Shi Jin - Becoming An Outlaw

Becoming An Outlaw

Shi Jin hears of three outlaw leaders whose stronghold is based on the nearby Mount Shaohua. They have an army of about 3,000 men under their command and even the local government is unable to deal with them. Once, Chen Da of the trio leads his men to plunder the county office for supplies. Chen Da and his men pass by the Shi Family Village along the way and meet Shi Jin, who leads his villagers to stop Chen. Shi Jin fights with Chen Da and captures him.

Chen Da's fellows Zhu Wu and Yang Chun come to the village to plead with Shi Jin to release Chen. Shi Jin is touched by their strong sense of brotherhood and he releases Chen Da. Since then, Shi Jin becomes friends with the three outlaws. They frequently host parties for each other and exchange gifts. One day, one of Shi Jin's men loses his way back and falls asleep along the way after drinking too much during the party. A hunter called Li Ji chances upon him and he searches the drunkard for valuable items. He finds a note from the outlaws addressed to Shi Jin and promptly takes it to the county office. Li Ji receives a reward for reporting that Shi Jin is in league with outlaws and the magistrate sends troops to attack the village.

Shi Jin is in the midst of a party with his friends when he notices the soldiers approaching. The three men ask Shi Jin to turn them in so Shi will not be implicated, but Shi refuses and offers to fight on their side. Shi Jin burns down his village and fights his way out together with the outlaws. They reach Mount Shaohua and Zhu Wu asks Shi Jin to join them. Shi Jin turns down the offer, saying that he wants to find his teacher first. He leaves for Weizhou and meets Lu Zhishen and his former teacher Li Zhong. Shi Jin meets Lu Zhishen again after the latter is banished from the monastery on Mount Wutai. They defeat the evil bandits Cui Daocheng and Qiu Xiaoyi together at the dilapidated Waquan Temple.