Chapter 1567: Chapter 797: Acting Separately (2)

South of Jinling City, a desolate and abandoned wasteland.

Kong Shangzhao, Fatty Lin, and a team of elite members personally selected by Qiu Mingyuan from the Captain Bureau, are swiftly moving through muddy and dark alleys amidst the pouring rain.

The rainwater washes over the broken walls, and the earth mixed with a decaying scent assaults their senses.

Their target is the key location found by Kong Shangzhao during the day.

The ancient ruins of the Dragon-locking Well beside the old course of Rouge River.

Qiu Mingyuan, having already been briefed on the situation during the journey, is now filled with gloom.

Though the incident dates back to the Great Song Period, both the Captain Bureau and the Law Enforcement Hall have skilled hands adept in criminal investigation, yet it wasn’t discovered until now, indicating someone has been covering it up.

No wonder before coming to Jinling, Pei Zongti lamented to him that although the Great Xuan Dynasty has been in power for a century, appearing prosperous, it is riddled with festering sores, let alone some chronic issues of the previous Great Xing Dynasty which remained due to forces defecting at that time.

Now, they have begun to erupt gradually.

Suddenly, the emperor’s cold expression before leaving surfaced in Qiu Mingyuan’s mind.

And another group operating secretly...

He shivered, vaguely deducing the emperor’s intentions.

After this, Jinling might bring misfortune to the entire Jiangnan officialdom...

"It’s here!"

The voice interrupted Qiu Mingyuan’s thoughts.

Kong Shangzhao wiped the rain from his face and pointed ahead at a bottomless ancient well surrounded by a low stone railing.

The well’s mouth is pressed by a heavy, moss-covered basalt, entwined with faded, decayed, yet still sinister dark red silk remnants. The ground around the well faintly reveals complex and eerie rune carvings.

Despite being eroded by time, it still exudes an unsettling cold aura.

"The Earth Vein Map shows this as the node of the Xun Position auxiliary vein for the ’Fire Separation Locking Yin Formation,’ also the ’live knot’ left by Zhao Changsheng. We discovered during the day that many locals had set up tea stalls nearby; we’re not sure if they have any informants, hence the curfew..."

Kong Shangzhao spoke while crouching down, carefully distinguishing the runes revealed after being washed by rainwater. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

He frowned: "The ’red line measuring the well, finding black jade’ in Cheng Hao’s notes refers to this! There’s something strange inside the well, and the place has been abandoned, indicating someone has been meddling..."

"Move!"

Qiu Mingyuan hissed sharply, and the Captain Bureau powerful warriors immediately stepped forward.

This basalt is enormous, not something easily moved by a dozen ordinary people, but they were prepared, and with a series of clanking sounds, they hammered the basalt with crowbars and iron hammers, chiseling out cracks.

The simple explosive device designed by Kuai Dayou was cautiously placed in the crevice of the rock.

"Boom!"

A muffled explosion sounded in the rainy night, not too piercing to the ears but remarkably effective.

The heavy basalt was blasted open at one corner, revealing the deep and bone-chilling well mouth below.

A thick, nauseating scent mixed with water, filthy, rose to the sky.

Woo~

The yin wind howled, causing the rainwater to suspend.

Once the filthy atmosphere dissipated, Kong Shangzhao advanced with a torch.

But barely two steps closer, his face changed slightly, retreating quickly, "Quick, keep the torch away!"

Qiu Mingyuan also smelled something wrong, his expression turning grim:

"Kerosene? Seems it’s right here!"

.......

Almost simultaneously as the Dragon-locking Well was forcibly broken, outside the city on the turbulent Qinhuai Outer River, several warships bearing the Captain Bureau insignia, temporarily reinforced, struggled to anchor in the designated waters amidst the storm.

The ship’s lights were controlled, emitting a sense of somberness.

Sha Lifei, soaked to the skin, covered the firearms in his hands with oilcloth.

Behind him on the deck, rows of massive crossbow beds stood.

The boxes at the rear contained the "Blast Fire Crow" hurriedly crafted by him and Kuai Dayou.

These devices pack significant punch, with an intense range, but require the crossbow beds for launching, needing the navy’s assistance.

Sha Lifei had full confidence in this newly crafted firearm.

