Chapter 412 Tu Laogong, Huang WaZi
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Sha LiFei waved his hand quickly, "Brother Zhang, you've been talking for a long time, what is this 'Guest in the Mist', what on earth is it?"
"This..."
"Fast Boat Zhang" said helplessly, "I am not Xuan Gate People. How can I recognize these? Anyway, they are called that in the nearby countryside."
Wang Dao Xuan noticed another thing, "Lingyun Temple, but the one on Wen Feng in Wushan?"
"Ah, that's right."
Hearing the young man's response, Wang Dao Xuan frowned slightly and whispered to Li Yan, "The poor Daoist in that place knows that Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect is the only Daoist temple in Wushan, and Sanfeng Zhenren once practiced privately."
Although he didn't say it clearly, Li Yan knew what it meant.
They have not forgotten that when Dragon Walking was suppressed, monks on Wushan Mountain took action to help the ghost sect and fight with the True Martial Palace.
This place in Wushan is also Blessed Grotto-Heavens, but it is a gathering of monks from all walks of life and is not under the control of the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect.
Maybe someone took advantage of the military chaos to destroy the Daoist temple.
Li Yan thought deeply, then shook his head and said, "It doesn't matter, just be careful, it's cloudy today, maybe it will rain at night, we don't have time to spend here."
What they do is to suppress demons and eliminate evil spirits, so naturally they are not afraid of "Guest in the Mist".
"Fast Boat Zhang" was clear-minded and stopped talking nonsense. He packed up his things with everyone and left under the worried eyes of the store clerk.
Soon, it disappeared into the thick fog...
Thick fog filled the air, blocking out the sky and the sun.
In the mountain forest, the outlines of trees are blurred, appearing and disappearing in the fog.
"There's definitely something wrong with this fog."
Sha LiFei looked around and couldn't help but whisper, "It stands to reason that even if it is cloudy, the fog will disperse when the sun rises. Why is it getting bigger and bigger now?"
Li Yan looked at Lu San and saw that Lu San shook his head slightly to show that there was nothing strange, so he said, "Be careful, Brother Zhang, how far do you have to go to get there?"
"Fast Boat Zhang" quickly replied, "Come on, just over this mountain, there is Jin Yang Ping, which is the largest village on the nearby mountain..."
Before he finished speaking, Li Yan suddenly raised his hand and turned around.
"Someone is coming, be careful."
When everyone heard this, they all put their weapons on guard.
Soon, rapid footsteps and chaotic sounds were heard in the fog. There were many people. There were even mules and horses neighing and wooden carts creaking.
"Who?!"
The sound of weapons rang out, and it was obvious that they were also spotted on the other side, but even though the two Fang Xiang were hundreds of meters away, they couldn't see each other clearly.
"Fast Boat Zhang" raised his hand and said loudly, "Traveler in the mountains, I want to go to Jin Yang Ping to visit relatives. Don't misunderstand me."
The person on the other side didn't answer, but someone walked out. It wasn't until he saw their figures through the thick fog that he cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, let's go to Jin Yang Ping too, just in time to catch some company."
The speaker is tall, dark-skinned, wearing coarse blue cloth clothes, a black cloth headband, and silver rings hanging from his ears. He is dressed in a typical native style.
The images of Li Yan and others are too conspicuous.
Although the man was alert, he didn't say anything.
It didn't take long for the team from behind to catch up. There were men, women, and children inside. There were several large boxes on the donkey cart, and there were people carrying suonas and other musical instruments on their backs. At first glance, they looked like a theater troupe.
Tujia's troupe, Li Yan is the first time I've seen them.
Sha LiFei saw this, smiled, stepped forward and asked, "Brother, are you going to sing in an opera?"
"You guys are laughing at this. You guys specialize in singing in hall operas. Seeing that you also have a drum in your luggage, could it be that you also took the job?"
"No, it was just for fun..."
Soon, he found out the other party's details clearly.
This group of people comes from Badong County, who specializes in singing Badong Tang Opera, also known as "Cai Tang Opera". They are not entertainers, but hang out in the local area.
The farthest I have been is Zigui, Wushan and other places.
Two days ago, some people went to the county town to pay a deposit and let them come to Jin Yang Ping to sing a white opera. However, it rained heavily last night. I was afraid of delaying my trip, so I hurried up the mountain early in the morning and encountered thick fog again.
"Fast Boat Zhang" looked solemn and asked, "Is the surname of the house you went to Zhang?"
"Yes, how do you know, uncle?"
"To be honest, the owner of that house is my brother."
"That's a coincidence..."
After testing each other, they finally let down their guard completely.
Sha LiFei was chatting animatedly with the other party, while Li Yan and Wang Dao Xuan remained calm and glanced at the team.
The person talking to them was not the person in charge.
On top of the donkey cart, there is an old man sitting, wearing a large Red Robe, with a black scarf on his head, a wrinkled face, and vicissitudes of life in his eyes.
Everyone else was extremely respectful to the old man.
