Chapter 530: Li Yan's Plan

"That's right, exactly."

Sha LiFei shook his cloak and straightened his posture.

"Long time to hear of you!"

The old man's eyes flashed with delight; he quickly clasped his fists and said, "I am Wang Tianzuo of Shunyuan Escort Bureau, honored to meet you all, great heroes."

"So you're Master Wang! Long time to hear of you—please come in!"

Sha LiFei laughed heartily and gestured for the man to enter.

To be honest, he had no idea what Shunyuan Escort Bureau was, let alone admired it—but that's how the Jianghu worked.

When traveling, you give each other face.

Old man Wang Tianzuo was skilled with words; he first ordered his men to stay in the side chambers and not disturb Li Yan and the others.

After that, he carried in several bottles of wine and entered the main hall, bowing respectfully: "Greetings, great heroes."

"Greetings, Master Wang."

Since the man was so courteous, Li Yan and the others naturally returned the courtesy.

This Master Wang then ordered his men to bring some braised dishes, pouring wine and building rapport as he spoke.

He could tell that among them, only Sha LiFei was easy to talk to, so he kept showering him with flattery.

Sha LiFei was secretly delighted by the praise but didn't let it go to his head; he drank while quietly extracting information.

Master Wang was no fool—he cooperated by revealing his background.

"Shunyuan Escort Bureau is in Chengdu..."

I specialize in business with the Xuanmen—like transporting goods to build a new temple near Dujiangyan. Some items are even barely considered magical artifacts, attracting not just bandits but also wandering ghosts...

"To be frank, I hail from Huangling Sect..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan finally relaxed completely.

No wonder he was so courteous.

His relationship with Huangling Sect was still decent.

If not for his warning, Huangling Sect would still be in the dark, unaware that their own people had been betrayed by the Shu Prince's Mansion.

It nearly sparked a conflict with Buddhist disciples.

"How was it resolved?"

Knowing the man's origins, Li Yan immediately asked.

Master Wang sighed and sneered, "That's the Shu Prince's Mansion—we're just people of the Jianghu; how can an arm twist against a thigh?"

"We held grand funerals for our fallen brothers and severed all ties with the Shu Prince's Mansion—that was our way of showing our stance."

"So I hold great admiration for you all."

"Master Wang, you're too kind."

Li Yan paused, then asked: "I've heard that a prince of the Shu Mansion was assassinated in broad daylight?"

"It's true."

At this, Wang Tianzuo's expression turned grave. "The incident caused a huge uproar. The Shu Prince flew into a rage, led troops out of his mansion, stormed the Chengdu yamen, and killed several Jianghu practitioners on the streets."

"The origins of this affair were deliberately spread."

"It began when that prince used his influence to seduce a female sorceress, toyed with her, and then killed her. Her brother turned out to be a powerful sorcerer of Meishan Sect, who came to avenge her."

"Right and wrong are clear at a glance."

"In any case, this affair severely damaged the Shu Mansion's reputation. Previously, the Shu Prince wasn't said to love his people like his own children, but he did have a reputation for virtue. No one knows why he's become like this now..."

"I see."

Li Yan listened, lost in thought.

According to the scattered intelligence he'd gathered, the Shu Prince only began showing interest in longevity after Zhao Changsheng and Lu Sheng entered his mansion—and his mood changed drastically.

Could it be that the Shu Prince had turned to the dark Dao, beginning to cultivate a longevity Xiefa?

It wasn't impossible.

At such a status, having enjoyed all earthly splendor, it was natural to resent falling into the cycle of rebirth like ordinary mortals.

They casually discussed Jianghu matters; as night deepened, they settled by the fire and fell asleep.

To be honest, it wasn't romantic at all.

The night was freezing, wind and snow howling.

The temple's main door had been torn down; even though they'd patched it with broken mats, cold wind kept seeping in, making the bonfire flicker wildly.

Travelers couldn't carry thick quilts everywhere—those thin wool blankets offered no real defense against the cold.

Fortunately, they were all long accustomed to it.

Li Yan slept for a while, then suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Inside the main hall, the light had turned strange; mist rose around them, blurring everything.

Whoosh!

Water suddenly surged up from the ground.

This was the Dragon Girl's dream!

Li Yan wasn't startled—only curious.

To be honest, after he uncovered the reason for the River God's awakening, the Dragon Girl should have appeared immediately.

Their agreement had already been fulfilled.

Li Yan had thought she might renege...

Soon, a pair of jade arms wrapped around him from behind.

Gurgling~

As if sinking into the depths, Li Yan's vision flooded with illusions.

He saw a great river, surging wildly, mist rising, dragons and serpents dancing within, bringing torrents of rain and floods that drowned the land...

Deep beneath the river lay a massive stone palace, carved by unknown hands in ancient times—simple and archaic, long submerged, teeming with giant fish and turtles, and a dark, colossal shadow...

