The night wind howled mournfully, cawing crows cried; within the desolate mountain stood a dilapidated temple.

Six individuals were stationed at various corners of the decrepit temple.

Two women with beautiful faces, dressed in pristine white gowns that exuded purity and untouchable grace, stood in the center of the ruined temple.

A short, gaunt old man with a Bamboo Hat on his head and a straw cape over his shoulders squatted in a corner, weaving a bamboo basket.

A pale, frail scholar held incense sticks and, with eyes closed, prayed devoutly before a broken statue of a deity.

A burly, shirtless man leaned against a pillar, eyes shut as he rested. In his arms, he held a glamorous woman clad in an expensive fur coat, who was listlessly twirling her hair.

"I say," the glamorous woman parted her red lips, her voice sultry and soft, intoxicating, "Scholar Xiao, why do you pray to that broken statue? Could it be that you're seeking divine intervention to bless you with the title of top scholar, to be announced at Donghua Gate?"

"Heh, if the Martial Virtue Guards could erase the criminal record from my body, obtaining honors and an official position would be as easy as turning over my hand."

The young man known as Scholar Xiao merely smiled. He did not turn back and continued to bow and offer worship to the statue. "I pray at this temple simply because it is efficacious."

"Efficacious? I've never heard of that." The glamorous woman raised an eyebrow. "If it were truly effective, then simple men and women would have come here to repair and maintain the temple long ago. How could it be so dilapidated and in such disrepair?"

"That's where you're mistaken." Scholar Xiao shook his head. "Twenty years ago, a traveling merchant, carrying his entire year's earnings from his time abroad, was passing by this temple on his way home. He decided to rest here for the night, planning to set off again in the morning to rush back to his hometown and reunite with his wife.

"Feeling anxious as he neared home, the merchant tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In his groggy state, he heard some noises. Opening his eyes, he saw several thugs chasing a woman into the ruined temple, cornering her with the intent to force themselves upon her.

"The merchant saw that each of the thugs had a Dagger, yet he himself was unarmed. If he were to rush forward to stop them, he might simply throw his life away in vain. In his moment of hesitation, the merchant thought of his own wife and daughter. If they were dishonored and no one was there to help, what then?

"With this thought, the merchant mustered his courage, picked up a broken brick, and charged forward. THUMP! He struck one of the thugs on the head. In an instant, blood sprayed everywhere as the thug fell to the ground. With bloodshot eyes, the merchant grabbed a Short Dagger and stabbed at the other assailants, shouting at the woman to run.

"Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his head and opened his eyes, only to find he was still lying on the floor of the ruined temple as dawn was breaking. It turned out that everything that had just happened was merely a strange dream from the night before."

Scholar Xiao paused for a moment, then continued, "The merchant wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, packed up his belongings, and continued on his journey. After much difficulty, he finally reached his hometown, only to discover a crowd gathered around his house. The local leader was directing people to carry a dead body out of his home.

"Worried about his wife, the merchant pushed through the crowd and entered the house, where he saw his wife shivering in a corner. Upon inquiring, he learned that earlier that day, several thugs had broken into his home attempting to molest his wife. Just as they were about to succeed, one of them suddenly vomited blood, his eyes bulging, and died on the spot. The rest, terrified, rushed to the doorway trying to escape, but before they could make it out, they all simultaneously vomited blood and died.

"The villagers all said that it was the Divine Temple that was efficacious, allowing this charitable merchant to save his wife from miles away. Subsequently, the villagers took better care of the temple, until a plague broke out and conflicts erupted, which led to the temple's neglect and its current state of ruin."

After speaking, Scholar Xiao, somewhat disheartened, patted the pillar and lamented, "In this world, good and evil deeds are your own choice; since ancient times, has the underworld ever spared anyone? Accumulate virtue, do good deeds. Ah, accumulate virtue and do good deeds."

"HAHA." The glamorous woman, as if she had heard a hilarious joke, laughed until she cried, dramatically punching the burly man's chest with her little fists. "If I recall correctly, Scholar, you were once driven by poverty and failed examinations to pursue a young lady of wealth, whom you could not win. In a fit of rage, you poisoned and killed her entire family, and henceforth had to become an outlaw, right? And yet here you are, muttering about accumulating good deeds?"

"Put down the butcher's knife, and you can become a Buddha on the spot. When the heart is sincere, spirits are responsive." Scholar Xiao smiled and shook his head. He casually fixed the incense stick into the wooden table before the statue and turned to say, "Why hasn't Ruan Tian arrived yet? Didn't he go to save Wu Hu with his brother?"

