Knife splashing

Chapter 317: Sharpening Knife Rain

It is not so easy to confer a title on a secular god.

Since ancient times, there have been ghosts, demons and monsters that have been sending messages in dreams, asking people to burn incense and offer sacrifices to them, and their methods are various.

Some of them were quite respectful, offering protection and benefits, such as driving away pests and rats, or like the Yellow Devil in the Three Gorges, rescuing people in distress on the river...

Some will deliberately bring disasters, and then eliminate them after people make offerings, in order to defraud people of their incense offerings...

Others just use force, either stirring up trouble or forcing the people to sacrifice blood, offering up boys and girls, which is also the origin of many monster legends...

In those ancient and turbulent times, this method could still be successful, but nowadays, all sacrificial rites are regulated by the imperial court and the orthodox Xuanmen.

All these are obscene sacrifices.

No matter whether it is the orthodox religion or the Dharma lineage, mountains can be cut down and temples destroyed.

Therefore, it is not as easy as it sounds to obtain the position of a secular god, and it requires the support of the court.

For example, the Yellow Demon God first saved many local people, and when he met a court official passing by, he would show up to meet him.

When Li Jifu in the Tang Dynasty and Kou Zhun in the Song Dynasty encountered storms when passing through the Three Gorges, this god came out to rescue them, and even expended his power to appear in front of mortals to ask for help.

In short, times have changed.

There are two difficulties for the crocodile master to obtain the position of a secular god.

First, as she is an outlier, she will naturally be excluded, unless she has done good deeds and is widely praised.

Second, it is inseparable from the cooperation of Xuanmen and the imperial court.

To the east of Ezhou is the sphere of influence of Zen Buddhism, and to the west, the Zhenwu Palace has the final say. The area of ​​activity of Master Tuo is right in between the two, so he probably has to say good things to both sides.

Also, there must be support from someone in the court.

If this is accomplished, it will certainly be of great benefit.

It might be extremely difficult on normal days, but now Li Yan has thought of a good entry point, which is the battle in the southwest!
Thinking of this, Li Yan looked at the map carefully again.

There are many old monsters lurking in the mountains and forests of Ezhou. They are a bit like wild beasts. They own their own territories and have good and bad relationships with each other.

For example, in Xiangyang, on the Han River, there is an old spirit called Nanmu King. It is a Nanmu tree that sank into the river and absorbed the negative energy of the water veins. Over the years, it has transformed into a demon...

For example, on the waterway leading to Dongting Xiangjiang River, there is an old monster lurking. It is worshipped by the Tusi City and its strength has become even stronger. Even the ancestor of Donghu Lake is suppressed and cannot move south.

Major events in the human world, such as wars, often involve monsters. The most famous ones are Dayu's flood control and Wuzhiqi.

With some planning, the crocodile division can also make contributions in the war.

If this succeeds, the team will have a strong reinforcement.

When the Crocodile Master becomes the God of Water, he will certainly restrain and subdue many water creatures, and they will have a navy within their sphere of influence.

It is definitely not okay to hit people.

But if they encounter some powerful water monsters or spirits, Lu San will set up the altar and the crocodile master will come and beat the monsters.

We can also ask them to help find some information about rare treasures.

In short, there are many benefits.

As for the other two of the Three Treasures.

Xirang is so mysterious that even Master Tuo has never heard of it.

But there was news from Wang Chan's Sutra Forest that some mysterious people were secretly searching in the Xiangyang area.

They captured and enslaved some newly spiritual crocodile monsters. The crocodile master tried to rescue them, and only then did he learn about this...

Of course, this matter still needs careful planning.

At this moment, Lu San from another room pushed the door open and walked out, fully dressed and ready to leave.

Li Yan also hurried out, "Leaving now, without breakfast?"

Lu San said in a muffled voice: "Let's go back and eat later."

Li Yan knew what was going on as soon as he saw it.

Lu San left in a hurry yesterday, taking only the magic gourd and the falcon. The little fox and the rat Lao Shuer remained in the Chamber of Commerce.

The threat from the Tian family has not been eliminated yet, and Lu San is worried.

Li Yan said without further ado, "Okay, be careful on the road. I'll protect you here, and you can worry about the other side. We'll be able to reunite after the 'Knife Sharpening Rain' is over."

There are only two days left before refining the magic weapon.

Even though the Jinzhou Chamber of Commerce is defending this place, he is still worried and must stay and wait for the magic weapon to be successfully refined.

The Chamber of Commerce has many experts in Wuchang City. As long as Lu San can give an advance warning, there is no need to worry about the monster's sneak attack.

After sending Lu San away, Li Yan ran to the backyard to check.

Master Lu's actions were indeed very quick. The prototypes of various magical instruments had already been completed, and now only some finishing work was left.

Just wait until May 13th to consecrate it.

And Sharifei, under the guidance of Master Lu, has mastered the preparation method of new gunpowder, and has also been able to improve some firearms.

"Brother Yan, here, use it for self-defense!"