Whenever thunder roared, the shadow stirred storms, followed by countless water spirits, ravaging the riverbanks; nearby villagers beat gongs and drums, throwing boys and girls into the water to avert disaster...

Li Yan knew—that was the legendary Dragon Palace Water Mansion.

It seemed to contain even vaster spaces within.

Then came the sorcerers setting up great arrays, driving Dragon Nailing Piles along the river's dragon veins to suppress and kill the River God.

Simultaneously, officials in black robes led countless civilians to carve mountain paths, divert water to irrigate the plains, and pile stones in the river's center to form islands, splitting the flow...

Li Yan instantly understood.

"Excavate Li Dui, avoid the harm of Mo Water, dam the river to..."

"Block its right, check its left, the main current turns east..."

This was the ancient Dujiangyan!

So the Dragon Palace Water Mansion lay not far from Dujiangyan.

Then mud and silt surged, burying and collapsing the Dragon Palace Water Mansion.

A flood of information poured into his mind.

Li Yan finally understood: the Dragon Palace Water Mansion, like Yunzhong Jun's Divine Palace and the Witch Mountain Goddess Palace, was a special space.

Only specific methods could enter it.

Then the Dragon Pattern Jade Gui rose into view before him.

So this was the key!

Li Yan already had a rough guess.

The Dragon Girl could use this object to send dreams—no wonder. If one brought it to that river region, one would dream of entering the Dragon Palace.

Their original agreement was that if he discovered the cause of the River God's disturbance, she would give him the Dragon Palace key.

Now it was fully completed.

Just as Li Yan thought the matter was settled, the dream shifted again.

It was a vast city.

Though ancient in appearance, Li Yan faintly recognized it—Chengdu Prefecture, smaller, likely the city of that era.

At that time, many women gathered in the city, carrying flower baskets as they strolled the streets, smiling as if a hundred flowers bloomed.

An object descended from the sky.

It was the flower-basket artifact found in the Dragon Girl's temple.

The object landed in ancient Chengdu; petals rained down, drifting into the basket, then seized by a pair of jade hands.

The raging storms and floods instantly ceased...

"Hey, the snow's finally stopped!"

Half-asleep, Li Yan heard Sha LiFei's shout.

He opened his eyes, sitting by the fire, drank a sip of hot tea, and slowly came to his senses, staring at the nearly extinguished bonfire. The dream had lasted far too long.

The Dragon Girl showed him the vision—and made another demand.

Originally, after the River God's death, the Dragon Girl would gradually inherit his power, send dreams to request worship, and protect the local people.

Without incident, she would become the Min River Water Deity.

But now something went wrong: a rogue mortal descended, absorbed the River God's lingering consciousness, and reincarnated in the mortal world.

No one knew what he intended—but it wouldn't be good.

Precisely because of this, the Dragon Girl's opportunity was also seized.

The Dragon Girl and the River God Great Lord were originally two aspects of one entity.

One represented the fury of the river waters.

The other represented the people's hopes.

In one by one/p>

Just like the Minjiang River, it can cause floods, yet also irrigate the Chengdu Plain and nourish countless people.

When the other succeeds, the Dragon Girl will vanish completely.

Thus, the Dragon Girl issued another task, asking him to help defeat the other, rebuild the temple, and gather incense offerings.

The reward offered was also deeply tempting to Li Yan.

It was none other than the River God Great Lord's Divine Gang!

The importance of Divine Gang goes without saying.

This substance is formed from primordial Gang qi and incense-vow power.

In ancient legends, those mighty deities became immensely powerful only after acquiring sufficient Divine Gang.

Just as Li Yan's Soul-Calling Thunder Chain can be directly empowered by Divine Gang.

Even some talismans can be infused with Divine Gang to enhance their power.

But Divine Gang is extremely scarce.

Li Yan has acquired two strands of Divine Gang through several missions capturing demonic qi, and he has hoarded them all, daring not to use them.

He intends to save the best Gang for critical moments.

Whether from righteousness or personal gain, this task cannot be missed.

The only thing Li Yan couldn't understand was how to use the flower basket.

This item was key to building the Dragon Girl's temple.

According to the dream, he needed to find many women carrying flower baskets.

He had never heard of such a ritual procedure before…

As he pondered, the outside had already grown bustling.

Lighting fires, cooking meals, brushing horses…

Voices rose in clamor; the desolate wilderness temple now teemed with life.

Director Wang was courteous, ordering servants to rise early and simmer mutton broth, inviting Li Yan and the others to eat together.

Nothing was more refreshing than drinking several bowls of steaming hot mutton broth in this icy snowscape.

Paired with chili oil, it warmed the entire body.

After breakfast, both parties set out together.

This was also Wang Tianzuo's hidden plan—his excessive flattery aimed to travel alongside them.

After all, the cargo being escorted was of considerable value.

With the Twelve Zodiacs accompanying them, the journey would be far safer.

A night of heavy snow made the mountain path even more treacherous.

