The boundless sea of fire blazed fiercely, thick black smoke billowing and spreading.
Tanmoroqie walked alone in the darkness, his clothes tattered, the wind cutting like knives.
Iron fortresses towered endlessly in the sky, iron snakes and iron dogs spewing flames as they raced across them. Fierce demons and Yaksa, grotesque and menacing, drove pale-faced men and women toward gleaming mountains of blades, boiling seas of oil, and iron beds studded with nails. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, rivers of blood flowed, and cries of agony pierced the clouds and shattered stones.
Phantoms of demons and monsters drifted around him, their voices eerie and terrifying.
In the Avīci Hell, every sight was one of brutal torture.
He trod over mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his ears filled with earth-shaking screams and wails. Iron arrows fell like rain, iron nets spread everywhere, his body covered in wounds, skin torn and flesh ripped.
A Yaksa, eyes blazing with anger, drifted toward him, bringing gusts of chilling wind.
Suddenly, a brilliant light pierced through the heavy smoke, casting a shimmering, pure radiance. The demons scattered, the mountain of blades crumbled, gleaming blades flying apart in fragments, the scorching molten iron freezing solid.
Tanmoroqie raised his head. Above the towering, grim iron fortresses, clouds gathered, golden light shimmering. A long staircase paved with jade descended from the clouds, encircled by swirling, colorful flowing clouds.
He ascended the steps, the howling gale instantly softening. A magnificent glow enveloped him—solemn, noble, and serene.
Golden sand covered the ground, pavilions shone resplendently, rainbows flickered in and out of sight. Precious trees surrounded the area, multicolored birds sang in the sky, and celestial music delighted the ears.
He arrived before a shimmering pool of seven treasures, veiled in mist, its waters clear and sparkling. Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, tridacna, red pearls, and aggle glittered within.
As the mist gradually dispersed, in the flowing light of the water, a graceful lotus bloomed slowly in the gentle breeze, elegant and enchanting. At first, only a faint glow flickered within the bud, then the petals unfurled, radiating brilliant light and a fragrance that drifted far.
Between heaven and earth, it seemed only he and this lotus remained.
The fragrant silver bud bursts, the jade plate spills its dew.
With eyes clouded by worldly dust, I behold this Qiongyao Ying.
This lotus did not belong to the Royal Court; she came from ten thousand miles away.
Tanmoroqie gazed at the lotus, his wounds gradually healing.
The radiance in the pool grew brighter, the lotus gently swaying.
Unable to resist, he reached out, wanting to touch the lotus.
The illusion suddenly shattered. The lotus swiftly faded, breaking into thousands of pieces before his eyes, then turning to dust. The wind blew, and it vanished without a trace.
Darkness descended once more, engulfing him.
Tanmoroqie stood in the boundless darkness, staring at his palm.
Empty, nothing at all.
Not even a shadow remained.
Tanmoroqie lifted his face, a pair of jade-green eyes cold as snow, icy light flashing.
…
A warm cloth pressed against his face, gently wiping, soothing and comfortable, like the lotus in his dream.
Tanmoroqie grasped a soft hand, clutching it tightly.
"Venerable One?"
A gentle call sounded by his ear.
Tanmoroqie opened his eyes.
Curtains hung low, a faint bluish light floating in the room. The furnishings glowed softly in the morning light seeping through the latticed window.
Yaoying sat by the couch, looking down at him, weariness unconcealed between her brows as she asked with concern, "Are you feeling better?"
Daylight was bright.
It was already the third morning.
For a moment, Tanmoroqie could not distinguish between dream and reality.
Footsteps sounded beyond the Felt Curtain as Bi Suo and the physician entered. Yaoying turned to speak with them.Tanmoroqie released his hand, listening to their intermittent conversation. Soon, the physician checked his pulse, and Yaoying fed him a few pills, which he swallowed. The physician and Bi Suo exchanged relieved expressions, discussed a few words, and withdrew.
He covered his lips and coughed softly.
Yaoying immediately stood up and poured a bowl of water. "Venerable One, drink some water."
She helped Tanmoroqie sit up.
Leaning against the armrest, his Kasaya sleeves stirred a faint breeze as he drank the entire bowl from her hand. Throughout, his cool gaze remained fixed intently on her, unblinking.
