Blade - Unbound

Niubei Ridge was a land of towering peaks and rugged mountain terrain. As the southeastern main peak of the Qinling Mountain Range, it formed the watershed between the Guanzhong Plains and Shangzhou. The mountain range was majestic and vast, crisscrossed by countless streams and ravines.

Some of the highest peaks remained covered in snow year-round. The melting ice flowed into streams that wound through the various valleys. Whenever heavy rains arrived, flash floods would erupt. When combined with the dense forests and ever-present clouds and mist, outsiders who ventured inside often became hopelessly lost.

It was precisely because of those conditions that so many bandits gathered in Niubei Ridge.

On the western side of one ravine stood sheer cliffs thousands of feet high. A narrow wooden walkway provided the only path to an enormous cave hidden within the cliffs. This was the location of White Tiger Stronghold.

Inside the cave's main hall, torches blazed brightly while a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. The smell of blood permeated everything as painful groans echoed constantly. Wounded men lay scattered across the floor.

Bai Yanhu sat heavily upon the chief's seat with a gloomy expression. His armor had been removed, leaving his upper body bare but for the thick bloodstained white bandages wrapped around him.

On both sides below him sat the surviving Four Beams and Eight Pillars, along with the leaders of various bandit strongholds. Though they had previously been shouting and threatening one another, none of them had the energy for that now. After all, it was only through cooperation that they had escaped the military garrison's encirclement.

Looking at the miserable state of affairs, the scar-faced bandit who had argued with Bai Yanhu earlier became increasingly furious.

He slammed a palm against the armrest, snapping it in half. "Wonderful. You wanted to keep everything for yourself. Now nobody gets anything!"

A vicious gleam flashed through Bai Yanhu's eyes. "What? You still want to continue this?"

He was equally furious. If not for these idiots interfering, he would never have missed his chance to escape. Even worse, the imperial troops had relentlessly pursued him during the retreat. In the end, he had been forced to abandon all the stolen valuables. Only by throwing everything away and changing out of his original clothes had he managed to survive.

His original plan had been simple. He would take the money, head for the coast, buy a ship, and continue making a fortune with his brothers. Instead, years of careful planning had ended in disaster. His ranks had suffered devastating casualties, and a raging fire of resentment was blazing inside him.

The fact that the man below still dared to argue had already awakened his killing intent.

"Continue?"

The other man was also a ruthless killer. His skills were formidable, and his right hand slowly moved toward the hilt of his blade.

"Everyone seems to be in high spirits." At that moment, an elderly voice rang out in the hall. An old man, dressed in a sheepskin coat and a dog-fur hat, slowly walked in from the cave entrance. His face was gaunt, with a hooked nose resembling an eagle's beak. Though he was smiling, it only made him seem more sinister.

The moment he appeared, everyone rose nervously.

Bai Yanhu narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice, "Old Ghost Long, what are you doing here?"

The newcomer was none other than Long Sanjiu, the chief of Old Dragon Fortress. Old Dragon Fortress had always been the strongest among the local bandit forces. Moreover, Long Sanjiu himself was a veteran expert in the Jin Transformation Realm whose methods were notoriously ruthless. Nobody wished to offend him.

Recently, many mysterious experts had appeared in Old Dragon Fortress, with even practitioners of the mystic path. Their goal was to subjugate all the bandit strongholds of Niubei Ridge. The others had resisted, leading to the current conflicts. Now that he had suddenly arrived in person, his intentions were undoubtedly malicious.

"Why are all my brothers so tense?" Long Sanjiu smiled calmly. "Given the circumstances, why would I kick people while they're down? I've merely come to offer everyone a future."

Bai Yanhu narrowed his eyes. "What kind of future?"

"No rush." Long Sanjiu smiled. "Let me introduce someone first."

Turning around, he bowed respectfully toward the cave entrance. "Welcome, Incense Master."

Several figures strode into the hall, led by none other than the Maitreya Sect’s Incense Master, Dugu Qian.

Only then did Long Sanjiu continue. "Everyone, this is Incense Master Dugu of the Maitreya Sect. With him protecting us, no matter how many people the imperial court sends, we need not fear them."

