Blade - Unbound

Chapter 95: The Tiger Daoist

A tiger demon?!

Li Yan's pupils contracted. Amid his shock, a trace of killing intent rose within him. At the foot of sacred Zhongnan Mountain, inside the ancient Medicine King Temple, an evil creature had actually stolen a divine seat and was secretly enjoying the incense offerings of the common people.

That was utterly outrageous! As if stimulated by his killing intent, the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coins suddenly activated. They swayed in the wind as streams of icy murderous intent spread outward.

The temple itself was already enveloped by divine astral qi. Using a spiritual artifact in such a place was acceptable, if one was worshipping the deity and had properly declared one's intentions beforehand. In fact, one might even receive the deity's blessing.

It was exactly what happened at the Earth God Temple in the Li Clan’s Fort. However, acting recklessly would inevitably provoke rejection. Not to mention the fact that Li Yan's killing intent was directed at the divine statue itself.

Instantly, the illusion before his eyes vanished. Not only did the illusion vanish, but he seemed to hear a tiger's roar beside his ears. His soul trembled violently, as though someone had smashed his head with a hammer. His vision darkened, and dizziness overwhelmed him. He could barely remain standing.

A frantic voice sounded beside him. “Leave now!”

Li Yan recognized Wang Daoxuan’s voice. Suppressing his discomfort, Li Yan allowed Wang Daoxuan to support him as they staggered rapidly out of the Medicine King Temple.

Along the way, pilgrims turned their heads in surprise only to be ignored by Wang Daoxuan entirely. Only after helping Li Yan leave the mountain path and reach a secluded area with no one around did Wang Daoxuan finally relax.

Then he asked in astonishment, “Have you been possessed or something? How dare you direct your killing intent at the Medicine King?”

Li Yan had mostly recovered by now. After checking himself carefully, he found that the deity he had visualized had not been injured. He had merely been shaken by the tiger's roar.

The Great Luo Dharma Body wasn't even needed for recovery.

Li Yan replied, “I really did encounter something strange.”

His face darkened as he recounted everything he had seen.

“That... that's impossible!” Wang Daoxuan sucked in a cold breath. “I don't doubt you, but this matter is simply too bizarre. It isn't uncommon for yin entities to possess divine statues. I've personally encountered such a case. But those situations occur because ordinary people don't understand.

“They casually bring home statues of gods and buddhas for worship and offer incense with great devotion. They don't realize that statues must first undergo consecration and spirit installation before they can gather proper divine astral qi and protect a household.

“Blind worship often attracts dark and unclean entities instead, but this is the Zhongnan Mountain. The Medicine King Temple has stood here for a thousand years! It has been rebuilt countless times, always under the supervision of profound experts from the mystic path.

“How can something like this happen?”

Li Yan replied in a grave tone. “I saw it with my own eyes. There can be no mistake.”

Knowing that Li Yan possessed the ability to communicate with spirits, Wang Daoxuan suddenly thought of something. “Didn't the Mountain God of the mass grave once ask you for help? The temple deity only warned you but didn't actually harm anyone. Perhaps, there's more to this matter than meets the eye.

“Forget it” Li Yan shook his head. “I haven't even sorted out the affairs of living people yet. Who has time to meddle in the business of gods and spirits?”

Before he could finish speaking, another illusion appeared before his eyes. The stone altar reappeared along with the tiger clad in Daoist robes. Its white forehead and huge eyes radiated ferocious power.

Li Yan was startled at first, but he quickly calmed down. He was already outside the range of the temple grounds. Even if the creature meant harm, they would have time to react.

As he examined the illusion more carefully, he finally noticed something different. The tiger appeared quite old. It even possessed white whiskers resembling those of a human elder. The look in its eyes remained fierce, but its gaze was upright and peaceful. In one paw, it held a bronze ring.

Just what is this creature? Can it really have no hostile intentions?

While Li Yan was mulling it over, the Tiger Daoist slowly raised a paw. The illusion before him dispersed like clouds and mist before gathering again into a different scene.

