Chapter 282: The Divine Sacrifice by the Lake

Upon hearing this, Li Yan grew wary.

He had seen plenty of Yangtze crocodiles on the road—small ones no bigger than dogs, large ones somewhat dull-witted.

The "tuo drum" reverberated for miles,

Could it have already become a demon?

This strange disturbance had awakened everyone inside the temple.

Li Yan turned to Lu San, "Lu brother, can you tell what it's calling out?"

Lu San nodded, forming a hand seal and listening intently; his eyes gradually widened in shock as he murmured, "The dragon chariot bears the emperor's robes, we drift and wander through the heavens, the divine sovereign descends in glory, swift and high, soaring through the clouds…"

Tian Wei stared wide-eyed beside him, "The 'Yunzhong Jun' from the Chu Ci?"

Today he'd finally seen something truly extraordinary—like a tale from a strange lore anthology.

This quiet young man, seemingly ordinary, could actually understand the speech of birds and beasts.

And yet, the tuo dragon recites the Chu Ci?

Coming to his senses, he suddenly realized a possibility—his eyes brightened with excitement as he trembled, "The Chu Ci is a liturgical chant—the tuo dragon is offering sacrifice to Yunzhong Jun. Could Yunzhong Jun's 'Shou Gong' be nearby?"

"Nonsense!"

Tian the Merchant scolded sternly, "I was born and raised here—I've never heard of any treasure. It sounds more like a demon luring people…"

Tian Wei bristled inside, instinctively wanting to retort, but before he could speak, he frowned.

Lu San, listening to the "tuo dragon," had grown distant-eyed, then rose unsteadily to his feet and began to dance.

"He's possessed…"

Tian Wei was about to cry out when Li Yan clamped a hand over his mouth, his face grave, signaling everyone to be silent.

Meanwhile, Lu San's movements grew faster—flipping, spinning, darting, and forming a flurry of hand seals.

Li Yan frowned slightly and turned to Wang Wang Daoxuan, whispering, "Master, is it…?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan's face was grave as he nodded, "It's the Duan Gong dance."

The Duan Gong dance originated from the Chu court dance, an ancient Chu shamanic ritual, divided into Upper Altar and Lower Altar.

The Upper Altar honors the dead and guides lost souls—its movements solemn and dignified. The Lower Altar expels ghosts, wards off evil, and invites fortune—its motions light and free.

But Lu San's dance was far more mysterious.

Li Yan hadn't interrupted because Lu San wasn't possessed by malevolent qi—he had fallen into a trance by instinct, beginning to dance.

He had heard of such things before: a divine descent.

Some shamans and spirit mediums would suddenly enter this state, and upon waking, would understand sacred rites and techniques they'd never learned.

Strange, yes—but many Daoist lineages operate this way, just like when he'd seen the Cold Altar's wandering master; others couldn't perceive it at all.

Wang Wang Daoxuan pondered, "It seems Lu San's opportunity has arrived…"

Seeing Lu San nearing the temple door, Li Yan instantly understood and hurried forward to open it.

Outside, the sky had cleared—now a vast, bright moon hung high, surrounded by dark clouds like veils.

The night wind still howled, and the temple's bonfire flickered uncertainly.

Lu San continued dancing, utterly unconscious, leaping lightly beyond the temple door.

His rhythm grew stranger, more solemn.

At the same time, a strange qi dispersed.

Something even more astonishing happened.

Lu San's pets, which had been trembling moments before, now also lost consciousness and drifted into the courtyard.

Rat One and Rat Two stood upright on their paws, spinning in place.

The little fox leapt up and down, her tail swaying nimbly.

Even Lu San's hawk soared above in eerie flight.

Only the demonic gourd swayed back and forth, unable to move.

Lu San, meanwhile, danced as he walked, moving unconsciously—his direction clearly toward the source of the "tuo drum."

Li Yan's expression turned grave. He sprinted back into the temple and whispered, "I'll guard Lu brother. Don't wander off."

