Chapter 251: Killing Intent in the Imperial Mausoleum

"Slowly, be careful!"

The yamen runners of Dangyang County lowered the corpses from the trees one by one.

Even though they had become accustomed to seeing dead people during this period, the dense, dark-green handprints on the corpses still made them shudder.

The county constable was named Yang Desheng; he was not skilled in martial arts, nor was he particularly shrewd or capable. The only reason he could become a constable was that his father had once been a constable in the county government.

This man was fat, had a handlebar mustache, looked a bit sickly, and often held a towel in his hand, constantly wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

After taking one look at those corpses, he felt his heart crawl and hurriedly came to Wang Daoxuan's side, smiling apologetically, "Daoist, how do you think these corpses should be handled?"

"Burning them will do."

Wang Daoxuan explained patiently, "They were harmed by evil things and have residual 'calamity qi' in their bodies. Find a Feng Shui master to help, to avoid colliding with the calamity."

"Thank you, Daoist. Daoist is benevolent."

Yang Desheng was full of gratitude and almost cried.

During this period, he had been extremely unlucky.

Because of the Headless Knight case, his superiors scolded him all day, and the families of the deceased subordinates also came to cry and make trouble at his door day and night.

Several Daoists came to Mount Zigai, but they didn't even look at him straight, treating him like a grandson, and the key was that they hadn't accomplished anything.

Now it was fine; he could finally finish the job.

The Headless Knight was the work of the Lord Lord Tian Sheng Sect; as long as this matter was clarified, he could explain it to the common people, the county magistrate, and the Guan family.

As for catching people?

That had nothing to do with them.

Even the imperial court had a headache; it was normal for them to have no ability.

Thinking of this, Yang Desheng became even happier and called people to carry the corpses away.

They would wait until their identities were verified before immediately burning and cremating them.

"Constable Yang, wait a moment."

Li Yan's heart moved, and he called him to stop, asking, "Are there any large tombs near Dangyang County?"

"Ah?"

This fat constable wiped the sweat from his forehead, a bit surprised.

"What 'ah'?"

Old Master Guan on the side said in a deep voice, "This is Li Li Shaoxia. It is entirely thanks to his action that this case was clarified. If he tells you to speak, then speak."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Yang Desheng was surprised; he didn't expect this young man to be the leader, so he hurriedly said, "Li Li Shaoxia, our Dangyang has a long history, dating back to the Shang Dynasty, and there are many ancient tombs in the mountains. I don't know which one you are asking about?"

Li Yan said, "The ones where strange things often happen and people die."

"Hiss, this one."

Yang Desheng wiped his sweat, and his eyes suddenly lit up, "I really don't know, but I can help Li Li Shaoxia inquire."

"Just last winter, the yamen caught some tomb raiders and locked them in the death row; they will be executed in a while."

"These things, they know more as insiders. I will interrogate them one by one when I go back!"

"That's good, thank you for your trouble."

Li Yan nodded in satisfaction; he had indeed forgotten this point.

From the current situation, there were already three forces.

The Lord Lord Tian Sheng Sect, the tiger demon, and the old ghost in the tomb.

And these three parties were still fighting in private.

Clarifying their identities and locations was more important at the moment.

As the saying goes, 'different trades are like different mountains'; these tomb raiders undoubtedly knew best which ancient tomb near here had strange things happen.

After the yamen runners carried the corpses away, old Master Guan asked, "Everyone, it's about to rain, should we go to the Guan Mausoleum earlier?"

"Just send someone to go with us, Old Master." Li Yan shook his head.

"Everyone, don't worry."

Guan Peide gritted his teeth, "Demons are causing trouble, harming the ancestral mausoleum; even if I die, I want to see who is making trouble!"

The person making trouble behind the scenes was already known to be the Lord Lord Tian Sheng Sect.

But the Guan Mausoleum being continuously struck by lightning was his biggest heartache.

