Blade - Unbound

In the deep mountains, every breath turned to mist.

With Li Yan leading the way, the three naturally feared no darkness. However, the mountain winds were fierce, causing their torches to flicker wildly. The dancing flames cast twisted shadows that resembled clawing monsters over the surrounding trees.

Before long, they came upon a pool of water that radiated a chilling cold. Thin wisps of mist drifted from the surface, and beside it stood a massive stone engraved with three vermilion characters: Three Officials Pool.

Though the place looked eerie, Li Yan activated his divine ability and detected no strange odors. Instead, a cool, refreshing aura entered his nose, instantly clearing his mind.

Wang Daoxuan explained, "This is the Three Officials Pool. In the old days, people of Guanzhong came this way to pray for rain. The route is dangerous, but there are many remarkable sights along the path. But past this is Mugwort Terrace. That's where things become more dangerous."

As Wang Daoxuan had said, they encountered a narrow mountain path winding along the cliffside not long afterward. The footing was so narrow that they could only move sideways while pressing themselves against the rock wall.

The route was extremely treacherous.

Fortunately, all three possessed considerable stamina. Moving carefully and cautiously, they passed the dangerous section without incident.

Only after leaving it behind did Wang Daoxuan let out a sigh of relief and wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. "Good thing it hasn't snowed yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared come up here."

Sha Lifei suddenly pointed behind them. "Look!"

Li Yan turned and looked. On the dangerous mountain path they had just crossed, another point of firelight had appeared. Someone else had chosen to climb the mountain at night.

His eyesight was exceptional. He immediately recognized the figure as the woman from earlier.

Narrowing his eyes, he asked quietly, "Daoist, this woman seems extraordinary. Can you tell what background she comes from?"

Wang Daoxuan continued forward with the others. "We can talk while walking."

This section of the trail was relatively broad. After glancing behind them once more, he explained, "She's a Demon Hunter from Chang'an. Unlike Ritualists, these people possess exceptional martial skills and know all sorts of miscellaneous arts. They specialize in capturing spirits, suppressing corpses, hunting monsters, and slaying demons. They also accept imperial bounties to hunt evil cultivators. They're ruthless.

"As for this woman, I've heard of her before. I can't remember her actual name, but her nickname is Red Yaksha. She's famous for being vicious. A person of her caliber should already possess an official Dao Permit.

"By all rights, she shouldn't be in a hurry, so I don't know why she's climbing the mountain overnight."

The group continued to chat until they reached another mountain peak. Dense forests covered the slopes, and though darkness surrounded them, the sky above was astonishingly clear. The Milky Way stretched across the heavens like a silver river.

Sha Lifei rubbed his hands together and exhaled a cloudy breath before sighing in admiration. "Amazing!"

Looking up at the stars, Wang Daoxuan smiled. "The Records of Strange Things says: The essence of Venus fell west of Guifeng in Zhongnan Mountain. Its essence transformed into white stone resembling fine jade, and purple qi would often gather around it. That's where Mount Taibai's name comes from."

"This is a holy land, and ideal for observing the stars. Many of the seniors at Queen Mother Courtyard excel in astrology and divination."

Li Yan asked, "Daoist, what are you best at?"

"Well..." Wang Daoxuan chuckled awkwardly. "I know a little about everything and am proficient in none of it. Let's keep moving. Once we pass Panlong Mountain, we'll find somewhere to rest."

The two chatted and joked as they walked, mostly to distract themselves from the cold. When they had first set out, they had been full of enthusiasm. Now they looked somewhat miserable.

Li Yan, however, gradually fell silent. The darkness in the mountains made visibility poor, and even with torches, distant paths remained hidden. He had to keep his divine ability active at all times to guide the group. But it also allowed his perception of the holy land to deepen.

The mountain range was vast and majestic, possessing an immense and ancient innate astral qi. It felt like an ancient giant. Its feet hooked into the earth veins below while its head reached for the stars above.

And he... was merely a flea walking upon the giant's body.

At that moment, he remembered the old woman from Tianzhu Mountain.

A mortal's life was but a brief spark. Even with a path leading to the heavens, one could not travel very far.

