Knife splashing

Chapter 200: Deep Mountain Fox Festival
"Hurry, the captain is still inside!"

Although they were terrified, the soldiers rushed in with torches in hand.

The flames are blazing, dispelling darkness and mystery.

The scene they saw made them feel relieved.

Captain Huang was not seriously injured and had slowly gotten up from the ground. Except for the soldier whose heart was dug out, most people were still alive.

Several people were hit by the powerful Vajra Palm and fell into a coma, with blood still oozing from their mouths. Even if they survived, they probably would not be able to eat government food again.

Only Li Yan was walking towards the monk's body.

"Young Master Li, what was that just now?"

Captain Huang's eyes were filled with doubt and he asked in a trembling voice.

Although it was pitch black just now and he couldn't see his hand in front of him, the strange sound of chains, the woman's screams, and the coldness that seeped into his heart all made him shudder.

Li Yan turned around and glanced at him. "My Lord, you arrest criminals from the imperial court, and I arrest criminals from the underworld. This is a matter of underworld secrets, so I dare not speak carelessly."

He said this to completely fool people.

After that night in Chang'an City, he found that the underworld was a very useful signboard. It could save him a lot of trouble and it would be a waste not to use it.

Anyway, no one dares to go to the underworld to check.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Captain Huang's eyes were filled with shock, and when he looked at Li Yan's expression, there was also a hint of fear.

The court's authority is great and its laws are strict.

But when it comes to the underworld after death, everyone is afraid.

Seeing his appearance, Li Yan felt happy, but his face was still solemn. He came to the monk's body and used the Yang Jue to investigate.

Sure enough, the monk's soul had dissipated. It was estimated that he was taken away and taken to the underworld.

As for what the other party would encounter, Li Yan had no way of knowing.

This guy can only blame his bad luck...

He picked up the fox fairy's heart on the ground and could still smell a sinister aura flowing in it. It should have become some kind of special magical weapon.

Li Yan turned his head and said in a deep voice: "Master Qianhu, these things, including the monk's body, must be handed over to the foxes."

"Foxes are little creatures that hold grudges very well. If you don't want to run into trouble in the mountains in the future, you'd better keep your promise."

"That's natural."

Captain Huang was about to refuse out of habit, but when he thought of what happened before, he suddenly felt a sudden rush in his heart and quickly agreed.

Although he often dealt with people from the Taoist sect, he believed in magic and was not afraid of ghosts and gods. In particular, many of the monsters he dealt with used the talk of ghosts and gods to confuse the people.

But this time, I saw it for real, and I couldn’t help but feel scared.

I worry that some of the things I have done will be held accountable after I die.

Li Yan naturally didn't know what he was thinking. Seeing Sha Lifei, Wang Daoxuan and others rushing in, he threw the heart directly to Lu San and then said, "Uncle Sha, you guys drag the monk's body out first."

After saying that, he came to the pillar where the monk was hiding.

This pillar has been hollowed out, just enough for one person to hide.

The gaps between the wooden boards have been covered up, so once they are closed from the inside, they are seamless with no visible flaws.

This also takes advantage of the blind spot of vision. Everyone looks for it in corners and crevices, but who would have thought that the person is hiding right in front of them.

However, what made Li Yan even more curious was what method this monk used to block the supernatural power detection.

Soon, he discovered something strange.

There is also a monk's robe inside the pillar.

It was tattered and was made of ordinary mulberry and linen cloth. It was quite old and had faded a bit, looking like an old rotten fishing net.

However, there was no smell on the monk's robe.

A treasure from heaven and earth that can be shielded from detection!

Li Yan's eyes lit up, and without saying a word, he put it in his arms.

The good fortune of the monk's robe has long been deposited and will naturally not be absorbed.

Captain Huang naturally saw this scene clearly.

He had a vague guess, but since his life had just been saved, he didn't say much.

After looking around again, Li Yan smiled with satisfaction, stood up and bowed, saying, "Master Qianhu, we have done what we promised you. I hope you will keep your word."

He originally wanted to find the blueprints of the Hellfire Gun, but when he saw the old copper pipe on the ground, he knew that it was an antique just like what he had obtained.

The craftsmanship of this village is not enough to make this thing.

With so many people watching him, he gave up looking.

"That's natural."

Captain Huang nodded solemnly, "Once this matter is arranged, I will do it immediately when I return to Yunyang Prefecture. Young Master Li, you..."

He had seen the abilities of Li Yan and Lu San, and had caught such an important clue, so naturally he wanted to ask everyone for help.

Unexpectedly, Li Yan directly stopped him with words, "Sir, we have something else to do, so let's say goodbye now."

Having said this, he bowed and strode out of the ancestral hall.

There was a hint of regret in Captain Huang's eyes, but he did not stop him.

The credit this time is so huge that he cannot bear it all by himself. What is more important is how to arrange the next things.

Li Yan and his four companions dragged the monk's body out. Naturally, the three Taoists from Taixuan Orthodox Sect had also seen them and immediately stepped forward to meet them.

