Blade - Unbound

Chapter 84: The Cold Altar Wandering Master

A charitable mortuary originated from customs dating back to the Song Dynasty.

It came from the fact that some families across the land were wealthy while others were poor. The wealthy would contribute money to establish charitable estates. These not only contained ancestral halls and communal farmland, but often employed private tutors to teach impoverished children of the clan how to read.

Wherever wealthy people established such charitable estates, it was considered a benevolent act worthy of universal praise. Of course, maintaining an establishment of that scale required considerable expense. As families declined over the generations, many charitable estates eventually retained only a single function, storing the dead.

That was especially true in a large city like Xianyang. Situated near an ancient ferry crossing, it saw countless merchants traveling north and south, along with many outsiders seeking a living. Inevitably, some people would die far from home.

The people of the Divine Continent valued returning to one's roots. After death, these individuals were often placed in charitable mortuaries to await the kindness of fellow townsmen or the arrival of relatives who could transport them back to their homeland.

The charitable mortuary in Xianyang stood outside the western side of the city. In ancient times, the area had been an imperial hunting ground. As a result, the terrain was broad and open, containing extensive hills, dense forests, and a Temple of the Medicine King.

The road leading to the mortuary was flanked by woodland on either side. These forests had numerous coffins scattered through them. Most were placed upon platforms built from brick and stone, elevated several inches above the ground. Circular coverings had been constructed around them, hiding the coffins resting inside. Some had stood there for so many years that moss had started growing over the collapsed brickwork. Others lacked even stone platforms and had merely been raised on wooden frames that had long since rotted away. Their coffins had cracked open and blackened with age.

Seeing Li Yan and Sha Lifei looking around curiously, Wang Daoxuan explained, “This is called a suspended burial. According to funeral rites, a coffin must not touch the ground before interment. Sometimes descendants cannot prepare a grave in time, or the deceased dies far from home, so a suspended burial is used as a temporary arrangement.”

Sha Lifei clicked his tongue. “Looks like nobody cares about these people. Poor in life and unable to rest in peace after death. What a miserable fate.”

“Not just the poor.” Wang Daoxuan shook his head. “Quite a few wealthy families do the same.”

Li Yan frowned. “Why?”

Wang Daoxuan chuckled, “They're searching for a satisfactory fengshui treasure land. They want to bury their ancestors in an auspicious location that will bless future generations. But truly exceptional sites are difficult to find. Thus, some wealthy families leave their ancestors' coffins unburied for over a decade while searching.”

“What a sin!” Sha Lifei cursed. “These unfilial bastards leave their elders exposed to wind and rain for the sake of wealth and prosperity. Aren't they afraid of karmic retribution?”

Wang Daoxuan looked helpless and he sighed softly, “The court has repeatedly tried to prohibit the practice, but the nobles and aristocrats do it themselves. Wealthy families imitate them, and even common folk follow the trend.”

The explanation sparked further questions from the two.

“Daoist, does fengshui really work?”

Wang Daoxuan replied, “Of course it does. If one is buried atop a spiritual vein and an auspicious geomantic node, thereby protected by heavenly qi, future descendants will indeed receive blessings. However, bloodlines grow thinner with each generation, which reduces the effect. Even the finest burial sites generally benefit no more than three generations. Still, a century is enough to create a flourishing clan. That's why geomancers travel throughout the land. If they discover a good burial site, they can sell the information for a handsome price

“Whatever it is, it is not the main path of Daoism. Look at the imperial clans and great aristocratic families. Every one of them expends enormous manpower and wealth searching for the finest burial grounds. Yet beneath the greater currents of the mortal world, they all become passing clouds.

“Take the Zhou family, for example. After Monkey Zhou’s mother died, he spent a fortune bringing a master of the Jiangxiang Sect from Ganzhou to locate an auspicious burial site. Back then, the funeral was conducted with immense grandeur. Yet that was only two or three years ago. If virtue does not match one's position, even the best fengshui is useless.”

The three chatted as they walked and soon approached the mortuary.

