Establishing a Clan in the Eastern Wilderness: A Daily Divination, Cultivating Longevity in a Grotto

Chapter 106 The Body of a Witch, the Intent to Kill, and the Mysterious Mask

A yellow light flowed, and the deduced text slowly emerged:

【Twin Realms Village - The Body of a Witch】

Zhao Ling'er possesses a unique constitution known as the "Witch-Communicating Body." Those with this constitution are born with the ability to communicate with spirits and deities, sense the flow of yin energy, and pinpoint the location of evil spirits. If she possesses the cultivation techniques of the Northern Frontier Witch Clan, her cultivation speed will be incredibly fast, and her future will be limitless.

[Sand Bamboo Rat - Zheng Family's Activities]

The Zheng family has assembled its forces and set off early this morning to Bamboo Rat Ridge to capture sand bamboo rats. If they arrive late, the sand bamboo rats will be wiped out by the Zheng family.

Li Changsheng put away the Heavenly Book and quickly walked out of the courtyard.

Li Changle was already waiting in the courtyard. When he saw him come out, he came up to him and said, "Brother, it's dawn. We should go now."

Li Changsheng nodded and walked up to Old Zhao. Old Zhao was squatting by the stove, starting a fire to cook. When he saw Li Changsheng coming over, he quickly stood up and wiped his hands on his apron.

"Master, breakfast will be ready soon."

"No need." Li Changsheng waved his hand, his gaze falling on the girl who came out of the house. Zhao Ling'er had changed out of the paper effigy's wedding dress and was now wearing a coarse cloth garment. Her hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, and her face still showed signs of shock. When she saw Li Changsheng, she quickly lowered her head and nervously twisted the corner of her watch.

Li Changsheng took out a jade talisman from his pocket and handed it to her. The jade talisman was about the size of a palm, entirely emerald green, with fine runes engraved on its surface, and a faint spiritual light flowing around it.

"This talisman is for you," he said. "If you encounter danger, drip your blood on it, recite the incantation, and the talisman will activate and protect you."

Zhao Ling'er was stunned. She looked up at the jade talisman and then at her grandfather.

Old Zhao's eyes reddened again, and he pulled his granddaughter down to his knees with a thud: "Immortal Master, you saved Ling'er's life and bestowed upon her amulet, old man—old man—"

"Old Zhao, get up quickly." Li Changsheng helped him up. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. The people who will escort you will arrive today. Just wait patiently."

He turned around, took out a communication talisman from his pocket, whispered a few words, and then turned the talisman into a stream of light, flying towards the direction of Qinglan Mountain.

"Let's go." He leaped onto Chi Yu's back and reached out to pull Li Chang Le up. Chi Yu flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

Old Master Zhao and Zhao Ling'er stood in the courtyard, looking up as the crimson figure grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the horizon. Zhao Ling'er clutched the jade talisman in her hand, her expression filled with excitement.

"Grandpa, what's that immortal master's name?"

Looking up at the sky, Old Zhao said, "His surname is Li, and he is the patriarch of the Li family of Qinglan Mountain."

Not long after Li Changsheng left.

Old Zhao's doorstep is almost worn down by all the footsteps.

Almost everyone came to inquire about Qilin Town. Old Zhao smiled and responded to each one. The pain in his chest had subsided after taking the immortal master's pills, and his complexion had improved considerably.

The four burly men carrying the coffin huddled in the crowd, their faces increasingly grim.

"Big brother, what should we do?" The youngest man's voice trembled as he tugged at the sleeve of the leader.

The leader, Liu Laosan, was a big, burly man, but at this moment he looked like a frightened mouse, with beads of sweat sticking out of his forehead.

.

Roll down.

"Go back first and find the village chief."

The four of them squeezed out of the crowd and ran straight to the village chief's house.

The village chief's courtyard gate was not closed. The lights were on in the main room, and the village chief, Zhao Dezhu, was sitting in a grand chair with a pot of wine on the table in front of him, which was already more than half drunk.

"Village Chief!" Liu Laosan gasped for breath, "What time is it? Why are you still drinking alone like this!"

