Knife splashing

Chapter 368 Entering Lumen Mountain at Night

"Master Lu is definitely not a simple person."

Li Yan did not hide anything and said directly: "This plague was caused by the corpse of the old demon King Nanmu, who was killed by a mysterious scholar named Lu more than ten years ago."

Wu Degui frowned, "Young Master Li suspects that they are the same person?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice: "I didn't smell anything on Master Lu at that time. He is either just an ordinary person or a powerful master."

"In any case, don't be careless. Where are the people?"

Wu Degui replied, "I just sent people to the academy to search for him, but he had disappeared. According to the people in the academy, when we captured the City God Temple, Master Lu left in a hurry and no one knew where he went."

"Prefect Lu from the government office has requested our U.S. Military Commandery to rescue the Medicine Saint Li family members, but we don't know where they are hidden in Lumen Mountain, and there must be demons guarding the place."

"The Taoists of the Five Dragon Palace are searching for the remaining source of the plague and are unable to spare any manpower. This matter cannot be delayed, so I am asking for your help."

Li Yan pondered for a moment and nodded, "Okay, we're heading to the waters near Xianshan later. After we help you rescue the people, we'll need your help."

"Let's set off now without further delay!"

…………

Lumen Mountain is some distance away from Xiangyang. The most convenient way is to take a boat from the pier, go down along the Han River, and climb the mountain from the east shore.

Speed ​​was of the essence in this rescue mission, so the Duwei Division sent out a hundred good fighters, led by a centurion, along with Li Yan and others, to board the Duwei Division's speedboat.

After a while, everyone arrived at the Han River Wharf.

Although rituals were carried out to eliminate the plague, the plague had not yet been completely eradicated, so the city of Xiangyang was still under a quarantine order and the dock was very empty.

In the distance, an inn had collapsed, with thick smoke billowing out. There were many corpses on the ground, and the yamen runners were directing the beggars to carry the bodies.

The accompanying centurion named Cheng saw Li Yan's gaze and quickly explained: "That is the source of the plague at the dock. It was originally an inn for merchants from Shu. It has been secretly controlled by a demon, who threw wood into the well water."

"After the docks were closed, these people still hid in the underground secret passages, often spreading the plague everywhere at night, but were all killed by the Taoist priests."

Li Yan frowned and asked, "Why didn't you notice it even though it was so close?"

Captain Cheng shook his head helplessly and said, "Xiangyang City is an important town on the Han River, where all kinds of people gather. The situation is too complicated. Moreover, these monsters have made arrangements many years ago, so we are really caught off guard."

Li Yan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The situation here is a bit similar to that of Wuchang City. It was also planned for many years and then suddenly launched at the critical moment.

He now has figured out Zhao Changsheng's thinking.

This old devil has lived from the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty to the present. Time is his greatest advantage. I don't know how much wealth he has accumulated and how many hidden tricks he has laid.

Back then, the Ghost Cult was able to overthrow the Song Dynasty, so you can imagine how terrifying it was.

But it also has a disadvantage, which is that it cannot be seen in the light!
Bound by the "Heavenly Laws" and "Ghost Laws", and his identity had been exposed, he was wanted by everyone from the imperial court to the Taoist sect.

Once their whereabouts are exposed, they will be surrounded and suppressed.

All the other party can do is to plan in the dark.

Li Yan's biggest advantage in the open is that he can guide the enemy along the way and capture him with the help of the power of the imperial court and Xuanmen.

As they were talking, everyone had already boarded the warship.

As Xiangyang was an important port, the local Duweisi often had to travel by water, so it had its own warships, which were not large in size but extremely fast, and were also equipped with Portuguese artillery.

Wow!
With sails fluttering, the warship braved the wind and waves and soon left the Xiangyang wharf. In front of them, they saw a huge peninsula surrounded by water on three sides and lush forests.

Li Yan passed by this place several times and knew that it was the famous Yuliangzhou. It was recorded in the "Notes on the Classic of Waterways" that it was the residence of Pang Degong. During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, built a high platform on it to raise eagles, named "Huyingtai".

Nowadays, the villas mentioned above were all built by wealthy families and gentry in the city, and are used for drinking, entertainment, and sightseeing in the gardens on weekdays.

In the past, this place was also a place with many ferries, but now there is only one warship docked here, and there is a faint glow of fire rising in the mountains and forests.

Li Yan shook his head and said, "It seems that this is also one of the sources."

Captain Cheng sighed and looked unhappy.

Such a big incident happened in Xiangyang this time. Not only the government office from top to bottom, but even their entire military officer department is to blame. Their future is bleak.

Li Yan glanced at them and reminded them in a low voice: "This plague is just the beginning. The Taoist priests from the Five Dragons Palace have come down the mountain. Judging from the situation, there will definitely be more big moves. If you work harder, you will be able to make up for your sins."

Captain Cheng was no fool. He looked around the island thoughtfully and nodded, "Thank you, Young Master Li, for your reminder."

