Chapter 116: Two Against Two at Dragon Mountain

At the foot of Erlong Mountain, Lu Zhishen and his companions gathered together.

"That scoundrel Deng Long is truly cowardly. He didn't even dare to accept me when I went up the mountain alone. What a spineless wretch!" Lu Zhishen cursed loudly.

According to their previous arrangement, they had met with Cao Zheng, the innkeeper at the foot of the mountain. After presenting Li Zhong’s letter, they had taken lodging at his establishment. Once Li Zhong’s forces had finished their latest assault, they sent word to Lu Zhishen’s group. The original plan was for all three of them to go up the mountain under the guise of defectors, but Monk Yuanjue feared their combined strength might alarm Deng Long, so it was decided that Lu Zhishen would go alone.

At first, everything went smoothly. Although Li Zhong had been attacking the mountain, his main efforts were directed elsewhere, so while the guards were alert, they were not overly rigorous. Once Lu Zhishen declared his intentions, the patrolling lackeys brought him into the stronghold.

It so happened that Li Zhong had just retreated, and Deng Long was fretting over the situation when Lu Zhishen was ushered into the great hall.

"You monk, where are you from? What crimes have you committed, and who told you that my Erlong Mountain would take you in?" Deng Long eyed Lu Zhishen’s burly, thick-limbed frame; if not for the shaved head and the ring scars of a monk, no one would have mistaken him for a man of the cloth!

Lu Zhishen rubbed his bald pate. "I was originally ordained at Mount Wutai, but I couldn't endure the strict discipline. I got drunk, smashed the temple gate, and broke the Buddha statues, so I was cast out. Because of my fierce appearance, I often failed to beg for alms, and no temple would let me stay. I wandered the Jianghu for over a year until I saw another band of thieves attacking your stronghold from the foot of the mountain, which gave me the idea to come up."

As he spoke, Lu Zhishen channeled a bit of his inner energy to manifest a faint aura around his hands. "Chieftain, rest assured, I have some ability. If you are willing to take me in and grant me a hundred men to support me, I will immediately scatter those thieves and resolve your current predicament!" Lu Zhishen patted his chest, at which point his stomach let out a thunderous rumble.

"Heh heh, though I would ask the Chieftain to spare me a meal first. A monk needs strength to work, doesn't he?" Lu Zhishen put on a mask of simple-minded honesty. Had one not known him, one would have truly taken him for a fierce-looking but straightforward and guileless monk.

Deng Long looked him up and down, feeling a deep sense of revulsion.

The stronghold was not originally a den of thieves, but a temple! Named the Baoguang Temple of Erlong Mountain, while not a large one, it had housed many monks who farmed the land, making it a peaceful sanctuary. Occasionally, travelers would lodge there, or pilgrims would come to offer incense. In short, it was a modest but prosperous place.

Deng Long’s gang were criminals who had fled here overnight after committing a major offense. They had intended to stay only for a night, but the abbot had seen through their identities and intended to report them to the authorities. As fate would have it, a young monk delivering food was frightened by Deng Long’s men and revealed their secret. Upon discovery, Deng Long had simply slaughtered everyone in the temple. He soon realized the mountain’s strategic location; by controlling the mountain paths, it became a natural fortress.

Thus, Deng Long’s gang took root and expanded, gradually transforming the temple into a thief's den, the largest in the vicinity.

For over half a year after the massacre, Deng Long had suffered nightmares almost every month, dreaming of the slain monks coming for his soul. It was only after he tore down the temple and rebuilt the great hall that the nightmares subsided. Consequently, he harbored an instinctive hatred for monks.

At this moment, having just been defeated by Li Zhong, he was looking for someone to vent his frustration on, and Lu Zhishen had delivered himself right to his door.

"Are you mocking me, monk? You think I need you to defeat that fellow Li Zhong? You don't look like a monk, nor do you look like a wanderer who can't even afford a meal. You are clearly a spy for Li Zhong! Throw him out!" Deng Long wanted to say "capture him," but he knew Lu Zhishen’s formidable presence meant his men might not be his match. He chose to drive him away instead; if he were not a spy, he would naturally not resist.

