Blade - Unbound

Although Qingyuan Pavilion was a brothel, its private rooms were decorated with remarkable elegance.

Light gauze curtains draped the room; the window lattices were exquisitely carved; and the furnishings were simple yet refined. Paintings and calligraphy adorned the walls, while wisps of fragrant tea drifted from the table.

One side faced the street, where winter snow blanketed all of Chang'an. The other overlooked the inner courtyard. Looking out the window, one could see mist rippling over the pond below, snow resting atop artificial rockeries, and an opera pavilion standing in the middle of the water beneath green-tiled eaves with upturned corners.

Inside the pavilion, the sounds of bamboo drums, cloud fragrance clappers, and the bowed fiddle interwove as a vigorous old man played the erhu and sang, "I became a Daoist upon Zhongnan Mountain. Every day I raised my hands to seek the Dao. Every meal came from a thousand households; every chant recited the boundless Dharma..."

The lyrics were weathered and elegant, belonging to the Daoqing Opera of Shanxi.

The opera was called Selling the Daoist Robe. It told the story of Han Yu's sixty fourth birthday, when the already-immortal Han Xiangzi disguised himself as a scruffy young Daoist novice to attend the celebration, intending to sell his Daoist robe as a priceless treasure. All the laughter and banter served only to enlighten Han Yu. Later, after they recognized one another, Han Yu asked when they would meet again.

Han Xiangzi smiled and replied, "Only when snow buries the Lan Pass and the horse refuses to advance."

Han Yu did not understand. Later, after being demoted for memorializing the welcoming of the Buddha's relic, he arrived at Lan Pass in the Qin Mountains, where he saw someone approaching through the wind and snow. There, he saw Han Xiangzi again.

Smiling, Han Xiangzi asked, "Do you still remember the poem?"

Han Yu sighed for a long time before reciting, "At dawn, my memorial reached the Ninefold Heaven; By dusk, I was banished eight thousand li to Chaozhou. Wishing only to rid our enlightened ruler of corruption, Why should I begrudge this aging body its remaining years? Clouds block the Qin Mountains... where now is my home? Snow buries Lan Pass, and my horse refuses to move. Knowing you came from afar with purpose in mind. Gather my bones well beside the pestilent river."

This poem was titled: Moving to Lan Pass For My Grandnephew Xiang.

Li Yan listened attentively, gently nodding his head to the rhythm. Although the operas were merely folk tales, mostly compiled by later generations rather than genuine accounts of the Daoist world's inner workings, they nevertheless possessed profound meaning.

Meanwhile, beside him, neither Heidan nor his uncle was paying attention. One wore a complicated expression, seemingly lost in memories of the past. The other looked around the room with endless curiosity.

"Lady Wanfang has arrived!"

Following the head waiter's announcement, the door slowly opened. A woman entered gracefully, hiding her face behind a round silk fan. Dressed in flowing white robes, her graceful figure swayed gently as she walked. The fan concealed everything below her nose, revealing only flawless fair skin and a pair of enchanting eyes.

Gulp.

Beside Li Yan, Heidan stared with wide eyes as he swallowed hard. His heart had only just begun awakening to romance. How could he possibly have seen such breathtaking beauty before?

With the fan only half concealing her face, she resembled a beauty clutching a pipa while hiding half her countenance. Her mystery only made her even more alluring.

Li Yan spread his hands helplessly and said with a simple smile, "I don't have any money."

One sentence completely ruined the atmosphere.

He had merely come to find someone. Yet between the smooth-talking head waiter and the madam, the three of them had somehow been ushered into the elegant private room. Even Zhao Wanfang, the leading courtesan of Qingyuan Pavilion, had come personally to entertain them.

According to the head waiter, Zhao Wanfang was a descendant of the imperial family of the Great Song Dynasty, possessed peerless beauty, and was extraordinarily learned. Countless officials and nobles in Chang'an had begged for an audience with her, only to be turned away.

Li Yan considered every word of it complete nonsense. Still, since he needed to find someone, he had to explain himself first.

Pfft!

Hearing Li Yan say he had no money, Zhao Wanfang let out a soft laugh. "Young Master Li, are you in such a hurry to leave?"

As she spoke, she gently lowered her round fan, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face. Beside them, Heidan blushed bright red and immediately lowered his head, not daring to look again.

Li Yan had intended to continue explaining himself, but a faint glimmer flashed through his eyes. Leaning back, he settled into a broad, commanding sitting posture before smiling.

