He landed in the backyard of Huanxi Garden. As a monk, being seen in a brothel would severely tarnish the reputation of Buddhism. To avoid detection, he stood in a dark corner, observing the layout of the courtyard while pondering Su Ran's place in his heart. In the center of the courtyard, a drunken man stumbled about with a scantily clad woman in his arms. Ji Chun felt a wave of disgust but remained vigilant, fearing he might miss his target.
Soon, Su Ran's voice echoed through the courtyard. His face was flushed, his steps unsteady, and his movements sluggish. Surrounding him were four or five women, draped in translucent gauze that left little to the imagination. They clung to him intimately, their hands roaming freely. One woman even ventured to touch him inappropriately.
"Where's the wine? Ah? Bring me more wine!" Su Ran slurred, his voice dripping with arrogance as he stumbled through the courtyard, arms slung around two beautiful women. He leaned in to bite one woman's chin but missed, clumsily bumping into her cheek instead. "Do you think I'm manly enough? Huh?" he demanded loudly, his tone both drunken and boastful.
"Of course you are, my lord," cooed the woman on his right, her voice soft and seductive as she leaned against his shoulder. Her hand rested on his chest, while the other crept lower. "We're so captivated by you that we can't bear to leave."
"Ah~ Young Master, don't move," another woman chimed in, her face flushed and her demeanor coy. Su Ran grinned, clearly pleased, and quickened his pace. "Why haven't we reached her room yet? Hurry up! I can't wait any longer" he chuckled.
"Sect Leader Su," Ji Chun finally stepped out of the shadows, his voice low and ominous, like the calm before a storm. "Come back with me."
Su Ran glanced up, his brow furrowing in irritation. "What are you doing here? Aren't you a Buddhist disciple? You're just here to ruin my fun!" As he spoke, he suddenly pushed the women away with a look of disgust, as if momentarily sobered by Ji Chun's presence.
"Don't forget your current condition!" Ji Chun's tone was firm, a stark contrast to his usual calm and composed demeanor. At this moment, he sounded more like an enraged man than a monk.
"What does it matter to you?" Su Ran shot back coldly, his disdain evident as he glared at Ji Chun. "Sect Leader Su, Might I suggest you not embarrass yourself here."
Ji Chun's patience snapped. He stepped forward, intent on grabbing Su Ran, but the man twisted away, narrowly avoiding his grasp. In a flash, Su Ran produced a whip and lashed out, aiming for Ji Chun's face. Ji Chun dodged just in time, but the whip struck his shoulder, tearing through his robes and leaving a bloody gash. He winced, his expression darkening, but he held his ground, refusing to escalate the fight.
"Don't forget what Mu Gongzi said!" Ji Chun shouted, his voice trembling with anger. "If you want to live, you must protect that child! You're here drinking and enjoying yourself, but do you have a death wish?!" His final words were a roar, his temples bulging and his eyes piercing. This was the first time Su Ran had seen Ji Chun so furious, and the intensity of his anger left him momentarily stunned.
Su Ran's mind raced as he recalled Mu Miefeng's warning: if the creature inside him died, he would not survive either. He had been reckless, letting his impulses cloud his judgment. Seeing Su Ran hesitate, Ji Chun seized the moment. He stepped forward, pressed Su Ran's acupoints, and hoisted him over his shoulder. Ignoring the growing crowd of onlookers, Ji Chun carried Su Ran out of Huanxi Garden and back to their inn. Once in their room, he released the acupoints, and Su Ran immediately lashed out, grabbing Ji Chun by the throat and squeezing with increasing force.
"If there's a next time," Su Ran hissed, his voice cold and menacing, "I'd rather die with you than suffer this humiliation again!" Though he knew Ji Chun had acted to save his life, Su Ran couldn't stomach the indignity of being dragged away so easily in front of the brothel women. His pride as a man had been trampled once more. Yet, he couldn't kill Ji Chun—not now. He had to endure.
Su Ran released his grip and strode to the window, letting the cool breeze calm his seething anger. The room fell silent. Ji Chun leaned heavily against the table, gasping for air. A little more pressure, and he would have been dead. As his breathing steadied, his rational mind returned. He questioned why he had rushed into that den of vice to save Su Ran. What did this man's life or death matter to him? Even if Su Ran perished, it wasn't Ji Chun's responsibility. After all, Su Ran was the leader of a demonic cult with countless followers. Perhaps Su Ran was right—Ji Chun had overstepped, meddling in affairs that were none of his concern.
