Chapter 385

"A woman crying? I don't hear anything..."

Sha Sha Li Fei looked around, full of confusion.

The others also shook their heads slightly, indicating they didn't hear anything.

Li Yan suddenly understood, gave them a look, and walked toward the direction where the sound came from as if he were just strolling.

When he was on the mountain earlier, he had heard a sigh in the Ancestor Temple. Originally, he didn't want to meddle in other people's business, but since they were about to enter the mountains and strange things kept happening, he had to be careful.

At the very least, he had to figure out what was going on.

Soon, he left Village Head Zhou's house and walked toward the lakeside.

"That Mr. Li..."

Village Head Zhou saw this and felt very strange.

"Mr. Li is going out to relax."

Gong Xun casually brushed it off and pulled Village Head Zhou into the room, "Old Brother Zhou, I have some things I'd like to ask you about..."

On the other side, Village Head Zhou's son, Zhou Zhou Huzi, also noticed Li Yan leaving, his eyes full of curiosity.

The guests who came today were all a bit strange.

For example, the big man covered in hair was very similar to the wild man in the legends of Inside Shennongjia...

For example, Lu San who brought animals...

But what made him even more curious was Li Yan.

He could see that this young man, who didn't look much older than him, was actually the leader of everyone!

Thinking back to the martial arts Li Yan had displayed earlier, he felt like a cat was scratching his heart. He also used the excuse of delivering things to sneak out of the house and follow him...

On the other side, Li Yan had already arrived near the ancestral hall.

He listened intently, and the sound was indeed coming from behind the ancestral hall.

Following the sound to the back of the ancestral hall, Li Yan's brows furrowed, because a water well appeared before his eyes.

The well looked like it hadn't been built long ago, and the stones used to build the well looked brand new compared to the surrounding brick walls.

Li Yan was thoughtful and looked at the ancestral hall behind him.

The location of this water well was problematic.

Although he wasn't proficient in it, he had been with Wang Wang Daoxuan for a long time and knew some basic principles of Feng Shui.

In Feng Shui, water is yin and also wealth.

The location of a water well usually has its rules.

This ancestral hall had a mountain behind it, and it could be considered to have support on both sides, and facing the lake, it was originally a good layout.

But with the addition of the water well, there was a problem.

This is called "leaving one's hometown"...

Also, why build a well when there is lake water nearby?

"Wuwu..."

Just at this moment, the sound of a woman crying rang out again.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and approached carefully.

But as he reached the well, the crying sound disappeared again.

Clatter!

In the darkness in the distance, the sound of falling gravel suddenly rang out.

"Come out."

Li Yan didn't look back and spoke.

How could he not notice Zhou's boy secretly following behind him?

Zhou Zhou Huzi looked embarrassed, walked out of the darkness, and hurriedly defended himself: "Don't misunderstand, big brother, I was just afraid you would get lost..."

Li Yan couldn't be bothered to pay attention and waved his hand directly, "Come over, I happen to have something to ask you."

Zhou Zhou Huzi was a bit afraid, but still walked over, "Big Brother Li, what do you want to ask?"

Li Yan said: "Who built this water well?"

"This one."

Zhou Zhou Huzi breathed a sigh of relief, "It was built by Daoist Priest Yun on the mountain, who said the Feng Shui in the village was bad."

"When was it built?"

"Two years ago."

"When did your village stop having children?"

"Two years ago..."

After Zhou Zhou Huzi finished speaking, he was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly said: "That's impossible, Daoist Priest Yun has always protected our village. Thanks to him, Longtan Village has been safe and sound."

Li Yan didn't say anything more, shook his head and said: "Trouble yourself, go call my companions and your father here."

Zhou Zhou Huzi gritted his teeth, but still turned and ran toward his house.

Before long, everyone rushed over.

Li Yan said in a deep voice: "I heard a woman crying earlier, and yin energy flashed in the well. This well should be connected to the lake."

"Ah?"

