436: Let's head back! Fu Yuan Temple!

Chapter 428: Heading Back Home! Fu Yuan Temple!

Lu Xuan’s fingertips traced the five cinnabar characters, “True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire.” The touch carried a subtle, almost imperceptible warmth, as if tiny sparks lay dormant deep within the paper.

His heart stirred. What the Old Daoist Priest said about it being an “Incomplete Manual” might not have been entirely an excuse; this scripture indeed held some secrets.

Subsequently, Lu Xuan ignored the Old Daoist Priest’s terrified and complex gaze, and also couldn't be bothered with the Old Daoist Priest’s Junior Brother, whose temple was still bruised from the gun barrel and who dared not breathe loudly.

He casually opened the scripture. Indeed, as the Old Daoist Priest had said, the pages were extremely thin, only a mere five of them.

On them were several strangely structured Talisman patterns drawn with cinnabar, accompanied by concise incantations and Qi Circulation routes. The last few pages clearly showed signs of being torn off.

Lu Xuan’s gaze was like lightning, swiftly scanning the Talismans.

“Gathering Yang Talisman” draws the essence of sunlight to generate a faint Yang Fire; “Exorcism Talisman” has a restraining effect on Yin and foul entities; “Burning Yin Talisman” is slightly more powerful, requiring one’s own vital Qi to activate, capable of scorching Evil Qi.

The last one, “Yang Yan Body Protection Incantation,” was not a drawn Talisman, but a method to instantly mobilize the Yang Qi within the body to form a protective shield, though it required the highest Foundation.

To Lu Xuan, these Talismanic Incantations were crude, simple, and even incomplete. If one were to Cultivate them step-by-step, it would be difficult to succeed even once out of ten attempts at drawing a Talisman, and their power was limited.

But what he wanted was not to follow the steps precisely.

His consciousness sank into his mind; the empty System panel still floated there.

The yellowed ancient book in his hand showed no miraculous phenomenon of glowing brightly, but the System panel in his mind instantly changed.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (Seventh Life)

Realm: None

Cultivation Technique: True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire (Incomplete)

Points: 0

Lu Xuan casually tossed the yellowed Incomplete Manual of the “True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire” back to the Old Daoist Priest, his action as casual as throwing back a useless trinket.

The Old Daoist Priest fumbled to catch it, hugging it tightly as if it were a lost-and-found treasure, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

The Marshal actually returned the Legacy Cultivation Technique that the temple regarded as its lifeblood?

However, Lu Xuan’s next words immediately tensed his recently relaxed nerves again.

“Tell this Marshal about this Ancient Tomb. What are the views of your Fu Yuan Temple people?” Lu Xuan’s voice was very calm.

His eyes slowly swept over the Old Daoist Priest and the two Middle-aged Daoists beside him, “Remember, don’t lie to me. People will die.”

The last few words were light and airy, but they sent a shiver down the Old Daoist Priest’s spine. The scene of the gun barrel pressed against his Junior Brother’s temple was still vivid in his mind.

He had no doubt that this unpredictable and decisive Marshal would absolutely follow through on his words.

With that thought, the Old Daoist Priest took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart, and began to carefully organize his words.

“Marshal, please understand, this humble Daoist… this humble Daoist dares not conceal anything. This ‘White Tiger Carrying Corpse’ formation is extremely dangerous, far exceeding ordinary tombs.

Great General Weiyuan’s choice of this location back then was by no means solely for buried treasures. His ambition… is probably as this Fellow Daoist just said, to achieve Immortal Ascension through corpse liberation, transforming into a ‘Corporeal Corpse.’”

After speaking, he pointed to the dark red stone mound and the deep fissure ahead.

“Marshal, look at that stone mound. Its color is like congealed blood, an ‘Evil Bait’ formed by the Evil Qi of this place accumulating for over a hundred years.

And that fissure was not naturally formed. This humble Daoist speculates that Great General Weiyuan used the ‘Earth-Breaking Nail’ technique back then to forcibly pierce through the earth veins, drawing deeper levels of Nine Nether Yin Evil and Earth Fire Evil Qi upwards, merging with the White Tiger Evil Qi, forming an extremely bizarre ‘Yin and Yang Reverse Evil.’”

At this point, the Old Daoist Priest glanced at Lu Xuan. Seeing that he seemed to be listening, his spirits lifted slightly, and he explained in detail.

“Ordinary Evil Qi is either extremely Yin and cold, or extremely Yang and fierce. But the Evil Qi here, due to the forced fusion of White Tiger Evil Qi (governing metal and slaughter), Nine Nether Yin Evil (governing Yin and deathly stillness), and Earth Fire Evil Qi (governing Yang and violence), has become chaotic in Yin and Yang.”