With the sails blowing, they quickly bypassed Yuliangzhou Island, went down the Han River, and headed towards Lumen Mountain.

In a manor on Yuliangzhou Island.

"kill!"

A dozen men dressed as servants stood on the beams of the manor with bows and crossbows, shooting downwards.

Dangdang Dangdang!
Several Taoists leaped up, wielded their swords, deflected all the arrows in the air, and jumped onto the beams.

It was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, with flashes of swords and blood flying everywhere in an instant.

These Tiansheng followers can be considered as martial artists. They can still act arrogantly in the mountains and forests of Jingchu. However, when they encounter these killing gods of the Five Dragon Palace, they are no different from children.

"Light up, why don't you light up!"

The bearded man who was in the lead roared angrily with red eyes.

As soon as he finished speaking, a man walked out of the house. He had blue eyes, dragon eyebrows, thick beard, and several heads in his hands.

However, these Tiansheng followers saw that the situation was not good and wanted to use themselves as bait to ignite the gunpowder they had buried in advance and die together with the Wudang Taoist priests.

Unfortunately, these Taoists were all Taoist monks from the Xuanmen sect, and they had all kinds of magical powers to detect things, so they were easily seen through.

The one who came out carrying the head was Gu Jiaozi, one of the Five Dragon Sons. He had a grim expression on his face, and suddenly he made a hand gesture and slapped the eaves with his palm.

The man who was leading the group on the roof felt that the hand was emitting black air and it suddenly grew larger. Then his eyes went dark and he fell from the roof in a daze. He was tied up by the soldiers who rushed over.

Wudang Soul-Absorbing Palm!
With the experience and understanding of the Five Qi Dragon Kings in the previous life, the Five Dragon Sons can also perform these martial arts to an incredible level.

Afterwards, another piece of nanmu was dug out and piled on top of peach wood. Amid the Taoists’ chanting, thick smoke rose and the wood gradually turned into charcoal.

The same thing is happening not only here but also in other places.

The masters of Zhenwu Palace came down the mountain and immediately pulled out the hidden members of Ghost Cult and Tiansheng Cult one by one like thunderbolts...

…………

"Here we are, right ahead!"

Not long after passing Mount Xian, Captain Cheng immediately ordered the troops to dock.

Li Yan looked up and saw vast mountains in the distance on the shore, lush forests, and sunset clouds, which were quite charming.

It is Lumen Mountain, known as the holy land of hermits.

It was almost dusk and the sound of bells could be heard faintly in the mountains.

The bells of the mountain temples ring as the day turns dark. At the Yuliang ferry, people are scrambling to cross. People follow the sandbank to the riverside village. I also take a boat back to Lumen. The moon shines on the trees in the mist at Lumen. Suddenly, I arrive at the place where Pang Gong lives…

This is Meng Haoran's "Song of Returning to Lumen Mountain at Night". Their journey was exactly the same as described in the poem.

Of course, no one was in such a leisurely mood at all.

At Lu San's call, the falcons in the sky immediately flew up and down.

"There's a secret sentry in the forest!"

Lu San pointed in two directions with a muffled voice.

Captain Cheng looked at his men beside him and said, "Keep down your pace."

"Yes, my lord!"

Several spies from the Duwei Division immediately rushed into the dense forest.

They lowered their bodies, walked lightly, and took advantage of the trees to move forward like ghosts. They suddenly soared into the air and threw out arrows from their sleeves. Two muffled groans were heard, and a man dressed as a woodcutter fell from the tree. They pierced his dantian and pulled him out by his hair.

Seeing the vicious and ferocious gang of Duwei Si, the two men were already trembling with fear. They told everything without being tortured.

"Sir, we are wronged."

"We are from Xiangyang Liu's Boxing Gym. We accepted the job and helped people guard the house. We didn't do anything bad..."

"Bullshit, why are you peeping here?"

"The master only told us to keep an eye on it and report back immediately if there is any movement..."

"Sneaky, who hired you?"

"Yes, it's Master Lu from Taohuazhai."

"Why is it that bastard?"

When Captain Cheng heard this, he immediately frowned.

Li Yan asked: "Who is this Young Master Lu?"

Captain Cheng had an ugly expression on his face, but he did not hide it. He spat and said, "This Young Master Lu is the son of Prefect Lu."

"The Lu family is a big family in Xiangyang City, with considerable influence. But this young master Lu is a good-for-nothing. He built a Peach Blossom House on Lumen Mountain, claiming that he wanted to make friends with scholars, but in fact it was a place for debauchery and entertainment."

"The rich young men in Xiangyang City often hang out there. There is also a nunnery next to it. They collude with them and do obscene things..."

"Well, you really know how to play."

Li Yan laughed silently and shook his head slightly.

He began to understand that Taohuazhai was the largest and most secretive club in Xiangyang City, open only to the powerful and wealthy.

Sharifei also shook his head and said, "Lumen Hermit was arrogant and a noble, but I never thought he would become like this now."

