Just as Qin Lang was boasting proudly, he suddenly heard someone nearby say, "Qin Lang, stop being shameless! It's only because of your worthless master's reputation that others tolerate you. They don't even bother to engage with young people like you, yet you're acting so smug!" Qin Lang, known for his fiery temper, couldn't tolerate such mockery. He was furious and cursed, "Who dares to challenge me? Show yourself and face your death!" Before he could finish speaking, there was a sharp *smack*, and a heavy slap landed on his left cheek, causing sparks to fly in his eyes. He turned quickly to face his attacker, but saw no one. Feeling humiliated in front of Mao Tai, Qin Lang was both embarrassed and angry. He shouted, "Coward! Striking from the shadows, you're no hero! If you have any skill, come out and face me!" Suddenly, the voice replied from beside him, "Who's striking from the shadows? I'm right in front of you. You've trained in the mountains for decades, and you still can't see me?" Hearing this, Qin Lang became even more enraged. He planned to engage the speaker in conversation while identifying his position, intending to strike with his sword. Pretending not to care, Qin Lang responded, "My eyesight has always been poor. Since you're so skilled, why not reveal your true form and let's have a proper duel?" The voice replied, "It's not the right time for you to see me. When the time comes, you might not want to see me, but you won't be able to avoid it." At this point, Qin Lang estimated that the speaker was no more than a dozen steps away. Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Qin Lang swiftly raised his hand, sending out five sword beams, red as streaks of fire, flying toward where he believed the voice was coming from. At the same time, he directed the beams to sweep across the surrounding area, lighting up the forest in a crimson glow. The beams sliced through branches and leaves, but there was no response from the mysterious figure.
Mao Tai remarked, "That wretch must be dead. Let's return to the temple, senior brother." Before he could finish his sentence, there was another sharp *smack*, and Mao Tai also received a slap across the face. Furious, Mao Tai unleashed his sword light in the direction of the voice. The mysterious person laughed loudly and said, "I always thought the Wutai Sect's sword techniques were formidable, but they are nothing special. If you enjoy wasting your energy, go ahead, show me all your sword skills." Qin Lang and Mao Tai were both furious and anxious. They knew the speaker's abilities were far superior to their own, and their flying swords were useless, but they were too embarrassed to retreat, so they continued to haphazardly fling their sword beams. The mysterious figure, however, did not remain idle. He moved around them, occasionally striking or pinching them with heavy blows, causing them great pain. Eventually, Mao Tai, realizing they had no chance of victory, whispered to Qin Lang, "We can handle an open fight, but we don't even know if this thing is a person or a monster. Why should we continue suffering here?" Qin Lang had no choice but to accept this retreat, fearing further ambushes. He instructed Mao Tai to stay on high alert as they used their sword light to protect themselves and fled the forest. Fortunately, the mysterious figure did not pursue them.
By the time they reached Ciyun Temple, they were both out of breath. Inside the temple, Mao Tai introduced them to Zhitong. Zhitong asked why they looked so disheveled, and Mao Tai explained what had happened. Zhitong, after a long silence, finally spoke. Mao Tai asked him what was going on. Zhitong replied, "The person you initially encountered in the forest may have been a swordsman from the Emei Sect, passing by and lending a hand to Zhou Chun out of a sense of justice. Later, when Qin Daoyou arrived, perhaps he feared conflict or thought he couldn't win, so he fled with Zhou Chun. That's not the important part. What's troublesome is the strange figure you couldn't see but could hear. If it's that old monster meddling, then not just people like us, but even our grandmasters, such as Jinshen Luohan Fayuan or your master, the Huashan Sect's Grandmaster of Fiery Fire, would find him difficult to deal with."