The gathered bandits exchanged uncertain glances as Bai Yanhu's vigilance deepened. "Old Ghost Long, when did you join the Maitreya Sect?"

Long Sanjiu laughed. "I've always been a member."

Bai Yanhu snorted. "Our paths are different. We mountain men only seek a living through banditry. We have no grand ambitions. Please forgive us."

They had become bandits for money. If they accumulated enough wealth, many planned to disappear under false identities and spend the rest of their lives as wealthy men in the prosperous Jiangnan region.

The Maitreya Sect constantly stirred rebellion and unrest. The Xuan Dynasty was currently powerful and prosperous. Following the Maitreya Sect could only lead to disaster.

The smile vanished from Long Sanjiu's face as his voice turned cold. "Old Bai, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit..."

Before he could finish, Dugu Qian raised a hand to stop him. Smiling gently, he addressed the crowd. "Fellow brothers, you no longer have a choice. The imperial court is corrupt and incompetent. Li Siyuan will certainly dispatch experts to wipe all of you out in order to avoid criticism.

"Niubei Ridge's terrain is difficult to traverse, but if the court's practitioners mobilize their ghost army, not a single one of you will escape."

The bandits' faces immediately darkened; they knew he was right. At that very moment, Chang'an was probably gathering elite forces for a major suppression campaign.

Bai Yanhu sneered, "What if I refuse?"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, his expression changed dramatically. He grabbed one of his spiked caltrop hammers and glanced around him with extreme vigilance as a foul wind suddenly arose.

A black shadow appeared inside the cave and rapidly circled along the dark corners of the stone walls.

"What is that?"

Many bandits jumped to their feet in alarm. However, the shadow moved too quickly. They could only vaguely make out the shape of a giant snake.

Bai Yanhu felt the threat even more acutely and every hair on his body stood on end. An icy gaze was fixed upon him. It was more terrifying than any beast he had ever encountered.

Bai Yanhu suddenly spun around as hidden force erupted. "Die!"

The muscles in his arms swelled, veins bulging as he swung the caltrop hammer downward. The technique he practiced was the Military Eight Battle Forms. Its movements were simple but extraordinarily practical.

It was direct and brutal. Combined with his chainmail armor, it had earned him a fearsome reputation. The hammer struck its target, yet terror filled Bai Yanhu's heart.

The Crowned Serpent Spirit was behind him. It appeared to have shed its skin once again and its body had grown even larger, now as thick as a giant tree trunk. The caltrop hammer's spikes smashed into its black scales and sparks erupted, but the blow was completely deflected.

Such was the terror of the crested snake. Its speed was astonishing, and weapons could barely harm it. Combined with its deadly venom, ordinary martial artists stood no chance against it.

At the mass grave, had Chang Xuan not already known its weakness and prepared accordingly, it would have been the forces of the imperial court who suffered catastrophic losses.

The snake's scales scraped against the stone floor with a chilling hiss. Raising its body high, it towered over Bai Yanhu by half a head.

Meanwhile, Bai Yanhu himself had frozen in place. The crested snake lowered its head; its cold eyes seemed to possess some mysterious power.

Bai Yanhu's entire body was paralyzed. No matter how hard he tried to scream, nothing came out. Blood vessels burst in his eyes as he tried to move, but failed. He could only watch helplessly as the crested snake wrapped itself around him.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

The horrifying sound of bones breaking echoed through the cave. Within moments, every bone in Bai Yanhu's body had been crushed.

All signs of life on him vanished as the snake opened its enormous jaws. First his head vanished, followed by his entire body as the snake slowly, methodically, swallowed him whole.

The mountain bandits watched in horror as their scalps tingled.

Dugu Qian sighed softly, "My friends, I did not wish to do this. But the imperial court's forces will arrive soon. There is no time left for pointless discussion. Pack your things and come with me."

A bandit leader asked nervously, "W-where are we going?"

Dugu Qian glanced back at the cave entrance with a trace of helplessness in his eyes. "Deep into the Qinling Mountain Range. I need to excavate something and I'll require a great deal of manpower."

