Chapter 401: The Luo Feng Summoning and Examination Rite

Li Yan's expression turned grim; he knew Sha Sha Li Fei spoke the truth.

The Shenkui were not beasts, but mountain spirits—fond of darkness, repelled by yang, sluggish by day, even fearful of direct sunlight, so they moved only at night.

But the human-faced owls were an exception.

They could move by day, acting as scouts for the Shenkui tribe—to guard against ambushes and to track prey.

This behavior clearly meant they had been marked by the Shenkui tribe.

"What do we do?"

Sha Sha Li Fei grew anxious. "Should we wake the Mountain God and flee at once? Otherwise, we won't survive the night."

"Useless."

Li Yan gazed at the human-faced owls circling overhead and said grimly, "Their sudden appearance means they know we're here. Either they sensed yesterday's commotion—or someone lured them."

"If it's the latter, the Tian Sheng Sect's demons are likely hiding nearby. Fleeing recklessly might trap us between front and rear."

Sha Sha Li Fei rubbed his bald head, a flash of ferocity in his eyes. "Damn it. Looks like we've got no choice but to fight hard. I'll add more powder—let's test this tiger-crouching cannon!"

With that, he ordered Wu Ba to assist in defense, then climbed down the rope into the cave.

Li Yan looked up at the sky; the human-faced owls dared not approach closer, so he turned his gaze to the one he had just slain.

Closer inspection revealed it was even stranger.

Its head was covered in thick fur, lips grotesquely thick, brow ridges prominent—resembling the hominids he'd seen in his past life—and its mouth bristled with fangs.

Its body was avian, with a single powerful claw as thick as a bowl.

No matter how you looked, it didn't seem naturally born.

Li Yan frowned slightly, a doubt creeping into his mind.

According to the *Da Xuan Guai Lu*, demons, spirits, and monsters each have distinct origins.

Demons are animals that gained sentience and cultivated Dao—though they wield spells and grow larger, their original forms remain unchanged…

Spirits are sentient ancient objects that possess and haunt, often resembling ghosts or deities. The Nanmu King called himself an old demon, but strictly speaking, he was a "spirit."

Monsters, however, are mutated beasts.

They arise from various causes—for instance, the earth dragon slain in Yunyang was a tuolong transformed by absorbing celestial and terrestrial essences.

The Shenkui tribe is odd: the same kind of spirit-beast has taken on different forms, utterly defying logic.

Could it be artificial?

Such a thing isn't impossible.

Like Wu Ba's Renxiao tribe—originally born from mountain goblins causing tragedy, then created by the True Martial Palace's mercy.

No other Shenkui tribes have shown this phenomenon—only in Inside Shennongjia. There must be something amiss.

Though he harbored doubts, there was no time to dwell on them now.

Li Yan moved silently, patrolling the mountaintop, watching for the human-faced owls while inspecting the Five Directions Luo Feng Flags.

If a great battle came tonight, these flags would be their only safeguard.

The Five Directions Luo Feng Flags had never drawn blood—no one knew their power, whether they could hold back the Shenkui tribe.

No, it was still too uncertain.

Thinking of this, Li Yan took out the Luo Pan and examined it.

Though the Five Directions Luo Feng Flags held troops, they were not powered by the Yin Court's authority—their strength would be greatly diminished.

They could handle ordinary minor spirits, but if the "White Lord" himself attacked, they might not hold. If the banners were broken, they'd be in grave danger.

In such a case, the *Luo Feng Kao Zhao Da Fa* was needed.

"Kao Zhao" means to examine merit and fault, summoning ghosts and gods to interrogate and punish—hence the name.

This method is typically used against possessing demons, involving steps like establishing a prison, dispatching generals, capturing souls, administering punishment, and extracting confessions.

Logically, this rite isn't suited for demons—but the "White Lord" has another identity: Mountain God.

All ghosts and deities fall under its jurisdiction.

Once his soul is seized, there are countless ways to deal with him.

At that moment, the rope at the cave entrance shook; Sha Sha Li Fei climbed up—and with him came Lu San.

"Lu San has returned!"

Li Yan beamed. "Perfect! With you here tonight, we won't fear those Shenkui!"

Lu San already knew the situation. He glanced at the circling human-faced owls and muttered, "What do you need me to do?"

Li Yan said, "The Shenkui are powerful, but worse is their ability to summon wild beasts and spirits—swarms that cover the sky and earth. Can you scatter them?"

Expelling magic is a major category in the Daoist arts, falling under divination, taboos, and exorcism.

Expelling curses, ghosts, the Five Poisons, wild beasts—both Daoist and Wu-Nuo traditions have methods for this.

For example, in Hubei and Hunan, where lakes and rivers abound, people hang swords beneath bridges to repel jiao and pythons—this is expelling magic.

The *Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of the Five Emperors* mentions: "Da Xuan Yuan cultivated virtue, strengthened his army, regulated the Five Qi, cultivated the Five Grains, pacified the myriad people, surveyed the four directions, and trained bears, panthers, píxiū, chū, and tigers to battle Yan Di on the plains of Banquan."

