That night, Shi Jingzhi's words proved to be true. As soon as Yan Budu returned to the cave, he began to vomit blood incessantly, as if he was going to empty his entire body of blood.

In his current unsteady state, not to mention the martial arts of Kongshi that directly clashed against his, Yan Budu probably couldn't even defeat Lord Bai.

Helpless, Kongshi boiled bowl after bowl of water and used warm water to wipe away the blood.

The dark-colored cloth emitted a faint white steam as it slowly wiped away the dark red bloodstains, as if carving out a person from the bloodstains. The blood seeped into the fabric and then dispersed into the water, dyeing the clear water in the bowl a light crimson.

The monk gathered his ten fingers and the warm water slid over his long and powerful hands, falling back into the bowl with a crisp sound.

Yan Budu's face was devoid of color, and his tone was light and frivolous as he said, "...Why bother with me? If I die here, just drag my body back and report it."

Kongshi continued to twist the blood-stained cloth as if he hadn't heard.

Taking advantage of Kongshi leaning in to wipe the blood again, Yan Budu propped himself up and with a sudden force, pinned Kongshi beneath him.

Earlier, Yan Budu's clothes were stained with too much blood and had to be removed, revealing his porcelain-white skin. His breath was scorching hot, turning into white steam as it left his mouth, with a hint of bloody scent. His long hair was stuck to his body with sweat, as if under some kind of curse.

He pointed his toe and flipped the iron bowl, covering the monk's robe with his fox fur coat. The cave was silent, with flickering firelight. The orange halo seemed alive, flowing and undulating along the two figures.

Yan Budu brushed his wet hair to one side and tucked it behind his ear, deliberately using his injured arm to prop himself up. His whole body trembled from the pain and illness, and blood seeped from his broken arm.

Perhaps because he was too weak, Kongshi did not use as much force as before when he pressed on Yan Budu's acupoints.

"You truly have a kind heart, a true monk indeed," Yan Budu's voice grew softer and softer, like honey mixed with blood. He traced his finger over Kongshi's face, leaving a few bloody marks between his eyebrows.

"Killing me is a heavenly order, it's my calamity. You are not breaking the precept against killing..."

Finally, he no longer struggled to support his body, but let himself fall onto Kongshi's chest. With fiery red eyes and black hair like a prison, the two were face to face.

Their breaths intertwined and their vision filled with nothing else.

As the other party's gaze remained unchanged, Yan Budu sneered lightly. He deliberately moved a bit, sticking his head out to lick and nibble on the Kongshi's earlobe.

"...So why did you help me?" The words "help me" slipped out of his lips, each word drawn out, full of tenderness.

After several days of deliberate restraint, it all ended at this moment. Yan Budu's true form was revealed, even if it was just his inner realm, his sinister and sticky aura made people feel uncomfortable. With a sickly color and a deep evil intent like the abyss, this man's smile was beautiful, resembling a demon living among humans.

Kongshi moved the damp cloth skillfully, ignoring the current situation. "Please lift your arm, there's still some blood to wipe off over there."

Yan Budu: "..."

The monk's profound skills shattered even the most lascivious atmosphere with just one sentence.

Under the moonlight, one person longed for warmth under the red curtains, while the other remained motionless like a dead object in the eight winds. The monk seemed to be a real piece of stone, with no reaction from his body, not even a hint of blush on his face.

Yan Budu lost interest upon seeing this and rolled to the side, lying there like a lifeless object, allowing the monk to do as he pleased. Kongshi cleaned Yan Budu up and applied a cold cloth to his forehead. He also made some easy-to-swallow soft vegetable soup and fed it to him bit by bit.

The fierce wind howled and snowflakes danced in the air. The chessboard lay quietly a few steps away, with the final outcome of the last game still visible on it.

Yan Budu never made more trouble for himself than he had to. He slowly swallowed the soup and looked over at Kongshi, then revealed a smile that seemed to say "I've got this in the bag": "Kongshi, oh Kongshi, you really are..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but continued to look at the monk with meaningful eyes.

