Chapter 412: Earth Husband, Yellow Baby

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Sha Sha Li Fei hurriedly waved his hand, "Old Brother Zhang, you've been talking for a long time, what exactly is this 'Guest in the Fog'?"

"This..."

"Fast Boat Zhang" said helplessly, "I'm not a member of the Mystic Sect, so how would I know? Anyway, that's what all the nearby villages call it."

Wang Wang Daoxuan noticed another thing, "Lingyunguan, is it the one on Wenfeng Peak in Wushan?"

"Ah, that's right."

Hearing the young waiter's response, Wang Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly and said to Li Yan in a low voice, "I know that place. It's the only Daoist temple of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect in Wushan, and Master Master Sanfeng once stayed there to practice."

Although he didn't say it explicitly, Li Yan knew what he meant.

They hadn't forgotten that when the flood dragon was suppressed, there were cultivators on Wushan who helped the Ghost Sect and fought against Zhenwu Palace.

Wushan was also a blessed land, but it was a gathering place for cultivators from all walks of life and was not under the control of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.

It was possible that someone had taken advantage of the chaos of war to destroy the temple.

Li Yan was thoughtful, then shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, just be careful. It's cloudy today, and there might be night rain again. We don't have time to waste here."

Their job was to suppress demons and eliminate evil, so naturally, they weren't afraid of any "Guest in the Fog."

"Fast Boat Zhang" understood this clearly, so he didn't talk nonsense anymore. He packed up with everyone and left under the worried gaze of the shop waiter.

Soon, they disappeared into the thick fog...

…………

Thick fog filled the air, blocking the sky and the sun.

Between the mountain forests, the outlines of trees were blurred, appearing and disappearing in the fog.

"This fog is indeed a bit strange."

Sha Sha Li Fei looked left and right, and couldn't help but say in a low voice, "Logically speaking, even on a cloudy day, the fog should disperse when the sun rises. Why is it getting thicker now?"

Li Yan looked at Lu San. Seeing Lu San shake his head slightly, indicating there was nothing unusual, he said, "Everyone be careful. Old Brother Zhang, how much further until we arrive?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" hurriedly replied, "Almost there. Once we cross this mountain, we'll be there. There's a Jinyangping there, which is the largest village in the nearby mountains..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Yan suddenly raised his hand, turned around, and spun his body.

"Someone is coming, be careful."

Hearing this, everyone pressed their hands on their weapons and stood on guard.

Soon, hurried footsteps came from the fog, the sound was chaotic, there were quite a few people, and there was even the neighing of mules and horses and the creaking of wooden carts.

"Who is it?!"

The sound of weapons clashing rang out. Clearly, the other side had also discovered them, but they were a hundred meters apart, and neither side could see the other's appearance clearly.

"Fast Boat Zhang" cupped his hands and said loudly, "Travelers in the mountains, going to Jinyangping to visit relatives, don't misunderstand."

The other side didn't answer, but one person walked out. Until he passed through the thick fog and saw their figures, he cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, we are also going to Jinyangping, let's just travel together."

The person who spoke was tall, with dark skin, dressed in coarse blue cloth, his head wrapped in black cloth, and silver rings hanging from his ears—a typical Tujia attire.

Li Yan and the others' images were too conspicuous.

Although this man was vigilant, he didn't say anything.

Not long after, the team behind followed. There were men, women, old, and young, with several large boxes on donkey carts, and some people carrying suona and other musical instruments. At a glance, it was a theater troupe.

This was the first time Li Yan had seen a Tujia theater troupe.

Seeing this, Sha Sha Li Fei laughed and stepped forward to strike up a conversation, "Brother, are you going to perform a play?"

"You all laugh at us. We specialize in performing Tang plays. Seeing that you also have drums in your luggage, did you also take a job?"

"No, that's just for fun..."

Soon, their background was figured out by him.

This group of people came from Badong County town and specialized in performing Badong Tang plays, also known as "Treading Hall Plays." They were not martial world artists but were mingling in the local area.

At the furthest, they had only been to Zigui, Wushan, and other places.

Two days ago, someone went to the county town to pay a deposit, asking them to come to Jinyangping to perform a play for a funeral. As a result, there was heavy rain last night, and fearing that they would delay the schedule, they rushed up the mountain early this morning and encountered the thick fog.

"Fast Boat Zhang" had a solemn expression and asked, "The family you are going to, is their surname Zhang?"

"Yes, how did you know, Old Uncle?"

"To tell you the truth, the master of that family is my brother."

"That's quite a coincidence..."

After testing each other, they finally let go of their vigilance completely.

Sha Sha Li Fei and the others chatted enthusiastically, while Li Yan and Wang Wang Daoxuan looked at the team calmly.

The person talking to them was not the one in charge.

Sitting on the donkey cart was an old man wearing a large red robe, his head wrapped in a black scarf, his face full of wrinkles, and his eyes full of the vicissitudes of life.

Everyone else was extremely respectful to the old man.

This old man had traces of evil energy on him, obviously a person of the Mystic Sect, but his cultivation was average, estimated to be at the first layer.

He should be a local divine shaman.

Li Yan detected more.

