novelapdf Chapter 153 A Dream of Peach Blossom Spring, The Allure of the Red Kite
Chapter 153 A Dream of Peach Blossom Spring, The Allure of the Red Kite
Jiang Mu was speechless.
Unexpectedly, a feud could unfold in this remote and impoverished place.
What is this?
Is it a case of enemies meeting on a narrow road? Or is it just fate playing tricks on us?
Initially, out of disgust for Wenhe's cowardly and biased behavior, he impulsively beheaded the venomous Madam Liu. He had indeed mentally prepared himself for the inevitable clash with the young general of the Chang family, whom he had never met before.
As time went by and he became preoccupied with trivial matters, he completely forgot about this grudge.
Unexpectedly, after going around in circles, I bumped into the person in question here.
But then I thought about it again, and the commander in charge of suppressing the rebellion in Yancheng was Chang Dawei.
Now that the overall situation has stabilized and the main force has withdrawn, it's quite reasonable for this young general to appear here, leading his men to clear out the remaining rebels and bandits in the surrounding area. Since there's no way to avoid it, then let's face it head-on.
Jiang Mu remained calm, not even bothering to make excuses, and looked directly into those sharp, hawk-like eyes, saying indifferently:
"That's right, I killed your concubine."
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere around him froze.
The air was taut and tense.
Chang Dawei narrowed his eyes, his dark, resolute face revealing no emotion, only his eyes growing increasingly cold:
"You admitted it so readily. Now... do you regret it?"
"regret?"
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, then suddenly smiled, "I do have some regrets."
"Oh?"
Chang Dawei's lips curled into a mocking smile, his eyes filled with disdain. "You saw I chickened out? Scared?"
"No."
Jiang Mu shook her head.
"I just regret that I acted too quickly back then."
That cut was too quick and painless; you should have tormented that disgusting wife a little longer before sending her on her way.
After he finished speaking, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence.
The sneer on Chang Dawei's face vanished completely.
A murderous aura lingered in the air.
The veins on the back of Chang Dawei's hand, which was gripping the sword hilt, bulged as if he were about to draw his sword and kill someone at any moment.
Jiang Mu tensed his back slightly, preparing to meet the attack.
However, just when Jiang Mu thought that a life-or-death battle was inevitable, Chang Dawei suddenly looked up and laughed loudly.
He strode forward, grabbed Jiang Mu's shoulder, and patted her hard under the other's astonished gaze:
"Good! Well done! That was fucking excellent!"
Jiang Mu: "?"
He stared blankly at the dark-faced man who had just been so menacing.
Is this guy overstimulated and gone mad?
Chang Dawei cursed and said:
"Brother, you have no idea, that woman was someone my mother insisted on finding for me!"
Because my first wife was weak and unable to give birth to a son, the old lady insisted on taking another wife for me.
They said that slut had a big ass and a shiny plate, and that she looked like she could have a good child, so they forced me to marry her.
The results of it?
She hasn't even laid a single egg, and she's always getting jealous and causing all sorts of trouble. I've disliked her for a long time. I just can't do anything about it because of the old lady.
But I never expected that this bastard would actually be involved in such evil magic behind the scenes…”
At this point, a flicker of lingering fear and ruthlessness flashed in Chang Dawei's eyes:
"Seriously, Brother Jiang."
If it weren't for your timely discovery, our Chang family might have been dragged into an abyss of no return by that wicked woman.
If she were to successfully create that demonic fetus and then accuse me of "colluding with a demonic cult," the reputation of my Chang family, built on generations of loyalty, would be completely ruined. Therefore, your act saved my Chang family!
Jiang Mu was stunned.
He carefully observed Chang Dawei's expression.
That expression of clenched teeth mixed with relief was absolutely genuine; it couldn't be faked.
Jiang Mu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and slowly loosened his grip on the hilt of the knife.
It seems that what Ling Xigua told him before was right.
Although the Chang family is a family of military generals, they can still distinguish right from wrong and are not the kind of unreasonable people who would protect their own.
"but·……"
Chang Dawei abruptly changed the subject, his previously cheerful face falling into a somber expression.
"Even now, I'm not having an easy time."
Having just quelled the rebellion in Yancheng, he had hoped to gain some real merit and be rewarded upon returning to the capital.
The results of it?
He was immediately transferred by orders from above to this godforsaken place to suppress bandits.