Kongshi had a calm and serene expression, his deep features immersed in light and shadow, without a hint of sharpness. He always seemed to have a gentle and relaxed demeanor, neither fast nor slow, neither anxious nor impatient.

With neither joy nor sorrow.

There was a moment of silence between the two.

Shi Jingzhi furrowed his brow and said, "If this continues on, Master Kongshi will be in trouble."

"Kongshi's techniques are already a restraint against Yan Budu. Yan Budu's arm is injured and his spirit is weak. He doesn't have full confidence and won't act lightly."

"It's not a matter of confidence, it's a matter of winning or losing."

Shi Jingzhi paused, glanced at Yin Ci cautiously, and continued, "If Yan Budu were to make a sneak attack and successfully killed Kongshi, he wouldn't see that as winning against Master Kongshi."

Yin Ci was quite interested and said, "Go on."

Shi Jingzhi was full of energy when he spoke, "He learned the Breaking Nightmare technique just to regain control of the situation. To people like Yan Budu, losing the initiative to others is more unbearable than death. And to defeat someone like Kongshi, killing them is useless, destroying them is the only way to win."

Yin Ci smiled ambiguously, "Is this from personal experience?"

"Do this master really seem like that sort of...cough...vicious person?"

When this person is guilty, he really likes to refer to himself as 'this master'.

"I am not Kongshi, and I have no Buddha in my heart. I have seen you act even crazier, there's no need to be so cautious... As I've said before, I prefer you like this."

As soon as these words were spoken, Shi Jingzhi seemed to have his tail caught. He quickly averted his gaze and studied Yan Budu's smoking pipe with great effort.

Yin Ci shook his head and smiled.

It turned out that Shi Jingzhi really did have a connection with Yan Budu.

Under the care of Kongshi, Yan Budu survived this ordeal. He didn't rush to kill Kongshi, but instead acted as if nothing had happened and they chatted and played chess together.

Yin Ci could tell that Yan Budu had changed his strategy.

After a few days of peaceful coexistence, Yan Budu knew that as long as they didn't touch on the topic of good and evil, they could always find common ground. From mathematics and music theory to astronomy and history, they never ran out of topics to discuss.

Yan Budu was like a seasoned hunter, patiently waiting for his prey.

He no longer mentioned his past misdeeds and acted with restraint, presenting himself as a carefree gentleman. Occasionally, he would flirt with Kongshi, but always stopping just short of crossing the line.

With a flick of his fingers and a sweep of his hair, his words were charming yet not vulgar, his touches suggestive yet not explicit, just staying within the threshold of Kongshi's tolerance.

What was peculiar was that, unlike before, Yan Budu wasn't putting on an act. He no longer avoided the cruel and violent parts of his personality, shedding layer after layer of masks and freely expressing his true nature, spending time with Kongshi as he pleased.

As expected, Kongshi remained unperturbed, weathering the rain and wind without a care.

And so, more than ten days passed, and they had been in this inner realm for almost a month.

The coldest period had already passed, and the snow outside the cave had lessened considerably. Yan Budu's arm was finally nearing recovery.

Their daily routine was established.

In the morning, Kongshi would venture out to dispel the formation and clear a path. Yan Budu took on the task of finding food, bringing back vegetables, meat, and eggs every day. One vegetarian and one meat-eater, they coexisted peacefully.

After lunch, the two of them played chess. A game could take several hours, during which they chatted about everything under the sun. The two masters were knowledgeable and talented, and there was no longer the cold silence from a few days ago.

As the sun set, the game would inevitably end in a tie. Kongshi began to recite sutras, while Yan Budu silently practiced his internal energy to heal his injuries. Occasionally, he couldn't hold it in and would cough up some blood, and Kongshi would help him wash his clothes and adjust his internal energy.

At this point, Yan Budu would always take the opportunity to flatter Kongshi, until the monk frowned and put a stop to it.

