Chapter 215: Zhu Clans Fort

Chapter 215: Zhu Clan's Fort

"They were probably miners captured and brought here..." Old Zhang's gaze sank as he explained, "The Raft Sect can't possibly be uninvolved in this. This old man will make sure word spreads throughout the jianghu."

His anger was understandable. Who among the people of the jianghu did not have a few lives on their hands? Yet the scene before them was still almost unbearable to look at. The cave had already been completely excavated and had been used solely to imprison the captured miners. There was nothing else inside.

Traveling a little further, they found another cave. Fortunately, there was no one there. It had most likely been deliberately excavated as living quarters for the white-robed guards and the foreign monks.

The moment they entered, they saw a statue of a deity. It depicted a goddess with pitch-black skin, blood-red eyes, and a mouth filled with fangs. She somewhat resembled Goddess Mamo Li Yan had seen earlier. However, this had the body of a human and the tail of a snake. Her tongue was extremely long, and a crimson flame had been sculpted at its tip, as though it were burning.

All kinds of offerings had been placed around the statue, while white pigment, cinnabar, and other materials had been used to draw patterns resembling a mandala. On the spirit tablet were some hastily inscribed words.

"What kind of evil god is this?"

"Don't touch anything. There's something wrong with this statue."

Li Yan and the others did not recognize it either, but divine astral qi still swirled around the statue, so naturally they did not dare act rashly.

Aside from that, they found a long wooden table resembling a workbench beneath a stone wall farther inside. It was covered in all sorts of tools, and a book.

Further on, there were five completed Nether Torches made of bamboo tubes, along with a wrought-copper cabinet underneath a wooden platform. The cabinet had four corners and four copper pipes protruding from it, with a cylindrical copper tube laid horizontally across the top. It somewhat resembled a proper Nether Torch.

The moment Sha Lifei saw it, he sucked in a cold breath and lunged forward. "It's a Fierce-Fire Oil Cabinet!"

He carefully ran his hands over it and even sniffed at it.

Lu San was not as obsessed as Sha Lifei, but he was still something of a firearms enthusiast.

He hurriedly asked, "What's a Fierce-Fire Oil Cabinet?"

Without even looking up, Sha Lifei replied, "It's recorded in the Military Classic. It was a powerful weapon used in defensive warfare and naval battles. If enemies attacked a city with battering rams and the like, it could spray oil all over them. Anyone struck by it would be horribly burned, and water couldn't extinguish the flames. In naval warfare, it could be used to burn floating bridges and warships[ref]napalm[\ref].

"Strange. This thing seems to have been modified to fit in a Nether Torch..."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the book on the table. The book was old and worn, seemingly made from animal hide. Several words were clearly written across its cover: The Classic of Lightning and Fire.

Sha Lifei picked it up and casually flipped through a couple of pages. His pupils immediately contracted. He shoved it into his robes at once and pretended nothing had happened.

Naturally, no one could possibly have missed such an obvious movement. But among the group, Old Zhang was an old hand of the jianghu and simply pretended not to notice. The rest were his men and naturally said nothing.

Li Yan did not ask either. He knew Sha Lifei had to have discovered something valuable. He could always ask him later when fewer people were around.

Wang Daoxuan, meanwhile, took out his compass and glanced at the deity statue. He then carried the compass around the cave for a while before walking outside. He looked down at the river hidden beneath the clouds and mist, his brows gradually drawing together. Then he surveyed the surrounding mountains and rivers, and his expression changed slightly.

The needle on the compass was spinning wildly.

"There's something wrong with this place!" Wang Daoxuan suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention. His expression was grave as he stared at the compass. "This poor Daoist misjudged it earlier. The terrain here connects directly to the mountain root. It's actually a minor dragon vein branching off from the main one."

Li Yan asked, "Isn't a dragon vein supposed to be a good thing?"

"Ordinarily, yes. But this is a Killing Dragon Vein!" Wang Daoxuan pointed toward the distant mountains. "The incoming energy carries killing qi. Though it has shed and transformed along the way, ever since separating from the main peak it has remained steep, perilous, and forbidding, ugly, coarse, and fierce. It has exposed bones and stone, with sharp and pointed branching limbs.