"How is it that I feel... I'm not the one who's in a hurry? Rather, it seems the lady herself is the impatient one."

"Oh?" Seduction shimmered within Zhao Wanfang's eyes, as though veiled in mist, ready to drip with moisture at any moment.

Her hips swayed enticingly as she approached. "Listen to yourself. It's still broad daylight. What would this humble woman possibly be in such a hurry for?"

As she spoke, her skirt suddenly flicked upward. A slender leg shot out like a venomous serpent. A dagger protruded from the tip of her embroidered shoe, stabbing straight toward Li Yan's throat.

What a shame, Li Yan had already anticipated it. His left hand hooked and struck, catching her ankle and pushing it aside. At the same time, he unleashed Silkhand to block the palm thrusting toward his eyes before twisting with borrowed force.

Losing her balance, Zhao Wanfang landed squarely on Li Yan's lap. Just as she attempted to move again, she felt Li Yan's hand close around her neck. His grip felt like solid steel. A slight movement would be enough to snap her slender neck. Their exchange had been incredibly fast and lasted no more than the blink of an eye.

To Heidan and his uncle watching nearby, it merely looked as though the beautiful woman had flirted with Li Yan for a moment before gracefully spinning into his embrace.

Good grief. In broad daylight, no less...

Li Laogan hurriedly covered Heidan's eyes with one hand.

Li Yan wore a smile as he spoke, but his eyes were icy cold. "Hidden kick? What I meant was, the lady seems rather eager to take my life. The least you could do is explain why.

"Are you a student of the Ge Teachings? Who hired you?"

Those who learned the Ge Teachings were often referred to as those of the Ge Clan. Unlike the escort guild, while they also came from martial backgrounds, they earned their living through murder, kidnapping, robbery, and similar trades, usually as hired killers.

Li Yan didn't believe he had offended anyone in the brothel. That left the biggest possibility. She was an assassin. After all, the Hidden Kick technique was impossible to master without a proper lineage.

Heidan and his uncle were both startled. Just as they were about to stand and shout for help, Li Yan silenced them with a glance. The situation was still unclear and there could very well be others lurking nearby.

By then, Zhao Wanfang had completely lost her earlier seductive demeanor. Her eyes were filled only with determination. Beneath the round fan in her hand, the tip of another blade slowly emerged.

Li Yan's sense of smell was astonishing. Even with his eyes closed, he would have sensed it. How could she possibly catch him off guard?

Freeing his other hand, he twisted sharply. The round fan immediately fell to the floor.

Along with it vanished Li Yan's last trace of patience. "So many hidden weapons. This really does look like a den of thieves."

"Perfect, I'll wipe out the whole nest."

"This has nothing to do with anyone else!" Zhao Wanfang's expression changed slightly as she said firmly, "My grudge is personal. Even if you hadn't come here today, I would have found another opportunity.

"I've lost today. Kill me or torture me as you please, but don't implicate anyone else!"

Li Yan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "A personal grudge? So tell me. Which of your people did I kill? At least let me know."

Ever since entering the jianghu, he had lost count of how many people had died by his hands. Though every death had its reason, those people hadn't sprung out of rocks. Someone seeking revenge was hardly surprising.

Gritting her teeth, Zhao Wanfang replied, "It wasn't you. It was your father!"

"My father?" Li Yan immediately felt a headache coming. Then he frowned. "What nonsense. You're still young. How could you possibly have any connection with my father?"

Zhao Wanfang let out a bleak laugh, her eyes filled with endless sorrow. "Hahaha. When your father met with disaster at Golden Jade Pavilion, the jianghu's retaliation followed."

"My mother... My aunt... They both perished in that sea of flames. Do you know how much I've suffered all these years? I stopped wanting to live long ago. My only regret is that I failed to drag you down with me!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. "You're one of the survivors from back then?"

Ever since arriving in Chang'an, he had naturally been investigating the events of that year. Unfortunately, Golden Jade Pavilion had been burned to the ground. The official records also claimed that everyone had died. He had never expected a survivor to remain.

Thinking of this, he leaned close to Zhao Wanfang's ear and whispered a few sentences before releasing her with a push. Rolling smoothly to the ground, Zhao Wanfang picked up her round fan, gripping it in reverse as though holding a dagger.

However, her expression fluctuated uncertainly. "Is... what you said true?"

