After returning to the village, start chasing the mountain from binding Emei

Chapter 1050 Searching for traces in Mount Zhong'e, I'll help you find them!
From the halfway point upwards, Zhong'e Mountain is almost entirely covered by thick fog and snow, and the temperature on the mountain is frighteningly cold.

After several days of travel, Yuanlong and his companions arrived at the foot of Zhong'e Mountain.

However, none of them went up the mountain; they simply set up camp at the foot of the mountain.

After all, it's too cold up in the mountain, and the exit hasn't opened yet. Going up the mountain would just mean waiting, so it's warmer to stay down here and wait for the exit to appear before heading up.

Night had fallen, and the world was pitch black.

In the mountains and forests, the occasional call of an unknown bird and the occasional roar of an unknown beast echoed from afar, making the night all the more quiet.
Perhaps the seasons in this secret realm are synchronized with those outside. Late autumn has arrived, and fallen leaves are fluttering in the forest, creating a rather desolate atmosphere.

Several campfires were burning, and the group gathered together to set up camp, which made them feel safer.

As the trip to Jiulao Cave was drawing to a close, everyone had different feelings, but overall, there was a sense of bittersweetness.

Around a campfire, Yuanlong and the others were surrounding an old monk.

The old monk preached the Dharma fluently and attentively, and Yuanlong and the others listened intently, their ears perked up.

Even Wang Yuanchao and the others, who were not Buddhists at all, were listening attentively. No one dared to interrupt or even cough.

This old monk was none other than Juechen.

The ancestors of Emei, whose names begin with the character "Jue," have lived for nearly 400 years, and nearly 300 of them have remained in the Nine Old Men Cave Secret Realm.

Such a being was considered a god or Buddha by the people present. After learning Juechen's identity, it was hard to imagine the excitement of Yuanlong and the others.

Although many of them did not gain anything from this trip to the secret realm, being able to listen to a lecture by such a super strong expert before leaving was definitely a great blessing.

Even if you come to Jiulao Cave empty-handed, this trip won't be in vain.

……

Juechen didn't seem to mind. After lecturing for a while, he started answering everyone's questions, and the scene became lively as people kept asking questions.

Whether the questions were profound or simple, Juechen answered them all, resolving everyone's difficulties.

It must be said that he was a truly virtuous and eminent monk.

Time passed by, minute by minute, until late at night, past midnight, and no one showed any sign of stopping.

It was only when Yuanlong spoke that everyone stopped, so that Juechen could have some time to rest.

After listening to Juechen's sermon and gaining clarity from it, everyone present had learned a great deal. Knowing the principle that one cannot bite off more than one can chew, they all returned to their tents to meditate.

Only a few people remained by the campfire.

Juechen asked, "Is this all the people who came back?"

Yuan Long clasped his hands together and said, "A total of 120 people came in this time. So far, 81 people have been gathered together. There are still 39 people who haven't returned. However, there are still two days before the exit opens. If these people are still here, they should already be on their way back!"

When they set off from Dong'e Mountain, there were 66 people. On their way back here, they met some more people and gradually returned. Now, 81 people have returned.

There are still thirty-nine people left. Some will definitely die, after all, this secret realm is too dangerous. But we don't know exactly how much was lost. We'll have to wait and see.

Juechen nodded slightly. "Any casualties on the Emei side?"

"Ugh!"

Yuan Long sighed, "One of them passed away, Junior Brother Yuan Lang of the Yuan generation, in a Gengjin mine in Nan'e Mountain... Alas, we couldn't save him. In addition, quite a few were injured, but none of them are in mortal danger..."

"Amitabha."

Juechen clasped his hands together, "Life and death are predestined, each has their own fate, and one cannot blame others..."

"Yes!"

Yuanlong also clasped his hands together and asked, "Ancestor, now that the exit has opened, would you like to come out with us?"

Upon hearing this, Juechen remained noncommittal. "I cultivate asceticism. A comfortable life would only hinder my practice. Whether I stay or leave is not important to me. There are more important things to do right now..."

At that moment, Juechen told Yuanlong and the others about Canggou.

Yuan Long's expression turned extremely solemn after hearing this.

