Chapter 71: Strategy for Attacking the Mountain

True, flies always head for the stench of the privy!

Although Li Yan did not know that the Iron Blade Gang had been wiped out by Luo Shihai and others, he was not surprised at all by these two fellows coming here.

No matter how good one’s martial arts were, people could still be lowly scoundrels!

As the sound of hoofbeats approached, Li Yan could see more clearly.

Mounted on horseback, each man carried a large sack, and from both the shape and the smell emanating from them, it was obvious they contained newly abducted children.

Simultaneously, fragments of their conversation were carried by the wind.

"Brother Zheng, don’t blame me. This mess was entirely Zhou Peide’s screw-up, and it dragged us all down."

"What’s so great about wandering the pugilistic world? We have so many enemies, and the court is after us. We probably won’t live long. We’re better off taking refuge with the master. At least that way, we’ll have some backing..."

"Hmph, what’s the point of mentioning it now?"

"With that old man’s temperament, he would sell us out sooner or later. I’ve long thought of leaving, but it’s infuriating that all my wealth was stolen by that guy surnamed You."

"Damn it, years of hard work, and I ended up empty-handed..."

"Hahaha, money comes and goes."

"Master Chen said that as soon as he succeeds, we’ll head straight to the coast. It is much more prosperous than Guanzhong, and I’ve heard that many heroes wanted by the Green Forest Road have taken ships overseas, making a fortune..."

As they spoke, the two galloped past.

Li Yan remained hidden in the dense forest, not revealing himself.

Firstly, although these two men were not the best among the Eight Vajras, they had practiced Hidden Energy for many years and were adept at it. He was no match for them alone.

Secondly, he hoped to use them to locate Chen Fagui’s hiding place in the tomb.

Upon reaching the mountain’s base, the two concealed their horses in a mountain gap and carried their sacks up the mountain, their figures gradually shrinking in the withered woods.

With a better view from the mountain, if Li Yan recklessly revealed himself to follow, he’d be immediately discovered.

Luckily, Li Yan had another method.

He performed the Yang Jue technique, maximizing his Divine Skills, drawing a deep breath to faintly discern the scent trail of the two.

Of course, his current skills were limited, and he could not detect beyond a certain distance, but remembering this scent, it would not dissipate for at least two days...

...

On the distant official road, three horsemen galloped swiftly as well.

It was Sha Lifei and his companions.

"Hold!"

As they neared their destination, Luo Mingzi of the Law Enforcement Hall suddenly raised his hand, looked into the distance, and said calmly, "For Chen Fagui to evade the army’s search, he must be adept at hiding and may have already taken precautions. We should dismount and proceed by stealth."

"Daoist Luo speaks wisely."

Zhao Facheng of the Nine Elements Sect nodded, "My Brother Chen is clueless about worldly matters but has a talent for spells and must have prepared."

With that, he dismounted and hid his horse in the woods.

Listening to their conversation, Sha Lifei felt a bit more at ease.

He initially believed that the City God Temple would act immediately upon receiving news and capture Chen Fagui, but soon realized that the Society Order Army could not move by day.

Furthermore, they only sent two people.

Even though the evil Daoist numbered only one, it seemed somewhat dismissive.

He couldn’t help but feel anxious during the journey.

Fortunately, the two didn’t seem entirely clueless...

Hiding their horses, the three advanced again, avoiding the main road and moving through the woods along the roadside to conceal their presence.

Halfway along, Zhao Facheng suddenly gestured for the others to stop, performed the Yang Jue, and listened with his ear to the ground.

Sha Lifei, no longer a novice, quickly realized that this man had awakened the ear divine power.

Indeed, as Zhao Facheng rose, he turned to Sha Lifei, "Someone is hiding in the dense woods ahead. It should be Brother Sha’s companion..."

...

Swish!

Li Yan frowned, gripping his blade as he turned around.

While using his divine skill to probe the distance, he detected three approaching from the woods behind.

Although one was Sha Lifei, the three came directly toward his hiding spot, indicating they had discovered his location, so he had to be on guard.

As expected, the three soon entered the woods.

Seeing their Daoist robes, Li Yan stepped forward, "Greetings, esteemed seniors."

Sha Lifei eagerly introduced them, "Brother Yan, this is Daoist Luo Mingzi of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall, and this is Mage Zhao Facheng of the Nine Elements Sect. So, have you found him?"

He winked as he spoke.

Li Yan was puzzled. Why were his sectmates sent to capture Chen Fagui?

