Chapter 101: The Divine Tiger Token Appears
Chapter 101: The Divine Tiger Token Appears
Wang Daoxuan cried out silently in alarm, Not good, it's a Soul-Seizing Technique!
But it was already too late. He felt a stifling pressure in his chest, and his connection to the Yin Soldier was abruptly severed. His expression darkened as he realized the enemy had used some kind of mystic art to capture and suppress the soul of his Yin Soldier.
Though his little Yin Soldier was weak and could only scout, it was the first one he had ever subdued and carefully nurtured. Naturally, he had grown attached to it. He had never expected that merely scouting with it would cost him its existence.
Despite the pain he felt from losing it, Wang Daoxuan knew the situation had reached a critical juncture. He immediately bit his middle finger, pressed the bloody fingertip onto the forehead of the Spring Breeze Troupe's deity statue, then bowed respectfully. "Heavenly soldiers, earthly soldiers, sun soldiers, moon soldiers, water soldiers, fire soldiers. Let the Six Ding and Six Jia[1] follow my command. Let the ritual banner summon divine troops. Let evil retreat and peace prevail. Let winds rise and mists gather. Divine soldiers, obey my command immediately!"
After speaking, he waved the ritual banner and sprayed a mouthful of blessed water into the air.
"By the decree, obey!"
Pfft!
Mist billowed forth, enveloping the statue. In an instant, ghostly winds howled through the area. The spirit money burning in the fire basins spun upward in whirling spirals before quickly dissipating.
The deployment of a Yin Soldier Soul was undeniably far more imposing. At the same time, sweat appeared on Wang Daoxuan's forehead. The peachwood sword in his hand seemed to weigh thousands of pounds, as it started to tremble.
After suffering a setback in the first exchange, he had roughly estimated his opponent's strength. The other party's cultivation was likely the same as his, both at the first level, but the opponent specialized in sinister curses and mystic arts with formidable power.
The western mystic path lineage Wang Daoxuan cultivated was an orthodox Daoist tradition, focused on divination, disaster prevention, exorcism, and suppression of evil spirits. It was not particularly skilled at using special arts to harm others. Or rather, the inheritance he possessed was incomplete.
Since that was the case, Wang Daoxuan immediately changed his strategy. He temporarily redeployed his forces, borrowing the power of the Yin Soldier Soul to raise a ghostly fog and obstruct the bandits' vision.
Eerie Yin energy and dense mist were common near graveyards at night, since wandering spirits naturally absorbed killing qi. Combined with the damp and gloomy surroundings, fog could easily form. Spirits drifting within the mist could confuse minds and even possess people.
That was why many possession incidents began with people noticing fog around them, then hearing voices calling from within the mist. Their minds would become muddled, allowing possession to occur. This particular technique had originated from that principle, and was considered a relatively advanced altar ritual.
However, with Wang Daoxuan's cultivation, casting it was already difficult enough. Having to command a Yin Soldier Soul at the same time only made it harder. However, Wang Daoxuan understood that he had to create an opportunity for Li Yan.
As expected, when the Yin Soldier Soul swept past, followed by ghostly winds, white fog quickly rose around the locations where the hundred bandits lay in ambush.
The thick mist obscured everything, completely blocking their sight. The autumn rain had only recently passed, leaving the air damp and making the spell even more effective.
"What happened?"
"That's strange! How did fog suddenly appear out of nowhere?"
The hidden bandits immediately descended into panic.
A deep voice asked from among the bandits. "Sir, what's going on?"
The speaker was a massive man, bald and without eyebrows, with a vicious face and an exceptionally muscular build. He wore an old but genuine suit of military chainmail armor, and wielded spiked caltrop hammers in both hands.
His name was Bai Yanhu and he was a notorious bandit in the underworld of Shanzhou. Originally a military commander, he had been stripped of rank and prosecuted after being exposed for murdering innocent civilians and claiming false military achievements. He had been sentenced to penal service on the frontier.
However, the man was exceptionally ruthless. He managed to kill the officials escorting him, secretly returned home, retrieved the armor he had hidden away, and fled into the mountains to become a bandit.
Having served in the military, he understood battlefield tactics. Combined with the martial methods he learned in the jianghu, he had easily evaded multiple government suppression campaigns.
