Black Mian, White Mian

This was meant to temper him.

Without another word, Meng Yuan abandoned his bow and arrows, sprinted forward several steps, leaped down from the rooftop, gripped his saber with both hands, and hacked toward the white sheep.

The two sheep demons had heard the commotion as well and were about to turn and flee. But when they saw the steel saber descending from the sky, it was already too late to escape. The white sheep immediately raised its bone club to block.

Meng Yuan was already strong, and this saber strike came down from above with every ounce of his strength behind it. Steel saber met bone club, and sparks scattered in all directions. The bone club snapped at once, while the momentum of Meng Yuan's blade did not lessen in the slightest, cleaving off a thick section of the white sheep's forearm.

"Awoo—" The white sheep cried out in agony, its miserable howl ringing through the night.

Scalding blood sprayed out, splattering Meng Yuan's face.

Meng Yuan paid it no mind. The instant his feet touched the ground, he swept his saber upward at an angle, carving another enormous wound across the white sheep's chest. At the same time, the saber's momentum remained undiminished as it crashed into the black sheep's descending bone club.

With a bang, tremendous force surged through him. Meng Yuan's arm went numb from the shock, but he could already tell that although this black sheep was slightly stronger than him, it lacked agility, and its attacks had no form or pattern.

Just like Tie Niu when he got into a brawl!

The white sheep was not dead yet, but it had already lost its ability to fight. The black sheep bleated twice and brandished its bone club as it stepped forward.

This black sheep demon had a huge body and great strength. When it swung its bone club, only afterimages remained, accompanied by gust after gust of whistling wind.

Meng Yuan saw clearly that if that bone club so much as grazed him, he would not get off lightly.

Seeing that he could not take it down at once, Meng Yuan retreated two steps and unleashed the Gale Wind Saber Technique. He spun the steel saber so tightly that not even water could splash through, and with his nimble footwork, he used only half his strength to dodge and weave while occasionally adding another cut to the already grievously wounded white sheep.

The Gale Wind Saber Technique's strength was its swift speed, like wind and lightning. Its weakness was that it lacked the heavy, fierce force of a sweeping slash or cleaving chop.

Put another way, the Gale Wind Saber Technique sought to kill with a single strike. If it failed, it became a dull blade sawing through flesh, little by little inflicting more wounds upon the enemy.

Sure enough, after a quarter of an hour, the white sheep demon's blood had soaked the ground. The black sheep, not knowing how to conserve its strength, was already showing signs of exhaustion.

Meng Yuan immediately used his full strength and circled around the black sheep as he fought.

Before long, he had added several saber wounds to the black sheep. None were fatal, but they were enough to damage its morale. If this continued, the black sheep would undoubtedly lose.

Thump!

The black sheep suddenly threw down its club, dropped to its knees, and kowtowed. "Mercy, hero!"

Meng Yuan did not believe it for a moment. He immediately retreated two steps and held his saber across his body.

Sure enough, the black sheep had been kneeling and kowtowing, but suddenly its legs tensed. In an instant, it erupted with enormous force, lowered its two great horns, and charged savagely at Meng Yuan with the speed of Comet Assaulting the Moon.

In that flash of lightning and flint, Meng Yuan knew he could not dodge. He simply abandoned his steel saber and reached forward with both hands to seize the sheep's horns.

As the tremendous force crashed into him, Meng Yuan pressed the horns downward with all his strength while retreating again and again. After bleeding off half or sixty percent of the force, he immediately lowered his body, sank his strength into his waist, and gritted his teeth as he twisted the horns. He forcibly flipped the black sheep over, then mounted it and knelt down hard on its neck.

The black sheep flailed all four limbs, but it could no longer resist. It could only bleat without end. "Hero, this time I truly surrender!"

Meng Yuan ignored it and merely increased the pressure.

"Just as expected of someone from a gelding background—he really has a knack for handling livestock." Nie Yannian laughed as he jumped down from the roof, waving for Meng Yuan to stand.

Without saying a word, Meng Yuan got up and wiped the foul-smelling blood and sweat from his face. When he saw that his clothes were filthy and torn, and that even the undershirt Jiang Yatou had given him was stained with blood, he angrily kicked the sheep's head twice more.