In the end, it all traced back to the accident in the mountains. That incident had set everything in motion. And now, the man was carrying his child... Ji Chun suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. He didn't know how to atone for his mistakes. He was a monk, after all—how could he have fallen into such a transgression? And now, he would have to become the child's... father? Was this some cruel joke from the heavens? He truly wanted nothing more to do with this man, yet he couldn't deny that if something were to happen to him, he wasn't sure how he'd react.
Ji Chun's life had become a tangled web of contradictions and frustration. At times, he found a strange comfort in the man's presence, but more often than not, their interactions left him seething with anger. Was it because he cared deeply about the child growing inside him? He didn't want to deceive himself—he did feel an inexplicable hope for this unusual child. If the child survived, it would be the only blood relative he had in the world. Ji Chun had been raised in Shaolin since he could remember. His master had told him that both his parents were gone. Perhaps he had accepted his solitary fate long ago, which had shaped him into the quiet, introverted person he was. Maybe that was why he clung to the hope that this child might survive. And perhaps that was why he felt so compelled to ensure the safety of the child's other father.
As if grasping a lifeline in the midst of chaos, Ji Chun calmed himself. He told himself that his concern for this man was purely out of a sense of duty—to atone for his sins and to protect the life he had inadvertently helped create. The room was utterly silent, the sound of their breathing the only thing breaking the stillness. Just as Ji Chun was about to rise and leave, the man by the window spoke coldly, "What did Mu Miefeng say?"
Ji Chun didn't turn around. His reply was deliberately detached. "Your life is tied to the child's life."
Su Ran's face darkened. He clenched his teeth and hissed, "Are you really going to make me... give birth to this monster? I'm a man!"
"I don't know," Ji Chun replied carefully. He knew that if he said, "It's no different from an ordinary pregnancy," Su Ran would explode in anger. Instead, he added, "When the time comes, I'll seek out Mu Gongzi to handle the matter."
"Fine," Su Ran said, somewhat appeased by the answer.
After a moment of calm, Su Ran seemed to realize he had overreacted. But pride kept him from apologizing. Instead, he muttered awkwardly, "You should rest. I'm going out."
Ji Chun watched as Su Ran walked toward the door, surprised by the sudden shift in tone. Under the warm glow of the candlelight, Su Ran's profile appeared almost gentle, a stark contrast to his usual sharp demeanor. Ji Chun found himself momentarily distracted, his gaze lingering until the door closed behind Su Ran. Shaking his head, he returned to bed, feeling utterly drained. Soon, he drifted into a restless sleep...
In his dream, the air was thick with smoke. He saw a small, chubby baby clinging to Su Ran's leg, wailing loudly. Su Ran looked annoyed, trying to shake the child off but unable to bring himself to do so. Finally, he bent down with a huff and picked up the baby. Watching the scene, Ji Chun felt a warmth spread through him, and a rare smile touched his usually stern face. But then Su Ran turned, glaring at him with a mix of shame and anger...
The next morning, after washing up, Ji Chun headed downstairs for breakfast. As he reached the entrance, he saw Su Ran standing outside, his expression cold and indifferent. A woman knelt at his feet, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "Young Master, please take me with you. Wenshi has no home anymore. You're all I have left." Her voice trembled with desperation, her delicate frame shaking as she cried.
"If you don't leave now, don't blame me for being harsh," Su Ran snapped, shaking off her hand. A crowd had begun to gather around the inn, drawn by the commotion. The woman, perhaps sensing she had overstepped, wiped her tears and reluctantly walked away, casting one last longing glance at Su Ran, who refused to even look at her.
Ji Chun took a seat at a table and ordered breakfast. Su Ran joined him shortly after, sitting across from him in silence. Neither spoke as they ate, the tension between them obvious. Once they finished, they gathered their belongings and set off.
After about an hour of walking, Su Ran suddenly stopped and shouted, "How long are you planning to follow me?" From behind a distant tree, the woman from the inn—Wenshi—emerged. She approached timidly, her head bowed, and said nothing.
"Two choices," Su Ran said coldly, his voice dripping with menace. "One, leave. Two, die." He stepped closer to her, his hand raised, ready to strike.
Ji Chun, though displeased by the woman's persistence, remained silent, his expression unreadable.