Blade - Unbound

A cool, detached female voice came from within the sedan chair.

"Let's go. We're leaving the city."

"Yes, Young Lady."

The sedan bearers grinned from ear to ear as they hoisted the chair onto their shoulders and headed down Zhuque Avenue.

They were in exceptionally high spirits. They had only just started work for the day when they landed an incredibly lucrative job. Their luck couldn't have been better. A full ten taels of silver just to carry a frail young lady to Wang Family Village outside the city. It was an easy assignment.

However, after getting into the sedan, the young woman had asked them to stop by the City God Temple first, saying that she wanted to burn some incense before returning to her parents' home.

Unfortunately, no one knew what had happened at the temple. Government troops had sealed off the surrounding streets and wouldn't let anyone through, saving the bearers a bit of time.

Once they left Chang'an, the roads gradually grew deserted. The lead bearer couldn't help picturing the graceful figure seated inside the sedan.

His heart stirred as he smiled and called out, "Young Lady, why are you returning to your parents' home all by yourself? Isn't your husband accompanying you?"

There was a brief silence before the woman's voice grew soft and alluring, no longer carrying the icy detachment from before. "My husband has already passed away."

"Oh... My apologies." The lead bearer sighed sympathetically. "Still, someone from your family ought to have accompanied you. It's the New Year; the wind is strong; and the roads are slippery."

The woman answered mournfully, "There's only me left in my household now. I live alone in Chang'an with no one to rely on, and even my parents' family doesn't welcome me..."

The lead bearer's heart fluttered. He shot the others a meaningful glance before raising his voice. "Young Lady, the road ahead is rough. The sedan may shake a little. Please bear with us."

The other bearers immediately understood. They began deliberately twisting their waists and exaggerating their steps. In theatrical performances, what they were doing was known as rocking the sedan. Accompanied by the suona, the bearers swayed while the actor inside swayed along with them, creating a lively and festive spectacle.

However, that was only an act. There wasn't even a real sedan chair involved. Doing it with an actual sedan was a completely different story.

The chair lurched violently from side to side, its curtains whipping back and forth as the bearers deliberately loosened their footing, swaying exaggeratedly while making faces at one another. They all understood what their leader intended. Normally, they only pulled this trick when they felt the customer hadn't paid enough. If they wanted a comfortable ride, they would have to pay extra.

Naturally, they picked their targets carefully. The young widow looked lonely and defenseless. With any luck, she would lose her patience and step out of the sedan, giving them an opportunity to tease her a little. Perhaps their leader might even manage to strike up a romantic encounter.

Inside the sedan, the woman in white was tossed about with every jolt, yet her hips remained firmly planted on the seat. Her body didn't sway in the slightest. A cold smile slowly appeared on her lips as murderous intent gradually surfaced in her eyes.

Before long, even the bearers realized something was wrong. Their shoulders were aching and their legs had begun to tremble, yet the woman inside hadn't uttered a single sound.

Something isn't right.

The lead bearer exchanged another glance with the others. Immediately, they resumed carrying the sedan properly.

"Young Lady, the road's smooth now. We'll reach Wang Family Village by noon."

The woman suddenly spoke, "No, stop here."

"Here...?"

The lead bearer had only begun to respond when several figures emerged from the nearby woods. This group included a fat man dressed like a wealthy gentleman and a fierce-looking swordsman. They were led by a man whose face was covered in scars, making him resemble a living demon.

The lead bearer's scalp went numb as he spun around and fled. "Run!"

Pfft!

The instant he turned, a flexible sword shot out through the sedan curtain and pierced straight through his neck. The remaining three bearers met the same fate.

At some point, an elderly man had silently appeared behind them. He wore a sheepskin coat and a dog-fur hat. His face was gaunt, his eyes sinister, and his hooked nose gave him an especially menacing appearance.

Long Sanjiu, chief of Old Dragon Stronghold on Niubei Ridge revealed himself.

Holding a long blade, he didn't even bother looking as he slashed left, swept right, and cut across in one fluid sequence. By the time he sheathed his blade, the three remaining bodies collapsed to the ground one after another.

