Blade - Unbound

Chapter 91: Back on the Road

Li Yan was already growing impatient. “Hurry up already. Aren't I saving you?”

He had just survived a life-and-death battle and although the Great Luo Dharma Body had restored his body to its peak state, the mental exhaustion and lingering tension remained.

The old Mountain God kept urging him again and again, and it was becoming increasingly irritating, especially since the Beggar Gang's ancestral cloth satchel seemed rooted to the ground.

Even when he tried to pull it away, it remained stubbornly connected. Gritting his teeth, Li Yan unleashed hidden force and attempted to tear the satchel free. However, the harder he pulled, the more Heavenly Fortune flowed through it.

At the same time, upon the Great Luo Dharma Body’s left shoulder, a flame that had long been extinguished suddenly reignited. The flame danced vividly, radiating an eerie blue glow.

Huh?!

Joy appeared on Li Yan's face as disbelief filled his eyes. His third life flame had been snuffed out ever since killing the wolf at the Li Clan’s Fort. Now, it finally reignited. According to the information he had obtained from the Great Luo Dharma Body, absorbing heavenly treasures produced different effects. For example, the drum stick he obtained in Gushui Village had strengthened the statue itself.

Li Yan looked at the cloth satchel in his hand and frowned.

Can this filthy thing actually restore my life flame?

No.

Li Yan quickly noticed something unusual. As his life flame reignited, the old Mountain God's complexion visibly worsened. The way the old god looked at him also began carrying a trace of despair.

So that's what was happening...

While delighted, Li Yan also felt somewhat embarrassed as he quickly released the cloth satchel. The satchel itself was merely a medium. What he was truly absorbing was the Mountain God's fortune.

Reigniting a life flame was already a tremendous blessing. If he greedily continued absorbing more, the gains would be minimal. Worse still, he might kill the benevolent deity who protected the region.

That would be a grave sin indeed. Sure enough, after he released the satchel, the old man's expression visibly relaxed. A trace of gratitude even appeared in his eyes.

Li Yan examined the illusion of the old Mountain God carefully, and finally discovered the reason. Within the illusion, the area connecting the cloth satchel to the old man's head was covered with spikes and red cords.

Arranged according to the Eight Trigrams, they appeared to have literally stitched the satchel onto his head.

So there’s something else involved. It’s probably in the other chamber...

Just then, the battle outside reached its conclusion.

The Daoist was clever. Rather than confronting the dying and frenzied Chu Shan, he relied on his superior speed. Dragging the man's intestines behind him, he ran throughout the tunnels.

Finally, Incense Master Chu Shan reached his limit and with a thunderous crash, his enormous body collapsed to the ground.

No longer breathing, the mighty chief beggar died!

The Daoist finally relaxed and discarded the intestines before returning. At the same time, Li Yan had already figured everything out.

Immediately, he yelled loudly, “Quick, Daoist! The restriction in the other chamber still needs to be broken!”

The Daoist did not waste time asking questions as he immediately departed.

***

In the other chamber, Old Crooked Mo's face looked terrible.

The two chambers were not far apart. Even now, Chu Shan's desperate screams before his death seemed to echo faintly through the tunnels.

We failed... How is that possible?

The figure appearing at the entrance completely shattered his hopes.

Luo Fengzi's face filled with joy as he immediately warned, “Junior Brother, be careful! This demon has poisonous traps laid throughout the chamber!”

The arriving Daoist instantly understood. Rather than entering, he flicked his arm, sending a sword screaming through the air with a shrill whistle.

Old Crooked Mo did not even have time to beg for mercy as the sword pierced straight through his skull. His body stiffened, and he collapsed, knocking over the red stakes and cords beside him.

***

Back in the other chamber, Li Yan immediately sensed the change.

He grabbed the cloth satchel once again, but this time, it seemed to lose all spirituality. It rapidly decayed in his hands, becoming tattered and brittle.

Li Yan casually tossed it aside.

Moments later, another vision appeared before his eyes. The cloth satchel on the old Mountain God's head had been replaced by a crown woven from twisted roots and covered in moss. The old man's appearance had improved considerably.

He clasped his hands together to bow respectfully toward Li Yan. At that exact moment, the ritual upon the altar below the mountain reached its critical stage.

Noon had arrived. Qing Yangzi burned the memorial paper and formally presented it to the Heavens. Waving his ritual sword, Qing Yangzi stepped through the celestial patterns and struck the altar table three times with a command tablet.

