Chapter 390: The Daoist Tells of Cause and Effect

"It's real!"

Everyone hurried forward to examine it closely.

Shen Nong tasted a hundred herbs, carved wood into the si, bent wood into the lei; the benefits of the lei and nou taught the world—he could be called the ancestor of agricultural civilization.

In the hearts of the people of Shenzhou, none did not revere him.

To discover his traces, how could one not be interested?

Li Yan quickly pulled aside another vine, and again saw a hollow pit—imagine, this place had once been carved with stone and fitted with wood to form steps, leading directly down to the cliff below.

"It must be right."

Wang Wang Daoxuan was also deeply intrigued, gazing downward, "Shen Nong didn't come alone—he must have brought many tribal ancestors. They traveled everywhere, and couldn't do without wooden ladders…"

"Aowu~ Aowu~"

Suddenly, from below the thick fog came the roar of wild beasts.

The sound was strange—like a wolf's howl, yet also like a donkey's bray, loud and echoing through the valley, startling countless birds into flight.

"It's the Donkey-Head Devils!"

Zhou Li's expression turned tense; the other hunters from Longtan Village, upon hearing this, turned pale and instinctively stepped back.

Lu San's face darkened slightly as he said grimly, "They say the prey is nearly dead—circle around and flank it."

The prey, needless to say, was none other than Yun Daochang.

Hearing this, Li Yan immediately pulled out the Jia Ma from his chest, tying one to each leg as he instructed, "I'll go ahead and save him—you follow slowly behind."

"Little Brother Yan, be careful!"

"Don't worry."

After a brief warning, Li Yan immediately stepped the Daoist's Pace, formed the hand seals, and chanted, "Nuo Gao! Six Jia, Nine Chapters, Heaven is round, Earth is square, the Four Seasons and Five Elements…"

With his cultivation improved, the Northern Emperor's Divine Step had become even more mysterious.

In an instant, fierce winds howled, dried leaves spun wildly, and Zhou Li and the village hunters instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes.

When the wind died down, Li Yan had vanished from the cliff.

They rushed forward and saw only a shadow stepping effortlessly along the sheer cliff face, moving at blinding speed, swiftly swallowed by mist.

"I'll go first. Master Wang, follow after."

Lu San stepped forward and leapt out, executing a flawless kite flip in midair, grabbing a vine and swiftly descending.

These vines were strange too—after countless years, they had grown abnormally thick, their roots deeply embedded in the cliff face, like natural wooden ladders.

Wang Wang Daoxuan and Sha Sha Li Fei followed closely behind.

Seeing Li Yan's miraculous skill, Zhou Li and his hunters felt less fear and began climbing down the vine ladders.

Most interesting of all was Wu Ba.

In this mysterious Shen Shen Nong Jia, others remained cautious, but for him, it was like returning home—he had been unusually excited since entering.

He didn't climb the vines at all, for his weight was immense, and he carried an equally heavy load; the vines couldn't bear it.

Wu Ba didn't need them anyway—he spread his massive hands like iron rakes, gripping the rock crevices, climbing down as easily as a monkey, even faster than the others.

On the other side, Li Yan descended rapidly, occasionally stepping on protruding rocks to dissipate force, his body surrounded by howling winds that lifted him.

Today, his high-level martial cultivation, combined with his improved Daoist cultivation, finally allowed him to unleash the true subtlety of the Northern Emperor's Divine Step.

The surrounding mist rushed backward rapidly, and he clearly saw the scene below.

It was a sizable valley, clearly prone to frequent flash floods—massive boulders, like a river, piled up and stretched far into the distance.

Though no flood now raged, a river still flowed, crashing against the rocks with continuous thunderous roars, spraying up torrents of spray.

More astonishingly, along both sides of the valley, on the cliff faces, were dense tunnels carved into the rock, with stone walls built up, and remnants of half-collapsed wooden walkways.

It was an ancient tribal relic!

Among the scattered boulders below, a gray-robed Daoist, drenched in blood, leaned against the cliff wall, holding a crossbow, two bronze tubes lying beside him.

Opposite him lay two charred corpses.

A short distance away, three giant beasts wandered—tall as mules or horses, their lower bodies like wolves, their heads long and narrow like donkeys, jaws gaping with fangs, faces grotesque, crimson tongues dripping slime.

Minghuo Chong?!

Seeing the bronze tubes beside the Daoist, Li Yan's eyes narrowed.

He had assumed the man was merely a remote, wild Daoist, tending an old temple and protecting the region.

Such Daoists were everywhere in Shenzhou.

Now it was clear—his identity was far from simple!

But there was no time for further thought.

As Li Yan leapt down, the wind he stirred caught the attention of the Donkey-Head Devils—one let out a low growl and shot forward with a flash.

This creature could climb cliffs like a goat, moving as if on flat ground, using the near-vertical slope to leap and bound directly toward Li Yan.

Its fanged maw opened wide, and a foul stench surged forth.

Seeing this, Li Yan instantly understood.

