Chapter 287: The clouds of suspicion gradually disperse

Unlike passive divine communication, there was no thick fog.

The Daxiong Treasure Hall was still before his eyes, majestic and empty, with brick and wood carvings that were extremely intricate, but the hall was empty.

Including Abbot Abbot Mingzhu, all the monks had disappeared.

However, the hall was not cold at all.

That Sakyamuni Enlightenment image was still shedding blood from both eyes, but the Buddha statue now seemed to have come alive, looking around with a rumbling sound.

And beside it, there were two Bodhisattva statues.

One had five topknots on its head, held a precious sword, and rode a green lion.

One wore a precious crown, held a lotus flower, and rode a six-tusked white elephant.

It was Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas.

On their periphery were the Eighteen Arhats.

These gods and Buddhas were all clay sculptures, but they seemed to have come alive, bowing their heads to look at him after seeing him.

Even though Li Yan was bold, his heart trembled at this sight, and he bowed hurriedly, but when he wanted to speak, he found that he could not make any sound.

Li Yan was already familiar with this situation.

These were all clay Buddha and Bodhisattva statues.

They were worshipped in the human world, and the incense and wish power condensed, perhaps having some connection with the real Buddhas, barely counting as incarnations, still belonging to local deities.

The real gods and Buddhas far away in the sky always abide by the constraints of the "Heavenly Rules" and basically do not interfere in mortal affairs.

And these local deities also have certain limitations, unable to communicate directly with language, and can only give hints through various illusions.

The only exception Li Yan had seen was the Yunzhongjun Shrine.

During the lakeside sacrifice, that shrine seemed to be hidden in the clouds and thunder, changing constantly, but Lu San could get things from it, as if the boundary between virtual and real had become blurred.

This situation was something Li Yan still couldn't figure out.

The scene before him showed that the secret method passed down by Liu Gang had succeeded, but this move was also somewhat dangerous, symbolizing entering the territory of ghosts and gods.

If it weren't for holding the Gou Die, representing the Yin Division and the Underworld, and this being the altar of the Mystic Sect's orthodoxy, he wouldn't have easily performed it.

Sure enough, the full hall of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, although watching him, did not show hostility, but bowed their heads in unison, looking above the hall.

Li Yan also looked up.

He saw that above the Daxiong Treasure Hall, the Buddha light was wrapped in clouds and mist, changing and lingering, like a rolling river, and the appearance was actually somewhat familiar.

Li Yan's mind flashed with inspiration.

It was a map of the nearby mountain and water veins!

The thickest one was undoubtedly the Yangtze River, the smaller ones were tributaries like the Han River, and the finer and more chaotic ones were the surrounding rivers.

On both sides of the Yangtze River, a turtle and a snake faced each other across the river.

Black spots had already appeared on their bodies, shaking their heads and tails, and although they couldn't make a sound, they seemed to be twisting and roaring...

And in the distance, a white tiger was being pressed by mountain ranges, its whole body surging with black Yin energy, its eyes radiating red light, appearing strange and compelling...

Further away, a fire bird was also buried deep underground, curling its body, seemingly still in a deep sleep, but sparks were already rising from its body, like a burning fire...

It seemed that these Four Symbols were the key.

But now they were in different states...

Just as Li Yan was thinking, the full hall of gods and Bodhisattvas slowly lowered their heads, and many illusions shattered like glass.

Li Yan felt the world go black.

When he opened his eyes again, it was a hall full of candlelight, and the smell of incense was pungent.

Abbot Abbot Mingzhu and several old monks were still sitting on the cushions. Their momentum was connected to the Daxiong Treasure Hall, clearly guarding it.

"What did the little benefactor see?"

Seeing Li Yan wake up, Abbot Abbot Mingzhu asked hurriedly.

"I saw the location of the Four Symbols..."

Li Yan did not dare to neglect and recounted what he saw in detail.