As expected of Xianyang's charitable mortuary, its grounds were enormous. However, the facility was old and worn. Some of the earthen walls had even collapsed halfway.

Li Yan had learned his lesson by now. Whenever he approached places like this, he would immediately activate his divine ability afar to detect anything unusual.

An instant later, countless odors flooded his nostrils. His face immediately turned ugly, and he nearly stumbled backward. The scents released by decaying corpses from different eras were almost unbearable.

Seeing this, Wang Daoxuan smiled. “The Xianyang mortuary is watched over year-round. The City God Temple also sends people regularly to conduct rituals and cleanse the foul yin and killing qi.

“There won't be any evil entities causing trouble here. However, remote mortuaries are another matter entirely. Strange incidents happen there all the time. Their caretakers must usually be members of the mystic path sects to keep things under control.”

They continued to speak as they entered. Since Li Yan had specifically left instructions, Sha Lifei had paid generously, Wu Laosi's coffin had been well cared for. It was stored separately and protected from wind and sun.

Wang Daoxuan had also purchased some offerings along the way. After the three of them burned incense and paid their respects, they arranged a date with the old caretaker for transferring the coffin before finally leaving.

The moment they stepped outside, Li Yan sensed something wrong and turned his head.

Deep within the forest to his left stood a figure dressed entirely in blood-soaked clothing. Chains pierced through its body as it slowly raised an arm and pointed toward a distant area. It was the same figure he had seen in his dream the previous night!

A chill ran through him and he reached for his Guanshan blade while activating his divine ability again. Yet, he smelled nothing unusual. When he blinked, the figure vanished.

Sha Lifei immediately asked, “What happened?”

Li Yan's expression darkened. “I think something unclean got stuck to me...”

He recounted both the dream from the previous night and what he had just witnessed.

“You're definitely seeing things.” Sha Lifei shook his head. “Neither Daoist Wang nor I saw anything. Besides, you didn't smell anything strange.”

“Not necessarily.” Wang Daoxuan frowned. “I've seen records of this phenomenon in old texts. It should be a Cold Altar Wandering Master.”

***

“Here, it's mentioned right here.” After returning to the Dao Inquiry Hall, Wang Daoxuan searched for quite some time before finding a page within a damaged ancient volume and showing it to Li Yan.

The text read: "During the decline of Great Xing, the Golden Horde Wolf Kingdom invaded from the south. I saw my former master in my dreams, and again even during the day, leaving me terrified. Later, a wandering Daoist guided me and explained the matter of the Wandering Masters of the Cold Altar. I entered the Zhongnan Mountain, found a Cold Altar within a cave, worshipped Heavenly Monarch Chen, and inherited the lineage of the western mystic path..."

Wang Daoxuan patiently explained, “This comes from the records of our western mystic path lineage, though unfortunately the text is incomplete. Later, I consulted Senior Qing Yangzi and learned more about the Wandering Masters of the Cold Altar.

“You've already seen a Cold Altar Soldier before. These Wandering Masters are somewhat similar. When highly accomplished practitioners die without disciples to continue their lineage and maintain its incense offerings, they may perform secret rites to transform themselves into wandering spirits whose sole purpose is to find a successor.

“This is also considered an immortal opportunity. During the chaos at the end of the Tang Dynasty, demonic influences flourished while the Dao declined. Many lineages were extinguished during that period. As a result, Cold Altar Wandering Masters appeared frequently across the land. Some of their stories eventually spread among the common people and became legends of immortals teaching disciples through dreams.”

Li Yan frowned. “Is there any danger in seeing one?”

Wang Daoxuan thought for a moment before he replied. “According to Senior Qing Yangzi, if one encounters such a situation, all that's necessary is to follow the directions and find the Cold Altar. If you choose not to inherit the lineage, it simply means that the fortune and destiny of that lineage have completely ended. The spirit will not continue to trouble you. Besides, these things often depend on fate. Have you encountered anything unusual recently?”