Meanwhile, the woman in white stepped gracefully out of the sedan and curtsied elegantly toward Long Sanjiu. "Greetings, Brother Long."

Long Sanjiu, however, looked distinctly displeased. "Lian. You may come from the Yan Sect's Black Enchantress branch, but you still need to observe discipline. Don't stir up trouble whenever you feel like it.

"How are things inside the city?"

"My apologies, Brother Long." She first offered an apology before reporting, "The leader has already been imprisoned inside the City God Temple. Judging by their preparations, they're clearly trying to lure us into attempting a rescue."

At that moment, another group arrived. This group was led by the scar-faced young man known as Fire Ghost, the same man who had killed Zhou Pan with a firearm. His face was twisted with rage as he declared, "The leader only allowed himself to be captured to cover our retreat. No matter what, we have to rescue him!"

"Calm down, Brother Fire Ghost." Manager Wu of Jinbao Gambling House in Xianyang tried to reason with him. "Of course we're going to rescue him. But it's obviously a trap. We have to come up with a reliable plan."

"Hmph!" Fire Ghost exploded immediately. Turning around, he shouted angrily, "The leader's life is hanging by a thread, yet all of you are still hesitating. Have your loyalties changed?"

Manager Wu froze before anger also rose in his eyes. "Fire Ghost, stop barking at everyone! Everyone here joined the sect long before you did!"

Fire Ghost sneered. "So what if they did? The leader deliberately sent people to cause disturbances in Chang'an to draw attention away. So why did Bai Ruoxu keep his men sitting around instead of making a move? If not for him, would the leader have been captured?"

Manager Wu found himself at a loss for words. The Maitreya Sect's remaining followers around the Guanzhong Plains had essentially all gathered there. Though all answered to Dugu Qian, they had naturally divided into three factions.

The first consisted of Long Sanjiu, chief of Old Dragon Stronghold on Niubei Ridge. He had originally been one of the Guanzhong Plains' most ruthless outlaws, and had participated in the Maitreya Uprising years ago. After narrowly escaping, he had retreated into the mountains and bided his time.

The second faction consisted of Manager Wu and the others. Led by Bai Ruoxu, master of the Broker Guild, they had infiltrated gangs throughout Chang'an, Xianyang, and other cities, raising funds and gathering intelligence.

The third faction consisted solely of Fire Ghost and the white robed Black Enchantress. Both had been personally rescued by Dugu Qian and followed him out of gratitude.

Now that Dugu Qian had fallen, the tensions between the three factions could no longer remain hidden.

"Enough!" Long Sanjiu, the oldest and most senior among them, barked sharply before turning to Manager Wu. "Brother Wu, Fire Ghost may have a hot temper, but he isn't entirely wrong. What exactly is Bai Ruoxu thinking?"

Manager Wu quickly explained, "I've already spoken to Hall Master Bai. This truly isn't his fault. Before all this happened, he accidentally uncovered clues indicating that the traitor Zhao Changsheng's subordinates were hiding in Guodu Town. He deliberately lured several Daoist practitioners there, and it turned out to be one of Zhao Changsheng's secret halls. No one knows what that traitor is plotting, so we have to be cautious.

"Besides, the Drum King Assembly has drawn many experts to Chang'an. If we act recklessly now, we'll simply be wiped out in a single stroke."

"I see." Long Sanjiu's expression remained unchanged. "In that case, his actions are understandable. How about this, Brother Wu? Go back into the city and inform Bai Ruoxu to meet us outside the city tonight."

Manager Wu's heart skipped a beat, but he merely cupped his fists. "As you command, Brother Long."

He knew perfectly well it was a test.

***

The moment Li Yan stepped back into the courtyard, Sha Lifei hurried over to ask, "I heard the Enforcement Hall returned?"

Li Yan raised his eyebrows in shock. "I thought you were shut up at home tinkering with those things. Since when did your information network become so efficient?"

Looking embarrassed, Sha Lifei scratched his head. "Well... since you wouldn't let me buy gunpowder on the black market, I went looking for some Firework Puppets instead. I happened to hear about it while I was there."

Li Yan couldn't help laughing. "Looks like you've really been cooped up for too long, Uncle Sha."