"That's not right. Everyone knows about this. Are you still afraid of being discovered? It must not be that simple to place two secret agents!"

"You two bastards, you're telling a mixture of truth and lies, right? Looks like you're just itching for trouble..."

Sharifei was experienced in the world and could tell something was wrong immediately.

Without Captain Cheng's order, several men from the Duwei Division pulled out knives from their waists and stabbed them into his thighs.

"what!"

The two men screamed and shouted:
"No, no, I say!"

"Mr. Lu and his friends got some Wushisan from somewhere, and they have been having sex together these days. They are afraid of being discovered by their elders at home..."

Li Yan shook his head and said, "It's such a mess."

"Let's go ashore and find someone first!"

After knocking the two men unconscious and detaining them on the boat, the group continued to move forward and soon entered a path in a bamboo forest.

Lumen Mountain has a quiet environment. The bamboo forest that was planted countless years ago has now spread all over the mountain, dense and tall. As it is already dusk, the path in the forest seems a little dim.

As it is favored by hermits, Lumen Mountain is obviously not small in size. In addition to some Taoist temples and villas built by rich people, there are also many hidden places.

This is why Wu Degui asked them for help.

If you want to find someone as quickly as possible, you must use magic.

Without Li Yan saying anything, Lu San stepped forward, pinched his fingers, and made whistles of varying lengths.

The sound of the whistle drifted in all directions in the dark bamboo forest.

Swish!
Not long after, poisonous snakes began to emerge from the rotten branches and leaves of the bamboo forest, including five-step snakes and bamboo pit vipers.

But there was not a single small animal to be seen.

Seeing this, Li Yan narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice: "Do poisonous snakes often bite people in Lumen Mountain?"

Captain Cheng shook his head and said, "I've never heard of it."

While they were talking, Lu San had already muttered something in Shangfang language to the venomous snake, then stood up and said, "There are indeed a few strange places on Lumen Mountain."

"There is a cave where people often come out to catch snakes. They say there is a person imprisoned inside."

Captain Cheng was immediately delighted and said, "It should be there. The master's secret technique is indeed extraordinary!"

Lu San was not used to being flattered, so he shook his head and said, "It's a small matter, let these little guys take us there."

After that, he whistled twice more.

The poisonous snake on the ground immediately swam away quickly, leading the way.

Before long, the group left the bamboo path and entered a dense mountain forest.

There are also traces of dirt roads in the mountains and forests, which were obviously built by the ancients, but due to their age, they have been occupied by bamboo forests and have become intermittent.

Going up the slope, we came across ancient tombs and old, dilapidated houses on stilts, which were obviously the residences of hermits in the past.

Li Yan didn't care at first, but when he passed a tomb, he suddenly heard a voice in his ears:
"Tsk tsk, someone got cheated again..."

"What a pity, once you get there, even your soul can't escape, otherwise I would have had a few more companions..."

"Wait a moment!"

Li Yan waved his hand and stopped everyone.

Under the puzzled gazes of Cheng Baihu and others, Li Yan looked around and came to a dilapidated old grave. He made a stove with some soil, lit three incense sticks, squatted in front of the old grave, and started talking to himself.

The people from the Duwei Division looked at each other in bewilderment.

They gained a lot of knowledge along the way. First, Lu San was talking to animals, and in the blink of an eye, Li Yan ran to the grave and muttered.

Could it be that he was talking to a wandering ghost?

Everyone felt frightened, but they did not dare to step forward.

Not long after, Li Yan came back and signaled everyone to follow the venomous snake and continue forward, but he whispered secretly:
"There is indeed a cave ahead, but it is a trap. It is filled with miasma. Anyone who enters will die without a burial place."

"Brother Lu, these poisonous snakes are raised by someone who is also good at taming animals and can understand the language of birds and animals."

Captain Cheng frowned and said, "Young Master Li, what should we do?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice: "We should use their own tricks to defeat them. We should first find the person who is holding the snake. Don't act rashly. We have been surrounded."

Captain Cheng was startled and looked around quickly.

In the dense bamboo forest, more and more poisonous snakes gathered unknowingly. Not only on the ground, but also high up in the bamboo forest, there were poisonous snakes climbing among the branches and leaves.

Countless cold snake eyes stared at them...

…………

As the sun sets, the light in the bamboo forest becomes dimmer, a light mist rises, and the moonlight is so hazy that the road is completely invisible.

Suddenly, an old voice rang out from the bamboo forest:

"All things in the world are like fog, I am alone in my quiet dream house. Mountains and rivers are my companions, cranes are my friends, and the fragrance of the wild paths fills my steps slowly. I watch the ever-changing clouds with a smile, and live my life in a carefree house in the forest..."

As the singing began, a figure appeared in the fog.

"This must be my friend Li, right? Someone asked me to kill you and bury you here. Would you be satisfied?"

Li Yan looked around and said, "Not bad, I'm satisfied."

"This place is unlucky, just right for an old ghost like you!"

(End of this chapter)