Compared to the initial hostility and madness, the current status seemed like a delusion. Day by day, the two of them seemed more like friends who had accumulated years of understanding, rather than mortal enemies.

Yan Budu seemed much more relaxed than he did at the beginning, whether it was acting or genuine, while Kongshi remained calm and gentle as ever.

But the master and disciple who were watching from the sidelines understood that this was just a brief moment of peace after the two had mistakenly entered the ancient formation.

Once the remnants of the formation outside the mountain were completely resolved, the severe cold and snowstorm would no longer be able to trap experts like Yan Budu and Kongshi.

If the two left this narrow cave, they would again enter an endless cycle of life and death - either Kongshi would die here, or Yan Budu would be caught by Kongshi and taken to the Jianchen Temple, never to see the light of day again.

They couldn't possibly stay here for the rest of their lives.

...So how exactly does Yan Budu plan to "destroy Kongshi"?

Will he spend several days with him to lull him into a false sense of security and make the monk fall for him? Or will he pretend to repent and then strike from behind?

Yan Budu had been extremely cruel and violent his whole life, with no worthy opponents or close friends. If he were to spend his last years like this, it could even be considered a good death. Does he really still want to "destroy Kongshi"?

Yan Budu was always unrestrained and had no taboos, making it difficult to judge him by common sense. Even the master and disciple were unsure of him now.

It wasn't until something unexpected happened.

One day, while playing chess as usual, the two of them suddenly talked about "death".

"I am not willing to die like this. Kongshi, have you ever heard of the 'Shi Rou'? Eating it can make you immortal and live forever."

"Amitabha, Buddhism does not promote such practices."

"I guessed as much. A sect that wears heavy sand weights for fun can't possibly seek immortality."

"Have you found the Shi Rou?"

"If I had, would I still be here?"

Kongshi slowly placed a chess piece down, "What will you do after you become immortal?"

"...Why are you suddenly asking this?"

"You have already achieved great success in this world and look down upon all other beings as if they were pigs and dogs. So, as you ascend to become an immortal, what kind of thoughts and lifestyle do you plan to have?"

Yan Budu's breath caught in his throat.

"With a treasury full of gold and silver and a notorious reputation, and with the dull-witted beings around you, becoming an immortal will only prolong this situation. I'm sorry, but I cannot see any difference," said Kongshi, smiling unusually.

"How can there be no difference between being an immortal and being a mortal?" Yan Budu asked.

"Then, are you willing to abandon worldly desires and cut off your emotions?" Kongshi laughed unusually. "Are you willing?"

Yan Budu's face darkened. "Who was the one who said at first they wouldn't be willing to ferry me? Kongshi, what do you mean?"

"Amitabha. This monk is just curious," Kongshi replied.

"You can also get curious? That's rare."

"The remnants of the formations outside the mountain have been resolved by about eighty to ninety percent, and the mountain road has appeared. Perhaps by tomorrow, we will not have the opportunity to talk again. I just want to take this opportunity to clear up some confusion, that's all."

Is this their final game?

So this is their last game.

A month of ease and peace has ultimately turned out to be a pipe dream. Just like how every game of chess changes in a thousand ways, the outcome never changes.

Yan Budu's face changed slightly, from melancholy to a faint arrogance, which then turned into pity.

After a moment of silence, he slowly clenched his fingers around the chess piece and spoke casually, "If I become a god, the first thing I would do is to take my time and enjoy life. I would do whatever I want, without worrying about all the nonsense and dealing with two-faced people who speak with forked tongues."

"In any case, mortal beings in this world are all the same, with only a few masks and reactions. I've grown tired of killing, so why not catch an interesting immortal to pass the time together? The heavens are so vast, there must be one I can't see through. Then I can be carefree, just like...”

...just like this moment.

Yan Budu's eyes widened slightly.

Kongshi saw that he had stopped talking halfway and reminded him in a gentle voice, "Sir, it's your turn to make a move."

