Chapter 335: Human Hearts Like Fire

The lake surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the mountains and forests.

Ezhou is a place with fertile soil and abundant rain, often having old trees of considerable age, which can grow to tens of meters high, forming large areas of mountain forest.

The surroundings of Lake Liangzi Lake are the same.

The undulating hills are wrapped in dense forests. As long as no one lives there, the plants will grow wildly. Many abandoned kiln sites are covered by green in just a few years, and unless you enter them, you can't find any traces.

In the mountain forest, two groups of grave robbers are moving forward.

The forest is dense, and there are not only shrubs and thorns on the ground, but also vines entangled between the big trees, so they have to keep waving their machetes, which is very hard to walk.

Wang Wang Laobie saw this and said impatiently: "Too slow. You wait here, I'll go up the mountain to check the feng shui."

After saying that, he took off a flying hook from his waist and threw it into the sky, hanging it on a tree trunk.

To be able to eat this bowl of rice and make a name for himself, naturally there are no mediocre people.

This Wang Wang Laobie had already stepped into the dark energy, although his body was fat, his arms were powerful, and he climbed up the tree trunk like an old bear, pulling the rope quickly.

Afterward, the dark energy exploded, and he jumped directly to another big tree.

"Hmph, I'll follow to avoid him playing tricks!"

Chen Yi Jian Sanye also snorted and followed closely.

But unlike Wang Wang Laobie, he just put on a pair of specially made nail gloves and climbed and jumped between the big trees like a gecko.

Soon, the two disappeared.

Their subordinates naturally had already received orders, glaring at each other, distinct from each other, full of precaution in their eyes.

Of course, what they were really guarding against were the few people sent by the Bai family.

On the other side, Wang Wang Laobie and Chen Yi Jian Sanye climbed to the top of the mountain not long after, standing on a big tree trunk.

"Brother Wang, what do you think?"

Chen Yi Jian Sanye finally asked.

Wang Wang Laobie sneered: "That guy surnamed Bai is not well-intentioned. I looked carefully when I entered the village."

"The ground is dry, and some places are undulating. The compass shows 'tang needle' (needle deflection), the village is full of secret passages!"

"The common people in other villages are very guarded against outsiders, but the people in this village don't care about us at all."

"The whole village is probably their people!"

"This Bai family village is probably a hidden mountain bandit group. On weekdays, they pretend to be peddlers to step on points everywhere, and when they meet a fat sheep, they pretend to be bandits to rob."

Chen Yi Jian Sanye nodded: "Exactly. I've seen a few such villages. They are even more black-hearted than us, and I guess they will turn against us when the time comes."

Wang Wang Laobie sneered: "They think beautifully. Chen Yi Jian Sanye, I heard that you were the first to use gunpowder to open graves in Yuzhou. You must have hidden stuff in your hands, right?"

Chen Yi Jian Sanye didn't commit himself: "I know Brother Wang is famous for dividing gold and determining acupoints, but your poison skills are not bad at all. Don't let us really have internal strife when the time comes, letting others pick up a bargain."

"Yi Jian Sanye, what are you saying."

Wang Wang Laobie hurriedly shook his head and smiled, "We are all our own people, let's follow the rules of the trade. There are quite a few fire caves on Mount Mangshan. I'll help Third Master then, how about it?"

"Good!"

Third Master Chen did not hesitate and nodded in agreement.

Grave robbers naturally have rules, first come first served, but what truly allows the two sides to join hands is common interest.

After the agreement, the two spoke more straightforwardly.

"That guy surnamed Bai definitely has reservations. Third Master, let's not make a move first; let's wait until we find the things before turning against him."

"Brother Wang's words make sense. Let's take a look at the feng shui here first."

Wang Wang Laobie nodded, took out a compass from his bosom, climbed up to look at the surroundings, frowned for a long time, and then said, "The feng shui of this Lake Lake Liangzi goes without saying."

"The middle is as flat as a mirror, surrounded by mountains; it is a top-tier place for gathering wind and qi, worthy of being called a treasure basin."

"Before coming, I had already inquired that the shores of Lake Lake Liangzi are winding and intersecting, known as the 'Ninety-Nine Tributaries.' The terrain is complex and easiest for hiding things."

"Originally, I had no clue, but according to the locations marked by the guy surnamed Bai, I discovered some oddities. The 'Ninety-Nine Tributaries' of Lake Lake Liangzi are scattered, just forming a natural Nine Palaces formation."

"The eye of the formation is in the center of the lake. Rumor has it that that is where the ancient county seat sank, and these locations marked in the north are all in the Xun position..."

"According to Qimen Qimen Dunjia, it is located in the Sima Qian Palace in the northwest, the location of the Open Gate. The five elements belong to metal, so there must be a mineral vein underground."

"Third Master's subordinates should all have compasses. You can order your disciples to search in the surrounding mountains. If 'needle rotation' and 'needle rejection' appear at the same time, send a signal to notify us immediately."

"Good! Brother Wang's methods are indeed extraordinary!"

After setting the plan, the two had their disciples disperse to search along the hills and dense forests nearby, not letting go of any place...

