Chapter 240: Legends Of The Nine-Headed Bird

The burial chamber was not large. It was circular, with a square stone platform at the center. A stone coffin rested atop it, though the coffin had already been broken open.

The remains inside had long since been tossed into disarray, mixed together with yellowed clothing and black mud until the appearance of the tomb's occupant could no longer be made out. Scattered around the coffin were also various bronze, gold, and jade burial objects.

What made the chamber strange was its circular shape, which was extremely uncommon, along with the square platform in the center. It was probably meant to symbolize the ancient concept of a round heaven and square earth.

Li Yan's attention was not drawn to the scattered grave goods. Instead, he raised the candle and walked toward the surrounding walls. They were covered densely in murals that, even after more than a thousand years, remained vividly colored and magnificent, filled with the ancient charm of the pre-Qin era.

The murals seemed to depict some kind of mythological tale. There was a gigantic ten-headed bird, but with one head shot off by someone. There were nine bronze tripods beside the archer. The mural eventually depicted the nine-headed bird being buried, while mountains and rivers wept blood.

Nine people each held a blood-red jade cong and slept in different directions.

Li Yan stared in astonishment, vaguely feeling that he might have stumbled upon an extraordinary secret. He hurriedly climbed back out of the passage and called, "Uncle Sha, quickly! Get Daoist Feng down here to take a look! There are two stories being told here!"

When Daoist Feng came with a candle, his eyes widened until they were almost completely round. He carefully examined the murals, and his voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Have either of you heard the legends of 'Asking About the Tripods' and the 'Nine-Headed Bird'?"

Li Yan nodded. "I have."

Sha Lifei, however, looked completely lost. "What are those? Daoist, explain."

Daoist Feng said solemnly, "Then we have to start with the origins of Chu.

"It was said that the people of Chu descended from Emperor Zhuanxu Gaoyang, who was the grandson of the Yellow Emperor and the son of Changyi. Zhuanxu begot Laotong, and Laotong in turn begot Zhurong.

"During the ancient Shang Dynasty, Yuxiong of the Chu tribes was the leader of the Jilian branch of the Mi clan, one of the Eight Surnames of Zhurong. He was also a descendant of Zhurong, the Flame Emperor, and wrote the Yuzi, one of the source classics of our Daoist tradition...

"Yuxiong assisted King Wen and King Wu of Zhou in overthrowing Shang. He was probably also a participant in the War of Investiture. During the reign of King Cheng of Zhou, Yuxiong's great-grandson Xiong Yi was enfeoffed among the Chu barbarians under the surname Mi and established himself at Danyang, right here in what is now Zigui County.

"According to Chu legend, Zhurong was the incarnation of a fire phoenix. That was why the people of Chu 'revered the phoenix and favored red, worshipped fire and the sun, honored shamans, and remained close to ghosts.' Many of those customs have survived to this day.

"But relations between Zhou and Chu were never good. When King Cheng of Zhou enfeoffed Xiong Yi as a feudal lord, not only was he denied proper honors, he was humiliated repeatedly. He did not even have a seat at the banquet.

"From then on, the people of Chu refused to submit to Zhou!

"During the Spring and Autumn period, the feudal states held more than ninety interstate conferences. Records show that Chu attended only three, because most of those conferences were essentially meetings to discuss how to attack Chu.

"King Zhao of Zhou launched three campaigns against Chu. He died during the third expedition, and legend says he was killed by Chu shamans and wandering heroes. In any case, the hatred between the two sides only deepened.

"The Zhou royal house went through a decline during the Spring and Autumn period. King Zhuang of Chu took advantage of an expedition north against the Rong of Luhun to march his army beneath the walls of Luoyang. He paraded his troops before the emperor and asked how the Nine Tripods, the sacred vessels of state, had been cast. That was the origin of the phrase: asking about the tripods of all under Heaven.

"Right, look here." Daoist Feng pointed at the mural. "There are nine tripods behind this man, meaning he represents the Zhou royal court of that era. Since he shot one head of the ten-headed bird, this man must be the Duke of Zhou, Dan.

"In the early Zhou, although the Shang had been destroyed, the Shang people themselves had not vanished. In fact, King Wu enfeoffed Wu Geng, son of King Zhou of Shang, in the old Shang capital. Guan Shu, Cai Shu, and Huo Shu of the Zhou royal clan were appointed to supervise Wu Geng. Together, they were known as the Three Supervisors.

