Chapter 108: Cautious Lu San

Indeed, it has gained spiritual awareness!

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, not daring to move a muscle.

Since ancient times, folk tales have told of animals gaining spiritual awareness: foxes worship the moon, wolves howl at it, snakes exhale mist, turtles breathe slowly, mice listen to sutras…

Li Yan had asked Wang Daoxuan about this.

After all, this world has no such thing as spiritual qi.

No matter how much an animal cultivates, it cannot change its fundamental nature.

According to Wang Daoxuan’s explanation, animal cultivation isn’t about transformation—it’s more like human spirit retention; once the soul grows strong enough, it can use dark qi to perform certain techniques.

These techniques arise from instinct, some strong, some weak.

The weaker ones, like weasels dancing, can bewitch rabbits into dancing along, then easily prey on them.

The more powerful ones include ancient foxes luring travelers into graveyards, mountain lords capturing souls and binding them as chang ghosts, and ancient snakes spewing clouds and mist.

Creatures like the cocked-scorpion snake are innate anomalies, like celestial treasures or earthly gems, born in places where primordial yang and yin energies converge—most terrifying of all.

According to intelligence, Lu San excels at controlling beasts.

But what he just showed was clearly an understanding of bird and beast speech!

This usually comes from awakening the ear spiritual sense, not uncommon in history.

For example, the ruler of the ancient Dongyi state, Jie Gelu, heard a cow mourning during a visit to Lu and knew its three calves had been sacrificed…

The Zhou Li, Autumn Official, also records: “Yi Li manage the herders, raise cattle and horses, and converse with birds… Mo Li manage the beast-tamers, raise and train animals, and converse with beasts.”

That is, the Western Zhou dynasty once appointed two official roles: Yi Li, who managed cattle and horses and could speak with birds, and Mo Li, who trained beasts and could speak with animals.

Awakening a spiritual sense does not grant only one ability.

For instance, among those who awaken the eye sense, some can perceive qi, others can discern yin and yang.

Among those who awaken the ear sense, most hear faint sounds, but some understand bird and beast speech, or even hear whispers of ghosts and gods…

This Lu San is indeed extraordinary.

As Li Yan pondered, Lu San fully climbed out of the grave.

He was of average height; though the autumn night was cold, he wore only a thin robe, his skin slightly dark, his features ordinary, his eyes sharp, and under the moonlight, his faint smile revealed two dimples.

That smile resembled the innocence of a child.

He shook the dirt off his body, saw the old fox worshipping the moon, and burst into laughter: “Second Master, you’re putting on a show—your heart isn’t sincere, how can you succeed?”

“That skull is heavy with dark qi—be careful, or it’ll confuse your soul.”

Before he finished speaking, the old fox shook its head, staggered like a drunkard, and collapsed with a thud, the skull rolling away with a clatter…

Instantly, the foxes leapt about in chaos.

Lu San chuckled heartily…

Li Yan thought to himself: So fox worship of the moon isn’t so simple—wild animals gaining spiritual awareness is rare enough, yet they still need skulls saturated with dark qi.

One misstep, and their soul gets overwhelmed.

He suppressed all his aura, so Lu San didn’t notice; he leapt down from the grave mound, first helped the old fox up and placed it aside, then crouched, tilting his head as if listening, muttering to himself:

“Oh, there’s a water ghost on the southern bank of Jinqian River…”

“There’s fighting on West Mountain…”

“Is there a caravan that buried silver and gold underground?”

Li Yan, watching, was inwardly startled.

So this spiritual sense is remarkable—by befriending birds and beasts, he gains a natural intelligence network.

No wonder Qiao Sanhu’s men couldn’t catch him…

Li Yan thought for a moment, dispelled his technique, and bowed loudly: “Are you Master Lu San? I seek your help with a matter…”

Whoosh!

Before he finished speaking, Lu San turned and ran.

Li Yan’s mind went blank—how cowardly is this kid?

I’m still far away from you…

No time to think—he burst out of the woods, chasing after him.

Jiji jiji!

The entire group of foxes panicked, baring their teeth at him but dared not advance.

Seeing Lu San vanish into the distance, Li Yan sighed, ran while gripping his blade, and activated the Three Talismans of Demon Subjugation.

Killing intent surged—the foxes scattered in terror, squealing and shrieking, several even letting out continuous puffs of flatulence.

“I fucking…”

Li Yan grew furious, nearly stumbling from the stench.

Though the nose sense is useful, it has drawbacks.

Even if he can control its activation with Yin and Yang incantations, his sense of smell is far keener than that of ordinary men—he despises strange odors, bordering on a mild obsession with cleanliness.

To him, these fox farts were no different from hidden weapons.

Fortunately, his speed was swift—he dashed through the stench zone, his feet releasing hidden force, leaping every three steps, accelerating rapidly.

