Knife splashing

Chapter 420: Siminghui

"Just follow your wishes, senior."

Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and put away the phoenix gold ornaments.

Obviously, the woman hidden in the fog is the one in charge.

As long as you agree to meet, everything will be easy.

The Miao woman also jumped onto the iron chain holding the two girls, then turned around and smiled.

"My name is Long Yan'er, and I'm from the Gu Cult."

After that, he picked up the two girls, stepped on the iron chain and flew away...

Not long after, the women disappeared.

Looking at their receding figures, Sharifei frowned and whispered, "Aren't we looking for the Siming Society? Why are the Gu Cult here too?"

"The Qin Yuner we killed in Xianshan back then was also from the Gu Cult, right? Brother Yan, have we walked into a den of thieves?"

"No rush, we'll see what happens when the time comes."

Clang!
After saying that, there was a flash of knife light, and the iron chain as thick as a bowl broke with a sound, falling into the river with a loud splash, creating huge splashes of water.

Li Yan sheathed his sword and said, "Let's go to Dachang!"

…………

The pleasure boat continued to move forward.

"Fast Ship Zhang" has roughly described the waterway conditions.

They left from Daning Lake where Wushan County is located, and passed through Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge, Dicui Gorge in turn, and finally entered Dachang Lake.

Dachang City is right on the lakeside pier.

Although it was already clear, the scenes along the way were still shocking.

The Longmen Gorge is surrounded by steep cliffs, the high gorge binds the river, and a narrow gap is opened in the sky.

The Salt Gang chose to set up an ambush here for a reason, it's like closing a door and setting up a checkpoint, leaving no way out for anyone to come or go.

After passing through Longmen Gorge, the water flow immediately becomes turbulent, with reefs and undercurrents everywhere below, and even broken ship wreckage can be seen along the way.

"This place is called 'Yinwo Beach'."

"Fast Boat Zhang" introduced: "It is said that there is a dragon cave here, and silver gushes out every year, but only three liters can be taken. As a result, the people were greedy and the dragon cave was completely closed."

"I don't know if there is a dragon cave, but there are indeed many stranded ships. Fortunately, the world is relatively peaceful now. If it were in the past, there would definitely be pirates ambushing..."

As we travel along the river, the water is emerald green, the waterway is sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and there are long cliffs on both sides and beautiful peaks.

On the cliffs, hanging coffins can be seen everywhere, and there is more than one ancient plank road. Some of them have been damaged and only the holes of the wooden stakes can be seen.

Some of them are still in use. Some villagers are carrying loads on their shoulders and walking on them, and they appear and disappear in the clouds and mist.

There are some water channel forks in the canyon. Li Yan was originally on guard against the salt gang that had escaped before, but they have completely disappeared, as if they had never appeared.

"Fast Boat Zhang" knew what he was thinking and whispered, "The Salt Gang sells illegal salt. In order to avoid being chased by the government, they only look for that remote secret passage."

"Since the Han Dynasty, they have mastered countless secret passages over the thousands of years. No one can compare to them in terms of their familiarity with the terrain."

"This group of people will never let go of any grudge, and they have connections in both the black and white worlds. If you go to Shuzhong, you must be careful..."

Because the Salt Gang blocked their way and delayed them, it was almost dusk when they were about to enter the Dachang River.

"what--!"

A scream suddenly rang out from the cliff on the left.

Li Yan looked up and saw a room built on the cliff. The style was quite good, but there was no way to go left, right, up or down.

A man in white with disheveled hair was waving his arms wildly at the window, as if he was greeting them, but his face was hideous and he looked like a madman.

"You don't need to pay attention."

"Fast Boat Zhang" sneered and said, "This is the Luo Family Cliff Pavilion. The Luo family of Dachang is also a wealthy family in the area. They built this cliff pavilion specifically to allow their descendants to concentrate on studying."

"But those who want to pass the imperial examinations will be locked up here. Servants will bring them food every day, and they are not allowed to leave until they pass the imperial examinations."

"Good guy!"

Sharifei opened his eyes wide and said, "How cruel! This Luo family must be full of officials, right?"

"hehe…"

"Fast Boat Zhang" said happily: "In several generations, there have been only two county magistrates, both of whom were assigned to remote small counties. One was killed by bandits halfway through taking office, and the other was investigated for corruption."

"This guy, some things really can't be forced..."

As we enter Dachang Lake, the water surface suddenly becomes wide.

At this time, the sky was a little dim and fog rose over the lake. Indistinctly, the outline of the old city could be seen, with twinkling lights, like a dream.

Wang Daoxuan stood at the bow, stroking his beard, looking around, and couldn't help but say: "The tower is obscured by the fog, and the ferry is obscured by the moon. What a great place..."

The scenery was beautiful, but Li Yan had no intention of appreciating it.

He turned to the crowd and said in a deep voice: "We don't know where those women came from yet, so everyone should be careful and act according to circumstances."

As they were talking, the pleasure boat had arrived at the ferry terminal.

