Chapter 247

"You fellow, do you have a death wish?"

Sha Lifei was immediately dissatisfied; people in the martial world are especially sensitive about this—when swearing brotherhood, they all have to burn yellow paper and behead a rooster before Guan Er-ge, so who would want to hear such words?

Even Wang Daoxuan's expression turned ugly.

"Everyone, don't misunderstand..."

The caravan leader's forehead broke out in sweat, and he hurriedly explained: "This humble one is also a person of the martial world, how would I dare to offend the Guan Saint Emperor Lord? In truth, this matter has already spread like wildfire."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes: "Speak clearly, what on earth is going on?"

The caravan leader opened his mouth with a bitter face: "This matter, this humble one did not see with my own eyes, but heard others mention it."

"It is rumored that after the Guan Saint Emperor Lord was buried, his head and body were separated, and he could not rest in peace; his soul wandered every night at the Fuchuan Mountain area of Yuquan Temple, shouting 'Return my head, return my head,' which stirred the entire Dangyang County into a state of panic."

"Later, the abbot of Yuquan Temple persuaded the Guan Emperor, saying, 'In your life, how many heads have you taken, and how many souls have died under your blade; have you thought about them?' Upon hearing this, the Guan Emperor felt deeply ashamed, and from then on, his soul returned to the mausoleum and no longer caused mischief."

"That is complete nonsense!"

Wang Daoxuan, an honest man, was also furious: "Buddhism was introduced during the Han dynasty and was still called the Buddha Sect then; Yuquan Temple only existed during the Sui dynasty, so when could they manage the Guan Saint Emperor Lord?"

"This..."

The caravan leader was almost moved to tears: "This humble one has never read books, I only heard it spread locally, and I hope you gentlemen will forgive me."

Li Yan shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice: "Continue."

"This humble one is also just repeating hearsay."

The caravan leader explained once more before saying: "A few days ago, murder cases occurred one after another in Dangyang County; people were often walking in the middle of the night and had their heads chopped off."

"The county constables laid an ambush to catch the murderer, but that night, a headless knight suddenly appeared from the fog, wearing a green robe, holding a Guan blade, and riding a crimson horse, decapitating several constables in succession."

"Afterward, this headless knight shouted 'Return my head' and disappeared into the thick fog."

Sha Lifei cursed: "This sounds like a villain from the greenwood path causing mischief; he dares to impersonate Guan Er-ge, not afraid of shortening his life!"

The caravan leader smiled bitterly: "Before, the constables also speculated the same, and like you gentlemen, they were also filled with righteous indignation."

"You gentlemen might not be clear, but the people of Dangyang hold a Guan Emperor Temple Fair every year on the thirteenth of the fifth month, called the 'Single Blade Fair'; it is rumored that this day is the birthday of the Guan Saint Emperor Lord himself."

"There is also a great Guan clan here, descendants of the Guan Saint Emperor Lord when he guarded Jingzhou; every Single Blade Fair, surrounding commoners, officials, and celebrities all come to offer sacrifices, which can be called a great event in Dangyang."

"When such a thing happened, everyone in Dangyang cursed, swearing to find the murderer and place his head in front of the Guan Mausoleum as an offering."

"However, what happened afterward became somewhat mysterious."

"Within the territory of Dangyang, there is the Purple Cover Mountain Cave, which is a blessed land of the immortals; it is rumored that Ge Xianweng practiced in the mountain, and they immediately sent sorcerers to investigate."

"They also blocked that headless knight, but before everyone's eyes, the other party disappeared strangely."

"Not only that, during this period, the Guan Mausoleum was frequently struck by lightning, and the forest behind the Guan Mausoleum tomb mound lost all its treetops. That is why this rumor became even more sensational."

"The Guan family has already issued a reward with heavy gold, and I hear some witch doctors and shamans have already gone to investigate."

"Lightning strikes?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan both had solemn expressions.

If it were demonic people using illusion and escape techniques, they could also achieve coming without a shadow and going without a trace, but if it involved "lightning," it wouldn't be that simple.

Lightning is the change of Yin and Yang, repelling all evil; even if the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect wanted to use lightning techniques, they would have to deploy a large-scale Dharma altar, with many high-ranking practitioners acting together, and even calculate the time.

Ordinary martial world sorcerers couldn't do this.

"This humble one is also just repeating hearsay, please don't blame me."

The caravan leader cupped his hands and shrank to the side, lighting a bonfire with his subordinates, not daring to provoke them again.

Rumble!

Just then, another peal of thunder sounded outside.

The conversation was unpleasant, and neither side had the heart to continue communicating; each lit a bonfire, ate some dry rations, and wrapped themselves in their clothes to sleep.

The gale and thunderstorm came quickly and went quickly.

In less than half an hour, the sky no longer thundered, but it remained as dark as ink, and the rain continued to pour without the slightest weakening.

At night, the rainwater had gathered into a mountain flood, rushing down from both sides of the Mountain Chenghuangmiao, washing the mountain path below.

At such times, no one dared to sleep soundly, and they all kept a vigilant watch; once they discovered something amiss, they would have to evacuate in the rain immediately.

