Blade - Unbound

Jinbao Gambling House was also located in Pingkang Street.

Before Li Yan could even enter, someone cupped his fists and greeted him. "Well, if it isn't Young Hero Li!"

Li Yan turned to see a burly man with a towering build. He had a full beard, a broad nose, a wide mouth, and muscles bulging all over his body. The man looked vaguely familiar, yet Li Yan couldn't recall who he was.

"Hahaha!" The burly man cupped his fists and said, "Please don't take offense, Young Hero Li. My name is Tie Feng, and Tie Shigu is my father. I was mixed in with the crowd that night. Watching your martial arts truly broadened my horizons."

Li Yan returned the salute with cupped fists, his face filled with embarrassment. "Oh, my apologies for failing to recognize you."

On the night of the ritual duel, Tie Shigu, the head of the Porter Guild, had personally come to lend his support. Although he had done so since his interests, along with those of the Five Trades, had been tied to the battle, he had nevertheless helped them, so Li Yan had naturally treated him with courtesy.

Tie Feng was also an experienced jianghu veteran. Seeing Li Yan approach with an imposing manner, he immediately guessed something had happened.

Since Li Yan had recently risen to prominence and Tie Feng wished to befriend him, he frowned and explained softly, "Young Hero Li isn't an outsider. If something's happened, just say the word. Plenty of the brothers from the Porter Guild are here."

Seeing that Tie Feng had just come out of the gambling house, Li Yan couldn't quite gauge the situation. Glancing at Jinbao Gambling House, he quietly asked, "Brother Tie, do you have connections with this place?"

"No." Tie Feng shook his head with a smile. "It's nearly the New Year, and the heavy snow has blocked both the official roads and the docks. Business is slow, so I came over to play a few rounds. What's the matter? Did they offend you, Brother Li?"

He was quick to change the way he addressed Li Yan. In the blink of an eye, "Young Hero" had become "Brother."

Li Yan smiled and replied, "Nothing major. Some fellow townsmen were scammed. I'm helping them catch a few Feng Sect swindlers and recover their belongings. Anyway, do you know the people backing this gambling house?"

Tie Feng laughed. "Don't worry. They're our own guys! Jinbao Gambling House originally belonged to a fellow named Lu Jinbao. His father was none other than the former Provincial Administration Minister of Shanzhou, Lu Qing.

"That brat used to swagger all over Chang'an and offended plenty of people. After Lu Qing was imprisoned for corruption, he didn't escape either. Driven into a corner, he eventually hanged himself.

"This gambling house changed hands long ago. You actually know the new owner; it’s Hall Master Bai of the Broker Guild. He was talking about you not too long ago."

Li Yan immediately remembered who he was. "Hall Master Bai?"

If he recalled correctly, the man dressed like a Confucian scholar, habitually wore a pair of white gloves, and used an iron folding fan as his weapon.

Thinking slightly deeper, Li Yan frowned. "How did someone from the Broker Guild end up doing the Feng Sect's business?"

Tie Feng shook his head with a smile. "There must be some misunderstanding. Hall Master Bai is wealthy beyond measure. He owns plenty of businesses throughout Chang'an. Why would he bother stealing a craftsman's shop? Come, come. Hall Master Bai just happens to be here. Whoever was responsible for this will definitely give Brother Li an explanation."

With that, he led Li Yan and the other three into the gambling house.

Just as Tie Feng had said, the moment they stepped inside, attendants respectfully welcomed them and escorted them upstairs into a private room. Inside, a scholarly looking man was already seated.

Hall Master Bai of the Broker Guild rose to greet them with cupped fists. "Young Hero Li, it has indeed been some time."

The Chang'an Broker Guild was divided into five halls: East, South, West, North, and Central. Each controlled its own territory, and none was allowed to encroach upon another's domain. Hall Master Bai’s full name was Bai Ruoxu. By occupying the prosperous and wealthy North Hall, his status was second only to the guild leader himself. His methods were also exceptional, and it had long been confirmed that he would become the next master of the Broker Guild.

Tie Feng teased loudly, "Hall Master Bai, you've gotten yourself into trouble!"

