The Blade-Wielding Legend-Chapter 1222 - 640: Ghost Emperor’s Trail (2)

The people around Li Yan heard this and immediately showed disdain.

"Shut up!"

Before Li Yan could retort, Dan Qingzi sternly stopped him with a sharp voice and then said with a sour face, "We'll discuss this later."

After speaking, he solemnly asked Li Yan and the others, "Since you've broken the Fake Yin Bureau, have you caught the demon?"

Li Yan shook his head and said, "I don't know where it went."

"Hmm."

Dan Qingzi nodded, then looked at the red glow emerging from Jingling, "How should this be dealt with?"

Li Yan furrowed his brows slightly and shook his head, "The Six Kingdoms Demon Army is holding a stalemate with the Suihou Snake Pearl. If the pearl is broken, the demon army will emerge. If ignored, the Yuzhou Tripod will be fished out of the Dragon Vein. Either one spells a colossal calamity. I also want to ask you all what should be done."

Upon hearing his words, the Daoists of Shangqing Palace looked at each other, their faces pale.

They hadn't expected the situation to be this severe.

Especially since it involves the Nine Tripods.

The court had just mentioned this matter; if any mistake happens in their territory, the name of the orthodox sect would likely be revoked.

At this moment, no one was thinking about alchemy to please the Emperor.

Just then, the monks from Xiangshan Temple also ascended the mountain.

Although Luoyang's Buddhist and Taoist sects often clashed, no one dared act recklessly in such a situation, and they exchanged information.

"Amitabha."

The abbot from Xiangshan Temple, Master Kubu, performed a Buddhist salute and spoke to Yin Jiuge, "Honestly speaking, I have heard of your esteemed name, Elder. You are the Earth Master and are skilled at turning ominous lands into auspicious ground. Could you provide some guidance, lest the people of Luoyang suffer?"

"Humph!"

Yin Jiuge's face wasn't pleasant. Though he disdained these people, he still spoke, "If I had a solution, would I be wasting words with you?"

Next to him, Li Yan thought and spoke, "Elder, Xu Fu left behind Three Bamboo Scrolls. The path to immortality needs no heed, but he also left a Luoyang Bamboo Scroll, indicating the Fake Yin Bureau and these arrangements are closely linked to Luoyang. Perhaps the answer lies within."

Yin Jiuge shook his head and said, "The problem is, who knows where that Luoyang Bamboo Scroll has gone?"

The abbot from Xiangshan Temple, Master Kubu, was thoughtful and said, "The Earth Vein at Mang Mountain is vibrating, and the Great Buddha at the Dragon Gate Grottoes has undergone strange changes. Perhaps it's one of them."

A young Daoist from Shangqing Palace also approached Dan Qingzi and whispered, "Master, within the Three Pure Ones Hall..."

Before he could finish, Dan Qingzi's fierce gaze forced him to retreat.

Yet, the crowd wasn't foolish, so they could tell something was amiss.

Lady Pei no longer held back and sneered, "Daoist Dan Qingzi, although our Heluo Chamber of Commerce isn't part of the Mystical Sect, we are not without connections to the court. Previously, we didn't interfere with each other, but now you've caused such a big mess and want to conceal it? We'll definitely report this to the Golden Throne Hall!"

Dan Qingzi's face alternated between green and white, and he gritted his teeth before saying, "It is the 'All Heaven Five Thunder Talisman.'

"This was left by Ancestor Zhang Daoling in the past, offered before the Divine Statue of Laozi in the Three Pure Ones Hall, and is our Shangqing Palace's town sanctuary treasure."

Li Yan frowned and said, "Presumably it is related to the Dragon Vein at Mang Mountain, why would the old Daoist want to hide this?"

Dan Qingzi clearly did not want to speak, but under everyone's gaze, he could only let out a sigh and said, "This matter is truly the secret of our Taoist Temple."

"In the past, when Ancestor Zhang Daoling left this treasure, he said it was meant to suppress the evil spirits at Mang Mountain and should never be unveiled under any circumstances."

"However, during the invasion of the Golden Tent Wolf Country, one of the Ten Grandmasters of the Divine State, Chen Shoujing, the Dean of Mang Mountain Xuandu Temple, released the demon flood dragon at Yique, perishing together with the enemy. Our Ancestor assumed the 'All Heaven Five Thunder Talisman' was suppressing the demon flood dragon, so we took it down to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Golden Tent Wolf Country."

"Later, we fled to the Southern region to avoid disaster, encountering an old demon in the mountains, and used it once more..."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood.

Ancestor Zhang Daoling probably foresaw something, hence he left the Divine Talisman for suppression.

But the people of Shangqing Palace feared the treasure would be lost, so they secretly removed it.

Though it was a misunderstanding, compared to Grandmaster Chen Shoujing, the difference in stature is evident.

Xuandu Temple, originally the leader of Luoyang's Taoist sect, suffered a decline in strength after this incident and has been languishing ever since.

After returning from the Southern region, Shangqing Palace was no longer the same people as before and maneuvered secretly to become the leader of Luoyang's Taoist sect.

If this were to be revealed, it would truly damage their reputation.

"Let's go, take me to see!"

