Chapter 962 Re-exploring the Ancient Tomb
Actually, during the private discussion with Xiaoxuan in the house that morning, Ouyang Rong kept something to himself.
That is the thunder magic of Longhu Mountain.
As one of the few remaining disciples of the Shangqing Maoshan Ancestral Hall, Xiao Xuan, like Lu Ya, is a disciple left behind by the highly respected Celestial Master Yuan.
Within the Sanqing Taoist sect, his status is subtly somewhat special.
Because the Shangqing Sect has few disciples and keeps a low profile, preferring to travel in the secular world, each Shangqing Sect's "walking down the mountain" is, according to unspoken rules, responsible for helping the Sanqing Daoist sects solve "troublesome matters" and maintaining their glamorous and untainted image.
These matters are not convenient for the leader of the Sanqing Taoist sect to openly stand up and express a firm stance, because they cannot afford to lose face.
If it gets dusty, there's no turning back.
For example, Lu Ya followed the Xunyang Prince's Mansion from Xunyang onwards, staying by the side of the prince and the little princess.
He was a disciple of the Shangqing Sect of Maoshan. Throughout the entire process, the other two sects of the Sanqing Daoist School did not send any disciples down the mountain to contact the Prince's Mansion, except for the time when Zhang Shixiu was forced to step in to dissuade the Tianshi Mansion of Longhu Mountain because Yunmeng Jianze had to push them too far.
Therefore, although the Shangqing Sect of Maoshan has few members, every disciple who travels down the mountain is very popular within the Sanqing Taoist sect. They have extensive connections and are not just all showy; they have real skills to rely on.
These genuine skills are naturally the unique techniques of the ancestral halls of the other two mountains.
That's why Xiao Xuan was able to go to the Lotus Pond of Taiqing Longhu Mountain to cultivate after achieving success in Maoshan. You should know that in the past, this was a privilege that only the direct descendants of the Yellow and Purple lineage of the Celestial Master's Mansion could enjoy. Xiao Xuan was able to receive it, and it wasn't just because the Celestial Masters and their senior masters of the Celestial Master's Mansion liked this outstanding young junior.
The logic is simple: since you are a direct descendant of Maoshan, a future traveler on the mountain, and have the skill, talent, and willingness to learn, why not pass on the Taiqing Thunder Technique to you? After all, we are all family, all of the same generation from the Three Mountains, only lacking the surname Zhang. In the face of future benefits, it is not a big deal.
The fact that the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain has been able to continue for hundreds of years, as the leader of the Three Pure Ones and Three Mountains, is not without reason, nor is it something that is merely a blockhead who only adheres to the principle of procreation within the same surname.
Ouyang Rong heard Huang Xuan say that morning that she had already comprehended the Thunder Technique by the lotus pond at the Celestial Master's Mansion, and this was confirmed during their previous encounter.
Upon hearing this, it would be a lie to say I didn't have the thought of "getting something for free".
After all, the true form of [Craftsmanship] is still trapped in the Heavenly Punishment Minor Thunder Pool inside the sword box.
But the thought only flashed through his mind for a moment. At that moment, he even raised his hand and silently pressed down on the Peach Blossom Spring painting, which was showing some unusual movement.
It was the little [Craftsman] that sensed the sword master's 180-degree change in his thoughts.
Finally, even after saying goodbye to Xiao Xuan, Ouyang Rong did not privately ask her for the Five Thunder Orthodox Method from the Celestial Master's Mansion.
The reason is very simple.
He wanted to learn thunder magic to dispel the heavenly punishment thunder pool, but he didn't want to, and couldn't, "get something for free" from Xiao Xuan.
Because apart from direct disciples like Zhang Shixiu, there are only a handful of non-family disciples like Xiao Xuan who are skilled in the Five Thunder Orthodox Method of Longhu Mountain.
Lu Ya might not know, but even if Ouyang Rong, as a non-disciple of the Three Pure Ones, concealed his true identity and used the bronze mask as a disguise, it would still enrage Taiqing Longhu Mountain and make them suspect an internal traitor.
Xiao Xuan is a female Daoist of a different surname who recently learned thunder magic, so she is highly suspicious and will be implicated by him.
Therefore, Ouyang Rong did not speak from beginning to end. Although he knew in his heart that Xiao Xuan was very likely to be handed over to him, her "brother Tanlang," without hesitation, and that her quiet nature meant she would not even ask him what to do.
Although I haven't seen this girl for several years, she seems to have remained unchanged, just like when we first met. She firmly believes from the bottom of her heart that her benefactor would never do anything to deliberately harm her.
Ouyang Rong sensed this, which is why he kept quiet about it.
He should find the method to break the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Pool on his own; he must not implicate Xiao Xuan.
Having temporarily put the idea aside, Ouyang Rong headed east to the busiest market in Taoyuan Town.
He strolled along the street, browsing the shops and quietly selecting items. With the five taels of silver, he purchased some tung oil, tinder, hooks, and shovels, as well as enough dry food and water for three days... These were all things he would need to venture deep into the tomb passage at night.
After making his purchases, Ouyang Rong carried his bundle, blended into the crowd, and disappeared into the bustling streets.
The sun was hanging low overhead in the western sky, and it was almost sunset.
...
It was late at night on the shore of Zhuo Island.
A burly, fierce-looking man hid the boat, which he had borrowed but never returned, in the reeds, then went ashore and headed deeper into the deserted island.
This island has been deserted for a long time, and the night ferry crossing on the shore has long been abandoned, turning into a shallow muddy area that is prone to running aground.
The bluestone path that Ouyang Rong was walking on must have been made by people in the past, and it is now overgrown with weeds.
