Chapter 311

Chapter 311: Stop fighting already! Please!

Inside the mountain cave, firelight flickered as the campfire crackled with a popping sound.

A few of them had hunted down a wild deer and were roasting it over the fire.

As Xu Ming and the others ate meat until their faces glistened with oil, they chatted casually.

On the other side, Shi Xin recited a Buddhist chant with her eyes closed.

Shi Xin couldn’t stop them from eating meat, so she closed her eyes, seeking peace of mind by not looking, and silently performed a ceremony for the deceased deer.

After Xu Ming and the others were full, they decided on the night watch rotation.

Two people per group.

Xu Ming and Shi Xin formed one group, while the other four split into two groups. Xu Ming and Shi Xin took the early watch, while the other two groups took the middle and late watches.

This arrangement seemed to favor Xu Ming and Shi Xin since the early watch was usually the least tiring.

But in reality, Xu Ming felt this was intentional because after the early watch, they would be more tired and likely to fall asleep.

Since they wouldn’t need to wake up again, they could sleep through the entire night.

This made it easier for others to make their move.

But no worries, he was waiting for their move.

If they didn’t act, he’d really have to become a monk in the Western Regions for half a year.

“Brother Xu, Sister Shi Xin, the night watch is yours. We’ll rest first and take over when the time comes,” Wang Mingshan said politely to the two.

Xu Ming bowed in return: “Please rest assured, we will remain vigilant. If anything unusual happens, we’ll wake you immediately.”

“Good.” Wang Mingshan and the others nodded seriously, finding spots in the cave to lie down and sleep.

Xu Ming and Shi Xin sat at the cave entrance, keeping watch.

The evening breeze rustled through the leaves, making a soft swishing sound.

Above the night sky, a bright moon hung high, with stars scattered all around, casting a faint moonlight over the entire forest.

“In fact, there’s something I don’t understand,” Shi Xin said to Xu Ming.

Nowadays, whenever Shi Xin had questions, she would ask Xu Ming.

In Shi Xin’s view, although Xu Ming wasn’t from the Buddhist sect, he possessed great wisdom.

“What don’t you understand?” Xu Ming yawned, chewing on a blade of grass.

“Why do you still kill animals if you’ve already reached the stage of abstaining from food, just to satisfy your taste buds?” Shi Xin asked.

“What else?” Xu Ming thought Shi Xin’s question was somewhat redundant. “At our level, we’ve already reached the stage of abstaining from food. Eating monster beasts and spiritual beasts’ flesh is to replenish spiritual energy. Eating ordinary things isn’t just to satisfy our cravings; what else could it be?”

Shi Xin shook her head: “Whether it’s a deer or a plant, life is hard-won. Shouldn’t we refrain from harming a life just for our own cravings?”

Xu Ming smiled: “If I want to eat, then I will eat. If it doesn’t want to be eaten by me, then it should cultivate itself, even becoming stronger than me. At that point, it won’t be eaten by me; instead, it might eat me.

This is a world where the weak are preyed upon by the strong. I’m not a good person. I don’t pity humans, let alone animals.”

“Speaking of which, aren’t you going to try a bite?” Xu Ming asked, “Otherwise, I can roast some for you. I’m quite confident in my grilling skills. I think you’ll like it.”

“No! Layman, I can’t persuade you to stop eating meat, but as a disciple of Buddhism, we don’t eat meat!” Shi Xin shook her head like a tambourine, looking very determined.

Her manner was unexpectedly cute, and Xu Ming couldn’t help but tease her:

“You see, before you refused to eat it because it was alive, but now, it’s dead, killed by me, not because of you. Its meat will go to waste if you don’t eat it. It will rot eventually.

So why not eat it? If you eat it, at least it won’t go to waste.”

“This is my principle!” Shi Xin said.

“Ho ho ho, the principle of not eating meat?”

Xu Ming’s tone was filled with nonchalance.

“You monks, because you follow Buddhist precepts, don’t eat meat, otherwise, you feel you’ve lost your faith.

But in my view, wine and meat pass through the intestines, Buddha remains in the heart. The lotus blooms on both sides, purity wanders freely.”

“…” Shi Xin’s pupils contracted, her spiritual energy surged once more.

Xu Ming was startled, realizing he had gone too far. What he had just said seemed to shake her state of mind, which he hadn’t intended.

But Shi Xin was too pure, too innocent, pure like the original whiteness of heaven and earth.

Xu Ming always felt an irresistible urge to leave a mark or at least a speck of dust on her.

Ultimately, it was all due to this damn desire to destroy. When something is perfect, you can’t help but want to break it—it’s human nature.

“If ordinary people learn this, they will enter the path of demons.” After a long pause, Shi Xin’s state gradually stabilized. Not only did the spiritual energy around her subside, but it became even stronger.

“Nice job.” Xu Ming sighed in relief, seeing that the girl had understood and hadn’t been led astray by him. Instead, because of her clear thoughts, her realm had advanced a small step.

“That’s right, Miss, you’re absolutely correct.” Xu Ming nodded, then shut his mouth, unwilling to say anything further.

He really shouldn’t push his luck.

If something happened to Shi Xin, his mother would be in trouble.

Shi Xin didn’t say anything more, just sat beside Xu Ming, watching everything in the forest.

When their watch ended, Xu Ming and Shi Xin went to rest, replaced by Wang Mingshan and Bai Zhan.

However, both Xu Ming and Shi Xin pretended to sleep.

During Wang Mingshan and Bai Zhan’s watch, they didn’t make a move against Xu Ming.

Shi Xin felt relieved inside.

Similarly, Xu Ming also breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Ming actually hoped he would lose.

If he won again, Shi Xin might really explode! Please, stop fighting!

But Xu Ming’s prayers seemed unfulfilled.

Late in the night, Zeng Rong and Xu Sheng exchanged glances and slowly approached Xu Ming and Shi Xin.