Blade - Unbound

Chapter 72: Concealment Art

The candlelight flickered dimly, wavering without rest.

Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei lay naked atop coffin boards while Chen Fakui dipped his brush into cinnabar ink and traced across their bodies like a dragon dancing through clouds.

One strange rune after another appeared. Every time he completed one of them, Chen Fakui would form a killing seal and infuse it with hidden names. The ancient tomb was already steeped in yin energy, and another wave of chilling cold spread through the chamber with every completed rune, leaving the two men deeply uneasy.

At last, Zheng Heibei could no longer hold back and asked, “Master Chen, this method of yours won’t cause any problems, right?”

“Rest assured.” Chen Fakui shook his head. “You can both see for yourselves, I know nothing of martial arts. If I wish to seize the treasure from the mass grave, I’ll require your assistance. Why would I harm you?

“This technique originates from spirit mediums. However, since neither of you has opened your Six Yang Roots, we can only use this method to borrow the power of yin deities. It will function much like spirit possession. You’ll feel no pain.

“At that point, you’ll serve as my left and right Dharma Protectors. With your aid, where under the heavens would we fear to tread?”

Zheng Heibei sighed and relaxed. “Master Chen speaks wisely.”

He had long noticed that Chen Fakui’s limbs lacked strength. The man only practiced some health-preserving breathing exercises. If someone got close enough, a single brick to the skull could probably kill him. He was just like that You Laosi fellow, only daring to hide behind others while harming people through the use of mystic arts.

When he thought of You Laosi again, Zheng Heibei’s anger flared once more. “Master Chen, there’s that dog You Laosi too, you absolutely must help me find him.”

“Of course.” Chen Fakui answered casually before putting away his brush and ink. “Alright. Wait for the runes to dry before dressing yourselves again. Remember, this technique fears the urine of virgin boys above all else. And absolutely do not touch dog’s blood.”

Yuan Qu laughed. “Master, you jest. With our abilities, if someone actually managed to piss all over us, we would be better off smashing our heads to kill ourselves.”

At that moment, the two men’s entire bodies were covered in blood-red runes, including their faces. The slightest smile made them look utterly ferocious.

Chen Fakui glanced toward the burial passage outside. Seeing the final traces of sunset filtering in, excitement flashed through his eyes.

“It’s getting late. We shall begin.”

The three immediately started arranging the ritual altar. They had placed a square table filled with ritual implements as the center. Twelve banners had been planted around it according to the earthly branch positions. The unconscious children lay beneath the banners, each with a tiny oil lamp balanced upon their forehead.

As for the Wandering Soul Jar containing Wang Daoxuan’s living soul, it had been casually tossed to one side of the burial chamber, mixed among shattered pottery fragments...

***

Before long, night had fully descended. Within the forest, Luo Mingzi formed a hand seal with his left hand while holding a stalk of yarrow grass in his right.

He wound it around the fingers of his sealed hand while stepping through ritual star patterns and chanting, “Nuogao, I alone open the descendant Wang Jia. Six Jia Azure Dragon, Six Yi Encountering Star, Six Bing Bright Hall, Six Ding Hidden Yin...”

Behind him, Li Yan copied the motions exactly. Very quickly, he discovered with delight that his aura was gradually being drawn into the yarrow grass.

Seeing the effects, Luo Mingzi turned and nodded in satisfaction. “Excellent. This originates from the Baopu Mountain Climbing Technique. Learn this art and follow me up the mountain, and those yin spirits won’t be able to detect you.”

Li Yan immediately cupped his fists in gratitude. “Many thanks for imparting the technique, Senior.”

He had intended to be guided up the mountain and never expected Luo Mingzi to be so generous as to teach him a simple concealment art. After only an afternoon of practice, he had already grasped it. Of course, this concealment art did not mean he could literally vanish from sight. Rather, it prevented yin spirits from noticing him while also concealing his aura from divine senses.

“It is nothing. Merely a minor trick.” Luo Mingzi shook his head slightly. “There are countless forms of concealment and escape arts. This technique is not particularly advanced. Powerful demonic Daoists or skilled ritualists can still see through it. But for today, it is sufficient.”

Li Yan looked at the yarrow grass in his hand. “Senior, is this thing difficult to refine?”

The yarrow grass carried a heavy scent of incense worship. The concealment art relied entirely upon it, though unfortunately it could only be used a single time.

Luo Mingzi replied, “If one possesses a century-old ancestral altar, refining them is not difficult. If you wish to buy some, you may visit the City God Temple. Ten taels of silver per stalk.”

Beside them, Sha Lifei stared at the stalk of grass in disbelief. “Ten taels?!”

The Taixuan Orthodox Sect really is black-hearted, he thought to himself. They dare sell a single blade of grass for ten taels. No wonder their temples are so damn rich.

Even Li Yan clicked his tongue, though he also resolved to buy several more in the future. At critical moments, such things could save one’s life!

Naturally, Luo Mingzi had no idea what the two were thinking. Turning toward the distant mountain, he said in a low voice, “The sky is dark. We move now. We absolutely cannot let him complete the obscene sacrifice after the hour of the rat.”

He started heading toward the opposite side of the forest. Li Yan followed closely behind, and before long, the two disappeared into the darkness.

Watching them leave, Zhao Facheng nodded toward Sha Lifei. “Benefactor, assist me in preparing the altar. If anyone attempts to interfere, do not allow them to come close.”

Sha Lifei hefted his blade, face filled with savage determination. “Understood!”

After wandering the jianghu for so many years, he naturally knew many people looked down on him. Usually, he couldn’t be bothered to argue and preferred avoiding trouble whenever possible. At first, when he joined Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan, it was only to bask in their reflected glory and earn some money.

