Chapter 71: Strategy for Attacking the Mountain

Flies really do look for smelly latrines!

Although Li Yan didn't know that the Iron Blade Gang had been wiped out by Luo Shihai and others, he wasn't surprised at all that these two had come.

No matter how good their kung fu is, they are still low-class scum!

As the sound of hooves drew closer, Li Yan saw them even more clearly.

On the backs of their horses, both were carrying large cloth bags. Whether from the shape or the smell inside, he could determine they were the newly kidnapped children.

At the same time, their voices drifted on the wind.

"Junior Feng Feng Shixiong Zheng, don't blame me. This matter was completely botched by that idiot Zhou Peide, which is why it implicated us."

"What's good about wandering the Jianghu? We have many enemies, plus the imperial court's wanted list; I'm afraid we won't live for many days. It's better to defect to the Master; at least we'll have a backer..."

"Hmph, what's the use of saying this now?"

"With that old thing's personality, he would have sold us out sooner or later. I've long had the idea of escaping, but what's hateful is that all my savings were stolen by that guy named You."

"Damn it, years of hard work, only to end up empty-handed..."

"Hahaha, money is something that comes and goes."

"Master Chen said that as long as he succeeds, we will immediately head to the coast. That place is far more prosperous than Guanzhong. I heard that many wanted heroes from the green forest have all boarded ships and gone overseas, each making a fortune..."

As they spoke, the two had already galloped past.

Li Yan hid in the dense forest and did not appear.

For one, although these two were not the top experts among the Eight Great Vajras, they had practiced Dark Jin for many years and could operate it freely; he was no match for them alone.

For another, he also wanted to use them to determine the tomb where Chen Fagui was hiding.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, the two hid their horses in a mountain hollow and carried the sacks up the mountain, their figures gradually shrinking in the withered woods and dense forest.

The view on the mountain was better. Li Yan was hiding in the dense forest at the foot of the mountain; if he appeared rashly to track them, he would be discovered by the two immediately.

Fortunately, Li Yan had another way.

He pinched the Yang mudra, pushed his supernatural ability to the limit, took a deep breath, and could vaguely distinguish the trajectory of their scent.

Of course, his supernatural ability was limited now, and he couldn't smell it beyond a certain distance, but remembering this smell, it wouldn't dissipate for at least two days...

……………

On the official road in the distance, three riders were also galloping.

It was Sha Lifei and the others.

"Stop!"

When they were close to the location, the Daoist Luo Mingzi from the Law Enforcement Hall suddenly raised his hand, looked into the distance, and said indifferently, "Chen Fagui can avoid the search of soldiers and horses; he must be good at hiding and might have been prepared. It's better for us to dismount and sneak in."

"Daoist Luo's words are reasonable."

Zhao Facheng of the Jiuyuan Sect nodded. "My Feng Feng Shixiong Chen doesn't understand worldly affairs, but he has talent for sorcery and must have made preparations."

Having said this, he flipped off his horse and hid the horses in the forest.

Hearing the two talk, Sha Lifei finally felt slightly relieved.

He had originally thought that once the Chenghuangmiao got the news, they would immediately set up an altar and perform rituals to capture Chen Fagui. He didn't expect that the Chenghuangmiao soldiers couldn't be deployed during the day.

Not only that, but they only sent two people.

Although there was only one evil Daoist, they were taking it too lightly.

Along the way, he inevitably felt uneasy in his heart.

Fortunately, these two didn't seem so unreliable...

After hiding the horses, the three continued forward, but they didn't take the main road, instead moving along the forest by the road to cover their figures.

Walking halfway, Zhao Facheng suddenly waved his hand to signal the two to stop, then pinched the Yang mudra and lay on the ground to listen with his ears.

Sha Lifei was no longer a novice now and immediately guessed that this person had awakened the Ear Supernatural Ability.

Sure enough, Zhao Facheng stood up again and turned his head to look at Sha Lifei. "There is a person hiding in the dense forest ahead; it should be your companion, Sha Feng Feng Shixiong..."

…………

Swish!

Li Yan frowned and turned around, gripping his blade.

He was using his supernatural ability to explore the distance, but he smelled three people coming from the forest behind him.

Although one of them was Sha Lifei, the three of them were heading straight for this place, clearly having discovered his hiding spot; he had to be on guard.

Sure enough, the three soon entered the forest.

Seeing the Daoist robes on the other party, Li Yan appeared immediately. "I have met the two Seniors."

Sha Lifei hurriedly stepped forward and introduced, "Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan, this is Daoist Luo Mingzi from the Law Enforcement Hall of the Profound Heaven Sect, and this is Dharma Master Zhao Facheng of the Jiuyuan Sect. How is it, did you find anyone?"

As he spoke, he even blinked. Li Yan was puzzled; they were going to capture Chen Fagui, so why did they send his fellow sect member too?

Although puzzled, seeing Sha Lifei's signal, he knew he shouldn't ask too much, so he nodded. "They are right here, but there are many tombs on the mountain, and I can't determine the exact location."