They talk about "eliminating remaining poison and pacifying the local area," pshaw! Isn't it just that someone in the court is deliberately using this stupid incident to target our Chang family? That's bad enough, but what's most infuriating is that they assigned me some lousy boss who's always nagging me in my ear...
Chang Dawei seemed to have found an outlet, and he started muttering to Jiang Mu, full of complaints and grievances.
She looks exactly like a wronged young wife.
Jiang Mu was both amused and exasperated.
But this also shows that Chang Dawei is indeed straightforward.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore."
After venting his frustrations, Chang Dawei seemed to feel much better, and he waved his hand heartily.
"Let's go! Let's go to my camp for a drink!"
I originally planned to treat you to a drink in Huzhou City after I finished my task of suppressing the bandits here and returned to the capital to report on my duties, so as to thank you properly.
I never expected to run into you in this godforsaken place today! This must be fate, destiny! Let's have a good drink!
"No drinking, please."
Jiang Mu declined, saying, "I appreciate General Chang's kindness, but I have urgent business to attend to and must return to Yancheng as soon as possible."
As you probably know, the demon scourge in Yancheng has not been eradicated, and the demon army is even pressing in, making the situation critical.
I need to hurry back and meet up with them.
"We can drink after we've completely eliminated the demon threat."
He paused, then requested, "Also, General Chang, could you lend me a fast horse? I'd like to travel quickly."
"Are you going to Yancheng?"
Upon hearing this, Chang Dawei frowned immediately, his expression becoming somewhat strange.
"Brother Jiang, if we go straight along this official road, we're afraid we won't be able to get through."
You'll have to take a long detour, going through the old forest to the west. Even riding my best horse, it will take at least four or five days.
Moreover, the imperial court had just issued an order the day before to set up checkpoints at all major routes to check travel documents; without a travel permit, one simply could not pass.
"Why is this happening?" Jiang Mu asked, puzzled.
Chang Dawei sighed:
"The other day, some experts were fighting at Fire Dragon Cliff. There might have been some powerful figures at the thirteenth realm involved. I guess it was for the sake of vying for a star position. The fight was so fierce that the heavens and the earth trembled. As you know, when such powerful figures fight, it is us mortals who suffer the most."
Therefore, a restriction has been set up in front, and those who are not above the eighth realm are not allowed to enter.
Other paths leading to Yan City were also fortified with checkpoints to prevent ordinary people from accidentally entering dangerous areas and to prevent demons from using the routes to roam. "The Thirteen Realms?!"
Jiang Mu was shocked and secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.
Are these big shots just bored and have nothing better to do? Why are they fighting here? It's ridiculous.
Could it be that someone is vying for the throne of the Purple Star Emperor?
Chang Dawei said:
"If you're really in a hurry to get there, I have two suggestions."
First, we should wait two more days. According to the news from that side, that powerful figure seems to have already left, and the restriction is expected to be lifted in two days.
Second...
I'll give you a special pass. You can take a detour and go through the back roads to avoid those blocked areas.
But that's a long journey, involving crossing mountains and valleys; it will take at least four or five days to get there.
Jiang Mu fell into deep thought.
Four or five days...
too long.
If a fight breaks out in Yancheng, I won't be able to catch up at all.
Moreover, since all my equipment has been destroyed, it would be troublesome if I encountered some powerful monsters while taking a long detour.
"I wonder if Shadow Teleportation could penetrate that level of restriction..."
Jiang Mu secretly made his own plans.
However, considering that the Demon Shadow had previously been hindered by certain formations, it would likely struggle against the aura restriction left by a thirteenth-realm expert. Jiang Mu weighed the pros and cons and finally said helplessly:
"Alright, I'll wait two more days. But you still need to lend me the horse; I can use these two days to prepare."
"no problem!"
Chang Dawei readily agreed, patting his chest as he spoke.
"Take any horse you like. You'll stay at my camp for the next couple of days. We can drink and eat meat, and have a good chat about how you killed my wife, hahaha!"
Jiang Mu's lips twitched.
What a strange person.
Inside the camp.
The coarse linen curtains billowed slightly in the night breeze.
In the center stood a huge elm wood frame, upon which lay a map made of tanned animal hides, densely covered with small flags of various colors. On a table to the north, official documents were piled up like a mountain.
Several military newspapers were spread out on top, with half-eaten dry rations casually tossed aside.
There is also a finely crafted sand table next to it.
