Blade - Unbound

Rumble!

The northern city gate slowly opened, and a large contingent of soldiers rushed out. Before long, they returned carrying corpse after corpse.

Dawn had already broken. Many residents along the streets cautiously poked their heads out, looking uneasy and bewildered as they whispered among themselves. The people of Ezhou loved watching a spectacle. But one incident after another had occurred over the past few days, leaving everyone on edge. No one was in the mood to enjoy the excitement anymore. They were only afraid that disaster might fall upon their own heads.

"Who are those people?"

"I heard they're demons from the Chaoshan Association."

"Those bastards from the Chaoshan Association should've died long ago. But where did they get the nerve to rebel?"

"I heard something, but don't go spreading it around. I heard they were killing people, cutting off their heads and livers, to sacrifice to ghosts. Haven't you noticed all those scholar families in the city holding funerals?"

"You're making that up, aren't you?"

"Why would I lie to you? My grandaunt's husband is a leatherworker. I heard he's made quite a few fake human heads these past few days alone."

"Why did you stop talking?"

"This... I think I heard my grandfather talk about something like this before..."

With so many eyes and ears throughout the city, some news simply could not be concealed.

The custom of killing people as sacrifices to ghosts had first arisen in Ezhou and Xiangzhou, and had only been completely eradicated during the Great Xing era. Naturally, some legends and stories about it had survived. Stories of those ancient and dark events began circulating among the common people, provoking even greater panic.

When selecting sacrificial victims for killing and offering to ghosts, the liver of an imperial examination candidate or an official was worth three ordinary livers; the liver of a Buddhist monk or Daoist priest was worth two; while the liver of a woman or child counted as one.

The most obvious manifestation of this fear could be seen at Danyang Academy. The academy was sealed shut, with official notices pasted across its doors and not a single person inside. Under normal circumstances, something like this would inevitably have enraged the entire scholarly community. Yet now, the scholars were all hiding at home, trembling and too afraid to wander outside.

The officials of Zigui County, even low-ranking clerks, were equally terrified. They would not even carry out an errand unless several people accompanied them. As for ordinary families, they hid their children away as securely as possible, while the women of the household did not dare show themselves outside.

The corpses of bandits were one thing, but when the people saw one headless monk after another being carried past, the streets fell completely silent. The commoners' faces turned pale as a chill rose in their hearts.

On the second floor of an inn, a window had been opened just a crack. A pair of eyes peering through the gap flickered with uncertainty and alarm. They belonged to Liu Mei, the sword wielder who had previously escaped Li Yan.

When she heard that the operation the previous night was aimed at Li Yan, she had immediately pretended to be ill and declined to participate, hiding inside the inn instead. Sure enough, she had escaped disaster.

At the thought that even an expert like Red Maiden had failed to escape, Liu Mei no longer hesitated in the slightest and hurriedly began packing her belongings. She could not afford to offend either side. She might as well flee far away and wander the world.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the street.

"The waterways are open! The waterways are open!"

"Imperial reinforcements have arrived!"

"They caught the river monster too! Hurry, go take a look!"

Upon hearing the news, many commoners immediately rushed toward the docks. The news was like a ray of sunlight, slightly dispelling the gloomy atmosphere hanging over Zigui County.

Without another word, the swordswoman Liu Mei picked up her bundle and headed downstairs.

***

Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the county courthouse.

"The Chu region's Phoenix Vein?" Assistant Prefect Zhou Kai stared at the blood-jade cong in his hand, his expression shifting uncertainly. Gritting his teeth, he said in a deep voice, "Those demons of the Ghost Cult actually dare tamper with the destiny of the Divine Continent?!"

But he hurriedly rose and bowed deeply to Li Yan with cupped hands. "Many thanks, Young Hero Li. If the Ghost Cult had managed to accomplish this right under my nose, I would not have been able to absolve myself of responsibility."

"It was only what I should have done." Li Yan remained calm, paying it little mind.

There was no way he would conceal something like this. Not only would he refuse to hide it, he intended to make sure everyone knew about it. After all, nothing was more damaging to a conspiracy than having it exposed for all the world to see.

He was most likely no match for a terrifying demon like Zhao Changsheng, but there were even more hidden experts within the mystic sects. Now that something like this was out in the open, there would be plenty of people anxious to intervene. If nothing else, the imperial court would certainly dispatch fengshui masters to destroy the enemy's scheme and rearrange the formations.

Li Yan would have no idea how to handle a massive formation involving the destiny of the entire Divine Continent. In fact, he suspected that even Wang Daoxuan would be completely unable to understand it. There was no need to shoulder such a troublesome matter himself. He could simply pass it along to others.

