She focused entirely on pleasing Zhitung, speaking so happily that she never imagined Maotai was listening attentively. Zhitung, caught off guard, assumed Maotai had gone to search for Zhou Chun, as he had done before, often staying away for ten days to half a month. The two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they completely slandered Maotai, not realizing he was eavesdropping. Maotai, known for his fiery temper, could no longer tolerate it. Rage surged from his heart, and without considering the consequences, he shouted, "You filthy adulteress, you dare insult me like this!" As he spoke, he leapt forward, and with a flick of his hand, a yellow beam of light shot toward Yanghua's head.
Yanghua, caught completely off guard, cried out, "Oh no! Master, save me!" Zhitung, in his panic, hastily grabbed Yanghua and held her under his arm, dodging left and right. Maotai had resolved to kill Yanghua, wielding his Red Yin Sword and pursuing them relentlessly. Fortunately, the meditation room was large, and Zhitung, naked and barefoot, clutched the equally bare Yanghua, bouncing around in a frantic attempt to escape. Thanks to his skilled light-body technique, he moved swiftly like a bird, or else not only Yanghua but also Zhitung himself would have been gravely injured.
However, dodging was not a sustainable tactic. Zhitung was already physically exhausted from their earlier activities, and after just a few exchanges, the situation became perilous. In this moment of desperation, a sudden voice came from outside the window, stern and commanding, "Master, why aren't you using your sword?" Before the words were fully spoken, a white beam of light shot into the room, intercepting Maotai's sword energy.
Zhitung, caught off guard by Maotai's sudden attack, felt guilty about the private matters they had been discussing. All he could think about was dodging to protect Yanghua, forgetting to draw his own sword. The voice reminded him, and without hesitation, he slapped the back of his head, summoning three beams of light to clash with Maotai's yellow glow. Seizing the moment, Yanghua grabbed a piece of clothing and draped it over herself before slipping out from under Zhitung's arm and fleeing to the back wall.
Maotai, seeing a new adversary enter, was startled and looked closely. The newcomer was none other than Liao, the temple's greeter. Liao had originally come to inform Zhitung of an important guest, but when he reached the room and heard Yanghua's cries, he paused. Disapproving of his master's licentious ways, Liao had hoped Zhitung might punish Yanghua for angering him again, as he had done in the past. Liao had intended to wait for the commotion to die down before delivering his message. However, as he was about to turn back, he heard the sound of frantic movement and peeked in, just in time to see Maotai attacking with his sword while Zhitung and Yanghua were caught in a humiliating state. Realizing it was a jealous fight, Liao was baffled as to why Zhitung hadn't drawn his sword in defense. Upon seeing Maotai's murderous intent, Liao stepped in to intervene, sending his sword to counter Maotai's.
Maotai, seeing Liao's intervention, grew even more furious, thinking, "In for a penny, in for a pound, I might as well make a full-blown scene!" However, Zhitung, now reminded to use his sword, quickly summoned his own. As a disciple of the great master Taiyi from the Luoyan Peak of the Wutai sect, Zhitung had inherited true skill from an outside school, making him more than a match for Maotai. In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the three beams of green, red, and black light from Zhitung's sword overwhelmed Maotai's yellow glow, forcing him into a defensive posture, drenched in sweat. Realizing his life was in grave danger, Maotai sighed, "This is the end for me."
Fortunately for Maotai, Liao, upon seeing his master take control, decided not to engage further. Feeling it would be dishonorable for two to fight against one, he withdrew his sword and stood aside. This allowed Maotai to hold on for a little longer.
At this critical moment, a sudden burst of laughter echoed from outside the window, and a voice said, "You've got guests from afar, and instead of welcoming them, you're here playing with swords? How rude! Let me help you both out." With that, a golden beam of light flew in from outside, forming a radiant circle about ten feet in diameter. It enveloped Zhitung and Maotai's sword energy, suspending it mid-air, rendering it immobile.
Both Zhitung and Maotai were stunned. They looked up and saw a man of over eight feet tall, with a large round head, white skin devoid of any color, and a menacing expression. His eyes were round, and he wore a flaming red monk's robe, with large ears pierced by two golden rings. His bald head and bare feet were clad only in a pair of woven straw sandals, and he radiated an aura of ferocity.
Zhitung, recognizing the man, was overjoyed and quickly called out, "Senior Brother, what wind blows you here?" Maotai, eager for someone to help him, found the man familiar but couldn't place him. Before he could greet him, the stranger said, "Why are you two fighting among yourselves? We're all on the same side! Tell me what's going on, and I'll mediate for you." Embarrassed, neither Zhitung nor Maotai wanted to explain the situation. Each withdrew their sword light in silence.
