Blade - Unbound

Chapter 76: The Abnormal Change in the Summoning Writ

When he saw Chen Fakui, Luo Mingzi flew into a rage. “What nerve!”

He was about to fling out the treasured sword in his hand, yet Chen Fakui showed no fear whatsoever. He casually picked up one of the candles from the altar table, causing Luo Mingzi to freeze.

Chen Fakui had clearly realized he could not stop Luo Mingzi, so he had arranged several bundles of gunpowder atop the altar. To ensure rapid ignition, he had even piled loose powder around the fuses.

Gunpowder was not rare in the Xuan Dynasty. Although the imperial court strictly forbade civilian possession, many jianghu gangs and outlaw strongholds kept secret stockpiles. The authorities simply could not control it.

Especially after maritime trade expanded overseas, bloody naval conflicts with foreign powers became commonplace. Cannons thundered constantly on the high seas, making gunpowder indispensable. Even merchant guilds secretly stockpiled gunpowder.

Whatever it was, the prohibition existed in name only.

Still, jianghu people rarely used it during fights. The reason was simple. Once gunpowder was involved, the matter immediately became a major criminal case. The military would be sent to investigate, and guilt or innocence no longer mattered.

Using it was equivalent to a death sentence. If Chen Fakui casually tossed the candle, the entire chamber would explode. Neither the children nor Wang Daoxuan’s Wandering Soul Jar would survive.

At that moment, a faint glimmer flashed through Luo Mingzi’s eyes. He had also spotted a hand extending from the hole made by some tomb raiders high behind the rear chamber, subtly warning him not to act rashly.

Li Yan had already infiltrated the tomb as well. Using the concealment art to suppress his aura, he too had discovered the gunpowder and therefore refrained from attacking.

Luo Mingzi’s expression remained unchanged as he called out calmly, “Fellow Daoist, Zhao Facheng mentioned that you once protected the common people. Why have you chosen this path?”

“Protected the common people?” Painful memories seemed to rack Chen Fakui as he let out a miserable laugh. “Yes. I once believed that too. Accumulate yin virtue; guard my mental state. Comprehend the mysteries of the Dao and bring glory to my sect someday. That was what I believed in! But what did I receive in return?

“Why is it that those wicked criminals can continue living comfortably till they’re old while I am stricken with terminal illness with ambitions unfulfilled? What bullshit yin virtue is this?! The Heavenly Dao is unjust! Why should I uphold those broken beliefs?!”

Seeing his increasingly frenzied state, Luo Mingzi narrowed his eyes and continued trying to persuade him. “You have not yet committed irredeemable crimes. Even if you die now, you may still reincarnate peacefully. But once you enter the demonic path, there is no turning back.”

“Reincarnation?” Chen Fakui snorted. “Immortality, ascension, reincarnation... People have spoken of these things since ancient times. But who has ever truly seen them? They’re all lies used to deceive the ignorant masses.”

Luo Mingzi sneered. “That only proves your ignorance. The mystic path has produced countless brilliant cultivators throughout the ages. Do you think they were all fools? To be honest, I actually know a few things.”

Chen Fakui’s attention was instantly drawn. “Oh?”

His grip on the candle loosened slightly. Behind him, Li Yan immediately seized the opportunity. Leaping out in a sudden burst, he flicked his right hand.

A flying rock whistled through the air and the candle in Chen Fakui’s hand was instantly knocked flying. Chen Fakui knew no martial arts. His reaction speed could never compare to that of a true fighter.

In the same instant, Luo Mingzi attacked without mercy. With a flick of his arm, his Seven Star Sword shot out like a streak of light.

Puchi!

The blade pierced directly through Chen Fakui’s chest.

Meanwhile, Li Yan landed on the ground and reversed his Guanshan blade in a backhand slash, sending Chen Fakui’s head flying into the air.

Thud.

It was only when his corpse collapsed to the ground that Li Yan finally released a breath of relief.

Luo Mingzi immediately rushed forward, swiftly moving all nearby braziers and candles away from the altar’s central explosives.

Twelve unconscious children still lay upon the floor. If even one suddenly awoke and accidentally overturned a brazier in panic, all of them would be buried together.

Li Yan quickly sheathed his blade and moved to help. But right then, every hair on his body stood upright. An icy chill surged through his heart, as though a wild beast had suddenly appeared behind him.

Li Yan instantly drew his blade and spun around.

Chen Fakui’s severed head was staring directly at him. The man was already dead, yet Li Yan could feel a wave of vicious resentment rushing straight toward him.

Luo Mingzi noticed it as well and he grunted softly, “Bold indeed!”

Removing a Soul Calming Bell from his waist, he shook it with his left hand while forming seals with his right. “Guard your spirit. I’ll remove the curse.”

It turned out that before dying, Chen Fakui had used his final moment of lucidity to detonate his own inner temple within his consciousness, unleashing a death curse upon Li Yan.

The Soul Calming Bell rang as astral qi spread through the chamber along with the bell’s chimes. Yet in the end, he was one step too late.

Li Yan’s vision darkened instantly. His head split with agony as Chen Fakui’s hateful screams echoed endlessly within his mind. At the same time, terrifying hallucinations appeared before him.

