Chapter 367

The Five Dragon Palace has descended the mountain!

This news instantly spread throughout all of Xiangyang.

Inside the prefectural government compound, the elderly Prefect Lu Deqian heard of this matter and hurriedly climbed out of his "sickbed," ordering people to pack up his things so he could go to the main hall to handle official business.

"Master, aren't they just a bunch of Daoists..."

His trusted subordinate was somewhat puzzled and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

Although Prefect Lu was old, his only current ailment was a mental one; the reason he had been hiding in the back courtyard of the government office, avoiding contact with everyone, was for fear of the bad luck of catching the plague.

"Sigh~ Mount Wudang is truly enraged."

Prefect Lu shook his head helplessly and said, "What kind of place is the Five Dragon Palace? Its precepts are strict, its Daoist cultivation is extraordinary, and it is the sharpest sword of the True Martial Palace."

"Those evildoers have broken a taboo this time. The City God Temple is the foundation of the Mystic Sect; acting so recklessly, the True Martial Palace will definitely respond with thunderous means!"

"At a time like this, it's better not to court disaster..."

…………

City God Temple, inside a side chamber.

"The situation is just like this..."

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "That demon god Ran Tong is best at disguising himself, but he was unlucky enough to run into me. If it had been delayed another day or two, I fear they would have succeeded."

He recounted the events from beginning to end.

After listening, Master Yulongzi nodded slightly, "Many thanks, Benefactor Li. For this matter, the True Martial Palace owes you a favor."

"Since you have already found the source of the plague, the mission is considered complete. Leave the subsequent matters to us. There is no need to worry about the illness of Daoist Wang and the others; later, when we perform the consecration to dispel the plague, they will be treated together."

"There is one more thing."

Li Yan hurriedly said, "The Giant Salamander Master we know was captured by an old demon's scheme, and we don't know where he was hidden."

"That old demon goes by the name East Lake Ancestor; he is a toad demon who was once enlightened by Master Liu Liu Haichan. Now he has stepped onto the evil path and is mixed up with Master Huang Liu of the Ghost Sect."

"I set a trap with the old ghost of Zhaode Temple outside Xiangyang City, but I also promised the other party that after this matter, I would not hold them responsible."

After listening, Master Yulongzi pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "That is fine. This old ghost has not committed evil for a hundred years and has not violated the original agreement; the fault does not lie with him."

"The hundred-year term has arrived. You tell him that after this matter, the soul tablet will be returned, and the True Martial Palace will not obstruct the rebuilding of the temple."

"Also, at that time, I will send the Five Dragon Sons to assist."

"Many thanks, Senior."

Li Yan's expression eased slightly, and he hurriedly cupped his hands in thanks.

He also knew what it meant for the Five Dragon Palace to descend the mountain.

This time, there would inevitably be a bloody storm!

……

Li Yan exited the side chamber and saw that the entire City God Temple was already bustling with people. The Daoists of the Five Dragon Palace were handling corpses and burning incense to perform rituals to dispel the foul energy; everything appeared orderly.

They were the true elite of Mount Mount Wudang.

Although they were more skilled in martial combat, they were no less capable than anyone else in various rituals, and were even more proficient.

These people moved nimbly, and as room after room and hall after hall were cleared, that pungent, bloody stench rapidly dissipated.

Arriving outside the main hall of the City God Temple, Li Yan immediately saw the Five Dragon Sons, led by Gu Yu Linzi, surrounding Lu San.

Li Yan frowned slightly, walked over quickly, and smiled, "Fellow Daoists, is there something the matter?"

"Benefactor Li, do not misunderstand."

Gu Yu Linzi performed a Daoist salute, "We obtained some fortuitous opportunities, which stemmed from this Benefactor Lu. At the time, everyone was in a hurry to leave, so encountering him this time, it is only right to thank him."

"Oh, so that's how it is." Li Yan instantly understood.

Back in the True Martial Dragon Cave, he had gained quite a few benefits, thoroughly mastering his martial arts and even cultivating the Undying Seal Technique.

