Chapter 199: Ceremony Deep In The Forest

"Quickly! Commander Huang is still inside!"

Although fear gripped their hearts, the soldiers still charged in with torches raised. The blazing flames drove away the darkness and mystery.

The scene before them made them breathe a sigh of relief. Huang Wenzhong was unharmed and was already slowly rising from the ground. Other than the soldier whose heart had been torn out, most of the others were still alive.

However, several men had been struck by the Great Vajra Palm. They remained unconscious, blood still spilling from their mouths. Even if they survived, they would probably never be able to serve the government again.

Only Li Yan was walking toward the monk's corpse.

Uncertainty filled Huang Wenzhong's eyes as he asked in a trembling voice, "Young Hero Li, what... was that just now?"

Although everything had been pitch-black to the point where he could not even see his own hands before his face, the eerie sound of chains, the woman's shriek, and the cold that had seeped into his heart had left him deeply terrified.

Li Yan turned and glanced at him. "You arrests criminals wanted by the imperial court, while I arrest criminals wanted by the Underworld. This concerns confidential affairs of the Underworld, so I wouldn't dare speak carelessly."

He was completely fooling the man. After that night in Chang'an, Li Yan had discovered that the Underworld's name was extremely useful. It could save him a great deal of trouble, so there was no reason not to use it. In any case, no one would dare go to the Underworld to verify his claims.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Huang Wenzhong's eyes filled with shock. When he looked at Li Yan again, there was also a trace of fear in his expression. The authority of the imperial court was indeed formidable, and its laws were severe. But the only reaction people had when it came to the Underworld, where everyone would go after death, was fear.

Seeing his reaction, Li Yan was secretly amused, though his face remained solemn. He approached the monk's corpse and formed the Yang Seal to investigate. Sure enough, the monk's soul had already dispersed. It had probably been taken away along with the other presence and dragged into the Underworld.

As for what the man would encounter there, Li Yan had no way of knowing.

He can only blame his own bad luck...

Li Yan picked up the fox immortal's heart from the ground. He could still smell yin killing qi flowing within it, so it had probably become some sort of special ritual item.

He turned and said solemnly, "Commander Huang, this item and the monk's corpse must both be handed over to the foxes. Foxes may be small creatures, but they hold grudges. If you don't want trouble whenever you enter these mountains in the future, you had better keep your promise."

Huang Wenzhong had instinctively been about to refuse, but when he recalled what had just happened, his heart inexplicably tightened, and he hurriedly agreed. "That... is only natural."

Although he often dealt with Daoists, he believed in mystic arts without fearing ghosts and deities. In particular, many demonic cultivators he confronted used tales of ghosts and gods to deceive the common people.

This time, however, he had witnessed something real, and he could not help feeling frightened. He even began to worry whether some of the things he had done would be settled after his death.

Li Yan naturally had no idea what he was thinking. Seeing Sha Lifei, Wang Daoxuan, and the others rush inside, he tossed the heart to Lu San before addressing Sha Lifei, "Uncle Sha, drag this monk's corpse outside first."

With that, he walked over to the pillar where the monk had been hiding. The pillar had been skillfully hollowed out. It was just large enough to conceal one person. The seams between the wooden boards had been carefully disguised. Once closed from the inside, they fitted together flawlessly, leaving no visible trace.

It also exploited a blind spot in people's thinking. Everyone would search the corners and hidden recesses, but who would imagine that the man was hiding openly right before their eyes?

What made Li Yan even more curious, however, was what method the monk had used to block his divine ability.

He soon discovered the answer. There was another monk's robe inside the pillar. It was tattered and made from ordinary hemp cloth. It was clearly very old, and had already faded, resembling a worn and ragged fishing net. Li Yan could not smell anything from the ragged cloth at all.

A heavenly treasure capable of blocking detection!

Li Yan's eyes lit up. Without another word, he immediately stuffed it into his robes. The fortune within the monk's robe had long since settled, so naturally, it would not be absorbed.

