Chapter 001: Grudges Formed on Rainy Days

Originally entering the Buddhist path alone, yet unexpectedly encountering worldly visitors. Just as I settled my tranquil heart and formed companions, I met an extraordinary person who became my benefactor.

The old monk heard the girl's cry and turned his head to look, only to suddenly catch sight of two arrows shooting straight towards him. He had no time to dodge and hurriedly gathered the sleeves of his robe with his left hand, catching the two arrows together. After a careful glance, he understood the situation. He then waved his large sleeve, sending the two poisoned arrows back along their original path

The rain outside has lessened, and the dark clouds in the sky are gradually fading.

The deadline of ten days is still far off, so Ding Bu'er simply decided to sleep for five days, occasionally observing the movements on the street to guard against being sought out for revenge by the evil spirits of Tianshan and Mengkun. It was not until the sixth day that he set off to Wutai Mountain in search of the Foguang Temple

An old monk with a white beard and hair stood at the bow of the boat, his figure slender. He held a golden alms bowl in his right hand, occasionally turning to ask the oarsman a question or two, and from time to time, he looked up at the overcast sky, appearing somewhat anxious, fearing that it might suddenly rain with no place to take shelter.

Alas! The evil spirit of Tianshan slammed his fist on the ground, feeling frustrated: I never expected to be outsmarted by a thief, how humiliating! Suddenly, he felt a surge of surprise, as he pushed himself up with his hand and realized that he had regained some strength. His left hand then reached for his curved blade.

Suddenly, with a loud "bang," the wooden door was slammed open, and a hunchbacked man stumbled in. "Who is it?!" Meng Kun exclaimed, sitting up in shock and reaching for a piece of firewood. The Tianshan evil spirit remained silent, staring with its deep-set small eyes fixed on the newcomer. The visitor removed his bamboo hat, revealing an elderly man with gray hair and beard. He covered his mouth and coughed several times, seemingly catching sight of the fire pit. Squinting his eyes to take a closer look, he then trembled and walked over cautiously.

The Tianshan Evil Ghost and Meng Kun heard Ding Buer's footsteps gradually fading away, and disregarding their awkward postures, with their hands behind their backs and their bottoms sticking out, they lowered their heads and cautiously searched for the medicine bowl, fearing that they might knock it over or spill it, which would result in the loss of their martial arts skills. The Tianshan Evil Ghost had an injury to his abdomen, and in such a crouched position, the pain inevitably intensified, but he could only endure it. Meng Kun's mouth finally touched the rim of the bowl, and he was overjoyed; he stretched his neck forward and began to lick inside the bowl with his tongue. Soon, the Tianshan Evil Ghost also tasted the sweetness and began to lick vigorously.

In front of them was a mass of darkness, and after a while, they felt no movement. Meng Kun anxiously asked, "Brother Ding, are you still there? You wouldn't leave us and walk away, would you? Brother Ding! Brother Ding!" Ding Bu'er placed two bowls of a glue-like antidote in front of the two, removed the objects from their ears, and said discontentedly, "What are you shouting for? The two bowls of antidote are right in front of you. Just eat them quietly, take a short nap, and in less than half an hour, you'll be as good as new. Enjoy yourselves, I'm leaving."

Meng Kun suddenly thought of something: "Hey, do you think... that person with the surname Ding might be afraid of our revenge and run away halfway, not coming back? If that's the case, we would have worked hard for nothing here." The Tianshan Evil Spirit replied: "With the title of 'Thousand-Faced Thief' and having just taken advantage of us, he must be feeling quite pleased. To avoid being a coward, I believe he will definitely come. Unfortunately, once this gamble starts, he is bound to lose." Meng Kun was puzzled: "How so? If that's the case, we would have worked hard for nothing here." The Tianshan Evil Spirit said: "With the title of 'Thousand-Faced Thief' and having just taken advantage of us, he must be feeling quite pleased. To avoid being a coward, I believe he will definitely come. Unfortunately, once this gamble starts, he is bound to lose." Meng Kun was puzzled: "How so? Do you think he can't steal the monk?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit smiled slyly: "Even if he steals, it must be a fake. With so many temples on Wutai Mountain, why would he specifically go to the Foguang Temple? It's just to keep him busy for these ten days, running all over Wutai Mountain. While we are working hard here, he can sleep soundly. That so-called Foguang Temple is actually something I made up on the spot." Meng Kun was overjoyed: "Then isn't that surname Ding bound to lose? In the end, he will have no choice but to find a fake, and we will expose him right in front of him. First, we will take one of his arms, and then slowly deal with him... Wonderful, it's truly wonderful!

The hunchbacked old man seemed to sense something happening behind his neck, slowly raising his hand to touch it, only to discern it was a steel knife. He was instantly so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, causing a gourd at his waist to fall as well. Meng Kun pressed the tip of the knife against the hunchbacked old man's chest, and the old man trembled all over, unable to utter a single word, only making incoherent sounds.

Outside the hut where the bet was made, the Tianshan Evil Spirit and Mengkun stood beside a freshly dug pit. On the ground behind them lay a cloth, upon which were two half-eaten roasted chickens, half a pack of beef, and two jars of wine. Mengkun asked, "It's only about one hundred and ten miles from here to Mount Wutai. With my legs, it would take me three or four days to go back and forth, including the business to be done. Why do we have to wait ten days for the bet?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit glanced at him disdainfully and replied, "Have you forgotten that both of us are injured? If we don't rest for a few more days, how can we compete with him?"

