Blade - Unbound

"This village is called Two Stele Bay."

After leading the group into the Ministry of Rites' Mystic Office, Yu Lingzi picked up a case file from the desk and handed it to Li Yan. "All the information is in here. The disciples we sent couldn't determine the cause, so all they could do was carefully record everything they observed.

"The village is somewhat special. Word of this matter has already spread everywhere. If we don't resolve it soon, the trouble will only get worse..."

Li Yan raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but ask, "What makes it special?"

Yu Lingzi shook his head helplessly. "The village is in Zigui County, five li east of the city. At the entrance stand two stone steles. One is engraved with the words 'Residence of Qu Yuan' and the other with 'Residence of Song Yu'."

Li Yan was taken aback, then nodded. "That is indeed special."

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Exactly." Yu Lingzi looked even more helpless. "It has been many years, and the village's literary lineage has long since died out. Not a single imperial examination candidate has emerged there in nearly a century, but the location itself is extremely significant.

"Scholars and literati often travel there to reminisce about antiquity, and it lies close to several mountain strongholds inhabited by native peoples. If word gets out that they demolished the local Earth God Temple and began worshipping some illicit evil deity, the whole affair will become a laughingstock.

"At present, the villagers who stormed the City God Temple are still being held in the prefectural prison. If we only punish them without dealing with the underlying problem, you can imagine the criticism that will follow."

Li Yan nodded. "Daoist Yu, rest assured. We'll do everything we can."

He began reading through the case file. As Yu Lingzi had explained earlier, every batch of rice seedlings planted in the village had mysteriously withered and died. Neither fengshui adjustments nor disaster-averting rituals had had any effect. Various divination techniques had also failed to reveal the cause. Later, a wandering Daoist entered the village and began spreading rumors everywhere, claiming that the imperial court had lost its virtue, and that Heaven had therefore sent down calamity.

The village head grew frightened and sent people to arrest him, but in broad daylight, the Daoist walked straight into the stone stele dedicated to Qu Yuan and vanished. The villagers were then thrown into panic, believing that the Great Master was issuing a warning.

That same night, someone dreamed of the Daoist again. In the dream, he said that the village's calamity originated from the Earth God Temple. Someone then smashed apart the Earth God statue, only to discover that its interior was filled entirely with human blood and organs!

The villagers panicked even further. No one knew who had incited them, but they eventually rushed to Yichang City and attacked the City God Temple.

"This is clearly the work of some evil practitioner!" Li Yan shook his head slightly and passed the case file to Wang Daoxuan. "Daoist, see whether this resembles what you encountered before."

When they had first heard about the matter, Wang Daoxuan had said he had seen something similar and had even spent the night preparing.

Wang Daoxuan took the file and read through it. He then stroked his beard and nodded. "It's very similar, but we'll need to inspect the site ourselves before we can be certain."

Yu Lingzi immediately became curious. "Fellow Daoist, have you encountered something like this before?"

Wang Daoxuan nodded. "Back when I traveled the world, I once saw something like this while passing through Jiaozhou. It was the work of a Wood Wraith. A Wood Wraith is an essence born from wood. Someone among the villagers had built a house and cut down a thousand-year-old tree in the nearby mountains. The Wood Wraith retaliated by causing vegetation to wither, and it even killed several people in succession.

"My techniques were too weak at the time, and I couldn't identify the cause at all. It was only when a true master of the Mount Mei Faith happened to pass by that the Wood Wraith was captured and destroyed."

"A Wood Wraith?" Yu Lingzi frowned slightly. "If a Wood Wraith was causing trouble, there should have been lingering yin energy. Yet when our people investigated, they found nothing."

Back in Yunyang Prefecture, Lin Yu, the wealthy young master, had once controlled a Wood Guest to spy on them. But a Wood Wraith and a Wood Guest were completely different things.

A Wood Guest was a mountain spirit with a physical body, more akin to naturally occurring strange creatures such as a crowned serpent. In some places, they would even communicate with humans and trade spirit wood from the mountains for grain. A Wood Wraith, however, was an ancient tree that had become a spirit.

