The old shopkeeper smiled and said, "You can do whatever you wish. This restaurant was left for you by the owner, and I've fulfilled his last wish."

"Fortunately, fortunately, I have finally waited for this…"

Having said that, he lit a candle, turned around, and left, closing the door behind him.

Li Yan, master of Divine Skills, had already discovered the location of the secret passage.

But Yang Chenghua did not act immediately. Instead, he silently looked at the portrait for a long time and suddenly spoke up, "Fat Wu wanted to leave with me back then, but I was too muddled to lead a burden…"

"People are strange creatures, some seek fame, some seek fortune. Back then, I casually helped, yet Fat Wu never forgot…"

"These days, the voices in my ear keep increasing, whispering desires unfulfilled and tormenting themselves."

"Life rushes by in a century, whether a king, marquis, peddler, or servant, all turn to dust after death, all are illusions, so why be so attached?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment, "Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, all are life. The Buddhist sect says only by letting go can one attain freedom. But seeking freedom is a form of seeking."

"A person lives life seeking something."

"It's simply that what they seek differs."

Yang Chenghua seemed to be thoughtful, then shook his head and said, "Forget it, I can't figure it out; let nature take its course."

After speaking, he uncorked the mud-sealed wine jar on the table, poured out two bowls, picked up one bowl, and drank it in front of the portrait, "I drink this bowl for companionship."

Then he picked up the other bowl and poured it on the ground.

The alcohol flowed along the gaps in the brick, quickly revealing differences, some places absorbed it directly, while others let it flow outward.

Bang!

Yang Chenghua scraped with his foot.

An entire iron plate connected to the bricks was directly lifted, revealing a dark hole below.

Yang Chenghua jumped in, followed closely by Li Yan.

This underground passage was very deep, initially quite inconspicuous, but descent of over ten meters and walking a bit further revealed underground rocks and a dark river, a small path dug by hand along the steep rock walls beside the underground river, heading towards Qingyang Palace.

Judging by the marks of excavation, it was not from this era at all.

"This is an ancient path from the Warring States period…"

Yang Chenghua explained as he walked, "Back when Qin attacked Shu, the Daoists of Qingyang Palace dug this to hide. Later it was abandoned, unknown to anyone until I found it by chance, and often used it with Fat Wu to steal away and drink outside."

Their speed was very fast, and before long they reached the end of the dark passage, where a vertical shaft was visible above them, with a thick hemp rope hanging down, already somewhat rotten.

They naturally didn't need the rope, jumped up, supporting the walls with their hands and legs, quickly reaching the top.

Yang Chenghua listened with his ear first, then lightly nudged with his hand, and the sound of woodpile rolling over came from above.

Upon emerging, they arrived at the woodpile in the side yard of Qingyang Palace.

Li Yan, during his escape, had come near here, with the high courtyard wall beyond which stretched large fields of medicinal herbs.

"Enchant!"

Yang Chenghua formed a mantra with his fingers, and a breeze suddenly surrounded them, concealing their aura.

This reincarnation of Immortal Master Erlang was very cautious, only after concealing their aura, did he once again employ the Invisibility Technique.

With the wind passing, their figures completely disappeared.

They had chosen to sneak in at dusk, passing through the dark path, it was now nightfall.

Though there were spots of candlelight, no sound of Daoist night rituals could be heard, but rather groups of three to five, wielding sharp blades, patrolling within the Taoist temple.

Li Yan had witnessed the powers of Qingyang Palace.

Firstly, the sword array, not as powerful as Qingcheng's, but still formidable.

Secondly, the ability to perform spells using incense was very skilled.

If it were ordinary Escape Techniques, they would surely be discovered.

But at this moment, Yang Chenghua was continuously absorbing the incense from Immortal Master Erlang, merging it with his spells, becoming very peculiar.

He was more adept at dealing with this Power of Incense.

The two walked along the cobblestone path within the temple. Occasionally encountering patrollers, they avoided the road, close as they were, yet undiscovered.

Meanwhile, Li Yan also noted something strange.

These Daoists were very vigilant, clearly guarding against, perhaps even fearing, something, but their attention wasn't outside, rather focused on each of the great halls.

All the halls were tightly locked with iron chains.

Pitch black and seemingly containing some monster inside…

Soon, they arrived in front of the Doumu Temple.

Li Yan frowned and stopped.

In front of the Doumu Temple, on the bluestone plaza, stood a towering magic platform.

He had seen many magic platforms, each Magic Veins sect having a unique structure, accompanied by their Secret Technique.

