Blade - Unbound

Chapter 87: Distraction

That's right, it’s definitely gunpowder!

Li Yan felt a jolt run through him, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Chen Fakui had once threatened people with gunpowder bundles, and Zhou Pan had died to a new type of explosive. Ever since those two incidents, Li Yan had become exceptionally sensitive to the smell of gunpowder.

Martial arts required bitter training and daoist arts required diligent cultivation. However, gunpowder weapons could be used by anyone. One moment of carelessness, and a person's life and cultivation would come to an abrupt end.

Fortunately, his nose was sensitive enough. It didn't take long for Li Yan to identify the source.

Aside from members of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, there were also several laborers near the ritual grounds. These laborers were essentially logistical workers. They weren't skilled in combat and handled miscellaneous tasks such as feeding horses, chopping firewood, cooking meals, and digging trenches.

Constructing the altar grounds required leveling the surrounding land and clearing trees. The City God Temple lacked sufficient manpower, so workers had been hired through the imperial court.

As the ritual began, some of the laborers stood respectfully and solemnly. Others even knelt, burned incense, and kowtowed, taking the opportunity to pray for blessings for their families.

Only one man slowly pushed a wooden cart toward the altar. This man was broad and muscular, with a face covered in stubble. He looked simple and somewhat dim-witted. The cart itself was loaded with dirt, rubble, and dry grass.

However, Li Yan could clearly smell the scent of gunpowder coming from beneath the soil. Forming the yang hand seal, he focused his sense of smell, forcing everything to become clearer.

However, the man who was pushing the cart was no fool. The moment he noticed Li Yan looking at him, he quickened his pace.

A vicious light also flashed in his eyes.

Li Yan charged forward, shouting, “Someone's causing trouble!”

At the same time, he bent down and picked up several stones from the ground, hurling them straight at the man. He had just learned that the Taixuan Orthodox Sect's enfeoffment of the Mountain God was a righteous undertaking. Furthermore, they had recently offered him valuable guidance. Naturally, he intended to help.

The only problem was, the fellow he was trying to stop was using gunpowder, a dangerous weapon strong enough to blow him up! To avoid any accidents, he chose to use his flying stones to stop the man.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three stones shot toward the man's forehead. However, the man was clearly skilled. Twisting his body sideways, he casually dodged the projectiles with a few movements of his head. At the same time, he abandoned all pretense.

Striking a firestone against the wooden cart, he sent sparks flying. The sparks ignited the dry grass. The cart had already been drenched in lamp oil, and the flames instantly spread.

He roared, “To hell with all of you!”

He used both hands to shove the burning cart directly toward the altar. At the same moment, several Daoists from the Enforcement Hall drew their swords and rushed over.

Li Yan hurriedly shouted a warning. “Careful, it's gunpowder!”

The Daoists' eyes widened with shock, but none of them slowed down. They were tasked with guarding the altar. They would not retreat simply because danger was involved.

Two of them erupted with hidden force through their legs and shot forward. Their sleeves billowed as they spun in midair and simultaneously kicked the cart.

Bang!

The wooden cart was instantly sent flying as dirt and debris scattered everywhere.

Several explosive bundles tumbled out, but by the time they were noticed, their fuses had already burned nearly to their ends.

A thunderous explosion erupted, filling the air with smoke. At the same time, countless whistling sounds rang out overhead.

Li Yan's expression changed. Without hesitation, he threw himself flat onto the ground. The explosive bundles had been packed with hidden weapons. When they detonated, the projectiles scattered in every direction like heavenly maidens scattering flowers.

The Enforcement Hall Daoists nearest the explosion bore the brunt of the attack.

Their martial skills were impressive as they swung their swords rapidly, deflecting some of the projectiles. However, there were simply too many. Several of them were struck almost immediately and let out muffled groans.

At the same time, Sha Lifei let out a miserable scream. “Damn you, you bastard!”

The three of them had been standing farther away. After Li Yan's warning, Sha Lifei had immediately tackled Wang Daoxuan and thrown himself over the two of them. Even so, a throwing dart still embedded itself in his backside.

The injured Daoists quickly pulled the hidden weapons from their bodies. For martial artists of their level, a wound that didn't strike a vital point was hardly worth mentioning.

