Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 65: The Purest, Whitest Color in the World

　　The carriage traveled for some time before finally arriving at the mountain gate. Before they even got close, they saw the girl in the red dress had already dismounted and was standing by the mountain path, speaking with a young monk.

　　The little monk was only around ten-something years old, dressed in plain gray robes. Faced with the bright-eyed, charming girl, he appeared somewhat nervous.

　　“¹Tanyue, if you don't wish to climb the mountain, you can find a shoulder sedan chair over there. Important officials and wealthy people often come to the temple to offer incense, and most of them ride sedan chairs up.”

　　When Lin Qingyan and the others arrived and overheard their conversation, they realized that An Jiu didn’t want to walk up the mountain and was asking the little monk if there was an alternative.

　　Wuyin Temple was famous and well-regarded in a hundred-mile radius, attracting a steady stream of devotees daily. As a result, the shoulder sedan business had flourished.

　　Before long, several porters arrived after hearing the news. The girl in red sat steadily in the sedan, not sparing a single glance behind her, and went up the mountain on her own.

　　Lin Qingyan and He Ziqing, of course, didn’t need the sedan chairs. The two walked up the mountain directly, and with their brisk steps, they quickly overtook the others.

　　That left only An Jiu in her sedan chair, another sedan chair further behind carrying Pei Ji, and Ah Qi walking alongside him.

　　The three of them ascended in silence. With the low-pressure atmosphere between the other two, Ah Qi didn’t dare utter a single word.

　　The mountain where Wuyin Temple stood was called Shuangsong Mountain. Legend said there were two thousand-year-old pine trees at the summit, and making a wish beneath them was especially effective.

　　The temple was built at the very top. The porters took half a morning to slowly reach the temple.

　　By the time they arrived, it was exactly noon. He Ziqing and Lin Qingyan were already waiting at the temple entrance. Standing with them was a young monk in a white kasaya.

　　An Jiu spotted the monk at a glance.

　　He had delicate, well-defined features and a tall, upright posture like pine or cypress. His pure white kasaya was spotless, without a single wrinkle.

　　Unlike most monks who exuded gentleness and compassion, this one had a cold and serene expression. His handsome face was utterly emotionless, his presence as light and fleeting as the mountain breeze—leaving no trace in its wake.

　　He carried a fresh yet aloof aura, and the white kasaya only emphasized his transcendent, almost otherworldly presence, as if he didn’t belong in the mortal realm at all.

　　An Jiu got off the sedan chair and tossed a silver ingot to the porters. “No need to give change—keep the rest.”

　　The porters, sweating and smiling broadly, thanked her profusely before leaving.

　　An Jiu walked up to Lin Qingyan, her eyes fixated on the young monk, and curiously asked, “Who is he?”

　　Lin Qingyan replied, “This is Fei Chen ²Fozi, disciple of Master Zhenyi of Wuyin Temple. He heard we were coming and came to greet us personally.”

　　Then she introduced An Jiu to Fei Chen.

　　Fei Chen gave An Jiu a small nod, his gaze calm and still, like a snow lotus blooming on a remote peak. “An Tanyue.”

　　An Jiu’s peach blossom eyes curved into a smile. Her voice was sweet as syrup, “Hello, Master Fei Chen.”

　　Fei Chen lowered his gaze slightly and took a small step back. “I haven’t graduated from my training yet and don’t deserve the title ‘Master.’ Just call me Fei Chen.”

　　“Alright then, I’ll call you Fei Chen. Can you call me An Jiu?” The girl held her handkerchief delicately, biting her lip as she smiled, full of coy flirtation, edging closer to him.

　　Seeing this, Lin Qingyan and He Ziqing were momentarily stunned.

　　It was obvious to any bystander—An Jiu was clearly interested in the monk.

　　She wasn’t subtle at all. She had already sidled up to him, smiling and chatting away. Even though Fei Chen responded coldly, she didn’t seem the least bit discouraged—if anything, she looked even more determined.

　　The two exchanged a glance. He Ziqing said, “An Jiu is…”

　　Lin Qingyan replied quietly with a pained expression, “I think she really likes Fei Chen.”

　　He Ziqing commented bluntly, “Fei Chen is indeed good-looking—definitely the type young girls would like.” After a pause, he suddenly asked, “What about you?”

　　Lin Qingyan froze for a second, then her face flushed red. “I—I have no other thoughts about him.”

　　Unaccustomed to discussing matters of the heart in public, she quickly changed the subject. “Weren’t you looking for someone? Since we’ve already contacted Wuyin Temple, let’s head off now.”