“Unusual doesn't even begin to describe it.” Li Yan sighed. He raised the mark of the Summoning Writ on his palm and recounted everything that had happened in the cave, along with Luo Mingzi's warning.

“That actually works out well.” Wang Daoxuan said gravely, “Didn't Luo Mingzi tell you to first uncover the source of the problem? Following this Wandering Master might lead you to the root of it all.”

Over the following days, the Cold Altar Wandering Master continued appearing regularly. Li Yan found it increasingly irritating, but he gradually figured out the pattern.

The figure occasionally appeared in his dreams, though focusing during meditation prevented that. When it appeared during the day, regardless of where he happened to be, it always pointed toward the south, where the Qinling Mountain Range lay.

Fortunately, just as Wang Daoxuan had said, the spirit never did anything except occasionally appear and point the way. Once Li Yan grew accustomed to it, he stopped worrying. Of course, his plans gained an additional objective. After escorting Wu Laosi's remains back to his hometown, he would first enter the Qinling Mountain Range.

After all, it was an opportunity. If the inheritance suited him better, then when the time came to establish his inner temple, he would have an even better choice available.

Thus, without realizing it, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month arrived. It was the day of the ceremony.

Nine upon nine returned to the origin, marking the beginning of a new cycle, and making the day exceptionally auspicious. Since ancient times, the people had observed customs such as climbing high places to pray for blessings, worshipping gods and ancestors, and holding banquets to pray for longevity on this day. In some regions, they even held harvest ceremonies honoring the Heavens.

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month was the date Li Yan had agreed upon with Luo Mingzi to attend the ceremony conferring a Mountain God at the mass grave. As a result, all three rose early to prepare.

Before dawn had fully broken, someone knocked at the door.

Li Yan opened it and found their neighbor, Granny Liu, waiting outside. She carried a bamboo basket containing more than a dozen persimmons, sticky rice cakes, and a small bottle of wine. Everything was arranged neatly and looked quite appealing.

“Little Li, the Yang Festival is upon us. I suppose you young men haven't prepared anything.” Granny Liu smiled and handed him the basket. “I made these myself. Give them a try.”

Before Li Yan could speak, Sha Lifei snatched the basket away. “You're too kind, Granny.”

He grabbed a rice cake and stuffed it into his mouth. “Delicious! Granny, your cooking is excellent.”

Granny Liu's expression changed the instant she saw Sha Lifei. “Eat, eat, eat! All you know how to do is to eat, you bald jinxed fool!”

Sha Lifei merely grinned and hurried inside before returning with a roast chicken wrapped in lotus leaves. “Please calm down, Granny. We wish you health and longevity.”

Her expression softened somewhat as she accepted the roast chicken. She looked the three of them over and asked, “You're all dressed up so neatly. Are you guys going mountain climbing?”

Without waiting for an answer, she hurried back home and returned with three sprigs of cornel, with leaves of emerald green and berries glowing red like fire.

Handing them to Li Yan, she said, “You're all grown men, and don't know a thing. How can you climb a mountain on the Yang Festival without wearing cornel? A household really can't manage without a woman!”

“You’re right, you’re right!” Sha Lifei answered perfunctorily. “Granny Liu, we're in a hurry, so we'll be going now!”

With that, he dragged Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan away and quickly shut the door behind them.

“Hey! Hey!” Unable to stop them, Granny Liu stamped her feet in frustration. “That scheming bald rascal!”

Only after the three had ridden out through Xianyang's city gates did Sha Lifei finally laugh. “The gifts she gave earlier are traditionally presented by a bride's family to a prospective son-in-law. Granny Liu probably wants you as her son-in-law.”

Li Yan froze. He glanced at the smiling but silent Wang Daoxuan, then recalled what Granny Liu's daughter looked like. Cold sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.

He cupped his fists toward Sha Lifei. “Thank you, Uncle Sha, for saving my life.”

Sha Lifei burst into laughter. “Good that you understand!”

He divided up the sprigs of cornel that Granny Liu had given them, everyone tucking one into his collar before urging his horse onward toward the mass grave.