Click.

The stone chess piece rolled out of Yan Budu's trembling fingers and fell to the ground.

The next moment, Yan Budu spewed out a mouthful of black blood. He struggled and fell to the ground, curling up into a ball.

The chess piece from earlier was now soaked in a pool of dark blood, its color three shades darker than the rest. Yan Budu's enchanting face twisted in agony. Through his disheveled hair, he glared at Kongshi with a look of disbelief and resentment. He convulsed in pain, and dirty blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.

Kongshi stood up: "Let me assist you to a better place-"

"Get lost!" Yan Budu screamed, his nails digging into the ground as blood and flesh mixed together. "You fool, do you even know-"

He was cut off by a spray of black blood.

Yan Budu trembled violently, making it almost impossible for him to speak normally. This was the most severe attack he had ever experienced, and it shattered the days of mutual understanding and peace between them.

For the first time, Yan Budu showed a look of panic. His negative emotions were out of control, fear, sadness, and hatred mixed together, splattering black blood in all directions. "I could never...how could I have fixed my desire now..."

Unlike his previous illness, countless small, dark green blood vessels now appeared all over Yan Budu's body. They intertwined with each other, delicate and intricate, and against his fair skin, they looked like fine cracks in porcelain.

Beautiful yet terrifying.

Just a moment ago, Yan Budu was playing chess as usual, but now he was burning up with a high fever, his entire head emitting steam in the cold air. His condition was strange, as if he was possessed, yet there were no signs of his true energy being disrupted. As Kongshi helped him up, Yan Budu let out a miserable scream, and his true energy exploded uncontrollably, forcing Kongshi to retreat.

Kongshi finally showed a look of surprise. "What is happening...?"

"Congratulations, monk, congratulations!" Yan Budu was the one who had become cryptic this time. "No matter what, you have to carry a dead body out of the mountain this time. It's so...cough...so much easier for you now."

"Isn't...isn't it the last day? Tomorrow, you and I will be enemies again, so you don't have to...you don't have to do it yourself."

Yan Budu's eyes were bloodshot, his red pupils like the flames of hell, revealing a hint of desperate madness.

"I should have killed you long ago...what a pity that, someone like you won't go to hell with...with me..."

After his vicious words, Yan Budu seemed to become empty. Then, he just used his nails to desperately claw at the ground, his voice so low that it couldn't be heard. Kongshi moved closer and barely heard a few muffled "why" and "on what basis".

Kongshi sighed softly.

The monk gently moved Yan Budu's hands aside and carefully bandaged his wounds. He wiped away the blood from his mouth and nose with a gentle touch, as he always did.

However, in the end, Kongshi ignored Yan Budu's struggles and forcefully took his pulse.

"A few days ago, this humble monk saw some good medicine. If we can gather it in time, it should be able to save your life."

"Pointless..."

"Today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow. The patient is the patient, the enemy is the enemy." Kongshi lowered his gaze, his voice clear and without hesitation. "It's best for you not to move around and wait for me to return."

In the midst of his agony, Yan Budu suddenly smiled, his mouth full of blood.

"You are so attentive, could it be that you have taken a liking to me... If you don't mind the blood, I wouldn't mind playing with you... As the saying goes, even if I die under the peony flowers, I'll die in style..."

"If just a few words from you could make me turn towards the mortal world, then I would have been besieged by the Anxiety Silk long ago," said Kongshi, his tattered robe fluttering in the air.

He strapped on his stone sword and strode confidently into the wind and snow.

Yan Budu leaned against the stone wall, watching the Kongshi's figure disappear into the distance, his gaze complex and indescribable.

Before long, he too succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

The author has something to say:

Although I don't want to spoil it...but the fox and Yan Budu are definitely not the same person, in every sense! Fox Shi is not guilty of such crimes (?).

Yan Budu is not worthy of being a cute animal, he's at best a snake (Su Si: ?).