Ding Buer instructed Meng Kun to first bind the hands of the Tianshan Evil Spirit behind its back, and then to bind Meng Kun in the same manner. He then tore off two strips from the clothes that were roasting by the fire, covered the eyes of both individuals, and plugged their ears and nostrils one by one. Meng Kun exclaimed, "Is this really necessary?" Ding Buer turned around to prepare the antidote

The Tianshan Evil Spirit suddenly cried out in a trembling voice: "Grandfather—" Only to see Ding Buer's short sword pressed against the Evil Spirit's groin. ... A stream of warmth flowed down the Evil Spirit's pant leg ...

Hu Kai responded and left. Meng Kun asked, "What shall we do next?" The Evil Spirit of Tianshan said, "Today is the seventh day, let us wait for three more days. First, we will deal with the one surnamed Ding, and after venting this anger, we will see. Once I reclaim the treasured sword and present it to Master Zeng as a greeting gift, it will surely earn me some respect. In the future, I will not fear encountering the old monk again."

The Tianshan Evil Spirit secretly gathered his energy, attempting to recover, but of course, it was to no avail. Ding Buer wiped his face and chuckled, "Spare me. Look at all this sweat, it really makes one feel sorry for you." The Tianshan Evil Spirit suppressed his anger and said, "Even after being cautious, I was still deceived by you. I admit defeat, and have nothing more to say. May I ask who you are, so that I may understand my loss clearly."

A young and beautiful woman is paying her respects at a grave. The maid beside her says, "Miss, we should leave. We need to reach the ferry before it rains." The young woman stands up, looks at the sky, and replies, "You go ahead and hire a boat; I will come shortly." "Alright," the maid responds and leaves. The young woman arranges the offerings at the grave and carefully wipes the tombstone with a handkerchief. At this moment, the sky has completely darkened.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit lay for a while, slightly regaining some strength, struggling to sit up, and asked expressionlessly: "May I ask the esteemed name of the elder?" Ding Buer smiled and said: "Have you forgotten to call me grandfather so soon? Very well, today I shall let you see the true face of your grandfather. So that in the future, when my two dear grandsons miss their grandfather, they will know who he is"

Meng Kun asked, "What is the background of that Master Wuyá? I feel like I have heard that name before." Hu Kai replied, "He is the newly appointed abbot of Foguang Temple, and I heard he just arrived a few days ago. The host received the news early and specially arranged for Mr. Nie and Master Ke San and the others to come and congratulate him. They were supposed to arrive at the mountain a few days ago, but were delayed on the way, so they only arrived today and will have to visit the mountain tomorrow."

Meng Kun dropped the firewood in his hands, grabbed the curved knife of the Tianshan Evil Spirit, jumped up, and stared at the newcomer, asking loudly once again: "Who are you?!" The hunchbacked old man showed no reaction to Meng Kun's question, squinting his eyes, groping around, and slowly walking over to the fire, squatting down to warm himself. The Tianshan Evil Spirit remained alert, keeping a watchful eye on the hunchbacked old man, still silent, only gently drawing out the short sword with his left hand. Meng Kun pressed the curved knife against the back of the hunchbacked old man's neck and shouted angrily: "Speak! Who exactly are you?!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit remained alert, keeping a watchful eye on the hunchbacked old man, still silent, only gently drawing out the short sword with his left hand. Meng Kun pressed the curved knife against the back of the hunchbacked old man's neck and shouted angrily: "Speak! Who exactly are you?!"

Ma Tietui had not yet spoken when he suddenly heard someone shouting loudly from behind, "Over there!" The one shouting was Meng Kun. Ma Tietui did not recognize Meng Kun and the Tianshan Evil Ghost, so he stood up and said, "This deal is for my brothers. You are late."

By the Clear Water River, a group of people lay in ambush among the grass by the bank, watching the river surface in the distance. The Tianshan Evil Ghost, Pi Buxiu, had a gaunt face, a dark complexion, and deeply sunken eyes, resembling a black skeleton that had died from poisoning. He turned to ask the person next to him, Meng Kun: "Old Meng, is the information reliable?" Meng Kun replied: "It can't be wrong. Hey, Brother Pi, don't you think it seems a bit inconsiderate that we haven't informed Ke Laosan and the others?" The Tianshan Evil Ghost smiled and said: "They are all old-timers there. If we don't bring a little gift for our meeting, won't that make them look down on us? Although my name as the Tianshan Evil Ghost isn't very big, I can't afford to be looked down upon by others. Do you really want them to take the credit?" Meng Kun exclaimed: "Right! How did I not think of that!" Suddenly, someone nearby shouted: "Master Meng, they're coming!" Meng Kun and the Tianshan Evil Ghost turned their attention to the river surface.

Ding Buer sheathed his short sword at his waist, took off his hat and put it on, and was about to open the door to leave. "Hero Ding, please wait," Meng Kun said with a grin as he approached, "Since both parties have made a wager, life must go on. Please leave the antidote."

The boat drew closer. Peng San and Duan Liu pulled their bows tighter, aiming the arrows at the old monk's head. Meng Kun slowly raised his hand, preparing to give the order. At this moment, they were merely three or four zhang away; once the arrows were released, hitting the target would be instantaneous. Yet the old monk remained completely unaware.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit said: "Of course it can be taken, but it depends on your skills. The monks of the Foguang Temple on Wutai Mountain, do you have the ability to steal one?" Ding Buer was slightly taken aback and laughed, saying: "Brother, I have stolen all sorts of things, but I have never stolen a person... Pah, pah, pah! What am I saying! You want me to steal a monk? This would truly be a first in my life. Haha, interesting, interesting."