With beings like Cang Gou and the infamous Black Lotus, what would happen if they escaped?
Juechen said, "If Canggou is still alive, he certainly won't miss this opportunity to leave. Therefore, Zhong'e Mountain the day after tomorrow will be fraught with danger. If Canggou shows up, there will inevitably be a great battle. You should understand the principle that when gods fight, mortals suffer. If you don't want to be caught in the crossfire, then organize everyone and seize the opportunity when the cave door opens to leave immediately. Otherwise, if Canggou captures you and takes you hostage..."

At this point, Juechen paused, then resolutely said, "You should know how much of a threat releasing Canggou would pose to the outside world. Therefore, even if Canggou takes all of you hostage, this humble monk will absolutely not show any mercy..."

Let me tell you this upfront: you need to be mentally prepared. Don't be reluctant to leave once the cave entrance is open.

Compared to eliminating Cang Gou and Hei Lian, the lives of others are obviously secondary.

“Amitabha Buddha, your disciple will remember this.”

Yuan Long and the others nodded hurriedly, not daring to underestimate them in the slightest.

They exchanged glances, and the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.

I originally thought that once we reached Zhong'e Mountain, we would only need to wait for the exit to open, and then the trip would be over and everyone would be safe.

But only then did they realize that the real danger would arrive once the exit was opened.

Juechen then gave them some other instructions.

Yuan Long and the others agreed one by one.

"Ancestor..."

Just as Yuan Long was about to ask about Chen Yang's whereabouts, a buzzing sound came from the night sky.

Following the sound, everyone looked and, illuminated by the firelight, saw a swarm of insects carrying a figure rapidly approaching.

Who else could it be but Chen Yang!
……

Chen Yang greeted everyone first, then went to Juechen's side.

"What did Lord Beishan say?" Juechen asked immediately.

Chen Yang sat down by the fire. "It didn't say much. It can't leave Bei'e Mountain and can't help. But I told it that if Cang Gou isn't dead and we can't take him down, we just need to leave Cang Gou and Hei Lian behind. When the exit is sealed, it will help take care of them with Ba She..."

Juechen stroked his beard, "With just the two of them, I doubt they could do anything to Canggou..."

As he spoke, his eyes darted around.

Chen Yang knew that Juechen was definitely considering staying and joining forces with Bei Zheng and the others.

With his strength, plus the two guardian beasts, as long as Bei Zheng and the others are willing to help, there is still a good chance of taking down Cang Gou and Hei Lian.

"Senior Bei Zheng also told me something."

Chen Yang said, "It said that there is likely another guardian beast in Zhong'e Mountain. If we can find it and ask for its help, we will be more confident in taking down Cang Gou!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Juechen looked in surprise at Zhong'e Mountain behind him.

Chen Yang said, "Master, you've been in this secret realm for so many years, haven't you noticed anything?"

Juechen pondered for a moment, "Yes, there have been several times. I sensed a powerful aura of divine evil appearing in the direction of Zhong'e Mountain. I came to search for it, but found nothing. At first, I just thought that the two guardian beasts, the White Tiger and the White Fox, had stayed here. After all, those two guardian beasts can go anywhere after they break their seal..."

"As for what you said about the existence of guardian beasts in Zhong'e Mountain, this is the first time I've heard of it. I only knew about the four guardian beasts before..."

……

Chen Yang said, "I suppose Senior Bei Zheng wouldn't speak without reason. It said it had heard Zhao Quanzhen talk about this before, so I think it's probably reliable..."

Juechen said, "If there really is a guardian beast in this mountain, why hasn't it shown itself for so many years?"

"That's not clear."

Chen Yang shook his head, having no idea why. "I just don't know where this guardian beast is. Zhong'e Mountain isn't that big, but it's not small either. Finding it might be quite difficult..."

Juechen withdrew his gaze from the mountain. "I once explored Zhong'e Mountain and found nothing unusual. Apart from the entrance connecting the summit to the Nine Elders Cave, there are no other barriers on the mountain. If there really is a guardian beast in the mountain, its location must be able to prevent the detection of the primordial spirit. It won't show itself on its own. Trying to find it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack..."

Chen Yang nodded repeatedly.

If even Juechen couldn't figure it out, then it must be quite difficult to prove.

“No matter how difficult it is, we have to search. I’m going to go up the mountain to take a look. Anyway, the exit won’t appear until the day after tomorrow, so there’s still time…” Chen Yang said.