The old tree itself remained its physical body, while its soul transformed into a wraith that could roam about freely. Wood Wraiths also had a distinctive trait. They did not fear sunlight and liked appearing in broad daylight, hence the saying: Wood Wraiths walk at dawn; mountain ghosts startle the night.

Sometimes, people traveling through the mountains would encounter a ghost wall even during the day. They would be surrounded by thick mist and unable to distinguish east from west or north from south. That could very well be the work of such a creature.

They were usually mild-tempered. Even when they created a ghost wall, it was generally only to stop people from approaching their true body. However, once their true body was destroyed, they would launch a bloody reprisal.

Li Yan said coldly, "A human is also involved, trying to spread demonic rumors and disturb public sentiment. Naturally, they would erase any traces. As long as we catch that person, the problem should resolve itself."

Yu Lingzi revealed a bitter smile. "That makes sense. The elite members of the Enforcement Hall have all been reassigned elsewhere. The disciples sent to investigate lacked experience. We'll have to rely on all of you."

"No problem." Li Yan smiled faintly and changed the subject. "Daoist Yu, there's something we'd also like your help with. We need to refine a ritual artifact and are missing a few treasures and spirit materials. I wonder if the City God Temple has them?"

"What do you need?"

"Mandrill and Lichen."

Li Yan had only asked casually. After all, both materials were rare, and Yichang City's City God Temple was not particularly powerful.

To his surprise, Yu Lingzi nodded without the slightest hesitation. "As it happens, our City God Temple has both."

He smiled. "Yichang is connected to Shennongjia in the north and the wild mountains of western Hunan in the south. Many places remain untouched by humans, so there are plenty of mountain spirits and all kinds of spiritual materials.

"Last autumn, a mountain mandrill caused trouble in Xingyang County, abducting women and carrying them into Shennongjia. At the time, the Enforcement Hall's elite were still here. They brought along a demon hunter from the Mount Mei Faith and entered the mountains together to capture it.

"The mountain mandrill's bones were taken away by that disciple of the Mount Mei Faith to make ritual artifacts, while its hide and fur were left here at the City God Temple and still haven't been sold. As for the Lichen, it was sold to us by a treasure-hunter who travels the mountains, in exchange for several ritual artifacts."

Sha Lifei immediately grinned from ear to ear. "That's perfect!"

Those two spirit materials could be used to prepare a powder that eliminated their scent. Lin Yu had already taught him how to make it. With that powder, using gunpowder against practitioners would become far more reliable.

Yu Lingzi was actually delighted at their reactions. "Everyone, please follow me."

He enthusiastically led them to the rear hall of the City God Temple, opened the storeroom, took out two boxes, and handed them directly to Li Yan. "These two spirit materials together cost two thousand taels. I won't charge you anything extra, just enough to recover the original cost. Also, you can rest assured. I don't dare promise much else, but at least here at Yichang's City God Temple, all spirit materials and ritual artifacts will be offered to you at a discount."

"Many thanks, Daoist."

Li Yan and the others hurriedly cupped their hands in gratitude. The offer helped them a great deal. Any expense they could save was worth saving.

Yu Lingzi was equally pleased. A small amount of spirit material was not particularly important to him. As long as he could stabilize the situation in Yichang, the real reward would come once the imperial court eventually pacified the unrest.

Both sides were quite satisfied.

Li Yan smiled and cupped his fists. "Senior, please send someone with us to the prefectural courthouse so we can question those villagers. We may be able to obtain more information. After that, we'll set out."

"What a coincidence. I was just about to mention that." Yu Lingzi stroked his beard. "The Military Surveillance Department tracked them last night, but those remnants of the Rising Dragon Army had already fled through the eastern gate into the nearby mountains and disappeared.

"The Military Surveillance Department came this morning and asked some questions. They said they would send someone to accompany you. Perhaps you can draw those remnants out."

Li Yan frowned and immediately refused. "The Military Surveillance Department carries too much official authority. I'm afraid it will alert the evil practitioner and make things more difficult."