Tie Feng was obviously quite familiar with Bai Ruoxu. He quickly recounted everything that had happened.

Li Yan quietly looked toward the shadow puppet troupe leader standing beside him. The old man shook his head slightly, indicating that Bai Ruoxu wasn't the person they were looking for.

After hearing the story, Bai Ruoxu also looked surprised. "So something like this actually happened!"

Shaking his head, he cursed, "Those idiots actually let Feng Sect swindlers come into my establishment to do business. Aren't they smashing my reputation?"

Then he cupped his fists apologetically and spoke to Li Yan. "Young Hero Li, my apologies. Since this happened under my roof, I'll definitely give you an explanation. I think I know roughly who those people are. Owing to jianghu rules, I can't say their names, but if Young Hero Li trusts me, leave this matter to me.

"Before tomorrow arrives, I'll make them cough everything back up. And naturally, there'll be compensation as well."

Li Yan pondered for a moment before smiling. "Very well. I'll trouble Hall Master Bai with this. When it is done, this junior will host a banquet. You absolutely must honor me with your presence."

Since the man had already spoken so sincerely, Li Yan had little choice but to agree.

Hall Master Bai laughed. "Gladly. Young Hero Li has already made quite the name for himself at the Calyx Pavilion. No matter what, I must seize the chance to bask in a bit of your glory."

Li Yan's eyebrows twitched once, but he didn't say anything else.

Now that they had a lead, everyone bid their farewells and left.

Only after Bai Ruoxu personally escorted them out of the gambling house did the smile fade from his face. By the time he returned to his room, his expression had become as cold as ice. Locking the door behind him, he walked over to a massive lacquered wardrobe in the corner. Stepping inside, he gently pulled a rope hanging beside him.

Clatter!

The wooden floor beneath the wardrobe instantly opened. His body dropped straight down into a concealed passage before the floor quickly closed again overhead. The entrance had been constructed within a blind spot, over a long vertical tunnel built into an angled shaft. There were no ladders whatsoever. Anyone ordinary falling such a distance would certainly shatter both legs.

Surprisingly, Bai Ruoxu merely pushed off the walls several times before landing steadily at the bottom. Yet another passage extended into the darkness before him. Its stone bricks were weathered and covered in moss, making it obvious that it had existed for many years.

Chang'an served as the capital of multiple dynasties. After enduring countless wars, the city's wealthy families had secretly spent enormous sums constructing underground escape tunnels. No one knew exactly how many existed, but they crisscrossed one another in countless layers.

On the left side of the tunnel ahead was a stone chamber, faintly illuminated by firelight.

A trace of killing intent flashed through Bai Ruoxu's eyes as he strode into the chamber. Candles burned within as several men lounged inside, some sitting, some lying down. One concentrated on sharpening a blade by his bed. Another drank wine while eating meat.

"Greetings, Hall Master Bai!"

Seeing him arrive, everyone immediately stood up.

Bai Ruoxu remained expressionless as he spoke slowly. "So, gentlemen. Have you grown accustomed to staying here?"

"Of course we are!"

One slovenly-looking man with a vicious face joked, "Hall Master Bai has treated us to fine wine and good meat. Of course we're comfortable."

Then, a lewd grin appeared on his face. "It's just that... Hehe... You know how it is. We've spent too long up in the mountains. We've really been holding it in."

"This is Pingkang Street. There are women everywhere. Do you think..."

"No problem." Bai Ruoxu smiled and shook his head. "Haven't you gentlemen already gone out once? You even made yourselves a tidy sum. If you want to do something, why bother asking me? Wouldn't you agree, Brother Yang?"

Behind the group stood another man dressed like a scholar. Had Li Yan been present, he would have immediately recognized the mane.

This was the Stake-Piercing Pillar among the Four Pillars and Eight Beams of the White Tiger Stronghold on Niubei Ridge. He was also the very man who had killed Lu Kang.

The scholar smiled sinisterly as he rubbed the scar on his neck. "Hall Master Bai jests. We were sent by the leader to infiltrate Chang'an, but what did Hall Master Bai do? You locked all of us brothers down here. We can barely even get outside for some fresh air. You haven't even arranged proper identities for us.