Fortunately, in the second half of the night, the thunderstorm gradually ceased.

Before dawn, the caravan lit torches, drove their donkey carts, and left rapidly on the muddy road.

If they were trapped in the mountains, this batch of goods would be completely ruined.

Li Yan and the others also packed their luggage, went down another mountain path, and after an hour of trekking, finally arrived on the plains.

The terrain of Dangyang County is high in the northwest and low in the southeast.

They had come over the mountain ridges from Unlike Yichang, and after descending the mountain, they could see Dangyang County town in the distance; it was not large, with crisscrossing fields and many scattered mountain villages around it.

However, the weather was still bad.

The sky was overcast with dark clouds, as if rendered with splashed ink, shrouding the entire Dangyang County, inexplicably making one feel oppressed.

Sha Lifei said: "I've already asked; the Guan Mausoleum is northwest of Dangyang, Yuquan Mountain Temple is southwest, and Purple Cover Mountain Cave is southeast. Where shall we go first?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment: "On Purple Cover Mountain, the Daoist temple of the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect had problems; I thought it was just this one matter, but now this headless knight has appeared to cause mischief, I fear the situation behind it is not that simple."

"Don't be impatient, let's settle down in the county town first, gather some information, and then decide how to handle it."

With the plan set, the few of them immediately rode their horses.

Along the way, seeing them, these outsiders, the local commoners either lowered their heads to avoid them or stared with suspicion, their expressions unfriendly.

The matter of the headless knight causing mischief clearly had a significant impact.

At the city gate, the few were stopped again, but when Li Yan took out his black Daoist Decree, the soldiers immediately became respectful and even wanted to send someone to lead the way for them.

After politely declining, the few entered the city.

Dangyang County, although a county town that left its mark in history books, had been rebuilt after several wars, and its area was not large.

Because it was inland and had no ferry, trade was not prosperous.

The few inquired a bit and headed toward the largest inn in the city, preparing to settle down first before making further plans.

However, just as they reached the entrance of the inn, they were called out.

"Gentlemen, please stay!"

They saw a squire wearing a brocade robe riding over, followed by several retainers, his face full of urgency.

This man was tall, his features solid, his complexion somewhat dark, with a long beard hanging to his chest; as soon as he approached, he dismounted quickly, cupped his hands respectfully: "Are you Li Li Shaoxia from Unlike Yichang?"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes: "And you are?"

"This old man is Guan Peide."

This squire smiled and cupped his hands: "I heard Li Li Shaoxia came to Dangyang, so this old man rushed over immediately; I invite you gentlemen to move to my manor, so this old man can fulfill the duties of a host."

Li Yan was somewhat puzzled: "I don't know you, old sir, do I?"

"Hahaha..."

This old man didn't mind, stroked his beard and smiled: "At the full-month banquet of the Yan Fu in Unlike Yichang, this old man had temporary business, so I sent my eldest son, Guan Shanxing, to attend, and I naturally heard of Li Li Shaoxia's deeds."

"A promise worth a thousand gold, gifting medicine across a thousand miles—everyone praises you; if we were to miss a righteous hero like Li Li Shaoxia, wouldn't that be a pity?"

The words sounded pleasant, but Li Yan didn't believe them.

The other party had arrived too quickly; looking at the mud covering his feet, it was clear he had come from outside the city and had business in town.

It was likely that the soldiers in the city had let something slip, and he had chased after them. Li Yan didn't hide it and said calmly: "Old Sir Guan, you have other business, don't you?"

"Sigh~"

Guan Peide sighed: "I couldn't hide it from Li Li Shaoxia; this old man just arrived at the county office and met with Magistrate Zhang, and hearing Li Li Shaoxia had arrived, I rushed over."

Li Yan's heart stirred: "Very well, thank you for your trouble."

According to what the merchant said, because of the headless knight, everyone in Dangyang County was in a state of panic, and the Guan clan was even more furious, issuing a heavy reward.

It seems they were truly anxious.

Just happened to come to the door, perfect for gathering some information.

Nothing is better than a good reputation.

The events at the Yan Fu's full-month banquet had long since spread among the gentry of Unlike Yichang, and they were very good at reading the wind.

The Yan Fu, the Commandant's Office, the Chenghuangmiao, and even the martial world hero Lei Zhen all praised Li Yan, clearly showing he had real skills.

!.

Running into such a person, how could they be negligent.

The Guan clan did not live in the city but in Guan Family Village outside the city, possessing a thousand acres of fertile land, and could be considered a local powerful clan.

After leaving the city, Li Yan asked directly: "Old Sir Guan, you came to find me, is it because of the headless knight?"

"Li Li Shaoxia already knows?"

Guan Peide was startled, a flash of joy in his eyes: "Could it be that Li Li Shaoxia accepted a mission from the Chenghuangmiao to specifically handle this matter?"

"Not so."

Li Yan shook his head: "I came for other matters and was just passing through Dangyang when I heard of this."

A flash of disappointment crossed Guan Peide's eyes: "That is true; right now, the Southwest is in chaos, and all the experts have been transferred away."