Village Head Zhou was stunned for a moment and hurriedly shook his head: "I'm afraid you saw wrong. Our village has been safe all these years. Although we aren't rich, we don't lack food, and no one has died unjustly."

He vaguely knew that Li Yan and the others were extraordinary, but this water well was built by a highly respected Daoist priest in the village, so naturally, he didn't believe there was a problem.

Li Yan didn't argue, but looked at Wang Wang Daoxuan, "Daoist Priest, take a look, is there anything tricky about the Feng Shui of this well?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan took out his Luo Pan, turned around the surroundings, shook his head and said: "The Feng Shui is fine. If it were a 'leaving one's hometown' layout, the ancestral hall and ancestral graves would inevitably be affected."

"Little Brother Yan saw wrong. Building a water well behind a house is not just 'leaving one's hometown,' but also implies 'a final battle'!"

As he spoke, he looked at the lake in the distance, took his Luo Pan, walked a few steps toward the lakeside along the well, and said in a deep voice: "This well is connected to the lake. The real layout is in the lake. I'm afraid it's borrowing the popularity of the villagers to deal with something."

Village Head Zhou realized what was happening, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes, "Daoist Priest, you mean there's a monster in the lake?"

"I'm afraid it's not a demon or evil spirit..."

Wang Wang Daoxuan's brows were solemn, "Little Brother Yan, can you go down into the lake to see if something is suppressed in the lake?"

"Okay!"

Li Yan didn't waste any words, went directly to the lakeside, stepped on the steps, and pinched the formula, "Nuogao! Heaven is true and too plain, the essence of Ren and Gui. Internally corresponding to the kidney, externally corresponding to the water star..."

This is the lakeside, and the Da Xuan Water Escape technique is even more powerful.

In the eyes of the people around, water mist soon surged and wrapped around him, and with a splash, the person had disappeared.

"God... Immortal?"

Zhou Zhou Huzi's eyes widened, stuttering a bit.

Sha Sha Li Fei laughed, "You're wrong, little one. Immortals are carefree, how could they run around like us? This is a technique."

"Technique..."

Zhou Zhou Huzi swallowed his saliva and muttered to himself.

At this moment, he suddenly had a yearning for the outside world...

Gurgle~ The sound of water rippled in his ears.

Li Yan used the Da Xuan Water Escape technique, and his speed in the water far exceeded that of a swimming fish. With a flick of his legs, he shot to the bottom of the lake like a sharp sword.

This lake is large, but not deep.

Although he couldn't use his smell ability in the water, the sound of a woman crying rang in his ears again.

Li Yan searched carefully along the sound of crying, pushed aside the water grass and sludge, suddenly felt a bronze chain, and then pulled it hard, causing the sludge to surge and the water to become muddy.

He retreated quickly, and after the sewage became clear, his brows furrowed.

He saw that on the bronze chain, there were steel rods engraved with talismans, all inserted into a giant rock.

The giant rock was pitch black like ink, with faint scale patterns, most of it submerged at the bottom of the lake, winding and twisting like a giant snake.

Li Yan was shocked and didn't dare to move recklessly. He hurriedly went ashore and told everyone about the situation.

"This is a Dragon-Suppressing Stake!"

Wang Wang Daoxuan was shocked, "How could it be this thing?"

"Daoist Priest, what is a Dragon-Suppressing Stake?"

Village Head Zhou's face was ugly, and he hurriedly asked. By this time, he was also a bit uncertain, after all, Daoist Priest Yun had even kept this matter from him.

"A Dragon-Suppressing Stake is used to seal the dragon energy of the earth's veins."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "According to the layout below, I am also a bit uncertain about what Daoist Priest Yun sealed, but borrowing the popularity of the villagers to suppress it will inevitably lead to a backlash."

"The fact that there have been no children in the village for the past two years is mostly related to this."

"Ah! This..."

Village Head Zhou's eyes were uncertain, and he looked at Gong Xun beside him.

Gong Xun said in a deep voice: "These are all righteous people of the Mystic Sect, and even the imperial court and Mount Mount Wudang rely on them heavily."