"If that's the case, us brothers naturally have to find other ways."

His gaze had turned icy cold as he said softly, "Don't think you're the only one who can make things happen in Chang'an. I may not be anyone special, but I've got plenty of brothers in the jianghu as well!"

The others exchanged glances. A savage expression appeared on their faces as they slowly reached for their weapons.

"My brothers, you've misunderstood." Bai Ruoxu sighed softly. "Right now, Chang'an appears calm on the surface. But beneath it, undercurrents are surging. It isn't nearly as simple as you imagine."

"Enough nonsense!" The scholar snapped coldly. "The leader is still playing hide-and-seek with the Taixuan Orthodox Sect in the Qinling Mountain Range in order to retrieve the treasure. We were ordered to come to Chang'an and stir up trouble, yet you've locked us in here.

"Have you grown disloyal? Are you planning to rebel?!"

Bai Ruoxu chuckled bitterly. "Let me show you something."

As he spoke, he slowly removed the white glove he always wore. The bandits were instantly startled to see that his entire hand had completely rotted away. Some areas were covered in festering boils and elsewhere, grotesque insects wriggled beneath the flesh.

The scholar sneered. "What? Whose trick did you fall victim to? And what's the point of showing us...?!"

Before he could finish speaking, his expression changed and he roared, "Poison!"

Unfortunately, by the time he realized it, it was already too late.

The bandits suddenly felt dizzy. Their chests tightened and they could barely breathe. One after another, they collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. Their necks swelled crimson as mouthful after mouthful of blood sprayed from their mouths.

Only then did Bai Ruoxu calmly pull his glove back on. Shaking his head, he sighed, "I showed you this so you will understand that with your level of ability, you're nowhere near capable of stirring up waves in Chang'an.

"Hmph. A leopard never changes its spots. All you can do is screw things up."

With that, he turned and walked out of the passage.

Inside the hidden chamber behind him, the bandits' skin gradually turned the color of dark soy paste. Their heads swelled grotesquely, and their bloodshot eyes bulged outward.

One after another, they stopped breathing.

***

Within the courtyard of the residence, Heidan stared at his surroundings in utter astonishment.

He murmured, "Brother Yan... You're incredible!"

His admiration for Li Yan had already reached its peak. Back in the village, he had always believed Li Yan would one day become a formidable swordsman. But everything he had witnessed today had completely surpassed his imagination.

"How could I ever afford a place like this?" Li Yan laughed helplessly. "We're only helping someone look after the property. Even then, we had to rely on plenty of connections."

Sha Lifei laughed from the side. "Exactly, exactly! We're all just poor folks. We simply happen to know a few more people. You've been busy all day, so you must be starving.

"Come on, let's tidy up your room, then I'll treat you both to a proper meal at a restaurant! Haha, Heidan, I never knew you had an uncle like this..."

Seeing Li Yan give him a meaningful glance, Sha Lifei immediately understood that Li Yan had other matters to attend to. So he proactively took charge of looking after Heidan and his uncle.

Li Yan looked up at the sky. Seeing that the sun had already begun setting, he turned and left the courtyard, weaving through the narrow alleys. Before long, he arrived at a dark alley near Qingyuan Pavilion. After glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, he burst into the air by pushing off with hidden force coursing through both legs. With a whoosh, he leapt into the air, grabbed the edge of the roof, and swiftly climbed up.

As he approached Zhao Wanfang's room, he hung from the eaves with one hand while the other formed a hand seal and chanted an incantation. His little finger hooked lightly, and a straw effigy flew out from the leather pouch at his waist.

Rustle...

It silently slid along the wall before slipping through the window without making a sound.

Naturally, Li Yan had never fully trusted what Qingyuan Pavilion's leading courtesan had told him. Back then, he had merely claimed that he knew the identity of the ritualist who had been manipulating events.

They had arranged to meet after nightfall. With dusk only just arriving, he had deliberately arrived early. He wanted to see whether the woman would attempt anything suspicious, or whether she had accomplices.

