blueteamnovel Chapter 223 Heavenly Talisman Opens, Earthly Fiends Close, Yin and Yang Unite, Five Elements Settle
Chapter 223 Heavenly Talisman Opens, Earthly Fiends Close, Yin and Yang Unite, Five Elements Settle
Chapter 223 The Heavenly Symbol Opens, the Earthly Fiends Close, Yin and Yang Unite, and the Five Elements are Settled (5400)
As soon as the three horses' hooves stepped into the gray-black miasma, a strange sound reached their ears.
It wasn't the sound of wind, nor the chirping of insects, but a deep, rhythmic buzzing sound.
It was like hundreds of flies fluttering their wings on rotting flesh, or like a huge bronze bell that had been forgotten for thousands of years emitting a long, lingering sound.
The horses were the first to feel discomfort, and their once galloping gait became disordered.
The black-maned horse snorted loudly, its front hooves rearing up high, almost throwing Lu Yuan off its back.
Lu Yuan reacted extremely quickly, squeezing the horse's belly with his legs and giving the reins a sharp jerk, managing to calm the black-maned horse down.
But the horse beneath him, which was usually extremely intelligent, was still pawing restlessly and foaming at the mouth.
Its horse-like eyes were wide open, staring intently into the darkness ahead.
Xu Erxiao's horse was completely paralyzed on one side, and no matter how much he whipped it, it refused to take another step forward.
Xu Erxiao was so anxious that he was covered in sweat. He jumped off his horse and pulled hard on the reins to drag it forward.
The horse seemed to be nailed to the ground, remaining completely still, and instead let out a mournful neigh.
It was as if something in front of it was causing it extreme fear.
"Brother Lu, this horse—it can't move anymore!"
Xu Erxiao panicked.
Wang Chengan also dismounted. His horse wasn't paralyzed, but its four legs were trembling. It stood still, snorting incessantly, its tail tucked tightly between its legs, and it was no longer obedient to him.
Lu Yuan dismounted, patted the black-maned horse's neck, and whispered, "Beasts are intelligent; they smelled something they shouldn't have."
He glanced back at Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan, and said in a deep voice, "We can't ride horses for the rest of the journey."
"Tie the horses to those old elm trees at the valley entrance, take your gear, and walk in."
The three men tied up the horses, and the usually spirited steeds were now as docile as a few frightened rabbits, huddled together and only calmed down slightly when they leaned against the crooked old elm trees.
Lu Yuan walked at the front, his right hand already gripping the peach wood sword on his back.
The talisman on the sword sheath glowed faintly in the darkness, emitting a pale blue light that forced a narrow path through the miasma three feet in front of him.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan followed closely behind, each clutching a "talisman for warding off evil" that they had drawn long ago, their foreheads already beaded with cold sweat.
The further you go in, the stronger the stench of decay and sulfur becomes, making your throat dry and itchy.
The ground beneath my feet was no longer hard soil, but soft and sticky, feeling like stepping on a thick layer of rotting flesh.
Looking down, I saw the ground covered with black dead leaves and fragments of unknown animal bones.
Some remaining hair and bone fragments were mixed together, gleaming with a faint oily sheen in the dim light.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
No longer a narrow valley crevice, but a depression surrounded by three dark cliffs.
This should be the heart of Yerengou, the legendary "mass grave".
A dense, almost tangible aura of yin energy rushed towards him, like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head in winter, causing Xu Erxiao to shiver involuntarily.
Lu Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks, his pupils contracting sharply.
Ten feet ahead of him, in the very center of that depression, a willow tree suddenly grew.
The willow tree wasn't big, only a little over a person's height. Its trunk was crooked and twisted, like a coiled black snake, with cracked bark revealing its blackened interior.
The strangest thing is its branches, which hang down one by one, slender and supple, and are a tender green, with a touch of the delicacy of spring branches in February.
In this mass grave filled with withered bones and shrouded in gray-black miasma, this patch of green stands out starkly and seems utterly out of place.
It was as if someone had forcefully shoved a breath of life into the chest of a dead person.