“If ordinary people stay here for a long time without protective methods, their vital Qi will decline, and their minds will become confused.

And the mechanisms and traps in the tomb, as well as the possible ‘Tomb Guardians,’ have probably all been nourished by this Evil Qi, becoming extremely troublesome.”

“Furthermore,” the Old Daoist Priest lowered his voice, “according to the records of the temple’s Seniors observing from afar in earlier years, every full moon night, there are often abnormal phenomena of ‘Yin Soldiers passing through’ near this General Mountain.

Without a doubt, these should be the vengeful souls of the soldiers and generals who were buried with Great General Weiyuan! Affected by the Yin and Yang Reverse Evil, they are probably ten times more ferocious than ordinary wandering ghosts!”

After saying all this, the Old Daoist Priest deeply bowed his head, not daring to look at Lu Xuan again.

His words were seventy percent truth and thirty percent speculation based on records, almost fully revealing Fu Yuan Temple’s understanding of this place, hoping only to secure a glimmer of survival in front of this formidable Marshal.

Lu Xuan listened quietly, his gaze once again cast towards the ominous lair of the “White Tiger Carrying Corpse,” his fingers slowly stroking the gun holster at his waist.

Yin and Yang Reverse Evil? Yin Soldiers passing through?

How interesting. These ghostly things in this Mortal World shouldn’t disappoint him, right?

The danger of this tomb was far beyond ordinary Ancient Tombs, but for Lu Xuan, who needed to acquire “points,” none of that was a problem.

Lu Xuan’s lips curved into a cold arc, then he ordered, “Adjutant!”

“Marshal, I’m here!” The shifty-eyed Adjutant, who had been standing beside Lu Xuan, immediately bowed and responded, perking up his ears, ready to listen to the detailed instructions for entering the tomb.

“Pass down the order. Have the brothers withdraw to Ping'an Town first. We will return in a few days.”

Ping'an Town was only thirty li away, not far; it would be about an hour’s drive.

Moreover, Fu Yuan Temple was also there, which would be perfect for him to verify his idea.

Ah?

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was stunned, their astonished gazes uniformly focused on Lu Xuan. Even the three Daoists, who had thought they were doomed, were no exception.

A trace of unbelievable surprise flashed in the Old Daoist Priest’s cloudy eyes. He secretly thought, could it be… could it be that his words about the Ancient Tomb’s danger just now really deterred this lawless warlord?

Ancestral Master bless us!

The Feng Shui Advisor beside him also stood dumbfounded, his mouth slightly agape, almost thinking he had misheard.

The Marshal had mobilized such a large force, bringing almost all his assets to the foot of General Mountain. The formation was set, guns were pointed at the Daoists’ heads, and the Cultivation Technique was forced out. Now… now they were just going to head back home?

Come back in a few days? What kind of act was this?

“Ma-Marshal?” The Adjutant cautiously confirmed, suspecting he had misunderstood.

Lu Xuan gave him a faint glance, his eyes calm and unruffled, which instantly made the Adjutant swallow all his questions.

“Didn’t hear clearly?” Lu Xuan’s tone remained calm.

“Heard clearly! Heard clearly!” The Adjutant snapped to attention, straightened his back, and bellowed at the soldiers still waiting behind him, “Marshal’s order! All assemble, withdraw to Ping'an Town! Quick! Everyone move it!”

Although full of doubts, military orders were like mountains. Thousands of soldiers still moved swiftly, packing up equipment and lining up, ready to set off.

Lu Xuan no longer paid attention to everyone’s reactions. His gaze once again swept over the dark red stone mound and the deep fissure.

The reason for withdrawing to Ping'an Town was, of course, not that Lu Xuan was scared by the Old Daoist Priest’s words.

On the contrary, the Old Daoist Priest’s description of “Yin Soldiers passing through” made him even more eager for this place.

This was a large amount of System points.

It was just that the current Lu Xuan was willing but unable, only able to watch idly.

Because the “True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire” was only an Incomplete Manual, and the points on the System panel were insufficient, preventing him from immediately perfecting and deducing this True Scripture.

Forcibly entering the tomb, with the power he currently possessed, might be effective against some physical ghostly entities.

But if he truly encountered the “Corporeal Corpse” nourished by “Yin and Yang Reverse Evil” for over a hundred years, or groups of Ghost “Yin Soldiers,”

Even if he brought these several thousand soldiers, he would probably suffer heavy losses, or even lose his life. This was not the situation Lu Xuan wanted.

He needed more preparation.

