"Oh?"
At this, Cheng Xinzhan said,
"Competing for merit? What merit, and what use is it?"
Wu Mei explained,
"Western Kham is a hunting ground now. The various sects of the Mysteries are competing for merit. Before the demonic scourge in Western Kham is quelled, whichever sect kills the most Demon Fiends will naturally have the loudest voice when the Mysteries move into Western Kham and choose their territories.
"There's competition within the Emei School too. Killing demons earns merit, and rewards are claimed according to merit. The sect is being generous this time-even top-grade flying swords can be exchanged for it.
"The seven Sword Pavilions are competing as well. That has even more bearing on the choice of Emei's next sect leader."
Cheng Xinzhan understood. He asked again,
"So which one have you set your sights on?"
Wu Mei pointed east and said,
"Just over a hundred li behind our Western Sichuan Sword Pavilion, there's a lake called Cold-Taste Lake. Beside it stands a demonic temple called Cold-Taste Temple. Its abbot, Monk Han Shi, is a demonic monk who takes pleasure in freezing people."
They talked as they walked.
"Is this Monk Han Shi connected to the Heart-Piercing Monk?"
Cheng Xinzhan asked.
Wu Mei shook her head.
"Not really. If you insist on a connection, they're both disciples or grand-disciples of the Eight-Suffering Wisdom King. Back then, the Eight-Suffering Wisdom King nearly unified Western Kham. Almost all the local Demon Fiends here can claim some connection to him.
"Also, because of the Eight-Suffering Wisdom King and the Maha Sect, the Demon Fiends in Western Kham mostly style themselves monks, ascetics, bodhisattvas, or vajras. In truth, they're all Demon Fiends."
Cheng Xinzhan nodded and murmured his understanding.
"This monk has a Second Wash cultivation and excels at freezing arts. He