Chapter 420

"I will follow the senior's wishes."

Li Yan let out a sigh of relief and put away the phoenix gold ornament.

Clearly, the woman hidden in the mist was the one in charge.

As long as she agreed to meet, everything else would be easy to discuss.

The woman from the Miao border also held two young girls, leaped onto the iron chain, and then turned back with a smile.

"My name is Long Yan'er, and I come from the Gu Sect."

Having said that, she picked up the two young girls and flew away along the iron chain...

Not long after, those women vanished without a trace.

Watching their retreating figures, Sha Lifei frowned deeply and whispered, "We aren't looking for the Siming Society, so why is the Gu Sect here too?"

"Tan Yuner, whom we killed at Xianshan back then, was also from the Gu Sect, right? Brother Yan, have we walked into a thief's den?"

"No rush, we'll see how things go when the time comes."

Clang!

With that, a flash of blade light appeared, and the iron chain as thick as a bowl snapped instantly, falling into the river with a splash and sending up a huge spray of water.

Li Yan sheathed his blade, "Let's go, to Dachang!"

…………

The painted boat continued its journey.

"Fast-Boat Zhang" had already given a rough overview of the waterway.

They had departed from Danning Lake in Wushan County and would pass through Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge, and Dicui Gorge in sequence, finally entering Dachang Lake.

Dachang City was located right on the lakefront wharf.

Although they had known this for a long time, the scenery along the way was still breathtaking.

The sheer cliffs of Longmen Gorge faced each other, the high gorge constricting the river, leaving only a sliver of sky above.

The Salt Gang's choice to set an ambush here was well-calculated; it was like closing a gate to set a trap, leaving no way out for anyone passing through.

After passing through Longmen Gorge, the current immediately became turbulent, with reefs and undercurrents densely packed below, and they could even see the wreckage of shattered ships along the way.

"This place is called 'Silver Nest Shoal'."

"Fast-Boat Zhang" introduced, "Legend has it that there is a dragon cave here that gushes out silver every year, but one can only take three liters. Because the commoners were greedy, the dragon cave closed completely."

"I don't know if there's a dragon cave, but there are certainly many stranded ships. It's fortunate that the world is relatively peaceful now; in the past, there would definitely have been water bandits lying in ambush..."

Traveling along the way, the river water was emerald green, the waterway was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and the sheer cliffs stretched out on both sides, with peaks competing in beauty.

On the cliffs, hanging coffins could be seen everywhere, and there was more than one ancient plank road, some of which had already been damaged, leaving only holes where the wooden piles once were.

Others were still in use, with villagers carrying loads, appearing and disappearing amidst the clouds and mist.

Within the gorge, there were also some branching waterways. Li Yan had originally been on guard against the Salt Gang members who had fled earlier, but they had completely vanished, as if they had never appeared.

"Fast-Boat Zhang" knew what he was thinking and whispered, "The Salt Gang traffics in illicit salt, and to avoid government suppression, they only seek out remote and hidden paths."

"From the Han Dynasty to the present, they have mastered countless secret paths over thousands of years. When it comes to familiarity with the terrain, no one can compare to them."

"These people are vengeful and have connections in both the underworld and the legitimate world. Young Hero Li, if you go to Shu, you must be extremely careful..."

Because the Salt Gang blocked the road, time was delayed, and by the time they were about to enter the Dachang River, it was already dusk.

"Ah—!"

A scream suddenly rang out from the cliff on the left.

Li Yan looked up and saw a room built on the cliff; the style was not bad, but there were no paths leading to it from any direction.

A disheveled person in white was waving their arms frantically at the window, seemingly greeting them, but their face was ferocious and they appeared to be insane.

"Everyone, no need to pay attention."

"Fast-Boat Zhang" sneered, "This is the Luo Family Cliff Study. The Luo family of Dachang is also a wealthy local household. To ensure their descendants focus on their studies, they specifically built this cliff pavilion."

"But those who want to pass the imperial examinations are locked in here. Servants bring them food every day, and they are not allowed to come out until they have achieved success."

"Good heavens!"

Sha Lifei's eyes widened, and he clicked his tongue, "That's truly ruthless. This Luo family must be a family full of officials, right?"

"Hehe..."

"Fast-Boat Zhang" laughed, "Over several generations, they have only produced two county magistrates, both assigned to remote, small counties. One was killed by bandits on the way to his post, and the other was investigated and dismissed for corruption."

"People, some things really shouldn't be forced..."

Entering Dachang Lake, the water surface suddenly widened.

At this time, the sky was also somewhat dim, and mist rose on the lake. Vaguely, one could see the outline of the old city, with dots of light, dreamlike and illusory.

Wang Daoxuan stood at the bow of the boat, stroking his beard and gazing around, unable to help but say, "The mist obscures the towers, the moon confuses the ferry; what a fine place..."

The scenery was very beautiful, but Li Yan had no heart to appreciate it.

He turned to the others and said in a deep voice, "The origins of those women are still unclear. Everyone, be careful and act according to the situation."

While speaking, the painted boat had arrived at the ferry wharf.

The old city before them was not large, and with the sky growing dark, there was no boat traffic, with only four or five boats docked at the ferry.

