“She is the demoness!”
The dilapidated house was invaded by a man leading a group of villagers, pointing at the girl in the corner and shouting angrily.
“Yes, I have also seen the face of that demoness, it’s her!”
From the back, another villager recognized the girl’s appearance, his expression full of anger, “She’s the man-eating demon!”
“Monk, I kindly gave you food, and you actually saved this demoness!”
The woman who had given San Zang a meal before saw the girl in the broken house and burst into tears, saying, “My man was killed by this demoness!”
“Kill this demoness!” the leader of the men shouted angrily.
“Kill this demoness!”
From the back, the villagers also gathered their courage and rushed forward with angry expressions.
“I haven’t eaten anyone.”
In the corner of the broken house, the girl shrank back, retreating with a look of panic and fear on her face.
“Namo Amitabha!”
San Zang saw the frightened look of the girl and couldn’t bear it. A golden light appeared, pushing back the villagers who had rushed forward. Then, he clasped his hands together and said respectfully, “Have you mistaken, dear donors? This female donor was saved by me at the foot of the mountain. She should not be the man-eating demon you speak of.”
“We absolutely have not mistaken, it’s her!”
The man looked at the monk in front of him with horror and said, “I saw her harming people with my own eyes, there’s no way I could be mistaken!”
“Yes, I saw it too!”
Another villager stepped forward, boldly speaking, “Little monk, don’t meddle in this. This demoness has harmed so many people, she should pay with her life!”
“Pay with her life!”
The angry villagers shouted again.
Inside the broken house, San Zang listened to the angry shouts of the villagers and looked back at the terrified girl behind him, furrowing his brow.
This girl, no matter how you look at her, doesn’t seem like a demon.
And demons who have killed people would have a bloody aura, but this girl clearly doesn’t have that.
But, the villagers are so certain. Who should he believe?
“I haven’t eaten anyone.”
In the corner, the girl shrank back, murmuring continuously, trembling all over, looking extremely frightened.
San Zang sighed softly at the sight, then turned to the angry villagers and said, “Namo Amitabha, dear donors, how about this? I have learned some Buddhist techniques for subduing demons. I can perform the ritual in front of you all. If this female donor is truly a demon, I will no longer interfere. But if she is not, I ask the donors to spare her life!”
“No, who knows if you will favor this demoness!” the man said angrily.
From the back, the villagers were also unwilling. They could all see that the little monk was intentionally favoring the demoness.
“Namo Amitabha!”
San Zang bowed and said, “As a monk, I do not speak falsehoods. I am a disciple of the Qingdeng Temple on the mountain. Even if you don’t believe me, you should trust the Qingdeng Temple.”
“The monk from Qingdeng Temple?”
Upon hearing this, the people looked at each other and nodded. They could trust a disciple of the Qingdeng Temple.
“Very well, little master, perform the ritual. We believe that a disciple of the Qingdeng Temple would not deceive us!”
The villagers spoke, but they still couldn’t help but warn, “However, you must not favor this demoness.”
“Dear donors, please rest assured.”
San Zang nodded, then turned to look at the girl cowering in the corner, saying, “Female donor, there may be some pain to come. In order to clear your name, please bear with it.”
After speaking, San Zang clasped his hands together and recited a Buddhist chant, and the 108 prayer beads in his hand suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light.
In the corner, the girl saw the golden light on the prayer beads and her exquisitely beautiful face immediately showed a look of fear.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Just as San Zang began the ritual, the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the village, shocking everyone present.
Inside the broken house, San Zang felt the commotion outside, opened his eyes, and looked surprised.
The Iron Cavalry of Great Shang!
Why would they appear here?
“Bang!”
The next moment, the door of the broken house was kicked open, and several fully armored soldiers rushed in. The leading general saw the girl in the broken house and his face lit up with surprise. He stepped forward and saluted, saying, “Greetings, Princess, we are late. I hope the Princess can forgive us!”
As soon as he spoke, everyone present was shocked!
Princess, how could this demoness be a princess?
In the corner, the girl saw the general who had broken in and was so frightened that she hurriedly retreated, looking even more terrified.
“Princess Qing Qing!”
The general, puzzled, asked, “Don’t you recognize me?”
The girl shrank back, not saying a word, her beautiful little face full of fear and panic, looking pitiful.
The general’s expression slightly changed, and it was only then that he noticed the bloodstains on the princess. His face showed anger as he asked, “Princess, are you injured? Who hurt you?”
After speaking, the general turned to look at the villagers behind him, his eyes flashing with killing intent as he said, “Was it them?”
Inside the broken house, the villagers saw the killing intent on the general’s face and all showed fear in their expressions, quickly stepping back, wanting to leave.
“Capture them all!”
The general immediately understood what was happening and said angrily, “Don’t let a single one escape!”
“Yes!”
Behind him, several soldiers immediately stepped forward to arrest the people.
“No.”
