Weird Cultivation, I have a five-organ temple

Chapter 574 Mystery and Danger

The multi-story ship sailed smoothly and quickly on the lake.

Inside the cabin, Lü Yang peered out the window, marveling at the sight.

"I had only heard of the vast Yunmeng Marsh before, but I've finally seen it today. The scenery is quite nice..."

He turned around and looked at Zishu Xunshou, asking curiously, "Xunshou, this Yunmeng Marsh doesn't seem that dangerous."

Inside the cabin, there were soundproofing devices, so there was no fear of being overheard by people outside.

The Rat Hunting was not interested in the scenery outside the window. He sat cross-legged and did not practice his skills. He simply closed his eyes to rest.

With so many people and eyes on the ship, if someone were to start practicing their magic, the leakage of their magical energy would immediately attract attention.

Upon hearing Lü Yang's question, Zi Shu Xun Shou replied with his eyes closed, "That's now. You'll see later."

"Ok?"

Lu Yang was taken aback, filled with curiosity, but he refrained from asking any more questions and continued to stare at the scenery outside the window, wanting to see what kind of dangers and strange occurrences would appear in Yunmeng Marsh in a while.

He didn't have to wait long; a little over an hour later, the once clear sky suddenly turned dark.

Dark, heavy thunderclouds seemed to appear out of thin air, pressing down on the ship.

The clouds hung extremely low, like a gaping black mouth about to devour the ship!
Within the pitch-black clouds, streaks of lightning surged and churned! In almost an instant, the Yunmeng Marsh transformed from a beautiful landscape into an apocalypse!
"boom--"

With a deafening roar that could shatter the protective magical power, countless bolts of lightning shot out from the dark clouds, crashing down on Yunmengze like a torrential downpour.

Many of the lightning bolts struck directly at the warship.

"Om-"

The magic array on the top of the ship activated almost simultaneously, conjuring a spell light and shadow that hung above the ship like a bell, blocking all the incoming lightning.

"Wow, Zere came just like that? And in such large numbers!"

Inside the cabin, Lü Yang stared in astonishment, his mouth agape.

Zishu Xunshou finally opened his eyes and asked him, "Do you still think that Yunmengze is not dangerous?"

Lü Yang quickly shook his head.

He was self-aware; these rampaging Zelei were not only numerous, but also quite powerful, and with his cultivation level, he simply couldn't withstand them.

If he tried to fly across Yunmeng Marsh on his sword, he would definitely be hacked to pieces! After all, flying swords are conductive.

Thinking of this, Lü Yang's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but glance at Gongshu Ling beside him.

Apart from his exposed head, Gongshu Ling's entire body was made of witchcraft artifacts, wouldn't that make him even more conductive?

Lu Yang instinctively wanted to get away from Gongshu Ling.

Although Ze Lei was completely blocked by the magic array of the tower ship, what if there were any that slipped through the net? Wouldn't Gongshu Ling become a "thunder god pillar" that attracts lightning?

If I get too close to her, I might get caught in the crossfire and be in trouble.

Seeing that Lü Yang was quietly moving away from him, Gongshu Ling immediately guessed what he was thinking and said coldly, "Even if you are struck by lightning, it won't hit me."

Having his thoughts exposed, Lü Yang gave an awkward laugh.

The Rat, on patrol, rose and walked to the window. Looking out at the raging Zere and the oppressive dark clouds, he said in a deep voice:

"The weather in Yunmeng Marsh is notoriously unpredictable and bizarre. One moment the sky is clear and blue, the next a bone-chilling wind, thunderous roar, or even towering waves will appear. To cross Yunmeng Marsh without a ship, one must have a talisman forged by the Chu Kingdom's Imperial Observatory. But those talismans are all numbered. Getting one is easy, but getting a dozen or so..."

There were seven of them here alone, plus the head constable, the clerk, and their entourage... a dozen or so amulets are an understatement.

With so many talismans, the Chu State's Imperial Observatory will likely notice something amiss immediately.

At that time, let alone flying over Yunmeng Marsh, I'm afraid that before Chu even leaves the city, the whole country will be wiped out!

But maybe we shouldn't get a talisman. If things really turn out to be the worst, then trying to get out of Yunmeng Marsh by taking a floating ship is just wishful thinking.

Just as Zishu was so worried about losing his hair during his hunt, Gongshu Ling suddenly spoke.

"Even getting one would be fine."

Zishu Xunshou suddenly turned around and looked at Gongshu Ling: "What do you mean by that?"

Gongshu Ling said, "If you get one and give it to me, I might be able to make a copy."

The Rat, on its hunt, was overjoyed: "Are you confident?"