Juechen didn't object, nodding and saying, "Be extra careful. Even if there is such a guardian beast, you don't know its nature, whether it's friend or foe. If you find an enemy instead of a friend, that would be the most dangerous thing..."

"Ah."

Chen Yang responded.

Whether it's a friend or an enemy, let's find it first.

……

-

The night was exceptionally quiet.

Juechen had to stay at the camp to guard Yuanlong and the others to prevent any accidents from happening, so the task of finding the guardian beast in Zhong'e Mountain had to be completed by Chen Yang himself.

On the mountain, the wind was biting cold, and under the cover of night, all around was covered in white snow.

Chen Yang used his Qi Observation Technique to see if he could detect the aura of the evil spirit and thus find the hiding place of this evil spirit in Zhong'e Mountain.

But it was all in vain.

I searched until my eyes were sore, but I couldn't find a single suspicious clue.

On a hill.

Mo Yuan stood beside Chen Yang, his eyes shining with golden light, like fiery eyes scanning the surroundings.

Its treasure-hunting ability is unparalleled; even the faintest energy fluctuations cannot escape its eyes.

However, after looking at it for a long time, Mo Yuan still couldn't figure it out.

"Either it's hidden too well, or it doesn't exist at all."

Finally, Mo Yuan came to this conclusion.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang gently shook his head, "Senior Bei Zheng wouldn't make things up so easily; he must have been hiding it very well..."

Mo Yuan said, "Then why don't we escape into the mountain and try our luck?"

The beast-suppressing caves are mostly hidden deep within mountains, isolated from the detection of primordial spirits, making them naturally difficult to find. Mo Yuan is a rat, a professional at digging tunnels, and Chen Yang has also learned earth-moving techniques; the two of them could indeed escape into the mountains and try their luck.

If you're lucky enough, you might just bump into it!
"No need to bother."

Chen Yang shook his head.

He had just taken a bath at noon and changed into new clothes. If you ask him to roll around in the dirt again, he's bound to be a little resistant.

"Oh?"

Mo Yuan looked at him curiously.

I wonder if Chen Yang has any other good ideas.

The next second, Chen Yang cupped his hands to his mouth, took a deep breath, gathered his true energy, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Senior guardian beast of Zhong'e Mountain, I, Chen Yang, have something to ask you."

The voice, imbued with profound inner energy, traveled far and wide.

The sound waves spread outwards in concentric circles.

He was already highly skilled in cultivation, having entered the Dao True Realm. Furthermore, he was fully circulating his internal energy, which amplified his voice dramatically, making it sound like thunder, and it traveled far and wide.

Even though Mo Yuan was close by, his sudden roar made his head buzz.

"Crash..."

"Rumble..."

……

Several nearby mountain peaks experienced avalanches due to the agitation of the sound waves.

Large swaths of snow tumbled down from the mountaintop, a somewhat frightening sight.

Mo Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

So this is what Chen Yang meant by "method"?

Since you can't find the other person, then let them come to you.

And you know what, it really is a good idea.

If the other party hears this, they might actually show up.

However, there is also the possibility that the other party hears the message but does not show up or completely ignores it.

Of course, there is another possibility: this behavior is impolite and may anger the other party.

"Senior, please show up and see me!"

Chen Yang didn't care; finding the guardian beast and getting it to show itself was undoubtedly the most convenient way.

After shouting several times, the sound waves seemed to cause countless snow-covered hills to collapse around them.

The echoes, accompanied by the sound of falling snow, lasted for a long time before finally subsiding.

He carefully sensed the surroundings, his radar covering the area, and his primordial spirit constantly searching the vicinity, but to no avail.

Chen Yang was not discouraged and continued shouting from another hilltop.

I spent several hours exploring all the dozens of hilltops, big and small, on Zhong'e Mountain.

As the night drew to a close and dawn approached, Chen Yang had yet to make any progress.

This approach won't work.

Mo Yuan simply followed him, wanting to speak, yet daring not to.

Chen Yang touched his forehead and realized he had been a bit presumptuous.

Given the current situation, even if this guardian beast truly exists, its attitude should be quite clear: it doesn't want to see you at all.

Headache!

Chen Yang looked around blankly. Did he really have to go underground and try his luck?

