Chapter 249: The Plot Thickens

A vague figure stood in the corner of the courtyard.

Sha Lifei gritted his teeth. His voice trembled slightly as he hissed, "Daoist, whoever's here isn’t here with good intentions!"

He had traveled far and wide with the others and encountered plenty of evil entities. Though he was not a member of the mystic sects, he still understood some of the basics. Yin souls and ghosts were inherently formless. There were only four circumstances under which they could be seen.

First, one could awaken the divine ability of sight and distinguish yin from yang. Second, someone on the verge of death, or whose luck had fallen to an extreme low, might see such things. Third, in certain special places, such as areas saturated with yin killing qi, even ordinary people could see them.

But none of them possessed the divine ability of sight, and this courtyard was full of human vitality. It had even been laid out according to the yang fengshui attributes.

That left only one possibility. They were facing an evil entity with extraordinarily deep cultivation!

Although Wang Daoxuan was anxious as well, he had no attention to spare for conversation. He continued chanting the soul-guiding incantation while constantly shaking the Soul-Calming Bell in his hand.

The straw effigy had already followed the red cord into the room and was only a zhang or two away from the black-robed old woman, the rice-divination spirit medium, lying on the bed.

Yet the paper figure moved more and more slowly. It seemed to be blocked by some invisible force.

Li Yan, meanwhile, flicked Earth Breaker up in a flourish and held it horizontally before his chest. His left hand lifted slightly, ready to unleash the Soul-Hooking Chain at any moment.

Summoning the yin soldiers required time, and clearly there was no chance for that now. His expression tense with vigilance, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as though facing a formidable enemy.

This damn thing is an out-of-body yin spirit!

Only an ancient demon with an extremely profound cultivation could do something like this!

He should have realized it earlier. Ordinary mountain spirits and monsters could only communicate with humans through spirit language, but the tiger demon had been able to clearly instruct Wu Laosi on how to break the formation. Its intelligence was clearly extremely high.

One had to understand that whether one was a human or spirit, the natural limit was the third level of cultivation. Upon reaching the fourth or fifth level, however, one could send the yin spirit traveling outside the body and cross a thousand li in an instant.

The higher the cultivation, the farther the spirit could travel from its physical body. Even then, one still needed a superior method.

For example, Red Maiden had reached the fourth level of cultivation, but she had broken through using evil arts, which had enormous drawbacks. The moment her yin soul left her body, her corpse-like physical body would begin causing trouble.

Li Yan had not expected such an ancient demon to be hiding in Dangyang County!

Just then, a violent yin wind suddenly swept through the area. The dark figure became even blurrier. Within the darkness, a pair of blood-red eyes seemed to flicker, and then a cold, hoarse voice sounded in everyone's ears.

"Do not meddle in matters that do not concern you!"

The yin wind dispersed, and the dark figure had vanished. The small courtyard immediately fell silent.

Jingle, jingle, jingle!

Wang Daoxuan continued shaking the bell. This time, nothing obstructed the straw effigy. It raced along the red cord and landed on the old woman's body.

"Hrk... hrk!"

The black-robed old woman suddenly opened her eyes. Phlegm rattled in her throat; cold sweat covered her forehead; and her body trembled violently as though she was struggling to move. The copper coins placed upon her body also began trembling.

Only then did everyone see clearly that the old woman's eyes were completely clouded white. She was blind.

Wang Daoxuan hurried into the room. Forming hand seals, he chanted, "By decree of the Sovereign Lord, stabilize and settle everything; sweep clean heaven and earth. The Twenty Eight Mansions, array the Seven Stars; Heaven and Earth open the Dipper, the Heavenly Wolf flies through the firmament."

He was reciting the Spirit-Calming and Soul-Stabilizing Incantation. The old woman's soul had only just returned to its proper place, and had yet to recover from the terror she had experienced. If her soul was not stabilized, it might flee her body again.

As Wang Daoxuan continued chanting, the ritual coins gradually stopped trembling. The old woman also ceased shaking. Her clouded white eyes stared sightlessly at the ceiling beam as she gasped heavily for breath.