It was just like the Luofeng Scripture he had obtained. Eighteen floors of the inner palace, six heavenly palaces. Each more difficult than the last to construct. A mortal could scarcely glimpse the end of the road, just like Mount Taibai itself.

No one knew exactly how this holy land had originally formed. Perhaps, as Wang Daoxuan had said, it began with the essence of another planet falling to earth. Yet such a phenomenon would still have required countless ages before it could evolve into what it was today.

Seeing the unusual expression on his face, Sha Lifei was about to speak, "Li Yan..."

But Wang Daoxuan immediately stopped him and shook his head. He knew what was happening: Li Yan was experiencing enlightenment. Many cultivators encountered such opportunities when entering a holy land for the first time. It was a minor stroke of fortune, but interrupting him recklessly would be unwise.

Though Sha Lifei didn't understand, he had enough sense to keep quiet.

The two stopped talking and silently followed Li Yan. Fortunately, he had become almost machine-like. Torch in hand, he climbed the mountain in silence, yet he always found the correct footholds.

He never made a mistake. Gradually, however, the two behind him began struggling to keep up.

Another hour passed. Combined with the freezing weather, Wang Daoxuan's entire body eventually grew numb. His legs stiffened and finally, he slipped and nearly fell.

Unable to hold back any longer, Sha Lifei yelled, "Li Yan!"

"Oh!" Li Yan abruptly returned to his senses. After looking around, he immediately understood what had happened. "My apologies. I got lost in my thoughts. Let's find somewhere to rest first."

He turned to survey the area, but then realized they had already passed Panlong Mountain.

Leading the other two off the trail, they crossed a small forest and arrived at a cliff face. A modest cave was carved into the cliff tens of zhang ahead, but before approaching it, Li Yan drew out the Divine Tiger Token.

Stepping through a ritual pattern and forming hand seals, he chanted, "Nuogao, I alone open the descendant Wang Jia. Six Jia Azure Dragon, Six Yi Encountering Star, Six Bing Bright Hall, Six Ding Hidden Yin... As I command!"

A sudden gust of wind swept through the area and at that moment, Li Yan seemed to transform into a tiger king of the mountains.

Rustle!

A black bear suddenly charged out of the cave. Terrified, it dared not approach the three men and fled into the forest without looking back. At the same time, countless small creatures scurried away.

Rats, rabbits, black snakes, lizards, all of them fled in panic.

Li Yan had used the Baopu Mountain-Climbing Technique. With the enhancement of the Divine Tiger Command Token, it was perfect for driving away wild beasts.

"We're certainly unwelcome guests." Wang Daoxuan laughed, but the exhaustion on his face was impossible to hide.

The stench of bear musk still lingered inside the cave, but the three paid it no mind. Soon they lit a campfire. They warmed wine to fight off the cold, and casually ate some dried rations.

Outside, the wind howled. Even wrapped in sheepskin coats and blankets in the cave, they still felt chilled to the bone.

Suddenly, Li Yan's expression sharpened, and his hand slowly moved to the hilt of his blade. Looking toward the dark cave entrance, he hesitated before speaking. "Friend, if the road at night is difficult to traverse, why not come inside and rest for a while?"

"No need." A cold voice answered from outside, then the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Sha Lifei naturally knew it was the female demon hunter. Once she had departed, he shook his head. "What a strange person. Forget about her."

Li Yan replied, "Daoist, neither of you need to take watch tonight, get some rest. We still have a long journey tomorrow. I've gained some insights and want to think them through."

"Oh?" Wang Daoxuan was surprised but didn't ask further questions.

After days of riding and then climbing the mountain overnight, he was utterly exhausted. Wrapping himself tightly in a blanket, he fell asleep almost immediately. Sha Lifei fared no better as he began snoring within moments. Only Li Yan remained awake.

He sat before the fire, staring blankly into the darkness beyond the cave.

He had been studying the Luofeng Scripture ever since he had obtained it. However, several passages had remained unclear. At the same time, the inheritance was far too important to discuss with anyone else. While climbing Mount Taibai earlier, his mind had merged with the mountain's innate astral qi, and many mysteries had suddenly become clear.

