"They're here."

The elder in the Bamboo Hat's face darkened as he clenched the Brown Bamboo Cane that served as his walking stick.

Scholar Xiao drew an Iron Bone Folding Fan from his sleeve, snapped it open with a "POP," and held it in front of him, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Ruan Tian and Ruan Di exchanged a glance and silently hid in the shadows of the dilapidated temple.

The enchanting woman leaned against the burly man, still maintaining her flirtatious smile, but her hand moved to her waist and unfastened the Soft Sword that served as her belt.

"My Ladies, allow me to protect you!" Wu Hu cried out loudly, crossing his arms in front of him in a vigilant stance. "Protect our ladies! Brothers, rally to their defense!"

"If you want to protect us, why are you standing behind us?" The maiden took a deep breath, resisting the urge to draw her sword and cut down this scoundrel. She stared intently at the entrance of the ruined temple.

TAP, TAP, TAP.

The footsteps drew closer, and a figure emerged in the moonlight. It was a Daoist priest. He wore a Black Crane Robe, had an ordinary appearance, short hair, and simple cloth shoes. In his right hand, he held a Copper Coin Longsword, and in his left, a Copper Bell. His limbs were lean, his palms so thin the bones protruded, yet his torso was bloated and fat, a grotesque mismatch.

JINGLE JANGLE.

The Daoist priest jingled the Copper Bell, swaying unsteadily to the temple entrance. He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe and said with a hoarse, peculiar laugh, "Everyone's here, eh? Eaten yet?"

No one answered. Scholar Xiao looked him up and down and asked with a smile, "Are you Daoist Ximen?"

"Xi Menzi," the Daoist priest corrected, shaking his head. "You have to add the 'zi.'"

Scholar Xiao, unfazed, said calmly, "We have no grievance or enmity with Daoist Xi Menzi. Why pursue us relentlessly, determined to wipe us out?"

"Scholar Xiao, original name Huang Dan, born in Kawasaki County. He was once a destitute scholar, repeatedly failing imperial examinations. He admired and pursued the young lady of the Song family of Kawasaki County, but his affections were unrequited. Love turned to hate, and he poisoned the entire Song household, murdering over twenty people. Afterwards, he became an outlaw, advising brigands and Bandits, acting as their vile strategist, and bringing harm to countless individuals."

The short-haired Daoist's gaze swept past the scholar, focusing on the elder in the Bamboo Hat. "Yun Heweng, original name Jia Fei, from a military household in Tonghe County. In his youth, he coveted his subordinate's wife. He framed and murdered the subordinate, attempting to seize his wife, his wealth, and his granary. After this failed, he was hunted by the Wu De Guards and subsequently joined the White Lotus Cult."

The short-haired Daoist shook his head, his gaze resting on the shadows within the temple. "Ruan Tian and Ruan Di, born in Jinshan County, brothers from the same mother. They were once guards for sea merchants but murdered their employer at sea and seized his wealth. Later, they even colluded with Wokou pirates, conspired with foreign enemies, and plundered their own communities."

The Daoist priest sighed, turning toward the enchanting woman and her sturdy companion. He spoke softly, "Yi Yeqing and Owl Fer-de-lance, Bandits from the South Ridge. Ruthless and cruel. They burned, killed, and plundered, slaughtering people indiscriminately. Once, they encountered a pregnant woman on the road. They made a bet: was the child in her womb a boy or a girl? Owl Fer-de-lance said a boy; Yi Yeqing said a girl. To settle the bet, they decided to 'open it up and see.' So they kicked the woman to the ground, killed her, cut out the infant, and checked its gender."

"HAHA." The enchanting woman flicked the Soft Sword in her hand. She extended a slender index finger, brushing her crimson lips. Her eyes like silk threads, she said coquettishly, "Daoist Master, you must have heard that story from those we let escape, right? Let me remind you, the child in that woman's belly was a boy. My man guessed right. So I tossed the baby into a tree, snuggled up to my man, and told him I'd sleep with him that night." With that, the enchanting woman wrapped her arms around the burly man's waist, rubbing herself coquettishly against his chest.

The short-haired Daoist took a long breath and nodded. "Now that everyone's here, we can begin. Supreme Decree, deliver these lonely souls, banish all strangeness, bestow grace upon all forms of life..."

The Daoist began to Nen the incantation—the Rebirth Mantra.

"You ignorant fools! There are nine of us, and only one of you," Ruan Tian growled, his voice fierce but betraying his inner fear. "You shun the path to heaven and barge into hell uninvited! Take this!"

His shout was loud, but his body was already retreating rapidly. With a flip of his palm, he threw three Short Darts in a triangular formation toward the short-haired Daoist's face.

CLANG! The Daoist swung his Copper Coin Longsword. With a deft flick, he sent the three Short Darts flying. He continued Nenning scriptures unceasingly under his breath as his toes pushed off the ground, and he rushed towards the elder in the Bamboo Hat at the forefront.

"Bring it on!" A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of the elder in the Bamboo Hat. He strode forward, the tips of his straw shoes scraping through the thick dust on the temple's brick floor. His Brown Bamboo Cane sliced through the air with a piercing whistle.

The Copper Coin Longsword clashed against the Brown Bamboo Cane. The elder's expression shifted rapidly—from ferocity to puzzlement, then to fear, and finally to despair.

A tremendous force surged through the Brown Bamboo Cane. The solid muscles hidden beneath the elder's outer clothing offered no resistance. He was sent flying sideways like a small boat in a tsunami, crashing heavily against one of the temple's support beams.

THUD! He slid slowly down the beam, eyes wide open, his neck broken and twisted at an unnatural angle. From beneath his thick straw coat, various Odd Hidden Weapons clattered to the ground.

In just one move, Yun Heweng lay dead.

This is bad! Scholar Xiao's heart pounded. He knew very well that although Yun Heweng appeared frail and small, his muscles were like coiled pythons, and his hardened-body cultivation was extraordinary. To kill Yun Heweng in a single strike... Just what is the origin of this Daoist?!

In a flash, the short-haired Daoist pushed off from the ground again. The Copper Bell in his hand jingled incessantly as the Copper Coin Longsword, unadorned and direct, slashed towards Scholar Xiao.

Everything happened too quickly. Scholar Xiao could only retreat half a step. Sweeping his horizontally held fan upwards, he stirred the thick dust from the ground, which coalesced in mid-air into a large dust net, blanketing the Daoist.

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