Sha Lifei's face was full of fatigue, but his eyes were full of excitement. He proudly took out two fire caltrops and handed them to Li Yan.

These two fire caltrops are only the size of a fist. Their shells are made entirely of iron and are outlined with scales, like pineapples. They already have the prototype of a grenade.

The only trouble is that you have to ignite it manually.

Li Yan understood what he meant and knew that a new type of gunpowder must have been used in it. He carefully took it and put it in the leather bag around his waist.

Sharifei didn't waste any words and turned around to get back to work.

Although he is careless in daily life, he knows a lot about many things.

In the team, the strength of Li Yan and other two people is increasing rapidly. Although he is mainly responsible for communication, the forces he comes into contact with and the enemies he faces will become stronger and stronger.

Even if Li Yan is not a heartless and ungrateful person, he will sooner or later become a burden and be targeted.

The emergence of new firearms is his reliance!
Seeing that everyone was still busy, Li Yan stopped disturbing them and returned to his room, putting aside all distractions and concentrating on practicing.

He doesn't plan to run around these two days.

Firstly, there is no rush to help Master Tuo plan the imperial title. Now Baotong Temple is extremely busy, so it is not a good idea to talk about it too much.

Secondly, I had gained a lot of insights from the scolding in the Refining Heart Hall the day before, and I could take this opportunity to go into seclusion and absorb them.

Soon, thunder rumbled in the room...

…………

Before I knew it, two days had passed and it was May 12th.

At night, the main hall is brightly lit with candles.

"Is the water in Overlord Well clear?"

Host Mingzhu said with some surprise.

"Ah."

Chengjue replied, "It started changing yesterday. The stench disappeared and the sewage settled. By this evening, the water had completely returned to being clear. Many people around here were burning incense."

"We asked the accompanying yamen runners, but they didn't say anything at first. Later they confessed that someone was possessed by something unknown at the time, and Lu San also came from the Chamber of Commerce. We don't know what he did..."

Host Mingzhu seemed to be thinking about something. "It seems that some mountain spirit or water monster is causing trouble. Why didn't Li Yan tell us directly? Is there another hidden story?"

"It's not important."

Zen Master Tongxuan said, "Although they have the style of a gangster, they also uphold the right path. We can ask them clearly later. Tomorrow's matter is the key point."

Then he turned around and asked, "Junior Brother Tonghai, how are your preparations going?"

Master Tonghai, who was the most proficient Feng Shui master in Baotong Temple, said, "In the past few days, there have been people secretly spying near the Turtle and Snake Mountains. We will send more experts to guard the area tomorrow." "However, there will be martial law on Parrot Island tomorrow. The monster will definitely know that it is the key point of the earth position. By then, not only will the guards block the periphery, but the palace will also send experts. If something goes wrong, the people on Turtle Mountain can also come to support..."

"Tomorrow is the birthday of the Buddha Protector of the Nation. A grand sacrifice will be held in Guanling. The statue of the Buddha Protector of the Nation will be enshrined on all dragon boats here. Whoever arrives at the Parrot Island Wharf will be able to attract the power of the Buddha and connect the water veins of the Yangtze River."

"Several masters from the Shaolin Zen sect have already hidden outside the Barbarian King's Tomb. They will enter the mountain and kill the demon once the White Tiger Evil disappears..."

"Ah."

Zen Master Tongxuan nodded solemnly and said: "This catastrophe concerns the reputation of our Zen sect. You must not slack off..."

……

In the Wuchang Palace, candles are lit brightly in the garden attic.

Maids were walking around, carrying fine wine and dishes, music was playing constantly, and many guards were hiding in the dark, watching the surroundings vigilantly.

The person invited to the banquet at the palace was Yu Lanshan.

This Feng Shui master with double pupils no longer looked as shabby as before. He was now dressed in a white shirt, with a black beard and white hair, and his pupils were even more sharp.

Seeing this, the King of Wuchang smiled and raised his glass, "As the saying goes, people nourish their qi, and qi nourishes people. Master Yu is right."

"Thank you for your help, Your Majesty."

Yu Lanshan raised his glass and said solemnly: "I was born in a humble family and always had inner demons. These days, the prince has given me the power to use what I have learned to my heart's content. I have gotten rid of my inner demons. After this, my cultivation will be able to go a step further."

"I offer a toast to His Majesty!"

After saying that, he drank the wine in the glass.

"Hahaha…"

King Wuchang smiled and drank the wine in his cup. "The higher you stand, the farther you can see."

After that, he was silent for a while, "I wonder what Master Yu thinks about the Nine-Headed Phoenix Vein?"

Yu Lanshan's heart trembled, but he remained calm and said in a deep voice: "The so-called Nine-Headed Phoenix Vein is nothing more than the terrain of ancient times. The same thing is the Snake Vein of Bashu."

"Duke Zhou planned carefully and killed him. I suspect that the First Emperor knew about this and added fuel to the fire. From now on, even if China is divided and united, it will always be unified."

"Oh?"