The six wounds Chen Fakui had carved across his forehead slowly opened, transforming into six eyes. Each stared in a different direction. The sight was incomparably eerie.

At that exact moment, intense burning pain erupted from Li Yan’s abdomen. Though agonizing, it snapped his mind back into clarity. When he looked again at Chen Fakui’s forehead, he realized there were no eyes at all.

Enduring the pain, Li Yan pulled an object from his waist. After Wu Laosi’s death, his Summoning Writ had returned to normal. Its aura had vanished entirely, appearing no different from an ordinary token.

Sha Lifei had been too frightened to handle it, so Li Yan had wrapped it in red cloth and carried it at his waist. He never expected another abnormal change to occur now.

Li Yan broke into a cold sweat as he held the Summoning Writ. It felt as though he were holding a red-hot branding iron. He could even smell the scorched stench of roasting flesh. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not throw it away. The pain drilled into his heart like blades as his entire arm went numb.

Within his dantian, the Great Luo Dharma Body suddenly began repairing itself automatically. The injuries on his hand vanished instantly, only to be burned again by the Summoning Writ a moment later.

Again and again, the cycle repeated within mere seconds. Finally, the burning pain disappeared and the Summoning Writ fell to the ground with a clack.

Li Yan’s vision darkened as he nearly collapsed. When he finally regained some sense of consciousness, he raised his hand, only to see a scar burned directly into his palm.

It was pitch black, like a tattoo.

Nearby, Luo Mingzi finally dispersed Chen Fakui’s dying curse. He first pasted a yellow talisman onto Chen Fakui’s forehead before putting away the Soul Calming Bell.

When he was done, he noticed the mark on Li Yan’s hand.

His expression froze instantly. “The Summoning Writ? A living yin emissary? How is that possible?!”

At that moment, fierce winds erupted outside. The City God Temple’s spirit troops had arrived.

Howling winds surged while yin mist spread across the mountain, enveloping the entire peak. The wandering ghosts hiding within the fog seemed suddenly seized by invisible chains, dragged directly into the sky before vanishing without trace.

The scene was truly magnificent.

Li Yan activated his divine ability and perceived it even more deeply. It was no wonder the City God Temple could suppress and stabilize an entire region. These spirit troops resembled an actual army! Individually, they were weaker than the Cold Altar Soldier he once faced, but they came in overwhelming numbers!

Any ghost or malevolent spirit who saw them would flee immediately in terror.

Looking at Chen Fakui’s corpse upon the ground, Li Yan suddenly sighed. “These spirit troops always arrive only at the very end to clean up the mess?”

Luo Mingzi shook his head. “Tonight’s circumstances were unusual. Normally it wouldn’t be this troublesome.”

Then he turned toward Li Yan, his expression grave. “Forget about that. You’re in serious trouble now. “You can’t carry out the Yin Crossing ritual, yet you’ve become a living yin emissary.

“I’ve never heard of such a thing before.”

***

Morning sunlight filtered through the window lattice, forming beams of light within the room. Wang Daoxuan’s eyelids trembled repeatedly before slowly opening.

The first thing he saw was a circle of people surrounding him.

Li Yan. Shopkeeper Wan. Sha Lifei. There was also an unfamiliar Daoist priest.

Like someone awakening from a long nightmare, he remained dazed for a moment.

Sha Lifei asked anxiously, “Daoist, how do you feel?”

The question acted like a key as Wang Daoxuan’s chaotic memories rapidly returned. When he recalled what had happened, he immediately understood the situation.

He forced out a weak smile as he said hoarsely, “Thank you all... for saving me.”

Luo Mingzi immediately stepped forward and pulled open Wang Daoxuan’s eyelids to inspect the whites of his eyes.

He quickly reported, “He’s fine; only his spirit consciousness suffered damage. A couple days of rest and he’ll recover.”

“That’s good.” Shopkeeper Wan finally relaxed and gestured. “Let’s all leave for now. Daoist Wang, rest first. We’ll discuss everything once you’ve recovered.”

Wang Daoxuan nodded. Even that single sentence seemed to have exhausted him entirely. Closing his eyes, he quickly fell into deep sleep again.

After leaving the room, Shopkeeper Wan immediately cupped his hands respectfully. “This time, it was all thanks to Daoist Luo’s assistance. I’ve prepared a small banquet...”

After finding the Wandering Soul Jar, Li Yan had invited Luo Mingzi to Shangyi Village to personally help Wang Daoxuan’s soul return to his body. As expected of a disciple of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, the matter had been resolved effortlessly before dawn.

“Senior Wan is too polite.” Luo Mingzi shook his head. “The aftermath still requires handling. Besides, I have another matter to discuss. I’ll speak with Little Brother Li before departing.”

With that, he pulled Li Yan aside to a secluded area. The others tactfully avoided them.

Luo Mingzi looked at Li Yan seriously. “It’s already daylight, check whether the mark on your hand still remains.”

Li Yan immediately raised his hand. The Summoning Writ imprint upon his left palm had not faded at all. If anything, the pitch-black tattoo had become even clearer..

Seeing that nothing had changed, even Li Yan began to panic. “Senior, what exactly is happening?”

That mark wasn’t just on his hand. Inside his dantian, the Great Luo Dharma Body bore the exact same Summoning Writ brand upon its hand as well.