Chapter 71: Kudu Temple

The platform in front of the temple gate was paved with fine bluestone, but after who knows how many years, the cracks between the bricks were filled with moss.

However, this platform was swept quite clean; on the vast platform, there was not even a single fallen leaf, and one could even see the faint, blurry traces of water that had just been sprinkled.

"A Buddhist temple is indeed a pure land!"

Duan Rong could not help but sigh, before crossing the platform, standing before the temple gate, and looking up!

This temple gate was quite imposing, but in the tile seams on the roof, many weeds had grown, swaying with the mountain breeze...

One could see under the eaves a wooden plaque that was already somewhat cracked and rotten, the three large characters "Kudu Temple" upon it already flaking off, the script barely legible.

On the protruding stone walls on both sides of the temple gate was a stone-carved couplet: Though the heavenly rain is vast, it does not nourish rootless grass; though the Buddhist gate is wide, it is hard to save those without affinity.

Duan Rong could not help but smile dumbly and said, "Since the temple is named 'Kudu' (Bitter Salvation), and such a couplet is carved here, are you saving me or not?"

"Benefactor, your roots of virtue are deep, and you will surely have an opportunity!" The thin monk looked at Duan Rong, his gaze gentle and his demeanor tranquil as he said, "Even if you do not enter our Buddhist gate, you will still have great blessings with you."

Duan Rong looked at the thin monk and said, "The Master is the one who truly possesses blessings."

"This poor monk serves the Buddha, wishing only to reach the Pure Land early! As for worldly blessings, I no longer covet them!"

"Master has good cultivation!" Duan Rong could not help but praise.

Sure enough, a monk as thin as a ghost is a true monk!

Duan Rong thought to himself.

As the two were speaking at the temple entrance, suddenly a crow flew out from inside the temple, cawing strangely, flapping its wings, and flying into the mountain forest...

Duan Rong's heart skipped a beat; crows are usually omens of bad luck.

Just at this moment, Duan Rong suddenly saw that the corners of the Kudu Temple plaque were actually covered in layers of spiderwebs.

Since a Buddhist temple is a pure land, could it be that no one cleans these spiderwebs?

Duan Rong's expression changed slightly, and a bad premonition rose in his heart...

"Benefactor, please!"

The thin monk suddenly stood before the temple gate, pressed his palms together, and bowed to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong carefully scrutinized the thin monk again, seeing his high cheekbones, serene expression, and the gentle gaze looking at him, which naturally exuded the tranquility and stability that can only be cultivated by one who constantly accompanies green lamps and ancient Buddhas.

"Along the way, I actually forgot to ask! May I ask how to address the Master?" Duan Rong's eyes flickered as he looked at the thin monk and asked with a composed demeanor.

"This poor monk's dharma name is Tianxin!" The thin monk said calmly, "Those outside the secular world do not value names and appearances! That the benefactor did not ask for my name was not because you forgot, but because you possess great wisdom!"

Duan Rong finally nodded and smiled slightly; it seemed he was just being a bit neurotic, it was only a crow...

Duan Rong returned the salute with palms pressed together and strode into the temple!

As soon as Duan Rong entered the temple and walked down the steps, his eyes widened in shock, and his vigilance surged!

He saw that the courtyard inside the temple was covered in withered branches and fallen leaves, with overgrown, withered grass, and upon it were spots of bird droppings, so dense in some places they looked like raindrops, scattered sparsely across the ground.

A tall incense burner was toppled on the ground, the incense ash inside long since blown away by the wind, and it could be seen to be covered in rust inside and out.

The Great Heroic Treasure Hall behind the incense burner had even collapsed by more than half, and the Buddha statue inside had already been buried by broken bricks and tiles...

How could this Kudu Temple be flourishing with incense?

This was actually a deserted temple!

Just at this moment, a creaking sound of a door closing suddenly came from behind Duan Rong!

Duan Rong turned his head and saw the thin monk close the temple gate, slide the bolt, and only then turn around to look at Duan Rong.

Upon seeing the thin monk's face, Duan Rong felt as if he had swallowed a fly!

The thin monk's eyes were like knives, emitting a sinister light like a snake or scorpion, the wrinkles on his face bunched together, and his expression was as venomous as an evil ghost!

Where was there even a shred of the demeanor of a high monk?

At this moment, a black shadow suddenly jumped down from the recessed eaves of the temple courtyard gate, swooping down like a large bird, landing between Duan Rong and the thin monk, causing the withered branches and leaves underfoot to snap with a series of cracking sounds.

