I transformed into a demonic spider lily.

The title of "the strongest priestess of our time" has become almost synonymous with her.

It's not just because Kikyo's spiritual power is strong, but also because of her deeds, such as protecting the Shikon Jewel? The good deeds she has accumulated over the years have long overshadowed this matter.

It is not a "shrine maiden who guards the jade," but rather a "shrine maiden who has performed countless good deeds and also guards the jade." This relationship elevates the other's character, which is why she is said to resemble a saint.

"I wonder if Master Huizhi is here?"

Upon entering the temple, Kikyo asked again.

"The abbot went to the village to perform a ritual this afternoon and is not expected to return until noon tomorrow. It is already late at night. If the three of you do not mind, you may stay in the guest room for the night."

The monk said this.

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

"Nod slightly," Kikyo said.

"...It's alright."

The monk still clasped his hands together, and then led them to the guest rooms on the east side of the temple. They walked along a shady path, passing by the temple's main hall, from which came the sound of chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Xuelu peeked inside furtively. At the very back of the main hall stood a Buddha statue with its eyes closed, beneath which sat more than thirty bald monks, completely motionless…

Before the steaming incense burner, we worship with devotion.

Seek tranquility amidst the subtle scent of sandalwood.

Amidst the ethereal sound of the wooden fish drum, the turmoil is stranded.

Solemn, compassionate, and serene.

These are my thoughts on the snowy road.

The monk led them to a fine guest room and then left. Xue Lu then spoke up, saying, "What did you think of the chanting of those monks? I didn't really feel anything before, but when so many people chanted together, I had a feeling of 'Wow, so this can be really exciting.' The ethereal voices seemed to purify my soul."

"Indeed, those bald monks are quite formidable. I can also feel an unprecedented sense of comfort in my heart. Kikyo, is your headache severe?"

The red spider lily turned to the bellflower and asked.

"Eh~ Kikyo Shrine Maiden, are you feeling unwell?"

Xuelu quickly asked a question.

"No, I'm just a little dizzy from being disturbed by those Buddhist scriptures." With that, Kikyo rubbed her forehead.

"...What's going on with you two?" Upon hearing this, Xueji asked in surprise, "A youkai likes to listen to Buddhist scriptures, and a shrine maiden is dizzy from listening to them. Could it be a problem of conflicting beliefs?"

"How can they be incompatible?"

Finally, Xuelu added one more sentence.

The other shore flower couldn't help but slap the table twice, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Pfft, oh my, I can't take it anymore, I'm dying of laughter! Conflict of faith, what a reason, hahahaha..."

Did I say something wrong?

Yukiji blinked in confusion, only to see Kikyo beside her also holding her forehead with a helpless expression, a reaction that made her feel even stranger.

Clang, clang—

There was a sudden knock on the guest room.

At this moment, the other shore flower stopped smiling, and Xuelu got up to open the door. Standing outside was the monk who had led the way for them earlier, with two other monks behind him. The three of them each held a plate with ordinary rice and some vegetarian dishes on it.

"Our temple is currently facing some financial difficulties and has nothing to offer you, only this vegetarian meal. Please forgive us," the monk said apologetically as he placed the plate on the table. The other two monks put down their plates and left, but this monk remained standing there.

"Not at all~ We are already very grateful for your kindness." Xuelu expressed his gratitude to the monk.

The monk smiled and finally left.

"Unexpectedly, these monks are quite good at cooking. Even though it's vegetarian food, they make it taste like meat." Looking down at the vegetarian food on the plate, Xuelu could smell the aroma of the food, which greatly increased her appetite.

"Ah~ Bellflower, open your mouth and taste what my dish tastes like?"

"No, flower~ Mine is pretty good too, would you like to try it?"

The spider lily and the bellflower suddenly started feeding each other, which stunned Yukiji, who was standing nearby. She looked at the two of them from the left and right, and finally managed to stammer out, "You two are starting already?"

"Platycodon, your body needs to replenish its nutrients lately, so eat more."

"Hua, I see you've been bleeding a lot lately, you should replenish your blood."

"No need, no need. I haven't bled for a while, so you should eat more."

The red spider lily and the bellflower are still entwined in their affection.

"Should I not have come with you today? I feel like I've offended you," Xuelu said subtly.

"...Yes, that's right, Yukiji, you really shouldn't have come with us today."

At that moment, the red spider lily suddenly spoke.

"Waaaaah, this is too much! Kikyo, you need to control your flower fairy! How dare she talk to me like that!" Yukiji immediately complained to Kikyo.

"Hana isn't wrong, Miss Yukiji. You really shouldn't have come with us today," Kikyo said as well.

"Okay, okay, I understand. Next time you want to be alone, I promise I won't get in your way or bother you in a bad way."

Xueji pouted, pretending to be invisible, and quietly ate her meal. But just as she picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks to put it in her mouth, Higanbana and Kikyo pressed the vegetable down with their chopsticks.

