Chapter 412: Earth Husband, Yellow Baby

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Sha Lifei quickly waved his hand, "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 am not a member of the Mystic Sect, so how would I recognize these things? Anyway, the nearby villages all call them that."

Wang Daoxuan noticed another thing, "Lingyun Temple, is it the one on Wenfeng Peak of Mount Wushan?"

"Ah, that's right."

Hearing the young waiter's response, Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly and whispered to Li Yan, "I know that place. It is the only Daoist temple of the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao in Mount Wushan, and 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 dragon was suppressed, there were cultivators on Mount Wushan who helped the Ghost Sect and fought against the Zhenwu Palace.

Mount 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 Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao.

Perhaps someone took advantage of the military chaos 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, so 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 and didn't talk nonsense anymore. He packed his things with everyone and left under the worried gaze of the shop waiter.

Soon, they disappeared into the thick fog...

…………

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

In the mountain forest, the outlines of trees were blurred, appearing and disappearing in the fog.

"This fog is indeed a bit strange."

Sha Lifei looked around and couldn't help but whisper, "Logically speaking, even on a cloudy day, the fog should clear when the sun rises. Why is it getting bigger now?"

Li Yan looked at Lu San. Seeing Lu San shake his head slightly, indicating there was nothing unusual, he said, "Everyone be careful. Brother Zhang, how far do we have to go to arrive?"

"Fast Boat Zhang" quickly replied, "Almost there. Once we cross this mountain, we'll be there. There is a Jin Yang Ping there, which is the largest village in the nearby mountains..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Yan suddenly raised his hand, turned his head, and turned around.

"Someone is coming, be careful."

Hearing this, everyone held their weapons and stood on guard.

Soon, rapid footsteps came from the fog. The sound was chaotic, there were many 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. Obviously, the other side 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, we are going to Jin Yang Ping to visit relatives, don't misunderstand."

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

The speaker was tall, with dark skin, wearing coarse blue cloth clothes, a black cloth wrapped around his head, and silver rings hanging from his ears—a typical Tujia outfit.

The image of Li Yan and the others was too conspicuous.

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

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

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

Seeing this, Sha Lifei laughed and stepped forward to get close, "Brother, are you going to sing an opera?"

"Everyone, you're laughing at us. We specialize in singing hall operas. I see you 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 seat and specialized in singing Badong hall operas, also known as "stepping hall operas." They were not martial artists in the martial world but were mixing in the local area.

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

Two days ago, someone went to the county seat and paid a deposit, asking them to come to Jin Yang Ping to sing for a funeral. As a result, there was heavy rain last night, and fearing that it would delay the journey, they rushed into the mountains early in the morning and encountered the thick fog.

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

"Yes, how did you know, Uncle?"

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

"What a coincidence..."

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

Sha Lifei and the other side chatted enthusiastically, while Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at the team calmly.

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

On the donkey cart sat an old man wearing a large red robe, his head wrapped in a black scarf, his face full of wrinkles, and his eyes looking world-weary.

Everyone else was exceptionally respectful to the old man.

There were traces of evil energy on this old man, obviously a member of the Mystic Sect, but his cultivation was average, estimated to be at the first floor.

He should be a local shaman.

Li Yan detected more.

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

This opera troupe was not that simple...

…………

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

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

This Jin Yang Ping was a huge flat land on the mountain. The layout was like a winnowing basket, facing south, with the village in the center and terraced fields all around.

On the road into the village, there were walls made of earth and stone with raw wood rows, and there were sentry towers above, with villagers holding bows and arrows on guard.

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

Obviously, this village had also been visited by chaotic soldiers, but it had held its ground.

Everyone was blocked outside. After the villagers sent a message and waited for a long time, the gate of the stronghold slowly opened.

A young man led several men and strode out.

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

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

"Where is your father?"

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

…………

"Jin Yang Ping" 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 for feng shui and suitable for living, so even though they are far from the county seat and deep in the mountains, there are many people.

Tujia and Han customs merged, forming special buildings here, similar to stilt houses, with livestock on the first floor and people on the second, but most of them are earth, stone, brick, and tile buildings.

But the Zhang family was somewhat different. It was still a three-entry courtyard, mainly made of brick and stone, with old wood as beams. Although it couldn't compare to the wealthy families in Xiangyang and Wuchang, it was second to none in Jin Yang Ping.

The only strange thing was that there were very few servants in the large mansion, making it appear empty and cold. 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, named Zhang Sibei, arranged for everyone to stay and then said sadly, "First it was my younger brother, then the housekeeper in the family, and last night it was my father..."