"The body is where the spirit resides. If one wishes for the spirit's dwelling to endure, nothing is better than establishing pillars. Pillars are the masters of a house. Using qi as the foundation, neither sinking nor floating..."

That was the true foundation of constructing inner temples. There was no spiritual energy in this world. Instead, there existed astral qi and killing qi which formed various configurations and natural forces.

Constructing an inner temple was, in essence, using the energy stored during spirit visualization to form a miniature formation within the mind through the astral qi and killing qi. Sacred mountains and great rivers possessed holy lands because they embodied vast natural configurations.

Forming the inner temple was like an external container used to store one’s cultivation. Spirit visualization itself resembled the birth of a deity within a holy land that would be contained in that inner temple. When casting techniques, one could then draw upon divine astral qi stored within.

The Luofeng Scripture belonged to the lineage of Ghost Gods. Naturally, it was even more extraordinary. Ordinary cultivators only needed to absorb some innate astral qi from a holy land to construct their inner temple or build further on it.

Some orthodox methods even used killing qi or even strange poison energies. Using Mount Luofeng as a guide, the saying went: Above stands the imperial night light. Below sits the Nine Offices. Yin and yang, life and death, all are nurtured there. Misfortune and destiny pause between them."

That concealed the key to constructing the inner temple through the Luofeng Scripture. The answer was balance between yin and yang. When the time came, he would not only absorb the innate astral qi of Mount Taibai. He would also perform the appropriate rituals and draw upon earth yin qi to form the tower's foundation.

According to the scripture, once it was cultivated to a profound level, the inner temple would shine with boundless brilliance. Below it, yin qi would transform into the Six Heavenly Demon Kings. Like divine servants and apostles, they could leave the body and act as extensions of the cultivator's will.

Of course, one needed to construct the third floor of their inner palace and construct the Gansilian Wanlu Heavenly Palace before such secret techniques became available.

However, another question still lingered in Li Yan's mind. Thanks to the master he managed to find out of nowhere, he had already inherited the Soul-Hooking Chain. Once he completed his first palace, would the Soul-Hooking Chain become stronger or would he gain an entirely new divine ability?

Just as he pondered the matter, dense fog suddenly appeared around him.

Not again!

Li Yan frowned as he recognized the phenomenon immediately. Forming a hand seal, he attempted to activate his divine ability, but nothing happened.

As expected, he had fallen into a dream once more. But he had already inherited his master's legacy; why had he been dragged into another dream? Soon, a bad feeling rose in his heart.

Could it be an assignment from the Underworld?

Having experienced it before, Li Yan sprinted through the fog.

Sure enough, after running an unknown distance, the scenery changed once again as an ancient stone well appeared. Its design was archaic and impossible to place within any particular era.

Li Yan was about to approach when a thought occurred to him. He attempted to alter the well through his thoughts, but nothing happened. The stone well remained completely unchanged.

He formed a rough hypothesis. The Gansilian Wanlu Heavenly Palace he had seen previously was likely his master's visualization. That was why it could change.

This well, however, was probably an actual object of the underworld. He cautiously approached the well and peered inside. The water surface sat only half a foot below the rim, but it was pitch black, like a mirror of polished obsidian. Not a single ripple disturbed it.

After staring for quite some time, nothing happened.

What the hell! How am I supposed to use this freaking Summoning Writ?!

The Yin Laws taught to him by the old woman from Tianzhu Mountain mentioned underworld assignments but provided few specifics. It only stated that each person perceived them differently. Some heard shadowy figures speaking in dreams, while some saw written messages. Others simply woke up knowing the identity of their target.

So what’s happening here?

Li Yan was utterly confused as he cautiously touched the rim of the well.

Whoosh!

The black water immediately began spinning and a whirlpool formed. Mist rose from its depths, and gradually, images appeared.

This resembles the Round-Light Divination Art Wang Daoxuan mentioned...