The old town in front of us is not big, and as it is getting dark, there are no ships coming and going, and only four or five ships are docked at the ferry.

On the wooden plank at the ferry, a woman wearing a bamboo hat and a white veil covering her face was waiting quietly.

Unlike Long Yan'er from the Gu Cult, this woman's Taoism skills were very ordinary, but she was dressed in traditional Hanfu. In the evening breeze, her white clothes fluttered, which was quite charming.

"Hello, brave men."

The woman bowed slightly and said calmly, "My mother-in-law has prepared a banquet and asked me to wait here. Please follow me."

Sharifei touched his big bald head and laughed, "My lady, why don't your people show their true faces?"

The woman turned her head and said, "It's a taboo in the sect. You can look if you want, but if you take off the mask, you have to marry me. Are you willing?"

Just as Sha Lifei was about to continue speaking, Li Yan stopped him and shook his head, saying, "Since it is a taboo in the sect, we can't act recklessly."

Through his magical powers, he could smell a strong smell of medicine and decay beneath the woman's mask.

It is very likely the backlash of practicing magic.

A moment of curiosity may lead to big trouble.

Sure enough, after entering the county town, even the soldiers guarding the city were very respectful. They bowed from a distance but did not dare to get too close.

The same is true for the people along the way.

As if she knew they were confused, the woman explained softly, "The Bai family has been here for generations, curing illnesses, exorcising evil spirits, praying for rain, and performing rituals to protect the peace of this place. The people all respect them very much."

"I see."

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

There is no City God Temple here and it is close to Wushan Mountain, so it is beyond the reach of the power of the Xuanmen Orthodox Sect. The fact that it has been able to maintain stability must be due to the power of the Xuanmen Sect.

What made him curious was that the Bai family seemed to be quite powerful, so how could they even kidnap people?

Why did the Salt Gang do this?

……

The area of ​​Dachang City is not large, but it gives people a good feeling.

Looking around, most of them are Hui-style buildings, mixed with Central Plains and Ezhou styles. The fire-proof walls are undulating, the pink walls and black tiles are covered with moss, and there are spots of water on the corners.

As the night deepens, smoke can be seen everywhere, the sounds of chickens and dogs, and children laughing and playing, the whole place is peaceful.

Moreover, it is frighteningly clean.

It rained two days ago, and the bluestone slabs in the narrow alley were still wet. The lanterns hung by the surrounding households actually reflected light on the bluestone slabs.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly and became alert.

Wang Daoxuan, who was standing aside, also twitched his eyes.

Being clean is a good thing, but being too clean is suspicious.

Many households here probably raise Gu or have household gods. Ezhou also has a strong witchcraft culture, but compared with this place, it is very different.

You know, this kind of thing is not so easy to provoke. As the saying goes, respect ghosts and gods and stay away from them. Ordinary people raising them can cause trouble if they are not careful. It is probably the confidence given to them by the Bai family.

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other and became more curious about the Bai family.

The town was not big. They walked eastward for only an incense stick of time before a large house appeared in front of them. It was a Hui-style building that occupied half of the street and was quite large in size.

The door was wide open, and two huge lanterns swayed in the night breeze.

"Fast Boat Zhang" and his apprentices stayed on the boat to help them look after the heavy luggage, such as the captured tiger squat cannon.

Because there is no time to modify it, it can only be placed on the boat first.

Therefore, only Li Yan and his group entered the city.

There were many masked women walking around in the mansion, some sweeping the floor, some embroidering, or playing chess under the candlelight from the small window, looking quite comfortable.

When they came, no one paid any attention.

"Everyone, please follow me."

The woman led the way, passing through the screen wall, the patio, and the pavilion, and came to a hall in the backyard.

Li Yan's expression was extremely solemn.

He could smell strange odors in many places in this mansion. It seemed clean and tidy, but it was actually full of dangers.

Brick carvings and wood carvings all have a strong Chu style, and in some places, the same pattern of phoenix gold ornaments can also be seen.

These people must have a close relationship with Chu Wu.

At the front of the hall stood an old woman wearing a white embroidered robe, a blue scarf on her head, holding a dragon-headed crutch, with white hair and a wrinkled face.

His facial features are deep and a little gloomy.

Next to her, on the left stood two little girls, Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu, and on the right stood the Gu Cult leader, Long Yaner, who was supporting the old woman, very intimately.

Seeing them coming, the two little girls, Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu, immediately smiled, but they knew the rules very well and did not say anything.

The old woman said, "My name is Bai Huan. I am sorry for not showing up to meet you earlier."

"No, we are being presumptuous. Hello, senior."

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat and he bowed quickly.

Although this old woman was old, she gave him the same feeling as the master of the Five Dragons Temple, Yu Longzi, and must be very accomplished in Taoism.

Seeing that his legs and feet were disabled, it was impossible for him to walk across the cliff, so there was only one possibility:
The other party used the method of soul leaving the body!

How dare you do this, in broad daylight...

Just think about it and you will know that this old woman is not simple.