The man beckoned with his hand, and the golden light disappeared. Maotai, still flustered, cautiously asked, "Forgive my ignorance, but where have I met you before? You seem familiar, but I can't quite remember." The man laughed heartily and said, "Have you forgotten your old brother Yude, from our days under the Golden Arhat?"
Upon hearing this, Maotai suddenly remembered. This man was indeed his senior brother Yude, known as the "Fair-Faced Buddha." Many years ago, the Toxic Dragon of Tibet had visited the Golden Arhat's cave and, upon seeing Yude's imposing appearance, had taken a liking to him. Since the Toxic Dragon's own disciple had been killed at Emei, he had demanded that the Golden Arhat give him Yude as a new apprentice. Thus, Maotai and Yude had only shared a brief time as fellow disciples before parting ways.
Now, Yude took each of the monks by the arm and led them to the main hall. After a few pleasantries and a meal, Yude mediated the conflict between the two. When asked why they had fought, Zhitung, too embarrassed to explain, remained silent, while Maotai, more straightforward, angrily recounted how they had quarreled over Yanghua out of jealousy. Yude laughed heartily and said, "So, after all this commotion, it was all over such a trivial matter! Is this really worth ruining your friendship over? Come now, on my account, let's reconcile." Both Zhitung and Maotai, knowing they were in the wrong, felt deeply ashamed and quickly apologized, making peace with one another.
The three of them chatted and laughed, and after dinner, Zhitung detailed the recent incidents at Ciyun Temple to Yude, asking for his assistance. Yude listened in silence, lost in thought. Suddenly, Maotai spoke up, "I have two urgent matters to discuss. In the midst of our earlier fight and seeing you, Brother Yude, I forgot to mention them." Zhitung and Yude quickly asked what was so urgent.
Maotai replied, "Today, I went into town to seek revenge on my enemies. Instead, I discovered my missing disciple, Zhang Liang, had been captured, his legs amputated, and he was sent to the authorities, where he has already been sentenced to death." Zhitung exclaimed, "That's strange! I feared something terrible had happened to Zhang Liang. People have been asking about him at the magistrate's office, yet we heard nothing beforehand. Are you sure you didn't mishear?"
Maotai insisted, "I didn't mishear! I rushed to the execution site after hearing they were executing a flower thief at the county office. Not only was he dead, but his legs looked as if they had been cut off before capture—I saw it clearly, no doubt about it. I hurried back to discuss how to track down my enemies, only to find myself in a fight over a lowly woman, almost jeopardizing our brotherhood!"
Yude said, "Don't be so anxious, my friend. This matter is surely not just your own concern; there are powerful individuals in Emei who may be deliberately complicating things for us. We must not act recklessly when it comes to revenge; we need to discuss it carefully. You mentioned two urgent matters—what's the second?"
Maotai continued, "On my way back to the temple, just after sunset, I saw a strange white mist rising in the woods in front of the temple, covering an area of several dozen feet, like a steamer just coming to a boil, making it impossible to see through. However, the surrounding woods were clear. I thought surely there must be some treasure emerging!"
Yude listened intently as Maotai spoke, and when he finished, he quickly asked, "Did you approach the white mist to take a closer look?"
Maotai replied, "I didn't. I was in a hurry to return to the temple, and since I'd need help to retrieve any treasure, I didn't get close."
Yude exclaimed, "That's fortunate! Very fortunate!" His expression suddenly turned anxious. Zhitung asked, "Brother, do you think the white mist mentioned by Maotai could really indicate the appearance of a treasure?"
Yude replied, "Treasure? No, it's likely our enemy is nearby. Do you think that mist simply arose from the ground? It's been conjured by someone's magic. Ever since the old hag Ling Xuehong died, only that strange old man Bai Guyi knows how to create such illusions. This magic is called 'spirit mist concealment,' and true immortals often use it in remote mountains to protect their caves from disturbances. This old man has not been seen for twenty or thirty years; I've heard my master, the Toxic Dragon, mention him, but I've never encountered him myself. When you mentioned he was back, I was only half convinced. Now that he's flaunting himself in the woods in front of the temple, he must be up to something against us. If it is him, we are no match for him and must prepare accordingly."
Though Zhitung had never faced Zuiyun Old Man directly, he had heard tales of his might from his master, and Yude's words filled him with alarm. Maotai, however, had spent his early years as a lone bandit and was unaware of the depth of Zuiyun Old Man's abilities. Angrily, he said, "Brother, don't inflate someone else's confidence at the expense of your own! Life expectancy is but a century, and since that old man hasn't shown himself in over twenty years, he's likely dead in some remote valley. Who's to say this mist isn't conjured by someone else? Even if it's a trick, it's just an illusion—what's so frightening about that?"