Yin Jiuge couldn't be bothered to talk more, so he spoke deeply.

Dan Qingzi, having a request of him, didn't dare put up that front, and without further ado, led everyone to Cuiyun Peak.

The thousand-year-old temple of Shangqing Palace naturally boasts beautiful scenery.

However, everyone had no interest in sightseeing and went straight to the Three Pure Ones Hall.

Looking up, they saw the hall enveloped in blood-red light, already damaged.

The nine-tiered bluestone steps in front of the hall cracked with fine lines, with strands of Yin Sha Qi seeping from the gaps.

The bronze wind chime hanging from the eaves trembled without wind, making intermittent clear sounds.

"Indeed connected to the earth vein!"

Yin Jiuge immediately spotted the anomaly, his expression heavy, and entered the grand hall.

Following him, everyone saw the gold statues of The Three Pure Ones towering on the Divine Platform within the hall, all showing issues.

The Heavenly Venerate of Primordial Beginning held the Mixed Element Pearl, enveloped in a layer of blood glow...

Lingbao Tianzun's Jade Ruyi was covered with dense cracks, and the attached Beidou Seven Stars Treasure Pearl had turned into powder...

Daode Tianzun's pill furnace was toppled over, ashes scattered, revealing darkness within...

The lights inside the hall flickered, casting the faces of the Thunder Department generals on the murals into distorted rage.

Yin Jiuge took out the Compass, walked a few steps, then suddenly raised his head, "Here is a node!"

Li Yan heard this and raised his head, immediately grasping the reason.

Only to see above the Three Pure Ones Hall, the ceiling painted with "Ziwei Dipper Twenty-Eight Stars," just like the Fake Yin Bureau.

Currently, the red paint of stars Tian Shu and Merak had long since peeled off, exposing the talismans underneath.

The talismans had all their vermilion from the engraving scooped away, and were slashed vertically and horizontally in a chaotic mess.

Yin Jiuge held up the Compass and looked towards the pill furnace on the hall's plaza, saying solemnly, "The Three Pure Ones Hall and the pill furnace outside were set up in the past; originally connected to Qin Palace and the Dragon Vein, and suppressed by Ancestor Zhang Daoling using the Divine Talisman."

"The Divine Talisman was uncovered, and here has been tampered with... Can you tell who repaired it?"

Dan Qingzi understood the gravity of the situation, dared not conceal anything, and said, "This Three Pure Ones Hall was repaired twice."

"The first time was in the Northern Song Dynasty, due to the chaos of the late Tang and the Five Dynasties, the hall was burned by a large fire, so a renowned painter of the time was invited to refurbish it."

"The second time was a few years ago, when the Daoist who was on night watch dozed off, and candle flame ignited the curtains..."

Before he could finish, Li Yan suddenly had a thought and asked sternly, "After the Three Pure Ones Hall was repaired, did any strange events occur at Mang Mountain?"

Dan Qingzi paused, "I don't know, but the records of that time are still there."

With that, he quickly ordered a disciple to bring a thick ancient book which, after careful inspection, confirmed, "Indeed, it records that in the early Northern Song Dynasty, after the Three Pure Ones Hall was built, Mang Mountain witnessed an unusual phenomenon of 'yin soldiers borrowing the road,' followed by torrential rain and a landslide that led a stone tablet to roll out..."

Golden Eye Feng interjected, "The tablet was inscribed with the four characters: 'Mystical Plot Returns to Mang!'"

Dan Qingzi was surprised, "How do you know this?"

Golden Eye Feng smiled bitterly and said, "This matter is also recorded in a rare book 'He Shuo Monster Record.' We made a scene at the Ghost Market intending to obtain this book; seemingly someone had perceived it in the past and left a record, but we were unaware."

Li Yan nodded and said, "The craftsmen back then definitely had issues."

"Impossible!"

Old Daoist Dan Qingzi quickly shook his head, "That person was one of the Ten Grandmasters during the Northern Song, and belongs to the Kong Family from Qufu. Though it's been long, 'Mr. Lan Du Kong Hui' should have been heard of by everyone?"

"Kong Hui?"

Yin Jiuge, upon hearing the name, was a bit surprised and seeing Li Yan's confusion, he explained, "This person was a grandmaster in the Northern Song Dynasty, read extensively from a young age, and even the Scriptures in the Kong Family's Library Pavilion were worn out by him, thus he was called 'Mr. Lan Du.' Later, he entered the palace and became the Imperial Tutor."

"Humph!"

Li Yan spoke coldly, "Having a big reputation doesn't mean the person doesn't have problems. Furthermore, a grandmaster going out of his way to help you repair a palace, isn't that strange to anyone?"

The people from Shangqing Palace, upon hearing this, were speechless.

"Forget it."

Li Yan shook his head, "It's been too long, let's discuss this later. Who is the other person?"

Dan Qingzi replied, "The other person is still alive, a famous painter in Luoyang City named Lu Mo, known as Master Lu."

"What?!"

Master Kubu from Xiangshan Temple exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing the crowd's gaze, sweat broke upon his forehead, and he said tremblingly, "I also hired him, to repair the Great Buddha at Dragon Gate Grottoes..."