Chapter 129 – Dividing into Two Teams

The mountain forest was vast, and the locations where the ritual instruments were buried were not in the same direction. To find the instruments quickly, they had to split up. However, with a formidable enemy nearby and the area being heavily saturated with yin energy, separating would significantly increase the danger. Therefore, after voicing the idea, Zeng Jingxuan hesitated for a moment before continuing, “According to Ah Yang’s directions, one location is close to where we came from, and the other is in the valley to the north. Later, Xiao Qi, you and Ah Yang will head back the way we came, while Yao Wei and I will go to the north…”

Hearing this arrangement, Zhang Xiuqi, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, “Uncle, I should go to the north.”

Although the statement was abrupt, everyone present understood Zhang Xiuqi’s reasoning. The direction they had come from was the scenic area, which was relatively densely populated. The Nightmare Wood Formation had already been broken, making it much safer. Additionally, the destruction of the formation was likely due to the disorderly development of the scenic area, which had already compromised the protective barrier, making it easier to find the ritual instruments. In contrast, the north was uncertain. It was too far from their current location and closer to the Inner Mountain. There could be ambushes or encounters with deadly enemies along the way. Comparing the two, the west was safer, while the north was fraught with danger.

The uncle and nephew clearly did not want the other to take the risk.

As expected, upon hearing Zhang Xiuqi’s words, Zeng Jingxuan’s brows furrowed immediately. “You still have to take care of Ah Yang. Is this the time to take risks?”

Zhang Xiuqi clenched his fists, but Wei Yang, standing beside him, spoke up, “Master Zeng, since we unearthed the Vermilion Bird here, the north must be related to the Black Tortoise, right? In that case, wouldn’t it be more convenient to bring Lao Ye along? With him and Brother Qi, plus the Bone Formation I have on me, we’re more suited to go north. On the other hand…”

He glanced meaningfully at Yao Wei, “Brother Yao is more familiar with the Outer Mountain. With him leading the search for the ritual instruments, it should be much easier. If you find the items first, you can come back and join us. That should speed things up.”

Although Wei Yang didn’t say it outright, Yao Wei’s mouth twitched. Wei Yang was clearly implying that his combat ability was too low and that he would only hold them back. Although he wasn’t happy about it, Yao Wei coughed lightly and said to Zeng Jingxuan, “Brother Xuan, compared to Xiao Qi, we are indeed more suited to go to the Outer Mountain. I know the way back well, and besides, this isn’t the time to show off. Given the stakes, we need to act within our capabilities. That turtle seems quite powerful. We might actually make progress.”

Since the Vermilion Bird has been unearthed from the Fire Position, the pattern of the White Tiger in the west and the Black Tortoise in the north was predictable. The Spiritual Aperture was essentially a variation of a dragon’s lair, which could also be considered the Green Dragon Position. Regardless of the methods Sun Yunhe had used in this grand formation, the Four Symbols were undoubtedly part of it. Instead of blindly searching with a barely functional compass, it would be better to let the turtle show its abilities.

Zeng Jingxuan glanced at Lao Ye, who had finished eating grass and was happily wandering around the campsite. After a moment of contemplation, he finally gritted his teeth and said, “If there’s any danger…”

“Don’t worry,” Yao Wei interrupted directly, pulling out two brick-like objects from his backpack and handing them to Zhang Xiuqi and Zeng Jingxuan. “Military-grade walkie-talkies with GPS functionality. Although the yin energy in the mountains might interfere, these will still be somewhat useful. If anything happens, hold on! Stay in touch and wait for reinforcements.”

Although his Taoist skills were lacking, Yao Wei had truly prepared thoroughly for this mountain expedition, and his thinking was more comprehensive. With communication devices, even if the two teams were heading in different directions, they could still support each other. Seeing that things had been laid out so clearly, Zeng Jingxuan no longer hesitated and said to Zhang Xiuqi, “Xiao Qi, be careful on the road. If you encounter any danger, don’t try to be a hero.”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded, but Wei Yang thought more carefully, “Once both teams have found the items, we might be able to use triangulation to determine the location of the Spiritual Aperture, and then find a place to regroup.”

“No need for triangulation. Both Xiao Qi and I can observe the stars. As long as we find two or more ritual instruments, we should be able to determine the general location of the Spiritual Aperture,” Zeng Jingxuan replied directly. For seasoned Feng Shui experts like them, stargazing was the simplest and most reliable method.

The plan to split into two teams was thus finalized. Without delay, the two groups packed their belongings and prepared to set off. Wei Yang pulled Lao Ye back and asked in a serious tone, “Master, we’re counting on you to find that treasure. It’s a ritual instrument similar to the Black Bird Mirror we found earlier. Do you sense anything?”

Lao Ye, still excited from its battle with the Snake Husk, struggled to roll onto the ground. Wei Yang hesitated for a moment, then took out the compass that Lai Buyi had once used from his bag and gently placed it on the turtle’s back. As soon as it was placed, the turtle calmed down. It stretched out its long neck, looked around the campsite, glanced to the east, then to the north, and finally turned its head to Wei Yang and let out a questioning “Ah?”

This was promising! Wei Yang immediately perked up and said, “We’re not looking for the Spiritual Aperture right now, just the ritual instrument. Is there any movement in the north?”

This time, Lao Ye didn’t fuss. It turned its head and began crawling laboriously toward the north. Wei Yang quickly picked it up. At this speed, it would take until morning to reach the destination. Holding the turtle, he hurried back to Zeng Jingxuan and said, “Master Zeng, I think we’re good to go on our end.”

Zeng Jingxuan looked at Yao Wei and Zhang Xiuqi, who had already packed their belongings, took a deep breath, and instructed, “Be careful on the road. Check in every half hour. Don’t mess up.”