The mountain is so big, how can one possibly escape by chance and bump into it?

At this moment, Mo Yuan said, "Why don't we let that water monkey come out and try? It's a divine demon, so it should be more sensitive to divine demon energy..."

"rational."

Chen Yang thought it made sense, so he immediately released the water monkey.

After the water monkey came out, it first let out two low growls. After listening to Chen Yang's instructions, it imitated Mo Yuan's appearance, stood on the hilltop, and looked around and smelled.

After all that, he awkwardly shook his head at Chen Yang.

"Damn, what a waste of time."

Mo Yuan rolled his eyes. He had thought the water monkey was going to find something after looking so serious, but after striking a pose for so long, it just said that it hadn't found anything.

Chen Yang was both amused and exasperated.

He thought that since they were both evil spirits, the water monkey might have a connection, but reality slapped him hard in the face.

Left with no other choice, Chen Yang used the Earth Path technique again, and together with Mo Yuan, they traversed back and forth into the mountain's interior several times, hoping to stumble upon a lucky find.

Unfortunately, after several attempts, I found nothing.

The temperature on the mountain was low, and the soil was frozen, making it difficult to walk using earth-walking techniques. After searching for several times without success, Chen Yang had no choice but to give up.

Either there is no guardian beast in this mountain.

Either the guardian beast is dead.

They either deliberately avoid you.

Regardless of the reason, Chen Yang's idea of ​​seeking help from the guardian beast is likely to fail.

By then, it was already daylight.

Chen Yang shook off the dirt from his clothes, feeling somewhat tired. He then decided it was getting late, put the water monkey and Mo Yuan into the Azure Profound Pearl, and went down the mountain.

……

The campsite at the foot of the mountain.

People gradually got up and washed up in twos and threes by the stream.

Even though they are in the wild, most people still pay great attention to personal hygiene.

"Was it you who was shouting on the mountain last night? What were you shouting about?"

By the stream, Huang Can returned after brushing his teeth and saw Chen Yang coming down the mountain. He immediately came over to ask him something.

Calling?

Chen Yang chuckled wryly and briefly explained the situation.

After listening, Huang Can said, "Do you want me to go up the mountain and help you look for it?"

"you?"

Chen Yang shook his head. "No, it's safer to stay at the camp."

Although Huang Can has always been lucky and often does things in unexpected ways, it depends on the situation. How could we let him do something with such great risk?

Upon hearing this, Huang Can didn't say much. He chatted with Chen Yang for a few minutes and then went to find Yuan Long.

……

Chen Yang explained the situation to Juechen.

Juechen was not surprised; it seemed he had expected this outcome.

“There’s no need to force this matter. If Cang Gou appears tomorrow, there will inevitably be a battle. When that happens, the battle will affect Zhong’e Mountain. If there really is a guardian beast in the mountain, it shouldn’t be that there is no reaction…” Jue Chen said.

Chen Yang nodded slightly, feeling that what Juechen said made sense.

If a fight breaks out and they smash up your house, let's see if you can still sit still then.

Exhausted from the night, Chen Yang found a secluded spot, took out the stone bed and stone pillow, and prepared to take a nap.

While conserving his energy, he also wanted to see if he would still have dreams, or if he would still receive any inspiration.

……

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was afternoon again.

Chen Yang was awakened by the aroma of barbecue.

Wang Yuanchao and his friends had hunted some wild game and were barbecuing it by the stream. The aroma could be smelled from afar, making everyone's mouth water.

After getting up from the stone bed, Chen Yang pinched his face to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

It was almost 3 p.m., and I felt like I had slept for several hours.

Thinking back, did you have a dream?
It seems so.

However, I didn't do anything else in the dream; I just focused on cultivating.

Cultivating the "Xuanwu Heart Sutra".

Chen Yang looked inward and saw that the true qi of the water and earth attributes in his dantian seemed to have grown considerably stronger.

Chen Yang's eyes flickered slightly. Could this stone bed and pillow possibly allow him to cultivate in his dreams?
Just then, I heard a series of hurried footsteps behind me.

Chen Yang turned around and saw Huang Can rushing towards him.

"Chen Yang, come with me quickly, we've found it!"

Huang Can ran incredibly fast; his voice arrived before he did.

(End of this chapter)