When Village Head Zhou heard this, he made up his mind, gritted his teeth and said: "I will find someone to destroy the things below, and then find Daoist Priest Yun to ask clearly."

"Don't act recklessly."

Wang Wang Daoxuan hurriedly shook his head and looked at the temple, "Whatever was sealed, the backlash could cause the village to have no children for two years. If it is suddenly released, what if the resentment erupts?"

"Village Head Zhou, what legends are there about Longtan Lake?"

!.

Village Head Zhou took a deep breath, "I heard from my ancestors that Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs in the mountains, and later Laozi passed through this place, so there are many Ancestor Temples built near Inside Shennongjia."

"Our ancestors of Longtan Village were originally a Tang army. To avoid the turmoil at the end of the Tang Dynasty, they mistakenly entered this place. Someone dreamed of a divine dragon appearing in the lake in the middle of the night, so they settled here, and for many years, the weather has been favorable."

Sha Sha Li Fei opened his eyes wide when he heard this, excitedly saying: "Daoist Priest, the one we are looking for, wouldn't it be the one in the lake?"

"Probably not."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "The trapped flood dragon is full of resentment, and there is no life within a hundred miles, not even a blade of grass grows, miasma and poisonous insects breed, and birds and beasts dare not approach. How could people live there?"

As he spoke, he sighed, "Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, nothing has happened in the village, and the weather has been favorable. Even if there is a flood dragon, it is a blessed spirit."

Village Head Zhou was panicked, "This... what should we do?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head helplessly, "Without knowing the cause and effect, and without knowing the origin, I dare not act recklessly, lest I cause a disaster."

Li Yan pondered for a moment, "There is also a problem with the Ancestor Temple. Let's go there and look first, maybe we can find out the reason."

…………

"We're here, it's right here!"

"You few, get out first!"

Village Head Zhou drove the few men guarding the temple out, then hurriedly looked at Li Yan and the others, his voice trembling, "This is the Ancestor Temple. The village has burned incense and made offerings every festival for thousands of years. Could it be that something went wrong here too?"

The others heard this and looked at Li Yan one after another.

Only Li Yan could do this kind of thing of communicating with ghosts and gods.

Li Yan pinched the formula, and could smell the upright incense in the temple, with no evil energy, but the sighing sound from before had also disappeared.

He pondered for a moment, "Bring a basin of water."

There were people living in the temple, and Village Head Zhou immediately brought a basin of water. Li Yan took out an oil lamp, lit it, and placed it beside the water basin.

He had originally practiced the "Northern Emperor Imperial God Technique," which was very powerful and could directly order ghosts and gods.

But this was the Ancestor Temple, and he didn't have the guts to act recklessly.

Using the God-Communication Technique was gentler.

Holding the Gou Die and pinching the formula, Li Yan stepped forward, crossed the water basin directly, and the scene around him suddenly changed drastically.

It was still this ancient small temple, but there was no one in the temple.

It was pitch black all around, only on the stone table, an old man sat cross-legged, wearing gray clothes and a soap robe, with white hair and a long beard, his appearance ancient and simple, seemingly having entered meditation long ago.

It was none other than Ancestor Laozi.

Of course, this was just a folk god in the human world, not even an incarnation, the same principle as the Buddha in Baotong Zen Temple.

Even so, Li Yan still bowed respectfully.

Ancestor Laozi on the altar slowly opened his eyes.

Poof~

There was a lamp beside him, suddenly bursting with a lamp flower.

In an instant, light and shadow flickered before Li Yan's eyes.

He saw overlapping mountains, which was exactly the terrain near Longtan Village, but there was no Longtan Lake in the village yet...

Suddenly one day, thunder rolled in the sky, dark clouds surged, and a dragon-shaped smoke surged from the direction of the Yangtze River and fell into this place.

Almost instantly, heavy rain poured down, the earth dragon in the mountains turned over, floods surged, and then Longtan Lake appeared.

