Blade - Unbound

Chapter 82: Strange Omens

The craftsmen in the Shangyi Village estate filled every hour of the day and night with unbearable noise. Wang Daoxuan preferred peace and quiet, and with his damaged soul requiring rest and recovery, the Dao Inquiry Hall was naturally a more suitable place.

After bidding farewell to Shopkeeper Wan, Li Yan and the others returned to Xianyang.

“Daoist Wang, you've returned?”

“Little Brother Li, if you keep beating that drum, we're going to report you to the authorities!”

The residents of the old alley remained as enthusiastic as ever.

An elderly neighbor shuffled over with a bronze key in hand. When she approached, she quickly explained, “What a disaster. Those constables smashed down Daoist Wang’s front door, and the lock was ruined. This old woman was afraid thieves might come, so I locked it up for you.”

Wang Daoxuan sighed. “Thank you, Granny Liu.”

He accepted the key and opened the gate. As the old woman had said, the Dao Inquiry Hall had been thoroughly ransacked by the officers of the courthouse. Everything was in disarray. A few light-fingered individuals had even stolen the temple's only plum vases.

More importantly, the Patriarch’s Altar had been overturned.

Seeing Wang Daoxuan's ugly expression, Sha Lifei quickly laughed to lighten the mood. “Don't be angry. Out with the old, in with the new. We've got money now. Renovating the Dao Inquiry Hall will not be a problem at all!”

He wasn't wrong. Though they had encountered plenty of trouble lately, they had also made a small fortune. The gold bars recovered from the bandit stronghold were enough for both Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan to construct their inner temple, and they would even have a bunch of money left over!

When they rescued Wang Daoxuan from the ancient tomb, Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei had been penniless. However, Chen Fakui had accumulated a considerable amount of silver notes. Sha Lifei had also sniffed those out.

They now had around seven hundred taels in total, which was enough to cover their expenses for quite some time even without the gold bars. There were also Yuan Qu's and Zheng Heibei's horses.

Luo Mingzi and the others had no interest in them, so all of them went to the trio. In short, they weren't wealthy, but neither would they go hungry.

It took them until nightfall to tidy up the temple.

Sha Lifei, being the sort of man who became flamboyant whenever he had money, immediately rushed to Qingfeng Pavilion and ordered an excellent feast to be delivered directly to the Dao Inquiry Hall. It served as a celebration for surviving their recent ordeal.

As they ate and drank, they discussed their next plans.

“In two months, it'll be the Winter Solstice Grand Sacrificial Ceremony.” Wang Daoxuan smiled. “At that time, every temple and Daoist monastery on Mount Taibai will host festivals. Pilgrims will arrive in endless streams, along with worship groups from other provinces. To prevent accidents, all of Mount Taibai's earth-veins will be sealed. They won't reopen until spring next year.

“If we're going to build our inner temples, it must be finished before the Winter Solstice.”

“That works.” Li Yan considered briefly before replying. “I promised Senior Wu that I would escort his coffin back to his hometown and bury him alongside his wife and daughter. After that's done, I'll head for Mount Taibai.

“Also, in a few days, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect will be holding a grand ritual at the mass grave hill to help the Mountain God reclaim his position. Senior Luo Mingzi promised we could observe.”

“Oh?” Wang Daoxuan's eyes brightened. “That's indeed a rare opportunity. The Taixuan Orthodox Sect’s rituals are second to none in the world. I would like to broaden my horizons as well.”

Once their plans were settled, the three retired to their respective rooms. Perhaps because the burdens weighing on their hearts had finally been lifted, they quickly drifted into sleep. Wang Daoxuan's soul was injured and Sha Lifei simply had a carefree temperament. Both fell into deep sleep.

Only Li Yan experienced something different. Not long after falling asleep, his eyelids began twitching. Cold sweat slowly appeared on his forehead. In a hazy state, he suddenly sat upright. He found himself still within the Dao Inquiry Hall, but a thin mist shrouded everything around him. The entire world appeared blurry and indistinct.

