The night was deep and still.
Those who had been enjoying themselves on Mount Mu had all found places to sleep. The wealthy and powerful had settled into the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain. Ordinary tourists could only find flat, spacious spots to pitch their own tents. The people of the Sui Dynasty had always lived a relatively comfortable life; the nation's strength over the past century had fostered a confident yet somewhat lazy character in its inhabitants.
Spring outings were not the privilege of the wealthy and powerful.
The rich had their ways of enjoying themselves, and ordinary people had theirs.
Few chose to camp at the foot of the mountain; most settled in the small square paved with bluestone slabs in front of the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain. The temple didn't provide meals, but it did offer hot water. This was one of the reasons why the temple was so popular; because of this mountain, the Taoist priests there lived a very wealthy and carefree life.
While most people inside and outside the temple had already gone to sleep, three people at the foot of the mountain were busy digging a pit. To be precise, two people were digging a hole, while a third sat idly in a tree branch, leaning against the trunk.
"Dig deeper," said Big Dog.
Without tools, Big Dog put on his spiked gloves and started working. Soon, he had dug a sizable hole. He glanced at Fang Jie, who was wielding a shovel and digging, and scoffed, "I could dig two, but you couldn't dig one properly. It's best to rely on your own hands."
Fang Jie wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "I only just learned today that dog paddling isn't just a way to swim. Impressive! Without something handy, you can't dig very deep even by dawn."
"How about we cut it up?"
Big Dog said seriously, "Cutting it up is easier. We can break it into many small pieces, then we don't need to dig too deep. We can just dig a few more." "
Li Xian glared at him: "How could you be so cruel?"
Big Dog said: "I killed two, you killed two, cruelty is the same."
He turned to Cui Lüshang and said somewhat displeasedly: "I say, young master Cui, even if you're not the ringleader, you're still an accomplice, aren't you? Can't you lend a hand? Even if you kneel down now and use Buddhist methods to pray for their souls, won't they hate you in the underworld?"
Somewhat dazed and dejected, Cui Lüshang looked at Big Dog, his eyes devoid of any light. Earlier, Fang Jie had handed him a short knife, and he had looked at Liu Yineng, who was already on the verge of death, but dared not lay a hand on him. Later, after seeing Fang Jie stab Li Yuan in the neck, he trembled as he moved to Liu Yineng's side, raised the knife, and trembled for a long time before finally stabbing him. Perhaps because he was too nervous and panicked, he stabbed four or five times but failed to hit a vital spot.
Blood gushed out, splattering all over him and his face, but Liu Yineng was not quite dead yet.
After killing Li Yuan, Fang Jie couldn't bear to watch any longer and plunged a knife into Liu Yineng's back, striking his heart precisely.
Having killed four people, Fang Jie had expected to be afraid and tremble, but after actually killing, he was surprised to find himself completely calm, as if he hadn't done anything at all. He even tried to feel the sensations, only to be disappointed to find he felt no excitement whatsoever.
Killing, it turned out, wasn't a particularly exciting thing for him.
This made Fang Jie somewhat self-deprecating. Back in Fan Gu, he firmly believed he was someone who couldn't bring himself to kill; even if he wasn't a kind person, he was at least not a ruthless one. But now, after killing, he understood that his resistance to killing wasn't because he still possessed a shred of kindness. Rather, it was because he still harbored a lingering aversion to killing—it was merely a habitual way of thinking.
Just as they were sweating profusely, the back door of the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain slowly opened. Two people dressed in blue Taoist robes walked slowly to a large rock protruding from the mountainside. The older Taoist priest looked down the mountain with a slight frown and asked the chubby Taoist priest beside him, who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, "A terrible calamity has befallen us. Should we do something about it?"
The Taoist priest who asked the question was at least fifty or sixty years old. A Taoist hat covered his white hair but couldn't hide his gray goatee. Compared to the younger Taoist priest beside him, he appeared more venerable and dignified, worthy of respect. Yet, he spoke to the younger Taoist priest with a question and a very respectful tone.
This younger Taoist priest was not old and was very fat. The Taoist robe, which should have flowed smoothly, was stretched taut by his fat as if it were about to burst. Therefore, he seemed somewhat weak when walking and talking, perhaps because the robe was uncomfortable.
His face was very round, white and without a single wrinkle. If one had to use an image to describe his face, it would only be a freshly steamed, hot white steamed bun.
He was not only very fat, but also very short.
Perhaps because he was young and hadn't fully grown in, his height barely reached the old Taoist's shoulder. He wasn't wearing a Taoist robe; his long, black hair was casually tied back and cascaded down, possessing a smoothness that would make even women envious.
"There are so many ominous things happening in the world, and you want to deal with them all…won't you be exhausted?"
The young Taoist rolled his eyes at the old Taoist and said irritably, "You woke me up in the dead of night just to show me this? It's just killing someone…when in this world doesn't someone die? Don't even mention that your cultivation level is laughable coming down the mountain; even if you cultivated to become an immortal and could fly…do you think you can stop all the evil things in the world by flying around every day? Can you? Can you? Can you?"
He asked three times.
The old Taoist blushed, chuckled awkwardly, and replied, "Of course not."
"Then what are you even saying?"
The young Taoist glared at him and said, "You disturbed my sleep. I'll remember this. If you bother me with such trivial matters again, I'll kick you off the mountain."
The old Taoist said fearfully, "It won't happen again... By the way, every year when the Martial Arts Academy holds its entrance exams, Master Xiao is invited... He sent people to invite you three times last time. Do you want to go this time?"