Firework Puppets had been passed down since the Song Dynasty. They were a traditional entertainment that combined pyrotechnics, weaving, paper-cutting, carving, painting, puppetry, and theatrical performance, and naturally contained a considerable amount of gunpowder. Though rather expensive, with the Lantern Festival approaching, buying a few Firework Puppets wouldn't attract anyone's attention.

Li Yan chose not to pursue the matter further. "Just be careful."

Calling Wang Daoxuan over just as the old Daoist stepped outside, the three returned indoors, where Li Yan recounted everything that had happened. He could keep others in the dark, but his companions had repeatedly risked their lives alongside him. They absolutely needed to know, lest something happen in the future.

Sha Lifei suddenly understood. "So that's what happened...

"No wonder your father came to Chang'an to take on work right when everyone was fighting over the Xianyang Divine Fist Association presidency. Damn, this Zhao Changsheng is downright sinister. Just hearing about him makes the back of my neck tingle. Little Yan, whatever you do, don't do anything foolish."

Li Yan nodded. "Of course not. Even the Taixuan Orthodox Sect finds someone like him troublesome. How could I possibly deal with him? Even if he's merely a Returned Yang Soul, I doubt anyone could easily get close to him."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard thoughtfully before speaking, "Now that his true origins have been exposed, the Imperial Court will certainly take him seriously. They won't allow him to roam free much longer. What concerns me is something else. The Enforcement Hall captured Tomb Serpent, so they're almost certainly trying to lure out the rest of the Maitreya Sect. These next few days probably won't be safe."

"Mhm." Li Yan nodded thoughtfully. "Daoist is right. We had better stay cautious for the next couple of days. It's probably best to avoid the Guangde Street area altogether..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly frowned and glanced toward the courtyard gate. At the same moment, someone knocked.

Sha Lifei went to answer it and immediately broke into a smile. "Sister Hong! We were just talking about paying you a visit."

The visitor was none other than Red Yaksha, accompanied by Feng Feiyan.

"Happy New Year, everyone." Red Yaksha laughed heartily before shaking her head apologetically. "Sorry. I've been busy practicing my sect's secret techniques these past few days. I only just found time to come and pay my New Year's respects."

"You're too polite, Sister Hong. We should've been the ones visiting you." After exchanging pleasantries, Li Yan smiled with obvious curiosity. "So, have you mastered it? Would you let us have a look?"

He was naturally referring to Red Yaksha's Ziwu Demon-Slaying Sword. The entire conflict with the Fire Bear Gang had been over that spiritual weapon. Ever since reclaiming it, Red Yaksha had devoted herself to mastering it day and night, and Li Yan was genuinely curious about its power.

"Of course!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Red Yaksha drew the sword from her back. The Ziwu Demon-Slaying Sword was unusually large. Its blade was a full palm's width across and nearly half a foot longer than an ordinary sword, yet in the hands of the tall Red Yaksha, it seemed perfectly proportioned.

Embedded within the hilt was a small circular Taiji symbol. Judging by its construction, it connected through both sides rather than serving as mere decoration.

Zi represented the most yin hour of the day, while Wu represented extreme yang. Thus, Ziwu also symbolized the balance of yin and yang.

"Our sect's Demon-Slaying Sword possesses two supreme techniques." The moment the sword entered her hand, Red Yaksha's aura transformed. Her eyes filled with cold killing intent as she declared, "The first is slaying demons with astral yang qi!"

Holding the sword in her right hand while forming seals with her left, she stepped through astral footwork and began wielding the blade. Sword light flashed like lightning, and a fierce wind suddenly erupted around her. Snow and fallen leaves spiraled upward together in a breathtaking display.

Li Yan's eyes immediately lit up. "Excellent!"

He could smell the blazing astral qi radiating from the sword. It even carried traces of divine incense power. The swirling snow and leaves themselves possessed no destructive force. They were merely being carried along by the circulating astral qi.

Yet combined with the sword's unique techniques, the weapon had already begun forming a distinct formation around it. It resembled the enhancement granted by his Three Talent Demon-Suppressing Coins, only noticeably stronger. Any ghost or evil spirit would likely be obliterated with a single strike.