Their actions were all seen by Li Yan and Lu San.

But they were more concerned about the unusual movements in Baihe Bay village.

The villagers, regardless of men, women, old, or young, had all come out of their homes and gathered outside the village ancestral hall.

Several burly men with red scarves wrapped around their heads and bare upper bodies carried two shrines out of the cellar of the ancestral hall.

One was a bald Buddha statue, kind and benevolent, with a full smile, a big belly, and an exposed chest, holding a string of prayer beads...

The other was wearing armor, with a gorgeous scarf on his shoulders, a precious crown on his head, holding a precious sword, stepping on auspicious clouds, looking handsome and dashing...

The villagers in the village all held three sticks of incense, knelt on the ground, and kept kowtowing to the two statues.

And Bai Weng-hai had also changed into an outfit at this time, wearing a white robe with a golden headscarf.

He looked solemn, kowtowed to the two statues, and shouted, "Thus have I heard, at one time the Buddha was in the Jeta Grove of Sravasti, together with five hundred great bhikshus..."

After reciting a passage of scripture, he turned and said, "Maitreya will attain Buddhahood, descend to save the world, and hold three Dragon Flower assemblies to save all living beings. At that time, there will be no more suffering in the world."

"At that time, all living beings will be equal. There will be no dog emperor in the world, nor will there be corrupt officials oppressing us. The human world will be the Pure Land."

"But the demons of the heavens do not want to see this prosperous age. They will confuse people's hearts and deceive all living beings..."

"Just like this Great Da Xuan Dynasty, they are afraid, they are terrified, so they destroyed the physical body of the Bright King to prevent Maitreya from descending."

"The Great Red Sun Calamity has arrived, and the Pure Land will eventually come!"

"At that time, there will be no more suffering in the world..."

"Maitreya descends, the Bright King descends!"

"Maitreya descends, the Bright King descends!"

Listening to these words, the common people below became more and more fanatical. Some kowtowed, some prayed to heaven, and the scene was chaotic.

In the sky, the birds were also frightened away.

Listening to the chirping of the birds, Lu San spoke from time to time, informing Li Yan of the situation over there.

This is the convenience of his supernatural power.

Li Yan's "Chu Ling" is also a top-tier investigation method, but the village was holding a sacrifice at this time, with incense smoke curling, and there were Mystic Sect practitioners, so it would inevitably be discovered.

And Lu San uses bird and beast language to investigate.

No one would care about these ordinary birds and beasts; they have no gang-sha energy, and would not be discovered by any Dharma formation.

"So it's the Maitreya Sect..."

Li Yan shook his head slightly, not feeling surprised.

This Maitreya Sect is different from the Ghost Sect.

The Ghost Sect borrows from the corruption of human desires, drags people into the water, and kills people to sacrifice to ghosts. Its methods are cruel, and it will eventually be wiped out.

The Maitreya Sect exists because of human dissatisfaction.

This sect is rooted in common people. As long as there is suffering in the world, it will exist. When times are difficult, it will rise with the wind and spread everywhere like a raging fire.

Dozens of miles further north is Mount Longquan, where the tomb of Chen Chen Youliang is located. He was originally a Maitreya Sect leader, claiming to be the Bright King descending.

The people in this village might be descendants of his remnants.

Moreover, there are many factions within the Maitreya Sect, fighting for orthodoxy among themselves. The chaos in Guanzhong was not something all Maitreya Sect followers would participate in.

Thinking of this, Li Yan said, "Inform Daoist Wang about this matter and tell them to be careful."

Lu San nodded and immediately pinched a mantra.

Inside the Shen residence, the falcon immediately sensed it. Under Sha Sha Li Fei's puzzled gaze, it flapped its wings and soared. "Could something have happened?"

Sha Sha Li Fei felt a inexplicable sense of unease in his heart.

The falcon was fast, and in less than half a stick of incense, it returned with a secret letter and a package.

Inside were the secret letter and Thangka found on the foreign monk.

When Sha Sha Li Fei saw this, his pupils shrank, and he hurriedly ran to Wang Wang Daoxuan, who was busy, and said in a low voice, "Daoist, come with me."

After saying that, he took Wang Wang Daoxuan to a quiet corner and handed him the secret letter.

"Maitreya Sect?"

After reading it, Wang Wang Daoxuan felt a headache, "How did we run into these guys here too?"

He sighed, "By rights, this matter should be reported to the Law Enforcement Hall, but a whole village has old and young, many of whom are deceived. According to the court's rules, I'm afraid none of them will live..."

He had seen too many such things.

During the Maitreya Sect chaos in Guanzhong, many villagers joined the sect, and the court killed them indiscriminately, creating countless ghost villages.

!.

If they reported this, it would mean countless lives.

Wang Wang Daoxuan naturally hesitated.

Seeing this, Sha Sha Li Fei shook his head, "Daoist, you're overthinking. The Maitreya Sect is hiding here; who knows how many followers they've secretly developed."

"You know their temperament. With war raging in the Southwest, if they rise in the chaos, more people will die."

"Daoist, you are kind-hearted, so don't worry about this. I, Old Sha, will set off now to deliver the letter to Near Wuchang City and will be back by tomorrow."

