Chapter 201

Under the moonlight, the foxes wailed, and the beasts followed with their own mournful cries.

This scene was truly shocking.

Li Yan and the others stood to the side, watching for a long time in silence.

Finally, this peculiar funeral came to an end.

Following a cry from the old fox, the surrounding yin winds surged, ghost fires drifted back and forth, mist shrouded the area, and the moonlight seemed to become hazy.

The surrounding wild beasts felt as if they had been granted a reprieve and scattered in all directions.

Their spiritual intelligence was still insufficient; they had only come under the intimidation of the ghost fox, and once the matter was over, they naturally fled the place quickly.

The yin mist dissipated, and the fox immortal's corpse had vanished without a trace.

Li Yan and the others knew clearly that the remains must have been hidden by these foxes in some location to prevent them from being destroyed.

After all, fox immortal skin is certainly a material for crafting magical artifacts.

At the same time, foxes of all sizes also scattered and left.

"Is... is that it?"

Sha Lifei scratched his head, somewhat disappointed.

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than he saw that ghost fox appear again, standing on the high platform, glancing at them once, and then leaping down, heading toward the southeast.

But every few steps, it would stop and turn its head to look back.

"It wants us to follow. Let's go!"

Li Yan became interested and led the group in close pursuit.

Just as Wang Daoxuan had said, they traveled toward the southeast, and after climbing over a steep hillside, they indeed discovered something suspicious on the mountainside.

There was a small earthen mound here, surrounded by towering trees, with tree roots protruding from the ground and some collapsed stone figures and stone horses nearby, mottled and blurred, covered in moss.

And in the center of the mound, there was a pitch-black cave entrance.

"There really is a tomb!"

Wang Daoxuan said in a low voice, "This place is a geomantic treasure land. Foxes like to live in tombs; someone must have been buried here, and it was then taken as a cave dwelling by the fox immortal."

"Why bring us here?"

Sha Lifei asked, and then his eyes lit up, "Could it be that there are gold and silver treasures in the cave that it wants to give to us?"

As he spoke, the old ghost fox had already reached the cave entrance, constantly turning its head to look back, its mouth making "ge-ge-da-da" sounds, speaking in the language of the upper regions.

After listening, Lu San's eyes were somewhat dull, but he still gritted his teeth and followed into the cave.

Li Yan and the others were curious and followed closely behind.

This fox immortal cave was quite large in area; it must have been the foxes digging into the tomb, combined with the growth and destruction caused by tree roots, which exposed the entire tomb passage.

On both sides of the cave entrance, there were thick bricks and stones.

The group entered, and inside was indeed a tomb chamber; the surroundings were quite clean, as everything had already been moved away.

It was empty, and no information about the ancient tomb could be found.

Only in the center of the tomb chamber was a large coffin placed.

The coffin was ancient, and even if it had been made of fine golden silk nanmu or was a gorgeous lacquerware, it was already somewhat decayed.

A large hole was broken in the top of the coffin lid.

From inside, faint whimpering sounds could be heard.

Once Li Yan heard it, he immediately understood what was going on and said with a smile, "Brother Lu, your opportunity has arrived. Why don't you go forward?"

Lu San scratched his head, walked straight forward, and carefully hugged a small white fox out from the hole in the coffin.

The small fox was not big, and its body was still trembling, but it was very spiritually intelligent. It lay in his arms without any fear, instead opening a pair of bright, pitch-black eyes and whimpering as it looked at the old fox beside them.

"Ge-ge-da-da..."

The old ghost fox said a few words in the language of the upper regions, took one last reluctant look at the small fox, then leaped out of the cave and disappeared into the dense forest.

"Congratulations, Brother Lu."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled, "This is the child of a fox immortal, with extraordinary spiritual intelligence. If you raise it well, it will surely be a great help in the future."

Lu San hugged the small fox in his arms, and that innocent smile appeared on his face once again, "I quite like this little thing."

As he spoke, he looked outside the cave, his expression becoming solemn, "Just now, the old ghost fox also shared a piece of news: in the distant mountain forests, people are wantonly capturing the monsters and spirits of the mountains, and even more ominous auras are spreading."

"They are afraid and want to head north; they should be moving into the Qin Ling Mountains. The journey is long, and they cannot take care of this little fellow."