On the wooden planks of the ferry, a woman wearing a bamboo hat and a white veil covering her face was waiting quietly.

Unlike Long Yan'er of the Gu Sect, this woman's cultivation was very ordinary, but she was dressed in traditional Han clothing, and as the evening breeze blew, her white clothes fluttered, possessing a certain charm.

"Greetings, brave warriors."

The woman bowed slightly and said indifferently, "The grandmother has already prepared a banquet and ordered me to wait here. Everyone, please follow me."

Sha Lifei rubbed his bald head and chuckled, "Young lady, why do none of your people show their true faces?"

The woman turned her head, "It is a taboo within the sect. If you want to see, that's fine, but if you lift the veil, you must marry me. Are you willing?"

Sha Lifei was about to continue speaking, but was stopped by Li Yan, who shook his head and said, "Since it is a taboo within the sect, it would be rude for us to be presumptuous."

Through his divine ability, he could smell that under the woman's veil, it was filled with a thick medicinal odor and a foul, rotting smell.

It was very likely the backlash from practicing sorcery.

A moment of curiosity would likely lead to big trouble.

Sure enough, after entering the county seat, even the soldiers guarding the city were very respectful, bowing from a distance, but not daring to get too close.

The commoners along the way were the same.

Seeming to know their confusion, the woman explained softly, "The Bai family has been the local shamans for generations, curing illnesses, driving away evil, praying for rain, and performing rituals to protect the peace of this place. The commoners respect them very much."

"So that's how it is."

Li Yan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

There was no City God Temple here, and being close to Wushan, the power of the orthodox Mystic Sects could not reach it. To maintain stability, there must be Mystic Sect power.

What made him curious was that the Bai family seemed to have significant influence, so how could they even let people be kidnapped?

And why would the Salt Gang do such a thing?

……

This Dachang City was not large, but it gave a good impression.

Looking around, most were Hui-style buildings, mixed with Central Plains and Ezhou styles. The fire-blocking walls rose and fell, the white walls and black tiles were covered with moss, and the corners of the walls were mottled with water vapor.

As the night deepened, cooking smoke could be seen curling up everywhere. There was the sound of chickens and dogs, and the laughter and play of children; it was peaceful.

Moreover, it was shockingly clean.

It had rained the past two days, but the bluestone slabs in the narrow alleys were still moist, and the lanterns hung by the households reflected light off the bluestone.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, his vigilance rising in his heart.

And beside him, Wang Daoxuan's eyelids were twitching.

Cleanliness is a good thing, but being too clean is suspicious.

Many households here likely raised Gu or had household gods. Ezhou also had a strong shamanistic culture, but compared to this place, it was worlds apart.

You must know, these things are not easy to provoke. The saying goes, "Respect ghosts and gods but keep them at a distance." If ordinary people raise them, a moment of carelessness leads to trouble. It was likely the Bai family that gave them the confidence.

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other, becoming increasingly curious about this Bai family.

The small city was not large. They walked eastward, and after only the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, a large residence appeared before them. It was a Hui-style building that occupied nearly half the street, and its area was truly not small.

The gate was wide open, and two large lanterns swayed in the night breeze.

"Fast-Boat Zhang" and his disciples stayed on the boat to watch their heavy luggage, such as the captured tiger-crouching cannon.

Because there was no time to modify it, it could only be left on the boat first.

Therefore, only Li Yan's group entered the city.

Inside the large residence, many veiled women were wandering about, some sweeping, some embroidering, or playing chess by the candlelight of small windows, looking very at ease.

Seeing them arrive, no one paid them any mind.

"Everyone, please follow me."

The woman led the way in front, passing through the screen wall, the courtyard, and the pavilion, arriving at a hall in the backyard.

!.

Li Yan's expression had become extremely solemn.

He could smell that in many parts of this large residence, strange odors were being emitted. It looked clean and tidy, but in reality, it was fraught with peril.

The brick carvings and wood carvings all carried a strong Chu style, and in some places, they also saw the same pattern as the phoenix gold ornament.

These people definitely had a deep connection with the Chu shamans.

In front of the hall stood an old woman in a white embroidered robe, wearing a blue headscarf, holding a dragon-headed cane, with gray hair and a face full of wrinkles.

Her features were deep and carried a hint of gloom.

And beside her, on the left stood the two young girls, Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu, while on the right was Long Yan'er of the Gu Sect, supporting the old woman, looking very intimate.

Seeing them arrive, the two young girls, Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu, immediately showed smiles, but they were very well-behaved and did not speak.

The old woman then spoke, "I am Bai Huan. I did not appear to meet you earlier; it was a discourtesy."

"Not at all, it was our presumption. Greetings, senior."

Li Yan felt a jolt in his heart and hurriedly bowed.

Although this old woman was elderly, the feeling she gave him was the same as the master of the Five Dragon Temple, Yulongzi; her cultivation was definitely not shallow.

Seeing that her legs were inconvenient, it was impossible for her to traverse the cliffs, so there was only one possibility:

The other party had used the method of separating the soul from the body!

To dare to do such a thing, and in broad daylight...