"Daoist, protect yourself and don't say too much, lest there be spies from the other side in the residence, alerting the enemy."

"Hmm, this poor Daoist understands. Be careful on the road."

After some instructions, Sha Sha Li Fei packed his bags and left the Shen residence without saying goodbye to anyone.

"Daoist Wang."

Before Wang Wang Daoxuan could catch his breath, the old steward of the Shen residence ran over to discuss the items needed for the funeral.

And in the main hall on the other side, Shen Shen Jinghong was entertaining guests.

While Shen the Master was alive, he had left behind many connections. Some people heard the news and sent their children to pay respects, or came in person.

Although they all left after one visit, it represented an attitude.

With the support of these people, Shen Shen Jinghong finally felt relieved.

Just then, a servant hurried over and whispered in his ear, "Second Young Master, the people from the second and third branches have all left. They rode away with all the horses and took some silver notes and land deeds, saying they would never see each other again."

"Hmm."

Shen Shen Jinghong sighed and ignored it.

Of course, he knew what those people wanted to do. Last night, they insisted on taking the map manuscript left by his father and signed the family separation contract.

This thing was the bait he had released on the spur of the moment.

He had thought about forcing these people away after the funeral, but he didn't expect them to be so impatient.

He didn't care about that treasure at all.

He had seen what happened in Near Wuchang City.

Never mind whether it could be found, even if the Black Cloud Sword secret art was regained, his Shen family couldn't withstand this storm.

Stabilizing the family situation as soon as possible, reopening the kiln, and following the Chamber of Commerce to sell porcelain overseas was the right path!

Thinking of this, Shen Shen Jinghong was too lazy to bother with that bunch of people.

…………

On the mountain road near Shenjiaba, a large group of people rode on horseback.

It was the people from the second and third branches of the Shen family. Because there weren't enough small boats, they rode from the official road.

"You are simply reckless!"

The short and fat Third Master of the Shen family was full of anger and scolded Shen Shen Jingcan, "You traitor, how dare you talk about such a critical thing so casually."

Shen Shen Jingcan had just returned and told the story.

Even though he was eloquent, Third Master Shen was still furious. If it weren't for this, why would they be in such a hurry to leave?

Shen Shen Jingcan hurriedly defended himself, "Third Uncle, don't be angry. That is my master, who is proficient in feng shui and also knows some arts."

"The map Great Uncle gave isn't accurate at all. If the treasure were easy to find, would it be our turn?"

"My master is different; he already has clues. Besides, it's just two old men. With so many of us, are we afraid of them playing tricks?"

"Shen Jingcan is right."

The Second Master of the Shen family said coldly, "No matter how good the treasure is, we have to find it first. That little bastard Shen Shen Jinghong must be waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves. Once we get the treasure, we must make him look good!"

Although he was also angry, at this time, he had to stand by his son, otherwise the Third Master would make a scene.

As for the danger...

There were more than twenty people in their group, all proficient in martial arts and carrying sharp weapons. Even if they encountered mountain bandits, they could fight. Why would they be afraid of two old men?

"Fine!"

Third Master Shen also suppressed his anger and scolded Shen Shen Jingcan, "Don't make decisions on your own later. Listen to me. Once we get the treasure, we'll send some to the county yamen and frame your master for using witchcraft to harm people, throwing him into death row."

"If we aren't ruthless, it will be trouble sooner or later."

Shen Shen Jingcan nodded hurriedly, "Third Uncle is right."

He was respectful on the surface, but cursed inwardly.

If he had known, he shouldn't have told this bunch of people. They hadn't even found the things yet, and they were already thinking about how to split the money and how to kill people to silence them.

Bringing this bunch of stupid relatives along would bring bad luck sooner or later...

Rumble!

The sound of hooves echoed as everyone spurred their horses to run.

Rumble!

This rumble came from the sky.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and the wind was whistling, blowing the surrounding forest to rustle.

Summer had already arrived, and the weather was becoming more and more unpredictable.

…………

"Found it!"

On the shore, one of Third Master Chen's subordinates shouted.

The signal was sent, and the surrounding people gathered one after another.

"Move aside, let me see!"

Wang Wang Laobie walked over quickly, carrying his compass.

Their location was a small hill by the lake, which looked unremarkable, but standing on it and checking the compass, the needle not only spun wildly but kept sinking.

"Dig!"

Wang Wang Laobie was overjoyed and ordered immediately.

Several disciples stepped forward, picked up the Luoyang shovel, and inserted it into the ground section by section, but soon, the shovel couldn't move at all.

"Master, there's something below!"

"Pull it out!"

Pulling out the Luoyang shovel, Wang Wang Laobie first looked at the soil on it, then picked up a bit and put it in his mouth.

After tasting it twice, he spat out a mouthful of saliva, his face gloomy, "It's an iron vein, the rock is too hard, change the place."

However, after changing several places, it was all the same.

"It's an Iron Vault!"

Third Master Chen immediately understood, looked around, and said in a deep voice, "I didn't expect that I would actually see such a method in this life..."

(End of chapter)