But after surviving several life-and-death ordeals together, he had long since come to regard them as true brothers. This time, no matter what happened, they had to rescue Wang Daoxuan.

The two left the forest, and Zhao Facheng immediately took out a geomantic compass. After circling the mountain base several times, he selected a large rock, spread a yellow cloth over it, lit candles, and arranged a simple ritual altar.

Like Wang Daoxuan, he also carried a wooden chest containing various ritual tools, incense, and candles, allowing him to build an altar at any time. Sha Lifei had followed Wang Daoxuan for a while now, so he was already familiar with the process. Though not a mystic path practitioner himself, he was perfectly capable of assisting.

Zhao Facheng quickly lit candles and performed star-stepping rituals. Then, he sprayed consecrated water around the altar, allowing the altar to form its own minor spiritual field. He sighed softly before lifting a wooden sword made from Thunderstruck Jujube Wood. He laid a yellow talisman on it, ignited it, formed a hand seal, and thrust the sword toward the night sky.

In an instant, wild winds roared through the area.

Far away, both Li Yan and Luo Mingzi turned back to look. Ordinary people could not perceive it, but to practitioners like them, a stream of astral qi had shot straight into the heavens.

Luo Mingzi said coldly, “Once three command astral qi signals rise, Senior Uncle Qing Yangzi will dispatch reinforcements. If Chen Fakui doesn’t wish to die, he’ll do everything possible to stop it. We have to move!”

Li Yan nodded and immediately formed hand seals while winding the yarrow grass around his fingers, stepping through ritual patterns and chanting the concealment incantation.

The concealment art required a lengthy preparation, but once successfully activated, so long as one maintained the hand seal, the concealment could be sustained. Of course, entering combat would instantly break the technique.

As for Luo Mingzi, he naturally used a far more advanced art. He withdrew a bamboo talisman the size of his palm from within his robes and formed hand seals while chanting, “Soldiers and divine forces, form ranks before me and advance!

The moment Li Yan heard him, his pupils contracted. Not only had Luo Mingzi’s aura vanished completely, Li Yan’s divine sense could no longer detect him at all. Faint yin mist also rose around him, making his figure blurry and indistinct like a shadow within fog.

That was a truly superior concealment art!

Li Yan was shaken. The Enforcement Hall of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect truly lived up to its reputation. According to Luo Mingzi himself, his cultivation was only at the second level. He opened the Body Root and he was not especially skilled at rituals or altar arts.

Yet he had mastered countless lesser techniques. Combined with his opened Body Root, his physical awareness and bodily control far surpassed ordinary people, while his martial arts had already reached the peak of the Dark Jin Realm.

He was essentially a battle mage among mystic path practitioners. Whether slaying demons or killing men, neither posed any difficulty. Luo Mingzi seemed cold on the outside but he was warm-hearted.

He admired Li Yan somewhat when he saw how steadfastly the latter refused to abandon his companions. Thus, he nodded and explained, “This is the Mountain Ghost Warding Art, combined with the Mountain Entering Six Invocations. The artifact I used is the Profound Bamboo Envoy Talisman. It is also merely average among the various concealment arts.

“Every lineage possesses similar techniques. Once you one day establish the second floor of your inner temple, you too will be able to use such arts.”

With that, he gestured for Li Yan to lead the way. Li Yan wasted no words. Maintaining his hand seal, he immediately began climbing up the mountain’s side slope.

He remembered the location where Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei disappeared. Though the side slope was steep, it posed little challenge for him. One hand maintained the hand seal while the other gripped his blade as he advanced swiftly upward.

Luo Mingzi followed close behind.

***

Within the gloomy tomb, candle flames continued to flicker endlessly. Chen Fakui had changed into different clothing as he stood before the altar.

His long hair hung loose over his shoulders. He now wore feathered animal-hide garments resembling those of ancient shamans, chest bare and covered with numerous runes entirely different from those on orthodox lineage talismans.

Every spell inscription resembled ancient bone script.

This script was known as Tian Script, also called the Ghost Script.

Originally, Chen Fakui’s eyes remained closed while he muttered continuously beneath his breath. But the moment the first command astral qi signal rose into the heavens, his eyes snapped open.

Complex emotions flickered within them as he laughed bitterly to himself, “A Nine Essence Sect command astral qi... Master, are you already so eager to cleanse the sect?”

Outside the altar, Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei now stood armored, blood talismans covering their faces. One held a great blade while the other wielded twin daggers, standing guard to either side.

Hearing Chen Fakui, Yuan Qu was startled. “Someone’s coming?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Chen Fakui rose calmly. “I made preparations long ago.”

He grabbed two handfuls of white ash from a wooden box atop the altar and scattered them toward the ritual candles.

Boom! Boom!

Two fireballs suddenly erupted before vanishing instantly. That too was a type of altar-opening ritual, though far more powerful. Then, Chen Fakui seized a peachwood sword and began stepping through ritual patterns. Several yellow talismans ignited, and yin winds immediately rose within the tomb while the candle flames gradually turned a miserable green.

The eerie scene caused Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei’s scalps to tingle.

Finally, Chen Fakui grabbed a rectangular ritual command tablet and slammed it upon the table three times.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“By decree of the Three Nether Divine Lords Returning to the True Origin of the Nine Essence, soldiers of every camp, obey at once!”

Clack! Clack!

Before the altar stood several wooden puppets representing Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, and Chou. All of them suddenly quivered and straightened. Then, like spiders, they skittered rapidly out of the tomb.

At some unknown point, thin mist had already begun spreading across the mountain. The puppets rushed into the fog, vanishing without a trace.