The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 92 - 89: The Spiritual Cave in the Mountain

Chapter 92: Chapter 89: The Spiritual Cave in the Mountain

"Who’s there!"

Li Yan jolted, and the vision before his eyes vanished instantly.

Luo Mingzi waved his hand, and a Daoist by his side immediately pricked up his ears to listen. Those skilled in Eye Divine Power also looked around and then shook their heads slightly.

"What’s happened?"

It was then that Luo Mingzi finally asked.

Li Yan still felt somewhat shocked and uncertain, and he hastily narrated the events.

He possessed a Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin for protection. Ordinary Enchantment Techniques were utterly ineffective on him, and in a place like this, there was no room for even the slightest concealment.

"Could this be... a connection with the Spirit Root?"

He had barely finished speaking when an old Daoist beside him revealed a look of astonishment.

A young Daoist also expressed his surprise, "How is that possible? Only upon constructing a three-story tower could one possibly awaken a second Spirit Root, but this young lay practitioner hasn’t built one yet."

Luo Mingzi, however, looked intently at Li Yan’s left palm, musing, "Perhaps it’s the effect of the Hook Paper. This isn’t a Spirit Root; it’s ’communication with God!’"

"Communication with God?"

It was the first time Li Yan had heard this term.

Luo Mingzi nodded, "Yes, communication with God."

"The Earth Spirits, the spirits, demons... everything has its own form, and there’s no such thing as the rumored Transformation among the common folk. After all, the flesh is like a vessel; those who can change their form have already transcended the rules of the mortal world."

"Therefore, when they communicate with humans, it’s often through Divine Thought taking on a human form. Those with a Spirit Root may occasionally dream of non-human forms conversing with them. Some are seduced by charm, thinking they’ve encountered an amorous beauty, only to find their essence has been drained upon waking, and discover they’re lying atop a grave..."

"This might be the effect of the Hook Paper. In the future, when you build a tower and observe, try to master it. Communicating with ghosts and deities could be an extraordinary ability."

The young Daoist by his side, named Gu Chenzi, enviously said, "Yes, like Hidden Treasure. Hidden Treasure men take many years to learn, but if you can strike a deal with ghosts and deities, they might tell you their secrets."

"I can’t believe the Hook Paper has this ability... Why don’t I have such fortune..."

"Nonsense!"

Luo Mingzi scolded, "The decree forbids interference with the affairs of the Yin Bureau. Once you join the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, you’ll never obtain the Hook Paper, and similarly, those who hold it cannot summon the Lu Soldiers or celestial generals. Everyone has their strengths; do not grow greedy."

Then, turning to Li Yan, "If my guess isn’t wrong, the Mountain God of Chaotic Burial Mound saw you had the Hook Paper and hence sought your help. Try to communicate with it again."

Li Yan was speechless, "How would I know how to..."

Hearing this, the young Daoist Gu Chenzi, with a glint in his eyes, suggested, "You must have done something inadvertently; think carefully."

Li Yan, deep in thought, recalled his actions, "I didn’t really do anything... I just followed you all in here, and took another glance at that shrine..."

Just as he looked toward the shrine, his vision blurred once again.

The scene before him reappeared:

The old man was sitting in a pit, facing him, his mouth opening and closing...

This time, Li Yan kept his composure and observed more carefully.

The elder was indeed not of human lineage; on his bark-like clothing grew branches and leaves, his beard was full of moss, and his skin was odd, resembling bloated flesh, pale and ashen.

Especially his lower half, which looked strikingly like a tree, with roots that penetrated the surrounding earth like tendrils of flesh.

Good heavens, was this the Mountain God?

Astonished, Li Yan quickly noticed something unusual.

The hat on the old man’s head seemed oddly out of place. No matter how he looked at it, it resembled a greasy, rank-smelling cloth bag.

So this was the thing!

Li Yan remembered the intelligence he had received earlier.

Every Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasure had its restraining object.

The Tai Sui of the mountain possessed such an object, a Beggar Gang ancestral cloth bag, which was why the Mountain Lord was waiting at Chaotic Burial Mound to obtain the treasure.

His thoughts disarrayed, the vision once again faded, and Li Yan said in a low voice, "We must hurry; they’ve already succeeded..."

Saying so, he described what he had seen.

"This is an omen."

The elderly Daoist mused, "God hiding in a cave is known as concealment, corresponding to the Shen Cang Acupoint. The Mountain God is trying to tell us its real location."

The young Daoist Gu Chenzi was taken aback, "The Shen Cang Acupoint is an acupoint on the human body, what does it have to do with Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasure?"

The elderly Daoist gave him a glance, scolding, "That’s why I tell you to study regularly; can’t you see? The ’Examination of Acupoints Along the Meridians’ says: The Shen Cang meets two inches aside the Purple Palace, and the Purple Palace is also known as the Ziwei Constellation, which is positioned in the north!"

Saying so, he took out a compass from his bosom, glanced at it, and pointed toward a tunnel entrance on the right side, "It’s over there!"

Li Yan sniffed the air, "The scent seems to be spreading to the left, something feels off, like it’s been done on purpose, that was close."

Before he could finish speaking, another vision appeared.

The chains-bearing, funeral clothes-wearing wanderer appeared again, pointing southward.

Li Yan was exasperated, muttering, "Can’t they just come one at a time..."

Seeing Luo Mingzi looking over, he shook his head, "The Cold Altar wanderer has appeared again."

Luo Mingzi contemplated, "It must be the Hook Paper’s stimulation. When you seek the Cold Altar in the future, you may use this method to make it appear and guide you."

"Let’s go, be careful."

With that, he led his group toward the tunnel entrance on the right.

The opposing party had taken control of the Mountain God, so to prevent any accident, they all quickened their pace.

Sure enough, after traveling a hundred meters more, the Daoist skilled in listening trembled slightly in his ears and whispered, "There’s an ambush with crossbows ahead, about ten people."

Everyone heightened their vigilance and proceeded with caution.

Soon, they came to a turn that conveniently blocked their line of sight.

Luo Mingzi signaled, and the Daoist skilled in Eye Divine Power stepped forward, drew two Black Pills from his waist, ignited them, and flung them backward. They ricocheted along the corner and shot to the right side.

Puff puff puff!

The Black Pills were not explosive but burned fiercely, emitting a thick, pungent smoke and flickering with blinding white light.

Li Yan immediately closed his eyes, secretly amazed.

Dao Xuan had once told him that during the Qin and Han dynasties, the practice of seeking immortality through alchemy was popular. Although it was proven entirely unworkable through successive dynasties’ verification, numerous peculiar Magic Methods were spawned.