Little Pink Starfish

The Old Daoist Says: Love Brings Ruin

“What did you say?” Jiang Zhuojun called out through the wind and snow, unable to hear the old Daoist’s muttering.

The Daoist squinted carefully at him. Concentrating his gaze, he could faintly see a cloud of muddled, shifting mist behind Jiang Zhuojun. Compared to the sea of blood-red fate that surrounded Gu Xinglang, Jiang Zhuojun’s fate was much gentler.

Jiang Zhuojun glanced back, but behind him there was only swirling snow.

The Daoist blinked, then continued walking. “It’s nothing. Let’s go,” he said. The world was destined for chaos. The appearance of a “Seven Kill” fate bearer was inevitable. The Daoist sighed inwardly—if the world truly plunged into disorder, how many innocent lives would be lost?

“Daoist?” Jiang Zhuojun prompted him again.

The Daoist’s eyes looked a little clouded in the snowstorm. He said in a low voice, “In the future, guard your heart well. Remember this: love brings ruin.”

“W-What?” Jiang Zhuojun didn’t understand.

Tian Xingzi merely sighed and kept walking.

Meanwhile, at the cave entrance, Yu Xiaoxiao stood with Gu Xinglang. A bolt of lightning twisted and cracked through the sky, lighting up the peak of Mount Taichang. In that flash, the silhouette of Bodhi Temple appeared—its layout long and narrow, wide in front and narrow in back, like an ancient beast crouched on the cliff’s edge. It lacked the peaceful aura of a Buddhist temple and instead appeared eerie and menacing under the thunder and lightning.

Yu Xiaoxiao stared up at the peak and asked quietly, “Why didn’t you tell Xiao Jiang that it’s a Vermilion Bird, not a Phoenix?”

“If he knew,” Gu Xinglang replied, “he’d panic. Better to let him believe it’s a Phoenix. With a clear conscience and steady heart, he’ll get through it more easily, won’t he?”

Yu Xiaoxiao hadn’t expected her Xiao Gu to be skilled at mind games. She turned to glance at his wind-reddened face and said, “But what if they still don’t get through?”

“Xiaoxiao, we’ve done what we could,” Gu Xinglang replied. “Some things… we just can’t force.”

Yu Xiaoxiao leaned into him in silence for a moment, then suddenly asked, “If the Bodhi Temple takes the gift but doesn’t save the kids, can I go wipe out the whole temple?”

Gu Xinglang took a deep breath of the cold mountain air and said, “Yes. I’ll go with you.”

Yu Xiaoxiao squinted at the lightning still crackling over the mountain peak.

“Winter thunder…” Gu Xinglang wrapped her in his arms. “This is not a normal omen.”

In her apocalyptic past life, the atmosphere had been destroyed, and the weather was chaotic and unpredictable. So to her, thunder in winter didn’t seem all that strange. “Why does Yongsheng Temple want to harm the fourth prince of Vermilion Bird?” she asked.

Gu Xinglang shook his head. “Maybe this fourth prince refused to submit to Yongsheng Temple.”

“Really?”

“Just my guess,” he said. “Once we reach Chiyang City, we’ll ask around. Maybe we’ll find out.”

Yu Xiaoxiao asked, “How?”

“Ask about the relationship between the fourth prince and Master Chengming,” Gu Xinglang said. “That should tell us how close he is to the temple.”

“Our imperial preceptor is named Chengguan,” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Vermilion Bird’s is Chengming. Are they brothers?”

Gu Xinglang chuckled. “They’re both from the ‘Cheng’ generation of monks—same seniority. But I’ve never heard of Master Chengguan having a brother.”

“So he’s never mentioned this Chengming?”

“I didn’t interact much with the preceptor,” Gu Xinglang said. “No idea if he’s brought him up. But since he never mentioned him when we came to Vermilion Bird, I don’t think their relationship is good.”

Yu Xiaoxiao frowned. “Why is Yongsheng Temple so complicated?”

Gu Xinglang brushed snow off her shoulder. In this world, was there any truly peaceful place? A hidden paradise might exist, but Gu Xinglang had never seen it.

Inside the cave, Xiao Wei handed Xiong Er to Little Bao. “Hold him. He’ll keep you warm.”

Little Bao glanced at Jiang Yueniang. Seeing her nod, he broke into a grin and wrapped Xiong Er tightly in his arms.

“Be good,” Xiao Wei patted Xiong Er’s head. “No biting.”

Xiong Er, full and sleepy, ignored him and let Little Bao cuddle him however he liked.

Jiang Yueniang reached out to stroke the fluffy bear cub herself.

“He’s so warm,” Little Bao said happily.

Jiang Yueniang gave Xiao Wei a quiet, heartfelt “thank you.”

Xiao Wei only replied with a casual “you’re welcome,” then turned and walked off.

“Why did Uncle Xiao Wei leave?” Little Bao asked, puzzled. He still wanted to play with him.

Jiang Yueniang held her son tightly, her smile bitter. Xiao Wei had left for their sake. She was a divorced woman—if she got too close to a man, her reputation would suffer. Even with Jiang Zhuojun’s protection, their life wouldn’t be easy afterward.

“Uncle Xiao Wei even carried you once,” Little Bao grumbled.

“Silly boy,” Jiang Yueniang hugged him tighter. Escaping death was one thing—what they were facing now was something else entirely.

When Xiao Wei returned empty-handed, the chief craned his neck toward the cave. “You came back just like that? Not gonna say anything to Miss Jiang?”

Xiao Wei rolled his eyes at him.

Xiao Zhuang sat by the fire, silent and sulking. Xiong Da had been taken off by Miss Qian to play, Xiong Er was now being used as a goodwill offering—Xiao Zhuang was thoroughly displeased.

Er Gouzi asked, “Brother Xiao Wei, do you really like that lady?”

“Eat your food,” Xiao Wei snapped.

The chief said, “Bullying a kid? Tch. I’m telling you, if you like her, you’d better act. Once the Jiang family gets through this, she’ll go back to being their proper young lady. What chance will you have then?”

Xiao Wei drank a bowl of water without responding.

The chief sighed. “Forget it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll be crying later.”

“Xiao Wei,” Gu Xinglang called from the cave entrance.

Xiao Wei responded, set down his bowl, and headed over.

After he left, the chief nudged Xiao Zhuang with his shoulder. “What’s your brother thinking?”

Xiao Zhuang shook his head. “Don’t know.”

“You could ask him,” another ex-pirate muttered.

Looking at all the curious faces gathered around, Xiao Zhuang just shook his head again. Judging by Xiao Wei’s behavior, he probably did like Miss Jiang. But honestly? He’d never once guessed Xiao Wei’s thoughts right.

“Just wait and see,” the chief whispered to the others. “That family’s not easy to deal with. If Xiao Wei really falls for her, it’s going to hurt.”