Instantly, wind arose across the forest. The incense burning atop the altar seemed to be caught within a whirlwind and carried toward the edge of the mass grave. At the same time, Qing Yangzi raised a bronze Eight Trigrams mirror. First, he reflected sunlight from the sky, then he adjusted its angle to redirect the light toward a corner of the mass grave.

The changes were immediately visible to Li Yan.

A beam of light descended from the heavens, bathing the old Mountain God. He looked up, joy filling his eyes, as the moss covering his body slowly fell away.

He looked at Li Yan again. His lips moved repeatedly and though no sound emerged, Li Yan could clearly read the words.

The old god was repeating the same thing over and over again: “Run!”

Recalling something, Li Yan’s expression turned ugly.

Luo Mingzi had once explained that for the Mountain God to regain his position, he first needed to disperse the yin killing qi accumulated over a hundred years. Only then could he gather earthly astral qi and divine astral qi.

The mass grave had accumulated killing qi for countless years, and for it to be expelled at once...

Without hesitation, Li Yan hoisted the unconscious Luo Mingzi onto his back and ran.

Meanwhile, Luo Fengzi and the others emerged from the other chamber. The Earth Blood Garment poison had dissipated naturally once its duration expired. However, they had taken a bit longer since they had been searching Old Crooked Mo's corpse for antidotes.

The moment they heard Li Yan yelling for them to run, their expressions shifted to one of fear. The Daoist who had been injured earlier by Chu Shan had apparently suffered internal bleeding after striking his head against the wall.

By the time they checked on him, he was already dead. But there was no time for grief. Gu Chenzi lifted the corpse onto his back and ran.

Even so, the phenomenon had already begun. Killing qi erupted forth from the rocky folds of the Mountain Tai Sui. Like rolling icy mist, it spread through the tunnels, leaving frost wherever it passed.

The countless wandering spirits inhabiting the mass grave sensed the danger as well. They fled into underground crevices and hidden burrows. Everyone ran as fast as possible as yin killing qi chased close behind.

At the same time, the entire chamber began shaking violently. Dirt and stones rained down continuously.

Li Yan was not surprised. The Mountain Tai Sui's fortune had repaired the Great Luo Dharma Body and reignited a life flame, yet the Mountain God had endured the loss without suffering too much.

That alone demonstrated how unimaginably vast the Mountain Tai Sui's true body was. What they had seen was merely the tip of the iceberg.

***

“What happened?”

Outside the tunnel, the Military Surveillance Department also noticed the disturbance.

Concern flashed through Guan Wanche's eyes. “Lord Chang, the situation may have changed. Should I lead men inside to investigate?”

Before Chang Xuan could answer, sharp whistling reached their ears.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Yan and the others burst out of the tunnel.

One of the Daoists screamed while running at full speed, “Move away from the entrance!”

Although the Military Surveillance Department officers had no idea what was happening, they immediately scattered.

Icy mist mixed with dirt and dust erupted from the tunnel, causing frost to spread across the ground. The surrounding air became bitterly cold.

Guan Wanche and the others felt lingering fear. All of them knew the dangers of yin killing qi. Being struck by it was far more serious than merely catching a cold. At minimum, it would leave a person bedridden with illness.

Li Yan sniffed the air and suddenly straightened. “Be careful. I smell the Crowned Serpent Spirit.”

“No need.” Chang Xuan shook his head. “They have already left. Dugu Qian, the Incense Master of the Maitreya Sect was here. His cultivation and abilities are exceptional. We failed to capture him, and could only force him to retreat.”

“Oh?” A trace of suspicion flashed through Li Yan's eyes. However, his expression remained unchanged. “It’s good that he’s gone then. You guys are skilled indeed...”

***

Beneath a large roadside tree, Zhao Luzi pulled open Sha Lifei's eyelids. Seeing that the black line beneath the whites of his eyes had disappeared, he sniffed him carefully before nodding. “Good. The Gu Corpse Poison is completely gone now.

“Though it’s gone, the effects might still linger. When you return, prepare some fresh glutinous rice. Spread it beneath yourself when sleeping each night. Also, spend an hour beneath the noon sun every day and the effects of the poison should be gone in seven or eight days.”

After receiving Li Yan's request for help, Zhao Luzi had immediately rushed over from the Mountain God Temple. The methods of the hidden seekers lineage were truly remarkable.

When he saw the arrangements Luo Mingzi had made, he immediately ordered everyone moved beneath the midday sun. Then, he used a triangular needle to bleed their Zusanli acupoints.

