Dragon Seeker

"This... I'm not sure either!"

An Ru's expression flashed with confusion, and she whispered: "At that time, I just felt that my heartbeat became very fast, as if something bad was about to happen. Because I was too nervous, I just took action..."

After saying this, she asked me what was wrong in a puzzled way, and was a little curious about why I paid attention to this matter.

From beginning to end, my eyes never left her face. I found that her expression did not seem to be fake, and I was even more confused for a while.

Is it just intuition?

If intuition made her feel that I was approaching, then the deterrence she gave me when she took action would not be fake. This is my most intuitive feeling in my heart. Could this deterrence also be the potential explosion under tension?

I looked weird. An Ru in front of me was almost a different person from her at that time! !

Aohou!

At this time, an angry roar suddenly came from the village. It was the voice of Ma Liuzhi.

Then, the frozen soil under my feet suddenly exploded, and the basswood stick buried in the soil popped up a section, about the same length as an adult's finger.

This was just the beginning.

Immediately afterwards, on the left side of the basswood stick that popped out, a soil bag cracked, and another basswood stick popped out faintly, but it didn't pop out too much.

The ghost old man, who had just calmed down a little, immediately jumped up when he saw this scene, and his face full of holes trembled "clattering", looking at me unkindly: "Boy, is this the formation you mentioned? Is it reliable or not!"

He didn't know much, but he also knew that these basswood pillars were the key to this formation. Now that they suddenly jumped out, he couldn't help but be afraid!

In fact, I was also quite surprised in my heart. I didn't expect Ma Liuzhi to take action so quickly, but I wasn't as panicked as the ghost old man.

At least, Ma Liuzhi couldn't get out in a short time.

The basswood that popped out was in the middle of the wooden door at the entrance of the village. From the perspective of orientation, it was in the Kun position of the Xiantian Bagua formation that I had set up.

Looking at the pattern of the basswood pillars popping out, it should start from the Kun position and move to the left. In our professional terms, this means that the first yang is born at the winter solstice, starting from the north, which is the direction of the yang formation of the Xiantian Bagua formation, while the direction of the yin formation is the right direction of the Kun hexagram, indicating that the first yin is born at the summer solstice, starting from the south. One cold and one hot can be understood as the circular motion of the sun in a year, or as the alternation of yin and yang.

The basswood was ejected in order according to the direction of the Yang array's Qi flow, which means that the Yang array's Qi flow route was not disrupted and was still running according to the original rules. In other words, Ma Liuzhi did not find a real way to crack the array, but was just using violent bombardment. If he really captured the Qi flow route and broke the array properly, these basswood nailed to the ground should have been burned directly or ejected in a disorderly manner.

However, violent bombardment is also useful. As the saying goes, one force can defeat ten skills. People who play billiards also emphasize that great force can create miracles. It's just that this process is a bit longer.

I nailed 360 basswood sticks in the village. This is based on the lunar calendar of our ancestors, which is based on 360 days a year. According to Ma Liuzhi's method of breaking it, he must blast out all 360 basswood sticks according to the direction of the Yang array. Each stick is two feet and three inches long, which is about 70 centimeters. He can only blast out one finger long each time. I don't underestimate him. Even if he is energetic, he will probably be exhausted to accomplish this!

The ghost old man listened to me and calmed down a little. He asked me with a squinting look: "How long do we have?"

I calculated it secretly and said that if Ma Liuzhi could blast it non-stop like now, it would take at least one day and one night to completely break the array. If he rested in the middle, the time would be longer than this!

"What are you waiting for? Stop being suspicious and get on the road!"

The ghost old man immediately shouted: "Don't forget, your formation can trap them, but the forest with no way out is also a natural formation for you, so you can't delay!"

I thought about it, and it made sense. Besides, there seemed to be some unusual mechanisms in the Three Gods Temple. It would take some effort to find the bed that was closely related to Ma Liuzhi. With this calculation, I didn't have much time left, so I stopped staring at An Ru to find out the truth.

"Maybe it has something to do with her weird body. If she really had Ma Liuzhi's strength, how could she be bullied like this? If she really had bad intentions towards me, there would be plenty of opportunities to kill me."

In the end, I could only comfort myself like this. I looked at the other party deeply, but the other party didn't understand why, but smiled at me. I completely lost my temper and followed the ghost old man closely, diving into the vast mountains.

