"Earth Dragon Turning Over!"
Horrified shouts sounded from Zhengyang Gate Street.
The bluestone road undulated violently, arching and collapsing like waves. The bamboo shed of the tea shop beside the road broke with a "click", and the dishes and cups fell to the ground with a crash. Fortunately, it was already dark at this time, and the stall had already been closed.
But on the other side, the bricks and stones of the city wall fell, causing smoke and dust to rise.
"Not good!"
Wang Dao Xuan lost his voice and said, "Lei Yin took action!"
This thought crossed everyone's mind at the same time.
Lei Yin Obtaining Yangzhou Cauldron can directly shake the earth's veins and threaten Jinling. This is why everyone is afraid and dare not take action easily.
Otherwise, even if he is an Earth Immortal, he can be killed by a few orthodox dharma lineages.
Could it be that the other party has gone crazy and decided to take action directly?
Just when everyone thought the disaster was imminent, the roar from the underground suddenly stopped, as if it was stopped by an invisible force.
The earth stopped groaning, leaving only dust and panicked screams in the sky.
"... Stop?"
Sha LiFei looked around, a little unbelievable.
But after waiting for a while, there were still no aftershocks.
They were not the only ones shocked.
All over the city, those Ghost Opera Troupe monsters who were taking advantage of the chaos, clamoring for the "wrath of the Silkworm God" and creating panic, now looked confused and confused.
"Catch someone alive first and ask!"
Li Yan noticed something was fishy and jumped out without saying a word.
His speed was astonishing. As soon as his voice reached everyone's ears, the figure had already appeared on the opposite roof. His feet were stepping on each other so fast that only his shadow could be seen, accompanied by a thumping sound.
After a few muffled groans, the men in black wearing masks fell down one after another.
"Catch them! Quick!"
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the local Xuanmen masters immediately took action.
The "Tiger Gate Order" Maoshan Aunt Old Taoist who was originally subduing Lao Dan in the east of the city, the Meishan Sect Master who was fighting hard with Minato and the Takesheng demon, and the Maoshan monk who forced Qing Yi Dan Role back on Zhengyang Gate Street, all took action almost at the same time.
They were so frightened that they did not dare to hold back any more. They used ferocious killing moves and various spells to capture and subdue many Ghost Opera Troupe monsters in an instant.
Ghost Opera Troupe has grown wildly in a short period of time, but there are also good and bad. Some are monsters on Jiangnan Road, and some are gangsters, not the enemies of Jinling Xuan Gate.
There were two masters who were quickly defeated in the face of siege.
The situation was mostly under control in an instant.
There was no time to escort him back to prison and the interrogation started directly.
A Big Painted Face demon who was restrained by the Maoshan Talisman was dragged in front of Li Yan and others. The old mage with white hair and beard next to him sternly asked, "Tell me! Why did the earth dragon attack in advance? Why did it stop suddenly?!"
The paint on Big Painted Face's face was mixed with sweat, his voice was hoarse, and he sneered, "Kill if you want, there are so many wastes... ah!"
Halfway through his harsh words, he started screaming miserably.
But Li Yan winked, and Long Yan'er directly released Sesame Gu to question.
"Stop! I said..."
Needless to say, the power of Long Yan'er Sesame Gu can't even be resisted by an iron-clad man. This guy quickly began to beg for mercy and confess, "It's not a trivial matter!"
"The higher ups really told me to take action in advance! They said that before the Dragon-Slaying Ceremony is completed, use Yangzhou Cauldron to induce the earth's energy, shake the earth's veins, and then set off Turning River waves to destroy the water stronghold, so that my aunt's army can rush over."
"Keke, this movement only shook for a few times and then stopped?!"
"That's not what we promised..."
Apart from being frightened, his eyes were also full of confusion.
As soon as these words came out, everyone quickly exchanged looks.
The shock and fear on the demon's face don't look fake.
"It seems that things have changed..." Li Yan looked into the distance thoughtfully.
Next to her, Aunt Old Taoist from Maoshan also spoke in agreement, "Lei Yin plans to start in advance. They are aware of it, but they are only halfway through it. Something must have gone wrong."
