Knife splashing

Chapter 422: Women’s Pilgrimage to the Mountain

The sky was dark and thunderclouds hung low.

Throughout the city of Dachang, every household had their doors closed.

beep--!
The deep sound of the horn echoed among the mountains and rivers.

squeak~
The door of a civilian house opened, and a woman wearing a straw hat and a raincoat walked out. Her face was full of piety, and she was holding offerings in her hands.

Then, the doors of each house opened one by one.

Women dressed in the same way walked out of their homes, carrying various offerings, and gathered towards the pier.

Those who came out were all married women in the family.

Unmarried women and men stayed at home.

At the same time, the door of the Bai family mansion also opened.

The women of the Siming Society were all dressed in white, wearing conical hats and white veils on their faces. They held offerings, incense and candles in their hands, and some of them held gourds.

Li Yan and others were dressed in the same way, wearing white robes, hats, and white gauze covering their faces.

The white robes were loose, so they didn't look unusual.

The only exceptions are the tall and strong Sharifei and the savage Wuba, who, even though they are dressed the same, seem too conspicuous.

All the women in the Siming Society have gathered here.

They all belong to the outer sect, and are homeless orphans adopted by the Bai family from various places. There are about thirty of them.

Although there are few people, they are all sorcerers, and they practice the art of witchcraft. Compared with those small sects with only a few people left, they are much stronger.

Among the team, only the old woman Bai Huan revealed her true appearance. She was wearing a white robe with a straw coat on the outside, a feather crown on her head, a cane in her hand, and her face painted with oil paint, a typical dignified witch outfit.

When we arrived at the dock, women from all over the city had already gathered there.

Seeing the people from the Bai family coming, they raised the offerings in their hands high and murmured prayers for the goddess' blessing.

Among the offerings, the most eye-catching one is a gourd.

When Li Yan saw it, he was not surprised.

The Bai family's move was equivalent to leaving the Siming Society and setting up a new sect. Therefore, they no longer paid attention to some sect taboos and even agreed to Wang Daoxuan's request to open some of the sect's classics.

Of course, it’s just about various mysterious histories.

The so-called Siming Society originated from Xingshan County and is now under the jurisdiction of Yichang. It is a folk sect.

Later, when the Chu State fell, the Qin and Han dynasties recruited witches from all over the country to come to the capital. After the Fangxiandao Rebellion, the Xuanmen rose and the Chu witches declined.

The Siming Society inherited the Chu witch tradition, but in fact, their origins are even older, which is the primitive maternal yin worship.

The worship of the yin is a remnant of ancient times.

For example, in Longtan Village, they saw the custom of "touching the melon to give birth to a child", which is a form of maternal yin worship.

But the gourd in front of you is the same.

Nuwa, Queen Mother of the West, and Tushan should all be matriarchal clans, with their leading wizards all being female, so the Siming Society should also be composed of females.

In the past, Dayu received help from the goddess of Wushan to control floods, and Dayu’s marriage with Tushan clan might have been related.

According to custom, the old woman Bai Huan scooped water from a gourd and poured it over the heads of the women around her, chanting words of blessing.

A woman from the Siming Society played the flute.

The incense is curling and the flute sounds are melodious.

After doing all this, the old woman Bai Huan glanced at the women around her, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and she sang in a hoarse voice:

"I have been in my mother's arms for three years, and my hair has turned white.

The skirt is made of blue cloth and the waist is made of white cloth, carrying the mountains and rivers on her back.

The skirt gets shorter as time goes by, and the mountains keep turning.

Who knows my daughter’s hunger and cold? I am so worried about preparing her dowry…”

This is the "Crying Wedding Song", which can be found in many places. It includes words of persuasion for girls, as well as songs crying for brothers and sisters-in-law, crying for parents, and scolding matchmakers. There are many types of songs.

Many of these women in front of him grew up under Bai Huan's care. After this farewell, he is afraid that they will never see each other again.

Although the women around did not understand what was happening, when they heard this song, they could not help but think of the old woman's blessing when they got married. They could not help but feel sad and burst into tears.

