Chapter 644: The Ghost Emperor

As the tiger-crouching cannon was deployed, the scene fell utterly silent.

The Daoists of Shangqing Palace were momentarily stunned.

They certainly knew it was a cannon, and could tell it was no ordinary weapon.

After all, in this era, everyone was seeking change.

The Meishan Fa Sect had developed the firelock technique, and nearly all Xuanmen sects across Shenzhou rushed to exchange knowledge; they had spent heavily to acquire many, and even hired officials from the yamen to train their gunners.

But using a gun in martial disputes was one thing.

What was this cannon doing here?!

For a moment, even the Daoists holding firearms were at a loss.

In contrast, Li Yan's side stood cold-eyed, seething with murderous intent.

Since leaving Guanzhong, they had fought countless battles, their hands stained with so many lives they could no longer count them.

By martial world standards, even the blood-soaked blade-wielders would kneel and call them Grandfather.

If they couldn't talk sense, then fight first and talk later.

Seeing their demeanor, the senior Daoists leading Shangqing Palace felt a chill in their hearts.

These old Daoists were seasoned; they knew they had met a hardened opponent.

But if they offered no explanation today, word of this incident would spread, and Shangqing Palace would be mocked.

The lead elder, whose robe bore thunder patterns, was Danqingzi, the Supervising Abbot of Shangqing Palace.

Gazing at Wu Ba's tiger-crouching cannon, he narrowed his triangular eyes and sneered: "You claim no involvement, yet wield such weaponry to destroy a mausoleum? You're clearly of the Xuanmen—dare you act and deny it?"

Yin Jiuge could no longer bear it, snapping: "Shangqing Palace calls itself a righteous Xuanmen sect? How can you be so blind to truth? Where is Guanglingzi? Let him come out—I'll ask him what kind of disciples he's trained!"

Danqingzi's eyes narrowed slightly. "My master has long ascended. Who are you?"

Yin Jiuge replied coldly: "I am Yin Jiuge."

Danqingzi shook his head Dandan ly. "I've never heard my master mention you."

Yin Jiuge let out a bitter laugh. "Fine… fine Shangqing Palace."

He was a veteran Xuanmen master, older even than the Bamboo Grove Six Idle Ones. Though he kept a low profile, many elder martial figures knew him—yet his old acquaintances' disciples didn't recognize him, and now treated him with disdain, as if he were trying to curry favor.

At that moment, "Jin Yanfeng" from behind hurried forward, bowing anxiously: "Misunderstanding! All a misunderstanding!"

"Reverend Danqingzi, I am Jin Yanfeng of Luoyang. Last Zhengyue Fifteenth, I spoke with you at the Wang Fu banquet—I can vouch that this matter truly involves demons…"

"Enough!"

Danqingzi's face darkened instantly. "I know you—you're implicated in the Luoyang paper-man case and escaped prison illegally."

He glared coldly at the crowd. "From my view, you are all demons!"

Jin Yanfeng was startled.

In his memory, Danqingzi had always been a refined, cultured Daoist.

Why was he so unreasonable now?

He didn't know that due to the disturbance of Mangshan's earth vein, Shangqing Palace had ruined an entire batch of precious pills.

Not only were the spiritual materials hard to come by, but the timing was also ruined.

Danqingzi was boiling with suppressed rage, making him utterly irrational.

"What a fool!"

Li Yan lost patience, coldly saying: "Luoyang faces a great calamity. If you can't help, get out of the way. Open your mouth again, and I'll send you straight to the Three Pure Ones!"

"Hahahaha…"

Danqingzi also sneered. "I'd like to see if you demons can leave Yuzhou!"

"Stop! Everyone, hold your hands!"

As both sides bristled with tension, hoofbeats suddenly rang down the mountain path.

A dozen riders galloped toward them; the lead woman wore a crimson robe—it was Pei Niangzi of Longmen Inn.

Before her horse had even stopped, she leapt up, stepping on its head, and landed gracefully like a swallow skimming water, bowing high: "Stop! Reverend Danqingzi, there is more to this matter!"

Danqingzi frowned. "Madam Pei, is the Heluo Merchant Guild now meddling in Xuanmen grudges?"

Facing this elder of the Xuanmen, Pei Niangzi dared not use her usual rhetoric; she bowed solemnly: "Elder, these individuals are the Twelve Zodiacs—you must have heard of them."

"They came to Yuzhou to rescue their own brother and secretly investigate the paper-man case. Their ascent to Mangshan was for this reason. Also, the 'Soul-Collecting Boat' has surfaced in Yi River—it belongs to the ancient demonic sect Yinfu Sect. This must be connected. If Shangqing Palace now turns on itself, won't you let the demons profit?"

"Yinfu Sect?"

Hearing those three words, Danqingzi's heart lurched.

Meanwhile, others from the Heluo Merchant Guild arrived.

"Di Ting Xian" Yue San'er was among them; upon seeing Li Yan, he bowed respectfully.

He even recognized Yin Jiuge, his face lighting up with joy as he kowtowed in deference.

The Ming Sect rarely appeared in Xuanmen circles, but among common folk—especially those who practiced rites for weddings and funerals—it was legendary.

