As the eldest of the Zhuo family, Zhuo Gang, gave the order, over thirty people, armed with clubs, hoes, and shovels, marched towards the small grove behind the backyard.
As soon as they exited the backyard and reached the edge of the grove, they felt a chilling wind blowing continuously from the direction of the villa.
The wind appeared to be only a level three or four breeze, yet it was exceptionally cold. Many, even those wearing windproof jackets, felt this slight gust penetrate them completely.
Ling Tian took off the backpack he was carrying on his back. Reaching inside, he pulled out a compass.
Ling Tian had not brought his medical kit today, intentionally carrying only a backpack.
This backpack contained nothing substantial, but Ling Tian needed it as a cover. Otherwise, if he were to directly retrieve items from his spiritual realm, it would be too astonishing for anyone to comprehend.
Ling Tian did not wish for anyone to know this secret. "An innocent man is guilty if he possesses a treasure." If he had a portable storage space, the entire world would likely go mad for it.
The group continued forward for three to four kilometers, and the forest was nearing its end. At this point, Ling Tian saw their destination, a small earth god temple, situated on a mountainside about a hundred meters ahead.
However, this earth god temple was unlike ordinary ones. A regular earth god temple was only a little over a meter tall, with a simple shrine inside housing the deity.
This particular temple, however, was a fully sized room, two sizes larger than a typical earth god temple.
At this moment, the compass needle was trembling rapidly, then shakily pointing towards the earth god temple.
Ling Tian could now confirm that this was likely the source of the trouble!
All the Yin energy that permeated the heavens and earth within this entire valley was ultimately converging at the earth god temple!
"Brother Zhuo, it's here. The problem originates from here. Everyone, be alert and extremely careful!" Ling Tian warned the eldest of the Zhuo family.
"Did you all hear that, brothers? Be careful, surround this damn temple. I want to see what kind of demon is causing trouble inside!"
The Zhuo family members surged forward, surrounding the earth god temple inside and out, but found no one within.
Meanwhile, Ling Tian was drawn to some objects inside the temple.
Beneath the shrine, under the offering table, and below the incense burner, several black stones, the size of steamed buns, were embedded in the ground.
Ling Tian recognized these stones as Profound Yin Stones.
The Profound Yin Stone was originally basalt. These rocks, found in places with extremely dense Yin energy like tombs and caves, had existed for thousands of years. Over this long period, the stones themselves had absorbed a vast amount of Yin energy.
If these stones were steeped in water, the Yin energy they contained would be even more potent.
These stones, with their strong Yin energy, would attract unclean things and vermin if kept in a home.
Of course, to those who practiced unorthodox arts, these were valuable items. After processing, they could be used as the core of certain malevolent formations.
While not as effective as other materials when used as the core of a formation, these stones were more durable and less susceptible to external damage than jade pendants.
Ling Tian stepped forward and asked the Zhuo family members to move the offering table and incense burner, revealing the Profound Yin Stones beneath.
Looking at the arrangement of these stones, Ling Tian immediately understood that it was an extremely rudimentary and crude spirit-gathering formation.
Ling Tian took two steps back, moving outside the earth god temple, and then employed his Qi-gazing technique.
A large amount of true essence concentrated in Ling Tian's eyes. His vision penetrated the ground, focusing on the area beneath the temple.
Ling Tian could see a significant amount of Yin energy gathered within a few square meters of underground space beneath the temple.
Clearly, there was another secret hidden underground!
"Brother Zhuo, I've confirmed it. This earth god temple is strange, especially what's beneath it. There's likely something there!"
"Alright, brothers, let's go. Tear this temple down!"
The Zhuo family members responded, raising their weapons and preparing to dismantle it.
However, at that very moment, screams suddenly erupted from behind the earth god temple.
The Zhuo family members who had surrounded the temple from the rear were all knocked to the ground.
Immediately after, two figures darted in front of Ling Tian and the others.
"What do you think you're doing!" the speaker exclaimed, their voice grating, like chalk scraping against a blackboard.
The Zhuo family members recoiled several steps, startled by the sudden appearance of the two individuals.
The two figures before them were clad in black robes with hoods, resembling medieval sorcerers.
The skin on their faces was rough and wrinkled, covered in what could be age spots or corpse spots.
Looking at their eyes, they were ferocious. One of them was missing his left eye, and his right ear was also gone.
The other person was missing his right eye, and his left ear had also vanished, as if it had been cut off.
The person missing the left eye was named Zuo Can, and the one missing the right eye was named You Que.
The teacher of these two individuals was the same feng shui master who had designed the Zhuo family's residence, Luo Shentong!
And that Luo Shentong, a feng shui master was merely an alias to conceal his true identity as a disciple of the Yin Sha Sect.
The Yin Sha Sect was one of China's unorthodox sects. Their cultivation methods were unique, involving drawing Yin Sha energy into their bodies for修炼 and using it to harm others.
They frequented deep mountains and ancient tombs, thus rarely appearing before the public.
Naturally, these individuals were extremely ferocious. Those who encountered them alone in the wilderness rarely survived. They would be silenced, or even become cauldrons.
Furthermore, the people of the Yin Sha Sect were well-versed in various evil formations. They often set up Yin-gathering formations to accumulate Yin energy for cultivation or to harm others.
These two individuals before them, Zuo Can and You Que, their missing eyes and ears were the lingering consequences of their constant cultivation with Yin energy.
These two lived in the nearby woods, where they had built a makeshift shelter and spent their days cultivating with Yin energy.
Every few days, one of them would descend the mountain to purchase food and daily necessities.
The most crucial purpose of these two individuals being here was to protect this earth god temple!
This was because their teacher, Luo Shentong, was buried beneath this temple. They absolutely could not allow anyone to disturb their teacher's eternal peace underground!
"Leave here immediately, or die!"
"Charge! Kill these two charlatans!" The eldest of the Zhuo family, seeing that these two were not good people, directly issued the order.
Thus, everyone charged directly at the two individuals.
A disciple of the Zhuo family swung a club at them!