Since Fu Yuan Temple in Ping'an Town possessed a genuine skill like the “True Scripture of Yang Flame Talisman Fire,” it must have Magical Artifacts for suppressing those ghostly things.

His intention to “verify his idea” was to thoroughly scour Fu Yuan Temple’s Legacy and see if he could find methods to eliminate these ghostly entities.

“Come back in a few days…”

Lu Xuan was determined to obtain this General Tomb, but he would never be so reckless as to lead a group of cannon fodder to their deaths.

He turned and walked towards the military car parked at the foot of the mountain, while instructing the Adjutant, who was following him closely, “Don’t forget to invite these three ‘experts’ into the car as well, to return to town together. This Marshal still has small questions to ask them.”

The convoy raised dust as it slowly drove away from the continuous, haze-shrouded General Mountain range.

About an hour later, the outline of a sizable town appeared on the horizon.

Ping'an Town is large, one of the biggest towns in the surrounding counties.

It is conveniently located at the junction of several counties, with easy access to both land and water transportation, naturally becoming a hub for trade within a hundred-mile radius.

Although named a "town," its prosperity is almost comparable to some smaller county seats.

At the town entrance, there was a wooden checkpoint, where several soldiers in light blue military uniforms, holding old rifles, stood listlessly.

However, the atmosphere at the town entrance today was completely different.

The mayor, who had received news in advance, along with several wealthy merchants from Ping'an Town, had already brought their retainers and servants, anxiously waiting here.

From afar, seeing the conspicuous "Lu" banner on the lead vehicle of the convoy, everyone immediately straightened their clothes, put on humble and fearful smiles, and hurried forward to greet them.

Who didn't know that this Commander Lu was the great warlord who controlled Lin'nan County and Lin'dong County, with his territory bordering Ping'an Town?

Although Ping'an Town, due to its special geographical location and commercial status, temporarily maintained a delicate independence, everyone knew that if this neighbor, who held significant military power, sneezed, Ping'an Town would tremble.

In chaotic times, people were worse than dogs, lives were like grass, and life and death were in the hands of powerful warlord leaders; they were truly local emperors.

Therefore, the prominent families and notable individuals in Ping'an Town usually had to carefully serve Lu Xuan's original body, fearing that he might suddenly erupt and find an excuse to "take over" the town.

"Welcome back, Commander Lu!" The mayor, a thin middle-aged man in a silk gown, was the first to bow.

The merchants behind him also followed suit, bowing with fawning smiles.

Lu Xuan sat in the car, not even rolling down the window, merely casting a indifferent glance at the group through the glass, then nodded slightly to his adjutant.

The adjutant understood, leaned out, and impatiently waved his hand: "Alright, alright, the Commander is tired and needs to return to his mansion to rest. Everyone disperse! Don't block the way!"

"Yes, yes, yes! The Commander has worked hard!" The mayor and others felt as if they had received a great pardon, quickly cleared the way, and bowed as they watched the convoy rumble into town, not daring to show any resentment.

The scene inside the town was like two different worlds compared to the wilderness outside.

The streets, paved with bluestone slabs, were quite wide, with rows of shops on both sides, banners fluttering, selling groceries, running restaurants, teahouses, opium dens, and even a small Western clock shop.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, some in long gowns and mandarin jackets, some in short practical clothes, and even a few figures in Western suits.

However, as Lu Xuan's convoy passed, all the noise seemed to be put on pause.

Vendors stopped hawking, pedestrians quickly moved to the sides of the road, their faces revealing expressions mixed with fear, numbness, and a hint of imperceptible disgust.

Children were quickly pulled back into their homes by adults, and shop assistants instinctively shrank their necks.

In Ping'an Town and even the surrounding counties, Lu Xuan and his "Dingnan Army" were the undisputed heavens, the local emperors who could determine their life, death, wealth, and poverty.

The convoy did not stop in the town center but drove straight through, heading west.

The further west they went, the sparser the buildings became, and the environment appeared a bit more serene, finally stopping in front of a flourishing Daoist temple.

This Daoist temple, with its white walls and green tiles, showed signs of age but was meticulously maintained.

A dark wooden plaque hung above the lintel, inscribed with the three gilded characters "Fu Yuan Temple."

The temple gates were wide open, with a constant stream of worshippers, and wisps of incense smoke drifted out from within. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the town center, this place had its own lively atmosphere.

In the square in front of the temple, devout men and women jostled each other, including old women with baskets, women leading children, and well-dressed merchants.

Several young Daoist acolytes moved through the crowd, guiding the arriving worshippers.

However, when these people saw the army arrive, the originally lively scene immediately quieted down.

Worshippers retreated to the sides in a panic, and several young Daoist priests who were greeting people at the entrance quickly stood up, looking at the military vehicles with pleasant surprise.

