Chapter 368

"That Master Lu is definitely not simple."

Li Yan did not hide it and spoke directly, "This plague was caused by the corpse of the old demon Nanmu King, and more than a decade ago, he was killed by a mysterious scholar surnamed Lu."

Wu Wu Degui frowned, "Does Young Hero Li suspect they are the same person?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "At that time, I didn't smell anything on Master Lu. Either he was just an ordinary person, or he was a formidable expert."

"In any case, we cannot be careless. Where is he?"

Wu Wu Degui replied, "Just now, I sent people to the academy to search and arrest him, but the person has already disappeared. According to people at the academy, when we captured the City God Temple, Master Lu left in a hurry, and no one knows where he went."

"Prefect Lu of the government office has requested our Commandant's office to take action and save the people of the Medicine Saint Li family, but firstly, we don't know where they are hidden in Mount Lumen, and secondly, there must be evildoers guarding them."

"The Daoists of the Five Dragon Palace are searching everywhere for the remaining sources of the plague and cannot spare any manpower. This matter should not be delayed, so I have come to ask for your assistance."

Li Yan pondered for a moment and nodded, "That's easy to say. We happen to be heading to the waters near Mount Xian, and after helping you save the people, we will also need your assistance."

"There is no time to lose, let's set off immediately!"

…………

Mount Lumen is still some distance from Xiangyang. The most convenient way is to take a boat from the wharf, go down the Han River, and climb the mountain from the east bank.

This rescue mission emphasizes speed, so the Commandant's office dispatched a hundred elite soldiers, led by a Battalion Commander, along with Li Yan and the others, to travel by the Commandant's office's fast boat.

A moment later, the group arrived at the Han River wharf.

Although the plague-dispelling ritual had been performed, the plague had not been completely eliminated, so Xiangyang City was still enforcing a blockade, and the wharf was very empty.

In the distance, an inn had already collapsed, emitting billowing thick smoke, and there were quite a few corpses on the ground, with yamen runners directing beggars to move the bodies.

The accompanying Battalion Commander, surnamed Cheng, saw Li Yan's gaze and hurriedly explained, "That is the source of the wharf plague. It was originally an inn for merchants from Shu, secretly controlled by evildoers who threw wood into the well water."

"After the wharf was sealed, these people hid in underground secret passages and often took advantage of the night to spread the plague, but they were all killed by the Daoists."

Li Yan frowned, "Why wasn't it discovered when it was so close?"

Battalion Commander Cheng shook his head helplessly, "Xiangyang City is a critical grain transport hub on the Han River, where all kinds of people gather, and the situation is too complex. Moreover, these evildoers laid their plans many years ago, so it was truly impossible to guard against."

Li Yan nodded and did not ask further.

The situation here was somewhat similar to Near Wuchang City, also a layout made many years ago, waiting for the critical moment to suddenly launch.

He had now figured out Zhao Zhao Changsheng's line of thinking.

This old demon had lived since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty; for him, time was his greatest advantage. He didn't know how much wealth he had accumulated or how many secret pieces he had laid.

The fact that the Ghost Sect could cause the collapse of the Great Song back then shows how terrifying it was.

But it also had a disadvantage: it could not see the light of day!

Bound by the "Heavenly Statutes" and "Ghost Laws," and with its identity already exposed, it was wanted by everyone from the imperial court to the Mystic Sect.

Once its whereabouts were exposed, it would attract encirclement and suppression.

All the other party could do was hide in the dark and plot.

And Li Yan, being in the light, had the greatest advantage: he could guide the situation and use the power of the imperial court and the Mystic Sect to capture it.

As they spoke, the group had already boarded the warship.

As an important wharf, the local Commandant's office often had to travel by water, so they had their own warships. They were not large in size, but their speed was extremely fast, and the ships were also equipped with Frankish cannons.

Swish!

The sails billowed, and the warship rode the wind and broke the waves, quickly leaving the Xiangyang wharf. Facing them, they saw a huge peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides, with lush and verdant trees.