The large cargo carts often sank into the snow and slipped.

At such moments, Wu Ba's abilities became evident.

With astonishing strength, he could easily push the carts free, earning constant thanks from the escort team.

Watching Director Wang bustling about, Li Yan felt a thought stir and stepped forward to ask quietly: "Director Wang, may I ask—have you ever seen many women gathering with flower baskets?"

The vision in his dream occurred in Chengdu.

If it were some special tradition, perhaps Wang Tianzuo had witnessed it.

To Li Yan's surprise, Wang Tianzuo replied without hesitation: "Of course I've seen it. You mean the 'Flower Festival,' right, Young Master Li?"

"The 'Flower Festival'?"

Li Yan became interested. "Director Wang, please elaborate."

He had heard of the "Flower Festival"—when the Daoist guarding the Dragon Girl invited them to visit Qingyang Palace, he mentioned it.

Li Yan had assumed it was just an ordinary festival and paid it no mind.

Now it seemed it was more complex than that.

Seeing Li Yan's curiosity, Wang Tianzuo launched into detail: "Young Master Li should know Chengdu is famed for Shu brocade. In ancient times, Zhuge Liang, the Sage Strategist, used Shu brocade to strengthen Shu Han, even establishing the official post of 'Brocade Official.'"

"Thus, since ancient times, scholars and poets have used 'Brocade Official City' as another name for Chengdu."

Wang Daoxuan nodded and smiled beside him: "I know this well—'At dawn, see the red, damp spots; flowers heavy in Brocade Official City,' and 'In days past, riding west of Jin City, drunk on plum blossoms like mud'—there are countless famous lines."

"Your Reverence has remarkable learning."

Wang Tianzuo paid a compliment, then continued: "But besides 'Brocade Official City,' Chengdu is also called 'Rong City.'"

In ancient times, Meng Chang, ruler of Later Shu, adored the hibiscus tree, so he ordered the city to plant them everywhere. Each late autumn, the hibiscus bloomed in full splendor, painting forty li in brocade.

"This was possible only because Meng Chang was wise and beloved by the people, and because Chengdu's people loved flowers."

"Every year on the fifteenth day of the second lunar month, the birthday of all flowers, known as the 'Flower Festival,' the people of Chengdu celebrate by admiring blooms and strolling. This day is also the birthday of Laozi, making it especially grand."

"Qingyang Palace holds a grand temple fair and ritual, and nearby lies the largest flower market in Shu—during the 'Flower Festival,' it becomes exceptionally lively."

"On this day, the people wear flowers in their hair. From every region, outstanding young women are chosen to dress as the Twelve Flower Deities, parading in procession to worship the Queen of Flowers."

"What you described must be this."

"So that's how it is…"

Li Yan listened, lost in thought.

The Dragon Girl carrying a flower basket must be connected to her past life—perhaps she was once one of the Flower Deities on parade, allowing her to harness this power to once again gather incense offerings.

The fifteenth day of the second lunar month…

It falls right after the Jiao -opening ceremony on Mount Qingcheng.

But achieving this would not be easy.

This was a struggle for opportunity against the mortal who descended secretly; if the Shu Prince's mansion was involved, they would surely obstruct it at every turn.

Yet building the Dragon Girl's temple could not succeed without local support.

It seemed he must plan ahead.

To outmaneuver the Shu Prince's mansion… would be difficult…

At this thought, a figure suddenly surfaced in Li Yan's mind.

According to the intelligence gathered, the one who descended secretly had allies like Zhao Changsheng; the Dragon Girl was merely caught in the crossfire.

What they truly sought to seize was the opportunity of Erlang Zhenjun!

Though he did not know exactly what these people wanted, he could surely ally with Erlang Zhenjun's reincarnation to confront this threat together.

Thus, a plan formed in Li Yan's mind.

After the journey to Mount Qingcheng, he would infiltrate Chengdu, find Erlang Zhenjun's reincarnation, and unite with them to face this crisis…

But Erlang Zhenjun's whereabouts were mysterious—he might not even be in Chengdu.

The Dujiangyan area must hold clues!

At this thought, Li Yan deliberately lagged behind, gathering several companions to explain the matter.

"I'll go."

Lu San spoke up immediately: "Mount Qingcheng is crowded, and I'm not of the Daoist path—I'd feel uncomfortable going up."

Sha Li Fei pondered a moment, then shook his head: "If I go with you, I'd be useless once we reach the mountain. Wu Ba should stay with us—so those Daoists won't cause trouble after we ascend."

"That works."

Li Yan immediately nodded in agreement.

Lu San was poor at dealing with people; with Sha Li Fei accompanying him and Wu Ba guarding them, Li Yan felt more at ease.

After finalizing the plan, the group quickened their pace.

As dusk approached, the convoy finally reached a fork near Guanxian.

Lu San and the others followed the escort team toward Guanxian.

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan turned southwest, toward Mount Qingcheng…

(End of Chapter)