Just then, a soldier strode into the county courthouse's main hall and cupped his fists. "Report! Lord, the reinforcements from Yichang have arrived!"

Assistant Prefect Zhou Kai clenched his fist tightly, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Good!"

The situation in Zigui County remained unclear, and there might still be hidden demons within the local garrison. Zhou Kai had not slept a wink the previous night. He and several trusted subordinates had waited in the main hall with weapons in hand, ready to fight for their lives at any moment. Now that imperial reinforcements had arrived, they finally had more room to breathe.

Everyone hurried to the docks and looked into the distance. Warships of every size were advancing across the river in formation. War drums thundered and brocade banners fluttered in the wind. The decks were packed with soldiers, their blades and halberds rising like a forest as their murderous aura soaring into the sky.

Although undercurrents were now stirring throughout the Great Xuan Dynasty, it was still in the height of its prosperity. These troops belonged to the Xiangyang and Yichang garrisons, which had mobilized two days earlier. The moment the waterways reopened, they had immediately rushed to reinforce Zigui.

Most striking of all was the enormous ship at the front of the formation, towering like a fortress. Suspended above its deck was an enormous creature, the very monster that had caused havoc that day!

Li Yan nodded slightly when he saw it. The imperial court was clearly displaying the corpse to stabilize the hearts of the people. Sure enough, when the people of Zigui County saw the gigantic fish monster, cries of astonishment erupted everywhere, followed by thunderous cheers.

There were also quite a few elderly men dressed in green robes standing on the deck. Their ritual robes resembled Han-style clothing, and they wore tall ceremonial crowns. But they all had gloomy expressions. One glance was enough for Li Yan to recognize them as members of the Zhushan Sect.

Although the Zhushan Sect had originated in Zhushan County of Ezhou, the origins of its mystic arts were anything but simple. They came from the ancient Han imperial palace, and had later merged with the local shamanic traditions. During the Han Dynasty, the imperial court had a ritual known as the "Sacrifice at the Heavenly Divine Portal."

The Book of Han: Treatise on Rites and Music recorded that Emperor Wu of Han worshipped Taiyi, the Imperial Star, and conducted sacrifices at the suburban Ganquan Palace in the Qian position, while sacrifices to Houtu were performed at Fenyin upon a square altar amid the marshlands.

The method used in these rites was known as the "Sacrifice At The Heavenly Divine Portal." A bamboo palace was erected, with an altar made from purple clay, and when the heavenly gods descended, they appeared like streams of fire.

After the collapse of the Great Han, these methods also spread among the common people. Zhushan County stood upon the territory of the ancient state of Shangyong. Yuan Qin, the Deposed Emperor of Western Wei, had renamed the area Mount Zhu because of its lush bamboo forests, verdant mountains, and clear waters.

This region was abundant in spiritual bamboo, allowing the secret arts of the Han imperial palace to survive there. The arts then merged with the native Chu shamanic traditions of spiritual cogongrass and sacred reeds, allowing the Zhushan Sect to establish a place for itself in Ezhou.

Now that their headquarters had been wiped out, they were all seething with pent-up fury. They had plenty of ways to deal with a mere river monster.

Seeing that the reinforcements had arrived, Li Yan wasted no more words.

He cupped his hands toward Zhou Kai and said, "Lord Zhou. Once matters here are settled, we'll be leaving ahead of everyone else. We still have other matters to attend to."

Zhou Kai froze, clearly reluctant to see them leave. "Young Hero Li, Zigui County is still fraught with danger. Why not stay..."

Li Yan immediately shook his head. "My lord, once war breaks out, it will no longer be something people like us can influence. Besides, we have missions elsewhere."

Helplessness was obvious in Zhou Kai's eyes. "Very well."

Li Yan glanced at the approaching flagship and spoke again. "There is one matter, however, for which I'll still need your assistance, my lord."

***

Out on the river, naval soldiers repeatedly surfaced in the water. Massive iron chains were connected to the flagship, and soldiers skilled in swimming carried them as they dove beneath the river. Before long, someone's head broke through the surface.

"My lords! There really is something down there!"

𝖿𝙧𝐞𝓮𝗐𝖾𝘣𝚗ℴ𝗏𝙚𝚕.𝖼𝗼𝗺

A dense row of people stood upon the deck. Some wore vermilion official robes, while others were military commanders clad entirely in golden armor. They were high-ranking officials dispatched by the imperial court, along with the chief of Xiangyang's Military Surveillance Department.