Though Yaoying considered herself thick-skinned, his focused stare made it impossible to pretend not to notice. She lifted her eyes to meet his.
Tanmoroqie averted his gaze, his expression calm.
She was here, safe and sound—not gone, not harmed.
Yaoying chuckled inwardly.
When he was conscious, he truly didn’t dare look at her for long.
The room fell into silence, neither speaking for a while.
After Tanmoroqie finished drinking, Yaoying set the bowl aside and glanced at his pale face. "Venerable One, in the future, leave such matters to Bi Suo and Yuanjue... Your injuries are severe and recurring—you must recuperate properly and follow the physician’s advice."
Two nights ago, when he fell from his horse, she couldn’t move him. Attempting to carry him, she stumbled after just a few steps. Left with no choice, she had to ask Li Zhongqian for help. He had been unconscious for a full day and night.
Tanmoroqie didn’t respond to her words, his gaze lingering on her face as he asked, "Were you injured?"
These were his first words since waking.
Yaoying was taken aback, a mix of sourness and warmth swelling in her heart. She shook her head. "I wasn’t hurt. Those people took me to pressure Li Xuanzhen."
She briefly recounted the events of that night.
"When Elder Brother first received the letter, he feared there might be spies around and didn’t dare alert anyone. He told Yuanjue we had to leave early... Both Yuanjue and Bi Suo thought I had really left. How did you know I was abducted?"
Bi Suo said Tanmoroqie had left alone without anyone noticing. They assumed he had gone to bid her farewell, but instead, he found Li Zhongqian and rescued her in time.
Any later, and no one could have tracked the Martial Assassins’ trail—it would have been difficult for Li Zhongqian to find her.
Tanmoroqie lowered his eyes without answering.
Li Zhongqian was the chief envoy—the trade agreements hadn’t been finalized yet. It was unlikely he would leave without appointing a successor, and Yaoying wouldn’t depart so abruptly without at least leaving him a letter...
Tanmoroqie could list many reasons to confirm the suspicious nature of their departure.
Yet, deep down, he knew even without these clues, he would have pursued them.
Fully aware it was futile, he couldn’t restrain himself.
Before cultivation, mountains were mountains, waters were waters. During meditation, mountains were not mountains, waters were not waters. After enlightenment, mountains were again mountains, waters again waters.
With Buddha in heart, everywhere is Bodhi.
With her in heart, seeing Buddha is like seeing her.
He had developed an attachment—even reciting scriptures thousands of times before the Buddha couldn’t dissolve it.
In a single day, he witnessed her being attacked, believed they would part by death, and when she woke, he remained dazed for hours. Afraid to worry her or lose composure in her presence, he returned to Wang Temple to recuperate, intending to sort his thoughts before visiting her again. Before he could calm himself, news came of her departure.
In that moment, he nearly lost all control.His dark impulses had ultimately overridden reason.
Seeing his prolonged silence, Yaoying changed the subject: "Reverend, would you like something to eat?"
Her tone was light, laughter dancing between her brows.
It seemed no matter what happened, she could always face it with a smile.
Tanmoroqie gazed intently at her.
He remembered before losing consciousness: the thick night, howling winds, falling from his horse, her leaning over him with foreheads touching, her breath warming his face, those bright eyes glistening with tears.
She should smile more—unrestrainedly radiant, unrestrainedly joyful.
He loved seeing her smile.
Tanmoroqie coughed lightly and said, "Princess, I remember everything from the night before last."
Yaoying froze.
"What does the Reverend remember?"
After a moment of silence, she asked softly.
Tanmoroqie didn’t answer, his gaze lingering on her face as he straightened up and leaned gradually closer.
Yaoying instinctively held her breath, his sharply defined features reflected in her eyes.
The room was so quiet she could almost hear her own heartbeat.
Tanmoroqie paused, studied her for a moment, then said, "I'm feeling better. I'll have Yuanjue arrange food if I want any. You've exhausted yourself these two days—go rest."
She hadn't slept for two nights, dark circles shadowing her eyes.
Yaoying stared blankly.
He still hadn't answered her question.
