The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 342 - 216: Prophetic Technique_2

Chapter 342: Chapter 216: Prophetic Technique_2

Of course, Old Man Zhang and a group of ship workers were arranged to stay in the front courtyard’s main house, while Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan were arranged in the rear wing rooms.

After all, there were important matters to discuss.

Village Chief Zhu was getting on in years and not suitable for drinking alcohol. He had his son accompany the guests, and firmly offered several rounds of drinks before calling a halt.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, elder."

Wang Daoxuan didn’t mince words and directly placed the Compass on the table, speaking gravely, "Zhu Family Castle may have a serious problem. What exactly happened?"

Li Yan also looked toward Village Chief Zhu.

The report from the City God Temple only mentioned successive deaths here, and even a temple priest from the Land God Temple had inexplicably disappeared. Now, it seemed the problem was definitely no small matter.

"Sigh~ it’s all a terrible calamity!"

Village Chief Zhu let out a sigh, "Not to ridicule myself before you two gentlemen, but although my family has produced some scholars, the village atmosphere is improper."

"For many years, young people, unable to bear the hardships of farming and fishing and unwilling to learn a craft, only wished to make quick money."

"Our Zhu Family Castle was once a military fortress, and a few families have passed down martial arts skills. These young people would follow suit with swords and clubs, causing trouble all day and often clashed with other villages."

"I couldn’t control them, so I had to let them be."

"But what I didn’t expect was that these youngsters secretly turned to the business of river piracy, often masked, leaving through the mountain rivers, and robbing on the Han River."

"Of course, none of them ended up well. Captured by the Xiangyang Navy, they were immediately shot with arrows. Many homes in the castle were left without descendents to carry on the family line."

"All that could have been tolerated, after all, wrongdoing must meet with retribution, but fortunately, before their deaths, they brought disaster upon themselves!"

"Before they died, they had robbed a passenger ship, and mercilessly, they killed everyone on board."

"That day, a mad Confucian Scholar came to the village, stood at the entrance of the village cursing for a long time, saying that we had killed his son and that disaster would surely descend from the heavens, leaving not a single chicken or dog alive in the village."

"Some villagers couldn’t stand it any longer, and drove him away with sticks and clubs."

"After that, strange things began to happen in the village."

"First, the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall started to seep water; wiped clean during the day, but by morning, they would inevitably be covered in water again..."

"The well water started to be problematic too. Water drawn by several households began to have an unpleasant stench, and it was happening more and more..."

"After that, people began to disappear, including the temple priest from the Land God Temple. It took a few days until their bodies were found floating on the river."

"Some followed in the middle of the night and discovered that they acted as though they had gone mad. Suddenly waking up at night, they wouldn’t even dress and would run into the water, drowning themselves..."

"Now the villagers live in constant fear; some families couldn’t stand it and fled to relatives in other places. But it’s difficult to leave one’s hometown, and how could so many widows and orphans leave?"

"I’ve reported this matter, and we’ve even invited Duan Gong to exorcize the evil, but after several rituals, it was completely ineffective. They even lost a person, and terrified, escaped the village that very night."

Saying that, he weakened in the knees and was about to kneel.

Li Yan quickly supported him, but saw that the old village chief’s eyes were full of tears, "I do not wish to conceal from you gentlemen, the night before last, I dreamt of my ancestors, they were all surrounding me, scolding angrily."

"At my age, death is not much of concern, but with the village in this condition, how could I face my forebears?"

Wang Daoxuan’s eyes tightened, and he astutely caught onto the elder’s words, asking, "Elder, you dreamt of ancestors cursing you?"

"Has anyone else in the village experienced this?"

Startled by the question, Village Chief Zhu shook his head, "I haven’t heard anyone mention it, but if ancestors are cursing, it means the descendants have been unfilial. I dared not speak of it to others."

"Even if others have experienced it, they probably are too scared to say so."

Wang Daoxuan’s expression grew grave, and he nodded, "Immediately have someone ask those families who have had incidents to see if similar situations have occurred."

"Moreover, this matter must not be concealed any longer. Send someone to inform the whole village to see who has recently dreamt of ancestors cursing."

"This..."

Village Chief Zhu’s eyes wavered, but he still clenched his teeth and said, "Daoist, rest assured, I will see to it immediately."

The saying goes, one’s family’s shame should not be exposed to outsiders. Ancestors cursing their descendants, if known by other villagers, might as well snap their spines.

But he also knew that this was not the time to continue hiding things.

