The Blade-Wielding Legend

Chapter 1600 - 813: Rat Tunnel

"Rats?"

Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Seeing their bewilderment, Li Yan didn’t hold back and directly explained, "Zhu Mingxuan’s dream reminded me of two stories. The first one is the Tang Legend ’South Dream Governor’."

His voice clearly echoed in the hall, "Chunyu Fen was originally a rogue from Dongping, indulging in drinking and quarrels, and after being dismissed, he lived by an ancient locust tree in Guangling County. He dreamt of entering the ’Great Huaian Country’, marrying Princess Jinzhi, and becoming the Governor of Nankai, enjoying twenty years of glory and prosperity, only to realize it was all a fanciful dream afterward."

"And that so-called ’Great Huaian Country’ was merely a vast ant hole beneath the ancient locust tree! The large ants in the tree holes were the ’King’ and ’Lady’, and the supposed ’Nankai County’ was just another small ant nest under the southern branch of the locust tree..."

"Such things are occasionally recorded in the Mystical Sect’s texts, where some spirit monsters are adept at inhabiting people’s dreams, using the human mind as a nest. Therefore, the overwhelming power in the dream, the ornate Jiang Mountain, is actually a delusional fantasy constructed by the spirit monster using his essence, absorbing his soul energy to nourish its nest."

Salt Transport Envoy Zhu Cong gasped, "Young Hero Li, are you saying that my son has fallen victim to such a spirit monster’s trick?"

Li Yan nodded slightly and continued, "The second incident was a personal experience mentioned by the Daoist in his early years."

"Back then, while practicing medicine in the Western Mansion of Guanzhong, he encountered a wealthy merchant who constantly dreamed of a group of gray-clad people gathering in a secret room, discussing his neighbor’s private scandals. Upon waking, he verified what he heard in the dream, and astonishingly, it was all true!"

"This person believed he had acquired the Divine Skills of the ’Heavenly Ear Technique’, becoming ecstatic. He set up an incense table at home, devoutly offering tribute day and night to those ’Immortals’ from his dreams, praying for more guidance and blessings, and leveraging this to expand his business by holding leverage over others."

Sha Lifei chuckled, "Is there such a good thing?"

"How could anything in the world come without a price?!"

Li Yan let out a cold laugh, his voice grim, "This too was the work of those Rat Spirits. As a result, the merchant’s family’s essence gradually declined, and their residence became filled with yin energy, resembling an ice cellar. The Daoist was invited to treat them; at that time, his Dao was insufficient, so he used the Six Divination to perform divination and indeed uncovered a nest of rats. After exterminating them, the merchant’s family quickly improved, and the dreams of the ’gray-clad people’ ceased to appear."

"At the time, it was purely by chance; the Daoist realized it only many years later."

Upon hearing this, Lv San didn’t hesitate and immediately stepped in front of Zhu Mansion’s courtyard.

Standing on the blue-brick ground, his expression was solemn. He took out a bone bead bracelet from the beast-hide pouch at his waist, and gently shook it while chanting, "Soul and spirit, Mountain Ghost come forth! Spirit monsters from all corners, heed my command! Water Mansion’s dragons and snakes, reveal yourselves promptly! Vermin and birds, lead my way! Cave dwellers hide, foul beings conceal..."

Lv San’s Divine Skills allowed him to hear the speech of birds and beasts.

Initially, he utilized this ability to summon birds and beasts, observing their habits and guiding them accordingly.

Just like when he first met Li Yan, he emitted sounds that made all the snakes and insects on the mountain believe an external enemy was invading, causing them to emerge and be on guard. He listened to the conversation of the birds and judged where Li Yan was located and what he was doing.

Now, as he received the Ancient Chu Witch’s legacy and his Dao became increasingly profound, the method has changed.

From prior guidance to the current commanding spell.

In the incantation, an invisible aura spread outward from him like ripples.

It merged into the earth beneath his feet, permeating the surrounding bricks, stones, and beams...

Everyone held their breath in concentration, Zhu Cong widened his eyes even further.

Moments later, an unusual phenomenon arose!

A rustling commotion came from the shadowy corner of the hall.

Several sleek, glossy-haired giant rats emerged, plumper than those in the homes of ordinary people.

Unlike typical rats that flee in panic, they stood upright, front paws placed on their chest, emitting an urgent "squeak-squeak" sound.

Immediately afterward, two snakes emerged from the ground behind the false mountain, twisting their bodies and pointing toward Mr. Zhu’s bedroom.

Under the eaves, several sparrows fluttered their wings in agitation, incessantly chirping toward the same direction.

"There’s a hole underground, very large, over there..."

Lv San’s spell abruptly halted as he looked toward the West Wing Courtyard where Zhu Mingxuan’s bedroom was located.

"Deep within, there is a living creature with a mixed and gloomy aura, which I have already startled and did not come at the command!"

Everyone immediately rushed toward the west wing room.

No extensive searching was necessary; with Lv San’s guidance and the "confession" of the snake and rodent creatures, a cleverly concealed hole, barely wide enough for a fist to pass through, was quickly discovered beneath the blue-brick floor under the bed in the bedroom.

The edge of the hole was smooth, exuding a pungent smell of rat musk and the earthy scent of soil.

Li Yan immediately stepped forward, closed his eyes and concentrated, pinched the Yang Jue, and pushed the "Smell Superpower" to its extreme.

In an instant, countless subtle scent information flooded his perception:

The intense smell of rat musk, the musty scent of decayed soil, the damp moldy odor, faint traces of blood... and a slight hint of an unusual fishy scent!

Deeper within, there seemed to be a faint, indistinct smell of old blood that did not belong to rodents.

He withdrew his Divine Skills, frowning slightly, somewhat helpless, "This rat tunnel... actually extends several lengths underground! My superpower can no longer probe to its end. Besides, there are not only rats inside, but there also seem to be other remnants of something."

"What?!" Zhu Cong was both shocked and furious, thinking of how his son was disturbed by these monstrous creatures, he became even more enraged.

"Someone! Bring sulfur, saltpetre, and boiling oil. Pour it down fiercely for me!"

"Uproot this filthy rat’s nest, not leaving a single one!"

The house servants, like wolves, are about to prepare.

"Stop!" Li Yan abruptly shouted, raising his hand to stop them, his voice not loud but carrying undeniable authority, causing the house servants to freeze in their tracks.