novelapdf Chapter 154: Prelude to a Battleground?
Chapter 154: Prelude to a Battleground?
Ji Hongyuan ultimately didn't utter any explicit flirtatious words.
She suppressed her playful expression, and gently flicked her jade-like finger at the ground, as if plucking a string on a musical instrument.
"Boom!"
The ground immediately cracked open to both sides, and the soil surged like waves.
However, the woman immediately raised an eyebrow and asked in surprise:
"There's even a protective array?"
Ji Hongyuan gave a soft snort, her hands swiftly forming hand seals, a ball of scarlet blood energy condensing at her fingertips, which she then gently flicked towards the crack. *Crack!*
A cracking sound came from behind.
Immediately afterwards, a surge of black death energy erupted from the ground like a geyser.
Ji Hongyuan's pretty face changed slightly. Her fair hand moved like lightning, grabbing Jiang Mu's shoulder and retreating rapidly. Her red dress fluttered in the deathly aura, and in the blink of an eye, she had retreated dozens of feet away.
Once the black mist dissipated, she led Jiang Mu back to the edge of the cracked pit.
The woman peered down, her expression grave: "The deathly aura here... how can it be so heavy?"
Jiang Mu asked, "Can we go down?"
Ji Hongyuan observed carefully for a moment, then a confident smile curved her lips:
"If a living person went down there, they would probably be corroded into bones in no time. But I'm a zombie, this death aura can't harm me." With that, she stretched out her arm and wrapped it around Jiang Mu's waist, pulling him into her embrace.
"Hold on tight, I'll take you down!"
Before Jiang Mu could react, she leaped into the dark pit, taking him with her.
The wind howled.
The woman was hugging him so tightly that her voluptuous body was almost embedded in Jiang Mu's arms, making his chest feel stuffy.
Jiang Mu almost vomited from the shock.
The last time I felt this way was when I was facing Ling Xigua.
How can these women all be so broad-minded?
The two landed safely.
Jiang Mu broke free from the embrace, rubbed her cheeks, and couldn't help but complain:
"You don't shy away from it at all."
"It's just a clone anyway, so it's no big deal for you to take a little advantage. I don't care." Ji Hongyuan pouted her pink lips and casually straightened her slightly disheveled skirt.
With a flick of her jade-like finger, a ball of will-o'-the-wisp ignited out of thin air, illuminating the surroundings.
The surrounding area is a cave passage about ten feet wide and high.
The walls were as smooth as a mirror, clearly carved out by magic.
Scattered on the ground were many mineral spirits that had lost their spiritual energy. They were gray and looked no different from ordinary stones, numbering in the hundreds.
The cave passage is about 100 meters long and empty.
Only in the very center was a stone carved from black stone.
A bone lay quietly on the stone.
The bones were pure white, yet they gleamed with a faint dark light. It was unclear whether they were human or animal bones, and they exuded a sense of oppression.
"Such a strong zombie aura..."
Ji Hongyuan's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked around, then turned to Jiang Mu, "Where is this place?"
Jiang Mu did not hide anything and told Chang Dawei all the rumors about the "dragon vein" that he had mentioned before.
"I see………"
After listening, Ji Hongyuan suddenly understood.
"Now that you mention it, I do recall something. So this is the legendary abandoned dragon vein."
She reached out her slender hand and gently stroked the cold, damp cave wall, feeling the lingering scent within the rock strata, and sighed:
"It's a pity that the original spiritual energy of heaven and earth was drained hundreds of years ago. Although it was later forcibly replenished with spiritual energy by people using mineral demons, it was ultimately too impure and mixed."
It's like trying to summon a dragon zombie by using inferior firewood to heat a large pot—it's practically impossible.
Jiang Mu walked to the stone, pointed to the grayish-white bone, and asked:
"What kind of bone is this?"
"keel."
Ji Hongyuan glanced at it once and said with certainty,
"It was at least at the tenth rank when it was alive. However, it has been dead for too long, and the dragon essence contained within it has long since dissipated completely. Otherwise, it could have been used to forge a decent magic weapon."
The mastermind placed this piece of dragon bone at the vital point of the dragon vein, combined with the spiritual energy of the mine demons and an unknown evil magic array. The purpose was indeed to reactivate this already dead dragon vein.
Jiang Mu frowned and asked:
"But you just said that summoning a dragon zombie is impossible, so what's the point of the mastermind going to such lengths to activate the dragon vein?"
