The judgment of Wu Jinlan on Ji Kui is especially cautious. The points he mentioned should be more vigilant about.
It can be initially judged that after the assassination of the Qianzhu ancestor, he may have already entered this like-turtle mountain range through that waterway.
That's been several days, and with the time we've spent traveling, if he can really do something, I'm afraid it's already done.
We really can't afford to delay any longer.
"Continue on your journey," Y Liu gave the order.
The number of mausoleums on the back half of the mountain is less than that on the front, and the stone tombs are larger. That's why the symbols on top are also larger. Only in this way can I recognize them. The symbol on the symbol cloth is called "Ya Zheng Shen Zhou".
When the five elder brothers subdued me at first, they used this talisman to subdue the Red Ghost, and it was drawn by my hand.
I've never paid much attention to the symbols, not because they are too complicated, but rather because this symbol is still vivid in my memory. In fact, there is little trace of Gao Tianzong left, and it is almost an unclaimed item. I can practice and learn it.
If I upset the suppression of the ancient Qiang City, that's like learning forbidden magic, my name is not right, and my words are not smooth.
"I'm curious, what kind of people are buried here? The one you honored, Mr. Qiu, is of a higher rank than Lao Lao Liu. He wasn't guarding the Gou-shaped Mountain below; instead, he was... guarding the tombs on this mountain?" The master had a lot of curiosity, and Wu Jinlan couldn't hold back his doubts any longer. The other masters also asked with an expression of seeking an answer.
Qiu Ji did not immediately respond, but looked at Lao Yujie.
Liu Zihu then acted as if he hadn't heard.
"People here either committed a major mistake in the ancient Qiang City or became possessed in the Pure Yang Dojo. Once they die, their bodies don't decompose, and they are of a higher level than ordinary tribespeople. They cannot be buried in suspended coffins, so they must be resurrected. However, they do not have the qualifications to enter Xuan Yin Mountain." Liu Yujie answered.
His words implied two things.
The identities of those sealed by the stone tombs, and also, that the Gou-shaped Mountain is known as Xuanming Mountain?
"Oh, I see, I actually had some guesses...about..." Wu Jinlan's sentence was cut off in mid-sentence, and he looked at me.
"It's fine." I shake my head.
The journey to the ancient Qiang City has already revealed too many secrets to us. So what's the harm in sharing a few details? The exchange of information can foster more trust.
Wu Jinlan puffed out his breath before saying, "The sharp peak of the four regulations mountain and this place have a similar feature, but the tombs on the sharp peak are much more densely clustered."
"He seems to have come to the conclusion that the sentence curve mountain and yunjin mountain are also have corresponding place?" He made inference speculations.
However, there's no one left to guess with him anymore, not even the yin-yang masters behind him, who were not part of the original batch; they had not been buried in stone tombs.
In a flash, we reached the foot of the mountain.
Here, there is a lake.
When looking down from the summit, one mainly notices the special shape of the mountain, ignoring the existence of this lake.
The Xuanming Mountain is like a huge auspicious beast Xuanwu, lying on the water's surface, with its body and feet immersed in the water. The extended mountain body forms a turtle head, giving people a powerful sense of oppression, as if one feels that this mountain could come to life at any moment.
The reflection on the water surface showed countless things.
It is some buildings that do not exist on the surface of the two mountains, built in an ancient style, very elegant.
"Yin house..." Wu Jinlan puffed out his breath.
I suddenly realize that these buildings are the burial site of the ancient Qiang City?
The ancestors of the Qiang people used the method of Burial Shadow Observing Mountain Technique to cast the Yin residence into the lake.
However, one can see the house, but not enter it?
"Under normal circumstances, the ritual worship of the tribe is here. Each Yin residence has one Qiang ancestor and one senior master of Pure Yang Daoist Temple."
"The ancestors of all generations would lead some people into them during times of peace to build empty houses."
"The number of craftsmen won't be too many, making it easy to enter some, but the tribe would not dare to adventure, nor would they disturb the ancestors' peaceful rest if they really went to the Yin House." Qiu Ji deeply inhaled and exhaled heavily.
"I have only been in three times, and my master has not completely taught me how to walk here. I can only follow him. I am not familiar with many of the layout clues, and one step wrong means a total failure." Qiu Ji tried his best to remain calm, but his voice was still hard to listen to.
Actually, it's somewhat a stroke of luck.
The protective measures of the ancient Qiang City against outsiders have become a means of self-defense against themselves.
The unwelcome guest is now inside Xuanming Mountain, like being in a place where no one else exists.
Yet, due to the death of the ancestor and Qiu Ji's insufficient knowledge of feng shui, we are trapped outside the mountain.
What he meant by "a complete failure" is actually, death in the underworld!
"I'm not afraid at all. If you can't hold on, give me to the old Gong master, I'll eat you, and I'll lead everyone in." Old Gong suddenly appeared next to me. We had wasted a lot of time resting and climbing this last mountain, and now it's dark again.
Qiu Ji gritted his teeth before saying, "I'm not afraid of death myself, but I'm afraid that if I die, it will take even longer for the ancient Qiang City to find another ancestor."
"Then you don't need to worry about us dying. The path to immortality loves to talk about things like 'if one hears the truth in the morning, death in the evening is enough.'"