"If someone were buried here, within two generations the family will definitely produce vicious bandits and bloodthirsty killers. Within three generations, someone would certainly be thrown in jail.

"Fortunately, a river passes through this place, transforming into the dragon's blood and preserving a trace of vitality. But I'm afraid that may have created an even greater problem..."

As he spoke, he turned toward Old Zhang. "Fast Boat Zhang, you've traveled this waterway frequently. Have you ever heard of large numbers of people dying nearby?"

Old Zhang frowned in thought and tried to recall. "I think there was something like that. Somewhere near Zhu Clan's Fort. I can't remember who mentioned it, but supposedly a great many people died there during the chaos at the end of the Tang Dynasty."

"Then there's no mistake!" Wang Daoxuan showed everyone the wildly spinning compass needle. "Yin killing qi is leaking out and flowing along this waterway. If this old Daoist hasn't guessed wrongly, that deity statue was positioned with its back to the mountain and facing the river specifically to suppress the evil qi here.

"Fast Boat Zhang, when your boatman said he saw people in the river, he probably wasn't imagining things. He truly encountered something unclean!"

"That doesn't sound right." Old Zhang hurriedly shook his head. "I've traveled through this area for decades. I only occasionally encountered unclean things, and throwing some offerings into the water or burning incense was enough to avoid trouble. It was never anything as terrifying as you're describing."

Wang Daoxuan frowned deeply. "Oh?"

He suddenly formed the Yang Seal with his hand, pinched up a small amount of soil from the cave entrance, placed it in his mouth, and tasted it.

"Pah! Pah! Pah!" He retched as though he had eaten something revolting, his expression turning ugly. "There's absolutely no mistake. This place has already become extremely dangerous. Even the soil tastes of corpses."

Li Yan fell into thought. "According to what Daoist Wang is saying, this should be related to whatever strange incident is happening around Zhu Clan's Fort. Since we're done here, we should leave as soon as possible. These people are highly organized, and they even had a powerful foreign monk overseeing the place. They definitely won't let this matter go."

Old Zhang said helplessly, "The river is full of huge submerged rocks. We can't move them with manpower alone. We'll have no choice but to take a detour."

"That's easy enough." Sha Lifei looked toward the other side of the cave, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "We'll just blow them apart!"

Neatly arranged on wooden racks against the wall were quite a few bundles of explosives...

***

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions thundered one after another, sending water and shattered stone flying everywhere. All the huge rocks hidden beneath the river were blasted apart.

"Careful! Slowly! Put your backs into it!" Sha Lifei shouted instructions as he and the boatmen stumbled along, using wooden poles, ropes, and shoulder slings to haul the heavy Fierce-Fire Oil Cabinet down the mountain.

They also took the bamboo Nether Torches with them.

Old Zhang was unwilling in every possible sense to bring such dangerous things aboard his vessel. If government officials discovered them, it was a crime punishable by death. However, Sha Lifei talked him around with his silver tongue, arguing that they were all powerful weapons for self-defense. If they encountered rebel troops near Yichang, the weapons might even save their lives. In the end, Old Zhang had no choice but to agree.

Li Yan, meanwhile, worked with Wang Daoxuan to carry all the dead miners out of the cave. They burned the corpses and recited scriptures for them. According to Wang Daoxuan, this was an extremely ominous place, and its murderous, baleful qi had already begun leaking out. The deity statue was also of dubious origin and probably would not be able to suppress the place for much longer.

If they simply left the corpses there, they would all eventually become a source of trouble. Besides, performing rites to deliver these pitiful miners from suffering would also accumulate yin virtue.

By the time they finished, it was already the hour of the monkey[ref]3-5pm[\ref].

Old Zhang called out, and the boat set sail once again. Just as he had said, the waterways here were extraordinarily dangerous. Whirlpools and violent currents appeared at the slightest turn, while some shallows were covered in jagged rocks, with waves sometimes surging several zhang into the air.

Yet the boat-handling skills of his crew were equally astonishing. Without those strange incidents blocking their path, they finally passed through the dangerous bends of the mountains before sunset.

