Blade - Unbound

Chapter 85: Beneath the Mass Grave

“Stop right there!”

The three of them were stopped ten li away from the mass grave. A squad of soldiers had established a checkpoint at the crossroads. In the distant grasslands, cavalrymen patrolled with mastiffs on leashes.

Sha Lifei immediately dismounted and cupped his fists with a grin. “Honored sirs, we were invited by Daoist Luo of the City God Temple's Enforcement Hall to attend the ceremony. We would appreciate it if you allowed us to pass.”

“The City God Temple...” The soldier blocking the road stared at the baldy with suspicion written all over his face. “Do you have a permit?”

Sha Lifei froze and looked back at Li Yan, only to be met with a shake of the head. Luo Mingzi had only invited them verbally. After returning, he had been busy beyond belief. Li Yan had gone to the City God Temple to ask about the Cold Altar Wandering Master but had failed to find him. How could there have been any permit?

“No permit?” The lead soldier's expression immediately darkened. “Cavalry Officer Fan has ordered the area around the mass grave sealed off today to prevent wandering martial artists from sneaking in and causing trouble. The three of you don't look like good people. If you know what's good for you, leave immediately!”

It was the Yang Festival that day. He had originally begged his superior for leave to visit his aging father, but the sudden deployment order had ruined his plans. He was already in a foul mood, so his words naturally carried little courtesy.

Sha Lifei maintained his smile and secretly produced a string of copper coins. “Honored sir, please do us a favor. If you don't believe us, send someone to verify...”

The lead soldier's face instantly changed. “Shut your filthy mouth!”

Raising his spear, he roared, “Get them off their horses! Surround them! They're obviously bandits!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a squad of cavalry rode over. Even from afar, they had already drawn their bows.

Sharp arrows were aimed directly at the three men.

Li Yan frowned.

These soldiers all came from the local Xianyang garrison under the authority of the Chang'an Military Command. Even with rigorous training, they were no match for battle-hardened veterans working together.

The officer before him had clearly not entered the Dark Jin Realm. Even with support from his comrades, he would not be able to stop Li Yan. But attacking soldiers was another matter entirely. If he fought them, he would have no choice but to flee afterward.

What was even more troublesome was that the soldiers were already worked up. If he were to be captured, he would undoubtedly receive a severe whipping. If he encountered the wrong sort of officer, all their money might even be confiscated.

Just as Li Yan was about to speak, something stirred within him, causing him to turn around.

The sound of hoofbeats rang out, along with a loud command.

“Stop!”

A squad of seven riders charged over. These riders wore black brocade uniforms embroidered with silver-threaded depictions of the Yazi and Bi’an beasts on their chests and backs. Their auras were deep and restrained, and their horsemanship was exceptional.

The Military Surveillance Department?

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. He recognized the uniform.

The Military Surveillance Department was similar to the Imperial Bodyguards. Their methods were ruthless and unrestricted, earning them a terrible reputation in the jianghu. There, they were commonly referred to as "hawks and hounds" or simply "black hounds."

What surprised him even more was the fact that Guan Wanche was leading them. Wasn't he a constable in Xianyang? When had he joined the Military Surveillance Department?

Li Yan suddenly recalled how Guan Wanche had already discovered evidence that Zhou Pan had framed his father, yet deliberately kept silent and allowed Li Yan to expose the matter himself. His behavior had always been strange. The man was clearly far more complicated than he appeared.

While Li Yan was thinking, Guan Wanche rode up. He first displayed his badge before asking coldly, “What is happening here?”

The lead soldier immediately cupped his fists. “Sir, these men were acting suspiciously. We were about to apprehend them.”

Sha Lifei immediately relaxed upon seeing Guan Wanche. With a grin, he cupped his fists. “Congratulations on your promotion, Lord Guan. We were invited by Daoist Luo of the City God Temple to attend the ceremony.”

“Attend the ceremony?” Guan Wanche snorted. He was about to say something but clearly swallowed it. Instead, he turned to the soldiers and muttered, “These men are indeed connected to the City God Temple. I'll personally take them there. If they are lying, I'll arrest them myself and hand them over to you.”

The solider saluted. “Yes, sir!”

Though unwilling, he could only order his men to remove the barricades. Once the road was cleared, Guan Wanche ignored them entirely and rode off with his subordinates. The three exchanged glances before following him.

