The man is a monk in the inside, and he starts by giving his wife a crown.

Saeki Kaori greedily and diligently swallowed this life-saving nectar, not daring to miss a single drop. A look of near-intoxication even crossed her eyes. To her now, this was more than just water; it was a gift from the gods, her only hope for continued survival.

The holy water poured on Kaori Saeki's cracked lips. She opened her mouth almost instinctively and swallowed hard.

The cool liquid slid down the throat, bringing brief relief and dispelling some of the physical pain, but more of it was absolute dependence and fear on the giver.

She didn't dare to waste a single cent. She raised her head, her eyes filled with a mixture of pleading and confusion, and tears mixed with dust streamed down her pale cheeks.

Just after drinking the holy water, before she could catch her breath, Xiu Yuan raised his hand expressionlessly.

Golden Buddha light flowed out from his fingertips and quickly condensed into several shining chains, which wrapped around Saeki Kaori's weak limbs and torso like living things.

The chain tightened, making a subtle metallic friction sound, and fixed her in an extremely twisted yoga posture.

Kaori Saeki let out a suppressed whimper from her throat. It was not because of pain. The long-term torture had dulled her pain nerves. It was more of a fear and humiliation that penetrated deep into her bones.

This posture exposed her completely to Xiu Yuan's gaze, as if her last bit of dignity had been stripped away.

Xiuyuan fed her black peach tea with thick milk.

"Read after me."

Xiu Yuan's voice rang out, carrying an unquestionable majesty in this silent secret room.

He began to recite the Three Refuges slowly and clearly, and each word seemed to carry the power of Buddha, striking at Kaori Saeki's fragile spiritual barriers.

“I take refuge in the Buddha…”

Kaori Saeki's curled up body trembled even more violently. She raised her head, her empty eyes trying to focus, her lips moving as if trying to keep up, but only came out in broken sounds.

Fear and prolonged torture made even the simplest imitation difficult for her.

Xiuyuan did not urge him, but simply repeated calmly:

"Take refuge in the Buddha."

This time, Saeki Kaori finally made a sound, hoarse, dry, and with a crying tone:

“I take refuge in…I take refuge in…the Buddha…”

“Refuge in the Dharma…”

Xiuyuan continued to recite.

"Convert...to...the Dharma..." Kaori Saeki's voice was still weak, but more coherent than before. She seemed to realize that obedience was the only way to alleviate the pain.

“Take refuge in the Sangha…”

“Take refuge in… the Sangha…”

After reading the three sentences, Saeki Kaori seemed to have exhausted all her strength. She gasped for breath and tears flowed silently.

Xiu Yuan looked at her, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

The heat was almost on. He spoke again, his voice still steady, but with a stronger guiding tone:

"Read it again."

Kaori Saeki's body stiffened, and she instinctively wanted to resist this repetitive torture, but when she met Xiuyuan's indifferent eyes, all thoughts of resistance instantly disappeared.

She struggled to raise her head again. This time, her eyes were no longer completely empty, but contained a mixture of fear, dependence, and some twisted piety.

“I take refuge in the Buddha…”

Xiuyuan guided again.

"Convert...to...Buddha...and cultivate good karma..." Saeki Kaori's voice trembled, but she spoke the tampered oath extremely clearly.

She herself seemed stunned for a moment, and then the fear in her eyes became even stronger, as if she was afraid of angering the "god" in front of her.

However, Xiuyuan only slightly curled the corners of his mouth upwards.

Very good, this child is teachable.

This active understanding is more effective than forced indoctrination and is more in line with his purpose of "saving".

"continue."

With the tacit approval, Kaori Saeki seemed to have found a life-saving straw, and the fear in her eyes was quickly replaced by a fanatical, almost sacrificial obedience.

She straightened up a little, and although her voice was still hoarse, it was strangely firm:

“Refuge in the Dharma…Cultivate the Dharma of Affinity…”

"Take refuge in the Sangha... cultivate affinity with the holy Sangha..."

After reciting the last sentence, his body trembled with excitement and complete submission.

Xiuyuan was very satisfied with this.

He stretched out his fingers, and a gentle yet irresistible golden Buddha light gathered at his fingertips.

The Buddha's light slowly moved down, approaching Saeki Kaori's back.

"This is the Buddha's seal, granting you a new life."

Along with his low voice, the ball of (cbeg) Buddha light was imprinted on Saeki Kaori's vest.

There was no burning pain, only a warm feeling that instantly spread throughout her body. Saeki Kaori let out a short cry of surprise, her body tensed, but then relaxed again.

She could feel a mark forming beneath her skin, a mark that seemed to connect to her soul, bringing an unprecedented sense of belonging and an indescribable awe for the mark.

The Buddha's light dissipated, and a simple and Zen-like golden lotus mark appeared on Saeki Kaori's back, emitting a faint halo, as if announcing the new ownership.

From then on, Saeki Kaori was no longer the girl who was keen on mysticism, but a devoted devotee of his who could be driven at his command.

When the branding was completed, Kaori Saeki also experienced the pureness of supreme bliss. She felt as if she was floating in the clouds with her toes stretched straight.

After completing the conversion of Saeki Kaori, the suffocating feeling of oppression in the secret room seemed to dissipate a lot.

Xiu Yuan looked at the girl lying on the ground, her body still trembling slightly, with the golden lotus mark on her back shining brightly, and a hint of imperceptible satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

He untied his robes and put them on Saeki Kaori.