The willow branches swayed without wind, not in the way of a mountain breeze, but like living things, gently twisting and turning slowly.
It carried an extremely unnatural rhythm, like breathing, or like beckoning to Lu Yuan and the other two.
"willow--"
Wang Cheng'an gasped, his voice trembling slightly: "How could any willow tree possibly survive in this godforsaken place?"
Lu Yuan interrupted him directly, saying, "It's not alive."
Lu Yuan's voice was as cold as ice: "It was 'drawn out'."
In feng shui, willow trees are considered yin and have a fondness for water. They are often planted on graves or riverbanks to "summon the soul and guide the spirit," giving the deceased a place to rest.
But this tree is different; it shouldn't be in a desolate, shady place, much less in the center of a mass grave littered with corpses.
According to ancient methods, the terrain here should be "surrounded by mountains on three sides and open on one side, where yin energy gathers and cannot be released."
It resembles a huge "overlap," which is what Feng Shui refers to as a "dead and barren land."
But right in the middle of this "deadly land", a willow tree was planted!
The willow tree that took root and sprouted drew not water from the ground, but the resentment and malevolent energy accumulated over a hundred years in the mass grave!
"This is a 'willow wood pierced through the heart' (a type of wood carving)."
Lu Yuan spoke slowly, his voice echoing in the deathly silent valley: "Someone deliberately planted a living willow at the core of this mass grave, allowing it to absorb all the Yin energy from the ground!"
"Then the roots penetrate the ground, continuously drawing the evil energy to the surface, and then releasing it through the willow branches."
"This willow tree is like a 'soul-summoning banner,' stirring up the resentment throughout the entire Savage Valley, like a pot of boiling water, ready to explode at any moment."
Xu Erxiao felt a chill run down his spine: "Then—then should we chop it down?"
Lu Yuan immediately shook his head, his gaze sweeping around the willow tree: "It can't be cut down."
"The willow tree's roots are already intertwined with the bones and formations underground. Cutting it down will be like igniting a fuse!!"
"The Yin energy underground will instantly go out of control and gush out."
"At that time, not only the three of us, but the entire area within a hundred miles will suffer."
Wang Chengan took out a compass, which was no longer spinning wildly, but pointing in a fixed direction.
The pointer pointed directly beneath the willow tree, trembling slightly, as if issuing a warning.
"Brother Lu, there's something under this tree."
Wang Chengan lowered his voice.
Lu Yuan nodded. He didn't rush to approach the willow tree, but instead turned his gaze to the right side of the willow tree.
There, on the edge of the depression, clinging to the dark cliff, stood a crooked wooden hut.
The wooden house was in a terrible state of disrepair, with most of the roof collapsed.
A few rotten logs stood haphazardly, and the wooden planks on the wall had long been eroded by wind and rain, turning black and cracking, revealing dark, hollow holes inside.
The wooden door hinges were rusted shut, and it was half-open, with a string of dusty copper coins hanging at the entrance.
When the wind blows, it makes a tinkling sound, sharp and piercing.
The strangest thing is the location of this wooden house, which is right at the "White Tiger Draws Its Blade" position in the depression.
In a terrain surrounded by mountains on three sides, wherever spiritual energy gathers, there will be the four guardians of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.
This dilapidated wooden house was built precisely in the most inauspicious position within an inauspicious location, on the right side of the White Tiger's mouth!
This is the location of the "White Tiger Carrying a Corpse"!
The wooden house was like a wedge, firmly driven into the White Tiger position of the formation!
The evil energy of the White Tiger, which should have been guarding the area, was trapped inside the wooden house, unable to circulate or dissipate, and could only accumulate and expand continuously.
The wooden house exists not to "suppress" but to "imprison".
If a guest comes in, they will be trapped and unable to get out.
Once the malevolent energy enters, it cannot escape either.
"What on earth is that thing the Liu family is raising in their evil god's shrine?!"
