Chapter 250: Treacherous Waves

In the corner of the courtyard, a figure was blurry.

"Daoist, the visitor is not kind!"

Sha Lifei gritted his teeth, his voice trembling slightly.

He had traveled north and south with the group and had seen many evil spirits; although he was not a member of the Mystic Sect, he understood some basics.

Yin souls and ghosts are originally formless; there are only four situations where they can be seen.

First, awakening the 'Eye Yi Shentong,' which can distinguish yin and yang.

Second, people who are about to die or are extremely unlucky will see this thing.

Third, in some special areas, such as places with dense yin-evil, even ordinary people can see these things.

And none of them had the Eye Yi Shentong; this courtyard had a flourishing human aura and used a yang-dwelling Feng Shui layout, so only the last possibility remained.

An evil spirit with extremely high cultivation!

Although Wang Daoxuan was also anxious in his heart, he couldn't spare the time to speak; he chanted the soul-summoning incantation, and the soul-suppressing bell in his hand shook continuously.

The straw-spirit paper doll had already entered the room along the red string, and it was only two or three meters away from the black-clothed old woman, the rice-asking medium, on the bed.

But at this distance, the paper doll moved increasingly slowly.

It seemed to be blocked by some force.

As for Li Yan, he twirled his saber, held the Dust-Breaking Saber horizontally across his chest, and slightly raised his left hand, ready to use the Soul-Hooking Rope at any moment.

Summoning Yin soldiers required time, and clearly, he couldn't spare it now.

He looked alert, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end, as if facing a formidable enemy.

This damn thing is a Yin God traveling!

Only an old demon with deep cultivation could use this!

He should have thought of it earlier.

Ordinary mountain spirits and monsters could only communicate with people using 'upper language,' while this tiger demon could speak and point out the way for Wu Laosi to break the formation; it was clearly highly intelligent.

One must know that whether it is ordinary people or spirits and monsters, the limit they can reach is the Third Floor of cultivation.

And once they reach the Fourth or Fifth Floor, they can have their Yin God travel, covering a thousand miles in an instant.

The higher the cultivation, the farther they can leave their original body.

And they must have a superior technique.

For example, the 'Red Woman,' although her cultivation reached the Fourth Floor, she broke through using evil arts, and the drawbacks were too great; once her yin soul traveled, her zombie physical body would cause trouble.

He didn't expect that in Dangyang County, such an old demon was still hidden.

Whoosh~

Just then, a yin wind suddenly blew violently around them.

The black shadow became even more blurry, and a pair of blood-colored eyes seemed to flicker in the darkness, and then a cold, hoarse voice sounded in everyone's ears:

"Don't meddle in other people's business!"

The yin wind dissipated, and the black shadow had disappeared.

In the small courtyard, it became quiet.

Jingle jingle!

Wang Daoxuan continued to shake the bell.

This time, the straw-spirit paper doll no longer had any obstruction; it moved rapidly along the red string and fell onto the old woman's body.

"Heh heh!"

The black-clothed old woman suddenly opened her eyes, phlegm rattling in her throat, her forehead covered in cold sweat, her body trembling, as if struggling.

The copper coins placed on her body also shook continuously.

Only then did the group see clearly that this old woman's eyes were white; she was clearly blind.

Wang Daoxuan hurriedly entered the room, forming hand seals while chanting, "Lord's decree, sweep the universe, twenty-eight constellations, arranged in seven stars, heaven and earth open the dipper, flying heavenly wolf..."

This was the Soul-Calming and Spirit-Stabilizing Incantation.

The black-clothed old woman's soul had just returned to its place and hadn't recovered from the shock; if the soul wasn't stabilized, it would escape the physical body again.

As Wang Daoxuan chanted, those coins gradually calmed down, and the old woman stopped trembling, staring at the roof beam with her white eyes, gasping for breath.