Li Yan replied solemnly, "This matter is highly confidential. If you want to stay alive long enough to find the real culprit, don't tell anyone.

"I'll come back tonight. Then we'll discuss it properly."

Zhao Wanfang's eyelashes trembled. "Alright."

Although she practiced martial arts, she had only reached the peak of the Light Jin Realm and had yet to enter the Dark Jin Realm. Her strike had been a desperate gamble. She had intended to lure Li Yan in with her beauty before slashing him once while he was unprepared.

Her blade had been coated with deadly poison. She had intended to perish together with him, but Li Yan's strength was clearly beyond anything she could contend against.

Coupled with the information he had just revealed, doubt had sprouted in her mind.

Watching everything unfold, Heidan was completely bewildered. One moment they were flirting. The next, they were trying to kill each other.

So this... is the jianghu?

Naturally, Li Yan had no idea what Heidan was thinking. Looking at Zhao Wanfang, he said seriously, "We'll discuss that matter later. Right now, there's something else I'd like to trouble you with."

After hearing the entire story, Zhao Wanfang remained silent for a moment. She then walked to the door, her expression already restored to normal.

Opening it, she called sweetly, "Hu Dengzi. Go invite Troupe Leader Bai over."

Zhao Wanfang held considerable status within Qingyuan Pavilion. The head waiter hurried off at once and before long, an elderly man climbed upstairs wearing a face full of delighted smiles.

The old man was painfully thin. A medicinal plaster was stuck across his neck, and the hem of his clothes had already frayed, making it obvious he wasn't doing very well. He had assumed some wealthy patron wished to watch a performance, but upon seeing everyone inside the room, he froze.

A complicated look flashed across his face before he forced a smile. "Junior Brother Li, so it's you. It's been long."

"Senior Brother Bai..." Upon seeing the old man, Li Laogan had initially been rather excited. However, he quickly connected the dots and his body trembled. His face filled with disbelief. "Y-you?"

Panic flickered through the old man's eyes as he pretended not to understand. "I don't know what you're talking about, Junior Brother."

Li Laogan exploded with rage. "You damned old bastard!"

He rushed forward and grabbed the old man's clothes. "We were fellow disciples! I treated you well! Why did you betray me?"

Li Yan watched coldly from the side and shook his head slightly.

The guilty conscience of a thief.

The old man had exposed himself the moment he arrived.

Li Laogan had previously helped him. Now that Li Laogan had come again after falling on hard times, the old man hadn't asked what had happened recently, nor had he asked why they hadn't seen each other for so long.

That could only mean one thing. He already knew exactly what had happened to Li Laogan. As Li Laogan grabbed and shook him, the old man offered no resistance. He remained silent for a while before finally breaking down completely.

Tears streamed down his face as he collapsed to his knees. "Junior Brother... I've wronged you!"

Sobbing uncontrollably, he finally explained everything.

Once again, it had all started with gambling. After their master passed away, the shadow puppet troupe's fortunes had steadily declined. Unable to survive where they were, they believed the prosperous Chang'an would at least offer them a chance to make a living.

Yet although Chang'an was prosperous, there were even more talented people there. The masters of shadow puppetry weren't limited to those from Shanzhou. There were troupes performing the Huayin Old Tune, along with experts from Shu, Shandong, and every other region, each possessing their own unique specialties.

Compared to them, their skills barely allowed them to scrape together a living performing on the streets. Some days they ate, some days they didn't. Eventually, through personal connections, they finally managed to establish themselves at Qingyuan Pavilion.

Though they could earn enough to eat, they couldn't save a single coin. Moreover, Pingkang Street was the liveliest district in all of Chang'an. Its endless prosperity dazzled the eyes.

The younger members of the troupe inevitably became resentful. Why could others feast on delicacies while they were condemned to miserable lives? Back then, Li Laogan had been relatively well-off. When he went to help them, he had been dressed in expensive clothing. Although his intentions had been good, it only deepened the younger men's resentment.

They repeatedly urged Troupe Leader Bai to persuade Li Laogan into teaching them the craft of making spirit leather. Though Troupe Leader Bai had been tempted, he still had principles. Knowing such a thing wasn't right, he scolded the youngsters and never brought the matter up.

Not long afterward, those same youngsters became addicted to gambling. They dreamed of getting rich overnight but lost everything instead. On top of that, they owed the gambling house an enormous sum.

