Knife splashing

Chapter 714 Bronze Painting, Evil Spirit Stone

Upon hearing Yan Jiuling's words, Li Yan's pupils contracted.

He had already decided on this matter, but from two other directions.

First is the Divine Qi. This substance originally existed in large quantities in the human world. The powerful beings in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, including various mythical beasts, originally possessed Divine Qi, which enabled them to display amazing supernatural powers. However, it has now become a myth.

Secondly, there is the "Heavenly Rules," the most crucial aspect of which is to prevent the Great Luo Dharma Realm from influencing the human world.

The only thing he wasn't sure about was how this passage existed.
"Brother Yan! You've finally arrived!"

Just then, Zhao Luzi rushed forward, looking sullen and clearly exhausted.

"Brother, you've worked hard..." Li Yan patted his shoulder.

On the way here, Yan Jiuling had already explained the reason.

When Zhao Luzi arrived at Qiankun Academy, it just so happened that the treasures were secretly transported from Mount Tai, and there was a lack of people skilled in soil identification.

Firstly, I need to help Li Yan find a spiritual object; secondly, I will be working at the academy in the future, so it's not easy to refuse.

"Hahaha... Master Zhao is very experienced and has helped me a lot."

Bai Chenshan, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, also came over. He had a thin face and wore tortoiseshell glasses.

Despite being covered in mud, he still maintained a dashing demeanor.

"I have met Supervisor Bai."

Li Yan smiled, clasped his hands in a fist and bow, but in reality, he was already on high alert.

He had heard of Bai Chenshan's great reputation before, but this was the first time they had met in person.

This person was not only skilled in astrology, but also proficient in geomancy and other miscellaneous disciplines, making him a very famous figure in the Xuanmen (Taoist) community.

However, in the "Nine Gates Yin Ruins", Zhao Qingxu made a condition that he kill Bai Chenshan.

The reason for this is still unknown, so we should be careful.

Bai Chenshan, unaware of Li Yan's thoughts, nodded slightly, his smile still warm, "I have long heard of young friend Li and the 'Twelve Zodiacs,' and today I finally have the pleasure of meeting you."

"Senior has given you too much praise."

Li Yan made a polite remark, while Yan Jiuling stepped forward and muttered a few words in hushed tones.

Bai Chenshan stroked his beard and hesitated, "Logically speaking, this item should not be leaked, but young friend Li has been investigating this matter all along. The fact that we found the item is entirely due to his intelligence, so he is naturally an exception. Don't worry, Lord Pei should not mind."

After saying that, he turned around and called over a member of the Commandery to lead the way.

The group crossed the courtyard and arrived at the left wing of the backyard.

This room had clearly been converted into a storeroom. It was built with cement mortar like the Shenji Camp, and looked heavy and solid. There were no windows on any side, only a huge stone door that was flush with the wall and airtight.

Bai Chenshan and the Commandant Si took out the keys and inserted them into the two lock holes of the stone door at the same time.

Rumble~
The heavy stone door slid open slowly with the dull creak of its hinges, releasing a scent that was a mixture of camphor wood, dust, and the coldness of metal.

Several members of the Commandery stood guard outside the door, and Yan Jiuling personally lit the surrounding braziers with a tinderbox.

As the light settles, the first thing that catches the eye is a huge stone slab half-embedded in a specially made wooden frame.

The stone slab is not smooth; it is inlaid with bronze reliefs and has long been covered with verdigris.

Li Yan had never seen this kind of craft before, but what attracted him even more was the content on it.

At the center of this strange relief is a bronze divine tree with an extremely intricate structure.

The tree trunk is gnarled and twisted like a dragon, winding upwards and branching out into nine layers.

Each floor is adorned with ancient totems or strange symbols of various shapes.

Around the divine tree, several blurry outlines were scattered about.

Some have bird heads and human bodies, some have tiger tails and star crowns, some have deer antlers and staffs... their appearances are all different, ancient and strange.