Xu Erxiao swallowed hard, his voice dry. "This layout is too ruthless! A willow tree piercing the heart, a wooden house imprisoning evil spirits—it's like they've used the entire Savage Valley to worship an evil god!!"
Lu Yuan did not answer; his gaze fell on the open wooden door of the cabin.
You can vaguely see a dark mass inside, which looks like a human figure or a pile of miscellaneous items.
Just then, a gust of cold wind blew by, and the wooden door creaked open, opening a little wider.
The string of copper coins by the door clattered, and a few coins fell off, rolling and jingling at Lu Yuan's feet.
Lu Yuan looked down and saw that the copper coin that had fallen to his feet was faintly glowing, not the color of the coin itself.
Instead, it emitted a very faint, phosphorescent green glow.
"Brother Lu, this place is so big, the things kept in it must be incredibly evil. Can we handle it?"
Xu Erxiao, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but swallow and looked at Lu Yuan to ask.
Xu Erxiao had no doubt about Lu Yuan's strength; his brother Lu was incredibly capable.
While they may be formidable, it doesn't mean we have to confront them head-on.
The situation here is so strange right now, it wouldn't be good to get injured if we insisted on going through with it!
Moreover, last night, when the three of them were chatting in the house, Xu Erxiao also learned about what happened at the Liu family's house that day, and that Lu Yuan had just recovered.
To Xu Erxiao's words, Lu Yuan simply replied, "Don't worry."
The evil god here is certainly powerful, but the previous encounter with the evil god was somewhat embarrassing because of insufficient preparation.
For example, last time, when the evil mother and son gods appeared in the back mountain, they didn't even have time to set up an altar. They had to rush to meet the enemy, so they were naturally in a bit of a mess.
But this time, coming prepared is naturally different.
not to mention--
Lu Yuan is not the same Lu Yuan as before. The current Lu Yuan is also very capable!
Of course, Lu Yuan didn't necessarily have to force the issue.
The main problem is that things have already turned out this way; something bad has happened, the evil energy has leaked out, and Lu Yuan is afraid it will be too late.
Another thing is—
I felt the jade pendant on my chest.
Uh--
There's nothing I can do!
I didn't want it, but Qingwan insisted on giving it to me. What can I do? Can Lu Yuan just disappear?
Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan nodded immediately after hearing Lu Yuan's words.
Finally, the three of them cautiously made their way into the Savage Gully once again.
The three of them bypassed the "soul-guiding willow" and continued their journey deeper into the depression.
Dark, steep cliffs closed in on both sides, and the decaying soil beneath our feet grew increasingly soft, each step feeling like walking on decades of death.
Suddenly, Xu Erxiao called out in a low voice, "Brother Lu, look over there—"
Lu Yuan looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a strange tree growing in the shadow of the valley wall.
The trunk is milky white and covered with strange, wart-like protrusions, like eyes blinking slightly.
The branches were twisted so nauseatingly that they stretched out in all directions but never touched the ground.
Lu Yuan crouched down, took out his compass, and examined it closely: "This is a 'White Bone Pine.' This tree often grows in places where yin energy is extremely strong; it is yin and extremely evil."
Xu Erxiao swallowed hard: "Yin and extremely evil—what does that mean?"
Lu Yuan said in a deep voice, "The white bone pine absorbs the essence of the dead, and its branches stretch outward like arms, not only consolidating the energy, but also acting as a watchdog for intruders."
"If you encounter this kind of tree in Feng Shui, it means that there are a lot of restless souls underground, and someone is secretly controlling the Yin energy and weaving them into an array."
Wang Cheng'an leaned closer for a look, and a chill ran down his spine: "Then isn't it—also part of the formation?"
Lu Yuan nodded: "That's right."
"The entire valley is set up with formations, and the trees are not just living things; they are the core of the formation."
"The willow tree that guides the soul absorbs evil, the white bone pine tree monitors, and the wooden house imprisons evil—this is the complete structure for worshipping evil gods."
The three continued on and found a patch of bluish-gray shrubs at the foot of the cliff on their left.