"In 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 stood with his hands behind his back, casually examining the surrounding buildings, and asked with a slight frown, "How can you be sure that it was harmed by something?"

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 deep voice, "This is an expert I invited with great difficulty. Even the imperial court asks him to look at things."

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

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

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

Inside, the coffin had not yet been sealed. An old man was lying inside, wearing burial clothes. He was somewhat short and fat, and his facial features were somewhat similar to "Fast Boat Zhang."

"Second brother..."

!.

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

It looked like there was nothing unusual, but when 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, similar to that of a three-year-old child.

A trace of fear also flashed in Zhang Sibei's eyes, and he said tremblingly, "Three people, all had this handprint after death. They passed away as soon as they woke up."

"The villagers all say that my father provoked the ghosts and gods in the mountains, and they came to hook souls at night..."

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

Wang Daoxuan also shook his head slightly and whispered, "This is the first time I've seen this, I didn't see any strange energy."

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

Suddenly, an old voice sounded from behind.

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

He wasn't angry either. He cupped his hands and smiled, "Greetings, Senior. We have just arrived in this precious land and don't know the local customs, so please give us some advice."

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 well, and they won't recognize all evil spirits.

The old man didn't answer directly but made a gesture and said sternly, "Badong Xie troupe, 'Earth Teacher' Xie Chengzu, greets several experts."

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

"Don't dare."

Li Yan also cupped his hands, "Guanzhong, Li Yan, wandering immortal."

The so-called wandering immortal is a cultivator who wanders around, practicing while helping people look at things and slaying demons and eliminating evil.

Zhang Sanfeng and Lu Dongbin were both wandering immortals.

Although the old man Xie Chengzu was a local shaman, he also knew that none of those who could be wandering immortals were easy to deal with, so his eyes became cautious.

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

"Around Mount Wushan, precious herbs in the forest are easily refined into spirits. Badong has a medicinal material 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, does not move when there is wind, and sways when there is no wind, hence the name. It can dispel wind, overcome dampness, disperse cold, and relieve pain."

"But once this thing becomes a spirit, it's extraordinary."

"They have spirituality. If they are picked by someone, they will develop resentment, enter with the wind in the middle of the night, 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 person who wakes up says they were led away by a yellow-clothed child in the middle of the night."

"That is the 'Yellow Baby.' It is said that after they practice and become spirits, they will become the attendants of the Wushan Goddess."

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

"I see."

Li Yan suddenly realized and felt it was incredible.

He didn't expect this Duhuo to become a spirit and have such a strong desire for revenge.

Zhang Sibei, who was on the side, was full of excitement. He quickly 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 felt somewhat surprised. Seeing Li Yan's confusion, he quickly explained in a low voice, "The Tujia people have Nuo hall operas, which can also divine good and bad luck and help people look at things. Their status is very respected."

"Every Nuo hall opera troupe has a master of the altar, and the people of Badong call him 'Earth Teacher'."

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

Seeing 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 difficult to handle."

"I can sing a Nuo hall opera to help you say some good words to that 'Yellow Baby,' but I'm afraid it won't be easy to handle."

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

"How can it be so troublesome?"

Sha Lifei said speechlessly, "Demons and monsters, daring to enter the village to harm people, just destroy them directly, why ask for mercy?"

After hearing this, Xie Chengzu flashed a trace of anger in his eyes, but knowing that Li Yan and the others were not easy to provoke, he patiently said, "Everything in heaven and earth has a spirit. If you don't know how to respect, you will eventually suffer retribution."

"Moreover, there is more than one 'spirit demon' in these mountains. It is said that they are all attendants under the Wushan Goddess. Have you noticed even a trace of evil energy?"

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

"You all have the ability to handle it yourselves. I'm leaving now, so as not to get into trouble."

Sha Lifei 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 things and bad things casually.

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

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

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

Zhang Sibei, however, was like grabbing a straw for his life. He nodded quickly, "The old master is right. My father understands some treasure-hunting methods. After going into the mountains that day, he 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 somewhat strange.

It was neither human-shaped nor animal-shaped.

Instead, it looked like a golden coffin.

"Hiss——!"

Seeing this, the old man Xie Chengzu gasped, his forehead sweating as he retreated repeatedly. He waved his hand and said, "Can't handle it, this matter can't be handled. I'll compensate you for the deposit, I'm leaving now!"

After saying that, he actually turned around and called the opera troupe to leave, looking like he was ready to run away.

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

Sha Lifei rolled his eyes and quickly stopped the old man, smiling, "Senior, you're being vague, you have to explain what's going on."

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

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

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