He even modeled his organization after the bandit groups in the north, establishing the White Tiger Stronghold with its Four Beams and Eight Pillars hierarchy, and making it one of the largest bandit forces on Niubei Ridge. He had personally planned the ambush that night.
Now, a flustered You Laosi stood beside him. Upon hearing the question, You Laosi quickly grabbed a handful of bone powder mixed with pine resin, recited an incantation, and flung it toward a candle.
Boom! Boom!
Two bursts of flame erupted. Scorching heat spread outward, dispersing some of the fog, yet the mist quickly closed back in around them.
Cold sweat appeared on You Laosi's forehead. Forcing a laugh, he said, "T-this... The other side somehow acquired a Yin Soldier Soul that has received incense offerings. It's not easy to deal with. But don't worry, Chief; the other side can't truly control a Yin Soldier Soul. They can only create fog. It can't harm anyone. After summoning it, he must be exhausted. We only need to find him and kill him..."
You Laosi rattled off explanation after explanation because he was genuinely terrified. He had seen Bai Yanhu angry before. The target of his ire had sometimes been flayed alive, while he personally carved out bones and dug out hearts. The man was practically a demon in human form. Compared to him, Zheng Heibei wasn't even worthy of carrying his shoes.
A scornful voice came from beside Bai Yanhu. "Big Brother, I told you these wandering practitioners can't be trusted. Their tricks always fail when it matters. What's the point of getting them to do anything?"
The speaker was Lu Heizi, a short, sturdy man with skin as black as charcoal, a lion-like nose, and a broad mouth. A Guanshan blade hung from his waist. He had once been a bladesman in the Guanzhong Plains. After drunkenly killing a street vendor, he became wanted by the authorities and fled into the mountains.
Now, he was one of the Eight Pillars of White Tiger Stronghold, holding the position of "Treasure-Supporting Pillar." The position was essentially Bai Yanhu's chief bodyguard and trusted confidant.
After suffering losses to a mystic path practitioner at Old Dragon Fortress, Bai Yanhu had abducted You Laosi from another stronghold and intended to elevate him to the position of "Heaven-Resting Beam," the role of strategist and geomancer.
Being promoted to such a high position without accomplishing anything naturally caused resentment among the veteran members of the stronghold.
"Sigh." Bai Yanhu waved his hand. "We're all brothers here. Don't say things like that. If not for Master You, we never would've discovered the fellow hiding in the shadows."
Despite those words, You Laosi became even more nervous. Grinding his teeth, he hurriedly said, "It's only a minor trick. Chief, watch me break his move!"
As he spoke, he pulled a white token from his robes. The token was carved in the shape of a tiger's head with exquisite craftsmanship. Its reverse side was densely engraved with talismanic symbols.
A young man with narrow eyes standing nearby immediately lowered his head, concealing the hatred in his eyes.
You Laosi failed to notice. Gripping the token, he formed hand seals, stepped through ritual patterns, and chanted, "Nuogao, three stars upon the left, three prisons upon the right. Heaven overturns and Earth reverses. All nine paths are sealed. Let your mind be lost as east become west, south become north..."
Li Yan had used the cover formed from the thick fog, and had just reached the vicinity of the bandits. The moment he heard the incantation, his heart skipped a beat.
Isn't that the Thousand Gold Protection?!
Before he could think further, a powerful divine aura surged from within the mist. Like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, it caused all beasts to cower. The Yin Soldier Soul was shaken by the force. Accompanied by ghostly winds, it rapidly retreated and returned entirely into the deity statue.
Wang Daoxuan, however, suffered the consequences. His mind was injured once more, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet he clenched his teeth and quickly produced a red cord, wrapping it around the statue in intricate patterns.
Having one's spirit troops destroyed wasn't as simple as merely recalling them, especially with such a fierce Yin Soldier Soul. A moment's carelessness could trigger a backlash that shattered the altar, bringing disaster upon everyone nearby.
Only after securing everything did Wang Daoxuan close his eyes and collapse unconscious.
Sha Lifei cried out in alarm, "Daoist Wang!"
He hurried over to support him. Meanwhile, the fog around the bandits completely dispersed.
"Hahaha!" Bai Yanhu burst into laughter. "Well done, Master You!"