Saying this, he seized the wildly shaking demonic gourd and stepped out of the temple, following behind Lu San.

Soon, they vanished from sight.

Those inside the temple exchanged uneasy glances, feeling the whole affair bizarre and uncanny.

Wang Wang Daoxuan rose and said, "Don't worry—whatever happens, Brother Li Yan knows how to handle it. I'll set up a protective method; we'll keep watch carefully."

He pulled out several yellow talismans from his robe, stepped outside, and affixed them to several tree trunks across from the temple, then returned and said, "Sha Brother, Liu Battalion Commander—you two are the strongest warriors. Stay alert."

"Of course."

Sha Sha Li Fei and Tian the Merchant's son-nephew nodded quickly.

Only Tian Wei scratched his head, itching to follow but also afraid.

Oddly, after Li Yan and Lu San left, the night wind grew noticeably calmer, and the bonfire inside the ruined temple steadied.

It stood out starkly amid the dark mountains…

…………

Meanwhile, Li Yan closely followed Lu San.

Lu San's shamanic dance grew increasingly fluid—his steps alternating, striking the ground then leaping upward, as if using hidden force, his speed increasing rapidly.

Li Yan was somewhat astonished.

Lu San practiced Xiangxing Quan, imitating animal attacks; though he had entered Hidden Force, he had not yet reached its peak.

Such continuous bursts were impossible under normal circumstances.

Yet now, it was as if some force supported him—every motion carried not a trace of mundane effort.

As his speed increased, Li Yan and the little fox could still keep pace, but Rat One and Rat Two fell behind, squeaking frantically, agitated and restless.

Li Yan sighed helplessly and scooped up both rats into his arms.

They pressed forward without following any road or path, ignoring bamboo groves and undergrowth, weaving through them effortlessly.

Li Yan, of course, faced no obstacle—his divine sight rendered the night as clear as day.

And Lu San, too, moved as if walking on flat ground, utterly unimpeded.

Before they realized it, they had run far.

On a distant high ridge, beneath towering trees, three warrior monks sat in meditation—men sent by Feng Master Chengjue to keep watch.

One monk, fingers forming a seal, had faint gleams in his pupils.

His right fist clenched, thumb pressed against the outer side of his index finger; his left hand extended, fingers together.

This was the "Wisdom Fist Seal," symbolizing wisdom and power.

Far below, in the darkness, a single flicker of firelight glowed—that was the ruined temple where Wang Wang Daoxuan and the others waited.

"Brother, something's off."

The monk using the Divine Sight spoke gravely, "This 'tuo drum' is too intense—it must be a demon's doing. That Li Yan and the other man have been bewitched and left."

The lead monk, tall and heavily muscled, picked up his spade and asked, "What of the Tian family?"

"They haven't come out."

"There's likely a demon preparing to strike. Let's move closer. First, protect the Tian family—they're the priority."

Saying this, the three leapt forward.

They came from the Chan sect, practicing martial methods; their hidden force surged beneath their feet, carrying them swiftly through the forest until they neared the ruined temple.

"The people inside are unharmed."

The temple door stood open—the monk using the Divine Sight reported immediately.

"Wait for now."

The three monks, fearing they might alarm the demon, remained outside.

…………

Meanwhile, Li Yan began to sense something was wrong.

The mist around them thickened, obscuring even the moonlight—now pitch black, nothing visible beyond reach.

This situation resembled the earlier fog having fully descended.

Could Yunzhong Jun truly be appearing?

Li Yan grew uneasy, his curiosity deepening.

At the same time, the tuo drum grew louder—like a dragon's low roar, like rolling thunder.

Li Yan had lost all sense of direction; he simply clung tightly to Lu San's trail.

Splash!

He heard water nearby.

Unaware, they had reached the shore of a vast lake.

Waves churned violently within, as if some colossal creature played in the water.

At that moment, Lu San stopped.

His consciousness long gone, he danced endlessly along the shore—as if performing a sacred rite.