King Wuchang became interested, "Which fire was it?"

Yu Lanshan said in a deep voice: "In ancient times, there was a great vein of Feng Shui. Since Dayu controlled the floods and the nine states' luck cast the Nine Cauldrons, the firewood has been ready."

"Shang Tang drove out Xia Jie, moved the Nine Cauldrons to his capital, Pan Geng moved the capital to Yin, and always stood in the imperial city for worship. Later, Zhou Gongdan moved it to Luoyi."

"King Zhuang of Chu sought the nine tripods, and Zhou lost them, leading to chaos. After Qin conquered Zhou, the First Emperor moved the nine tripods to Xianyang, and their whereabouts were unknown. From then on, the world was unified."

"Nine Cauldrons, maybe it's that fire!"

"Of course, these are all my guesses. No matter what happened in the beginning, the situation is now set. The demons of the Ghost Cult are doing something against the will of heaven just to disrupt the situation in China."

"They want to steal the country, it's all wishful thinking!"

After saying that, Yu Lanshan breathed a sigh of relief and fell silent.

He was a shrewd man, so how could he not guess what King Wuchang meant by asking him? If it were in the past, he would have definitely used any means necessary to gain power.

But these days my mind and character have advanced a level, and I have indeed gained some enlightenment.

There are more people who stand higher and see farther than you.

They have great ambitions, and not many people would act rashly for worldly fame and gain. So even if they see something, they remain silent.

These words are also a warning.

If the King of Wuchang persists in his delusion, then he will have to find a way to escape after he has finished this matter...

"Hahaha."

After hearing this, King Wuchang smiled and said, "Okay, I was right about you. Master Yu, just stay here and relax."

Yu Lanshan was confused at first, and then cold sweat broke out on his back.

The art of Feng Shui is related to fortune. Ordinary people just want to be rich and noble, but among the royal family, there are many taboos.

If the King of Wuchang had any rebellious intentions, he would only accept me in secretly, and would not make such a big fuss about it.

If he had tried to please the emperor with a mean heart before, he would probably lose his life after this incident.

King Wuchang smiled slightly and stopped talking about the matter. Instead, he asked about the ritual tomorrow...

……

At the same time, in the mountains and forests outside Wuchang City.

There were also blazing torches in a dilapidated old tomb.

This old tomb is the imperial mausoleum of the Song Dynasty. It had long been looted and was completely empty. The area was quite large.

The Heavenly Saint Guardian King stood with his hands behind his back, looking at a dragon boat in front of him. Several craftsmen were carefully covering it with a layer of leather and carefully drawing dragon scale patterns...

He frowned and asked, "Can this thing really work?"

A lame old man beside him clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to the guardian, this thing is the skin of a python monster from the inner mountain of Shennongjia. Its greatest ability is that it can block the detection of magical powers."

"If it weren't for the help of the Longxiong Army, we would not have been able to catch this monster. We only need to cover it with leather, and the people from Baotong Zen Temple will not be able to detect the gunpowder inside."

"it is good!"

Wang Hufa nodded and asked in a deep voice, "What's the situation over there?"

The lame old man sneered, "Humph, the people of the court thought they had the upper hand, but they didn't know that we have captured the monsters and trained a monster army. With the addition of new firearms, we will definitely make them suffer."

"The leader said that as long as we succeed here and cut off the imperial army's food supplies, they will immediately mobilize the demon army, and then Lord Tiansheng will also be resurrected."

"Those fence-sitters in Tusi City will only change their ways if we win a big victory. Tangya Tusi City will send out all its troops to attack us from both sides and remove the thorn of Zigui's garrison!"

"Okay! Hahaha..."

Dharma Protector Wang was overjoyed upon hearing this, and the other people in the cave were also filled with excitement.

"How are the Fu brothers and sisters doing?"

"Shi Chen has been controlled. When the dragon boat reaches halfway tomorrow, we will replace him and head to Parrot Island to detonate him."

"Ah."

Dharma Protector Wang looked at everyone, his eyes flashing with ferocity, "Let's be ready tomorrow. Whether we succeed or not, we will directly attack Lianxi Temple and seize the Red Mohe!"

"Yes, protector!"

In the dark cave, everyone bowed their hands together...

…………

The night passed.

Li Yan got up early before dawn, practiced Red Fist Kung Fu for a while, and then pushed the door open and went out.

He looked at the sky and found that it had been covered with dark clouds, blocking out the light from the sky, so that he could not even see the morning light.

This is the "knife sharpening rain".

Just like the Qingming Festival, it always rains in Ezhou on the birthday of Guandijun, big or small, and it never stops.

Today is also the birthday of Guandijun. People from all over the country burn incense and pray, and various temple fairs are held.

Rumble!
Suddenly, a flash of thunder resounded through the sky.

Li Yan drew out the Dust-Breaking Knife with his backhand and gently slashed it in the rain.

hum!
The sound of the dragon's roar was like the sound of a knife being sharpened...

(End of this chapter)