"After King Wu died, King Cheng was still young, so the Duke of Zhou acted as regent. The Three Supervisors refused to accept this and joined Wu Geng and the Eastern Yi in rebellion. The Duke of Zhou led an army east, suppressed the revolt, then redistributed fiefs among the feudal lords and established the Rites of Zhou. The Confucian tradition later revered him as a sage.

"The conflict between Zhou and Chu began under King Cheng of Zhou. Legend says that the Duke of Zhou hated the ten-headed bird. Whenever he heard its cry, he ordered men to drive it beyond the Nine Provinces and shoot it. They fired three arrows but failed to hit it, so he sent the Heavenly Dog to bite it instead. The Heavenly Dog tore off one of its heads, leaving nine. Hence the saying: One head bled, yet nine still remained."

Li Yan nodded. "I've heard that story before. But judging from these murals, it was nowhere near that simple."

Daoist Feng's breathing grew somewhat hurried. "Exactly. The Nine-Headed Bird was originally the divine bird of Chu. If it grew ten heads, that represented Chu gaining the right to contend for all under Heaven. The Duke of Zhou shooting off one head was clearly meant to sever the dragon vein of Chu. No... More precisely, it should be called a phoenix vein!

"That's right! The Nine-Headed Bird was originally an auspicious divine bird of the Chu people, but after Zhou, it became known as the Ghost Chariot, an omen of misfortune. Legends said it could suck out human souls and preferred dark, obscure places.

"Later, even the people of Chu came to fear it. The Record of the Seasons of Jingchu says that on nights of the first lunar month, ghost birds often crossed the skies, and every household would beat their beds and doors, twist their dogs' ears, and extinguish lamps and candles to ward them off."

Sha Lifei looked even more confused. "Daoist, you've rambled on for half the day. What exactly are you trying to say?"

Li Yan said solemnly, "These are national sacrificial rites. This is evidence of a struggle between factions of the mystic path!"

"Exactly." Daoist Feng's eyes grew increasingly excited. He looked around, then pointed toward the sloping passage. "That is a tomb passage constructed according to Zhou burial rites. This round-heaven, square-earth arrangement means this is the tomb of a Zhou Dynasty cultivator!

"So... The Duke of Zhou had already tampered with things back then. He ordered someone to sever the phoenix vein of Chu, leaving the ten-headed bird one head short and causing blood to weep across the mountains and rivers.

"Hahaha! During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Chu repeatedly rose as a hegemon, yet in the end it was Qin that destroyed Zhou, while Chu was the one that overthrew Qin.

"One head. Just one head made all the difference!"

Li Yan nodded and spoke in a grave tone, "Ancient pre-Qin affairs no longer matter. What matters is why the Ghost Sect is searching for these blood-red jade congs now."

Daoist Feng took the jade cong and examined it carefully. "According to ancient rites, the round jade coins were used to worship the Heavens, while the square jade congs were used to honor the Earth. But there were further distinctions. The coin used to worship the Heavens was azure, while the cong used to worship the Earth was yellow.

"A blood-red jade cong used to honor the Earth is an ill omen!

"Whether it is a dragon vein or a phoenix vein, such veins throughout the Divine Continent are auspicious manifestations beneath all under Heaven. Damaging them inevitably brings backlash. In severe cases, it can even lead to the collapse of a dynasty.

"Judging from these murals, the Duke of Zhou used nine blood-red jade cong to suppress the nine heads, while severing the final head outright, minimizing the backlash as much as possible. Even so, the Zhou royal court was humiliated by Chu many times afterward.

"With the phoenix vein sealed, the Nine-Headed Bird became an omen of misfortune. A thousand years of accumulated resentment have built up within it. If the seal is ever broken, the Divine Continent will inevitably fall into turmoil. The Duke of Zhou probably left these objects behind so later generations would have a way to undo the damage.

"Who could have expected the Zhou Dynasty to collapse, burying the secret with it, only for the Ghost Sect to discover it?"

All of a sudden, Li Yan gasped, "The Ghost Sect intends to overthrow Great Xuan! Are there any clues about the other blood-red jade cong?"

"The murals don't mention them."

Sha Lifei's mouth had gone dry from listening. "Good grief. They're really going that far?"