　　He Ziqing blinked in confusion. “Shouldn’t we at least say goodbye?”

　　Lin Qingyan shook her head hard. “No need. An Jiu and Pei Ji won’t mind.”

　　The truth was, her sixth sense as a woman was screaming: ahead lies a battlefield!

　　This journey had already been incredibly exhausting. Although An Jiu was only having a conflict with Pei Ji, the others caught in the middle were also uncomfortable—so much so that they had barely spoken lately.

　　Now, with a bigger storm looming ahead, Lin Qingyan didn't dare to stay any longer. It was wiser to leave early.

　　He Ziqing had always listened to her. Without hesitation, the two slipped away quietly while Pei Ji hadn't yet arrived and Fei Chen was being pestered by An Jiu.

　　Pei Ji stepped down from the palanquin at the last stone step, returned to his wheelchair, and approached the temple gates—only to see the girl in the red dress, her small face lifted, smiling brightly as she chatted with the handsome monk in white robes.

　　The tree shadows flickered, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a dappled light over them both.

　　The girl’s smile was radiant, and her beautiful peach blossom eyes were full of pure joy.

　　Upon hearing the sound of the wheelchair, she slightly turned her head. Her gaze instantly grew cold, as if she were looking at a stranger.

　　A shadow passed through Pei Ji's eyes, but he kept his expression composed and lowered his gaze slightly, a faint smile forming out of habit.

　　Instead, it was the white-robed monk who took the initiative to step forward. “Divine Doctor Pei.”

　　The two exchanged greetings. Only after speaking did they realize that Lin Qingyan and He Ziqing were gone.

　　Pei Ji smiled helplessly. “They probably had something urgent to attend to and left ahead of us. No need to search for them.”

　　People of the martial world rarely cared for formalities. Fei Chen’s expression remained calm as he nodded faintly. “Alright.”

　　And just like that, the four of them entered the temple.

　　As it was noon, they went together to the dining hall of Wuyin Temple for a vegetarian meal. Since Pei Ji was an honored guest, he received the highest treatment, with Fei Chen accompanying him the entire time.

　　During the meal, Fei Chen informed them that since Master Zhenyi had only just emerged from seclusion, he still had some matters to handle and wouldn’t be able to meet with them for a few days.

　　Fei Chen arranged their lodging in the guest courtyard behind the temple—three people to one courtyard.

　　Pei Ji naturally had no objections, and so they began their stay at the temple.

　　As soon as they were settled, An Jiu couldn’t stay put. She immediately went out to explore the temple grounds.

　　Wuyin Temple had a history spanning a hundred years, with well-preserved pavilions, towers, and corridors. As a sacred Buddhist site, the air was filled with the thick scent of incense, and from the surrounding rooms, one could occasionally hear the low chanting of sutras.

　　Along the way, An Jiu encountered many monks. The lowest-ranked wore gray robes, the next rank wore brown, and the higher-ranked wore yellow. Monks in yellow robes were rarer and mostly elderly masters. In the entire temple, only Fei Chen wore white.

　　Fei Chen’s status at Wuyin Temple was clearly extraordinary.

　　An Jiu, having read the original novel, naturally knew why. Fei Chen was not only the sole disciple personally trained by Master Zhenyi, but also the future abbot of Wuyin Temple. It was said that on the day he was born, withered trees sprouted new buds—a rare occurrence. Master Zhenyi happened to pass by, sensed the child’s affinity with Buddha, and personally came to convert him.

　　Fei Chen was born into a wealthy family, and his relatives naturally resisted sending him to a temple. Yet in the following years, the wealthy family declined, and only then did they believe the saying that Fei Chen did not belong to the mortal world and that forcing him to stay would bring divine punishment. So they personally sent him to Wuyin Temple on Shuangsong Mountain.

　　From then on, Wuyin Temple welcomed the Buddha’s child—Fei Chen.

　　After ordaining, Fei Chen revealed his exceptional talent in Buddhist studies. Scriptures incomprehensible to most were as clear as spoken words to him. He could instantly grasp the meaning of any Buddhist theory.

　　Seeing so clearly, so thoroughly, he gradually developed a detached temperament that let nothing weigh on his heart.

　　It suited his Dharma name—Fei Chen.

　　He was not like a mortal—he was more like an immortal from the heavens.

　　Fei Chen didn’t appear much in the original novel, only like a fleeting glimpse, but he garnered great affection from readers.