"Mother-in-law."

Wu Chaoyun and Wu Xingyu grabbed her clothes.

Bai Huan took one last look and led his men forward, his eyes full of determination.

She must protect her two granddaughters!

A large ship had already been docked at the pier, decorated with flowers and ribbons, making it very eye-catching.

As for the other side, Li Yan and his group's pleasure boat was parked there, but it was empty and all the luggage had disappeared.

"Clipper Zhang" and his disciples have secretly headed to the Yangtze River to change to another ship under the arrangement of the Siming Society.

We will be responsible for picking everyone up and sending them away at that time.

This pleasure boat will remain in Dachang City to conceal itself from the public.

Sima Ming will give a large reward, and will also give the best ship as a gift afterwards.

Although it involves some risks, Clippers Zhang will naturally not refuse such a good thing.

Wow!
After everyone boarded the flower boat, they immediately set sail and gradually disappeared on the river in the sight of the women at the dock.

Once the Bai family leaves, there will be a vacancy immediately. Li Yan has secretly sent a message that the Law Enforcement Hall in Yichang will send people to build the City God Temple.

This location is very important, and it won’t lead directly into Wushan Mountain, so it can be regarded as a nail in the coffin of Xuanmen…

…………

The flower boat was extremely eye-catching. When it passed through the Lesser Three Gorges, all the boats along the way gave way and some even burned incense in its honor.

The Sima Ming Society would keep it secret, but the Bai family was well-known in Wushan County. People nearby all knew them and knew that they were going to the Goddess Peak to worship the Wushan Goddess.

This custom has not changed for thousands of years.

When passing Wushan County, many women also came to the dock. Although they were not as pious as the women in Dachang, they also held offerings and scattered flower petals for blessings.

According to legend, the goddess of Wushan will protect these women and ensure that there will be no accidents when giving birth.

There were also many men on the dock, who also put their hands together and prayed, praying to the Goddess of Wushan to bless them with good weather and good harvests this year.

In a teahouse near the pier, all outsiders had been driven away and a ferocious-looking man was guarding the door.

Sitting at the square table by the window was Lu Jiu from the Salt Gang, with a gloomy face, staring at the flower boat on the river.

"Master Lu, what should we do?"

A man nearby looked anxious and said, "I have sent people to check. The 'guest in the fog' has disappeared at the salt field. I'm afraid this line is broken."

"These women will definitely have to bow their heads when they go up the mountain. If they have someone to protect them, I'm afraid Mr. Wang won't be willing to help..."

"Humph!"

Lu Jiu snorted coldly, "Now that he's on this ship, how can he get off so easily? This matter is not up to him!"

"Come on, follow me up the mountain. As long as this matter can be accomplished, wealth and glory will be within reach!"

"Yes, Master Lu!"

Everyone bowed their hands.

Rumble!
At this moment, the sky was filled with lightning and thunder. Billions of silver threads connected the sky and the earth, falling on the river and creating ripples.

Soon, the rain became heavier and heavier, falling between the mountains and rivers, raising thick mist, and the mountains were wrapped in white gauze, appearing even more charming and mysterious...

After the flower boat left Wushan County, the salt gang members immediately set off, sailed to the vicinity of Wenfeng, and then climbed the mountain.

On the mountain is the destroyed Yunling Temple, which has become a ruin.

They did not go to the top of the mountain, but took a detour halfway up the mountain, passed through a remote mountain path, and came to a valley.

Outside the valley, there were lush bamboos everywhere and continuous rain and fog, which blocked the entrance and made it impossible for outsiders to see what was inside.

Lu Jiu knew that this place was equipped with strange devices and countless traps. Once he broke in, his life or death would be unpredictable.

Standing in front of the bamboo forest, he bowed respectfully and said, "Lu Jiu from the Salt Gang, requesting to see Mr. Wang."

Wow!
The wind was howling, the bamboo forest was swaying, and mist was rising. Everyone was suddenly dazzled, as if the entire bamboo forest was moving.