Yu Lingzi smiled. "No matter. They'll only send a single captain, disguised as a retainer. He won't get in the way. Besides, Two Stele Bay lies within Zigui County, which is close to the mountain settlements of the native peoples. The local customs are fierce. In some places, villagers even disguise themselves as river bandits during the agricultural off-season and go out to rob people.

"To travel from Yichang to Zigui, you also have to pass through Xiling Gorge, the most dangerous stretch of the Three Gorges waterway. Few people over there can even speak our language. Without someone assisting you, you may not even be able to ask for directions."

With things put that way, Li Yan had no reason to object. Besides, from the sound of it, the Military Surveillance Department already had a plan. Given their usual conduct, even if he refused, they would probably follow in secret anyway.

Li Yan gave Sha Lifei a meaningful look which he immediately understood. They had already discussed how to handle situations like this. The answer was simple, they would fight fire with fire!

Whether it was the Military Surveillance Department, the Enforcement Hall, or the various Dharma lineages, as long as the situation called for it, they could all be used. As long as they could achieve their objective, everything else was negotiable.

Sure enough, in less than the time it took for half an incense stick to burn, someone arrived outside requesting an audience. They were then subsequently led into the City God Temple by a young Daoist.

The newcomer was a middle-aged man with regular features, average height, and a broad, sturdy build. He wore coarse cloth garments, with a bamboo rain hat over his shoulders, and carried a fishing rod, looking every bit like an ordinary fisherman.

Smiling broadly, he cupped his hands as soon as he entered. "Yuan Kejian, captain of the Military Surveillance Department, greets everyone."

Li Yan and the others could not help praising him. Many members of the Military Surveillance Department carried a distinct air of officialdom. It was a habit cultivated over many years after using authority to suppress ordinary commoners while looking upon people of the martial world as little better than criminals and treating them with contempt.

There had even once been a joke circulating through the martial world that the people of the Military Surveillance Department liked wearing official boots even when they went undercover. This man, however, wore ragged straw-and-hemp shoes. He had even deliberately dirtied his hands and feet, making him indistinguishable from an ordinary fisherman.

"Greetings, my lord."

Li Yan and the others also cupped their hands slightly.

"Ah." Yuan Kejian hurriedly waved his hands and said with a smile, "I'm sure the Daoist has already explained things to everyone. I'll only be accompanying you and won't interfere with your affairs. Just call me Brother Yuan."

Li Yan merely smiled faintly. "You're joking, my lord."

The man could say that all he wanted, but none of them would actually address him that way. No one who could rise to the rank of captain in a place like the Military Surveillance Department was easy to deal with. They were filled with smiling tigers and scheming old foxes.

Yuan Kejian laughed it off and said nothing more.

Yu Lingzi pretended not to notice the awkward atmosphere. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "Captain Yuan, you came at just the right time. Young Hero Li and the others intend to go to the prefectural courthouse to gather some information. We'll need your help with that."

"Naturally."

Yuan Kejian wasted no words. He led Li Yan and the others out of the City God Temple and toward the Yichang prefectural courthouse.

They had barely left the street when they came across a fight. Several men dressed in coarse clothes with red belts tied around their waists were carrying blades, spears, and staves as they charged into a tavern.

Crash!

A window on the second floor suddenly shattered. An old man leapt through the window, hit the ground, rolled to disperse the impact, then sprang to his feet and tried to flee. But just then, a peddler carrying boxes nearby suddenly pulled the shoulder pole from his load, stepped forward, and gave it a horizontal shake.

Li Yan's eyes immediately lit up.

What an excellent Six Direction Spear!

There was a dull crash as the old man was struck in the head. He collapsed unconscious on the spot and stopped moving.

The group of men hurried forward and bound him tightly. Only when they were done did the man disguised as a peddler pick up his staff, cup his hands toward the surrounding crowd, and call out loudly, "Neighbors, there's no need to be afraid! This man is a killer from the mountains who infiltrated Yichang City to cause trouble. We of the Divine Fist Association have been ordered to apprehend him. We will restore peace to this area!"

"Good!"

The surrounding commoners immediately cheered.

Everyone in the city, natives or not, reacted the same way. They had all lived in the city for many years. How could they fail to notice that something had been wrong lately? Some had grown so frightened that they were already planning to move their entire families to Hankou.