The Daoist below had been driven to the cliff by the Donkey-Head Devils, climbed down the vines to escape.

But he hadn't realized the Donkey-Head Devils could scale cliffs as easily as flat ground—not only had he not escaped, he'd been chased down and fallen.

Seeing the Donkey-Head Devil charge, Li Yan remained calm, his left hand forming a seal—his Duanhun Flying Knife instantly shot forth, piercing straight into the beast's gaping mouth.

Puff!

Without the slightest hesitation, it burst out the back of its skull, spraying brain matter, then spun midair and retracted into his waist pouch.

The Duanhun Flying Knife was a close-combat weapon, driven by the Soul-Grabbing Cords—within six meters, its speed rivaled that of a flying sword.

Now he possessed two Soul-Grabbing Thunder Cords, meaning he could control two flying knives simultaneously—immense power.

Yet as he chanted the spell, the Northern Emperor's Divine Step faltered, and his body suddenly dropped.

Li Yan had anticipated this—he unleashed hidden strength in his legs, kicking hard against the cliff, his body soaring like a hawk toward the two Donkey-Head Devils.

The two beasts reacted swiftly, leaping forward and, upon landing, pivoting sharply to circle back.

This reaction was perfectly timed.

Just as Li Yan landed, they leapt from front and back, forming a pincer attack, roaring in unison.

"Aowu~ Aowu~"

The strange sound boomed, stirring up howling winds.

Hearing it, Li Yan's head spun dizzily.

This sound carried a touch of soul-seizing power!

So these Donkey-Head Devils had already cultivated Dao.

His spirit trembled, and with their speed, any spell or technique would be too slow to cast.

Without hesitation, Li Yan, despite his dizziness, drew his flintlock pistol from his left side and pulled the trigger.

Boom!

The left Donkey-Head Devil's upper body exploded instantly, its remains flying backward.

Li Yan twisted his body, sidestepping the other beast's lunge, swinging his right arm and using the reverse-whip power of the Pi-Gua Palm, smashing down with a punch.

Crack! A bone-shattering sound rang out—the Donkey-Head Devil crashed to the ground.

Li Yan's palm-strike was the Metal Momentum of the Five Elements Pi-Gua style—like an axe chopping or a blade slashing—it shattered the beast's spinal column.

Undoubtedly, this creature was far stronger than the vicious wolf "Blind Old Three" that had attacked Li Family Fort.

Though he'd shattered its spine, Li Yan felt as if he'd struck a tire wrapped around an iron rod—his palm throbbed painfully.

The Donkey-Head Devil, enraged, even with its lower body paralyzed, pushed up with its front paws, twisted its body, and lunged its fanged jaws at Li Yan.

Shh!

At that moment, an arrow flew.

It was Yun Daochang, seizing his chance, firing his crossbow.

The arrow pierced straight into the beast's mouth, but the creature, now frenzied, ignored the pain and kept biting.

Then, suddenly, the beast stiffened.

Li Yan's Duanhun Flying Knife had shot forth from his waist, piercing its neck and suppressing its soul.

!.

Li Yan's face was cold—he kicked out hard.

Crack!

The Donkey-Head Devil's neck snapped instantly, hanging limply to one side.

Li Yan turned and leapt down from the rock; as he landed, the Duanhun Flying Knife shot up again and reinserted itself into his waist sheath.

He was no longer the same man.

These beasts, feared by all, posed him no threat—if not for saving the Daoist, these few Donkey-Head Devils couldn't have even reached him.

Seeing him approach, the Daoist's eyes flickered with suspicion.

"Are you Master Yun? We've come with Village Head Zhou…"

Li Yan's single sentence dispelled the man's doubts.

But perhaps his taut nerves finally relaxed—the pale-faced Daoist opened his mouth, unable to even utter "thank you," and fainted away…

…………

After an unknown length of time, the Daoist slowly awoke.

He looked down and saw his wounds had been treated; nearby, a fire crackled, dispelling the cold.

Around him was an ancient tribal cave halfway up the cliff—through the openings, he could see only darkness outside.

It was already deep night.

"Master Yun, you've finally woken up."

Zhou Zhou Lizheng and several hunters stood nearby; seeing him, they hurried forward, helped him sit up, and gave him some hot water.

After drinking the hot water, the Daoist regained some strength and spoke weakly: "Master Zhou, how did you come here?"

Zhou Zhou Lizheng quickly replied: "You've been gone for days, and we were worried. Just then, several high-level cultivators arrived, so we followed them into the mountains to investigate…"

After speaking, he hesitated slightly. "Master Yun, what exactly is happening in Longtan Lake? Could you tell us plainly?"

The Daoist froze, then understood. "Did those people tell you? Who exactly are they…?"

"We want to know too!"

Before the words had finished, Li Yan arrived with his group from the side.

This ancient cave of the early inhabitants was a network of connected pits, with wooden walkways linking the outer sections; Li Yan and the others had been inside another cave on the opposite side.

