jdhmnovel Chapter 148 Xiao Er's Thoughts
Chapter 148 Xiao Er's Thoughts
"They're just ordinary people, they only care about appearances, not souls, so it's no big deal if they get noticed."
What illegal travelers fear most is encountering deities and fellow travelers, who can recognize others on a spiritual level. Once discovered, no amount of disguise will help.
Even so, Lan Ying still put her foot down from the crocodile's tail. There were already few women traveling outside, so she was quite conspicuous in the White Lotus Sect.
"It's so convenient for you to just become a ghost."
The most distinctive ones are Smoke and Shadow. One can form a human shape but also become a cloud of black smoke, while the other can directly become a shadow imprinted on a flat surface. If you want people not to see them, you really can't see them. After all, most of the time they don't even have a human shape.
"Underwater... given the situation, we'll probably have to head back north."
Yan ignored Lan Ying's words and focused on the information gleaned from the crocodile group. They had caught a glimpse of the trail and were following the trail of the spiritual vein deeper into the area, eventually needing to go further north.
Fortunately, they are not ordinary people. They have traveled back and forth between the north and south so many times. Even if an ordinary person didn't die from exhaustion, several horses would have died from exhaustion long ago.
"Whatever, as long as the plan goes smoothly, that's fine. Once the formation is activated, it's none of our business."
It's called cutting off the spiritual veins, which sounds like blocking a river, but in practice it's more like planting bombs on the enemy's supply route during a war, destroying the road and cutting off the enemy's supply.
"If we head north, we might run into Ying again. Hopefully, he's gotten rid of those two guys."
Meeting a companion is certainly a good thing, but if that companion is being chased, and meeting them means bringing the enemy along as well, then such an encounter is unnecessary.
However, it must be said that in terms of assisting various abilities, Shadow is indeed the most useful. Just his ability to pull people out through shadows alone can save a lot of trouble with his assistance.
"Have the crocodile demon go again, and once it has determined the approximate route, contact Yi Yang directly."
Finding the spiritual veins and pinpointing their exact locations was their job, but the real planning and execution were mainly handled by Yi Yang and his group of indigenous disciples.
Yes, indigenous people.
"Waiter, where are you going?"
Seeing the girl walk in another direction, her companion asked curiously.
“My father sent me a letter, carried by a paper bird. With so many torches and candles here, I’m afraid I might accidentally burn the paper bird.”
One type of magic is based on paper. It involves cutting out the desired items like paper-cutting for window decorations, and then casting a spell to bring the paper pieces to life. This is the characteristic of this type of magic.
The medium for casting the spell is paper. Even if it eventually transforms into a strong ox, it will still be afraid of water and fire, just like paper. If it steps into water, it will become lame, and if it comes into contact with a spark, it will be burned.
"Oh, then come back quickly after you finish reading the letter, or your master will be angry."
"I see."
The girl put her hands behind her back, smiled and agreed. Only after her companion left and everyone was gone did she put the hand holding the letter back in front of her.
If anyone were still alive today, they would notice that what she was holding was not a paper bird, but a small and exquisite paper kite. Although this thing could also deliver messages like a paper bird, it was too flashy. The White Lotus Sect's named and named monks were mostly male, and they had no interest in such a gift-like paper kite.
Similarly, Xiao Er's father, Zhao Wang, didn't use such a thing to send messages. Anyone could send a message from a naturally gifted person, and it would fly precisely to the recipient. The White Lotus Sect's magic was different. The paper bird was actually a carrier pigeon that didn't need to eat, drink, or relieve itself. Its flight path had a fixed destination. It was only because Xiao Er was valued for his talent that he was required to stay at the headquarters to learn magic, making it easier for him to send messages using magic.
This exquisite and beautiful kite belonged to Xiao Er herself. She used it to facilitate secret communication with others, and even her parents were unaware that their daughter had her own network of connections.
In theory, both father and daughter were apprenticed under Yi Yang, but Zhao Wang was merely a figurehead, usually just dealt with casually. Xiao Er, on the other hand, was different; she understood many spells at a glance and learned them instantly, truly a rare genius. People like her mostly stayed here, always obeying Yi Yang's orders.
"There was no news before, why did you suddenly remember me today?"
Xiao Er looked at the kite. When she was young, she studied and learned to read with her brother. At that time, there was a classmate who was three years older than her named Ding Ziming. The two had been together for five or six years and were in love with each other. Unfortunately, the marriage between Zhao Wang and Ding's family did not go through. Zhao Wang even moved his family out of his hometown and joined the White Lotus Sect.