At that time, both beast-taming and expelling witchcraft were used.

Lu San's ancient Chu Wu Shan ghost arts surely excelled in this.

Indeed, Lu San nodded without hesitation. "It was troublesome before, but with the Mountain God 'Zou Yu,' I can pluck some of his hair and set a Mountain Ghost Ban—forcing beasts to stay away."

"Good!"

Li Yan's confidence rose. "Then it's settled: Lu San handles the beasts, Sha and Wu Ba use the cannons to scatter the Shenkui, and I'll deal with the remaining spirits and demons."

Sha Sha Li Fei asked quickly, "And the 'White Lord'?"

Li Yan said coldly, "Don't worry—he won't escape."

With that, he went to the cave entrance, grabbed the rope, and leapt down—three quick pulls, and he was inside.

In the cave's center, the Mountain God "Zou Yu" still slept; the Jingren still performed their rituals.

After two nights and days, the little spirits were exhausted—some swayed on the verge of collapse, others had fainted outright.

The effect was clear.

The incense smoke was thick, continuously absorbed by "Zou Yu"; his massive abdominal wound had nearly healed, leaving only faint traces.

"Young Master Li, what's the situation now?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan's face was grave as he hurried forward.

After explaining, Li Yan said firmly, "Master, don't worry. You only need to guard the altar."

"And if I need to use the *Luo Feng Kao Zhao Da Fa*, immediately activate the altar to support me."

"Kao Zhao rite?"

Wang Wang Daoxuan's interest stirred. "What must I do?"

The Kao Zhao method exists in both orthodox Daoist sects and magical lineages—including his own Western Da Xuan branch—but the techniques differ greatly.

It's a high-difficulty altar ritual.

Li Yan replied, "My *Luo Feng Kao Zhao Da Fa* mimics the Yin Court of Luo Feng Mountain. The mountain has palaces for ghosts and gods—normally, you'd need to arrange them all, set up eight inner generals, eight outer generals, clerks, Gongcao, and prison wardens."

"But we lack manpower—we must improvise…"

As he spoke, he opened his pack and pulled out a tablet carved from thunder-struck jujube wood—five inches long, three wide, eight fen thick.

He'd commissioned it in Mount Wudang Mountain, with Daoists from Zixiao Palace selecting fine materials and crafting it on a Ding day, inscribed with four large characters: "Command of Fengdu."

Li Yan explained, "This is the core of the altar. The Yin soldiers within the Five Directions Luo Feng Flags are the altar's guardians. I'll expend one Gang Ling to directly summon the 'White Lord's' soul." "This spirit is brutal and steeped in bloodshed. Master, when the time comes, command the five-altar troops to suppress him. I'll set up the Water and Fire Prison for interrogation, uncover his origins, pronounce his guilt, and cast him straight into the Underworld!" 【80】 You could simply expend a Gang Ling to summon Yin Court troops directly—but the opponent is a Mountain God; he might have ways to evade.

This was the power of the *Luo Feng Kao Zhao Da Fa*.

Simply put, Li Yan's former role as a temporary Yin Officer was like a day laborer—this rite lets him interrogate, convict, report to the Yin Court, and cast souls directly into the Underworld.

You could simply expend a Gang Command to summon Yin Court troops directly—but your opponent is a Mountain God; he might have ways to evade.

With the *Luo Feng Kao Zhao Da Fa*, you lock onto him. As long as he remains within Inside Shennongjia, he cannot escape!

"I understand!"

After hearing this, Wang Wang Daoxuan immediately grasped his duty.

His task was to assist Li Yan's altar ritual.

Li Yan gave further detailed instructions, then took up his ritual implements, grabbed the rope, and climbed out of the cave.

He took out the Luo Pan, located the exact eastern peak, placed the "Fengdu Command" tablet, lit incense and candles in offering, then moved to the northeast and planted the ritual flag.

This was done for a reason.

!.

Luo Feng Mountain lies in the northern Gui position, so the tablet is placed and offered there; the northeast is the Ghost Gate, root of death-qi—this is where Yin troops and generals are dispatched.

Others were also busy.

Lu San returned to the cave, and despite the Jingren's angry glares, plucked some hair from the divine beast "Zou Yu."

He took stones from the cave, carved them simply into shapes of mountain guardian beasts, and stuffed the hair inside.

After performing Wu-Nuo rites, he buried the stones at various spots along the mountainside…

As for Sha Sha Li Fei, he kept mixing gunpowder packs and had the Jingren search the ground for sharp stones.

In the distance, the human-faced owls circled beneath the gloomy sky, watching them intently, waiting for nightfall and the Shenkui tribe's attack…

…………

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, in Baokang County.

The county was built against a mountain, facing a broad river.

Within Baokang County flowed the Nan River, Ju River, and Man River.

The Man River directly connected to the Han River—the very stretch Li Yan had detoured through when traveling to Unlike Yichang.

The Ju River flowed southward, passing through Dangyang County, crossing Captain Guan Ling, and emptying into the Yangtze—its narrow channel unsuitable for boats.

Across the river from Baokang County lay the imperial army camp.

