Chapter 388

"A woman's crying—didn't you hear it…?"

Sha Li-fei looked around, his face full of confusion.

The others also shook their heads slightly, indicating they hadn't heard it.

Li Yan immediately understood and gave them a glance, strolling casually toward the direction from which the voice had come.

Earlier on the mountain, he had heard a sigh coming from the ancestral temple; he originally didn't want to meddle, but now that strange occurrences kept happening just before entering the mountains, he had to be cautious.

At the very least, he needed to find out what was going on.

Soon, he left Zhou Zhou Lizheng's house and headed toward the lake.

"That Mr. Li…"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng saw him leave and felt puzzled.

"Mr. Li is taking a walk to clear his mind."

Gong Qun brushed it off casually, then pulled Zhou Zhou Lizheng back inside. "Brother Zhou, I've got a few more things I'd like to ask you about…"

On the other side, Zhou Zhou Lizheng's son, Zhou Zhou Huzi, also noticed Li Yan leaving, his eyes filled with curiosity.

The guests who came today were all strange.

For instance, that giant covered in fur—he looked just like the wild man from the Inside Shennongjia legends…

And that Lu San with his animals…

But what intrigued him most was Li Yan.

He could tell that this young man, only a few years older than himself, was the leader of them all!

Recalling the martial skills Li Yan had displayed earlier, his heart burned with curiosity; he pretended to be delivering something and slipped out the back to follow him…

Meanwhile, Li Yan had reached the vicinity of the ancestral hall.

He focused his senses and listened—the sound was clearly coming from behind the hall.

Following the sound to the back of the hall, Li Yan frowned slightly, for before him stood a well.

The well looked newly built; the stones used to construct it were noticeably fresh compared to the surrounding brick walls.

Li Yan pondered, glancing back at the ancestral hall.

The location of this well was problematic.

Though he wasn't an expert, after spending so long with Wang Wang Daoxuan, he knew some basic principles of feng shui.

In feng shui, water represents yin, and also wealth.

The placement of a well is always carefully considered.

This ancestral hall has a mountain behind it, supportive hills on both sides, and faces a lake—it's a good layout.

But adding this well creates a problem.

This is called "backing away from the well and leaving one's homeland…"

And why build a well at all, when the lake is right there?

"Wu wu…"

At that moment, the woman's crying sounded again.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and crept closer carefully.

But as he reached the edge of the well, the crying vanished again.

Crack!

From the darkness far away, the sound of falling stones suddenly echoed.

"Come out."

Li Yan didn't turn around, speaking calmly.

That little Zhou boy had been sneaking behind him—how could he possibly miss it?

Zhou Zhou Huzi stepped out awkwardly from the shadows, hastily explaining: "Big Brother, don't misunderstand—I was afraid you'd get lost…"

Li Yan didn't bother replying; he simply waved his hand. "Come over here—I have questions for you."

Zhou Zhou Huzi was wary, but walked over. "Mr. Li, what do you want to ask?"

Li Yan said: "Who built this well?"

"This one?"

Zhou Zhou Huzi relaxed. "It was ordered by Yun Daochang from the mountain—he said the village's feng shui was bad."

"When was it built?"

"Two years ago."

"When did your village stop having children?"

"Two years ago…"

Zhou Zhou Huzi froze, then quickly added: "No, no—Daochang has always protected our village. Thanks to him, Longtan Village has remained safe."

Li Yan said nothing, only shook his head. "Could you please go get my companions—and your father?"

Zhou Zhou Huzi clenched his teeth but turned and ran back toward home.

Soon, everyone arrived.

Li Yan said gravely: "I heard a woman crying earlier, and I sensed a flash of yin energy from the well—it must connect to the lake."

"Huh?"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng blinked, quickly shaking his head. "Sir, you must be mistaken. Our village has been peaceful these years—though not wealthy, we've never lacked food, and no one has died unjustly."

He vaguely sensed Li Yan and his group were extraordinary, but this well had been built by the village's revered Daochang—he simply couldn't believe there was anything wrong with it.

Li Yan didn't argue; he turned to Wang Wang Daoxuan. "Master, take a look—does this well have any feng shui irregularities?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan pulled out his luopan, circled the area, then shook his head. "The feng shui isn't seriously flawed. If this were truly a 'backing away from the well and leaving one's homeland' formation, the ancestral hall and family graves would already be affected."

"Young Master Li is mistaken. Building a well behind a house isn't just 'backing away from the well'—it also means 'fighting with one's back to the water'!"

He looked toward the distant lake, then walked a few steps from the well toward its edge, holding the luopan. "This well connects to the lake—the real layout lies beneath the water. It's likely using the village's vital energy to suppress something."

Zhou Zhou Lizheng finally understood, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "Are you saying there's a demon in the lake?"

"It's probably not a demon or evil spirit…"

Wang Wang Daoxuan's brow was heavy. "Young Master Li, you should go into the lake—could something be sealed beneath it?"

"Alright!"