Although confused, Sha Lifei’s signal indicated not to ask more questions, so he nodded, "He’s here, but there are many tombs on the mountain, making it difficult to determine the exact location."

"Chen Fagui has two accomplices, Yuan Qu and Zheng Hebei..."

He then recapped what he had observed.

"Zheng Hebei’s here too?"

Sha Lifei exclaimed, "That guy ran here? Brother Yan, you probably haven’t heard, but the Iron Blade Gang has been destroyed..."

After exchanging information, Li Yan inquired, "Seniors, when do you plan to act?"

Luo Mingzi pondered, "Originally, nighttime would be best. Master Qingyangzi of the City God Temple plans to hold a ceremony and send soldiers to assist."

"But since the enemy risked abducting children, they must have gathered enough to perform a foul ritual. Rescue is urgent. We must head up the mountain immediately."

However, Zhao Facheng promptly objected, "Not advisable!"

Li Yan frowned, looking at him, and Sha Lifei’s expression turned serious.

Noticing their expressions, Zhao Facheng sighed, "Do not doubt me, gentlemen. I’m here under the sect’s orders, not for personal reasons. Regardless of Brother Chen’s mistakes, we will address and punish them."

"However, there’s a problem here. We cannot act rashly."

He then turned to Luo Mingzi, "Daoist Luo, have you discerned the mountain’s geomancy?"

"Oh?"

Frowning, Luo Mingzi approached the forest, observing for a while before nodding, "Indeed, there’s an issue. It’s a Taiyin Star land. As I’ve heard, the Nine Elements lineage excels in Yin House fengshui, remarkable indeed."

Thoughtfully, Li Yan asked, "Judging by your discussion, if the Taiyin Star land is perilous, why are there so many tombs?"

"Not so, Taiyin Star land is a blessed land."

Zhao Facheng shook his head, "Geomancy recognizes nine stars. Taiyin Star is one, associated with metal in the Five Elements and Dui in the Eight Trigrams. Taiyin signifies complementarity: full in yang, half in yin, hence Taiyin often lacks."

"A burial site is a Yin House. Balancing yin and yang makes it a most auspicious place. Such techniques were common in the Jin Dynasty. The mountain should contain ancient Jin tombs."

"If I’m right, Brother Chen chose this place to perform a vile ritual, channeling life forces to advance his cultivation. It’s likely been prepared for a long time, with arrangements on the mountain."

"It may appear ordinary, but outsiders would be detected coming up."

A hint of melancholy in his eyes, he continued, "Brother Chen once roamed to exorcise evils for the people with righteous intent. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer, thought he was at peace, but strayed again."

Li Yan, uninterested in the evil Daoist’s past, insisted, "Ascend and reveal our presence. Our friend’s Wandering Soul Vase and those children are both bargaining chips he will use against us... We need a foolproof plan!"

Had it been just an ordinary bandit hideout, sneaking in at night to rescue them would’ve sufficed.

But dealing with the Mystical Sect made recklessness dangerous.

Zhao Facheng remained silent, turning to Luo Mingzi, "Daoist Luo, with your wealth of experience, would you lead the mission?"

Luo Mingzi accepted, gazing at the distant mountains, "Zhao, do you have a way to draw Chen Fagui’s attention?"

Zhao Facheng nodded, "We trained under the same teachers. Once I set up a magic platform below, Brother Chen will sense it and I can confront him."

"Excellent."

Luo Mingzi stroked his beard, "I will cloak my presence, ascend from the side, rescue the captives, destroy the magic platform, and seize the Wandering Soul Vase."

"When our master’s men arrive, we can eradicate him!"

...

Inside the old tomb, the candle flickered dimly.

As Zhao Facheng mentioned, it was a Jin Dynasty tomb.

Though not a royal mausoleum, it was spacious enough. Past the passage were a front chamber, a rear chamber, and two side chambers.

Several nearby robbers’ holes suggested that valuable artifacts were already pilfered.

In the front chamber, twelve drugged children were unconscious, faces flushed. Yuan Qu and Zheng Hebei idly held torches, examining the murals.

"Tsk tsk, these old clans were truly extravagant."

"What’s the point? They only fought among each other. As chaos flared in the north, they all fled south. No matter how good their ancestral and fengshui were, it didn’t help..."

At this moment, Chen Fagui emerged from the rear chamber, stating calmly, "Fengshui is a minor force. Benefiting for three generations is its limit. Under the great force of Human Dao, minor forces are indeed powerless."

With a slight smile, he continued, "Gentlemen, it’s time. Strip off your clothes."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qu and Zheng Hebei exchanged glances and began undressing, soon standing utterly bare...