Naturally, they had heard every word clearly.

After entering, Li Yan sat by the fire, calmly watching the Daoist. "The Dragon-Pinning Stake and the Spirit-Fire Cannon are not ordinary artifacts a cultivator could possess. Your origins must be extraordinary."

He had already observed: Master Yun had pale, clean skin, strong bones and sinews, and calloused palms—clearly a martial practitioner, with cultivation reaching the second or third level of the Tower.

Someone of such stature hiding in this remote place must have ulterior motives.

Seeing the Daoist remain silent, Li Yan spoke again: "I am Li Yan from Guanzhong. This is Captain Gong, of the Regional Military Commissioner's Office. We entered the mountains for another urgent matter—this discovery was purely accidental."

"The war in the southwest is raging. Demons of the Ghost Sect and the Heavenly Holy Sect lurk within the Inside Shennongjia. If you do not explain clearly, we will have no choice but to detain you."

Hearing their identities, the Daoist's wariness lessened slightly, and at last he spoke: "To be honest, I am Yun Feng Lingzi, of the Tai Xu Zheng Jiao, from Daoist Qingyang Palace in Shu."

"So you are a fellow Daoist of Daoist Qingyang Palace."

Li Yan's eyes flickered with surprise. "Daoist Qingyang Palace is in Outside Chengdu. Why did you travel so far to this place? Who exactly is the Dragon Maiden in the lake?"

Since ancient times, Bashu has been a major center of the Daoist sects: the Eight Immortals of Shu, Laozi's journey into Shu, Zhang Sai Tian Shi's pact with spirits, Mount Qingcheng and Mount Mount Emei renowned across the land.

Daoist Qingyang Palace is no less distinguished—founded in the Zhou dynasty, where Laozi once cultivated, it is known as the "First Grove of the Southwest," holding the highest status.

To come here to suffer in this backwater cannot be simple.

"How do you know of the Dragon Maiden?"

Yun Feng Lingzi, upon hearing this, was equally stunned.

"I learned of her through a dream…"

Li Yan had urgent matters and had no time for riddles; he recounted the events, then produced the Dragon-Embossed Jade Tablet.

The Daoist listened, visibly shocked, and after a long silence, murmured: "So the Dragon Maiden's disturbance was for this reason. Thank you for the warning—I nearly caused a great disaster…"

Li Yan frowned slightly. "What exactly is happening?"

Yun Feng Lingzi picked up the Dragon-Embossed Jade Tablet and spoke gravely: "If I am not mistaken, this artifact originated from the Dragon Palace's Water Mansion."

"Truly from the Dragon Palace?"

Sha Sha Li Fei's eyes lit up. "Are there real dragons in the Yangtze?"

Yun Feng Lingzi paused, then shook his head. "It does come from the Yangtze, but not the dragon deity you imagine."

"The current Dragon Deity of the Yangtze is Guangyuan Wang, one of the Four River Dragons, officially venerated by the imperial court. Dragon King temples line the riverbanks—he is a proper deity, and there is no Dragon Palace or Water Mansion."

"But long ago, the Yangtze once had another Dragon King, said to have been born during Yu the Great's flood control. Originally a venomous serpent, he transformed into a jiao after five hundred years, became a dragon after a thousand years in the sea, then returned to the Yangtze and declared himself king."

"Records say this River Lord was cruel—he demanded two virgin girls as blood sacrifices each year from the riverside villages, or else he would raise storms and flood entire cities."

"He built a Water Mansion, and all the river demons of the Yangtze served under him. The people suffered terribly—until Li Bing of Qin entered Shu, gathered numerous experts, and constructed the Dujiangyan Irrigation System to subdue him."

"Now, he is kept sealed by the True Lord of Qingkou, the Pure and Marvelous Daoist."

"The Dragon Maiden in Longtan Lake was born from a single strand of the River Lord's dragon qi. Gentle by nature, she repeatedly saved riverside villagers, and thus escaped destruction, sinking into Longtan Lake."

"For years, Daoist Qingyang Palace has secretly watched over her. I noticed anomalous earth qi and assumed the Dragon Maiden intended to return to the Yangtze, so I secretly planted the Dragon-Pinning Stake—but it triggered backlash, causing the people of Longtan Village to lose their descendants."

"I came into the mountains after hunters reported seeing a strange bird—the 'Yao' mentioned in the Shanhaijing. Eating its flesh grants fertility. I hoped to use it to break the backlash."

"So that's it…"

Li Yan listened, and many things suddenly became clear. He frowned again. "The Dragon Maiden appeared in my dream and gave me this jade tablet—what does it mean?"

Yun Feng Lingzi clenched his teeth. "If I am not mistaken, it must be connected to the River Lord and his Dragon Palace Water Mansion. Though his dragon soul is sealed at Qingkou, the Water Mansion itself fled into the river, and Daoists of Shu have been searching for it ever since."

"Something must have gone wrong—hence the Dragon Maiden's awakening…"

Second update, afternoon

(End of chapter)