153: Chapter 153 Breaking the Hibernation, Suppressing the Mountain
Gu Wangshu rubbed the rim of her teacup with her fingertips. The tea foam gathered into fine patterns on the surface, looking exactly like the battle net spread out by Azure Mist Academy at this moment.
She looked up out the window. The Soul-Suppressing Bell of Dongmo University was emitting a dull hum—it was responding to the alarm bell of Azure Mist, yet it held three parts of restraint.
"Help?" She chuckled, her voice wrapped in a hint of self-mockery.
The old man beside her—Lin Cang, the Vice Principal of Dongmo University—paused his fingers as he stroked his beard.
"But Azure Mist is, after all, our barrier in the north. If they suffer too heavy losses, the next target of the Soul Devouring Hall might very well be us."
He glanced at the map hanging on the wall. The location of Azure Mist Academy was circled in cinnabar red, with a line of small text written next to it: Intersection of the Li Fire Veins.
Gu Wangshu set down her teacup, stood up, and walked to the map, tapping her fingertip on the Mist Forest to the west of Azure Mist.
"Look, Elder Lin, this is the old camp of the Li Group, and also the place where Master Feiyuan self-detonated the Talismanic Incantation Formation back then. Azure Mist's open goal this time is to clear out the Soul Devouring Hall, but in reality, they want to use the flames of war to completely dig out the roots of the Shadow Department's Li Group."
He suddenly lowered his voice, "The Old Marshal sent people to deliver a message three days ago, saying that the Li Group had hidden something in the Mist Forest that could trigger the Li Fire Veins—that is what Gongsun Hongyi truly wants."
Lin Cang's pupils constricted slightly: "Is it the 'Heaven-Burning Strategy'? The legendary forbidden Incomplete Manual used by the Shadow Department to control the Li Fire Veins?"
"Besides this, what else is worth that old ghost Gongsun getting serious over?"
Just as they were speaking, a black shadow suddenly streaked past the window. Lin Cang reached out and grabbed it, and the shadow turned into a burning talisman, leaving a line of charred writing in the air: Zhang Wen of Azure Mist, entering the Mist Forest with 'Breaking Hibernation.'
"This kid is quite daring."
Lin Cang raised an eyebrow, "Isn't 'Breaking Hibernation' the Sharp Weapon for breaking Formations that old ghost Gongsun keeps at the bottom of his chest? He actually gave it to a greenhorn."
Gu Wangshu stared at the line of text as it gradually turned to ash, then suddenly smiled: "This is the shrewdness of Gongsun Hongyi."
"Openly sending a large force to clear out the Soul Devouring Hall attracts everyone's attention, while secretly letting Zhang Wen take 'Breaking Hibernation' to break the Li Group's Talismanic Incantation Formation—that kid has Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder, which perfectly counters the evil fire of the Li Fire Veins."
He turned, took a rusted long saber from the weapon rack, and handed it to Lin Cang, "Have someone send this to the outskirts of the Mist Forest, and just say it's... Dongmo University borrowing Azure Mist's blade to cut away some bad luck."
Lin Cang took the long saber and immediately felt a heavy, condensed Saber Intent upon holding it; faint Dragon patterns could be seen beneath the rust: "This is... the 'Suppressing the Peak' used by the Old Marshal when he was young?"
"We can't really let Azure Mist steal all the limelight." Gu Wangshu sat back down at the tea table and poured herself a fresh cup of tea, "Tell the person delivering the blade not to show their face; just stick the blade under the old banyan tree at the entrance of the Mist Forest."
"That little fellow Zhang Wen isn't stupid; he'll naturally see the use of this blade."
Lin Cang accepted the order and left. Gu Wangshu gazed alone at the sky outside the window, where the clouds were being dyed a dark purple bit by bit—that was a sign that the Li Fire Veins were beginning to stir.
He lifted his teacup and made a distant toast toward the direction of Azure Mist: "Old ghost Gongsun, don't let your junior fall in the Mist Forest, otherwise... next time we discuss the Dao, I won't have an opponent."
The teacup tapped lightly against the table, emitting a crisp sound, as if responding to the distant war drums.
Meanwhile, deep in the Mist Forest, Zhang Wen was standing before a stone door covered by vines. The poison-breaking needle in his palm suddenly vibrated violently, its tip pointing directly at the Talismanic Incantation on the stone door—the talisman was twisted like a snake and was exactly the same as the Li Group Talismanic Incantation in Principal Gongsun's notes.
He gripped 'Breaking Hibernation' at his waist. The lightning mark on his fingertips throbbed, as if saying: There is something behind the door waiting for you.
The lightning mark on Zhang Wen's fingertips was as hot as a branding iron, forming an eerie resonance with the vibration of the poison-breaking needle in his palm.
He raised his hand and pressed against the Talismanic Incantation on the stone door. As soon as his fingertips touched those twisted patterns, the talisman suddenly glowed with red light, wrapping around his wrist like a living snake.
"Sss—"
The red light collided with the lightning mark, emitting the sound of burning fabric.
Zhang Wen gritted his teeth and channeled the Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder within his body. The pale golden electric current crawled along his fingertips onto the talisman, and the red light retreated step by step as if encountering its nemesis, leaving charred marks on the stone door.
"It really works."
His heart leapt with joy, remembering what Principal Gongsun had said: "The Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder is extremely Yang and rigid, capable of breaking Yin-evil Talismanic Incantations." It seemed that this Li Group's Talismanic Incantation indeed hid quite a bit of filth.