Li Yan had passed by several times and knew this place was the famous Yuliang Island. The "Commentary on the Water Classic" once recorded that it was the residence of Pang Pang Degong. During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Biao, the Governor of Jingzhou, built a high platform on it to raise eagles, naming it the "Eagle-Calling Platform."

Nowadays, the several villas on it were all built by wealthy families and gentry in the city, used for drinking and feasting, touring gardens, and sightseeing on weekdays.

In the past, this place was also a place with many ferry boats, but now only one warship was docked, and firelight was faintly rising in the mountain forest.

Li Yan shook his head, "It seems this is also one of the sources."

Battalion Commander Cheng sighed, his face looking ugly.

Such a big incident in Xiangyang this time not only implicated the government office from top to bottom, but even their Commandant's office could not shirk the responsibility, and their future was bleak.

Li Yan glanced at him and reminded him in a low voice, "This plague is just the beginning. The Daoists of the Five Dragon Palace have descended the mountain; looking at this posture, there must be a major move. If you exert more effort, you will surely be able to atone for your crimes."

Battalion Commander Cheng was no fool. He looked thoughtfully at the island and nodded, "Many thanks for the reminder, Young Hero Li."

The sails billowed, and they quickly bypassed Yuliang Island, going down the Han River toward Mount Lumen.

Inside a villa on Yuliang Island.

"Kill!"

More than a dozen men dressed as servants held crossbows, standing on the rafters of the villa, shooting downward.

Clang, clang, clang!

Several Daoists leaped up, brandishing long swords in their hands, deflecting all the arrows in mid-air and jumping onto the rafters.

Like tigers entering a flock of sheep, in an instant, sword light and blood light danced.

These Heavenly Saint Sect members could be considered people of the martial world, and they could still act with authority in the mountains and forests of Jingchu, but encountering these killing gods from the Five Dragon Palace, they were no different from children.

"Light the fire, why haven't you lit the fire yet!"

The bearded man in the lead roared with red eyes.

As soon as he finished speaking, a Daoist walked out of the room, his eyes azure, his dragon eyebrows thick and bushy, and he was holding several heads in his hands.

It was because these Heavenly Saint Sect members saw that the situation was not good and wanted to use themselves as bait to ignite the gunpowder buried in advance and perish together with the Mount Wudang Daoists.

Unfortunately, these Daoists were Mystic Sect cultivators, and their various investigative supernatural abilities were endless, so they had easily seen through it.

The one who came out holding the heads was Gu Jiaozi, one of the Five Dragon Sons. His expression was cold, and he suddenly formed a seal and slapped his palm toward the eaves.

The man in the lead on the eaves only felt that the palm was emitting black energy, suddenly growing larger, and then his eyes went black, and he fell from the roof in a daze, to be tied up tightly by the soldiers who had rushed over.

Mount Wudang Soul-Absorbing Palm!

With the experience and understanding of the Five Qi Dragon Lords from their previous lives, even these martial techniques could be exerted to an unimaginable degree by the Five Dragon Sons.

Subsequently, another piece of nanmu wood was dug out, piled with peach wood firewood, and amidst the chanting of the Daoists, it emitted billowing black smoke and gradually turned into charcoal.

Not only here, but the same thing was happening in other places.

The experts of the True Martial Palace descended the mountain and immediately swept through like thunder, pulling out the secret stakes of the Ghost Sect and the Heavenly Saint Sect one by one...

…………

"We've arrived, it's right ahead!"

Not long after passing Mount Xian, Battalion Commander Cheng immediately ordered them to dock.

Li Yan looked up and saw that the mountains on the shore were vast, the forest was lush and verdant, and the evening glow and smoke clouds had quite a bit of charm.

It was precisely Mount Lumen, known as the holy land of hermits.

It was already dusk, and temple bells were faintly echoing in the mountains.