After giving his orders, he gently patted Zhang Xiuqi on the shoulder, said no more, and left with Yao Wei toward the west. Zhang Xiuqi watched their retreating figures, then turned and reached out to Wei Yang as if to take the turtle. Wei Yang smiled, “Brother Qi, I’ll leave the vigilance to you. I’ll carry Lao Ye. Let’s move quickly.”

With that, he strode quickly in the direction Lao Ye’s neck was pointing. Understanding that the turtle could also serve as a reliable defensive formation, Zhang Xiuqi hesitated only briefly before following closely behind Wei Yang into the forest.

The woods were pitch black, with only the faint light from their LED headlamps illuminating the way. Without the yin soldiers that had been gathered along the path, Zeng Jingxuan and Yao Wei made good progress. The Zeng family compass was back in hand, and without the oppressive yin energy, it became much more effective. Although the needle still trembled slightly, it could now reliably indicate directions.

After walking westward for a while, Zeng Jingxuan asked, “Have there been any supernatural rumors during the development of Mount Xian in the past two years?”

To form a grand formation, the balance between the formation’s key points was essential. If the Fire Position could nurture a Snake Husk, then the Metal Position in the west might also give rise to something sinister. If they were unlucky, construction teams or tourists might have encountered such phenomena, leading to rumors of supernatural events.

Seeming to have considered this question, Yao Wei quickly replied, “There have been some rumors, but most of them are traces left by the yin soldiers. The mountains have their own taboos, and construction teams are quite superstitious. When working in such deep forests, they would naturally be more cautious than usual. Even if incidents occurred, they were quickly suppressed and didn’t cause much of a stir. However, there have been some rumors among tourists. For example, two people were injured near the scenic waterfall, and the area was eventually sealed off by the scenic management.”

Since these were minor incidents, they didn’t generate much gossip. If it weren’t for Yao Wei’s extensive knowledge, they might have missed these details entirely.

“A waterfall?” Zeng Jingxuan frowned. When developing tourist areas, construction companies often added unnecessary artificial landscapes. Waterfalls, streams, and hexagonal pavilions were typical features, as mountains, water, and architecture were traditionally considered essential for scenic spots. However, the west was the Metal Position, and metal could generate water. Adding a waterfall to this location could lead to unforeseen complications.

Checking the compass again, Zeng Jingxuan pointed to the front and slightly to the side, “The scenic waterfall you mentioned wouldn’t happen to be in this direction, would it?”

Yao Wei smiled wryly, “Got it. Looks like the anomaly is there. At our current pace, it’ll take about 40 minutes. We need to hurry.”

A round trip would take at least three hours. Neither of them dared to delay and quickly headed in the direction of the waterfall.

&&&

“Uncle’s team is heading toward the waterfall. No abnormalities,” Zhang Xiuqi said to Wei Yang after hanging up the walkie-talkie.

They were supposed to check in every half hour, and this was the second communication. Walking through such dense woods, no one could afford to relax. Fortunately, there hadn’t been any major issues. Compared to the other team, Zhang Xiuqi’s team was having a harder time. They were already quite close to the Inner Mountain, and the terrain had become more rugged. Additionally, communicating with Lao Ye took time, and they often had to backtrack, so their progress wasn’t particularly impressive. However, the compass on the turtle’s back remained steady, its needle trembling slightly at a small angle, indicating they were on the right track.

Wei Yang hummed in acknowledgment, then looked around and suddenly frowned, “Brother Qi, did we get lost? I feel like we’ve been here before…”

“We’re not lost. The celestial stars are constantly changing, and the compass isn’t showing any anomalies. This compass isn’t fooled by ordinary ghostly illusions,” Zhang Xiuqi replied firmly. He glanced around and added, “This place is indeed a bit strange, but it seems more man-made than supernatural. Sun Yunhe might have tampered with the area.”

Perhaps he had altered the direction of the plants or personally planted certain trees. A thousand years had passed, and the traces left behind had long been buried by time, becoming nearly natural features. This was also a type of Qimen Dunjia formation. It had to be said that this Daoist Master Sun was well-versed in many techniques. If Zhang Xiuqi had come alone, he might have been trapped in the forest.

“Are we close?” Wei Yang’s spirits lifted. This was somewhat unexpected. The journey had been surprisingly smooth, whether due to Lao Ye’s guidance or the fact that the Water Position wasn’t as terrifying as they had imagined. If they could find the treasure in one go, it would save a lot of trouble.

However, Zhang Xiuqi clearly didn’t share this optimism. He hadn’t relaxed his grip on the Suihou Sword and said gravely, “This place isn’t as simple as it seems. We can’t let our guard down.”

Wei Yang understood this, of course. He was about to say more when Lao Ye, which he had been holding, suddenly began to struggle, seemingly trying to slip to the ground. Startled, Wei Yang didn’t dare to delay and gently placed the turtle on the ground. Carrying it for so long had left his arms numb, and now that the burden was gone, he could finally feel the soreness.

But there was no time to dwell on that. As soon as Lao Ye touched the ground, it began spinning in place. The silver light on its back flickered again, and the compass needle went haywire, spinning wildly around the Heavenly Pool as if possessed. What was going on? Wei Yang’s heart tightened, and he reached out to steady the turtle, but it began to wobble drunkenly in the opposite direction—not toward the north at all!

Wei Yang’s heart sank. Had the turtle been possessed by something? With the compass needle spinning like that, trouble was almost certain! But before he could act, the person behind him grabbed him tightly. Zhang Xiuqi’s gaze was locked on the forest ahead. In the previously empty woods, a towering shadow had appeared…