No one could guess the reason, so they had no choice but to take these monsters back to prison first.
Although Jinling City temporarily escaped a catastrophe, the haze shrouding the city failed to dissipate. Instead, it was like an invisible black hand that strangled everyone's throats, making people breathless.
Qinhuai River The water still flows, but the sound of oars and the shadows of lights are much sparser.
Most of the doors and windows of the bustling river houses in the past were closed. Occasionally, bold vendors peeked in, their faces full of vigilance and panic.
The footsteps of the soldiers patrolling the city were heavier than usual, and the sound of armor scraping was particularly harsh in the quiet streets. The air was filled with the smell of earth after rain, mixed with a faint, heart-stopping sweet fragrance of decay.
Like tarsal maggots, spreading quietly.
Under the moonlight, the continuous eaves undulate.
Deep in the narrow alley, a ram's horn lantern swayed in the wind.
The dim yellow halo illuminates the mottled door plaque of "Zhouji Jihu".
Suppressed sobs leaked out from the crack in the door. The old weaver Zhou Ada huddled beside the loom, stroking the gray silk wrapped around the shuttle with his withered hands.
The silk thread actually squirmed slightly, slipping into his cracked fingers as if it were alive.
In the distance, twenty looms were crowded into a moldy earth hut. Behind each loom sat a sunken-eyed weaver, and the smell of despair and sweat floated in the air.
"Silk Weaving Bureau's dog officer..."
"The newly added 'fire consumption' tax... Grandma's medicine money..."
"Woo~"
In the darkness, the sounds of sobbing and gnashing of teeth could be heard from time to time.
"Done!"
"If Laozi doesn't live, these dog officials won't even think about living!"
After the third watch of the drum, rickety figures flashed out from different doorways, gathering like ghosts towards the public well in the middle of the street, throwing silk into it...
Inside City God Temple, there are only a few incense lights.
Zhang Jingqing Old Taoist looked at the empty hall and a few disciples with disheveled faces and shallow Daoism, and sighed, his wrinkled face filled with worry.
The elite Dragon Tiger Mountain was urgently transferred to Ganzhou by the General Forum to deal with the aggressiveness of the Meishan Dharma Sect. The huge Jinling City God Temple was really nothing at this moment.
Faced with the increasing number of evil spirits and cursed people in the city, he has no responsibility to monitor Youming, but he has no power to exorcise evil spirits and control evil spirits.
Not to mention Dragon Tiger Mountain's face, he cannot bear the complaints from the people alone.
"Master, Liushu Hamlet reported three more households in the south of the city. Their symptoms are exactly the same as Locust Tree Village..." A young Daoist priest hurried over.
His voice was full of uncontrollable fear, "Li Zheng said that those people are so resentful that they are privately spreading the word that the 'Silkworm Goddess' will impose punishments. It is the court's lack of justice that forces the people to rebel..."
Zhang Jingqing closed his eyes and sighed helplessly.
Why doesn't he know the source?
Exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes such as Mount Tai are overwhelming, and those silverfish like Silk Weaving Bureau are exploiting without restraint, which has long pushed the people into desperate situations, causing Cocoon Clothes Cult to take advantage of the situation and incite incitement.
The government's response was slow, and this Jinling City has become like a huge powder keg.
"Report--!"
Another disciple rushed in panting, "Mystic Sacrificial Official Chiliarch Qiu led the people... led the people to arrest Silk Weaving Bureau, the eunuch Wang Eunuch, and several principals! They were locked up right at the yamen gate in front of everyone!"
"Oh?"
Zhang Jingqing opened his eyes suddenly, a glimmer of light flashed in his turbid eyes, and he said with some surprise, "This man from the capital, who sentenced thousands of households to prison, was very vigorous and resolute in arresting Silk Weaving Bureau's corrupt officials. Although it cannot eradicate Cocoon Clothes Cult, it is the most direct way to calm the public's anger and delay the spread of the curse. It's just..."
As he spoke, he sighed.
The disciple next to him asked doubtfully, "This is a good thing. Master, what are you worried about?"