Qin Lang and Mao Tai were both puzzled and asked, "We didn't see him engage us directly, and all he seems to know is some invisibility technique. How could he be so powerful?" Zhitong explained, "You don't understand. Fifty years ago, a strange old man suddenly appeared in the martial world, always meddling in other people's affairs. Swordsmen from both the north and south, as well as martial experts from various sects, found it hard to win against him unless they were on his side. He not only merged his body with his sword, but he could also appear and disappear at will, unlike ordinary invisibility techniques that merely obscure one's figure. At first, no one knew his name, so due to his swift movements and powerful sword techniques, they gave him the nickname 'Cloud Chaser Elder.' Later, it was discovered that his name was Bai Guyi. At that time, people were truly terrified just hearing his name, and they would flee at the sight of him. For the past fifty years, since his wife, Ling Xuehong, passed away at Kaiyuan Temple, he's been absent from the martial world, and people thought he was dead. Last year, the Grandmaster of Fiery Fire saw him selling medicine in Chengdu, warning me to be careful. He even said that, having once been defeated by Bai Guyi, he would never engage in conflict again as long as Bai Guyi was alive. Who knew he was still around? That's why the grandmaster retreated to Huashan and has been in seclusion since. So, I've strictly forbidden my disciples from leaving the temple unnecessarily. Since then, nothing major has happened until recently, when Mao's disciple, Zhang Liang, disappeared after leaving the temple late at night. He claimed he was going to borrow some money from a wealthy family in town, but he never returned. Despite inquiries at the local yamen and that household, there has been no trace. He must have fallen victim to this old villain. No one else could have done it so cleanly."
Zhang Liang, being a newly accepted disciple of Mao Tai, was both anxious and furious upon hearing such dire news, and was determined to go into the city to inquire further. Zhitong hurriedly stopped him, urging him not to act rashly. He then turned to Qin Lang and said, "Recently, there have been continuous disturbances in my temple, and the situation is quite dire. Fellow Daoist Qin, it would be unwise for you to stay here any longer. Tomorrow, you should set out for Tibet. I ask that you take a detour to Dajianlu to invite the abbot of the Temple of the Plague God, the Fair-faced Buddha, and also bring along Flying Yaksha Ma Jue to Chengdu to help me. What do you think, Daoist Qin?"
Qin Lang replied, "I have been ordered by my master to go to Tibet, and I had planned to visit Chan Master Xiaoyue at Dajianlu. Since you have asked me to go, this will conveniently serve both purposes. I will set out tomorrow morning."
Zhitong thanked Qin Lang and then summoned the Four Vajras of his disciples, as well as the great bandits from Sichuan who had sought refuge here during the day, including Flying Centipede Duobao Zhenren Jin Guangding, One-Horned Python Ma Xiong, Water-splitting Rhino Lu Hu, Sea-stirring Silver Dragon Bai Xu, and all the other heroes, to convene in the main hall for a discussion. After passing the message, the Four Vajras of the temple, namely, Mighty Vajra Iron Palm Monk Huiming, Invincible Vajra Saitamo Huineng, Multi-armed Vajra Little Nezha Huixing, and Multi-eyed Vajra Little Fire God Huixing, arrived first, followed by Jin Guangding and the others, who paid their respects and took their seats.
Zhitong said, "The reason I have called you all here is not for anything else but to discuss a deep-seated grudge. My grandmaster, Taiyi Hunyuan, once had a bitter feud with the sword immortals of the Emei Sect. At the Jade Maiden Peak of Mount Emei, he dueled with them and had his arm severed by Emei's leader, the sword immortal, Master Miaoyi Zhenren Qisuoming. Furious, my grandmaster retreated to Mount Mao, where he spent ten years refining the Five Poison Immortal Sword, and then challenged Emei again at the summit of Mount Huang. Emei was on the verge of defeat when, out of nowhere, the Three Immortals of the East Sea appeared: one was Xuanzhenzi, the second was Ku Xing Tuo Tuo, and the third was the strange old man Chasing Cloud Sou Baigu Yi. The three of them intervened unfairly, and during the fight, my grandmaster's Five Poison Sword was confiscated by Ku Xing Tuo Tuo, and he was struck by an invisible sword from Xuanzhenzi. Seven days later, he died.