Ding Buer walked up to the Tianshan Evil Spirit, crouched down, and waved a short sword in front of him, saying: "You are quite arrogant, aren't you?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit's small eyes followed the blade back and forth, not daring to make a sound. Ding Buer gently pressed the tip of the sword against the Tianshan Evil Spirit's forehead and said: "He calls me grandpa, and you insult him by calling him a turtle grandson. Does that not mean you are insulting me as a turtle? Hurry up and apologize to my grandson!" Meng Kun awkwardly replied: "No need, no need." The Tianshan Evil Spirit was filled with hatred towards Meng Kun and stubbornly refused to apologize to him, remaining silent in anger.

The dark clouds in the sky are becoming increasingly thick, as if it is about to rain at any moment

The young woman, upon seeing the dead body, became even more terrified, stumbling as she turned to flee, panicking and choosing her path haphazardly

"Damn it! He is a mute." Meng Kun sheathed his curved knife, pointed at the gourd on the ground, and asked, "What is inside the gourd?" The hunchbacked old man, seeing him pointing at the gourd, seemed to understand his question, so he gestured with both hands. When Meng Kun still did not understand, the old man simply picked up the gourd, opened the lid, took a sip, and then continued to gesture. "Is it wine?" Meng Kun was overjoyed, "Excellent! I am cold and thirsty, and I was just hoping for some wine to drink. Thieving skeleton, ... ..." The Tianshan evil spirit watched the hunchbacked old man warily, remaining silent. Meng Kun knew he was cautious and also worried about a trick, yet he still felt tempted by the gourd.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit once again ignited a fire for Meng Kun. The two of them removed their wet clothes and tossed them aside, starting to warm themselves by the fire. Once they felt a bit warmer, the Tianshan Evil Spirit took out a short sword and examined it carefully in his hand. Seeing this, Meng Kun reached out and said, "Let me have a look." The Tianshan Evil Spirit hesitated for a moment before handing over the short sword. As Meng Kun received the short sword, he muttered, "It's just a dagger, why be so stingy?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit stared intently at Meng Kun as he slowly drew the short sword. Meng Kun, seeing this, reached out again and said, "Let me have a look." The Tianshan Evil Spirit hesitated once more before passing the short sword over. As Meng Kun took the short sword, he again muttered, "It's just a dagger, why be so stingy?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit continued to fix his gaze on Meng Kun as he slowly drew the short sword. Meng Kun picked up a piece of firewood with his left hand and said, "I'll give it a try to see if it's useful." With that, he sliced the short sword towards the firewood. The firewood broke with a crack and fell onto the fire. "Ah! So fast! I didn't even use much strength!" Meng Kun could hardly believe it. He casually sliced again, and it broke with a crack once more, making him exclaim in delight, "Good stuff! Good stuff!"

Meng Kun felt bored and looked around: "What kind of place is this! There is nothing here. If only there were two jars of wine, quenching my thirst and relieving my fatigue, how wonderful it would be!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit, whose wound was hurting, was annoyed by his noise and shouted, "Shut up! Do you think making noise will get you some wine?" "I am just expressing my thoughts, what does it have to do with you? Even if there is no wine, it is good to indulge in a little fantasy," Meng Kun retorted, feeling bored himself. He then stretched lazily, lay down, and said, "I will take a nap. I am exhausted." The Tianshan Evil Spirit glanced at him, also feeling tired, and thought about lying down to sleep for a while.

Ding Buer looked outside the door. The rain had stopped, and the sky was gradually clearing. After whetting the appetites of the two, Ding Buer finally spoke: "At most, I will lose all my martial arts, but it won't leave any lasting effects, so don't worry." The Tianshan Evil Ghost couldn't help but frown, signaling Meng Kun to plead again. Meng Kun stepped forward, grasped Ding Buer's hand, and pleaded: "Brother Ding, out of compassion, please give the antidote to Hetushu. We brothers have indeed become acquainted without fighting. If, in the next few days, our brothers are harmed by villains, who will accompany you to fulfill the bet?"

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. One could see Meng Kun's plump body crashing through the branches and falling heavily to the ground. The Tianshan Evil Spirit turned around upon seeing this and hurriedly rushed to help him: "Old Meng, are you alright?"

The young woman stood up in a flurry and continued to stumble forward.

The two took turns finishing a gourd of wine. Meng Kun, still unsatisfied, tossed the gourd beside the hunchbacked old man, saying, "Although it cannot be considered good wine, it is still a timely gift. I will return the empty gourd to you." The hunchbacked old man did not reach for the gourd, nor did he speak, but lay on the ground, staring intently at the two. Seeing that the hunchbacked old man still refused to leave, Meng Kun assumed he had been severely beaten by the Tianshan demon and had fallen hard. He turned to the Tianshan demon and said, "You, thieving skeleton, are too ruthless. You injured him and drank his wine; at least give him a couple of coins as a gesture of goodwill." The Tianshan demon paid him no mind, while Meng Kun noticed that the hunchbacked old man still would not depart, and he reiterated his thoughts about the old man's condition. The Tianshan demon remained indifferent, merely feeling his clothes by the fire to check if they were dry.

The hunchbacked old man trembled as he took out a few copper coins from his waist and placed them at the feet of the Tianshan demon. Seeing that neither of the two spoke, he cautiously continued to warm himself by the fire. The fire crackled and popped. After taking a few sips of wine, the old man felt warm and slowly stood up, hung the gourd back up, bowed to both Mengkun and the Tianshan demon, and gradually walked towards the door

Meng Kun, feeling unwilling to accept the situation, slowly stood up and said, "You have stolen, so why engage in such tricks to mock the old..." He initially intended to refer to himself as "the old man," but suddenly realized his current predicament and quickly fell silent. Ding Bu'er smiled and said, "Which one of you is virtuous? If I don't use some means, how could I get close to you, let alone succeed?" He returned to his true self and no longer boasted by calling himself "the grandpa".