But only after coming out did he see that the real bulk of the gains had all been obtained by these Five Dragon Sons. The scene at that time was simply bizarre and shocking.

They were called the Five Dragon Sons, the Five Dragon Palace worshipped the Five Qi Dragon Lords, and those five dragon-shaped patterns in the True Martial Dragon Cave... various clues had already led Li Yan to make some guesses in his heart.

Beside him, Lu San shook his head and said, "It was just a chance encounter. I didn't understand the situation at the time either, so there is no need for such formalities."

Gu Yu Linzi replied with a calm expression, "We currently have nothing of value to offer as a gift, but we can share a piece of information."

"Is what Benefactor Lu cultivates the ancient Chu Shaman heritage, the 'Classic of Mountain and Sea Spiritual Response' of the Mountain Ghost lineage?"

Lu San's pupils constricted, "How do you know?"

Gu Yu Linzi did not answer, but continued, "Shamanism has now declined and is no longer as glorious as it once was, but according to my knowledge, there are still three places of heritage for the Chu Shaman lineage."

"The first is the Divine Palace of the Lord of the Clouds in Yunmeng Marsh. The Giant Salamander Master you know may be aware of this matter; you can inquire carefully."

"The second is the Water Mansion of the Xiang River Lord in Dongting Lake. However, when the First Emperor toured, his subordinate Fangxian Daoist sorcerers caused mischief and sealed the Water Mansion. To enter it, one must find the way to break it."

"The third is Mount Wu, which was the Divine Mountain of the Chu Shamans at that time. There is still a lineage of the Goddess of Mount Wu, though they rarely appear before others. Since Benefactor Lu cultivates the Mountain Ghost technique, perhaps they will come out to meet you..."

Having said this, he nodded and turned to walk away with the others.

"They..."

Lu San frowned tightly, but just as he was about to pursue the question, Li Yan stopped him and shook his head, "Let's talk about this later; don't ask any more."

He was now completely certain that these Five Dragon Sons were definitely on intimate terms with the Five Qi Dragon Lords.

Such secret information was not something an ordinary person could know.

Of course, the Five Dragon Sons also had no time to pay them any mind.

Inside the main hall of the City God Temple, the statues of the City God Xiao He and the two divine generals had already been cleaned, leaving only the blood-colored talisman silk on their eyes yet to be removed.

At this moment, two altars had already been set up inside and outside the hall.

After the Five Dragon Sons entered the hall, they began to burn incense and pray, beating wooden fish, using willow leaves dipped in water, walking the pace of the Big Dipper, and chanting, "Heaven and earth are natural, foul energy disperses. The profound void within the cave, the Great Origin is bright and clear. The mighty spirits of the eight directions, make me natural..."

Li Yan had heard Daoist Wang Wang Daoxuan chant this spell before; it was the Cleansing Altar Spell, used to purify the altar area before a ritual to welcome the gods.

As they sprinkled water and chanted, Li Yan could clearly smell that the bloody, foul energy inside the main hall of the City God Temple had completely vanished; the air became fresh, and there was a faint scent of incense.

However, angry shouts could still be heard from within the City God statue.

Before long, Master Yulongzi also came out having changed into a brand-new Daoist robe, joining them to perform other rituals.

This old Daoist's ritual performance was even more imposing.

He brandished a peach wood sword, walked the pace of the Big Dipper, sprayed water from his mouth, held the Thunder Mansion Command, and silently chanted toward the sky.

On the Command, electric arcs actually appeared with a crackling sound.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The old Daoist held the Command and struck the offering table three times in succession.

It was like three muffled claps of thunder; the surrounding air vibrated, and the last trace of foul, bloody energy was also swept away.

The blood-colored talisman silk covering the eyes of the several divine statues immediately tore and fell to the ground, and black smoke visible to the naked eye dissipated from the statues.

Seeing this, Li Yan's eyes immediately lit up.

This was the true Mystic Sect Thunder Method!

The Thunder Method is ever-changing and is not just about striking thunder.

Cultivating the Thunder Method internally can clear away distracting thoughts and inner demons...