At that point, his hidden-arrow strategy had already failed. No longer bothering with secrecy, a savage gleam appeared in his eyes as he roared, "Men, signal with the Flaming Green Seeds! Time to herd the sheep!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The bandits had long since grown impatient. Their chief was good in every way except one irritating habit. He loved imagining himself as a famous general and insisted on using elaborate strategies for everything.
Mountain bandits were lawless by nature. Military discipline only felt restrictive to them. Nothing was more satisfying than charging forward and slaughtering people directly. And where there was slaughter, there was always fire.
The so-called Flaming Green Seeds were simply flaming arrows. The bandits lit torches, nocked arrows, ignited the arrowheads, and fired them into the night sky at an angle.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Flaming arrows rained through the darkness. Their largest target was naturally Long Wind Inn.
Though Long Wind Inn had some standing in the jianghu, it stood in a remote area and had been built with cheap materials. The walls were packed earth, the beams were charred timber, and the roof wasn't even tiled. It was covered entirely with dried grass. With wind feeding the flames, the inn ignited almost instantly.
It became a gigantic torch in the darkness.
The merchant caravans camping nearby weren't surprised at all. This was a common jianghu experience. An inn might provide shelter from wind and rain, but it was helpless against a bandit attack.
That was why many travelers camped outside instead. Those who sought comfort paid the price. Some rushed out the moment the fire started, only to be struck by arrows and forced back into the burning inn in terror. Others reacted more cleverly, lifting heavy tables together and using them as shields while charging outward. Still, there were others who became living torches, screaming and rolling across the ground.
For a time, flames blazed, people shouted, and horses shrieked.
Bai Yanhu roared, "Brothers! Keep the mirrors[2] sharp! Don't let the sparks[3] escape!"
He charged forward carrying his spiked hammers. In the end, they were still bandits. The moment they moved, the entire formation descended into chaos.
Behind a roadside tree, Li Yan maintained his hand seals without moving. He had originally gotten much closer, but after Wang Daoxuan's move had been broken and the fog dispersed, he had been forced to retreat behind the tree.
There was no helping it. His Baopu Mountain-Climbing Technique concealed his presence from sorcerers and spirits, but it wasn't true invisibility. Legend said that when Immortal Master Ge used the technique, he became genuinely invisible. Others would see nothing more than a drifting yarrow stalk and he could stroll openly past people without being noticed.
Li Yan naturally lacked that level of attainment. Fortunately, once the bandits lit their torches, the contrast between light and darkness made it impossible to see through the darkness. Discovering him behind the tree was even less likely.
Seeing the situation, You Laosi also panicked and immediately ordered those around him, "Hurry! Help me pack up the altar!"
As the Heaven-Supporting Pillar, and a mystic path practitioner with poor martial skills, he naturally had several bandits assigned as personal protectors. Yet even working quickly, they had fallen behind the main force.
Now!
Killing intent surged in Li Yan's eyes as he immediately burst forward. The moment he moved, the Baopu Mountain-Climbing Technique was dispelled as well.
You Laosi instantly noticed him and cried out in terror, "Quick! Stop him!"
Too bad for him, Li Yan had prepared for this charge long ago. Hidden force erupted through his legs. Keeping his body low, he leveled his Guanshan blade and kicked up dirt beneath his feet. He shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, crossing the tens of zhang between them in merely two breaths.
The bandit protectors were holding torches. Thus, though they couldn't clearly see Li Yan's figure, they could sense someone approaching at incredible speed.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
They drew their blades and positioned themselves in front of You Laosi. One bandit had just raised his blade when he saw a dark figure rushing through the firelight. A flash of steel followed.
The bandit standing in the front had his neck nearly severed as blood sprayed into the air.
You Laosi screamed, "Kill him!"
The two beside him immediately slashed downward. But Li Yan raised his saber with his right hand and blocked their weapons. At the same time, he shifted his stance, rotated his shoulder, and drove his left elbow forward to unleash a heart-crushing elbow strike.
The bandit’s chest caved in as he flew one zhang backward, landed on the ground coughing blood, and died moments later.
That single strike completely broke the bandits' formation. Taking advantage of the opening, Li Yan spun. A side kick blasted away the bandit on his left. He then twisted his body and thrust backward with his blade, piercing through the abdomen of the bandit on his right.