Abbot Abbot Mingzhu pondered after hearing this, then turned his head to look at an elderly monk. "It seems to be related to the Feng Shui earth veins. Feng Feng Shixiong Master Tonghai, you are good at this, can you see anything?"

The old monk raised his eyelids slightly and said to the outside of the hall, "Master Chengjue, come in."

"Yes, Feng Feng Shixiong Uncle."

Master Chengjue, who was guarding outside, hurried into the Daxiong Treasure Hall.

The old monk asked, "I remember when you reported, you said that the Xu family troupe in Hanyang City cooperated with tomb robbers to dig up many large tombs. What was lost in them?"

Master Chengjue replied, "All the tombs were destroyed, but the disciple asked people to check them one by one and found that all the coffins, bricks, and funerary objects in the tombs were stolen."

After hearing this, the old monk didn't seem surprised and said to the crowd, "If I'm not mistaken, the turtle and snake are coiled on the riverbank, representing Guishan and Snake Mountain."

"A hundred years ago, a master from the Jiangxiang Sect came here and observed the Feng Shui of this place, saying it was a situation of 'one singing and a thousand responding' and 'mountain dragons singing together'."

"'One singing and a thousand responding' means the Yangtze River is the main one, surrounded by a thousand lakes in Yunmeng, so 'water is the best, hiding wind is secondary', and the trend of the earth vein emphasizes water rather than mountains..."

"'Mountain dragons singing together' refers to Guishan and Snake Mountain. The water vein of this place starts at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Han River and ends in the Tianxing Township area, where Turtle and Snake mountains are the key points."

"Guishan guards the northwest portal, and Snake Mountain echoes in the southeast, presenting a scene of 'Heaven's gate opens, Earth's door closes', and also hinting that the turtle and snake generals under the Zhenwu Dangmo Great Emperor are guarding, so the three towns can be peaceful."

"And the two gods of Turtle and Snake lock the river and narrow it to gather, just like a precious bottle, and the Parrot Island wharf gains energy, so it is prosperous..."

This old monk was indeed proficient in Feng Shui. Hearing him say this, Li Yan had a rough impression of the layout of this place.

No wonder this place is still prosperous a thousand years later.

The old monk continued, "The two mountains of Turtle and Snake are the key points of the Feng Shui of this place, so the Qingchuan and Yellow Crane towers look at each other across the river, suppressing the luck. Those demon people should have secretly done something in the mountains, borrowing the evil objects of the tombs to disturb the two gods of Turtle and Snake."

Abbot Abbot Mingzhu pondered, "Feng Feng Shixiong's judgment should be correct, but how should the Four Symbols of the Bai Hu and Zhu Que be interpreted?"

The old monk asked someone to bring a map of the nearby mountains and rivers and said to Li Yan, "Little benefactor, can you point out the location for the old monk?"

Li Yan looked at this mountain and river map, and it was exactly the same as what he saw in the illusion, so he pointed to two areas. "This Bai Hu is suppressed by mountain ranges, and here a Zhu Que is sleeping."

The old monk looked and nodded. "This is the Old Old Man Wang's Tomb. During the Han Dynasty, it was an area where the Jiangxia barbarians were active, and they rebelled many times."

"It is rumored that when the ancestor of the Ba people, Lin Jun, died, his soul became a white tiger for generations, so the Ba people used the white tiger as a totem, and the Jiangxia barbarians were the same. There should be something strange in the Old Old Man Wang's Tomb."

"The place reflected by the Zhu Que is the ancient Western Zhou mine pit, perhaps related to ancient Chu. The old monk can't see the trick either."

"Now it seems that the demon people want to borrow the change of the Four Symbols to disturb the earth veins. When the earth dragon turns over and the water dragon rages, it will cause a great calamity!"

"So that's it!"

Abbot Abbot Mingzhu heard this, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Our Baotong Zen Temple is also located on the key point of the earth vein, so the Buddha statue sounded the alarm. If those demon people succeed, it will be a monstrous disaster."