The other man, surnamed Zhou, was the second oldest in his family. He was tall and thin, and usually didn't talk much, but now he was also anxiously wringing his hands: "Village chief, that token is the key to entering Qilin Town. The immortal master said that only with the token can we go. Today we dragged Old Zhao's granddaughter out of her house, stuffed her into a coffin, and sent her up the mountain—if Old Zhao holds a grudge and doesn't give us the token, we'll—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

Shuangjie Village is finished. The clay dolls have been taken away, and the village is no longer protected by ghosts and gods. Although the immortal master said the evil spirits have been eliminated, who knows what else is still lurking in the mountains? Moreover, without the clay dolls' sustenance, the runes on the city walls will eventually lose their effectiveness. Staying here is tantamount to waiting for death.

With a celestial master presiding over Qilin Town and the Heavenly Dragon Temple protecting it, it is the only way to survive.

The key to survival is now in Old Zhao's hands.

Liu Laosan gritted his teeth: "Village chief, how about we go to Old Zhao's house first thing tomorrow morning, kowtow to him and apologize? His granddaughter is alright, right? Let's make it up to him properly and bring him some gifts."

"Yes, yes, yes," Zhou Lao Er quickly chimed in, "You can't hit someone who's smiling at you. If we sincerely apologize, he won't go that far—"

"Admit your mistake?"

He had considered admitting his mistake. But he was the village chief, the undisputed leader of Shuangjie Village. What was Old Man Zhao? Just an old man who made paper effigies; even he had to bow and scrape before him. Asking him to kowtow and apologize to Old Man Zhao? Impossible.

Besides, is admitting your mistake even useful?

Zhao Dezhu knew better than anyone that Old Man Zhao, though seemingly honest, was incredibly stubborn at heart. Years ago, when his granddaughter faked her death, Old Man Zhao managed to keep it a secret from the entire village for several years, almost fooling even Zhao Dezhu himself. Such a person, once he holds a grudge, will not easily let it go.

Rather than waiting for Old Zhao to retaliate, it's better to strike first.

But how do we begin?

The immortal master is still in the village. Although he looks young, his ability to seal the clay doll is unfathomable. If he discovers this, even ten Zhao Dezhus wouldn't be enough to kill him.

We must find a way—so that the immortals can't find out, the villagers won't suspect anything, and it's all done cleanly and without leaving a trace.

Zhao Dezhu closed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

He thought of a place.

To the north of the village, there is an abandoned mine shaft.

That was left behind a long time ago when the Zhuo family sent people to mine iron ore. A few daring young men secretly went in, but never came out again.

The villagers all say that man-eating ghosts live in the mine.

That's an excellent place to kill someone and cover it up.

As for how to lure them there—

Zhao Dezhu opened his eyes, and a slow smile appeared on his lips.

Although Old Zhao's granddaughter returned alive, she had been in a coffin and had been tainted by the yin energy of the clay doll. Even though the shaman said she was alright, Old Zhao was still worried.

Zhao Dezhu knew that there was a "mind-calming grass" growing at the entrance of the mine. He had heard a passing itinerant doctor say that the grass was specifically designed to counteract the invasion of yin energy and could calm the soul and stabilize the spirit.

Old Zhao was a paper craftsman who knew some folk remedies.

He must know about the calming herb.

As long as Old Zhao hears that there is a calming herb at the mine entrance, he will definitely take his granddaughter to pick it.

Then----

Zhao Dezhu picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

.

With its wings spread wide, Chi Yu streaked across the sky like a red meteor, speeding towards Bamboo Rat Ridge.

Li Changsheng sat on Chi Yu's back, took out a map from his pocket, and unfolded it to take a look.

Bamboo Rat Ridge is located about 100 li southeast of Shuangjie Village.

"Little sister," he turned to look at Li Changle behind him, his tone relaxed yet expectant, "when we get there, you set up the formation first. Sand bamboo rats are masters of escape and have excellent hiding skills. To catch them alive, we must first block their escape routes."

