Blade - Unbound

Rustle!

A flock of birds burst into flight within the valley.

Li Yan looked to his left and spotted a large tree. With a leap, he landed on one of its branches before using it as a foothold to drop safely to the ground. Raising his head again, he saw only clouds and mist swirling around towering cliffs that rose straight into the heavens. Beyond that, nothing could be seen.

It was no wonder the place was so damn difficult to find!

Tianzhu Peak was famous for its sea of clouds. Magnificent and grand as the scenery was, it also perfectly concealed the rift valley below. Together with the surrounding mountain paths, it created a complete blind spot.

Li Yan rested a hand on his blade and surveyed the area. The terrain was far too steep. With Wang Daoxuan's physical abilities, he would probably slip and fall from the cliff halfway down, so he could only remain at the top.

It was a pity Wang Daoxuan had lost his ghost soldier. Otherwise, he could have established an altar above and provided support from a distance.

Looks like I need to help Wang Daoxuan obtain some ghost soldiers when I get the chance.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Li Yan placed one hand on his blade hilt and formed the Yang Seal with the other. As he inhaled deeply, countless scents from throughout the valley flooded into his nose. However, shock quickly appeared on his face.

His divine ability had become increasingly refined. He could roughly reconstruct the shape of objects through scent alone! He could tell from his sense of smell alone that there were buried soul jars beneath the entire valley.

Those were not Wandering Soul Jars, but funerary vessels originating from the Han Dynasty. The lower section consisted of a ceramic jar, while the upper section was decorated with ceramic pavilions, birds, corridors, musicians, and various intricate ornaments.

Originally, those items had been grain containers buried with the dead, meant to ensure the departed would not go hungry on their journey through the underworld. Later, they became increasingly elaborate, symbolizing the dream of ascending to immortality after death.

To be honest, such items were not rare. Yet seeing an entire valley buried with them sent a chill through Li Yan.

Could this be some kind of sinister formation?

But he couldn't detect anything unusual.

Furthermore, the valley had clearly suffered flooding in the past. Mud and debris had accumulated everywhere, and most of the soul jars underground were broken and damaged. Regardless, this was probably the place he had been searching for.

Maintaining his vigilance, Li Yan continued investigating the valley while using his divine ability. It didn’t take long before he discovered something. A relatively flat patch of land had been cultivated into farmland. Freshly harvested wheat stalks still protruded from the soil.

As he continued to breathe in, a particular scent reached his nose.

Li Yan's expression changed. He immediately rolled to the side and concealed himself behind a massive boulder. Raising his voice, he called out, "Senior, I came here at Senior Wu Laosi's request. Please don't misunderstand."

He could smell someone aiming a bow at him from the upper right side of the cliff wall.

Sure enough, an elderly woman's voice rang through the air. "Senior Brother Wu Laosi? That coward finally died, then? Since you're a guest, come up and have some tea."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, and slowly emerged from behind the rock. Looking up, he saw a narrow stone ledge jutting out between the cliffs. Several pine trees concealed it perfectly, creating a visual blind spot where an old woman dressed in black stood.

She looked advanced in age, yet her complexion was rosy and healthy. Her expression was cold, and her graying hair was arranged into a neat bun.

"Please come up, guest." Her tone was polite as she raised a hand in invitation.

She spoke polite words, but the stone platform stood two stories above the ground, with no ladder in sight. The cliff beside it was nearly vertical.

Testing me?

Li Yan sneered before sprinting toward the cliff wall. Just before reaching it, hidden force exploded through his legs, launching him ten zhang into the air. At the very top, his sleeve blade shot from its sheath and stabbed into a crack in the rock.

Using his arms for leverage, he propelled himself upward and landed on the stone platform in a clean somersault.

The old woman frowned. "Good martial arts. But why the rush? If you had come closer, I would have lowered the rope ladder."

She pointed downward, and only then did Li Yan notice a rope ladder woven from vines and wood. The woman merely needed to kick it, and it would have dropped to help Li Yan up.

Li Yan’s eyelids twitched in annoyance as the old woman shook her head.

"Come with me. If I calculate correctly, our lineage hasn't received visitors in several decades."

With that, she turned and led the way. Embedded within the stone wall of the ledge was a narrow, hidden cave entrance shaped like the Chinese character for “human.”

Li Yan had already detected the hidden cave entrance through scent and cautiously followed her inside. After walking less than five meters, the space suddenly opened up into a large cavern.

Stone pillars carved from the rock lined both sides. Above them stood a stone archway connected directly to the cave ceiling where bold characters had been carved: Underworld Sacred Domain

The pillars beneath were decorated with intricate carvings, depicting cloud motifs, volcanoes, evil spirits, the Yellow Springs, and countless legendary scenes.

Unfortunately, many carvings had become worn and indistinct over time.