It is recognizable as the mountains and landforms surrounding Yancheng, with even the ravines and dense forests being replicated vividly.
Chang Dawei waved his hand and ordered his personal guards to bring over five jars of strong liquor that were sealed in mud and had not yet been opened.
"Brother Jiang, this wine is a special brew from Yancheng called 'Fire-Scorching Throat'."
It's a pity that a rebellion recently destroyed that century-old restaurant, and the master brewer didn't escape.
There are only a handful of these rare, discontinued jars left in the world.
Chang Dawei broke the clay seal, picked up the wine jar, and poured wine into two large, rough porcelain bowls while remarking...
"This stuff is incredibly strong; it feels like swallowing charcoal when you go down and like being on fire when you go down. But that's precisely why it's meant for men like us who risk our lives."
He picked up the wine bowl and slowly recited:
"As the saying goes, life is but 30,000 days, and drowning your sorrows in alcohol only makes them worse... But damn it, I still have to drink!"
Let's drink until we're completely drunk, let's drink and be merry for today!
Jiang Mu chuckled to himself.
His gaze swept over the battle map covered in markings, then fell on the sand table, and he joked:
"This camp must be a highly secure military location, right? Aren't you worried about breaking military regulations by letting an outsider like me in?"
"Who do you think you are, an outsider?"
Chang Dawei pushed a full bowl of wine in front of Jiang Mu and laughed heartily.
"Since you've cleaned up my house, you're practically family. Besides, with your demon-slaying skills, I'd like to recruit you. Come on, let's have a drink first!"
Jiang Mu did not refuse, picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp with him.
The strong liquor went down my throat and burned like fire all the way into my stomach, making me break out in a sweat.
Setting down his wine bowl, Jiang Mu wiped his mouth and said, "Brother Chang, aren't you on a bandit suppression mission? Won't drinking interfere with your work?"
Upon hearing this, Chang Dawei's face darkened, he slammed his bowl heavily on the table, and cursed:
"Don't even mention it! It makes me so angry!"
"That bastard surnamed Chen came all the way from the capital to steal the credit. Every time I lead my brothers in a bloody battle and the situation improves, he comes and gives orders. He deliberately assigns me other tasks and then pockets all the credit for himself."
Later, I got too lazy to get involved. Since he wanted to command, let him go and fight alone. I'll stay here with my troops, drinking and eating meat, and see what he can do!
After grumbling and cursing for a while, Lord Chang waved his hand and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about these infuriating things anymore, let's drink!"
Seeing that the other person was indeed upset, Jiang Mu wisely refrained from asking any further questions.
The two clinked glasses and started talking non-stop.
During this time, Jiang Mu learned that the other party was actually a holder of a legitimate Star Position, currently at the Great Perfection of the Fifth Realm.
Its star position is the [Heavenly Sin Star], a star of the Heavenly Gang level!
The divine power associated with this star position can burn and consume one's own essence and blood to double one's attack power for a short period of time.
These are berserker skills designed specifically for battlefield combat.
Jiang Mu secretly compared the options in his mind.
If a real fight were to break out, with his current cultivation level at the late stage of the fourth realm, he would probably not fare well against a Heavenly Gang orthodox star position that could instantly unleash double the combat power.
The two were enjoying their drink when suddenly the tent flap was lifted, and a guard rushed in, looking flustered.
"General, Lord Chen has arrived!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a middle-aged man in silver armor, with a fair complexion but a rather gloomy demeanor, stormed into the tent. His gaze swept around the tent before finally settling on Chang Dawei:
"General Chang, I heard that you just killed several of my soldiers outside?"
Chang Dawei laughed and said:
"Old Chen, those soldiers of yours are really outrageous, going around bullying the people."
I'm doing this to clean house for you, so that it doesn't get out and tarnish your reputation, or disgrace our court.
"Come, come, the wine's just been opened, shall we have a bowl together?"
"Who gave you the right to kill my soldiers?!"
General Chen stepped forward, his face ashen. "I am now the highest-ranking officer in this branch of the army."
Even if you were to use military law, it would be up to me to determine the crime! Do you, Chang Dawei, have any respect for the law, for the imperial court?!
Chang Dawei's smile vanished, and he slammed his wine bowl on the table, splashing wine everywhere.
He stood up and looked coldly at General Chen:
"Then what do you suggest? Should we drag me out and give me thirty lashes? Or should we just expel me from the army? Or... why don't you draw your sword now and kill me?"
