Chapter 121: The Qi-Devouring Centipede and the Sound-Transmitting Conch

Upon reaching Mount Yunhua, Shang Lu ascended the mountain directly. The personnel responsible for peripheral patrols and security were local constables and militia. Even if they were unaware that Shang Lu had been promoted to County尉 (County Commandant), they recognized him. Nevertheless, they followed protocol, checking the passwords and verifying his identity before allowing him to pass.

After walking for a while inside the mountain, before they had reached the entrance to the secret realm, Shang Lu and Du Feng were halted by a voice descending from the sky:

"Halt!"
"Halt!"

The two looked up, only to find that the one calling out to them was not a human, but an owl. The creature was roughly the size of a four- or five-year-old child. It descended from the sky and perched on a tree, surveying Shang Lu and Du Feng from above; its weight caused the branches to bend and sag under the strain.

"Is that a person or a bird?" Du Feng gasped in surprise upon seeing the owl. The creature actually possessed a human face!

Shang Lu observed more closely and realized that the human face was merely a pattern formed by the feathers on its head. Still, at first glance, it was quite unsettling. Another strange feature was its tail; it was not a typical avian feather tail, but one that resembled a dog’s tail—thick and furry.

"State your identity and your purpose, or be treated as spies and executed without mercy!" the human-faced owl spoke again. It uttered human words with a peculiar, parrot-like cadence. Simultaneously, it shook its feathers, causing them to stand on end. Under the sunlight, the feathers shimmered with a metallic, icy glint, resembling sharp blades. Shang Lu had no doubt that if a conflict arose, those feathers would instantly transform into a storm of thunderous arrows, shrouding the enemy and turning them into a sieve.

He did not delay, immediately stating his identity and purpose: "I am Shang Lu, the County Commandant of Luoshui County. I have come to report suspicious circumstances discovered during my patrol to the Wu official, Feng Boyuan."

"Shang Lu, seeking Feng Boyuan, reporting circumstances," the owl summarized his words into three parts, repeating them in its strange tone while keeping its eyes fixed on them, showing no signs of letting down its guard.

A moment later, the owl seemed to establish contact with someone. It ceased its chanting and smoothed down its raised feathers. This time, the voice that emerged from its beak was completely different, as if a person were speaking through the owl to communicate with them: "Wait here. Do not proceed further, lest you encounter danger."

"It’s not as if we haven't been inside before," Du Feng muttered under his breath. He turned to Shang Lu and asked, "Sir, have you ever seen a bird with a human face and a dog's tail that can speak human language?"

"Never."

Shang Lu shook his head and cautioned Du Feng: "The area ahead is likely rigged with mechanisms and traps set by the Wu officials. Do not wander about."

"I understand," Du Feng nodded. His previous remark had been a mere complaint; he had no intention of actually walking inside. He was straightforward and stubborn, but not truly foolish.

The human-faced owl did not remain to watch over them. Once satisfied that they posed no threat, it flapped its wings and took to the sky, monitoring the ground from above.

Shang Lu and Du Feng did not wait long before Feng Boyuan hurried over. He moved with extreme speed; despite the distance, he reached them in just two strides. He went straight to the point: "What suspicious circumstances have you discovered?"

Shang Lu recounted the incident regarding the Feng Shui master and produced the red-headed centipede.

Feng Boyuan examined the centipede and asked, "Have you sent anyone to investigate this Feng Shui master?"

Shang Lu nodded. "Before coming to Mount Yunhua, I issued orders to launch an investigation. I also instructed them that if they find him, they are to apprehend him immediately and bring him to the magistrate's office for interrogation."

"Exactly what I was thinking. I knew you and I would work well together," Feng Boyuan said with a smile. He then performed a hand seal and cast a sorcery spell.

A moment later, a Wu official, older than Feng Boyuan but of a lower cultivation rank, rushed over. Upon seeing Feng Boyuan, he bowed and addressed him as "Senior Brother." Feng Boyuan introduced them and relayed Shang Lu's findings to the official, whose name was Yuan Tianfeng, handing him the red-headed centipede.

