Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 87 Black Stone Coffin Forest! (Thanks to Feng Chaoyang for the generous sponsorship!)
"The young sect leader is back!"

The message was delivered in a very strange tone, and a commotion broke out outside.

Not only Yuwen Chengzhi, but even Zou Ding frowned slightly.

Could this young master of the Tuanjiang Sect be some kind of extraordinary expert? Why make such a fuss over a simple trip home?

Thinking about it that way...
Zou Ding felt an itch to show off his skills.

But when a door panel was carried in, everyone present was speechless.

Luo Changshou crushed the cup, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Luo Rongtai was pieced together on the door panel. The burly man who carried him in saw the angry sect leader and was startled. The door panel tilted, and the young sect leader's head rolled off.

His head rolled all the way to Zou Ding's feet.

This master's disciple showed no disdain, cupped the head in his hands, and uttered the longest sentence he had uttered during his visit to the Luo residence:

"It is truly the most unusual thing I have ever seen in my life to meet the young sect leader like this."

Although he was the disciple of the Demon Spear, roamed freely in Guanzhong, and had close ties with various powerful families, he had never seen any young sect leader greet guests in this way.

Just as they were about to put the head back, they suddenly saw an unusually clean cut.

His eyes lit up: "Such exquisite true energy, it seems you've cultivated the innate method."

"Not bad, finally we've met a worthy opponent."

At this moment, his words suddenly became more rapid, and he became Luo Changshou's mouthpiece: "Who dared to kill the young master of the Tuanjiang Sect?"

"Where are the people?"

The moment those four words were uttered, the sudden burst of sharp momentum moved even Luo Changshou, who was so enraged that he remained silent.

No wonder he is a disciple of a grandmaster.

"At Blackstone Mortuary!"

Zou Ding was completely confused: "What Black Stone Mortuary?"

"It's the place in the southwest of the county town where the dead are kept," Zou Ding's imposing manner was truly terrifying, and the man carrying the door dared not utter a word.

To outsiders, the affairs of Blackstone Mortuary are not transparent.

As Luo Changshou approached, his anger was completely ignited. He reached out and placed Luo Rongtai's head back on his neck.

"Is it still that person from the brothel?"

"Yes"

Tell me what happened today, don't omit a single word.

The Tuanjiang Sect member had never seen the sect leader in this state before, and immediately recounted everything that had happened.

This also includes what the murderer said before he left.

"So you really want to come to our sect to take my head."

Luo Changshou laughed in extreme anger, and the dark veins on his temples extended to behind his ears, resembling two centipedes crawling on his face.

Lion King and You Qiuyan of the Hai Sha Gang exchanged a glance; they hadn't wanted to get involved.

But
Yuwen Chengzhi interrupted, "Sect Leader Luo, what are we waiting for? Quickly gather your forces and wipe out this so-called mortuary!"

He came from a prominent family, and although he was not particularly successful, he did possess some knowledge and insight.
"The demonic sects are divided into numerous factions, and they are internally divided. If one faction is wiped out, the other factions will cheer. What is there to be afraid of?"

Yuwen Chengzhi snorted disdainfully:
"This member of the Demonic Sect is hiding his true colors and ruining my drinking mood. He deserves to die."

"Lion King, let's go with Sect Leader Luo."

Lion King of the Sea Sand Gang wanted to say something more to discuss further, but Zou Ding, having drunk a glass of wine, seemed quite interested:
"Just when I was feeling bored, I finally found something I was excited to do."

"When we encounter this person later, I will be the first to make a move."

He looked at Luo Changshou and said, "Once I've crippled him, I'll leave the rest to Sect Leader Luo as a gift from me."

Yang Chengbi, the deputy leader of the Tuanjiang Sect, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zou, you are truly virtuous!"

He then bowed to Yuwen Chengzhi and said, "Thank you, Young Master Chengzhi!"

The two men spoke one after the other, and were already trapped by Yang Chengbi's two sentences.

The Lion King had no choice; Yuwen Chengzhi was the big boss behind the scenes.

He didn't intend to get into the unlicensed taxi, but the big boss forced him to get in.

When Yang Chengbi came forward and cupped his hands in greeting, Lion King and You Qiuyan had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Seeing the support of a group of powerful figures, Luo Changshou's confidence surged. He glanced at Luo Rongtai's corpse, then, recalling the recent rumors, raised a glass of wine:
"I will never forget your kindness!"