Li Yan didn't waste time—he walked straight to the lake's edge, stepped into the Nine Steps, and chanted: "Nuogao! Heavenly Primordial Essence, essence of Ren and Gui. Internal correspondence to the kidneys, celestial correspondence to the Water Star…"

Here by the lake, the Da Xuan Shui Dun was even more potent.

To those watching, water mist surged around him, and with a splash, he vanished.

"S…Shenxian?"

Zhou Zhou Huzi's eyes widened, his voice trembling.

Sha Li-fei chuckled. "Kid, you're wrong. Shenxian live in ease and freedom—they wouldn't be trudging around like us. That's just a technique."

"Technique…"

Zhou Zhou Huzi swallowed hard, muttering to himself.

In that moment, he suddenly felt a longing for the world beyond the village…

……

Hloo hloo~ The sound of water rippled around his ears.

Using Da Xuan Shui Dun, Li Yan moved through the water faster than any fish; with a single kick of his legs, he shot like a blade to the lakebed.

The lake was large but shallow.

Though he couldn't use his sense of smell underwater, as soon as he entered, the woman's crying returned to his ears.

Following the sound, he pushed aside weeds and mud, and his hand closed around a bronze chain. He yanked hard—mud churned, the water turned murky.

He quickly retreated, waiting until the water cleared, then frowned.

The bronze chain was attached to dozens of steel stakes, each inscribed with talismans, all driven into a massive stone.

The stone was pitch-black, its surface faintly patterned with scales, mostly buried in the lakebed, curving like a giant serpent.

Li Yan's heart leapt—he dared not move, and hurried back to shore to describe what he'd seen.

"This is a Dragon-Sealing Stake!"

Wang Wang Daoxuan was startled. "How could this be?"

"Master, what's a Dragon-Sealing Stake?"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng's face darkened. "Please explain—by now, I'm not sure anymore. After all, Yun Daochang kept this from even me."

"A Dragon-Sealing Stake is used to seal the dragon veins of the land."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head. "Based on the arrangement below, I'm uncertain what Yun Daochang sealed—but using the village's vital energy to suppress it will inevitably cause backlash."

"The village's two-year infertility is almost certainly tied to this."

"Ah! This…"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng's expression flickered between doubt and fear as he glanced at Gong Qun.

Gong Qun spoke gravely: "These people are orthodox Xuanmen—both the court and Mount Mount Wudang rely on them heavily."

Zhou Zhou Lizheng made up his mind at once, gritting his teeth. "I'll gather men to destroy whatever's below, then confront Yun Daochang and demand answers."

"Don't act rashly."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head urgently. "Whatever is sealed beneath, the backlash has already caused two years of infertility—if you suddenly release it, what if the resentment explodes?"

"Zhou Zhou Lizheng, what legends surround Longtan Lake?"

!.

Zhou Zhou Lizheng took a deep breath. "According to our ancestors, when Shen Nong once tasted hundreds of herbs in these mountains, Laozi later passed through here, so many ancestral temples have been built around Inside Shennongjia."

"Our ancestors in Longtan Village were originally a Tang army unit that got lost here while fleeing the chaos at the end of the Tang Dynasty. One night, someone dreamed of a divine dragon appearing in the lake, so they settled here—and for generations, the land has been blessed with favorable winds and timely rains."

Sha Sha Li Fei's eyes widened in excitement. "Master Daoist, could the thing we're looking for be this one in the lake?"

"Probably not."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head. "The trapped dragon carries immense resentment. Within a hundred li, all vitality is gone—no grass grows, miasmas and venomous insects thrive, and no birds or beasts dare approach. How could anyone live here?"

He sighed. "Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, this village has never suffered any calamity. The winds and rains have always been favorable. Even if there is a dragon here, it must be a benevolent spirit."

Zhou Zhou Lizheng panicked. "Then… what should we do?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan sighed helplessly. "Without knowing the cause or origin, I dare not act rashly—lest I unleash greater disaster."

Li Yan thought for a moment. "There's something wrong with the ancestral temple too. Let's go there first—perhaps we'll find the reason."

…………

"Here we are! Right here!"

"You few, get out!"

After driving the men guarding the temple out, Zhou Zhou Lizheng turned to Li Yan and the others, his voice trembling. "This is the ancestral temple—our village has offered incense and offerings here for every festival for a thousand years. Could something have gone wrong here too?"

The others all turned to look at Li Yan.

Only Li Yan could communicate with spirits and deities.

Li Yan formed a hand seal and sensed the incense smoke within the temple—pure and upright, with no trace of evil qi. Yet the sighing sound he'd heard earlier had vanished.

He thought for a moment. "Bring a basin of water."

Someone had been living in the temple already. Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhou Lizheng quickly fetched a basin of water. Li Yan then took out an oil lamp, lit it, and placed it beside the basin.

He had cultivated the Northern Emperor's Divine Command Method, a powerful technique capable of directly commanding spirits and deities.

But this was an ancestral temple—he dared not act recklessly.