"Something major must have happened in this mountain forest..."

…………

The bird calls and sunlight outside the window caused Li Yan to slowly open his eyes.

He stretched, put on his clothes, and came to the window.

The days of overcast rain had ceased; the sky had cleared, with blue skies, white clouds, and bright sunshine, making the entire ancient small city full of vitality.

He had been busy all night and only returned to the inn when dawn was about to break.

He was somewhat exhausted and slept until nearly noon.

Casually picking up the teapot on the table and drinking a few cups of water, Li Yan took out his official tally, his brow furrowing as he examined it.

Suppressing that wisp of demonic energy had indeed brought a reward.

He could feel that there were seven auras swirling within the tally at this moment.

Six were cold, the Yin Soldier Command Tokens; each time one was used, a battalion of five hundred yin soldiers could be summoned, and six meant three thousand troops.

These yin soldiers were the regular troops of the False Yin Si, far from what any ordinary ghost soldiers could compare to. According to the "Ghost Statutes," they were comparable to the Mystic Sect's talisman soldiers, with extremely powerful combat capabilities.

And this was just for the most ordinary troops.

There had once been powerful living yin messengers who could summon ghost generals.

That must have been the terrifying existence from last night.

With his supernatural powers, he hadn't even been able to smell the other party's aura.

There was one more aura that was even more astonishing.

Although it was yin malevolence, it was a higher-level power.

According to the False Yin Si's terminology, this was the aura of a divine malevolence.

If it hadn't been hidden inside the official tally, with his supernatural powers, he wouldn't have been able to detect it either.

This was precisely the reward for last night's mission!

Li Yan felt it carefully; the feeling this power gave him was very mysterious. Although it was an aura of yin malevolence, it had no coldness at all; instead, it gave one a sense of refreshing comfort.

Being able to serve as a reward from the False Yin Si, this aura was definitely not simple.

Li Yan was now facing two choices.

One was to integrate it into a magical artifact, such as the Divine Tiger Token; with this aura, the power of the artifact would inevitably increase.

The second was to integrate it into his Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen.

His Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen had already been repaired; whether it was improving the quality of the dharma body or igniting the soul fire, both were joyous events.

But if the characteristic of this fortune was to repair the dharma body, then it would be of no use, wasting a good thing in vain.

Just like back at the mass grave, when he absorbed quite a bit of fortune from the Mountain Tai Sui, but after the dharma body was repaired, absorbing any more was useless.

Li Yan pondered for a moment and decided to let the Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen absorb it.

After all, this thing was the foundation of everything he had now.

Even if he wasted one opportunity, he had to figure out what effect this reward from the False Yin Si had on the dharma body.

Thinking of this, he immediately gripped the official tally, his mind sinking into his dantian.

The Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen began to circulate, and a bone-chilling cold aura immediately flowed along the official tally and was absorbed by the Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen.

Inside his dantian, the Great Luo Dala Dala Fa Shen was rapidly covered in white frost.

It's working!

A hint of surprise appeared in Li Yan's eyes.

This malevolent aura was indeed not simple!

He could feel that there was fortune within it that could repair the dharma body, but more of it was surging toward the Soul-Hooking Rope.

It actually had two functions!

It was no wonder; this thing came from the False Yin Si and could strengthen the power of magical artifacts. In a sense, wasn't the Soul-Hooking Rope also a type of supernatural magical artifact?

Clatter!

The length of the Soul-Hooking Rope actually surged directly, growing by another three feet, reaching a full two meters or more.

This length was already comparable to an ordinary long spear.

The true lethality of the Soul-Hooking Rope was also revealed accordingly.

Just in terms of close-quarters combat, even a Hua Jin expert would not be his match!

This was the second type of aura that could enhance the Soul-Hooking Rope. There was also the previous Chu Shaman Token.

Li Yan vaguely had a feeling that the nature of the power of these two was different, but perhaps there was some kind of connection between them.

He was in a great mood, got up, and went out, preparing to call everyone to eat and, while he was at it, discuss leaving Shangjin City.

Clatter!

Just as he knocked open Sha Lifei's door, he saw this older brother looking unnatural, and on the table, there remained the smell of gunpowder residue.