Li Changle was fiddling with the battle flags when she heard this. She looked up, her eyes crinkling, and replied, "Don't worry, I've got it covered. I guarantee not a single one will escape."

She took out array flags and array plates from her storage bag, arranged them one by one, and began preparations with practiced ease. Having traveled with her brother for the past few years, her array skills had long since reached a level of perfection.

Zhao Cai popped out of Li Changsheng's sleeve, perched on his shoulder, sniffing the air with its little nose, its bright black eyes darting around, and its two little paws rubbing together excitedly, as if to say, "I can already smell the treasure."

Li Changsheng chuckled and flicked its little head: "You're even more anxious than I am."

Squeak! Zhao Cai puffed out its little chest and squealed with righteous indignation.

Li Changle laughed, amused by it: "Brother, Zhaocai is becoming more and more like you. It can't resist good things."

"I didn't," Li Changsheng denied vehemently, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

"Yes, there is." Li Changle tilted her head and smiled as she exposed him, "Last time in the Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave, when you saw the spiritual medicine, your eyes shone brighter than Zhao Cai's."

Li Changsheng touched his nose and decided not to argue with his little sister.

Half an hour later, Bamboo Rat Ridge came into view.

The mountain slopes gently, and the bamboo forest is dense, stretching as far as the eye can see like a sea of ​​green. A gentle breeze rustles the bamboo leaves, as if they are softly singing. The air is filled with a faint fragrance of bamboo, which is refreshing and delightful.

Li Changsheng patted Chi Yu's neck, and Chi Yu understood, landing steadily in a secluded mountain hollow.

"Black jade".

Mo Yu emerged from the Hundred Ghosts Banner, her delicate hand plucking the strings. An invisible ripple spread out, enveloping the three figures. Their aura vanished, their forms disappearing into the bamboo forest, even their footsteps silenced.

Li Changle jumped off the back of the red feather, looked around, and selected several key positions. She made hand seals, and array flags were inserted into the soil one by one. The array plate fell down, and spiritual power poured in—an invisible light screen silently enveloped the entire bamboo forest, and even the wind seemed to slow down.

"Brother, it's done." She clapped her hands, a hint of smugness in her eyes.

Li Changsheng extended his divine sense and searched carefully within the bamboo forest.

A moment later, his eyes suddenly lit up.

Deep within the bamboo forest, a herd of golden mythical beasts was engrossed in munching on bamboo roots. They were plump, their fur a gleaming golden yellow, resembling moving gold ingots in the sunlight. Their limbs were short, their tails bushy, and their bright black eyes vigilantly scanned their surroundings. At the slightest sound, their ears would prick up—they were both adorable and clever.

Sand bamboo rat.

There were thirty or forty of them, big and small!

Li Changle sensed the sheer number of bamboo rats and couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!" Her face flushed with excitement: "Brother, so many! We're rich!"

Li Changsheng also had a big smile on his face, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.

If they could capture and raise thirty or forty bamboo rats alive, the Li family would have a stable source of ingredients for their spiritual cuisine. These creatures reproduce rapidly; if raised properly, their numbers could multiply several times over in a year. Then, when they started serving their signature dishes at the Spiritual Cuisine Pavilion, wouldn't spirit stones flow in like water?

"Watch me."

Li Changsheng activated the ancient exotic seed in his dantian, and a red light surged from his palm, condensing into a thin red rope. The red rope, like a nimble snake, silently swam into the bamboo forest, nimbly weaving through the swarm of bamboo rats.

One, two, three —

A red rope wrapped around the hind leg of a bamboo rat. Before the rat could struggle, it was gently dragged into the spirit beast pouch in Li Changsheng's hand. The whole process was clean and efficient, almost without making a sound, and even its companions nearby were completely unaware.

Zhao Cai perched on Li Changsheng's shoulder, its little paws tugging at his collar, craning its neck to look down, its black eyes wide open, making excited squeaks, wishing it could jump down and help too.

Red Rope moved extremely fast; in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all thirty or forty bamboo rats were captured.

Li Changsheng patted the spirit beast pouch; it was heavy, and inside came the rustling sounds of sand bamboo rats, lively and bustling. He couldn't help but grin, feeling so good he wanted to hum a tune.

