Chapter 428: News of the Nine Cauldrons

"Officer, it's all just porcelain."

"What stowaways? We're just honest, law-abiding businessmen; we wouldn't dare harbor bandits."

"Look, could you please make things convenient for us..."

On the deck, "Fast-Boat Zhang," disguised as a merchant, bowed and scraped, slipping money to the guards just like any other river trader.

You have your stratagems; I have my ways to bypass them.

The Salt Gang was powerful and could even bribe the Wushan County yamen.

But "Fast-Boat Zhang," an old hand in the Jianghu, had his own ways of dealing with them.

After ten or so taels of silver changed hands, the guards gave a perfunctory inspection and waved them off impatiently: "Move along, move along!"

"Ah, many thanks, Officer!"

"Fast-Boat Zhang" bowed repeatedly, sent them off, and turned to roar, "Set sail!" The cargo ship immediately hoisted its sails and departed.

This ship had been specially modified; it appeared to be piled high with cargo at the stern, but this was actually to conceal a secret cabin in the middle, custom-built by the Bai family elsewhere.

Inside the secret cabin, the candlelight flickered.

With Li Yan's group and the Bai family's women all inside, the space felt quite cramped, even though it wasn't small.

This was Old Fan Fan Fu Ren Bai Huan's arrangement, and Li Yan hadn't objected.

They could have revealed their identities—the Commandant's Office, the Law Enforcement Hall, or the Ministry of Works; any one of them would have terrified Wushan County.

But their mission was to escort people, and safety was paramount.

More importantly, they were still within Wushan County, where they had to guard against those scattered Wushan cultivators. Even Bai Huan, with her fifth-layer cultivation, had suffered grievances, so there was no need for him to be reckless.

That's right, Bai Huan was at the fifth layer of cultivation.

While her techniques might not match those of Master Yulong of the Five Dragons Temple, her cultivation level was no less profound; she was an expert anywhere she went.

But what use was high cultivation?

The old lady was already aged, her blood and Qi were failing, and she had to protect a group of disciples and two granddaughters; she simply didn't want to stir up trouble.

By the candlelight, Wang Fu was performing divination.

He held yarrow stalks, winding them around the fingers of the two young girls, chanting incantations, forming hand seals, then removing them, placing them into a pile, chanting again, scattering them, and using a wooden stick to sort them.

This was the Yarrow Stalk Divination method.

Though ancient, it was highly practical, and when combined with the "Seven Arrows Secret Curse," it could even determine if someone had been cursed.

After several calculations, a smile appeared on Wang Fu's face. "That's right, the traces of the curse have indeed been erased; from now on, you can rest easy."

Bai Huan let out a sigh of relief. "Many thanks, Daoist."

"You are too kind."

Wang Fu shook his head. "Your own divination methods are far superior to mine; you were merely worried for your kin, causing your mind to be unsettled."

"Thank you, Daoist."

Zhaoyun and Xingyu also thanked him in their crisp, young voices.

Not long after leaving Wushan, the two girls had run a high fever and vomited up some foul water, but they had improved significantly upon waking.

Bai Huan had cast a divination for herself, which showed "the turning point from adversity to prosperity."

She was pleasantly surprised but couldn't quite believe it, which was why she had asked Wang Fu to perform the divination as well.

"It's good that they're fine..."

Long Yaner let out a sigh of relief and laughed, "Could it be that those old hags finally found a conscience and destroyed the life tablets?"

"That's unlikely."

Old Fan Fan Fu Ren Bai Huan shook her head. "The Bai family served them for years; if they had any shred of sentiment, would they have done such a thing?"

"Something must have happened on the mountain..."

"It's fine as long as they're safe."

Li Yan stood up with a smile and said to Wang Fu, "Daoist, we've passed Wushan; come with me to look at the scenery."

"Mm."

Wang Fu didn't waste words and left with him immediately.

Sha Feifei and Lu San remained in the cabin, acting with tacit understanding.

Their team's mode of operation had become fixed.

Li Yan, as the leader, was primarily responsible for making decisions.

If they were in the mountains or wilderness, he would mainly consult with Lu San.