Yue San'er was an elder himself, yet Yin Jiuge was his idol.

Listening to their reminiscences, Danqingzi's expression flickered uncertainly.

He mostly operated within Luoyang, preferring to associate with officials and nobles—he truly didn't know Yin Jiuge.

But he knew the Ming Sect's reputation.

Especially the Twelve Zodiacs, whose fame had spread nationwide after the Chengdu battle.

He had focused solely on pill-making; he never expected so many powerful outsiders had come to Luoyang.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the collapsed Jingling Mausoleum. "What exactly happened here?"

Li Yan ignored him; Yin Jiuge stepped forward, speaking gravely: "Do you know of the Nine Tripods?"

He then recounted the full story.

Danqingzi grew more astonished with each word, a cold dread rising in his chest.

Behind him, another elder muttered: "Even if what you say is true, our palace's talisman furnace was destroyed by you—that is fact. The 'Earth Marrow Powder,' forged from three-hundred-year-old jujube wood, was ruined overnight. Someone must pay for this."

Li Yan's group immediately sneered.

"Shut up!"

Before Li Yan could retort, Danqingzi snapped sharply, then glared darkly: "We'll settle this later."

He turned to Li Yan and the others, asking coldly: "Since you broke the false Yin Si, did you capture the demons?"

Li Yan shook his head. "We don't know where they went."

"Hmm."

Danqingzi nodded, then stared at the red glow emerging from Jingling. "And how do we handle this?"

Li Yan frowned. "The Six Kingdoms' demonic army is locked in stalemate with the Suihou Pearl. Break the pearl, and the army emerges. Ignore it, and the Yuzhou Ding will be pulled from the dragon vein. Either way, it's a cataclysm. I'd like to know what you plan to do."

Hearing this, the Shangqing Palace Daoists exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale.

They hadn't realized the matter was this grave.

Especially with the Nine Tripods involved.

The court had just raised this issue—if it went wrong on their territory, even the righteous sects' reputations might be revoked.

At this moment, no one cared about refining pills to please the emperor.

As they spoke, monks from Xiangshan Temple arrived.

Though Luoyang's Buddhist and Daoist factions often clashed, faced with this, none dared act rashly; they exchanged information.

"Amitabha."

The abbot of Xiangshan Temple, Master Kuzhu, bowed respectfully to Yin Jiuge. "To be honest, Elder, I've heard your name. You are a Dishi, skilled at transforming malevolent land into auspicious ground—could you guide us, to spare Luoyang's people?"

"Hmph!"

Yin Jiuge's expression was grim. Though he disliked them, he replied: "If I had a solution, would I be wasting words with you?"

Li Yan's mind stirred. He spoke up: "Elder, Xu Fu left three bamboo scrolls. The Immortal Path need not concern us—but he left an extra Luoyang scroll, implying the false Yin Si and these arrangements are tied to Luoyang. The answer may lie within."

Yin Jiuge shook his head. "But who knows where that Luoyang scroll has gone?"

Master Kuzhu of Xiangshan Temple pondered, then said: "Mangshan's earth vein trembled, and the Lushena Buddha in Longmen Grottoes also changed. Perhaps it's there."

A young Daoist from Shangqing Palace stepped close to Danqingzi, whispering: "Master, in the Three Pure Ones Hall…"

Before he finished, Danqingzi's sharp gaze silenced him.

But the crowd wasn't foolish—they saw something was hidden.

Pei Niangzi dropped all pretense, sneering: "Reverend Danqingzi, though the Heluo Merchant Guild isn't Xuanmen, we're not unconnected to court. We've kept our distance from you, but now you've caused such a mess and still try to hide it? I'll report this straight to the Golden Throne!"

Danqingzi's face flushed crimson, then white; finally, he gritted his teeth: "It's the Duetian Wulei Talisman."

"It was left by our founder Zhang Tianshi, enshrined before the Laozi statue in the Three Pure Ones Hall—the very treasure that guards our palace."

Li Yan frowned. "It must be tied to Mangshan's dragon vein. Why hide it?"

Danqingzi clearly didn't want to speak, but under everyone's gaze, he sighed: "This is our sect's secret."

"Our founder Zhang Tianshi left this talisman to suppress Mangshan's demonic forces, instructing it never be removed under any circumstance."

"But when the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom invaded, one of the Ten Great Masters of Shenzhou, Chen Shoujing of Mangshan Xuandu Temple, unleashed the Yique Demon Serpent and perished with the enemy. Our ancestors assumed the Duetian Wulei Talisman was suppressing the serpent, so we took it away to prevent it falling into enemy hands."

"Later, fleeing south, we encountered a mountain demon and used it again…"

The crowd instantly understood.

Zhang Tianshi must have seen something long ago, which is why he left the divine talisman to seal it.

But Shangqing Palace, fearing loss of the treasure, secretly removed it.

Though it was a misunderstanding, compared to Master Chen Shoujing, their actions were utterly inferior.

Xuandu Temple had once led Luoyang's Daoist sects, but after this incident, its power collapsed and never recovered.