Whether Rat One and Rat Two, the little fox, or the hawk, all now ceased dancing and knelt toward the lake.

The sound of churning waves drew nearer.

Li Yan's fur stood on end; he instinctively gripped his Gou Die.

He could smell a massive creature approaching the shore.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Heavy footsteps echoed—there stood a giant tuolong, enormous as a locomotive, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The loud "tuogu" sound came from its mouth; now that it was closer, the vibration made Li Yan's head ring.

Fortunately, the giant tuolong did not approach them, but crawled onto the shore a hundred meters away, as if paying homage, its mouth continuously roaring.

What startled Li Yan even more was that the giant tuolong wore armor—cast in bronze, streaked with verdigris, ancient beyond measure.

At the neck region of the armor hung half a broken bronze chain, at least as thick as a man's thigh.

Armor forged for a giant tuolong?

Everything before his eyes had surpassed Li Yan's imagination.

The tuogu sound continued, and Lu San's dance grew even more frenzied.

A thought suddenly struck Li Yan:

According to Lu San, the tuolong's roar recited the "Yun Zhong Jun" from the Chu Ci—could this be an ancient Chu ancestor's sacred beast, raised for worshiping Yun Zhong Jun?

Before he could ponder further, a sense of danger arose.

Across the lake, mist surged wildly.

!.

Boom!

Thunder rolled, lightning shattered the air.

Li Yan felt his whole body go numb, his hair suddenly standing on end.

He had heard of this phenomenon.

Before being struck by lightning, one experiences exactly this.

Damn it!

Li Yan cursed inwardly and leapt away.

Boom!

A blinding flash erupted, forcing Li Yan to shut his eyes; his mind roared, his head ringing.

Rolling to his feet, Li Yan stared in shock.

Where he had stood moments before, the ground now bore a massive crater, soil and stone spraying outward; nearby rotting logs had been split open and ignited.

This was the first time Li Yan had been so close to lightning.

Looking across, neither Lu San, the giant tuolong, nor the kneeling fox, Rat One, Rat Two, nor even the magical gourd, showed any sign of harm.

The lightning seemed to avoid them entirely, targeting only Li Yan.

A flicker of understanding rose in Li Yan's mind.

Legends said Yun Zhong Jun governed thunder, capricious in wrath and favor.

This was an ancient sacrifice to Yun Zhong Jun.

Tuogu chants accompanied by shamanic dance.

And he—was not among them.

At that moment, Li Yan's hair stood on end again.

He cursed inwardly, dodging further, moving away from the lake.

Boom!

Another thunderclap—luckily, Li Yan had already retreated.

He rose, his face grim.

Glancing at Lu San, lost in his trance-like dance, he clenched his teeth and swiftly withdrew, putting distance between himself and the riverbank.

He was unwelcome here.

If he stayed longer and disrupted the ritual, and accidentally dragged Lu San into danger, the cost would be unbearable.

True enough, once he left the lakeshore, the lightning ceased striking.

But the thunder did not stop.

Above the lake, mist churned wildly.

Amid flashes of lightning, Li Yan saw with astonishment that the mist had formed a vortex, within which shadows flickered.

The shadows of the mist seemed to coalesce into the faint outline of a palace.

Could this be Yun Zhong Jun's divine palace, Shou Gong?

Yet the vision was not solid—it twisted and warped with every flash of lightning and gust of wind.

All before him made Li Yan feel as if he had fallen into a dream.

But soon he snapped back to himself, a thought forming—he immediately assumed a horse stance, fingers weaving talismans.

His right hand formed the Thunder Seal, his left the Six Jia Seal, and he drew a deep breath.

This was the Method of Ingesting Thunder Qi, used to cultivate the Heavenly Thunder Demolition Hammer.

He had waited in vain for the "Dragon Boat Thunder," but such phenomena required perfect timing and location; thunder raged across the nine heavens, moving ten thousand li in an instant—ingesting thunder qi was never guaranteed.

Whether or not this was truly a sacrifice to Yun Zhong Jun—

This opportunity was unparalleled!