The shrub has strange branches and leaves, with the tips of the leaves slightly curled, as if it is absorbing the yin energy in the air.
Lu Yuan approached, gently broke off a leaf with his hand, and examined it carefully in his palm.
"This is the 'Devil's Claw Vine,' which, according to folklore, can capture a person's soul and cause them to lose their way."
Lu Yuan frowned and said, "Its location is not just for decoration; it's part of the outer ring of the maze, designed to distract intruders."
Xu Erxiao's voice trembled with nervousness: "No wonder I felt dizzy and lightheaded the further I went in—the more the world spun around me."
Lu Yuan nodded: "This is not an illusion."
"The valley is inherently a place of 'death and extinction,' where yin energy is concentrated. In addition, the ghost claw vine interferes with divine sense. Ordinary people will get lost or even be trapped if they enter."
The three of them walked along the narrow path through the decaying soil. Lu Yuan silently recited the incantation for the formation while carefully observing the surrounding terrain.
His gaze fell on a low-lying muddy area between the willow tree and the wooden house in the center of the valley.
On the muddy ground, fragments of withered bones were arranged in an irregular spiral, subtly resembling the "Black Tortoise Spiral Array".
"Black Tortoise Spinning Formation—"
Lu Yuan muttered to himself, his gaze deep: "The place with the strongest Yin energy is right at the center of this vortex formation."
He crouched down, took out his peach wood sword, and gently tapped it on the muddy ground, listening to the echo.
The tapping sound was sometimes low and sometimes crisp, like there was a hollow in the mud, or like someone humming softly.
Lu Yuan frowned, sensing a strong Yin energy rushing towards his dantian.
"here--"
Lu Yuan slowly stood up, his voice low and firm: "This is the core of the evil god's sanctuary, the place with the heaviest yin energy."
"Willow trees, white-boned pines, ghost claw vines, wooden houses, withered bone spirals—the whole layout points to this place."
"As long as we can stabilize the energy of the formation and not disturb the core of the formation, we can find the true place where the Yin spirits are nourished."
Xu Erxiao shook his hand, gripping the talisman tightly: "Brother Lu, this—this place is too eerie, are we really going in?"
Lu Yuan looked around at the rotten soil, miasma, and twisted trees, and the peach wood sword in his hand slowly glowed with a blue light: "We need to find the core of the Yin energy first in order to break the evil god offering pattern in Savage Valley."
As he spoke, he gestured for the two to stop and whispered a protective incantation.
The talisman flashed, separating the three people from the yin energy.
The miasma in the valley seemed to be suppressed, but the branches of the willow trees in the distance still swayed slowly, as if spying on their every move.
Lu Yuan slowly walked towards the center of the spiral of withered bones, his steps steady, each step seemingly treading on the veins of a feng shui formation.
He closed his eyes and, relying on experience and intuition, sensed the flow of yin energy:
The willow tree draws the spirits of the dead upwards, the white bone pine monitors the position, the ghost claw vine disrupts consciousness, and the wooden house imprisons evil spirits.
All the malevolent energy converged in one place, forming a huge vortex.
Lu Yuan took a deep breath, gently reached out and touched the soil. With a thought, he vaguely sensed a dark power stirring beneath.
It was as if countless ghosts were waiting to be awakened.
"This is it."
Lu Yuan said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with determination: "The point with the heaviest Yin energy in the evil god's shrine in Savage Valley is right under my feet."
Lu Yuan squatted down, placed the peach wood sword in his hand on the center of the withered bone spiral, and chanted the incantation in a low voice: "Heavenly Talisman opens, Earthly Fiend closes, Yin and Yang unite, Five Elements are settled."
The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—are mutually reinforcing and interacting to determine the formation.
Willow leads the soul, pine monitors, vine leads astray, house imprisons evil.
"With the sword's energy flowing, ghosts dare not approach, and evil spirits find it difficult to emerge."
The talisman shimmered with a blue light in his hand, the radiance slowly spreading along the spiraling, withered bones.
