Chapter 126: Capture the Yin Offender

“Got it!”

Sha Lifei couldn’t exorcise spirits, but his wits were sharp—he knew exactly what to do and had already grabbed his ritual case and run over.

The case was still a gift from Luo Fengzi, packed with hidden drawers and compartments, each storing ritual tools and materials neatly sorted so nothing got mixed up.

The Yunlei Divine Drum hung on the back.

Li Yan took the drum, just as he pulled back the oilcloth, his brow furrowed slightly—he turned his gaze behind him, eyes filled with hesitation.

The young Daoist Dian Shu, seeing this, quickly whispered: “No need to worry—within the spiritual aperture, the situation is self-contained; the Gangqi of Mount Taibai is the foundation, and external spells cannot interfere…”

As he spoke, the earth centipedes reappeared.

The demon hunter Hong Yecha moved faster—he pulled a leather pouch from his waist, shook it, and scattered powder in a circle around them all.

The smell was pungent—sulfur, lime, and mixed herbs.

“This is the insect-repelling powder we prepared on the way.”

She drew her long sword and held it before them, voice steady: “The rooster’s blood is gone; the insect powder can only hold them off for a while—we must find a way to retreat.”

Everyone knew she spoke the truth.

These earth centipedes were extremely fierce, impervious to blades and bullets; without something to counter them, even their shells were nearly impossible to break.

A few were manageable, but this many charging at once—even the most skilled couldn’t handle it; one bite and you’d be dead.

“We can’t leave—we must hold out until tomorrow!”

Li Yan shook his head, outright rejecting the plan.

As he spoke, he hung the Zhenmo Coin-Knife tassel onto the drum.

He glanced at the young Daoist Dian Shu, a thought striking him—he asked urgently: “Do you have Jia Ma?”

The first level of the Bei Di Jing includes the Jia Ma technique; the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao has been the state religion for millennia—surely they have it too.

The young Daoist Dian Shu looked embarrassed: “My master gave me two for protection, but I thought we wouldn’t need them on the mountain, so I didn’t bring them.”

“I have some!”

Unexpectedly, Hong Yecha suddenly spoke up.

She pulled a strip of yellow cloth from her back pack, her expression pained: “I bought this at great cost—it’s meant for emergencies, to save my life.”

“Good.”

Li Yan didn’t bother asking further—he took out cinnabar ink and scribbled a few lines on a talisman paper, folded it, and handed it to Hong Yecha: “When I clear a path for you, leave this place immediately and head to Doumugong. Deliver this letter to Yu Linzi.”

“Got it!” Hong Yecha, a straightforward woman, immediately agreed.

As they spoke, the earth centipedes gathered in greater numbers.

The insect-repelling powder Hong Yecha had scattered was working—the giant centipedes circled outside but refused to cross the powder ring.

Yet their numbers were astonishing—swarming in and out of the sandy earth ahead, dense and countless, at least thirty of them.

They crawled back and forth, the stench of decay thick in the dark, the clatter of countless legs against soil and rock never ceasing.

Everyone’s hearts turned cold at the sight.

Thud!

Li Yan suddenly slammed his palm onto the Yunlei Divine Drum.

He used hidden force, channeling all his spirit to drive the strike.

The drumbeat roared like thunder, the killing intent unleashed, spreading rapidly through the dark hills.

Just as Li Yan had expected—though these earth centipedes were fierce and impervious to blades, their spiritual cores were weak; the best method was the drum’s soul-subduing power.

Thud-thud-thud!

Several drumbeats in succession, as if thunder had sprung from nowhere.

The earth centipedes clearly panicked—some retreated in disarray, others froze stiff and motionless; the encirclement now had gaps.

“Now!” Li Yan barked low.

Hong Yecha had already pulled out the Jia Ma.

Two long yellow strips—left side inscribed with the Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper, right side with the Six Ding and Six Jia talismans, center depicting a divine general riding a horse, flag at his back, auspicious clouds beneath his feet.

She moved swiftly, binding them tightly to both legs.

Hearing Li Yan’s command, Hong Yecha stepped into the Gangbu , fingers forming the Xun Wind Seal, and chanted low: “One step, a hundred steps—the earth shrinks before me. Mountains flatten, rivers dry—I summon the Three Mountains and Nine Marquises, swiftly, as the law commands, seize!”

As the incantation ended, wind erupted from the ground.

Whoosh! Hong Yecha leapt—jumping eight meters, clearing the centipede circle entirely, vanishing into the dark without looking back.

Li Yan watched, nodding silently.

The Jia Ma technique was indeed remarkable—what Hong Yecha used wasn’t as powerful as the Bei Di Jia Ma Shu, yet still astonishing.

The Bei Di Jia Ma Shu’s strength lay in its ability to layer hidden force with the leap—fully powered, it could launch the user ten meters.

More importantly, Jia Ma required no recovery time.

In the span of a cup of tea, she could cover great distance.

No sooner had Hong Yecha left than several centipedes were drawn after her.

Li Yan’s pupils narrowed—he’d guessed right: these demons were controlled, meant to trap them all here.