Setting up an altar with the Thunder Method can cleanse foul and evil energy...

Summoning heavenly thunder can eliminate all demons and evil in the human world...

And the Thunder Method he cultivated was the Thunder Gang of martial arts, which was more adept at fighting enemies. Although its power was extraordinary, it was far less profound than these Thunder Mansion techniques. Of course, the benefits he gained from the interference of the Thunder Department were even more extraordinary.

Therefore, he had no specific technique, but the supernatural ability of the Soul-Hooking Rope seemed to have been refined by the Thunder Mansion into some kind of Dharma treasure!

Not a Dharma implement, but a Dharma treasure!

It was simply as profound as those Dharma treasures in myths.

As his cultivation level improved, the Soul-Hooking Rope continuously grew longer and stronger, and the amount of thunder it could absorb and contain also grew more and more.

This Soul-Hooking Thunder Rope had already become his greatest trump card.

More importantly, its potential was limitless.

Of course, after reaching the Third Floor, his techniques would also undergo changes.

First of all, the "Northern Emperor Body-Protection Spell," "Northern Emperor Yin Thunder Palm," "Northern Emperor Straw Spirit Technique," "Northern Emperor Divine Movement Technique," "Northern Emperor Profound Water Escape," and "Northern Emperor Calamity-Removal Technique" cultivated before the Third Floor would all have new improvements.

Greater power, more changes.

!.

For example, the "Northern Emperor Body-Protection Spell" could now not only be applied to oneself but could also be attached to objects to form a restriction.

It was a bit like the circle of the Great Sage, combined with the energy of the earth's veins and the Dharma system, to form a defense and avoid the invasion of demons, ghosts, and fierce beasts...

For example, the "Northern Emperor Profound Water Escape" could finally be attempted to jump into water and perform a water escape. In a place like Ezhou with its many rivers and lakes, it was simply like a fish in water......

Of course, he could also start learning new techniques.

The Third and Fourth Floors added many offensive techniques.

There was the "Northern Emperor Treasure Bottle Technique," specifically for suppressing and subduing various mountain spirits and wild monsters, as well as fierce and evil energy, but it required a treasure bottle Dharma implement to cooperate...

There was the "Northern Emperor Divine Control Technique," which could use the Thunder Method to forcibly suppress ghosts and gods, making them obey orders......

But the most important one was the "Fengdu Examination and Summoning Great Method."

This was a large-scale altar ritual technique that could capture various demons and evil spirits from a distance, bring them into the altar area, subject them to the punishments of skinning, water, and fire, interrogate them, and suppress and kill them; it was extremely fierce.

Originally, this method required a large number of soldiers and horses, and only powerful Dharma lineages and Mystic Sect orthodoxies could use it.

However, he had the Soul-Hooking Order to drive the soldiers and horses of the Underworld, making its power even stronger; it only needed an altar to be set up to be performed.

Simply put, the soldiers and horses of the Underworld used to be passively deployed, but with this method, they could be directed as easily as one's own arm.

Just as Li Yan was deep in thought, Master Yulongzi over there had already broken the evil energy and was re-consecrating the City God statue.

He brandished his Dharma sword, drew talismans in the air toward the statue, and chanted, "Spiritual light flashes into the divine fetus, Chancellor Xiao He is like a god present. Heaven is round and earth is square, the god is honored, the divine fetus enters to connect with divine energy..."

On the City God statue, the scent of incense rapidly gathered.

Subsequently, Master Yulongzi picked up a vermilion brush, walked the pace of the Big Dipper, pointed in the air, "Heaven and earth open in peace, at the auspicious hour, dot the light on the head, the head releases a halo, dot the left eye to know the secrets of heaven, dot the right eye to understand the geography, the sun and moon eyes shine clearly..."

Cleansing, consecrating—after the whole process, the City God of Xiangyang City was finally restored, and the scent of incense soared into the sky, enveloping the entire city.

The only pity was that the soldiers and horses of the City God of Xiangyang City, because they had been tainted by evil energy, had all been struck down by Li Yan into the Underworld. To recover, I fear it would take several years of hard work to re-recruit and train them.

