At the beginning of Niujia Village, my sister-in-law and I depended on each other.

"drive--"

The night was dark and the horses were galloping in the rain. The rapid and weak shouts and the clattering of horse hooves intertwined together, unnecessarily highlighting the nervous and anxious mood of the riders.

Ye Erniang's face was pale, and her right arm hung limply. She had just ridden her horse to the gate of Shaolin Temple when her tense nerves suddenly relaxed and she fell off the horse in a trance.

Regardless of the pain in her body, she gritted her teeth and crawled to the temple gate, grabbing the copper ring on the door with difficulty.

"bang bang bang-"

After a heavy knock on the door sounded in the dark night, not long after, hurried footsteps were heard from inside the temple.

The person who opened the door was a young monk with a high forehead and big ears. He had thick lips, a wide mouth, and a simple and honest look on his face. After seeing Ye Erniang outside the door, he quickly put his hands together and asked with concern, "Are you injured, lady donor?"

Ye Erniang took out something from her bosom and handed it to the monk, saying weakly, "It's okay. Please, little master, present this item to the abbot of your temple, Xuanci, and say... just say that it was passed on by an old friend."

After saying this, without waiting for the young monk to ask, Ye Erniang put down the object wrapped in silk, gritted her teeth, staggered onto the horse, and rode slowly towards the back mountain.

In the backyard, inside the Zen room.

As the current martial arts master and the head of the Shaolin School, Xuan Ci has a profound knowledge of Buddhism and superb martial arts. He has long been calm and never shows his emotions.

However, the moment he opened the object in his hand, he couldn't help but change color slightly.

Yu Pei!

It turned out to be a jade pendant!
Unexpectedly, the personal item I gave away 20 years ago has returned to my hands again.

At this moment, Xuan Ci's Buddhist heart, which had been silent for many years, suddenly cracked, and his mind was filled with the bone-chilling tenderness of that man back then.

"Does the visitor have anything else to say?"

Trying his best to suppress his inner fluctuations, Xuan Ci looked at the young monk in front of him and asked calmly.

The monk said respectfully, "Master, the female donor seemed to be seriously injured. Before I could ask her any questions, she put the item down and headed for the back mountain."

Back mountain?

Xuan Ci couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, as if he remembered something unforgettable.

After a long silence, his calm gaze slowly fell on the dull and ugly face in front of him. After recalling for a while, he hesitantly asked: "Are you...Xu Zhu from the Discipline Academy?"

Obviously, it's still uncertain.

Xu Zhu quickly put his palms together and saluted: "I am Xu Zhu from the Discipline Academy, and my disciple is Master Hui Lun."

Xuan Ci said gently, "Don't mention what happened tonight to anyone else. Tell Hui Lun later and serve me from now on."

Xu Zhu was stunned when he heard this. Would he serve the abbot from now on?

"What, you don't want to?"

Xuan Ci asked in surprise when he saw this.

"Yes! Yes! I am ten thousand times willing!" Xu Zhu quickly bowed his head and knelt down.

No matter how dumb he was, he knew that the status of the master's attendant was far beyond that of a small disciple of the Discipline Academy.

Although he has no desire to fight for power or gain, he always fantasizes about being personally taught by the abbot one day.

"Okay," Xuan Ci smiled and said slowly, "I hope you will be humble and keep honest in the future. Xu Zhu, you can go down now."

After saying this, he closed his eyes, like an old Buddha burning lamp, gently twisting the Buddhist beads, and sitting quietly on the cushion.

"Disciple, I'm leaving." Xu Zhu clasped his hands together devoutly and slowly left the meditation room.

As his footsteps gradually moved farther and farther away until they disappeared, Xuan Ci could not help but sigh quietly and opened his eyes again.

……

At the hour of Mao, the rain in the mountains stopped and a faint white ray could be seen in the eastern sky.

