Knife splashing

Chapter 779 The Wild Immortal in the Mountains
Is there more to the story?

Although Li Yan was surprised, he acted quickly.

He took out the warrant from his pocket, focused his mind on it, and immediately a thick fog enveloped the surroundings.

Li Yan was already familiar with this process.

Without wasting any time, he suddenly accelerated forward and in a few breaths passed through the two owl-shaped statues, arriving at the main hall square where the tasks were assigned.

I glanced at the sky while I was there, but there was nothing unusual.

Li Yan wasn't surprised. Based on past experience, Judge Cui wasn't always there. This place must be some kind of treasure that connects the Dharma Realm and the human world, and it can function normally even without anyone there.

Upon closer inspection, Ishii Kuromi was indeed a criminal.

He stepped forward and placed his hand on the edge of the well. As the black water swirled, he understood the information about the sinister criminal.

Chen Hui: Nicknamed "Master of the Ditch Snakes".

This person lived during the reign of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song Dynasty and was the leader of the Snake Cult at that time.

Although Lin'an City faced the threat of the Golden Horde in the north, it was also the most prosperous city at that time, with a dense population and a large-scale, complex and sophisticated drainage system that crisscrossed underground, like another "city of reflections".

These ditches were responsible for sewage discharge and flood control, but because of their darkness and seclusion, they also became a breeding ground for vagrants, criminals, and even various secret activities in Lin'an City.

Although there is official management, the deepest and most remote ditches remain lawless areas. These things are mentioned in the "Dream Records of Liang" of this world.

Chen Hui's identity is also very complicated.

He was the leader of the Snake Cult, the founder of the "Snake Eye Society," the largest gang in Lin'an at the time, and an important figure in the Ghost Cult of the Song Dynasty. He presided over many horrifying ghost-worshiping rituals.

After the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty, the demons of the Ghost Cult, led by Zhao Changsheng, fled to the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom. Chen Hui was besieged by many Xuanmen masters at the time. Although he escaped with his profound Taoist skills, he was seriously injured.

He was originally doomed to die, but this guy had a life-saving trick.

The Snake Cult has a secret technique similar to the Turtle Breathing Technique, which allows one to temporarily feign death. As long as the person is buried in an extremely yin place, a feng shui array is set up, and a secret ritual is performed, a layer of skin will be shed every ten days.

After shedding forty or forty-nine layers of skin, one can be reborn.

Although I've become half-human and half-demon, at least I'm alive.

Chen Hui hid in this place, and after several rounds of molting and rebirth, his strength returned to its peak, and he even cultivated into an Earth Immortal. However, the world had changed, the Great Xing was on the verge of destruction, and the Great Xuan was newly established.

He dared not seek refuge in the Xuanmen sect to cultivate in the grotto heaven, nor did he dare to show his face in the mortal world for fear of being discovered by the Heavenly Court and the Underworld. So he could only hide in this desolate mountain wilderness and live as a wild immortal.

This distant relative of the Zhang family was merely their puppet.

They falsely claimed that immortals bestowed wealth and honor upon them, but in reality, they secretly manipulated the capture of children for blood sacrifice.

The Zhang family massacre was an act of silencing witnesses.

Exiting the space and opening his eyes, Li Yan felt a surge of killing intent in his chest.

When he came into contact with the Yellow Springs organization, he already knew the classification of these earth immortals and yin criminals.

Those who hide in famous mountains and rivers and are protected by the orthodox sects of Taoism are called hidden immortals.

These beings who hide deep in the mountains and wilderness are called mountain immortals.

The main adversary of the Yellow Springs Organization is the Mountain Immortal.

Without the constraints of the Xuanmen (mystical sect), they would indeed be even more lawless, especially since they were demons from the Ghost Cult!
Thinking of this, Li Yan became even more careful to conceal his Qi. Using the cover of the night fog, he silently passed through the wild grass, bushes, withered vines and dense forests, and arrived at the opposite mountainside.

Where the firelight flickered, the scene was bizarre.

Seven or eight Japanese people were gathered around a pile of firewood in the center. The flickering firelight reflected their tattered clothes and tired, frightened faces.