In the center of the lake, a woman in white appeared vaguely, combing her pitch-black long hair, looking foolishly in the direction of the Yangtze River. Although he couldn't see her face clearly, he could feel her loneliness.

Later, a team of distressed soldiers and civilians came to this place, set up camp, and gradually settled down. The woman in the lake just looked at them calmly, occasionally stirring up clouds and mist to disperse the black energy coming from all directions...

He didn't know how much time had passed, but the clouds and mist in the sky surged, and the woman hurriedly stood up. Suddenly, the lake water surged, and the surrounding rocks collapsed.

An old Daoist saw this, hesitated, and finally sighed, secretly went down to the lake, and drove down the Dragon-Suppressing Stake...

Light and shadow flashed, and Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

His brows furrowed. He first stood up and offered a stick of incense to the Ancestor statue, then turned around and told everyone what he had seen in the illusion one by one.

"This... what does this mean?"

Village Head Zhou was completely confused.

"That is a Dragon Lady."

Wang Wang Daoxuan's gaze was a bit complicated, "Looking at the situation, it is the dragon energy of the Yangtze River that drifted into this place. If it is according to folk legends, it is the Dragon Lady who was punished and fell into this place."

"Village Head Zhou, has there ever been any demon or evil spirit causing trouble in the village?"

"Yes, yes, that's right."

"Then that's right. The Dragon Lady protects this place, and with the suppression of the Ancestor Temple, the village has had favorable weather and no evil spirits."

"Now the dragon energy of the Yangtze River's earth veins has changed, and the Dragon Lady has reached the time to return, but it will inevitably be a mountain flood, and the village will have no support in the future."

"That fellow Daoist wanted to forcibly trap the dragon, but instead caused the village to suffer a disaster. 'A final battle' or 'leaving one's hometown,' he could only choose one of the two."

"That fellow Daoist went into the mountains, presumably to find a way to solve this matter."

Sha Sha Li Fei scratched his head, "Why force it? Just find a way to move."

"How could it be that simple?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "If there was a choice, who would be willing to leave their hometown? Moreover, although our Mystic Sect emphasizes following the heavens, we also have to go against the heavens. In the past, Great Yu controlled the floods. If he had just gone with the flow, how could he have bound the blue dragons of the Nine Provinces?"

Li Yan also nodded and said in a deep voice: "The Daoist Priest is right. This is not just a simple matter of releasing the dragon veins. There are many villages downstream, and it is still a time of war. If we let it be, there will inevitably be heavy casualties."

"That Daoist Priest went into the mountains, and he must have a solution."

"After we enter the mountains and find him, we can just help him out."

After figuring out the reason, everyone returned to Village Head Zhou's house, went back to their rooms to rest, and prepared to enter Inside Shennongjia early the next morning.

In the middle of the night, Li Yan's eyelids twitched.

In a daze, he dreamed of a woman in white, looking at him with a face full of resentment, with faint black energy on her body...

"I know you're in a hurry, but don't be in a hurry!"

Li Yan was helpless and had to persuade her.

Because he carried the Gou Die, he was more likely to attract these ghosts and gods.

The current situation is a bit like the relationship between man and nature, destruction and development. Sometimes the problem is not that simple.

However, his previous life was just a simple environmental problem.

But in this world, it is even more troublesome.

Before he could speak, the woman turned into lake water and surged, then lifted an object and sent it to him.

Li Yan woke up suddenly, only feeling that the humidity in the room was quite heavy, and the originally dry ground had already been wetted.

A water snake had a piece of jade in its mouth. After putting it down, it slithered away and disappeared without a trace.

Li Yan's brows furrowed, and he picked up the jade.

This piece of jade had a pointed top and a flat end, rectangular in shape, with deep blood-colored patterns on it, and dragon patterns carved on it.

This is a jade Gui, representing majesty and power, and is a ritual vessel held by ancient nobles and officials on occasions such as sacrifices and court meetings.

But this was the first time he had seen this kind of dragon-patterned jade Gui, and it was even more ancient.

What does this Dragon Lady mean...

Second update in the afternoon

(End of chapter)