The Spirit-Communicating Art was gentler.

Clutching the spirit warrant and forming the hand seal, Li Yan stepped forward and crossed over the basin. The surroundings instantly changed.

It was still the ancient, humble temple—but now it was empty.

Around him lay utter darkness. Only upon the stone altar sat an old man, cross-legged, clad in gray robes and black robes, with white hair and a long beard, his face ancient and solemn—as if already in deep meditation.

It was Laozi, the Ancestral Master.

Of course, this figure was merely a worldly deity—not even an avatar, just like the Buddha in Baotong Chan Temple.

Even so, Li Yan bowed respectfully.

The statue of Laozi on the altar slowly opened its eyes.

Puff~

The lamp beside him suddenly flared with a burst of flame.

Instantly, flashes of light and shadow danced before Li Yan's eyes.

He saw layered mountains—the exact terrain near Longtan Village—but the village had no Longtan Lake yet…

One day, thunder rolled across the sky, dark clouds churned, and a dragon-shaped mist surged from the direction of the Yangtze River, descending into this land.

Almost instantly, torrential rain poured down. The earth dragon turned over, floods surged, and then the Longtan Lake appeared.

In the lake's center, faintly visible, was a woman in white robes, her long black hair combed back, gazing wistfully toward the Yangtze. Though her face was indistinct, her loneliness was palpable.

Soon after, a group of weary soldiers and civilians arrived, pitched camp, and gradually settled. The woman in the lake merely watched them calmly, occasionally stirring clouds to disperse the black qi coming from all directions…

Then, after an unknown span of time, the sky churned again. The woman rose swiftly, and the lake surged violently, causing surrounding rocks to collapse.

An old Daoist, hesitating, finally sighed and secretly descended into the lake, driving in a dragon-stake…

The vision faded. Li Yan slowly opened his eyes.

He frowned slightly, rose, and lit an incense stick before the ancestral statue, then turned to the others and recounted everything he had seen in the vision.

"This… what does it mean?"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng looked utterly bewildered.

"That was the Dragon Maiden."

Wang Wang Daoxuan's gaze was complex. "Judging from this, the dragon qi of the Yangtze River leaked into this place. According to folk legend, the Dragon Maiden was punished and cast down here."

"Zhou Zhou Lizheng, has this village ever suffered any demonic disturbances?"

"Yes, yes, never!"

"Then it's clear—the Dragon Maiden has protected this land, and with the ancestral temple's suppression, the village has enjoyed favorable winds and rains, untouched by evil."

"Now, the dragon qi of the Yangtze has shifted. The Dragon Maiden is ready to return. But when she leaves, the mountain floods will erupt—and the village will lose its protection forever."

"That Daoist who came here tried to forcibly trap the dragon—and now the village has suffered. They must choose: either 'fight with their backs to the water' or 'leave their ancestral home.'"

"That Daoist entered the mountains, likely seeking a solution."

Sha Sha Li Fei scratched his head. "Why force it? Why not just move?"

"It's not that simple."

Wang Wang Daoxuan shook his head. "If there were a choice, who would willingly abandon their ancestral home? Though our Daoist sect teaches harmony with Heaven, we also know how to defy Heaven's will. When Yu the Great tamed the floods, if he had merely followed the current, how could he have bound the nine provinces' dragons?"

Li Yan nodded solemnly. "The Master is right. This isn't simply about releasing the dragon vein. Downstream lie many other villages. We're still in wartime—if we do nothing, countless lives will be lost."

"That Daoist entered the mountains because he already has a solution."

"Once we enter the mountains and find him, we'll lend a hand."

After understanding the cause, the group returned to Zhou Zhou Lizheng's home, retired to their rooms, and prepared to enter Inside Shennongjia at dawn.

At midnight, Li Yan's eyelids twitched.

In a hazy dream, he saw a woman in white robes, her face filled with sorrow, gazing at him—faint black qi clinging to her body…

"I know you're desperate, but please, don't rush!"

Li Yan sighed and spoke to soothe her.

Because he carried the spirit warrant, he attracted spirits and deities more easily.

The current situation was like the relationship between humanity and nature—destruction versus progress—sometimes the problem wasn't so simple.

But in his past life, it was merely an environmental issue.

In this world, it was far more complicated.

Before he could speak, the woman dissolved into surging lake water, then lifted something and placed it before him.

Li Yan jolted awake. The room felt unusually damp—the dry ground beneath him had been soaked.

A water snake, its mouth clutching a jade artifact, dropped it and slithered away with a hiss.

Li Yan frowned, picked up the jade.

The artifact had a pointed tip and flat base, rectangular in shape, covered in deep crimson patterns, carved with dragon motifs.

It was a jade gui—a ritual object symbolizing authority and power, held by ancient nobles and officials during sacrifices and court assemblies.

But he had never seen a jade gui with such dragon carvings—and its age was far older.

What did the Dragon Maiden mean by this…?

Second chapter update, afternoon

(End of Chapter)