On his deathbed, my grandmaster summoned his favorite disciples and my master, Master Tuotuo, and passed down the sword refinement techniques, instructing us to seek revenge on the Emei Sect once our swordsmanship was complete. Later, my master died due to a deviation in his cultivation, and I came to Chengdu, working hard for over a decade to build this Ciyun Temple into what it is today. Because I never conducted business here and only operated at night, I gained the trust of the local officials, gentry, and merchants. However, half a month ago, Zhang Liang, a disciple of Brother Mao, set his eyes on a woman in the city and went to 'borrow flowers' from her, but never returned. We inquired everywhere but found no trace of him, so it's likely he fell victim to someone else's trap. I've been worried sick over this, and just when I thought it couldn't get worse, something strange happened in the temple a few days ago."
Upon hearing this, Mao Tai quickly asked what had happened. Zhitong replied, "Brother, you have no idea. This incident stems from a moment of mercy on my part, which has now left us with a hidden danger. A few days ago, I was in the Joyous Zen Hall, reveling with my disciples, when I suddenly heard the secret door clang. At first, I thought it was you returning, but instead, it was seventeen scholars from Guizhou on their way to the capital for the imperial exams, who had detoured through Chengdu to sightsee. Hearing that our temple was a grand establishment, they entered freely. The receptionist monk, in a moment of carelessness, let them wander into the Cloud Chamber, where they accidentally triggered the secret passage mechanism and entered the corridor. Seeing that they had discovered our secret, I had no choice but to send them to the afterlife. I personally bound all seventeen of them, interrogated them, and then dispatched them one by one. When I reached the last one, a boy of only seventeen or eighteen, with a handsome face, he knelt and pleaded bitterly, which softened my heart. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, so I sent him to the prison cave, giving him a rope, a steel knife, and a packet of poison, telling him to end his life. He pleaded to be allowed a few more meals, so I granted him thirty buns, enough to last him three days. On the fourth day, I planned to check on him and, if he hadn't taken his own life, deal with him then.
Since the boy was weak and the cave high, I didn't think much of it. However, it rained heavily for two nights in a row, and on the fourth day, when I sent someone to check, the young scholar had escaped. I thought he was a frail scholar, surrounded on all sides by our people, so I wasn't worried about him getting far. I ordered the area to be blocked off and intensified the search, but no trace was found. He now knows the secrets of our temple, and having killed his sixteen companions, if he escapes Sichuan, won't he report us to the authorities? I've had the temple doors locked tight for days, preparing to kill the soldiers when they come, then flee to your master's place for refuge. But seven or eight days have passed, and there hasn't been a peep from the officials. Even after sending people to inquire at the yamen, there's been no movement. I can't figure out why."
Multi-eyed Vajra Little Fire God Huixing said, "Master, I think that scholar, being so young and frightened, likely fell into a ravine and died, or perhaps succumbed to illness elsewhere. There's no need to worry."
Zhitong said, "Even so, we must be prepared. Besides, since Chasing Cloud Sou has appeared in Chengdu, it's only a matter of time before he causes trouble. I've called you all here today to discuss having everyone go out and invite reinforcements. No one in the temple is to leave unless necessary. Once the reinforcements arrive, we'll make our next move."
Everyone listened but remained silent, having no ideas of their own. Only Mao Tai, eager for revenge, insisted on seeking out Zhou Chun for a fight to the death. Zhitong couldn't stop him and had to let him go. The night passed without incident. The next day, Qin Lang bid farewell and set off for Tibet. After Qin Lang's departure, everyone else took Zhitong's letters and left to seek help. As for Mao Tai, after finishing breakfast, he left Ciyun Temple without notifying Zhitong, heading into the city to seek revenge on Zhou Chun.
To know what happens next, please read the following chapter.