landbeastnovel Chapter 166 Hiss!! Tiger Rabbit?!
Chapter 166 Hiss!! Tiger Rabbit?!
Lu Yuan returned to the house, slung the bundle he had packed the night before over his shoulder, and turned to leave.
He didn't take the main road through the mountain gate, but instead went down the small path behind the mountain.
This road is shorter, although it's more difficult to travel, but it can save about half an hour.
The morning light filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows in the forest.
Lu Yuan walked very fast, his feet barely touching the ground, and soon he was down the mountain.
There's a small village at the bottom of this mountain road called Willow Tree Village.
There's an old man at the village entrance who specializes in tying up horses and renting out donkeys.
"Old man, rent a horse."
The old man was squatting at the door smoking a pipe. He looked up at him, squinted, and recognized him.
"Hey, Taoist priest!"
"Going on another long trip?"
Lu Yuan nodded.
"A trip to Huai Shu Gou will take two days round trip, so we need a good horse."
The old man tapped his pipe, stood up, and walked inside.
"Yes, yes, a good horse just arrived the other day, you wait here."
A moment later, he led out a blue horse, its coat glossy, its hooves thick and strong, looking sturdy.
Lu Yuan took the reins, mounted the horse, and pulled out a ten-yuan note from his pocket, tossing it to him.
"Thank you, sir."
With a flick of the whip, the blue mule took off running.
The old hand's voice came from behind:
"Master! You don't need that much!!"
The sound grew farther and farther away, eventually being drowned out by the wind.
Lu Yuan rode his horse northward along the mountain path.
The horse ran very fast, the trees on both sides of the road rushed past, and the fields, villages, and hills flashed by one by one.
As Lu Yuan hurried on his way, he focused his mind on the space between his brows.
Those three little paper figures have been flying for four days.
Lu Yuan closed his eyes and formed a "spirit communication seal" with his hands in front of him.
Hold your right thumb at the base of your ring finger, extend your index and middle fingers forward together, and support your right elbow with your left hand.
This is a special hand gesture used by Taoist sects to sense the released magical artifacts.
He murmured softly:
"The essence and blood belong to me, the paper figure belongs to me."
"My eyes are your eyes, my ears are your ears."
"Take three steps and follow; take five steps and keep up."
"Though separated by thousands of miles, we will never lose each other."
After finishing reading, Lu Yuan placed the index and middle fingers of his right hand on his brow.
A sudden heat emanated from between my eyebrows.
Then, I "saw" it.
To be precise, it's a feeling.
The location of the paper figure, like a tiny dot of light, appeared in his mind.
Now that Lu Yuan is too far away from Tiger Rabbit, he can no longer see directly and can only rely on that faint sense of his location.
The one in the middle has already entered the outer perimeter of Heishui Ridge and stopped motionless on an old tree.
You know what, that little girl, Tiger Rabbit, really flew by in those four days.
We've already reached Heishui Ridge.
Fortunately, the tiger family's lamp needs to be relit at night.
In Tiger Rabbit's words, "Who lights their lamps on during the day?"
Therefore, although Tiger Rabbit has already entered Blackwater Ridge, Lu Yuan can still set off in time.
Lu Yuan should arrive around 9 or 10 p.m.
That was roughly the time when Tiger and Rabbit were showing off their skills!
Thinking of this, Lu Yuan cracked his whip, and the blue mule ran even faster this time.
Around noon, Lu Yuan passed through a town.
They didn't stop, only nibbled on some dry rations and drank some water on horseback before continuing their journey.
In the afternoon, the road began to narrow.
The official road turned into a dirt road, and the dirt road turned into a mountain road. The trees on both sides grew denser and denser, and the population dwindled.
Lu Yuan knew they were almost at Huai Shu Gou.
He reined in his horse and then placed his hand on his forehead.
This time, the paper figure was in the same position as in the morning; it hadn't moved at all.
Lu Yuan opened his eyes and looked at the mountain road ahead.
The sun has already begun to set in the west; it will be dark in two more hours.
He had to get to Huai Shu Gully before dark and then go into the mountains.
With a flick of the whip.
With a neigh, the blue mule took off charging into the mountains.
The mountain road became steeper and narrower.
The trees on both sides blocked out the sun, and the light suddenly dimmed.
It was afternoon, but it felt like evening.
Lu Yuan didn't care about any of that.
He held the reins with one hand and occasionally touched his brow with the other, sensing the position of the paper figure.
They ran for another hour.
Lu Yuan reined in his horse and dismounted.
He tied the horse to a tree and patted its neck.
The horse snorted and lowered its head to graze.
Lu Yuan, carrying his bundle, took a deep breath and strode into the mountains.
There's hardly any road left; the horse can't get in. Lu Yuan has no choice but to forge his way in on his own.
It was completely dark by then.
The moon had not yet risen, and the mountains and forests were so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.
Lu Yuan took out a talisman from his bundle, folded it into the shape of a small lantern, and muttered "As urgent as the law commands."
The talisman suddenly burst into flames, hovering above his shoulder and illuminating a three-foot radius area.
