Miao Village Mist and Secret Meeting with Elders
The mountain breeze, swathed in damp, cold mist, blurred the outlines of the Miao village. When the group arrived at the village entrance, treading on the morning dew, the eaves of the stilt houses were still stained with wet water droplets. Only a few windows shone faintly with kerosene lamplight, and the air was filled with a strange aroma of herbs and poisonous incense. Ah Zhu walked in front, clutching a copper bell. Her footsteps were extremely light, and the occasional tinkling of the silver bell on her silver hairpin was particularly clear in the silent village.
"The 'Gu whistle bamboos' at the village entrance haven't sounded, which means the clan leader hasn't ordered the Miao village sealed off yet." Ah Zhu wrote quickly on the linen, her fingertips rubbing charcoal dust against the cloth, leaving a faint mark. She raised her hand to push back the loose strands of hair that fell across her forehead, her eyes scanning the row of sharpened bamboos at the village entrance—they harbored sound-making Gu insects within their joints. If an outsider intruded, the insects would emit a sharp whistle, but now, they were as still as a dead object.
Lin Shen clutched the silver pendant in his palm, the cool touch of the metal slightly relaxing his tense nerves. The Red Sun Gu quieted within the black wooden box. The warmth of the Guixu water flowed slowly through his blood, intertwining with the silver pendant's chill, forming a delicate barrier. "Where does the elder live? Should we go straight there?" he asked in a low voice, his eyes warily fixed on a lighted stilt house not far away. A faint silhouette of a person swayed against the window paper.
Ah Zhu shook her head and wrote on the linen cloth, "The clan leader's men have sentries outside the elders' compound. We'll be discovered if we go straight in. I know a secret passage that leads from the back mountain directly to the elders' study." She turned and headed towards the bamboo forest west of the village, her steps as light as a mountain cat's. Her skirt swept across the dewy bamboo leaves, splashing tiny droplets of water. Everyone followed closely behind her. Li Ye walked last, dagger in hand, looking back from time to time to prevent being followed.
Deep in the bamboo forest lay a cave, shrouded by vines. The entrance was barely wide enough for one person to pass through, bending over. Ah Zhu lit the tinder she carried with her. The orange-red flame illuminated the damp stone walls within. Faint Miao incantations were carved into the walls, moss growing between the cracks, a testament to their age. "This is the secret passage my sister and the elders secretly dug to avoid the clan leader's surveillance," she wrote on the linen cloth, raising the tinder higher to illuminate the winding passage ahead.
The passage was thick with the stench of earth. After walking for about half an incense stick, a faint light suddenly shone from the front. Ah Zhu extinguished the tinder, signaling everyone to stop while she slowly approached, following the stone wall. The light came from a hidden stone door. The warm glow of a kerosene lamp shone through the crack, and the faint voices of elderly people could be heard from within.
"...The clan leader has been going to the 'Gu Altar' in the back mountain frequently these days, and has asked the Gu masters to refine the 'Heart-Eating Gu'. I'm afraid he is going to take action against the source of Guixu." An old voice sounded, with some anxiety.
"The letter left by that kid Chen Ba said that opening the seal of the source of Guixu would release evil spirits, but the clan leader simply wouldn't listen. Now even the people in the Council of Elders have been confined by him. What should we do?" Another voice took over, the tone full of helplessness.
A hint of joy flashed in Ah Zhu's eyes, and she wrote on the linen: "It's the first elder and the second elder! They are still opposing the clan leader!" She raised her hand and knocked gently on the stone door, knocking three times in a specific rhythm - first two light sounds, then one heavy sound. This was the secret signal agreed upon by her and the elders.
The conversation inside the door suddenly stopped. A moment later, the stone door opened a crack, and a white-haired old man poked his head out. It was the chief elder of the Miao village. When he saw Ah Zhu, he was surprised at first, but then he saw Lin Shen and others behind her, and his brows furrowed instantly. "Ah Zhu, why did you bring outsiders in? The clan leader is looking for you everywhere!"
"Elder, they're here to help us!" Ah Zhu hurriedly wrote on the sackcloth and handed it to the Great Elder. The Great Elder took it and read quickly by the light of the lamp. His expression gradually shifted from solemnity to surprise. When he saw the words "The Source of Guixu will release Yin Sha," his fingers couldn't help but tremble. "Are you telling the truth? Ah Ji also confirmed it?" He looked up at Ah Zhu, his voice hoarse with excitement.
Ah Zhu nodded and stepped aside, revealing Ah Ji behind her. Ah Ji, with the copper bell pressed against his lower back by Ah Zhu, remained pale, but he spoke nonetheless, "Elder, everything I said is true. The clan leader disregarded the safety of Qingwu Town in order to open the seal. Chen Ba escaped with the Chiyang Gu because he opposed him."
The Great Elder was silent for a moment, sighed, and stepped aside to let everyone into the house: "Come in first, it's not safe here, the clan leader has spies everywhere." Everyone followed him into the study. The study was not big, with a row of bookshelves against the wall, filled with ancient books written in Miao language. On the wooden table in the middle was a map of the Miao village, with the locations of the Gu Altar in the back mountain and Qingwu Town circled in cinnabar on the map.
