Chapter 411: Night Rain in Bashan

The night was like ink, and the mountain forest was tightly wrapped in a thick layer of rain and mist.

Dark and damp, the fine rain was like silk, piercing through clothing and carrying a bone-chilling cold that reached straight to the heart.

The mountain path was muddy and impassable, and everything around was silent. The fine rain pattered against the fallen leaves, rustling, which unexpectedly carried a sense of emptiness and remoteness.

Amidst the rain and mist, a few lanterns swayed.

The light from the lanterns was dim, as if it were about to be swallowed by this damp, cold, and gloomy darkness.

A group of travelers walked through the mountains, their physiques all different. They were all wearing straw capes and bamboo hats, their black shadows surging like night ghosts in the rain.

Li Yan flicked his finger slightly, and the rainwater on his bamboo hat scattered.

He took out his pocket watch and examined it by the candlelight; it was already 2:30 AM, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.

Beside him, Sha Sha Li Fei was even more dissatisfied, saying, "Old Brother Zhang, you can't play like this. Just how much further is it?"

Beside them was none other than "Fast Boat Zhang."

This old man also had an embarrassed look on his face; he hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't expect that the village at the foot of the mountain had already been destroyed by the flames of war."

"I remember there's an inn two miles ahead. The boss is a Tujia person, a hero of note in the Badong area. Other places might be chaotic, but his place is definitely safe!"

As he spoke, he was already feeling a bit uneasy.

He had been carrying Li Yan and the others on his boat, traveling down the Han River from Yunyang, and then following the Yangtze River through Zigui County.

Originally, they were to continue forward, straight to Fengdou County.

However, halfway there, one of his disciples, a fast boatman, sent a message saying that something strange had happened at his brother's home in Badong, as if an evil spirit was at work, and two people had already died.

He couldn't sit idly by while his only brother was calling for help, and since Li Yan and the others happened to be on the boat, "Fast Boat Zhang" asked them to help.

Badong County was near Zigui, east of the ancient Ba Commandery, and it also bordered the territories governed by several Tusi cities.

Although the flames of war had subsided and the Tusi cities had surrendered, and the imperial army had continued to march south, the scars of war remained.

Unlike Yunyang, Badong was a small county with a sparse population, and the villages of Han and Tujia people were scattered throughout the mountains.

Ravaged by chaotic soldiers, some villages had already been razed to the ground.

They hadn't stayed in Badong County town and had intended to enter the mountains to find a place to stay, but the village in "Fast Boat Zhang's" memory had already become ruins, so they had no choice but to continue their journey.

Unexpectedly, it started raining as soon as night fell.

Seeing "Fast Boat Zhang's" unease, Li Yan smiled and comforted him, "It's alright, Old Brother Zhang. It's just a night journey; we're used to it."

Sha Sha Li Fei also laughed, "I have no filter when I speak, Old Brother, don't take offense. Rest assured, we'll take care of your brother's business!"

"Thank you all."

"Fast Boat Zhang" cupped his hands, his eyes full of gratitude.

Although they were all fellow travelers in the martial world and helping each other was perfectly normal, this group before him was no longer what they used to be.

Not to mention, Wang Wang Daoxuan had even taught him some methods to avoid disaster.

To have such an attitude clearly showed they were giving him a lot of face.

Li Yan stretched his leg and shook it, the thick mud on his boots flying off, and he interjected, "Since we're idle anyway, Old Brother, why don't you tell us about your brother's situation?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "Young Hero Li, didn't the Daoist say: don't talk about dreams in the morning, don't talk about killing at noon, and don't talk about ghosts and gods at night."

"We're entering the mountains for a night journey right now, if something happens..."

"Rest assured, Old Brother Zhang."

Sha Sha Li Fei lifted his bamboo hat, rubbed his bald head, and chuckled, "That applies to ordinary people. With us around, there are no taboos!"