This time, it was a mountain ravine surrounded by a dense forest. There, a Daoist lay unconscious in the grass with his right abdomen wounded and his eyes closed. It was impossible to tell whether he was alive or dead.

The next moment, the vision vanished. Li Yan could only shake his head helplessly before telling Wang Daoxuan what he had seen.

“It's asking you to save someone.” Wang Daoxuan laughed softly. “I don't know the cause and effect behind the strange scene, but from what you saw, the Tiger Daoist should be a deity. Also, saving a life accumulates hidden virtue.”

Li Yan shook his head. “The problem is that I have no idea where that place is.”

After some thought, Wang Daoxuan replied, “It shouldn't be far. If I'm not mistaken, the injured man is likely the temple's keeper. Anyway, you should wait here and rest while I gather some information.”

With that, he hurried back toward the temple.

Li Yan merely shook his head. He wasn't surprised at all. That was simply Wang Daoxuan's nature. He treated others sincerely and possessed a warm heart. The Daoist had high moral standards. There were things he would do and things he absolutely wouldn't. If not for that, they never would have become friends.

Having lived two lifetimes, Li Yan understood many things. Sha Lifei loved taking advantage of opportunities. Li Yan himself was indifferent by nature, yet he had a streak of ruthlessness. If it were only the two of them, they would probably be fighting someone, or already be wanted by the authorities.

Soon, Wang Daoxuan returned from the temple. Two junior Daoists followed behind him, both wearing anxious expressions.

“It really is the temple keeper.” Wang Daoxuan said the moment he arrived before Li Yan. “The juniors told me he went up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs and hasn't returned for two days.”

One of the young Daoists hurriedly added, “There have been many patients seeking treatment these past few days. Master said he was going to White Mist Gorge to gather herbs and Senior Brother Lin accompanied him. We thought...”

Li Yan waved his hand. “Don't waste time talking. Explain everything while we travel.”

Since they had decided to save him, they needed to see it through. The Daoist's condition in the vision looked terrible. If they arrived too late, he might already be dead.

***

As they hurried along, the two junior Daoists explained the situation. The Medicine King Temple was actually a Daoist medical lineage. Though it had few members, its incense offerings had continued uninterrupted for over a thousand years.

The temple keeper's Daoist name was Chenyuan. Besides maintaining the temple and cultivating himself, he spent most of his time gathering herbs and treating nearby villagers. Often, he didn't even charge medical fees and his medical skills were also exceptional. The temple's prosperity largely stemmed from this tradition.

Recently, the temple fair had consumed large quantities of medicinal herbs. Normally, herb gathering was the responsibility of the junior Daoists. However, Chenyuan had mentioned that two specific ingredients were difficult to find, so he had personally gone into the mountains.

In the past, Chenyuan would sometimes remain away for several days at a time. Furthermore, he had brought a disciple with him on the trip. No one had expected anything to happen.

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan exchanged glances and instantly understood what each other was thinking. It was no wonder the deity of the temple had personally appeared to request help. The temple keeper was directly tied to the temple's incense offerings!

As for why the Tiger Daoist occupied the Medicine King's divine seat, they would probably learn the answer once they found him. Just as Wang Daoxuan had guessed, the location wasn't far away, but it was extremely remote. They had long since left the mountain paths.

After climbing mountains, traversing steep slopes, and crossing two ridges, they finally arrived at a cliff that wasn't particularly tall. The only thing was, it was extraordinarily steep.

Thick clouds and mist obscured everything below.

Li Yan instructed, “Wait for my signal.”

He took a thick hemp rope from one of the juniors. He tied it securely to a sturdy pine tree and slowly descended the cliff face. Though he couldn't fly across rooftops or walk on walls, he was still a martial artist. His vision and agility far exceeded those of ordinary people. Using footholds along the sloping rock face, he quickly reached the bottom.

The place was exactly as it had appeared in the vision, with a Daoist lying unconscious in the grass. From the looks of it, he was still breathing.

Naturally, Li Yan didn't approach immediately. He observed the surroundings and noticed a beast beside the injured man. It possessed a long face, a black nose, white fur, pointed horns, and dark eyes.

