acknowledged: “Yes!”

Jiumozhi shouted at the top of his voice: “I am here. Quickly come and save me!” The more he panicked, the more mud debris entered his mouth. In his daze, he had already swallowed two mouthfuls in succession. Naturally, the rotting smell is unbearable. Hearing several ‘Ping Pong! Pong Long!’ noise, it is the sound of TuBo warriors piling up huge rocks on the well. These warriors respect Jiumozhi like a deity, and regard his orders with no less importance than an Imperial edict from their King. Using the biggest rocks they could find and building the most solid formation they could, the well was securely sealed in a short span of time with thirteen rocks weighing hundreds of catties.

Hearing the four warriors stack the giant rocks and leaving after the task was completed, Jiumozhi lamented to himself: Even at full prowess, removing these rocks from within the well in order to escape is considered a challenging task; now that he is unable to utilize his martial arts, these heavy rocks sealing the well simply indicate that he will surely die inside this abandoned well.

His Buddhist Knowledge, martial arts and strategic planning is not only top-notched, but considered the best in the Western region. Who would have expected that he would die in a pile of dirty mud debris?

Since time immemorial, everybody dies. However, such a muddy death is genuinely unglamorous. In Buddhism, the body is considered to be a tainted vessel, an impermanent object. All impermanent objects are considered to be a form of suffering. The body does not belong to you and one day, you have to leave your body. These are basic Buddhist principles. Whenever Jiumozhi gave Dhamma talks at the altar, he is able to wisely articulate these principles, explaining them flawlessly and earning the praise of his disciples.

In comparison, he is currently stuck in an abandoned well that is sealed with rocks. The muddy debris in mouth compared to the fragrance of incense and lotuses from the altar. The contrast is enormous. On one hand, there is Nibanna, forever living a happy and peaceful life, free from fetters and the sufferings of the five senses. On the other hand, desire clouds the mind; fear rules the heart; greed, hatred and delusion exists, cumulating into this result of being trapped in a muddy well.

Thinking about this hurtful experience, his tears began to flow. Covered in mud, he is dirty beyond recognition. Eventually, he got used to the mud and used his hand to wipe his tears. Moving his left hand, he unexpectedly brushed against something in the mud. Grabbing the new object, it turned out to be his copy of Yijing Sutra. In an instant, he cannot help but laugh to his heart’s content. He has recovered the sutra but of what use is it now?

Out of nowhere, he heard a female voice articulating: “Listen, the TuBo warriors have sealed the well with large rocks. How can we get out?” Jiumozhi recognized the speaker to be Wang Yuyan and was delighted. He thought: So she survived, but to whom is she speaking to? Since there are others around, we can combine our strength, push aside the large rocks, and escape from here.

A man spoke out: “As long as I can stay together with you, even if we are trapped, it does not matter. Since you are by my side, even a smelly and muddy well feels like a fragrant garden. Regardless of whether it is the Eastern Pureland, Western Paradise, Tusita Heavens or Yama Heavens, no place is better than my current location.”

Jiumozhi was stunned. He thought to himself: This Duan fellow is actually still alive? He was injured by my and our enmity runs deep. Presently, I cannot activate my internal energy. If he took advantage of this weakness to exact revenge, what should I do?

The speaker is indeed Duan Yu. When Murong Fu threw him into the well, he had lost consciousness and was completely immobile. Although he landed into the muddy debris, he wasn’t as haggard as Jiumozhi. The bottom of the well is fairly narrow; when Wang Yuyan jumped into the well, it was a nice coincidence that her head knocked onto Duan Yu’s chest ‘Danzhong’ point. With this knock, Duan Yu regained consciousness. Wang Yuyan had fallen onto his bosom. Not only was she uninjured; she was only slightly muddied in the process.

Duan Yu suddenly felt someone lying in his bosom and was greatly puzzled. Then he heard Murong Fu speaking at the top of the well: “Cousin, in your heart, you truly love Mister Duan. Although the two of you cannot live as a married couple, but by dying in the same hole, at least you should die a fulfilled death” These words clearly resonated to the bottom of the well and upon hearing them, Duan Yu was in a daze. He mumbled to himself: “What? No! No! I… I, Duan Yu, don’t deserve such good fortune.”

To his amazement, the person lying on his bosom gently remarked: “Mister Duan, I am truly as muddle-headed as can be. You have always been kind to me, I… Yet I…” Duan Yu was shocked speechless. He inquired: “You are Miss Wang?” Wang Yuyan replied: “Yes!”

