The Captain Bureau is the Emperor's hound.

The Law Enforcement Hall is the Mystical Sect's reserved property.

Only this newly established Qiankun Academy suits them best, allowing advance and retreat freely, without getting swept away in the storm.

Of course, we have to wait until the matter in Shu is done...

...

The heavy snow seals the mountains, making roads difficult.

Despite the group's formidable endurance, after a whole day of travel, they've only covered half of the distance, and unknowingly, the wind and snow have intensified.

"San'er, find a place to rest."

As the sky darkens, Li Yan turns to remind them.

Lv San nods, takes the eagle whistle from his neck, pinches the Yang Jue and blows it, its undulating sound echoing through the mountains.

"Caw~ Caw!"

A few cries of an eagle resound in the sky.

The increasingly majestic hawk flaps its wings, circling in the air, then descends onto Lv San's shoulder, cawing.

"There's an old temple ahead in the mountain."

Lv San frowns slightly, "But there's a carriage parked outside the temple."

"Most likely travelers on the road, nothing wrong with teaming up."

Li Yan doesn't mind, gives a reminder, and leads the group to quicken their pace, following the hawk.

After about three incense sticks' time, the sky has completely darkened.

Snow whirls through the mountain path, cutting to the bone.

"Follow this way."

Seeing the hawk signal, Lv San points to the right.

On the right, there is a mountain path leading to the mountainside, flanked by snow-covered woods, the road itself a sheet of white.

This mountain road has mostly been abandoned, and with the snow covering, they would likely have missed it without the hawk's reconnaissance.

Leading the donkey, carrying their luggage, the group trudges through this nearly abandoned mountain path.

Before long, a large flat area appears up ahead, backed by mountains and facing a valley, a sizable Mountain God Temple is built there.

Ordinarily, the scale of a Mountain God Temple is not uniform.

In some famous mountains and rivers, the Mountain God's name has appeared in history books, the temples built as grand as palaces, thriving with incense, hosting fairs every year, attracting pilgrims from all over.

While in some places, the Mountain God is nameless, with only a single shrine, where passing hunters occasionally light three incense sticks sincerely.

This Mountain God Temple is considered medium-sized, with a main hall, two rows of side rooms, and an earthen wall outside for protection.

A temple like this usually has a temple priest stationed, sometimes serving as an inn for passing merchants and travelers to stay, earning some incense money along the way.

However, the temple before them is abandoned.

The outer earthen wall has collapsed halfway, covered by the heavy snow.

A carriage stands outside the temple, looking still new, but the horse pulling it is nowhere to be seen, and the inside of the temple is pitch black.

Li Yan wrinkles his nose, frowns and says:

"There's a smell of blood, be careful!"

As soon as he finishes speaking, the group immediately disperses.

Lv San raises his hand, the hawk takes off into the sky, surveying the surrounding mountains and forests to check for ambushes.

Meanwhile, Sha Lifei and Wu Ba discreetly protect Wang Daoxuan.

Li Yan first approaches the carriage, uses the hilt of his knife to lift the curtain, finding the inside in disarray, with bloodstains and signs of struggle.

His brows furrow as he moves to the old temple in front, leaps inside to take a look, then says: "No one here, just a few corpses that were likely attacked by bandits."

Only then do Sha Lifei and the others enter the temple.

The Mountain God Temple is already in ruins, barely able to block the wind and snow. The windows and doors of the main hall have been removed for firewood.

In the half-collapsed side room on the right, several bodies lie sprawled across, among them men, women, old, and young.

This obviously was a family, traveling home for the New Year, sadly running into bandits, robbed of everything.

Their clothes have been stripped, with the two women clearly violated, their bodies disheveled, faces filled with fear and despair.

"Truly beasts!"

Wang Daoxuan's brow furrows upon seeing this.

"It's likely an inside job colluding with outside bandits."

Sha Lifei, experienced, takes one glance and speculates, "The clothes were stripped, indicating they're valuable, no calluses on the hands, they lived in comfort, yet none of the perpetrators' bodies are seen..."

"Judging by the bodies, they should have been slain yesterday."