"Fast Boat Zhang" thought that was true, so he began to speak: "Sigh~ My name is Zhang Zhang Shuisheng, and my brother is called Zhang Zhang Linsheng. We asked an old gentleman in the village to name us."

"Perhaps there's something special about this name. I make my living on the water, but my brother is a landlubber who learned some methods for treasure hunting in the mountains..."

"Oh, Old Brother Zhang, you've hidden it well."

Sha Sha Li Fei laughed, "So you have a brother in the Mystic Sect; why did you need to ask us about the taboos of sailing?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Brother Sha, you're joking. My brother isn't a cultivator; he just learned some mountain-traveling methods from others to find mountain treasures and herbs."

"He was originally a member of the Gelao Society, but later he crippled a leg and married a Tujia woman, so he simply retired from the martial world. Relying on his skills, he gradually made a fortune in the village and could be considered a landlord."

"The previous letter didn't make it clear, but it seems he went into the mountains to hunt for treasure and didn't know what followed him home..."

"I see."

Li Yan was thoughtful, then looked toward the southwest, turned his head, and said in a low voice, "San'er, that's the Wushan territory over there. Stay alert. If you discover anything, tell us early."

"Mm." Lu San nodded sullenly.

This was one of the reasons Li Yan had agreed to enter the mountains.

According to Gu Yu Linzi, there were still hidden cultivators of the Chu Wu lineage in Wushan, living in seclusion and rarely seeing outsiders.

Perhaps this could help Lu San obtain more inheritance.

There were quite a few experts hidden in Wushan. When the flood dragon was subdued in Baokang County, there were people secretly helping the Ghost Sect and fighting against Master Master Yulong.

Originally, Li Yan hadn't planned to enter the mountains for the time being, but since they were here, he would simply explore the outskirts. Perhaps he could find some clues...

As they spoke, they had already traveled two miles.

"Fast Boat Zhang" was indeed correct. After turning a corner on the mountain path, an inn gradually revealed itself in the rain curtain.

This inn was a stilt house built against the mountain. It was quite large, with three floors. In the sorrowful wind and rain, a few dim yellow lanterns swayed outside.

Seeing the light, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Wang Daoxuan, however, was a bit surprised. He took out his compass and looked around, nodding, "Interesting. This stilt house is in the shape of a sitting tiger, with a Green Dragon on the left and a White Tiger on the right, and a Black Tortoise as a backing... It's a pity there's no water in front."

"Daoist, you have a sharp eye."

"Fast Boat Zhang" hurriedly said, "The owner here is named Peng Peng Laohai. His ancestors were famous Feng Shui masters in the area. Originally, there really was a small stream in front..."

As they spoke, they had already approached the inn.

They saw that this inn was built purely of wood. After the passage of time, it looked mottled and carried a faint smell of mold and rot. Raindrops dripped along the dilapidated eaves, making a ticking sound as they hit the bluestone ground.

The first floor of the stilt house was uninhabited and kept livestock like chickens, ducks, and pigs, and there were also two dogs that barked loudly in the dark night.

"Stop!"

Before they even got close, a voice rang out from the second floor of the inn.

They saw a person hiding behind a wooden pillar, holding a bow and arrow, looking sideways and saying coldly, "The wind is strong and the rain is heavy. Where are the guests from?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying, "It's Old Brother Peng's disciples, don't misunderstand. I am 'Fast Boat Zhang', I've been here a few times before."

"So it's Senior Zhang."

That person breathed a sigh of relief, put down the bow and arrow, and lit a lantern, revealing his appearance. He was a young man in his late teens, dressed in a blue robe.

"Senior Zhang, please come up."

The young man was very polite, but he didn't come downstairs to welcome them.

He remained calm and kept looking at the shrine beside the mountain path. Seeing that the bell hanging from the red rope hadn't rung, he finally felt completely relieved.

Li Yan naturally saw this little action.

He didn't care. To have the courage to open an inn in these deep mountains and old forests, one must not only guard against people but also have methods to guard against other things.

