Chapter 1550: Chapter 790: Tempest Approaching (Part 2)

The elite forces of Dragon and Tiger Mountain were urgently dispatched to Ganzhou to confront the aggressive Mei Mountain Magic Sect, leaving the grand Jinling City God Temple practically an empty shell.

Faced with a growing presence of evil spirits and those cursed within the city, he was burdened with the responsibility of overseeing the supernatural yet lacked the power to exorcise evil or quell disasters.

Not to mention the reputation of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, even the grievances of the common people were too much for him to bear.

"Master, three more households in Liu Shu Village to the south of the city are reporting symptoms identical to those in Locust Tree Village..." a young Taoist hurried over.

His voice carried an irrepressible fear, "The village chief says that those people are filled with resentment, and rumors circulate privately that the ’Silkworm Goddess’ has descended to punish us, claiming that the court’s tyranny has forced the people into rebellion..."

Zhang Jingqing closed his eyes and sighed helplessly.

How could he not know the root cause?

Excessive taxes and levies were like the weight of Mount Taishan on the people, and the unchecked greed of those at the Silk Bureau had already pushed the people to the brink, allowing the Silk Cocoon Sect to incite them.

The government’s response was slow; this Jinling City was like a massive powder keg.

"Report—!"

Another disciple rushed in, breathless, "Xuan Sacrificial Officer Households Commander Qiu led people... led people and arrested Chief Eunuch Mr. Wang and several chiefs of the Silk Bureau! Right at the government entrance, they were seized in public!"

"Oh?"

Zhang Jingqing’s eyes snapped open, a glint of sharpness flashing through his cloudy eyes as he remarked with some surprise, "This Chief of Criminal Punishment from the Capital is rather swift and decisive. Arresting the corrupt officials of the Silk Bureau may not eradicate the Silk Cocoon Sect, but it is presently the most direct way to quell public anger and temporarily halt the spread of the curse. But..."

He sighed, continuing.

A disciple beside him asked quizzically, "This is a good thing, Master. What are you worried about?"

The old Daoist Zhang Jingqing shook his head and said, "This action is tantamount to poking a hornet’s nest. The entrenched gentry of Jiangnan and the Sea Opening Sect behind them, how will they let this rest?"

"The more people there are, the more trouble there will be..."

.........

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the core circle of Jinling City was equally tense.

The temporary dossier room at the Captain Bureau was brightly lit.

Bang!

Qiu Mingyuan, with a face as calm as water, slapped a freshly inked list onto the table.

He looked at the few local dignitaries with grim faces and the hasty representatives from the Lu and Xie Families, his voice cold as ice: "The list is here! The Silk Bureau, from top to bottom, has been embezzling tax silver, exploiting craftspeople, and forcing the people towards evil, with evidence irrefutable!"

"I am commissioned to oversee the demon chaos on imperial orders and have the authority to make on-the-spot decisions!"

"Anyone who dares obstruct is tantamount to colluding with the enemy!"

As he spoke, his gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over everyone: "Jinling is in peril! The demon army of Tai Lake eyes us covetously, and the cult within the city sows discord, the ’silkworm zombie’ spreads."

"If we continue to let these vermin suck the lifeblood and enrich themselves, stirring public revolt, inside and out colluding with the Demon Sect, should Jinling still be defended?"

"Do you still want the heads on your shoulders?!"

He was infuriated, not expecting these people to be so ungrateful.

At a critical moment, they couldn’t even sacrifice a pawn to save a chariot.

The matter of the Japanese silver mine hasn’t even been settled with them yet...

His words were forceful, leaving everyone in the hall as silent as cold cicadas in winter.

Lu Mingyuan and Xie Yunzhi exchanged a glance and saw the shock, anger, and helplessness in each other’s eyes.

Qiu Mingyuan’s move was fast, precise, and ruthless! He directly severed their chance to delay or divert attention.

Given the situation, standing up now for those destined to become discarded corrupt officials was not only unwise but could also lead to even greater accusations.

But ignoring it and associating randomly would also be troublesome.

Considering this, an official barely managed a smile, "Households Commander Qiu acts swiftly and decisively, removing harm for the country. I admire him. However... the pressing matters now are the ’Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony’ and the Tai Lake demon army after all."

"Hmph!"

Qiu Mingyuan snorted coldly, saying no more.

Of course, he knew where the focus was. The arrest operation was merely an expedient measure, a way to temporarily cool down this city on the brink of boiling over. The true decisive strategy lay in the "Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony" led by Zhou Yinyao and jointly prepared by various Jiangnan factions.

However, those present must also be guarded against...

.........

West of Jinling City, at the foothills of Qixia Mountain, there is a secluded Taoist Temple.

This place has been temporarily requisitioned as the central hub for the "Dragon Sacrifice Ceremony."

The atmosphere within the temple is solemn, with cultivators in various Daoist robes bustling about, the air filled with the scent of vermillion, talisman paper, and incense and candles.

Zhou Yinyao, dressed in a simple linen robe, stood before a giant map of Jinling and the surrounding landscapes, tracing the Yangtze River’s magical veins with his finger, and said in a deep voice, "Jinling City, shaped like a crouching tiger and coiling dragon, serves as the ’lock and key’ of the Yangtze River’s downstream water veins."