Ahead, Lu San, apparently hearing the foxes’ warning, grew even more panicked, dropping to all fours and running like a wild beast, astonishingly fast.

Worse, he casually shook his waist pouch, scattering iron caltrops along the ground with a clatter.

What trick is this?

Li Yan naturally avoided the petty trap, but he was curious about Lu San’s movement technique—he’d never seen anything like it.

Behind the black wind gap atop the mountain lay a steep cliff; Li Yan assumed he’d corner the boy, but Lu San pulled something from the grass.

It resembled a glider, but made of wooden frame and stitched animal hide.

This kid is too slippery!

Seeing Lu San about to escape, Li Yan panicked and shouted: “I’m returning Wu Laosi’s corpse to his hometown—I’m seeking directions from you, not causing trouble!”

Lu San froze, then spun around.

“Stop right there!”

He snorted coldly, still standing by the cliff, holding the glider.

Under the moonlight, his face was blank, his gaze cold.

Where was the childlike smile from moments ago?

“Fine, I won’t move!”

Li Yan immediately halted, raising both hands to show no hostility, then quickly recounted the entire incident.

Lu San listened, suspicion still lingering: “You traveled so far, went through so much trouble to find me—just to help Uncle Wu bury his body?”

Li Yan frowned slightly: “Not everyone in this world chases profit and forgets righteousness—I do what I must. Is that not allowed?”

He could see: Lu San was open and honest with animals, but deeply wary of people.

Lu San fell silent for a moment, then said: “I’ll tell you the location—you go find it yourself. Deal?”

“Deal!” Li Yan nodded immediately.

He wasn’t here to trouble Lu San—finding the location and burying the dead as soon as possible was the priority; he had no time to waste.

Lu San seemed surprised, studying Li Yan silently for a moment, then spoke: “The Wu family’s ancestral graves are on the southwest mountain—look for the big pine tree, and the graves lie just below.”

“Wu Laosi’s family died suddenly; the village spread bad rumors and refused them burial in the ancestral grounds, so they were buried in the ravine behind the ancestral mound.”

With that, he turned and leapt, the glider catching the wind, vanishing into the vast night.

Far below the cliff, Manchuan Pass glowed with bright lights.

“His courage is as small as a mouse’s…”

Li Yan was speechless, shook his head, and turned away.

After he left, the previously unconscious old fox slowly opened its eyes, then snatched up the skull and fled swiftly…

Having obtained the information, Li Yan had no desire to linger in Manchuan Pass—though bustling, he had no time for sightseeing.

He returned to the Qin Street Mule and Horse Guild, retrieved his stored horse, and rode straight into the endless night.

He didn’t notice that beside the road, several rats emerged from the grass, motionless, staring at his departing back…

…………

At dawn, before the sky had lightened, everyone was awakened by hoofbeats.

Sha Lifei rushed out and saw Li Yan riding in, his body chilled and frost-laden, dewdrops dripping from his straw hat. “So soon?”

Sha Lifei was surprised, hurried forward to take the reins.

“Lucky break.”

Li Yan dismounted, patted the horse’s neck, and said with regret: “This little thing is exhausted—ask Old Meng to give it extra feed.”

After tending to the horse, Li Yan and Sha Lifei recounted the events of the previous night.

Sha Lifei laughed: “Lu San—call him cowardly, yet he dares face Qiao Sanhu alone; call him brave, yet he bolts at the slightest rustle.”

“Lucky it was you—he’d have been impossible to find otherwise.”

“His situation demands caution,” Li Yan shook his head. “We’ve got the location—no time to waste, Master Wang, let’s head up the mountain and find the graves.”

“Agreed!”

Wang Daoxuan understood Li Yan’s urgency; without delay, he picked up his pre-packed bag and followed Li Yan up the mountain.

Their goal: locate the graves of Wu Laosi’s wife and daughter, and meanwhile choose a favorable burial site for the funeral preparations.

!.

Sha Lifei remained in the village with the bearers.

According to Lu San’s words, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan followed the dried-up riverbed and indeed found the large pine tree on the southwest mountain.

It stood alone atop the peak, its greenery glistening in the morning light.

Yet upon seeing the graveyard, both men froze.

In villages like this, graves are typically clustered around family lines—not auspicious sites, but at least passable in scenery.

Now, however, most of the graves had been destroyed.

Tombstones lay toppled, burial cavities yawned open, and bones lay exposed to the elements.

“What a tragedy…” Wang Daoxuan murmured, shaking his head slightly.

Li Yan frowned tightly, anger rising in his chest.

He had a vague idea who was behind this.

Villagers owned nothing of value; no grave robbers would bother these mounds.

Most likely, it was Qiao Sanhu’s doing.