Li Yan said solemnly, "Whether all of this is true or not, we cannot let the Ghost Sect succeed. Otherwise, there's no telling how many people will die. Let's leave quickly. Tomorrow, we leave Zigui and report this matter. With one blood-red jade cong missing, they won't be able to succeed!"

"Yes, yes, let's go!"

A conspiracy stretching across thousands of years left all three of them with their scalps tingling. They hurried toward the exit. Of course, Sha Lifei did not forget to sweep up all the gold and jade burial objects scattered across the floor.

By the time they climbed out of the well, the sky had already grown dark. The misty rain blurred everything around them, and the surroundings were pitch-black and silent. What they had just seen still left the three somewhat dazed. Only when the cold wind of the rainy night struck them did their minds finally clear.

"We should leave as soon as possible." Li Yan said solemnly, "The Ghost Sect has secret arts. When we killed those men earlier, they immediately sensed it and used a curse to silence them. Stay alert. Their people may already be on the way."

Sha Lifei also understood how serious the situation was. No longer bothering to conceal it, he pulled the flintlock from his robes and loaded it in advance.

Daoist Feng was shrewd enough to pretend he had not noticed. He too drew a dagger from his waist, and concealed it inside the wide sleeve of his Daoist robe.

The temple remained utterly silent. Several corpses lay on the ground, the blood around them already turning black. Naturally, the three had no time to concern themselves with the bodies. They quickened their pace, pushed open the temple gate, and headed toward Guizhou City.

The temple was only about three li from the city. Although the gates had already been closed, with Daoist Feng's status, it would not be difficult to order the guards to lower a basket and pull them up.

However, they had only taken a few steps when Li Yan sensed something wrong.

He raised a hand and whispered harshly, "Stop!"

He stared at the road ahead with a narrowed gaze. At some point, dense fog had risen over the mountain road in front of them, spilling out from between the trees and mingling with the fine rain, sending a chill through the heart.

The fog quickly grew thicker and thicker. With the sky already dark and overcast, visibility dropped to less than ten meters.

"Heeheehee..."

A strange laugh suddenly drifted out from the dense fog. It sounded a little like a woman and a little like a child, as though someone were deliberately pitching their voice high. The sound sent chills down the spine.

Creak... Creak...

An odd noise rang out in the distance as several red figures gradually appeared on the mountain road ahead, flickering in and out of view through the fog.

They were four bizarre sedan bearers. Each wore burial clothes, their eyes bulging wide. Their faces looked as though they had been painted with powder, deathly white, while their lips were blood-red and round circles of rouge had been painted on their cheeks.

They looked just like paper figures. This was the costume of spirit children used in traditional opera. Male paper figures were called Two Fifty, while female ones were called Three Thirty. They were originally benevolent characters, but appearing here like this, they were unnervingly sinister.

Moreover, those four were obviously not living people! They carried a large bridal sedan and moved with eerily synchronized steps, almost exactly like sedan bearers from an opera performance, their bodies stiff and their legs held rigid as they walked.

The strange laughter grew louder and louder. The jangling also grew loud, as though someone covered in jade ornaments and jewelry were swaying inside.

Old Daoist Feng swallowed hard, his scalp tingling. "A midnight bridal sedan... The Ghost Bride."

"Don't be afraid!" A murderous glint flashed through Li Yan's eyes. He formed the Yang Seal with his hands, took a deep breath, and said softly, "There are quite a few people hidden in the woods as well. When the time comes, close your eyes and turn around."

Sha Lifei immediately understood.

The one who had intercepted them was undoubtedly Red Maiden, Zhao Changsheng's subordinate. Li Yan's father's killer had finally appeared, and she possessed profound cultivation. Naturally, he intended to control the yin soldiers of the Underworld and kill her.

Daoist Feng did not understand the reason, but hurriedly nodded as well. Inside, he was cursing his luck. He had thought staying with Li Yan and the others would be safer, only to discover it was even more dangerous.

Seeing the bridal sedan draw closer, Li Yan no longer hesitated.

"Turn around!" He barked the order, immediately took out his Summoning Writ, stepped through the formation of the Big Dipper, formed a hand seal, and began chanting, "Qingjia! Dark Heavens above and Black Earth below; there is no light in the Dark Heavens, nor gates to the Black Earth. The dead march forth, the living withdraw. Seize evil and evil retreats; seize ghosts and ghosts perish. By command of the Great Emperor of the Northern Fengdu–!"