The imperial army of two hundred thousand had already quelled rebellions within Zhushan, Zhuxi, and Fangxian counties, and was advancing from all directions to sweep through the mountains.

This Jing-Xiang peasant uprising used the Tian Sheng Sect merely as a banner; for a thousand years, countless mountain folk had hidden among them, with innumerable small and large strongholds, numbering several million people.

Though two hundred thousand troops seemed substantial, facing such a vast population, they dared not act rashly.

They advanced step by step, combining mercy with force, targeting only the Tian Sheng Sect for brutal suppression, while doing their best to pacify the rest.

These several million Jing-Xiang mountain folk dwelled at the heart of Shenzhou; for millennia they had been a persistent threat, harboring sorcerers and outlaws of the Some Jianghu in peacetime, and rising in rebellion during turbulent eras to storm government offices.

The imperial court now sought to eradicate this millennium-old affliction once and for all, so they were in no hurry, dragging on for months without the emperor pressing them.

The remnants of the Tian Sheng Sect had been driven into Inside Shennongjia, and could not be spared, so another twenty thousand troops were gradually dispatched to garrison Baokang County.

Inside the command tent, Gong Qun had changed back into his official robes.

"That trapped dragon lies among the mountains above Xianglin Gou. The Tian Sheng Sect sorcerers are digging canals to connect with the Ju River…"

He carefully marked the location on the map.

"You've worked hard, Sergeant Gong."

The lead general was a short, sturdy man with a full beard, his eyes faintly radiating tiger-like authority; after nodding in satisfaction, he gestured for Gong Qun to withdraw.

Gong Qun hesitated, then spoke to the side: "Master Master Yulong, Li Li Shaoxia and the others are still trapped in the mountains. Rescue of the Mountain God cannot wait…"

Before he finished, the general snapped coldly: "Your duties as a Commandant officer are reconnaissance. Do not meddle in military affairs!"

"Yes, Your Excellency, I beg your pardon."

Gong Qun dared not speak further and quickly withdrew.

Due to past incidents, relations between imperial civil and military officials and the Commandant Office were not good.

Especially the army, which resented the Commandant Office's interference in military matters—even though they were directly under the emperor's command, for there had once been cases where Commandant agents seized control of military governance and caused great disasters.

This had become an imperial tacit understanding.

Even the emperor would not allow the Commandant Office to overstep its authority.

A dog may bite, but if it becomes a beast of prey, it becomes a major problem.

After Gong Qun left, the general turned to Master Master Yulong and smiled: "I never expected such a 'Zouyu' to exist in these mountains—it is a benevolent beast, an omen of good fortune; people during the Tang and Song dynasties once offered them to the imperial court…"

Master Master Yulong clasped his dust whisk, glancing coolly: "If it is a benevolent beast and a Mountain God, disturbing it brings ill fortune."

"You are right, Master."

The general's face flushed slightly with embarrassment; he quickly changed the subject: "Now that we know the location, I intend to break camp and launch an assault to exterminate these sorcerers outright. What is your opinion?"

Master Master Yulong pondered a moment: "Agreed. General, deploy your troops. When you reach the outskirts of Xianglin Gou, we shall set up the ritual altar to subdue and slay the trapped dragon."

He gazed outside the tent: "For several days now, the heavens have shown the sign of 'Ri Chen'; it is also the season of White Dew, when ghostly rains fall—great thunderstorms are certain. The dragon's ascent is already complete. Delay is dangerous—we must depart immediately."

"Also, beyond Baokang County lies the Man River and the Ju River. To prevent accidents, notify the riverside civilians to evacuate temporarily."

"Agreed! We shall follow your counsel, Master!"

Soon, horns blared, and the entire camp's twenty thousand troops began to assemble…

…………

Unaware, dusk approached.

Li Yan and his companions had worked all day and finally made their preparations.

Beneath the cave, Wang Wang Daoxuan had activated the ritual altar, burning incense and chanting scriptures.

On the mountain peak, Li Yan and the others watched the surroundings.

Soon, the distant sun sank below the horizon; the sky grew dark, starless and moonless, all around plunged into gloom.

Whoosh!

In the southeast, flocks of birds suddenly took flight in panic.

Chirp-chirp-chirp!

Human-faced owls flew and shrieked through the night air, unnaturally excited.

"It's coming!"

Sha Li-fei, tense, gripped his Fire God Spear tightly.

Dozens of li away, within the ancient ancestral ruins, a massive white shadow climbed the mountain peak, waving a tattered black banner as it let out a long, thunderous roar.

"Roar!"

From within the cave, shadowy figures emerged one after another.

These Divine Demons were tall and large, each with only one arm and one leg, yet astonishingly agile; with a powerful bend of their limbs, they leapt down the mountainside.

Roars echoed continuously.

All beasts in the surrounding forests seemed driven mad, charging toward the peak where Li Yan and his group stood.

From within the trees, beneath thickets, and from crevices in rocks, tendrils of black smoke coiled and dispersed, stirring up howling winds of gloom, mingling with the beast herds.

Even with the naked eye, one could see the trees swaying as icy white mist spread rapidly…

(End of Chapter)