Chapter 260

"The house is talking?"

Sha Lifei carries the incense burner, his face full of disbelief: "How can a house talk? The Daoist must have heard wrong, right?"

At this moment, Lu San has already controlled the rat swarm to patrol the entire county city, and only this place has discovered something tricky, so they have all gathered here.

"This matter is not strange."

Another Profound Heaven Sect disciple shakes his head: "If objects have Yin souls attached to them and are of great age, they can become spirits."

"Old houses, broken temples, and ancient graves are the same; if someone dies inside, after a long time, they will use the building as a body and turn into demon and evil spirits to cause trouble; dealing with this kind of house is the most troublesome."

As he speaks, he looks around: "The Feng Shui here is average, and the human and Yang Qi are prosperous; the old locust tree in the courtyard is also very suspicious; it is estimated that it was a layout made very early on."

Li Yan hurriedly asks: "What did you hear, fellow Daoist?"

That Daoist moves his ears again, his expression ugly: "It's very chaotic; there are many people crying and shouting, men, women, old, and young, but I can't hear clearly what they are crying and shouting about."

"Many people?"

Li Yan is thoughtful: "Is there any way to break it?"

"This..."

That Daoist's expression is somewhat awkward: "Don't blame me, Layman Li; my fellow disciples and I mainly study Dharma altars and are really not skilled in this Feng Shui technique."

The two Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao disciples also nod: "When encountering this situation, our sect usually has a Feng Shui master find the key point, then perform rituals to seal the earth Qi and collect the evil in the broken temple, otherwise the poison will spread."

"Usually, performing rituals uses an 'altar,' mainly the 'Thirty Meeting True Altar,' and the place for cultivation and refining is a 'Jing,' which has the 'Sixty Penetrating True Jing'."

"The layouts of the Mystic Sect in the world cannot be separated from this mold, even those places for refining corpses are the same."

"The layout here must be some kind of 'Jing'; we must find the key point and distinguish which one it is before we can target it for restraint."

"So that's how it is."

Li Yan turns his head to look at Wang Daoxuan: "Daoist, can you distinguish it?"

Wang Daoxuan is skilled in Feng Shui techniques, and the West Profound lineage is strong in dispelling disasters and praying for blessings, but whether he can break this formation, Li Yan is also unclear.

Wang Daoxuan looks at the old house and says thoughtfully: "This poor Daoist can try to see if I can find the key point."

After saying this, he takes out a compass from his bosom, first circling the old house, making marks in various places, and then comes to a nearby high place to observe the layout of the surrounding streets and rooms.

Finally, he takes a large piece of paper and draws, setting up the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces, with various lines winding and twisting, making people dizzy.

Li Yan takes a look and doesn't think about it in detail.

Various Dharma methods in the world are all more profound the further you go; a person's lifespan is limited, and it is impossible to be proficient in everything.

Especially this Feng Shui thing, it is all-encompassing.

Because he practices escape techniques and needs to ponder the Qimen Dunjia, he has already squeezed his brain dry; for Feng Shui, it is good enough to understand the basic knowledge.

Wang Daoxuan's drawings become more and more chaotic.

His brows also become tighter and tighter.

Everyone else is not in a hurry when they see this.

This house looks ancient and was laid out very early; being able to stand in Dangyang City for so many years without being discovered naturally has its mysteries.

What is even stranger is that no abnormal aura has leaked out.

To tell the truth, if it weren't for Lu San's magic arts, they really wouldn't have been able to find it.

Of course, Li Yan is not idle either; he says a word to Constable Yang and asks him to go to the county yamen to find those old fish-scale registers.

The so-called fish-scale registers are land registration books.

It draws houses, mountains, forests, ponds, and fields in order and connection, indicating the corresponding names, named because the field maps look like fish scales.

It originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and is still in use today.