As the incantation continued, violent yin winds suddenly rose around them. However, a warning suddenly flared in Li Yan's heart before he could properly finish the chant. He felt as though death was descending upon him.

Li Yan abruptly sprang back, shoving the other two to the ground.

"Get down!"

A tremendous boom erupted in the distance, accompanied by flames and drifting gun smoke. Li Yan felt a massive force strike him, followed by piercing agony. His entire body was hurled backward, and a huge bloody hole appeared in his chest.

A new-model firearm!

He had no time to think. He immediately called upon the Great Luo Dharma Body. As he rolled across the ground, the wound rapidly began repairing itself.

"Brother Yan!" Sha Lifei roared, his eyes turning blood-red.

Daoist Feng's scalp went numb as well, but he still managed to keep his composure. He grabbed the blood-red jade cong from his waist and shoved it into Sha Lifei's hands. "Hold them off first!"

Sure enough, the bizarre sedan bearers suddenly quickened their pace. It was almost as though they were shrinking the earth beneath their feet, carrying the bridal sedan toward them at incredible speed.

Although fury had overwhelmed Sha Lifei, his reactions were still extremely fast. He immediately raised his flintlock, pressed it against the blood-red jade cong, and shouted, "Back off!"

The bridal sedan abruptly stopped.

"Heeheehee..."

That eerie feminine giggle sounded again, and all four sedan bearers bent down in unison and lowered the sedan. A pale hand slowly lifted the red curtain as a woman stepped out from within. She wore a phoenix coronet and embroidered wedding cape over a blood-red bridal gown.

Red Maiden, the monster feared throughout the mystic path and the jianghu, rumored to have already transformed into a demon, finally appeared.

She did not reveal her true face. Instead, she extended both hands with elegant orchid-finger gestures and used an ornate red handkerchief embroidered with dragons and phoenixes to cover half her face. Her skin was pale, her pupils blood-red, and her eyes seemed capable of stealing away one's soul.

"My lord... Am I beautiful?"

Her soft, delicate voice stirred an instinctive sense of pity. It was clearly some powerful form of mind-bewitching art. Daoist Feng was the most alert. He immediately shut his eyes, pulled out two yellow talismans, and tremblingly backed away.

Sha Lifei, meanwhile, went glassy-eyed and broke into a foolish grin. "Hehe... You are beautiful."

Red Maiden took another two steps forward and said gently, "My lord, would you give this humble woman the thing in your hand?"

"Hehe... Sure!" Still grinning foolishly, Sha Lifei suddenly raised his flintlock.

Flames and smoke erupted.

At the same time, Sha Lifei rapidly retreated and began reloading, his gaze icy cold, without the slightest trace of being bewitched. He carried the Six Ding and Six Jia Talismans given to him by Xiong Baodong at all times.

Although Red Maiden's mind-bewitching art was powerful, Sha Lifei had only been dazed for an instant before regaining clarity, so he had simply pretended to be fooled in order to lure her closer.

"Ahhhh!"

Red Maiden shrieked as red smoke exploded around her. She had actually used an escape art to dodge the shot, reappearing in another location.

By then, Sha Lifei had already retreated to Li Yan's side. He pressed the gun muzzle against the blood-red jade cong again and cursed, "You filthy old hag! Take one more step and I'll blast this thing to pieces!"

Daoist Feng also breathed a sigh of relief and joined in the shouting. "Right! Blast the damn thing!"

Red Maiden stopped. There was no longer any trace of seduction in her eyes. Her pupils grew cold and bloodthirsty as she flicked the dragon-and-phoenix handkerchief with one hand and gripped it tightly.

When he saw her true face, Sha Lifei's heart trembled. Above the nose, Red Maiden still seemed like a beauty. However, her mouth had split all the way to her ears. Her lips were crimson as blood, and her mouth was filled with sharp fangs. There was no longer anything human about her.

Daoist Feng's face turned bitter. "She really has become a demon!"

He felt that his life was probably forfeit today. Sha Lifei was afraid as well, but his anger was even greater.

At that moment, Li Yan, lying on the ground as though dead, flexed his fingers and lightly pressed against Sha Lifei's heel.

Alive!

Sha Lifei was overjoyed inside, but his expression only became more guarded. He knew Li Yan must have a reason for pretending to be dead.

Sure enough, more people began emerging from the dense woods. One of them held a Divine Fire Arquebus and wore a friendly smile.

"Brother Sha, long time no see..."