Killing Monks

Silent all night.

As dawn broke, Guangyuan's internal energy had been circulating on its own for several weeks, and his injuries had healed by about 50-60%.

However, his meridians still ached as if burned, and each breathing exercise aggravated the remaining hidden injuries.

After a quick packing, the two continued on their journey.

This place is still within the territory of Tanhua County; the farther you go, the better.

Dust billowed along the official road as the sun rose higher.

Lu Fei glanced sideways and saw that Guangyuan's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and his monk's robe on the back was also soaked, sticking to his upright back.

He couldn't help but ask, "Monk, your injuries haven't healed yet, wouldn't you like to rest?"

Guangyuan didn't stop walking, only glancing ahead at the road ahead. In the distance, the mountain shadows overlapped, and no houses or cooking smoke could be seen.

"We're not at a resting place yet; getting on our way is the priority."

There are rules to follow when navigating the world.

Along official roads and trade routes, there were inns every twenty or thirty li (approximately 10-15 kilometers) specifically for travelers to rest; these were known as "settlement points." If you missed one, you would have to sleep in the wilderness or grit your teeth and endure until you reached the next inn.

Lu Fei wanted to persuade him further, but suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats behind him.

He felt a chill run down his spine and looked back. He saw two yamen runners in black robes riding towards him, their sabers flashing and dust billowing.

The two men also noticed Guangyuan and Lufei by the roadside. Their eyes met, and they were clearly taken aback.

They were about ten feet apart, but they did not stop. Instead, they cracked their whips, and the horses galloped past them like the wind, disappearing around the bend in the road in the blink of an eye.

"They recognized us," Lu Fei said.

"Not bad." Guangyuan nodded slightly.

The faces of those two constables looked somewhat familiar; it seemed as if I had seen them before at the Tanhua County government office.

Lu Fei grinned: "We're running all over the place with arrest warrants. From now on, we two brothers will have made a name for ourselves in this world."

He was an optimistic person by nature, and he could find joy even in prison. Now that he was out of prison, the world was wide open for him.

Guangyuan glanced at him and said indifferently, "That title was bestowed upon you by me. Shouldn't you thank me?"

"Ha—!" Lu Fei threw his head back and laughed loudly, "Thank you, of course you should! Once we find a restaurant, I'll treat you to a good drink!"

As they walked and talked, and the sun began to set, the outline of an inn finally came into view.

A green flag fluttered, bearing the four characters "Anlai Inn".

This is the place to stay today.

As the two approached, they saw three or five passersby gathered by the earthen wall at the entrance of the inn, pointing and whispering.

Two brand-new notices were prominently displayed on the wall, the paste still wet and glistening in the setting sun.

It was a wanted poster.

On the left is a drawing of Lu Fei's appearance. Although the brushwork is crude, it captures his cynical and irreverent expression. Below are a few lines of large characters:

"The notorious criminal Lu Fei, aged about twenty-five, is skilled in boxing and palm strikes and has a penchant for meddling in other people's business. He has robbed monks in a temple, disrupted the Buddhist community, and even brazenly broke into a prison, killing and injuring law enforcement officers. A reward of eighty taels of silver will be given to anyone who apprehends him."

The one on the right depicts Guangyuan. The image is dignified, but the underlying fierceness beneath the calm in his eyes is not conveyed at all.

The text is more detailed:

"The demonic monk Li Xiang, about sixteen or seventeen years old, is tall and strong. He was originally a monk named Guang Yuan from Jinjia Temple. He is skilled in magic and his internal energy is insidious. He murdered his uncle, betrayed the temple and fled; he then stormed the county prison, slaughtered the prison guards, and released serious criminals."

"This scoundrel despises Buddhism and tramples on national law; he is a disgrace to Buddhism and a vicious villain in the world. Whoever captures or kills this scoundrel will be rewarded with two hundred taels of silver, and will receive a further generous reward upon presenting his head to the authorities."