The ronin's sword still bore the marks of undried blood, the ninja's mask was torn, revealing half of his face with bulging veins, and the only Onmyoji wearing a hunting robe had a face ashen as paper, his fan drooping limply.

Clearly, the Japanese pirates also suffered heavy losses that night.

They occasionally spoke in hushed, hurried Japanese, but their eyes always betrayed an undisguised fear as they furtively glanced toward the open space in front of the grave.

On that side were the two members of the ghost opera troupe who had escaped.

These two fierce demons were now kneeling respectfully before a tomb.

Facing the dark, half-hidden tomb entrance, they lay prostrate on the ground, their posture unusually solemn and devout, chanting incantations in a strange, distorted syllable with high and low glissando.

This sound was unlike any known dialect; the syllables were short and overlapping, sometimes sharp like the cry of an owl, sometimes low and gurgling.

Li Yan had seen Lü San use it before; it was indeed "the language of the upper realm"!
Seeing this, Li Yan's heart sank.

The one hiding in the tomb must be Chen Hui, the immortal from the mountains.

At this distance, the hook's detection is very clear.

But the other party is an individual, and "speaking from above" is usually used to communicate with people of different backgrounds.

Could there be something else?
After a moment's thought, Li Yan took out the warrant from his robes and held it in his hand.

Who cares what it is? As long as we find the old demon's location, we'll take him away with the underworld troops!
But when he used his supernatural powers to investigate, he was dumbfounded.

The mountains and underground were far more complex and intricate than he had imagined.

The tomb was not enclosed, but rather a maze of interconnected passages and branching paths.

The presence of various sinister auras indicates that the area is heavily protected by restrictions.

What a cunning old devil!

Li Yan's eyelids twitched slightly, and he had a bit of a headache.

According to intelligence, Chen Hui's nickname is "Ditch Snake Master." He must be skilled in earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of escape technique) to be able to stir up trouble in Lin'an City by using underground ditches and canals.

I never expected to see this happen in this desolate wilderness.

Over hundreds of years, a cunning rabbit has more than three burrows.

If we alert the enemy, we'll probably scare them away immediately.

Helpless, Li Yan had no choice but to continue waiting for an opportunity.

Outside the tomb opposite, the two members of the ghost opera troupe were still reverently chanting.

The eerie "language from above" hovered in the night sky, making the atmosphere increasingly oppressive.

Just then, Huang Quan Sanren, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly stopped chanting, raised his head and bowed once towards the deep tomb door, then sternly rebuked the Japanese man by the fire: "Bring him here!"

The ronin and ninja were overjoyed and immediately jumped up, roughly dragging out the small figures huddled in the shadows of the corner!

They were four children, their clothes torn, their faces covered in tears and mud.

They trembled, their mouths gagged with strips of cloth, and could only utter desperate sobs.

One of the slightly older boys seemed to try to struggle, but was slammed to the ground by a ronin.

Blood sacrifice!
Li Yan's eyes immediately turned sharp.

Hearing the Japanese language and the cries of children intensified his murderous intent.

"who!"

Huang Quan Sanren, a highly skilled cultivator, sensed the killing intent and turned around, shouting fiercely.

"Your grandpa!"

Li Yan roared, shattering the deathly silence of the mountain valley!
Almost at the same time he uttered the first word, he burst out from his hiding place.

With a burst of speed from his feet, the Northern Emperor's Divine Speed ​​Technique, combined with the martial art's "shrinking the earth to an inch" technique, left a trail of afterimages as he charged straight towards the group of Japanese people and the kidnapped children.

I intended to use a warrant, but that would undoubtedly scare Chen Hui away.

In the blink of an eye, the Japanese pirates beside the fire were terrified.

A ronin instinctively drew his katana, but before he could react, Li Yan swept past him with the force of wind and thunder, slicing him in half with the Dust-Severing Blade without any fancy moves.

Immediately, Li Yan shifted his weight to the side, dodging the Japanese sword that came slashing at him. He slightly raised his left hand, activated the Thousand Thoughts Armguard, and crackled with lightning in his palm, which struck a ninja's chest.