"A new Taoist has arrived in Goose City, and the county magistrate assigned him to oversee the prison." The glamorous woman stretched lazily, speaking languidly, "I heard that he was the one who killed Hu Wan."

"Oh? Although Hu Wan hadn't practiced the Body-Devouring Technique for long, being able to kill him means that Taoist still has some skills." Scholar Xiao nodded his head and, with a twitch of his ears, looked towards the door. "They're coming."

TAP TAP TAP.

Hurried footsteps approached from afar. Ruan Tian, clad in Night Clothes, entered the broken temple with a gloomy expression, clutching his waist. Following him were Ruan Di and Wu Hu.

The burly man, who had been silent all along, slowly opened his eyes and looked at Ruan Tian, saying in a deep voice, "You're injured?"

"Mhm." Ruan Tian grimly nodded. "The Taoist in charge of the prison is a tough nut to crack. It seems he's not from Longhu Mountain." He glanced at the two servant girls standing in the middle of the broken temple and clenched his teeth, choking back the words that had been on the tip of his tongue.

The burly man continued to ask, "Did that Taoist come after you?"

"No." Ruan Di took over the conversation. "I set up a puppet to the north of the city; he should have gone there. So, shall we plan to take him down?" Ruan Di was somewhat eager to try. He and his brother were not the kind to accept a loss. Today, they had almost died in Goose City's prison and couldn't let it go at that. If they could persuade their fellows from Holy White Lotus in the broken temple to act together, never mind some mere Taoist, they could even flatten Goose City itself for them to see.

Unfortunately, the servant girl standing in the middle of the broken temple interrupted his daydreaming. "No need. You have more pressing matters to attend to. That Taoist can be dealt with later."

The servant girl was a personal maidservant to the Saint Heir and held a high status. Upon her speaking, everyone in the broken temple bowed their heads slightly in respect. Even Ruan Tian carefully reined in his resentful expression, fearing a rebuke from the servant girl.

"Lady Messenger, may I ask why you have summoned us here?" The short, skinny elder wearing a Bamboo Hat cupped his fists and asked respectfully.

They all belonged to the Holy White Lotus Harmonious Sect. However, for various reasons, they were not in close contact with the Lvzhou branch to which they were nominally linked, and they often acted on their own.

"The gathering is by the Saint Heir's instruction," the servant girl said, her face expressionless, her tone frosty. "You must have heard that in the coming days, the Annam Diplomatic Corps will pass through Lvzhou on their way north to the capital. What the Corps plans to present to the old Emperor is a rare and strange beast that can speak human language, understand Numerology, is adept in Witch Doctor divinations, and knows yin and yang. The Saint Heir requests that you ambush the Annam Diplomatic Corps in Lvzhou City and seize that extraordinary beast."

"If it's the Saint Heir's instruction, then why not let the Lvzhou branch directly..." Ruan Tian subconsciously started to ask but, catching a glimpse of the servant girl's expressionless face, promptly closed his mouth, a sudden thought striking him.

The Saint Heir and Lady Saint held exalted statuses within the White Lotus Sect, commanding instant obedience among believers. But when it came to real power and the private armed forces they controlled, they were actually less influential than the Left and Right Messengers and the four Protectors. This was especially true since the White Lotus Sect Leader had vanished from public view, his whereabouts concealed for a long time. During the annual celebrations, it was often the Lady Saint who presided in his stead. Under such circumstances, rumors concerning the core circle of Holy White Lotus naturally spread. One rumor was that the Sect Hierarch had died, and both the Saint Heir and Lady Saint had been sidelined, with the affairs of the sect entirely handled by the Left and Right Messengers and the four Protectors... Could it be that the servant girl's presence here indicated that the Saint Heir was at a disadvantage in the power struggle within the higher echelons? Was he hoping to use them, this ragtag band of unaffiliated members, to circumvent the Lvzhou branch—loyal to the Left Messenger of Holy White Lotus—and make a move on the Annam Diplomatic Corps in Lvzhou City?

The broken temple fell into silence for a moment. The disciples bowed their heads quietly, their minds racing as they frantically pondered the true meaning behind the servant girl's summons. All but one.

Wu Hu stepped forward, pounding his right fist against his chest and bellowing, "By White Lotus Door, in the name of White Lotus God! The words 'White Lotus' are well heeded! For those who dare trouble the people of White Lotus, we shall surely claim your soul!

"Ready for life and death, Dragon Blade in hand! The spirit of White Lotus soars higher than the skies!

"Saint Heir, soar high and free! Wu Hu will forever follow thee!

"For the Saint Heir, I shall offer my heart!"

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