True enough, as Li Yan inhaled, a searing, explosive qi surged into him, his body hair standing on end once more.

Li Yan did not fear—he rejoiced. He lightly tapped his teeth, drew in three breaths of thunder qi, then pressed his left hand into a seal and slowly clenched his right fist.

As he tightened his fist, sparks crackled across his knuckles, radiating a fierce, explosive force.

Li Yan gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the ground.

Boom!

A crater formed beneath him.

But immediately after, his vision darkened; he nearly collapsed.

No wonder Yu Yu Longzi had warned him: this method was excruciatingly difficult—even training at Mount Wudang's "Thunder and Fire Refining Hall" carried a high risk of demonic deviation.

Yin thunder damaged the soul; yang thunder annihilated all.

After just one practice, his soul had already been wounded.

The difficulty of successfully refining it was plain to see.

Li Yan certainly lacked Yu Yu Longzi's astonishing talent—but he had the Great Luo Body to aid him.

As the Great Luo Body activated, all damage instantly healed.

Without hesitation, Li Yan inhaled thunder qi again.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With each punch, the ground around him became pitted and cratered.

And Li Yan gradually grew accustomed to the method.

After thirty or more repetitions, he no longer needed to ingest thunder qi—merely forming the seal and clenching his fist was enough to summon the thunder hammer.

Then Li Yan changed his approach again.

He began incorporating the Northern Emperor's Yin Thunder Palm.

Instantly, he discovered its brilliance.

After the yin thunder passed, the damage from yang thunder nearly vanished; alternating between the Northern Emperor's Yin Thunder Palm and the Heavenly Thunder Demolition Hammer, lightning flickered ceaselessly across his body.

From afar, he looked like the Thunder God descending.

Unconsciously, Li Yan slipped into a state of self-forgetfulness.

Meanwhile, on the distant lakeshore, mist continued to expand, engulfing the giant tuolong, Lu San, and all the animals.

After an indeterminate time, Li Yan slowly regained awareness.

Looking out, dawn's light was faint, the mist gone.

His entire body ached, his head still ringing.

Inside him, the Great Luo Body lay shattered, on the verge of collapse.

To prevent his soul-fire from extinguishing, Li Yan dared not use the Great Luo Body to heal again. Ignoring his aches, he staggered toward the lake.

The small animals lay unconscious.

Lu San was the same—fists clenched, teeth gritted, eyelids trembling violently, his body drenched in sweat.

"Lu brother! Lu brother!"

At Li Yan's calls, Lu San slowly awoke, eyes filled with confusion, shock, and bewilderment. He looked around. "How did I get here?"

Li Yan frowned, recounted everything, and asked sternly: "You don't remember any of it?"

Lu San shook his head. "I only recall hearing the tuogu in the temple, then falling into a dream—a woman, old, kept beckoning me…"

"I followed her through mist, arriving at a palace. She told me to take something, promising great reward…"

"Inside the palace, I faintly heard voices, then, as she instructed, I seized a jade token from the table…"

As he spoke, he froze, slowly opening his right hand.

There, in his palm, lay a five-colored jade tablet—ancient, as if freshly dug from a tomb, still caked in dirt…

At that moment, Li Yan's blood ran cold.

He snapped his gaze to the lake—and saw, slowly rising, a massive head: the giant tuolong.

The tuolong swam to shore, tail swaying, gazing at them calmly, its eyes clear and ancient, like those of an elder.

Li Yan tensed.

This was a fearsome demon—he could smell nothing from it, only an overwhelming threat.

Lu San, sensing the meaning, scrambled to his feet and without hesitation threw the jade tablet into the air, then asked, "Where's my thing?"

The giant tortoise did not answer, but swallowed the jade tablet whole, then spat out an object before turning and swimming into the lake.

In an instant, clouds and mist rose, and the giant tortoise was gone.

Lu San and Li Yan hurried forward to inspect.

On the ground lay a large bundle of bamboo slips…

(End of Chapter)