Desert Arc ー Chapter 19 (Part 2): Adventures of Crossing the River
A burst of warm air suddenly rushed into my chest, causing me to vomit and cough out a mouthful of water.
I heard a resonant sound. "It's alright already! Won't die!"
My thoracic cavity felt painful. I repeatedly coughed quite a few times and choked out the water in my windpipe. My head was still very dizzy and the echo of the gong sounded nonstop in my brain. My clothes were naturally drenched. As soon as the wind blew, I repeatedly sneezed quite a few times.
A large hand gently patted my back. Heat was transmitted from his hand, making my chest feel very warm. I inhaled big mouthfuls of air, then opened my eyes.
I was lying in someone's arms. That person was also completely drenched. His hair was still dripping water but he hugged me tightly and continuously helped me stabilize my breathing.
As I opened my mouth, my throat emitted a voice which sounded like broken bellows, "Am I dead…"
Xiao Xuan slapped his palm onto my back. "It's still early for that!"
I coughed for a while again. I struggled to ask, "What about Teacher Song and Yun Xiang?"
"With Zijing around, nothing will happen to them." Xiao Xuan said, "We are at the lower reaches of the river and about 2500m away from the place you all crossed the river."
I was actually swept away by 2500m and still didn't drown to death. My fortune in life was really not just ordinarily big. I just escaped from death in a great calamity. Only now did I start to know how to be afraid. As soon as I recalled the perilous situation previously, my whole body trembled.
There was suddenly a young and tender voice that asked me, "Elder Sister*, are you alright?"
*T/n: Doesn't refer to a biological sister
I raised my head. I didn't know since when a small plump boy had squatted in front of me. This child was fair with delicate and pretty looks. No matter how I looked, he somewhat appeared like Xiao Xuan. I was astonished. "Second Elder Brother, your son is already this big?"
Xiao Xuan raised his voice. "What?"
The little cute boy also tilted his head and asked, "What?"
I then saw clearly that this child's head was bald. It was clearly the dress up of a monk. I was even more surprised. "You actually sent your son to be a monk?"
Xiao Xuan practically wanted to beat me to death with one smack. A sound of 'Amitabha' from out of the blue saved my life.
It was an old monk who was wearing a kasaya* with a bald head, thin figure, eyes that brightly radiated everywhere and also a smile of a wily old fox. Why did this old bald donkey Buddhist monk look so familiar?
*T/n: A patchwork outer vestment worn by a Buddhist monk
"Female benefactor, hope you have been well…hiccup, long time no see."
I involuntarily cried out, "Hui Kong?"
Monk Hui Kong nodded. "That's exactly this old monk."
It was if I saw Mars invading Earth. "You, you, you, why are you here?"
Old Monk stroked his beard and smiled as he said, "Buddha said, 'if I don't enter hell, then who will enter hell'*?"
*T/n: A classical Buddhist saying about sacrificing oneself for others
I said, "I thought you were going to say that wherever there are difficulties, then you will go wherever there is."
Old Monk said, "Benefactor possesses the root of wisdom*. That's what I precisely meant."
*T/n: One of the five roots in Buddhism
I looked at Xiao Xuan. He said, "Great Master wants to travel all with us all the way up north."
"He's not caring about his temple business anymore?"
Xiao Xuan helplessly said with a face of black lines. "First, that is not a business. Second, Great Master travelling with us this time is to lend me a helping hand."
I sized up Old Monk carefully. I honestly couldn't see what other abilities he had other than a crow's beak which makes inauspicious remarks and skills of hoodwinking the public to gain reputation.
Old Fellow Hui Kong smilingly moved over. "Female benefactor, please take care of me in the future." He then stroked the little monk's bald head. "This is my disciple's disciple, Jue Ming(Jué Míng).
Little monk was unusually sensible and said, "Elder Sister feels cold. Is it okay for us to start a fire?" He was really extremely cute.
After that, we still turned to the woods to start a fire. The men (including Little Monk) temporarily went to the bushes to hide a short while. That little Jue Ming was six years old this year. When he was two years old, his parents died and he wandered about destitute in the streets. He was picked up and brought back by Monk Hui Kong who was begging for alms. The little child was honest and well-behaved and extremely lovable. All monks were vegetarian. I didn't know what Hui Kong used to feed him and raised him until he was so white and plump like a little dough figurine.
I asked Xiao Xuan with the bush lying between. "Why are there no bodyguards? There is an old fellow, two woman and children. What if we meet with a surprise attack, how would you be able to cope? What about that some General Li and Young Swordsman Tang?"
Xiao Xuan said, "They're all waiting for me at Ren Shan County."
Suddenly, a bird flew into the woods and frightened me with a start that I quickly wrapped myself tightly in my clothes. But in the end, it was only a messenger bird. Xiao Xuan told me, "Your Teacher Song and Yun Xiang have already crossed the river safely and are walking in the direction of Hu Zhou now."
"They're both fine right?"
"It wasn't written on the letter so that means they're fine." Xiao Xuan said, "I have already informed him about your situation. We'll meet up at Ren Shan County."
I was relieved.
After drying the clothes, we tidied up slightly and set out again. Once we passed the Chuan River, it would be Hu Zhou. It was just that we were far away from the public roads and there were rare traces of humans. No, no no, not only that! The towering trees which reached the sky, the thick moss, the decaying tree leaves, the twining vines. We were clearly in the forest from primitive times!
I contracted my neck as I walked and was on tenterhooks as I asked Xiao Xuan who was behind me. "Will there be a snake slithering out to bite me?"
Xiao Xuan had already found my speed to be slow in the first place. He said impatiently, "Why would…"
He hadn't finished speaking when I suddenly felt a icy cold thing winding around my ankle. All my fine hair stood upside down instantly with a swishing sound. I leapt onto Xiao Xuan with a shriek.
"Ah, snake, snake, snake, snake, snake————————"
Xiao Xuan was knocked by me until he retreated quite a few steps. Old Monk turned his head back to ask, "What happened, what happened?"
That leg of mine had already stiffened. I closed my eyes and shouted, "A snake has tangled around me!"
Little Jue Ming extended his hands to fiddle with something. "Is it this vine?"
I opened my eyes. My leg was indeed only coiled around by a tender vine. Little Jue Ming untied it and looked at it puzzledly then looked at me.
My face instantly turned red.
Little Jue Ming even said, "Don't be scared, Elder Sister. When we entered the mountains, we had all sprinkled snake repellent powder on our bodies. Don't you know?"
I turned my head to look at Xiao Xuan. This guy was holding back his laughter like he was holding back poop. Detestable fellow. He didn't tell me that he had scattered powder on me and was just waiting to see a joke out of me!
Probably because I had a ghastly expression, when we rested in the night, he specially caught two rabbits and three wild chickens back and personally handled them.
Only then did I realize that there were many new fine wounds on his hands. I couldn't help but ask, "How did you get all of this?"