He could smell that one of the boxes was filled with densely packed firewood knives, all of which had a sharp aura and were covered in evil energy.

This theater troupe was not that simple...

…………

Perhaps because there were many people, no accidents happened along the way. An hour later, they finally arrived at Jinyangping.

After passing through the dense forest, the mountain wind came from the south, and the thick fog was blown away, revealing the scenery of the entire village.

This Jinyangping was a huge flat land on the mountain, with a layout similar to a winnowing basket, facing south, with the village in the center and terraced fields all around.

On the road into the village, there was a perimeter wall made of earth and stone with raw wood in rows, and there were watchtowers above, with villagers holding bows and arrows on guard.

On the perimeter wall, there were traces of sword slashes and fire burns.

Clearly, this village had also been visited by chaotic soldiers, but it had held out.

The group was blocked outside. After the villagers sent a message and waited for a long time, the village gate slowly opened.

A young man led several men and strode out.

Seeing "Fast Boat Zhang," his eyes were excited, and he hurriedly ran over, his voice trembling, "Uncle, you finally came."

"Fast Boat Zhang" felt a bad premonition in his heart.

"Where is your father?"

"My father, sob sob~ he just passed away last night..."

…………

"Jinyangping" got its name, firstly because of its location, which is a flat land on a high mountain, and secondly because it faces south, without the obstruction of mountain forests, and has sufficient sunshine.

Places like this are all good in terms of wind and water, suitable for living, so even though they are far from the county town and deep in the mountains, there are quite a few common people.

The customs of Tujia and Han people merged, and special buildings were also formed here, similar to stilt houses, with livestock kept on the first floor and people living on the second, but most of them were earth, stone, brick, and tile buildings.

But the Zhang family was a bit different. It was still a three-entrance quadrangle courtyard, mainly made of brick and stone, with old wood as beams. Although it couldn't compare to the wealthy families in Xiangyang and Near Wuchang, it was second to none in Jinyangping.

The only strange thing was that there were very few servants in the large mansion, making it appear empty and desolate. Coupled with the mourning hall set up in the courtyard, the atmosphere was even more gloomy.

"Many servants were scared away."

"Fast Boat Zhang's" nephew, Zhang Zhang Sibei, arranged for everyone to stay, then said sadly, "First it was my younger brother, then the family steward, and last night it was my father..."

"In such a short time, three people have died. Not to mention the servants, even the fellow villagers in the village now avoid my house." Li Yan carried his hands behind his back, casually examining the surrounding buildings, and asked with a slight frown, "How are you sure that it was harmed by something?"

Zhang Zhang Sibei hesitated and looked at "Fast Boat Zhang."

No other reason, Li Yan was really too young.

"Tell the truth!"

"Fast Boat Zhang" said in a low voice, "This is an expert I managed to invite with great difficulty. Even the imperial court asks him to look at things."

Although Zhang Zhang Sibei didn't quite believe it, he still replied, "These days, there have been no strange sounds at night, and I even led people to guard at night, but I didn't see anything."

"As for the reason, you will know at a glance..."

After saying that, he led the group to the mourning hall.

Inside, the coffin had not yet been sealed, and an old man was lying inside, wearing a burial suit. He was a bit short and fat, and his features were somewhat similar to "Fast Boat Zhang's."

"Second brother..."

!.

"Fast Boat Zhang's" voice trembled, and tears flowed down his wrinkles.

It looked like there was nothing unusual, but when Zhang Zhang Sibei endured his grief and lifted the sleeve of his left hand, Li Yan and the others frowned immediately.

On his left wrist, there was a small handprint, black as ink, like that of a three-year-old child, and also like a monkey's claw.

A flash of fear also crossed Zhang Zhang Sibei's eyes, and he said tremblingly, "Three people died, and all of them had this handprint after death. They woke up and passed away."

"The common people in the village all say that my father provoked the ghosts and gods in the mountains, and they entered the house at night to hook souls..."

Li Yan pinched a magic formula and took a deep breath, but couldn't smell any Yin evil energy. He was a bit puzzled and looked at Wang Wang Daoxuan.

Wang Wang Daoxuan also shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, "I'm also seeing this for the first time, I didn't see any strange energy."

"This was done by the 'Yellow Baby'."

Suddenly, an old voice rang out from behind.

Li Yan had long known who it was. He turned his head and saw it was the old man from the theater troupe.

He wasn't angry either. He cupped his hands and smiled, "Greetings, Senior. We are new to this precious land and don't know the local customs. Please give us some guidance."

It was normal not to see what was causing the trouble.

The Divine Land is vast, and customs vary from place to place. Sometimes the evil spirits that appear are also unique to the local area.

Just like treasure hunters, once they leave their home territory, they often can't play their tricks, and they won't recognize all evil spirits.

The old man didn't answer directly but made a gesture and said sternly, "Badong Xie Family Troupe, 'Earth Teacher' Xie Chengzhu, greets several high-level experts."

Clearly, the old man also saw that Li Yan and the others were extraordinary.

"Don't dare."

Li Yan also cupped his hands and said, "Guanzhong, Li Yan, Wandering Immortal."