Huang Wenzhong clearly saw everything. He had a vague idea of what the robe might be, but since Li Yan had just saved his life, it was difficult for him to say anything.

After looking around once more, Li Yan finally smiled in satisfaction. He rose and cupped his fists. "Commander Huang, we have fulfilled what we promised you. I hope you will keep your word."

He had originally intended to search for blueprints for the Nether Torch, but when he saw the ancient copper tube on the ground, he knew it was the same as the ones he had obtained before. It was an antique.

Moreover, with the craftsmanship available in this village, they could not have produced such an item. Besides, many people were now watching, so he stopped searching.

"Naturally." Huang Wenzhong nodded solemnly. "Once matters here have been settled and I return to Yunyang Prefecture, I will handle it immediately. Young Hero Li, you all..."

Having witnessed Li Yan's and Lu San's abilities and uncovered such an important lead, he naturally wanted to ask them for further help.

However, Li Yan immediately cut him off. "Commander Huang, we still have other matters to attend to, so we will take our leave here."

With that, he cupped his fists and strode out of the ancestral hall. A trace of regret flashed through Huang Wenzhong's eyes, but he did not stop them. The merit from this case was so great that he could not claim it all alone. How to arrange the next steps was far more important.

Li Yan and the other three dragged the monk's corpse outside. The three Daoists from the Taixuan Orthodox Sect had naturally already seen them, and immediately stepped forward to greet them.

The leading Daoist cupped his fists. "This poor Daoist is Gu Hanzi. Greetings, fellow Daoists."

"Greetings, Daoist priest." Li Yan nodded with a smile. "I am acquainted with Daoist Gu Chenzi from the Enforcement Hall in Chang'an. Do you know him?"

"We are of the same generation but from different branches, so we have not yet met."

A young Daoist beside him could not resist asking, "Fellow Daoist, was that the Underworld taking someone away just now?"

Unlike Huang Wenzhong, they knew a little more. Even so, this was also the first time they had witnessed such a scene.

"That's right. The matter has already been resolved." Li Yan smiled and nodded. "Daoist, we will later register at Yunyang Prefecture's City God Temple. This time, the Military Surveillance Department forced us to act, so it should not count as violating the imperial court's regulations, correct?"

All three Daoists laughed.

"You jest, fellow Daoist."

Different levels of strength naturally received different treatment. Li Yan could clearly sense that after Lu San and he had successively displayed their abilities, the attitudes of both the Military Surveillance Department and the three Daoists from the Taixuan Orthodox Sect had noticeably improved.

After exchanging some polite pleasantries, the four of them dragged the corpse away from the mountain village.

Watching their disappearing figures, Gu Hanzi's expression turned grave. "Every one of those people possess unusual arts. They are definitely not ordinary wandering cultivators. Once we return, verify their identities with Chang'an and have them officially registered."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

After leaving the stronghold, the group all breathed sighs of relief at nearly the same time. They looked at one another and shook their heads slightly.

Wang Daoxuan sighed. "The refugees and the imperial court are hopelessly tangled. No matter how I think about it, this seems like a dead knot. I truly do not know how it could ever be untied."

"Why think so much about it, Daoist Wang?" Sha Lifei chuckled and shook his head. "There are countless matters in this world where right and wrong are difficult to distinguish. So many extraordinary figures throughout the dynasties failed to solve it. If we waste our time thinking about it, aren't we merely tormenting ourselves?

"We'll just do what needs to be done!"

"That is true." Wang Daoxuan nodded slightly, then looked toward Lu San. "Brother Lu, where should we go to find the foxes?"

Li Yan suddenly sensed something and looked into the distance. "There's no need. They're here!"

Sinister winds and black mist rose within the mountain forest as ghostly flames appeared once more. Besides the powerful Ghost Fox, there were foxes of all sizes, mountain wolves, leopards, and other wild beasts surrounding it.

Under the Ghost Fox's intimidation, all the beasts remained peacefully beside one another.

Sha Lifei was startled. "There are so many of them. Could they have come with hostile intentions?"

Lu San warned quietly, "Don't do anything reckless!"