With Zhou Kai's official rank, he could only stand off to one side. Of course, several elders of the Zhushan Sect were also present.

Upon hearing the soldier's shout, all of their expressions turned rather ugly. After all, Zigui County was in the territory under their responsibility, yet the Ghost Cult had secretly expanded there. Moreover, someone had even practiced evil arts right beneath their noses, harming the Water God of the Three Gorges. It was indeed a serious dereliction of duty.

Of course, they could not entirely be blamed for it.

The Ghost Sect had concealed itself extremely well, and the scheme targeting the Water God of the Three Gorges had been set in motion during the Great Xing era. So much time had passed that very few people knew anything about it. Moreover, those capable of communicating with gods were rarer still.

The Regional Military Commissioner of Xiangyang also looked somewhat curious. He glanced at Li Yan, who was standing on the small boat below, then raised his hand and ordered, "Go!"

At his command, the enormous flagship immediately raised its sails.

Clatter!

The bronze chains across the river instantly pulled taut. Mud and sand churned violently upward, quickly staining the surface of the river black.

As he watched the surface of the river darken, a faint smile appeared at the corners of Li Yan's lips.

The evil entity possessing the old scholar Liu Danqiu truly had extraordinary methods. It had buried its true body deep beneath the riverbed while sending a wisp of its yin soul around to cause trouble elsewhere. If danger arose, it could immediately abandon its physical body and flee far away. This was precisely what made the Water God Longevity Art so troublesome.

But Li Yan was no inflexible fool. Only an idiot would run around searching for the creature personally. It was far better to borrow the power of the imperial court and simply destroy its true body.

Clatter!

Across the river, the enormous chains drew tighter and tighter. Cries of astonishment rang out as a massive stone coffin was abruptly hauled out of the water. Its surface was covered in mud and shells, and it clearly looked ancient.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Li Yan did not even need to do anything. The naval soldiers immediately hurled out iron hooks, the sort normally used to grapple onto enemy ships during boarding actions. One iron hook after another caught onto the lid of the stone coffin and immediately tore it open.

A fierce yin wind suddenly erupted around them. Dense clumps of black hair surged out and spread through the water.

However, Li Yan had already leapt into the air. Holding the Summoning Writ in his hand, he shouted, "Heaven has its order, earth has its laws! The Underworld seizes souls; the living stand aside!"

A yin wind suddenly swept through the surroundings, and mist churned across the river's surface. Gripping the Summoning Writ, Li Yan slammed it viciously onto the head of the swollen corpse, which suddenly started trembling and twisting.

***

Dozens of li away, beside a vast lake, the old scholar Liu Danqiu was leading a group of people as they worked in the river. Suddenly, his eyes filled with terror as he looked north.

He let out a miserable scream. "No!"

But there was nothing that could be done. Moments later, he collapsed to the ground and stopped breathing.

At the same time, outside the western gate of Zigui County, at the Temple of the Huangmo God, the old temple keeper was diligently cleaning the temple when the divine statue let out a crack. He looked up in stunned disbelief as the statue split straight down the middle.

***

Back on the river, Li Yan sensed another astral command appear within the Summoning Writ, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

The swollen corpse below had also stopped moving. Large amounts of foul-smelling black liquid seeped from its surface, while the twisted black hair rapidly yellowed and withered.

Li Yan hurriedly covered his nose, sprang upward, and landed back on the boat. He then cupped his hands toward the towering flagship in the distance.

Sha Lifei was already standing at the bow with his luggage strapped to his back. Seeing this, he immediately nodded to the boatman. "Set off. Take us to the opposite bank!"

"Yes, sir."

Zhou Kai had found the boatman for them. After witnessing everything that had just happened, how could this boatman not realize that the two men before him were extraordinary experts of the jianghu? He hurriedly nodded and set the boat in motion.

Watching the small boat in the distance, the official in red robes stroked his beard and said, "A true hero indeed. Assistant Prefect Zhou, why did you not persuade him to stay?"

Before Zhou Kai could answer, Daoist Feng beside him smiled and said, "Those gentlemen are on good terms with our Taixuan Orthodox Sect. The southwest is in chaos, with demons and monsters everywhere. They still need to travel elsewhere to subdue demons and capture evil creatures."

"Oh. Then that truly is a pity." The official clad in vermillion robes shook his head slightly.

The expressions of the Zhushan Sect elders, however, became even uglier. Saying that there were demons and monsters everywhere across the southwest was essentially an indirect accusation that they had failed in their duties.

