Yue Ying, carrying the eldest princess, wasn't able to run fast. Worse still, she had injuries. As they entered the forest, she accidentally tripped, causing both herself and the princess to fall heavily onto the ground.
The distance between them and the bandits had already been small, but this fall allowed the bandit leader to catch up to them.
The bandit leader entered the forest with a sinister smile, preparing to strike at Yue Ying and the princess. But then, something caught his attention nearby, and he froze.
There, not far off, was someone. This caught him completely off guard. The bandits, who had been moments away from attacking, paused and turned to look at this new figure.
It was a monk, relatively young, with a handsome face and clear, well-defined features. He wore black-and-white robes and had prayer beads around his neck. Sitting cross-legged on a stone, his expression was serene and compassionate, giving him an aura of wisdom and kindness.
What was most strange, however, was that a white horse, tall and majestic, was kneeling before him, as though in devotion. And this monk was speaking to the horse.
The bandit leader's brows furrowed. There was something strange about this monk. Still, he had a mission to complete and could not afford to be distracted. He shouted, "Hey, monk! What are you doing in the forest at this hour? Get out of here!"
The monk, however, didn't seem to be bothered. He gently stroked the white horse's mane and said, "Long'er, you are the reincarnation of the South Sea Dragon God. The heavens are your true home. Why linger in the mortal realm? Staying with me will only bring you sorrow."
Hearing this, the bandit leader almost burst out laughing. The monk had lost his mind, calling a horse a dragon. While the horse was large, it clearly wasn't a dragon.
But before the bandit leader could laugh, the white horse shook its head, and the tears seemed to glisten in its large eyes.
The monk softly shook his head. "I know you can understand my words. If you don't wish to leave, nod three times."
The bandits were now completely frozen, watching the scene in stunned silence, waiting to see if the white horse would actually respond in such a way.
Even Yue Ying and the princess, who were desperately trying to escape, couldn't help but be drawn into this strange sight.
To everyone's amazement, the white horse nodded three times without hesitation.
The monk sighed, "Alas, why must you do this? Let me ask you, is your father, the Dragon God, looking for you? If so, move your ears."
The horse's ears twitched slightly. Those watching could barely breathe in disbelief.
Could there really be a dragon?
The bandit leader was now deeply unsettled by this monk. If given a choice, he would have fled the forest, but he still had a job to do. He shouted again, "Monk, you're just taming animals and playing tricks. Get out, or I'll kill you!"
The bandits echoed his threat loudly, but none dared approach the monk. They were all unnerved by the unusual monk and the strange happenings surrounding the horse.
Yue Ying and the princess exchanged a glance. They had run out of options, and now, a mysterious monk appeared to offer a glimmer of hope. But there were so many bandits around. In such a narrow forest, even a martial arts master wouldn't have an easy time.
Hearing the loud voices of the bandits, the monk turned around, glanced at them with indifference, and spoke calmly, "Amitabha. Please, don't make such noise."
His words were like a forceful wave, and the branches of the trees around them swayed. The bandit leader's veil was almost blown off, and a powerful energy seemed to reverberate from the monk's voice. The bandit leader felt dizzy and unsteady.
At the same time, several of the bandits were thrown to the ground, unable to speak for several moments. Six or seven of them were sprawled out, unable to get up. The remaining bandits stumbled like drunks, some holding onto trees in fear.
The bandit leader regained his balance and looked at the monk with shock.
Yet, the monk merely glanced at the fallen bandits before turning back to the white horse. He spoke gently, "These men may have spoken harshly, comparing you, a divine dragon, to a mere beast. But there is no need to hold it against them. They did not mean it."
Meanwhile, the white horse glared at the bandits with fierce eyes, its nostrils snorting angrily.
The monk stroked the horse's mane and whispered as if guiding it. The horse extended one of its front hooves and started drawing on the ground.
The bandits dared not approach, but they craned their necks to see what was happening. This was clearly beyond simple animal training.
Moments later, several crooked characters appeared on the ground.
The monk examined them, his expression solemn. "Although you are the body of a dragon, I am but a monk. While I could easily take their lives, I cannot fulfill your request. No one must die today."
After speaking, the monk stood up, turned away, and appeared slightly upset, as if troubled by the situation.
The bandits, still nervous, approached cautiously. The bandit leader swallowed nervously and asked, "Master, what does the white horse's writing say?"
"You can see for yourselves. Sigh, what a sin," the monk said with a slightly embarrassed expression.
The bandit leader, along with a few braver companions, walked over and bent down to examine the writing.
Upon seeing it, they turned pale, their legs giving way as they collapsed to the ground. None of them could believe what they were seeing.
Written in crude, jumbled characters was the phrase: "They will die."
Even though the characters were barely legible, this simple message was enough to shock everyone present.
Yue Ying and the princess, too, moved forward. When they saw the writing, they were equally stunned.
It seemed that the white horse was indeed the Dragon God's body.
One of the bandits, nearly wetting himself in fear, shouted to the monk, "Master, please! Please, beg the dragon horse to spare us! I haven't offended it! I still want to live!"
He was quickly joined by the others, all of them begging for their lives. They knew that if the horse truly was a dragon, they had no chance of escaping.
The monk, secretly amused, had originally planned for the horse to write something more complex, like "Take them to the Dragon God's altar," but the white horse was clearly having difficulty. Instead, it had written the simple phrase, which was more than enough to instill fear.
The monk sighed, "Well, I suppose I must try, though I have no guarantees. After all, the Dragon God is a heavenly being. Although I have some influence, I cannot truly command him."
He walked over to the white horse and whispered, "Please, spare them."
The bandits held their breath, staring at the monk, hoping for mercy.
But the white horse raised its hoof again, writing a large "No."
The bandits, nearly in tears, looked at the monk with desperation in their eyes, but they dared not speak.
The monk shook his head. "Why do you persist in this? These are mere mortals, unworthy of your wrath."
The horse shook its head again, its eyes full of menace, glaring at the bandits.
With a deep sigh, the monk finally relented, "Fine. I will make a compromise. If they promise to disperse and never fight or kill again, then I will allow you to stay by my side. Do you agree?"
After what seemed like a long time, the white horse finally nodded.
The bandits, relieved, immediately began to apologize and promise to leave peacefully.
The monk turned to face them. "From now on, you must leave. Do not fight. If you do, the Dragon God will come after you, and no one will be able to save you."
Most of the bandits quickly agreed, but the leader hesitated.
Despite believing the horse was indeed a dragon, he still had a mission to complete. Returning without fulfilling it would mean failure.
The monk narrowed his eyes. "It seems that you are still uncertain. If you wish to continue this path, stay here. If you wish to live, leave now."
The bandits exchanged uneasy glances and, without another word, turned to leave.
The bandit leader, seeing his hesitation, decided to speak up, but before he could, the princess spoke suddenly.
"Master, I am the eldest princess Zhao Yuanji of the Tang Dynasty. This man means to harm me. Please, take him captive. I will help you rebuild your temple and create golden statues!"
Yue Ying's expression changed in an instant. The monk was clearly a master, but the princess did not seem to realize the gravity of the situation.
Sure enough, the monk turned to the princess, his expression calm. "Amitabha, one's actions determine their fate. Good deeds lead to blessings, while evil deeds lead to ruin. This man has repented. I will not trouble him. Princess, leave now. He will not harm you again."
After saying this, the monk glanced at the bandit leader's exposed yin-yang shield on his chest. With a sudden movement, he leaped into the air, soaring through the trees.
The white horse followed with a loud neigh, and in the blink of an eye, both disappeared into the night.