Meng Kun might be feeling fortunate for the Tianshan Evil Spirit, occasionally glancing at his waist and abdomen. Ding Bu'er inadvertently caught a glimpse and followed Meng Kun's gaze, discovering the exposed hilt of a short sword. His eyes lit up, and he struck the Tianshan Evil Spirit's abdomen with his palm, swiftly grabbing the short sword. The Tianshan Evil Spirit let out a miserable scream from the pain. Ding Bu'er turned to Meng Kun with a smile and said, "Thank you. It is indeed unfair to you for him to keep one more thing on him." The Tianshan Evil Spirit thought that Meng Kun had intentionally betrayed him, feeling furious and glaring at him with resentment. "I..." Meng Kun looked aggrieved, yet found himself unable to defend himself. Ding Bu'er turned to Meng Kun again with a smile and said, "Thank you. It is indeed unfair to you for him to keep one more thing on him." The Tianshan Evil Spirit thought that Meng Kun had intentionally betrayed him, feeling furious and glaring at him with resentment. "I..." Meng Kun looked aggrieved, yet found himself unable to defend himself.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit saw a broken bed board at the base of the wall and said to Mengkun, "Mengkun, take that bed board apart; let's make a fire and roast something." "Why don't you do it? You insist that I..." Mengkun, heavy-bodied, had stumbled along the way and was still panting. The Tianshan Evil Spirit threw the curved knife onto the bed board, clutching his stomach and glaring, "Do you see me able to do it?" With no other choice, Mengkun picked up the curved knife and, chopping and hacking, turned the bed board into a pile of firewood, which he then tossed at the feet of the Tianshan Evil Spirit

Ding Buer said: "How could my exclusive secret formula be known to others? If it is urgent, I can prepare it now, but it is quite troublesome." Meng Kun cupped his hands and replied: "Brother Ding, be merciful, please endure a little hardship." The Tianshan Evil Spirit also looked over with hope. Ding Buer seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally said: "Alright, you are a straightforward person. For your sake, I will put in some effort to prepare the antidote for you." Meng Kun was taken aback by the favor, repeatedly cupping his hands: "Thank you, thank you." Ding Buer seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally said: "Alright, you are a straightforward person. For your sake, I will put in some effort to prepare the antidote for you." Meng Kun was taken aback by the favor, repeatedly cupping his hands: "Thank you, thank you."

Ding Buer suddenly hesitated and said: "I am a bit worried. Neither of you are good people, and once I have prepared the antidote, if you suddenly harbor murderous intentions, wouldn't I be asking for trouble?" Meng Kun quickly replied: "No, no. Brother Ding, you are overthinking it." Ding Buer still shook his head. Meng Kun asked: "What would make you feel at ease?" Ding Buer said: "I need to tie both of you up first. Once I prepare the antidote and have a route ready for escape, I will then untie you." Meng Kun turned to glance at the Tianshan Evil Spirit. Meng Kun asked: "What would make you feel at ease?" Ding Buer said: "I need to tie both of you up first. Once I prepare the antidote and have a route ready for escape, I will then untie you." Meng Kun turned to glance at the Tianshan Evil Spirit. The Tianshan Evil Spirit certainly hoped to receive the antidote soon and nodded slightly. Only then did Meng Kun say: "This is easy to arrange. As long as you can feel at ease, anything will do."

Ding Buer looked at the eager expressions of the two and secretly laughed to himself, saying, "It's not that I am unwilling to give it, but I simply did not bring it. Think about it, that medicine is meant for others, and I do not take it, so why would I carry the antidote?" Hearing his implication that there was no antidote, the Tianshan Evil Ghost could not help but feel disheartened and simply sat back down by the fire. Meng Kun stamped his foot, saying, "What are we to do now? Why don't you come up with a prescription, and we can go prepare the antidote right away!"

The young woman woke up, slowly opened her eyes, and suddenly caught sight of Ma Tietui squatting beside her with a short sword in hand. She exclaimed and sat up: "What are you doing?" Ma Tietui was startled, feeling guilty for a moment, and actually threw the short sword to the side of the young woman. She grabbed the short sword with one hand while covering her chest with the other, sitting in a panic and scooting back.

Ma Tietui held in his arms the valuables he had snatched from the young woman, gazing at them in his hands, filled with guilt. He murmured, "Alas, what sin have I committed! If it were not for my robbery on the way, perhaps that young woman would not have died. Buddha, Heaven, if you would spare me this time, I promise to turn over a new leaf and never again engage in such heinous acts!"

There is no one in the room. The evil spirit of Tianshan is searching everywhere for something to start a fire. Meng Kun also came in, closing the door behind him while muttering: "Soaked through, it's really damn cold! When have I ever suffered like this?! Ah... Ah-choo!"

The evil spirit of Tianshan suddenly asked, "Aren't you going to unlock us?" Ding Buer replied, "You have taken the antidote, and you will soon be able to restore your powers. At that time, you will be able to free yourselves. I will take my leave now; you should take care of yourselves." He stepped out the door but did not forget to turn back and remind them, "Each person has only one bowl of antidote, so be careful not to spill it." Having said that, he left joyfully, striding through the mud.