But the current one obviously appeared off.

The magic platform stood over fifty feet tall, each log driven through by thick iron nails for stability, wrapped in red silk.

These logs formed eighty-one steps leading directly to the top of the magic platform, where densely packed symbols were carved:

In days of yore in the azure heavens, the ethereal song of empty skies, the vast land of Clouds. The original salvation of mankind, the boundless superior class, the Primordial Heavenly Venerate, upon saying this sutra...

This is the "Sutra of Salvation," commonly seen in the Mystical Sect.

But these scriptures are written in inverted characters, exuding a chill.

On the other three sides of the magic platform hang giant Scrolls of the Immortal, depicting the rolling river waters, an old dragon tearing at a young dragon.

Just then, Yang Chenghua suddenly pressed down on his shoulder, pointing with his finger towards the giant Lotus Lamps consecrated above the magic platform.

"Look at the Beidou Handle."

Yang Hua reminded coldly.

Li Yan carefully inspected again and found the positions of the seven Beidou stars also inverted, and the lamp flames were an eerie dark green.

Crackle!

Every time

the Tan Lang position's lamp flower explodes with a bang, the surrounding temple gates and boats sway with a crash.

So it is...

Li Yan instantly realized the plans of these Daoists.

The big dragon and the small dragon symbolize the River God Great Lord and the Dragon Lady.

The Daoists of Qingyang Palace performed rituals to help the River God Great Lord reclaim the divine charm absorbed by the Dragon Lady...

Yang Chenghua gave a glance again, leading him to the front of the Three Pure Ones Hall, and seeing no one around, led Li Yan to jump onto the architrave of the main hall, tearing apart the decorative windows, and jumped in.

It was pitch dark all around, but the two saw everything clearly.

They saw the statues of the Three Pure Ones above, along with the Dharma Protecting God Generals, all wrapped in Yellow Talisman Cloth like cocoons, painted with vermillion charms.

"Seal the Divine Acupoint, cut off incense fire."

Yang Chenghua frowned slightly, an instinctive dislike rising within him.

He seemed thoughtful, his fingers brushing over the talisman cloth.

Rustle!

The fabric suddenly shook violently, oozing dark red blood beads.

"These damn bull-nostrils are insane!"

Yang Chenghua said in a cold voice: "They use a Secret Technique to obscure the Divine Acupoints, extracting the Incense Fire Divine Power, supplying the magic platform outside."

"If successful, Qingyang Palace would be severed at the root..."

"Elder, is there a way to break it?"

Li Yan quickly inquired.

"Simple."

Yang Chenghua looked at the divine statue above, solemnly said: "This is a kind of Forbidden Technique, I haven't learned it, but I know a bit about it."

"To extract the Incense Fire Divine Power, they must use the Confusing God Technique. This method comes at a great cost. When breaking the technique, just simultaneously tear off these Restriction Talismans, and those bull-nostrils will surely suffer a backlash."

"Remember, it must be done simultaneously. No matter how high our Dao, there are only the two of us. We'll need more people to help."

"No rush."

Li Yan thoughtfully said, "Acting now would scare the snakes. Since we know their weakness, at the flower festival on the fifteenth, we'll catch them off guard."

After finding out the cause, the two left through a secret path.

"You go ahead."

Just outside the secret path of the Splendour Flower House teahouse, Yang Chenghua suddenly spoke: "I'll stay here at the teahouse, come find me if you need anything."

"As the elder sees fit."

Li Yan didn't say much, turned and cupped his hand in farewell.

As he walked out the door, he inadvertently turned his head.

He saw Yang Chenghua sitting at the table, pouring and drinking by himself in front of a painting, looking very lonely.

In that moment, Li Yan no longer envied him.

Yang Chenghua, though a reincarnation of Immortal Master Erlang, destined to Ascend to Divinity and become Immortal, since childhood wandering outside the mundane world, missed out on too much.

Everyone has something they seek in this life.

What is sought, is always what has not been attained...

......

Dujiangyan, night as dark as ink.

The bright moon shines, the river floating with a thousand red lanterns.

Over thirty Cao Boats intertwined and berthed at the main fork of the Min River, the masts forming a crisscross pattern, the pine torch on the bows scorching the water surface into golden scales.

Silhouettes of people on the decks, the shouts of moving cargo intermittently blown by the river wind, creating a bustling scene.

In the distance, on tall mountains, figures flashed through the woods, mostly clad in Daoist robes, carrying sharp swords.

The people from Qingcheng Mountain finally arrived at Dujiangyan...

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