The Great Xuan Dynasty has an order that anyone building a mansion in the city must report it to the yamen; no matter how many times it is resold, the fish-scale register will have the information of both the buyer and seller, and even must have a guarantor.

Perhaps, some clues can be found from it.

Constable Yang does not dare to be slow, hurriedly leading men back to the county yamen, asking the clerk to flip through the fish-scale registers from the archive warehouse where files are specially stored.

After hurriedly taking them, Constable Yang's expression is somewhat awkward: "Young Hero Li, there is a problem with the fish-scale registers."

"The information on this house is too old and is not in the new fish-scale registers. After several heavy rains and leaks, plus insect and rat damage, I'm afraid nothing can be found."

At this moment, it is not yet dawn; Li Yan looks by the light of the torches and shakes his head slightly.

This fish-scale register is a gray mass, not only because of insect damage, appearing with many pits and dust, but also soaked in water, with many pages stuck together.

He carefully separates the stuck registers; sure enough, the handwriting on them is also somewhat blurred and can only be identified intermittently.

"Kai... second year, contract maker Yu..., thanks to the court..., obtained the old house, located in Dangyang City...,..., for the sake of honor..."

Li Yan frowns as he looks and hands it to Battalion Commander Zheng beside him.

Battalion Commander Zheng also checks carefully and says thoughtfully: "This should be the second year of Kaiyuan, the second year after the founding of the Great Xuan Dynasty."

"As far as I know, the war had just ended at that time, and nine out of ten houses were empty everywhere; the court rewarded people on a large scale, and anyone with merit to the country was granted fields and property."

"The Yu family, and also received court rewards... clues should be found in the county gazetteer."

Constable Yang does not say a word and takes the "Dangyang County Gazetteer."

Sure enough, he finds a clue.

The name recorded on it is Yu Shiqing.

"So it was this person!"

Battalion Commander Zheng suddenly realizes, his expression solemn: "This person has some reputation; he was originally an old official of the Daxing Dynasty and was unwilling to be an official. The court, to show benevolence, did not liquidate them and even granted them fields and property for retirement."

"But this person's son, Yu Wantong, later entered the green forest mountains, became a general of the Longxiang Army, raised troops to rebel, and was executed along with his nine clans."

As he speaks, he hurriedly flips through the fish-scale register again.

Although the records on it are blurred, one can see that it has changed hands several times, with the last change fifty years ago.

Li Yan ponders: "An old house of fifty years, neither looked after nor occupied, must have problems."

As he speaks, he asks Constable Yang to call the nearby residents.

"This house is a bit evil."

An old man living nearby shakes his head: "I remember when I was a child, this house was occupied by a group of beggars; because it was dilapidated and the owner's whereabouts were unknown, people didn't pay attention to it."

"Who knew that in less than two days, this group of beggars killed each other and died, with corpses all over the floor and a pungent smell of blood."

"After the court cleared away the corpses, another family that had just moved in spent silver to occupy and renovate the place."

"In less than half a month, the family's business completely failed, and even the owner encountered mountain bandits and was left exposed in the wilderness."

"Later, everyone said the Feng Shui here was bad, so no one had any more thoughts. But once, when I got up at night, I vaguely heard movement inside the house, as if someone was talking."

"I was afraid, thinking it was a lonely ghost, so I pretended not to hear and went back to my room to sleep..."

After careful questioning, and after the old man left, Battalion Commander Zheng says in a deep voice: "It seems this place has been premeditated for a long time; although it has changed hands several times, it has always been under the control of demon-people."

"The Longxiang Army has already united with the Heavenly Saint Sect; perhaps they also participated in this matter..."

At this time, the sky is already slightly bright.

The morning sun rises from the mountain top, the morning light drives away the darkness, and the thin mist shrouding the surface of the old house seems to be lifted by the sunlight.

Wang Daoxuan looks at the changes in light and shadow nearby, stands up suddenly, looks at the surrounding city walls, and suddenly realizes: "This poor Daoist understands!"