The Second Elder also stood up, his gaze fixed on the black wooden box in Lin Shen's arms. A complicated expression crossed his face. "Is that the Red Sun Gu? Chen Ba took it with him when he left." Lin Shen subconsciously hugged the black wooden box tightly and nodded. "Chen Ba used the Red Sun Gu to help me exorcise the poison. Now it can sense the aura of the Source of Guixu."
"Once the seal of the Guixu Source is broken, not only will Qingwu Town become a deadly place, but the Miao village will also be devoured by the Yin Sha." The Great Elder walked to the front of the map and pointed to the location below Qingwu Town. "This is where the Guixu Source is located. It is connected to the Miao village's Gu Altar. The Yin Sha will spread along the veins of the Gu Altar to the entire Miao village. At that time, even the Yang Qi of the Guixu Source will not be able to save us!"
At this moment, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the study, accompanied by the sharp whistle of a Gu whistle bamboo—someone had discovered them! The second elder's face suddenly changed. He quickly walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain and looked out: "It's the clan leader's Gu Master! They're coming this way!"
The Great Elder acted decisively, walking to the bookshelf and pushing a thick ancient tome hard. The shelf slowly shifted to the side, revealing a hidden compartment at the back. "Hide inside first!" he whispered, "This hidden compartment will block the Gu insect's detection, so the clan leader's men won't be able to find us. Ah Zhu, come with us and deal with it. Just say you've come to apologize to us."
Ah Zhu nodded, pressed the copper bell into Lin Shen's hand, and wrote on the linen cloth, "The copper bell can temporarily suppress the Red Sun Gu. If you're in danger, shake it three times and I'll find a way to save you!" She followed the Great Elder and the Second Elder out of the study. As soon as they closed the door, the Gu Master's voice rang out, "Great Elder, the clan leader told us to look for Ah Zhu. Is she with you?"
Lin Shen and the others hid in a small secret compartment, barely enough for five people. Li Ye gripped his dagger tightly, held his breath, and listened to the noises outside. Meng Yao, pale as a limp, leaned against Lin Munan and coughed twice. Lin Munan gently pressed her shoulder, signaling her to be quiet.
From the dark room, the voice of the Great Elder could be heard: "Azhu is indeed here. She knows she is wrong and is about to go with us to see the clan leader. You don't have to stay here, we will take her there."
"The clan leader said we must personally bring her back!" The Gu Master's voice was undeniably firm. "Also, we've received news that Ah Zhu has brought outsiders into the village. Hand them over!"
"Nonsense!" the Second Elder's voice rang out. "Azhu has been with us the whole time. How could she be an outsider? If you don't believe me, search this study!"
As footsteps approached, everyone in the secret compartment held their breath. Lin Shen could clearly hear his own heartbeat. The copper bell in his palm felt cold. The Red Sun Gu within the black wooden box suddenly trembled slightly, as if giving a warning. He subconsciously gripped the bell tightly, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the secret compartment, ready to respond to any danger at any moment.
After a moment, the Gu Master's voice came from outside: "There's no one in the study. Could the information be wrong?"
"You must have made a mistake!" The elder's voice was filled with anger. "If the clan leader blames me, I will explain to him. You can go back first!"
After a brief stalemate, the footsteps gradually faded away, and the sound of the Gu whistle bamboo also disappeared. Everyone in the secret compartment finally breathed a sigh of relief. Li Ye wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered, "That was a close call! We were almost discovered."
Just then, the door to the secret compartment was pushed open, and Ah Zhu poked her head in, a tired look on her face. She wrote on the linen cloth, "They've left. The elders have already agreed with the clan leader to take us to see him at midnight tonight. They say they want to 'discuss' opening the source of Guixu. In fact, they want to seize the opportunity to obtain the Red Sun Gu and Guixu Water."
Lin Shen's heart sank, realizing this was a Hongmen Feast. He looked at everyone with a determined look, "Since the clan leader is determined to take action, we must counterattack. We must use this evening to find out his true intentions and then find a way to stop him from opening the seal."
Ah Zhu nodded and wrote on the linen cloth, "The elders will help us. They've already contacted those in the tribe who oppose the clan leader. They'll meet us outside the Gu altar at midnight tonight." She paused and wrote, "But the Gu altar is full of Gu insects. You must be careful, especially Lin Shen. Your Guixu water will attract Gu insects. I'll suppress them with the copper bell."
As the night deepened, the kerosene lamp in the study flickered, illuminating the solemn faces of the crowd. The midnight bell was about to strike, and the Miao village's Gu altar glowed eerily in the night. A battle for the village's survival was about to unfold there. Lin Shen touched the black wooden box in his arms, then glanced at the bronze bell in his hand, silently chanting Chen Ba's name—this time, they would never let her sacrifice be in vain.
The following plot can revolve around the "Appointment at the Gu Altar at midnight". Do you need me to sort out the key foreshadowing of this chapter in advance (such as the dangerous layout of the Gu Altar and the elders' reception plan) to facilitate your subsequent connection with the plot?
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