Chapter 476: The Wuhou Temple Murder Case

The introduction of new firearms sparked widespread upheaval.

The lifting of firearm controls, large-scale military adoption, state seizure of related mines, consecutive victories in suppressing rebellions…

All these reforms and events were triggered by them.

Yet the court did not leave things entirely unchecked.

The crucial gunpowder was tightly controlled; any newly discovered mineral deposits related to the new gunpowder were immediately seized by the military.

Moreover, manufacturing the new muskets was not simple.

This created an awkward situation:

Though many factions held permits to carry firearms, most still used ordinary weapons; new firearms were exceedingly rare.

To obtain gunpowder quotas, one needed connections in the capital.

Li Yan and his group were fortunate to have good relations with the Mo Men, which oversaw the Ministry of Works, so they faced no difficulties in purchasing gunpowder.

And these people before him all carried Fire God Muskets.

A careful count revealed twenty to thirty of them.

This force was terrifying—dozens of Fire God Muskets firing in unison could drive even the turbulent dragon trapped in the Shennongjia wilderness into flight.

The Commandant's Office was the Emperor's personal guard; even a single garrison rarely had more than two or three such weapons—how could they afford such extravagance?

These men, well-trained, swiftly cleared away the debris, erased all traces, and departed on horse-drawn carts.

Soon, the dark imperial road fell utterly silent.

Li Yan slowly stepped out of the darkness, lost in thought.

He had naturally noticed these gunners, which was why he had not moved.

Without a doubt,

these were all under the Shu Prince's command.

The Fire God Muskets were easy to forge, but organizing a full gun team and using new gunpowder so brazenly meant the Prince's mansion secretly controlled some mineral veins.

There was also the information mentioned by the two outsider experts.

The Dragon Palace Water Mansion, the ancient coffin of the Wu Xian Kingdom, the Elixir of Immortality…

Anyone else hearing this would be confused.

But this information perfectly connected with the intelligence Li Yan already possessed.

The Ten Witches of the Wu Xian Kingdom were linked to the Queen Mother of the West and controlled the legendary Elixir of Immortality, as recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

The Ten Witches were not ten individuals, but ten tribes.

The Salt Water Tribe were descendants of Wu Peng.

Later, the Salt Water Goddess was killed by Lin Jun; the Ba people acquired salt-making techniques, and after the Ba Kingdom rose, the ancient Wu Xian Kingdom fell.

Then Qin conquered the Ba Kingdom and established Ba Commandery.

When the River God Great Lord ravaged the land, Li Bing built the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, aided by numerous Fangxian Daoist sorcerers who subdued and killed the River God Great Lord.

The River God Great Lord's residual soul fled into the Daba Mountains, where it was suppressed by Li Bing's temple, eventually evolving into the belief in the True Lord Who Manifests Miracles.

Naturally, the task of suppression fell upon the True Lord Who Manifests Miracles.

As for the River God Great Lord's Dragon Palace Water Mansion, for reasons unknown, it was concealed by Fangxian Daoist sorcerers, and the secret was placed inside the ancient coffin of the Wu Xian Kingdom…

It seems the Shu Prince still cannot let go of the Elixir of Immortality.

Li Yan had no particular desire for the "Elixir of Immortality"—even if it granted immortality, it must come with grave problems.

But since it involved the True Lord Who Manifests Miracles and the Dragon Palace Water Mansion, he could not afford to be careless.

And then there was that thing called the Qin Insect…

I wonder if it's the strange insect Long Yan needs.

Thinking of this, he immediately turned back toward Longquan Yi Inn…

"The 'Qin Insect' may not be an insect at all."

Bai Wan shook her head. "The Classic of Mountains and Seas mentions that in the Great Wilderness lies Bu Xian Mountain, home to the Su Shen tribe, which has a creature with a beast's head and a serpent's body, called the Qin Insect. According to the description, it sounds more like a strange beast."

"Chengdu Prefecture has a huge population; even in remote, uninhabited wastelands, strange beasts are rare—how could one appear here? It's strange indeed."

Li Yan pondered for a moment. "Whether insect or beast, it's still a clue. I'll set out tomorrow and take a look first."

After returning to his room, he gently sniffed the air; finding no foreign odors, he went to bed.

Gazing at the pitch-black night outside the window, he let out a faint sigh.

By his nature, accepting companions was difficult.

Sha Li Fei was initially taken on merely as a errand-runner.

Wang Daoxuan's character earned his respect.

Lu San left alone to shoulder the blame, winning his trust.

Wu Ba still wasn't truly a member.

Each person had their own reason for joining; their coming together was forged through shared life and death.

If he could help Sha Li Fei, everything else would be manageable…

………

The next day, the weather grew even colder.

Compared to the north, it wasn't severe, but here, winter seeped into the bones with a chilling dampness.

Li Yan wore a wide-brimmed hat, his large black cloak concealing his weapons as he strode toward the outskirts of Longquan Yi.

But after only a few steps, he stopped.

At the corner of the wall sat several children, young and old, dressed in tattered clothes, barefoot, their feet black and blue from the cold.