This "work" has been initially polished and the spiritual imprint has been deeply planted. What remains is to see her future "performance".

His mind moved slightly, and the power of Buddha enveloped the two of them.

The next moment, the surrounding scenery changed. The cold and damp secret room disappeared, replaced by the quiet streets and cool night breeze of the villa area at night.

Suddenly returning to the familiar yet unfamiliar outside world, Kaori Saeki was still a little dazed.

She blinked weakly, looked at the halo of the street lamp, felt the roughness of the asphalt road through her robes, and for a moment she didn't know where she was.

Long-term imprisonment and mental shock have dulled her perception of time and space.

"you can go now."

Xiu Yuan's voice sounded above her head, as calm as if asking her to pour a glass of water.

Kaori Saeki was shocked all over and suddenly looked up at Xiuyuan, her eyes filled with disbelief and great fear.

Go? Where to?

Leave this holy monk who gave her new life?

She couldn't understand it at all, let alone imagine it.

The experiences of the past two days have completely destroyed her original cognition. The only thing she understands now is absolute obedience.

She hurriedly knelt down again, her forehead touching the ground, her voice filled with tears and extreme fear:

"Holy monk! What did Kaori do wrong? Please punish her! Don't chase her away! Kaori is willing to serve you for eternity, like a slave, without complaint!"

She spoke incoherently and could only express her loyalty and desire to stay, fearing that she would be abandoned again and return to the endless darkness and despair.

Xiu Yuan felt a little funny when he saw her looking like she wanted to give up everything immediately.

The effects of Buddhist teachings were sometimes too immediate. He raised his hand to support her, and a gentle yet irresistible force forced Saeki Kaori to stand up straighter, even though her legs were still trembling.

"I'm not trying to drive you away."

Xiuyuan's voice remained calm.

"Your earthly ties are not over yet, and your family still misses you. You've been missing for several days, and they must be worried. Go back and let them know you're safe."

He paused and added:

"As for how you explain your disappearance to your family, that's your own business. I'm sure with your intelligence, you'll be able to find a suitable explanation."

He didn't care at all about the inquiries and troubles that Saeki Kaori would face, he was just stating a fact.

Kaori Saeki listened blankly, as if trying to understand concepts like "going home" and "family" which seemed a bit distant to her.

She subconsciously touched her still aching body and empty stomach, and felt the lotus mark on her back that seemed to have warmth, her eyes filled with confusion.

"But...the holy monk..."

She wanted to say something, but she saw Xiuyuan had turned around and seemed to have no intention of listening to her anymore.

"Go."

Xiu Yuan left the last two words, and his figure instantly faded in the night, as if he had never appeared, disappearing without a trace.

Only Kaori Saeki was left standing alone on the empty street, the night wind blowing her messy blonde hair and thin clothes.

She stared blankly at the direction Xiuyuan had disappeared in. After a long while, she finally seemed to react. Without hesitation or even a hint of dissatisfaction, she straightened her robes and knelt down respectfully in the direction Xiuyuan had disappeared, bowing deeply.

"Farewell to the holy monk... Your disciple, Kaori... will definitely live up to the holy monk's trust..."

Her voice was hoarse, but it carried a kind of piety that came from being completely tamed.

Only after she was sure that she could no longer feel the aura that made her feel awe to the core did Saeki Kaori stand up tremblingly.

She looked around blankly, identified the direction, and dragged her weak body, step by step, towards the home in her memory.

The golden lotus on his back was faintly visible under the street lights, like an invisible shackle, but also a new proof of identity.

As for how to explain it after returning home, her mind was blank. Maybe she could just say that she had encountered a mysterious spirit?

After all, for her, the past few days' experience was not much different from a god disappearing, except that the "god" seemed even more... awe-inspiring than the legends said.

Chapter 90: Akizuki Takashi is extremely excited!

Yumiko was barefoot and tiptoed like a nimble night cat, quietly slipping to the door of Xiuyuan's bedroom.

The dim wall lamp in the corridor cast flickering light on her face, illuminating the mixture of nervousness and excitement in her eyes. She held her breath, carefully reached out her hand, and gently touched the cold door handle.

However, the door handle did not budge.

She tried twisting it, but it was like twisting it on a solid rock, without even the slightest movement.

She didn't give up and put in a little more strength, but the result was the same.

Yumiko leaned close to the crack in the door, trying to listen to what was going on inside, but she could only hear her own heartbeat getting louder and louder.

It was eerily quiet inside, with no sound coming out.

"Hmph, cheapskate."

She muttered to herself, feeling somewhat annoyed.

She curled her lips and returned the same way with some reluctance.

Back in her and her sister's guest room, it was quiet.

Moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, outlining the bulge on the bed.

Yumiko climbed onto the bed quietly, and just as she lay down, she heard a vague mumbling coming from beside her.

"Master, don't..."

Misako's voice was tearful, her brows were furrowed, and she seemed to be in some uneasy dream.

Yumiko was originally feeling a little depressed, but these few words in her dream instantly aroused her interest.

She turned sideways and looked at her sister's still flushed cheeks and slightly trembling eyelashes in the dim light.

It seems that my sister's experience last night was much more...exciting than she described.

A bad idea came to my mind.

A sly smile appeared on Etsukiko's face, like a little fox who had found a new toy.

She leaned closer, her warm breath brushing against Misako's ear.

Then, she stretched out her arms and gently hugged Misako from behind.