But after one Daoist removed a projectile and sniffed it lightly, his expression changed instantly. “It's poisoned!”

Meanwhile, the burly man turned and fled. The explosive bundles had contained something unknown. The smoke billowed everywhere and carried a pungent odor, forming a perfect concealment. The man immediately vanished into the smoke.

The moment Li Yan heard the word "poison," he didn't hesitate. He sprang to his feet and gave chase. Drawing his blade, he sprinted several steps before suddenly exploding with hidden force through both legs. He leaped into the air, and slashed downward.

He had learned this technique from observing the Zhou Family. Red Fist was also known for agile footwork, allowing him to use what he learned from them effectively.

Empowered by hidden force, his leap carried him over two zhang. At the same time, he unleashed a quick draw. The descending blade resembled the strike of a soul-reaping executioner.

With his divine ability, nighttime battles were little different from daylight. The smoke was practically nonexistent in his perception.

The man's movement techniques were not particularly fast. Sensing the blade descending from behind, he immediately twisted around and crossed both arms above his head.

Clang!

Li Yan frowned. His cultivation was still lacking. The burst of hidden force in his legs had consumed much of his power, leaving less strength in his arms. However, the quick draw was never about brute force. Even a martial artist who had entered the Jin Transformation Realm was still flesh and blood. One slash would still draw blood.

Yet, his opponent's wrists were protected by metal. The Guanshan blade had sliced through the sleeves, revealing a chain of bronze rings.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and grunted, “Iron Wire Fist?”

The sound of the explosion had already drawn attention as hoofbeats echoed in the distance. The Enforcement Hall Daoists had been caught off guard by the poisoned darts. However, nearly a hundred men from the Military Surveillance Department still guarded the perimeter.

The burly man stared at Li Yan. He knew that unless he defeated this youth, escape would be impossible. He snorted coldly as he threw a punch.

The Iron Wire Fist belonged to the Flood Fist, and was widespread in the south. It emphasized solid stances and powerful bridges. Using the Twelve Bridge Hands as its foundation, it balanced yin and yang while channeling force through qi. It possessed formidable power!

The man was heavily built and the nine linked bronze rings on his arms identified him as an expert in the Dark Jin Realm. Though he had not yet reached the peak of the realm, his foundation was far deeper than Li Yan's.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

His fists were fierce and relentless, as one move followed another without pause. Every strike carried the sound of rushing wind. Combined with the Iron Wire Fist's unique breathing techniques based on the Seven Emotions, the effect was terrifying.

Li Yan felt as though he were facing a battle-hardened military general. The man's fists struck like hammers as wave after wave of attacks forced him back. The man's attacks were not particularly fast. In fact, they contained several apparent openings. Yet, Li Yan focused solely on evasion and made no attempt to strike.

His father had once explained the nature of Iron Wire Fist. Despite its overwhelming power, it excelled more in defense than offense. Its greatest strength lay in turning weakness into strength. The techniques before him were all part of the Twelve Bridge Hands.

As the saying went, “If there is a bridge, cross the bridge. If there is no bridge, create one for yourself.”

The “openings” were all traps. The opponent seemed slow, but was neither sluggish nor disorganized. Furthermore, the bronze rings of the Iron Wire Fist were dangerous. A skilled practitioner could use the gaps between the rings to trap an opponent's weapon.

The moment Li Yan committed to an attack, his opponent would seize the opportunity to deliver a devastating counter. Regardless, Li Yan was in no rush. All he needed to do was stall. Why risk his life?

Seeing that Li Yan refused to take the bait, the man snarled, “Crafty little brat!”

He spat on the ground and suddenly turned to flee.

Li Yan sneered, “Oh? With fists that hard, why are you running?”

He advanced with another quick slash. His blade technique was specialized in speed anyway. Within a single breath, the blade was already descending toward the back of the man's head.

It was a shame that the man had clearly prepared for it. His body twisted at the same instant.

Both fists rose together as the bronze rings jingled as he executed Tiger Conceals Its Tracks. The rings immediately locked onto Li Yan's blade. He had deliberately pretended to flee after noticing Li Yan's cautious style.