Before she could refuse, Tanmoroqie clapped to summon Yuanjue into the room.
Yaoying's lips twitched. After a moment's thought, she rose and walked toward the door.
If he didn't want to answer, she wouldn't press him.
"Where are you going?"
His voice suddenly came from behind.
Yaoying turned in puzzlement: "I'm going back to rest..."
Tanmoroqie looked elsewhere, his expression neutral. "Sleep in the adjacent room."
Don't go too far from me.
His tone was calm, his demeanor detached as he leaned weakly against the cushions, yet an undeniable authority emanated from him, his innate dominance palpable.
Confirming she hadn't misheard, Yaoying raised an eyebrow and turned into the adjoining room. She was indeed exhausted and needed proper sleep.
After her figure disappeared behind the felt curtain, Tanmoroqie looked toward Yuanjue who was tiptoeing into the room.
"Have you sent people to investigate?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there have been too many tribute delegations recently, making investigation difficult. However, there should be no accomplices of that group left in the Holy City. We've reinforced security throughout the guesthouses—any strangers approaching will be reported immediately."
Tanmoroqie nodded slightly, then suddenly asked: "How many days remain until the city's grand festival concludes?"
Yuanjue was momentarily startled before calculating: "Five more days."
...
Yaoying slept and woke around afternoon. Tanmoroqie was receiving Bi Suo, and as she approached, she overheard them discussing Li Xuanzhen and Li De.
Noticing she was awake, Bi Suo excused himself and withdrew.
Yaoying watched his retreating figure before turning back to Tanmoroqie. He remained seated by the couch, expression serene, documents piled on the table beside him.
He'd just regained consciousness yet was already attending to state affairs.
"Reverend..." Yaoying contemplated for a moment before saying, "My entanglements with Li De and Li Xuanzhen won't affect the alliance with the Royal Court. I'll handle this matter myself, but if I need your help, I won't hide it from you. Please don't worry about me."
"You're recovering from injuries—don't trouble yourself with these trivial matters."
Tanmoroqie lifted his jade-green eyes to Yaoying, not tempering his imposing presence. "If the Princess encounters danger in the Royal Court, it becomes my concern. Regardless of their status, since they acted within our borders, I will not stand idly by."Yaoying thought it made sense and fell silent. She walked to the couch, sat down by its edge, and looked up to study him carefully.
Tanmoroqie picked up a scroll of documents, his eyes lowered.
"Have you taken your medicine?" Yaoying asked.
He nodded.
Yaoying retrieved the items she had previously bought at the market—delivered to her by her guards—unwrapped them, and handed them to Tanmoroqie.
"I’ve asked the physician; these are all things you can eat."
Tanmoroqie hummed softly in acknowledgment, thanked her, took the package, and set it aside. His left hand still held the documents, appearing deeply engrossed.
Yaoying stood up, walked to her small desk, sat cross-legged, rolled up her sleeves, and picked up a brush to write a letter.
While Tanmoroqie was unconscious, she couldn’t leave the temple and could only communicate with Li Zhongqian through letters. Fortunately, Li Zhongqian now suspected the entire envoy delegation and was investigating each attendant around him, believing that meeting her would expose her. Otherwise, he would have come to Wang Temple to fetch her long ago.
After finishing the letter, she asked Yuanjue to send it out, then opened an account book to examine it carefully.
Tanmoroqie sat leaning against the couch reviewing documents, while Yaoying sat at her small rug-covered desk checking accounts.
The room was quiet, with only the soft rustling of brushes on paper.
From the corner of his eye, Tanmoroqie could see her silhouette bent over the desk, the parchment in his hand taking a long time to be replaced.
After finishing a page of accounts, Yaoying rubbed her shoulders and glanced toward him.
Tanmoroqie snapped back to attention and lowered his head to read the documents.
This time, he focused intently and didn’t let himself be distracted by her again. When he finally finished reviewing all the documents and looked up, he was taken aback.
It was already dusk, and golden twilight spilled into the room. Yaoying had fallen asleep at her desk, her profile bathed in a golden glow.
She had to maintain correspondence with Gaochang, manage tedious affairs, worry about his health, and guard against hidden threats… every day was this exhausting.