Because of Ma Liuzhi's awakening, the evil spirit in the forest increased greatly, and the way to survive was cut off. I didn't feel it deeply when I was in the village. After all, it was the place where the mountain dragon was about to enter, so it was not eroded by the evil spirit. But when I really stepped into the forest, this feeling became particularly clear.

It was even darker here, almost pitch dark!

If An Ru and the others were not very familiar with this, I'm afraid they would get lost even if they walked in.

Not long after, I began to become dry-mouthed.

This was naturally not because of the heat or thirst, but actually the evil spirit rushed into the heart, causing the heart to be angry, just like a person's dry mouth when angry.

I was worried about being hit again, so I immediately pinched the Five Thunder Seal in my hand to try to protect myself.

Unfortunately, it was still useless.

The ghost old man kept chattering along the way. This old man was probably old, and he really talked a lot. It was nothing on weekdays. When I had time, I would even chat with him. But now these words fell into my ears, just like ten thousand mosquitoes buzzing around my ears when I was too sleepy.

I became furious all of a sudden, the earth spirit pearl in my stomach trembled, awakening the Heavenly Official Blade, and almost chopped the ghost old man alive with one knife, scaring him so much that his lower lip trembled "fluttering" with an alarming frequency. I didn't know what kind of stunt this was...

Finally, it was An Ru who grabbed me.

When we walked in here, her hands were not as warm as usual, but frighteningly cold. She grabbed my hand and I felt like I was sticking to an ice cube.

A cool breath permeated from the other party's hand, making me gasp and calm down.

In fact, I knew very well that I was affected by the evil spirit, but I just couldn't control it. My eyes were burning and I looked around, as if everything in the darkness was my mortal enemy.

"This won't work."

An Ru said with concern: "You are different from us. Although these evil spirits will make us feel lost, at least the impact is much milder. You are different. You are only halfway through. If you continue like this, I'm afraid you will lose your mind..."

Lose your mind?

I laughed dryly. I'm afraid this is a good way to put it. If the evil spirit rushes into me, I will become a madman who doesn't recognize my relatives.

I thought I could withstand it with the Taoist handprints, but in fact, the intensity of the evil spirit here is far beyond my imagination. No wonder Qingzhu refused to set foot here!

"If it doesn't work, let Xiao Mi accompany you back!"

An Ru hesitated for a moment and said, "Leave the rest to me!"

"Try again!"

I pondered for a moment, let go of An Ru's hand, sat down cross-legged, and gently closed my eyes, but my heart was restless and I couldn't calm down completely.

I held the Baipi Knife in my hand, awakened the Earth Spirit Pearl, and chanted softly: "Taishangtaixing, respond to changes without stopping. Exorcise evil spirits and bind demons, protect life and body. Wisdom is clear, and the mind is peaceful. The three souls are permanent, and the spirit is not lost!"

Every time a mantra is chanted, the Earth Spirit Pearl in the abdomen trembles slightly.

This is the Pure Heart Mantra, one of the eight Taoist mantras. I have seen my master use this mantra when doing morning and evening homework. He said that this can eliminate distracting thoughts, calm the mind, make the mortal mind enter the dark silence, reflect the Tao heart, and cultivate purity. It also has some effects on protecting the soul. At this time, I use it to defend my mind and prevent myself from being rushed by the evil spirit.

The Heart Purification Mantra is the same as the Body Purification Mantra. It is not something that ordinary people can touch. It requires the spiritual energy that Taoist disciples have practiced and cultivated as the foundation.

The eight great mantras are profound and extensive. When I just touched the fetal breath, I couldn't touch them at all. After coming out of the Donghu ancient tomb, I made great progress and finally touched the threshold. However, I guess I can only use the three simplest mantras of heart purification, body purification, and mouth purification. Moreover, I have never practiced them before. Now this is the first time for a big girl to get on a sedan chair.

If my master was here, I'm afraid he would say that I was reckless again.

The first time to use the eight great mantras is not a trivial matter. Once there is a mistake, it may be irreparable. When ordinary Taoist children learn these, they are basically accompanied by their masters. If it weren't for the last resort now, I wouldn't want to touch them at all. I used the mantras that I had never touched twice on the same day, and when the evil spirit invaded my body, those who know the business would say that I was walking on a tightrope over the abyss.

Maybe it's not my fate. A slight chill spreads through my body. The heat and impulse gradually subside, but it still hasn't completely disappeared.