Ji Hongyuan walked to the stone, her fingers gently tracing the surface of the bone, a glint of light flashing in her eyes:
"Although the Dragon Zombie cannot be summoned, this dragon vein does run through this land. If it is only used to deal with Yan City, it is more than enough."
If I'm not mistaken, the mastermind behind this is trying to use this activated dragon vein as a medium to set up a deadly trap that covers the entire city.
When the demon army attacked Yan City, the ensuing battle stirred up the dragon vein's malevolent energy, causing all living beings inside and outside the city to perish...
Kill them all, whether they are human or demon!
"Kill them all?!"
Jiang Muxin was startled, and her pupils contracted sharply.
Therefore, the person behind this is neither from the demon race nor the human race.
Does he want to turn this battlefield into a giant altar?
Who exactly is this guy?
Garrison Commander Yuan Qianfan?
But there's no need for that.
Turning Yancheng into a dead city would be a great loss to him, the garrison commander who relied on the power of incense offerings and vows for spiritual practice.
This is tantamount to destroying one's own foundation.
The Red Umbrella Cult should not be suspected either.
Currently, the Red Umbrella Sect relies on its alliance with the demon race. If they were to wipe them out in one fell swoop, killing their demon allies as well, who would dare to cooperate with them in the future? Moreover, if the demon army were to attack, the Red Umbrella Sect would definitely send a lot of people to infiltrate the enemy ranks.
This is a completely insane act of killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own.
Ji Hongyuan pointed to a blurry pattern carved beneath the stone and said:
"Look at this pattern."
Dragons swallow clouds and spit out mist, and are in charge of bringing rain.
The array patterns on it indicate that a "rain" covering the entire area is needed as a medium to cast this evil spell. The raindrops falling to the ground act as a catalyst for the poison.
Wherever it has rained, the dragon vein's malevolent energy will erupt, and at that time... this land will become a complete wasteland.
"rain!"
Jiang Mu took a deep breath, a flash of insight crossing her mind.
No wonder Yancheng and the surrounding areas have been experiencing continuous rain for the past few days.
It turns out that it wasn't the weather that was uncooperative, but rather someone was secretly plotting and paving the way for this massacre!
Jiang Mu immediately asked:
"How can we stop the mastermind's conspiracy? Would removing this bone solve the problem?"
Ji Hongyuan shook her head and pondered:
"It's not that simple. Judging from the characteristics of the dragon vein, in order to fully activate and control such a large formation, the dragon bone is usually placed at three key nodes: the dragon tail, the dragon belly, and the dragon head."
The bone in question, judging by its shape, is the coccyx.
In other words, at least two more crucial keel bones are buried elsewhere.
Removing just this one might weaken the formation's power, but it won't completely break the stalemate. We need to go back to the dragon's belly and head; perhaps a more crucial element of the formation is hidden there.
Jiang Mu's eyes sharpened, and she decisively said, "Alright, let's go to the dragon's belly first!"
Yancheng.
The rain continued to fall heavily, as if the Milky Way had burst its banks.
The atmosphere inside the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Division in Tanzhou was extremely somber.
Since Jiang Mu's death, the place seems to have lost its vitality, and everyone's face is filled with sorrow.
Jiang Mu's belongings have been organized and placed in the room where he used to live.
At this moment, only Shui Miaozheng was in the room.
The woman sat alone on the edge of the bed.
Her once radiant face now looked quite haggard.
The dark circles under his eyes were quite noticeable against his pale skin, making him look like a delicate porcelain doll that had lost its spirit.
The house is still the same house.
But the young man who always had a somewhat frivolous smile and called her "Aunt Shui" would never push the door open again.
Every time her gaze fell upon Jiang Mu's belongings, she felt as if her heart was being sawed back and forth by a rusty, dull knife.
The pain was so intense that I could barely breathe.
Regret, self-blame, grief... a flood of emotions overwhelmed her.
in case……
She didn't have any ulterior motives back then, and she didn't force Xiao Jiang to be transferred over.
If that morning, instead of leaving to go to the city for the meeting, she had stayed with him...
Will everything be different?
Many people saw Shui Miaozheng's dejected and haggard appearance and assumed that it was because Yang Tianci's death had exhausted her.
He was terrified of being held accountable by the Yang family and of losing his official position.
However, in reality, she never even glanced at Yang Tianci's corpse.
They didn't care whether that thing was dead or alive.
That thing is dead, so be it. She only cares about Xiao Jiang.
If his initial approach to Jiang Mu was merely to repay Tang Guixin's favor, it was out of an elder's care for a younger generation.
So now, she really cares about him.