Yuwen Chengzhi was delighted to see his attitude.

This is equivalent to having a trusted confidant in Nanyang, which can be seen as allowing the Yuwen family to get involved among the eight major powers.

Hmph, it's good that the young sect leader died, and it's good that the demonic sect members have arrived.

Once this matter is settled, praise from the elders in the family is inevitable.

They had shared a drink together, and this time, everyone drank it all.

"It will take some time for our faction to gather all its members, please wait a moment."

Zou Ding shook his head: "No."

"The key to success lies in secrecy. With a large force moving around, even if there are people in the mortuary, they will be scared away long ago. Then it will be a case of him hiding and you chasing, wasting your energy."

It's not hard to deduce from what you've said.

"This person dared to commit violence because of his exceptional lightness skill. To deal with such an enemy, we must be able to strike suddenly."

He looked up at the sky and said, "The weather is excellent today; the moonlight will surely be bright tonight."

"If Sect Leader Luo wants to be on the safe side, he only needs to gather three to five hundred elite troops and surround them under cover of night. He will surely achieve victory in one strike."

After listening to Zou Ding's words, everyone in the Tuanjiang faction felt that they made sense.

Luo Changshou clenched his fists, looked up at the sky, his eyes burning with rage.
……

As the sun sets, the lingering rays of its rays slant across the teahouses of Meiwu Lane.

Zhou Yi sat with Chen Laomou, and next to them was a burly man with a scarred face and wearing a brocade robe.

"With the Celestial Master before me, I, Bu, shall first punish myself with three cups of wine."

The deputy leader of the Kun Gang said "three cups," but he picked up the large bowl and drank three large bowls of wine. He only wiped the few drops of wine on his chin and didn't spill a single drop.

He drank with utmost sincerity.

The best way to make friends with intelligent people is through sincerity. Bu Tianzhi put down his large bowl and pointed at Chen Laomou:
"It was this old man who sent me several letters, saying that he had met a miraculous person. The words of praise in the letters were really not something he could write. At that time, I was still at the Jiangdu Wharf and couldn't sleep well no matter what."

"I thought to myself, Chen Laomou of this gang is a smart man all his life, how come he would make a fuss in his old age?"

"At the time, I didn't know what kind of person the Celestial Master was. I rarely believed what I heard in the martial arts world."

"I was worried that the old man would be scammed, so I came to Nanyang."

Bu Tianzhi smiled and said, "I have spoken with him in person and learned about the Celestial Master's actions. I have also secretly observed him before, so I dared to compose myself to meet him today."

He is a talented person who can handle all sorts of troublesome matters from top to bottom.

Zhou Yi couldn't find any fault with him, and since he admired him, he no longer held a grudge about the previous spying incident.

"I've heard of Chief Bu's name before. I even asked your gang members about him when I was in Yongqiu, but unfortunately, we never met. Today, I'm finally meeting you in person."

He raised a glass of wine, and Bu Tianzhi also raised a glass.

Chen Laomou watched them drink it with a smile.

"To be remembered by the Celestial Master, it seems that I, Bu, have not wasted my time in the martial arts world all these years."

“Stop bragging,” Chen Laomou interrupted him with a smile. “Master Zhou is just giving you a way out. If you keep bragging, he’ll definitely laugh at you in his heart.”

Bu Tianzhi, of course, didn't care about his old friend's joke: "You've been fiddling with locks your whole life, and your heart is just like a lock."

"If the Celestial Master is the kind of person you describe, then killing Luo Rongtai with a single sword today would be enough. There's no need to publicly execute him in the long street."

His expression hardened: "It's clear that this is helping those ordinary people vent their anger!"

"How many people in the martial world possess such chivalrous deeds?"

Bu Tianzhi exclaimed in admiration and then drank three more large bowls.

His admiration was entirely expressed through the wine.

"Chief Bu, you flatter me. I am far from being as perfect as you say."

“Ah, I have only heard of the great virtuous teacher Bu of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but the great virtuous teacher of this world is right before my eyes.”

As Bu Tianzhi spoke, he paid close attention to Zhou Yi's expression. When he saw that Zhou Yi only smiled slightly, a thunderbolt seemed to strike him in the heart.

As the saying goes, one should not speak too deeply with someone you don't know well, even though today is our first meeting.