After finishing these, Master Yulongzi led a group of disciples to perform rituals on the high altar of the City God Temple.

They used the Calamity-Removal and Plague-Dispelling Ritual.

This method was mainly used to eliminate plagues, treating them from the source. It required root items; for example, after a war, Daoists would perform rituals on the battlefield for those corpses.

Of course, this method only isolated the source; it still required cooperation with medical skills and decoctions to be completely eliminated.

The people of Xiangyang City also learned of this matter.

Although every street in the prefecture city was sealed, they stayed at home and burned incense to worship in the direction of the City God Temple.

Except for the madmen, everyone hoped the plague would pass soon.

The ritual lasted from morning until dusk, and finally, that piece of rotten, moldy nanmu wood emitted billowing black smoke in the raging fire, turning into ashes.

A fierce wind rose from the river, passing through Xiangyang City, seemingly blowing away all the foul energy that had gathered over many days...

Master Yulongzi stepped down from the altar, and even after performing rituals for a whole day, he was still full of spirit. He picked up the map beside him, marked more than a dozen points on it, and then said in a deep voice:

"Gu Yu Linzi, I have already found the remaining sources. You immediately take people to retrieve them all and burn them with peach wood on the spot."

"If any evildoers obstruct, kill them without mercy!"

"Yes, Master!"

Gu Yu Linzi and the others cupped their hands in unison, and finally, leading a large group of Daoists and several hundred cavalry sent by the garrison to assist, they rode away.

The warhorses thundered, and they quickly headed toward the wharf...

Master Yulongzi then turned his head to look at Li Yan, pondered for a moment, and took a jade bottle from his bosom, "These are a few Dew Disinfection Pills, refined by the True Martial Palace using some spiritual herbs. Eating them can dispel the plague. You have other important matters and cannot afford to delay."

"Many thanks, Senior."

Li Yan was overjoyed, hurriedly took the jade bottle, and bid farewell.

After they left, Master Yulongzi had a solemn expression. He went to the side chamber, picked up a brush to write several letters, and then handed them to the disciples beside him.

"Send these letters to the Yunyang Prefecture camp. Since the evildoers are causing trouble in Xiangyang, it shows they plan to launch a surprise attack from here. Ask the Marshal to mobilize troops. We will investigate the intelligence and attack Mount Shennong from Baokang County!"

As he spoke, his eyes were full of killing intent...

………………

Inside the side chamber of the Commandant's office.

Wang Wang Daoxuan and Sha Sha Li Fei were lying on the bed. Their faces were blue and purple, their mouths were full of moss, and even their breathing was somewhat labored.

After Li Yan returned, he hurriedly had the two take the pills.

The Dew Disinfection Pill was a common pill for treating plague, but after replacing the medicinal herbs inside with spiritual herbs, it immediately had a miraculous effect.

The two first vomited for a while, the moss mixed with gastric juices quickly turning charred and rotten, and then they drank several large basins of water in succession.

After squatting in the latrine for half a day, when they came out, their skin color had returned to normal.

"How is it?"

Li Yan hurriedly asked.

"Much better."

Wang Wang Daoxuan's face was still somewhat pale, but there was spirit in his eyes. He smiled bitterly, "This time, I've dragged you down."

Li Yan shook his head, "What nonsense is the Daoist talking about."

Just at this moment, Wu Wu Degui ran over in a hurry, looking extremely exasperated, "He confessed, that old thing Yuchenzi confessed!"

"The other person in charge in the city is Master Lu of the Longzhong Academy. They used a trick to abduct Doctor Li from the government office, and he is currently hidden in Mount Lumen..."

"Master Lu?"

A figure appeared in Li Yan's mind; it was the old Confucian scholar who had stepped forward to obstruct during the chaos in the city.

Seeing his upright appearance, he never expected him to be an evildoer.

The surname Lu...

Could it be the scholar who killed the Nanmu King back then?

The second chapter will be posted in the afternoon.

(End of chapter)