"Follow this path to the end, there's a stone statue. Turn right at the statue, and after passing through a small grove of trees, you'll find Guan Yun and the others' hiding place!"
On Mount Emei, Yan Shouyi was rapidly approaching the coordinates sent by Yan Nanfei, following his grandmother Wen Yuxian's instructions.
Along the way, he saw traces of broken branches, indicating that Long Feicheng and his group had also passed by recently, and should be not far ahead. He hadn't taken the wrong path.
Sensing no pursuit behind him, Yan Shouyi slowed down a little, beginning to ponder the entire sequence of events.
Qi Dongqiang was a child abducted by his master and brought up the mountain. Due to his extraordinary talent, he was groomed to be the successor. However, after the Emei Sect discovered the true identity of Qi Dongqiang's master and came to demand an explanation, a feud was formed with Qi Dongqiang, a feud that had, by chance, never been resolved.
The former sect leader of Emei knew about Qi Dongqiang's situation. Out of compassion for the young and innocent Qi Dongqiang, he dispatched a disciple, Caiyun, to contact him, hoping to influence Qi Dongqiang. He didn't expect that the seed of hatred in Qi Dongqiang's heart was too deeply planted. Caiyun not only failed to influence Qi Dongqiang but also got herself entangled.
Later, Qi Dongqiang found an opportunity to join forces with the Twelve Yuan Chen, using Caiyun to infiltrate the Emei Sect, and then weakening the combat strength of the Emei disciples with the Love Silk Gu, commanding a troop of monkeys to annihilate more than half of the Emei Sect.
Abbess Guan Yun and the others hastily fled into a place that Qi Dongqiang couldn't find, to lie low for the time being.
To ensure their complete annihilation, Qi Dongqiang deliberately descended the mountain to wait for his prey. He finally encountered their group and deliberately feigned ignorance and blended in.
While Qi Dongqiang was leading everyone on a detour, Huang Qingcang and others ascended the mountain and encountered the Shadow Puppet Master and the Gu Master from the Twelve Yuan Chen. Huang Qingcang and some disciples from the Dian Yi Sect were controlled by the Shadow Puppet Master, forced to kill other innocent disciples. Daoist Jinbi fled, injured. It was only after this that their own group's ascent occurred.
Everything happened so naturally. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but Yan Shouyi noticed something strange.
All the stories revolved around Qi Dongqiang.
So, what role did the Twelve Yuan Chen play in this story?
"The actor's mission for the Twelve Yuan Chen was to sow discord among renowned sects or create conflict between renowned sects and folk cults."
"But from what I can see, the Twelve Yuan Chen have done nothing more than help Qi Dongqiang destroy Emei and intend to finish them off. This is completely different from their objective."
"The Shadow Puppet Master and the Gu Master had been lurking in the vicinity, yet they only acted after Qi Dongqiang's death. Why did they let Qi Dongqiang go to his death?"
"What were they waiting for?"
Suddenly, Yan Shouyi had a terrible guess, a guess so disturbing that he couldn't help but stop in his tracks.
Sensing the strangeness outside, Wen Yuxian quickly reminded Yan Shouyi:
"Why have you stopped? The Love Silk Gu will descend any moment!"
"Grandmother, we might have walked into a trap set by the Twelve Yuan Chen..." Yan Shouyi murmured.
Wen Yuxian said angrily, "No matter what trap it is, surviving is the most important thing! Run quickly!"
"...Alright."
Yan Shouyi could only suppress the guess in his heart and continue running.
Soon, Yan Shouyi reached the destination coordinates as guided by Wen Yuxian.
It was a bare, flat area that seemed to be the foundation of some building. However, all that stood there now was a very miniature temple, housing a statue of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva made of mud.
The temple was shorter than Yan Shouyi, and he had to bend over to see the Buddha statue inside. The small temple seemed to be built for dwarfs.
The Love Silk Gu larvae in the sky were getting closer, and Yan Shouyi felt a hint of urgency. He quickly asked Wen Yuxian:
"Grandmother, there's only a flat area here. Where are my great aunt and the others hiding?"
Wen Yuxian immediately replied, "There is a Feilai Hall hidden here. It is also one of Mount Emei's forbidden areas, and only the sect leader is qualified to enter. So, I only know of this place, but I have never entered it."
"You mean there is a grand hall here?" Yan Shouyi asked blankly. "Why can't I see it?"
"This grand hall is extraordinary. Sometimes it appears here, but sometimes it disappears. If there is any place on Mount Emei that can evade enemy patrols, it would be the Feilai Hall. However, I don't know how to find it."
Grandmother, aren't you stating the obvious?!
Out of respect for his elders, Yan Shouyi didn't voice his thoughts, but his face was already filled with worry.
Yan Shouyi believed that the Feilai Hall could appear or disappear. Abbess Guan Yun and the others must have hidden in the Feilai Hall and then made it disappear to evade Qi Dongqiang's search.
But the Feilai Hall had disappeared, so how could an outsider like him possibly find it?
He wondered if his great aunt and the others could see what was happening outside. If they could, they should come out and get him!
At this moment, Wen Yuxian added, "Shouyi, the Feilai Hall was built by a descendant of Lu Ban. Others may not be able to find its location, but you certainly can!"
What?
The Feilai Hall was built by a descendant of Lu Ban?
No wonder Grandmother was so confident!
Upon hearing this news, Yan Shouyi immediately threw Lele, whom he was carrying on his shoulder, to the ground, then bent down to search for clues around the small temple.
But after only a few seconds of bending over, he suddenly felt something was wrong:
"Where are Xiaolong and the others?"
They were less than a minute apart. If Yan Shouyi ran at full speed, he could easily catch up with Long Feicheng and the others.
But not only did Yan Shouyi not catch up with Long Feicheng and the others along the way, but even after arriving at the destination, he still hadn't seen them.
Could it be that I ran to the wrong place?
Wen Yuxian seemed to sense the danger and, ignoring Yan Shouyi's control, forcibly emerged from the Yin Wood, summoning her flying sword to block behind him!
Clang!
A sound rang out, and all the flying swords in front of Wen Yuxian shattered.
Yan Shouyi looked back and was greatly shocked.
Was the attacker Tian Jue'er?
The gluttonous, foolish girl had a stiff expression. It was she who had been hiding in the dark and launching surprise attacks. If it weren't for his grandmother watching, he might have suffered a disadvantage at her hands just now!
Yan Shouyi retreated with Wen Yuxian, while simultaneously noticing what was behind Tian Jue'er.
Long Feicheng and Zhuge Ji had blank expressions and similarly unfriendly eyes.
Based on previous experience, Yan Shouyi immediately realized: the three of them had been controlled by the Shadow Puppet Master!
"Damn you!"
Yan Shouyi was furious. The Shadow Puppet Master controlling his companions was something he absolutely could not forgive!
"President!"
From the nearby woods, Ye Tianyuan, covered in wounds, ran out and cried out in panic, "It's the Twelve Yuan Chen! They've controlled Brother Xiaolong!"