As he speaks, he points to the west: "Dangyang County is high in the west and low in the east, the remainder of the dragon vein, transitioning to the Jianghan Plain, located at the boundary of Yin and Yang."

"The old county city has been renovated several times, and the original layout has long been destroyed, leaking a trace of Yin Qi, but it is suppressed by the Guan Mausoleum, lingering here, just forming a Yin furnace."

"There is the Guan Mausoleum in the north and the Purple Canopy Mountain Grotto in the south, making the Yin Qi not obvious, and then laid out with formations, borrowing the interval of the sun and moon changes, it can be made to escape."

"Fellow Daoists, who else has an Eight Trigrams mirror?"

"We have them!" After all, they are Mystic Sect disciples and carry precious mirrors with them.

According to Wang Daoxuan's instructions, two Profound Heaven Sect disciples stand on the north and south sides of the old house, facing the Eight Trigrams mirrors north and south.

The Eight Trigrams mirror has the function of blocking and reflecting.

As soon as the mirrors were hung, the old house suddenly changed.

Li Yan and the others' expressions changed drastically.

In the eyes of others, the old house suddenly became gloomy.

But for warlocks, the feeling was abnormally clear.

Li Yan says in a deep voice: "I can smell the full courtyard of blood, and the Yin-Sha Qi flowing, surrounding that old locust tree..."

The Profound Heaven Sect disciple with Yin-Yang eyes says coldly: "The whole courtyard is full of Yin ghosts, worshiping that old locust tree..."

And that Mystic Sect disciple who can hear the words of ghosts and gods has ears that keep twitching, his expression ugly: "They are worshiping; it is dead ghosts worshiping an Yin god!"

This is one of the reasons why Li Yan invited them down the mountain.

!.

The ghosts and gods in the world are all formless; Mystic Sect people awaken spirit roots, some hear, some see, some can smell.

It's like blind men touching an elephant, unable to get all the information.

If they want to find the tiger demon's hideout, they cannot do without the help of others.

Seeing the key point, that Profound Heaven Sect disciple suddenly understands: "This is a method of refining an Yin god based on the 'Tongzhen Huiyuan Jing,' killing people to sacrifice to ghosts, and also mixed with the secret methods of the Ghost Sect."

"If we want to open an altar to break it, we cannot do without returning to the mountain to invite several fellow disciples to come and help."

Li Yan shakes his head: "We don't have time; is there any other way?"

A Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao disciple speaks up: "Ghosts worshiping an Yin god is a pattern of great evil; fortunately, it is daytime now; if it were opened at night, I'm afraid this Yin god would have already appeared to kill people."

"It is locust wood; we can perform rituals and use peach wood arrows to temporarily restrain it, but these Yin ghosts must be cleared at the same time, otherwise they will break the peach wood arrows and release the Yin god."

"But if the Yin god is disturbed, this place has already become a place of Yin-Sha evil; ghost objects can come out even during the day; I'm afraid if we enter, we will be possessed."

"Leave this to me!"

Li Yan turns his head and says in a deep voice: "Old Uncle Sha, return to the county yamen and take my Cloud Thunder Divine Drum."

Everyone doesn't talk nonsense and hurriedly prepares.

The Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao inherits the Han shamanic tradition and integrates Chu shamanic methods, most skilled in using various plants to dispel evil.

This old locust tree where the Yin god resides happens to have a way to deal with it.

They carry peach wood bows and arrows with them, opening an altar on the spot to draw talismans, taking out twelve peach wood arrows, and sticking yellow talismans on them one by one.

And the Cloud Thunder Divine Drum is also taken.

Such a big commotion naturally alarms many common people.

Although Constable Yang and others are blocking on the periphery, there are still three circles inside and three circles outside standing many people, peeking and whispering:

"So the demon object is here?"

"I said this house was not right..."