***

Beyond Niubei Ridge, the terrain gradually sloped downward toward the south. As a result, Li Yan's group increased their pace. After another two days of travel, they were approaching Fengyang County.

The mountains gradually became gentler, but soon, everyone found their attention drawn toward the cliff faces lining the road. Countless cave openings covered the mountainsides like honeycombs.

"Daoist, what are those?" Sha Lifei stared in astonishment. "Surely they aren't animal nests? There are so many of them!"

"Those are cliff tombs." Riding his horse, Li Yan glanced over and smiled. "They've been built since the Han Dynasty. Even today, some people still choose this burial method."

Troupe Master Zhou of the Spring Breeze Troupe nodded in admiration. "Young Hero Li is truly knowledgeable."

Li Yan shook his head. "I only heard someone mention them before."

In truth, he had visited this place in his previous life. He had even toured several of the tombs. Though unimpressive from the outside, their internal structures were surprisingly complex.

They had bedrooms, reception halls, kitchens, storage rooms, and more. Some even contained ponds, wells, toilets, stoves, and wall niches. Though technically tombs, they looked more like places where people had once lived.

"Built into cliffs?" Sha Lifei looked speechless. "Wouldn't grave robbers love that? Daoist, what's the significance of burying people on cliffs?"

Wang Daoxuan laughed. "The ancestors of the Divine Continent revered dragons. They believed certain locations allowed cliff burials to occupy dragon veins.

"First, it helped the deceased ascend to immortality. Second, it could bring wealth and fortune to descendants. This custom became popular because of the Immortalist traditions of the Qin and Han dynasties.

"The Book of the Later Han records: 'Carve chambers into cliff stone, and rely upon lofty heights to nurture immortals.' The dead ride upon living qi. Look around, the site has a view in front and support behind. Mountains surround three sides while water lies before it. There are also dragon veins, altar formations, and favorable terrain present. This place gathers wind and retains water. Naturally, it is an excellent burial site."

Sha Lifei snorted. "And yet grave robbers still cleaned them out. Damn it. Being wealthy while alive wasn't enough. They wanted immortality after death and prosperity for all their descendants too. Where's the fairness in that?

"The fools were even greedier than me!"

Wang Daoxuan sighed. "Indeed. Fortune in this world has its limits, but human greed knows no end. Countless calamities and slaughter arise from that fact."

As he spoke, a fork in the road appeared ahead. Troupe Master Zhou immediately cupped his hands. "Young Hero Li, Daoist Wang, Hero Sha. We're turning toward Luonan from here. This is where we part."

"Travel safely, Troupe Master Zhou."

"Until we meet again."

After exchanging farewells, the Spring Breeze Troupe departed along a different road and gradually vanished from sight.

Li Yan's group continued onward. After traveling a short distance, Li Yan guided his horse beside Wang Daoxuan and quietly asked, "Daoist, have you deciphered it?"

Wang Daoxuan shook his head as he pulled a yellowed ancient book from his robes. "Deciphered it? Impossible."

That was the Secret Curse of the Seven Arrows that Li Yan had taken from You Laosi.

Sha Lifei immediately rode closer. The moment he saw the title, he gasped. "Hey, that's the Seven Arrows Book! Daoist, you've obtained that legendary immortal art!"

Wang Daoxuan blinked in surprise. "You recognize it?"

"Who doesn't?" Sha Lifei's eyes lit up. "It's in the opera stories. Lu Ya used it to curse Zhao Gongming to death. I can even sing the scene!"

He immediately began chanting dramatically. "The sea-binding whip drove him fleeing in fear. From beyond the seas came Immortal Lu Ya near. This demon carried the Seven Arrows' might, raising a straw effigy upon Mount Qi's height..."

"Enough, enough." Wang Daoxuan couldn't help laughing. "The Investiture of the Gods operas were written by later generations. There truly was a great conflict among mystical practitioners during the Shang and Zhou eras, but only fragments remain. No one today knows what truly happened.

"However, the Secret Curse of the Seven Arrows is indeed a famous curse. It has ancient origins, and is widely known. Even peasant women making straw dolls to curse others traces back to this technique."