"That Chen Fagui also has two helpers, Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei..."

As he spoke, he recounted what he had seen.

"Zheng Heibei is also there?"

Sha Lifei cursed, "So this guy ran here. Yan Yan Xiao Ge Yan doesn't know yet, the Iron Blade Gang has been wiped out..."

After exchanging information, Li Yan bowed and asked, "Two Seniors, when do you plan to take action?"

Luo Mingzi pondered for a moment. "Night is best. At the Chenghuangmiao, Uncle-Master Qingyangzi will set up an altar and send soldiers to assist."

"But the other party kidnapped children again, fearing they have gathered enough people for the evil sacrifice. Saving people is urgent; let's go up the mountain immediately."

However, Zhao Facheng on the side hurriedly stopped him. "Not appropriate!"

Li Yan frowned and looked at him; Sha Lifei also lost his smile.

!.

Seeing the two's expressions, Zhao Facheng shook his head and sighed, "Two Laymen, do not be suspicious. I came here under the order of my sect, not to practice favoritism. Whether Feng Feng Shixiong Chen has committed a great mistake or not, I will clean up the sect."

"It's just that there is a problem here; we cannot take action rashly."

Having said this, he looked at Luo Mingzi on the side. "Daoist Luo, have you seen the terrain of this mountain?"

"Oh?"

Luo Mingzi frowned, came to the side of the forest to observe, and after watching for a while, nodded. "There is indeed a problem. It is the Taiyin Star land. I heard that the Jiuyuan lineage is good at Feng Shui for Yin dwellings; it is truly extraordinary."

Li Yan thought thoughtfully, "Judging from what the two Seniors said, this Taiyin Star land is dangerous, so why are there so many tombs?"

"Not so. The Taiyin Star land is a blessed land."

Zhao Facheng shook his head. "There are nine stars in Feng Shui; the Taiyin Star is one of them. Its five elements belong to metal, and its Eight Trigrams belong to Dui. Taiyin is spoken of in terms of images; Yang gets its completeness, Yin gets its half, so Taiyin is often incomplete."

"Burying in a tomb is a Yin dwelling; supplementing Yin and Yang is a land of great fortune. This kind of method was passed down in the Wei and Jin dynasties, and there should all be Wei and Jin ancient tombs on the mountain."

"If I'm not mistaken, Feng Feng Shixiong Chen chose this place to perform evil sacrifices and borrow life to break through the barrier. I'm afraid he has been preparing for a long time, and there must be arrangements on the mountain."

"It looks ordinary, but outsiders going up the mountain will be detected."

Having said this, a hint of sadness appeared in his eyes. "Feng Feng Shixiong Chen used to have chivalry in his heart and traveled everywhere to drive away evil for the people. He got lung cancer and thought he had seen through it, but I didn't expect him to go astray."

Li Yan was not interested in the evil Daoist's past and asked in a deep voice, "Going up the mountain will startle the target. Whether it's our friend's Wandering Soul Jar or those children, they are all bargaining chips used by the other party to threaten us... We need a foolproof plan!"

If it were just an ordinary bandit stronghold, sneaking in at night to save people would be fine.

But involving the Mystic Sect, rushing in blindly definitely wouldn't work.

Zhao Facheng didn't speak but looked at Luo Mingzi and bowed. "Daoist Luo has rich experience; please preside over it."

Luo Mingzi didn't decline. He looked at the mountain range in the distance and pondered for a moment. "Daoist Zhao, do you have a way to attract Chen Fagui's attention?"

Zhao Facheng nodded. "We are from the same sect. Once I set up an altar at the foot of the mountain, Feng Feng Shixiong Chen will detect it, and then I can confront him."

"That's good."

Luo Mingzi stared into the distance and stroked his long beard. "At that time, I will restrain my aura, sneak up the mountain from the side to save people, destroy the altar, and snatch the Wandering Soul Jar."

"When Uncle-Master's soldiers arrive, we can wipe him out!"

…………

In the dark tomb, candlelight flickered.

In front of the altar, Chen Fagui had changed into a costume, his long hair disheveled, wearing a feather and animal skin garment similar to a shaman's, his chest bare, also drawn with many talismans, but completely different from the sect's inheritance.

All the incantations were written in a language similar to oracle bone script.

Its name is Tian script, also known as Ghost Script.

He had originally closed his eyes slightly, muttering incessantly.

When that strand of command Qi rose, Chen Fagui opened his eyes abruptly, a hint of complexity in them, and laughed self-deprecatingly: "It's the Jiuyuan Sect's command Qi. Master, you are impatient to clean up the sect..."

Outside the altar, Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei were dressed in military uniforms, their faces covered in blood talismans, one holding a large blade, the other holding twin daggers, standing on the left and right sides.

Hearing Chen Fagui's words, Yuan Qu was shocked. "Someone is coming?"

"No matter, I have arrangements!"

Chen Fagui stood up calmly, first grabbed two handfuls of white ash from a wooden box on the altar, and scattered them toward the precious candle.

Boom! Boom!