Slash!
With a savage upward draw, the man's belly was ripped open as his intestines spilled out.
The obvious difference in skill was intimidating, but the sheer ruthlessness completely broke his opponents’ spirits. The surrounding bandits were now so frightened they no longer dared approach.
Meanwhile, You Laosi completely panicked. Holding the token, he hurriedly began casting the Thousand Gold Protection Art. Though he lacked martial ability, he had thoroughly mastered the mystic arts. If his Thousand Gold Protection Art was properly cast, it would severely damage Li Yan's soul.
Thankfully, Li Yan had already prepared for it. With a thought, he was ready to activate the Three Talent Demon-Suppressing Coin tassel.
He wasn't trying to injure the enemy, only interrupting his art. But at that very moment, a young man suddenly lunged forward. He tackled You Laosi to the ground and viciously bit a chunk of flesh from his face.
You Laosi screamed in agony. "Aaaagh!"
"Lin Hui! What are you doing?!"
The surrounding bandits roared in fury and stabbed blades into the young man's back.
The young man was none other than Lin Hui, Chenyuan’s traitorous disciple. After ambushing Chenyuan and stealing the Divine Tiger Token, he had immediately fled.
The one who had lured him down that path was You Laosi. Yet You Laosi's promise of helping him enter the mystic path had been a lie. After obtaining the Divine Tiger Token and the Thousand Gold Protection Art, he poisoned Lin Hui with Gu Corpse poison and turned him into a controlled spirit medium.
Being a spirit medium was never easy, and the methods You Laosi used were entirely evil. All sorts of strange spirits were attached to Lin Hui's body. Many times, he would wake up covered in wounds.
Lin Hui had an exceptionally patient and enduring personality. Otherwise, he wouldn't have concealed his true nature for two years at the Medicine King Temple. Though his life had become worse than death, he pretended to remain loyal to You Laosi.
Finally, he had found an opportunity to strike.
Lin Hui? So this is the bastard!
Though surprised, Li Yan's movements never slowed. Hidden force exploded outward as his Guanshan blade swept left and right.
Blood sprayed everywhere. The bandits had already charged down toward the inn, and the other side still had no idea what was happening. He had no time to waste. Relying purely on overwhelming force, he crushed anyone who stood in his way.
Some of the bandits blocking him couldn't even hold onto their weapons before being hacked backward. Some suffered broken wrists while others had shoulders split open, blood pouring from their wounds.
Though not dead, they had lost all ability to fight.
The next second, Li Yan was already upon You Laosi as he kicked Lin Hui off the man. The next second, his blade flashed. With a single stroke, he slit You Laosi's throat and snatched away the token in his hand.
The bone token bore a tiger head on the front and talismans on the back. This was none other than the Divine Tiger Token stolen from the Medicine King Temple. While retrieving the token, Li Yan noticed something hidden inside You Laosi's robes. Reaching in, he pulled out an aged yellow book.
On the cover were several large characters: Secret Curse of the Seven Arrows.
Without time to examine it, Li Yan stuffed it into his robes.
Just as he was about to leave, the dying Lin Hui rasped from the ground, "S-save me..."
Li Yan immediately turned around and replied with a single thrust. His blade pierced straight into Lin Hui's heart.
He murmured coldly, "I’ll help repay your debt to Daoist Chenyuan with this strike."
With that, he turned and vanished into the darkness.
Across the battlefield, flames blazed into the sky as shouts of slaughter filled the night...
1. The Six Ding and Six Jia are a group of deities who rule over the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. They are later associated with the Sixty Tai Suis. According to Xian Di Qi Ju Zhu (献帝起居注), the Ding deities are Ding Mao (丁卯), Ding Si (丁巳), Ding Wei (丁未), Ding You (丁酉), Ding Hai (丁亥) and Ding Chou (丁丑). The Jia deities are Jia Zi (甲子), Jia Xu (甲戌), Jia Shen (甲申), Jia Wu (甲午), Jia Chen (甲辰) and Jia Yin (甲寅). According to Xu Wen Xian Tong Kao (续文献通考), the Ding deities represent Yin and they are jade girls. The Jia deities are Yang and they are the jade boys. ☜
2. your eye ☜
3. rich targets ☜