There are traces of Killing Intent on this old man's body, and he is obviously a Xuan Gate People, but his moral skills are average, and he is estimated to be of only one level.
He should be a local witch.
Li Yan detected more.
He could smell that one of the boxes contained densely packed hatchets, all of which were sharp and filled with evil spirits.
This troupe is not that simple...
Perhaps due to the large number of people, there were no accidents along the way. An hour later, we finally arrived at Jin Yang Ping.
After passing through the dense forest, the mountain wind came from the south, the thick fog was blown away, and the scenery of the entire village was unobstructed.
This Jin Yang Ping is a huge flat on the mountain, with a layout similar to a dustpan, facing south, with a village in the center and terraces around it.
On the road into the village, there is a wall based on earth and stone, with rows of logs, and a sentry tower above, guarded by villagers armed with bows and arrows.
There are traces of cuts and burns on the wall.
Apparently this village was also visited by the rebels, but it was defended.
Everyone was blocked outside, and the villagers passed on the message. After waiting for a long time, the gate of the village slowly opened.
A young man strode out with several men.
When he saw "Fast Boat Zhang", his eyes were excited and he ran over quickly and said in a trembling voice, "Uncle, you are finally here."
"Fast Boat Zhang" had a bad feeling in his heart.
"Where's your dad?"
"My dad, wuwu~ just died last night..."
"Jin Yang Ping" is named because, firstly, it is located on a high mountain and flat land, and secondly, it faces north and faces south, with no mountains and forests blocking it, and ample sunshine.
Places like this are popular and suitable for living, so even if they are far away from the county seat and deep in the mountains, there are many people there.
The fusion of local and Chinese customs has led to the formation of special buildings here, similar to stilted buildings, with animals raised on the first floor and people living on the second floor, but most of them are made of earth, stone and bricks.
But the Zhang family is a little different. It is still a three-in-one courtyard with masonry as the main body and old wood as the beams. Although it is not as good as those wealthy people in Wuchang, Xiangyang, it is second to none in Jin Yang Ping.
The only weird thing is that there are very few servants in the mansion, which makes it look empty and cold. With the mourning hall set up in the courtyard, the atmosphere is even gloomier.
"Many servants were scared away."
"Fast Boat Zhang" The nephew's name was Zhang Si Bei. After he arranged for everyone to stay, he said sadly, "First it was my brother, then the housekeeper, and last night it was my father..."
"Three people have died in a short period of time. Not to mention the servants, even the folks in the village are avoiding my house."
Li Yan clasped his hands behind his back and looked around at the surrounding buildings casually. He frowned slightly and asked, "How are you sure that it was hurt by something?"
Zhang Si Bei hesitated and looked at "Fast Boat Zhang".
Without him, Li Yan is too young.
"Tell it like it is!"
"Fast Boat Zhang" said in a deep voice, "This is the master I finally hired, and the imperial court will ask him to look after things."
Although Zhang Si Bei was a little unconvinced, he still replied, "These days, there are no strange noises at night. I personally led people to keep vigil, but I didn't see anything."
"As for the reason, you will know at a glance..."
After that, he led everyone to the front of the mourning hall.
The coffin inside has not yet been sealed, and there lies an old man, wearing a shroud, a little short and fat, and his facial features are somewhat similar to "Fast Boat Zhang".
"Second dick..."
"Fast Boat Zhang" The voice was trembling, and tears flowed down the wrinkles.
There seemed to be nothing unusual, but when Zhang Si Bei endured grief and lifted up his left sleeve, Li Yan and the others suddenly frowned.
On his left wrist, there was a small fingerprint, as black as ink, similar to that of a three-year-old child.
Zhang Si Bei also flashed a trace of fear in his eyes, and said in a trembling voice, "Three people in the family had this handprint after death, and they died as soon as they woke up."
"The people in the village all said that my father provoked the ghosts and gods in the mountains and came into the house at night to seduce ghosts..."
Li Yan pinched Mystical Gestures and took a deep breath, but couldn't smell any Yin Energy. Feeling a little confused, he looked at Wang Dao Xuan.
Wang Dao Xuan also shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, "This is the first time I've seen him, so I didn't see anything strange."
"This is the work of 'Huang WaZi'."
Suddenly, an old voice sounded from behind.
Li Yan I already knew who it was, so I turned around and saw that it was the old man from the theater troupe.
He was not angry either. He held his hands and smiled and said, "I have met you, senior. I am new to Guibao Land and don't know the scenery here. Please give me some advice."
I can't see anything causing the problem, it's normal.
Divine Land The earth is vast and has different customs. Sometimes the evil spirits that appear are unique to the local area.
Just like Treasure Hunter, they often have trouble playing outside their homeland, and they don't know all the evil spirits.
The old man did not answer directly, but made a gesture and said seriously, "Badong Xie Family Opera Troupe, 'Tu Laoshi' Xie Chengzu, I have met several experts."
Obviously, the old man also saw that Li Yan and others were extraordinary.
"Don't dare."
