Broken Temple

The group left the county seat and raced off in a cloud of dust, heading straight for the north of the city.

On the official road, only a rolling yellow dragon of dust remained.

A few bands of mountain bandits lay hidden in the woods, planning to make some no-capital business. Seeing the billowing dust, they thought a flock of fat sheep had arrived, and every one of their eyes lit up.

But when they made out the black uniforms patterned with crimson, their faces went pale.

"Blind dogs! It's the officials from the Demon Suppression Office!"

The group scattered head over heels, not daring to let out so much as a fart, and vanished into the forest in an instant.

The mountain path of North Mountain had once been thick with worshippers.

Though the temple on the mountain had long fallen into ruin, whenever the villagers below suffered a headache or fever, sought children or wealth, they still liked to come here and offer a bow, seeking peace of mind.

But now, the mountain path was already carpeted with fallen leaves.

Scattered incense and candles could still be seen along the way, along with trampled offerings mixed into the mud, giving off a sour, rotten stench.

Occasionally, a few wild dogs darted through the woods. Upon seeing people, they merely tucked their tails between their legs, whined from afar twice, then slipped deep into the grass.

Before long, the outline of a dilapidated temple appeared at the end of the mountain path.

Everyone dismounted and tied their Scarlet-eyed Steeds to a crooked tree by the roadside.

Jiang Yuechu was the first to step into the courtyard.

"Enter."

Not daring to delay, the others followed her through the pitch-black temple gates.

Weeds ran rampant in the courtyard. A headless stone Buddha lay toppled on the ground, half its face buried in mud, revealing a bizarre smile.

"Amitabha..."

Monk Bujie held his wine gourd and halted, clicking his tongue in wonder as he looked at the broken Buddha statue.

"Who would have thought that this desolate wilderness worshipped this venerable lord?"

Chen Tong sneered. "Who cares what lord he is? Today, he'll have to make room for Lord Bear."

Someone asked curiously, "What is this Buddha's background?"

"This one governs the matter of laying down the butcher's cleaver and becoming a Buddha on the spot."

Monk Bujie took a gulp of wine and explained with a grin, "Legend says that even the most heinous sinner, so long as he sincerely repents and kneels before this one, can wash away all his sins and be reborn."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tong snorted as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"What kind of trash immortal is that? Lay down the butcher's cleaver and all debts of blood can be washed away? By your reasoning, I could wipe out a few temples another day, then take refuge in Buddhism. Let's see whether he accepts me or not."

Monk Bujie shrugged. "If you could truly repent sincerely, that old man is compassionate at heart. He might really accept you."

Jiang Yuechu rubbed her throbbing temples and shot the two of them a cold glance.

Chen Tong and Monk Bujie's bickering stopped abruptly.

The two exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of embarrassment in the other's eyes, and obediently shut their mouths.

"Search."

At the command, everyone immediately spread out and began searching the ruined temple.

The main hall was thick with cobwebs, and the Buddha statues were covered in dust. Aside from thick layers of dust and bird droppings, there was nothing else.

Several men cursed as they passed through the main hall and headed toward the rear courtyard.

Just then.

A faint, intermittent sound of sobbing came from a tightly shut meditation room in the rear hall.

Everyone's expressions sharpened. Instinctively gripping the hilts of their blades, they lightened their steps and slowly surrounded the meditation room.

Liu Ke pressed his ear to the door for a moment. His expression changed, and he nodded to the others.

There really was someone inside.

A vicious glint flashed through Chen Tong's eyes, and he was about to raise his foot and kick the door down.

But Monk Bujie grabbed him and shook his head, signaling him to stay calm.

As everyone hesitated, the woman's crying inside the meditation room seemed to grow louder.

Then, a rough voice rang out.

"Who's outside? Didn't I say to come back tomorrow? Don't disturb this venerable one's cultivation! Get lost!"

It was clear he had mistaken those outside for the foolish men and women who came to hear his scriptures.

Everyone paused and turned in unison toward Jiang Yuechu at the front, awaiting her instructions.

Jiang Yuechu stared impassively at the tightly shut door.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Do I still need to teach you what to do?"

Everyone understood at once!

"Fuck!"

Chen Tong cursed, no longer hesitating in the slightest.

He suddenly took two steps back, then charged forward. With the force of a thousand pounds behind it, his right foot smashed viciously into the wooden door of the meditation room!

Boom—

How could a wooden door that had been left in disrepair for years withstand such tremendous force?

With a deafening crash, the entire door shattered into pieces and flew backward into the room!

The scene inside the meditation room was instantly laid bare before everyone.

When they looked closely, even a veteran wanderer of the jianghu like Chen Tong could not help feeling his stomach churn like stormy seas.

On the bed, a naked woman was pinned down in a posture that utterly defied the structure of the human body.

Her limbs had been forcibly broken and twisted backward.

White bone shards pierced through her flesh and protruded outside, while blood soaked the bed beneath her a dark crimson.

"Who?!"

"Who the hell dares ruin this venerable one's good thing?!"

The sudden crash made Black Bear freeze. Instinctively, it snatched up a tattered kasaya beside it and wrapped it carelessly around its waist, concealing its ugly parts.

Black Bear roared and turned around.

But when its gaze fell upon the figures in black garments marked with crimson standing at the doorway, it froze instantly.

The Demon Suppression Office?!

Why were people from the Demon Suppression Office here?

Black Bear stood stunned for a moment, then actually began to chuckle. It slowly straightened up.

"I was wondering who it was. So it's the great officials of the Demon Suppression Office. What? Didn't Hui Ming explain things clearly to you?"

"I'll fuck your ancestors!!!"

Chen Tong's eyes were bloodshot. Before he could even fully draw his blade, he charged at Black Bear like a cannonball, sheath and all!

"Beast! Give me your life!"

Liu Ke's longsword had long since left its sheath. Its cold sword light flashed like a streak of light as it stabbed straight at Black Bear's face!

The other men in the courtyard roared as well, attacking simultaneously from all directions!

Facing this overwhelming assault, Black Bear merely narrowed its eyes.

"Looks like he didn't explain things clearly."

Boom—

A visible surge of black demonic aura erupted violently from its body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Chen Tong, charging at the front, had not even touched a strand of the bear demon's fur before the demonic aura struck him hard in the chest, sending him flying backward.

Then came the other men.

In no more than one exchange, the group that had just been brimming with murderous momentum was blasted away by that violent demonic aura.

"A bunch of trash."

Black Bear snorted disdainfully. "Scram, scram. This venerable one won't hold it against you today. Don't fail to appreciate kindness."

It was not that it feared these people.

They were merely insignificant little pawns. No matter how many came, they would not be enough to fill the gaps between its teeth.

It was only because it was nominally considered to have submitted to Baosha Temple now. Unless necessary, it did not want to kill people from the Demon Suppression Office and stir up trouble for itself.

Black Mountain Bear Demon