Only then did Wang Daoxuan breathe a sigh of relief, collecting the copper coins one by one, while saying softly, "Fellow Daoist, don't be afraid, you have already returned."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

The old woman's voice was hoarse, with a hint of trembling.

Seeing that she was still shaken, Wang Daoxuan didn't say much more but walked outside the door, looking at Li Yan and the others, all of them looking solemn.

"A bit tricky."

Li Yan furrowed his brow and shook his head slightly.

Dealing with a tiger demon of this cultivation level was truly difficult for them alone; even with Yin soldiers, they would have to find the opponent's cave first and set up a formation to trap it.

"What exactly did that thing mean?"

Sha Lifei looked at the little white fox trembling in Lu San's arms and couldn't help but ask.

Wang Daoxuan was thoughtful, "I feel that the Headless Knight might have nothing to do with this demon."

"The fellow Daoists guessed correctly..."

Just then, a hoarse voice sounded from the room.

It was the black-clothed old woman who had recovered, her face pale, struggling to climb up from the bed.

The group hurriedly entered the room, and Sha Lifei picked up the tea on the table, poured a bowl, and handed it to the black-clothed old woman.

The old woman was clearly thirsty; after drinking two bowls in a row, she caught her breath and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you, fellow Daoists."

Her eyes were white, just staring ahead; she was indeed blind.

"Old woman Guo Wangshi, may I ask who you are?"

"I am Wang Daoxuan, from Guanzhong. Passing through this place, I discovered something amiss..."

They were all members of the Mystic Sect, so a round of introductions made their roots clear.

That Guo Wangshi could find clues was truly extraordinary.

She practiced family-transmitted witchcraft, was skilled in rice-asking, and also raised several house-guarding snake spirits; she had quite a reputation in the Jingzhou area.

Knowing that Li Yan and the others were commissioned by the Chenghuangmiao, Guo Wangshi became even more respectful and recounted the process in detail.

"Old woman, I was also careless..."

"Because the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect was busy with the war, they entrusted many things to local sorcerers. I handled a few cases and gained some reputation, so I became a bit carried away."

"Hearing that an evil spirit was impersonating the name of Lord Guan to cause trouble, I brought my disciples here, wanting to become famous in one battle."

"I asked the county government for the clothes of those who died, ordered my disciples to release house-guarding snake spirits in all directions, and then performed rice-asking divination and channeling."

"Unexpectedly, the opponent's cultivation was higher than mine; not only did they harm my disciples, but they also led a strand of my soul to the mountain monster, almost making me a scapegoat..."

Wang Daoxuan nodded, "It seems we guessed correctly; these two parties are not in the same group and are still fighting in secret."

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Senior, do you know their roots?"

The old woman Guo Wangshi sighed and said, "The origins of that tiger demon are unclear, but it has many *chang* ghosts under its command. Its temperament is somewhat tyrannical, and judging by what it meant, it has been guarding outside Guanling for decades."

"Usually, it also cultivates diligently and doesn't cause trouble; I don't know what it is plotting..."

"As for the other group, I have some guesses. Several sorcerers have different techniques, all of them sinister and vicious; they might be related to the evil Daoist monsters hiding in the Jingchu mountain villages."

"These people are wanted by the Orthodox Sect and have caused much trouble in the mountains. I have encountered them a few times before. Now, taking advantage of the war, the Orthodox Sect is too busy to attend to them, so they are moving in large numbers; they must have a significant plot."

Li Yan was a bit puzzled, "Although Dangyang is a small county, it is a strategic hub. Could it be that the Jingchu mountain people want to break through from here? But why make such a big commotion?"

"I have a guess."

The rice-asking medium's voice was hoarse, and she said, "Have you all heard the story of the 'Tipped-Over Well' on Mount Zigai?"

Wang Daoxuan became interested, "Fellow Daoist, please tell us."

The rice-asking medium Guo Wangshi sighed, "The Mount Zigai cave is a blessed land, although not famous, it is not to be underestimated."