The temple bells ring at dusk, the ferry at Yuliang is noisy with people crossing. People follow the sandy shore toward the river village, and I also return to Lumen by boat. The moon shines on the smoke-covered trees of Lumen, suddenly arriving at the place where Pang Gong lived in seclusion...

This was Meng Meng Haoran's "Song of Returning to Mount Lumen at Night"; their journey could be said to be exactly the same as what was depicted in the poem.

Of course, the group had no such leisurely mood at all.

Lu San gave a signal, and the falcons in the sky immediately flew up and down.

"There are secret sentries in the forest!"

Lu San pointed in two directions in a muffled voice.

Battalion Commander Cheng looked at his subordinates beside him, "Keep the noise down."

"Yes, Master!"

Several Commandant's office scouts immediately rushed into the dense forest.

They lowered their bodies, their footsteps light, moving forward under the cover of the forest. Suddenly, they leaped into the air and threw out sleeve arrows. Only two muffled groans were heard, and men dressed as woodcutters fell from the trees, their dantian pierced by them, and they were dragged out by their hair.

Seeing these fierce and vicious men from the Commandant's office, the two men were already trembling with fear. Without needing torture, they told everything.

"Master, we are wronged."

"We are from the Liu Family Martial Arts Hall in Xiangyang, hired to help people guard their homes, we haven't done anything bad..."

"Bullshit, why are you spying here?"

"The master only ordered us to keep an eye on things, and if there was any movement, to report back immediately..."

"Sneaky, who hired you?"

"It, it was Young Master Lu of the Peach Blossom Studio."

"Why is it that bastard?"

When Battalion Commander Cheng heard this, he immediately frowned.

!.

Li Yan asked, "Who is this Young Master Lu?"

Battalion Commander Cheng's face looked ugly, but he did not hide it, spat, and said, "This Young Master Lu is the son of Prefect Lu."

"The Lu family is a large clan in Xiangyang City with considerable power. This Young Master Lu is a good-for-nothing who built a Peach Blossom Studio on Mount Lumen, claiming to associate with the Confucian circle, but in reality, it is a place for debauchery and pleasure."

"Those wealthy young masters in Xiangyang City often hang out there, and there is a nunnery nearby that colludes with them to engage in lewd acts..."

"Well, they really know how to play."

Li Yan laughed dumbly and shook his head slightly.

He understood a bit; this Peach Blossom Studio was the largest and most secret club in Xiangyang City, open only to the powerful and wealthy.

Sha Sha Li Fei also clicked his tongue and shook his head, "Hermits of Lumen disdain princes and nobles, but I never expected it to become like this."

"That's not right. Everyone knows about this, so are they afraid of being discovered? Placing two secret sentries definitely isn't that simple!"

"You two bastards, mixing truth with lies, it seems your skin is itching..."

Sha Sha Li Fei was experienced in the martial world and saw the trickery at once.

Without needing Battalion Commander Cheng to give the order, several men from the Commandant's office pulled out small knives from their waists and stabbed them into their thighs.

"Ah!"

The two men immediately screamed and hurriedly shouted:

"No, no, I'll talk!"

"Young Master Lu and the others don't know where they got some Five-Stone Powder. They have been gathering for debauchery and taking the powder these days, fearing discovery by their elders..."

Li Yan shook his head, "What a mess."

"Let's go ashore, find the person first!"

After knocking the two men unconscious and locking them on the boat, the group continued forward and quickly entered a small bamboo forest path.

The environment of Mount Lumen was quiet and secluded. The bamboo forest planted who knows how many years ago had already spread throughout the entire mountain, dense and towering. Coupled with the fact that it was already dusk, the small path in the forest appeared somewhat dim.

Being favored by hermits, Mount Lumen obviously had a considerable area. Excluding some Daoist temples and villas built by the wealthy, there were still many secret places.

This was the reason Wu Wu Degui asked them for help.

To find someone as quickly as possible, it was inevitably inseparable from supernatural techniques.