Once the foul black blood finished draining, everyone had regained consciousness. Li Yan and the others had also returned just in time. They quickly used the antidotes to wipe away all traces of the poison in the area.

“Good to hear...” Sha Lifei's complexion was still somewhat gray as he mumbled. Looking miserable, he continued to groan, “I definitely didn't check the calendar before leaving home today. Daoist, from now on, cast a divination before we go anywhere!”

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled. “Fine, fine.”

He was clearly relieved as well. Though kindhearted and sincere toward others, Wang Daoxuan was no fool. Otherwise, he would never have survived so many years in the jianghu.

Among the three of them, Li Yan appeared ruthless, but he possessed principles and always honored his promises. He was the most trustworthy. Wang Daoxuan had always chatted happily with Sha Lifei, yet secretly maintained some caution.

However, when the poisoned weapons had flown at them earlier, Sha Lifei had tackled him without hesitation and shielded the Daoist with his own body. That single action had earned the complete trust of both men.

Watching the three, Zhao Luzi's eyes showed a trace of envy. Chuckling honestly, he said, “Alright, you should head back and rest. I should be leaving too.”

After thinking for a moment, Li Yan couldn’t help but interject, “Brother Zhao, living alone in the wilderness must get lonely. We'll soon be escorting a senior back to his homeland and then heading into the Qinling Mountain Range. Why not come with us and enjoy the scenery?”

The invitation was obvious.

However, Zhao Luzi scratched his head and revealed a foolish smile. “No. When my father died, he made me swear an oath. I will never enter the Qinling Mountain Range and never leave the Guanzhong Plains.

“I don't have such grand ambitions, this land is enough to support me. I just want to save some money, find a wife, and continue the Zhao Family line.”

Li Yan sighed softly. “Very well. When the time comes, remember to notify us, I won't miss your wedding feast. Even if I'm at the ends of the earth, I'll come back to look for you.”

He genuinely liked the honest and straightforward treasure-hunter.

At the end of the day, everyone had their own aspirations. Not everyone wished to wander the jianghu. There was nothing more to say.

Li Yan rummaged through his pack and pulled out a bottle. “Oh right. Here's a bottle of chrysanthemum wine, take it for the road.”

It had been one of the gifts from Granny Liu. Since he certainly didn't dare drink that matchmaking wine himself, he might as well give it to Zhao Luzi.

Delighted, Zhao Luzi accepted the wine. “Great, it's a deal!”

After bowing to everyone, he took his leave, and soon disappeared into the distance.

Though he was nowhere to be seen, his rough, powerful folk song still drifted back through the air.

“Hey hey hey yo, sheep-belly handkerchief, three strips of blue. Meeting ain't easy, speaking from the heart is hard...”

Wang Daoxuan sighed. “When a person knows contentment, he finds happiness.”

“What do you mean? Your granddaddy Sha here isn’t content at all—ouch!”

Sha Lifei had just swung himself onto a horse when he accidentally bumped his wound.

Grimacing in pain, he yelled, “I almost died today! Damn it, Daoist Wang, I want chrysanthemum wine and fat crabs! You better pay for all of it!”

Wang Daoxuan snorted instantly. “Those are inflammatory foods. Your wounds haven't even healed and you want to feast? Are you trying to kill yourself?”

Sha Lifei whined, “Then... at least treat me to something good!”

“Fine, fine. You win.”

***

After the Yang Festival passed, the weather grew noticeably colder.

Before dawn, Li Yan stood outside the City God Temple dressed in black and offered a respectful bow. “Excuse me, is Daoist Luo Mingzi here?”

“Are you Practitioner Li?” The young Daoist asked before nodding. “Martial Uncle already instructed me to wait here for you. Please follow me.”

The boy turned and led the way. It was Li Yan's first time entering the City God Temple. However, rather than entering the main hall, they proceeded to a side courtyard beside the rear halls.

As the gate to the courtyard opened, a pale-faced Luo Mingzi could be seen sitting in a wicker chair. Seeing Li Yan arrive, he attempted to rise.

“Daoist Luo, please take it slow.” Li Yan quickly stepped forward to support him. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he quickly added, “If I weren't leaving so urgently, I wouldn't have disturbed your recovery.”

Luo Mingzi slowly rose to his feet. “No matter.”

A smile appeared on his face as he replied, “Today is an auspicious day for moving the coffin and beginning the journey. If you miss it, you'll have to wait another ten days at least. You can’t delay your departure!”