"Master Chengjue, gather the troops and go into the city with me overnight to report this matter to the Prince of Near Wuchang. We must not let the demon people succeed!"

"Yes, Abbot!"

Master Chengjue had also been suffocated during this period. Now that he finally figured out the enemy's plot, the fire in his eyes could not be suppressed.

Clang, clang, clang!

Soon, the bell of Baotong Zen Temple rang, and many martial monks gathered.

And Li Yan also breathed a sigh of relief.

The earth dragon turning over is an earthquake, and the water dragon raging is a flood. If these two appeared at the same time, the scene would be chilling just to think about.

Hanyang, Hankou, and Near Wuchang, the three cities, would probably all be destroyed. In the Daxiong Treasure Hall, an old monk sighed: "This place is a thoroughfare for nine provinces. Once something happens, the imperial court will be worse off, and the war in the southwest will also have twists and turns, harming the luck of the Divine Land."

"So frantic, the person behind the scenes cannot be left!"

Having said that, he looked at Li Yan again. "Thank you, little friend, for sounding the alarm. If it were a few steps late and the demon people succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable. Little friend has immeasurable merit, and we will definitely have a generous reward."

Li Yan bowed. "I just happened to meet it. Righteousness is where it is, no reward is needed."

The old monk stroked his beard and nodded, looking at Li Yan with much kinder eyes. "Good causes must have good results. There is a reason why the Mystic Sect cultivates merit."

"After this matter subsides, little friend, come to the Daxiong Treasure Hall again. You might have a great harvest."

These words were secret, but Li Yan was not a fool. He turned his head to look at the towering Buddha statue, and a trace of curiosity arose in his heart.

The demon people's plot was revealed, and the power of the Buddhist gate finally erupted.

In Baotong Zen Temple, many martial monks gathered, lighting torches like dragons, heading toward Near Wuchang City overnight.

The Law Enforcement Hall naturally had a way to transmit letters quickly, and several night owls broke through the air, flying toward the three cities.

!.

It was already past the Zi period, and it was the dead of night, but soon, the silence of the three cities was broken.

The yamen, the Commandant's Office, and the Law Enforcement Hall of the three cities were all dispatched, and the whole city was full of noise, with firelight and the sound of horses' hooves constantly.

The group of Bee Sect swindlers who set up the trap, as well as the officials who secretly helped, were all caught overnight.

Keeping them before was all to lure out the mastermind.

But now that their conspiracy was known, there was naturally no need to keep them.

At the same time, many soldiers from the Near Wuchang garrison also set off overnight, surrounding Turtle and Snake mountains and searching everywhere.

And Li Yan also returned to Near Wuchang City with Abbot Abbot Mingzhu and others.

At this time, the city gates had already been opened, and the patrolling officials of the Near Wuchang Prefecture Yamen were waiting outside the city. Seeing this, they hurried to greet them. "I have seen Abbot Abbot Mingzhu. The Prince and the Governor are both waiting at the Yamen."

"Hmm."

Abbot Abbot Mingzhu was also solemn at this time, taking the martial monks of Baotong Zen Temple toward the Yamen.

And after Li Yan entered the city, he bowed to everyone to say goodbye. "Everyone, I still have a mission to protect the Tian family, so I will say goodbye here."

With so many forces already mobilized, his following along wouldn't be of much use, and it would be better to go back to avoid any accidents during the chaos.

The big monk Master Chengjue pondered for a moment. "Although the demon people's conspiracy has been figured out, why they are plotting against the Tian family is still unclear."

"Huide, you take a few people to follow Li Li Shaoxia and protect the Tian family. You can hold my hand order and act according to circumstances."

"Yes, Feng Feng Shixiong!"

Several martial monks bowed hurriedly and left the team.

Seeing this, Li Yan smiled. "Thank you, Master."

With these martial monks, he could also free up his hands, and many troubles could be solved, without having to be so tied up.

If things were finished early, they could also be much more relaxed.