This ninja exuded a strong murderous aura and must be familiar with escape techniques, so Li Yan also used martial arts.

"Bam—!"

There was a teeth-grinding sound of bones cracking!

The ninja didn't even utter a sound before his entire chest cavity collapsed instantly.

He flew backwards several feet like a tattered sack, crashing into the rocks behind him, and then fell silent.

Blood gushed from his seven orifices as if squeezed, staining the cold rocks and the edge of the campfire red.

The stench of blood exploded instantly!

These Japanese people, on the contrary, were aroused to their ferocity. Almost instantly, two shuriken, gleaming with blue light, came hurtling towards them.

The target was actually those children, clearly intended to distract him from other matters.

However, Li Yan's divine sense had already locked onto the entire scene.

He twisted his body, seemingly slowly but actually quickly, and the two shuriken were sent flying by his sleeve.

As he turned around, he slightly raised his left hand.

Clang!
A dragon's roar resounded.

Two Soul-Severing Flying Knives whistled out.

In the flickering firelight, it soared and tumbled.

In the blink of an eye, four or five Japanese pirates around him were pierced through the chest.

These all happen between breaths.

Li Yan had already rescued several children and was protecting them behind him.

"It's you!"

The leader of the ghost opera troupe, Huang Quan Sanren, was both shocked and furious.

He already knew what had happened. He originally wanted to trap Li Yan in Wang Maode's mansion, but he didn't expect that even the thing that suppressed the fortune would be destroyed.

This Li Yan is even more difficult to deal with than the rumors suggest.

"That's right!"

Li Yan sneered, "You're my grandpa, and none of you will escape today!"

Having said that, he brandished the Dust-Slaying Blade, which crackled with electricity.

Only three Japanese pirates remained after being killed. Having witnessed Li Yan's flying Soul-Severing Flying Knife, they were terrified and exchanged glances, preparing to flee.

But the reason it didn't move was entirely because of Huang Quan Sanren.

As they entered the Central Plains, they traversed mountains and valleys, avoiding numerous obstacles, guided by others along the way. Huangquan Sanren was their contact person in Yangzhou.

Without their help, there was no way to escape.

Moreover, having witnessed Huang Quan Sanren's methods, he dared not act rashly.

As for Li Yan, he remained expressionless as he sized up the crowd.

He knew that his identity could not be hidden from Huangquan Sanren.

It can send messages at any time to inform Chen Hui, the immortal in the mountains below.

It would be better to create a false impression and pretend that no one knows there is a criminal hiding underground.

This recluse from the underworld was shrewd; he narrowed his eyes and shouted, "He's a living underworld official, capable of summoning underworld soldiers! Let's retreat!"

Having said that, he and the actress Qingluoniang quickly retreated.

Li Yan frowned slightly, glanced at the child behind him, and did not move.

Not long after Huang Quan Sanren ran away, seeing that Li Yan did not chase after him, a vicious smile appeared on his face: "Hahaha, if I'm not mistaken, you've already used up your Gang Tokens, haven't you?"

"Stop it all!"

At his command, the Japanese pirates pretended not to hear and continued their escape.

"Humph!"

Huangquan Sanren felt a surge of anger and let out a cold snort.

The actress Qingluoniang covered her mouth and giggled, then raised her delicate fingers, waving a blood-stained blue handkerchief in her hand, and sang mournfully: "The moon falls to the bottom of the dry well~ revealing white bones draped in wedding gowns~ My love, how can you bear to close the door? Leaving me to embrace a cold pillow, listening to the pattering of the midnight rain..."

This song is adapted from the ghost tune of "Catching Sanlang Alive - Parasitic Grass", incorporating soft Wu dialect and melodious recitation. It is sung in a mournful and plaintive manner, which Li Yan could not understand at all.

However, upon hearing this, the Japanese pirates were immediately terrified, clutching their heads and screaming and rolling on the ground. They kowtowed repeatedly to the Hermit of the Underworld and ran back.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan's pupils immediately contracted.

He had obtained information about the Yangzhou ghost opera troupe from the City God Temple.

This young actress, named Qingluoniang, came from a humble background and was once a leading performer in a small opera troupe in Jiangnan.

