Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 580 Dongye is too complicated
Go back in time.

When Xu Xuan first saw the message from Baoan Hall, he felt calm; it was just a normal notification.

Li Yingqi's journey across the world to slay demons and monsters was registered, so it wasn't a big deal that he didn't come out for several days after arriving at the Great Snow Mountain.

It's normal for cultivators and demons to fight each other for ten days or half a month. With her abilities and destiny, it would be difficult for her to die.

Yan Chixia is a top-tier fighter in the Bao'an Hall, and it's in accordance with procedure for him to go to the Great Snow Mountain.

He glanced at it and put it aside, deciding to deal with his own tasks first.

Zhou Juke's actions involve his attitude towards the public good, and cannot be taken lightly.

Only after the first letter did they use money to pave the way and capture the old witch doctor.

After a friendly interrogation, the benevolent Xu escorted the temple keeper, who had accidentally tripped and fallen, back to the yamen.

He then led three disciples into the mountain.

After all, the whole thing started with a giant snake.

Yongling, also known as Wutouling, is located north of Shaowu City, Fujian Province in later generations.

In Shaowu, Fujian, there is a mountain called Yongling, also known as Wutouling. In the northern marshland lives a giant snake, seven or eight zhang long and over ten wei in circumference, causing great harm and resulting in the deaths of many officers and magistrates. One day, a shaman dreamt that he desired to devour a young girl, so the local officer or magistrate adopted a maid from a debtor's household. In the eighth month, he offered a sacrifice to the snake and sent it to its den; the snake would swallow her whole. He had already used nine girls.

There's something special about this place in central Fujian; the versions of its legends about gods and ghosts aren't very common.

For example, the most popular female ghosts, fox spirits, are relatively rare.

More prevalent are the worship of natural spirits such as snake gods, frog gods, mountain spirits, plague gods, the sun god, the moon goddess, mountain spirits, water gods, dragon kings, fire officials, wind lion gods, and earth gods.

Therefore, there are an unusually large number of shamans, some of whom are highly skilled, while others are just trying to make a living.

The shaman who got beaten up was actually quite skilled; his ability to summon mountain spirits and wild monsters surpassed that of 90% of his peers.

But without the ability to control nature, one cannot be considered worthy of respect.

They were utterly powerless against a devil like Xu.

The four followed the scattered traces into the mountains and forests. Three days later, they discovered a winding and twisted mark under the weeds, as if it had been crushed by a huge object.

A foul wind blew from afar, and the demonic aura made no attempt to conceal itself.

He's clearly used to being arrogant and isn't afraid of anyone.

Xu Hanwen was very experienced in tracking snake demons, and he led his team to the depths of Yongling.

This place is already extremely precipitous, with towering peaks and sharp, jagged cliffs. A deep ravine winds its way down, and steep, solitary cliffs rise beside it. Looking up, the mountain peaks pierce the azure sky; looking back, the deep ravines seem to lie beneath the azure heavens.

Ascending high, it resembles a ladder or a bench; descending low, it's like a trench or a pit. Truly a strange and peculiar peak, indeed a series of sharp, sheer cliffs.

If the four of them were not righteous masters or possessed extraordinary skills, they would truly not be able to get close to them.

This week, Zhou Ju still thought of organizing people to go into the mountains to exorcise demons. He was incredibly foolish and audacious.

Ask any local, and they'll know this road is treacherous; herb gatherers hesitate to tread it, and woodcutters can barely move. Wild sheep and horses dart about, while rabbits and mountain oxen seem to be arrayed in formation. When monsters and wolves appear, even the old hunter dares not take another step.

The instruction to "never enter the forest" is not a casual remark; even ancient military strategists dared not act recklessly.

After passing through the strangely shaped rocks, they finally saw their target.

Wow~~~ What a huge snake!

Outside the cave, a large yellow-scaled snake coiled between the boulders. Its body was enormous, about seven or eight zhang long and more than ten wei in circumference, and its scales gleamed with a cold golden light in the sunlight.

With its head held high, it breathes in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, each breath accompanied by a foul wind, causing the surrounding vegetation to sway.

Several deep wounds on the snake's body exposed bone, and dried blood left mottled marks on its body, clearly indicating that it had been through a fierce battle.

However, these injuries did not diminish its ferocity; on the contrary, they made it appear even more grotesque and terrifying.

What's even more chilling is the thick aura of bloodlust that clings to its body, clearly indicating that it has been tainted by countless human lives. Its malevolent aura is overwhelming and sends shivers down one's spine.

Upon seeing this, Xu Xuan waved his sleeve, and a faint lotus pattern enveloped the four of them, concealing their aura.

After the White Lotus Dharma reached the third realm, it had many wonderful uses. With the help of the illusionary teachings of the Dharma Kings and the Demon Monk, the figures of the group were completely concealed.

"The aura, fluctuations, sound, and light and shadow have all been replaced, so don't worry."

It was as if I had entered another time and space. The mountain wind could not carry any scent, and the sunlight overhead could not leave any shadow. This was already a minor supernatural power.

If Xu Xuan understood the orthodox methods of Taoism, he might be able to use this to study the great supernatural power of Zhengli Wuying.

Unfortunately, his status in spiritual practice is remarkably similar to Xiaoqing's status in the cultural world.

The group then boldly walked up to the snake, circled it several times, and carefully examined it.