General Chen's gaze was cold. After staring at him for a moment, he ultimately did not dare to truly turn hostile.
He snorted coldly, his tone softening slightly, but still sharp:
"If you are truly disciplining them for the sake of military discipline, then I will say nothing."
"But I've heard that an outsider killed one of my soldiers first, and you not only failed to capture him, but also condoned and protected him?"
Chang Dawei chuckled and pointed at Jiang Mu, saying:
"This is Hall Master Jiang from the Demon Slaying Division of Huzhou City. He killed people because your soldiers were suspected of being infected by demons and carrying demonic energy. I can testify to this."
"The officials of the Demon Slayer Division are slaying demons and monsters according to the rules. Is there a problem?"
General Chen narrowed his eyes, sizing up Jiang Mu, and said calmly, "Since you are a high-ranking official from the Demon Slayer Division, may I have your token?" Jiang Mu spread his hands: "I didn't bring it."
"Didn't you bring it?"
General Chen frowned, his face darkening.
"Old Chen,"
Chang Dawei impatiently interrupted, standing in front of Jiang Mu.
"I can vouch for him; he is indeed a member of the Demon Slayer Division, you don't need to doubt that."
"You should focus on suppressing the bandits for now. Without me, Chang Dawei, why do you seem to be having so much trouble suppressing bandits these past few days? How about I give you some advice?"
"Hmph, no need for General Chang to trouble himself!"
General Chen's face darkened, he snorted coldly, gave Jiang Mu a deep look, and then turned and left.
"Pooh!"
Chang Dawei spat at General Chen's retreating figure.
He said to Jiang Mu with a disdainful look:
"This guy really thinks he's something special just because his godfather is that eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial."
Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial?
Jiang Mu's heart stirred.
That was the emperor's closest confidant.
No wonder this guy surnamed Chen is so arrogant; even Chang Dawei, a young general from a hereditary military family, has to put up with his arrogance.
Jiang Mu secretly kept a watchful eye on things.
Not long after, the guard who had just made the announcement rushed in again.
He whispered something in Chang Dawei's ear.
Chang Dawei's expression suddenly changed, and he abruptly stood up, his face full of anger:
"Damn it, do they really think I'm made of clay?!"
"If my dad hadn't repeatedly told me to hold back, I would have slapped that son of a bitch to death long ago!"
After he finished yelling, he turned to Jiang Mu and forced a slightly apologetic expression:
"Brother Jiang, I'm really sorry, I have something I need to take care of. Please have a seat for a while, I'll be right back, and we'll continue drinking then." Jiang Mu waved his hand.
"It's alright, Brother Chang, you have your important matters to attend to."
Chang Dawei didn't waste any words. He poured himself a full bowl of wine as punishment, said "Excuse me," and then stormed out of the tent with his personal guards. The tent immediately fell silent.
Jiang Mu drank alone for a while, then felt a little bored, so he put down his wine bowl and wandered around the tent at will.
He walked up to the hanging map, put his hands behind his back, and examined it carefully.
The map was drawn with great detail, encompassing all the mountains, rivers, villages, and main roads in and around Yancheng.
There are many red dots marked on it with cinnabar.
It was the place where the remnants of the rebel army hid, and the hilltop that has now become a bandit stronghold.
As she looked at it, Jiang Mu's brows furrowed slightly.
When his gaze fell upon the lines depicting the mountain ranges and rivers on the map, he suddenly felt an extremely strong sense of déjà vu. It was as if he had seen it somewhere before.
Jiang Mu crossed her arms over her chest, rubbed her chin, and fell into deep thought.
This sense of familiarity did not come from his geographical knowledge, but rather from a kind of déjà vu in the pattern.
"Where have we seen this before?"
Jiang Mu closed her eyes and quickly searched her recent memories in her mind.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed into my mind.
Mine Demon!
No, to be precise, it's the patterns on the back of the mine monster!
In order to find the wolf demon's lair, he and Shui Miaozheng entered the earth demon's cave and rescued a group of mine demons.
However, they discovered that each of the mine monsters had strange runes engraved on its body.
It is a control rune that has been artificially created.
Later, Shui Miaozheng even took those mineral monsters back with her and copied down the patterns on them for careful study.
Therefore, Jiang Mu was deeply impressed by those twisted, worm-like lines.