Red Yaksha completed a flourish before drawing two fingers along the blade. The sword hummed as she continued, "This is the Yang Sword. With astral qi flowing through it, ordinary demons and ghosts can be suppressed and slain with a single strike. However, the true killing move is the Yin Sword."

As soon as she finished speaking, she flicked her arm upward. The sword pointed toward the southern sky as a dragon's roar echoed out. The central section of the Ziwu Sword suddenly detached, transforming into a smaller flying blade that shot forward with icy sword light before burying itself deep inside the stone bench in the courtyard.

It resembled a rope dart at first glance, but it was far more sophisticated. Dense yin killing qi gathered around the blade, radiating bone-chilling cold.

"The Yin Sword severs souls!"

Buzz!

With a sharp tug of her arm, the Taiji mechanism in the hilt spun rapidly. An ingenious mechanism hidden within the sword, together with an almost invisible wire connecting it to the flying blade, instantly reeled it back into the hilt before it slid smoothly back into its scabbard.

Li Yan couldn't help but praise it. "What a marvelous treasure."

The Yang Sword excelled at slaying demons, while the Yin Sword's yin killing qi specialized in destroying souls. Once mastered, it truly was an exceptional demon-slaying weapon. Not only that, it was a magical weapon designed for close combat, and its internal mechanisms were astonishingly intricate. Even Li Yan couldn't determine how they functioned.

Forging such a sword had to have cost an absolute fortune! No wonder it had become an inherited treasure of the Demon Hunters.

Sha Lifei's eyes were wide with amazement. "Sister Hong, that's incredible! Could this actually be one of those legendary flying swords?"

Red Yaksha laughed. "A true flying sword isn't like this."

Li Yan immediately caught the implication. "Sister Hong... Have you actually seen a flying sword?"

Red Yaksha sheathed her sword, and thought for a moment before replying, "Have either of you ever seen those street performers who swallow swords or iron balls?"

Li Yan nodded. "Of course."

Such acts were common among traveling entertainers. Some relied on trick swords and stage illusions to fool the audience, but others possessed genuine skill.

In both his previous life and this one, Li Yan had witnessed the real thing. An iron ball the size of a walnut would be swallowed whole and lodged in the performer's esophagus, only to be launched almost an entire zhang into the air through sheer control of the chest, abdomen, and diaphragm.

Naturally, mastering such a skill was incredibly painful. It was a common circus act, performed simply to earn enough to feed one's family.

"A real flying sword is somewhat similar..." A trace of nostalgia appeared in Red Yaksha's eyes as she explained, "When my master was still alive, she often took me wandering through the jianghu.

“We once accepted a commission to eliminate a corpse demon in a village deep in Shu. We laid an ambush and severely wounded it when it attacked in the middle of the night, but failed to finish it off, allowing it to escape into the mountains. My master and I pursued it for a long time before finally catching up, only to find that the corpse demon had already developed intelligence, and had become extremely cunning.

"Just as it was about to escape once more, a Daoist suddenly appeared atop a distant peak. He spat out an iron ball, which transformed into a tiny flying sword. With a single streak of sword light, both the corpse demon and the great tree behind it were sliced cleanly in two.

"After slaying the demon, the Daoist simply departed. My master and I realized we had encountered a true master, so we searched the mountains for several months, yet never found so much as a trace of him. In the end, we had no choice but to return to Chang'an.

"When we told others about what we had seen, everyone insisted we had imagined the whole thing. After that, my master became increasingly distracted. She often disappeared alone for months at a time, and in the end, she met with disaster."

Everyone exchanged astonished glances.

Sha Lifei stared in utter disbelief. "There really are Sword Immortals?"

Li Yan slowly shook his head. "Perhaps it was some hidden inheritance. There are many true masters in this world. Our knowledge is simply too limited."

As he spoke, only one type of person came to mind.

God Ascendants.

Meanwhile, Feng Feiyan had only been half listening. Her gaze suddenly landed on the dismantled Firework Puppet lying in the distance, and she asked in confusion, "Hm? Why did you take apart a perfectly good Firework Puppet?"