Since they were acquaintances and not ghosts, the young man immediately became much more polite. He carried the lantern downstairs to help everyone move their luggage.

"No need, we can manage."

Sha Sha Li Fei smiled and blocked him with his hand.

The young man was also sensible, so he led the way with the lantern, the wooden stairs creaking as they stepped on them, while he asked, "Senior Zhang, why did you come up the mountain in the middle of the night?" "Don't mention it."

"Fast Boat Zhang" said with a look of bad luck, "We originally intended to spend the night at Yangjiazhai, but I didn't expect the village to be destroyed, so we had to travel up the mountain overnight."

The young man sighed, "There was chaos from soldiers a while ago, and the people from the Tusi city were stationed here. Because Yangjiazhai was a Han village, it was directly destroyed."

"Sigh~ They were all fellow villagers, how could they bear to do it..."

Entering the second floor, the same moldy smell rushed toward them.

The young man lit a candle, and a large hall appeared before their eyes. It should have been the place where guests ate and chatted on weekdays. The wooden tables and chairs were old but neatly arranged.

In the middle, there was a stove for warmth, and an old woman with a withered face was crouching beside it, holding a firewood knife in her hand, her face full of vigilance.

"Granny Tian, it's fine, they are people."

The young man hurriedly said, "They are friends of Master. First, prepare some food and wine to warm them up."

"Ah, ah..."

!.

The old woman was actually a mute. After gesturing, she hurriedly drilled into the back kitchen to get busy.

Li Yan and the others left their straw capes and bamboo hats outside, and under the arrangement of the waiter, moved their luggage to the large dormitory room.

The waiter raked the charcoal fire, and everyone sat around the fire. The cold brought by the night journey in the rain was gradually dispelled.

The old woman was nimble. Soon, she brought a large clay pot and hung it over the stove fire. Inside, there were cured pig trotters, dried potatoes, and dried green beans stewing together, and a lot of soybeans were also added.

"Fast Boat Zhang" picked up a sesame seed cake from the basket and baked it on the fire, laughing, "In this mountain inn, these are all prepared in advance. Old Brother Peng's family's specialty is mutton noodles, but we can only satisfy our cravings tomorrow."

And the waiter also brought a jar of black sandalwood rice wine. Everyone inserted tubes and took turns drinking a few sips, and their bodies finally warmed up.

In the middle of the night, they didn't have much appetite, so they ate some things randomly to pad their stomachs, and the rest was eaten clean by Wu Ba.

"Fast Boat Zhang" then asked, "Where is Old Brother Peng? Has he not been in the shop these days?"

The young man replied, "There was a war a few days ago, and there were no peddlers or mountain travelers, so there was no business in the shop. Plus, my two senior brothers died, so Master went to help them handle the funeral."

"Fast Boat Zhang" frowned, "Went to be a soldier?"

The young man shook his head, "They went to be soldiers, but not here. They ran to the seaside to fight the Japanese pirates. Their bodies were just sent back two days ago."

As he spoke, a flash of sadness crossed his eyes.

"So they were Tujia elite soldiers."

Li Yan's expression became solemn, his face full of respect.

Tujia martial arts had a long history, originating from the "Maogusi," and they were good at using white-pole spears and barbarian swords and shields.

They were very good at dealing with Japanese pirates.

The commander of the coastal army even wrote from above: In close-quarters combat, the Japanese pirates are very skilled. The only ones who can control them at close range are the elite soldiers of the Huguang army with their sickle-hook spears and crossbow skills, and the elite soldiers of the Yongbao and Xuanfu divisions must be mobilized.

Some things are not purely black and white. There are rebellious Tusi here, but there are also Tujia elite soldiers fighting against the Japanese pirates in the south...

The night was deep, and everyone was in no mood to chat. After eating a little to pad their stomachs, they returned to their respective rooms.

Li Yan sat in meditation on the bed.

Outside the window, the night rain was endless, and the raindrops tapped against the dilapidated window lattice, making this deep mountain inn appear even more lonely.