When she saw those dazzling spells, Xiao Er admitted that she was very tempted. When she discovered that she could also learn them and was even accepted as a disciple and given important responsibilities by the higher-ups, she was overjoyed.
At first, she learned traditional magic, such as turning beans into soldiers and cutting paper into horses. Xiao Er learned them all in no time. Because of her outstanding talent, she is now one of the most favored people by the higher-ups.
As she delved deeper into her studies, Xiao Er felt something was amiss. Occasionally, she would hear the howls of unknown wild beasts at night, and several of her master's subordinates would have bloodstains on their clothes. The spells she learned also became increasingly strange.
She was talented and had a high level of understanding of various spells, so when some spells worked differently from most others, she could sense some signs of something.
She couldn't pinpoint the exact difference, only knowing that the new material was more difficult to learn than what she had studied before, and her magical energy was constantly blocked. The first time this happened, Xiao Er thought it was because she hadn't performed well, and with a humble attitude, she asked her master for guidance, only to receive the response, "Don't worry about it, everything is as usual."
The other person's eyes seemed to indicate that they had already anticipated this outcome. Xiao Er was only experiencing a blockage, while several of her classmates who were studying with her were completely unable to use the skills.
When Xiao Er first joined the White Lotus Sect with her father and was highly regarded, she admired her master quite a bit. She felt that he was omnipotent, like a god descended from heaven.
But when she went over to inquire, she discovered that this powerful master, who had taken on many disciples, seemed to have never taken them seriously. Rather than teaching, he seemed to be giving orders and watching his disciples carry them out.
It was as if the other party wasn't training apprentices or successors, but just a group of talented subordinates who were easy to manage. Xiao Er's past aspirations, fueled by the White Lotus Sect's favors towards his family, were washed away by a bucket of cold water.
From initially being captivated by the dazzling magic and endlessly fascinated by the supernatural, to finally calmly reflecting, the White Lotus Sect was indeed a cult that had rebelled and was suppressed by the imperial court.
"He...is he coming too?"
After reading the information on the kite, the girl exclaimed softly. She had used the kite to contact Ding Ziming. Although the marriage between the two families had failed and they were now separated by distance, Xiao Er had just learned magic, and the two had re-established contact.
The news that Ding Zimo was coming to the White Lotus Sect to find her was completely unexpected for Xiao Er. She knew that Ding Zimo had passed the imperial examination in her hometown and had not heard from her before. She thought that Ding Zimo was studying hard and did not have time to communicate with her through kites as before.
Today, news suddenly broke that Ding Ziming is also coming to the White Lotus Sect. It is said that she has already arrived in the south and is considering how to join the Asura King's forces.
"Asura King..."
This is the most mysterious person in Xiao Er's mind so far. Although Yi Yang doesn't let his companions have much contact with the native disciples he has taken in, he can still see them on a daily basis and even exchange a few words with them.
However, Shou Wanjie and Qingyangzi had very little interaction with the transmigrators. Most of the time, the transmigrators would come to them and they would offer some help. If there was nothing else to do, they might not see each other for a whole day. Even though both of them were very conspicuous red-colored and rarely went to far places, they were able to appear and disappear even more mysteriously than inhuman shadows.
Qingyangzi was dressed in a very typical Taoist outfit. Seeing his appearance, it would be inappropriate not to call him "Taoist Master". The White Lotus Sect originated from a branch of Buddhism. The other party did not seem to like the people of the White Lotus Sect. When he appeared, he either had a stern face or brushed past others without turning his head.
Both are powerful figures who have only met a few times. At least Xiao Er is quite certain that Qing Yangzi dislikes the people of the White Lotus Sect. However, Shou Wanjie, who is currently nominally the leader, the Asura King, is truly unfathomable. Even if you are face to face with him, you cannot judge the other person's intentions.
Xiao Er was naturally happy that the person she admired was coming to find her, but she didn't know anything about Ding Zimo's qualifications, and she didn't know if the other party could successfully join her team.
Moreover, to be honest, Xiao Er's enthusiasm for the White Lotus Sect had gradually cooled down. She was not some heinous demon, nor was she a fanatical follower of the Asura King. When she joined the White Lotus Sect, all she thought about was what her father, Zhao Wang, had said: as long as they joined the White Lotus Sect, their family would be rich and powerful in the future.
But now, some suspicious signs have been discovered, and then little by little, something is amiss. Is it really a good way out for them to move their whole family to the White Lotus Sect?