"Everyone please!"

The old woman Bai Huan raised her hand slightly and entered the hall.

The hall was elegantly decorated, and the tables were filled with banquets, including a variety of meat and vegetables, including Ezhou specialties and Sichuan cuisine.

In such a short time, they were able to gather together the famous dishes from both places. It was obvious that the Bai family was very powerful and had put a lot of thought into entertaining them.

Li Yan and others usually eat voraciously at banquets, not bothering to pay attention to any rules. It's almost as if the words "starving ghosts" were written on their faces.

But once you enter this nest of women, you can't help but feel a little restrained.

Only Wu Ba was drooling. He glanced at them secretly, picked up a cake on the table and stuffed it into his mouth.

The pastry looks like a date and is dressed in white powder, which is very delicate.

"Pfft!"

Long Yan'er covered her mouth and smiled, "You are a man who knows the goods. This is 'Dachang Snow Dates'. I heard that the emperor of the capital loves to eat it."

Obviously, she had recognized Wu Bagen's foot.

"hey-hey."

Wu Ba smiled foolishly, and seeing that Li Yan looked calm and showed no displeasure, he couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and eat the food.

Actually, this is also a lack of understanding of the rules.

But because of this, the originally dull atmosphere became a little more relaxed.

The old woman raised her hand again, signaling her disciples to pour tea for everyone, and said, "Everyone, take out the Chu Wu Ling. This young man is good at taming beasts, so I think he is from the same sect."

"This is Wushan Magic Tea, picked from the local 'Linqin' tree. There is an old tree deep in Wushan, which has become a natural treasure. We take care of it and pick it every year, but we only get six taels."

"Please enjoy it, my dear guest."

When Li Yan heard this, he also felt a little curious.

It was the first time for him to drink tea produced by Tianlingdibao. He saw that the teacup was as white as jade and the tea soup inside was amber in color.

After taking a sip, the tea aroma is fragrant and has a peculiar taste, a bit like incense, but with the freshness of grass and trees.

“Good tea!”

Wang Daoxuan narrowed his eyes and couldn't help but praise.

Hearing this, the old woman forced a smile on her gloomy face, "If you like, I'll give you two pounds when you leave."

After drinking it, Li Yan noticed its benefits.

This tea can not only warm the internal organs but also nourish the soul, and is absolutely priceless.

Lu San, whose soul was traumatized, closed his eyes comfortably.

"That's impossible."

Li Yan quickly shook his head, "This item is too valuable."

"No gift can compare to the grace of saving my life."

The old lady Bai Huan said solemnly: "If it weren't for your help, my two granddaughters would have been killed long ago."

Li Yan didn't want to dwell on this topic any more. After hesitating for a moment, he took out the phoenix gold ornaments and said, "Let's not beat around the bush. We are here for another purpose."

"Senior, are you from the Siming Society?"

The old woman nodded slightly, "That's right."

Li Yan was not surprised at all when he heard this.

He had inquired before and found out that all the members of Siming Society were women, descendants of the Chu witches, who hid in the countryside to preach.

And this mansion is full of women.

After spending a long time, he finally found the real owner. Li Yan was too lazy to beat around the bush and said directly: "I have two things on this trip that I would like to ask you, senior."

As he said this, he looked at Lu San next to him and said, "My brother has inherited the Chuwu Mountain Ghost lineage, but it is a little incomplete. I would like to ask you, senior, where can I complete the inheritance?"

After hearing this, the old woman asked, "Which sutra are you studying?"

Lu San bowed his hands in a serious manner, "The Scripture of the Spiritual Response of Mountains and Seas!"

"The Scripture of the Spiritual Response of Mountains and Seas?"

The old woman was also surprised, frowned and shook her head, saying: "That is an antique from many years ago. The world has changed, and the mountain god covenant has been broken. It is as difficult as ascending to heaven to practice this sutra."

After saying this, he pondered for a moment, "Our lineage worships the Goddess of Wushan. There will be an opportunity in a few days. You can go and try. If you can get it, you can complete the inheritance of the mountain ghost."

Lu San was a little curious, "May I ask what the opportunity is?"

The old woman did not hide it and said calmly: "In the past, Doctor Sanlu was the chief priest of the Chu State and the leader of the Chu witches. He once built a tower on the Goddess Peak for sacrifices, but it was later destroyed by war."

"But the Goddess Peak is special. On the day of cloud and rain, there are unique clouds. In a moment, there are endless changes. If you are destined to be there, you can dream travel to the Goddess Palace and see the inheritance of the Chu witch in the past."

"But whether you can get it or not depends entirely on your chance."

Sharifei said happily: "Here, can we go too?"

The old woman nodded slightly. "Okay, I will arrange it for you then, but I don't think the hope is great."

"Thank you, senior."

Li Yan bowed his hands with a serious expression, and picked up the phoenix gold ornament again, "Another thing, I want to know, the divine power hidden inside..."

Before he finished speaking, the faces of the women around him all changed...

(End of this chapter)