The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 541 - 310: East Lake Elder

Chapter 541: Chapter 310: East Lake Elder

The moon shone brightly, its light sparse among the stars, while nightfall intertwined with wisps of mist.

The ground, damp from recent rain, was a mix of mud and fallen leaves. After just a few steps, boots adhered to clumps of earth, surrounded by the mottled shadows of trees with water droplets still lingering.

In the gloomy depths of the dense forest, it felt as though something mysterious was watching.

Yet the three brothers from Mei Mountain didn’t stop to pay attention as they quickened their pace, darting through the woods.

After passing through the thicket, the vista abruptly opened up.

Under the moonlight, a vast lake came into view.

The lake’s surface, dark as ink, reflected the contorted silhouettes of the shoreline trees, sending shivers down the spine.

A fog hovered over the shore, enveloping the area in a strange, oppressive air.

This was East Lake, not far from Wuchang City. The large lake connected to smaller ones in a complex pattern, with waterways leading to the Yangtze River. During the rainy season, frequent flooding caused much distress to locals.

However, it was precisely because of this that the area boasted stunning natural beauty, attracting many scholars and poets since ancient times.

Qu Yuan "composed poems by the marsh," King Zhuang of Chu drummed to urge on his troops, Liu Bei performed rituals to the heavens, and Li Bai wrote inscriptions on Eagle Release Platform... There were endless stories to be told.

The lake district was massive, with villages once scattered around it. However, due to the matter of the Barbarian King’s tomb, many had been covertly captured for blood sacrifices, prompting all residents to flee.

From within the mist beside the lake, strange noises echoed, and vague shapes moved.

There were also flickering fires, surrounded by figures.

The three brothers hurried toward the shore and saw several experts from the Heavenly Saint Sect gathered there to offer support.

A makeshift magic platform had been set up lakeside, its surface crowded with all sorts of bizarre bones. Han Balin’s severed arm was also placed atop it.

Around the platform, bonfires burned, and Alang Po from the Miao region in Xiangxi, stood before it, head shaking wildly, continually casting pungent powders in a frenzied manner.

Atop the altar, swarms of peculiar insects crawled, feeding on the flesh of the arm, repeatedly launching themselves into the night.

However, irritation was evident among those gathered around.

Having severely wounded Han Balin and severed his arm, they believed the old Gu Granny could locate him and perhaps even curse him to death.

Alas, the Gu Granny had clearly overestimated her abilities.

After a full day, not only had they failed to curse him, but they couldn’t even find him.

Seeing the brothers return, Wang Hu, the protector, immediately inquired, "Why just you three? Where is Lady Liu?"

An outside power was at play beyond Ghost Sect’s city walls, and they were already aware of the city’s turmoil. The brothers had been sent to investigate hastily.

"Lady Liu, the Incense Master, has died."

Their words caused a sudden shift in everyone’s expressions.

Despite their disdain for figures like "Lady Liu" and "Red Maiden" due to certain events, this was still Ghost Sect’s territory.

With Lady Liu’s death, their plans would likely utterly fail.

Whether it was Ghost Sect or the bewitched Miao people, countless deaths went unnoticed by them. But failure here meant that the pressure facing the Jing Chu Mountains would become insurmountable.

Before Wang Hu, the protector, could express his fury, the eldest of the three brothers quickly said, "An elder from Ghost Sect has arrived with a Secret Technique, instructing us to secure the Red Mere Tribe’s emblem and deliver it to the Barbarian King’s tomb as soon as possible."

"We’ve also located the position of Yu Lanshan’s Fengshui earth spot at Parrot Island Pier. As long as we destroy it, the court won’t be able to stop us!"

At this news, Wang Hu’s expression eased slightly. Turning to the old Gu Granny with a cold voice, he said, "Alang Po, stop your efforts. Leave it to them."

Upon hearing this, Alang Po halted her spellcasting with a displeased face but still retorted stubbornly, "Han Balin must be hiding in some Fengshui formation."

The three brothers quickly stepped forward to grab the severed arm.

Wang Hu was still uneasy and asked, "Why didn’t this Ghost Sect elder come?"

The Mei Mountain brothers had no idea what was going on and made up on the spot, "That elder is likely a Yin God on a journey, not present here."

"A Yin God on a journey?"

Wang Hu’s pupils contracted, a hint of wariness flashing across his eyes. He asked further, "What Secret Technique did he pass on?"

The eldest brother from Mei Mountain gazed towards East Lake and began, "The lands of Jing Chu and Ezhou have harbored many spirits and entities since ancient times. Though the Proper Xuan Sect controls the Qi Fortune of the world, there still remain countless spirit monsters and wild gods hidden in the shadows."

"That elder mentioned there is a Water Demon residing within this very East Lake, known as the Old Ancestor of East Lake. Transformed after being enlightened by Liu Hai, it dwells in seclusion. Yet, all aquatic spirits and monsters in the nearby watercourses and the Yangtze River heed its command."

"Zhao Changsheng has a history with it. By offering tribute, we can request its aid in finding Han Balin."

"Oh?" Wang Hu expressed interest, "There’s such a creature hidden near Wuchang City, why was it not asked to assist this time?"

The head of the Mei Mountain brothers shook his head, saying, "The Old Ancestor of East Lake is an aberrant practitioner who disregards mundane affairs and whose Dao is profound. The elder warned us not to provoke it recklessly."

Alang Po, standing by, scoffed, "What a joke. In this era of transformation in the Human Dao, who can truly escape? The spirits of Jing Chu Mountains..."

Before she could finish, Wang Hu sharply turned, staring at her with eyes full of murderous intent.

Feeling a chill, Alang Po hastily shut her mouth.

Wang Hu then grunted and turned back to continue his questioning, "What kind of tribute is required?"

The brothers’ leader spoke up, "We need powerful Demon Suppression Coins, the stronger the better. We happen to have some with us."

Saying this, he produced a brocade box from his robe, opened it, and revealed about twenty coins inside. The chilling aura of Suppression and Killing immediately unfurled.

Picking up one coin, Wang Hu remarked in surprise, "Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin?"

"Yes, these were collected by Lady Liu. She told us to bring them with us when we left, probably thinking of asking that old demon for help."

The leader of the brothers then moved to the shore, scooped up some soil mixed with incense, manipulated hand gestures, bowed deeply, and threaded the Demon Suppression Coins into a chain. While bowing, he shook the coins in the water of the lake.