Below the Mercy Hall, a tile slowly lifted, revealing a pair of frightened eyes peering through a narrow gap.
Under the hazy moonlight, shadowy figures of lesser mountain spirits were being slaughtered one by one.
A Liang scrambled to lower the tile, turning in panic to look at Lin Guiyong beside him.
"We are in big trouble, Lin Steward. If we're discovered, the Master will kill us."
"Don't panic! What are you afraid of? They can't find this place, and even if they did, what could they do to us? Didn’t the constables last time fail to find the tunnel too?"
Lin Guiyong scolded sharply, calming the nervous A Liang slightly.
Their location was extremely secretive; unless someone dug three feet into the earth, exposure was no concern.
During the peak of Dharma Lotus Temple's renown, many women would visit the Mercy Hall to pray for children, finding it exceptionally effective.
Visitors traveled from great distances just to offer incense and pray.
Many were women of nobility, rich and powerful, concerned that any mishaps here could lead to severe repercussions.
Thus, the tunnel was crafted with utmost discretion, so discreet that even when the temple was plundered years ago, the underground chamber remained undiscovered.
The pair used this place to quietly breed and raise mountain spirits.
Reassured, A Liang relaxed, but suddenly felt a chilling sensation pierce through his chest.
He glanced down to see the blood-stained tip of a blade protruding from between his ribs, a burst of agony flooding his body.
Unbeknownst to him, Lin Guiyong had silently moved behind him, thrusting a dagger deep into his back.
A Liang's disbelieving eyes met Lin Guiyong’s, his heart rapidly losing blood, his limbs slowly growing cold, unable to utter a sound.
"Thank you for your hard work during this time. Now rest."
Lin Guiyong watched as life faded from A Liang’s eyes, then yanked the dagger free, pushing A Liang’s body to the ground.
Three years—an exhausting three years.
He had spent many days here alongside the stinking mountain spirits, raising and commanding them.
Watching each spirit implant its seeded sac and burst forth had often left him questioning whether he was still human, or merely spirit.
The sounds of fighting outside were delightful music to his ears, pleasing him beyond measure.
Afraid the mountain spirits wouldn't awaken, Lin Guiyong had even scattered wake-up powder ahead of time, all going exactly as the Master had planned.
It was all coming to an end, and he was finally escaping this living hell!
After cleaning his dagger with dried grass from the floor, Lin Guiyong hurried to tidy up, performing a few simple tasks before slipping out through the secret passage toward the mountain.
Within the temple, the smell of blood only grew stronger, not dissipating with time.
The stench was overwhelming.
A mountain spirit's blood differed greatly from ordinary creatures, thicker, darker, with a fermented, foul smell.
When piled on the ground, the odor intensified.
Even Blacktooth was overwhelmed, lying on the ground and covering its nose with its paws.
Lu Gang moved rapidly, dealing with most of the greater mountain spirits with his iron hands, snapping necks or smashing heads.
The courtyard was littered with debris, as though bombed mercilessly.
Xu Zishuai focused on the larger spirits, surrounded by severed limbs and shattered bodies.
His figure was swift as wind, yet his attire remained pristine, unstained by blood.
Occasionally, medium-sized spirits slipped through, but Hu Qi, standing in a corner of the courtyard, took them down with precise shots.
Each arrow flew with a shimmering light, pinning the mountain spirits to the ground, the arrow feathers trembling.
The spirits that did manage to slip through seemed smaller than the one encountered at the River God Sacrifice, giving Xiang Changsong and Liang Qu a chance to practice.
Bringing Xiang Changsong and Liang Qu was originally meant to temper the junior brothers, avoiding chaos in future melees.
This approach turned into the perfect opportunity for Liang Qu to gain invaluable experience.
With Senior Brother Xiang confining the spirits' movement, Liang Qu wielded his spear freely, muscles twisting like iron cords.
The spear’s red tassel dripped with blood, its blade slicing with a sharp whistling.
He felt the spear’s blade cut through skin, muscle, and bone, warm gouts of thick-blooded mist bursting forth, exhilarating and terrifying.
Sweep after sweep, thrust after thrust, the Subduing Waves Spear grew more familiar in his hands.
Even when striking the tough-skinned mountain spirits, it felt like a hot knife through butter, meeting only slight resistance.
[Search the Mountain, Exorcise Demons Progress: 8]
[Search the Mountain, Exorcise Demons Progress: 9]
[Search the Mountain, Exorcise Demons Progress: 13]
"I can't go on, Senior Brother Xiang, I’m too exhausted."
Dropping the tungsten-forged spear butt to the ground, it fractured the stone beneath and embedded into the earth.
Supporting himself on the spear, Liang Qu's heart pounded frantically—having slain seventeen mountain spirits, his blood and energy depleted, arms severely fatigued.
Xiang Changsong said nothing, merely covering for him, ensuring no spirit passed them by.
The moon climbed, spilling silver over the rooftops; the courtyard was awash with blood and bodies.
Lu Gang’s gaze swept around, confirming no spirits remained standing.
Altogether, over a hundred bodies lay sprawled across the courtyard, a staggering count.
A few spirits, clinging to life, crawled with just their upper bodies after having their legs severed by Xu Zishuai.
After a brief rest to regain some strength, Liang Qu moved to finish them off, driving his spear through their necks.
[Search the Mountain, Exorcise Demons Progress: 21]
Having heard from Hu Qi that Senior Brother Xu’s weapon mastery was unparalleled among their peers—not just with swords, but spears, staff, and others as well—Liang Qu decided to seek his guidance.
Watching Xu Zishuai in his pristine white clothes, he couldn't help but aspire to reach the same level.
"Come, let's see if there's anything we missed nearby. Blacktooth, it's up to you."
The group began their search around Dharma Lotus Temple, and Blacktooth excelled, making discoveries at regular intervals.
Hu Qi shot down spirits, allowing Liang Qu to finish them with his spear.
The group continued throughout the night, until dawn's early light began to break.
Even as Liang Qu’s strength waned, Blacktooth led him to a shrub-covered cave entrance, barking eagerly before sneezing repeatedly.
Clearly, something was interfering with Blacktooth's sense of smell, delaying the discovery of this cave.
"Such a cautious individual. Cover your mouth and nose, and breathe carefully."
As usual, Lu Gang led the way into the tunnel.
The tunnel ended in a narrow cave.
Inside were numerous pits, some housing young mountain spirits no larger than three-year-old children.
Liang Qu pierced each one, dealing with them thoroughly.
Xu Zishuai crossed his arms, pondering, "Is this where they raise mountain spirits? Quite the hidden spot."
Dharma Lotus Temple had been abandoned long enough, its remote mountain setting seeing few visitors, not even beggars.
The place was perfectly secluded yet close to Peaceful Sun Town, an ideal location indeed.
At the tunnel's end, they found a corpse lying on the ground; a hatch above led back to the Mercy Hall.
Hu Qi examined it closely.
"The heart was pierced with a single blow, death occurred less than three hours ago."
Liang Qu furrowed his brow, "Someone was watching us kill the mountain spirits all along?"
Lu Gang inquired, "Blacktooth, can you track that individual's scent?"
Blacktooth returned to the cave entrance, sniffing intently, slowly moving in pursuit, making a daunting effort.
Eventually reaching a small river, they crossed, hoping Blacktooth might pick up the trail again.
However, the enduring strain of the night, combined with the scent-masking techniques employed by their quarry, thwarted any further tracking attempts once they crossed the water.
(End of Chapter)