After the old Village Chief left, Li Yan turned his head to Wang Daoxuan, "Does the Daoist suspect that there is something wrong with the village’s fengshui?"

"Perhaps, it’s not as simple as just fengshui."

Wang Daoxuan’s face became serious, and he asked in a deep voice, "Brother Yan, since you entered the village, have you smelled any unusual odors?"

"I also found it strange."

Li Yan expressed his confusion, "Logically, with such a major event, there must be something causing trouble, but whether on the river or upon entering the village, I haven’t smelled any aura of evil Sha."

"Moreover, at the Land God Temple, although the temple priest is dead, the incense still burns strong, and Divine Astral winds around. It doesn’t seem like an Evil Spirit has invaded."

"That should be it, then."

"Have you ever heard of the Prophetic Technique?"

"The Prophetic Technique was prevalent during the Qin and Han dynasties when Confucianism was not yet mainstream. They turned scriptures into myths, mysterious prophecies into secretive language, determining good and bad omens, a branch of the Book of Changes, extending into ancillary meanings."

"Confucianism used this technique, calling upon the resonance of Heavenly People and humans, deified Imperial Power, discredited other schools of thought, and exclusively honored Confucian techniques. From then, Confucianism flourished."

"At that time, Confucian classics were the external studies, and Prophetic Techniques were the internal studies, which absorbed many Xuan Sect Secret Skills and were once very prominent."

"’The end of Qin will be at the hands of the barbarians,’ ’After three generations of Tang, a woman will claim the throne as King Wu and rule the world’—these were all Prophetic Techniques, seemingly nonsensical talk, but they are based on observing the heavenly timing, geographical advantages, the Five Elements and Six Energies, propelling the great trend of the Human Dao."

"This method is secretive, and while it can consolidate Imperial Power, it is also feared by those in power. In subsequent generations, many high scholars of Confucianism criticized it, separating it from the Confucian classics, hence the operation of the orthodox."

"Now, Confucianism is the foundation of the country, it is considered orthodox in the Mystical Sect, and the Prophetic Technique is listed as a Forbidden Technique, not willingly spoken of."

"But, after all, it is an internal study. That old Confucian Scholar probably inherited this path, trying to push the change of national fortune and the great trend of Human Dao; while he may not have the capability for durable change, causing frequent disasters in a village is indeed not difficult."

Li Yan’s eyes were opened wide, "Confucianism, besides cultivating the vast morale, can actually do this?"

Wang Daoxuan could only smile wistfully, and breathed out softly, "Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, all three religions, who can be without a bit of history?"

Just then, the old Village Chief had hurried back, his face deathly pale as he spoke with a trembling voice, "The Daoist’s predictions are like that of a deity."

"Those villagers that had accidents, their family members said that a few days before jumping into the river, they were all acting abnormally, either running to the ancestral graves to burn paper or prostrating in front of their ancestors’ tablets, dazed all day long."

"Furthermore, including myself, several dozen people in the village dreamt of our ancestors cursing us, mostly the elderly, but not a single child."

"It seems we’re not wrong."

Wang Daoxuan said in a stern voice, "When people’s hearts stray, evil spirits come forth. Someone using the terrain of mountains and rivers has disturbed your ancestral graves, and with rumors, has muddied your people’s minds. In time, it naturally leads to incidents."

"To break the Prophetic Technique, all we need is to let the truth be known. When people’s hearts are clear, naturally evil cannot interfere. Just make this matter known to the public."

"Tomorrow, take me to your ancestors’ graves to have a look."

"Many thanks to the Daoist."

The old Village Chief quickly joined his hands together and thanked him.

Li Yan, standing off to the side, watched with wonder in his heart. After the Village Chief left, he couldn’t help but say, "Battling with people’s hearts—this is my first time seeing such a thing."

But Wang Daoxuan’s face still held a weighty expression, "The issue with this village shouldn’t be difficult to resolve."

With that, he looked outside the window, his eyes filled with worry, "But now, the Southwest is in turmoil, war rages on, and the Prophetic Technique has reemerged..."

"This is not a good omen!"

...

Since the cause had been identified, Li Yan did not stay much longer in the village; after all, it was something he did not understand, and Wang Daoxuan had to handle it.

He returned to the riverbank and went directly into the tent, only to see Sha Lifei and Lv San poring over an old book by candlelight.

The food that had been delivered was placed aside, ignored.

"Brother Yan, we’ve struck gold."

Upon his arrival, Sha Lifei, his face full of excitement, shared the news of acquiring a new gunpowder formula and methods of making firearms...