The Blade-Wielding Legend

Chapter 1539 786: Locust Tree Village (Part 2)

"A bunch of parasites!"

Sha Lifei muttered under his breath, "Those people from the Sea Opening Sect aren't like this in the Capital. They're cowardly, each one dripping with wealth, yet they still exploit the common people, insatiably greedy!"

As he spoke, he turned to Lin Yu, "Fatty, is your family like this too?"

Fatty Lin was silent, then he smiled bitterly, "I don't really get involved with family matters."

He wasn't lying, but some things could be deduced.

Everyone did the same; if the Lin family's hands were clean, they wouldn't hold the position of the richest family in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Their methods might be even more ruthless.

Thinking of this, Fatty Lin became more silent.

The others saw this and decided not to talk more about it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, just ahead!"

Soon, the old boatman pointed forward.

Everyone looked up and saw a slope near the riverbank. The dockside was built with bluestone steps that extended into the water, weathered with age.

The most attracting thing was the enormous locust tree crouching on the hillside. Its twisted branches were like jagged claws, soaring up two stories, with a shrine built from bricks and stones in the hollow space in the middle, blackened by incense, with red ribbons tied around the tree for blessings.

"Wow, using a locust tree?" Sha Lifei exclaimed in surprise.

"It's not that unusual."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and said, "Though locust is considered a wood of yin, there are exceptions in everything. It's likely been worshipped and sacrificed to since ancient times, providing protection to the area."

"The Daoist speaks correctly."

The old boatman nodded, saying, "Mr. Hui from Locust Tree Village is indeed quite efficacious. In previous years, the village held temple fairs every ten days, inviting opera troupes; it was quite lively. But it has stopped in recent years."

"Why?"

"Heard the village doesn't like outsiders coming..."

Everyone exchanged glances at these words.

After the boat docked, they walked up the stone steps to the slope, where they saw seven or eight villagers huddled under the giant locust tree, holding sickles and bamboo rakes. Upon seeing them, they immediately stood up with unkind expressions and said, "Who are you people? The village doesn't welcome strangers!"

Li Yan and his group have ventured far and wide, encountering such scenarios quite often.

Not all villages are hospitable, because many peddlers and monks and Taoists in the pugilistic world engage in deception, so they are wary of outsiders.

But these villagers were obviously different.

Their faces were lifeless, with joints rigid and blue-white like frozen corpses, especially their eyes, which seemed covered by an irremovable film of gray.

The group exchanged glances, and Sha Lifei immediately approached with a smile, asking, "Is Captain Zhou Dayong here? We came from Jinling and want to ask him to do something for us."

"Wait."

One villager replied coldly, then turned and walked towards the village.

Clack clack!

From the sleeve of Long Yan'er, a noise suddenly emerged.

Her expression changed slightly, and she whispered from behind, "Just like with the Zhang Family in Yangzhou."

Her words were cryptic, but the group understood instantly.

The Zhang Family in Yangzhou had an ancestral feud with Lai Yin, suffering from a curse called "Silkworm Zombie Technique" for generations, which Long Yan'er had dispelled using a Secret Technique.

These people were also under a spell, though it hadn't manifested yet.

With this in mind, everyone became vigilant.

Soon, the villager returned, accompanied by an old man with a limp.

"Looking for Zhou Dalang? Follow me..."

With that, he turned to lead the way.

After they started walking, the young man quietly whispered a few words to the others under the tree, who then dispersed, running to various corners of the village.

"There, west of the ancestral hall, the third house!"

The old man led them into the village, pointing forward in a raspy voice.

His throat produced a sound like a wheezing bellows, seemingly congested with phlegm.

As they passed, cold indifferent gazes came from the shadows of the houses they walked by.

Li Yan and the group pretended not to see, heading towards the house.

Soon, a man emerged from inside, his beard unkempt, bloodshot eyes revealing deep exhaustion. Upon seeing Fatty Lin, he feigned enthusiasm with a weak smile, "Brother Lin, you've been released, how wonderful!"

"This must be Young Hero Li, I've been expecting you."

With that, he turned and shouted into the house, "Wife! Hurry, heat some good wine, slice the cured meat! Our esteemed guests have arrived!"

The group discreetly entered the house, finding a woman busily slicing cured meat, cooking dishes, and heating wine, her movements quick but slightly rigid.

Behind her were two young boys with hair tied up, salivating over the cured meat.

"Alas, Brother Tian died so tragically..."

Zhou Dayong prompted conversation, recounting the situation which matched what Fatty Lin and the others had witnessed, followed by complaints about the indiscriminate actions in Jinling.

Li Yan responded casually, his nose twitching as he narrowed his eyes.

Soon, plates of country-style dishes were served on the table.

"Guests from afar, please!"

Zhou Dayong raised his wine and drank it all, noticing the group didn't touch their chopsticks. He chuckled wryly, "I was friends with Brother Tian, surely you trust me."

With that, he eagerly picked up some food and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing heartily.

"Don't worry, no poison!"

"It's true there's no poison, but other things might not be..."

Long Yan'er laughed coldly, removing the silver hairpin from her bun, whispering a spell, blowing on it, then stirring the food gently with the hairpin's tip and lifting it.

A layer of white strands had wound around the tip.

Like silkworm threads, filaments entwining, wriggling slightly as if alive.

Zhou Dayong's expression changed abruptly, turning his head and shouting angrily, "Run!"

His wife immediately grabbed the two kids and ran out.

Meanwhile, Zhou Dayong suddenly drew a dagger from his waist, stabbing towards Li Yan.

The move was fierce and ruthless, quite in line with Captain Bureau tactics.