Chapter Seventy-One: Rescuing Little Tiger

In silence, he remained with her until evening. By then, most of the zombies in the vicinity had retreated. Rising, Wujue took a packet of biscuits and ate, washing it down with a bottle of mineral water.

He said to Madam Li, “Consider these as a token of gratitude for saving your son. I’ll be leaving now.”

Slipping away, he ascended the stairs again, climbed onto the balcony, and surveyed the situation outside. Confirming that no more zombies had gathered near the supermarket, he quietly slid down the wall and approached the building across the street.

According to Madam Li, her child was on the second floor of the thirteen-story commercial building. The main entrance had been locked from within, which was why the zombies had not managed to break in.

Wujue carefully avoided the few zombies on the road, drew near to the commercial building, then climbed up to the second-floor window and knocked. “Is there anyone inside?”

Soon, he heard the sound of someone moving about. Perhaps out of fear, the person inside did not respond.

With no other choice, Wujue smashed the glass with his fist, opened the window, and climbed in.

Inside, he saw shadows darting about—a small child was trying to crawl under the bed. Wujue hurried over and gently pulled him out. “You must be Xiaohu, right? Your mother sent me to rescue you. Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you back to her at once.”

The boy looked up at Wujue in panic, his eye sockets sunken and cheeks gaunt, clearly having gone hungry for days while hiding here.

Only then, with some hesitation, did he ask, “Are you really here to save me? But your bald head is scary!”

Wujue picked him up and said, “Uncle is a monk. I’m bald because I’ve taken vows. Don’t be afraid; follow me, we’re leaving now.”

He opened the door, cautiously peered into the corridor, and asked, “Is there danger out there?”

Xiaohu, hiding behind him, shook his head. “I haven’t dared go out these days. It should be safe.”

Wujue grabbed a wooden stick left by the door, led Xiaohu downstairs, and had barely reached the stairwell when a zombie lunged at them. Without hesitation, Wujue smashed its skull, stepped over the corpse, and continued out.

Dispatching three or four zombies with ease along the way, they finally reached the main entrance. Wujue glanced out—there were now more zombies in the street, likely drawn by the commotion he’d made.

It would be no simple task to break through, especially with a child in tow. Wujue glanced toward the supermarket; at that moment, Madam Li had climbed up to the rooftop, looking in their direction. Wujue signaled for her to go down and prepare to open the door.

After some hurried explanation, Madam Li spotted Xiaohu and rushed downstairs. Wujue picked up Xiaohu and charged outside.

The moment he stepped out, he employed his lightfoot skills, moving with such speed that in a few strides, he was already in the middle of the street. Four or five zombies immediately surrounded them, howling and lunging.

Wujue pushed off with his toes, leaping into the air, landing on the shoulders of a zombie, and vaulting forward—a maneuver that brought him much closer to the supermarket entrance.

Xiaohu cried out in awe, “That’s amazing! Uncle, are you a superhero?”

Wujue quickly covered his mouth—shouting now would only attract more zombies.

Sure enough, more zombies, drawn by the noise, began to close in, treating the pair as prey and giving chase. Wujue did his best to shake them off, sprinting towards the supermarket entrance—one meter, two meters... five meters, ten meters—finally reaching the door. He set Xiaohu down, turned, grabbed the stick, and swung with all his might, smashing aside a zombie that got too close and knocking several more away.

Unfortunately, Madam Li arrived at the door only to realize she’d forgotten the key and had to run back—wasting precious time.

Wujue instructed Xiaohu, “Stay behind me, don’t move. Watch how Uncle deals with these monsters.”

He then employed the Demon-Subduing Staff Technique. The stick whirled like the wind, sweeping up an aura of power, and the zombies that approached were battered to the floor with shrill cries.

At last, the door behind him opened. Madam Li pulled Xiaohu inside at once, and Wujue retreated into the supermarket, slamming the door shut.

The zombies didn’t relent, piling against the door, trying desperately to force it open. Fortunately, Wujue summoned all his strength to hold it shut until Madam Li fumbled to lock it.