In the corner, the girl looked anxious, reached out and grabbed the general’s arm, then quickly let go as if she had been shocked, and shrank back, nervously shaking her head and saying, “No… don’t.”
“You all, stop.”
The general heard this and immediately stopped the soldiers behind him. He looked at the girl in front of him and asked, “Princess, are you saying that I shouldn’t arrest them?”
“Yes… yes.”
The girl nodded nervously.
The general frowned, but also didn’t want to go against the princess’s wishes. He turned to look at the terrified villagers behind him and said coldly, “The Princess is kind-hearted and is willing to spare you troublemakers. You’d better leave now!”
“Thank you, General. Thank you, Princess.”The villagers hurriedly paid their respects and then hastily left the dilapidated hut.
“Princess, let’s return to the mansion. The queen has been worried sick these past few days!” The general stood up and spoke.
The girl shrank back, lowered her head, and did not respond.
Seeing this, the general hesitated for a moment before saying, “Princess, forgive me!”
After speaking, the general stepped forward, picked up the girl, and prepared to leave.
“Ah!”
At this moment, as if triggered by something, the girl screamed in terror, struggling desperately and breaking free from the general’s arms in just a few moves. She ran behind San Zang and clung to his clothes in fear.
The general was taken aback, his gaze fixed on the princess hiding behind the young monk, his expression full of confusion. What had happened to the princess?
She seemed like a completely different person!
After a moment, the general collected himself, suppressed the confusion in his heart, and looked at the young monk before him, asking, “How may I address this young master?”
“My dharma name is San Zang,” San Zang replied with his hands clasped together.
“San Zang?”
The general pondered upon hearing the name, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
“I… I haven’t eaten anyone.”
Behind San Zang, the girl continued to mutter tremblingly.
“Little monk, believe in the princess.”
San Zang turned around, looked at the girl behind him, and spoke with a gentle expression.
Seeing this, the general’s expression became solemn. After a moment of thought, he said, “Young master, it seems that the princess is only willing to trust you for now. Could you please accompany us back to the Southwest Mansion of Great Shang? Once the princess’s emotions have stabilized, whether you choose to stay or leave, our Southwest Mansion will not interfere.”
After speaking, the general bowed with a fist in hand to show his sincerity.
San Zang thought for a moment, then nodded lightly and said, “Very well, I shall accompany the general on this trip.”
The princess’s current emotional state was indeed too unstable. The task of subduing demons given to him by his master would have to be postponed for now.
“Thank you, young master.”
The general thanked him, then turned to the soldiers behind him and ordered, “Provide a horse for the young master. We shall return to the mansion immediately.”
“Yes!”
The soldiers took the order and immediately turned to leave the hut.
Half an hour later, outside the village, the sound of galloping hooves filled the air as the general and his men left the village, heading towards the Southwest Mansion of Great Shang to the east.
“Was that person really the princess of Great Shang?”
In the village, someone spoke up, still shaken by the event.
The general’s presence had been truly intimidating.
“I don’t know.”
Another villager shook his head, his gaze following the disappearing cavalry into the distance, his expression somewhat bewildered. “I clearly saw that woman glowing green all over, her hands covered in blood, and several villagers lying dead beside her.”
“Could it be that the princess of Great Shang is a demon?”
The villagers exchanged glances, not even believing their own words.
But how else could they explain the recent events in the village?
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain, not far from where San Zang had encountered the girl, crows circled overhead. Below, a bloodied girl lay there, her outer garments gone, leaving only her white undergarments.
Crows flew down from the sky, pecked at the girl’s body, and then flew away startled.
The girl had a fatal wound on her chest, as if her heart had been pierced by sharp claws, and her heartbeat had long ceased.
As the sun was about to set, at the foot of the mountain, a monk returning from his travels approached, about to ascend the mountain, but then he saw the girl lying in a pool of blood not far away. His expression hardened, and he quickly stepped forward.
“The aura of a demon.”
The monk saw the wound on the girl’s chest, his brow furrowed. It was unthinkable that such a cruel demon could exist in the pure land of the Buddhist Sect.
“Amitabha.”
The monk’s face showed compassion. Even though he did not know her in life, since they had met, he would perform a ritual to liberate her soul, allowing her to rest in peace.
With this thought, the monk wiped the blood from the girl’s face, and gradually, her features became clear.
The girl had a very delicate face, and even in death, she exuded a stunning beauty.
“Is this?”
Upon seeing the girl’s face clearly, the monk was shocked.
The Qing Qing Princess of the Southwest Mansion of Great Shang?
He had just returned from there, and in the city on the southwestern border, posters of the princess were plastered everywhere.
This place was not close to the Southwest Mansion of Great Shang, so why was the Qing Qing Princess here?
What kind of demon could abduct someone from the heavily guarded Southwest Mansion?
“Amitabha.”
The monk clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist mantra. Since fate had brought them together and he had recognized the princess’s identity, he would see to it that she was returned.