Once they emerged from the mountains, the river immediately became calm. The evening sun reflected across the broad surface, turning the rippling water golden. In the distance, terraced fields rose layer upon layer, while a sizable town stood nestled in a mountain hollow.

It looked beautiful, but everyone immediately noticed something strange.

Huguang was a land of fish and rice. Aside from rice, all kinds of freshwater catches were also an important part of the common people's diet. Wherever there were settlements, there would normally be fishermen casting nets. Yet at that moment, every wooden boat had been tied up along the shore. The wooden wharf on the riverbank was completely deserted.

Thin trails of smoke curled into the sky from the distant town.

Old Zhang could not help looking toward Li Yan. Seeing him nod, he immediately shouted, "Stop the boat! Make for shore!"

There was a bamboo grove farther along the riverbank. A villager had just cut down a bamboo pole and was carrying it home when he caught sight of the approaching boat. He immediately turned pale with fright, dropped the bamboo with a clatter, and ran toward the village.

"Granduncle! Granduncle! Someone's come from the river!"

His shouts, accompanied by barking dogs, soon echoed throughout the village.

The boatmen exchanged puzzled glances, finding the reaction rather strange. Wang Daoxuan, meanwhile, stepped onto the deck and stroked his beard as he surveyed the surroundings. He then looked down at the compass in his hand, his brows drawing tightly together. Soon, he raised the compass for Li Yan to see.

Its needle was twitching left and right, then up and down, never settling.

Li Yan frowned. "Why is the earth qi here so chaotic?"

He had recently been studying the Qimen Dunjia and divination under Wang Daoxuan's guidance. Although he was still far from being a geomancer, he understood some of the basic principles.

There were many kinds of geomantic compasses, and the concentric markings on them differed according to lineage. The Form School, for instance, used the Three Essence Compass, while the Principle School used the Three Unity Compass.

When the needle behaved abnormally, there were what were known as the Eight Methods of the Strange Needle: The Blocking Needle, Rising Needle, Sinking Needle, Spinning Needle, Casting Needle, Reversing Needle, Slanting Needle, and Proper Needle.

Each kind of movement had its corresponding interpretation. For example, the Rising Needle referred to the needle tip lifting upward, hence its other name, the Floating Needle. It indicated the presence of yin qi, but of a benevolent kind. It might come from one's deceased ancestors, or from a blessing deity or guardian spirit.

If one entered a mountain village where the local Earth God Temple enjoyed flourishing incense offerings and evil spirits found it difficult to intrude, the compass would display a Rising Needle.

Conversely, if the needle tip sank downward unnaturally, it was called a Sinking Needle. This also indicated the presence of yin qi, though not malignant yin. Rather, it came from those who had died with grievances or suffered unnatural deaths, and could make ordinary people feel physically uncomfortable.

The compass needle had spun continuously outside the mine . That was known as the Spinning Needle, signifying the presence of malignant yin qi. Resentful qi had lingered endlessly there, and living in such a place would inevitably bring harm.

Now the needle was swaying erratically and refusing to return to the center line. This was called the Blocking Needle, indicating strange rocks or deep pools beneath the ground and disaster for anyone who lived there.

But that was precisely what made the situation strange.

The people of the Divine Continent did not choose where to settle at random. Even if they did not choose a location where dragon veins converged, they would still seek out a place suitable for habitation according to fengshui. For example, sitting south and facing north, backed by mountains and overlooking water, with a river curling around the settlement like a jade belt.

The town stood against the mountains and beside the river, on the sunny side of the slopes. The terraced paddies received abundant sunlight; the river provided no shortage of fish; and the terrain gathered wind and water. Naturally, the people there should have lived peaceful and prosperous lives.

If there had truly been something fundamentally wrong with the place, the village should have declined a long time ago.

Wang Daoxuan frowned and spoke in a grave voice, "The earth qi is in disorder and the compass is showing a Blocking Needle. It should be connected to the case reported to the City God Temple."

