I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Kudu Temple

The platform in front of the temple was paved with fine blue stones, but who knows how many years have passed since, as the crevices between the bricks were full of moss.

However, the platform was quite cleanly swept. On that vast platform, not a single fallen leaf could be seen, and there were faint traces of water having been sprinkled recently.

”The Buddhist sect truly is a pure land!”

Duan Rong couldn’t help but sigh as he crossed the platform, stood before the temple gate, and looked up!

The temple gate was quite majestic, but many weeds grew in the gaps between the tiles on the roof, swaying with the mountain wind...

Under the eaves, a wooden plaque, already cracked and rotted, had the words ”Kudu Temple” barely recognizable as it had peeled off.

On the stone walls jutting out on both sides of the temple gate was a carved couplet: The heavenly rain is broad, yet it cannot moisten rootless grass; the Buddhist sect is vast, yet it cannot save those without fate.

Duan Rong couldn’t help but laugh silently, saying, ”The temple is named ’Kudu’, and it has this couplet. Will you save me or not?”

”Benefactor, you have deep roots of kindness, and you will surely find fortune!” The thin monk looked at Duan Rong with gentle eyes and calmly said, ”Even if you do not enter our Buddhist sect, great blessings will follow you.”

Duan Rong glanced at the thin monk and said, ”Master, you are truly the one with blessings.”

”I serve my Buddha, only wishing to enter the Pure Land quickly. I no longer covet worldly blessings!”

”Master, your cultivation is admirable!” Duan Rong couldn’t help but praise.

Indeed, a monk as thin as a ghost is truly a real monk!

Duan Rong thought to himself.

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

Duan Rong’s heart jumped. Crows are usually an ominous sign.

At this moment, Duan Rong suddenly noticed that in the corner of the plaque of Kudu Temple, there were densely scattered layers of cobwebs.

If the Buddhist sect is a pure land, why has no one cleared these cobwebs?

Duan Rong’s expression changed slightly, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart...

”Please, benefactor!”

The thin monk suddenly stood before the temple gate, put his hands together in a gesture of greeting, and bowed to Duan Rong.

Duan Rong once again carefully examined the thin monk, noting his high cheekbones, serene demeanor, and gentle gaze, which naturally exuded a calmness and tranquility that could only be nurtured by long companionship with ancient Buddhist lamps.

”Along the way, I forgot to ask! What should I call you, Master?” Duan Rong asked with a natural demeanor, looking at the thin monk.

”My Buddhist name is Tianxin,” the thin monk calmly replied, ”Those outside the world do not attach importance to names and appearances! Benefactor, by not asking for my name, you indeed have wisdom roots!”

Duan Rong finally nodded, smiled slightly, and thought to himself, he was just being overly sensitive; it was just a crow...

Duan Rong returned the gesture of greeting and stepped into the temple!

As Duan Rong entered the temple and descended the steps, he was immediately startled, raising his vigilance!

In the courtyard of the temple, there were withered branches and leaves everywhere, desolate grass scattered, and even bird droppings were dotted all over, thickly gathered like raindrops in some places, sparsely scattered in others.

A tall incense burner was toppled on the ground, its ashes long blown away by the wind, revealing rusty spots inside and out.

Behind the incense burner, the Great Hall had even largely collapsed, and the Buddha statues within were buried under the broken bricks and tiles...

How could this Kudu Temple be flourishing with incense?

This was indeed an abandoned temple!

At this moment, suddenly there was a creaking sound of a door closing behind Duan Rong!

Duan Rong turned his head to see the thin monk closing the temple door and latching it, then turning back to look at Duan Rong.

At the sight of 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 and venomous glare, the wrinkles on his face twisted into a malicious and ghastly expression!

There was not a trace of a high monk’s demeanor left!

At that moment, a black shadow suddenly leaped down from the recess of the temple courtyard gate, swooping down like a large bird, landing between Duan Rong and the thin monk with the sound of snapping dead branches and leaves underfoot.

Seeing the manner of his descent, Duan Rong felt a jolt in his heart and thought to himself, ”A trained martial artist, and not a weak one!”

The person who swooped down held two weapons in his hands, a Ghost Head Saber in one and a Wolf Fang Club in the other.

As soon as the man landed, he threw the Wolf Fang Club in his hand; the thin monk then jumped up and caught the club in mid-air, landing lightly!

The two then stood on either side of the temple gate, adopting a pincer position with Duan Rong!

Duan Rong spat on the ground.

Damn it! They want to trap me like a caged dog!

Though filled with anger, Duan Rong did not panic!

The temple courtyard walls were tall and thick, but with his Cloud Serpent Step, this height was like flat ground to him!

Lightweight skill, unlike regular martial arts, is not only difficult to learn and master, but it is also rarely seen in the marketplace.

The Yuan Shun Escort Agency, with its six leaders, had no one proficient in the lightweight skill!

Let alone these two bandits before him!

If Duan Rong wanted to leave now, these two would not be able to stop him!

”Wu Hui, damn you! You act like a real monk! Even I almost believed it! Damn impressive!” Zhou Shoushan glanced at Wu Hui, and seeing Wu Hui’s shaven head and robes, but still holding his murderous Wolf Fang Club, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Hearing this, Wu Hui glanced at Zhou Shoushan and replied, ”Gang Leader, you forget, I was originally a monk who returned to secular life!”

”Oh, look at that, I forgot again! Then you better recite some scriptures for this little benefactor, so his ghost doesn’t come back to haunt you!”

”There are plenty of ghosts after me already, one more doesn’t matter!” Wu Hui laughed grimly.

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

That day, Zhou Shoushan tasked Wu Hui with finding a way to gather information on Duan Rong.

But like Zhou Shoushan, Wu Hui had been lying low for years, and most of his old contacts were gone, so where would he find a lead?

He paced around near the Yuan Shun Escort Agency and happened to see Duan Rong taking a carriage from the Xia Mansion.

He immediately came up with a plan, setting a trap outside the Yuan Shun Escort Agency’s gate, waiting for Duan Rong to fall into it!

Just as Wu Hui finished speaking, Duan Rong’s peripheral vision caught two figures suddenly darting from the corner of the collapsed Great Hall!

Duan Rong was startled, there were more people?

The two figures sprinted behind Duan Rong, standing at a distance of nearly a zhang, clad in short brown tunics; who else could they be but Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng?

Duan Rong laughed inwardly, with your skills, you should have just stayed hidden, why show yourselves?

Naturally, Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng wanted to hide, but since Duan Rong was carrying thousands of taels of silver, how could they divide the spoils if they stayed hidden?

The four surrounded Duan Rong, making it seem like a certain death situation!

Kong Bin knew his martial arts were far inferior to Duan Rong’s, but Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui were ruthless in the Whale Tiger Gang, having killed countless people!

Especially Wu Hui, who delighted in debauchery and would always finish by smashing his victims with his Wolf Fang Club!

If Duan Rong tried to escape in his direction, Kong Bin believed he could delay Duan Rong just long enough for the other two to intercept and kill him!

”Wu Hui, you chose this ancient temple well! In this wild desolate place, if we kill him and dump the body, not even the wild dogs will find it!” Zhou Shoushan looked at Duan Rong with eyes already seeing a dead man.

”You’re right, Gang Leader!” Kong Bin didn’t miss the chance to flatter, ”The scenery here is nice! I’ve already dug the grave for you! Duan Rong! Today, we’ll send you to meet King Yama!”

Kong Bin said this with a sinister glint in his eyes.

The evil fire he had suppressed for so long had finally erupted, and now he was eager to tear Duan Rong into pieces!