Holding a tinderbox in his hand, Ouyang Rong followed a certain feeling and headed towards a valley.
Upon reaching the outside of the valley, a white sturgeon emitting a shimmering white light was lingering in place, waiting for its owner.
A group of fireflies curiously circled around it, seemingly attracted by its hazy glow.
The white sturgeon hovered and swam in the air, occasionally flicking its tail and hitting a few unlucky fireflies. The little creatures, tempered by lightning, were still ignorant of the difference between good and evil in their actions.
"They're here."
When Ouyang Rong encountered the waiting white sturgeon, he greeted it with a laugh.
The white sturgeon seemed to glow brighter, circling around Ouyang Rong as he entered the valley.
The latter sensed the little guy's excitement, smiled, and scratched its head with its finger.
The white sturgeon occasionally rubbed against its fingers, seemingly using them to rub its face, repeating this process repeatedly, which was rather cute.
That must be the spot where it gets itchy but can't scratch it.
On the way to Lu Changgeng's tomb, Ouyang Rong observed the white sturgeon's small movements with some curiosity.
"The intelligence born from the tribulation lightning is no less than that of a cat or dog; it's truly a living being. It's just that its body is still made of blood bronze. It's truly amazing. It clearly doesn't have any runes like the Kui Xing Talisman on its body. What exactly drives this kind of spirituality..."
He murmured something, a hint of emotion in his voice.
After entering the valley, they traveled westward for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and the man and the fish arrived at Lu Changgeng's tomb.
With the glow of the white sturgeon illuminating his path, Ouyang Rong extinguished the tinder in his hand, stood before the familiar grave, and looked around.
The surrounding cemetery was eerie, and there were no other unfamiliar traces.
During the month that Ouyang Rong was on the mountain, the white sturgeon guarded Lu Changgeng's grave day and night in his place.
Ouyang Rong untied the bamboo tube, took out a bronze scroll from it, and casually tossed it into the air.
As the scroll unfurled, Ouyang Rong took out a shovel and other items from the painting and began digging up the barren soil of the grave.
These patches of wasteland were buried before we left last time.
Digging up someone's ancestral grave and stealing their opportunity is not a good thing. Although Ouyang Rong is not respectful of ghosts and gods, he still has the proper etiquette... He cannot leave someone's coffin exposed to the sun in the wilderness. The ancients mostly believed in burial for peace, even if Lu Changgeng's remains were not inside, even if it was just a cenotaph.
The white sturgeon circled above, providing illumination. As Ouyang Rong bent down to dig the grave, a clever idea suddenly slid out from his sleeve, leaped up, and landed on the white sturgeon.
Upon seeing its old friend, the white sturgeon wagged its tail excitedly in welcome.
The little ink spirit crossed its arms and sternly reprimanded the frolicking fish beneath its bottom:
"You silly fish, what are you grinning about? This fairy has been enjoying a life of luxury with Xiao Rongzi this month. Xiao Rongzi is so wicked, leaving you here to guard the tomb, and you're still grinning like an idiot."
The white sturgeon was completely bewildered by these divisive words.
Miao Si curled her lip: "Serves you right for being stupid."
From the deepening burial pit below, Ouyang Rong's urging voice could be heard:
"Stop talking nonsense, come down and help."
Miao Si pouted:
"If all else fails, just have [Craftsmanship] split it open, and that will solve the problem."
"No, [Craftsmen] are too rough and can't damage people's coffins. It's not good to dig up people's ancestral graves in the first place."
Miao Si crossed his arms and sneered:
"If you were truly kind-hearted, you wouldn't have felt guilty and remorseful while digging."
Ouyang Rong said calmly, "One ink stick."
"Three."
"two."
"make a deal."
Miao Si made a firm decision, and immediately ran to the Peach Blossom Spring map, grabbed a small shovel, jumped into the tomb, and started digging.
The white sturgeon, responsible for lighting, circled around the two figures, one large and one small, with a bewildered and curious expression.
Below, the female immortal dug while glancing upwards and grumbling:
"Sigh, I wish this big, silly fish could transform."
Ouyang Rong seemed to frown, and without turning his head, said:
"Transform into what?"
"Have you forgotten its true form, the hundred-zhang white dragon, back in Xunyang Grottoes? If it could transform back, wouldn't that be awesome? With a single swipe of its claw, it could dig up that Lu guy's ancestral grave for us. Just thinking about it is pretty awesome, right?"
Ouyang Rong: ...
Chinese paddlefish: ...
"I think you want to ride the white dragon, don't you?"
Ouyang Rong hit the nail on the head.
Miao Si pretended not to hear, and instead made a sarcastic remark:
"You've turned a perfectly good white dragon into a cowardly fish. Sigh, Xiao Rongzi, you're such a cowardly soldier, and your whole family are cowardly generals... If Xiao Cuizi were here, maybe it would really work..."
Ouyang Rong's face was stern and he was annoyed:
"Then you go with him."
"No, he rarely tells the truth, and it's exhausting to be around him. You're much more honest and kind, even though you can be quite harsh sometimes. But it's alright, I can't hear you, I won't listen, you're just a turtle chanting scriptures."
Ouyang Rong did not reply, although he agreed with one of Miao Si's comments about Cui Hao.
A moment later, the hoe struck something hard.
The grave soil has been dug all the way to the bottom.
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath, bent down, and opened the coffin.
A dark, dilapidated tomb came into view.
Ouyang Rong, carrying his bag, jumped down.
Miao Si rode the white sturgeon, carrying the floating, glowing Peach Blossom Spring map, and followed inside.
A human, a spirit, and a fish return to the tomb, heading towards the deepest, blood-red bronze gate...
(End of this chapter)
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