They looked dizzy and lowered their heads quickly. Soon, an old scholar walked out of the bamboo forest. He was wearing a Confucian robe and a bamboo hat, with thin features and cold eyes.

After seeing everyone, he frowned and said, "I have already done what I promised you. Why do you still need to come to my house?"

The voice was full of vicissitudes, and it was the same person who played the piano in the cabin of the Salt Gang that day.

Lu Jiu quickly smiled ingratiatingly, "We would like to see Mr. Wang, please pass the message on for us."

The old man in the Confucian robe snorted coldly, but just as he was about to speak, an old and hoarse voice came from the valley: "Yu Mo, let them in."

"follow me."

The old man in Confucian robes looked at Lu Jiu coldly and led the way.

Walking through the bamboo forest, my eyes suddenly opened up.

There was a small pond in the valley, surrounded by flowers and plants, and two thatched huts. There was a cave on the side of the cliff.

Above the cave, the three characters "Jinghuang Cave" are written.

There are several grottoes in the cave, all of which are filled with golden nanmu bookshelves, and the tops are filled with various classics, including ancient books on straw paper and bamboo slips.

In the stone chamber at the entrance of the cave, there are desks and four treasures of the study. An old man in Confucian robes is sitting on a cushion, flipping through bamboo slips.

He has a domineering face, white beard and whiskers, and his skin is an abnormal purple color. He is the old man who performed a ritual in Wushan that day, causing the celestial phenomena to change and the dragon to move ahead of schedule.

"Meet Mr. Wang."

When Lu Jiu saw this, he immediately fell to the ground and kowtowed.

There is no trace of the harsh words he said before.

Lu Jiu was naturally very tactful and knew that the person in front of him was no simple person.

His name is Wang Mengsheng, and he is a casual cultivator from Wushan with a high level of Taoism skills. At that time, he only needed to find a monk to cooperate with him to confront the altar of Zhenwu Palace.

Although Yu Longzi failed in the fight because he was disturbed and attacked by Master Huang Liu and Lord Tiansheng at the same time, it still shows his ability.

"The matter has been settled, why are you still looking for me..."

The purple-faced old man looked at the letter and asked without raising his head.

Lu Jiu smiled and said, "Mr. Wang, this is not done. The woman from Siming Society has gone up the mountain. If we give in, it will be difficult for us to deal with it in the future."

"That's your business."

The old man was unmoved, "This is my rule, just do it, whether it succeeds or not is not important."

Lu Jiu's eyes flickered, he gritted his teeth and bowed, "Sir, you also know that my Salt Gang is well-informed and has found out some things."

"A few days ago, you secretly led the rebel army and destroyed Yunling Temple. Although you helped the Wushan cultivators, you also killed those powerful people in Zhenwu Palace..."

"That's fine, but before that, you were entrusted by the Ghost Cult to fight against the Zhenwu Palace. Not only did you lose face for the Zhenwu Palace, you almost ruined the court's affairs..."

Before he finished speaking, the old man glanced over coldly.

As soon as their eyes made contact, Lu Jiu felt as if struck by lightning. He felt a buzzing in his head and pain in his chest and abdomen.

But when he tried to struggle, his whole body was unable to move.

The same was true for the other people he brought. Some of them couldn't even breathe. They opened their mouths like dead fish, but couldn't get any air.

The old man Yu Mo who brought them in just watched coldly.

This is called "nightmare magic", which is similar to hypnosis. If it is not lifted in time, these people in the Salt Gang will suffocate to death.

Fortunately, the purple-faced old man did not kill him, but just snorted coldly, "Are you threatening me?"

This cold snort also lifted the spell.

Lu Jiu's face was blue and purple, and he fell to the ground with the others, breathing heavily, his eyes full of horror.

The old man in front of him was the one their gang leader asked him to meet, but he didn't expect him to be so terrifying.

"The little ones don't dare, the little ones don't dare!"

Lu Jiu immediately knelt on the ground and said anxiously, "I am also thinking about you. We have heard some rumors."