The eldest was a pale, emaciated boy, his face covered in bruises from beatings.

He stood there, as if wanting to approach, yet too afraid to move.

Li Yan fell silent for a moment, then strode past them.

Pata!

A small ingot of silver fell to the ground.

Along with it came a voice: "Keep an eye on the inn for me…"

The boy quickly snatched it up, clutched it tightly to his chest, glanced around, then led the other beggar children into a dark alley.

Li Yan paid it no mind.

Wealthy doors reeked of wine and meat, while the road held frozen corpses—he had seen countless such scenes in every city along his journey.

Without the Western Pilgrimage Beggar Sect exploiting them, these children were already lucky.

He did not rent a horse from the stable; instead, he left Longquan Yi and went to a secluded, empty spot, bound on his Jia Ma, muttered the incantation: "Nuo Gao! The Six Jia and Nine Chapters, Heaven is round, Earth is square, the Four Seasons and Five Elements, Sun and Moon as light…"

As the spell took effect, fierce winds surged around him.

After the leaves scattered in the sky, he vanished.

………

The people of Shu naturally held deep affection for the Sage Strategist.

"In western Sichuan, men and women wrap their heads in white cloth—a custom passed down to honor the Sage Strategist."

Many locals still preferred wrapping their heads in white cloth, a tradition preserved to commemorate Zhuge Wu Hou.

Chengdu Prefecture had seven Wuhou Temples in total, scattered intermittently.

The one mentioned last night lay beyond the southern city outskirts.

Built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it stood in the same area as the Hui Mausoleum and the Han Zhao Lie Temple. After the Great Xuan Dynasty was established for over a decade, the court allocated funds, and the then-ruling Prince of Chengdu renovated both the Wuhou Temple and the Han Zhao Lie Temple.

Li Yan used his Jia Ma to sprint through the wilderness, moving at astonishing speed.

With his current cultivation, even if someone saw him, they would only think it was a gust of mountain wind—no human form could be discerned.

Of course, Li Yan dared not be careless.

This was still Chengdu Prefecture; not long after leaving Longquan Yi lay the largest Jin Guan Yi in Shu, garrisoned by a full military unit.

Even in the wilds, temples and Daoist shrines were common.

Shu was home to many extraordinary individuals.

Who knew what masters lurked inside.

He set out in the morning, crossed the Jinjiang River on his Jia Ma, traversed mountains and ridges, and ran for an hour before arriving.

Standing atop the hill, he gazed afar: Chengdu Prefecture was oval-shaped, with wengcheng gates on all four sides; within, pavilions, terraces, and towers rose and fell, half-hidden in the autumn mist. The Wuhou Temple still lay beyond the southern city.

During the renovation, the original Wuhou Temple beside the Han Zhao Lie Temple's west side was abolished, and Zhuge Wu Hou's statue was moved inside the Han Zhao Lie Temple.

Now, beside Liu Bei's statue on the east stood Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's statues on the west.

Given its esteemed status, unlike later times, no commoners lived nearby—green mountains, clear waters, bamboo groves, and ancient paths lent it a quiet charm.

Visitors from all over had always come to pay homage to Wu Hou; even on this cold, late-autumn morning, the bamboo path still held scattered travelers.

"His merit overshadowed the Three Kingdoms; his fame forged the Eight Array Diagram. The river flows, yet the stones remain unmoved—his regret lies in failing to conquer Wu… Zhu Brother, I'll accompany you to pay respects to Wu Hou first, then we'll head to Du Fu's Thatched Cottage."

Several Confucian scholars walked and talked, beads of sweat on their foreheads.

"Wang Brother, I heard there was a murder at the Wuhou Temple?"

"Yes, yes! I heard too—the victim was reduced to nothing but a skin. No one knows what demonic force killed him…"

"Nonsense! This is a sacred place of heroes—how could any demon exist here? It's just the foolish gossip of common folk!"

!.

"Forget it, forget it. Zhu Brother, congratulations—you got into He Shan Academy. Not just anyone can go there."

"It was sheer luck—I owe it to my master's plea…"

Not far behind them, Li Yan walked slowly.

Looking at the scholar in the distance, he furrowed his brow.

The situation here was unexpected.

Logically, after such a demonic incident, the area should have been temporarily sealed until the evil entity was captured.

Yet, from what those scholars said, the Enforcement Hall had made no grand move, and had deliberately muddled the information.

Could there be some hidden cause?

Thinking of this, he simply removed his wide-brimmed hat, did a quick disguise, pasted two small mustaches beneath his nose, and like the other tourists, glanced left and right.

With the Dragon-Snake Talisman, even if a sorcerer used spiritual senses to probe, they would only perceive him as an ordinary man.

Soon, the main gate of the Han Zhao Lie Temple came into view.

It had a hard-eave roof, a central entrance, and a vermilion plaque inscribed with four golden characters: "Han Zhao Lie Temple." On either side stood a stone lion, exuding dignity and majesty.

As it was an imperial tomb with special status in Shu, the site not only had temple attendants but also a hundred guards assigned to protect the tomb.

Before he even drew near, Li Yan's heart tightened.