The Divine Fist Association taking action at a time like this truly could stabilize public sentiment.

Seeing this, Yuan Kejian shook his head and smiled. "Young Hero Li, I assume you've already met Lei Zhen. He's an old senior of Ezhou's jianghu, someone whose word alone can shake an entire region. Some sects within Yichang's Divine Fist Association originally had ties with the native clans and wanted to profit from both sides. That was one of the reasons things became so chaotic.

"Last night, Lei Zhen summoned everyone overnight and gave them a thorough scolding. No one dared voice another objection. If the Divine Fist Association is going all out, at the very least Yichang City itself should become much calmer, and we'll finally have some room to breathe."

Li Yan was somewhat surprised and raised an eyebrow. "Captain Yuan, even the Military Surveillance Department suffers from manpower shortages?"

Yuan Kejian fell silent for a moment. The smile on his face gradually disappeared, and he said solemnly, "Young Hero Li is a man of the jianghu. It's understandable that you dislike the way the Military Surveillance Department operates. But this matter now concerns the fate of the nation.

"When a major war approaches, the Military Surveillance Department naturally goes in first. More than a hundred of our brothers infiltrated the tusi strongholds to gather intelligence. Fewer than half are still alive, and every one of them was among the better men we had. If this official can capture those remnants of the Rising Dragon Army, at least the compensation paid to their families can be a little more generous."

His voice had remained calm, but his eyes had reddened slightly.

Li Yan fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Captian Yuan, rest assured. Those people won't escape!"

The unrest on the streets was not confined to a single location. The Divine Fist Association had mobilized nearly all their forces. Some methods used by people of the jianghu to hide might fool ordinary people, but they could not fool them. Numerous troublemakers were immediately rooted out and surrounded for capture.

Some fought back desperately. Others were simply beaten to death in the street. With the shadow of war hanging overhead, who would still hold back?

Of course, many more sensed that something was wrong, disguised themselves, and fled toward the city gates.

Li Yan and the others had no time to stop and watch. They continued on to the Yichang prefectural courthouse.

As the saying went: having connections inside the courthouse made everything easier.

Yuan Kejian merely said a few words at the entrance, and a head constable immediately appeared, all smiles and attentiveness, to lead them toward the prisoners.

It was Li Yan's first time entering a prison. Moreover, places like this were never auspicious. Many fierce ghosts and malicious souls were formed from the combination of extreme emotions, concentrated yin, and killing energy. Without special arrangements, a prison would be little different from a pit for raising ghosts.

That was why every prison had a special layout.

A Bi'an was carved into the stone doorframe at the entrance. Its great eyes bulged; its fangs were ferocious; and it presided over punishment and imprisonment. The brick carvings at the corners of the walls did not feature the usual auspicious flowers. Instead, they were covered in recessed runes filled with cinnabar. The entire place radiated an ominous, oppressive aura.

Yichang lay beside the river, and all its prison cells were dark and damp. Combined with the acrid fumes from poor-quality candles, the foul air was almost unbearable. Clearly, the jailers also knew that the affair had become significant. The slightest mistake could be seized upon and used against them.

Thus, although the villagers from Two Stele Bay were housed in miserable conditions and fed even more disgusting food, at least they had not been beaten. They were ordinary commoners who had lost their heads for a moment and been incited into causing trouble. After only two days in prison, most already regretted what they had done.

Signing the records, bringing out prisoners for questioning... The head constable handled the entire process with practiced ease.

The moment he was brought out, a thin, small man cried out, "Wronged! I've been wronged!"

"Wronged my ass!" The head constable wore a fierce expression and cursed, "Cheng San, where did you get the guts to commit arson, cause violence, and storm the City God Temple? Now you know how to be afraid?"

"Wuwuwu..."

"What are you crying for? These lords have questions for you. If you utter even half a lie, you can wait to rot to death in this prison!"

His words were vicious, but his intention to give the man a way out was obvious. The two of them had probably known each other before.

Li Yan could not be bothered with any of that. He began questioning the man carefully. Sure enough, this line of questioning uncovered a few more clues.