Only then did Wang Daoxuan let out a breath of relief. He collected the copper coins one by one and said gently, "Fellow practitioner, don't be afraid. You've already returned."

"Thank you, fellow practitioner."

The old woman's voice was hoarse, with a faint tremor beneath it. Seeing that she was still badly shaken, Wang Daoxuan did not ask anything further. Instead, he walked outside and exchanged looks with Li Yan and the others. All of them wore grave expressions.

Li Yan frowned deeply and shook his head. "That one will be difficult to deal with."

A tiger demon with cultivation at that level was truly difficult for them to handle alone. Even with the yin soldiers at their disposal, they would first have to locate its lair and set up a formation to trap it.

Sha Lifei glanced at the little white fox trembling in Lu San's arms and could not help asking, "What the hell did that thing mean?"

Wang Daoxuan looked thoughtful. "I believe the headless rider may have nothing to do with that demon."

Just then, a hoarse voice came from inside the room. "You fellow practitioners guessed correctly..."

The black-robed old woman had recovered somewhat and was now struggling to sit up from the bed, her face still pale. The others hurried inside. Sha Lifei picked up the teapot from the table, poured a bowl of tea, and handed it to her.

The old woman was clearly parched. She gulped down two bowls in succession before finally catching her breath and saying hoarsely, "Thank you, fellow practitioners."

Her eyes remained clouded white, still staring blankly forward. She truly was blind.

"My name is Guo Wang. May I ask who you are?"

"My name is Wang Daoxuan, from the Guanzhong Plains. We were passing through this place when we discovered something was wrong.”

Since they were all members of the mystic sects, a brief exchange of introductions was enough for each side to understand the other's background. The fact that Guo Wang had managed to uncover clues showed that she was indeed no ordinary cultivator.

Her shamanic arts had been passed down through her family. She was skilled in rice divination and had also raised several guardian snake spirits. She was quite well known throughout Jingzhou.

When she learned that Li Yan and the others had been entrusted with a task by the City God Temple, Guo Wang became even more respectful and recounted everything that had happened in full.

"I was careless... Because the Taixuan Orthodox Sect has been busy with the war, many matters have been entrusted to local practitioners. I handled several of those matters, gained a little reputation, and became somewhat carried away.

"When I heard that an evil entity here was impersonating Sage Emperor Guan and causing trouble in his name, I brought my disciples here, hoping to make a name for myself in a single battle.

"I obtained the clothes of the deceased from the county yamen, then ordered my disciples to release our guardian snake spirits in every direction. Afterward, I used rice divination to perform spirit communion.

"I never expected the other side's cultivation to be higher than mine. Not only did they harm those disciples of mine, they also lured a strand of my divine soul toward that immortal monster in the mountains. I nearly became their scapegoat for their crimes!!"

Wang Daoxuan nodded. "It seems our guess was correct. These two sides are not the same group. They are secretly fighting each other."

Li Yan asked gravely, "Senior, do you know their backgrounds?"

Guo Wang sighed. "I don't know the origins of that tiger demon, but it commands many fierce spirit soldiers. Its temperament is also somewhat violent. From what I gathered, it has been guarding the area outside Lord Guan's Mausoleum for several decades. Usually, it simply cultivates in seclusion and does not cause trouble. I have no idea what it is now plotting.

"As for the other group, I do have a guess. Several of the practitioners among them used completely different methods, but all of those arts were sinister and vicious. They may be connected to the evil cultivators hiding among the mountain strongholds.

"Those people are wanted by the Orthodox Sects, and have caused no shortage of trouble in the mountains. I have encountered them several times before. Now, with the war occupying the Orthodox Sects' attention, they have emerged in force. They must be planning something significant."

Li Yan looked puzzled. "Dangyang may be only a small county, but it is a strategic point. Could the native clans be planning to break through from here? But if so, why deliberately cause such a huge uproar?"

"I have a theory." Wang Guo said hoarsely, "Have you gentlemen ever heard the story of the Overturned Well on Mount Zigai?"

Wang Daoxuan immediately became interested. "Fellow practitioner, please tell us."