With these bamboo rats raised, Li Jia Ling Shan Fang's signature dishes will be secured. "Golden Jade Abundance" and "Bamboo-Scented Bamboo Rat Stew"—just thinking about them makes my mouth water.

"Let's go and see if there are any that have slipped through the net." Just as he was about to search again, Zhao Cai suddenly jumped out of his sleeve, the whole mouse trembling with excitement.

Squeak!

Zhao Cai perched on his shoulder, its little nose twitching frantically, its round eyes wide open, its little paws pointing frantically at the ground, and it kept barking at Li Changsheng, stamping its feet in frustration.

Below! There's something good down there!

Li Changsheng was taken aback, then his eyes lit up.

Zhao Cai's reaction was even more excited than when the spiritual vein was discovered last time. Although this little thing is greedy for food and money, its nose has never made a mistake.

"A treasure?" he asked with a smile.

Squeak squeak squeak! Zhao Cai nodded frantically, its black eyes sparkling with stars, and there was even a faint trail of drool at the corner of its mouth.

Li Changle also came over, looking at Zhaocai curiously: "Brother, what did Zhaocai find this time? It's so excited, it must be something special."

"We'll find out once we go down and take a look." Li Changsheng took out a teleportation talisman from his storage bag, slapped it on his body, and said to Li Changle, "You stay up here and keep watch. I'll be right back."

His body disappeared into the soil.

Three feet underground, there is a natural cave.

The cave was small, about ten feet square, with a damp floor covered in moss, and a faint smell of decay in the air. In a corner of the cave, a corpse was curled up, its robes mostly rotten, revealing the white bones beneath.

Li Changsheng's gaze sharpened.

The corpse had several deep, bone-revealing wounds on its chest, and several ribs were broken, clearly indicating that it had been injured by a sharp weapon.

Judging from the extent of his injuries, he must have been chased here, succumbed to his wounds, and died with resentment.

His right hand was gripping something so tightly that his fingers were deformed, and he refused to let go even in his dying moments.

Li Changsheng squatted down and pried open the skeletal hand.

A mask.

The mask is entirely black, made of neither gold nor wood, and feels cool to the touch, with a substantial weight. Its design is ancient and eerie, with high-arched eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a hooked nose, and slightly upturned corners of the mouth, conveying an indescribable sense of mystery.

A red gem the size of a soybean is inlaid in the center of the mask's forehead. A faint light shimmers within the gem, as if something is sealed inside, flickering on and off as if it is breathing.

Li Changsheng examined it several times. Although he couldn't discern the item's specific grade and purpose for the time being, he knew that something the cultivator had clutched tightly in his hand before his death was definitely no ordinary object.

"Good stuff." He put it into the Heavenly Book Space with satisfaction, a smile playing on his lips.

Zhao Cai jumped off his shoulder, sniffed around in the cave, and brought back a few pieces of spirit stone that shimmered slightly. He piled them up at Li Changsheng's feet like treasures, looking up at him with his little face saying, "Praise me, praise me!"

Li Changsheng was both amused and exasperated. He bent down and collected the broken pieces, then casually patted Zhaocai's little head: "Alright, I know you're the best."

Squeak! Zhao Cai puffed out its little chest with satisfaction.

Just then, the communication talisman on his shoulder lit up. Akabane sent an urgent message—the Zheng family had arrived.

Li Changsheng raised an eyebrow, calmly emerged from the ground, brushed the dirt off his robes, and smiled at Li Changle, "The Zheng family has come to pick up the scraps, but unfortunately we've taken them all."

Li Changle chuckled, made a hand seal, and the array flags flew up from the soil. The array plate's spiritual light receded, and the light barrier dissipated. She then cast a cleansing spell, erasing all traces of the array, leaving not even a single mark of the flags, making it as clean as if she had never been there.

"Walk."

Li Changsheng leaped onto Chiyu's back and pulled Li Changle up with him. Chiyu flapped its wings and soared into the sky, speeding towards Yunshan County.

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