Chapter 676

Night Wandering God?!

Li Yan was somewhat surprised and suddenly raised his head.

He couldn't care about Luo Faqing's warning and immediately pinched the magic formula to investigate.

The smell supernatural power was activated, and he smelled a scent of incense, and also vaguely outlined its silhouette.

That was a human-shaped phantom, about four meters tall, covered in a cloak, and a sound of chains came from its body.

That's right, it was indeed the Night Wandering God.

After discovering the abnormal ancient Wang Mu statue, Li Yan had asked someone to carefully organize the data on the evolution of deities.

He had a good relationship with Wudang and Qingcheng; in this world, the Mystic Sect lineage was orderly, and many lost ancient books were still preserved perfectly, so the context of some vulgar gods was also clarified, and the "Night Wandering God" was one of them.

In the Mystic Sect, it was mainly responsible for night patrols and monitoring good and evil in the human world.

Together with the Day Wandering God, it was worshipped in the Chenghuangmiao.

The City God's night patrol followed a fixed area.

And the Day and Night Wandering Gods' routes were relatively free; abnormal movement of martial and evil Qi would attract them to come.

If evil spirits and underworld objects were making trouble, they would directly suppress them.

Of course, Day and Night Wandering Gods weren't everywhere.

It was like an upgraded configuration; if the local Chenghuangmiao only had enough to support soldiers and horses, it naturally wouldn't have the energy.

Some places, even if they could make the Day and Night Wandering Gods manifest, were at most used for reconnaissance.

In the capital, it was undoubtedly more powerful, comparable to the town temple vulgar gods in some places.

But Li Yan, through summarizing the data, found that its origin wasn't that simple.

The belief in the Night Wandering God was perhaps more ancient, originating from the worship of "night" in ancient times.

Ancient ancestors believed that unknown dangers were hidden in the night, requiring gods to protect or deter, so it was also called the "God of Night" or "Patrolling Ghost God," and it was very likely the "Xiaoming" and "Zhuguang" gods mentioned in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas."

The "Taishang Dongyuan Divine Curse Scripture" called it a Heavenly Court position, patrolling the human world together with the Day Wandering God.

In folk legends, it also frequently appeared, interacting with mortals, punishing night thieves, or helping lost people.

Judging from various signs, this was also an ancient god that had fallen silent in the transformation of human ways and was reborn with a change in position.

Its true body was perhaps also in the Great Luo Dharma Realm, and the human world was all incense incarnations.

But regardless of whether the speculation was correct, it shouldn't be killing people indiscriminately like this!

Someone was controlling the Night Wandering God to mess around!

That woman surnamed Hu clearly thought of this point too.

"Someone is playing tricks, retreat first!"

Her face changed drastically, her fingers quickly pinched the formula, and at the same time she chanted quickly: "The moon shines on the mountain forest and white smoke rises, the Hu family teaching master arrives before the hall, the left foot steps on the road of heaven and earth, the right foot kicks open the gate of yin and yang!"

The chanting was fast, and the steps under her feet were even faster.

Coupled with the swaying of her waist, it actually felt like a fox dancing.

At the same time, white mist rose from the ground.

"Follow me closely!"

A woman's delicate shout came from the thick fog, and then a ball of phosphorus fire exploded in the fog, like countless swimming fish, scattering in all directions.

"Good means..."

Li Yan was clearly somewhat surprised after seeing this.

He had collected quite a bit of Mystic Sect intelligence, and the Northern Frontier Five Immortals Hall was naturally among them.

The origin of the Five Immortals Hall was Shamanism, but it was also somewhat different.

Years ago, when Han people from Luzhou and other places moved into the Northern Frontier, they brought fox immortal beliefs, etc., and combined them with the local Shamanic god possession rituals, forming Chu Ma disciples.

Therefore, the core of Chu Ma disciples was possession.

It was similar to inviting gods to possess the body in the Central Plains and Southern regions, and the general magic art was "binding the orifices"; the higher the cultivation, the more one could remain clear-headed.