The vehicles stopped, and the adjutant was the first to jump out, eagerly opening the car door.

Lu Xuan stepped out, his gaze sweeping over the bustling Daoist temple, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

The three Daoist priests were also "invited" out of the car by the soldiers, standing in front of the temple gate with complex expressions.

"Clear the area," Lu Xuan said concisely.

The adjutant immediately understood, leading a team of soldiers forward to disperse the worshippers: "Fu Yuan Temple is closed today, everyone leave immediately!"

Amidst a flurry of panicked footsteps and hushed discussions, in just a moment, the originally bustling area in front of the Daoist temple became deserted, leaving only the Daoist priests from the temple standing anxiously aside.

The Old Daoist Priest dared not delay and quickly stepped forward to lead the way.

Lu Xuan entered the temple gate with his hands behind his back, seeing ancient trees reaching for the sky in the courtyard, incense smoke curling from the censers, and the solemn statues of the Three Pure Ones in the main hall, with the offering table laden with fresh fruits, clearly indicating a very strong daily incense offering.

"Commander, you are..." The Old Daoist Priest probed uneasily.

Lu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze like lightning, slowly sweeping over the main hall, the side halls, and the dimly visible Scripture Pavilion in the back.

"I have said, from now on, Fu Yuan Temple is temporarily sealed. No unauthorized personnel are allowed in or out."

The Old Daoist Priest's heart instantly sank to the bottom; who knew what this unpredictable Commander was going to do now?

Just as he was feeling inwardly anxious, Lu Xuan's next words completely stunned the Old Daoist Priest, making him almost doubt his own ears.

"Do you have any of those 'dirty things' imprisoned here, like ghosts sent by worshippers to nourish incense, or something similar? Bring them out for me to see."

"Imprisoned ghosts?"

The Old Daoist Priest subconsciously uttered these four words, his eyes wide, his face filled with disbelief.

Why would this warlord Commander, who held significant military power and killed without batting an eye, suddenly be interested in such sinister things instead of gold, silver, and military supplies?

And he wanted to "see them"?

Do people actually want to see these ghostly things?

He steadied himself and cautiously replied: "Replying... replying to the Commander, the temple does indeed hold some... but they are not used to nourish incense.

Most are malevolent ghosts and vengeful spirits that have harmed the local villagers and cannot reincarnate on their own.

This humble Daoist and his Disciples seal them within specially made Magical Artifacts, affix Talismanic Incantations, and recite scriptures daily, hoping to resolve their Evil Qi and help them transcend, which is also considered accumulating Karma. We would never use them for evil purposes."

The Old Daoist Priest quickly explained, fearing that Lu Xuan might misunderstand that their Fu Yuan Temple cultivated some unorthodox methods.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan's lips curved into a meaningful smile.

Transcendence? Karma? He didn't care about these.

What he cared about was whether these imprisoned "dirty things" could now be refined into the urgently needed "System Points" for himself!

"Whether it's righteous or evil, I will judge for myself," Lu Xuan said calmly. "Lead the way, let's go see."

Hearing this, the Old Daoist Priest inwardly groaned. The vengeful spirits of those imprisoned evil ghosts were overwhelming, and even with the suppression of evil-warding Talismans, they had to be extremely careful when approaching them.

If this ominous Commander wanted to see them, and something went wrong... But he dared not disobey, so he could only brace himself and bow, saying: "Yes... yes, Commander, please follow this humble Daoist."

He led Lu Xuan, bypassing the main hall, passing through a secluded corridor, and arriving at a more tranquil, independent small courtyard in the back of the Daoist temple.

A large yellow Talisman was pasted on the courtyard gate, with runes drawn in cinnabar that were several times more complex than ordinary Talismans.

The Old Daoist Priest took out an ancient brass key from his In my arms, unlocked the brass lock on the courtyard door, and pushed the door open.

There were no flowers or plants in the courtyard, only various strangely shaped objects placed in the center.

A constantly vibrating purple-gold alms bowl, a black gourd with the contours of suffering human faces on its surface, and an ancient bronze mirror... and so on.

Each object was covered with layers of Talismans, and the things inside tried to break free but were blocked by the golden light of the Talismans.

"Commander, these are them. Sealed within the purple-gold alms bowl is a drowned water ghost with extremely heavy Evil Qi. Inside the black gourd is the fierce soul of a butcher who died a violent death, and in the bronze mirror is a wisp of a hundred-year-old seductive ghost's remnant soul, most skilled at captivating human hearts..."

Lu Xuan's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he quickly scanned these Magical Artifacts.

Excellent!