"Old Uncle Sha, this really isn't the place."

Li Yan said, somewhat speechless, "Once we're settled, we'll find a quiet place; no matter how much noise you make, it won't matter."

"Hehe..."

Sha Lifei was thick-skinned and wouldn't care about this. His eyes rolled, and he changed the subject, saying in a low voice, "Little Brother Yan, I've been thinking about it all night; the one who killed the fox immortal is most likely that brat Bai Ruoxu."

"This guy has new-fangled gadgets in his hands and is plotting for coal essence; he might have even figured out the formula..."

"No rush!"

!.

Li Yan's expression was solemn as he shook his head slightly, "This matter is definitely not that simple. Let's not get involved in it for now; let the Commandant's Office test these muddy waters first."

"If we get too involved, we'll end up becoming someone else's target instead."

"That's true."

Sha Lifei immediately understood and said no more about the matter.

Li Yan knocked on Lu San's door again, only to find that this kid had already woken up and, having gotten some raw meat and goat milk from somewhere, was currently teasing that little white fox.

Li Yan smiled slightly and wanted to go forward.

Unfortunately, the little thing was very afraid of him and dove straight into Lu San's arms, only revealing its eyes to stare at him.

Li Yan laughed in spite of himself and didn't force it. After reminding Lu San to pack his things, he went out the door.

Just as he left the hallway, he saw Wang Daoxuan, dressed in a neat Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk and carrying a bundle, clearly about to go out.

"Daoist, where are you going?"

"To go see Old Man Liu."

Once Li Yan heard this, he immediately understood.

Old Man Liu was the coroner who had performed the autopsy yesterday.

Wang Daoxuan had seen that he was afflicted by corpse poison and yin energy and couldn't bear it, so when he left, he told the other party that he would help him perform a ritual later and teach him some secret methods.

Of course, it was all free of charge.

Li Yan naturally wouldn't think it was meddlesome; after all, Wang Daoxuan was kind-hearted by nature, and back then, he had also helped him answer questions and resolve doubts without charging a single cent.

"Let's go; I'll follow along to see as well."

Li Yan's heart stirred, and he immediately followed Wang Daoxuan away.

Shangjin City was not large. The two left the inn, walked only a few steps before turning into a small alley, and after asking people several times, they finally found Old Man Liu's residence.

Being a coroner was a lowly profession, and everyone had some taboos about it. Plus, Old Man Liu was not a true member of the Mystic Sect, so he naturally lived in poverty.

His home was in the deepest part of the alley, near the city wall.

Not only was the house dilapidated, but the drainage was also not very good.

Wang Daoxuan shook his head continuously as he looked, pointing toward the city wall, "He was already afflicted by corpse poison and yin malevolence, and yet he still lives in this damp, dark place. It's fortunate he met us; otherwise, after this Old Man Liu died, he would inevitably have turned into a zombie."

Li Yan looked up and saw that the city wall was towering, just enough to shroud Old Man Liu's home; except for high noon, it probably didn't see sunlight for most of the day.

Knock, knock, knock!

After knocking on the door, Old Man Liu took a long time to come and open it, his complexion pale and ugly, his face covered in cold sweat.

When he saw the two, there was obvious surprise in his eyes.

He had thought Wang Daoxuan was just speaking casually and hadn't expected him to actually come to treat him, which immediately left him at a loss.

"Daoist, quickly, please come in."

He limped, his face covered in cold sweat, and said with a bitter smile, "This old man's rheumatism has flared up again, so I was slow to open the door. I hope the Daoist will forgive me."

Wang Daoxuan's eyes were full of pity as he shook his head, "It's no matter. Don't rush; once I perform a ritual to help you dispel the yin malevolence, you should feel better."

Having said that, he immediately set to work, arranging a ritual altar.

A wooden table was placed in the small courtyard; although it was dilapidated, it was sufficient for setting up a ritual altar, and with Li Yan's help, it was quickly completed.

Old Man Liu was, after all, accustomed to seeing corpses; although he had been somewhat panicked before, he quickly calmed down and stood respectfully to the side to wait.

At this moment, the noon sun was shining down perfectly.

The originally dark and damp small courtyard instantly gained vitality.