Zhang Jingqing Old Taoist shook his head and said, "This move is tantamount to poking a hornet's nest. How can those intricate Jiangnan gentry and the Open Sea Faction forces behind them just give up?"
"The more people there are, the more troubles there will be..."
At the same time, the atmosphere in Jinling City's core circle was equally solemn.
Commandery Commandant Office The temporary deposit room is brightly lit with candles.
Snap!
Qiu Mingyuan's face was as heavy as water, and he slapped a list of names on the case that was still wet with ink.
He looked at the livid-faced local officials below and the hurriedly arrived representatives of the Lu and Xie families, and said in a voice as cold as ice, "Here is the list! Silk Weaving Bureau, up and down, who embezzled money, exploited craftsmen, and forced people to commit evil, the evidence is conclusive!"
"I am here to supervise the management of demonic chaos, and I have the power to make arbitrary decisions when the opportunity arises!"
"Whoever dares to obstruct it will be regarded as collaborating with the enemy!"
As he spoke, his gaze was like a knife, sweeping over the crowd. "Jinling is in danger! Taihu Lake Demon Army is watching with eager eyes, the evil cult in the city is deceiving people, and 'silkworm stiffness' is spreading."
"If these silverfish are allowed to suck blood to enrich themselves, provoke civil unrest, and cooperate with the demon sect inside and outside, do you still want to keep this Jinling City?"
"Your item High Person, do you still want insurance?!"
He was also furious. He didn't expect these people to be so ungrateful.
At the critical moment, he couldn't even abandon his pawn to save his rook.
I haven't settled the Japanese silver mine issue with them yet...
His words were so loud that everyone in the hall fell into silence.
Lu Mingyuan and Xie Yunzhi exchanged glances, and both saw the shock, anger and helplessness in the other's eyes.
Qiu Mingyuan's move was fast, accurate, and ruthless! It directly cut off their attempts to delay or divert their attention.
Depending on the situation, it would not only be unwise to stand up for those corrupt officials who are destined to become abandoned sons at this moment, but would also be more likely to be labeled even bigger.
But if you ignore it and cling on randomly, it will be troublesome.
Thinking of this, an official forced a smile and said, "Chiliarch Qiu acted vigorously and eliminated harm for the country, and I admire him. But... the top priority right now is still 'Dragon Offering Ceremony' and Taihu Demon Army."
"Hmph!"
Qiu Mingyuan snorted coldly and said no more.
Of course he knew what the point was. The arrest operation was just a temporary measure to temporarily cool down the city that was about to boil. The real winner was the "Dragon Offering Ceremony" led by Zhou Yinyao and jointly prepared by various factions in the south of the Yangtze River.
But we have to be careful with this group of people in front of us...
Jinling City West, a hidden Daoist temple at the foothills of Qixia Mountain.
This place has been temporarily requisitioned as the preparation center for "Dragon Offering Ceremony".
The atmosphere inside the temple is solemn, with monks in various robes going back and forth, and the air is filled with the smell of cinnabar, talismans and incense candles.
Zhou Yinyao was dressed in a simple Ge robe, standing in front of a huge map of Jinling and surrounding landscapes, his fingers slowly traced along the Yangtze River Water Vein, and said solemnly, "Jinling City, a tiger sitting on a dragon's plate, is the 'key' for the gathering of Water Vein in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River."
"For this grand ceremony, Jinling will be used as the center of the formation. Maoshan, Tiger Gate Order, and Lushan sects will be divided into Bagua directions, borrowing the power of the mighty dragon veins of the Yangtze River to build 'Nine Dragons Lock Abyss Grand Formation'!"
As he spoke, he pointed to the location of Taihu Lake on the map and pressed with his fingertips:
"When the formation is formed, the dragon's energy is booming, like nine golden locks across the sky, falling straight into Taihu Lake! Lock the earth's energy and cut off its Water Vein!"
"Lei Yin That witch used Yangzhou Cauldron to force the power of the earth's veins, and her foundation is in Taihu Lake. Once the earth's veins are locked, their power will weaken, and Yangzhou Cauldron will become sourceless water!"
"At that time, the imperial navy's artillery fires together, and the demonic atmosphere can be quelled in one battle!"