As he thought this, he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike should Lu Zhishen turn hostile.

Lu Zhishen was baffled, completely unaware of why Deng Long had reacted so strongly. However, he knew he couldn't afford a scene; if Deng Long grew suspicious, their next attempt would have to be an all-out assault.

Struggling while being escorted out, he shouted, "Chieftain, why do you act this way? If nothing else, I could have driven off the enemy for you!" He continued shouting until he was outside the hall, at which point he used his strength to shove the surrounding lackeys aside. Though none were killed, they were left incapacitated.

Turning back to the hall, Lu Zhishen roared, "Deng Long, you cowardly bird! No wonder you’re being crushed and forced to hide like a turtle—you’re a spineless wretch! Just wait, I’m going to find those people outside, and when I come back to break down your gate, let’s see if you’re still so arrogant!" With that, he strode down the mountain, tossing aside any lackeys who tried to stop him.

Lu Zhishen stormed down the mountain, finding all the checkpoints already sealed.

"That’s how it went. What do we do now?" Lu Zhishen worried that he might have ruined everything.

Monk Yuanjue opened his eyes. "Feigned defection is no longer possible. From what you’ve said, the man simply doesn't trust us. Even if we sent someone else, the result would be the same."

"Then what are we to do?" asked Shi Jin. They had promised Li Zhong they would help take Erlong Mountain!

Just as Monk Yuanjue was about to speak, he frowned, sighed, turned away, and sat on a stone outside to begin chanting sutras.

Lu Zhishen realized that even though he didn't know why the monk was chanting, he certainly wouldn't be intervening.

"It seems this will fall to us two. Brother Shi Jin, think—is there any other way to get up the mountain? If not, we’ll just have to fight our way in. We aren't afraid of that, are we?" Lu Zhishen said. Having seen the checkpoints, he knew it would be difficult for one person alone to force his way to the summit.

Shi Jin thought for a moment and shook his head.

Just then, as Mu Xingye listened to their conversation and considered helping them from the shadows, the innkeeper walked in.

"Gentlemen, Leader Li asks: do you have a plan to take Erlong Mountain?" The innkeeper set down his bamboo hat and sat beside them.

"Brother Cao, do you know what kind of person Deng Long is? Why did he turn hostile the moment I mentioned defecting?" Lu Zhishen couldn't let go of this question. If he had ruined Li Zhong’s plans because of his own appearance, he would be devastated.

Seeing Lu Zhishen’s awkward expression, Cao Zheng understood the situation. "If you two trust me, I have a plan to get you up the mountain and right in front of Deng Long." He whispered his scheme. As they listened, the faces of Lu Zhishen and Shi Jin gradually lit up with smiles.

Lu Zhishen slammed the table. "Good! We shall use your plan!"

Three days passed, and Li Zhong had withdrawn his troops. Lu Zhishen, however, spent those three days at the foot of the mountain, hurling insults. Whenever the mountain bandits came out, he struck with lethal force. In a short time, all of Erlong Mountain came to loathe him. But because of his superior skill, if the bandits came out in large numbers, he would simply run; if they were few, he would engage. In three days, Erlong Mountain suffered over a hundred casualties.

Having faced Li Zhong first and now Lu Zhishen, Deng Long’s rage grew daily, and his subordinates were constantly on edge, fearing his outbursts.

On this day, a lackey ran in, beaming with joy. "Chieftain, good news! Wonderful news!"

Deng Long glared at him. "What good news? Is there more fat prey coming?"

"No, no! The innkeeper from the foot of the mountain and his staff have captured that big monk and brought him up the mountain!" the lackey exclaimed.

Deng Long’s expression shifted. "Say that again! The big monk is captured?" He knew the inn at the foot of the mountain; the owner wasn't particularly skilled, but he was useful, occasionally providing tips on travelers and paying his dues, so Deng Long had left him alone. He never expected the man to have the ability to capture that monk!

After a moment of thought, Deng Long summoned his closest confidants. "Bring that big monk up to me!"