Chapter 0: Color Is Nothingness (1)
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In the pitch-black wilderness, where monsters seem to pop out at any moment,
Liao Chen was sprinting ahead, clearly trying to leave Lin Nan in the dust.
After all, the presence of demon energy in the northeast was so obvious that it didn’t even need a map.
Unfortunately, the saintess from the Demon Sect was not far behind; her lightness in movement rivaled his, and every time he glanced back, her graceful figure twisted and turned in the night like a butterfly.
“Hey, Monk, were you just checking me out?”
Her voice pierced through the night like a wind chime dangling from a roof, tinkling with a delightful melody that lingered in the air.
“You must’ve mistaken that,” Liao Chen scoffed. “I wasn’t looking.”
“Nope, you’re definitely into me. I can feel it!”
“Hmph…”
Liao Chen unconsciously quickened his pace, his bluish-gray figure darting through the darkness like a leopard.
If not for Lin Nan’s magical Jade Maiden Heart Sutra boosting her Cold Value to a certain level, she would’ve surely struggled to keep up with that bald head.
To be honest, approaching the monk with such open enthusiasm would have made her gag a million times before.
But circumstances were dire; if she wanted to win over Liao Chen, she had to switch tactics.
Otherwise, if she kept acting like an icy beauty wrapped up in her chill demeanor, Liao Chen would be more than happy to let her remain that way, effectively shutting down any chance of interaction.
After all, Liao Chen was a renowned monk; getting him to be proactive might take a millennium!
So, she tried to put on an icy yet noble front in front of others, but when it came to Liao Chen, she became talkative and sweet, creating a charming contrast that was slowly chipping away at his heart.
Admit it, every man dreams of having a wife who’s both the epitome of cold beauty outside and a pleasantly affectionate sweetheart at home, like he’s hit the jackpot!
Using this trick on the Ice Prince had to yield at least a sliver of success, right?
And judging by the current situation, Liao Chen wasn’t completely against her new charm.
With flirting becoming her side quest, how could she not complete it to perfection? After all, how could she live up to her title as the Best Player of the Dao, even if she gave it to herself?
The two continued to jog in a leader-follower dynamic.
As they entered a dense forest, the surroundings grew deeper, darker, and full of obstacles.
Even Liao Chen started to slow down a bit.
“Hey, Monk, slow down, it’s too dark… I’m feeling a bit…” Lin Nan called out softly from behind.
Liao Chen could also feel that the demon energy in this forest was much stronger than before, so he adjusted his pace to match Lin Nan.
“I remember you beating me in that previous match, Saintess,” he said.
Lin Nan frowned, “Yeah, but even though I won, I’m still scared. As long as I’m with you, though, I feel much better. It must be a blessing from the Buddha, right?”
“Amitabha, the heart has Buddha, and the Buddha is present. It’s never too late to turn to the Buddha.”
“Um… if I like someone while respecting and admiring the Buddha… that shouldn’t conflict, right?”
Liao Chen replied, “As long as you have a compassionate heart and seek goodness, that’s what matters. The rest is just vanity.”
“So that means getting married is okay then?”
“I’ve said it depends on your inner heart.”
Lin Nan insisted, “Then you should just break your monk vows. As long as you have Buddha in your heart, you can become a Buddha—why stick to being a monk? Even the Buddha wouldn’t want lovers to be unable to unite, right?”
Liao Chen, “…”
Using his brilliant mind, he had already anticipated that Lin Nan might twist the conversation towards love.
But Lin Nan was clever enough to stick to his logic, leaving Liao Chen with an almost comical sense of powerlessness.
“I’ve dedicated my life to the Buddha; promoting Buddhist teachings and slaying demons is my mission. Besides, I’ve already left the worldly life; everything in the mortal realm has nothing to do with me. Please understand, Saintess.”
Lin Nan shrugged, “The eye is the heart’s window.
When one opens their eyes, they enter the world; when they close their eyes, they exit. The heart’s door opens and closes, and yin and yang go through cycles. If you truly have a heart for the Buddha, you can achieve enlightenment even in hell. If you only worry about external disturbances, that would be detrimental.”
Liao Chen paused, then murmured,
“The Bodhi tree is inessential, the bright mirror is not a platform; in fact, there’s nothing at all, why bother with dust?”
“It’s me who got too caught up. But as a monk, I’m supposed to maintain clarity. Though one can practice a Buddha heart under any circumstance, a guide is still needed to lead sentient beings. If a monk cannot detach from desires, how can he resist heart demons? Amitabha, indeed.”
“Alright, fine, since you’re so wise, I might as well go to the Shaolin Temple and become a nun. Will you take me in?”
“The Shaolin Temple only takes men, so… I’m afraid that won’t work.”
Liao Chen replied honestly.
“Huh? Didn’t you just say a monk should have a pure heart? So what’s the difference between men and women?”
“Ah… um…”
Liao Chen found himself speechless.
Lin Nan smiled and leaned closer to his face. “So you’re just scared of me popping up everywhere and disrupting your Buddha heart, awakening your heart demon? Oh monk, just running away won’t do; you need to face the challenges of lust! When can you pass my test, that’ll be when you achieve true clarity!”
Liao Chen shook his head, “Absurd!”
“Well, that sounds like you’re frightened! Ha! You don’t even have the courage to take up the challenge but claim to be a high monk. I think you’d better go back to the mundane world!”
Though Lin Nan didn’t grasp Buddhist philosophy, she had watched numerous dramas and movies where witty banter with monks featured countless times. No matter how reasonable or unreasonable the point was, as long as she could twist her opponent’s mind into knots, she had won.
From the looks of it, Liao Chen had indeed walked right into a big pit dug by her wits.
Lin Nan was curious about what Liao Chen would choose.
For the moment, they continued to move swiftly forward, with Liao Chen like a person with their mouth sealed by tape, completely at a loss for words in response to Lin Nan.
Lin Nan, however, was unbothered; she knew that even if Liao Chen appeared indifferent, her words had already left a subtle impression in his heart.
Just waiting for the right moment for them to blossom!
But just as they continued to approach the dense area of demon energy, the ground suddenly shook violently with a “boom.”
A multitude of Fallen Species burst from the ground, launching a surprise attack on them!