Ten li was not a great distance. After a short ride, they arrived at the foot of the mass grave mountain. Originally, it had been a vast open area surrounded by scattered woodlands. Now, however, all the surrounding trees had been cleared away.

A three-tiered ritual altar had been constructed in the center of the cleared space. It was square in shape, supported by redwood pillars, with ritual banners, command signs, and ceremonial flags arranged in orderly rows. The symbols of the Eight Trigrams, Taiji, and the Big Dipper were painted everywhere, while enormous yellow talismans hung down from above.

To outsiders it appeared gaudy and extravagant. But both Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan instinctively held their breath.

Wang Daoxuan was a practitioner of the mystic path. Everything before him matched the knowledge he had studied. Li Yan, meanwhile, hadn’t officially stepped onto the path. Yet his divine ability allowed him to perceive something entirely different. There was a dense fragrance of incense lingering around the altar grounds.

This altar connected to the earth's veins below, and reached toward the heavens above. It felt as though an entire temple complex had materialized out of thin air. A solemn and oppressive aura pressed down from all directions. Merely standing there made breathing difficult.

Ironically, the most relaxed of the three was Sha Lifei. The ignorant knew no fear. All he felt was that the air was unusually fresh. Combined with the festive atmosphere of the Yang Festival, he even twirled the sprig of cornel in his hand and genuinely felt as though he were on an outing.

Li Yan took a deep breath and asked, “So this is a ritual altar?”

“Yes.” Wang Daoxuan spoke gravely. “The altar I use can at most create a small spiritual field But the Taixuan Orthodox Sect’s altar has already formed a true formation. Many of the ritual artifacts here have been worshipped for centuries. The altar alone represents the accumulated wealth of several generations of other ritual lineages. Moreover, this is merely the City God Temple of Xianyang.”

He shook his head with admiration and envy.

Li Yan remained calm; none of this was truly surprising. The Taixuan Orthodox Sect’s lineage had been around since the Han Dynasty. Although it had suffered many calamities through the rise and fall of mortal dynasties, its incense offerings had never been interrupted. Every imperial court throughout history had designated it as the state religion.

Such status was not obtained lightly. Tents had been erected according to the positions of the Eight Trigrams around the altar grounds. Many Daoists were moving about busily, some burning incense while some swept the grounds. Others sat beside the altar striking stone chimes while chanting scriptures.

Most were novice Daoist disciples carrying out preparations. While the two were speaking, a Daoist emerged from a tent to the left. Luo Mingzi was dressed in a dark Daoist robe and an eight-sided ceremonial crown, with a sword strapped to his back.

He hurried over and revealed an embarrassed smile upon seeing them. “These past few days have been absolute chaos. I didn't expect the government troops to block the roads and cause you all such trouble.”

Li Yan immediately cupped his fists politely. “Official matters come first. We should be thanking Senior for allowing us to witness the ceremony.”

Beside Luo Mingzi stood a member of the Military Surveillance Department.

Seeing Luo Mingzi address them, he cupped his fists and said, “Daoist Luo, since it was a misunderstanding, I'll return and report immediately.”

He had clearly been sent by Guan Wanche to verify their identities.

As the man turned to leave, Li Yan suddenly had an idea. Pulling Sha Lifei aside, he whispered a few words and sent him after the officer.

Back at the bandit stronghold, Li Yan had learned the truth behind the Gushui Village massacre, and promised Commander Zhao to fulfill his dying wish. Naturally, he had no intention of breaking that promise.

Unfortunately, after returning, countless matters had occupied his time, leaving no opportunity to report the crime. Guan Wanche had helped him several times and had just joined the Military Surveillance Department. Repaying that favor with valuable information seemed appropriate.

Regardless, Luo Mingzi paid the matter no attention. Instead, he smiled and gestured ahead. “Come. I've already spoken to Martial Uncle Qing Yangzi about your situation. He's very interested and may have a solution.”

Li Yan's eyes lit up at once. “Thank you, Senior.”

With that, he followed Luo Mingzi toward a large tent.

***

Sha Lifei hurried after the captain and cried out, “Slow down a little...”

The captain turned around, his expression gloomy. “What do you want?”

One of the Military Surveillance Department's primary responsibilities was monitoring the jianghu. Officials and bandits naturally traveled different roads. Though Sha Lifei was not a bandit, the captain clearly had little fondness for people of the jianghu.

Sha Lifei paid it no mind. With a wide grin on his face, he said, “Why so angry, sir? I've got a tremendous merit to present to Lord Guan.”