"It's its blood, not mine," the black sheep said aggrievedly.

Meng Yuan knew he had kicked the wrong one, but he refused to admit it. "I'm kicking you!"

"What's your name?" Seeing the black sheep still trying to argue while kneeling, Nie Yannian stepped on its head.

"It's called Black Mian," said the half-dead white sheep.

"Then you must be White Mian?" Nie Yannian looked at the white sheep.

"How did you know?" With its head pressed to the ground, Black Mian still did not forget to ask in confusion.

"What kind of damned names are those? Where are you from?" Nie Yannian asked with a laughing curse.

"Peach Blossom Ridge," Black Mian answered honestly.

"Who killed that man and woman at the manor last night?" Nie Yannian asked.

"Wolf One," Black Mian said.

"Why did Wolf One kill them?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Wolf One said that men who violated other men's wives and daughters, who committed adultery with others, all deserved to die," White Mian said.

"Well, damn! His character is ten thousand times better than mine!" Nie Yannian laughed and cursed, then asked, "Then why did you come steal medicine and dogs?"

Black Mian was extremely docile now and hurriedly said, "Once the eggs were all handed out, our fellow disciples stopped coming to listen to the lectures. The Venerable told the two of us to get some meat and medicine, so we could distribute them before the Peach Blossom Fair."

Well, using eggs to lure people into attending lectures—however he heard it, this was a pig-butchering scam!

Meng Yuan took out a piece of burlap and wiped down his steel saber. He thought to himself that these demons were not all simple-minded fools; some did things with proper method and order.

"The Peach Blossom Fair? What is that for?" Nie Yannian became interested and crouched down to ask.

"Great Tail Venerable said the Peach Blossom Fair is a grand gathering to spread the Buddha's teachings and save all living beings!" Black Mian said.

Nie Yannian straightened up without speaking. Meng Yuan also grew much more solemn, while Ren Debiao's eyes widened.

The Kingdom of Qing had always honored Confucianism, revered Daoism, and disparaged Buddhism. Within its entire territory, only Peaceful Prefecture had monks, and that was only because they had rendered great service during the founding of the nation and had thus been allowed to remain.

Everywhere else, Buddhas were strictly forbidden from preaching, forbidden from traveling openly, and Buddhist temples were not permitted to be built.

Yet now Black Mian was talking about a Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly, a Great Tail Venerable, and spreading the Buddha's teachings. This was plainly no small matter.

"Why are those bald donkeys involved again?" Nie Yannian frowned, seeming to recall old memories.

Meng Yuan said nothing, and Ren Debiao lowered his head in silence as well.

Nie Yannian gave a meaningful look, but Ren Debiao was still bewildered. Meng Yuan simply kicked Black Mian.

"Come with me!" Meng Yuan grabbed the black sheep by the horn.

He took Black Mian into the room, leaving White Mian outside, and interrogated them separately.

After carefully asking about the details of the Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly and comparing their answers, they learned that what the two sheep demons had said was more or less the same.

The Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly was held at the black and white sheep's hometown, Peach Blossom Ridge. It lay in the mountains south of Medicine Manor, about ten li deeper in.

As for Great Tail Venerable, he was an old yellow-furred wolf. He had two attendants under him, both wolf demons, named Wolf One and Wolf Two.

No one knew where the three wolves had come from. In any case, they had occupied Peach Blossom Ridge, set up an altar to preach, spread Buddhist teachings, and taken Black Mian and White Mian in as thugs.

Those attending the lectures were all mountain and wilderness spirits from the surrounding area. Most had gained intelligence and could understand human speech.

There were quite a few spirits. When eggs were handed out, fifty or sixty would come; during lectures, only thirty or forty attended. Still, these spirits had little fighting strength, about the same as Grandmother, and most were muddle-headed besides.

After sorting through the information, Meng Yuan remained silent. Whether they should report this to the authorities or use some other method would have to await Nie Yannian's decision.

Nie Yannian spat on the ground. "According to these stupid sheep, if they don't return by morning, that Great Tail Venerable will become wary."

He intended to raid the Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly!