Meng Kun felt a surge of energy, stretched lazily, and yawned. The evil spirit of Tianshan also felt drowsy, squinting hard, with a somewhat hazy vision before him

Ding Buer was casually playing with the short sword and said indifferently, "Do not rush to ask me who I am. Let me first try this thing." As he spoke, he placed the blade against Meng Kun's neck. "Don't..." Meng Kun was terrified and did not dare to struggle, cold sweat pouring down him like a river. Suddenly, he forced a smile and said, "Grandfather, you cannot kill me. It was I who reminded you, and that is how you obtained this treasure..." The Tianshan Evil Ghost, upon hearing Meng Kun's admission that he had intentionally reminded the old man to search for the short sword, glared at Meng Kun with eyes almost bursting with fire: "Meng Kun, son of a dog, I regret ever knowing you, you turtle grandson!"

The Tianshan Evil Ghost suddenly exerted force, causing pain to the wound below his abdomen, and he couldn't help but grimace. Meng Kun looked at him in confusion: "Thieving Skeleton, are you afraid of others or bullying them? A perfectly good gourd of wine... you again..." The Tianshan Evil Ghost shook his head and said calmly: "How can one navigate the rivers and lakes without being cautious at all times? Now it's fine, that wine can be drunk."

Ding Bu'er was momentarily taken aback, then turned around and smiled, "The antidote, why are you all in such a hurry? We still have to meet in ten days, don't we?" Meng Kun replied, "But that's a full ten days; I'm afraid we won't last until then." Ding Bu'er said, "Don't worry, my brothers, I am a kind person and I never intended to take your lives. That medicine is mild; it won't kill anyone in ten or eight days, at most..." Meng Kun asked anxiously, "At most what?" The Tianshan Evil Ghost also perked up his ears to listen.

"Give it back!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit reached out to Meng Kun to reclaim it. However, Meng Kun was too engrossed in his excitement to pay attention. The Tianshan Evil Spirit seized the sword sheath from Meng Kun's left hand, ensnared the sword blade, and forcefully took the short sword, kicking Meng Kun to the ground. Meng Kun sat up, rubbing his chest, and said indignantly, "You cunning thief skeleton! You devised a plan to ambush the old monk, and in the end, I brought people to fight desperately while you just watched the fun. In the end, I took a beating for nothing, and you got the treasure! It's truly outrageous!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit was too lazy to argue with him and busied himself playing with the short sword.

Ma Tietui held the young woman with one hand and laid her down on the ground, beginning to search for valuables on her person. He removed the jade bracelet from her right hand, hoping to find a matching one on her left, but to no avail. Noticing a piece of jade pendant on her body, he felt it and deemed it to be of good quality, so he tore it off and tucked it into his pocket. He then saw a pouch tied around her waist, squeezed it, and a few pieces of broken silver fell out. He only picked up the silver, too lazy to untie the pouch.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit completely disregarded Ma Tietui, leaping into the air and swinging a ghostly curved blade with his left hand. Ma Tietui was taken aback and hurriedly retreated, but before he could steady himself, the curved blade of the Tianshan Evil Spirit had already slashed a line across his right arm. The Tianshan Evil Spirit followed up with another strike aimed at Ma Tietui's chest. Suddenly, Ma Tietui shouted, "Stop!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit was momentarily taken aback, causing the force of the blade to weaken. This was part of Ma Tietui's strategy; he suddenly arched his body back and kicked his left leg upward. The Tianshan Evil Spirit was startled, and there was no time to withdraw his left hand and blade, so he could only use his right hand to block. Ma Tietui's kick landed squarely on the wrist of the Tianshan Evil Spirit's right hand. The Tianshan Evil Spirit let out a cry of pain, his entire right arm numb and unable to bear the pain, flailing weakly upward.

Duan Liu and Peng San were highly tense; upon hearing the sound, they thought it was Meng Kun giving an order. Their hands relaxed, and two poisoned arrows shot directly towards the old monk's forehead and heart

The Tianshan Evil Spirit crouched down, gripping the young woman's delicate cheek with his right hand, while the blade of his curved knife slid across her throat with his left. Bright red blood flowed from her pure white neck, and the young woman closed her eyes without uttering a sound. Just before her death, she plunged the short sword in her hand into the Tianshan Evil Spirit's abdomen. The Tianshan Evil Spirit let out a terrible scream, dropping the curved knife, pulling out the short sword with one hand, and clutching his belly with the other. The young woman's strike was accurate, but unfortunately not deep enough. The Tianshan Evil Spirit screamed in agony, dropping the curved knife, pulling out the short sword with one hand, and clutching his belly with the other. The young woman's strike was accurate, but unfortunately not deep enough.

Ding Buer retracted his short sword and shook his head, saying, "Alas, there's nothing I can do. If you call me 'grandfather,' I really won't be able to bring myself to do it." He deliberately tugged at the hem of the Tianshan Evil Ghost's pants and consoled him, "On a rainy day like this, you can't really tell that your pants are wet from urinating. It's nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about." The Tianshan Evil Ghost collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. Meng Kun looked at Ding Buer with a flattering expression, his face full of smiles.

Ding Bu'er chuckled, "My wine cannot be consumed for free. Since you have drunk my wine, it is only fair that I ask you for something in return, right?" The two glared at Ding Bu'er with resentment. Ding Bu'er stepped forward and began to search the two for their belongings, taking what he liked and tossing the unimportant items into the fire. The Tianshan Evil Spirit was afraid that Ding Bu'er would also search for the short sword, so he twisted his body to cover it, clamping the sword horizontally against his abdomen. The area was originally bandaged due to an injury, making it difficult to notice if one was not careful. Ding Bu'er indeed did not notice. However, the Tianshan Evil Spirit was already in pain, and tightening his abdomen only intensified the agony, causing beads of sweat to pour from his forehead.