But the Five Immortals worshipped also had their own specialties.

Fox immortals were good at bewitching souls, divination, and changing lives and borrowing luck.

Yellow immortals were good at hiding and capturing souls.

White immortals were good at treating diseases and suppressing houses, willow immortals were good at conquest, and gray immortals were good at accumulating wealth.

The organizational structure of the Five Immortals Hall was not that rigorous; as long as one "moved the pole" to establish a hall through steps like "inviting immortals, pointing soldiers, and settling seats," one could become an immortal hall.

But as Hu San Ta Ye, Hu San Ta Nai, etc., received imperial edicts from the Mystic Sect, the Five Immortals Hall could also be considered a legal lineage recognized by the imperial court, and all halls had to listen to their orders.

The Five Immortals each had their own strengths, but the Hu immortal was the leader.

The reason was very simple, and that was this "Heavenly Divination," which was the Hu family hexagram.

No matter how high the cultivation, one was afraid of the three disasters and nine difficulties; only by understanding the heavenly secrets could one avoid the calamity.

The Hu immortal's combat power wasn't considered very high, and this Hu family woman's escape technique could both escape and confuse the enemy, which was clearly an extremely high-level and orthodox lineage.

But they still underestimated the power of the Night Wandering God.

Li Yan could feel that the scent of incense on the Night Wandering God erupted instantly.

Almost instantly, a gale blew up all around, and black mist shrouded everything.

Looking at the momentum, it actually looked a bit like the False False Yin Si soldiers and horses moving out.

Of course, the two were different in origin, and the power was far apart.

Even so, the Hu family woman's escape technique was instantly broken.

Squeak squeak~

A fox's mournful cry seemed to come from the black mist.

The white mist released by the Hu family woman, along with the phosphorus fire within, was instantly washed away.

And these three had just jumped outside the wall.

Still in mid-air, the Hu family woman groaned and fell, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Incense Master, be careful!"

Feng Shaoqing hurriedly helped up the woman surnamed Hu, but seeing the darkness spreading on the wall, a trace of horror flashed in his eyes, his body tensed, clearly wanting to escape.

But he hesitated for a moment, and still blocked in front of the woman, taking out the token at his waist.

This was the official order of the Commandant's Office, which had some power to suppress evil.

Just as the darkness was about to approach, it suddenly stopped, less than a foot from his face; frost condensed on Feng Shaoqing's face, and he also heard the sound of chains.

Whoosh~

Suddenly, the gale surged, and the darkness dissipated.

"Hahaha..."

Feng Shaoqing escaped death, his face full of ecstasy, gritting his teeth: "Humph, the imperial power of the Great Xuan Dynasty is greater than the divine power, the Night Wandering God, no matter what, belongs to the Chenghuangmiao, how can it harm imperial court officials..."

He was somewhat arrogant and forgot himself, but he didn't see that the Hu family woman, who had risen after wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, didn't listen to his nagging, but looked at the dark alley on the left, cupped her hands and said: "Many thanks to the fellow Daoist for the help, why not appear and meet?"

In the darkness, Li Yan stuffed the hook credential into his bosom and walked out slowly.

Feng Shaoqing thought too beautifully; this Night Wandering God had already been controlled by someone, how could it care about any imperial court official order? The one who truly drove it away was Li Yan's Heavenly Official status.

Heavenly Official walking, nothing is taboo, all vulgar gods must avoid it.

No matter how strange this Night Wandering God was, its identity was hard to change.

"May I ask the Excellency..."

The Hu family woman had just cupped her hands, when Widow Wang beside her widened her eyes and exclaimed in shock:

"Li... Little Brother Li?"

Her face was full of disbelief.

The Hu family woman turned her head to look, her brows frowning slightly.

Li Yan didn't rush to speak, but turned his head to look at the distant street alley, seeing the firelight and the sound of horse hooves coming from there, so he opened his mouth: "The patrolling soldiers are coming, let's find a place first." Looking at Li Yan, who was young but put on the appearance of an expert, Feng Shaoqing felt somewhat uncomfortable and said in a deep voice: "Good, the Night Wandering God killing people is unheard of, it's just right to investigate the matter thoroughly."

