20 Hidden Cave
"This humble one greets the high monk." XuanRong curtsied toward the person who was wearing an orange jiasha [1].
"Amitabha." The high monk gestured XuanRong to enter.
"Will benefactor tell this penniless monk [2] as to why benefactor decided to visit this temple?"
XuanRong smiled. Her face was bright and pure. "This humble one wants to pray for my mother's soul."
The high monk nodded. "This penniless monk was glad to hear that benefactor visits the temple due to filial piety."
XuanRong's lips curved a little, showing a shy smile but few seconds later, her eyes turned misty and her lips that once contained a smile slowly paled.
"This humble one also wants to ask the high monk a favor. During our journey here, we encountered some bad people and my maternal aunt was injured in the process of protecting me. This humble one asks high monk to treat my maternal aunt's wounds first."
A deep sadness was written all over XuanRong's face. Seeing her face full of self- blame, the high monk felt pity towards her and immediately agreed to help her 'maternal aunt's' wounds.
Since the woman was heavily injured, she was carried near the monks' resting place a couple of rooms away from XuanRong's temporary dwelling place. The guards and the coachman who also came with her were given another room at the opposite side of the courtyard. Although the monks were not heelers and did not practice medicine like the doctors and physicians, they had their own way of curing people using simple things and common plants that could be found around the mountain area.
XuanRong was glad that the woman was far away from her temporary courtyard. She did not want to involve the woman in her own problem. Involving innocent people has never crossed in her mind. Besides, she had to prepare before the night comes. The chance of surviving would increase if she was all alone rather than having someone that could pull down her leg and destroy her plan.
It was already at the hour of the monkey [3]. XuanRong knew that if YuYing did not meet any problem during her return, she probably arrived already.
'You have to survive tonight.' XuanRong spoke to herself.
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*clang* *clang* *clang*
The windows were banging heavily due to the strong wind. The leaves were shaking violently as the trees swayed back and forth, trying to resist the wind. The whole mountain was pitch black and the only source of light came from the moon. The footsteps of the people wearing black clothes were perfectly concealed thanks to the sound of pandemonium outside.
*swish* *swish* *swish*
Few minutes later, the men in black clothes arrived at the courtyard. They did not immediately enter the room to avoid commotion. They looked at each other and signaled one of their comrades to enter the room first. The order they received few minutes ago was to interfere a certain young miss's journey towards the temple and destroy her, crippling her limbs but not killing her. Unfortunately, they arrived late and could only wait for the right opportunity to strike.
The man who was ordered to enter the room slowly walked forward. When he arrived at the front door, he slowly opened the lock using unscrupulous means.
*creaaak*
The door slowly opened and the man in black tiptoed his foot to avoid making too much noise. The room was very dark since the candles were not lit and the only light illuminating the entire room was from the moon outside, and since the window was very small, it was not enough. The man walked towards the inner room and saw that someone was sleeping on the bed. He grabbed the dagger hanging at his waist and slowly raised his hand. He was preparing to tab the 'person' sleeping on the bed when he realized that something was amiss.
His eyes sharpened, he then immediately reached his hand to the blanket, forcefully pulling it away from the person lying on the bed. The man gritted his teeth when he found out that the 'person' sleeping on the bed was in fact not a person, but a bunch of clothes and pillows piled together to form a person-like shape.
They were deceived!
The man in black hastily left the room and went outside.
"We were tricked! Search!"
The man who entered the room spoke to his comrade with anger in his voice.
The remaining men in black looked at each other gloomily and nodded their heads afterwards.
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*step* *step* *step*
In the midst of the night, one silhouette was currently running fast to the southwest part of the mountain. When she was running on a damp soil, she would try her best and scatter some leaves to hide her marks, hoping that her track wouldn't be discovered by those men who wanted her life.
"Ha… ha… ha…" One could feel that the person running with all her might was already at her limit. She was panting hard as she tried to forcefully increase her pace, not caring that her feet were already numb, and her body was already tired from running.
"I'm almost there." The person, XuanRong, hastily wiped the blood on her right cheek as she tried to flee away from the temple. Her face was scratched by a tree branch when she was running few minutes ago.
*riiiip*
After running for almost a sichen [4], the trail started to become steep and the trees were getting thicker. Her left sleeve was torn by tiny thorns when she forcefully tried to fit herself in a narrow path between two trees. She forcefully tugged her sleeve away from the branch, ripping it apart and exposing her jade-like translucent white skin. She hurriedly ran once again, without looking back. She did not expect that because of her negligence, it almost destroyed her entire plan and endangered her life.
She was in a miserable state, and if one could see her, one could not help but take pity at her petite figure. XuanRong was already tired from running but she stubbornly refused to yield. She already survived this situation in her previous lifetime, she believed that she would still survive this once again.
The determination was reflected in her eyes, without any ounce of fear and self-pity.
The only thing that was encouraging her to continue, not allowing herself to fall down and accept defeat, was her unfulfilled revenge.
She would not waste the opportunity given to her by the heavens. Even if she had to crawl, even if she had to sacrifice herself, she would. As long as she could see the faces of those people who betrayed her twist in agony and pain.
XuanRong's eyes brightened when she saw the small markings outside the hidden cave. She remembered that at the left side of the rectangular-shaped boulder was the entrance to the hidden cave she previously went to hid herself.
As if she was injected with chicken blood [5], XuanRong's tiredness vanished in an instant. She gasped as she slowly dragged her pitiful self into the hidden cave.
When XuanRong stood at the entrance of the cave, she saw nothing but darkness. The temperature inside the cave was colder that the last time she remembered, invoking a deep sense of danger. XuanRong knew that it was already too late to regret and leave. When she hid inside the cave in her previous lifetime, it was few months later than this time, so, she was not sure if some animal was occupying the cave right now.
XuanRong picked a pebble and threw it inside the cave. When she noticed that the cave was silent and was empty, she sighed and happily dragged her tired body inside.
Using her hand, she traced the wall and found a corner to hide herself.
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[1]. Also known as 'Kasaya' or the monk's robe.
[2]. Pinyin: 'Pínsēng'
[3]. 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Modern Time)
[4]. Two hours
[5]. Being energetic
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Edited and Proofread by: Prikkrang and Supremetobs
