Over here, Monk Xinyuan was sneakily observing at the entrance of the County Magistrate's residence.
Yesterday, he had arranged with his young apprentice to sneak out early in the morning today, to recite scriptures and learn skills with him.
But it's already daylight, why hasn't his precious apprentice come out yet?
Could it be...
"Could it be that the kid overslept?"
The beds in the County Magistrate's residence are so soft, and kids at this age are known for loving sleep.
"Oh well, oh well, I've already waited for so many years, so I'm not in a rush," the monk said to himself.
The Mad Monk always did things his own way, as if he never understood what it meant to be anxious or angry.
Seeing no movement at the entrance of the County Magistrate's residence, Xinyuan smacked his lips, rubbed his flat belly, and thought that when his little apprentice finally came out, he would have the little guy use some pocket money to buy him two buns as an offering...
While the Mad Monk was deep in thought, he didn't realize that something sinister was creeping up silently behind him.
When Xu Qing got close enough, he aimed at that shiny bald head and gave it a slap! "Thieving monk! What are you sneaking around for?"
Xinyuan Monk, who was concentrating on which flavor bun he would eat later, suddenly received a slap, startling him so much he jumped!
The monk had some cultivation skills. In this world, as long as a person is alive and has footsteps, it's impossible for them to approach him without any sign unless their skills far surpass his own!
Xinyuan twisted his old waist for a backward leap, clutched his head, and stared with familiarity.
Isn't this the benefactor who gave him roast chicken back in Qianzhou! He even specially left the benefactor with a sixteen-character prophecy.
He told Xu Qing to avoid temples, retreat from Taoist observation, and when the clouds disperse, one sees the bright moon.
The monk had said this to others many times. The first part was because the Cizhao Temple and the Ru Yi Temple in Quyang County were not good places, no different from bandit dens, if not more vicious.
So if anyone was heading towards Yunmeng Mountain, Xinyuan would kindly give them a heads-up.
As for the latter two sentences...
The legend of Yunmeng Mountain offering fairy fate has been around for a long time. The Mad Monk also noticed that the Xuan Yu beside Xu Qing wasn't an ordinary girl, she might just come across that fairy fate.
But from beginning to end, Xinyuan Monk never considered Xu Qing to be a true cultivator with profound skills. Whether in the past or now, no matter how he looked, even if the Heavenly King himself came, Xu Qing still appeared to be an ordinary person.
But could an ordinary person creep up on him without a sound, without a trace of worldly energy?
The Mad Monk felt uneasy; he cultivated a path related to the mortal world, and his perception of people was sharper than anyone. He could even sniff, without looking, to distinguish between good and evil.
But the pale-faced young man in front of him...
Xinyuan Monk's nose twitched, but apart from a strangely pleasant floral scent, he couldn't smell anything!
"I asked you, what's your purpose sneaking into our Jin Sect's territory? Who sent you here? What's your objective? Speak the truth!"
"..."
The sudden barrage of questions made Xinyuan unexpectedly feel guilty.
No, this Jin Sect is the Jin Sect under the heavens, not your backyard. How could the monk be guilty for strolling around in public?
Xinyuan came to his senses, immediately putting on a familiar smile.
"Amitabha, this poor monk is traveling and happened to pass by to seek alms. Speaking of which, the benefactor and the poor monk share a destiny. The roast chicken you gifted back then is still missed dearly by this poor monk!"
Xu Qing eyed the Mad Monk who was smoothly climbing the social ladder and sneered, "Seek alms? You look more like a child trafficker!"
"Why do you say that? Benefactor, please do not wrongly accuse the monk; I'm truly here to seek alms!" Xinyuan didn't mention anything about tricking children into getting their heads shaved.
"You seek alms at the front of the County Magistrate's residence?" Xu Qing asked in return.
"I've long heard that County Magistrate Chen respects Buddha and upholds Taoism, a kindhearted, excellent official! This County Magistrate's residence is grand and well-supplied with food and drink, if not here, where else should a monk go?"
Ever since he became a monk, the Mad Monk had never suffered losses, relying on his crazed, nonsensical demeanor!
In his eyes, these young ones were always too restrained, unlike him who's shameless and can rub off thirty pounds of dirt from his body.
And if it came to blows, wouldn't it be distasteful?
Xu Qing squinted at the Mad Monk in front of him, realizing he had met his match.
However, he had ways to make this monk speak the truth.
After a moment of silence, Xu Qing surprisingly rested a hand on Xinyuan's shoulder, the two of them linking arms, and he didn't mind the mess at all.
Joking aside, in the funeral shop, he's dealt with far filthier corpses. Would he be squeamish about a living person?
Xinyuan glanced at the hand on his shoulder, vaguely sensing something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint what.
At this moment, Xu Qing gave the Mad Monk no chance to escape. He smiled and asked, "Are you really here to seek alms?"
"Indeed." The monk nodded.
"Looking for good wine and meat?" Xu Qing continued.
"This monk doesn't enjoy life without meat or wine; surely the benefactor knows..."
"That's good!" Xu Qing's smile widened further. He patted Xinyuan's shoulder, took down the gourd from his waist, and uncorked it, releasing a rich fragrance of wine instantly.
"How about this wine?"
"This wine's aroma..."
Xinyuan Monk's eyes lit up, sincerely praising, "Good wine! Truly good wine! Only genuine hundred-year-old brew has this aroma."
"Would you like a taste, Master?"
Xinyuan extended his hand, but then retracted it.
Although playful, he wasn't foolish. Why would anyone offer him good wine out of the blue?
"Benefactor, I'm willing to taste the wine, but if you demand money from the monk afterward, I really don't have a penny!"