Encountering the Taoist Priest Again in the Dilapidated Temple: The Road Ahead to Jizhou

The March wind dispelled the cold and warmed the earth. The grass slowly began to sprout, and the flowers gradually bloomed beautifully.

Song Jiang and his group had been traveling for two days and had reached the border of Cangzhou. They were focused on their journey, chatting merrily in their spare time. As the sun set and the moon rose, seeing no village or inn in sight, Li Zhu pointed ahead and said, "Sir Song, it's getting late. Why don't we rest at that dilapidated temple for the night and continue our journey tomorrow?"

Song Jiang glanced at the sky and realized that traveling so late at night would be inconvenient. He looked at his brothers and nodded, saying, "Then let's rest for the night and continue our journey tomorrow."

Upon entering the dilapidated temple, I was surprised to find that there were already several people inside. Judging from their attire, they appeared to be Taoist priests, warming themselves around a fire!

Song Jiang stepped forward and said with a smile, "We brothers missed our stop at an inn because we were in a hurry. We saw this dilapidated temple and unexpectedly ran into you Taoist priests. Please forgive us if we have disturbed you!"

A young Taoist priest stood up and said, "You're too kind, benefactor! My fellow disciples and I were on our way to perform a Buddhist ceremony for the father of a wealthy man in Cangzhou. We were traveling and it's getting late, so we've come here to rest!" After he finished speaking, the young Taoist priest glanced at Song Jiang and the others a few times.

The main problem is that Song Jiang's group is indeed strange. They come in all shapes and sizes, and there are even two fellow Daoists among them. It's hard to figure them out!

"I see that you walk with light steps and have strong arms, clearly a martial artist. May I ask which school you belong to?" Li Zhu asked.

Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest's expression changed. He thought to himself that this Taoist priest had such sharp eyes. He had only casually gotten up and walked around, and the Taoist priest could tell that he was a person with martial arts skills, but he could not see through him at all. Right now, his fellow disciples around him did not know any martial arts. If these people were robbers, his whole side would be doomed!

Thinking of this, he said politely, "I have no Dharma name, my secular name is Ma Ling. Although I come from a Taoist family and have learned some skills, I was kicked out by my original master because I like to fight for justice. He said that my worldly heart was not calm and I could not attain the Tao. So I had to wander around the world! I was fortunate to be taken in by the master of Sanqing Temple. I can perform rituals to pray for my ancestors and give them a proper meal."

After listening, Song Jiang nodded and smiled, "So you are the Divine Steed Master Ma Ling! I've long admired your name!"

Ma Ling's face lit up with joy, and he bowed, saying, "I didn't expect to have heard of my nickname 'Sir.' May I ask how you and the Daoist are addressed?"

Song Jiang returned the greeting with a smile and said, "I am Song Jiang, courtesy name Gongming. This Taoist priest is Mr. Golden Sword, Li Zhu!" Song Jiang then introduced his group of people one by one.

Ma Ling greeted them all. Song Jiang saw that Ma Ling was chatting with Gongsun Sheng and Li Zhu. Since they were all Taoists, he figured they would have a lot to talk about!

I don't know what happened to me recently, but I've run into some Taoist people. However, Ma Ling is a pretty good guy. He's good with hidden weapons and his legs are incredibly fast. If I could get him to join me on Liangshan Mountain, I'm afraid my strength would increase even more!

At this moment, the older Taoist priest among them called Ma Ling to his side as if he had something to say!

The two whispered to each other for a while, and Ma Ling nodded repeatedly, but no one knew what they were saying!

Not long after, Ma Ling approached Song Jiang and his group and asked with a smile, "Where are Daoist Gongsun and Daoist Li headed?"

Gongsun Sheng smiled faintly and said, "Let's head to Erxian Mountain!"

Ma Ling was taken aback, then asked, "Are you going to see Master Luo?"

Gongsun Sheng laughed and said, "Indeed!"

Ma Ling's expression darkened with envy as she said, "To be accepted as a disciple by Master Luo, Daoist Gongsun is truly a person of great fortune!"

Gongsun Sheng stared at Ma Ling for a while before saying, "Perhaps Master Ma also has a predestined connection with my master. Why don't you come with me to Erxian Mountain?"

Song Jiang's heart skipped a beat. In the original story, Ma Ling and Qiao Daoqing were indeed people with profound Taoist skills. In the end, they also followed Master Luo to learn Taoism. But that was more than ten years later. Now it was so much earlier?

Just as he was pondering how to get Ma Ling to follow him, Gongsun Sheng took the initiative to speak again. Gongsun Sheng seemed calm and collected, not taking anything to heart, but every word he spoke hit the nail on the head and touched people's hearts. He truly understood people's hearts.

Ma Ling was naturally delighted and quickly nodded, saying, "In that case, please don't think I'm in your way!"

The old Taoist priest also stood up and said, "Disciple, our fate has run its course. Today, you should go with them!"

