Da Tian Cuo.
Ying Chen and He Chongxu landed successively, appearing in this desolate land.
As He Chongxu had predicted, there was no longer any human habitation here, only a few dilapidated village houses teetering precariously.
Upon entering the village, a strong malevolent energy swept over them.
When there were still people, the positive and vital energy generated by the human settlement could resist some of the malevolent energy, preventing the feng shui from deteriorating excessively.
But now, with no humans left, the malevolent energy had no restraints and surged in, turning Da Tian Cuo into "Sha Qi Cuo" (Malignant Energy House).
If a few coffins were placed around the village houses, it would be even more fitting.
Even renowned directors from Xiangjiang would come here to film, making it a mecca for horror films.
"Master Ying, what exactly are you here to do?"
"Are there any artifact refining materials you need here? You could have just asked me for this small task, no need to make a personal trip."
He Chongxu looked at the malevolent energy all over the ground, shook his head repeatedly, and then looked at Ying Chen in confusion, asking.
Ying Chen merely replied with two words: "Not so."
And then said nothing more.
It was as if Ying Chen's presence here involved some secret that he couldn't disclose to others.
He Chongxu's curiosity grew.
But he could only suppress his curiosity and patiently follow Ying Chen, waiting for Ying Chen to reveal the answer himself.
"What is that place over there?"
Suddenly, Ying Chen stopped and pointed to a mountain outside the village.
"Oh, that place? It's called Feilai Peak. Legend has it that there wasn't such a mountain a long time ago, but one night, after a burst of fire accompanied by earth-shattering tremors, this mountain appeared."
"I've checked some county annals and other literature, and the records about it are vague. I can only confirm that there was no such peak here five hundred years ago. There are only two small mountains to the east and south, and the locals were too lazy to name them, simply calling them East Mountain and South Mountain."
He Chongxu replied.
Hearing He Chongxu's words, Ying Chen's eyes flashed, as if he had confirmed something.
Then Ying Chen turned to look at the mountains to the east and south.
He seemed to be measuring something with his feet, walking and stopping, finally settling on a spot.
At this spot, He Chongxu glanced over and his eyelids twitched wildly.
He had initially thought that the malevolent energy in other areas of Da Tian Cuo was already dense enough, but he never expected that the malevolent energy at this location was even more potent!
It had actually reached the point where the malevolent energy had solidified!
Lines of malevolent energy, resembling small snakes, coiled in the depression.
As soon as they sensed someone approaching, they pounced towards Ying Chen like hungry beasts.
However, before they could even touch Ying Chen, they let out mournful cries and retreated back into the depression.
Ying Chen's innate extreme Yang fist intent had almost incinerated them all!
Seeing this, He Chongxu couldn't help but marvel at Ying Chen's unfathomable depth.
He was like the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva seated in hell, requiring no magical artifacts. His physical body alone was a natural aura, and all the evil spirits in hell would obediently follow his command, not daring to act rashly.
"Whoosh!"
Ying Chen suddenly lifted his foot and stepped into the depression filled with malevolent energy.
It was like a child playing a prank, stepping into a puddle full of fish.
Instantly, all the fish flipped onto their backs and died.
However, malevolent energy was not a physical entity. They only showed a brief posture of flipping onto their backs before transforming into a mist-like substance and silently dissipating into the heavens and earth.
This nest of malevolent energy would have made an ordinary person or even a feng shui master with weaker cultivation dare not approach.
For any contact would result in being invaded by the malevolent energy, leading to either immediate death or lifelong sequelae.
But under Ying Chen's foot, it had no resistance and vanished without a trace.
However, He Chongxu couldn't understand Ying Chen's intention in doing this.
Was he simply displeased by the nest of malevolent energy and wanted to stomp it out?
Just as He Chongxu was puzzled, he saw Ying Chen's eyes narrow, and he looked into the distance.
"They're here!"
"Who's here?" He Chongxu asked instinctively.
As soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed.
He sensed several strong malevolent energies rapidly approaching from a distance, targeting their location!
"Enemy attack!"