　　So, when Fei Chen died, readers’ hatred and resentment toward the antagonist Pei Ji reached their peak.

　　Yes—Fei Chen would die at Pei Ji’s hands.

　　The reason Master Zhenyi ended his years-long seclusion at this time was that he sensed he was nearing the end of his life and planned to pass on the position of abbot to his disciple, Fei Chen.

　　Wu Yin Temple possessed a sacred treasure, the Bodhi seed, capable of storing internal energy. Each abbot, before passing away, would transfer their internal energy into the Bodhi seed for their successor.

　　Pei Ji, despite mastering the divine skill, suffered from insufficient internal energy. Upon arriving at Wu Yin Temple and learning of the Bodhi seed, he set his sights on it. 

　　That's how villains operate: they simply seize whatever treasure they desire. 

　　Although he successfully stole the Bodhi seed, he was discovered by Fei Chen while killing Master Zhenyi and stealing the treasure. This marked the first time Pei Ji's true identity was revealed. 

　　Following Master Zhenyi's death, Fei Chen descended the mountain seeking revenge. 

　　Sadly, no one believed him. 

　　He told He Ziqing and Lin Qingyan about Pei Ji stealing the Bodhi seed, but they didn't believe him. Even the other temple members couldn't believe that the compassionate Divine Doctor Pei would harm anyone, especially given his disability. 

　　Feeling utterly helpless, Fei Chen ultimately embraced the dark side, collaborating with the Demonic Sect to leverage their power and kill Pei Ji. 

　　Fei Chen represented the purest, whitest color in the world. He'd been sheltered so well, untouched by darkness. But after experiencing the world's deepest depravity, he was stained by it, forever losing his former light. 

　　Ultimately, on the day the various martial arts sects besieged the Demonic Sect, Fei Chen was killed by Pei Ji, who was using the alias Xian Wuming (Immortal Nameless). 

　　On that same day, the Thousand Killing Pavilion made a decisive appearance, sweeping through the entire martial arts world and seizing victory. 

　　The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind—a truly masterful strategy. 

　　When An Jiu read the story and imagined herself as the villain, Pei Ji, she found him incredibly cunning, expertly employing strategies like using others to do his dirty work, careful planning, and biding his time. 

　　Looking back, she could only think, “He's truly a despicable villain!” 

　　Lost in thought, she saw the handsome monk in white robes in the nearby hall, kneeling before the majestic Buddha statue, his clean fingers twisting prayer beads, silently chanting Buddhist scriptures. 

　　Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes, his cold gaze falling upon her. “An Tanyue, is there something you need?” 

　　An Jiu curved her lips into a smile, enthusiastically approaching him. “Master Fei Chen, I have a Buddhist principle I don't quite understand. Could you enlighten me?” 

　　After her grandfather grew old, he'd become superstitious. An Jiu never believed in gods or Buddhas, but she would cater to his interests and had studied Buddhist and Taoist teachings for a while. 

　　Her learning ability was excellent, and her question was not at all random. 

　　Upon hearing her question, Fei Chen's expression softened slightly. He treated Buddhist principles with utmost devotion, and even though he sensed no faith from this devotee, he earnestly answered her questions.

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Glossary:

¹Tányuè (檀越) is a respectful Buddhist term used to refer to a lay patron or benefactor of a monk or temple—someone who supports the Buddhist community through offerings, donations, or services.

In this story, “Ān Tányuè” (安檀越) means “Lay Benefactor An” or simply “Lady An, the donor/supporter.” Since Fei Chen is a monk, he refers to An Jiu formally using this respectful title, acknowledging her as a layperson who supports or interacts with the temple.

It’s kind of like saying “Miss An” or “Madam An” with a Buddhist touch.

²Fozi (佛子) literally means “Buddha’s disciple” or “Buddhist follower.” It’s often used to refer to a monk, nun, or someone devoted to Buddhist practice. In this story, it refers to Fei Chen as a young monk—a formal way to acknowledge him as a Buddhist disciple within the temple setting.

…..

Author's Note:

Pei Ji is truly a thoroughly wicked villain! Therefore, his ending will be quite tragic (spoiler alert).

…..

T/N: Ugh, this arc is so tricky! I kept going back and forth on how to translate what people call An Jiu and the others. “Benefactor An” sounds decent, but “An Tanyue” fits better with the temple setting, so I went with that.

As for Fei Chen, his title changes depending on who’s speaking. So don’t be confused if you see “Master Fei Chen” in one place and “Fei Chen Fozi” in another—it’s intentional!

　

　

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