Li Yan doesn't care to pay attention, comes to the Cloud Thunder Divine Drum, hangs the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin saber tassel on the beast's mouth, and nods to the Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao disciples.

Two disciples immediately leap up, jump onto the nearby roof, and while pinching Dharma formulas, pull open the peach wood bows.

Swish, swish!

The sound of breaking air rings out, and two peach wood arrows insert directly into the old locust tree.

This move is like poking a hornet's nest.

Inside the old house, Yin wind suddenly whistles, fallen leaves roll with black smoke, forming whirlwinds, scurrying up and down.

At the same time, shrill cries ring out.

This sound can be heard even by mortals.

The watching common people are scared pale and retreat one after another.

And Li Yan also stores his spirit and exerts his strength, beating the divine drum.

Boom, boom, boom!

The drum sound is like thunder, shaking the entire county city.

This Cloud Thunder Divine Drum originally had the function of dispelling evil, and combined with the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin saber tassel, the power is even more astonishing.

When Li Yan used it before, with one strike, the surrounding Yin souls were all destroyed.

This time, it shows its extraordinary nature again.

Whoosh~

Yin wind whistles, and those black whirlwinds wrapped in fallen leaves rush directly out of the old house gate.

Boom!

Just then, the Cloud Thunder Divine Drum rings out.

The drum sound vibrates, and those black whirlwinds immediately collapse.

And the two Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao disciples, seeing this situation, dare not be slow, pinching formulas while shooting arrows.

Bang, bang, bang!

Root after root of peach wood arrows shoot into the old locust tree.

Li Yan keeps beating the divine drum, shaking away the Yin souls and fierce ghosts that swarm out.

As the drum sounds, cold sweat also breaks out on his forehead.

The power of this Cloud Thunder Divine Drum is not small, and the consumption is also extremely astonishing.

Even though his cultivation has improved now, casting such powerful magic arts is somewhat strenuous.

Fortunately, the Bamboo Ge Ge Shan Jiao disciples move quickly, and with the help of the two Profound Heaven Sect disciples and Wang Daoxuan, they beat away all the Yin souls and fierce ghosts that rushed out.

After the time it takes to smoke a bag of tobacco, the old house finally returns to tranquility.

On the old locust tree in the courtyard, twelve peach wood arrows are deeply submerged, constantly buzzing and vibrating.

And the Yin souls and fierce ghosts in the courtyard are all eliminated.

"Take action!"

Battalion Commander Zheng, who had long been prepared, gives an order, and several Commandant's Office soldiers immediately light fire-caltrops and throw them directly into the old courtyard.

Boom, boom, boom!

Accompanied by several loud noises, the house collapses, and dust rises.

The layout of this old house is completely destroyed.

Li Yan and the others don't care about the dust, rushing directly into it, pouring oil on the old locust tree, and lighting it with a fire.

In an instant, the fire is raging, black smoke fills the air, and a stench like a dead body spreads to the surroundings.

The common people who smell it all feel stuffy in their chests and vomit one after another.

Amidst the crackling sounds, a faint, old, and venomous roar rings out, and then the old locust tree collapses with a boom.

Whoosh~

A Yin wind blows, and the stench disappears.

Li Yan and the others also breathe a sigh of relief.

The evil object in the courtyard had been sacrificed to for over a hundred years, comparable to a ghost or god; once it escaped, they really wouldn't have been able to deal with it.

After the fire went out and the old locust tree was completely burned to charcoal, the group entered the courtyard again to search carefully.

Sure enough, under the old locust tree, there was a tomb, not large, with only a locust wood coffin placed inside.

And the roots of the old locust tree were just connected to it.

Li Yan kicked the coffin lid away with one foot, gasped, and said in a lost voice: "What is this thing?"

He saw a withered skeleton lying inside.

There was no head on the neck, but on the spine and chest bones, many bone tumors had grown, shaped like skulls...

(End of chapter)