Just thinking about it, one knew this old woman was not simple.

"Everyone, please!"

The old woman Bai Huan raised her hand slightly, and they entered the hall.

The hall was elegantly decorated, and the table was already filled with a banquet, eight meat dishes and eight vegetable dishes, featuring both Ezhou specialties and Sichuan flavors.

To be able to gather famous dishes from two places in such a short time, it was clear that this Bai family had extraordinary strength and had put effort into entertaining them.

Li Yan and the others usually wolfed down their food when attending banquets, too lazy to care about any rules, nearly writing "starving ghost" on their faces.

But having entered this woman's den, they couldn't help but feel a bit restrained.

Only Wu Ba was already drooling, secretly glancing at them, picking up a pastry from the table, and stuffing it into his mouth.

The pastry was shaped like a date, coated in white powder, and was very exquisite.

"Pfft!"

Long Yan'er covered her mouth and laughed, "You human-ghoul actually know your stuff. This is 'Dachang Snow Date'; I heard the Emperor in the capital loves eating them."

Clearly, she had already recognized Wu Ba's origins.

"Hehe."

Wu Ba giggled. Seeing Li Yan's calm expression, showing no displeasure, he then impatiently picked up his chopsticks to eat.

Speaking of which, this was also not knowing the rules.

But precisely because of this, the originally stifling atmosphere became a bit more relaxed.

The old woman raised her hand again, signaling her disciples to pour tea for everyone, and said, "Everyone took out the Chu Shaman Token, and this young brother is skilled in beast-taming techniques; I imagine you are also of the same path."

"This is Wushan Divine Tea, picked from the local 'crabapple' tree. There is an old tree deep in Wushan that has become a heavenly treasure. We nurture and pick it every year, and the yield is no more than six taels."

"Distinguished guests, please taste it."

Hearing this, Li Yan felt a hint of curiosity.

This was the first time he had drunk tea produced by a heavenly treasure, but seeing the white porcelain teacup like jade, the tea soup inside was amber-colored.

Drinking it in one gulp, the tea fragrance was pungent, and there was a peculiar taste, somewhat similar to incense, yet carrying the freshness of vegetation.

"Good tea!"

Wang Daoxuan narrowed his eyes, unable to help but praise it.

Hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared on the old woman's gloomy face, "If you all like it, I will have two jin brought for you when you leave."

After drinking it, Li Yan had already noticed its wonders.

This tea could warm the internal organs and nourish the soul; it was definitely worth a fortune.

Lu San, whose soul was injured, narrowed his eyes in comfort.

"How could we accept this."

Li Yan hurriedly shook his head, "This is too precious."

"The grace of saving a life cannot be compared to any gift, no matter how heavy."

The old woman Bai Huan said solemnly, "If not for the help of you few, my two granddaughters would likely have already met a tragic end."

Li Yan did not want to dwell on this topic, hesitated for a moment, and took out the phoenix gold ornament, "I will speak plainly; we have another purpose in coming here."

"Is the senior a member of the Siming Society?"

The old woman nodded slightly, "Indeed."

Hearing this, Li Yan was not surprised at all.

He had inquired about it before; the members of the Siming Society were all women, descendants of the Chu shamans, hiding in the countryside to preach.

And inside this large residence, they were all women.

After spending so much time, finally finding the right person, Li Yan was too lazy to beat around the bush and said directly, "There are two things I would like to ask the senior about."

As he spoke, he looked at Lu San beside him, "This brother of mine has inherited the Chu Shaman Mountain Ghost lineage, but it is somewhat incomplete. I would like to ask the senior where we can complete the inheritance?"

The old woman listened and asked, "Which scripture did he learn?"

Lu San bowed solemnly, "The 'Classic of Mountain and Sea Spiritual Response'!"

"The 'Classic of Mountain and Sea Spiritual Response'?"

The old woman was also startled, frowning and shaking her head, "That is an antique from how many years ago? The world has changed, the mountain god covenants have scattered, and wanting to practice this scripture is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

She pondered for a moment, "Our lineage worships the Wushan Goddess. There is an opportunity in a few days; you can go and try. If you can obtain it, you will be able to complete the mountain ghost inheritance."

Lu San was curious, "May I ask what kind of opportunity?"

The old woman did not hide it and said indifferently, "In the past, the Minister of the Three Gates was the Great High Priest of the Chu State and also the leader of the Chu shamans. He once built a pavilion on Goddess Peak for sacrifices, but it was later destroyed by the flames of war."

"But Goddess Peak is special. On cloudy and rainy days, it has unique cloud vapor, changing infinitely in an instant. If one is a fated person, one can dream-travel to the divine pavilion and observe the ancient Chu shaman inheritance."

"But whether you can obtain it depends entirely on your own opportunity."

Sha Lifei laughed, "This, can we go too?"

The old woman nodded slightly, "Yes, I will arrange it for you then, but I estimate the hope is not great."

"Many thanks, senior."

Li Yan bowed solemnly and picked up the phoenix gold ornament again, "The second thing is, I would like to know, the Divine Gang hidden inside..."

Before he could finish speaking, the expressions of all the women around changed...

(End of chapter)