"Let's go out first."
Tang Nian nodded. Snakes are very sensitive to danger, let alone a hydra like her. The whole tomb made her very uncomfortable, especially when she first discovered that someone was secretly watching her. She almost revealed her vertical pupils right next to Lou Mu.
The two did not explore any other tomb chambers, but instead returned via the same route taken through the tomb robber's tunnel.
As Tang Nian emerged from the tomb, she looked up at the sky. Although surrounded by towering trees, she could tell that it was probably noon.
Tang Nian thought for a moment, then pasted a few talismans on the entrance of the tunnel, drew the sword from his back, and drew a formation in the air.
The two slowly returned from the side path to the main road leading up the mountain. Tang Nian did not forget that she still needed to find the stream.
Yesterday, after Minghuan returned, he told her that Magistrate Wang said there was only one river nearby that ran through Muyun County, and the upstream of that river was on Muyun Mountain.
Tang Nian decided to investigate the upstream area herself today, while Ming Huan would search along the city's waterways.
The two walked slowly up the mountain path, and could faintly hear the sound of flowing water.
After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the two stopped in front of a waterfall. The mountain path led to a pool in front of the waterfall, but then the pool ended.
The water in the pool was very clear, and you could see the stones at the bottom. But strangely, there wasn't a single aquatic plant or fish in the water.
Tang Nian parted the weeds, revealing a small stone stuck in the ground, with two crooked characters carved on it—Mirror Lake.
Tang Nian took out a stack of talismans from her sleeve, searched for a while, then pulled out one and put the rest back.
She held the talisman between her index and middle fingers and shook it; the talisman stood up. Tang Nian closed her eyes and chanted incantations. After a short while, the talisman burst into flames, and its ashes drifted into the lake and disappeared.
Lou Mu then crouched down and searched for clues in the nearby grass.
When the talisman was halfway burned, Tang Nian loosened her fingers, and the burning talisman fell into the lake. However, the fire did not go out and burned completely in the lake.
Tang Nian opened her eyes and saw Lou Mu squatting to the side gesturing something, so she squatted down next to Lou Mu.
The moment Tang Nian leaned closer, Lou Mu's ears turned red. He subtly moved to the side and let out a soft breath.
Tang Nian assumed that Lou Mu was giving her his seat and didn't think much of it.
Lou Mu gestured a footprint, and Tang Nian compared it to the footprint and couldn't help but gasp.
The length of this footprint is unusual for an ordinary person.
Tang Nian then recalled the image she had just seen in the talisman.
Although the tall, heavy figure in the darkness couldn't make out his features, it was easy to tell that his clothes were not something an ordinary person could afford.
Tang Nian suddenly remembered the coffin in the tomb.
Could it be... a corpse rising from the dead?
But can a zombie consciously preserve its grave and lie back in its coffin?
Tang Nian did not tell Lou Mu her conjecture, because even if she did, Lou Mu would not be able to solve it.
The two searched the surrounding area again, but found nothing else besides this strange footprint.
It was getting late, so the two decided to go down the mountain first and then make a decision.
Unbeknownst to Tang Nian, after the two turned and left, a whirlpool silently appeared in the center of the lake, and a bronze cauldron was slowly lifted out of the water, its four snake heads gleaming eerily in the sunlight.
If Tang Nian were here, she would definitely recognize that this is the cauldron she saw in Muyun Village.
Black smoke billowed from the four snake heads, drifting away into the distance along the mountain stream.
As soon as the two entered the inn, they saw a man sneaking down from the second floor. When he saw them, his eyes widened instantly, and he scrambled and ran towards the backyard of the inn.
Tang Nian and Lou Mu hurriedly chased after him, but the inn was crowded with idle Taoist priests. By the time the two caught up, the man had already disappeared.
Tang Nian recognized the man; he was the one who had been hiding in the corner, trembling and too afraid to speak that day.
Could it be that...
Tang Nian quickly turned around and ran towards the second floor.
He pushed open his bedroom door. The room seemed to have been rummaged through, but there was a piece of paper on the table.
Lou Mu caught up with her upstairs and saw Tang Nian standing by the table with her back to the door, looking down at a piece of paper.
Lou Mu slowed his pace and stood at the doorway: "Tang Nian, what's wrong?"
Tang Nian pursed her lips, turned around with the paper in her hand, and showed it to Lou Mu.
"Tonight at midnight, at Mirror Lake, see you there."
Ten large, blood-red characters came into Lou Mu's view. He clenched his fist, his hand hidden in his sleeve, but his face remained calm: "Is Master Tang planning to keep the appointment?"
Tang Nian shook her head, brought the paper closer, and smelled a faint scent of blood.
At this moment, Ming Huan also rushed upstairs and pushed aside Lou Mu, who was blocking the doorway.
"Sister Tang, something terrible has happened!"
Tang Nian glanced at the curious people behind them, stopped Ming Huan from saying anything more, and pulled Lou Mu into the room, shutting everyone's eyes out of the door.
"Speak, what is it?"
Tang Nian sat in a chair, gently rubbing her temples; the day's events had given her a headache.
"Black smoke is rising from the entire river, it's all coming from upstream!"
"Upstream? Muyun Mountain?"
How did it get involved with Muyun Mountain again?
Tang Nian had a bit of a headache.
Her injuries had not yet healed, and coupled with the constraints imposed by the gods, she originally did not want to keep the appointment, but now it seemed that she had no choice but to go.
Ming Huan also saw the paper and stood aside silently.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "Sister Tang, should I go?"
Thinking of the dark figure she had seen in the talisman, Tang Nian shook her head.
She took out a talisman from her sleeve, closed her eyes, and the talisman slowly began to burn until it turned to ash before she opened her eyes.
Her face was even paler than before, and her lips were almost bloodless.
"You and Lord Lou stay in the city; I'll go alone."
"Can……"
Ming Huan was about to say something when his face suddenly turned pale. He grabbed his right wrist, then hid his hand behind his back to cover it up. He made up an excuse and hurriedly left the room.
Tang Nian glanced at Ming Huan's departing figure with some confusion, while Lou Mu saw it clearly. He stared at Ming Huan's departing figure with a solemn expression, then got up and closed the door.
"Aren't you leaving yet?" Tang Nian saw Lou Mu pour herself a cup of tea, took it, took a small sip, and then gave him the order to leave.
But Lou Mu couldn't understand: "What was the use of that talisman you just used?"
"Looking to the future."
Tang Nian was also confused. Her spirit-summoning talisman had never failed before, so why did she see nothing this time and instead suffer a backlash?
"Did you notice anything?" Lou Mu was very curious as to why Tang Nian wanted to go to Muyun Mountain alone.
Tang Nian shook her head and took a sip of tea.
The cold tea helped her calm down. In the current situation, with the enemy in the shadows, they were too passive.
"Keep the stack of talismans I gave you safe. If you don't know what kind of talismans they are, just ask Minghuan, and he will tell you."
After finally managing to get Lou Mu out of her room, Tang Nian breathed a sigh of relief and finally coughed up the blood she had been holding back for so long.
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