Below the relief, there are many fragmented and archaic characters.

"Is this the Bronze Divine Tree?"

Li Yan frowned slightly, somewhat uncertain.

"The Bronze Tree?"

Bai Chenshan was surprised, then shook his head, staring at the relief with fascination, "This thing is clearly Jianmu."

Li Yan then remembered that Sanxingdui had not yet been excavated, and the Bronze Tree was only a name from a previous life.

Moreover, this thing is quite different from the one he saw in his previous life.

He suppressed the shock in his heart and asked thoughtfully, "Mount Tai is the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains, revered as the Eastern Peak. The footprints of eminent figures of the Xuanmen sect have covered the area. How could such a magnificent and wondrous place have not been discovered?"

"The key is location."

Yan Jiuling pointed to the edge of the stone slab, where there were some barely noticeable, seemingly naturally formed watermarks and traces of moss fossils. “This object was not found on the main peak of Mount Tai or around the palaces and temples. Based on the vague and obscure records in Xu Fu’s ‘Seeking Immortality,’ we searched almost every remote and extremely dangerous valley and ravine on the back of Mount Tai.”

"According to the people sent, they eventually found it in an underwater cave in a deep pool..."

According to local records of Mount Tai, hundreds of years ago, a dragon rose from the ground, and the area collapsed and was buried by rocks.

Li Yan nodded. "Then what do these words mean?"

"This is bronze inscription from the Shang and Zhou dynasties."

Bai Chenshan stroked his beard and said, "It says, '...Wooden structure, nine branches of heaven, the master shows the descent, like stars or qi, Fuxi's dragon body, riding on clouds and earth, Huaxu's footprints, completed in seven days, the essence of thunder and marsh, entering the world, the Dharma realm opens, connecting to the Great Luo...'"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan was immediately shocked.

Since embarking on the path of spiritual practice, he has studied many ancient texts, so he naturally understands these words.

The text mentions Jianmu, the descent of immortals and gods, and a shape resembling starlight and gas.

More importantly, Huaxu stepped on a divine miracle, thus giving birth to Fuxi.

Fuxi came from the Great Luo Dharma Realm!

Before he could say more, Bai Chenshan spoke mysteriously: "The Book of World Records says: 'He made nets to fish and hunt for sacrifices, so the world called him Paoxi.' That is, Fuxi. It is said that he was born after encountering Leize. He should be a god. Later, there was the Fuxi clan."

"This must be kept secret. If it gets out, someone will definitely use it to cause trouble."

"I understand," Li Yan nodded solemnly.

Throughout history, many have used divination and prophecy to disrupt the world; even if they didn't exist, they would fabricate them.

Myths should remain just myths forever.

Bai Chenshan, standing to the side, sighed as he gazed at the relief sculpture. "No wonder the First Emperor believed Xu Fu's words. Back then, they might have genuinely wanted to use this Ascension Array to rebuild the Jianmu tree..."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, "That would be a violation of the Heavenly Laws, which would inevitably lead to chaos!"

Based on his knowledge from his previous life, he now had a general idea.

The Great Luo Dharma Realm may be another peculiar space.

The ancient immortals and gods descended, perhaps bringing with them a great deal of power from the Great Luo Dharma Realm, thus enabling them to display numerous divine mights.

But if too many people descend, the human world will be disturbed.

The great flood may be caused by this, and it will not only result in the loss of life.

The verbal reminder was merely to warn Bai Chenshan, lest the old Taoist priest have any ill intentions. "That's for sure."

Bai Chenshan shook his head and said, "I am a cultivator, so I know a bit about the Heavenly Laws, but I never thought it was for this reason."

Seeing this, Yan Jiuling quickly smoothed things over, "There are still some over there, Brother Li, please come with me."

Aside from the strange bronze reliefs and jade offerings, the rest are clearly artifacts from the Qin Dynasty, containing all sorts of things.