Wang Guo sighed. "Mount Zigai is a blessed land and grotto-heaven. Though it is not particularly famous, it is by no means ordinary.

"The mountain received its name because its summit slopes downward on all four sides like the canopy of an umbrella. The trees and rocks upon it are also purple-black, and when one climbs the mountain, one can see purple clouds and a sea of mist. Thus it came to be called Mount Zigai.

"In the late Eastern Han, Immortal Elder Ge once refined pills on this mountain while treating illnesses and saving people. Legend says that while refining a batch of pills, he fed one to a rooster to test its effects, but the rooster died. In a fit of anger, Immortal Elder Ge threw the pill furnace into a well. But afterward, the rooster transformed into a phoenix and flew away. Delighted, the Immortal Elder used his divine abilities to overturn the well, poured the furnace back out, and successfully completed the pills.

"From then on, the Overturned Well became one of Mount Zigai's famous sights. Its water is crystal clear, never rising when it rains and never falling during droughts, while clouds and mist frequently rise above the well’s mouth.

"There are rumors within the mystic sects that this well is no ordinary place. It is said to be Mount Zigai's foremost spiritual aperture and to contain Immortal Elder Ge's immortal pills. Yet no one has ever found them.

"Later, another rumor began circulating from who knows where. It claimed that the Overturned Well suppresses an immensely powerful demon Jade Spring Temple. At the same time, Lord Guan's Mausoleum, together with Mount Zigai, form two supporting points of a great formation that keeps the demon sealed.

"Now there is a tiger demon hiding in the mountains; evil cultivators from the region are causing trouble; and Lord Guan's Mausoleum is repeatedly being struck by lightning. Could these people be trying to open the great formation?"

Everyone exchanged looks. They had not expected such a small place as Dangyang County to conceal rumors like these. Ordinary people would only laugh at such bizarre tales as myths, but they were members of the mystic sects and knew more than a few things. Sometimes the truth was exaggerated until it became a story. That story would pass from mouth to mouth, and grow exaggerated again until it became a myth.

There was always some thread connecting myth to reality.

Li Yan said gravely, "Let's set aside Lord Guan's Mausoleum for now. It is one of the three great Guan temples of the Divine Continent, so there must certainly be people guarding it.

"As for Jade Spring Temple, I heard it is an ancestral seat of a Buddhist-Daoist lineage. There are also numerous ritual lineages established on Mount Zigai. Could they really know nothing about this?"

Wang Guo smiled bitterly as she replied, "That, I do not know. The war may be pressing, but they only sent a few junior disciples to deal with the matter. I fear there is more to this than meets the eye. Fellow Daoists, I no longer dare involve myself in such matters. I advise you to stay out of it as well, lest you invite disaster upon yourselves."

Her words were indirect, but everyone understood immediately. Dangyang County might be small, but it contained three sacred sites involving the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, the Buddhist-Daoist lineage, and several local ritual lineages.

For example, the Zhushan Sect had built an incense hall on the mountain as well. With such a major disturbance underway, yet every one of them pretending to hear and see nothing, there was absolutely no way the situation was simple.

Wang Guo was already old, and she had only just recovered her soul. Her spirit was clearly exhausted. After giving her view, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Li Yan and the others returned to their room. They exchanged glances and remained silent.

Sha Lifei was the first to break the silence, cursing, "Damn it. Evil creatures are running rampant in Dangyang County, yet every one of those people is pretending to be deaf and blind. This definitely involves infighting within the mystic sects. Brother Yan, let's stay out of this mess!"

But Wang Daoxuan shook his head. "No. First, we already promised Gu Hanzi and the Guan Clan that we would see this matter through. Second, evil creatures are causing harm to the common people and tarnishing the good name of Sage Emperor Guan.

"Many things are like this. If everyone pretends not to know anything, the villains will only get their way. We need to investigate this thoroughly and report the matter to the City God Temple."

Li Yan nodded in agreement. "Since we already gave our word, we have to keep it."

Sha Lifei sighed helplessly. "Fine, fine. But we still need some sort of plan. Don't let us fail to accomplish anything and get set up by someone instead."