Ji Rui wanted to touch the thing, after all, it was the first time he had ever been so close to a monster.

I almost knelt down after being slapped by Zao-kun; this guy's strength is getting stronger and stronger.

Ning Caichen sensed something was wrong. "Master Xu, this snake demon's mind is clouded; its thoughts are only focused on enjoying incense offerings and devouring young girls."

"Something is not normal."

Xu Xuan nodded; his intuition had already detected this.

In terms of cultivation level alone, this demon has only just taken human form. It has no righteous lineage, no demonic lineage, and no bloodline inheritance. It is just an ordinary wild monster that has gained wisdom through breathing exercises and by chance.

They hadn't even fully developed their sanity; their animalistic instincts took over, and their soul seemed to be missing a piece.

Logically speaking, monsters without any powerful backing are the easiest to kill.

Of course, even someone with a powerful background like Xu wouldn't hold back. He wasn't wearing the golden headband, nor was he seeking enlightenment.

If one's mind is so dull, why bother using spiritual powers to stir up trouble in Dongye County?
Matters involving sacrifices to gods and spirits are inherently complex, always shrouded in secrecy. Demons, in particular, are incredibly long-lived and can readily recount stories from hundreds of years ago.

If the snake demon is not the problem, then the problem lies with Li Ji, or perhaps there is a third party involved.

Otherwise, how could an ordinary young girl exorcise demons using the methods taught by the divine being in her dream?

He carried a sword and a dog, and died in the courtyard.

What kind of glutinous rice cake could attract a snake demon to abandon its blood-eating habits? It's understandable that people from Guangdong eat people from Fujian, but I really don't understand why a snake demon would eat glutinous rice cake. Even Little Chef can't do anything about different species.

Besides, what kind of yellow dog would dare to bite a snake demon? There are no stories or legends about mutual generation and restraint between the two, and even with a mouthful of broken teeth, the old dog couldn't bite through the thick snake scales.

Finally, what kind of sword can pierce the demon's body?

Could it be that there are divine weapons hidden here?

Originally, the mission was simply to slay demons and educate Yu Gong's disciples, but unexpectedly, things have taken a turn for the worse.

Fortunately, it's not a big problem.

Unless Li Ji is also some kind of immortal being reincarnated, the Holy Father could easily suppress him.

After studying the giant snake, the four returned the way they came, only to find a lively scene as soon as they arrived in Jiang Le County.

Zhou Ju was eager to hold a trial and thoroughly clarify the matter of the snake demon's mischief.

The county magistrate and county commandant stood aside, and even Li's father was invited. Many people from Jiang Le County also stood outside the hall.

They never expected that Prefect Zhou would be so capable, capturing this shaman who was renowned throughout the surrounding area so quickly.

With a slam of the gavel, the old wizard, who had already been thoroughly beaten by Sanqi, was jolted awake and confessed all his crimes as if pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

The shaman was currently under the suppression of the righteous energy left by his classmate Zao, and with Ning Caichen's zither music lingering in his heart, he simply couldn't lie.

It began with the charlatan using the names of Shi Bogong and the Plague God to lure people into extorting money, and ended with the snake demon needing virgin sacrifices for its spiritual communication.

The crimes he committed over the decades are too numerous to count, including his sordid dealings with the county magistrate and wealthy families in the city. Hearing this, the people were filled with rage and shouted that they should kill this wicked man.

At this moment, the people and Prefect Zhou stood together, their enthusiasm reaching an alarming level.

I never imagined that the snake demon incident could lead to such a large-scale event.

The magistrate was panicked; the situation was now being guided in an incomprehensible direction by forces beyond the ordinary.

How did things suddenly go so wrong? Wasn't the old wizard supposed to be very tight-lipped? Didn't he know that if he just took the blame, nothing would happen?

Now, forget about resigning from his official post and returning to his hometown to live a wealthy life; he might even be imprisoned and questioned.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ju flew into a rage, slamming his hand on the table, causing the files to fall to the floor.

They colluded with sorcerers, embezzled public funds, and disregarded human life, sacrificing so many innocent children to appease demons! It's utterly lawless!
"nine!"

"You have already sacrificed nine children!"

Prefect Zhou's face was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.

His gaze swept over the crowd below like a knife, his voice filled with rage: "Nine young girls, living human lives, sacrificed to that snake demon! Magistrate Li, your cold-bloodedness is utterly outrageous!"

He stood up, took a few quick steps, and, still furious, began to punch and kick the trembling magistrate of Jiang Le County.

He roared angrily at the county constable and yamen runners who tried to break up the fight.

"Let's leave aside the collusion between sorcerers and the corruption of the former prefect. But don't you officials have any conscience at all?"

At this moment, Zhou Ju wished he could dismiss and punish all these insects.

The county magistrate was groaning on the ground. He had never imagined that this middle-aged prefect was so strong. He was truly worthy of being Yu Gong's student.

But resorting to fists and kicks is truly uncivilized, and we won't let ourselves be bullied.

Just like he used virtue, righteousness, morality, and reason to fight back, his yin-yang tactics are also quite sophisticated, and he knows very well how to attack the mind.

He lay on the ground, refusing to get up, and hissed as he said, "Lord Zhou, do you really not know, or do you think this is a classroom in the academy?"

(End of this chapter)