“Digging up your ancestors’ graves” wasn’t just an insult—people often desecrated graves and exposed corpses out of spite.

Judging by the condition, the damage was recent.

Perhaps after being provoked by Lu San at Manchuan Pass and failing to find him, Qiao Sanhu resorted to this vile act in revenge.

“Let’s go.”

Wang Daoxuan was clearly angered too. “This Fengyang Tiger is truly beyond redemption. I was even thinking of going to Fengyang to arrange a grand burial for him—now, better keep things quiet.”

“The grave site must be hidden too. We can’t choose here—lest after we leave, Qiao Sanhu’s men come and desecrate it again…”

“Yes, do as the Daoist says.”

As they spoke, they walked down the slope, searching for the graves of Wu Laosi’s wife and daughter.

Not long after they left, a figure slowly emerged from the wild grass near the Wu family’s ancestral graveyard.

It was Lu San.

Gazing at the ruined graves, his eyes filled with shock and sorrow, then boundless rage—he clenched his fists, teeth grinding audibly.

Squeak! Squeak!

Several rats scurried out of burrows, chirping several times.

Lu San fell silent for a moment, opened the leather pouch at his waist, and the rats immediately darted out, climbing up his pant legs one by one until they vanished inside.

He turned again toward the direction Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan had taken, then followed without hesitation…

…………

“Where… is it exactly?”

In the mountain ravine, Li Yan circled several times, his face darkening.

Following Lu San’s directions, they’d reached the ravine behind, but it was overgrown with wild grass—no graves visible at all.

Wang Daoxuan examined the Luo Pan from all angles and shook his head. “This isn’t a good place at all—no vitality whatsoever. Burial here would bring misfortune.”

“Besides, the terrain is low-lying. When heavy rain comes, flash floods will sweep through—likely washing away any graves long ago.”

“Let me try…”

Li Yan said, preparing to form the Yang Seal.

Now that he could fully unleash his spiritual power, he could detect scents buried seven or eight meters underground—perhaps he could locate the bones.

But as soon as he activated his power, Li Yan frowned and turned toward the northwest slope.

There, a figure crossed the ridge and slid down the earthen incline.

“Who’s that?” Wang Daoxuan asked curiously.

Li Yan snorted coldly. “That’s Lu San. I was probably deceived. Let’s see what he has to say.”

He’d finally realized it.

The brat mixed truth and lies half-and-half, and had been sneaking behind them—likely still suspicious, trying to confirm their identities.

Caution was fine, but it was becoming irritating.

Sure enough, Lu San stopped far off, just as he had last night, and spoke flatly: “The bones aren’t here. I lied to you.”

Li Yan laughed bitterly. “Playing games like this is quite amusing.”

Lu San seemed oblivious to his anger, continuing in a dull monotone: “You came looking for Uncle Wu. I thought you were still those people from before.”

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Lu San no longer concealed anything. “I’ve always known Uncle Wu wasn’t ordinary. Birds and beasts avoided his home.”

“But Uncle Wu treated me well, and Aunt Wu often brought me food. After what happened, I was the one who buried his family.”

Li Yan’s heart stirred. “What exactly happened back then?”

Lu San’s eyes flickered with fear as he recalled: “A vicious ghost possessed Aunt Wu and stabbed everyone in the family to death.”

“That night, Uncle Wu returned and dealt with the ghost. But he seemed terrified—he woke me in the middle of the night, hastily buried his family, then left Wujiagou and never returned.”

Exactly as Wu Laosi had said.

That ghost was probably his ungrateful friend…

Li Yan’s expression softened slightly. “You said others came looking for him?”

“Yes.”

Lu San nodded. “About three days after Uncle Wu left, two strangers arrived in the village, asking about his family, claiming they’d been entrusted by him to bury his relatives.”

“Those two carried heavy killing aura. I sensed something wrong and quickly moved Uncle Wu’s wife and daughter’s bones, burying them in a cave on East Mountain.”

“You did right.”

Wang Daoxuan said solemnly: “Some Daoist lineages have tracking techniques that use bloodline and bones to locate targets. If they find the bones, Uncle Wu won’t escape.”

Li Yan pondered. “Could those two be Uncle Wu’s own sect members? After all, he took that thing with him.”

He meant the Gou Die.

It seemed this object was indeed a treasure of Wu Laosi’s lineage.

If so, then something was wrong.

Li Yan had promised to return the Gou Die—but now he’d become a Living Yin Officer.

No.

Wu Laosi said his lineage had dwindled to nothing.

He even mentioned Cold Altar Wandering Masters.

That only happened after ancestral worship had been severed.

Could those two not be his sect members at all?

All these questions left Li Yan baffled. He sighed helplessly at Lu San: “I didn’t know about this. You did the right thing.”

“Take us to the bones…”

(End of Chapter)