Because of her beautiful appearance and melodious singing voice, she was forcibly taken as a concubine by a wealthy man. However, as her beauty faded and the wife became jealous, she was framed and disfigured, and buried in a mass grave. Ironically, she gained an opportunity to learn a secret technique from a strange person.

Controlling cat demons is only one aspect; he can also use his own resentment to raise shadow ghosts, suck people's life essence, and cast curses to control them. His kung fu skills are average, but his magic is extremely evil.

Its lineage likely originated from a branch of the Jiangzuo heretical sect.

Recalling the three Japanese pirates, Huang Quan Sanren became even more arrogant, laughing loudly:

"The scenery here is beautiful, but sadly, you will never see it again today!"

Li Yan scoffed and looked at the crowd, "You bunch of worthless cowards?"

His original intention was to provoke Chen Hui, the "Ditch Snake Master" who was hiding underground.

As soon as the opponent shows up to launch a sneak attack, immediately summon the underworld troops to wipe them all out.

However, things took an unexpected turn.

Without wasting words, Huang Quan Sanren directly drew out the Soul-Summoning Banner from behind him.

This guy is no ordinary person, being able to be the head of a ghost opera troupe.

His real name is no longer known. He was originally a barefoot Taoist priest in a remote mountain village. By chance, he dug up an unnamed ancient tomb and obtained half a scroll of the Ghost Cult's secret techniques, "The Record of Nine Netherworlds".

In pursuit of immortality, he recklessly defied the law, practicing evil arts, and gradually became neither human nor ghost.

He was once hunted down by the righteous path for using young boys and girls to refine "life-extending pills". When he was seriously injured and on the verge of death, he finally comprehended the core of "Nine Netherworld Records" - "using the soul as fuel, ferrying to the Yellow Springs", and refined himself into a living dead state.

Its cultivation is formidable, already at the peak of the fourth level, but it needs to constantly absorb living souls to maintain its "existence." It's very much like an old zombie in tattered burial clothes crawling out of a coffin.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan immediately took out his flintlock musket and pulled the trigger without saying a word.

He knew that this Hermit of the Yellow Springs possessed two magical treasures.

First, there's the colorful wooden "Five Poisons Clapper" at the waist, carved with crying faces. When struck, it produces a soul-capturing sound, similar to a soul-calling spell.

He was formidable against ordinary people, but Li Yan's cultivation was no less than his, and he also had a secret treasure protecting him, so he was fearless.

This soul-summoning banner, however, is a bit tricky to deal with; it's like a small military outpost.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, the Five Directions Luofeng Banner was lent to Wang Daoxuan to take away. Faced with this magical treasure, the only option was to strike first to avoid being at a disadvantage.

boom!
With a deafening roar, sparks flew everywhere.

Huang Quan Sanren never expected Li Yan to suddenly fire a shot.

Even if he dodged quickly, half of his leg was still smashed to pieces.

However, no blood flowed out at all; there was only rotten, decaying flesh.

Li Yan was not surprised to see this.

This recluse of the Yellow Springs transformed himself into a living dead using a secret technique called "living corpse skin."

Its body has long since lost most of its vitality, like a rotten tree and withered bones wrapped in human skin. It is not afraid of ordinary physical damage from swords and knives. Its only fatal weakness is the heart that is still beating in its chest, called the "Heart Lamp".

The City God Temple provided very complete information.

If he gets close, it will surely be a fatal blow.

"court death!"

Huang Quan Sanren felt no pain, but after losing his balance and falling, a look of madness appeared in his eyes. He waved the soul-summoning banner, chanting strange tunes in a hoarse voice while kowtowing to the tomb.

Judging from the tune, it must be some local folk opera from the countryside.

As the soul-summoning banner was waved, a chilling wind quickly swept around.

Is Chen Hui about to make a move?!
Li Yan was on high alert and prepared to summon the underworld troops.

But Chen Hui's presence had completely vanished, and Gou Die no longer sensed anything.

At the same time, a strong smell of snakes filled the air.

"Oh no," Li Yan thought to himself, realizing something was wrong.

Forget about that snake god!

(End of this chapter)