Knife splashing

Chapter 244: Legend of the God Ascendant

"We found the demon and followed him secretly..."

Inside the small boat, Wang Daoxuan drank a sip of wine, bit off a piece of roast chicken, and continued, "The falcon led the way. Brother Lu and I ran all night and finally found their nest."

"Where?"

"It is in the former Chu King City."

"The site of the former Chuwang City was once the county seat of Zigui County. Later, a heavy rainstorm caused the foundation of the mountain to collapse, and the Chuwang City turned into a swamp, becoming the current Chuwang Lake. The county seat of Zigui was also moved to Guizhou City."

"I infer that there should have been a hollow tomb under the original King of Chu City, surrounded by an underground lake. The fish monster was the tomb guardian beast. But the changes in the ground veins allowed it to escape. After eating all the fish and shrimp underground, it came out from nowhere and started causing trouble again."

"There are rusty iron spears on the fish monster, which are very old. It is estimated that they were the work of tomb robbers. Maybe the disaster was caused by their reckless movement in the tomb. Now the people in the Ghost Cult are mobilizing a large number of people to dig beside Chuwang Lake..."

"There are several villages around Chuwang Lake, but they have long been infiltrated by the Ghost Cult. The villagers have overturned the land temple and openly killed people to sacrifice to ghosts..."

"Those people were crazy and wanted to kill children for sacrifice. My brother Lu San and I couldn't help it and tried to save them. We didn't expect that there were Tusi soldiers hiding nearby. We were chased for a whole night..."

The two were obviously starving. Wang Daoxuan was still able to maintain his composure, but Lu San was wolfing down his food, not even bothering to talk while eating, including the falcon and the little fox.

Of course, Li Yan also told about their findings.

"Nine-headed bird feng shui bureau?"

Wang Daoxuan was obviously surprised and was stunned for a long time before he shook his head and said, "My Xixuan lineage is not good at Feng Shui. I learned the art from an old man in a village in Ganzhou when I was traveling around the world."

"When he was drunk, he once said that the way of Feng Shui is to observe the shape and regulate the Qi. In the eyes of those powerful Feng Shui masters, the land of China is auspicious with dragons and phoenixes, and some ancient Feng Shui terrain can be glimpsed from the "Classic of Mountains and Seas"..."

"There are dragons in the world. Dragons can be big or small, they can rise or hide. When they are big, they create clouds and swallow fog; when they are small, they hide their shapes. When they rise, they fly in the universe; when they hide, they lurk in the waves."

"Dragon veins are like this. Perhaps some of the mythical beasts in the Classic of Mountains and Seas are also mysterious terrains from ancient times, but now they are hidden and rarely seen."

"If these mysterious terrains are correct, then the scenes of heavenly spirits and treasures everywhere in the Classic of Mountains and Seas really existed in ancient times..."

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but feel fascinated.

As everyone was chatting, they had already passed the Xiling Gorge downstream. The water surface in front of them suddenly became clear, and they saw warships standing on the river with fluttering flags and murderous aura rising to the sky.

"More reinforcements are coming!"

Sharifei hurriedly walked out of the deck and laughed, "It seems that the court is going to completely solve the chaos in the southwest this time."

Li Yan and others also walked out of the deck.

In the distance, I saw ships of all sizes lined up in neat rows, some as big as city walls, with even catapults on top, which could of course also be used to launch fire caltrops.

Some of the ships were flat and wide, with soldiers practicing on them...

Some boats are small, fast, and cruise around...

"Tower ship, Mengchong ship, fighting ship, walking boat!"

Since Sharifei became fascinated with firearms, he asked people to find various military books and military records. He knew all kinds of ships by heart. He pointed to the most numerous warships in front and said with a smile: "I was wondering why the Fu ships came yesterday. They are ships for sea operations. I guess they are used for temporary deployment of troops."

"Those Jiujiang-style patrol boats are more suitable for river and waterway operations. They have a stable hull, are fast and strong..."