"This old man also went to the Purple Cover Mountain Cave, but the sects up there are all in the same situation; the disciples they sent lacked the ability and were almost harmed by that headless knight."

Li Yan was lost in thought: "Did they discover anything suspicious?"

Guan Peide smiled bitterly: "If we could find the reason, why would this old man be so anxious?"

"Next month is the Guan Mausoleum Temple Fair, the 'Single Blade Fair'; the gentry from both Jingzhou and Unlike Yichang will come to participate. If we cannot resolve this matter, the rumors will inevitably spread."

"The ancestor was conferred the title of Guan Saint Emperor Lord by the imperial court; if we let thieves succeed, what face will my Guan clan have to face our ancestor?"

"That is true."

Li Yan nodded and inquired about the matter in detail.

The sequence of events was not much different from what the merchant had said: the headless knight, dressed as the Guan Saint Emperor, killed people everywhere, coming without a shadow and going without a trace, causing panic.

And during this period, the Guan Mausoleum was frequently struck by lightning.

The Guan clan was already burning with anxiety.

Li Yan said in a deep voice: "I hear Old Sir Guan has issued a heavy reward, and many witch doctors and shamans have come; have they discovered anything?"

"Eh~ don't mention it."

Guan Peide said angrily: "This old man was also burning with anxiety and had no other choice. Even the disciples of the orthodox Mystic Sect on Purple Cover Mountain couldn't find the reason, so what methods could they have?"

"More than half of them were swindlers using martial world tricks, wanting to cheat us of money; fortunately, my Guan clan also has people in the martial world who exposed their scams."

"There was one rice-asking crone who was famous far and wide and truly had ability, but she practiced rice-asking to communicate with spirits, and I don't know what taboo she touched, but she actually fell into a coma and hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh, where is she?"

"She's at the manor, I've sent people to take care of her."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other.

Rice-asking to communicate with spirits, without a doubt, was the awakening of a rare spiritual root, capable of sensing information that ordinary sorcerers could not perceive through sorcery and objects.

Among the six supernatural powers, it is the most mysterious.

That she fell into a coma after encountering strange events definitely meant there was a major problem...

…………

The Guan Mausoleum is fifteen miles north of the city, and Guan Family Village is seven miles outside the city; not long after, the group arrived at the village.

This village was ancient, and the foundations of many houses were massive rocks, clearly dismantled from ancient military fortresses.

The layout of the village was also very particular.

One could vaguely see military formations, orderly and standardized.

There were also several large open spaces in the village, where teenagers were practicing boxing and martial arts, bare-chested and shouting loudly, their bodies full of muscles.

However, what they were practicing was Tang-style boxing.

This boxing style, also known as "Tang-blocking boxing," takes its meaning from "blocking and intercepting techniques," and because it was very popular during the Tang dynasty, it was renamed "Tang-style boxing."

Seeing Li Yan's confusion, Guan Peide said somewhat embarrassedly: "After many years of war, the ancestor's martial arts have long been lost, so the Guan family disciples mainly practice Tang-style boxing."

Just then, they passed a house.

They saw a crowd gathered there, busy raising a beam.

Li Yan was about to leave, but he sniffed and suddenly stopped, narrowing his eyes: "What's going on here?"

Guan Peide said: "It's a family named Wu in the village, not of the Guan surname; they started building a house last year and are now raising the beam."

"Although there is trouble in the village, we can't delay this."

"Hmm, let's take a look first."

Li Yan didn't say a word, dismounted, and went to the side to watch.

Although Guan Peide was somewhat strange, he had no choice but to follow along.

The ceremony for raising a beam in Ezhou is generally led by a carpenter.

They saw the host had placed a square table in the middle of the main room, with two bricks on the table, and the wooden beam laid horizontally on the table.

In addition, there was an incense bowl, two red candles, two tea bowls, a bundle of incense in the bowl, a stack of yellow paper, a wine pot, three wine cups, and two bags of rice cakes as offerings.

The carpenter and mason stood on both sides, and a rooster was tied up and thrown under the table.

The host was a thin, dark man; he lit the candles and incense, knelt down respectfully, full of piety, muttering incessantly.

The master carpenter walked to the table and shouted: "Don't say Off Lu Ban came late, it is exactly time to raise the beam. Don't say Off Lu Ban came early, this moment is exactly right to raise the beam!"

With that, he hung a five-foot cloth from the head of the beam to the tail and tied an axe to the beam handle.

He lit a few sticks of incense, bowed to the wooden beam, and shouted: "Good wood, listen to the wind; I call you good wood, listen clearly."

"Your body was on the immortal mountain, growing under the steep cliff; you are a rare talent, the climate is already formed, and you are worthy of great use, so you must protect everything in peace, and I offer this especially!"

With that, he took the rooster from under the table and held it up to the table.

He shouted while pinching the rooster's comb, smearing the blood on various parts of the wooden beam, chanting: "The golden rooster flies over the beam, descendants will be in the imperial court!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he widened his eyes.

They saw that on the wooden beam, scarlet blood actually began to seep out...

(End of chapter)