"The origin of this mountain is that the four sides of the summit droop, like an umbrella cover, and the wood and stone on the mountain are purple and dark blue. Climbing the mountain, one can see purple clouds and a sea of clouds, hence it is called Mount Zigai."

"At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Immortal Ge Xianweng once practiced alchemy on this mountain, curing diseases and saving people. It is rumored that when he was practicing alchemy, he fed the elixir to a rooster to see the effect, but the rooster died..."

"Immortal Ge Xianweng, in a fit of anger, threw the alchemy furnace into the well, but afterward, the rooster turned into a phoenix and flew away. The Immortal was immediately happy and used his divine power to turn the well upside down, pouring out the alchemy furnace, and the alchemy was successful."

"Since then, the 'Tipped-Over Well' has become a scenic spot on Mount Zigai. The well water is clear and bright; it doesn't rise when it rains, doesn't drop when it's dry, and clouds often steam above the well mouth. There is a rumor in the Mystic Sect that this well is not to be underestimated; it is the first spiritual aperture of Mount Zigai and hides Immortal Ge Xianweng's elixir. However, no one has ever discovered it."

"Later, I don't know where the rumor came from. This Tipped-Over Well suppresses a powerful demon. The Yuquan Mountain Temple and the Guan Mausoleum form a horn-like formation with Mount Zigai, suppressing the demon."

"Now the tiger demon is hiding in the mountains, and there are Jingchu evil Daoist monsters causing trouble, and the Guan Mausoleum is constantly struck by lightning. Could it be that these people want to open the formation?"

After hearing this, everyone looked at each other.

They didn't expect that in this small Dangyang County, such rumors were hidden.

It was bizarre and strange; ordinary people would just treat it as a myth and laugh it off, but they were all members of the Mystic Sect and knew some things.

Sometimes reality is exaggerated and becomes a story, and the story is passed down by word of mouth, exaggerated again, and becomes a myth.

Between myth and reality, there is always a connection.

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Not to mention the Guan Mausoleum, it is one of the three major Guan temples in the Divine Land; there must be someone guarding it."

"The Yuquan Mountain Temple is rumored to be the ancestral court of the Buddhist and Daoist lineage, and there are many Dharma lineages on Mount Zigai. Don't they know about this?"

!.

The old rice-asking medium smiled bitterly, "I don't know about that. Although the war is tight, they only sent a few small disciples to handle it; I fear there is more to it."

"Everyone, I dare not meddle in this kind of thing anymore."

"I advise you all not to meddle either, be careful of bringing disaster upon yourselves."

She spoke cryptically, but everyone understood instantly.

Although Dangyang County is small, it has three holy sites, involving the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect, Buddhism, Daoism, and several local Dharma lineages.

For example, the Zhushan Sect has built an incense hall on the mountain.

Such a big thing happened, yet they all pretended to be deaf and dumb; there is definitely nothing simple behind it.

This rice-asking medium was old and had just returned to her soul, so her spirit was a bit exhausted. After saying this, she fell into a deep sleep.

Li Yan and the others returned to their rooms.

Looking at each other, they were all silent.

Sha Lifei cursed directly, "Damn it, evil spirits are causing trouble in Dangyang County, yet they all pretend to be deaf and dumb; it must involve internal fighting in the Mystic Sect."

"Little Brother Yan, let's not meddle in this mess!"

"No."

Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "First, we have already promised Gu Hanzi and the Guan lineage that we must have a beginning and an end. Second, demons are causing trouble, harming the people and tarnishing the reputation of Lord Guan."

"Many things are like this; if everyone plays dumb, it will only let the evil people succeed. We must investigate clearly and report this matter to the Chenghuangmiao."

Li Yan also nodded in agreement, "Since we have promised, we must keep our word."

"Sigh, alright."

Sha Lifei was a bit helpless, "This matter must have a plan; don't let us fail to accomplish anything and get tricked by others."