According to Black Mian and White Mian, Great Tail Venerable had displayed Buddhist divine abilities before, so he should be on the Buddhist path. As for his two attendants, Wolf One and Wolf Two, they followed the martial path.

"Master Nie, should I ride back to the city at once and gather some men?" Ren Debiao asked.

Meng Yuan did not want to get mixed up in any Venerable's affairs again. This trip had already counted as a meritorious deed, and bringing the Jiang grandfather and granddaughter back was now set in stone. He would also receive silver as a reward.

"The city gates do not open until broad daylight. By the time you make a round trip, it'll be too late." Nie Yannian smiled and said with great confidence, "It's only a Seventh Rank Buddha Demon, plus two Ninth Rank wolf demons. As for the other spirits, they're nothing to worry about!"

The decision had been made.

Since that was so, Meng Yuan gave it no further thought. Going to listen in on a Buddhist assembly could count as broadening his horizons.

After tying up the black and white sheep and handing them to the manor steward for safekeeping, the three men hastily ate some hot soup and food, brought several flatbreads, and set out.

The sky was just beginning to brighten. Leaving Medicine Manor and heading south, they entered the mountains after walking two li.

The mountain path twisted and turned, with rotten fallen leaves carpeting the ground. Though the trees had begun to sprout green, after going several hundred zhang in, the place gave off a lonely, sinister chill.

Those who could regularly enter and leave a place like this were either old herb gatherers or veteran hunters. Any ordinary person who came in would surely lose their way.

The three followed the route Black Mian and White Mian had pointed out, and their journey went smoothly enough.

After an hour, they had wound their way forward for around ten li.

After crossing another ridge, the air no longer felt so cold. A faint warmth touched them instead.

Looking ahead, they saw a gentle slope beneath the mountain ridge. Many peach trees grew upon it; they had sprouted buds, but had not yet blossomed.

Smoke rose amid the peach trees, but they could not see what lay within.

"This is Peach Blossom Ridge. There truly is something strange inside." Nie Yannian sneered. "In all the Kingdom of Qing, some people never see a bald monk in their entire lives. Today, you two are going to broaden your horizons!"

They crept forward and entered the peach grove. Ahead, shadows flickered, and faint voices could be heard.

Meng Yuan was extremely cautious. He had originally guarded against spirits standing watch, yet as they advanced, they did not encounter a single one.

It seemed the people running this Buddhist assembly were also nothing but a makeshift troupe.

After cautiously moving forward another hundred or so steps, they saw a mountain stream at the edge of the peach forest.

Many spirits had gathered on the other side of the stream.

There were sika deer, gray bears, roe deer, pheasants, wild donkeys, foxes, and more—forty or fifty in total. These spirits clearly lacked sufficient cultivation and had not taken human form, but they had already gained intelligence.

A bluish stone platform stood more than a zhang before the spirits, and a wolf demon sat cross-legged atop it.

The wolf demon wore a black Monk's Robe beneath a tattered crimson cassock. Buddhist beads hung around its neck, it fingered a string of bodhi beads, and a tall Buddhist Staff was planted beside it.

The wolf demon was enormous. Even sitting cross-legged, it stood six or seven chi tall. Though the cassock concealed its body, its powerful muscles could still be seen beneath.

Yet the fur on its exposed wolf head was not sleek and glossy. Instead, it was dry and patchy, with hair falling out—it had a mangy head.

Great Tail Venerable wore a wolf's head, and both his inner and outer garments were filthy and ragged. There was a hint of compassion in his eyes, giving him something of an ascetic monk's bearing.

Two large wolf demons stood on either side of the Venerable. Their fur was sleek and shining; they were undoubtedly Wolf One and Wolf Two.

"Quiet! The Venerable is about to give his lecture!" Wolf One called out from beside Great Tail Venerable.

The noisy crowd of spirits fell silent, but an old ox raised its voice and asked, "Wolf One, what medicine are you giving out today? My son's got bloating—he's been spitting fire out with toot toot toot sounds. He's waiting for medicine!"

"Listen to the lecture first. I guarantee it'll cure your son's illness!" Wolf One said.

At those words, the spirits began chattering again. Only when they saw Wolf One glaring at them did they finally settle down.