Having reached that point, they steeled themselves. Joining forces, they attempted to cheat at gambling in order to win their money back. But what kind of place was a gambling house? Experts were everywhere. Their tricks were exposed on the spot. That very night, they were tied up, and Troupe Leader Bai was ordered to bring silver to ransom them.

If he didn't, he could collect their corpses the next day. Troupe Leader Bai had no money. All he could do was beg desperately. Terrified, the young men shouted for the gambling house to demand compensation from Li Laogan instead.

One of them even revealed the origin of Li Laogan's spirit leather craft and immediately caught the gambling house's attention. One of the leaders declared that the debt could be forgiven. But first, they had to recount the entire story in detail.

They were made to write everything down. Only when they were done were they allowed to return safely. Even so, each of them was still shaken with fear. Not long afterward, news arrived that Li Laogan had met with disaster...

By then, Zhao Wanfang's face was filled with disgust. "Bring those few up here!"

Soon, the young men were brought over. Perhaps because their characters had already been corrupted, each wore the shifty expression of a born scoundrel. The moment they saw Li Laogan, they realized everything had been exposed.

"Uncle Li!"

"It wasn't me!"

"It was all his idea!"

"Bullshit!"

"Weren't you the one who spoke first?"

One even stiffened his neck and shouted, "What the hell are you all afraid of? That old bastard brought filthy things upon himself. It even sucked the vitality out of my father! We're not finished settling that yet!

"And our troupe fell into ruin because that old dog brought disaster upon us and ruined our luck! He still owes us compensation!"

"That's right!"

"Pay us!"

With newfound courage, the youths all stood up and shouted abuse together.

Heidan had long since reached the limits of his patience. "Pay your mother's ass!"

Fed up with them, he charged at them and immediately started throwing punches.

He had practiced martial arts since childhood. Although he had never become particularly skilled, it was more than enough to beat up those fools. In no time, they were crying and screaming miserably.

"Ah..."

By then, Troupe Leader Bai was overwhelmed with regret. Opening his mouth, he initially wanted to plead for mercy. In the end, he merely let out a long sigh and lowered his head in silence.

"Heidan, stop." Li Laogan's stern shout finally halted Heidan. Looking at the chaotic scene before him, his emotions became equally complicated. After some time, he sighed. "Why did you all have to do this? That craft can only be learned by someone who possesses a spiritual root. Otherwise, you are sure to run into disaster.

"I didn't even dare teach it to my own nephew, much less to the rest of you. If even one of you had possessed a spiritual root, without Senior Brother Bai even asking, I would have passed the art down myself.

"You should all leave. From this day onward, all ties between us are severed."

At that moment, Zhao Wanfang suddenly spoke coldly, "Troupe Leader Bai, people in the jianghu may lie, cheat, and swindle, but there is one thing they all despise. Everyone hates an ungrateful traitor. No matter where they go, no one welcomes such people.

"The winds of the jianghu are fierce. You won't be able to remain in Chang'an any longer."

"Wait." Li Yan interrupted solemnly. "Let's settle one thing first. Which gambling house was it? What was the name of the person who tricked you into revealing everything?"

Troupe Leader Bai's face was already burning with shame. He quickly answered, "It was Jinbao Gambling House. The one who questioned us was a young scholar, but we didn't know his name. However, I heard others around him calling him Third Brother."

Li Yan frowned thoughtfully. "Jinbao Gambling House?"

There was also a Jinbao Gambling House in Xianyang. Rumor had it that it was connected to some important figure in Chang'an. Those two establishments were probably related...

Li Yan got to his feet and spoke. "Let's go, we'll find our man at Jinbao Gambling House. Troupe Leader Bai, I'll trouble you to come with us and identify him."

Li Yan nodded slightly to Zhao Wanfang before leaving Qingyuan Pavilion together with Heidan, his uncle, and Troupe Leader Bai.

The moment they left, the head waiter led several burly men inside. The young troublemakers were beaten and thrown out, along with all of the shadow puppet troupe's equipment.

Troupe Leader Bai let out a long sigh, but he never once looked back.

The young men panicked and fled for their lives.

As snow drifted down from the sky, the troupe's wooden chests split apart. Shadow puppets scattered across the ground, only to be snatched up and trampled beneath countless feet. One beggar picked up a leather puppet of Lord Guan. Dancing about excitedly, he pinched his throat into a shrill voice and waggled his eyebrows at the other beggars.

"Hah! Take a good look and see who I am!"

"Hahaha..."

The beggars rapped their cracked bowls and roared with laughter.