"The reason why Zhenwu Palace did not retaliate was, firstly, they wanted to join the army to suppress the rebellion, and secondly, they wanted to send people to track down the whereabouts of the Ghost Cult leader, but they sent other people."

"The battle at Dujiangyan has ended. Qingcheng Mountain has the upper hand for now. Yu Longzi is leaving Shuzhong and will bring the two masters from Wushan with him when he returns."

"The boss wants me to tell you that you should not stay here for long. Now in this world, only that noble man can protect you!"

"Qingcheng won?"

The purple-faced old man seemed to have expected this, and shook his head and said, "With Cheng Jianxin gone, the people in Qingcheng can't suppress the group of monsters in the southwest. I guess they have to wait for the imperial court to win, so they will temporarily avoid the limelight..."

After saying this, he was silent for a while, looked at the surrounding caves, and sighed: "This Jinghuang Cave is where Emperor Wu of Liang once stored books. Emperor Minghuang of Tang also stayed here to avoid the An-Shi Rebellion. It is considered a blessed place."

"Those old guys have been coveting me for a long time. I'm afraid they will get a bargain when I leave..."

"Master!"

The old scholar next to him heard this and became very anxious.

Before he could finish his words, the purple-faced old man raised his hand and said, "Stop talking. The divinations these days have all been very ominous. The Xuanmen Orthodox Sect is on the rise. Wushan will be taken over by them sooner or later."

"Sir, you are wise!"

Lu Jiu immediately flattered him, "Please help me and take him back to Shuzhong so that we can have an explanation."

The purple-faced old man glanced at him calmly, "You want me to die?"

Lu Jiu was shocked. "How dare I?"

"idiot!"

The old scholar next to him cursed: "The boy you provoked is a living ghost messenger. If nothing unexpected happens, he will definitely follow you up the mountain."

"Don't tell my master. If other people on the mountain know about this, they should hide. You can only handle this matter on your own!"

After hearing this, Lu Jiu was a little surprised, "The living ghost messenger... is so powerful?"

He was just delivering the message and didn't know the secrets of Xuanmen. It was precisely because of his ignorance that he was so fearless.

"Humph!"

The old scholar snorted coldly, "It's not him who's powerful, it's the things behind them. At least we won't take action."

"Then...what should we do?"

After hearing this, Lu Jiu became anxious.

The purple-faced old man's eyes flickered, "I have an idea, but I wonder if you dare to do it..."

…………

Wow!
Heavy rain continued and mist rose in the forest.

The members of the Siming Society traveled through the forest. Although there were ancient mountain paths, they had long been destroyed by mountain torrents and mud, making it extremely difficult to walk.

Li Yan stepped on the mud and looked up at the top of the mountain, but saw clouds and mist rolling in, covering the entire mountaintop. After just a moment, the scene changed to another one.

The clouds and rain in Wushan are ever-changing and truly magnificent.

But no one would be in a good mood if they were traveling under such circumstances.

Sharifei was wearing a white robe on the outside to prevent the firearm from getting wet, and he was also wearing oilcloth on the inside. He was already sweating all over, and he couldn't help but whispered, "How far is it?"

"Hee hee hee…"

Before he finished speaking, he heard the laughter of children coming from the dense forest in the distance, and it seemed that they were chasing and playing with each other.

But when I looked carefully, I couldn't see anything.

"Don't panic!"

The old woman Bai Huan's expression remained unchanged as she said in a deep voice, "They are mountain infants, transformed from children who fell into the water at Wu Gorge. Don't mess with them."

As he spoke, he rang the bell on his cane.

Ding Ding Ding!
The ringing sound is clear and resounds throughout the mountains and forests.

Bai Huan bowed respectfully and said, "But Master Lian? I am going up the mountain to pay homage to the goddess, so please make way."

A faint shadow appeared in the forest mist. It looked like a nun. At the same time, a vague voice came, "Amitabha, donors, it is not too late to turn back."

At the same time, the letter in Li Yan's arms began to heat up...

(End of this chapter)