Since the beginning, Duan Yu has always been very respectful of Wang Yuyan and dare not intrude into her personal space. The minute he recognized it is indeed her, besides feeling astonishment and delight, he hurriedly stood up and wanted to release her from his bosom. However, the bottom of the well is narrow and filled with muddy debris. When Duan Yu stood upright, his two legs begin to sink into the debris and the top of the muddy debris is almost at his chest level. He cannot help but feel it is highly inappropriate to put Wang Yuyan down into the muddy pile. Still carrying her body horizontally, he profusely apologized: “Sorry! Sorry! Miss Wang, we are stuck in a muddy pile so please bear with me.”

Wang Yuyan inhaled deeply and was filled with gratitude. Twice, she had nearly died and twice, she had escaped death. With regards to Murong Fu’s character, nobody knows better than her and she can no longer deceive herself any further. In addition, Duan Yu has always been devoted to her. Comparing these two personalities, it is plain obvious that one is caring and righteous, while the other is selfish and cold-blooded. Although her jump from the opening of the well to the bottom of the well only took a short space of time, her mindset underwent a huge transformation. At the point of suicide, she decided to die out of gratitude to Duan Yu. Unexpectedly, both she and Duan Yu survived. This unforeseen turn of event filled her heart with gladness.

Since young, Wang Yuyan has been brought up well, living a cultured lifestyle and everything that she does is prim and proper. With the recent massive changes occurring in her life, she was especially emotional. Unable to hold back her feelings, she confessed to Duan Yu: “Mister Duan, I originally thought you were deceased. Recalling your frequent acts of kindness to me, I am filled with pain and regret. Fortunately, Heaven is fair and you are unhurt. I suppose you have overheard my earlier conversation at the top of the well?” At the last sentence, she could not help but feel a tinge of embarrassment, and quickly hid her face besides Duan Yu’s neck.

Within this short spell of time, Duan Yu can only feel his spirits flying into the sky and clouds. He felt as if he is dreaming. For the longest time, this recurring wish on his mind is about to become reality. Overjoyed, both his legs turned to jelly and momentarily, he lost the ability to stand up. With his back leaning against the inner wall of the well for support, both his arms are still hugging Wang Yuyan’s body frame. Right then, a few strands of hair from Wang Yuyan entered his nostrils. Ha-Choo! Ha-Choo! Duan Yu sneezed a few times consecutively.

Wang Yuyan asked: “You… What happened to you? Are you injured?”

Duan Yu replied: “No… Nope… Ha Choo! Ha Choo! I am not hurt. Ha Choo! Neither am I sick with flu. I am simply happy beyond description. Miss Wang… Ha Choo… I am so overwhelmed that I nearly fainted from joy.”

There is complete darkness inside the well and neither of them can see each other. Wang Yuyan smiled in silence as she herself in drowning in ecstasy. Since youth, she has been smitten with her Cousin (Murong Fu) but he never reciprocated her love. It is only today that she tasted for the first time what it felt like when two persons are in love with each other.

Duan Yu stammered: “Miss Wang, what did you say earlier at the top of the well? I did not manage to catch anything.” Wang Yuyan giggled: “I have known you to be an honest and upright gentleman; but I never imagine that you are such a tease. You obviously heard it all but wanted me to repeat them in person. It is so embarrassing for me, I will not repeat them.”

Duan Yu anxiously clarified: “I… I definitely did not hear anything. If I did hear, may Heaven punish me…”

He was about to swear a vicious vow when he felt something warm on his lips. Wang Yuyan has covered his mouth with her hand. In the darkness, he heard Wang Yuyan state: “It is fine if you did not hear anything. It is no big deal and there is no need to make a vicious vow.” Duan Yu was elated. Since he got to know her, she has never been so affectionate with him. He implored: “So, what did you say earlier?” Wang Yuyan started: “I said…” Hit with a bout of shyness, she smiled: “In the following days, we can always find time to talk about these. We have a long future ahead of us; there is no need to rush for the details now.”

‘We have a long future ahead of us; there is no need to rush for details now.’ When these words entered Duan Yu’s ear, he felt as if he is listening to heavenly music. Even if all the Western Paradise JiaLing Birds sang in unison, it would not sound as lovely as this.

What Wang Yuyan made this statement, the underlying meaning is that in the future, she will be co-habiting with Duan Yu. Taking in this wonderful news, Duan Yu is still in a state of disbelief, he asked: “In the future, we will always be together?”