I let out a long breath, and a bitterness appeared on my face. At this moment, I suddenly missed my master and Brother Yaozi. I don't know how my master is doing now. Last time I followed them through the forbidden land between yin and yang, I always relied on them constantly, and I could rush around like a fool. Now I am the only one in trouble. In order to survive, whether it is the skills of the ritual officer or the means of the Taoist, all the cow gall and dog treasures in my stomach are forced out at once. Even if some of them are just theories, I have to sell them. Maybe it's really like some chicken soup says, desperate situations make people grow.

"Now I can probably be considered a Taoist priest, right? No matter what, for my master, I have to go out."

I cheered myself up secretly.

A cold hand suddenly grabbed me. It was An Ru.

I turned my head, but I couldn't see her expression in the darkness, but the coolness from her hands matched the clarity brought to me by the Purifying Heart Mantra. The combination of the two, although not enough to completely fight against the evil spirit, at least it would not make me lose my mind, but I was a little clumsy.

I knew that my current state was not suitable for any guidance, so I simply stopped talking and followed them silently, stumbling forward in the darkness.

In such a cold and desolate world, the concept of time became particularly vague. I didn't know how long it had been, nor how far I had walked, but I knew that my legs had become numb and stiff. At this time, the ghost old man suddenly stopped.

"We're here."

He looked ahead silently.

In the darkness, a huge monster huddled in the shadows, lying at the foot of the mountain like a monster.

Only when you get closer can you see that this Three Gods Temple is different from ordinary small temples. It is completely built with square bluestones. Except for the roof, no bricks or tiles are used in other places. It is precisely because of this that it can be preserved very well over the long years. The doors and windows seem to have been renovated, and there is a "concave" shaped lock hanging on the iron gate.

As soon as the ghost old man arrived here, he immediately covered his nose and shouted that the air was too dirty...

I think it should be the smell of the door god soil.

I smiled and looked at the lock in front of me carefully. The lock body is very thick. It seems to be made of brass and fine steel. It cannot be destroyed by violence.

Moreover, this is obviously not a modern lock. It should be an interesting antique.

As for the keyhole, it is even more interesting. It is in the shape of a "工".

The ghost old man leaned over to take a look and said with a sneer: "Smash the window. This lock can't be opened. It has been there since the Three Gods Temple was built. It has been used to lock the door. The key is a thin piece of iron. People who don't know how to open it can't open it even if they are given the key. Someone in the village used a hammer to smash this thing before, but it couldn't be broken at all!"

It's a lock body made of fine steel and thick brass. It's strange that you can smash it!

I shook my head and looked at the windows on both sides. They were all iron windows. I guess it's better to pry the lock directly than to smash the iron windows.

In fact, this lock is a simple maze lock.

This is probably the lowest-end mechanism lock in ancient mechanical art, and it is completely different from the complex three-slap lock. The internal mechanisms of that lock are interlocked and cannot be pried open. You need to use a key to open the first mechanism, and then hit the lock body three times to shake open the second mechanism. The lock can only be opened unless you have a key or use modern tools to saw it. Otherwise, there is no solution. In the past, a group of tomb robbers encountered this kind of lock. Several people took turns to saw it for six or seven days before it was sawed open.

As for this kind of maze lock, in fact, the internal lock is very complicated, like a maze, and there is a striker hidden in the deepest part. The key must be inserted from the correct position of the keyhole to get the striker, and then move it to the right position, use the hole on the key to hook the striker, and pull it gently to open it!

Like this lock, the key should be inserted from the right side of the "工"-shaped keyhole, and the striker will be hooked when it is pushed to the bottom. It is not as mysterious as the ghost old man said.

I saw thin earrings hanging on An Ru's ears, so I took them, straightened them, broke out a small hook on the top, and immediately reached into the keyhole. I soon found the striker and pulled it gently. The maze lock made a crisp "click" sound and fell off the door knocker.

"You have skills!"

The ghost old man exclaimed: "Are you a Taoist priest or a thief?"

I smiled and pushed open the iron door.

There was a dim light flickering inside. On a huge altar, there were several oil lamps, so that the air was filled with a strange smell. Above was the shrine, and there were three statues sitting cross-legged inside. I thought they were the three gods worshipped by the Ran tribe.

Under the altar, a pair of boys and girls were kneeling on the left and right, facing the iron door...

To be precise, this pair of boys and girls were actually two living people! !

The moment I pushed open the door, they all raised their lips at the same time, showing me a very weird smile...