Bai Chenshan shook his head and said, "These are Qin Dynasty formations, which may be related to the rituals of worshipping heaven and earth. Unfortunately, the earth dragon overturned and destroyed them completely. I will try to see if I can restore them and find the methods used by those demons to set up the formations so that I can deal with them."

"Yes, you're right, senior."

Li Yan gave a perfunctory reply, not taking it seriously.

The Nine Cauldrons are no longer the same as they used to be, and the plan for this Ascension Array has long been abandoned.

The fact that Jianmu is now aiming for the Nine Tripods suggests that it has other plans.

Thinking of this, Li Yan turned to Yan Jiuling and asked, "Do you have any clues about Zhao Qingxu?"

Yan Jiuling shook his head and said, "We have already rechecked the academy's teaching staff, and there is nothing unusual. Don't worry, Grandmaster Huo Yin is currently overseeing things at the academy, and there are also experts secretly patrolling. If that fiend dares to infiltrate, he will surely not return alive!"

……

After visiting the antiquities, Yan Jiuling led Li Yan back to their residence.

After the tea was brewed, Li Yan asked, "Brother Yan, have we become offerings?"

"Look at my memory."

Yan Jiuling slapped his forehead and said with a wry smile, "The academy supervisor is not here, and Supervisor Bai only acts as an instructor and is unwilling to get involved in the academy's affairs. The opening ceremony has almost entirely fallen on us, and we are so busy that we are dizzy."

"Don't worry, this position of offering is most suitable for you. You don't need to stay in the academy all year round, which gives you more freedom."

"The academy will surely be a treasure trove of rare talents and a great number of masters in the future. If you want to use it, it will be perfectly legitimate. This spot is not something that can be obtained casually. It requires His Majesty's approval. Lord Pei put in a lot of effort, and Brother Li also did a few great things to get it accepted."

Upon hearing this, Shalifei was displeased. "We've been through thick and thin with them, and we've never even heard of the others. Why were they selected?"

"There is a reason for this."

Yan Jiuling patiently explained, "Currently, the academy only has four teams, including yours, that have been hired as honorary members, so they are all quite remarkable."

"Let's start with this 'Hai Zang'. They have quite a background. Their leader is called 'Hai Yue Monk,' a descendant of Master Jianzhen who sailed to Japan with him. They have been hiding in Japan for many years to gather intelligence and are familiar with the sea routes. They were strongly recommended by the Kaihai School. They mainly operate at sea, so they are not well-known in the Xuanmen (Taoist) circles of China..."

"'Dragon Erosion' roams the wilderness year-round. Its leader is a treasure hunter, and its team includes many extraordinary individuals. They specialize in investigating dragon veins for the royal family..."

"As for the 'Cloud Travelers,' they are a group secretly cultivated by the imperial court. Many of them are petty thieves and scoundrels, but they never make a mistake in their actions..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yan immediately understood.

No wonder they weren't well-known; it turns out they were all trained by the imperial court.

In this light, it seems that only they, the "wandering immortals," are outsiders.

"correct."

Yan Jiuling stood up again, "Brother Li, wait for me a moment."

After saying that, he hurriedly left the house.

A short while later, he returned, followed by two guards who carried a heavy square wooden box together.

The two men, covered in sweat, put down the wooden box, bowed, and took their leave.

Li Yan stepped forward to examine it. He saw that the wooden box was dark in color and made entirely of century-old ebony. The surface was engraved with the emblem of "Qiankun Academy - Hundred Storehouses Sealed" and layers of talismans. He took a sniff and smelled the strange smell of damp, cold grass and wood mixed with the smell of an old coffin.

"What is this?"

Li Yan asked with some doubt.

Yan Jiuling spoke up: "Brother Li, aren't you looking for a treasure containing life force?"

"I consulted with the supervisor and asked to redeem your merit for presenting the 'Seeking Immortality' ahead of time. I searched for it in the register for a long time."

“There are not many treasures that contain vitality. This item is listed as ‘Jiazi Seven’. After thinking it over, I think this item is the most suitable.”

