Yuantong took the pass, shined his flashlight on it, and saw that it bore the private seal of Abbot Chen, with a note that read, "Unrestricted entry and exit at any time. Any interference will be dealt with according to temple rules."
Yuantong stood there dumbfounded.
A Lai sternly said, "Is this still not enough? I'm leaving!"
Startled, Yuantong quickly put on a smile, pressing his palms together in respect, "Please proceed. My apologies, benefactor. It was my duty, I meant no offense. Amitabha."
Yuantong offered to lead the way, but A Lai sharply ordered, "Don't follow us. Don't ask what we're doing, and don't tell anyone we were here, or the Abbot will punish you according to temple rules. Believe it or not, it's your choice!"
Yuantong, sweating profusely, repeatedly nodded, "Yes, yes, of course. I'll act as if I know nothing. I'll stay far away."
Mile and A Lai exchanged a knowing smile, then stealthily entered the hidden room in the annex. They moved to the area near the safe, shining their flashlight on the floor. When they opened the safe, they found that the tea canister was already gone.
A Lai said, "The lock was picked by a professional, with ease and precision."
"Mile, how do you know?" asked Mile.
A Lai replied, "Look at the footprints around the safe. They're perfectly orderly."
"Oh," Mile nodded in understanding.
A Lai then asked, "Who was on duty last night?"
Mile answered, "It was Yuantong."
A Lai said, "Yuantong is usually cautious, but it seems he was careless last night, letting someone slip in."
It turned out that the scripture library was heavily guarded, with three types of personnel on duty: those in the reception area to check people in and out, those patrolling, and hidden sentries like Yuantong who didn't reveal their identities.
Mile, following A Lai's instructions, had been inspecting the area daily. When he noticed footprints on the floor, he promptly notified A Lai.
A Lai said, "We can move on to the third step now. Do you dare to go with me to the Thunder God's graveyard on the back mountain?"
Mile replied, "I follow the Abbot's orders and will do as you instruct."
The two quickly arrived at the graveyard. A Lai shined his flashlight on a tombstone, checked to see that it was Fangfang's grandfather's grave, and placed a small box he had prepared earlier into a crevice at the base of the tombstone.
Mile asked in confusion, "What's this for?"
A Lai replied mysteriously, "It's part of the plan, to buy us some time. I have more arrangements to make."
He then led Mile to a small clearing, explained the surroundings and some specific locations, which Mile memorized carefully.
A Lai instructed them to meet again in three days at the first watch, bringing Miyue with them, and to gather in the small forest behind A Lai's house. The two then quietly disappeared into the night.
Three days later.
At the first watch.
"Coo-coo, coo-coo."
The sound of an owl echoed from the small forest behind A Lai's house. A Lai dressed quickly, grabbed a bundle, and slipped out silently, answering with a similar owl call: "Coo-coo."
Two shadows swiftly emerged from the forest, startling a flock of birds into flight. It was Miyue and Mile. A Lai waved them over.
A Lai took out a Pigsy mask and instructed Miyue to wear it.
He then handed Mile a Sha Monk mask and gave him the same instruction.
Finally, he donned a soft leather Thunder Kid mask himself, attaching wings under his arms.
The three of them exchanged glances and couldn't help but chuckle. A Lai quickly stifled their laughter.
He began assigning tasks: Miyue would lead the charge, Mile would follow, and he would go last, explaining the specific steps.
Mile protested, "You don't know martial arts. You shouldn't go up there. The Abbot ordered us to protect you at all costs."
"Follow orders! You two are so dense. If things go south, just pull me out of there. If we can't win, it's dark enough to run away, isn't it?"
Realizing the logic, the two reluctantly agreed.
The three of them quietly approached the Thunder God's graveyard. The ancient trees towered overhead, and the crunch of dry leaves underfoot echoed ominously...
They climbed up a large tree, waiting silently for the impending confrontation.
A few steps away, scattered graves lay beneath them, the resting places of villagers' ancestors...
The coldness seemed to seep into their bones, the atmosphere eerie and foreboding. After a long wait, Miyue whispered, "Will they come?"
A Lai sharply whispered back, "Shut up! Do you want to die? I wrote that the time couldn't exceed the third watch. If it does, we still can't climb down. If they find us first, we'll be at a disadvantage."
The two fell silent, curling up on the tree branches, like birds nesting for the night, focusing their energy.
"Caw, caw, caw!"
A few crows croaked hoarsely, their cries piercing the silence as they flapped away in fright, as if spooked by something.
A wave of fear washed over the group, sending chills down their spines...
All three tensed up, holding their breath, knowing that someone had arrived as expected.
"Ow, I twisted my leg!" a voice suddenly cried out from behind.
"Keep quiet and endure it! People can be scared to death!" someone else hissed.
In the dim moonlight, A Lai saw five figures approaching, all holding bundles wrapped in cloth, which glinted ominously, indicating they were weapons.
Upon closer inspection, A Lai muttered, "What the—! They're wearing masks too, and even better ones than ours!"
It wasn't the first time A Lai had encountered lowlifes, but these were no ordinary thugs. He thought to himself, "Damn, getting a good look at their faces is going to be harder than I thought."
The group of five spread out in a fan-shaped formation, ready to ambush.
After a long while, they grew impatient.
One of them crouched down in the center of the clearing and whispered, "Come out, friends of the underworld. You took the relics from our temple, but out of the Abbot's mercy, we didn't report you to the authorities. We're here under his orders to accept your challenge, following the rules you laid out."
Miyue thought: They've mistaken us for thieves! What a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Under the Abbot's orders, huh? Do they think we're fools? Tonight's meeting is to see who you really are.
Miyue silently slipped down from the tree and quickly approached the speaker.
As Miyue drew closer, he was shocked to see that the other person was wearing an Erlang Shen mask. The sight of Miyue's Pigsy mask made the two of them burst out laughing.
Erlang Shen said, "I'm a god from the heavens, and you're a pig from the underworld."
Miyue, silently cursing A Lai for giving him this mask, retorted angrily, "Pigsy is also a celestial being, the Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy. He's no less than you."
Erlang Shen scoffed, "Prepare yourself! You foolish pig, all talk."
With that, he threw a punch toward Miyue's face. Miyue dodged, realizing it was a feint as Erlang Shen spun around, his left foot shooting out toward Miyue. When it missed, he followed up with his right foot. Miyue shifted positions, tapping Erlang Shen's foot lightly and said with a smile, "Jade Ring Step, Mandarin Duck Kick."
Erlang Shen, suppressing the pain in his foot, asked, "So it is. Shaolin Luohan Fist, huh? Do you know it too? Who are you people?"