"I know I was wrong. After we finish eating, I'll ask the monk for another room. How about you sleep together tonight? I won't get in the middle." Xuelu felt very wronged. She hadn't meant to bother them, so why were they being targeted like this?

"I say, do you really enjoy eating human flesh?" asked the Spider Lily.

Chapter Ninety-Seven: Tampering with the Five Senses, All Falsehoods

……

"Um, what did you just say, Lycoris radiata? I didn't hear you clearly."

Xuelu swallowed hard. In fact, she had heard everything clearly, but she couldn't understand it for a moment. After thinking about it, the only possibility was that she had misheard.

The red spider lily, of course, didn't mind repeating herself, so she put down her chopsticks and said again, "I said, do you really want to eat human flesh? Or the kind that's rotten and infested with maggots?"

He even emphasized it deliberately.

"Ah! I've already apologized to you. I really didn't mean to disturb your rendezvous. I'll just create another opportunity for you next time. Don't play such mean jokes, or even I'll get angry!"

After saying that, Yukiji slammed his hand on the table, then glared at Higanbana and Kikyo with a slightly angry expression. He then said to the latter, "Kikyo, you should say something too, or one day you'll spoil this flower fairy."

Does her problem really need to be "indulged"?

"but……"

Kikyo glanced down at the vegetarian meal on the table, her expression suddenly turning sour. Clearly, she had something on her mind, unsure whether to speak it or not.

"...Could it really be true?"

Seeing this, Xuelu's hand, which was gripping the chopsticks, trembled slightly.

"What do you take me for? I haven't lied to you, so why do you keep questioning me? Kikyo's silence is fine, but nothing I say matters, right?!"

The spider lily was angry, but not really. Her behavior was just a way of trying to get Yukiji to apologize quickly and say a few nice words.

"But...but why can't I see the problem?"

Xuelu quickly looked around and then began to recall everything she had seen since entering the temple, but she found nothing unusual. Even the monks seemed normal and she could communicate with them.

But since both the spider lily and the bellflower have been certified, there must be something wrong with them, but she can't see it at all, which is the scariest thing.

"That's because your cultivation isn't up to par; in other words, you're too weak," the Spider Lily said bluntly.

"Please be more tactful next time, thank you."

"Pouting," Xuelu said.

"Demon power is complex, unlike the fixed methods humans use to cultivate spiritual power. Sealing, purification, exorcising demons, or blessing and summoning spirits, no matter how they are used, they cannot escape these five main branches. Even Buddhist monks and Onmyoji in Kyoto are the same, only they have changed their names."

Kikyo seemed to be explaining their current situation, but judging from her current performance, it was more like a lesson, instructing Yukiji on the basics of spiritual power.

"Monsters don't have this kind of training method. We tend to rely more on our own talents. Ordinary beast monsters naturally pursue the three basics of attack, defense, and speed. To be precise, all monsters pursue these three things."

The other flower casually added, "However, we also have unique characteristics. Some monsters are born in the shadows and therefore only appear at night; some monsters are born with flames and cannot be extinguished even by the sun's radiance; and mirrors, wood, water, and everything else you can imagine can be controlled by monsters. The real problem is that you might not be able to imagine it."

"So, what's the current situation?"

Yukiji couldn't help but shudder, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. She felt a chill on the back of her neck, as if something had slipped inside her clothes and was moving down her back. (TM) It shouldn't be "as if" anymore, something really had slipped inside!

"Hana, please stop teasing Yukiji-san," Kikyo suddenly said.

"Okay, okay."

Upon hearing this, the spider lily pulled out the delicate vines that had been inserted into Xue Lu's clothes.

"You, you, you, you, you..."

A nervous Xueji pointed at the spider lily, but couldn't speak. Then he turned to Kikyo, his face flushed, and stammered, "She...she...she..."

"...You, you wouldn't be thinking about something like that, would you? Ew~ the snow road is so rough." Higanbana said cheerfully.

Then she continued, "But don't worry, I'm not interested in you. If it weren't for the fact that your clothes are inside out, I would have thought you turned your head to look at me, which almost scared this monster."

Fatal Critical Strike—

It's hard now, the snow-covered road is hard again!

Clenching her fists, she stood up and shouted, "Kikyo! Don't stop me! I'm going to beat this flower fairy up today, ahhh!"

A very fierce expression.

"I didn't stop you."

Kikyo remained seated and motionless.

Upon hearing this, Yukiji paused for a moment, then leaned close to Kikyo's ear and whispered, "You should stop me, I can't beat the Spider Lily."

"Ah, this..."

Kikyo, unsure of what expression to make, said, "Miss Yukiji, perhaps you should calm down first?"

"Hmph, for the sake of Kikyo Shrine Maiden, I'll let this matter drop today." Yukiji sat back down in his original seat.

"Pfft, actually you didn't have to beat me up for her sake." How could Higanbana not have heard Xuelu's whispers? She could hear them perfectly clearly. She suddenly realized that this person in front of her was even more fun than Feng.

"No, I'll do it for her sake!"

Xueji shouted, then continued, "And can anyone answer my question from earlier?"