If it concerned Jianghu matters, Sha Feifei was the expert.

If it concerned the Mystic Sect, he would definitely consult Wang Fu.

Both Lu San and Sha Feifei had seen what happened in the cave; Wang Fu was always a "good old man," yet even he had kept things from the Bai family, meaning something major must have occurred.

Staying behind, they were responsible for keeping watch.

Old Fan Fan Fu Ren Bai Huan was also the head of a household and could naturally see this, but she didn't want to invite trouble and chose to play deaf and dumb.

Long Yaner, however, had a glint in her eye and began to probe, "Hey, Big Beard, you guys are running around like this—what are your plans for the future?"

"Heh!"

Sha Feifei spouted nonsense casually, "People in the Jianghu are like duckweed in the water; we just drift wherever the current takes us..."

…………

"Li Li Shaoxia."

As soon as they left the secret cabin, "Fast-Boat Zhang" hurried over, his voice low. "We've already passed Wushan and are about to enter the Kuimen. If the Salt Gang has an ambush, they'll most likely choose this spot."

"I've already sent disciples ahead on small boats to scout. If something is amiss, they'll signal immediately. But the Kuimen is treacherous, and we might not spot ambushes on the cliffs on either side, so I'll have to ask Li Li Shaoxia Lu for help."

"Mm, thank you for your trouble, Senior Zhang."

Li Yan nodded and went back to call Lu San out.

Soon, the falcon "Lidong" spread its wings and soared into the sky, flying toward the distance.

Li Yan and Wang Fu went to the rear cabin of the ship.

"Fast-Boat Zhang" was also a shrewd man; seeing they had matters to discuss, he sent his disciples away and turned to leave himself.

Even so, after entering the cabin, Wang Fu made a gesture, signaling Li Yan to remain silent for a moment.

Li Yan felt a chill in his heart and immediately took out the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin tassel, formed hand seals, and released a surge of baleful Qi to block any divine sense probing.

Only then did he ask, "Is it very serious?"

Wang Fu nodded slightly, his expression complex.

"It's about the Nine Cauldrons!"

"The Nine Cauldrons?!"

Li Yan felt his scalp tingle upon hearing this.

The function of the Nine Cauldrons was beyond doubt; they symbolized the Nine Provinces of the world, representing both imperial power and the sacrificial vessels of the state, enjoying the destiny of the Shenzhou.

Anything involving state sacrifices was a "National Protector Artifact."

For instance, the "Necklace Bead" he had obtained from the Three-Mother of Heaven in the Earth Immortal Cave was the state sacrificial vessel of the Liao Kingdom.

The "Mysterious Yellow Heaven Talisman" he had seized from Liu Gang was one of the thirteen National Protector Artifacts of the Tang Dynasty.

Any National Protector Artifact could use the destiny of the mortal world to conceal itself, allowing Earth Immortals to remain undetected.

And these artifacts had their own ranks.

The Nine Cauldrons were undoubtedly the pinnacle of such items.

That the Goddess Palace contained a blood jade cong was already unexpected, but to think it was also linked to the Nine Cauldrons...

Thinking of this, Li Yan felt a headache coming on.

"What exactly is going on?"

Wang Fu took out the bamboo slip from his bosom and said in a low voice, "Have you ever heard the names 'Lu Sheng' and 'Hou Sheng'?"

"Of course."

Li Yan nodded. "I might not know other alchemists, but these few are quite famous."

"After the Qin Shi Huang Huang unified the world, the alchemists Lu Sheng, Han Zhong, Xu Fu, Hou Sheng, and others went to offer their services, and all left their names in history."

"These men were ordered to find the elixir of immortality on the Immortal Mountains. Xu Fu went to the East, Han Zhong is rumored to have died testing medicine for the Qin Shi Huang Huang, and there are rumors he entered Korea to establish the Three Hans... As for Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng, it is said they deceived the Qin Shi Huang Huang, directly leading to the burning of books and burying of scholars..."

In this world, the influence of the Alchemist Sect was too great.

Especially the "Library of Longevity Immortals," which was a boundless scourge. As his primary opponents, Li Yan had naturally collected plenty of intelligence on them.