"This is a Qi-Devouring Centipede," Yuan Tianfeng identified the creature at a glance. "This centipede originates from the tombs in the Jingchu region. It likes to use corpses—especially newly buried ones—as nests to lay eggs, and it multiplies extremely quickly. Furthermore, this centipede is adept at scouting geomantic veins; it enjoys stealing and devouring earth-qi, and it excretes toxins that pollute the land's energy."

Hearing this, both Shang Lu and Feng Boyuan frowned, sharing a grim suspicion.

Feng Boyuan immediately ordered, "Junior Brother Yuan, depart at once. Go to the burial site the Feng Shui master selected for Zhang Peng. See which area the mountain's veins connect to and investigate the flow of the earth-qi."

"Understood," Yuan Tianfeng nodded and immediately began chanting. Shang Lu and Du Feng watched as the soil beneath his feet softened, turning liquid, and he sank into the ground.

"Is this the Earth-Escaping Technique? It’s not quite what I imagined," Shang Lu remarked to himself in wonder.

"My Junior Brother is an expert at surveying land and geomancy. He will know at a glance if the burial site is suspicious. If you are interested in this field, you may consult him in the future," Feng Boyuan said. As he spoke, he retrieved a conch shell from his sleeve and handed it to Shang Lu.

"What is this?" Shang Lu asked, examining it.

"This is a Sound-Transmitting Conch," Feng Boyuan explained. "Even those without magical abilities can use it. Simply pour water inside and speak into it, and the message will be transmitted to the master conch." He then produced a larger conch, the master one. "This is a magical artifact recently delivered by the Commandery. Take one. With it, you can contact me at any time without the trouble of traveling back and forth."

"This is a wonderful treasure," Shang Lu said, delighted. Since arriving in this world, the lack of communication had been his greatest inconvenience. In his previous life on Earth, instant messaging and phone calls spanned any distance. Here, in the State of Ba, unless one was a sorcerer like Feng Boyuan, communication was essentially limited to shouting. Although this conch only worked between the sub-conch and the master conch, it was better than nothing.

Du Feng leaned in, examining the conch in awe. "As expected of the Wu Academy—they can craft any kind of treasure."

He rarely offered flattery, but this time it backfired. Feng Boyuan replied somewhat awkwardly, "This conch wasn't actually made by our Academy; it was purchased from the Mohist school. Only the Mohists spend the effort to devise artifacts that even ordinary people can use without sorcery. But because they don't use magic, their artifacts are slightly inferior in power and effectiveness. For instance, you must be careful when using this; if there is a stream or river nearby, the transmission will be clear. However, if the surroundings are dry—if there isn't a stream within ten miles, or if the rivers have dried up—the transmission will be poor, or may even fail entirely."

Shang Lu thought to himself: *So this conch treats rivers as signal towers?* In his past life, people in remote areas would climb mountains to get better reception. In the future, would he have to jump into a river while holding the conch just to get a clear connection? Regardless, having the conch was a significant improvement.

At that moment, Shang Lu noticed a hint of worry on Feng Boyuan’s face. He told Du Feng to step aside, then lowered his voice to ask, "Master Feng, you look troubled. Have you encountered problems in developing the secret realm?"

"Indeed," Feng Boyuan did not hide it from him. "As you know, this realm is the remnant of an ancient sect. We have been posing as sect disciples to enter most areas, search for treasures, set up arrays, and refine spiritual energy. However, the few places with the densest spiritual energy remain barred to us."

"Is the disciples' status insufficient? Have you tried posing as elders or something similar?" Shang Lu suggested.

Feng Boyuan sighed heavily. "We tried, but it didn't work. We even paid the price of one life lost and two severely wounded!"

*Even a Wu official died inside the realm?* Shang Lu gasped, thinking that the secret realm was indeed perilous. He was fortunate that Sanniang had protected him earlier, or he would have been finished.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. "Have you ever considered changing your identity?"

Feng Boyuan smiled bitterly. "If elders don't work, what else is there? The Sect Master? That would be even harder to impersonate."

"No," Shang Lu shook his head. "Perhaps you could try posing as animals."

"Animals?" Feng Boyuan was taken aback, then a sudden realization dawned on him. He slapped his thigh in excitement. "That’s it! This sect was best known for raising and controlling beasts. If the identities of disciples or elders don't work, posing as spirit beasts might just be the way to slip through!"