Now that the weapon was trapped, he could move in for the kill. Unfortunately, he had underestimated Li Yan. Li Yan's cultivation might have been weaker, but the youngster was no less cunning than seasoned jianghu veterans.

The moment he launched that slash, he had already anticipated what would happen. Without hesitation, he released the blade entirely. Turning his body sideways, he delivered a vicious side kick.

Hidden force erupted from the strike, sending the man flying. Landing heavily on the ground, the man let out a muffled grunt. Blood immediately seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Such was martial combat. Life and death were often decided in a single instant.

Li Yan's cultivation was weaker, but his mind was sharp and his techniques ruthless! Combined with the man's desperation to escape, the balance of the fight shifted.

After the man fell, only then did the airborne Guanshan blade finish spinning through the air. Without even looking, Li Yan casually caught it and returned it to its sheath.

The force of that kick had heavily damaged the man's internal organs. There was no way he would get far after suffering such a devastating injury. More importantly, he no longer had the opportunity.

Sure enough, the sound of hoofbeats were much closer now.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two wolf-fang arrows screamed through the air. Blood sprayed everywhere with two wet impacts as the arrows pinned both of the man's legs to the ground.

Li Yan frowned but said nothing. The Military Surveillance Department had arrived.

Fighting like that was their style. If there was any risk of escape, they crippled the target first. Whether it resulted in a permanent disability or not was irrelevant to them.

The man was tough. Although he couldn't suppress a scream, he soon gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, looking completely prepared for death.

Neigh!

Warhorses cried out as several men dismounted and strode forward. They were led by Captain Chang Xuan.

After a brief glance, he said calmly, “Drag him away and interrogate him. Take him further away when you’re interrogating him, don't disturb the Daoist masters.”

One of the Enforcement Hall members from earlier hurried over to stop them. “Wait!”

He grunted grimly, “The hidden weapons were poisoned.”

Before he even finished speaking, he crouched down and began searching the captive.

“Don't waste your time.” The man was sweating profusely from pain and his lips had already turned pale. Yet he still sneered. “I don't have the antidote. If you've got the ability, cure the poison yourselves. If you don't, then you had better speak to me politely.”

The Daoist's eyes sharpened. “Foolish ignorance. It's merely Gu Corpse Poison. Once the ritual is finished, someone will be able to remove it.”

The man burst into laughter. “I'm afraid they won't survive that long!”

At that moment, Guan Wanche suddenly spoke coldly. “As expected of a fanatic from the Maitreya Sect. I wonder whether your lips are tighter, or are the methods of our Military Surveillance Department stronger?”

“The Maitreya Sect?” The man was visibly startled. He quickly shook his head. “You guys better not frame me, I was only hired by someone. This has nothing to do with the Maitreya Sect!”

Guan Wanche and Chang Xuan immediately exchanged a glance.

Chang Xuan spoke calmly. “Whether you're from the Maitreya Sect no longer matters. The use of gunpowder alone is already a capital crime. Speak clearly, and we might grant you a quick death.”

The man took a deep breath and smiled. “Stop trying to scare me. Now that I've fallen into your hands, kill me or torture me as you wish. If I beg for mercy even once, then you can call me your dog. However, someone asked me to deliver a message.

“That old gentleman has no intention of becoming an enemy of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, but the item in the mountain must be obtained. Either you stop the ritual and save the poisoned men, or let a few of them die alongside me.”

At that moment, Luo Mingzi returned. Seeing the situation, he grunted, “There was more than one group acting. These attacks were merely distractions. Someone used the explosion and the gap in our defenses to enter the mountain.”

Guan Wanche nodded. “As expected of an old fox.”

Listening to the conversation, Li Yan finally understood the full picture. Their methods were indeed sophisticated. From the beginning, they had never intended to charge through by force.

Instead, they had used the explosion to draw attention away, and used poisoned darts as leverage. Once the ritual to enfeoff the Mountain God began, it could not be interrupted.

If the Taixuan Orthodox Sect halted the ritual to save lives, these bastards could act freely. If the ritual continued, a large portion of the pursuers would be occupied dealing with the poison, creating opportunities for escape.