At this moment, he pieced together the fragments of patterns on the backs of those mine monsters from his memory...
Then compare it with the mountain and river formations on the map in front of you.
They are exactly the same!
Even the nodes of those runes surprisingly overlapped with the terrain of several key passes marked on the map.
"What a coincidence!"
Jiang Mu was filled with doubt and unease.
After a while, the curtain was lifted, letting in a gust of cold wind.
Chang Dawei walked in, cursing and swearing, looking extremely annoyed, clearly having been humiliated by that Lord Chen.
He plopped down in the chair, grabbed the wine bowl, tilted his head back, and took a large gulp. He then addressed Jiang Mu, who was standing in front of the map:
"Damn it, talking to that spineless bastard is such a waste of time! Come on, Brother Jiang, let's keep drinking!"
Jiang Mu did not return to her seat.
His gaze remained fixed on the map in front of him, and he pointed to several highlighted locations, asking:
"Brother Chang, what is the meaning of these markings?"
Chang Dawei was taken aback. He walked over with his wine bowl, glanced at it, and without any attempt to hide it, said bluntly:
"Oh, these places. They're all strategically important locations, easy to defend and difficult to attack. They were previously occupied by those remnants of the rebel army, who stubbornly resisted by relying on the terrain. But they've all been recaptured now, all by my own troops!"
"Hmph, and in the end, that bastard surnamed Chen stole some of the credit, and that son of a bitch wrote in his memorial as if he had personally led the vanguard. Bah!" Chang Dawei couldn't help but mutter a few more words.
His face was full of resentment and disdain.
Jiang Mu ignored his complaints, her mind filled with images of the patterns on the backs of those mine monsters.
He reached out and slowly slid his hand across the map.
He then drew a separate, abstract circle on the map around the lines that overlapped with the patterns of the mineral demons, including the orientation of several specific mountain ranges and the bends of rivers. "Brother Chang, is there anything special about this area?"
Chang Dawei squinted and looked in the direction Jiang Mu was pointing.
At first, he was somewhat nonchalant.
But as he watched, his expression suddenly changed, and he turned to look at Jiang Mu in surprise, smiling:
"Well done, Brother Jiang. I didn't know you knew a thing or two about feng shui and geomancy."
"What do you mean?"
Jiang Mu was puzzled and frowned slightly.
Chang Dawei didn't answer directly, but turned around and pulled a new map from the shelf next to him.
He picked up a pen and re-outlined the area that Jiang Mu had just sketched. Then, with a turn of his pen, he extended the strokes to the left and right along the mountain range, adding a few more lines.
"Come on, look at this shape again. What does it resemble?"
Chang Dawei asked with a smile.
Jiang Mu narrowed her eyes, took a half step back, and followed the strokes of the brush.
The instant the dotted lines connected completely, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he exclaimed in surprise:
"dragon?"
The pattern drawn by Chang Dawei alone vaguely resembled a giant dragon lying across the earth.
The dragon's head was held high, facing directly towards Yancheng.
The dragon's belly coiled around the mountain range that Jiang Mu had just circled, while its tail meandered and swept across the area around Xingzi Village next to Dog Head Mountain. A massive ley line lay across the map.
Its scales and claws are menacing, and its imposing presence is magnificent.
Chang Dawei threw down his pen, pointed at the map, and said in a deep voice:
"The place I drew for you is called the 'Divine Dragon Vein'."
Legend has it that in ancient times, this place was no ordinary land. A true dragon descended from the heavens and, seeing the purple aura that permeated the area for thousands of miles, slumbered here. Its body transformed into mountains, its blood into rivers, nurtured by the essence of heaven and earth for millennia…
Legend has it that the founding emperor of the previous dynasty was born from sensing the energy of this dragon vein, claiming to be a "reincarnation of a dragon son," ordained by Heaven. For this reason, the capital of the previous dynasty was once established in Yan City, using this dragon vein to suppress the nation's fortune.
At this point, Chang Dawei chuckled and waved his hand:
"Of course, these so-called auspicious tales are nothing more than fabrications made up by the founding emperors to glorify themselves and prove their divine right of kings, in order to deceive the common people."
I don't believe in that stuff anyway.
However… the energy field of the earth's veins here is indeed somewhat mysterious, that's for sure.”