He couldn't help but say one more thing:

"If the Celestial Master is determined to avenge more commoners, the Giant Kun Gang is willing to lend a small hand."

Chen Laomou's expression changed.

He looked at Bu Tianzhi with some disbelief; this was not like him at all.

When it comes to selling intelligence, caution is key.

Chief Bu's words were too hasty; he hadn't consulted with him and it was entirely a spur-of-the-moment decision.

but
Chen Laomou glanced at Zhou Yi, recalling a series of events, and no longer blamed him for his recklessness.

"Brother Bu's words are enough."

Zhou Yi then took the initiative to have a drink with Bu Tianzhi.

After all, with Chief Yun Yuzhen absent, Old Chen felt it was inappropriate to discuss some important matters now.

at this time
Several thin men came running up quickly and told them what they had heard.

"oh?!"

"The Tuanjiang faction has fallen into their trap. Luo Changshou's fiery temper is indeed something else!"

Old Chen was overjoyed: "The Hai Sha Gang has also gotten involved."

Bu Tianzhi frowned: "This may not be a good thing. They have quite a few experts now. After all, the Black Stone Mortuary has not been investigated. Perhaps they will retreat without a fight when they see that the Tuanjiang Sect is powerful."

"Approximately how many people have been gathered?" Zhou Yi asked the man who brought the message.

“There are at least several hundred people,” the scout said. “The Tuanjiang faction’s peripheral forces haven’t been mobilized, which shows they are all elites.”

“I saw the deputy leader of the Hai Sha Gang with my own eyes. He had a lion’s mane and was very easy to identify.”

After asking a few more detailed questions, Chen Laomou asked them to investigate further:

"It seems they're planning a surprise attack tonight. If they succeed, the Tuanjiang Sect will regain its prestige. The death of Luo Rongtai will be insignificant, and we'll still have trouble later."

"Does the Celestial Master have faith in the people at the Black Stone Mortuary?"

Zhou Yi pondered and said, "If it weren't for someone like Yang Dalongtou taking action, the people of the Tuanjiang Sect alone wouldn't pose any threat to these old monsters."

"A night raid will only anger these old monsters who are practicing evil arts."

"A fight is inevitable."

Bu Tianzhi said, "In that case, we can go with those martial arts enthusiasts who are watching the show to check out the edge and see if we can find any bargains."

Mr. Chen nodded in agreement.

The two looked at Zhou Yi, only to see him shaking his head from side to side. "No, no, I'm not going."

"I have no idea what the mortuary looks like. Watching a play could get me into trouble."

Curiosity can kill, and considering that he had just encountered Elder Yun of the Yin Gui Sect not long ago, he was absolutely unwilling to take any risks at this moment.

These four veteran artists managed to come together in a bizarre way.

I really have no idea what will happen.

Unless someone has the same lightness skill as Yun Shuai, they wouldn't dare to go watch the play.

Bu Tianzhi and Chen Laomou didn't have a strong concept of these old monsters from the demonic sect, especially the four disciples of the Evil Emperor, whom they had never heard of.

Despite their curiosity, after seeing how cautious the Taoist master was, reason prevailed.
As night slowly fell, undercurrents surged within the city of Nanyang.

The unusual activity in the city naturally did not escape the notice of the Nanyang Gang.

Inside the Nanyang Gang, Yang Zhenzheng sat upright in the main seat, with Fan Naitang beside him, and Zuo Shoujian and You Shoujian sitting to the side.

There was another person sitting opposite, none other than Master Lü Chong of the Tiankui Sect.

Lu Chong asked with a hint of worry, "Big Boss, should we just let them go?"

Yang Zhen nodded slightly: "This matter has been handed over to the Tuanjiang Sect. I can't stop Sect Leader Luo from taking revenge."

"Moreover, since he didn't launch a major attack, the city won't be in chaos, and Zhu Can won't have an opportunity."

Fan Naitang said, "Given the relationship between Ji Yinong and Luo Changshou, the Yangxing Society didn't even send anyone to help. Even if Luo Changshou destroys the den of evil in the mortuary this time, the two families will still develop a rift."

“This is a good thing,” Meng Degong said with satisfaction. “If they are not on good terms with each other, they will have no intention of colluding together to cause trouble.”

Yang Zhen glanced at the sky: "Send someone to go and check it out."