The old Taoist priest seemed to have seen through Gongsun Sheng's identity all along, but he didn't reveal it. No one knew what he was saying to Ma Ling. It seemed that they had already discussed it beforehand, and Ma Ling took the opportunity to follow him!

These Taoists were acting mysteriously, and Song Jiang didn't want to pry. Although they belonged to different sects, they shared the same origin. Some things should be kept secret. However, this old Taoist was not as simple as an ordinary Taoist. It seemed that these Taoists had some special abilities!

"Boom!" A bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky, and a torrential downpour suddenly began. The night was already slightly cool, but the weather was so uncooperative that the chill on our bodies became even more pronounced!

The rain poured down, pounding against the dilapidated temple door. Fortunately, the temple wasn't completely leaky, and it still provided some shelter from the wind and rain!

The mood of the group changed with the weather. They were tired after a day's journey and had no interest in continuing to chat. They prepared to rest for the night.

The temple door was suddenly pushed open, and Wu Song and the others immediately became alert. They saw two burly men enter, carrying bows and arrows on their backs and animal traps hanging from their waists. They looked like hunters. Wu Song and the others sat down again.

The two hunters were nine feet tall, with leopard-like heads and bulging eyes. Their beards were like steel needles sticking out of their faces, and they had fierce expressions and exuded an aura of savagery!

Song Jiang glanced at them, said nothing, and closed his eyes to himself.

The two hunters were annoyed to find that there were no empty spots in the temple. One of them was about to lash out when the other pulled him back!

The man smiled and said, "My brother and I have some business to attend to here. Would you all be so kind as to make room for us?"

These words, though seemingly polite, carried a commanding tone and left no room for negotiation!

The dilapidated temple was not big to begin with, and it was already crowded with more than a dozen people crammed together. After all, some parts were still leaking, and it was impossible to sleep in a place that was dripping rain!

No one paid any attention to them. Song Jiang glanced at the two men; they were arrogant and domineering, not the kind of people who would reason with others. If there weren't so many people in the temple, why would the hunter speak so politely to them? He would probably have been kicked out long ago!

That hunter was somewhat shrewd and good at reading people, but he wasn't exactly a good person. Such a person was hard to win over. Even if he followed you, it would probably only be temporary. He wouldn't be sincere and would rebel sooner or later. The person next to him seemed to only follow this man's lead, so Song Jiang didn't have any intention of winning him over!

Since he doesn't have that intention, Song Jiang won't be foolish enough to give up his seat for you!

Seeing that no one reacted, the hunter continued to smile, but gave the man next to him a wink!

The man actually pulled out a knife and slashed at a Taoist priest's leg!

The Taoist priest dodged the knife with a backflip, stood up, and cursed, "You scoundrel, how could you be so ruthless and vicious? Your heart is truly like a snake!"

The hunter hurriedly said, "Who told you to draw your knife? Why were you so impulsive and offended the Taoist priest? You've offended him and you haven't even apologized!" The man with the knife didn't speak, nor did he apologize.

Song Jiang watched as the hunter directed and acted in his own performance, but unfortunately, his acting skills were too poor. It was like a farcical play that was not performed well; it was neither exciting nor funny!

If he were to kill his own brother, he would make sure these two knew what was good for them. However, the Taoist priests showed no intention of making a move, and Ma Ling remained silent. Song Jiang also couldn't force his way in, since the parties involved hadn't spoken, and it would be inappropriate for an outsider like himself to speak. If the Taoist priests only wanted to settle things peacefully, wouldn't he have become the villain for nothing?

The scene became awkward for a moment, and no one said a word!

The best way to break off relations is either for the weaker party to retreat immediately, or for the stronger party to annihilate them completely!

Although the hunter was tyrannical and unreasonable, he was not the kind of person who would kill everyone without a word. Moreover, there were several burly men in the group in front of him who were definitely not to be trifled with. Before he could figure out their strength, he was afraid that he and his brother might be killed instead if they were not careful!

But if we retreat now, it would be embarrassing, and besides, it's really raining heavily outside, so there's no need to brave the rain to go back!

Thinking of this, he took out a wine flask and said with a smile, "It's raining and cold, how about a drink, everyone?"

This man is quite perceptive and is indeed a remarkable person, but Song Jiang has no intention of subduing him!

Not everyone can be recruited; this person will not be content to be subordinate to others.

"Alright! It's cold, so I won't stand on ceremony!"

Song Jiang took the wine flask, removed the stopper, took a big gulp, and then handed the flask to Bian Xiang beside him!

The burly man was taken aback for a moment, then praised, "Generous!" Song Jiang's decisiveness surprised the hunter. After all, he would hesitate to eat or drink anything from a stranger, especially if it carried a hint of resentment.

The man with the knife also started a fire to dry his clothes and ward off the chill.

