話說九宮真人華清風，點著火，用咒語一催，要燒濟公。焉想到和尚口念六字真言：「唵嘛呢叭咪吽。唵，敕令赫。」用手一指，這團火就奔老道去，立刻老道衣裳著了。華清風一瞧，勢頭不好，趕緊擰身躥進煙雲塔去。和尚一念咒，這火越燒越旺，就把煙雲塔圍了。華清風鬍子也燒了，頭髮也燒了，衣裳也著了，火往塔裡直撲。老道直嚷：「聖僧慈悲饒命，弟子再不敢了。」濟公本是佛心人，一聽華清風央求，和尚趕緊用手一指，火就滅了。華清風由塔裡出來，架起趁腳風，竟自逃走。和尚並不追他。這才把楊明眾人放開。再一找，華雲龍早已逃走。廟裡就剩下四個小道童，嚇的戰戰兢兢。和尚不忍傷害，說：「你等不必害怕。我且問你，廟裡還有什麼人？」道童說：「還有二師兄劉妙通，他病著呢。」和尚說：「好。少時我給他治病。」楊明眾人，過來行禮。齊說：「多謝濟公救命之恩。你老人家要不來，我等性命休矣。」和尚說：「楊明、雷鳴、陳亮，你三個人給我辦事去。我這裡有一信，你三個人送到常山縣馬家湖，找白臉專諸馬俊，交給馬大官人。明天可務必掌燈以前送到，別等落太陽送到才好。此關重大之事，你三個人勿論有什麼要緊的事，可別辦，先給我送信要緊。」楊明說：「是了。這點小事，我三人決不會辦錯了。」濟公把書信交給楊明帶好。和尚說：「你們這就起身罷。在道路上，千萬別管閒事。」楊明說：「師父不必囑咐，我們必給送到。」立刻三位英雄告辭，由凌霄觀出來，順著山坡下了古天山，往前緊走。
话说九宫真人华清风，点着火，用咒语一催，要烧济公。焉想到和尚口念六字真言：「唵嘛呢叭咪吽。唵，敕令赫。」用手一指，这团火就奔老道去，立刻老道衣裳着了。华清风一瞧，势头不好，赶紧拧身蹿进烟云塔去。和尚一念咒，这火越烧越旺，就把烟云塔围了。华清风胡子也烧了，头发也烧了，衣裳也着了，火往塔里直扑。老道直嚷：「圣僧慈悲饶命，弟子再不敢了。」济公本是佛心人，一听华清风央求，和尚赶紧用手一指，火就灭了。华清风由塔里出来，架起趁脚风，竟自逃走。和尚并不追他。这才把杨明众人放开。再一找，华云龙早已逃走。庙里就剩下四个小道童，吓的战战兢兢。和尚不忍伤害，说：「你等不必害怕。我且问你，庙里还有什么人？」道童说：「还有二师兄刘妙通，他病着呢。」和尚说：「好。少时我给他治病。」杨明众人，过来行礼。齐说：「多谢济公救命之恩。你老人家要不来，我等性命休矣。」和尚说：「杨明、雷鸣、陈亮，你三个人给我办事去。我这里有一信，你三个人送到常山县马家湖，找白脸专诸马俊，交给马大官人。明天可务必掌灯以前送到，别等落太阳送到才好。此关重大之事，你三个人勿论有什么要紧的事，可别办，先给我送信要紧。」杨明说：「是了。这点小事，我三人决不会办错了。」济公把书信交给杨明带好。和尚说：「你们这就起身罢。在道路上，千万别管闲事。」杨明说：「师父不必嘱咐，我们必给送到。」立刻三位英雄告辞，由凌霄观出来，顺着山坡下了古天山，往前紧走。
Now, Hua Qingfeng, the Perfected One of the Nine Palaces, had lit the fire and urged it on with a spell to burn Ji Gong. Who would have thought that the monk would chant the six-syllable mantra: “Om mani padme hum. Om, by command — he!” He pointed a finger, and the whole blaze rushed at the old Daoist, and at once the old Daoist’s clothes caught fire. Seeing that things were going badly, Hua Qingfeng quickly twisted round and darted into the Yanyun Pagoda. The monk chanted a spell, and the fire burned fiercer and fiercer until it had the Yanyun Pagoda surrounded. Hua Qingfeng’s beard burned, his hair burned, his clothes were alight, and the flames lunged straight into the pagoda. The old Daoist kept shouting, “Holy monk, have mercy, spare my life! Your disciple will never dare again!” Ji Gong had a Buddha’s heart at bottom. When he heard Hua Qingfeng begging, the monk quickly pointed a finger, and the fire went out. Hua Qingfeng came out of the pagoda, rode the foot-wind and fled outright. The monk did not chase him. Only then did he set Yang Ming and the others free. When they looked again, Hua Yunlong had long since escaped. In the temple there were only four little Daoist boys left, trembling with fright. The monk could not bear to harm them. “Don’t be afraid, any of you,” he said. “Let me ask you: who else is there in the temple?” “There’s our second senior brother, Liu Miaotong,” said the boys. “He’s