Noticing Li Yan as well, it simply stared at him without moving. Actually, it even looked a little dumb as it stared at Li Yan.

A takin.

Li Yan naturally recognized the creature. The problem was that astral qi and killing qi faintly flowed around its body. It was a beast that had developed spiritual intelligence!

Wang Daoxuan had once told him that spiritually aware creatures often appeared within famous mountains, sacred rivers, heavenly fields, and blessed lands. Using the innate spiritual fields of those places, they managed to gain cultivation.

Li Yan hadn't expected to personally encounter one. Though intelligent, the takin still seemed rather simple-minded. It cocked its head to the side and stared at him for a moment without any apparent caution. Then, it spat something from its mouth onto the ground.

After it was done, it swayed its head and wandered back into the forest, disappearing from sight.

Li Yan finally relaxed after seeing it leave. Walking forward, he discovered that the object was half of a plant root. Some portions had been chewed into a paste and spread across the Daoist's wound.

Li Yan clicked his tongue in amazement. “It really is somewhat intelligent!”

After checking the Daoist's pulse, he carefully lifted him onto his back. Returning to the cliff, he tied the rope securely around him before tugging twice.

Working together, the others quickly pulled the injured man to the top.

The two junior Daoists yelled frantically the moment they saw him, “Master!”

“Stop shouting, carry him back first.” Li Yan then held up the plant root the takin had left behind. “Do you recognize this?”

“It’s Sanqi Ginseng.” One of the juniors replied immediately, “It’s also called Blood Mountain Herb. It disperses blood stasis, stops bleeding, calms the mind, and detoxifies poison. Master came here specifically looking for this herb...”

***

Back in the side chamber, Sha Lifei exclaimed in astonishment, “So spirit beasts really do save people?”

Night had already fallen. By the time they rescued Chenyuan and returned, it was quite late. The junior Daoists, wishing to express their gratitude, had invited them to stay at the temple for the night.

Of course, the coffin and carriage remained outside in an open area.

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and smiled. “All things under Heaven possess spirit. Not every intelligent being causes trouble. The temple keeper is a kind-hearted man who heals the sick and saves lives. In the unseen world, spirits, gods, and sacred beasts are all protecting him.”

Sha Lifei scratched his head and wondered out loud, “Is it too late for me to start being a good person now?”

As they joked among themselves, a junior Daoist knocked on the door and entered. “Honored guests, Master has awakened. He requests your presence.”

The three exchanged glances before following the junior Daoist to a side room in the rear courtyard. Candlelight flickered softly within as the Daoist lay on a bed. His lips remained pale, but life had returned to his eyes.

Upon seeing them enter, he tried to rise from the bed.

Wang Daoxuan quickly pressed him back down. “Rest, Daoist.”

“Many thanks for saving my life.” Chenyuan's face was filled with gratitude as he addressed the group. “I truly believed I would die this time. How did you manage to find me?”

Li Yan revealed a faint smile and chuckled, “Someone asked for help. Actually, the Tiger Daoist is the one who requested I save you.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Chenyuan's expression changed. After a brief silence, he turned toward the junior Daoists. “Sikong, Sixuan, please leave. I have important matters to discuss with our guests.”

The two junior Daoists immediately withdrew and closed the door behind them.

Only then did Chenyuan speak again. “Fellow Daoists, is one of you a living yin emissary?”

Li Yan raised his eyebrows in shock. “How did you know?”

Chenyuan sighed. “Our Patriarch hasn't revealed himself in ten years. The last time he appeared was when a living yin emissary passed through this area while hunting a demon. He revealed himself to offer assistance.”

Both Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked astonished. “Patriarch?”

Chenyuan nodded. “You all know the story of the tiger beside the Medicine King, don't you? The founding ancestor of our lineage was the Tiger Daoist. In the old days, my Patriarch followed the Medicine King during his seclusion at Xinglin Temple. That is how the legend of the Tiger Guarding the Apricot Grove was born.

“Later, he cultivated alongside the Medicine King in the Zhongnan Mountain and day by day, his cultivation grew. The Medicine King personally taught him medicine and Daoist arts. In the end, the Tiger Daoist remained at the Medicine King's side until the day the Medicine King ascended.”