Li Yan also looked at it from afar, remaining silent.

His attention was completely drawn to the cannons on the ship.

There are a large number of gun holes on almost every ship.

The new gunpowder requires local treasures, and even casting cannons requires spiritual materials, which are expensive, so it is definitely impossible to equip them in large quantities.

But even if there is one, its power is extremely amazing.

No wonder the imperial court was able to suppress the Xuanmen sect so tightly.

No matter how powerful the magic is, it can never be stronger than the simultaneous bombardment of ten thousand cannons. Under the bombardment of the army, both the orthodox religion and the Dharma mountain gate will be reduced to rubble.

It seems that the decision to stay away from the battlefield was the right one...

Of course, with this war on such a large scale, the imperial treasury, which had just recovered, would probably be emptied again, and the Kaihai faction would completely gain the upper hand.

Just as Li Yan was thinking, a speedboat came over in the distance, riding the wind and waves. Before it got close, someone on the boat shouted angrily:
"Waterways under martial law, stop and check!"

These are the fiercest troops of Daxuan, not comparable to the ordinary garrisons. The soldiers are in amazing spirit, and some have already drawn their powerful bows.

The boatman was so frightened that he stopped the boat immediately.

Sharifei was not afraid. He took out a document from his arms and said with a smile, "Don't be nervous, everyone. We just came from Zigui. This is the pass issued by the court."

Swish!
As soon as he finished speaking, several soldiers on the opposite ship jumped down by pulling the rope and landed on the deck.

Their eyes were fierce, and two of them held the hilts of their knives in defense, while the leader Xiaoqi took the document from Shari.

After a careful inspection, the suspicion in his eyes disappeared, and he nodded and clasped his fists, saying: "So you are a chivalrous man who helped the court. I am so sorry."

Although Li Yan and others could not stay, the judge Zhou Kai was generous with his praise and helped them get high-level pass documents.

If you encounter problems, you can ask the army for help.

Seeing the seal of the Commanding General, the soldier became much more polite and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, there are troops patrolling the key points of the Yangtze River. They are heavily guarded. Do not barge in."

As he spoke, he took a triangular blue dragon flag from his men and said, "Hanging this flag while sailing can reduce many misunderstandings."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome."

After inspection, the speedboat quickly left.

After they hoisted the triangular green dragon flag, no navy came to stop them and they arrived at the Yichang ferry easily.

This navy is obviously trying to intimidate the enemy.

At the Yichang ferry, merchant ships are still busy, but there are armored soldiers patrolling, and all the people in the world have become much more honest.

Once inside the city, the atmosphere also changed.

The streets were still bustling, but armored soldiers walked by from time to time. Whether they were the natives, Han people, or merchants from Bashu, their voices became much lower.

I remember that the last time I came here, people were still hot-tempered and would fight on the streets over the slightest disagreement, and some would even pull out knives when they got pushed to the point of anger.

Today, this phenomenon is almost non-existent.

When Li Yan and others were stopped and checked several times in a row, and saw the person tied to the wooden stake at the street corner, they immediately understood the cause and effect.

"We can't stay in Yichang anymore."

After being stopped again, Sharifei was a little dissatisfied. "With so many eyes staring at me, I can't do anything I want to do."

"Well, hand in the task and leave."

Li Yan also nodded in agreement.

They could understand that the laws were strict during wartime, but they were used to their freedom after all, and being checked again and again like this made it impossible for them to get anything done.

Fortunately, their various documents and certificates were very strong, and after reading them, the soldiers were very tactful and did not cause any trouble...

…………

"Haha, Young Master Li, it was a good idea to let you go."

As soon as they arrived at the City God Temple, the fat Taoist priest Yu Lingzi came out with a smile on his face and took them into the temple with a very attentive look. "Everyone, you have done a great deed!"