Right-hand swordsman agreed and went to make the arrangements.
……

In a secret room of Yangxinghui, two shadows were imprinted on the oil paper of the window.

"Elder Yun, do you mean that the people in that mortuary are from the Evil Extreme Sect?"

"good."

The young woman's voice carried a hint of weariness: "The Evil Extreme Sect has always been mysterious and has not appeared in the world for a long time, but I have met two people and can confirm their identities."

Ji Yinong knew absolutely nothing about the Evil Extreme Sect:
"Does the elder know how many members of the Evil Extreme Sect are in this mortuary?"

“That’s exactly what I wanted to know,” Elder Yun said coldly. “The value of the Tuanjiang Sect lies here, which is why I didn’t ask you to stop them.”

Ji Yinong was somewhat puzzled:
"If Luo Changshou is lost, wouldn't we be losing an arm?"

“We have plenty of allies. Aren’t there other gangs in the city? What’s so special about the Tuanjiang Sect?”

Ji Yinong felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this, but it quickly turned into a burning passion.

"Of course, you are different from them. The sect leader values ​​you highly. In the future, when you become the leader of Nanyang, this place will be entrusted to you."

"Let me tell you some more good news."

"I have already informed the Sect Master of the Evil Extreme Sect. In a while, someone will bring your identity list. From now on, you will be a member of the Yin Gui Sect. Luo Changshou is no match for you."

Ji Yinong was overjoyed: "I, Ji, swear to serve Empress Yin to the death!"

Elder Yun laughed and said, "Dead people have no value. You should stay alive and serve our sect."

Ji Yinong felt as if he had suddenly gained a powerful backer, and he spoke with much more confidence:

"Luo Changshou is eager to make a move. Since the Evil Extreme Sect is so important to our sect, I will order a master of lightness skills to follow and investigate."

"No need"

"I want to go there myself."

The demonic figure leaped away through the oiled paper window.

……

Southwest of Nanyang, seven miles away from a cemetery, one can see a huge, dilapidated manor behind a dense pine forest.

This place was not originally used to store the dead, but was a rice granary for wealthy families.

It is said that during a famine, a man, desperately hungry, came to the door begging for rice.

As a result, Mi failed to get what he wanted and accidentally tripped and fell headfirst into a large gray-black stone at the entrance, dying instantly.

Outsiders say he harbors a great deal of resentment, and that the rats in the granary are making noise at night.

Therefore, the more it was spread, the more creepy it became.

The wealthy family then abandoned their rice granary, which fell into the hands of the government, thus giving rise to the Black Stone Charitable Estate.

Recently, there have been many strange rumors about this place in Nanyang City. When night falls, it becomes completely silent.

The moonlight, like a ribbon, bathed the green tiles of the mortuary in a chilling glow.

A firewall ten feet high, covered with vines.

The vermilion gate was half-open, entangled with cobwebs, and the night wind rustled through it, making a faint, ghostly sound.

Suddenly a strong gust of cold wind blew in, and the dilapidated lamps hanging on the eaves of the mortuary creaked and swayed wildly, echoing the hooting of owls.

In the corner, there was a pile of paper figures half a person high. The faded paper figures had their heads tilted to the side, and the paper horses had two holes gnawed out of their eyes by rats.

The hole was directly opposite a coffin.

Suddenly, a loud "boom" shattered the stillness of the night, and the coffin stood upright!
The coffin was opened, and a dark figure emerged from it, looking dazed and confused.

"boom!"

A second unusual sound was heard, accompanied by the erection of a second coffin.

Then the third bite, the fourth bite, and the fifth bite.
Eighth bite!
Every coffin lid that is opened contains a living dead person.

Some were wearing monks' robes, some wore Taoist robes, and others wore the common clothes of the eight major powers of Nanyang.

"Hey hey hey"

At that moment, a sinister laugh echoed through the mortuary, and the living dead seemed to come alive, all sitting cross-legged in meditation.

A strange energy surged through these people.

Soon, these people bled from all seven orifices and stopped breathing.

No one could be seen at this moment, but a sinister, low voice could be heard coming from the mortuary:

"What do you think?"

An extremely unpleasant voice rang out: "Isn't this a failure?"

"Hmph!" Another cold snort came at this moment, "You are simply wasting my time. If I had this much free time, Li Mi would have died under my Five Emperors' Mace."