Gongshu Ling shook his head: "I haven't seen anything, so I can't answer your question."

"It's my fault for being too hasty."

Zishu Xunshou nodded and immediately made a decision: "Once we arrive in Chudu, I will try to obtain the talisman. Once I have it, you should immediately attempt to replicate it. Regardless of whether the Grand Master of Ceremonies and the Pawnbrokers are in a good or bad situation, we must prepare for the worst."

"That's exactly right." Shang Lu nodded in agreement: "Preparation prevents trouble! As the art of war says, 'Prepare for defeat before victory!'"

As they were talking, the view outside the cabin changed again.

The mad Zere and the raging dark clouds arrived strangely and left just as suddenly.

One moment there was thunder and lightning, the next the clouds dispersed and the sky cleared.

If someone has just taken a nap, they won't know what's happening outside.

As soon as Ze Lei disappeared, Lü Yang went to the window again, peeked outside, and suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, what's that in the lake?"

His words piqued everyone's curiosity.

Apart from the rat on patrol, only Gongshu Ling did not react; everyone else gathered around the window.

The child judged by the shadows, whose eyes were covered by thick cloth and who could not see, was also curiously asking Xu Zhen what was inside the lake.

In the lake, a silvery light shimmered, dazzling the eyes.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that they were actually a group of fish that were as clear and lustrous as jade.

I don't know if they were blown up by Zere, but they all floated on the water.

If that were all, it wouldn't be anything special.

But these jade-like fish are truly extraordinary, all exuding considerable spiritual energy.

On the ship, many people saw these spirit fish.

Some people became instantly excited, shouting excitedly:
"A spirit fish! It's a spirit fish!"

"My God, so many spirit fish!"

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and catch the fish! If you eat these spirit fish, maybe you can develop some qi and be accepted into the Witch Academy?"

These people not only shouted about it, but also immediately put it into action, rushing onto the deck to catch the spirit fish. However, the sailors on the ship shouted to stop them when they saw this.

"Stop right there! Have you forgotten what I told you before you boarded the boat? No matter what you see in the lake, pretend you didn't see it, and definitely don't touch it!"

But some people, before the sailors could stop them, cast nets or similar tools and scooped the spirit fish onto the boat.

"Haha, I caught a spirit fish! I'm going to be rich!"

The man who caught the spirit fish was overjoyed. Seeing the sailor rushing towards him, he hurriedly took the fish out of the net and was about to swallow it whole without a second thought.

However, as soon as he took the spirit fish out of the net, the pure white fish suddenly began to fester and rot, instantly turning into a pool of blood.

Even more bizarrely, this rotting flesh and pus instantly pierced his hand and burrowed into his body.

"what--"

The man let out a painful scream, and his body instantly transformed, melting rapidly like a candle exposed to high temperatures.

"help me……"

He reached out for help, but the people around him screamed and ran away, afraid that they would be contaminated by him and undergo the same strange transformation.

The sailors came running, cursing under their breath, but they moved quickly and without panic, clearly not the first time they had encountered such a situation.

Wielding long poles and iron shovels wrapped in witchcraft, they rushed forward and used the poles to smash the rotting, melting man, hurling him off the ship and into the lake.

In the lake, the spirit fish that had been "electrocuted" suddenly "came back to life" and pounced on the man from all directions, tearing him to pieces and devouring him without leaving even bones.

The sailors with shovels quickly shoveled the remaining rotting flesh and pus off the deck.

Finally, a shaman dressed in a shaman's robe came over, made hand seals and cast spells to thoroughly purify the deck.

After he finished, he swept his cold gaze across everyone on deck, his voice not only echoing across the deck but also reaching the ears of everyone in the cabin:
"Once you're on the ship, you have to follow the rules. Otherwise, you'll end up like this man—next time, if anyone dares to break the rules, I'll throw them overboard before they even turn into a monster! I'll make sure they're annihilated, body and soul!"

Hearing this and seeing the terrible fate of the man who had been caught earlier, the others on deck who also wanted to catch spirit fish quickly abandoned the idea. They didn't even dare to put away their nets and threw them directly into the lake.

Inside the cabin, the Rat Hunting spoke in a low voice: "This vast Yunmeng Marsh used to be a secret realm! Although its spiritual energy has withered, its strange and unpredictable nature remains. Whether it's the terrifying sudden changes in the weather or the alluring treasures that these strange creatures have transformed into, they are all part of the strangeness of the secret realm! When traveling through the Yunmeng Marsh, you must be extremely careful. The treasures you see may not be real; they could be deadly traps!"

Everyone nodded in unison, knowing that the Rat's patrol was not only a reminder but also a warning.