After personally pouring tea for Li Yan and the others, Yu Lingzi said with lingering fear: "The Ghost Cult has reappeared, the ancient Chu Feng Shui formation, anyone else might be killed by them, and Zigui City will also be lost."

"When several high-ranking officials of Zhenwu Palace heard the news, they were all quite shocked. They asked me to express their gratitude and order that the three great realms of Wudang Mountain will be open to you at any time in the future!"

Li Yan was a little surprised, "No need for a token?"

"That's for regular warlocks."

Yu Lingzi waved his hand and said solemnly, "You may not know how serious this matter is. The Nine-headed Bird Phoenix Vein has accumulated resentment for thousands of years. It may have bred some monster."

"It is located on the great dragon vein of Shenzhou. Once it comes out, Shenzhou will be in turmoil, weeping blood for thousands of miles, and resentment will spread. Who knows how many evil spirits will be born."

"And by then, the southwest will probably be divided into two kingdoms. Although the luck will not last long, the murderous nature will be great. There will definitely be thousands of miles of bloodshed and countless heads will fall."

Li Yan frowned slightly, "It's so mysterious, isn't it a bit exaggerated?"

Yu Lingzi shook his head and said, "This is about the destiny of China and the transformation of humanity. We cannot afford to be careless."

"In short, the blood jade cong has been sent to Wudang Mountain by a master overnight. Even if the Ghost Cult finds other blood jade congs, they will not be able to open them."

"The war situation in Yunyang Prefecture is tense, but two experts were sent to Zigui County to handle the matter personally."

"That's good."

Li Yan nodded and took out a letter from his arms, "Senior Yulingzi, I want to pass this letter to Luo Mingzi in the capital of Taixuan Orthodox Sect."

"Easy to say."

Yu Lingzi nodded and agreed, "The war in the southwest is urgent right now, and most of the power of the court is leaning towards here. The post station is unobstructed all the way, and through the Ministry of War, it can be delivered to the capital within four days."

Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you for your help."

What was mentioned in the letter was naturally about Zhao Changsheng.

He has a good relationship with Luo Mingzi. If the other party can successfully gain a foothold in the capital through this incident, it will also be beneficial to their future.

It's just a small layout.

The Daxuan Dynasty is now at its peak, and its fortune is amazing. I am afraid that for a long time, the power of the imperial court and the Taixuan Orthodox Church will be very strong.

Although he had no interest in officialdom, he had connections in the court and could get things done.

Captain Huang, Captain Yuan, Luo Mingzi... Although these people are not in high positions, they are the backbone of the team.

Give a helping hand so that you can ask for help when you need it in the future.

Of course, he did not forget Yulingzi, and he spoke directly to tell Wang Daoxuan the information he had obtained at Chuwang Lake.

"Young Master Li is thoughtful."

Yu Lingzi was also an experienced person, so he naturally knew what was going on. He was grateful, but then his expression became serious. "By the way, there is one more thing you should pay attention to."

"When I learned about the appearance of the Ghost Cult, I read through the classics and past records overnight and found some clues."

"During the reign of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song Dynasty, the leader of the Ghost Cult in the Ezhou area was named Huang Liushi. He set up an altar in the southern part of Jingnan and had countless disciples. He had three great masters under his command, named Tongtian Sanniang, Meng Gongshi, and Huang Sanlang."

"These three are extremely terrifying. It is said that their Taoism is as high as six or seven stories high, and their magic is supernatural. The people around them even built a shrine to worship them. Even Li Xueyu, the county lieutenant and county schoolmaster of Jingzhou at that time, was their disciple."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "A person who ascends to the gods?"

Yu Lingzi was stunned for a moment, and said meaningfully: "It seems that Young Master Li knows a lot."

Li Yan finally couldn't help but asked:
"Senior, what exactly is a God Ascendant?"

Yu Lingzi was silent for a while, then gritted his teeth and said, "Well, this is a secret of Xuanmen, but Young Master Li has amazing talent and is a living ghost messenger, so he will come into contact with it sooner or later."