This is "talismanic fire," which doesn't burn your hands or extinguish the wind; it's specifically designed for walking at night.
He trudged through the fallen leaves and pebbles, making his way into the mountains.
The road is long gone; we rely entirely on the compass for direction and our gut feeling.
After walking for about half an hour, the moon rose over the eastern mountain.
Moonlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows in the forest.
The shadows swayed in the wind, as if something was lurking in the shadows.
To be precise, there is something there.
They're just little gadgets, though.
The system for "Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evil" has no indication; it relies entirely on Lu Yuan's own spiritual perception.
In a place like this, sparsely populated and lacking in human presence, it would be strange if these little trinkets weren't there.
Lu Yuan stopped and placed his hand on his forehead.
The sensation is still there.
The paper figure was still squatting on the old locust tree, motionless.
He opened his eyes and frowned.
Not right.
Logically, now that the distance is closer, at most seven or eight li, he should be able to see things through the paper figure's eyes.
But when I tried it just now, the sensation between my eyebrows seemed to be blocked by something, and it was blurry.
I can only sense the location, but I can't "connect" to it no matter what I do.
It's like looking through a thick layer of frosted glass.
Lu Yuan took out a piece of yellow paper from Yu Lian, bit his tongue and drew a "Thousand-Mile Eye Talisman", then stuck it on his forehead.
execration.
Useless.
There was a complete blur at the center of my forehead; I couldn't see anything.
He then took out a "spirit communication talisman," folded it into a triangle, and held it in his palm.
Recite the mantra again.
It still didn't work.
The sense of obstruction intensified, as if something was desperately suppressing Lu Yuan's movements.
Lu Yuan's heart sank.
This is……
Something is cutting off the connection between the paper figure and the object.
Lu Yuan wasn't too alarmed by this. If that's the case...
That proves just one thing!
The Faceless Evil God is right here!!
All of this, naturally, is related to that faceless evil god!
Otherwise, he himself, a genuine Celestial Master...
Of course, Lu Yuan has not fully recovered yet, but even if he has not fully recovered, he is now about 70-80% recovered.
Among the Taoist sects outside the pass, they are considered quite formidable.
The one who can cut off Lu Yuan's methods must be that evil god!
It's not that the paper figure was discovered by the evil god or anything like that; perhaps it was because of the evil god's evil aura, or something else.
Anyway, this did serve as a reminder to Lu Yuan.
This faceless evil god must be quite powerful; we must be careful and cautious, and not be careless.
Lu Yuan looked down at the black mirror compass in his hand.
The compass needle was still wobbling slightly, pointing northeast.
That's the direction of the Blackwater Pool, and also the direction where the paper figure is.
Lu Yuan held the compass in his palm and then took out the seven Seven Star Coins.
The seven copper coins, strung together with a red cord, were originally intended to lock away the soul.
But there's another use for it!
He wrapped the seven-star coins around the compass, with the red string wrapped around three times, and the coins were positioned precisely at the seven points on the edge of the compass.
Then he bit his left middle finger and dripped the blood onto the black mirror in the center of the compass.
The blood drop was instantly absorbed by the black mirror.
The mirror surface shone briefly.
Lu Yuan held the compass in both hands, closed his eyes, and began chanting an incantation:
"The sky is clear and the earth is blessed, with the Seven Stars guiding the way."
"Essence and blood serve as the guide, and the compass as the eye."
"Break through all obstacles and make a way."
"I am acting on the orders of the Supreme Lord Laozi!"
After he finished reading, he suddenly opened his eyes.
The image began to appear on the black mirror of the compass.
It wasn't a clear image, but a blurry, water-ripple-like shadow.
But Lu Yuan could see it clearly; it was the path he had walked, the outline of the mountains and forests, and the direction from which the moonlight shone.
Most importantly, a tiny point of light appeared in the black mirror.
That's where the paper figure is.
Using his life essence as a guide, the compass forcibly broke through a portion of the "evil energy's" blockade, pointing him in a direction.
Lu Yuan held the compass and followed the direction of the light.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, an old locust tree appeared ahead.
The tree was huge; it took several people to encircle it, and its branches and leaves were so dense that it resembled a giant umbrella.
The moonlight shone on the trees, casting a large, dark shadow.
Lu Yuan stopped and looked up.
A tiny thing was perched on a branch.
It's a paper figure.
They were completely still, as if they had been frozen in place.
Upon seeing the motionless paper figure, Lu Yuan gasped.
If the paper figure is here, then normally the tiger and rabbit should also be here!
To be precise, it should be in this area.
Because of the "gods" following behind Tiger and Rabbit, the paper figures don't stay very close.
But the distance won't be too far.
Lu Yuan looked around.
No exception.
There was no black mist, no sound, nothing at all.
The danger sign for "Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evil" was not displayed.
Lu Yuan took out the "Thunder God's Decree" from his bundle and hung it on his belt.
Then he walked to the old locust tree and looked up at the paper figures on the branches.
"Get down."
He said softly.
The paper figure swayed, as if it understood.
But it couldn't move at all.
It felt like something was pressing down on it, and it couldn't move.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan frowned.
He pulled a yellow talisman from his pocket, quickly recited an incantation, and then threw it onto the tree.