They shoved shelves in front of the entrance, barricading it completely, finally buying themselves a moment’s respite.

Turning to the shaken mother and child, Wujue sighed, “Congratulations, you’ve been reunited. For now, you can rest easy.”

Madam Li hugged Xiaohu, tears streaming down her face as she smiled. “Thank you, Master, thank you so much. Even if I were to die here now, I’d do so without regret.”

Wujue shook his head. “It’s nothing. I simply couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

He found a place to sit. “But I wonder—when will these zombies finally leave?”

A considerable number had gathered outside. Wujue worried that if they broke in, the mother and son would have nowhere left to hide.

Madam Li was anxious as well. “Yes... what should we do?”

The two shared their concerns, facing a difficult reality: Madam Li and her son needed someone to look after them, but Wujue couldn’t stay forever. He had companions to find, and above all, his ultimate goal was to confront the terrifying Celestial Execution clan.

Thus, in awkward silence, they skirted around the issue until nightfall.

That evening, Madam Li brought out her cherished gas stove and prepared a sumptuous dinner—a pot of porridge and two simple vegetable dishes—to thank Wujue for his help.

Wujue glanced at the meal and simply nodded, “Thank you for the trouble. I am unworthy.”

But Madam Li insisted he eat with them, even urging Xiaohu to serve Wujue. Sensing she had another purpose, Wujue addressed her directly.

As it turned out, Madam Li had Xiaohu bow to Wujue, saying that as a single mother, she couldn’t care for him forever. Fearing the worst in the future, she asked Wujue to take him as a disciple and teach him some skills so he might survive.

Xiaohu looked up to Wujue with admiration and willingly knelt, calling him Master, but Wujue quickly pulled him up. “I can’t make that promise. My journey has already led me to violate many monastic precepts. To take on a disciple in secret would be a further betrayal of the rules of Dalin Temple. I will, however, teach you some martial basics, but let’s not speak of master and disciple.”

He was resolute, and in truth, Wujue had his reasons. He did not think the mother and son were the best candidates for his teachings, but he left that unspoken.

After some back-and-forth, their conversation was interrupted as zombies outside began to batter the door again.

Wujue went to check—no zombies had yet gotten in—then returned to his corner to meditate.

Madam Li silently cleaned up, leaving the matter for now.

A little later, Wujue called Xiaohu over and taught him some basic incantations and introductory techniques, sending him off to bed. He planned to write down a rapid training method for the mother and son before leaving, in the hope it might help them survive.

As the night grew deeper, Wujue’s thoughts turned to An Yi and the others. He knew it was time to go in search of his companions.

While meditating, he suddenly sensed a warm presence nearby. Looking up, he saw Madam Li sitting beside him. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and said, “Master, you truly are a good man. I’ve never met anyone like you. Can you help me? I know this isn’t right, but aren’t you supposed to deliver all beings from suffering?”

Wujue saw the pity in her eyes and realized that, once again, she was trying to seduce him. A trace of displeasure stirred within him.

If before she had acted for her child’s sake, what was her reason now? Was it simply human desire?

He could sense a change in her, perhaps drawn by his heroism in rescuing her son.

He frowned. “Xiaohu is still here. Shouldn’t you respect yourself?”

But Madam Li glanced over at the sleeping Xiaohu, bundled under a down quilt, clearly unable to see what was happening. “He’s asleep. But he really needs a father—he was muttering about it in his dreams. Master, help me, I want release too...”

With that, she clung more tightly to his neck. Wujue felt her ardor, but thoughts of An Yi and Xun’er surfaced in his mind.

If they tried to tempt him this way, could he resist?

Wujue realized his heart was already stirred by worldly feelings, though not for the woman before him.

He gently pressed his palm to Madam Li’s forehead, and a strange purple energy passed between them. Instinctively, he used Boss Ma’s sorcery, and she instantly fainted, collapsing into his arms.

Wujue carefully laid her down and sighed. Tomorrow, he would have to leave.

It was cruel, perhaps, but he no longer wished to be entangled here. He had resolved to clear out the zombies nearby and then depart at once.