Li Yan immediately sensed something wrong. He yelled loudly, “Daoist! Old Sha!”

But he received no answer. He quickly formed a yang hand seal, but his divine ability did not activate.

Is this some sort of mystic art?

Li Yan grew alert, and carefully pushed his door open to step outside. However, his expression then changed drastically. A chill ran through his body as he noticed that someone had appeared in the courtyard.

The figure wore white robes resembling funeral garments, with chains wrapped around its body. Blood stained its clothing and the figure's head hung low, disheveled black hair covering its face. Slowly, it raised its pale left hand to point outside the courtyard.

Li Yan suddenly jolted upright in his bed, staring around in fright. Even though he had stepped outside his room earlier, he found himself back in his room in the Dao Inquiry Hall. Across the small courtyard, Sha Lifei's thunderous snoring echoed clearly from the opposite room.

“So it was just a nightmare...” Li Yan formed a yang hand seal and activated his divine ability. Finding nothing unusual, he finally relaxed and lay back down.

This time, no further nightmares came. What he didn’t realize, however, was that the mark of the Summoning Writ on his left palm was slowly emitting a faint blue glow.

In the darkness, it was remarkably conspicuous.

***

In the silent night, noisy footsteps echoed through the darkness within a dilapidated street in the west of Xianyang.

Two groups in black clothing and black hats appeared simultaneously at opposite ends of an alley. Most carried sabers and staves, but several men jointly carried an iron-hook net that was woven from fine chains. Every joint contained razor-sharp hooks. This was a weapon known as Ghost's Sorrow, and was a specialized tool designed specifically for dealing with jianghu fighters.

From the looks of it, they were all constables from the Xianyang courthouse. Chief Constable Guan Wanche stepped forward, gray hair coloring both temples. His features were stern and dignified.

Looking toward a distant residence, he turned and cupped his hands. “Fellow brothers, our informants have confirmed they're hiding here.”

Three more men stepped forward from behind the constables. Unlike the rest, they wore black embroidered robes. Silver-thread embroidery depicted the fierce beasts Yazi and Bi’an across their chests and backs.

Their official hats, leather belts, and wrist guards were all exquisitely crafted. Their identity was obvious from a single glance. They were from the Military Surveillance Department.

The Military Surveillance Department resembled the Imperial Bodyguards and answered only to the Emperor. They handled everything from gathering intelligence and suppressing rebellions to monitoring officials. Combined with their formidable martial skills and expertise in coordinated combat, they possessed a terrifying reputation throughout the jianghu.

The leader was a middle-aged man. A black eye patch covered his right eye and a sword scar ran vertically across the left side of his face, making him appear exceptionally fierce.

He ordered, “Move.”

The other two officers behind him immediately rushed forward carrying bows. Reaching a nearby wall, hidden force erupted from beneath them.

Whoosh!

They leaped high into the air, using the wall for a brief foothold before landing silently on top of it. As soon as they landed, they drew back their bows. The bowstrings creaked as they aimed directly into the courtyard.

Guan Wanche was not surprised. Both of them were Banner Officers of the Military Surveillance Department and were experts of the Dark Jin Realm. He gestured, and the constables immediately rushed in from the side alleys to block every possible escape route. Finally, they kicked open the gate and charged inside.

Despite the commotion, nobody emerged from within. A bad feeling immediately rose in Guan Wanche's heart.

Moments later, a constable rushed out and cupped his hands. “Sir, they've escaped!”

Guan Wanche's expression darkened. Accompanying the officers of the Military Surveillance Department, he entered the compound and searched every room. As expected, it was completely empty.

Guan Wanche quickly bowed in apology. “Lord Chang, this subordinate has failed in his duties.”

The one-eyed officer was seemingly unsurprised. “No matter.”

Instead, he muttered calmly, “If they could steal from the Chang'an courthouse, they were never ordinary people. The fact that you found their trail so quickly is already commendable.”