"Yi Yang's disciple?"
A strange cicada emitting an eerie glow entered Xiao Er's field of vision. She knew that the appearance of such a strange cicada meant that the Asura King was also nearby.
Now a high-ranking disciple of the White Lotus Sect, and with the Asura King, revered by the sect, as his superior, Xiao Er hurriedly turned his head and saw the dazzling and alluring red figure beside him.
"Yes, I am Lord Yi Yang's disciple."
The waitress, clutching her kite, hurriedly bowed. She had been lost in thought for too long and had forgotten that this area was not a secret place and that people could pass by at any time.
"The kite is well made."
The other party left with just those words, making the Asura King, who had been feeling so oppressed, seem like he was just passing by. But the kite in her hand was too small, clearly not meant for playing with, and there was no way to fly a kite here. Given the other party's abilities, Xiao Er didn't believe that they wouldn't discover the communication spell on the kite.
The White Lotus Sect doesn't care who its members contact, and its internal management has always been very loose. However, Yi Yang has requirements for his disciples, forbidding them from contacting outsiders on their own.
Xiao Er was able to communicate openly with her father because her whole family had joined the White Lotus Sect. It was also because of this reason that she was able to find a loophole to contact Ding Zimo, who was an outsider.
Even if Xiao Er is highly regarded, if it is discovered that she is communicating with outsiders, and she is still a scholar who is very likely to join the imperial court, Yi Yang will definitely punish her. Asura King should have discovered this, but he did not point it out. Why? Does he not know her master's requirements, or is he simply not interested in interfering?
Realizing she had been there too long, Xiao Er hurriedly packed up her kite and ran back to where she was learning magic. Unsurprisingly, she saw Yi Yang in the distance instructing several people on tasks; as they left, she could see some traces that looked like bloodstains on their clothes.
Some members of the White Lotus Sect wear a white robe-like garment. Even if it's not pure white, any dark stains will be very noticeable. Xiao Er had never seen anyone executed or killed in the camp, so she couldn't understand why these people had bloodstains on them.
There are also eerie wails that can be heard occasionally at night. The White Lotus Sect has many people who can command demons and yakshas, so it shouldn't be haunted here, right?
"What are you standing there for? Have you finished your homework?"
Seeing the girl he had previously taken a liking to standing there in a daze, Yi Yang scolded her and watched her apologize and leave before leaving with satisfaction.
His various special techniques came from the system and cannot be taught to others unless the other party also signed a contract with the system and became a similar being to him.
However, if he wanted to make a move on the spiritual veins of this world, the formation would have to be related to the local magic in some way, and for the sake of safety, he could not participate directly himself.
Therefore, Yi Yang selected a group of talented native disciples and taught them to learn formations. In this way, the final formation for cutting off the spiritual veins was like this: the materials stripped from the native monsters, the blood essence of the native monsters, and even the spiritual energy that was cut off, all flowed to those monsters first.
Then, the people who cast the spell when the formation was activated were a group of natives. Even if someone noticed something was wrong and searched for the culprit in time, the first people they would find were the disciples he had taken in. Then they would search for the monsters that had been captured. Only after searching again and again would they possibly find the transmigrators.
By then, Yi Yang and his group will likely have already "retired successfully." After all, there have already been two waves of scapegoats, and with these natives providing cover, they will be able to accomplish their other tasks.
Having lived in this world for so long, who doesn't know how to use someone else's strength against them?
"If there weren't so many gods here, I would never have thought I could come up with so many tricks."
Yi Yang entered a secret room. Inside, there was a table covered with strange drawings and writings, and on the table, a human head was placed neatly.
This is the leader of one of the leaders of the Three Treasures Sect that Yan brought back. Because the other party refused to cooperate after being captured, Yi Yang had to use some special methods to deal with him.
The other two fell into the hands of the City God. Fearing that the ghost messengers would follow the clues and find them, he used a special method to lock their heads so that they would not reveal any trace of their presence.
"Yan said he used to be your apprentice, but to be honest, I don't really believe it."
Yi Yang pulled up a chair, facing the heads on the table, completely ignoring the venomous gazes directed at him.
"I did come into this world a bit late, and I'm not as experienced as the others, but few of us are willing to tell the truth."
None of them were good people in their lives, and they all had their own hidden cards, which they all knew about each other.
"This former leader should cooperate. If all else fails, I'll introduce you to the system. Don't you want immortality? This system can grant your wish."