He hoisted the monk's corpse onto his shoulder. Holding the heart in his other hand, he walked to a spot ten chi outside the forest and placed both the corpse and the heart on the ground.

He began speaking the spirit language again, making a series of clucking and clicking sounds.

Before long, he retreated.

Several wild beasts immediately came forward and dragged away the monk's corpse. An old fox balancing a skull on its head also darted out, picked up the fox immortal's heart in its mouth, and turned to run back into the forest.

Halfway there, however, the skull on its head tumbled to the ground with a clatter. The fox squeaked frantically, carried the heart back, then doubled back to retrieve the skull and place it on its head again.

Sha Lifei was so amused that he could not help laughing aloud. "Hahaha..."

At that moment, the indistinct Ghost Fox began speaking the spirit language once more.

Lu San paused in surprise and hurriedly responded.

After muttering back and forth for a while, a trace of astonishment appeared in his eyes. He turned and said, "The spirits in the nearby mountains are going to hold a ritual for the old fox immortal. This Ghost Fox has invited us to attend."

They had assumed the foxes would disperse once the transaction was complete. They had not expected this. Being invited by foxes to attend a funeral was truly a rare occurrence.

Li Yan asked in surprise, "Wild beasts hold funerals too?"

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled. "Of course. Among all things under heaven and earth, only life and death treat all equally. When crows see a dead companion, their leader cries out. They carry the corpse to the edge of a pond, circle above it, and call mournfully in farewell.

"When munias encounter a dead companion, they carry green leaves in their beaks and gently cover the body to express their grief.

"When macaques lose one of their own, the stronger monkeys carry the corpse while the young ones follow, crying. After the burial, they leave the tail exposed to watch over it. When the wind moves the tail and makes it seem alive, they dig the body up, touch it, and bury it again. Only after repeating this several times do they finally leave.

"When badgers find a dead companion, they drag the corpse into a river, then stand on the bank and cry mournfully as they watch, unable to contain their grief.

Lu San scratched his head. "Animals fear life and death just as we do, but their way of thinking is different. From our perspective, I suppose those count as funerals."

Sha Lifei, however, looked somewhat worried. He lowered his voice and asked, "Brother Lu, you said they're holding a funeral... We're not going to be the offerings, are we?"

"Don't worry. That won't happen." Lu San could not help laughing. "After the old fox immortal died, this Ghost Fox became the leader of the nearby mountains. It is highly intelligent. Since we kept our word, they will not act recklessly either."

Li Yan's eyes were filled with interest. He nodded. "In that case, let's go and broaden our horizons. Opportunities like this don't come often!"

***

The bright moon hung high above the silent, secluded mountain forest.

Li Yan and the others followed the animals through the mountains. They had already traveled for an hour, passing through dense woods, wading across streams, and climbing winding hills. They were far from any human habitation, let alone any proper roads.

All kinds of wild beasts ran beneath the moonlight ahead of them. Foxes, badgers, wolves, and deer moved together without attacking one another. Several bears and tigers even joined them along the way. They followed silently, without so much as a growl.

The sight left everyone clicking their tongues in amazement.

At last, they arrived at a valley.

After climbing onto a ridge, Wang Daoxuan immediately looked surprised. "Hmm?"

He surveyed the surroundings. Silver moonlight spread across rolling mountains and dense forests, and he could not help saying quietly, "This is an excellent geomantic site known as a Returning Dragon Cave. If I'm not mistaken, there must be a large tomb somewhere in these mountains!"

His judgment was not wrong. The group soon spotted several stone structures, but they had been weathered by time until only broken walls and ruins remained. Some were entangled in vines, while others were covered in bird droppings.

"This... isn't a tomb!" Wang Daoxuan looked around in astonishment as he gasped in sudden realization. "This is built according to the specifications of a temple and sacrificial ground. Look at those stone pillars. They respectively represent heaven, earth, the sun and moon, and the stars. There's also a central altar. This was an ancient Chu sacrificial site."