"Investigate, what are you investigating?"

Li Yan was somewhat speechless, "The Night Wandering God killing people, even if you say it out, do you think anyone will believe it?"

"Since someone dares to play tricks, how could they not be prepared? It's estimated that before you give the order, you will be thrown into prison and lose your life in a muddle."

Feng Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "As expected of the famous Li Yan, you are right."

For his identity being recognized, Li Yan was not surprised, but looked at the woman surnamed Hu.

This woman was called Incense Master, clearly the leader of these people.

The woman heard this, a trace of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but seeing the torches in the distance had already reddened the alley entrance, she gritted her teeth and said: "There are our people in the front gate grain warehouse, follow me!"

After saying this, she turned and hurried away.

She had only suffered damage to her divine sense, her kung fu was still unaffected, galloping and leaping, her speed was very fast.

Li Yan and Widow Wang and the others followed closely behind.

Passing through three dark hutongs, a blue brick archway suddenly appeared in front, with "Yufeng Hao" carved on the lintel, which had been mottled and unclear after many years.

The Hu family woman looked around, stepped forward and knocked on the copper ring, three long and two short.

Soon, the side door instantly cracked open.

"Incense Master... hurry in!"

The one who opened the door was a hunchbacked old man, although somewhat surprised, he didn't talk nonsense, and after everyone entered, he looked at the street, and quickly closed the wooden door.

After entering, Li Yan checked the surroundings without changing his expression.

This place looked like an ordinary grain warehouse front yard, but it was actually full of hidden mysteries.

Seven grain piles, each over a zhang high, were arranged in a Big Dipper pattern, the tops of the piles were covered with thatch, but bronze fox-head bells hung under the eaves, and there was no sound when the night wind blew.

And underground, there was also the smell of incense and fire lingering.

Li Yan saw this and wasn't surprised.

When Luo Faqing introduced the situation in the capital, he also mentioned the terrain of various areas.

This front gate area was originally a place where merchants gathered, and it was recorded in the "Gazetteer of the Five Wards and Alleys of the Capital" that this area was full of grain warehouses and cargo warehouses, and many had underground storage.

Sure enough, the Hu family woman introduced: "This was an underground warehouse built by the Minister of Personnel fifty years ago. He was very greedy, and seeing the current Emperor ascending the throne, to prevent his home from being raided, he dug a three-li secret passage under the commercial firm at the front gate, but in the end, he couldn't escape death, and later it was taken over by us, and now it connects to the backyards of six grain warehouses."

As she spoke, she pushed open the reed mat of the grain pile on the east side, revealing a pitch-black hole.

After she entered, Li Yan also followed and drilled in.

When he bent down, he frowned, smelling the scent of sulfur mixed in with the smell of old rice.

Gunpowder was buried under these grain piles?

What was a lineage hall doing with such a big battle?

The tunnel was damp and cold, and an old oil lamp was embedded in the wall every ten steps.

Li Yan twitched his nose, becoming more and more suspicious in his heart.

Hidden mechanisms and arrows were hidden in the walls on both sides.

The identities of these people must have problems.

He didn't change his expression, but in his heart, he had already raised his vigilance.

Finally, everyone stopped in a stone room.

This place was arranged with more care, and it was almost like a house.

The Hu family woman stepped forward and turned the lamp stand.

Creak creak~

The antique shelf moved with the sound of the mechanism, and a secret room about a zhang square was revealed behind it.

Inside the secret room, boxes of armor and weapons were hidden.

There were even two boxes of fire guns.

"Everyone..."

Li Yan stopped outside the secret room and didn't enter, "You are probably not just people from the Five Immortals Hall, right?"

Feng Shaoqing's eyes were gloomy, and he secretly glanced at the woman surnamed Hu.

And Widow Wang lowered her head and didn't dare to speak.

"I won't hide it from Young Master Li."