Since things had reached this point, Li Yan didn't try to persuade him further; the group turned and mounted their horses, and under the guidance of the Guan family, they headed toward the Guan Mausoleum...

…………

Rumbling!

The sky became increasingly gloomy, with faint thunder surging.

The Guan Mausoleum was northwest of Dangyang County, less than ten miles away. The group rode their horses, and in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they had arrived.

But in this short while, the sky had changed drastically.

The location of the Guan Mausoleum sat west and faced east, facing rivers and high mountains.

Perhaps because of the heavy rain upstream, this river roared and surged, appearing somewhat muddy, with waves splashing several meters high, accompanied by many wooden branches.

Li Yan said thoughtfully, "What river is this?"

Guan Peide looked at the Guan Mausoleum under the dark clouds, his eyes a bit anxious, but he still explained patiently, "This is the Ju River, and opposite is Mount Jing."

"The 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' records that the head of the Jing Mountains is called Mount Jing, which has much gold and jade; the Ju River originates there and flows southeast into the Yangtze, which is here."

Li Yan asked again, "Can this Ju River enter the Yangtze?"

"That's right."

Guan Peide said, "This Ju River originates from the Jing Mountains, where the Heshi Bi was found. Now it has been occupied by Jingchu refugees, and there are many villages hidden in the mountains."

"Li Li Shaoxia, are you worried they will go down the river? Rest assured, although the Ju River flows into the Yangtze, the river channel is narrow, with many shallow shoals and hidden reefs, which is not suitable for passage. Moreover, there is Baokang County above."

"Xiangyang has already sent troops to garrison there; there is basically no possibility of them coming over."

"Hmm, that's good."

Li Yan nodded and stopped paying attention.

Soon, the group arrived outside the Guan Mausoleum.

Guan Peide introduced as he walked, "The Guan Mausoleum was built at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, originally called the 'Han Righteous and Valiant Wu'an King Temple.' Later, every dynasty added titles, and by this dynasty, it is already of the specification of an imperial mausoleum."

"My Guan family descendants take turns guarding the mausoleum daily. Besides that, there are monks sent by the imperial court."

Li Yan furrowed his brow, "Monks?"

Guan Peide nodded and smiled, his eyes full of pride, "The ancestor was loyal and righteous, and the three religions of Confucianism, Fomen, and Daoism all hold him in high esteem."

"In Confucianism, he is the 'Martial Saint'; in Fomen, he is the 'Galan Bodhisattva' and 'Protecting the Nation Bright King Buddha'; in Daoism, he is the 'Three Realms Subduing Demons Great Emperor Divine Might Far-Suppressing Heavenly Venerable Guan Saint Emperor'."

"The responsibility of guarding the mausoleum is naturally something to be fought over."

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other without speaking.

What this old Master Guan saw was only the surface.

In reality, what they were fighting over was incense.

For no other reason, Lord Guan had already died at the time; although his martial arts cultivation was astonishing, he was definitely not an 'Ascender.'

He should be like the City Gods everywhere, belonging to the incense-receiving local deities.

But this person's reputation was too great!

To use words from his previous life, he was top-tier traffic. From south to north in the Shenzhou, from the martial world to the imperial court, there were countless worshippers.

Precisely because of this, his titles were becoming more and more numerous.

In the Mystic Sect, the importance of incense is self-evident, especially Lord Guan, who had almost become a totem-like existence in the Shenzhou, so naturally, they had to fight over it.

Although they didn't know the reason behind it, it was clear that the responsibility of guarding the mausoleum had been obtained by Fomen.

This was a bit strange.

Such a big thing happened, why didn't Fomen send any experts?

Carrying a belly full of questions, the group entered the mausoleum.

The Guan Mausoleum was now of imperial specification; the archway entering the mausoleum was carved with dragons and phoenixes, which by rule only the emperor could walk through.