The ink is dripping wet, and the price is enticing.

Lu Fei leaned closer, tilted his head to examine him closely, and clicked his tongue: "Tsk tsk tsk... Monk, you're worth much more than me. Two hundred taels is enough to buy dozens of acres of top-quality paddy fields."

Guangyuan's gaze swept over the words "murdered his master's uncle" and "a disgrace to Buddhism," his face remaining calm and expressionless. He simply hummed in agreement and turned to walk towards the entrance of the inn.

"Sir, would you like a meal or a room at the inn?"

The waiter came over, his gaze quickly shifting between the two people's faces and the notice on the wall, before he put on an even warmer smile.

"Two superior rooms for lodging," Lu Fei tossed out a small piece of silver. "Also, prepare some light vegetarian food and a few side dishes, and two jiao of wine."

"Alright! Please come in, sir/madam—"

The waiter took the silver and bowed and scraped as he led the two inside.

Several tables of travelers, who looked like merchants, sat in the lobby of the inn, talking in hushed tones.

Guangyuan and Lufei exchanged a glance and tacitly chose a wooden table in the innermost corner, with their backs against the earthen wall and facing the door, offering a wide view.

Before long, all the dishes were served.

The vegetarian meal consisted of vegetarian noodles served with several side dishes of vegetarian vegetables.

In front of Lu Fei was a large plate of thickly sliced ​​mutton, its color a deep reddish-brown, with a distinct muttony aroma, steaming hot, clearly freshly cooked.

There was also a dish of fried peanuts, a dish of dried radish, and a small pot of liquor.

Lu Fei was a seasoned veteran. As soon as the dishes were served, he subtly sniffed the air, then picked up his chopsticks and gently stirred each dish to make sure there was no strange smell or unknown powder.

He was relieved, but then he heard Guangyuan suddenly speak:

"Why is there meat in front of you, while mine is all vegetarian?"

Lu Fei was tearing off a piece of mutton and putting it in his mouth, savoring the delicious taste, when he heard this, he raised an eyebrow and mumbled, "Aren't you a monk? What do monks eat if they don't eat vegetarian food?"

Guangyuan glanced at the vegetables and tofu in front of him, then looked up at the trembling, glistening piece of mutton in Lu Fei's hand, and said slowly:

"In the temple, I had no choice but to eat vegetarian food. When I went out to beg for alms, I ate whatever people gave me; it was all about fate, I wasn't picky. But now..."

He paused, then said, "These days we pay for food. Did you ask me before ordering?"

"..." Lu Fei paused in his chewing and stared at Guang Yuan.

The other person's expression was calm, but their eyes clearly said, "You're not a good friend."

He paused for two seconds, then suddenly chuckled, shook his head, and simply pushed the still-steaming plate of mutton towards Guangyuan:

"Fine, I can't argue with you. You monk, you always have a whole bunch of twisted logic, and you never seem to be able to refute it. Eat up, it's on me."

Guangyuan didn't stand on ceremony and picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks.

The meat was stewed until tender and savory, and its rich aroma instantly dispelled his fatigue and reminded him of the feeling of eating meat.

He's been eating vegetarian food for so long that he's forgotten what it feels like to eat meat.

Lu Fei looked at him, smiled and shook his head, poured himself half a bowl of wine, and pushed the empty bowl towards Guang Yuan: "Want some wine? Plain wine, please."

Guangyuan swallowed the mutton in her mouth, looked up at him, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly:

"Wine is poison that burns through the intestines, and meat is... well, today's meat is cooked to perfection. If paired with vegetarian wine, it would be a perfect balance of meat and vegetables!"

"You bald monk, you're so improper," Lu Fei couldn't help but laugh and scold upon hearing this.

There are many drunken monks in the martial arts world, and now there's going to be another one.

As the two were chatting and laughing in hushed tones, the door of the inn was suddenly pushed open, letting in a gust of cold wind.

Immediately afterwards, four or five burly men filed in.