Li Yan looked thoughtful. "The enemy is hidden while we are exposed. Those who know the truth are pretending not to know anything. Do you know why?"

Wang Daoxuan smiled. "Because all of them have a guilty conscience."

"Exactly!" Li Yan nodded. He said gravely, "When people have guilty consciences, they naturally act secretively and hide what they are doing. That is why there are so many layers of confusion.

"No matter who is behind this, they are taking advantage of the chaos in the southwest, so they must have their own concerns. We can simply conduct ourselves openly and properly. Whether Buddhist, Daoist, or some ritual lineage, if they do not want punishment from above, they will have no choice but to cooperate.

"Tomorrow, we'll go to Lord Guan's Mausoleum first, then visit Jade Spring Temple, and finally head up Mount Zigai. We'll see exactly who is behind all this. Prepare all your equipment. If someone gets cornered and decides to lash out, there's no need for us to hold back!"

"Fine."

With the plan settled, no one hesitated any further. They first went to tell Old Master Guan that the old practitioner had been saved, then prepared their ritual implements and went to bed to recover their strength.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Old Master Guan came looking for them, his face filled with anger. "Gentlemen, something happened!"

He cursed in bitter disappointment, "That Wu Laosi was blinded by greed. In the middle of the night, he abandoned his wife and child and ran off with the silver. This old man sent people to search along the road, but they only found the silver he dropped. The man himself is missing. The road is muddy, and his footprints are still there. It looks like he went into the mountains."

Wang Daoxuan was speechless for a moment, then shook his head. "If it was the blood ghosts, I'm afraid he is already dead."

Li Yan raised his eyebrow and revealed a thoughtful expression. "Come on. Let's take a look."

The group gathered their equipment and followed Old Master Guan outside the village. The sky was still overcast, with black clouds like ink. Although it had not started raining again, the road remained muddy and the footprints were clearly visible.

Wang Daoxuan inspected the tracks. "He was bewitched by the blood ghosts."

He pointed at the footprints. "Look here. At first, he was circling around in place, which means he encountered a ghost wall. Afterward, only the tips of his feet touched the ground. A malicious ghost had already possessed him."

Li Yan tracked the footprints. They led in a perfectly straight line toward the nearby forest.

He asked, "Did you send anyone in to search?"

Old Master Guan looked embarrassed. "Well... No one dared go."

Li Yan nodded. "You did the right thing, Old Master."

He looked at Lu San, who immediately understood. With a wave of his hand, his hawk shot into the sky and began circling above the nearby forest. Before long, it discovered something and started swooping up and down.

Lu San pointed toward the northwestern corner of the woods.

"Over there. It's not far."

Without another word, everyone immediately entered the forest. Before they had even drawn close, Li Yan's expression darkened.

He sneered. "Looks like we had more than one visitor watching us last night."

Old Master Guan and the clan members accompanying him did not understand what he meant. But after walking a little farther, they immediately did.

They soon came across an old stretch of forest where more than a dozen people were hanging densely from the branches. Every corpse had a pale face, bulging eyes, and a tongue protruding far from its mouth. Even more bizarrely, their faces and exposed skin were covered in blackish-blue handprints.

Wu Laosi was among them. The rest were all black-clad men carrying bladed weapons.

Old Master Guan felt his scalp go numb at the sight. "T-This... What happened here?"

Li Yan looked thoughtful, then suddenly leaped upward, kicked off a tree trunk, and soared into the air. With one slash, he severed several ropes.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Several corpses dropped to the ground. Li Yan tore open the clothes over one man's chest. There, tattooed prominently across his torso, was the vicious beast Qiongqi.

The moment Old Master Guan saw it, he understood. "So it was the Heavenly Sage Cult causing trouble!"

He gritted his teeth in fury.

Li Yan and the others, however, exchanged glances, their expressions grave. Their previous guesses had still been too conservative. The tiger demon was not the only thing watching from the shadows. There was probably also an ancient ghost from a tomb!

Just what secret is hidden in Dangyang County?!