Chang Dawei poured himself a bowl of wine, moistened his throat, and his expression became more serious:
"After the previous dynasty collapsed, my Great Qing Dynasty was established. Emperor Taizu originally wanted to follow the old system and set up the capital in Yancheng."
However, shortly after Daqing was established, an extremely strange event occurred in this place.
At that time, tens of thousands of people living in this dragon vein region suddenly died overnight. Moreover, their deaths were extremely gruesome; many even transformed into mindless demons after death.
Jiang Mu's heart tightened: "A sacrificial ritual?"
"Exactly."
Chang Dawei nodded.
"Afterwards, the Imperial Observatory and the Demon Slaying Bureau joined forces to investigate and discovered that it was a certain national advisor among the remnants of the previous dynasty who was willing to do something against the heavens in order to restore the country. This person used himself as a catalyst to refine and sacrifice all the living beings on the dragon vein, intending to combine the essence of the people with the earth energy of the dragon vein to perform a forbidden evil technique, attempting to reverse the fate of the country through this supernatural power."
Chang Dawei's finger is pointing to the location of Yancheng on the map:
"Did you see that? The dragon's mouth is pointing right at Yancheng!"
Once the evil magic is mastered, the dragon's mouth will breathe in and out yin and yang, devouring all living beings in the city and turning them into nourishment for the dragon vein.
At that time, Yancheng will become a dead zone.
That dragon vein, however, will defy death and give birth to an unprecedented dragon zombie that will slaughter the world.
Jiang Mu felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
What a depraved act! They actually want to create a dragon zombie!
"And then?"
"later?"
Chang Dawei snorted.
"Later, my great ancestor Daqing was furious and invited the most famous feng shui master at the time to set up the 'Dragon Locking Formation' to drain the spiritual energy contained in this dragon vein and suppress it into a useless vein."
However, just in case, Emperor Taizu decided to move the capital northward to get away from this troublesome place.
Moreover, since then, the imperial court has issued a strict order designating the area covered by this abandoned dragon vein as a restricted zone.
No civilians are allowed to reside here permanently, lest they be corrupted by the lingering death energy underground and cause further trouble.
After listening to Chang Dawei's story, Jiang Mu was deeply moved.
I never imagined that such a past event was buried in this place.
He looked at the map again, and the patterns on the backs of the mine monsters in his mind perfectly overlapped with the trajectory of this "abandoned dragon vein".
An astonishing guess took shape in his mind.
Could it be that the person behind the scenes is also secretly coveting this dragon vein?
They want to restart the evil magic and turn Yan City into a dead city!
But isn't the dragon vein already ruined?
With spiritual energy depleted, it's practically useless; what good is it?
and many more!
Jiang Mu suddenly thought of a possibility.
Chang Dawei said that the imperial court sent a feng shui master to remove the spiritual energy from the dragon vein. But if the spiritual energy is replenished, can the dragon vein still be used?
After all, the earth's veins are still there, they've just dried up.
Of course, replenishing spiritual energy is not easy.
Such a massive dragon vein requires an astronomical amount of spiritual energy.
Moreover, without a special formation to envelop and lock in the spiritual energy, it will dissipate like flowing water if poured directly into the ground.
However, there is a way to solve this problem perfectly.
Mine Demon!
Although the mine demon is a demon, it is, after all, a spirit born from the spiritual mine by heaven and earth, and carries its own spiritual energy.
If a large number of mineral demons are buried underground and used as "spirit stones," there's no need for complex formations to lock in the spiritual energy. Simply control these mineral demons with runes.
By continuously releasing their spiritual energy, they can gradually "bring back to life" this abandoned dragon!
It's like giving blood to a dead dragon!
As long as spiritual energy recovers, those so-called evil arts may reappear in the world.
"hiss"
Jiang Mu gasped, feeling a chill run down her spine.
That's right!
Absolutely!
The person behind this is definitely using this dragon vein to cause trouble.
They want to reactivate the dragon veins and complete the evil magic left over from the previous dynasty!
We must return to Yancheng as soon as possible to issue a warning.
Jiang Mu was about to speak when she suddenly remembered what Chang Dawei had just said. She paused, frowned, and asked:
"Brother Chang, you just said that there are no people living in this dragon vein area?"
"yes."
Chang Dawei nodded, then tilted his head back and took another gulp of wine.
"The imperial court has issued a clear decree that no village may be established within ten miles of a dragon vein, and those who violate this decree shall be punished for treason."