But then his gaze suddenly sharpened. He walked to a corner and picked up a stone jar.

Guan Wanche stepped closer. Examining it slightly, he muttered, “Lord Chang, this is a medicine-grinding jar from an apothecary. If we locate the craftsman who made it, we may find clues.”

The one-eyed officer said nothing. He simply scraped a small amount of black powder from inside before bringing it to his nose to inhale lightly. His eyes narrowed before flicking the powder away.

Looking around, he spoke calmly. “Chief Constable Guan, with your abilities, remaining in Xianyang is somewhat beneath you. Would you be interested in joining the Military Surveillance Department?”

Joy immediately flashed through Guan Wanche's eyes. He cupped his hands and bowed. “I would be honored to serve, my lord.”

***

In the Jinbao Gambling House along Paifang Street, inside a hidden alley behind the establishment, the plump Shopkeeper Wu anxiously peeked around.

Suddenly, two figures emerged rapidly from the shadows along the wall. They were the very same pair who had caused chaos at the Zhou Estate earlier the other day. An overjoyed Shopkeeper Wu quickly opened a door, allowing the two to slip inside. After carefully checking that nobody had followed them, he tightly shut the door.

The workers in the rear courtyard had already been dismissed. The group traveled through a secret passage into a hidden chamber concealed between sections of the gambling house.

Only when they were finally inside did the two men remove their bamboo hats.

Inside, a woman in white had been waiting for some time. She was overjoyed upon seeing them.

Together with Shopkeeper Wu, she respectfully bowed and formed a lotus-blossom hand gesture. “Greetings, Incense Master.”

The middle-aged man dressed as a traveling physician reached up and rubbed his neck lightly before peeling away an exquisitely crafted human-skin mask.

Beneath the mask, he had sword-like brows, bright eyes, and a noble bearing. Yet one obvious blood-red vein extended directly into his pupil. His complexion was also unnaturally crimson. Both features were considered ominous signs in physiognomy.

One was known as the Crimson Veins Piercing the Eyes, while the other was called the Shattered Heavenly Net. Both signified a short lifespan. However, the man looked perfectly healthy.

“No need for such formalities.” His voice possessed a strange magnetic quality. “We are all fellow members of the faith. I merely walked a few steps ahead of you. There is no distinction of rank among us.”

The woman in white and Shopkeeper Wu rose respectfully. “Thank you, Incense Master.”

Still shaken, Shopkeeper Wu said, “After hearing that the Incense Master and Brother Fire Ghost caused such chaos at the Zhou Family residence and that the hounds of the Military Surveillance Department were following the scent, this old man didn't sleep all night.”

“No matter.” The man smiled. “I've dealt with those dogs for a long time. I know their methods well. I deliberately created the appearance of departure to avoid bringing trouble upon Brother Wu. Still, Brother Fire Ghost has finally avenged his great grievance. Even if he's captured now, it would be worth it.”

The scar-faced youth looked ashamed as he apologized, “Incense Master, I acted recklessly.”

Yet his gaze toward the man only grew more reverent.

The man paid little attention and asked, “How are things in Xianyang now?”

Shopkeeper Wu immediately cupped his hands to begin his explanation. “That traitor Chu Shan sent numerous beggars to search the city for Young Lady Wang. The White Ape Gang's leader, Yuan Qu, has also greedily been eyeing this gambling house.

“For self-preservation, I spread news about the Mountain Tai Sui that Chu Shan has been plotting over. Now, all sorts of jianghu figures know about it. I've heard even the Taixuan Orthodox Sect is preparing to intervene, so his stronghold probably won't survive much longer. With the Zhou Family already destroyed, the local branch hall is temporarily secure.”

A cold light flashed through the man's eyes before he said softly, “Don't worry, I'll deal with that traitor before I leave.”

Then he turned to stare directly into their eyes. He sounded urgent for the first time as he asked, “What about the painting? Where is it?”