The so-called Wandering Immortal is a cultivator who wanders in all directions, practicing while helping people look at things, and suppressing demons and eliminating evil.

Zhang Master Sanfeng and Lu Lu Dongbin were both Wandering Immortals.

Although Xie Chengzhu was a local shaman, he also knew that none of those who could be Wandering Immortals were easy to deal with, and his eyes became cautious.

"Don't dare, it's just that this thing is rarely seen outside."

"Around Wushan, mountain treasures are easily refined into spirits. Badong has a medicinal herb called 'Duhuo' (Angelica pubescens), which has extraordinary effects and has always been the first choice for pharmacies everywhere. Every year, a large number of mountain travelers enter the mountains to pick it."

"This Duhuo blooms yellow flowers in summer, grows a single stem, doesn't move when there is wind, and sways when there is no wind, hence the name. It can dispel wind, overcome dampness, and disperse cold to relieve pain."

"But once this thing is refined into a spirit, it's incredible."

"They have spirituality. If they are picked, they will develop resentment, enter with the wind at midnight, and hook the soul into the mountains."

"As long as the soul is summoned back within three days of passing away, the person can live. My master said that the people who wake up say they were led away by a yellow-clothed child at midnight."

"That is the 'Yellow Baby.' Legend has it that after they are refined into spirits, they will turn into attendants of the Wushan Goddess."

"You picked the herb, which is destroying their cultivation. It's a life-and-death hatred, they will definitely take revenge!"

"I see."

Li Yan suddenly realized, feeling it was incredible.

He didn't expect that a Duhuo spirit would have such a strong desire for revenge.

Zhang Zhang Sibei, who was on the side, was full of excitement. He hurriedly stepped forward and knelt on the ground, trembling, "So you are the 'Earth Teacher.' I have eyes but didn't recognize Mount Tai. Please save my father's life."

Earth Teacher?

This name is strange enough.

"Fast Boat Zhang" also explained in a low voice, seeing Li Yan's confusion, "The Tujia people have Nuo Hall plays, which can also divine good and bad luck and help people look at things, and their status is very respected."

"Every Nuo Hall theater troupe has a master of the altar, whom the people of Badong call 'Earth Teacher'."

After hearing this, the "Earth Teacher" Xie Chengzhu hesitated.

Seeing Zhang Zhang Sibei begging bitterly, he finally sighed, shook his head, and said, "It's not that I don't want to take action, but this matter is really hard to handle."

"I can perform a Nuo Hall play to help you say some good words to that 'Yellow Baby,' but I'm afraid it's hard to handle."

"Unless you can send the herb back and replant it, and guarantee it can live, then there will be a chance."

"Why is it so troublesome?"

Sha Sha Li Fei said speechlessly, "Monsters and ghosts, daring to enter the village to harm people, just destroy them directly, why ask for mercy?"

Xie Chengzhu heard this, and a flash of anger crossed his eyes, but knowing that Li Yan and the others were not easy to provoke, he still said patiently, "Everything in the world has a spirit. If you don't know how to respect, you will eventually suffer retribution."

"Besides, there is more than one 'spirit monster' in these mountains. Legend has it that they are all attendants under the Wushan Goddess. Have you noticed even a trace of Yin energy?"

"If you take action, that would be causing a great disaster."

"You all have the ability to handle it yourselves. I'm leaving, lest I get burned."

Sha Sha Li Fei immediately smiled and said, "Senior, don't be angry. I don't understand either. I didn't expect them to have such a big background."

His skin was thick, and he could say good words or bad words at will.

As for Li Yan and Wang Wang Daoxuan, they didn't say much.

They were used to all kinds of tricks in the martial world.

Perhaps this old man was casting a spell to harm people and coming to the door to cheat for treasure. They were not in a hurry for now, and would wait until they saw the situation clearly before deciding.

Zhang Zhang Sibei, however, seemed to have grabbed a straw to save his life. He nodded hurriedly, "The master is right. My father knows some treasure-hunting methods. After he went up the mountain that day and dug up a large Duhuo, I didn't expect this thing to be the cause of the trouble. I'll go get it."

After saying that, he hurried back to the back house and soon brought out a wooden box. Inside was a Duhuo, wrapped in tree bark and tied with a red rope. The root was huge and golden yellow.

Only the shape was a bit strange.

It was neither human-shaped nor animal-shaped.

Instead, it looked like a golden coffin.

"Hiss——!"

When Xie Chengzhu saw this, he gasped, his forehead sweating as he retreated repeatedly, waving his hand, "Can't handle it, this matter can't be handled. I'll pay you the deposit, I'm leaving!"

After saying that, he actually turned around and called his theater troupe members, looking like he was ready to run away.

Zhang Zhang Sibei was stunned, and a chill rose in his heart.

Sha Sha Li Fei rolled his eyes and hurriedly stopped the old man, smiling, "Senior, you're talking without a beginning or an end, you have to explain what's going on."

Xie Chengzhu looked at the Duhuo and, as if he had seen a ghost, gritted his teeth and said, "This is a divine coffin, the coffin of a mountain god."

"You all, prepare for the funeral early..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 413 =====