Inside the room, Zhao Wanfang was alone. She sat before her dressing table, absentmindedly holding a worn, battered comb. Lost in thought, she stared blankly into space.

Li Yan's heart stirred. Retracting the straw effigy, he pulled himself upward with both arms before vaulting directly through the window.

Zhao Wanfang jumped in fright and hurriedly turned around. "Who's there?!"

Upon seeing Li Yan, realization immediately dawned on her face. She snorted coldly. "So, just as I thought. Not a single truthful word was spoken this morning."

"The jianghu is dangerous. One can never be too careful." Li Yan paid no mind to her complaint and spoke casually. After glancing around the room, he asked thoughtfully, "Tell me, what exactly did you see back then?"

Zhao Wanfang gritted her teeth and forced out, "You tell me who the killer is first!"

Li Yan did not reply. He merely stared at her coldly.

The two remained locked in silence for a while. Left with no choice, Zhao Wanfang lowered her head and walked to the table. With a sigh, she said in a heavy voice, "I was still very young then. My mother gave birth to me without even knowing who my father was. She worked in the brothel, boiling water and doing chores for the girls.

"Life was hard, but I was already grateful. If the girls in other brothels gave birth to bastards, the madams would either drown the babies or sell them to traffickers.

"At least... I was still alive.

"That night, I was sleeping in the kitchen. I only remember how unnaturally quiet it became in the middle of the night. Then I heard a cat's cry. The sound was incredibly eerie. The moment I heard it, it felt as though a ghost was pinning me down. My mind was fully awake, but my body wouldn't move.

"A moment later, the fire broke out. It spread with terrifying speed. Neither the girls nor the patrons had any chance to react before they were swallowed by the flames. Fortunately, at the very last moment, I regained control of my body. I struggled my way into a water vat and narrowly escaped.

“I was terrified. Disguised as a little beggar, I watched from the streets. The government officials eventually arrived, but they merely looked around for a bit before hurriedly leaving. In the end, they ruled it an accidental fire.

"But I knew someone had deliberately murdered them! I suffered greatly on the streets. After wandering around for years, I eventually returned to the brothel, sleeping with wandering martial artists and begging them to teach me martial arts. To outsiders, I looked like a celebrated courtesan, draped in gold and silver. But my heart had long since died. All I wanted was to find my enemy and perish together with them..."

By the time she finished speaking, her eyes had become completely lifeless. She desperately clawed at her own arms, her fingernails tearing bloody streaks into her skin.

Li Yan grabbed her wrist and pinned it down, saying coldly, "Pull yourself together. I haven't finished asking my questions."

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Wanfang asked, "What else do you want to know?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment before asking, "Back at the old Golden Jade Pavilion, who kept cats?"

Zhao Wanfang replied, "Aunt Liu, Aunt Qing, and Aunt Cuilan. Aunt Qing and Aunt Cuilan were the two girls who accompanied your father back then. Not long after everything happened, Aunt Qing hanged herself. Afraid of attracting an official investigation, Aunt Liu secretly had someone bury the body.

"A few days later, the Golden Jade Pavilion met with disaster."

Li Yan fell silent in thought. His expression turned serious and he followed up with another question, "When you were boiling water for the girls, did you notice whether anyone always carried a fragrant orchid sachet? And who among them came from Jiangzhe?"

Zhao Wanfang thought for a while before answering, "Aunt Liu, Aunt Qing, and Aunt Cuilan all carried fragrant orchid sachets. However, only Aunt Liu was from Jiangzhe!"

Realizing something, she gasped, "You mean..."

Li Yan said in a low voice, "I've heard that among the unorthodox sects in Jiangzhe, there are women of the Yan Sect who specialize in raising a type of demon known as the Golden Flower Cat. This demon excels at bewitching people. During the Song Dynasty, palace women once raised these creatures using sorcery to enchant the emperor. After it was discovered, their entire clans were exterminated, but the art eventually spread among the common people.

"Anyone who raises such a demon must carry a fragrant orchid sachet at all times. Otherwise, they will suffer backlash from the demon..."

At that moment, Li Yan finally understood the true cause of his father's death.