Next to her, the lady Old Taoist from the Maoshan faction nodded slightly. "True Person Zhou has planned everything carefully. My Maoshan disciples have taken 'Mountain Suppression Talisman' to various nodes along the river to lay out the dragon's energy to ensure unimpeded flow."
An old mage of Tiger Gate Order stroked his beard and said, "My faction 'Thunder Guiding Banner' is also ready, and will be able to draw Nine Heavens Thunder's power by then."
Zhou Yinyao showed a trace of relief on his face, but deep in his eyes, there was an imperceptible worry that passed quickly.
He looked around the crowd and said in a deep voice, "The preparations for the grand ceremony are carried out in three ways: First, Maoshan Daoist Priest Qingwei will lead the elite disciples to immediately go to Taihu Lake to investigate. They must find out the reasons for the sudden and sudden earthquake last night and the current situation of Lei Yin!"
"Second, Tiger Gate Order and fellow Daoists from Lushan should do their best to arrange formation nodes in and around Jinling City, and prepare the magical weapons and sacrifices required for the ceremony! Third..."
He paused and his voice became a little more solemn. "The team escorting 'Da Li Bronze Bell' has approached Jinling, but they have been repeatedly harassed by 'water bandits' along the way. They are suspected to be Cocoon Clothes Cult Rampaging Soldiers in disguise."
"This bell is the Ye Fa Shan True Person relic. It is the key to suppressing the formation and stabilizing the dragon's energy! It needs capable personnel to escort it!"
"I would like to ask fellow Daoist Celestial Master Mansion Zhang Jingqing about this matter, and also ask Li Yan Young Hero Li and his subordinate Twelve Yuan Chen to make sure that the copper bell is foolproof!"
Li Yan in the crowd, his eyes flashed slightly when he heard this.
He has been secretly observing Zhou Yinyao.
Although this earthly immortal who had been coerced by Lei Yin and leaked Yangzhou Cauldron's secret looked like he was working hard to turn the tide, Li Yan's vigilance did not diminish at all.
Jianmu Organization's methods are treacherous, has Zhou Yinyao really escaped from control?
He volunteered to participate in guarding the bronze bell...
Is it trust, or does it have other motives?
It seems that we have to keep a secret hand on guard...
Li Yan's heart went back and forth a thousand times, but his expression remained unchanged. He took a step forward and cupped his fists, saying, "True Person, don't worry. Li is fully responsible for the bronze bell."
A few days later, news came back one after another.
Maoshan Daoist Priest Qingwei, who went to Taihu to explore, brought back amazing information:
Taihu Demon Army camp is heavily guarded, but the atmosphere is strange. The main tent is shrouded in heavy black fog, and painful screams can be heard from time to time.
They took a risk and captured a peripheral demon, and after being tortured and forced to confess, they learned that Lei Yin was actually trying to forcibly refine Yangzhou Cauldron and control it to attack Jinling.
According to rumors circulating in the camp, they originally wanted to wait for a few Immortal Elder to arrive and take action together, but Lei Yin didn't know what he had in mind and took action directly.
As a result, he naturally suffered a backlash and was severely injured.
I am currently in retreat to heal my wounds.
This news lifted the spirits of everyone preparing for the ceremony.
Lei Yin is seriously injured, Demon Army is leaderless, this is a God-given opportunity!
However, bad news soon followed.
The team escorting Da Li Bronze Bell encountered an unprecedented violent attack on the last section of the waterway. They were no longer scattered "water bandits", but an organized "Rampaging Soldiers".
These evil creatures control Ghost Ship and come in the dark of night. Under the cover of the mist of the Yangtze River, they continue to sneak attacks. Some demons secretly cast spells to summon monsters in the water to cause trouble.
The battle was extremely brutal.
The Maoshan disciples responsible for escorting and the local Dharma lineage monks fought bloody battles, but the opponents were too numerous and fearless of death, resulting in heavy losses for the bell guarding team.
Fortunately, the team is not far from Jinling.
Li Yan led the friends of Twelve Yuan Chen, together with the Commandery Commandant Office musketeers, and went out of the city late at night to rescue...