"For this ceremony, Jinling will serve as the Array Eye, with various factions from Maoshan, Tiger Gate Order, and Lushan securing the Eight Trigrams positions, harnessing the immense power of the Yangtze River’s Dragon Vein to construct the ’Nine Dragon Lock Abyss Formation’!"

As he spoke, he pointed to the location of Tai Lake on the map, pressing down firmly with his fingertip:

"Once the formation is complete, Dragon Energy will surge like nine golden locks spanning the sky, descending upon Tai Lake! Locking its Earth Energy, severing its water veins!"

"That demon woman Lai Yin, using the Yangzhou Tripod to forcibly pull the Earth Vein’s power, has her foundation in Tai Lake. Once the Earth Vein is locked, her strength will naturally wane, and the Yangzhou Tripod will become a water source without supply!"

"At that time, with the court’s navy and cannons, we can eradicate the demon influence in one fell swoop!"

Beside him, an elderly Daoist Nun from the Mao Mountain Sect nodded slightly, "Master Zhou has planned meticulously. Our Mao Mountain disciples have already taken the ’Mountain Suppressing Talisman’ to various nodes along the Yangtze to ensure the smooth flow of Dragon Energy."

An elder mage from the Tiger Gate Order stroked his beard and said, "Our sect’s ’Thunder Flag’ is also ready, able to summon the Nine Heavens Thunder Astral when the time comes, strengthening the formation’s power."

A fleeting trace of worry crossed Zhou Yinyao’s eyes, although his face showed a hint of relief.

He surveyed everyone, speaking in a solemn tone, "The ceremony preparations are divided into three routes: First, Daoist Qingwei from Mao Mountain and his elite disciples will immediately go to Tai Lake to investigate the sudden stoppage of the earth’s vibrations last night and the current status of Lai Yin!"

"Second, friends from the Tiger Gate Order and Lushan, fully arrange the array nodes within and around Jinling City, and prepare the necessary Magic Artifacts and Sacrificial Offerings for the ceremony! Third..."

He paused, his voice becoming more grave: "The team escorting the Da Li Bronze Bell is near Jinling, but has repeatedly been attacked by ’water bandits’ along the way, suspected of being Rampaging Soldier disguised as Silk Cocoon Sect members."

"This bell is a relic left by Master Ye Fashan and is crucial for suppressing the Array Eye and stabilizing Dragon Energy! Competent personnel are needed for reinforcement and escort!"

"For this, I entrust Daoist Zhang Jingqing from the Heavenly Master Mansion and invite Young Hero Li Yan and his Twelve Primordial Spirits, to ensure that the Bronze Bell is without fail!"

In the crowd, Li Yan’s eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this.

He had been silently observing Zhou Yinyao.

Although this Earth Immortal, once coerced by Lai Yin into leaking the secret of the Yangzhou Tripod, appeared to be putting all his effort into a game-changing plan, Li Yan’s vigilance had not diminished in the slightest.

Could Zhou Yinyao, given the Jianmu Organization’s crafty methods, truly have freed himself from their control?

His request to partake in safeguarding the Bronze Bell...

Was it out of trust, or did he have other plans?

It seems necessary to leave a hidden safeguard...

While Li Yan’s mind was whirling with thoughts, his expression remained unchanged as he stepped forward, clasping his fists, "Rest assured, Master Zhou. Regarding the Bronze Bell, I, Li, take full responsibility."

...

Days later, reports came back in succession.

Daoist Qingwei from Mao Mountain, who went to Tai Lake for reconnaissance, brought back shocking news:

The demon army camp at Tai Lake was heavily guarded, yet the atmosphere was eerie. The main tent was shrouded in thick black mist, with anguished screams occasionally piercing the air.

They risked capturing an outer demon, who, under severe interrogation, revealed that Lai Yin was attempting to forcibly refine the Yangzhou Tripod to initiate an attack on Jinling.

According to rumors within the camp, the plan was initially to wait for several immortals to arrive for a joint action, but Lai Yin, for reasons unknown, decided to proceed alone.

The result, naturally, was backfire, leaving her seriously injured.

She is currently in seclusion for healing.

This news invigorated the spirits of those preparing the ceremony.

With Lai Yin severely wounded and the demon army leaderless, this is a heaven-sent opportunity!

However, bad news soon followed.

The team escorting the Da Li Bronze Bell encountered unprecedented fierce assaults on the final stretch of the waterway—not scattered "water bandits," but organized "Rampaging Soldier."

These malevolent beings piloted ghost ships, attacking under the cover of night, utilizing the Yangtze River’s mist to conceal their movements, and even had demons casting spells to summon spirit monsters from the water to stir winds and waves.

The battle was extraordinarily brutal.

The Mao Mountain disciples and local Magic Lineage Cultivators responsible for the escort fought valiantly, but the adversaries were too numerous and fearlessly fearless, resulting in significant losses to the escort team.

Fortunately, the team was not far from Jinling.

Li Yan, leading the Twelve Primordial Spirits along with the Captain Bureau’s Firearms Team, rushed out of the city in the dead of night to provide aid...