at him in confusion, thinking he might be going back on his word.

However, Huo Yuanzhen awkwardly said, "This pill has been with me for years. It might have some dust or sweat on it. It would be better if you wipe it before taking it."

At the mention of dust and sweat, Luo Caiyi's face turned pale. She hesitated, unsure whether she should swallow it now.