224 - We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

### Chapter 224: Wangxin, How About a Bet Between You and Me? A few burly men were sitting by the fire, intently watching Xiao Mo and his companions. However, Xiao Mo remained with his eyes closed, seemingly resting, with a soul-reaping blade resting on his lap. He appeared to be asleep, completely ignoring their stares. Wangxin, on the other hand, was holding onto the hem of Xiao Mo's clothes. She didn’t seem scared of these seemingly bandit-like men. Instead, she was worried Xiao Mo might get upset and, with one swift move, deal with them. The scar-faced man glanced over at Han’s wife and daughter and licked his lips, his gaze intensely fixated on them. Yet, he occasionally glanced at Xiao Mo, with a hint of fear flickering in his eyes. After all, with a blade resting on Xiao Mo’s leg, the scar-faced man couldn’t be certain of Xiao Mo’s strength. If he belonged to some martial sect and had a penchant for punishing injustice, it might spell trouble. However, the thought of just letting go of the mother and daughter was quite unsettling for the scar-faced man. This mother and daughter pair was indeed remarkable. The elder, still graceful and mature like a ripe peach, and the younger, fresh and beautiful like a budding lotus. In the dullness of the night, simply imagining them stirred a bizarre thrill within the scar-faced man. As for the female monk... Despite the monk possessing an unearthly beauty, the likes of which the scar-faced man had never seen before, Monks are generally not to be trifled with, nor does he wish to provoke them. Not to mention that the counterpart was a female monk, which was quite unusual. Years of wandering the martial world taught the scar-faced man that if he dared touch a monk, it might not be long before he’s struck by "Buddhist retribution." "Hey, Zhang San, don’t we have some kind of spiritual measuring stone? Did you bring it with you?" The scar-faced man whispered to his subordinate. "Yes, yes, I’ve got it." Zhang San, knowing what the boss intended, promptly took out the spiritual stone from his pocket. Any cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage would cause the stone to heat up within a meter's range. Unless they were the legendary Nascent Soul stage beings which the stone couldn’t sense. But those legendary beings wouldn't seek shelter in a rundown temple like this, escaping the rain. They'd be far miles away with a single step. The scar-faced man took the spiritual stone and picked up a bottle of wine, approaching Xiao Mo. In his view, if Xiao Mo was at the Foundation Establishment, perhaps he’d think better of it. But if not, with his ninth-level Qi refining stage, there was nothing to worry about! "Hey there, brother. Judging by your stance, it seems you practice swordsmanship. May I know which sect you hail from?" The scar-faced man asked with a grin, holding a gourd of wine. "No sect or membership," Xiao Mo replied softly, his voice exceptionally indifferent. "Hahaha, I’m also unaffiliated. Back in the day, I got lucky, stumbled upon a sword manual, and managed to cultivate to the ninth level of the Qi refining stage." Speaking, he discreetly observed the reaction of the spiritual stone he held. Throughout, the spiritual stone remained unchanged. Assured that Xiao Mo wasn’t a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the scar-faced man’s mind was put at ease. "Brother, I love making friends. Your remarkable demeanor only makes me admire you more. Care for a drink together?" The scar-faced man asked with a more relaxed air. "No, thank you." Xiao Mo remained with his eyes closed, appearing very impolite. "Alright then, you have a good rest." Unfazed, the scar-faced man took a swig from his bottle and returned to his men. Zhang San leaned closer to his boss, eagerly whispering, "Boss, what’s the word? Can we act?" He’d long been eyeing the mother-daughter duo, especially that female monk! He’d never laid eyes on a more captivating woman! "Not much of an issue. He isn’t at Foundation Establishment, nothing to fear," the scar-faced man chuckled, licking his lips. "Even though we encountered rain, I didn’t expect to find such a tantalizing encounter in this temple!" "Boss, can I be second with the monk?" Zhang San swallowed hard. "What are you going on about?" the scar-faced man chided, smacking Zhang San's head. "Martial codes dictate never to touch monks. Those old baldies fiercely protect their own. I don’t have a death wish. Besides, when have you seen a female monk in a regular temple?" "Got it, boss!" Zhang San nodded, albeit slightly disappointed. If the monk wasn’t an option, the mother and daughter were still quite the consolation. With the boss's approval, the rest cast unbridled eyes at the Han family. The Han family, of course, felt their sinister gazes. Fortunately, they had four or five guards, enough to deter reckless action, or so they hoped. As moments trickled by, the only sound within the temple was the crackling of the bonfire. "Wangxin, how about a little bet between you and me?" Xiao Mo whispered through his soul communication to Wangxin. Wangxin turned her head toward Xiao Mo and responded through the same channel, "A bet? What on?" "If these bandits were to act against the Han family, let’s wager on who could lead them to genuine repentance. You, with your method; and I, with mine," Xiao Mo proposed with his eyes still shut. "If you win, I promise to devote myself to goodness, study scriptures with you, abstain from killing if you say so." "And if you lose?" Wangxin inquired. Xiao Mo: "I haven’t thought of that yet, but I’ll let you know when I do." Wangxin lowered her head, hesitated briefly, and finally nodded, "Alright, I agree. But you mustn't send me away." "Deal." With that last sound in the soul communication, Xiao Mo fell silent again. Time moved on, and before they knew it, midnight had arrived. "Cough, cough." The scar-faced man cleared his throat and called out to the Han family. "Say, sir, it’s an awfully quiet night. Quite dull, isn’t it? And chilly with this autumn rain. Why not let the madam and young lady join us for a drink to warm up?" "Thank you for your hospitality, but there’s no need," Han Zi politely smiled. "We’re fine by the fire and not cold." "When my boss invites you, it’s a courtesy. What’s with all the nonsense?" Zhang San said angrily, rising to his feet, showing no regard for the Han family. "Watch your tone!" The scar-faced man frowned, reprimanding his junior. "But sir, my brother's words, though crude, bear truth. Out here, we all need to be friendly to have each other's backs, don’t you agree? Well, since you won’t come over, we’ll just head over instead." With that, the group stood with grins and made their way to the Han family. Watching this unfold, Wangxin gripped her clothes tightly. *End of Chapter*