"They did far more than just deceive the Qin Shi Huang Huang!"

Wang Fu gripped the bamboo slip and said gravely, "These two actually plotted to seize the Nine Cauldrons, hoping to use the destiny of the Shenzhou to help themselves ascend to godhood."

"The Qin Shi Huang Huang had long ago discovered the Nine-Headed Phoenix destiny in the Chu region, and there were many such remnants of ancient wild geomantic formations that were unknown to others."

"I don't know whose idea it was, but after destroying Zhou, while transporting the Nine Cauldrons to Xianyang, they used secret techniques to sink them into the Si River, operating them along the three great dragon veins of the Shenzhou, while also standardizing the script and the gauge of carriages, thus creating the pattern of 'the world long divided must unite, long united must divide.'"

"So that's how it is..."

Li Yan said thoughtfully, "What did these two do?"

"Nothing else but 'fishing for the Nine Cauldrons'!"

Wang Fu gripped the slip and said, "It says here that in ancient times, the world underwent great changes, and some blessed lands became existences between 'being' and 'non-being'."

!.

"The Cloud-Lord Divine Palace and the Goddess Palace?"

Li Yan suddenly understood.

"Mm."

Wang Fu nodded. "These blessed lands are very strange; they seem to be composed entirely of innate Gang Qi, ever-changing, and the slip doesn't explain it clearly."

"But if such a place happens to be located above the acupoints of the three great dragon veins, it acts like a fish trap. When the Nine Cauldrons pass by, they enter it and are captured."

"Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng discovered this secret and used the power of the Great Qin to do many things, and then set fires to burn the relevant records before fleeing."

"The Qin Shi Huang Huang was furious and buried the other alchemists in the palace, and many Confucian scholars were implicated..."

Li Yan said thoughtfully, "Fortunately, it seems these two did not succeed."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Wang Fu said gravely, "The Shenzhou is vast; even with the method, it would take more than a moment to move the Nine Cauldrons."

"This Hou Sheng first found the Wushan secret cave, slaughtered the surviving cultivators of the Goddess Palace, and stole the Qin Shi Huang Huang's terracotta warriors to suppress the Goddess Palace."

"During the Chu-Han contention, he traveled abroad, took the name Hou Gong, and entered the service of Emperor Gao Zu of Han, Liu Bang. He was originally obscure, but suddenly emerged during the contention as an envoy to divide the 'Chu River and Han Boundary'..."

"After Emperor Gao Zu ascended the throne, he praised him as the 'greatest debater in the world' and enfeoffed him as the Lord of Ping, but he disappeared that very day, fleeing without a trace."

"As for that Lu Sheng, he is an old acquaintance. Do you remember who first spread the news about the Cloud-Lord Divine Palace?"

"It was Lu Sheng!"

Li Yan suddenly realized. "This brat is also a criminal of the Yin Underworld!"

He remembered clearly that Tian Wei had mentioned the Three Treasures of Yunmeng at that time.

In the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, the Chang'an scholar Lu Sheng was wandering Yunmeng at night when a thick fog suddenly rose, and he mistakenly entered the palace, grabbing a gem in his dream, which led to the news of the Cloud-Lord Divine Palace.

Now it seemed clearly to be a tactic.

He probably hadn't succeeded in seizing the Cloud-Lord Divine Palace, so he spread the news to stir up trouble and find an opportunity.

Seeing that the matter was clear, Wang Fu picked up the bamboo slip again. "How should we handle this?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment. "It concerns the destiny of the Shenzhou, and the Nine Cauldrons are too shocking; we can't even trust the Mystic Sects."

"Destroy it, and keep an eye out for news of Lu Sheng in the future..."

"Good!"

Wang Fu didn't hesitate; he took a fire basin, broke the slip into pieces, and burned it to ashes.

After doing this, the Daoist said in a low voice, "I swear here that I will hunt down Lu Sheng, even if it costs me my life!"

This was the first time Li Yan had seen such murderous intent from Wang Fu...

Just then, a loud eagle cry rang out in the distance.

"We've entered the Kuimen!"

A disciple of "Fast-Boat Zhang" shouted loudly.