As soon as Duan Rong saw the posture of the person jumping down, his heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "A trained fighter, and not a weak one!"

The person who swooped down held two weapons in their hands: a Ghost Head Blade and a Wolf-Tooth Club.

As soon as the person landed, they threw the Wolf-Tooth Club in their hand, and the thin monk leaped up, grabbed the Wolf-Tooth Club in mid-air, and landed lightly!

The two stood on the left and right, guarding both sides of the temple gate, forming a pincer formation against Duan Rong!

Duan Rong spat on the ground.

Damn it! They want to shut the door and beat the dog!

Although Duan Rong was resentful inside, he was not panicked!

Although the courtyard walls of this temple were tall and thick, he had the Cloud Snake Step; for him, a courtyard of this height was almost like flat ground.

Lightness Skill is different from ordinary martial arts; not only is it difficult to learn and master, but more importantly, it is almost never circulated on the market.

In the Yuanshun Escort Agency, among the six Escort Heads, not one knew Lightness Skill!

Let alone these two bandits before him!

If Duan Rong wanted to leave now, these two could never stop him!

"Wu Hui, you damn bastard! You played that monk so well! Even I thought it looked real! You really have a way with things!" Zhou Shoushan glanced at Wu Hui, and seeing Wu Hui with his shaved head, wearing a Buddhist robe, yet still holding the Wolf-Tooth Club that had smashed who knows how many people to death, he couldn't help but laugh.

Upon hearing this, Wu Hui glanced at Zhou Shoushan and said, "Gang Leader, you forgot, I was a monk who returned to secular life in the first place!"

"Oh, look, I forgot that part again! Then later, you must chant a few more sutras for this little benefactor! Lest he become a ghost and come looking for you for trouble!"

"There are plenty of ghosts looking for me; one more won't make a difference!" Wu Hui laughed grimly.

These two were actually Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui of the Whale Tiger Gang!

That day, Zhou Shoushan had asked Wu Hui to find a way to inquire about Duan Rong's affairs.

But Wu Hui, like Zhou Shoushan, had been lying low for several years, and his old connections were basically all broken; where was he supposed to find a way?

He had simply strolled near the Yuanshun Escort Agency to wander around, and just happened to see the scene of Duan Rong leaving in the Xia Mansion's carriage.

He immediately had a plan, tidied up a bit, and set a trap right at the entrance of the Yuanshun Escort Agency, waiting for Duan Rong to fall into it!

Just as Wu Hui finished speaking, out of the corner of his eye, Duan Rong caught sight of two figures suddenly darting out from a corner of the collapsed Great Heroic Treasure Hall!

Duan Rong's heart gave a start; there were still others?

Those two people, one after the other, sprinted to behind Duan Rong and stood at a distance of nearly ten feet; they were both dressed in brown short-garb, and if they were not Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng, then who were they?

Duan Rong chuckled inwardly; with only that little bit of cultivation, they should have just stayed hidden, so why did they have to show their faces?

Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng naturally wanted to stay hidden, but Duan Rong had several thousand taels of silver on him; if they just hid and didn't show themselves, how could they split the money?

The four people surrounded Duan Rong tightly; no matter how one looked at it, it was a certain-death situation!

Kong Bin knew his martial arts were far inferior to Duan Rong's, but Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui had both been cruel and tyrannical back in the Whale Tiger Gang, having killed more people than could be counted!

Especially Wu Hui, who had always enjoyed rape, and every time he finished, he would use that Wolf-Tooth Club of his to hammer the person to death!

If Duan Rong wanted to run from his direction, he only needed to delay him slightly, and the two of them would rush over to intercept and kill Duan Rong!

Although his martial arts were not as good as Duan Rong's, Kong Bin felt that he could still manage to delay him for a moment!

"Wu Hui, this ancient Temple was a good choice! Out in the middle of nowhere, after killing someone and dumping the body, even wild dogs wouldn't be able to find it!" The way Zhou Shoushan looked at Duan Rong was already like looking at a dead man.

"Gang Leader Zhou is right!" Kong Bin did not forget to flatter him at this moment, saying: "The scenery here is not bad! I have already dug the corpse pit for you! Duan Rong! Today I will send you to meet the King of Hell!"

As Kong Bin spoke, a bit of sinister evil welled up in his eyes.

The evil fire he had suppressed for a long time finally erupted, and at this moment, he wished he could tear Duan Rong into ten thousand pieces!

(End of this chapter)