Of course, the earth centipedes were too slow to catch Hong Yecha—they turned back.

Seeing the swarm grow restless, about to breach the powder ring, Li Yan immediately focused his spirit and channeled power.

Thud-thud-thud! The drumbeat roared like thunder, unceasing.

The power of the Yunlei Divine Drum was undeniable.

Back at Wujiagou, Li Yan had used the Three-Celestial Zhenmo Coins to unleash thunderous killing intent—under the drum’s sound, countless yin entities vanished.

Yet these centipedes, though restrained, were immune to direct soul-shattering because their spirits resided within their flesh.

This was the limitation of the technique.

Where there is yin, there is yang; every strength has its flaw.

At that moment, the centipedes seemed to receive an order—they all raised their upper bodies, some spewing poison mist, others spraying venom.

“Uncle Sha!”

Li Yan barked—a prepared Sha Lifei stepped forward, raised his Minghuo Musket, and pulled the trigger hard at the centipede horde.

Boom!

The mechanism fired—phosphorus fire mixed with oil erupted, white, green, and red flames flickering, burning fiercely with the oil.

Hong Yecha had said these demons feared fire and roosters most.

The Minghuo Musket was perfectly timed.

The centipedes directly ahead were drenched in flames, writhing wildly; the oil splashed onto others, spreading fire rapidly.

The centipedes panicked, engulfed in fire, burrowing into the ground—some even lost several legs in the scramble.

These demons excelled at burrowing—once underground, the flames vanished, and the oil was washed away by soil and dust.

But many ahead hadn’t dug deep enough—they twisted and died in the flames.

Instantly, the air filled with the stench of burning flesh.

After this strike, the centipedes seemed terrified—they burrowed and did not reappear.

The young Daoist Dian Shu exhaled in relief, wiping sweat from his brow: “That’s the Fangxian Dao’s Minghuo Musket—thank goodness the layman had this treasure.”

Li Yan nodded slightly, saying nothing.

He stared fixedly around him, not daring to relax for a moment.

The earth centipedes were fierce, but merely puppets.

What he truly feared was the old Daoist in the jar.

These centipedes were all his doing—meant to replenish his essence and blood; Li Yan had never seen such a technique before.

Who knew what other dark arts the fellow might wield…

But to his surprise, calm followed—no further danger appeared.

Rustle-rustle!

After Zi Shi passed, the cave behind them collapsed—Wang Daoxuan broke through, looking around in astonishment: “What happened?”

“Congratulations, Daoist!”

Sha Lifei, seeing his breakthrough, sighed in relief and called out: “The Dao Master is out—let’s get moving! Staying here gives me the creeps.”

“Go!”

Li Yan wasted no words—he led everyone away quickly.

“Stop!” But as they descended from Baxiantai, Li Yan halted them, voice stern: “We wait here.”

“What now?” Sha Lifei groaned—Dian Shu and Wang Daoxuan beside him also looked baffled.

Li Yan looked up at Baxiantai.

“Don’t ask. Just wait.”

He didn’t know what other powers the old Daoist possessed—rumor had it that powerful ear-spirit techniques could detect every movement on the entire mountain—he had to be cautious.

Whoosh!

As dawn neared, a violent wind surged from afar, sand and stones flying, visible darkness spreading toward them.

The light had been dim already—now, sun and moon vanished.

The wind howled, faintly carrying the sound of chains, armor, and fluttering banners…

Facing this terrifying scene, everyone finally relaxed.

The young Daoist Dian Shu formed the Yang Seal, his pupils glowing brightly: “It’s the ancestral altar’s troops—Lu the layman has returned to Doumugong.”

!.

“The Daoist has the Yin-Yang Eyes…?” Sha Lifei asked curiously. “What can you see?”

“It’s the Ancestral Troops—our batch was collected from the ancient battlefield, all spirit soldiers, missing arms and legs, blue faces and fangs…”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Why should I be afraid?”

“These Ancestral Troops—I’ve offered incense and worship to them since childhood with my fellow disciples. That red-haired demon, I even helped my master capture it…”

“The Ancestral Troops look fearsome, but they’re obedient. The Registry Soldiers are far more terrifying—I dare not even look at them. Once I receive the Registry, I’ll be qualified to command the Ancestral Troops…”

The young Daoist Dian Shu spoke at length, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

Listening to Dian Shu, Li Yan felt a pang of envy.

He vaguely understood why disciples of the Profound Heaven Sect were trained from childhood—perhaps in their eyes and understanding, this world looked entirely different…

When the Doumu Palace troops arrived, everyone finally relaxed.

Yet after a thorough search, the troops found nothing. As dawn began to lighten the horizon, the troops vanished swiftly, wrapped in howling winds…

“Why didn’t you catch it?”

The young Daoist Dian Shu was surprised.

But Li Yan seemed to have expected this. “Don’t rush. You’ll know soon…”

…………

When the sun rose, Doumu Palace finally sent someone.

Leading them was an old Daoist with a tall crown and white beard. His cultivation level was impossible to gauge, yet Yu Linzi could only follow behind—clearly, his status was extraordinary.

The demon hunter Hong Yecha was among them.