Li Yan and Wang Fu also came to the deck.

"We've entered the Kuimen!"

"We've entered the Kuimen!"

There were many other ships on the river, and shouts rose one after another.

This was a warning, and also a way to boost morale.

As the saying goes, "All waters meet at Fu and Wan; Qutang contends for a single gate."

The Kuimen had been treacherous since ancient times, a place contested by military strategists since the Qin and Han dynasties. In every dynasty, whenever there was war, iron chains would be stretched across the river to control the shipping lanes.

Building the Qutang Pass here also made it the gateway to Shu.

In the blink of an eye, the river surface began to narrow, the waves surged, and the entire cargo ship began to pitch and roll.

Especially the cliffs on both sides, which narrowed as well, like a heavenly gate slowly closing, bringing an overwhelming sense of oppression.

At this place, navigation became cautious.

Ships of all sizes left enough space between each other to avoid collisions and exchanged greetings.

There were both Ezhou dialects and Bashu accents, making it very lively.

Eagle cries echoed, soaring through the clouds and mist.

Lu San saw this and nodded. "Rest assured, there are no ambushes on the cliffs on either side, though the Bai Di City has gathered quite a few ships, and they're beating drums and gongs; I don't know what they're doing."

"Fast-Boat Zhang" heard this and let out a sigh of relief. "The Li Li Shaoxia left the mountain in secret, so the Salt Gang probably hasn't received the news yet."

"Li Li Shaoxia, you aren't you going to Fengdu? Shall we stop there?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment and shook his head. "The matters in Fengdu won't be handled until the New Year, and it's not convenient to bring the Bai family along. Let's go to Mount Qingcheng first to drop them off, and I have some items to deliver to the mountain as well."

He had obtained a flood dragon horn from the Ezhou dragon-slaying, which could be used to forge a divine weapon. Li Yan had gathered a few other things and planned to go up the mountain first to communicate with that "Fire-Headed Monk."

As they spoke, the terrain on both sides became even steeper.

On the cliffs, one could see some ruins; besides the current Qutang Pass, there were other majestic passes built in different eras.

But the sound of drums and horns had long since drifted away with the river water, and the places that once housed majestic armies had also fallen into ruin.

In some places, one could even see the huge pits left behind by the iron chains that once stretched across the river.

As for the remaining iron, it had long since been knocked off and sold for money.

The Great Xuan Dynasty had been established for a hundred years, and Shu had not yet fallen into great chaos, so the atmosphere of the "Land of Abundance" was even more prosperous than in the past; thus, they only left iron piles at Qutang Pass in case of emergency.

But now, the atmosphere at Qutang Pass was also somewhat tense.

There were many soldiers stationed there, and warships were patrolling, inspecting passing ships.

Such things were not strange.

Relying on the mountains, one eats from the mountains; relying on the water, one eats from the water.

The yamen at the docks along the way often intercepted ships to collect taxes, calling it a "dock maintenance fee," but in reality, it was a bribe.

If they encountered a fat sheep, the runners would also extort them.

But near the yamen ships, there were two Salt Gang cargo ships anchored, indicating they had other motives.

Li Yan had no choice but to take out the pass issued by the Ministry of War at the time, along with his black Daoist certificate. After a company commander came up to inquire, they were released directly.

Of course, they didn't know that as soon as they left Qutang Pass, news of their entry into Shu was sent out.

After passing Qutang Pass, the river surface immediately widened, and Wang Fu's mood improved significantly. He laughed, "Shu is a good place; in the Tang Dynasty, Emperors Xuanzong, Dezong, and Xizong all fled here to take refuge."

"I traveled the world in my younger years, but it's a pity I never entered Shu; now I can finally fulfill that wish."

As they spoke, the Bai Di City appeared before their eyes.

But it was crowded with ships of all sizes; there was the sound of gongs and drums, as well as funeral music, and some people on the ships were fighting with wooden oars.

A disciple of "Fast-Boat Zhang" had gone ahead to scout and returned to report.

"What happened over there?"

The disciple laughed, "Two groups of people are fighting over a temple..."

(End of chapter)