Lu Yuan's voice was steady and powerful, each incantation sounding like a tap on the spiritual veins of the valley, instantly suppressing the deep humming sound.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an gripped the hilt of their peach wood swords tightly, gazing at the slowly swaying willow branches around them: "Then—how are we going to stabilize the core of the formation?"
Lu Yuan's eyes were sharp as he continued to chant another incantation in a low voice: "The Yin Qi swirls, following the sword back; the mind remains undisturbed, the steps are firm."
White pine, entwined with vines, willow piercing through the heart, it's irresistible.
The Three Elements Protect the Dharma, the Four Symbols are in their proper places, the Black Tortoise guards the bottom, the Azure Dragon protects the front, the Vermilion Bird spreads its wings, and the White Tiger keeps its mouth shut.
When heaven and man are in harmony, the talisman moves with the form, and the qi flows freely, evil spirits find it difficult to escape.
As the incantation rose and fell, the eerie wind in the valley seemed to be drawn by the sword light and the incantation, and the swirling eerie energy subsided slightly.
The willow branches no longer bared their claws, but slowly drooped down, as if observing the three people's actions.
Lu Yuan slowly sheathed his peach wood sword, his gaze sweeping over the withered bone spiral and the willow tree with a deep look.
The cold wind howled softly in the valley, as if reminding them not to act rashly.
"Don't do anything for now."
Lu Yuan said in a low voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan were stunned, puzzled: "Brother Lu, you're so close, why don't you just make a move?"
Lu Yuan squatted down, his fingers gently tracing the soil as if sensing the surging energy underground: "Although the yin energy here is temporarily suppressed, the energy of the place where the evil god is worshipped is not yet stable."
"If we act now, before the Yin energy has fully solidified, we might accidentally trigger the core of the array, such as the Willow Wood Piercing Heart or the White Bone Pine, which could actually activate the reverse energy."
Lu Yuan paused, then looked up towards the southwest. "The principle of yin and yang alternation here will only be understood at dusk."
"At dusk, as the sun sets, the yang energy weakens and the yin energy begins to emerge."
"The critical moment when Yin and Yang meet is what is called 'twilight conjunction' in Taoist practice, which is the time when the Qi of Heaven and Earth changes."
"By casting the spell at this time, we can use the power of Yin and Yang in nature to suppress the Yin energy of the place where the evil god is worshipped. At the same time, the formations and talismans we set up can stabilize the energy to the greatest extent possible."
"If you take action in the morning or at noon, the yang energy is strong and the yin energy is weak, and the evil spirits have not yet taken shape, making it easier to be attacked by the evil spirits."
Lu Yuan then straightened up, his gaze falling once more on the spiral of withered bones between the willow tree and the wooden house: "The protective spell I cast just now only temporarily slowed the spread of the Yin energy, creating a temporary barrier."
"The true methods of offense and defense, and the way to break the deadlock, can only be effective when yin and yang are in transition and the killing energy is concentrated."
He turned to the two of them and said, "Let's find a safe place to rest now, regulate our energy, and prepare to set up the formation at dusk."
In the valley, besides the deep humming sound, there was also the distant, deep sound of the wind sweeping across the cliffs, like the echo of an ancient bronze bell, which made people's hearts tremble.
Lu Yuan led the two carefully along the edge of the depression to find a place to rest.
"remember."
Lu Yuan whispered a warning: "You must not leave the protective aura even for a moment, otherwise even the temporarily suppressed Yin energy will still enter your mind through the willow branch piercing your heart!"
"It can cause hallucinations, disorientation, or even poisoning and entry into the battle."
Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan nodded repeatedly and stood still, holding their breath.
Lu Yuan took out the talisman from his pocket and carefully checked whether the handwriting on the talisman was complete and whether the incantation was leaking.
The wind in the valley gradually subsided, and the yin energy seemed to be absorbed by the talisman, with a faint, eerie light flickering at the center of the swirling spiral of withered bones.
Although the willow branches drooped slowly, they still swayed gently as if they were alive, seemingly observing the three people's every move.
"Set up the altar first, and do it this evening!"