ill.” “Good,” said the monk. “In a little while I’ll cure him.” Yang Ming and the others came over and bowed. “Many thanks, Ji Gong, for saving our lives,” they said together. “If you hadn’t come, venerable sir, we’d have been done for.” “Yang Ming, Lei Ming, Chen Liang,” said the monk, “I want the three of you to run an errand for me. I have a letter here. Take it to Ma Family Lake in Changshan County, find the White-Faced Zhuanzhu, Ma Jun, and give it to Lord Ma. Tomorrow you must get it there before the lamps are lit — better not wait till sundown. This is a matter of great weight. Whatever urgent business the three of you may have, leave it alone; delivering my letter comes first.” “Understood,” said Yang Ming. “A little thing like this — the three of us won’t get it wrong.” Ji Gong handed the letter to Yang Ming, who put it away safely. “Be on your way at once,” said the monk. “And on the road, whatever you do, don’t meddle in other people’s business.” “No need to tell us, Master,” said Yang Ming. “We’ll be sure to deliver it.” At once the three heroes took their leave. They came out of Lingxiao Temple, went down Mount Gutian along the slope and pressed on ahead.
大約走了有數十里之遙。正是
天有不測風雲，人有旦夕禍福。
朗朗紅日在天，頃刻霧鎖雲漫，霹雷交加。震動蛟龍，滄海何安。
白雲童子擁出，霎時雨落人間。閃電雷鳴纏綿，天地連連染染。
展眼之際，狂風暴雨。這三人緊跑。見眼前有一座小村莊，人家不多。三個人來至切近一瞧，路北一座大門。三位英雄無法，來到大門洞避雨，打算等雨住了再走。哪想到越下越大，溝滿河平，平地水深數尺，山水響的可怕。展眼之際，天又黑了。三個人正在著急，由裡面出來一個莊客，說：「三位快走罷，我們要關門了。」楊明見外面雨尚未住，說：「借光，請問這方有店么？」這個人說：「沒有。過了這個小村莊，金家莊那裡有店。」楊明說：「有廟沒有？」這人說：「也沒有。」楊明說：「我等是遠方行路之人。此刻下雨，又無客店。望求莊主，這裡可以方便方便，我等借宿一宿罷。」這人說：「那可不行。倒不是別的，前人灑土迷了後人眼。前者有一位，走在這裡央求要投宿，我們莊主還給他一分鋪蓋。次日天沒亮，他連鋪蓋都拐了走，還偷了好些東西。這不是燒紙倒引鬼了。看你們三位，也不是歹人，可就怕我們莊主不敢留了。」楊明看了實不能走，無奈說：「尊駕說的這話，可也是難怪，不得不留神。我三個人原是江西保鏢的，誰想到今天趕上雨了，求莊主方便方便。我等必有一份人心。天下人交遍天下友，人也不能一概而論。」這人說：「你幾位且候一候，我去回稟莊主。我也不能作主。」說著話回身進去。少時出來說：「三位，我家莊主有請。」
大约走了有数十里之遥。正是
天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。
朗朗红日在天，顷刻雾锁云漫，霹雷交加。震动蛟龙，沧海何安。
白云童子拥出，霎时雨落人间。闪电雷鸣缠绵，天地连连染染。
展眼之际，狂风暴雨。这三人紧跑。见眼前有一座小村庄，人家不多。三个人来至切近一瞧，路北一座大门。三位英雄无法，来到大门洞避雨，打算等雨住了再走。哪想到越下越大，沟满河平，平地水深数尺，山水响的可怕。展眼之际，天又黑了。三个人正在着急，由里面出来一个庄客，说：「三位快走罢，我们要关门了。」杨明见外面雨尚未住，说：「借光，请问这方有店幺？」这个人说：「没有。过了这个小村庄，金家庄那里有店。」杨明说：「有庙没有？」这人说：「也没有。」杨明说：「我等是远方行路之人。此刻下雨，又无客店。望求庄主，这里可以方便方便，我等借宿一宿罢。」这人说：「那可不行。倒不是别的，前人洒土迷了后人眼。前者有一位，走在这里央求要投宿，我们庄主还给他一分铺盖。次日天没亮，他连铺盖都拐了走，还偷了好些东西。这不是烧纸倒引鬼了。看你们三位，也不是歹人，可就怕我们庄主不敢留了。」杨明看了实不能走，无奈说：「尊驾说的这话，可也是难怪，不得不留神。我三个人原是江西保镖的，谁想到今天赶上雨了，求庄主方便方便。我等必有一份人心。天下人交遍天下友，人也不能一概而论。」这人说：「你几位且候一候，我去回禀庄主。我也不能作主。」说着话回身进去。少时出来说：「三位，我家庄主有请。」
They had gone perhaps a few dozen li. Truly:
Heaven sends winds and clouds no one foresees;a man’s luck can turn between morning and night.