They traveled to the capital of Chu by multi-storied ship. Their departure was uncertain; they must not be tempted by greed or desire, or they might end up like that man, facing a life-or-death situation!

In the blink of an eye, the ship had been sailing in the Yunmeng Marsh for two days.

In the past two days, Shang Lu and his group not only witnessed the various strange and dangerous things in Yunmeng Marsh, but also saw many islands of all sizes.

According to the description of the Rat's Hunting, these scattered islands each have different functions.

Some were "Weicheng" (guardian cities) protecting the capital of Chu, some were "Fengsui Islands" (beacon islands) indicating the routes in and out of Yunmengze, and others were used to develop and salvage the treasures beneath Yunmengze.

Although the spiritual energy of Yunmeng Marsh has withered, it is said that many treasures are still hidden beneath the lake, though it is extremely dangerous.

"When we leave, we must be careful of these islands. We must avoid 'Acropolis,' and try to stay away from islands that are being developed or used for treasure hunting. But we must remember 'Beacon Island.' Once the mist rises, we will have to rely on it to guide us, otherwise we will get lost in the Yunmeng Marsh and unknowingly fall into the gates of hell..."

Zishu Xunshou was, after all, a member of the Ghost Chariot Guard in the State of Chu, so he must have entered and exited Yunmengze, and more than once.

Everyone listened very attentively to the experience he shared, not daring to forget a single word.

That evening, after passing through a thick fog, the ship finally arrived at the capital of Chu.

The capital of Chu was situated on a huge island.

The island, like a pillar reaching into the sky, appears from afar as a city suspended above the mist and clouds, shrouded in fog.

Inside the cabin, Shang Lu and the others felt a chilling divine sense sweep over them the instant the ship passed through the misty swamp.

Fortunately, they were prepared and concealed their presence in various ways, which prevented anyone from noticing anything amiss.

However, on the ship, some people still screamed after being scanned by divine sense, and were then captured by the shaman and his sailors.

Cheng Ren's ears twitched slightly, and he quickly overheard the news: "They are barbarians from the south."

Lu Yang asked curiously, "What are the barbarians doing in the Chu capital?"

Cheng Ren shook his head: "I don't know. The barbarians didn't say, and the Chu shaman didn't ask either. I guess they'll take him away for interrogation."

The Rat Patrol interrupted their conversation, saying, "Never mind others, we should get going. After we disembark, Cheng Ren, keep your ears open and let me know immediately if you hear anything amiss. The rest of you, stay close to me and don't make a sound."

He paused, then added, "If there's anything you need to say, let Shang Lu speak... You can speak the Chu dialect, right?"

"Yes." Shang Lu nodded.

Although the languages ​​of Ba and Chu are similar, there are still differences in accent and vocabulary.

Back when Shang Lu was still the county magistrate of Luocheng, in order to prevent the Chu people from destroying the secret realm of Yunhua Mountain, he learned the Chu dialect and language, and with his eloquence and sophistry, he was able to handle the situation.

"That's good. Let's go, get off the boat, and go to the island."

Zishu, the hunting scout, called out, mounted his horse, and headed out of the cabin.

Everyone hurriedly led their horses and followed.

Shang Lu even patted Hei Yun's head and warned in a low voice, "Behave yourself after you get off the ship, or I won't be able to protect you." He then instructed Uncle Huai, "Keep a close eye on it."

Hei Yun snorted in dissatisfaction, as if to say, "Why are you so sure I'm dishonest? Prejudice in people's hearts is truly a mountain!"

Unfortunately, Shang Lu completely ignored him.

The group left the cabin, lined up to disembark, and underwent inspection.

Fortunately, the identification documents prepared by the Rat on his patrol were genuine, and he also bribed the officials who were checking him. He passed the check smoothly and then continued up the winding mountain road.

The mountain path is narrow, at most four or five meters wide, with a steep rock face on one side and a cliff that plunges straight down into the lake on the other.

This place is truly a place where one man can hold off ten thousand!

After a long and arduous journey along the mountain path, they finally reached the top of the island and saw the true face of Chu Capital.

At the top of the island is a flat area that has been reclaimed by humans.

A magnificent city was built here, perched high above, overlooking the surrounding area.

Before entering the city, the group was checked again.

This inspection was more thorough than any previous one, and bribes were useless—the city gate guards accepted the money but still did not lower their standards.

Fortunately, the items were genuine, and with the clever words of Zi Shu Xun Shou and Shang Lu, the group managed to avoid revealing their identities and entered the capital of Chu without any major incident.

After entering the city, Zishu led the group westward. In the western market, they knocked on the back door of a leather shop.

(End of this chapter)