Li Yan murmured, “Oh, no wonder.”

He suddenly recalled the bronze ring held in the Tiger Daoist's paw. Wasn't that precisely the physician's emblem known as a tiger support ring?

Sha Lifei asked curiously, “If that's the case, why did he steal the Medicine King's incense offerings?”

“There are other reasons.” Chenyuan shook his head and continued the explanation. “According to our sect's records, the Patriarch missed the Medicine King greatly after his passing. He once traveled to Medicine King temples across the land accompanied by a great Daoist master.

“Yet even at the temples with the strongest incense offerings, he only found copies, they were not the Medicine King's true self.”

Li Yan frowned. “What does that mean?”

Wang Daoxuan answered on Chenyuan’s behalf. “This matter is better explained with a simple example. When you visualize a deity during your cultivation, even if that deity truly exists, is the deity you visualize actually the original being?”

The explanation sounded convoluted, yet Li Yan instantly understood. Many temple deities were similar to spirit visualization. They were manifestations created from collective belief and incense power. That was why they were said to possess divine astral qi.

In a sense, they were artificially created deities from astral divine qi.

But that realization only matters more confusing. Li Yan asked, “That's not right. If that's the case, then what about those ancient sages who ascended to divine status? How did they leave behind inheritances?”

Chenyuan suddenly spoke. “That is one of the greatest secrets of every sect. I don't know much myself, but some truly can respond to their disciples. Even the Celestial Generals and Heavenly Soldiers summoned by orthodox sect talismans draw upon their power. As for deeper mysteries, they remain beyond our reach.

“In any case, after returning, our Patriarch secluded himself in the Zhongnan Mountain. He accepted disciples and taught the Medicine King's knowledge. The people were grateful and built a Tiger Daoist Temple to worship him. After the Patriarch passed away, a fragment of his true spirit remained within the statue. He became an earth deity and continued protecting the local people while teaching medicine.

“Then came the chaos at the end of the Tang Dynasty. The Dao declined and evil flourished. Wars ravaged the land as the Tiger Daoist Temple was burned to the ground. All his disciples perished and the Patriarch's remaining spirit transformed into a wandering guide spirit. He continued searching for successors to preserve the incense lineage.

“Unfortunately, warfare repeatedly interrupted the inheritance. His true spirit suffered immense losses and gradually appeared less and less often. By the time the Great Xuan rose and peace returned to the realm, no one remembered the Tiger Daoist anymore.

“People only knew that this place carried the Medicine King's lineage, so they built the Medicine King Temple. When my master's master returned and discovered the situation, he wanted to rebuild the Tiger Daoist Temple, but the Patriarch appeared in his dreams and stopped him.

“That is why things remain as they are today. I believe the Patriarch continues enduring because he's still waiting for a response from the Medicine King.”

Hearing this story, everyone fell silent. A thousand years had passed since the Tang Dynasty. How had he endured such endless years?

Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, Sha Lifei quickly changed the topic. “Daoist Chenyuan, your wound looked like a blade wound. Is there more to this story?”

“I trusted the wrong person.” Chenyuan smiled bitterly. “Two years ago, a young man named Lin Hui arrived at the temple. He claimed to admire my medical skills, and wished to become my disciple. I found him intelligent; thus, I allowed him to stay as a disciple of the temple.

“After all, our lineage exists to spread medicine and save lives. Who would have thought that what he truly desired were mystic arts? But without opening the Six Yang Roots, how could he ever enter the mystical path?

“He never complained. Apart from practicing martial arts, he studied medicine with me. Though he never formally joined our lineage, I believed that even if he eventually left, the world would gain another physician and perhaps one more life could be saved.

“Who could have known that he had been plotting all along? All he wanted was the treasure of our lineage.”

Sha Lifei's eyes lit up. “What treasure?”

Chenyuan shook his head. “It’s nothing particularly extraordinary. After the Patriarch ascended, his skull was preserved and fashioned into a token. It’s called the Divine Tiger Token.

“Have you heard of the Baopu Mountain-Climbing Technique?”