Beside him, Wu Ba stands like a mountain on the ship’s bow deck, holding the Tiger-Squat Cannon. Long Yan’er, eyes closed, brings all her formidable Gu worms. Kuai Dayou meticulously checks the "Blast Fire Crow," ensuring no crucial missteps.

Additionally, the Jinling Mysterious Sect, Tiger Gate Order, and others sent support cultivators from Maoshan, prepared for action.

Though distanced from the Twelve Primordial Spirits, they dare not act recklessly at such a moment, especially due to Zhou Yinyao’s influence and the soon-to-arrive Jiangnan Mysterious Sect Leader and other sects.

Presuming their status might lead them to become a laughingstock of the Mystical Sect.

In the distance, several navy warships equipped with new-style cannons awaited.

In other words, this force is enough to assault Tai Lake.

However, Sha Lifei was still restless, pacing back and forth, his gaze fixed intently on the depths of the dark river surface.

"Coward, not a single movement!"

"Where exactly has Brother Yan gone?"

The atmosphere on the boat was heavy, almost suffocating, everyone was staring hard at the river surface.

Everyone knew their operation was contingent upon Li Yan entering the "Red Silk House" and finding a chance to send a signal.

However, facing the Netherworld with at least two Earth Immortals stationed, could Li Yan accomplish it alone?

How would the signal be transmitted?

Everything was unknown.

Cold rain pounded the deck, also striking the tense chords of everyone’s hearts.

The only thing they could do was wait quietly in the boundless darkness and storm...

......

The rain fell like a curtain, the Qinhuai River water surged in the darkness.

Li Yan was enveloped in a faint mist, ghostly light in his agility, treading the murky river surface, closely tailing the elusive misty figure ahead, the wind howled, leaving behind ripples.

His current "North Emperor Divine Travel Technique" was as swift as land-flown among ordinary men.

However, the figure ahead remained elusive, always maintaining a consistent distance.

The wind and rain constantly pounded his face, yet Li Yan’s eyes were sharp like knives, unwavering.

Soon, a sudden change occurred.

Thick white fog inexplicably rose all around the river surface.

This fog was not condensed water vapor, more like it had life, seeping out from the water surface and the reeds on the shore, carrying a scent of corpse stench, swiftly engulfing, in no time swallowing Li Yan along with the figure ahead.

The light was completely blocked, vision reached no more than a few feet ahead.

The sound of the river, the noise of raindrops, even the faint chirping of insects on the shore were instantly isolated.

The whole world fell into a thick, suffocating silence.

Only the sound of his feet splashing on the water reminded him he was still rushing across the river.

Illusion Technique?

Illusion Array?

Li Yan frowned slightly, unable to guess what kind of magic method this was.

Yet the Hook Paper in his arms faintly heated, alerting him that the figure ahead was a yin criminal.

"Follow..."

The voice from the misty figure rang again, clearly an old woman.

Then, the misty figure vanished into thin air.

At this moment, a faint light emerged in the depths of the thick fog.

It was a solitary Red Lantern, suddenly floating on the murky river surface, emitting ominous red light.

The lantern was not static, but moved forward slowly, silently.

Li Yan’s eyes narrowed, his vigilance instantly heightened.

Without hesitation, Water Escape Power flowed beneath his feet, and his figure pursued the red light.

No matter what dragons and tigers lay ahead, Wang Daoxuan and Lv San were inside, he had no choice.

Following the red lantern through the thick fog, Li Yan sniffed, his brows furrowing slightly.

His keen Smell Superpower detected a subtle change.

The surrounding smell changed!

No longer the muddy scent of Qinhuai River water after rain, nor the mixed aroma of Jinling City’s smoke.

But a kind of indescribable, ancient and decayed odor.

Mingled with the sickly sweetness of inferior cosmetics, the musty smell of aged silk, and the sour and rancid mix of sweat and wine.

A bit like a brothel, combined with a bone-chilling earthy stench.

"Is this a Secret Realm?"

Li Yan sensed something, yet greater doubts surged in his mind.

Every Secret Realm he had visited before was a space between the Daluo Law Realm and reality, similar to a projection space, where the flesh couldn’t enter, only souls could travel within, which was extremely dangerous.

He planned to use this to negotiate, having the opponent hand over the flesh bodies of Wang Daoxuan and Lv San first.

Yet here the flesh wasn’t obstructed, as if merely walking from one door into another.

This kind of situation had never been encountered before...