On the back mountain of Shaolin Temple, next to an ancient cave, the strong and sturdy trunk of a Bodhi tree leans against the entrance of the cave. Water droplets on the tree slowly fall along the branches and drip into the puddles on the ground, making a dripping sound in the quietness.

In the cave, Ye Erniang leaned against the wall in a daze, hidden in the darkness, listening to the sound of dripping water that gradually faded away at the entrance of the cave. Her heart seemed to gradually die down.

Twenty-three years ago, in such darkness, she gave herself to him completely; twenty-two years ago, in such darkness, she gritted her teeth and gave birth to his only baby. But now, she has been waiting here for half a night, and it may be difficult for her to even see him for the last time.

In disappointment——

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps stepping on mud and water came into the cave, and it was particularly clear in the extremely silent darkness.

Ye Erniang was stunned at first, then she crawled out of the cave excitedly, laughing and crying, "Is it you? Is it you? You came to see me, right?"

"It's me, Second Mother..."

Someone responded at the entrance of the cave, and then a beam of fire was lit. The fire illuminated a kind-looking old face that was getting closer and closer. It was Xuanci, the abbot of Shaolin Temple.

With the flickering light in his hand, he stared blankly at Ye Erniang lying on the ground.

"Who did it?"

After a while, Xuan Ci's gaze fell on Ye Erniang's right arm, and he sighed softly and asked.

All in all, the two of them hadn't seen each other for more than ten years. When he learned that Er Niang had become a villain, he had written to her many times to dissuade her from turning back, for he was afraid that she would end up like today.

"It's Qiao Feng!"

“And Niu Dingtian!”

Ye Erniang wiped away her tears, and a hint of hatred flashed in her eyes.

"Niu Dingtian..."

Xuan Ci was startled when he heard this, and couldn't help but frowned and asked, "How did you get involved with him?"

"Are you blaming me?" Ye Erniang answered the question irrelevantly, her tearful eyes becoming resentful.

Xuan Ci sighed and said nothing more. He took out a small sandalwood box from his arms and handed it to Ye Erniang, whispering:
"I heard from the disciples in the temple that you were seriously injured. This is the Shaolin Temple's Da Huan Dan that I just drew. You should take it and recover here first. Don't let outsiders know. When your injury is healed, Second Mother, you...you should leave Shaoshi Mountain as soon as possible."

"You...you dislike me?" Ye Erniang suddenly became excited.

"No."

"No, you just dislike me. You dislike the scar on my face, right?"

"Second Mother, you are my woman and you have given birth to my child. How could I despise you? It's just that our status is not as high as yours now..."

"Then you stay and keep me company!"

"This……"

"You only come here once a day and no one will know. I will leave once my injury is healed. I will never cause you any trouble. Stay and keep me company, okay?"

At the end, Ye Erniang's eyes were filled with tears and she looked at Xuanci with a pleading face.

Coupled with her lingering beauty and her pale and sad face, she really makes people feel extremely pity for her.

Xuan Ci's heart softened when he saw this. After a long silence, he whispered, "This is just the first time. It won't happen again."

"Then you...you hug me." A blush appeared on Ye Erniang's pale face.

"..."

"You really do dislike me!"

Xuan Ci had no choice but to slowly hold her in his arms, even though he was extremely reluctant.

It is said that even a hero cannot resist the temptation of a beautiful woman, and Xuanci is no exception.

Twenty-three years ago, he was attacked outside and returned seriously injured. He was rescued by Ye Erniang at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain. The two spent time together day and night, and fell in love with each other over time, and later broke the last line in this secret meeting place.

Although they separated later, their affection for each other remained unchanged for more than 20 years. Otherwise, he would not have risked ruining his reputation and rushed here after seeing the token.

Ye Erniang hugged Xuan Ci tightly, greedily sniffing his masculine scent mixed with sandalwood. She hadn't felt this scent for more than 20 years.

Xuan Ci was also restless. Just as he put down the torch and prepared to quietly enjoy this warmth, he suddenly pushed Ye Erniang away and stared at the cave entrance. (End of this chapter)