After returning from the south, Shangqing Palace was no longer composed of its original members, and had secretly maneuvered to become the leader of Luoyang's Daoist sects.

If this matter became known, it would severely damage their prestige.

"Come, take me to see it!"

Yin Jiuling was too lazy to explain further and spoke in a low tone.

Dan Qingzi, needing someone's help, dared not resume his former airs; without a word, he led everyone to Cuiyun Peak.

Shangqing Palace, a thousand-year-old temple, naturally had fine scenery.

Yet none of them had any interest in sightseeing; they headed straight for the Three Pure Ones Hall.

Looking up, they saw the Three Pure Ones Hall shrouded in crimson sky-light, long since damaged.

The nine steps of green stone before the hall were cracked with fine fissures, from which Lvlvyinshazhiqi seeped out.

The bronze wind chimes hanging from the eaves trembled without wind, emitting intermittent clear chimes.

"Indeed connected to the earth vein!"

Yin Jiuling immediately spotted the anomaly, his face grim, as he stepped into the hall.

The others followed, seeing the three golden statues of the Three Pure Ones seated high upon the altar—but all were corrupted.

The Primordial Heavenly Venerable held the Chaos Pearl, its surface veiled in a layer of bloodlight…

The Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable's jade scepter was riddled with cracks, the seven stars of the Big Dipper embedded upon it reduced to powder…

The Moral Heavenly Venerable's incense brazier lay overturned, ash scattered, its interior pitch black…

The hall's lamps flickered erratically, casting the murals of the Thunder Deities on the walls into twisted, furious visages.

Yin Jiuling pulled out the Luo Pan, examined it, took a few steps, then suddenly looked up: "This is one of the nodes!"

Li Yan looked up at his words and instantly understood the cause.

Above the hall's ceiling, the ceiling medallion depicted the "Purple Microcosm's Twenty-Eight Mansions," identical to the False Nether Court.

At this moment, the vermilion paint on the positions of Tian Shu and Tian Xuan had peeled away, revealing the talismans beneath.

The talismans' engraved grooves had all their cinnabar scraped away, then crudely slashed in chaotic horizontal and vertical lines.

Yin Jiuling held the Luo Pan and turned to gaze at the incense brazier in the hall's courtyard, speaking gravely: "The Three Pure Ones Hall and the incense brazier outside were both arranged in ancient times, originally linked to the Qin Palace and the dragon vein, then sealed by Master Zhang Daoling's divine talismans."

"The divine talismans have been torn away, and now someone has tampered here… Do you know who repaired it?"

Dan Qingzi, aware of the gravity, dared not conceal anything: "This Three Pure Ones Hall has been repaired twice."

"The first was in early Northern Song, after the chaos at the end of the Tang and Five Dynasties, when the hall was burned down; we invited a renowned painter of that era to restore it."

"The second was just a few years ago, when the night-watch Daoist fell asleep on duty, and a candle ignited the curtains…"

Before he finished, Li Yan suddenly felt something stir within him and spoke low: "After the Three Pure Ones Hall was restored, did Mount Mangshan experience strange phenomena?"

Dan Qingzi paused. "I didn't know, but the records still exist."

He hurriedly ordered his disciple to fetch a thick ancient text; after careful examination, he nodded: "Indeed. It records that after the Three Pure Ones Hall was rebuilt in early Northern Song, Mount Mangshan witnessed the phenomenon of 'ghost soldiers borrowing the road,' followed by torrential rain, a landslide, and a stone stele rolling out…"

Jin Yanfeng interrupted: "The stele bore four characters: 'Xuanmo Returns to Mang!'"

Dan Qingzi was startled. "How do you know that?"

Jin Yanfeng smiled bitterly. "This too is recorded in a rare copy of the 'Records of Northern River Supernatural Events.' We caused chaos in the Ghost Market to obtain this book—apparently someone back then foresaw it and left a record, though we were unaware."

Li Yan nodded. "The craftsmen of that time were certainly compromised."

"Impossible!"

The old Daoist Dan Qingzi shook his head urgently: "That man was one of the Ten Great Masters of Northern Song, and a scion of the Kong family of Qufu. Though long ago, surely you've heard the name 'Ran Du Master Kong Hui'?"

"Kong Hui?"

Yin Jiuling, upon hearing this, also looked surprised. Seeing Li Yan's confusion, he explained: "He was a Master of Northern Song, who from childhood devoured the classics; every scroll in the Kong family's library was worn out from his reading, hence the name 'Ran Du Master.' Later, he even became the Emperor's tutor."

"Hmph!"

Li Yan coldly said: "A grand reputation doesn't mean the man was clean. And why would a Master come here to repair your temple? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

The Shangqing Palace members fell silent, unable to answer.

"Enough."

Li Yan shook his head. "Too much time has passed; we'll revisit this later. Who was the other one?"

Dan Qingzi replied: "The other is still alive—a famed painter of Luoyang, Lu Mo, Master Lu."

"What?!"

The abbot of Xiangshan Temple, Ku Zhu, cried out in shock.

Seeing all eyes on him, he broke into sweat and stammered: "I too hired him… to repair the Lushena Buddha…"

(End of Chapter)