The leading Taoist bowed and said, "I am Gu Hanzi, nice to meet you Taoist friends."

"Hello, Taoist Priest." Li Yan nodded and smiled, "I am good friends with Taoist Priest Gu Chenzi from the Chang'an Law Enforcement Hall. Do you know me, Taoist Priest?"

"I have not seen anyone of the same generation or faction yet."

"Fellow Taoist, was it the underworld that arrested someone just now?" A young Taoist priest nearby couldn't help but ask.

Unlike Huang Qianhu, they know more.

But this kind of scene is also the first time I have seen it.

"Yes, it's done."

Li Yan smiled and nodded, "Three Taoist priests, we will go to Yunyang City God Temple to register later. This time, the Duwei Division forced us to take action. Does it not count as a violation of the court regulations?"

"Fellow Taoist, you are joking."

The three Taoists are all happy.

With different strengths, the treatment will naturally be different.

Li Yan could clearly sense that after Lü San and he had taken action one after another, the attitudes of both the Duwei Division and the three Taoists from the Taixuan Orthodox Sect had become noticeably better.

After some pleasantries, the four of them dragged the body away from the mountain village.

Looking at their receding backs, Gu Hanzi's expression was solemn. "These people have their own unique skills. They are definitely not ordinary traveling sorcerers. After returning, check with Chang'an and register them."

"Yes, senior brother."

…………

After leaving the village, everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

They looked at each other and shook their heads slightly.

Wang Daoxuan sighed, "The refugees and the court are in a mess. I have been thinking about it and it seems to me that this is a knot that cannot be untied. I don't know how to untie it."

"Why do you think so much?"

Sharifei smiled and shook his head, saying, "There are many things in this world that are hard to tell right from wrong."

"Throughout the dynasties, there are so many powerful figures that have not been solved. If we think about these, aren't we asking for trouble?"

"Do what you need to do!"

"That's true." Wang Daoxuan nodded slightly, then looked at Lu San, "Brother Lu, where should we go to find the fox?"

"No, they're coming!"

Li Yan suddenly realized something and looked into the distance.

In the forest, there was cold wind, dark fog, and ghost fire rising again.

In addition to the powerful ghost fox, there are also big and small foxes, mountain wolves, leopards and other wild beasts around.

Under the threat of the ghost fox, the beasts were all at peace. Sha Lifei was shocked, "There are so many of them, could it be that they are here with bad intentions?"

"Don't mess around!"

Lu San whispered an order, then picked up the monk's body in one hand and held the fox fairy's heart in the other. He walked to a place ten meters outside the woods and put the body and heart down.

He made some clattering sounds and started speaking the Shangfang dialect again.

Not long after, he retreated.

Immediately, several wild beasts dragged the monk's body away, and an old fox with a skull on its head jumped out, picked up the fox fairy heart on the ground, turned around and ran into the woods.

But halfway through the run, the skull on its head rolled to the ground with a gurgle, making it squeak in anxiety. After sending the heart back, it turned back and took the skull with it.

"Hahaha…"

Sharifei was so amused that he couldn't help laughing out loud.

At this moment, the looming ghost fox began to speak in the upper language with a clucking sound.

Lu San was stunned and responded quickly.

After mumbling for a while, he looked a little surprised and turned his head and said, "The spirits in the nearby mountains want to offer sacrifices to the old fox fairy, and this ghost fox invites us to go."

They thought the foxes would disperse after the transaction was completed.

Unexpectedly, this happened again.

It is very rare for a fox to invite people to its funeral.

Li Yan was surprised and said, "Beasts also have funerals."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled, "Of course there is. Among all things in the world, only life and death are equal. When the old crows see their dead companions, the leader croaks, carries the corpse to the edge of the pond, and circles around to bid farewell in sorrow..."

"When a bird of prey sees a deceased friend, it picks up flower petals and leaves and gently covers the body to express its grief..."

"A macaque encounters a dead companion. The strong monkey carries the corpse and the young monkey cries as it follows. After the burial, it leaves its tail to watch. The wind moves the tail as if it is alive. So it digs it up, strokes it, and buries it again. After repeating this process, it leaves..."

"When the badgers saw their dead companions, they dragged the bodies into the river, stood on the shore and wailed, feeling extremely sad..."

Lu San scratched his head and said, "Animals are equally afraid of life and death, but they think differently. From our perspective, it can also be considered a funeral."

Sharifei, who was standing by, was a little worried and whispered, "Brother Lu, you said they were sending a funeral..."

"Will we be the sacrifice?"

"Don't worry, that won't happen."

Lu San laughed in silence, "After the old fox fairy died, this ghost fox became the leader of the nearby mountains. It is very intelligent. If we keep our promise, they will not mess around."

Li Yan's eyes were full of interest, and he nodded and said, "In that case, let's go and see it for ourselves. This kind of opportunity doesn't come around often!"