Judging from Guan Wanche’s words, it seemed like the Maitreya Sect had also sent people!

Standing nearby, Luo Mingzi spoke firmly. “The ritual will not stop. If I'm correct, one concession would only encourage further demands.”

The captive saw that negotiations were impossible and fell silent.

Chang Xuan spoke again. This time, his voice was icy cold. “Do you understand that this crime carries the punishment of clan extermination?”

The man laughed. “I have nothing left to lose. Makes no difference to me.”

Chang Xuan continued, “Most people of the jianghu are only trying to make a living. Was it worth it?”

The man's expression remained calm. “A life-saving debt is repaid with a life.”

After speaking, he closed his eyes.

Chang Xuan nodded. “What a waste.”

One of his men stepped forward and drove a blade directly through the captive's heart. The man had already accepted death. Further interrogation would only waste time.

Soon, the group returned to the ritual grounds. As expected, the enfeoffment ceremony had not stopped.

Qing Yangzi and the other senior Daoists remained atop the altar, solemnly continuing the ritual step by step. Meanwhile, all of the wounded had been moved back into the tents.

Their complexions had turned gray and their eyes remained closed. Their breaths were weak. It had not been long, but they were already starting to exude the smell of corpses.

Sha Lifei was among them. A lotus lamp burned beside every victim who already had a talisman pasted on their chest. An unusual incense burned throughout the tent.

Li Yan could smell the incense continuously suppressing the spreading corpse odor.

“This is Corpse Gu Poison.” Luo Mingzi spoke gravely. “Only evil ritualists who deal with corpses year-round possess methods like this. The antidote varies depending on the burial ground and conditions of the corpse used to create it.

“Only Martial Uncle Qing can forcibly expel the poison, but he can only treat one person at a time. With our techniques suppressing the poison, they should survive until tomorrow.”

“Do not worry, Daoist masters.” Chang Xuan suddenly spoke. “Since they have already entered the mountain, we'll simply close the lid on the jar and catch the turtles inside. Once we capture them, the antidote will naturally appear.”

Li Yan glanced at the unconscious Sha Lifei and said firmly, “I'll go too.”

The situation was urgent; he couldn’t hide in the tent and not do anything.

Luo Mingzi did not try to be polite. He agreed immediately. “Good. Our junior brother, who is most skilled in scent-tracking, has already been poisoned. With Little Brother Li's assistance, we'll definitely catch these people.”

At that moment, a squad leader from the Military Surveillance Department hurried into the tent and cupped his fists. “My lord, we've captured three men alive!”

The group quickly left the tent to find three men lying on the ground. All had arrows embedded in their legs. Their blood flowed freely as terror filled their eyes. Unlike the previous captive, those men did not possess much in the way of courage. Without even being questioned, they immediately began speaking in trembling voices.

“Please spare us, my lord!”

“We were forced into this!”

“I was poisoned by Old Crooked Mo...”

“Who is that?”

“An old grave robber.”

“I was forced by Mountain Lord, the chief of the western beggars!”

As it turned out, they were also decoys. They had been poisoned and sent in different directions to lure away the Military Surveillance Department. According to their testimony, the primary actors consisted of two groups.

One was a notorious grave robber from the Guanzhong Plains. The other was Mountain Lord, the escaped chief of the Western Beggar Gang.

The two groups had originally clashed. However, after seeing the heavy defenses around the mass graves, they had temporarily joined forces. Together they entered the mountain in search of treasure, each relying on their own luck.

The poison had been supplied by the grave robber, Old Crooked Mo. Hearing those two names, disappointment flashed through Chang Xuan's eyes.

Meanwhile, Li Yan suddenly remembered the old man in black whom he had encountered while searching for Zhao Luzi.

He quickly said, “That man is also a treasure-hunter of the hidden seekers lineage. I have a friend living in seclusion at the Mountain God Temple in Shangyi Village who is also a treasure-hunter. He may be able to cure the poison.”

Luo Mingzi snorted. “A member of the hidden seekers lineage, no wonder.”

He nodded to someone nearby. A junior Daoist immediately mounted a horse and rode off.

After making several arrangements, the group set out toward the mass grave.