The woman suddenly made several gestures, lightly tapped her brow with her fingertip, made a lotus shape, and then opened her mouth: "The breeze doesn't know characters, why bother flipping through the scriptures? 'Three-watch fire under the Maitreya seat, a bright lamp illuminates the cold night'."

"People from the Maitreya Sect?!"

Li Yan was stunned in his heart, and couldn't help but press the hilt of his sword.

He didn't expect that these people were actually from the Maitreya Sect.

Years ago, in the battle of Guanzhong, because of Zhao Changsheng's mischief, various forces of the Maitreya Sect gathered in Guanzhong to rebel, and as a result, they suffered heavy losses at the hands of the imperial court.

Because of this matter, the originally powerful Maitreya Sect also fell into a slump, and coupled with the imperial court's prohibition, only sporadic forces remained of the Maitreya Sect.

Scattered in various places, they couldn't become a climate at all.

When did they gather again in the capital?

"Brother Li, don't be nervous, we are not bad people..."

Widow Wang beside her saw this and hurriedly explained, "This is the young lady who was separated from my family, saved by people from the Maitreya Sect since she was young..."

The woman surnamed Hu raised her hand, interrupting her explanation, and said righteously, cupping her hands: "I am Hu Yuanyuan, the Incense Master of the Maitreya Sect in the capital; I have long heard of Brother Li's chivalrous liver and righteous gall, and you should know the origin of the Maitreya Sect; as long as there are suffering people in this world, the Maitreya Sect will not be cut off!"

"We burn incense and gather, not to oppose the imperial court, and even less to have the ambition to change the heavens and the earth, but just to help each other in this turbid and evil world."

"If you don't believe it, you can go and investigate."

Li Yan naturally wouldn't believe it easily, but he didn't rush to turn his face, but looked around and said indifferently: "Bringing me here, could it be that you want to lure me into the sect?"

"Young Master Li misunderstood."

Hu Yuanyuan shook her head: "Just to show sincerity, I heard that the Twelve Yuan Chen are wandering immortals, and I want to make a deal with you."

Li Yan asked: "What deal?"

Hu Yuanyuan gritted her teeth: "Help me kill someone! That is an underworld criminal, hiding in Prince Ying's Mansion, I want him to have his soul fly away and scatter, never to be reborn!"

Li Yan heard this, and instantly understood in his heart.

According to the information he obtained from the False False Yin Si, Wuleji, who was hiding in Prince Ying's Mansion, had slaughtered the village that worshipped the Five Immortals Hall while hiding in the Northern Frontier.

Widow Wang and the others had been hiding their names for many years, estimated to be to avoid this person.

Of course, Li Yan wouldn't foolishly say that this was also his goal.

He frowned, pretending to be suspicious, and said in a deep voice: "In Prince Ying's Mansion, there is actually an underworld criminal hiding, this is strange, what exactly is going on?"

Hu Yuanyuan saw that he was interested, so she didn't dare to hide it, and immediately told the story.

The cause and effect were roughly the same as Li Yan guessed.

The only difference was that this Hu Yuanyuan was just a young child when she was separated, and after so many years, the things from her childhood had long been forgotten, and she thought her family had encountered bandits.

It wasn't until Widow Wang passed through the capital with the fox immortal that she accidentally felt Hu Yuanyuan's bloodline, and the two sides were able to recognize each other.

Hu Yuanyuan, a young girl, could climb to the position of Incense Master, one could imagine how much suffering she had endured, especially after learning that the culprit who caused all this had been hiding in the capital, she was so angry that she was furious.

Seeing Li Yan not speaking, Hu Yuanyuan gritted her teeth and said: "Young Master Li, you are famous all over the world, I'm afraid you don't look down on those yellow and white things; if you can accomplish this, I am willing to give you an immortal's object."

"Immortal's object?"

Li Yan laughed, "What is an immortal, I know better than you; if there are really these treasures, would you be willing?"

Hu Yuanyuan was silent for a moment, slowly raised her head and said:

"Young Master Li, have you heard of the flat peach that can make people live forever?"

(End of chapter)