Wang Daoxuan looked at the sky and shook his head, "It is the sunlight at noon every day that has saved you. Any later, and even I would have been powerless."

Having said that, he had Old Man Liu find a straw mat to spread on the ground, lying down with his head toward the north and his feet toward the south.

Lighting incense and candles, pacing the steps, spraying water from his mouth...

After Wang Daoxuan skillfully activated the ritual altar, he took several evil-dispelling and fortune-bestowing coins from his bosom and placed them in order on Old Man Liu's forehead, limbs, and chest and abdomen.

Afterward, he took out the Golden Coin Sword and placed it on the ritual altar, picked up the Bagua mirror from the side, formed the Sun Lord hand seal, and chanted, "Mystic Qi manifests power, Chen Tianjun, bind or Luo Jun Zha Li Suo He, respectfully invite the Sun Palace Solar Yu Yi Emperor, descend and spread spiritual light, Command!"

No sooner had the words fallen than Li Yan smelled the gathering of scorching solar yang qi.

He didn't know if it was an illusion, but the small courtyard seemed to become brighter.

And Wang Daoxuan was already manipulating the Bagua mirror, reflecting the sunlight to shine over the Golden Coin Sword from hilt to tip.

It's the disaster-averting technique of the Western Mystic lineage!

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Li Yan's mouth.

According to Wang Daoxuan, his Western Mystic lineage was most skilled at helping people avert disasters and pray for blessings, and the techniques used for combat were very few.

The offensive techniques were also mostly for dealing with monsters and yin ghosts.

Before, Wang Daoxuan's cultivation was insufficient, and his magical artifacts were not effective, so some techniques couldn't be used at all.

But now, it was clearly a different story.

After consecrating the Golden Coin Sword with the Sun Lord hand seal, Wang Daoxuan immediately held the Golden Coin Sword, paced the steps, circled the ritual altar, and used the Golden Coin Sword to touch each of the copper coins on Old Man Liu's body one by one.

In an instant, wisps of foul-smelling yin malevolence and corpse poison emerged from the square holes of the evil-dispelling and fortune-bestowing coins, and the small courtyard immediately became unbearably stinking.

Li Yan hurriedly covered his nose and mouth.

As for Old Man Liu, he felt that the coins on his body were becoming abnormally scorching, causing him to grimace in pain, yet he dared not move randomly.

But soon, a warm feeling flowed throughout his entire body.

The pain that had tormented him for so long was rapidly subsiding.

After the ritual, Old Man Liu immediately felt much more comfortable, quickly got up, and knelt directly on the ground, tears streaming down his face, "Many thanks to the Immortal Master for your mercy."

"Hey~ what is this for?"

Wang Daoxuan hurriedly helped him up and smiled, "Helping you dispel malevolence and avert disaster is also a way to temper my own magical artifact; we are even."

Old Man Liu naturally knew this was comforting talk and still thanked him repeatedly.

Seeing this, Wang Daoxuan immediately changed the subject and smiled, "My performing this ritual for you cannot remove the root cause."

"It would be best if you didn't do this profession anymore, and you must also find a way to move house as soon as possible."

Old Man Liu's face turned bitter, "This old man has been a coroner since I was a child; everyone has taboos about it, and I barely make a living. I have no wife or children."

"If I don't do this line of work, I'm afraid I won't even have food to eat."

Wang Daoxuan pondered for a moment, "Since that is the case, I will help you arrange things, change the feng shui of your residence, and teach you some medicinal wine formulas and protective methods."

"In the future, if you encounter strange corpses, you must be very careful."

"Many thanks, Daoist."

The old coroner thanked him again.

Li Yan directly took out a silver ingot from his bosom, "Buying medicinal wine and things to change the feng shui is probably not cheap; please accept this, old sir."

"This... how can I?" The old coroner hurriedly declined.

Li Yan directly stuffed the silver into his bosom, "We are all fellow travelers in the martial world; helping each other out is nothing."

"Besides, there are some things I still need to ask the old senior for advice on."

The old coroner was startled and hurriedly nodded, "Please speak."

Li Yan took out the phoenix gold ornament from his bosom and said in a deep voice, "You can also be considered a member of the local Mystic Sect; have you ever seen this item?"

The third update will be later.

(End of chapter)