Tanmoroqie lifted the brocade quilt, glanced at his legs, slowly got off the couch, and sat beside Yaoying, gazing at her profile.
She was sleeping soundly, her brows relaxed, still clutching a brush in her hand.
He watched her intently, reached out, and carefully took the brush from her grasp.
In her dream, she waved her hand impatiently.
Tanmoroqie lifted her neck, letting her lie on her side on the rug, and pulled the brocade quilt over her. Sleeping hunched over the desk would leave her sore all over when she woke.
Yaoying was utterly exhausted, her shoulders already stiff. As she lay down, she felt comfortable in her drowsy state, hugged the quilt tightly, and stretched her limbs contentedly.
With that stretch, her soft-slippered foot lightly kicked Tanmoroqie’s leg.
Tanmoroqie looked at her, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, a faint trace of a smile flickering in his green eyes.
...
The physician administered acupuncture to Tanmoroqie for three consecutive days. Each time, Yaoying stayed by his side.
During this period, she wrote several letters daily to Li Zhongqian, reporting her safety morning and evening, and instructed her guards to find a way to send Li Xuanzhen away.
After dismissing all unfamiliar attendants, Li Zhongqian finally felt somewhat at ease and continued handling matters related to the envoy delegation.
Yaoying wrote a letter to Zheng Jing in Gaochang, asking him to deliver it to Du Sinan.
Tanmoroqie ordered the ritual officer Damo to write a sternly worded letter pointing out that some in the envoy delegation had ill intentions. The letter was delivered directly to the delegation. While Li Zhongqian showed no reaction, the others were greatly alarmed and secretly fearful.
These two letters were sent out one after the other.
On the fourth day, Yaoying finished writing her letter and waited for the physician in the corridor. When the physician didn’t arrive, she asked Yuanjue.Yuanjue scratched his head: "The physician isn't coming today."
"Why isn't he coming?"
Yuanjue whispered: "The King is going out today."
Yaoying asked in surprise: "Where is Dharma Master going?"
She had been sleeping in Tanmoroqie's room these past few days, and he hadn't mentioned anything about going out. His legs were swollen and he couldn't walk for long periods.
Yuanjue looked equally confused: "I don't know where the King is going either."
As they were talking, Bi Suo approached, holding several ghost face masks with blue-faced fangs, which he handed to Yaoying.
"Princess, come with me."
He added.
"By the King's order."
Puzzled, Yaoying followed Bi Suo out of Wang Temple and into a secluded alley.
A carriage stood deep in the alley, driven by a veiled guard whose face was hidden.
Bi Suo gestured for Yaoying to board.
She put on the ghost face mask, stepped onto the footstool, and entered the carriage. The felt curtain lifted, revealing someone already inside—a figure in monk's robes sitting upright in the corner, holding a scroll of parchment, sleeves slipped to reveal a string of Buddhist beads, solemn and austere.
Yaoying froze.
As the felt curtain fell and the carriage began to rumble along, she looked at Tanmoroqie and asked softly, "Dharma Master, where are we going?"
Tanmoroqie gazed at the parchment in his hand.
"Today is the last day of the festival."
Without looking up, he said.
Yaoying's fingers trembled slightly, her throat tight.
The carriage entered the bustling main street, the noise of the crowd filtering into the compartment. Yaoying lifted the curtain to look outside, catching a clear view of the towering colorful stage where dancers twirled gracefully, sleeves fluttering, movements dazzling.
Wearing her mask, she rested her chin in her hands, watching the song and dance on stage.
Behind her, Tanmoroqie sat with his back to her, reviewing and annotating documents. Amid the lively market, he remained composed, as if completely deaf to the waves of cheers and applause outside.
After some time, he finished reading a petition complaining about nobles, rubbed his brow, and lightly touched the Buddhist beads.
A clear, bell-like laugh rang softly beside him.
His brow twitched faintly.
She was laughing.
Not only laughing, but her hands swayed gently to the rhythm, her robes rustling softly, as if she were dancing along.
Tanmoroqie didn't turn around, lowering his head to continue reading the parchment.
He could not join her in the mortal world, so he could only let her see the performance she had missed in this way.
As long as she was happy.
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