The talisman flew into the air and burst into flames with a "whoosh".
The firelight illuminated the entire tree.
On the branches, you can vaguely see some thin, thread-like things wrapped around the paper figure.
The fine threads were black, blending into the night, and were almost invisible unless you looked closely.
Lu Yuan's face darkened.
This is "Binding Spirit Silk".
The evil god used threads formed from his own aura to specifically trap spiritual entities.
Although the paper figures are not spirits, they contain Lu Yuan's essence and blood, and his true knowledge, so they can be considered as half-spiritual beings.
No wonder it can't fly.
He pulled the apotropaic dagger from his waist.
The dagger was pitch black, but the blade gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
Lu Yuan gripped the dagger and climbed up the tree trunk.
He climbed up to the paper figure and made a light cut with his dagger.
The black threads snapped immediately upon touching the blade, making a sizzling sound, as if something was being burned. Lu Yuan reached out and grabbed the paper figure in his hand.
The moment he got his hands on it, Lu Yuan felt a slight struggle.
The paper figure seemed to be being pulled by something, trying to break free from his grasp.
Looking down, I saw that there were still a few broken "spirit-binding threads" left on the paper figure.
Although the thin threads were broken, they were still wriggling slightly, like earthworms struggling in their death throes.
Lu Yuan pinched the thin threads with two fingers and pulled them outwards.
"Zi"
With a soft sound, the thin thread broke completely, turning into a wisp of black smoke and dissipating.
The paper figure finally quieted down completely, lying softly in his palm.
Lu Yuan held the paper figure up to his eyes and examined it carefully.
This is the first one released, the one that has been following Tiger and Rabbit.
The seal script on the paper figure was still there, but the color had faded considerably, as if it had been worn away by something.
The edges of the paper figure were slightly curled up in several places, as if they had been roasted by fire or licked by something.
Lu Yuan frowned.
These are traces of being corrupted by evil spirits.
The paper figure followed Tiger and Rabbit into Blackwater Ridge, following them for four days before finally getting trapped in this old locust tree.
Everything it saw, the path it walked, and everything it felt was still "remembered" on its body.
But how do we make it "speak"?
Ordinary psychic spells are no longer effective; this area is covered by the "evil energy" of the evil god, and all spells are severely suppressed.
He just used a compass and seven-star coins to forcefully break through the evil energy; that was by relying on the power of the magical artifacts.
To read the "memories" from the paper doll, we need a more direct method.
Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then took out a piece of yellow paper from his trousers and spread it on the ground.
He placed the paper figure in the center of the yellow paper and then took out a vermilion pen from his pocket.
He dipped the brush tip in cinnabar, but instead of writing immediately, he closed his eyes and formed a "shadow-chasing technique" with his hands.
With your right thumb hooked around your ring finger, and your index and middle fingers extended forward together, grasp your right wrist with your left hand and press your thumb on the back of your right hand.
This is a special hand gesture used by Taoists to trace the "memory" of objects; it is also called the "Returning Light Technique."
He began chanting the incantation:
"The mysteries of heaven and earth are the origin of all things."
"I will cultivate for countless eons to prove my supernatural powers."
"Within and beyond the Three Realms, only the Dao is supreme."
"Golden light emanates from my body, covering it completely."
Upon reading this, he opened his eyes and touched the paper figure's brow with the index and middle fingers of his right hand.
There was a small red dot on the paper figure's brow, which was the essence blood that Lu Yuan had dripped onto it.
"Essence and blood serve as the guide, and paper figures serve as the proof."
"The events of the past three days are unfolding before my eyes once more."
"No matter how many obstacles or hindrances there may be, they cannot conceal its truth."
"Hurry, hurry, as the law commands!"
After reading the last sentence, he pressed his finger.
The paper figure trembled slightly.
Immediately afterwards, Lu Yuan's vision blurred.
Lu Yuan "saw" it.
It wasn't a clear picture, but rather fragmented, like old film reels.
He saw Tiger Rabbit walking on the mountain path, with two little tufts of hair on its head swaying back and forth.
She walked slowly, stopping every now and then to pick a wildflower or a leaf.
The moonlight shone on her, shining on her fair and clean little face.
Lu Yuan saw her walk across the Blackwater Pool.
The pool was pitch black, reflecting the moon.
She squatted down by the pool, reaching out to touch the water, but pulled her hand back halfway, muttering something under her breath.
He saw her walk around the Blackwater Pool and head towards the back of the mountain.
The mountain grew steeper and the trees grew denser, and Tiger Rabbit climbed up step by step.
She stopped halfway up the mountain and looked back.
They were looking in the direction the paper figure was hiding.
But she didn't find the paper figure; she just glanced at it and continued walking.
Then one
Snapped!
Lu Yuan was slapped on the back.
Lu Yuan: "???"
"ⅠⅠ"
This gave Lu Yuan goosebumps all over.
Lu Yuan gripped the apotropaic dagger in his hand and suddenly turned around.
When Lu Yuan turned around and saw the person behind him, his pupils shrank involuntarily.
hiss!!!!
Tiger and Rabbit?!