Reaching out her arm and hugging Duan Yu’s neck, Wang Yuyan whispered into his ear: “Duan Lang 郎 (mate, partner, groom, companion, etc. Will use Mate in the future), as long as you do not resent me and bear no grudges against me for being nonchalant to you in the past, I am willing to accompany you for the rest of my life. Never… Never will I leave you again.”

Duan Yu’s heart nearly jumped out of his mouth. He probed: “What about your Cousin? You have always… always been fond of Mister Murong.”

Wang Yuyan answered: “I was never one of his priorities. Only today do I realise, in this world, who genuinely loves me, cares for me, and who places my importance above his own life.”

In a quivering voice, Duan Yu muttered: “Are you referring to me?”

Tearing, Wang Yuyan sobbed: “Of course! For his entire life, my Cousin has been dreaming about becoming the Emperor of Yan. At the beginning, it seems like a natural process. After all, his Murong lineage has been harbouring this ambition for several generations. When the burden falls onto him, why should he be any different and realise the futility of this dream? My Cousin started off as a good person but eventually casted his morals aside in order to fulfill his dream as the Emperor of Yan.”

Hearing her outburst, Duan Yu felt the need to speak up for Murong Fu. In a flustered manner, he imagined: “Miss Wang, what if your Cousin expresses regret and wanted to rekindle the relationship? What… What will you do?”

Wang Yuyan sighed: “Duan Mate, I may be muddle headed but I am still someone who keeps my promises. Today, I vowed to accompany you for life. If I wavered, wouldn’t that be a stain on my character? Furthermore, how else can I live up to your deep love and commitment?”

Duan Yu was on cloud nine. Still holding her, he leapt up and shouted: Ah Ha! for joy. With a Pa! sound, he landed again in the muddy debris. He reached out with his mouth and wanted to kiss her lips. Wang Yuyan did not shy away. When the two pairs of lips are about to make contact, they were interrupted by a rustling sound above their heads. It appears that something has fallen into the well.

The two of them were astounded and speedily plastered themselves against the inner wall of the well. With a Boom! sound, it appears that a human being has fallen into the well.

Duan Yu quizzed: “Who is it?”

The mystery person let out a ‘Humph,’ and responded: “It is me!” It is Murong Fu indeed.

When Duan Yu regain consciousness and was enamored by Wang Yuyan’s tender voice, both of them were so captivated by each other that they were blissfully ignorant of whatever that transpired outside the well.

Even if there is an apocalypse, it did not matter. Plausibly, they have no inkling about the fierce sparring between Jiumozhi and Murong Fu. Now that Murong Fu has entered the well, the two of them were petrified, assuming that he is here to make things difficult for them.

Wang Yuyan insisted in a shaky voice: “Cousin, you… What are you here for? I belong to Mister Duan now. If you are going to kill him, please kill me as well.”

Duan Yu was thrilled. He was not worried about Murong Fu trying to harm him. He was afraid that Wang Yuyan might rekindle her past love after seeing her Cousin and once again, return to his side. Hearing her proclamation, he immediately rest easy. He also felt Wang Yuyan reaching out with her hands and holding onto his two hands. His confidence boosted by a hundred times, Duan Yu emphasized: “Mister Murong, you can go ahead and become the Prince Consort of Xixia. I promise I will not obstruct you in any way. Your cousin, however, is mine. You can no longer take her away. Yuyan, am I right?”

Wang Yuyan affirmed: “Correct. Duan Mate, in life or in death, I will be right beside you.”

With his acupoints sealed by Jiumozhi, despite being immobile, Murong Fu can still hear and speak. Listening to the words of Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan, he thought: The two of them have no idea that I just suffered a heavy loss and am at a disadvantage now. Thus, they remain guarded against me and are afraid that I would harm them. This is considered my good fortune. I shall employ a delay tactic. With this strategy, he replied: “Cousin, after you married Mister Duan, we will become one big family of relatives. Mister Duan would have become my Cousin-in-Law. Why should I harm him?”

Duan Yu is kind-hearted by nature while Wang Yuyan is naïve and gullible. When they heard his reply, the two of them were ecstatic. One said: “Many thanks, Brother Murong.” The other one said: “Many thanks, Cousin!”

Murong Fu interrogated: “Brother Duan, soon, we will be family. You will no longer disrupt my plans to become the Prince Consort of Xixia?”