Wang Daoxuan is a bit puzzled, "This winter, shouldn't mountain bandits be holed up during the cold?"

Green Forest Road, the Lan family has a habit of hibernating.

Every year when autumn arrives, the bandits start their holiday.

The leader gathers everyone, distributes money (from the red vault), hides the long weapons, and plans to regroup next April.

Those who have families deceive their neighbors by saying they've been doing business abroad all year and are returning home for the New Year.

Those without families either spend the winter in groups in the village, seek relatives or friends, or find a favorite prostitute in secret.

There are even "partnerships."

The so-called "partnership" means a woman has two husbands.

Usually, the woman has a legal husband, but when the bandit arrives, he takes over the bed, while the husband is responsible for fetching water, doing chores, and serving them.

In such cases, the original husband is often in poor health, losing the ability to support the family, relying on wearing the cuckold to survive.

In short, snakes have their path, and rats have theirs.

Once the hibernation is over, the bandits must regroup and count the numbers.

Once you're in the den of thieves, exiting is basically impossible.

If the leader finds someone missing, he sends people to investigate; if someone was killed, they find the murderer, and behead them as a sacrifice to the brothers.

If someone betrays or informs, they find the guarantor and the person, kill them to set an example. Almost every year, similar cases occur throughout the regions.

Meanwhile, common people have also gained experience.

Like beasts hibernating, in autumn, they fatten themselves up, just like the bandits, who grow wild in number.

Hence, when traveling in autumn, hire more Escort Masters.

Once winter arrives, the only trouble is the difficulty of travel.

Robbery in such weather breaks the rules.

"They are probably not bandits."

Sha Lifei shook his head and said: "It's almost New Year, everyone wants to return home in glory, bringing enough wealth to make the servants envious."

"Afterwards, they can report to the authorities, but in these desolate places, without someone tipping off, the Government Officials are too lazy to bother, mostly it's just another unsolvable case."

Having roamed the pugilistic world, such things were commonplace for him.

Though feeling a bit uncomfortable, everyone still carried the corpses out one by one, dug a pit, and buried them outside the temple, then Wang Daoxuan recited scriptures for passing over.

Once all this was done, night had fallen dark.

Everyone lit a bonfire in the Mountain God Temple, avoiding the wind and snow on this night.

Although it was freezing cold, they were already accustomed, cooking a big pot full of cured meat, sausages, and sauerkraut, and roasting biscuits, eating and chatting while drinking spirits.

Just a few words in, Li Yan and Lv San simultaneously looked up towards the courtyard outside.

"Someone's coming!"

Li Yan softly reminded.

Everyone remained calm, placing weapons by their side.

"Quick, quick it's here!"

Shortly after, shouting was heard outside, then in the darkness, faint firelight flickered, accompanied by the braying of mules and horses.

It turned out to be a sizeable merchant team.

"Honorable sirs, I remember there is a ruined temple here..."

A flattering voice came from the front.

"Everyone stop!"

A man dressed in black robes emerged from the merchant team, his features upright, exuding a certain dignity.

Holding a long knife, he first sniffed, then looked at the side carriage and the mound where the bodies were buried, his brows furrowing.

Swish!

He made a gesture, and many of his team members instantly drew weapons with clanging sounds, some even drew bows and aimed at the ruined temple.

"What's this..."

The Coachman responsible for leading the way was suddenly a bit nervous.

The man ignored him and instead cupped his fists towards the ruined temple, loudly saying: "Greetings!"

"Friends in the temple, may I ask which path you follow?"

Sha Lifei wrapped in a cloak, walked out from the temple, impatiently saying: "Brothers from the escort agency, we are not evildoers, just travelers in the storm. Come in if you wish."

However, the man still refused to move, glancing at the mound, said solemnly: "Those buried in the mound, are you not the fake Taoists waiting in ambush?"

"Ah~"

Sha Lifei was taken aback, then cupped his hands and said: "Turns out you're a Daoist too, this matter has nothing to do with us, no need to worry."

The man didn't seem quite convinced, but through the broken door, seeing Li Yan and others in the main hall, suddenly recalled something, his expression became respectful.

"May I ask, are you the Twelve Primordial Spirits?

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