Seeing that the group seemed to implicitly regard Song Jiang as their leader, the hunter stepped forward and said, "Sir, you look kind. Would you allow my brother and me to stay?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "This dilapidated temple is not my master!" The implication was that if you wanted to stay, then do as you pleased!

The hunter sat down and, like a chatterbox that had been opened, began to talk incessantly!

These were mostly unimportant remarks, and Song Jiang mostly gave perfunctory answers!

Boring, utterly boring. This hunter just talks about random, irrelevant things. Song Jiang lost interest in continuing the idle chatter.

Seeing that Song Jiang didn't seem to want to talk, the hunter sat down next to Bian Xiang and started chatting with him!

While chatting with Bian Xiang, Song Jiang became somewhat interested. The main point was that this hunter wasn't looking for Mi Sheng or Wu Song, nor for Yang Zhi or Jiao Ting, but instead specifically sought out Bian Xiang. This was intriguing; if it wasn't intentional, then it could only mean...

The hunter said to Bian Xiang, "Hero, what do you do for a living? Judging by your physique, are you perhaps a hunter by trade?"

Bian Xiang said calmly, "I'm just a country bumpkin; I don't have any business to speak of!"

The hunter said, "I don't know why, but I felt an instant connection with you, sir. How about we become sworn brothers?"

Bian Xiang laughed heartily and said, "We've only just met, how can we be so hasty? If we are destined to meet again, I might consider it!" His refusal was obvious!

The hunter wasn't annoyed, and laughed, "Could you tell me your name, sir? Knowing it will give me something to look forward to!"

Bian Xiang smiled and said, "My name is Bian Xiang!"

The hunter said, "My name is Tian Hu, and this is my brother, Tian Bao!"

Fate is so mysterious. It seems that destiny is in control. No wonder Tian Hu took a liking to Bian Xiang at first sight. After all, in the original work, Bian Xiang was Tian Hu's right prime minister and the second most important person under Tian Hu. His martial prowess was second only to Sun An!

However, the gears of fate had already been changed. Song Jiang had already won Bian Xiang's heart, and now Tian Hu wanted to intercept Bian Xiang, but it was somewhat difficult!

When Song Jiang heard that the big guy was actually Tian Hu, he was secretly pleased. No wonder he went straight for Bian Xiang. Perhaps this inexplicable attraction was ingrained in his bones!

But it won't be easy to poach someone from your own side, and Song Jiang is confident in that!

Since it was Tian Hu, it's not surprising that he could do anything. Many people may think that Tian Hu was a rough man, a man of blood and guts, but if Tian Hu was really just a rough man, how could he have become one of the Four Great Bandits?

Moreover, he later considered surrendering to the Jin Dynasty. If Bian Xiang hadn't persuaded him otherwise, he probably would have served the Jurchens without hesitation!

The simultaneous appearance of the Tian brothers, Tian Hu and Tian Bao, is interesting, but Song Jiang has no interest in investigating why they appeared.

After chatting with Bian Xiang for a while, Tian Hu went to talk to Ma Ling, but Ma Ling didn't seem very interested in talking to Tian Hu. It was probably because Tian Bao had angered Ma Ling by slashing a Taoist priest with a knife earlier. Although they hadn't caused trouble for Tian Hu, they were definitely unhappy about it!

Let Tian Hu do whatever he wanted. Song Jiang was also a little tired from traveling, and soon fell asleep to the sound of wind, rain and thunder outside. He slept very soundly, and when he woke up, the sun was already high in the sky!

The sun is shining brightly today, seemingly unaffected by last night's torrential rain and strong winds!

Tian Hu and Tian Bao had already left, and the old Taoist priest had also left with the other Taoist priests. Only Song Jiang and his group remained in the dilapidated temple. If Ma Ling hadn't been there with him, the scene from last night would have been like a dream!

The group continued northward. The heavy rain of the previous night was like a blessing from heaven, nourishing the earth and reviving all things. The flowers and plants seemed to have come to life, blooming even more luxuriantly!

After traveling for a long time, the group arrived at Jizhou and came to a place surrounded by high mountains with a post road running through the middle.

Gongsun Sheng spoke up: "Sir, this place is called Yinmachuan. There used to be a large group of people in that high mountain ahead, but I don't know what's happened to them lately. Because of its beautiful scenery and the water that winds around the peaks, it is called Yinmachuan."

Song Jiang responded, thinking to himself, "So this is Yinmachuan. I wonder if Deng Fei and the others are here, but I guess Pei Xuan is definitely not. He helped Wang Lun save Qiangwei once before, and now he's here to be the leader. The timing doesn't make sense!"

Just then, a gong suddenly sounded, followed by the chaotic beating of war drums. A hundred or two henchmen emerged and blocked the road. Leading them were two strong men, each brandishing a broadsword, who shouted, "Halt! Where did you come from? Where are you going? If you know what's good for you, pay up the toll, and I guarantee you'll pass safely. We only rob, we don't care about lives. Money can be earned again, but you only have one life!"