Breaking Hibernation felt slightly warm at his waist. Zhang Wen drew the short dagger, and the cold light of the dagger tip pierced through the shadows hidden by the vines.
He discovered small grooves carved on the edge of the stone door, and their shapes matched the patterns of the 'Breaking Hibernation' dagger perfectly—this must be a clue Principal Gongsun had prepared in advance, specifically left for breaking the Formation.
"The Principal is indeed meticulous." Zhang Wen inserted 'Breaking Hibernation' into the groove. With a soft "click," the Talismanic Incantation on the stone door dimmed instantly, and the red light receded like a tide.
The stone door slowly opened inward, and a scent mixed with rust and wood ash rushed toward him.
Zhang Wen gripped his sky-splitting startling thunder spear, and the Lightning Radiance at the spearhead lit up in the dim passage, illuminating the murals on the rock walls on both sides.
The murals depicted a group of Black-Robed Figures nailing chains into the shoulder blades of mountain folk; those mountain folk all had a burning flame on their chests—the symbol of the Li Fire Veins.
On the deepest mural, a person wearing a bronze mask held a scroll, standing in front of an erupting volcano; two twisted characters were written on the scroll: "Heaven-Burning."
"Heaven-Burning Strategy..." Zhang Wen muttered to himself.
At the end was a stone room. On a stone platform in the center sat a bronze box, and beside the stone platform were scattered pieces of black fabric embroidered with half of the character "Li"—the attire of the Shadow Department's Li Group.
He looked around, shouting. In the corner of the stone room were stacked some old wooden crates; one of them was open, revealing a few yellowed files inside, with "Li Group Roster" written on the covers.
Zhang Wen reached out to flip through the files, and as soon as his fingertips touched the paper, the entire stone room suddenly shook violently!
Debris fell from the rock wall overhead. The bronze box on the stone platform emitted a piercing hum, the lid popped open with a "bang," and it was empty inside, containing only a folded note.
He grabbed the note and unfolded it to read: "The Li Group uses living people to cultivate the veins; seven formation eyes are hidden at the nodes of the fire veins, and a Spiritual Artifact specifically for breaking Formations is required to succeed."
Before he could think it over, the floor of the stone room suddenly cracked open. Scorching hot waves of air surged out from the cracks, and the murals on the rock walls began to ooze beads of blood; the eyes of the mountain folk portraits bound by chains actually began to seep red light!
"Not good! The Li Group people are trying to destroy the Formation and silence me!"
Zhang Wen recalled the words on the note, and his peripheral vision caught a tiny symbol carved on the wooden crate in the corner of the stone room—it was the node symbol of the Li Group Talismanic Incantation!
He slammed his sky-splitting startling thunder spear into the ground, and using the moment the Lightning Radiance exploded, he threw it toward the nearest wooden crate.
It actually triggered a series of explosions, and three of the formation eye symbols on the stone wall were instantly extinguished!
"You little brat, how dare you ruin my plans!"
A roar came from the tunnel entrance. Zhang Wen turned his head to look and saw a black shadow blocking his path; the black robe was embroidered with a complete "Li" character, and the person wore the same bronze mask as the one in the mural.
"Hand over the formation eye records, and I will spare your life, you greenhorn!"
The voice from under the mask was as hoarse as sandpaper rubbing together. The Black-Robed Figure waved a hand, and two chains carrying flames coiled toward Zhang Wen's ankles like poisonous snakes.
Zhang Wen blocked horizontally with his spear, and the Lightning Radiance of the thunder spear collided with the chains, sparking blinding sparks.
He used the recoil to step back half a step, and suddenly discovered that the opponent's chains were wrapped with black cursed patterns—exactly the same as the black lines on Chen Mingda's neck!
"You are the one who controlled Teacher Chen?"
Zhang Wen's voice trembled with anger, and the Lightning Radiance at the spearhead surged violently.
The Black-Robed Figure let out a low laugh: "That old thing was sensible enough to help us keep an eye on Gongsun Hongyi's movements. It's a pity, though, that he still didn't stop you, you little brat."
He suddenly pulled off his mask, revealing a face covered in burn scars, with only a black hole left where his left eye should be. "Twenty years ago, my left arm was broken by Gongsun Hongyi; this debt will be repaid by you!"
The chains struck again, this time carrying scorching hot waves of air, actually causing Zhang Wen's Lightning Radiance to sizzle.
Zhang Wen suddenly remembered the words on the note, and his peripheral vision caught the stalactite on the ceiling of the stone room—the last formation eye symbol was carved there!
He suddenly dodged the chains, and at the same time threw 'Breaking Hibernation' toward the stalactite, the dagger tip piercing precisely into the center of the symbol.
With a "hum," the Talismanic Incantation in the entire stone room instantly became ineffective, and the flame chains on the Black-Robed Figure snapped with a "pop," turning into tiny sparks.
"Impossible!"
The Black-Robed Figure screamed in shock, but Zhang Wen seized the opportunity to grip his thunder spear, the spearhead pointing directly at the opponent's heart: "As the saying goes, evil cannot triumph over good. You have lost."
Just at this moment, a familiar voice came from outside the tunnel; it was the loud shout of Principal Gongsun: "Zhang Wen, do not panic! I am coming!"
Zhang Wen turned back and saw Principal Gongsun holding a long sword, rushing in with several teachers, instantly surrounding the Black-Robed Figure. The Principal looked at him with eyes full of approval: "Good lad, you didn't disgrace me!"
Zhang Wen grinned, and the hand holding the sky-splitting startling thunder spear became steadier—with the Principal here, no demons or monsters were anything to fear.