He could sense the abundant incense energy swirling and surging above the temple, powerful and imposing.

There were many festivals in Shu honoring Wu Hou, the Sage Strategist.

On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the Tiankuang Festival, it was said to be the day Zhuge Liang worshipped Heaven and Earth; the people of Shu also observed it by offering sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and ancestors.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh lunar month, it was Wu Hou's birthday, and every household in Shu set up altars, burning incense in worship.

On the twenty-eighth day of the eighth lunar month, it was Kongming's Memorial Day.

For thousands of years, offerings had never ceased, and the incense energy remained strong—easily understood.

Wu Hou had become a very powerful folk deity.

Of course, he still fell short of Guan Sheng Di Jun.

Li Yan simply could not fathom,

what could dare to cause trouble inside Wu Hou's Temple?

With the Dragon-Snake Talisman masking his aura, he had no fear and followed the scholars into the Han Zhao Lie Temple.

At the same time, he subtly activated a spell.

Almost instantly, the thick scent of incense flooded his nostrils.

Simultaneously, he heard the rustling of bamboo and pine winds—solemn yet refreshing, lifting his spirits.

Where was this "Qin Chong"?

Li Yan grew more puzzled, and like the other worshippers, bought incense from a young temple attendant and paid respects at each main hall in turn.

First was Liu Bei's Hall.

Blackened wood and gray tiles, beams and pillars carved with gilded, painted auspicious beasts, and a hanging plaque bearing four large characters: "Ming Liang Qian Gu."

Then came Wu Hou's Hall and the Three Righteousness Temple.

Behind them, the Hui Mausoleum was guarded by soldiers, forbidding anyone to approach.

After offering incense, Li Yan wandered several laps within the temple, feigning admiration of the steles while thoroughly scanning the entire place.

Even with both spiritual senses active, he found nothing unusual.

Just as Li Yan was puzzled, a commotion arose in the distance: several tomb guards were hastily carrying a corpse out.

The corpse was covered in white cloth, but one section sagged, and a palm covered in old calluses dangled outside the stretcher.

Li Yan activated a spell and sniffed—the stench of blood hit him.

He narrowed his eyes and did not follow to gawk.

Even through the white cloth, he sensed the corpse was not a tomb guard, but a man clad in bamboo-charm leather armor, his skull shattered, every organ, eye, nose, mouth, and brain matter gone.

He had seen this attire before—it was a demon hunter.

It seemed Chengdu's City God Temple had secretly sent someone to handle the matter, only for them to be killed in return.

The corpse had been brought from the imperial tomb; though it passed through the Three Righteousness Temple and immediately exited through a side gate, many had still seen it.

"So something really happened?"

"Why did another one die?"

The worshippers who saw it whispered among themselves.

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

With a shout, a constable rushed over with several yamen runners from the direction of the imperial tomb.

The lead constable was tall, his eyes sharp as swords—he was clearly a seasoned official. After scanning the crowd, he declared: "A trespasser entered the back mountain to hunt and was killed by a mountain leopard."

"The Prefect has ordered: anyone who spreads rumors or incites panic will be thrown into jail immediately!"

At this shout, the onlookers quickly dispersed.

The constable clearly was agitated; no one wanted to provoke him, especially since something had happened here—better to leave quickly.

Soon, the temple's worshippers all scattered.

Only the scholars remained.

One pale-faced scholar frowned and stepped forward, bowing: "I am Zhu Chen, a scholar from Yiling, student of He Shan Academy. May I ask, sir, what has truly happened here?"

The constable's gaze darkened; he wanted to rebuke, but held back. "Didn't you hear? Someone was killed by a wild beast. Leave now—this has nothing to do with you."

Another major force in Shu was Confucianism.

Since ancient times, the Divine Land had practiced "worship Confucius in the north, worship Wenchang in the south." And Wenchang Di Jun's ancestral temple lay in Shu.

Thus, scholars in Shu revered Wenchang even more, creating a pattern where commoners worshipped Erlang, while officials worshipped Wenchang.

Whether as a scholar or a student of He Shan Academy, this constable had no desire to offend him.

Yet the scholar, upon hearing this, became furious, straightened his chest, and declared: "This is a sacred place of sages! Wu Hou is revered by all scholars—how can this have nothing to do with me?"

"Exactly! Who says it has nothing to do with us?"

"When we return, we'll tell our fathers about this!"

The other students clearly looked to Zhu Chen as their leader; they now clamored, retorting and invoking their family connections.

"Enough, enough!"

The constable, already in a foul mood, muttered under his breath: "Do whatever you want. Don't blame me if you die."

With that, he led his men toward the direction the corpse had been taken.

Once the constables left, the scholars, now without direction, exchanged glances, unsure what to do.

Zhu Chen immediately spoke: "Friends, sacred ground must not be defiled. Let us investigate this matter."

"Agreed!"

"When we become officials, we'll need to solve cases—perfect chance to practice here!"

The scholars' faces lit up with excitement.

A bunch of fools…

Li Yan smiled inwardly, glancing at Zhu Chen without expression.

This kid was a sorcerer.

Probably came here for the "Qin Chong" too…

(End of Chapter)