He Chongxu shouted.
Without hesitation, he immediately took out the gourd he had acquired from the Ghost Market.
As long as the enemy dared to show themselves, the flying knives within the gourd would fly out, taking their heads from a hundred meters away!
However, to He Chongxu's surprise, Ying Chen casually swatted it, sending the gourd back into his hand.
"Don't be nervous, it's not an enemy attack."
"I was just verifying a guess."
"My guess has now been verified. The malevolent energy here is not naturally formed, but is caused by the layout of these three mountains."
"Or rather, this was originally a sacred feng shui location. Living here for a long time would bring prosperity and good fortune for livestock. However, the appearance of Feilai Peak five hundred years ago changed the geographical layout, turning this place from a sacred feng shui location into a malevolent one."
"Is that so? But why can't I see it?" He Chongxu asked in surprise.
He could tell that this was a malevolent feng shui location.
But he couldn't discern that the malevolent energy originated from the three peaks, especially Feilai Peak.
None of the layouts he had studied explained this kind of formation.
Ying Chen glanced at He Chongxu and said, "Of course you can't see it, because the methods used by the person who designed this layout were extremely clever. They didn't alter the superficial feng shui terrain, but the direction of the earth veins!"
"In other words, the person who designed this layout at that time did not intend for immediate results, but rather planned to spend decades, or even a century, to complete this rearrangement!"
Hearing Ying Chen's words, He Chongxu was greatly shocked.
"A century to create a layout? By the time the layout is formed, the person would be dead! What was he after?"
"Furthermore, there are very few feng shui masters in history who could alter a layout by changing the earth veins. What was his purpose in doing so?"
He Chongxu, the top feng shui master in Xiangjiang, had now become like an apprentice, constantly posing questions.
Ying Chen patiently explained, "One plants trees for future generations to enjoy the shade. Perhaps the person who designed this layout did it for his descendants. Or perhaps he believed he had a long lifespan and would live to see the layout completed. Furthermore, the most likely possibility is..."
"His original intention in designing this layout was to defy fate a hundred years later!"
"Because this layout, on the surface, appears to be a feng shui arrangement, but in reality, it is a colossal Daoist alchemy furnace!"
"What?" He Chongxu was stunned.
He then looked towards Feilai Peak, and then towards East Mountain and South Mountain.
After looking, he seemed unsure and repeatedly flickered his body, leaping onto a village house.
He stood on the rooftop and observed for more than ten minutes.
Then he took out his phone, opened some unknown app, and started sketching and drawing.
Finally, with an expression of astonishment and disbelief, he returned to Ying Chen.
"Master Ying, you were right! I created a 3D map of the terrain here, and it truly resembles an alchemy furnace!"
He Chongxu said as he showed Ying Chen his phone screen.
On it was a 3D topographic map of Da Tian Cuo. Viewed from high above, the three peaks, combined with the village of Da Tian Cuo, formed the shape of an alchemy furnace!
The development of modern technology had allowed feng shui masters to keep pace with the times, making feng shui divination more intuitive and simpler.
"The moon is cold, the sun is warm, to refine human life. I always thought Li He's line was a lament for spring and autumn, but I never expected it to be a real feng shui layout! This alchemy furnace envelops all the villagers of Da Tian Cuo, turning them into pills within the furnace! No wonder Da Tian Cuo has been declining for the past five hundred years!"
"Ordinary people are not the Monkey King. How could they emerge unscathed from Taishang Laojun's alchemy furnace, let alone gain a pair of fiery golden eyes?"
He Chongxu sighed.
Hearing this, Ying Chen shook his head, "If you think the other party went to such great lengths just to refine the lifespan of a few ordinary people, then you are greatly mistaken!"
"As I said, it's more likely they were trying to defy fate!"
"The other party probably intended to use this celestial alchemy furnace a hundred years later, when their lifespan was nearing its end, to refine a pill that could alter fate and extend life. However, for some reason, they ultimately passed away before they could refine it."
"Leaving this celestial alchemy furnace in the world for five hundred years."