The evil spirit of Tianshan no longer cared about the matter of Ma Tietui, brandishing a curved knife as he approached the young woman. She trembled all over, her legs scraping backward against the ground, her hands tightly gripping the short sword she held on the ground. However, her sleeves were too long, making it almost impossible to see what was in her hand. Suddenly, her back collided with the trunk of a tree, leaving her with no way to retreat.

The Tianshan Evil Spirit did not expect Ding Bu'er to respond in this manner. With a quick turn of his small eyes, he came up with an idea: "If you truly have the ability, do you dare to make a bet with me?" Ding Bu'er looked at him and asked, "What shall we bet on?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit replied, "Common items can be stolen by others as well, which does not showcase your skills. I will specify one item; if you can steal it, I will acknowledge your abilities." Ding Bu'er thought for a moment before saying, "If you ask me to steal a tree or a wall, I cannot move them. As for anything that can be moved, you can specify any item, and I will definitely bring it back."

Ah! After two different cries of despair, Peng San fell to the ground, and Duan Liu fell from the tree branch, sinking into the water. Before the splashes had settled, a stream of blood surfaced, staining the river red

The hunchbacked old man struggled for half a day without being able to get up, still lying on the ground, gasping and coughing incessantly. Meng Kun laughed heartily and said, "I have only heard that if one does not commit any wrongdoing, one need not fear the knocking of ghosts at the door. It seems that you, this evil ghost, have done something wrong and are afraid of someone coming to knock on your door. Hahaha." The evil ghost of Tianshan was not angered; after taking a couple more sips, he returned the gourd to Meng Kun.

The girl who was hurriedly heading to the ferry after paying her respects at the grave suddenly saw the ambush of the Tianshan evil spirits by the riverbank, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Her voice was originally not loud, but in the tense silence of that moment, it sounded particularly clear

"Alright then, let's go with the book." Ding Bu'er moved the short sword from the center of the Tianshan Evil Spirit's brow down along its nose, sliding past the tip of the nose and the lips, almost touching the flesh. A chill ran through the Tianshan Evil Spirit, sending shivers down its spine. Meng Kun stood by, dumbfounded, with his heart in his throat... The tip of the sword grazed the chest and abdomen of the Tianshan Evil Spirit, continuing downward...

The heavy rain poured down. Meng Kun and the Tianshan Evil Spirit staggered along the narrow path, one in front of the other. The wounds soaked in rainwater throbbed with pain, and the Tianshan Evil Spirit's mind was almost blank, only focused on pushing forward. Suddenly, Meng Kun exclaimed with joy, "There is a house ahead; let us seek shelter from the rain and warm ourselves by the fire." The Tianshan Evil Spirit looked up and, stumbling, rushed forward. He covered the wound on his abdomen with his right hand and held a curved knife in his left hand, kicking the door of the thatched cottage open. The strong wind whipped the rain, pouring into the doorway.

Duan Liu crouched on the tree fork, using the branches and leaves to conceal himself. Peng San hid behind the tree and said proudly, "Rest assured, Lord Meng. The arrowheads have long been poisoned. Not many can evade our poisoned arrows."

The young girl, frail and powerless, was hindered by her long skirt, making her unable to run quickly. In her panic, she suddenly stumbled and fell out. The evil spirit of Tianshan, believing that the girl had no chance of escape, slowed its pace and advanced step by step towards her.

Meng Kun nodded slightly: "You are indeed more thoughtful. I think it would be better to find a few more helpers, and simply call in Ke Laosan and the others. We will surely be able to take down that Ding fellow, which will save us from doing this hard labor ourselves." The Tianshan Evil Ghost glared at him: "Do you want them all to know that we were played by that Ding fellow, that we fell for his tricks and ended up in a mess?" Meng Kun jabbed his iron staff downwards: "That damned thief! I have never suffered such humiliation. This time, when we catch him, he will pay dearly! I have never suffered such humiliation. This time, when we catch him, he will pay dearly! Let's poke him with three to five dozen holes!" The Tianshan Evil Ghost was also thinking about revenge in his heart.

The person in the trap was still struggling, clearly injured and moaning incessantly. The Tianshan Evil Spirit gestured for Meng Kun to use the iron staff to clear away all the coverings at the entrance of the cave, while he himself held a broken knife, watching below. The smiles on their faces quickly faded. The one in the trap was not Ding Buer at all, but rather one of Meng Kun's subordinates. "Meng Ye, please save me!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit let out a soft "hum" in response, angrily kicking a clump of dirt down.

In fact, Ma Tietui had not gone far; he had been watching in the shadows all along. Upon seeing that the young woman had died unjustly, he could not help but feel a pang of heartache

The hunchbacked old man finally turned around, timidly raising his hand as if he wanted to reclaim the gourd. Meng Kun took another large gulp, swallowed it with a gulp, and looked at the hunchbacked old man, saying: "You encountered the evil spirit of Tianshan and still managed to survive, that's already fortunate enough; are you really unwilling to part with a gourd of wine?" The evil spirit of Tianshan sneered from the side, saying: "Why waste words with a deaf man!"

The Tianshan Evil Spirit was just preoccupied with panic and schemes, and had forgotten about the antidote. He glanced at Meng Kun, and his hatred diminished slightly.