Jiang Mu pointed to the tail of the dragon vein: "Including here? Near Dog Head Mountain?"
Chang Dawei followed his finger and sneered:
"Nonsense, all dragon vein regions are the same."
If you've been to Yancheng, you should be able to see that the area directly south of Yancheng, where the dragon's head is located, is completely deserted within a ten-mile radius; there's not a soul in sight. They're all in other places.
Jiang Mu's brows furrowed into a deep frown, and her voice was somewhat hoarse:
"Have you... heard of Xingzi Village?"
"Xingzi Village?"
Chang Dawei put down the wine jar, scratched his head, and looked completely bewildered.
"Never heard of it. I can name all the villages within dozens of miles around here with my eyes closed, like Lijiatun, Zhaojiawa... I've never heard of Xingzi Village."
Jiang Mu was still unwilling to give up, pointing to Dog Head Mountain on the map:
"This is Dog Head Mountain, right?"
"Yes, it's marked on the map."
"Is there no village located on the right side of Dog Head Mountain, where the dragon's tail is?"
"Are you kidding me!"
Chang Dawei looked at Jiang Mu with an expression as if she were an idiot.
"That place is where the dragon's tail swept across, where the evil energy is strongest and nothing grows. How could anyone possibly live there?"
There's a village called "Zhao Family Village" about ten miles up and a village called "White Stone Village" about twenty miles to the left. Both of these villages are under the jurisdiction of Jiuyuan County. Jiang Mu knew both of the villages that Chang Dawei mentioned.
Because when he wiped out the bandit stronghold at Dog Head Mountain, most of the people he rescued came from these two villages.
but……
How could there be no Kyoko Village?!
That Xingzi Village, where Grandma Wang, little girl Yaya, Aunt Zhang and her sickly husband lived.
That Xingzi Village where he stayed for five whole days...
Are they all fake?
"Oh, right, now that you mention Xingzi Village, I vaguely remember it..."
Chang Dawei suddenly slapped his forehead, as if he had remembered something.
He turned around, pulled a thick local county gazetteer from the table, moistened it with saliva, flipped through a few pages, pointed to one page, and said...
"Found it! Look, there used to be a village here called Xingzi Village."
Jiang Mu grabbed the county gazetteer and examined it closely.
The above does indeed record the situation of Xingzi Village.
Because Daqing had just been established and was still in a period of turmoil, the able-bodied young men of Xingzi Village were either conscripted or fled to other places, leaving behind some old, weak, sick and disabled people in the village.
According to subsequent investigations, more than 30 people died in Xingzi Village, all of whom perished in the sacrificial ritual.
More than thirty people...
This number struck Jiang Mu's heart like a heavy hammer.
He remembers very clearly that when he was in Xingzi Village, there were only a dozen or so households left, totaling about thirty people.
Grass!
Am I seeing a ghost?!
Jiang Mu stared in disbelief, her mind a complete mess.
He tried hard to recall the scene in the village, but he didn't seem to sense anything was wrong.
If those were all ghost cultivators, then I would definitely be able to detect it.
It's not like he's never seen a ghost before.
He had even kissed a female ghost like Yu Xiaoqian, so her malevolent aura couldn't escape his perception.
and……
He ate there for three days straight.
Did I eat air for three days? Or did I eat offerings from a grave?
No, we must investigate thoroughly!
This question lingered in Jiang Mu's mind, and if he didn't figure it out, he feared he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully in the future.
Jiang Mu no longer hesitated.
They immediately borrowed a fine horse from Chang Dawei and headed straight for Xingzi Village.
Since we can't go to Yancheng now because the restrictions haven't been lifted, we might as well go back and see what's going on.
As dawn approached the next day, Jiang Mu finally returned to Xingzi Village.
However, what he saw before him chilled him to the bone.
Where is there any smoke rising from the chimneys anymore?
Where can you still find that barren yet vibrant little village?
As far as the eye could see, there was only a desolate and lifeless wasteland.
Wavy grass, half a person tall, covered the former dirt road, and an almost dead old tree stood alone in this wilderness.
If you look closely, you can occasionally see a few collapsed pits or half-buried ruins among the waist-high wormwood, proving that a village once existed here.
Clearly, this place was already a ruin a very, very long time ago.
Relying on her memory, Jiang Mu carefully parted the grass and found the spot where Grandma Wang's house used to be.