As he spoke, a large crowd was already emerging from the village. At their head was an elderly man with a graying beard. His back was slightly stooped, but his clothes were still rather fine. He leaned on a walking stick and was supported by two people. Beside him were many men armed with staffs, blades, and spears. They were followed by villagers holding manure forks, hoes, and other farming tools.

Several men in the crowd were even gritting their teeth with fury. They carried leather pouches and looked ready to attack at any moment.

Li Yan could actually smell dog's blood inside them.

He had no desire to be drenched in dog's blood, so before the villagers could approach, he took out his Dao Permit and held it up. "We're from Yunyang Prefecture. We accepted a task from the City God Temple and came here to investigate."

The old man froze for a moment before hurriedly ordering the villagers to halt. "Stop!"

He carefully sized Li Yan up and asked, "This old man is Zhu Yucheng, headman of this village. Did you guests come through the river passage in the mountains?"

Li Yan did not conceal it. "That's right."

The villagers immediately sucked in cold breaths and began whispering among themselves.

"How is that possible?"

"They're not human, are they..."

"They've got shadows, though."

Still unconvinced, the old man continued asking, "You didn't encounter anything while passing through that mountain waterway?"

Li Yan glanced at him calmly and explained, "We encountered some sinister cultivators causing trouble. They were pretending to be ghosts and gods while secretly excavating mineral deposits. We've already killed them.

"Village Head, you should send someone to the garrison nearby and report the matter to the authorities. Those people were very likely connected to the rebel forces."

There was no way to conceal this matter anyway, so it was better to report it.

The village head was immediately startled and he gasped in fright, "Sinister cultivators? Connected to the rebels?!"

The villagers around him erupted as well.

"So someone really was behind it!"

"Damn them! I haven't dared fish in the river for two whole months!"

"Report it! Hurry and report it! Get the authorities to arrest those bastards!"

The old village head hurriedly waved for everyone to quiet down, then said, "Zhuzi, your boat is the fastest. Set out immediately..."

"What's the rush?" Li Yan shook his head before speaking again. "The situation is chaotic right now. If you simply show up like this, why would the garrison soldiers believe you? I'll write a letter."

With that, he returned to the cabin, grabbed a brush and paper, and rapidly wrote out a rough account of what had happened, adding his own suspicions afterward. Naturally, he omitted any mention of the firearms they had seized. Finally, he signed his name.

That was one of the advantages of possessing a black Dao Permit. With such a credential, he enjoyed a status equivalent to that of the orthodox mystic sect. In an emergency, he could request assistance from soldiers at the local garrison.

After handing over the letter, Li Yan continued, "The trouble in the mountain valley and river passage was caused by those sinister practitioners. But there's still something wrong with your village."

He had other urgent business and had only stopped here along the way. Naturally, he had no intention of wasting time guessing around the issue, so he went straight to the point.

Village Head Zhu froze, confused. "Huh?"

"Ah!"

The villager who had been about to deliver the letter was startled as well and no longer dared leave. He quickly cowered behind the rest.

Li Yan glanced at the sky and shook his head. "Go tomorrow instead. Don't travel at night. The problem is confined to this village. Once you leave here, you'll be fine."

He then turned back to Village Head Zhu. "Elder, we still have urgent matters to attend to. The report your people submitted didn't explain things clearly. I need to know exactly what happened."

Village Head Zhu had already accepted their identities and naturally did not dare conceal anything. He scolded the villagers into putting away their weapons, then gestured into the village to welcome them. "You gentlemen have traveled a long way. You must be tired. This old man will prepare some wine and food. We can talk while we eat."

"Then we'll have to trouble you."

Li Yan did not stand on ceremony and led the others into the village. Only Lu San and one boatman turned back toward the vessel.

Lu San disliked dealing with people. Having so many people gathered around asking questions would be pure torture for him, so he preferred to wait aboard the boat and have Li Yan arrange for someone to bring him food.

Besides, they could not risk anyone discovering the firearms and their luggage. As for the boatman who remained behind, that was simply the rule aboard their vessel.

"They... they're spending the night on the boat?" Village Head Zhu was immediately alarmed when he saw them walk back. He hurriedly tried to stop them. "You can't do that! There are unclean things in the river. They come out and cause trouble as soon as night falls!"