"Oh, what is it?" Li Yan immediately became interested.

Yan Jiuling shook his head and said, "I am not a cultivator, so you will have to open this."

Without wasting words, Li Yan took the key, tore off the talisman, and unlocked the three bronze locks on the box lid.

As soon as the lid was slightly lifted, a cold and damp atmosphere instantly filled the air, like withered leaves rotting on the ground.

The box was lined with a thick layer of black cloth, and in the center was a strange stone about the size of a bowl, with a bluish-black color.

The surface of this strange rock is rugged and porous, covered with bizarre spiral patterns, which upon closer inspection resemble countless tiny vortexes slowly rotating.

"Stone?"

Li Yan frowned slightly upon seeing this.

He has experience; any spiritual object capable of repairing the Great Luo Dharma Body must have once contained immense vitality, such as the dinosaur egg from Qinglong Mountain, or the mountain god Tai Sui…

Stones are inanimate objects.

But before he could ask, his pupils contracted, and his eyes became excited. "What is this thing?"

At this moment, the Great Luo Dharma Body was trembling wildly, appearing extremely thirsty.

Yan Jiuling also chimed in, "This thing has quite a history."

"The ancient book 'Yiyuan,' Volume 5, records in its chapter on strange stones: 'During the reign of Emperor Fei of Qi, a seafarer presented a blue stone, which was placed in the imperial garden. After three days, all the rare flowers and trees withered as if killed by frost, and the stone's core faintly emitted a ghostly light, as if congealed with blood.' This is the object recorded in the book, which later ended up in the palace's secret treasury..."

"In the early years of this dynasty, it was moved to the base of a pavilion deep within the Imperial Garden, where its cool, damp atmosphere was believed to suppress the earth's energy and encourage the early flourishing of precious plants. However, last winter, all the plum trees, daphne, daffodils, and other plants that remained evergreen even in the coldest winter around the pavilion withered, turned black, and decayed overnight! Their roots seemed to have been scorched by a raging fire..."

"Officials of the Shanglin Garden dug three feet into the ground before finding this stone again under the pavilion foundation. The soil covering it had turned to ashes and was completely lifeless. Because the incident was suspicious, it implicated the Forbidden City. Later, it was confiscated by the Enforcement Hall, identified as the source of the disaster, and sealed and stored away."

As he spoke, Yan Jiuling hesitated for a moment, “The Enforcement Hall has investigated and said that this stone has a strange nature. It can devour the essence and vitality of the surrounding plants and trees, turning it into its own and keeping it condensed. Therefore, the strength of the vitality it contains is extremely rare, but it is also extremely yin and evil. If ordinary people get close to it, at best their blood and qi will stagnate, and at worst their vitality will decline.”

"Brother Li, is this alright? If it's dangerous, I'll go and change..."

"No need, this is just right!"

Li Yan interrupted him, suppressing the urge to absorb the contents, and closed the box again.

"As long as it works."

Seeing his expression, Yan Jiuling chuckled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lord Yan, what about me, Old Sha?"

Seeing this, Shalifei quickly asked, "Where is the thing I asked you to find?"

Yan Jiuling laughed and said, "Your merits are not enough for the treasures in the treasury. Besides, they are all treasures allocated from the imperial palace’s treasury, each one priceless. It’s really not worthwhile to use them to forge firearms. There are also treasures in the firearms workshop, and Master Lei Huogong is in charge."

“I’ve already mentioned it to him, but with the opening ceremony of the academy just around the corner, he can’t spare the time. He’ll help you forge firearms later.”

"That's great!" Shalifei nodded in satisfaction.

Li Yan, who was standing next to him, hesitated for a moment and asked, "Where is that divine artifact?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Jiuling's expression turned serious. He glanced at the door and said in a low voice, "I haven't seen it either, but the supervisor has already sent word."

"Because this matter has already caused quite a stir, His Majesty will announce the divine artifact to the world during the opening ceremony!"

(End of this chapter)