A bright red sun was in the sky, and in a moment fog closed in and clouds spread, with thunderclap on thunderclap. The flood dragons were stirred: how could the seas be at rest?
The White Cloud Boys came crowding out,and all at once rain fell on the world of men.Lightning flashed and thunder rolled on and on;heaven and earth ran streaming together.
In the blink of an eye there was a raging storm of wind and rain. The three of them ran hard. Ahead they saw a small village of only a few households. When the three came close and looked, there was a large gateway on the north side of the road. The three heroes had no choice but to shelter from the rain in the gateway, meaning to go on when it stopped. Who would have thought it would only come down harder? The ditches filled, the rivers rose level with their banks, water stood several feet deep on the flat ground, and the mountain torrents roared fearfully. In the blink of an eye it grew dark as well. Just as the three were at their wits’ end, a farmhand came out from inside. “You three had better be off,” he said. “We’re about to shut the gate.” Seeing that the rain still had not stopped, Yang Ming said, “Excuse me, may I ask if there’s an inn hereabouts?” “No,” said the man. “Past this little village, over at Jin Family Village, there’s an inn.” “Is there a temple?” said Yang Ming. “No, none of that either,” said the man. “We are travellers from far away,” said Yang Ming. “It’s raining now, and there’s no inn. We beg the master of the manor to do us a kindness and let us put up here for the night.” “Can’t be done,” said the man. “It’s nothing against you, but the man in front kicks up dirt and gets it in the eyes of the man behind. A while back a fellow came by here begging to stay the night, and our master even gave him a set of bedding. Next day, before it was light, he made off with the bedding and all, and stole a good many things besides. That was burning paper for the dead and drawing in the ghosts. You three don’t look like bad men, but I’m afraid our master won’t dare keep you.” Yang Ming saw that they really could not go on, and said helplessly, “What you say, sir, is only to be expected. A man has to be careful. The three of us are escort guards from Jiangxi. Who’d have thought we’d be caught in the rain today? We beg your master to do us this kindness, and we’ll show our gratitude, you may be sure. A man makes friends all over the world, and you can’t judge all men alike.” “Wait here a moment, you three,” said the man. “I’ll go and tell the master. It’s not for me to decide.” With that he turned and went in. Shortly he came out again. “Gentlemen,” he said, “my master asks you in.”