After finishing his practice, Li Yan lay on the bed, took out the dragon-patterned jade tablet from his bosom to examine it, his eyes thoughtful.

He had decided on three main things for this trip to Bashu.

First was to attend the gathering of living Yin messengers, which was in Fengdou.

Nowadays, there are very few people who practice the "Luo Feng Jing." It is rumored that among the living Yin messengers, there is an old senior with the Daoist name Yin Zhao Changsheng, who practiced the "Luo Feng Jing" to an extremely high realm and ascended to divinity in Fengdou.

The gathering of living Yin messengers is at the end of the year in the twelfth lunar month, and there is still some time left, so he can first inquire about Yin Zhao Changsheng's affairs...

Second was Long Yan's commission.

There was a problem with the seal of the Jiang Shen Da Jun. Judging from the reaction of the dragon-patterned cloud tablet, the loosening of the dragon-suppressing pile inside Shennong Peak was not the main reason.

To figure out what was going on, a trip to Dujiangyan was indispensable.

Third was to go to Mount Qingcheng to refine magic artifacts.

Fortunately, they had earned quite a bit during this period, so they weren't in a hurry to take on tasks and could take it one step at a time...

…………

"You ask when I will return, but there is no set date; the night rain in Bashan swells the autumn pool."

"When shall we trim the candles by the western window together, and talk about the night rain in Bashan?"

This poem "Night Rain Sent North" by Li Shangyin talks about the night rain in Bashan, which falls at night and stops during the day.

Although what the poem talks about is Mount Jinyun in Outside Chengdu, not the Bashan foothills, the pattern is almost exactly the same.

The next day, just as the sky brightened, the night rain had already stopped.

Li Yan pushed open the window and looked out, only to see the mountains shrouded in thick fog, the trees vague and indistinct, and he couldn't see anything clearly beyond a hundred meters.

Then he smelled the fragrance of mutton.

The scent was rich, and Li Yan couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

After pushing the door and going out, he found that Wu Ba and Lu San and the others were already up, crouching beside the stove fire, holding large bowls and eating happily.

"You didn't call me for such good stuff."

Li Yan smiled and hurriedly ran into the kitchen.

He saw that in the kitchen, a large pot was stewing mutton, the white soup rolling with tender meat, and the fragrance almost knocked him over.

Beside it, there was a small pot with red oil. The mute granny was busy on the chopping board, the rolling pin and large firewood knife dancing, and the alkaline noodles of uniform thickness were quickly taking shape.

After boiling the noodles, they were braised in mutton soup with red oil, topped with meat sauce, and sprinkled with a handful of emerald green coriander. It was simply a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

"Truly good craftsmanship!"

Li Yan praised and hurriedly took the bowl.

Crouching at the door, he ate two large bowls in a row, and only then was he satisfied.

"Fast Boat Zhang" said proudly, "Everyone, Old Zhang didn't lie to you, right? Every time I come to Badong, I think of these mutton noodles, and I had them prepare them early in the morning."

"Little Brother, thank you very much."

Sha Sha Li Fei ate until his face was glowing red, and wiped his mouth.

"It's what should be done, it's what should be done."

The young man smiled and nodded, then looked outside the door, his expression becoming a bit solemn, "Guests, why don't you wait until the fog clears before leaving?"

Li Yan and the others were wondering, but "Fast Boat Zhang's" eyelids trembled slightly, "That thing has appeared again? Wasn't it subdued by the Daoist from Lingyunguan?"

The young man had a bitter look on his face, "Lingyunguan was bombed by artillery during the war a while ago, and then this thing appeared again."

Li Yan frowned and asked, "Old Brother Zhang, what are you talking about?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" looked outside the door and said in a low voice:

"Whenever there is heavy fog on the mountains of Badong, a kind of thing appears, known as the 'Guest in the Fog,' which often hooks people away."

"Some say they are the resentful souls of the Ba people from back then."

"Others say they are lost people who died in a foreign land..."

Second update in the afternoon

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 412 =====