"I'm telling you in advance so you can be on guard in the future."

As he spoke, he sighed, "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine says that there were true men in ancient times and great men in medieval times who lived long lives, some even lasting as long as the heaven and earth."

"Although it was the pre-Qin alchemists who pretended to be the Yellow Emperor, there are records in the Taoist school that during the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, there were many people whose longevity was comparable to that of immortals and gods."

"But since Dayu, the treasures of heaven and earth have become increasingly scarce, and there are fewer and fewer people like this. After the Conferred God War, there are no more immortals."

"The events of the ancient times happened so long ago that many records have become blurred. The alchemists of the Qin and Han dynasties desperately sought immortality and secretly dug through the remains of the Conferred Gods War to create the "Immortal Treasury of Immortality". Facts have proven that it was nothing more than a demonic technique."

“However, there are definitely people with extraordinary talents who have reached the level of saints in the Xuanmen Sect. After generations of accumulation, they finally found a way to transcend.”

“This method is to ascend to godhood!”

“I only know that many of the founders of the Dharma lineage and the sages of the past generations can call their names and even borrow their powers by contemplating their spirits, because they are gods.”

"The most direct manifestation is the Heavenly Palace's soldiers and the Underworld's ghost soldiers. I heard that Young Master Li used the underworld's ghost soldiers to suppress and kill 'Red Girl', so he should have felt it the most deeply."

"You should know that the Great Emperor of Beiyin Fengdu is called Dating, and belongs to the Fuxi clan. Although he is not prominent in the human world, he still exists today."

Li Yan was shocked. "Senior, what you mean is..."

“That’s the God Ascender.”

Yu Lingzi sighed, "I have practiced for many years, but my level of cultivation is average. I have no chance to reach that level. I just heard about a scale claw by chance."

"In short, the road to becoming a god is difficult. If you are not careful, you will go astray. There are countless talented people who have fallen on the road."

"There are also rules in this world. Life and death are determined by fate. Once the deadline is approaching, some unwilling gods will resort to crooked ways."

"Young Master Li is a living ghost messenger, he should know the consequences of doing this..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan remained silent.

The old Taoist was being more euphemistic.

His job as a ghost messenger is more restricted. If he were to mess up the yin and yang of life and death, he would probably be more unlucky than others.

Fortunately, he is still young and these things are too far away.

Seeing this, Yu Lingzi stopped talking and brought the topic back to the topic, saying, "During the Southern Song Dynasty, the person who tried this case was Hu Shibi, who destroyed all the temples built by these people, as well as the instruments and scriptures."

"But I don't know how Master Huang Liu managed to escape the blame. He was only beaten with a hundred sticks and exiled to a neighboring state. He was rescued by his disciples on the way and then went into secret activities."

Sharifei was surprised and said, "One hundred strokes of the cane, are you kidding me?"

Yu Lingzi shook his head and sighed: "The power of the Ghost Cult at that time was beyond your imagination. Even officials and gentry had many participants."

"If not for this, how could the Xuanmen rise up and attack, helping Daxing to destroy Song?"

"The river monster that Young Master Li found in Zigui County has been identified. He is Luo Xing, a disciple of Tongtian Sanniang under Master Huang Liu."

"Master Huang Liu and several others have been killed by the Orthodox Church, only Tongtian Sanniang is missing."

"Her disciple Luo Xing has survived until now. I'm afraid this old witch has also used the evil magic of immortality and is hiding somewhere in Ezhou, waiting to stir up trouble."

"At that time, the orthodox sect's talisman soldiers were useless against these ghost sect monsters. It was only then that the Xihe sect's Master Sa Tian used thunder magic to suppress and kill them."

"Young Master Li, remember, if you encounter this demon, your ghost soldiers will probably be useless. Turn around immediately."

"Run as far as you can!"

(End of this chapter)