Flanking the main gate stood two towering divine statues, each over ten feet high, commonly known as the "Eagle-Tiger Gods," possessing faces both ferocious and terrifying.

Within the temple resided a Daoist priest surnamed Ren, diligent and conscientious in his duties, rising every day at the cock's crow to meticulously light incense and recite scriptures.

On one occasion, a petty thief, hiding among the corridors, waited until the priest left to begin his morning rites before sneaking into the room to rifle through valuables. However, the Daoist was poor; after overturning every chest and cabinet, the thief managed to secure only three hundred copper coins, which he unceremoniously stuffed into his robes before bolting the door and making his escape.

The thief was en route to Mount Qianfo. Upon reaching the base of the mountain, he encountered a strapping, imposing man descending, a goshawk perched calmly on his left arm. When the two met, they stealthily sized each other up; the man’s complexion was the color of aged bronze, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the statues guarding the temple entrance.

Terror gripping him, the thief dropped to his knees, trembling. The Eagle-Tiger God chuckled, "Stealing copper coins, where do you intend to take them?" The thief, conscience stricken, dared not speak, offering only frantic kowtows.

The Eagle-Tiger God seized the thief with one hand and hauled him back to the temple, commanding him to pour out every last coin before kneeling to await the Daoist’s judgment.

Not long after, the Daoist finished his morning recitation and, upon seeing the thief kneeling in his chamber, was struck dumb with astonishment. The thief then recounted the entire sordid affair of his theft, item by item.

The Daoist slowly grasped the situation, retrieved the copper coins, released the thief, and bade him go his own way.