Duan Yu confirmed: “You have my word. Besides becoming husband and wife with your esteemed Cousin, I have no other desires. Even if I were to exchange it for becoming a Deity or an Arahant, I will be most unwilling.”

Filled with boundless happiness, Wang Yuyan gently leaned against Duan Yu.

In the background, Murong Fu is secretly channeling his internal energy to burst through the acupoints sealed by Jiumozhi. It is taking quite a long time and yet, he is unwilling to ask Duan Yu for help. He angrily cursed to himself: It is often said that all women are promiscuous. This saying is accurate indeed. Under ordinary circumstances, Cousin (WYY) would have rapidly come to my side and assisted me in standing up. This time round, she has chosen to ignore me completely.

The circumference of the bottom of the well is about three metres and the three individuals are actually pretty near one another. Wang Yuyan can hear Murong Fu lying in the mud without standing up. She only needed to take one step to reach the side of Murong Fu and help him up. However, she is firstly concerned that Murong Fu could be hatching another scheme to harm Duan Yu. Secondly, she did not want Duan Yu to get the wrong idea. Therefore, she eventually chose not to step out.

With his turbulent emotions, the acupoints become harder to unblock so Murong Fu calmed down and finally unsealed the acupoints. Using his hand against the wall of the well, he propped himself up.

With a Pa! sound, an item dropped down beside his body. It was Jiumozhi’s Yijing Sutra. In the dark, Murong Fu could not identify the item so he naturally took one step away. It is fortunate that he took this extra step; otherwise, when Jiumozhi jumped into the well, he would have knocked into Murong Fu.

Picking up the sutra, Jiumozhi abruptly burst out in hysterical laughter. As the well is deep and narrow like a cylinder, the sounds of laughter echoed within the well, shaking the eardrums of the three other persons and the laughing sound is droning in their ears. It was a horrible experience.

With his internal energies all haywire and his senses in disarray, Jiumozhi cannot stop laughing. Within the muddy debris, he began flaunting his punches and kicks, venting all the blows onto the bricks forming the wall of the well. Some blows were full of strength and smashed the bricks into smithereens; some blows carried no strength at all.

Wang Yuyan was horror-struck. Tightly securing herself to Duan Yu, she whispered: “He has gone mad! He has gone mad!” Duan Yu nodded: “He has truly lost his senses!” Meanwhile, Murong Fu utilized the skill . Sticking his body close to the wall of the well, he began to climb upwards.

Jiumozhi remained where he was, laughing and panting concurrently, while his punches and kicks start to increase in speed.

Mustering her courage, Wang Yuyan advised: “Senior Master, you should sit down and take a break. Your nerves require some stabilization.”

Jiumozhi laughingly scolded: “I… I need to stabilize… If only I can stabilize! I’ll stabilize your head first!” Reaching out with his hand, he tried to grab her. Within the well, there is hardly any space to retreat. With this grab, he grabbed onto Wang Yuyan’s shoulder. Wang Yuyan let out a shriek and hastily moved aside.

Duan Yu dashed in front of her and blocked her with his own body. He called out: “Hide behind me.” At this point in time, the two hands of Jiumozhi have locked onto his throat and are tightening swiftly. Duan Yu can feel his breath quickening and he can no longer speak out. Wang Yuyan was traumatized and hurriedly used her hands to pry open Jiumozhi’s arms. The current Jiumozhi is just a raging madman. Although his internal energy is out of control, his strength is still extraordinary. When Wang Yuyan wanted to pry open his hands, it is like a dragonfly trying to lift a stone pillar; she is of no assistance.

Wang Yuyan is filled with anxiety and her biggest fear is Jiumozhi strangling Duan Yu to death. She screamed: “Cousin! Cousin! Come and help us! This monk… This monk is about to strangle Mister Duan to death!”

Murong Fu thought: This Duan Yu fellow defeated me thoroughly on Mount Shaoshi, causing me to lose my standing in the martial arts world. If he dies, he dies. Why should I render any assistance? Additionally, this violent monk is highly skilled and far stronger than me. It is wiser to let them fight to their deaths and hopefully, it will be a double KO. I would be a fool if I interfere.

Thus, his fingers held onto the gaps between the bricks and he kept his body close to the wall of the well, keeping his silence. Wang Yuyan has shouted until her voice is nearly hoarse but Murong Fu pretended not to hear a thing.

Wang Yuyan clenched her fists and rained uncoordinated blows on the head and back of Jiumozhi. Gasping and laughing concurrently, Jiumozhi exerted more strength in strangling Duan Yu’s throat.