Li Yan and the others naturally wouldn't commit such a taboo and followed Guan Peide through the side door. "Greetings, Clan Leader." The tomb guards of the Guan lineage had long been waiting outside the door and hurriedly led the group in.

The leader of the tomb guards was a tall and sturdy man with sharp eyes and slightly bulging temples, clearly having entered the 'Dark Jin' stage.

To be honest, this level of cultivation was only okay in a local area.

But the responsibility of guarding the mausoleum was more of an honor, and no one had the guts to come here to raid the tomb.

This man said in a deep voice as he walked, "I have already notified Zen Master Miaoshan; I will take you to see him now."

Hearing this, Li Yan understood in his heart.

This Zen Master Miaoshan must be a member of the Mystic Sect; after all, he had to preside over the annual Guan Mausoleum temple fair sacrifices, which ordinary people couldn't do.

It seemed that they knew fellow Daoists from the Mystic Sect had arrived, and two little novices also walked out from the side temple, putting their hands together and bowing:

"Amitabha, Layman Guan, peace be upon you."

"The little monk has prepared tea; please go to the meditation room. The Master has some matters and will arrive shortly."

Guan Peide furrowed his brow, "What important matter does Zen Master Miaoshan have?"

!.

It was no wonder he asked more; at a time like this, what could be more important than solving the problem of the Guan Mausoleum?

The little novice looked troubled, "The Master has been busy these days, looking through many classics and old books. He didn't sleep all night last night and should still be reading now."

"Oh, so that's how it is."

Guan Peide's face softened slightly upon hearing this.

And Li Yan formed the Yang hand seal and took a deep breath.

Normally, he wouldn't investigate such a place, to avoid disturbing the local deity or being impacted by the dense incense power.

But this time it was to investigate a case, so he couldn't be careless.

Sure enough, the specification of the imperial mausoleum was extraordinary.

The Feng Shui layout here was already connected to the surrounding earth veins, symmetrical along the central axis, and a majestic and solemn momentum rushed toward him.

The power of incense was as dense as a mountain range.

The main hall, the sleeping hall, and the tomb were all astonishing in momentum, making Li Yan's breathing a bit difficult.

However, his expression changed slightly, and he pointed to the front side, "What place is that?"

The little novice looked puzzled, "It is the Master's meditation room."

"Hurry, something happened!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he exerted force under his feet and leaped out suddenly.

As he approached the meditation room, Li Yan sniffed again and said in a deep voice, "I'll go chase the murderer, you guys save the person!"

Having said that, he accelerated, stepped on the courtyard wall, soared into the air, and flipped over, disappearing outside the high walls of the mausoleum.

The group was also taken aback and hurriedly rushed into the meditation room.

They saw that in the meditation room, various books were scattered all over the floor; there were ancient books like the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' and 'Records of Strange Tales,' as well as the 'Dangyang County Gazetteer' and some files, all turned into a mess.

And on the chair, a yellow-robed monk had fallen, his head seemingly struck by some heavy object, shattered like a watermelon, splashing all over the floor.

"Master!"

The two little novices trembled all over and threw themselves onto him, crying.

Guan Peide also widened his eyes, his face gloomy, and he turned his head suddenly, "What is going on with you guys? A thief broke in and you didn't notice!"

The Guan clansmen guarding the mausoleum looked at each other, at a loss.

"Clan Leader, we just saw the Zen Master, and we didn't hear any sound, how in a blink of an eye..."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Wang Daoxuan said in a deep voice, "The opponent is an expert. Brother Lu, go assist Little Brother Yan!"

Lu San didn't say much and immediately ran out the door.

This Zen Master Miaoshan was a member of the Mystic Sect; his cultivation was clearly not shallow, yet the opponent could kill him in an instant, so one could imagine how formidable they were.

After Lu San left, Wang Daoxuan looked around, his brow furrowed, "Everyone, don't touch anything randomly; look at the books on the ground, which one has been tampered with."

"Zen Master Miaoshan must have discovered something..."