During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, in the Qingming season, in Wutai County of Taiyuan Prefecture. The sky was overcast with dark clouds

It began to rain heavily from the sky. The evil spirit of Tianshan had Mengkun help him bandage his wounds, took the short sword, and the two hurriedly left.

Suddenly, a scream came from behind the thatched cottage, clearly indicating that someone had fallen into the trap there. Meng Kun exclaimed in surprise, "Has Ding arrived so soon? He truly is a thief who can make a quick escape!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit picked up a half-bent knife, while Meng Kun grabbed his iron staff, and the two hurriedly ran towards the back of the cottage.

"Brother Pi, let's go together!" Meng Kun called out to the Evil Spirit of Tianshan, who also jumped onto the boat. The Evil Spirit of Tianshan did not respond to Meng Kun. At this moment, he was concerned about who had made the sound that startled the old monk. Turning around, he discovered a girl was fleeing, so he grabbed the ghostly curved knife with his left hand and chased after her.

As the poisoned arrow missed its mark and the boat was now within reach, Meng Kun called out, "Go!" Six or seven individuals jumped down from the trees and the riverbank, charging towards the old monk at the bow of the boat. The boatman, already stunned with fear, saw a group of people rushing onto the boat and, in a panic, plunged into the water to save himself. The old monk waved his robe sleeves, and in an instant, two people had fallen onto the boat while three others had plunged into the water.

The old man hung the gourd at his waist and slowly stood up, rising significantly taller. It turned out that his hunchback was a facade; this man was named Ding Bu'er. The Tianshan Evil Spirit and Meng Kun exchanged glances, both feeling a jolt in their hearts. The Tianshan Evil Spirit asked ominously, "Who on earth are you?!" Ding Bu'er brushed off the dust from his clothes, smiled slightly, and replied, "The Tianshan Evil Spirit does not remain in Tianshan to be a mountain bandit, but instead chooses to come to the Central Plains to be a lackey. How pathetic, how pathetic." The Tianshan Evil Spirit, mocked by him, immediately became furious and reached down to grab his knife, only to find his whole body weak and powerless, unable to lift his arm, and he was taken aback. Meng Kun, even more so, could only shout, "There was poison in the wine..." He staggered and slumped weakly to the ground.

A man wearing a bamboo hat was dozing against a large tree. This man was named Ma Fuxing, known in the martial world as Ma Tietui. When a young girl stumbled past, she startled him. Ma Tietui pushed himself up with a hand, took a few steps to catch up, and blocked the girl's path. The girl, already frightened, was suddenly confronted by a coarse man, and she immediately fainted from the shock

The Tianshan Evil Ghost had already exhausted all his strength; after failing with a single strike, his curved blade shattered into two pieces, and he immediately collapsed to the ground. Realizing he could not escape death after his failed ambush, he no longer begged for mercy and coldly said: "What so-called Thousand-Faced Thief, only capable of using some despicable tricks. I refuse to submit!" Ding Buer laughed and replied: "What does it matter whether you submit or not? However, I have taken your treasure, and after hearing you call me 'grandfather' for so long, I do feel somewhat guilty. Why not tell me, what would it take for you to be convinced?"

Ah, this... ..." Meng Kun was feeling anxious and impatient, seeing the wine that was almost in his grasp suddenly disappear, which he found quite regrettable. He looked eagerly at the Tianshan Evil Spirit. The Tianshan Evil Spirit, with an impassive expression, picked up a piece of firewood and suddenly struck at the hunchbacked old man. The hunchbacked old man was caught off guard and was hit on the back by the flying firewood, falling to the ground in an instant. The gourd also fell to the ground.

Meng Kun nodded, but suddenly recalled something: "However, with the old monk present, can Ding Buer still succeed? If he gets caught, won't we be waiting in vain?" The Tianshan Evil Ghost pondered for a moment and replied: "If the one named Ding runs into the old monk, it will be a perilous situation for him. Even if the old monk pretends to be righteous and does not kill him, he will certainly be imprisoned for several years. We will have plenty of opportunities to deal with him later. If Ding is cunning and the old monk is new to this, he might exploit a loophole, and we will have traps waiting for him." Meng Kun nodded: "That's good, I must vent this anger!"

Meng Kun originally intended to mock him a few more times, but upon hearing "the wine is ready to drink," he immediately set aside everything and strode over, grabbing the gourd and taking two large gulps. Noticing that the Tianshan Evil Spirit was watching him, he then offered the gourd to him. Seeing that Meng Kun had drunk without any adverse effects, the Tianshan Evil Spirit waited a moment longer before finally feeling at ease to drink as well

The Tianshan Evil Spirit, seeing him take the bait, took the opportunity to say: "If you truly believe you have this ability, let us set a limit of ten days, and we will verify it in this thatched hut. If you can really steal it, I will sever one of my own arms. If you cannot do it, you must leave something behind." At that moment, Ding Bu'er was filled with playful spirit and carelessly replied: "Alright." The Tianshan Evil Spirit added: "Whoever goes back on their word will be a turtle bastard! They must kneel on the ground and call the other 'grandfather!'" Ding Bu'er laughed and said: "Enough, enough. Stop swearing on your ancestors so easily." "You..." The Tianshan Evil Spirit was about to explode but ultimately held it back.

The Tianshan Evil Ghost slashed wildly with a knife, glaring hatefully in the direction where Ma Tietui had fled. Meng Kun advised, "It seems he is unaware of our activities by the river. Let him live a few more days; sooner or later, we will take his dog's life!" He glanced at the girl who was quietly moving and asked, "What about this woman?"