"Oh." Sha Lifei looked disappointed. "Is it actually powerful?"

Wang Daoxuan nodded seriously. "Extremely. Ancient curse arts were often simple and direct. This technique contains only two curses. The first is the Soul-Hooking Curse. It can seize the living souls of the living and the yin souls of the dead."

"The second is the Secret Curse of the Seven Arrows. Perform the ritual for seven days, and the target will die from the curse."

Sha Lifei grinned. "That's perfect. With this technique, Daoist Wang, you'll be like a tiger with wings. If anyone provokes us in the future, just bow to them seven times and curse them to death!"

Yet Wang Daoxuan did not respond. Instead, he appeared hesitant.

Li Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Daoist, is there something wrong with the technique?"

Wang Daoxuan nodded. "It isn't that I'm being stubborn. This technique is simply too vicious. It also goes against the will of the Heavens. If used too often, it may attract killing intent and eventually lead one into demonic obsession."

Li Yan chuckled, "Daoist, even the Buddha has wrathful vajra manifestations. A blade itself is neither good nor evil. It depends on whose hand holds it. Given your character, this won't become an evil art."

Wang Daoxuan remained silent for a long time and finally, he nodded. "Perhaps. I once had my soul trapped. My only Yin Soldier was also destroyed by a Soul-Seizing Technique. Maybe I truly have some karmic connection to this technique."

Raising his right hand in a seal, he pressed it against the book and recited, "I, Wang Daoxuan, hereby swear that this curse shall only be used against evil spirits and the truly wicked. If I abuse it, may I die for it."

Li Yan blinked. "Daoist, was that really necessary?"

Wang Daoxuan was silent for a moment before smiling casually. "Everyone possesses emotions and desires. Everyone makes mistakes. I'm merely an ordinary man and am no exception. A little restraint is beneficial."

He fell silent, and clearly had no desire to discuss the matter further. Soon afterward, he resumed chatting idly with Sha Lifei.

As he watched Wang Daoxuan ride along, Li Yan shook his head slightly. He knew that Wang Daoxuan had undoubtedly experienced many things in the past. Not everyone began life with such unwavering devotion to the Dao, nor did such kindness and tolerance appear from nowhere.

But since Wang Daoxuan chose not to speak of it, Li Yan had no intention of prying.

***

By sunset, the group finally arrived at Fengyang County. Traffic on the official roads had also noticeably increased. Mule caravans trundled hither and to; it was far busier than the roads around most towns.

Wang Daoxuan smiled. "The land of Chu lies further south, while Manchuan Pass, a famous trade hub, stands nearby. Qin and Jin lie in the north, while the south connects Wu and Chu.

"During the Warring States period, people could wake up in Qin in the morning. They would raise Qin banners, wear Qin clothes, follow Qin customs, and speak the Qin dialect. By evening, the same place might belong to Chu. They would switch to Chu banners, Chu clothing, Chu customs, and Chu speech.

"That's where the saying 'Qin in the morning, Chu by evening' originated. These caravans likely belong to the transport guilds.

"We've reached our destination. There's no need to enter the city. Let's quickly escort Senior home."

"I'll ask for directions." Sha Lifei immediately rode off and stopped an elderly cart driver. "Old sir, how do we get to Wu Family Gully?"

Wu Family Gully was the hometown of Wu Laosi, but unfortunately, the old man appeared to be from somewhere else. His dialect was so thick that Sha Lifei struggled for quite some time before understanding the directions.

"Good grief, that was exhausting." Sha Lifei sighed upon returning. Soon, he pointed southeast. "Wu Family Gully is over there. We should arrive before dark."

Without further delay, the group set off. But they failed to notice the old cart driver suddenly turning around. The look in his eyes as he watched them was somewhat strange.

Just as Sha Lifei predicted, they finally reached a village by nightfall. The settlement was nestled against the mountains beside a dried-up riverbed. But, the moment they arrived, everyone froze in place.

The village was completely deserted. It was overgrown with weeds, resembling nothing less than a ghost village...