…………

Outside the walls of the Guan Mausoleum was a forest of considerable size. Because logging was prohibited around the mausoleum, the trees were tall and dense.

Li Yan chased after the scent; he hadn't held much hope, but soon he saw a figure shuttling through the dense forest.

The opponent had wind under his feet, and his speed was astonishingly fast.

It was a 'Jia Ma' (Paper Horse)!

Li Yan gritted his teeth and chased after him directly.

He also carried a Paper Horse, but performing the Dharma incantation required several breaths; although the time was short, it was enough for the opponent to escape without a trace.

Fortunately, he had already observed that once out of the forest, it was the Ju River.

At this moment, a mountain flood was erupting upstream, the river was fierce, and an ordinary Paper Horse couldn't jump over it; perhaps he could block the opponent.

Thinking of this, Li Yan accelerated.

He leaped into the air, dark energy erupted from his feet, and he kicked the tree trunk fiercely, his whole body whistling out like a sharp arrow.

As his strength was about to run out, when passing through another giant tree, he exploded with force again for leverage, and at the same time, twisted his body in mid-air to adjust his direction.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three times of leverage, and he didn't even land.

This was the result of his recent martial arts cultivation.

He referred to the 'Method of Borrowing Momentum' in the 'North Emperor Profound Water Escape,' dividing the force into yin and yang, five elements.

Although he couldn't reach the true 'Dark Jin' state of 'not focusing on anything, collapsing upon touch,' let alone the 'Undying Seal Method' of borrowing momentum to transform force, his control over force had clearly improved.

It could barely be considered breaking through the peak of Dark Jin.

As long as he mastered it, it would be Hua Jin.

The small forest was not big, and three times of leverage was enough to leave it.

Sure enough, the opponent stopped at the riverbank.

Li Yan finally saw his appearance clearly.

It was an old man, tall and sturdy, with dark skin, his messy hair bun pinned casually with a wooden stick, wearing coarse cloth clothes, his sleeves and trouser legs rolled up, and a firewood knife hanging from his waist.

He looked just like a woodcutter.

"Stop!"

Li Yan shouted, and at the same time drew his Dust-Breaking Saber.

The old man turned his head; his face was ancient and simple, his eyes bright and piercing, like a night owl, without any dullness.

His expression was exceptionally cold. Seeing Li Yan chasing him, he just glanced at him indifferently, took a yellow talisman from his bosom, stuffed it into his mouth in two or three movements, formed a hand seal, and leaped into the Ju River.

The muddy river water surged, and in the blink of an eye, he was submerged.

"Water Escape!"

Li Yan's expression was gloomy, and he stopped.

His Profound Water Escape could only borrow water mist; he hadn't practiced to the point of shuttling through the water, and he couldn't catch up if he entered the river.

Just then, an eagle cry sounded in the sky, and Lu San also chased over, carrying a bone mace in his hand, and said in a muffled voice, "That's an expert, don't chase."

Li Yan nodded, sheathed his saber, and said thoughtfully, "There is a smell of underground corpse rot on this old man, and he has night-owl eyes; I estimate he is from the 'Burying Treasure and Exploring the Hidden' lineage."

"Also, there is the smell of that 'Tomb-Blood Beam' on him..."

………………

"Found it!"

When Li Yan and the others entered the door, Sha Lifei was holding a torn book, "Using so much force, it must be related to this book."

Wang Daoxuan hurriedly took it, looked at it for a few moments, his brow furrowed, and the doubt in his eyes grew stronger, "It's Immortal Ge's 'Biographies of Immortals'."

Li Yan had already asked what they were looking for, and upon hearing this, he was thoughtful, "This book is everywhere; I estimate certain records in it are the key."

"'Biographies of Immortals'?"

Guan Peide on the side pondered, "Speaking of which, 'Biographies of Immortals' is indeed related to Dangyang County..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 252 =====

(End of chapter)