This care takes root and sprouts unconsciously through repeated interactions.
For example, in the monster camp, the other party saved her life.
For the first time, she, who had always been chaste, did something so shameful in front of him.
For example, the shock and ferocity he displayed when he slew the traitor in the hall to avenge Tang Guixin deeply moved her. Also, their daily interactions revealed that Xiao Jiang was very different from other men.
She couldn't understand some of what the other person was saying, but it felt very novel to her.
Moreover, his way of thinking and his style were different from many men she had met.
Those casual, carefree, and occasionally abruptly flirtatious actions are really interesting.
For example, in the kitchen, amidst the swirling smoke, the warmth and joy of the two cooking together in perfect harmony...
Whether it was a fleeting moment of ambiguity, a tacit understanding between friends, or the formal relationship between elders and juniors, all of these gradually deepened this bond of affection. But now, all of that is gone.
"Sir."
Suddenly, Zhu Chang's cautious voice came from outside the door.
Shui Miaozheng trembled, snapping out of her daze.
She lowered her head, her slender fingers gently stroking the sword belonging to Jiang Mu resting on her knee, and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"What is it?"
"Old Tian sent a message saying he has something important to discuss with you and asks you to come over."
Zhu Chang whispered from outside the door.
Shui Miaozheng hummed in response and said nothing more. She simply pressed her cheek gently against the cold scabbard and closed her eyes.
Zhu Chang waited outside the door for a long time, but heard no sound. He could only sigh and turn to leave.
After a long while, Shui Miaozheng slowly got up.
She gently placed the sword on Jiang Mu's clothes, then tidied her slightly disheveled hair and walked out of the house.
As she closed the door behind her, her hand lingered on the doorframe for a long time.
He turned and left.
The pattering rain hit her face, its icy chill making her momentarily dazed.
The rain in her eyes was like a shattered mirror, tearing apart the sky and her heart.
The woman was not holding an umbrella.
Her dress and hair were still soaked by the rain.
After a moment of confusion, she inexplicably turned around and, as if possessed, pushed open Jiang Mu's door again.
"Little Jiang?"
The woman called softly, her voice trembling with a hint of hope.
however.
She was greeted only by a cold, empty house.
The woman stood at the door, lost in thought for a long time, the light in her eyes gradually fading.
Finally, she closed the door in disappointment.
He turned around.
The slender figure slowly disappeared into the raging wind and rain.
The headquarters of the Demon Slayer Division in Huzhou City.
Tian Wenjing nestled in the large chair, looking as if she had shrunk in size.
The burly old man, who usually stood ramrod straight and had a booming voice, now looked somewhat desolate and hunched over.
He held a cup of cold tea in his hand, his gaze fixed on a certain spot in the void, lost in thought.
"You've arrived."
Hearing footsteps, Tian Wenjing did not get up, but simply raised his eyelids and gestured for Shui Miaozheng to sit down on the chair next to him.
He tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile:
I haven't been sleeping well these past few days, I keep dreaming about that brat...
In my dream, he was talking back to me again, which made me so angry. Hmph, I gave him a good beating.
The boy cried and begged me to stop, saying he'd never dare to misbehave again, which finally made me feel much better.
Shui Miaozheng sat upright in the chair, her head bowed, and remained silent.
A drop of water trickled down her wet hair and slowly fell to the ground.
Tian Wenjing sighed deeply, his tone filled with regret and remorse:
"To be honest, from a personal perspective, I really don't like that kid."
Arrogant, flamboyant, unruly, and a womanizer in the past... It can be said that he has all the faults that I hate most in my life.
But putting aside these prejudices, I know in my heart that this lad is a rare gem.
Such talent is incredibly rare, appearing only once every few decades.
He turned his head and looked at Shui Miaozheng, who looked so haggard she seemed like she could be blown away by a gust of wind, his voice softening slightly:
"Miaozheng, I've been blaming you these past few days, blaming you for transferring him away."
But after calming down and thinking about it, I realized that the biggest mistake was actually on my part.
I brought him to this godforsaken place, thinking I'd give him some experience and temper him... I'm the one who ruined him!
Shui Miaozheng moved her bloodless pink lips, remained silent for a long time, and then asked in a low voice:
"Mr. Tian, is there something you wanted to see me about?"
Tian Wenjing composed himself and looked at her intently: "Do you really think Wenhe is the murderer who killed Jiang Mu?"
Shui Miaozheng shook her head: "It wasn't him."
Tian Wenjing gave a self-deprecating smile, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:
"It seems you think the same way I do. At the time, I was so angry and emotional that I misjudged the situation."