No houses, no courtyards
There's nothing left.
Jiang Mu sat silently on a moss-covered stone, lost in thought.
A mountain breeze swept by, carrying a hint of chill.
He looked down at his palm.
Those smiling faces, that warmth, the aroma of that bowl of bran porridge, all seem to have been blown away by the morning breeze.
He wasn't afraid, just a little melancholy.
The image of that little girl named Ya Ya involuntarily came to mind.
The scene of her secretly giving him the only piece of cured meat in her bowl, even though she was drooling with desire.
"The Peach Blossom Spring... The Peach Blossom Spring..."
Jiang Mu let out a long sigh, and the white breath he exhaled quickly dissipated in the morning mist.
Perhaps the resurrection mechanism of the substitute doll had some bug, causing him to stumble into a world of the dead, filled with lingering resentments from the past, caught between life and death. Whether he will ever encounter this village again is up to fate.
Jiang Mu shook her head, suppressing the sense of loss, stood up, and began to explore the surrounding terrain based on her memory.
Despite the sadness, we must not forget our responsibilities.
The location of Xingzi Village is precisely at the tail of the "divine dragon vein".
Since it is the tail of the dragon vein, the "waste" is the outlet for the flow of qi, which is also known as the "life gate".
If the person behind this really wants to cause trouble, then they must have done something here as well.
[Spiritual Divination]!
Jiang Mu arrived at the center of the village from her memory, put her fingers together, and gently touched her brow.
In an instant, a halo appeared in his pupils.
In the field of vision, the grass, trees, mountains and rivers lose their color and turn into black and white lines and dots of light.
The field of vision stretched rapidly, finally settling on a mountain peak standing not far away.
Within the weariness, a huge upright character for "ominous" floats in the air.
Jiang Mu withdrew his supernatural powers and flew to the top of the mountain where he was tired.
Looking around, it was nothing special, except that the weeds were more lush than elsewhere.
He drew his broadsword, infused it with star power, and slashed it down towards the ground.
"clang!"
Sparks flew everywhere.
Only a shallow pit was dug in the ground.
The blade's feedback felt incredibly hard to the touch, as if fine iron was buried beneath it.
"So hard?"
Jiang Mu was surprised.
He tried several more times using his cultivation technique, but still couldn't dig out the pit.
"Are you digging your own grave, young man?"
A lazy, smiling voice suddenly cut in from behind, like a feather tickling behind the ear.
Jiang Mu paused, then turned around.
My eyes were immediately drawn to Li, and her long legs were encased in black stockings.
His long, straight legs stood casually in the bleak morning wind, like two jade chopsticks dipped in ink, standing amidst a sea of scarlet silk. A stunningly beautiful woman stood on the embankment, looking down at him with a smile.
The golden-brown slit of her skirt was whipped open by the morning breeze, tearing all the way to the base.
At the end of the black stockings, a ring of pale, fleshy skin was revealed, like freshly cooked snow, trembling between the red and black.
She was wearing the iconic 10-centimeter stilettos that she wore.
The heels were firmly planted in the mud, stretching the arch of the foot into a graceful, upright arc.
The newcomer was none other than the Zombie Queen, Ji Wuyuan.
"You little rascal, I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Ji Wuyuan raised her head and brushed aside the wind-blown strands of the woman's hair, her eyes sparkling.
"If you hadn't left something inside me, I really wouldn't have been able to find you again."
Jiang Mu straightened up, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What did I leave inside your body?"
Ji Wuyuan was stunned for a moment.
Although she lived a long life, she was blind to this kind of cross-generational perspective and did not understand its profound meaning.
But seeing Jiang Mu's teasing look, she instinctively felt that his words were not serious.
"loquacious."
She rolled her eyes at him, annoyed, and, too lazy to continue arguing, began to look around. "Why did you come to a place like this? This place is so lifeless, aren't you afraid of losing your life?"
Jiang Mu pointed to the ground beneath her feet: "Is there something down there?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Hongyuan's dark golden eyes flashed with two points of golden light. She stared at the ground beneath Jiang Mu's feet for a moment, her delicate brows furrowing slightly before she nodded: "There is indeed something there."
Jiang Mu took a step back: "Would you mind going down and checking if I jumped or not?"
Ji Wuyuan rolled her eyes coquettishly and said in a coquettish tone:
"So, as soon as my sister arrives, you treat her like a slave, huh? Why should I help you?"