"No, no!"
The young Taoist waved his hand impatiently and said, "My three senior brothers, one is the leader of the Taoist sect and has to put on airs every day, one has disappeared for ten years without a trace, and the other is hiding in the palace as a watchdog, unable to have any freedom... Who is as carefree and happy as me? Life... is about pursuing the natural way. What is the great way?"
He looked at the old Taoist. He said solemnly, "To be able to control one's own eating, drinking, defecating, and sleeping—that is the Great Way."
The young Taoist turned and went back into the temple. Before entering, he turned back and instructed the old Taoist, "These past few days, the number of tourists has increased, and the temple's meat, eggs, and fresh vegetables are insufficient. Tomorrow morning, go down the mountain and buy some..."
He looked down the mountain, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes: "If the meat is chopped up, it's hard to tell if it's human flesh or pork, right? Even if it's made into buns, no one will be able to tell the difference, right? And even if they do, as long as we don't admit it, it'll be fine, right?"
The old Taoist was terrified. He grabbed the young Taoist's hand and led him into the courtyard: "You should sleep, you should sleep..."
"Tomorrow, remember to bring me back some pastries from Song's shop in Xiangcheng—fried shortbread, spiced melon seeds. Also, Chen's smoked pork leg, the old blind man's sausages, and..."
The voice faded into the distance, and the temple returned to silence.
...
...
Down the mountain.
Cui Lüshang covered Liu Yineng's body with soil, but seeing Liu Yineng's unseeing eyes, he collapsed to the ground in terror. "What am I going to do? If they find out, my future is ruined. My father spent countless sums of money and pulled strings to get me into the Martial Arts Academy, and I've ruined it myself… If my father finds out, he'll break my legs!"
"Pathetic!"
Daquan glared at him angrily. "The man's already dead. What good is your regret now?"
Cui Lüshang tried to wipe the sweat from his brow, but only got dirt all over his face. "But this can't be hidden forever. Many people know." The five of us went to Mushan together. Li Yuan and the others said this trip was to see me off, but if I'm the only one returning to Xiangcheng while the other four don't, the authorities can easily find out I killed them."
"It can't be hidden."
Fang Jie dragged a corpse over and threw it into the pit, then looked at Cui Lueshang and said, "You don't need to hide this at all. After burying their bodies, you should immediately return to Xiangcheng. As soon as the city gates open tomorrow morning, go home and tell your father the truth. This isn't your fault; Li Yuan and the others tried to kill you first… Your father will naturally help you find a way. We'll wait for you outside Xiangcheng, and then we'll set off together." "In Chang'an, we'll have someone to look after us."
Fang Jie said while burying the soil, "Now I won't lie to you. My name isn't Shang Guohen, nor am I a merchant from Fangu City. I'm Fang Jie, a border scout recommended by the Fangu City border troops to take the entrance exam at the Martial Arts Academy. Since we've met, it's fate. We'll travel together, and going to the Martial Arts Academy exam will be a way of looking after each other."
"You're also a candidate for the Martial Arts Academy!"
Cui Lueshang was taken aback and couldn't help but scrutinize him closely. "You're not lying to me?"
"Can I fool you about this? Can I fool you now, but will I fool you in Chang'an?"
Fang Jie smiled and said, "Why don't you stop interfering here and head back now?" "Go to Xiangcheng. It'll be dawn in about two hours. Ride back and you'll be in the city by daybreak. Go back and discuss it with your father. I reckon he'll send you out of the city as soon as possible that day."
"Really?"
Cui Lueshang couldn't help but worry, "What if my father arrests and detains me?"
"Even tigers don't eat their cubs. Your father is willing to spend a fortune to let you take the entrance exam for the Martial Arts Academy; how could he just watch you ruin your future? Go quickly!"
Fang Jie patted his shoulder and said, "I guarantee nothing will happen."
Cui Lueshang thought about it and realized Fang Jie's words made sense. He didn't want to stay here a moment longer, so he got up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, said goodbye, and ran off. After Cui Lüshang's figure disappeared, Mu Xiaoyao jumped down from the tree branch and walked to Fang Jie's side. She looked at Fang Jie carefully and then asked earnestly, "You killed these people not just because you wanted to kill, right?"
Fang Jie nodded: "Yes."
"And not just to help that idiot once, as you said, right?"
"Yes!"
Fang Jie nodded again, then looked in the direction Cui Lüshang had disappeared and said calmly, "I'm just a lowly border scout, without a noble birth or a powerful backer. Even if I reached Chang'an, I would inevitably face many hardships and struggles... Although the Cui family of Xiangcheng is far less powerful and doesn't have as many high-ranking officials as the Cui family of Boling, it's still a prestigious family. Having a friend like that by my side will save me some trouble."
"So you were scheming against that idiot from the very beginning?"
Da Quan asked in surprise. Fang Jie smiled. "I'm helping him, and I'm also helping myself... isn't that right? Doing good for others is doing good for yourself. That sounds like a Buddhist saying, but it still makes sense."
"If possible, it would be good to make friends with a few powerful and influential people. No matter what, a candidate like me won't have an easy time in Chang'an. I certainly won't miss the opportunity to find some helpers. I remember telling you when I left Fangu City, three years ago I relied on you and Shen Qingshan and the other four; these past three years I've relied on the two of you, but from now on... I'll have to rely more on myself."
"You've been carrying me around by the waist for fifteen years."
He looked at Mu Xiaoyao earnestly and said, "It's time for me to walk on my own, preferably... to be able to run."