As he spoke, he led Li Yan into a room where a small wooden chest sat on the table. It resembled the book cases scholars carried during examinations. There was even a bamboo curtain attached to shield it from wind and rain.

“These are the items you requested. They arrived from Chang'an yesterday.” As he spoke, Luo Mingzi opened each drawer in turn. “Twenty stalks of yarrow grass for the concealment technique, ten Thunderfire Pills, five Evil-Averting Talismans, five Exorcism Talismans, and five Corpse-Suppressing Talismans. This here is Purification Incense, burning it will remove foul influences.”

The chest was packed full of miscellaneous items.

“This is far too much!” Li Yan stared at Luo Mingzi in shock. “How much do I owe?”

After witnessing the Enforcement Hall's Thunderfire Pill that was pretty similar to a flashbang, he had intended to purchase a few before departing. Luo Mingzi had also agreed immediately when Li Yan had broached the matter with him at the mass grave.

But Li Yan had never expected to receive so many of them! He started to worry if he could even pay.

Luo Mingzi laughed. “The Enforcement Hall keeps records of merit. Killing a Maitreya Sect Incense Master is a major accomplishment. You gave the credit to Junior Brother Gu Hezi, which allowed his son to now enter the mystic path. All our brothers are grateful, so we pooled together enough to buy this. How can anyone ask you for money?

“Right, if you can't use the talismans before constructing your inner temple, give them to Fellow Daoist Wang.”

“Thank you.” Since matters had reached this point, Li Yan no longer stood on ceremony. After accepting the items, he asked, “Daoist, your injuries aren't serious, are they?”

Luo Mingzi smiled. “I'll need several months of rest, but I also accumulated enough merit. I'll soon be transferred to Chang'an! This year, the Guanzhong Plains has had an excellent harvest. Minster Li also just became the Provincial Administration Minister. This year, the Lantern Festival will certainly be lively.

“By the time you return, it should be the New Year. Come find me at the Chang'an City God Temple, we'll drink together then.”

He produced a letter from his robes. “I have a junior brother named Yu Linzi at the Queen Mother Courtyard on Mount Taibai who is a close friend. If you encounter difficulties on Mount Taibai, seek his assistance.”

Li Yan bowed once again. “Thank you, Daoist Luo.”

Luo Mingzi smiled. “Mmm, safe travels, I'll be waiting in Chang'an.”

Li Yan accepted the letter respectfully and slung the chest onto his back before taking his leave.

***

After leaving the City God Temple, he rode directly through the streets toward the southern gate where they were just beginning to open. Wang Daoxuan and Sha Lifei were already waiting on horseback with their supplies packed. They were accompanied by a carriage carrying Wu Laosi's coffin.

The carriage driver, Old Meng, was a capable coachman who had been hired from the Taixing Carriage and Horse Company. He was accompanied by four professional pallbearers hired from a porter house. That was the entirety of the escort returning Wu Laosi to his homeland.

Rumble!

As the city gates opened, Wang Daoxuan tossed a handful of spirit money high into the air.

“The departed begins his journey; fallen leaves return to their roots. Let no spirit disturb him and let no living person be alarmed.” Then, he saluted the surrounding crowd. “Please forgive the inconvenience.”

Many people were waiting to leave the city. Though Wang Daoxuan spoke politely, the surrounding townsfolk all looked uncomfortable and hurriedly kept their distance.

A young gate soldier impatiently yelled at Wang Daoxuan, “Move it along!”

Before he could continue, an older veteran yanked him away before turning to salute the escort. “Young Hero Li, please go ahead. This youngster doesn't know any better, please don't take offense.”

Li Yan was confused but returned the salute. “Thank you.”

He quickly led the procession out through the gate.

Only after they had disappeared into the distance did the veteran begin scolding the younger soldier. “You fool! Don't you recognize him? That's Li Yan!”

“Li Yan?” The young soldier gasped in shock. “The Li Yan who punched Zhou Bai to death and brought down the Zhou Family?”

“It's not that exaggerated.” The veteran shook his head. “That's just how the townsfolk talk. However, the fact remains that he's connected to the Zhang Family, the City God Temple, and even the Military Surveillance Department. He's not someone people like us can afford to offend.”

The young soldier's face filled with envy. “I heard he snuck into the city when he first arrived. In such a short time, he's already become famous in the jianghu... Why don't I have that kind of luck?”

“Famous in the jianghu?” The veteran laughed. “You ignorant brat. Xianyang is only a small place. Even that dead Monkey Zhou wouldn't dare claim he was truly important.

“The jianghu is much bigger than that.”