Without needing Li Yan to say more, Lu San stepped forward, formed a Dharma seal, and let out long and short whistles.

The whistling drifted in all directions in the dim bamboo forest.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

Before long, poisonous snakes slithered out from the rotten branches and leaves in the bamboo forest, including both five-step snakes and bamboo leaf green snakes.

However, not a single other small animal was seen.

Seeing this situation, Li Yan narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice, "Are there often poisonous snakes hurting people on Mount Lumen?"

Battalion Commander Cheng shook his head, "I have never heard of it."

Just as they were speaking, Lu San had already communicated with the poisonous snakes in the language of the upper regions, then stood up and said, "There are indeed several strange places on Mount Lumen."

"There is a mountain cave where people often come out to catch snakes. They say a person is imprisoned inside."

Battalion Commander Cheng was immediately overjoyed, "It should be that place. The gentleman's secret techniques are truly extraordinary!"

Lu San was not used to being flattered and shook his head directly, "Small matter, let these little fellows lead us there."

Having said this, he whistled twice more.

The poisonous snakes on the ground immediately slithered away at high speed, leading the way in front.

Not long after, the group deviated from the small bamboo forest path and entered a dense mountain forest.

There were also traces of dirt roads in the mountain forest, obviously built by ancient people, but they were aged and had been invaded by the bamboo forest, becoming intermittent.

Walking along the slope and climbing the mountain continuously, ancient tombs and dilapidated stilt houses appeared along the way, obviously lived in by hermits of the past.

Li Yan originally didn't care, but when passing by an old dilapidated tomb, a voice suddenly came into his ears:

"Tsk tsk, people have been deceived again..."

"What a pity, once they get there, even their souls won't be able to run away, otherwise this old man could have a few more companions..."

"Wait a moment!"

Li Yan waved his hand, calling the group to a halt.

Under the puzzled gazes of Battalion Commander Cheng and the others, Li Yan looked left and right, came to an old dilapidated tomb, gathered dirt to make a stove, lit three sticks of incense, and squatted in front of the old tomb, muttering to himself.

The men from the Commandant's office all looked at each other in dismay.

They had gained quite a bit of insight along this journey; first Lu San talking to animals, and in the blink of an eye, Li Yan running to a tomb to mutter.

Could it be that he was talking to lonely ghosts?

The group felt their scalps tingle as they watched, but they didn't dare to step forward.

Not long after, Li Yan walked back and signaled for the group to follow the poisonous snakes and continue forward, but he whispered in a low voice:

"There is indeed a mountain cave ahead, but it is a trap. The cave is filled with miasma, and anyone who enters will die without a burial place."

"Brother Lu San, these poisonous snakes are raised by someone. The other party is also adept at controlling beasts and can also understand the language of birds and beasts."

Battalion Commander Cheng frowned, "Young Hero Li, what should we do?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Play along, find the snake controller first, don't act rashly, we have already been surrounded."

Battalion Commander Cheng was shocked and hurriedly looked around.

He saw that in the dense bamboo forest, without knowing when, more and more poisonous snakes had gathered. Besides the ground, even in the high bamboo forest, poisonous snakes were climbing among the branches and leaves.

Countless cold snake eyes were staring fixedly at them...

…………

As the sun set, the light in the bamboo forest became even dimmer, and faint gloomy mist rose, creating a hazy scene under the moonlight, making it completely impossible to see the road.

Suddenly, an old singing voice rang out in the bamboo forest:

"The myriad phenomena of the red dust are all like mist, guarding the quietude in a dream-like hut. Mountains and rivers are companions, cranes are friends, the wild path is fragrant and steps are slow. Laughing at the floating clouds and their many changes, this life is hidden in the forest hut..."

Along with the singing, a figure appeared in the mist.

"This must be Young Friend Li. Someone asked this old man to kill you. I wonder if you are satisfied with being buried in this place?"

Li Yan looked around, "Not bad, satisfied."

"This place is full of foul energy, just right for you, old ghost!"

(End of chapter)