Li Yan also cupped his hands and said, "Guanzhong, Li Yan, Youxian."
The so-called wandering immortals are monks who travel around, practicing, helping people, and slaying demons.
Zhang Sanfeng, Lü Dongbin, were all once wandering immortals.
Although the old man Xie Chengzu is a local Witch Doctor, he also knows that those who can be immortals are not bad at all, and his eyes have become cautious.
"I don't dare, it's just that this thing is rare outside."
"Around Wushan, the precious medicines in the forest can be easily turned into essence. There is a medicinal material in Badong called 'Independent Life', which has extraordinary effects. It has always been the first choice in drug stores everywhere. Every year, a large number of mountain tourists come to the mountain to pick it."
"This thing called Duhuo has yellow flowers in summer and a single stem. It does not move when the wind blows, but does not sway when there is no wind, so it is named. It can dispel wind and dampness, dispel cold and relieve pain."
"But once this thing becomes a spirit, it will be amazing."
"They have become spiritual. If they are picked by others, they will become resentful and drift in with the wind in the middle of the night, dragging their souls into the mountains."
"As long as the soul is summoned and returned within three days after dying, the person will be able to live. The old master said that people who woke up said they were taken away by a child in yellow clothes in the middle of the night."
"That is 'Huang WaZi'. Legend has it that after they become spirits through cultivation, they will become Goddess of Mount Wu's servants."
"When you pluck people, you ruin their moral conduct. You will definitely have a life-and-death feud!"
"That's it."
Li Yan suddenly realized it and felt it was incredible.
I didn't expect that this lonely man would have such a strong desire for revenge.
Zhang Si Bei on the side was full of excitement. He quickly stepped forward and knelt on the ground, saying in a trembling voice, "So you are 'Tu Laoshi'. You are blind and don't recognize Mount Tai. Please save my father's life."
Tu Laoshi?
This name is quite strange.
"Fast Boat Zhang" was also a little surprised. Seeing that Li Yan was puzzled, he quickly explained in a low voice, "Tujia has Nuo Opera, who can also predict good and bad luck, help people see things, and their status is very respected."
"Each Nuo Opera team has a master in charge, and the people in Badong call it 'Tu Laoshi'."
After hearing this "Tu Laoshi" Xie Chengzu, I felt a little hesitant.
Seeing Zhang Si Bei begging hard, he finally sighed, shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want to take action, this matter is really difficult to handle."
"I can sing Nuo Opera and help you say something nice to that 'Huang WaZi', but I'm afraid it won't be easy."
"Unless you can send the medicine back and plant it again, you have to ensure it survives before you have a chance."
"How can it be so troublesome?"
Sha LiFei said speechlessly, "Demons and Monsters, you dare to enter the village and harm people, just kill them directly, how can you ask for mercy?"
After Xie Chengzu heard this, a trace of anger flashed in his eyes, but he knew that Li Yan and others were not easy to mess with, so he still said patiently, "Everything is born with a spirit, and if you don't respect them, you will be punished sooner or later."
"Besides, there is more than one 'spirit' in this mountain. Legend has it that they are all boys under Goddess of Mount Wu. Have you ever noticed any trace of Yin Qi?"
"If you take action, you will cause big trouble."
"You guys can take care of your own business. I'll leave now to avoid getting into trouble."
Sha LiFei immediately said with a playful smile, "Senior, please don't be angry. Old Sha I don't understand either. I didn't expect him to have such a big background."
He is very thick-skinned and can say nice and crooked things casually.
As for Li Yan and Wang Dao Xuan, there is not much to say.
They are used to all kinds of rivers and lakes.
Maybe this old man has cursed people and came to defraud people of treasures. Don't rush now. Let's take a clear look at the situation first.
Zhang Si Bei on the side, as if grasping a life-saving straw, nodded quickly and said, "The old master is right. My father knows some treasure-holding skills. After going up the mountain that day, he dug up a big lone tree. I didn't expect it to be the cause of the problem, so I will go and get it."
Having said that, he hurried back to the back house and quickly took out a wooden box. Inside, there was a root, wrapped in bark and tied with a red rope. The roots were huge and golden in color.
Only the shape is a little weird.
Neither humanoid nor animaloid.
Instead, it looks like a yellow coffin.
"Hiss--!"
When the old man Xie Chengzu saw it, he gasped and stepped back with sweat on his forehead. He waved his hands and said, "I can't do it. I can't do this. I'll pay you the deposit. I'll leave now!"
After saying that, he actually turned around and called the troupe people, looking like he was ready to run away.
Zhang Si Bei was stunned and felt a chill in his heart.
Sha LiFei rolled his eyes, stopped the old man quickly, and said with a playful smile, "Senior, you are so clueless, you have to explain clearly what is going on."
Xie Chengzu looked at the solitary plant, as if seeing a ghost, gritted his teeth and said, "This is the coffin of the gods, the coffin of the gods in the mountains."
"You guys, prepare for the funeral as soon as possible..."