This old Daoist really knew how to kick someone when they were down.

But they refused to back down. Cupping their hands, one of them said solemnly, "Lord Lu, please do not misunderstand. The situation in the southwest is complicated. It involves far more than a single Ghost Sect.

"There are three main sources of disaster: Mount Wu, Shennongjia, and the Miao territory. It is truly difficult to suppress them all with the strength of our sect alone. I will send word immediately and invite fellow cultivators from the various southern lineages to come and assist us!"

The official clad in vermillion robes smiled. "Good!"

How could he possibly be unaware of the schemes between the mystic sects and the ritual lineages? He had deliberately chosen his words earlier.

The situation in the southwest was complicated, and assistance from the mystic sect would be indispensable. If they could gather experts from the southern ritual lineages, many matters would become much easier to handle.

Daoist Feng merely smiled, completely unconcerned. He understood that the ritual lineages were trying to seize the initiative. For that reason, the Zhushan Sect was even willing to swallow its pride and invite others to lend them support.

But if they still could not handle the situation, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect would officially intervene. At that point, the ritual lineages would no longer have the final say in this region. Even if the southern ritual lineages managed to suppress the crisis, once the route through Wushan opened, Wudang Mountain and Qingcheng Mountain would reinforce one another from opposite sides, and the influence of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect would spread as well.

No matter how he looked at it, they would come out the winner. Better yet, he himself would finally be able to return to Mount Wudang and enjoy a comfortable life.

Daoist Feng was practically laughing with delight inside at the mere thought.

***

The place where the demon had hidden the coffin lay upstream from Zigui County. Thus, Li Yan and the others sailed downstream and soon reached the southern bank below Guizhou City, slowly approaching the riverside.

Sha Lifei's expression was somewhat grave. "Brother Yan, Brother Lu hasn't contacted us since yesterday. You don't think something happened to them, do you?"

Li Yan frowned slightly. "Let's go up and take a look first."

Just then, a cry rang out from the sky. The two immediately raised their heads and saw the hawk tracing several figure-eight patterns in the air.

Li Yan's expression changed slightly. "Quick! They've encountered a powerful enemy!"

The boatman immediately sped up. Before the boat had even reached shore, Li Yan and Sha Lifei leapt out and landed on the bank. Following the hawk, they rapidly ran toward the forest.

They had not gone even two li into the mountains before they spotted Lu San and Wang Daoxuan. The two were dodging a continuous rain of arrows as they ran for their lives.

Li Yan and Sha Lifei could vaguely make out many people wearing leather armor and black headwraps, their faces painted with colorful patterns, through the dense forest. They shouted loudly as they drew their bows and fired arrows.

There were also several people waving long red banners while incessantly chanting under their breath. Swarms of venomous hornets released from demonic gourds circled above and below them, yet were unable to draw close.

Sha Lifei's expression changed immediately as he gasped in shock. "It's the army from the native clans!"

Without another word, Li Yan began stepping in the formation of the Big Dipper and forming hand seals as he chanted, "Nuogao! Heavenly Truth and Primordial Simplicity, essence of Ren and Gui. That within me corresponds to the kidneys while that above corresponds to the Water Star. I now practice transformation, that all things may follow their forms. Whether hidden or revealed, let it be accomplished at a thought. By my command!"

𝒻𝖗𝒆ⅇ𝘸𝚎𝚋𝘯𝓸𝓿𝐞𝒍.𝔠𝔬𝓂

He was executing the Northern Emperor Profound Water Escape. A light drizzle was still falling from the sky, and the forest was heavy with moisture. With Li Yan exerting the technique at full strength, white mist immediately surged around him and rapidly spread, obscuring everyone's vision.

Lu San and Wang Daoxuan noticed him and immediately rushed into the fog.

The soldiers from the native clan had just been about to pursue them when a rough voice suddenly rang out from within the mist.

"Eat your granddaddy's flame!"

With a violent explosion, shards of iron and porcelain sprayed in every direction as a Fire Caltrop was hurled from afar. Branches and leaves were torn from the surrounding trees, while quite a few native soldiers screamed and tumbled to the ground. None of them dared continue the pursuit.

Li Yan and the others, meanwhile, had already taken advantage of the heavy mist to quickly return to the riverbank.

Sha Lifei exhorted the boatman loudly, "Quick, quick, quick! Set sail!"

The boatman had heard the explosion just now and looked bewildered and uneasy. "Sir, w-what happened?"

Wang Daoxuan said solemnly, "The troops of the native clans have already assembled. War is about to break out here..."