Meng Kun rubbed his backside and said angrily, "I almost broke my neck!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit watched the old monk gradually sail away and secretly rejoiced, saying, "Fortunately, I didn't act rashly just now." Suddenly, Meng Kun pushed the Tianshan Evil Spirit and shouted, "We agreed to go together; I risk my life while you just stand by and watch!" The Tianshan Evil Spirit, knowing he was in the wrong, did not argue and explained, "I was trying to find out who startled the old monk. Look!" As he spoke, he turned and pointed, only to see that the girl had already run about a hundred steps away, heading into a small grove. "Is she the one who ruined our good plan? Bring her back!" Meng Kun also spotted the girl's figure and chased after her together with the Tianshan Evil Spirit.

On the river surface, a small boat is slowly approaching from the south

"Ma Tietui!" Meng Kun exclaimed, having just suffered a setback from the old monk. Now, he did not dare to approach recklessly and only stopped in place to say, "Ma Tietui, we do not interfere with each other's affairs. Why did you assist that monk today and disrupt our good plans?" "What monk? I have no time to waste with you. Until we meet again!" Ma Tietui replied, then leaped into the nearby thicket, disappearing from sight.

Ding Bu'er was almost facing away from the Tianshan Evil Spirit, completely unguarded, but fortunately, Meng Kun, who was opposite him, suddenly felt alarmed. Ding Bu'er, being exceptionally clever, had already sensed the situation from the sound of the wind. He quickly shrank back and dodged, instinctively raising his short sword to defend himself. With a crisp sound of 'ding', the curved blade broke into two pieces, yet its remaining force continued towards Meng Kun. Meng Kun stood in front of Ding Bu'er, who swiftly moved aside, causing the broken blade to fly towards his face. Fortunately, he noticed it in time, hurriedly lowered his head and rolled away, but his shoulder collided with the wall, causing him to exclaim in pain. Ding Bu'er, with surprise, looked at the short sword in his hand and turned to the Tianshan Evil Spirit, saying: 'It seems you are not convinced, do you want to continue sparring?'

Meng Kun pulled the man up and shouted, "Hu Kai, what are you doing here?" Hu Kai looked aggrieved and replied, "Master Ke San asked me to tell you that he and Mr. Nie are going to Mount Wutai tomorrow to visit Master Wuyā of Fogong Temple, and he would like you to go with them." The Tianshan Evil Spirit was taken aback, "Fogong Temple? Is there really a Fogong Temple on Mount Wutai?" Hu Kai said, "Mr. Nie and Master Ke San said they are going to Fogong Temple; I have never been there myself." The Tianshan Evil Spirit and Meng Kun exchanged glances, never expecting that there really was a Fogong Temple.

Ding Buer removed his false hair, pulled off his fake beard, and casually wiped his face with his sleeve, revealing his true appearance, which turned out to be a man in his thirties. He spoke, saying: "Remember well, my name is Ding Buer..." "The Thousand-Faced Thief Ding Buer?!" Meng Kun exclaimed. Ding Buer glanced at him and smiled, saying: "You actually know my name?"

Meng Kun was taken aback, faintly sensing that something was amiss. He whispered to the Tianshan Evil Spirit, "Could it be that old monk we robbed?" The Tianshan Evil Spirit replied with a bitter smile, "It should be." Meng Kun rubbed his hands together, anxious and unsure of what to do. Hu Kai asked, "Meng Ye, what’s wrong?" Meng Kun snapped irritably, "It’s none of your business! You go back and tell Ke Laosan that I have invited the Tianshan Evil Spirit Pi Bu Xiu and am busy heading to Jizhou to pay a visit to Zeng Gong, so I won’t be going up the mountain. He doesn’t need to wait for me." Hu Kai asked again, "Meng Ye, what’s wrong?" Meng Kun snapped irritably, "It’s none of your business! You go back and tell Ke Laosan that I have invited the Tianshan Evil Spirit Pi Bu Xiu and am busy heading to Jizhou to pay a visit to Zeng Gong, so I won’t be going up the mountain. Let him not wait for me."

Ma Tietui gazed at the girl lying on the ground and sighed softly, "Alas, she is indeed a stunning beauty. It is a pity that I have resolved not to break my vow of chastity; otherwise... alas, it cannot be done." He squatted there, hesitating for a moment, and suddenly muttered, "She is currently in a deep sleep; perhaps... I could sneak a touch or two, and since it is through her clothes, it might not count as breaking my vow. After all, no one would know." Thus, he really began to touch her through her clothing. Suddenly, he felt a hard object at her waist. He was taken aback for a moment, then gently pulled the object out from her clothing, only to find it was a short sword. The short sword was about one foot long, and both the hilt and the scabbard were exquisitely crafted, clearly not an ordinary item. He examined it for a few moments before attempting to draw it out for a closer look.

The Tianshan Evil Ghost asked in a low voice, "Have you figured out the background of that monk?" Meng Kun replied, "I only heard he came from Henan and showed some skills along the way. The Feichamen tried to rob his alms bowl, but ended up injuring dozens of people without being able to stop him." "Oh?" The Tianshan Evil Ghost twirled his mustache with his right hand, "It seems he is not an unknown figure." Meng Kun nonchalantly said, "He's nothing to be concerned about. If he really is difficult to deal with, just use hidden weapons. Duan Liu, Peng San, it's up to you two! Don't embarrass me!"

The evil spirit of Tianshan gripped a curved knife, and seeing Ding Buer preoccupied with idle chatter with Meng Kun, suddenly unleashed all his remaining strength, hurling the curved knife directly at Ding Buer's neck