…………

The moon hangs high in the sky, and the forest is deep and quiet.

Li Yan and his companions followed the animals through the mountains.

They had been walking for an hour, passing through dense forests, wading through streams, and climbing winding hills...

This place has long been remote from human habitation, let alone any roads.

In front of us, all kinds of wild beasts were running under the bright moon. No matter they were foxes, badgers, wolves or deer, none of them attacked each other.

Even along the way, a few bears and tigers joined in and followed silently without even a hum.

The scene before them made everyone marvel.

Finally, they came to a valley.

"what?"

After climbing up the mountain ridge, Wang Daoxuan was a little surprised. He looked around and saw silver light falling and mountains and dense forests undulating. He couldn't help but whispered: "This is a Feng Shui treasure land of Huilongxue. If I'm not mistaken, there must be a big tomb in the mountain!"

What he said was correct. Soon everyone saw some stone buildings, but they were mottled by the years and only ruins remained. Some were entangled with vines and covered with bird droppings.

"This...is not a tomb!"

Wang Daoxuan was surprised and looked around. "This is the specification of the temple sacrificial site. Look at the stone pillars over there, representing the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars. There is also a central altar, which is the ancient Chu sacrificial site."

As he spoke, he smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "Riding a red leopard and following a catfish, riding a magnolia chariot and tying a laurel flag, this is where the ancient Chu people worshipped the mountain ghosts!"

Li Yan was thoughtful, "Ten Gods of Chu?"

"Ah."

Wang Daoxuan nodded and whispered, "The mountain ghost sacrifice is the mountain spirit. Even in the ancient Chu, it was rarely on such a scale, unless it was a special witch sacrifice..."

Li Yan immediately understood, "Master, do you mean this place was once the site of a certain Dharma lineage?"

Wang Daoxuan replied: "It is possible."

Li Yan's heart moved and he reached for the golden phoenix ornament in his arms.

According to Yan Jiuling, this thing is the order of the Chu witch. By absorbing the mysterious fortune in it, one can enhance supernatural powers, which is very rare.

This time he came to Ezhou, he was also thinking about looking for similar items.

I wonder if there might be any clues in this place?

Of course, he didn't dare to act rashly.

At this moment, more and more animals are gathering in the valley.

Birds of all colors rested on the branches, and wild beasts of all sizes hid in the grass, all motionless, quietly looking at the center of the valley.

Foxes of all sizes gathered in the center of the ruins.

They waved their front hooves and dug the ground continuously.

Then, a snow-white fox corpse was dragged out.

When Li Yan and others saw this, their eyes widened.

The corpse of this white fox was quite large, comparable to an ordinary mule or horse. Its short silver fur swayed slightly in the night breeze.

There was a crack on his chest, and the blood around it had already turned black. More importantly, his head had exploded, leaving only half of it.

Wang Daoxuan was a little surprised. "This... this fox fairy is definitely not an ordinary person. It must be a natural species. Maybe it has the opportunity to become a celestial fox."

Sharifei frowned and looked at it for a long time. "This injury... looks like it was caused by a new type of musket."

Li Yan's eyes flashed, "Are you sure?"

Sharifei nodded and said in a deep voice: "Ordinary muskets don't have this power. At most, there will be a bloody hole. Besides, this is a fox fairy with a keen sense of smell. It is impossible to hit it at close range."

"Only the new-style muskets have such power!"

A figure suddenly appeared in Li Yan's mind.

Bai Ruoxu, the master of Chang'an Dental Clinic!
This guy betrayed the Maitreya Sect in Shanzhou, stole a new musket from the Duweisi, and escaped without a trace.

Could it be here?
In the center of the ruins, there is a stone platform similar to an altar. It is very old and is surrounded by weeds.

Just as everyone was discussing in low voices, the corpse of the white fox had been dragged onto the altar, and turned with its head facing southeast.

Wang Daoxuan looked into the distance and said thoughtfully, "The fox dies on the hill where it was born. That place should be the Fox Fairy Cave."

At the same time, the ghost fox finally revealed its whereabouts.

It slowly crawled out of the woods. The dark wind and ghost lights around it dissipated, and the bright moon shone brightly. It turned out to be an old fox with white hair and beard.

The old fox climbed onto the high platform, held the fox fairy's heart in its mouth and stuffed it into its stomach. From time to time, it nudged the corpse with its head, as if hoping to wake up the fox fairy.

When Li Yan saw it, he immediately understood.

The old fox probably thought that this would allow the ghost of the fox spirit to appear.

If we invite them to come, maybe we can find a disciple to go out and continue practicing with him by eating incense and offering sacrifices.

This old fox knows a lot.

But unfortunately, when the fox mind technique was practiced, the fox fairy's spirit and soul were sacrificed to the demon god Yuan Zimei.

"Woo~"

After working for a long time without any response, the old fox suddenly let out a wail.

"Woo~"

In the valley, under the bright moon, the foxes all raised their heads and wailed continuously...

(End of this chapter)