"Old Gong is fierce. My master has gone to places ten times more dangerous than here. The steps under his feet are made of human bones, and any wall base is pressing against ghosts who died with grievances. You're just too inexperienced, so you're hesitating like this." Old Gong kept buzzing at Qiu Ji.
"Qiu Ji, I'm here, you have nothing to be afraid of. The ancestor has passed away, and you need to take on a great responsibility. Rely on your own abilities to pass through the Xuanming Mountain, and a succession ceremony can be held within the ancient Qiang City, and it will be in accordance with right and reason." Liu Yujie comforted Qiu Ji with a sentence.
Qiu Ji slowly calmed down.
He first led us through this lake.
I was once again amazed by the different wonders of the Burial Shadow Observing Mountain Technique. There were no boats on the lake, so I thought everyone would have to swim across.
In the end, Qiu Ji led us across the lake!
Looking at the surface of the lake, there was no path visible below, only the reflection of the clear water.
To our surprise, there were pillars in the lake, and they were very dense. By following Qiu Ji's directions, we landed on the tops of the pillars, which only got our ankles wet.
As we reached the foot of Xuanming Mountain, a heavy sense of darkness overwhelmed us.
"Xuanchi is the place of pure yin, and the core meridian eye is where vitality abounds. This place is truly full of dangers." Wu Jinlan sighed.
The masters became more vigilant, forming a circle and not daring to be the slightest bit careless.
For the masters, they can see more. For me as a Taoist, it's just that the aura here is different, and it hides dangers.
Qiu Ji raised one hundred and twenty percent caution.
Sometimes, when he stopped at a place, he would stay there for one or two hours.
It's worth noting that Xuanming Mountain is filled with yin energy, so there is no distinction between day and night. It's only because there are too many hidden formations that prevent Lao Gong from unleashing his fierce prison, otherwise, we could have taken a shorter route.
Old Gong didn't rush Qiu Ji either. Instead, he occasionally hummed lewd tunes.
As soon as Liu Ziyu showed any sign of wanting to talk to Si Yan, he would step forward to discuss "Tao" with Liu Ziyu.
Of course, Lao Gong's "Tao" is not a serious one, but rather a "deviant way."
Liu Ziyu was initially unable to understand, but when he finally understood the meaning, he appeared very embarrassed. Lao Gong then laughed heartily.
We've been walking through Xuanming Mountain for three full days, and it's all right. When we left the rest area, we had supplies with us; otherwise, we would have run out of food and ammunition long ago.
Finally, we walked out of a forest of pine trees, and what greeted us was a sight of pavilions, towers, and a lake.
Qiu Ji trembled and knelt on the ground, his voice choked: "Master, have you seen it? The disciple has entered!"
This meant too much to Qiu Ji!
However, Liu Yujie's expression was as serious as can be. Sometime during this, he had already grabbed a sword in his hand!
Liu Ziyu was also as if facing a formidable enemy, holding a bronze sword.
After a brief moment of excitement, Wu Jinlan and the others carefully observed the mountain lake in the midst of the mountains, as well as the pavilions and terraces surrounding its shore, with extreme caution.
"It's that coffin." suddenly, Si Yan spoke, gazing at the center of the lake.
A white coffin floated quietly there.
In the moonlight, the coffin seemed like jade but was not; it was made of some special stone material. At such weight, it could actually float on the water surface!
At the time when we saw a flash of the coffin in Ji Qi's cave, was that this one?
"He...is gone..." Qiu Ji, after recovering, stood up. A hint of cruelty and murderous intent appeared in his eyes.
"Of course he's gone! He climbed into the coffin, not to dig his own grave, but to find yours. What else could he be saying?" Lao Gong wore an expression of total disbelief.
"There are always mechanisms in the special positions of each Yin House. There are even some empty houses that haven't been buried yet. We must find them!" Qiu Ji repeated in a low voice.
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Yujie moved. He was as fast as a ghost, disappearing from our side and heading straight for the pavilions and terraces.
Qiu Ji also rushed forward, his eyes filled with worry and urgency.
"It seems that there is no Burial Shadow Observing Mountain Technique here anymore, only traps. That's like letting a wolf into a sheepfold, Ji Qi will definitely get a big full basket." Old Gong hovered around me, his eyes spinning at an incredible speed, unsure of what he was thinking.
My heart sank heavily; this could only be bad news.
Soon, we followed Qiu Ji to the front of a nearby pavilion. It was a small two-story building with very old wood, and there were signs of weathering and cracks on the wood.
Of course, the pavilion remained solid and showed no signs of collapse.
The door was open, inside there were armchairs, a tea table, and a sand table. A quick glance showed that the sand table was a map of the ancient Qiang City?
What's most important isn't that, the most important thing is that there is a corpse sitting on the Master Chair. That corpse is covered in white feathers, he looks very old, and his appearance seems very gentle. Even his mouth is smiling slightly.
The abdomen of the corpse had a bloody hole!
"You all understand feng shui. Not only raising the corpse, but making them feel as if they're alive as well increases the possibility of them becoming immortal." Lao Gong muttered, shaking his head again. His ghostly face was shadowed with a hint of gloom: "But there are too many external defenses, and there are fewer internal ones. Mechanisms? How could they stop that person?"
"This is the 13th generation of your ancestor. His fruit was taken."