The captain narrowed his eyes. “Follow me.”

He didn’t bother with any other words as he walked away.

Sha Lifei followed him at a brisk pace until they arrived beneath a small hill. Several riders had taken over the hilltop. Enormous hawks soared around them, scrambling for chunks of meat tossed up at them before spreading their wings and disappearing into the distance.

Guan Wanche was standing casually among them. Sha Life felt intense envy at the sight of the birds. Since the founding of the Xuan Dynasty, the government had gathered extraordinary talents from across the land. This included expert falconers who then passed their skills on to the Military Surveillance Department. With the vast resources of the imperial government, the department had elevated falconry to new heights.

They possessed golden eagles capable of hunting fierce beasts, peregrine falcons renowned for speed and reconnaissance, and countless breeds of hunting dogs.

It was part of the reason people in the jianghu called the Military Surveillance Department "hawks and hounds." Regardless of the name, however, powerful birds of prey held an irresistible attraction for men.

Sha Lifei immediately began cooking up new ideas. He briefly considered exchanging his information for a hawk, but when he remembered Li Yan's instructions and the fearsome reputation of the Military Surveillance Department, he abandoned the idea.

Guan Wanche glanced at him indifferently and asked, “What business do you have?”

He and Li Hu had once been brothers. Naturally, he knew of Li Hu's useless junior brother and had never thought highly of him. Regardless, they didn’t share any friendship.

Sha Lifei grinned. “Lord Guan, perhaps we should speak privately.”

The moment Guan Wanche heard that and saw the one-eyed man standing nearby, his expression immediately soured. “I conduct myself openly and honestly. What matter could not be spoken about publicly?”

He had only recently joined the Military Surveillance Department. The last thing he wanted was to give others grounds for gossip. Sha Lifei had meant well, but his goodwill had been wasted. He didn’t have a good temper to begin with, so he couldn’t help but feel a rising surge of rage.

You fool. Aren't you worried someone else might steal your merit? Fine. Don't regret it later.

As long as the message was delivered, the favor would be repaid.

With that thought, he concealed nothing. He recounted everything from the tragedy at Gushui Village, the bandit stronghold, the Crowned Serpent Spirit, and the mysterious expert.

The moment he finished speaking, the expressions of every member of the Military Surveillance Department present changed.

The one-eyed man slowly turned his horse around and stared Sha Lifei dead in the eye. “Are you sure?”

“Every word I speak is true.” Sha Lifei cupped his fists. “How could I dare fabricate something like this? I wanted nothing to do with the matter. I'm only here to repay a favor owed to Lord Guan.”

In truth, he regretted saying everything publicly the moment the words left his mouth. Guan Wanche had already risen in rank. There was a good chance Sha Lifei would need his help someday, hence the hasty attempt to soften things.

The one-eyed man nodded. “Reward him.”

As soon as he spoke, one of his subordinates removed a pouch from his belt and tossed it at Sha Lifei's feet. The mouth of the pouch split open, displaying nothing but gleaming silver.

Sha Lifei raised an eyebrow. “Honor and loyalty cannot be bought with a thousand pieces of gold.”

The one-eyed man's eyes revealed a trace of admiration. “Good. You are a true man. Let me offer a piece of advice. Once you return, pretend you know nothing of this matter. Otherwise, you may invite a fatal disaster upon yourselves.”

Sha Lifei cupped his fists and turned to leave. Halfway down the hill, however, he clutched his chest with a mournful expression.

This is killing me! Damn it, pretending to be a hero is far too expensive. I’m never doing that again!

After he departed, the one-eyed man's expression returned to its usual calm. He turned to Guan Wanche and raised his eyebrows. “Wanche, what do you think?”

Guan Wanche cupped his fists and sighed, “Those people are likely remnants of the Maitreya Sect.”

The one-eyed man nodded. “Exactly my thoughts. The man controlling the Crowned Serpent Spirit is called Dugu Qian. He goes by the nickname Tomb Serpent. He is one of the sixty four incense masters of the Maitreya Sect who escaped a suppression campaign years ago.

“Judging by recent events, his cultivation has advanced considerably. The remnants of the Maitreya Sect have been hunted down generation after generation, yet they always rise again from the ashes. Like wild grass in the spring wind, they can never be completely eradicated, and their traces can be found across the Divine Continent. Still, they are not a significant threat by themselves.”

He paused and sighed. “The real trouble in this matter lies in the capital!”