Looking back now, it was clearly a trap set by the Red Umbrella Cult.
"I've dealt with those wicked people from the Red Umbrella Sect for so many years, and I thought I was incredibly experienced, but I never expected that I would still be outmaneuvered by them in the end." "Elder Tian, do you believe that Xiao Jiang was assassinated and framed by the Red Umbrella Sect?"
Shui Miaozheng asked.
"I dare not draw any conclusions about the specific truth at this time."
Tian Wenjing said in a deep voice,
"But the only thing that can be confirmed is that Wenhe was framed. The Red Umbrella Cult tokens found in his room were definitely planted by an inside agent to frame him."
Unfortunately, by the time I figured this out, it was too late.
Wenhe is a coward; he got scared and ran away. Even if we issue a notice to bring him back, I'm afraid he won't dare show his face. People's hearts, once cold, can never be warmed up again.
Shui Miaozheng nodded slightly. The sound of rain coming from outside the window added to the oppressive atmosphere.
"There must be quite a few Red Umbrella Cult spies inside the city now. I really don't know how to defend against them when the demon army attacks the city."
Fortunately... the garrison commander is still alive, so we still have a trump card.
Upon hearing the words "garrison commander," Tian Wenjing's eyelids twitched.
He recalled Jiang Mu's previous speculations about Yuan Qianfan, and a thick gloom settled over his heart.
Suppressing his unease, Tian Wenjing turned his gaze to the rain outside the window and said in a deep voice:
"The rain just won't stop, and I'm getting more and more uneasy."
These past few days, I've been reading through a lot of old county records and secret stories from Yancheng, and suddenly I remembered a long-forgotten story.
"Has the Water Master ever heard of the Dragon Vein Refining Sacrifice incident at the founding of the Great Qing Dynasty?"
Shui Miaozheng was taken aback, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly, and she nodded her head.
"I've heard a little about it. It's said that some remnants of the previous dynasty were unwilling to see their country destroyed and tried to use the underground dragon vein to create evil magic, turning the entire Yan City into a dead city, in order to take revenge on Daqing and reverse the fate of the nation."
Later, the founding emperor specially invited the most outstanding feng shui master of the time to forcibly remove the dragon vein's spiritual energy, thus breaking the karmic entanglement.
Tian Wenjing got up, took a map from the bookshelf, and spread it out on the table.
He drew a circle on the map with his pen and said in a deep voice:
"Come and take a look. This is a reconstruction I made based on historical records, showing the area affected by the dragon vein incident hundreds of years ago."
Compare that to the area covered by this heavy rain... doesn't it match up quite well?
Shui Miaozheng's delicate body trembled, and she hurriedly leaned forward to take a closer look.
The area circled by Tian Wenjing with his pen almost completely overlapped with the area covered by the continuous rain over the past few days, without any difference.
"So, Elder Tian means that this rain wasn't a natural disaster, but rather someone is using this abandoned dragon vein to cause trouble?"
Shui Miaozheng found it incredible.
"But how much effort and resources would it take to reuse a dead dragon vein that has been abandoned for hundreds of years? And what is their purpose? Do they want to turn Yan City into a dead city?"
Since they have such a powerful move, why not just use it directly? Why go through all the trouble of colluding with the demon army to attack the city?
Isn't this unnecessary?
unless……
A sudden thought flashed through Shui Miaozheng's mind. She gasped and looked up at Tian Wenjing in horror:
"Does Mr. Tian mean that someone is trying to reap the benefits without doing anything?"
He planned to use the demon army's siege to draw attention and deplete their strength, then finally activate the Dragon Vein Array to wipe out both the humans within Yan City and the attacking demon army... in one fell swoop! ?
Tian Wenjing nodded solemnly:
"It's crazy, but it seems to be the only explanation."
I dare not make any rash conclusions now, nor do I dare to easily trust anyone.
Therefore, I would like to invite you to go to this area, which is the "dragon head" of the dragon vein, and personally investigate it.
The situation in Yancheng is currently chaotic, and there are not many people you can trust. As an eighth-level expert, you have the ability to protect yourself.
As you know, for some unknown reason, a powerful figure was fighting in that area a couple of days ago, which resulted in a strong restriction being set up, preventing anyone who is not at least at the eighth realm from entering.
"Besides you, I really can't think of a more suitable candidate."
Shui Miaozheng looked at the area circled in red on the map and gently tapped Zhen Shou:
"Okay, I'll go take a look right away."