A smile appeared on his face as he stroked his beard and recited, "Riding red leopards, accompanied by striped wildcats; magnolia-wood carriages bound with cassia banners. This was a place where the ancient people of Chu worshipped the Mountain Ghost!"

Li Yan looked thoughtful. "Is this one of the Ten Deities of Chu?"

"Indeed." Wang Daoxuan nodded and lowered his voice. "The worship of the Mountain Ghost was essentially the worship of spirits within the mountains. Even in ancient Chu, a ceremony on this scale was rare unless it was conducted by a dedicated shamanic lineage..."

Li Yan immediately understood. "Daoist priest, are you saying this place once belonged to a particular lineage?"

Wang Daoxuan replied, "That is very possible.”

Li Yan's heart stirred, and he reached for the golden phoenix ornament inside his robes.

According to Yan Jiuling, the golden treasure was a token of the Chu shamans. Absorbing its mysterious fortune could strengthen his divine ability, making it extremely rare.

One of his reasons for coming to Ezhou this time was to search for similar objects. Could this place perhaps hold some clues?

Naturally, he did not dare act recklessly as by now, more and more animals had gathered in the valley. Birds of every kind perched along the branches, while beasts large and small hid among the grass. All remained perfectly still, silently watching the center of the valley. Foxes of every size had gathered among the ruins. They waved their paws and continuously dug at the earth before dragging out the corpse of a snow-white fox.

Li Yan and the others widened their eyes at the sight. The white fox's corpse was enormous, comparable in size to an ordinary mule or horse. As the night wind blew, its short silver fur swayed gently. A gaping wound had been torn open across its chest, and the blood surrounding it had long since turned black. More importantly, its head had been completely shattered, leaving only half of it intact.

Wang Daoxuan gasped in astonishment, "This... This fox immortal was no ordinary creature. It must have been born as an unusual species. Given the right opportunity, it might even have become a Heavenly Fox."

Sha Lifei frowned and examined the corpse for a long while. "These wounds... look like they were caused by a new-style firearm."

A sharp gleam flashed through Li Yan's eyes. "Are you certain?"

Sha Lifei nodded and said solemnly, "An ordinary firearm wouldn't have this much power. At most, it would leave a bloody hole. Besides, this was a fox immortal with extremely sharp senses. Striking it at close range would have been impossible. Only a new-style firearm could possess this kind of power!"

A figure immediately surfaced in Li Yan's mind.

Bai Ruoxu, the hall master of the Chang'an Broker Guild!

That man had deceived the Maitreya Sect of Shanzhou, stolen a new-style firearm from the Military Surveillance Department, and vanished without a trace.

Did he pass through this area?

At the center of the ruins stood another stone platform resembling an altar. It was extremely ancient, and weeds had long overgrown the area around it.

While the group spoke quietly, the white fox's corpse was dragged onto the altar. The foxes then turned it so that its head faced southeast. Wang Daoxuan followed its gaze and looked into the distance, appearing thoughtful. "When a fox dies, its head turns toward its native hill. That place should be the fox immortal's cave."

At the same time, the Ghost Fox finally revealed itself as it slowly stalked out from the forest. The sinister wind and ghostly flames around it dispersed, allowing the bright moonlight to shine down. It was an old fox whose fur and whiskers had all turned white.

The old fox climbed onto the raised platform with the fox immortal's heart in its mouth and pushed it back into the corpse's abdomen. From time to time, it nudged the body with its head, seemingly hoping to awaken the fox immortal.

Li Yan immediately understood. The old fox might have believed this would cause the fox immortal's yin soul to appear.Perhaps it had invited them here in the hope of finding a spirit medium who could serve as its disciple, allowing it to continue cultivating through offerings of incense and sacrificial food.

This old fox knew quite a lot. Unfortunately, while the Fox-Heart Art was being cultivated, the fox immortal's essence and soul had already been sacrificed to the Demon God Yuan Zimei.

"Awoo..." After trying for a long time without receiving any response, the old fox let out a mournful cry.

"Awoo..."

Throughout the valley, beneath the bright moon, all the foxes raised their heads and began wailing without end.