“Young layman, is what you said true?”

The old Daoist’s gaze was grave, tinged with anger.

Li Yan bowed calmly. “Master, you’ll see for yourself. But if what I said is true…”

“Rest assured.”

The old Daoist glanced at him calmly. “The Profound Heaven Sect has edicts forbidding interference in Yin Bureau affairs. If a living Yin Officer is arresting someone, no matter who they are, they may act freely.”

Li Yan nodded, finally at ease.

Only now did he notice—the old Daoist in the jar wore a dark Daoist robe whose style closely resembled that of Doumu Palace.

In the midst of a sect’s territory, he’d be a fool to fight outright.

His only concern was the sect’s protection.

Because the Yin offender in his sight might very well be a senior or fellow disciple these people lived with daily.

Fortunately, the Yin Code once mentioned: all major orthodox sects and magical lineages with legitimate roots must not interfere with Yin Bureau enforcement.

This was a taboo—violating it brought great trouble.

“It’s the Witch-Cult’s demon-summoning method…”

The group reached the mountain, surveyed the pits on the ground and the charred earth centipedes, and someone immediately recognized it.

Compared to the young Daoist Dian Shu, their experience was undoubtedly broader.

“Mm.”

The white-bearded Daoist’s gaze darkened as he approached the orifice.

The Qian One orifice was spacious and obvious; even the altar Wang Daoxuan had failed to clean up still remained inside.

The old Daoist glanced once, then moved to the Qian Two cave. In his hand appeared several yarrow stalks. He formed a seal and chanted a spell—wind howled around him.

The yarrow stalks fluttered wildly within the cave, as if drawn by the fierce Yin-Yang energies, soon settling over one area.

Precisely the section blocked by collapsed boulders.

Moving aside the rocks, a small cave appeared behind—clearly carved by human hands.

One by one, they crawled through the small cave. Beyond, the space opened up into another glacial cavern, where icy mist flowed along the ground—the very cave Li Yan had seen in the well.

“Is this… a Cave-Tian burial site?”

Wang Daoxuan stared in shock, his voice trembling.

Seeing Li Yan’s puzzled look, he whispered: “Ordinary Dragon Vein treasure graves merely bring fortune and luck. But I’ve heard a legend—if buried in a Cave-Tian treasure site, one gains a chance at immortality…”

“Immortality? The Fangxian Sect has ruined countless lives!”

The white-bearded Daoist suddenly exploded in anger, turning to Li Yan. “Where is the body buried?”

Seeing the old Daoist’s furious expression, Li Yan avoided provoking him and pointed directly to a patch of empty ground at the cave’s bottom. “Right there!”

“Dig!”

At the old Daoist’s command, the Doumu Palace Daoists rushed forward, swinging picks and shovels, clanging and clattering as they dug.

When they reached three feet underground, the large black jar appeared before them. The yellow talismans on the jar had rotted away; red cords wrapped around it, hung with countless copper coins.

Li Yan’s pupils contracted—he widened his eyes.

The black jar seemed to isolate everything—he could smell no foul odor at all.

Chachach!

A strange cry rang out—the surviving earth centipedes burst from the ground and surged toward the old Daoist.

“Get lost!”

The old Daoist roared, raising his ritual seal.

Li Yan, still using his divine sight, felt a chilling, murderous aura surge into his nostrils. His head grew heavy, vision darkened—as if cold starlight rained down.

He quickly shut off his divine sight. When he recovered, no starlight remained—yet the earth centipedes lay limp, twitching as they oozed green pus, soon lifeless.

Damn, what kind of artifact is that?

Li Yan was startled.

Beside the black jar lay a copper plate covered in dense script. Yu Linzi picked it up and read: “In ancient times, who transmitted the Dao? When heaven and earth had no form, how could it be known? In darkness and obscurity, who could fathom it? Formless and vague, how could it be recognized…”

“Master, it’s the ‘Heavenly Inquiry.’”

The old Daoist sighed, as if already guessing who lay within. “Life is finite, knowledge infinite—seeking upward and downward is enough. Why cling stubbornly?”

Saying this, he lifted his ritual seal and smashed the black jar.

Hoo~

Instantly, black winds surged, corpse-qi spread everywhere.

Two long-nailed, withered claws slowly extended from the broken jar—but the old Daoist slammed his seal down, crushing them back. “This is the last time I beat you for Master!”

Then he turned and walked away. “Let the Yin Bureau handle it!”

What a hot-tempered old Daoist…

Li Yan inwardly whistled, his face expressionless. He lifted the Warrant of Arrest and slapped it onto the old Daoist’s forehead, while his left hand formed a seal and intoned solemnly: “Heaven has its order, Earth has its law. The Yin Bureau summons souls—Yang beings, retreat!”

Hu!

Instantly, icy winds howled through the cavern.

Amid the clinking of chains, thick black mists materialized, wrapping the old Daoist’s body—along with his death-qi, corpse-qi, and the cold Three Souls and Seven Spirits—vanishing in an instant.

“Ai~”

Was it an illusion? Li Yan thought he heard an unwilling sigh in the air…

(End of Chapter)