The scene soon became clear. First appeared an ice-covered cavern, then a clearing deep within it. The ground slowly became transparent, revealing a massive black jar with red cords wrapped around it three feet beneath the earth. Countless copper coins hung from the cords, and yellow talismans covered the seal. It looked exactly like a giant Wandering Soul Jar!

Soon, the jar itself became transparent, but the sight within caused Li Yan's pupils to contract.

Inside sat an old Daoist in dark robes, his face wrinkled beyond measure. White hair and beard spread around him like tangled spiderwebs. His fingernails had grown several inches long and curled grotesquely.

He looked like an ancient corpse, but his chest still rose and fell. Li Yan gulped in terror as he immediately guessed the man's identity.

A cultivator who had extended his life through forbidden methods!

Those people were not immortal, as their life force had long vanished. Even so, they forcibly retained their souls within their bodies. Death qi continuously accumulated within them until they resembled malevolent entities.

Perhaps they believed resurrection remained possible, but such behavior disrupted the balance of the world. It violated the laws of the Underworld.

The problem was that someone like that could easily be a powerful cultivator from centuries ago. How could a beginner like him deal with such a monster?

Li Yan immediately shook his head. "I can't accept this assignment."

The moment the words left his mouth, he snapped awake. The campfire still burned, and sometime during the night, a light rain had begun falling outside. The sound of droplets pattered through the darkness.

Everything that had just happened felt like a fleeting dream.

Li Yan shook his head. "So being a living yin emissary isn't easy."

For the time being, he didn't dwell on it. His priority remained constructing his inner temple. Everything else could wait. The rain continued through the night, and finally stopped shortly before dawn.

Although Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan had spent the night freezing, they at least recovered some of their energy. Li Yan had spent most of the night doing spirit visualization. Since the practice resembled meditation, he wasn't particularly tired.

Looking at the muddy ground outside, Sha Lifei complained, "Why did it suddenly start raining?"

Wang Daoxuan shook his head. "Mount Taibai is the crown of the Qinling Mountain Range and the highest peak in eastern Shenzhou. Its weather is famously unpredictable.

"Even the Commentary on the Waterways Classic records that armies marching below the mountain were forbidden from sounding drums and horns, for whenever drums and horns sounded, fierce winds and rain would arrive. That's how unpredictable it is.

"We're still only at the foot of the mountain. The higher we climb, the colder it becomes. It's possible to experience wind, frost, rain, and snow all within a single day. Fortunately, we don't need to climb Baxian Terrace. Going up Queen Mother Peak is enough.

"Let's move, we still have a long way to go."

Sha Lifei asked, "Daoist, have you ever visited Baxian Terrace?"

"It's too steep and I've never had the interest. But they say it was where Grand Duke Jiang conferred the gods. The ritual altar from that era may still remain. If I ever get the chance, I'd like to see it."

The three packed their belongings while chatting.

Leaving the cave behind, they continued climbing under Wang Daoxuan's guidance. Sometimes they crossed suspension bridges. Sometimes they traversed ancient plank roads dating back to the era of the Three Kingdoms. At times, they witnessed waterfalls descending through clouds, and at other times, they admired cliffside inscriptions.

As one of the world's holy lands, Mount Taibai offered countless wonders despite its difficult paths. Unfortunately, the environment grew harsher with every step upward. As their altitude increased, Wang Daoxuan began suffering from altitude sickness and struggled to breathe.

Fortunately, they found a Mountain God Temple along the way and rested there for another night. Only then did he recover enough to continue. Higher still, snowflakes began drifting from the sky.

The roads became increasingly difficult to travel. Just as Sha Lifei had predicted, blocked paths, accumulated snow, and thick ice had stranded many travelers along the route, including shamans and spirit mediums from around Chang'an.

Afraid they would fail to obtain Dao Permits the next year, they had traveled in hopes of using the spiritual nodes to cultivate. Unfortunately, their physical condition was even worse than Wang Daoxuan's. Unable to continue, they could only watch unwillingly as others pressed onward.

A day later, the three finally arrived at Queen Mother Courtyard. Towering peaks and strange stone formations rose before them until the mountains resembled a giant hand. Within its palm rested a magnificent celestial palace reaching toward the heavens!