Her silvery laughter was extremely pleasant to the ear: "I find it novel and interesting."

A dry male voice asked, "Is there a more mature method?"

Yes, of course.

"Otherwise, why would I have summoned you all here?"

Before the words were finished, a short figure flashed onto a coffin.

He was dressed in a monk's robe, with a string of blood-red beads hanging from his head. His face was as wide as a basin, his chin was bulging and hooked, and his two thick lips protruded like a bird's beak. He looked extremely strange.

His eyes looked like two will-o'-the-wisps.

Even in the darkness, one could see the crimson aura constantly emanating from it.

"We've been wrong all these years."

"After hearing rumors circulating in the martial arts world about the transmission of a sacred Taoist text, I opened many Taoist scriptures to investigate. To my surprise, I received a great deal of inspiration and realized the profound wisdom of my master's intentions. Hehehe."

After a self-deprecating laugh, he said, "He didn't just die peacefully; he's probably long gone and at peace."

"The essence, energy, and spirit of a person can be cultivated to an inexhaustible level. Are you really not even a little bit tempted by the ultimate secret of martial arts?"

"Sister."

His sudden use of such a form of address surprised the group of people in the shadows.

"The Queen of the Underworld has remained youthful for so many years, while Senior Sister possesses the highest secret. Wouldn't it be a pity if her beauty faded with time?"

A woman dressed in palace attire emerged from the darkness and gently stepped onto the second coffin.

Old Zhou sighed and continued in a very rough voice, "Senior brother, the dream of the Great Emperor is right here."

A figure carrying enormous scissors and wearing a towering crown appeared on the third coffin with a zombie-like gait.

"Old Zhou sighed, 'I hope you won't fool this emperor, otherwise...'"

The emperor snorted coldly, and at that moment, an extremely sharp sound of wind breaking suddenly fell from a height of five zhang!

He landed beside the emperor and stepped on the fourth coffin.

The man was completely lifeless. In the moonlight, he looked like he was about to die, with wrinkles all over his brows and forehead.

However, on this dead face hung a pair of bright and clear eyes, like those of a child, yet the coldness within them sent chills down one's spine.

What's even more peculiar is that behind him hangs a gleaming, one-legged bronze figure, weighing several hundred pounds, yet he doesn't seem to feel any burden at all.

"It's been almost twenty years, I never thought we'd meet here again."

Swish swish!
Three more sounds rang out, each step landing on the fifth, sixth, and seventh coffins.

The person in the fifth coffin was short and stout, while the person in the sixth coffin was extremely tall. He sat cross-legged and was the same height as the short and stout person next to him.

The seventh coffin contained a slender woman whose face was obscured, with a fiery red slender sword behind her.

At this moment
Another gust of wind blew, and a demonic figure wearing a straw hat flashed to the eighth coffin. He had a long sword at his waist and his movements were extremely light.

As soon as this person arrived, he said, "Since this is a matter within the Evil Extreme Sect, aren't we outsiders?"

Old Zhou immediately raised his hand and said, "Wrong, completely wrong."

“Our Master is very wary of us. I’m afraid even the four of us combined would find it difficult to comprehend the Great Law. That’s why we need your extraordinary scriptures and scrolls.”

"What's wrong with us exploring the ultimate secrets of martial arts together?"

Each of the eight people had their own thoughts, so the mortuary fell into a deathly silence.

Yu Niaojuan, carrying the one-legged bronze figure on his back, said, "I have no objection, I just hope that you all won't try anything funny."

"Nature, nature"

The master of the demonic sect spoke first, and everyone's eyes were filled with confusion, but they all nodded in agreement.

"Ok?"

Old Zhou sighed softly, and at that moment, the eight masters all turned their heads to look in the direction of Nanyang.

In the darkness, someone was using clumsy hiding methods to sneak towards the mortuary.

Upon seeing this, each of the eight people took a different action.
Emperor Ding began wiping the scissors, the man on the eighth coffin straightened his sleeves, the slender girl picked up a fiery red longsword, and the woman in palace attire unleashed a glint of light from under her sleeve.
The Demonic Sect Master asked, "Is this also someone you invited?"

Old Zhou first shook his head, then nodded with a sinister grin:
"You could say that, because my coffin just happens to be short of someone."

……

……

……

PS: ('-'*ゞ Goodbye to the short story, Ye persevered for another day.)
(End of this chapter)