Li Yan was thoughtful and said coldly, "The enemy is in the dark, and we are in the light. Those who know the inside story pretend to be deaf and dumb; do you know why?"

Wang Daoxuan smiled, "They have ghosts in their hearts!"

"Exactly!"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "With ghosts in their hearts, their actions are naturally secretive and sneaky, which is why they have created so much fog."

"No matter who it is, taking advantage of the chaos in the Southwest, they must have scruples. We just need to act openly and honestly; no matter if it's Buddhism, Daoism, or Dharma lineages, if they don't want to be punished by their superiors, they can only cooperate."

"Tomorrow we will go to the Guan Mausoleum, then visit the Yuquan Temple, and finally go to Mount Zigai to see who is making trouble."

"Prepare your weapons; if anyone gets desperate, we don't need to hold back!"

"Alright."

With the plan set, the group no longer hesitated; first, they went to tell old Master Guan that the person had been rescued, then they prepared their Dharma artifacts and went to bed to get enough rest.

…………

"Everyone, something happened!"

Just as the sky brightened, old Master Guan found the group with a face full of anger and cursed, "That guy Wu Laosi, blinded by greed, abandoned his family in the middle of the night and ran away with the silver."

"I sent people to search on the road, but only found the dropped silver; the person is gone. The road is muddy, and the footprints are still there; it looks like he went into the mountains."

Wang Daoxuan was stunned, then shook his head, "If it's a blood ghost, I fear the person is already dead."

Li Yan was thoughtful, "Let's go, let's take a look."

The group packed their weapons and followed old Master Guan to the outside of the village.

At this moment, the sky was still gloomy, dark clouds like ink; although it hadn't rained yet, the road was muddy, and the footprints were clearly visible.

"He was confused by a blood ghost."

Wang Daoxuan examined it for a while and pointed to the footprints on the ground, "Look at these footprints; they first circled in place, indicating he encountered a 'ghost wall,' and finally he walked on tiptoes; he has already been possessed by a fierce ghost."

Li Yan followed the footprints.

Seeing that these half-footprints led straight into the nearby mountain forest, he asked, "Have you sent anyone to search?"

Old Master Guan's face was awkward, "This... no one dared to go."

"The old master did the right thing!"

Li Yan nodded and looked at Lu San.

Lu San immediately understood; he raised his hand and waved, and the falcon soared into the sky, circling in the nearby mountain forest.

Soon, it made a discovery, flying up and down.

"Over there, not far away."

Lu San pointed to the northwest corner of the mountain forest.

The group did not hesitate and immediately entered the forest.

Before they even got close, Li Yan's face turned gloomy, and he sneered, "It seems that last night, more than one family came to find us."

Old Master Guan and his clansmen didn't understand what he meant, but after walking for a while, they immediately understood what Li Yan was saying.

They saw that in an old forest, a dozen people were hanging densely from the tree branches, all of them pale, eyes wide open, tongues stretched out long.

And what was even more eerie was that their facial skin was covered with pitch-black and greenish human handprints.

That Wu Laosi was also among them.

And the rest were all men in black holding sharp blades.

"This... what is going on?"

Old Master Guan felt his heart crawl.

Li Yan was thoughtful, jumped suddenly, stepped on the tree trunk for leverage, soared into the air, and cut several ropes with one saber strike.

Flop, flop!

Several corpses fell one after another.

Li Yan tore open the chest of one of them.

He saw that on his chest, a 'Qiongqi' fierce beast was tattooed.

"So it was the Heavenly Saint Sect making trouble!"

Old Master Guan saw this and immediately understood, gritting his teeth in anger.

And Li Yan and the others looked at each other, their expressions solemn.

Their guess was still a bit conservative.

Lurking in the dark, there was not only a tiger demon.

I fear there was also an old ghost from the tomb!

Dangyang County, what secrets are hidden...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 251 =====