After saying goodbye to each other, Li Yan led several martial monks toward the Chamber of Commerce.

In the Chamber of Commerce, it was also brightly lit.

The power of the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce was naturally not small, and it had a close relationship with the imperial court. At this time, it naturally had to do its part.

Arriving at the gate of the Chamber of Commerce, the people here seemed to have received the news long ago and sent a steward to greet them outside.

This steward wore a Confucian robe and had three strands of long beard. His temperament was elegant, and he bowed and smiled. "Li Li Shaoxia, I am Cheng Yu, ordered by the president to greet you here. If you have any needs, you can send me at any time."

Li Yan had seen this person; he was Wu Wu Honglin's confidant.

Clearly, the president of the Ezhou Chamber of Commerce was very well-informed. It was likely that as soon as the intelligence reached Near Wuchang City, he already knew.

I'm afraid he was also discussing at the Yamen at this moment.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Li Yan bowed in thanks and, under his guidance, came to a small courtyard at the back of the Chamber of Commerce, where Squire Tian's family was.

In addition, the Chamber of Commerce also sent some experts to guard outside.

Seeing this, Li Yan felt much more at ease.

Although his Daoist cultivation and martial strength had progressed rapidly, he also knew that the world was vast and there were many experts, so in many cases, he had to borrow momentum.

Now the situation was completely opened up.

With such a big commotion, Squire Tian's family naturally woke up long ago, staying in the courtyard in anxiety. Seeing Li Yan return, they hurried to greet him.

"Li Li Shaoxia, what happened?"

Squire Tian was sweating on his forehead, his heart full of panic.

This was the first time he had seen such a big battle.

Li Yan asked the martial monks who followed to guard outside, and after entering the room, he said, "I discovered some things at Baotong Zen Temple. The demon people do have a big plot. Once they succeed, it will be a monstrous disaster."

"I can't talk about this matter carelessly, but Squire Tian, rest assured, those swindlers who set up the trap for you have all been caught."

"Whether it's the Tian residence in Hanyang Prefecture or your third brother's place in Hankou, there are people guarding them at this moment."

"That's good, that's good."

Squire Tian breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

He was not a fool either. He knew that with such a big commotion, the matter must not be small. Being able to protect his family through the disaster was a fortunate thing.

Tian Wei on the side asked, "Li Li Shaoxia, since the demon people's plot is exposed, is our family's disaster over?"

"Probably not."

Li Yan said solemnly, "The demon people's plot is terrifying, but they spent so much energy on your Tian family, which is definitely not trivial."

"Think about it again, what other tricks are there? If we don't figure out the cause, they will eventually come to the door."

"This..."

Squire Tian's family looked at each other, all frowning and thinking hard.

Just then, the second Tian brother suddenly said, "Big Feng Feng Shixiong, I do remember one thing."

"Do you remember? The matter when we first met Mr. Zhou?"

Squire Tian nodded. "Mr. Zhou was our noble person. If it weren't for him, the Tian family would still be huddled in Bojidun."

The second Tian brother hesitated. "At that time, we just did some work for people, but Mr. Zhou helped us so much, and when something happened, he specifically took us out. Don't you think it's strange?"

Squire Tian nodded. "Indeed, to be honest, we brothers really can't compare to those shrewd people. At that time, someone was jealous and framed us, but was secretly handled by Mr. Zhou."

"At that time, we were young and thought we were appreciated. Now that I think about it, Mr. Zhou was indeed too good to us."

The second Tian brother was silent for a moment. "Mr. Zhou's tone of voice sometimes inexplicably reminded me of Father."

"I once had a slip of the tongue after drinking, and the third brother also said he had this feeling..."

Squire Tian was stunned for a long time upon hearing this. "This... I have it too."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. "What did that Mr. Zhou commit at that time?"

Squire Tian smiled bitterly. "Mr. Zhou stole from the treasury and took away quite a few things from the Prince's Mansion treasury..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 288 =====

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