Seeing them all, Li Yan couldn't help feeling respect. He immediately understood how this place had been created. The entrance outside was tiny, hidden deep within the valley where no road existed. There was no way materials could have been transported in from outside. That meant the entire cavern had been excavated by hand, little by little.

The old woman seemed to guess his thoughts and sighed. "This place was built during the final years of the Qin Dynasty. The world was in chaos then, but our ancestors' determination to seek the Dao was unwavering.

"Later generations became less sincere, so the excavation stopped. Now, only I remain here, keeping vigil beneath a lonely lamp."

She glanced back at him and muttered, "You carry Senior Brother Lu's Nether Torch. I assume he's dead as well."

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat as he tensed.

Watching him, the old woman said calmly, "There's no need to be so guarded. He murdered fellow disciples and prolonged his life through evil arts. If you killed him, you've merely saved me the trouble of cleaning house."

Her demeanor appeared genuine, allowing Li Yan to relax slightly. After calming down a little more, he asked, "Senior also possesses a divine ability related to smell?"

After the death of the ritualist back then, Li Yan had searched his belongings. The man had been surprisingly poor. Aside from a few paper effigies, a mourning staff, and those strange firearms, there was little else.

Though unimpressive in appearance, the weapons were finely crafted. Bamboo formed the outer shell, while copper tubing lined the interior in multiple sections. Pulling the wire trigger released phosphorus fire and fierce burning oil.

Having witnessed their destructive power, Li Yan naturally kept them. He hadn't expected them to be called Nether Torches. The weapons remained hidden beneath his clothing. If this woman had detected them, she had to also possess a divine ability related to scent.

She nodded casually. "Yes."

But she was clearly uninterested in elaborating. Soon, the two passed through the stone archway to find a temple hall carved directly from the mountain itself. Like the archway, it had been hollowed out from the stone. Many sections had collapsed with age, giving it an ancient and dilapidated appearance.

At the center stood a stone statue of an emperor nearly a story tall. Its craftsmanship was ancient yet flawless. The figure wore imperial robes and a ceremonial crown. A Fuxi Bone could be seen clearly on his forehead, and his black beard resembled iron halberds. It possessed an imposing and awe-inspiring aura.

The divine tablet before it read: Great Emperor of the Northern Fengdu Underworld.

In front of the main altar stood five additional tablets bearing the titles of the Five Ghost Emperors, though no statues accompanied them.

So this is indeed the deity they worshipped.

Li Yan's expression became solemn. He didn't even dare use his divine ability to investigate. Instead, he respectfully lit three sticks of incense, bowed repeatedly, and placed them into the incense burner.

The old woman's icy gaze softened slightly after seeing his actions.

"Sit, I'll prepare tea."

She turned and disappeared into a cave behind the hall. Li Yan found a seat and casually observed his surroundings. Based on what she said, their lineage had existed since the fall of Qin and survived until the present day.

Now only a single person remained along with an ancient temple and a solitary lamp. There wasn't even an attendant serving the old woman. Apparently, she had no intention of accepting disciples.

That was strange. Weren't lineages supposed to place great importance on maintaining their incense and inheritance?

Of course, Li Yan wasn't concerned about this lineage's future. What truly bothered him was another question. If the lineage had never been severed, who exactly was the Cold Altar Wandering Master?

While he pondered, the old woman returned carrying a tea tray. She boiled water over a small stove, preparing the tea with unhurried movements. Watching her leisurely pace only made Li Yan more anxious, though he felt too embarrassed to interrupt.

She seemed to sense his impatience. Without looking up, she continued roasting three red dates and dropping them into the tea cups. "You're in a hurry?"

Li Yan paused, uncertain how to answer.

The old woman said quietly, "Everyone in this world is cultivating something. Since life is as fleeting as morning dew, people become anxious. They seek fame and profit. They seek the mystic arts and worship immortals. Some worship Buddhas."

"A lifetime passes in haste, but they think they haven't lived in vain. Yet they remain nothing more than dew and illusion, never realizing that the Golden Crow has only just risen and that time itself knows no years."

Li Yan was speechless but eventually choked, "Not being anxious doesn't help. People die eventually. As for immortality, how many actually achieve it?"

The old woman gazed toward the cave entrance with eyes as calm as an ancient well. She eventually spoke. "I thought the same when I was young. Later, I lived here for many years. I watched vegetation wither and bloom. I watched the wind, frost, rain, and snow. Gradually, I came to understand something. It is precisely because mortals live such short lives that they must strive for more, pushing the tide of human civilization endlessly forward.

"But cultivation requires something different. You must lengthen your sense of time. The ancients observed the four seasons and discovered Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang. They observed the stars and established the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. They observed the mysteries of all things and thus Cangjie created writing[1].

"Sometimes, moving slowly is better."

Li Yan praised, "Senior's wisdom is profound!"

He felt the old woman had genuinely reached a new plane of understanding. But perhaps she had simply lived alone for too long and wanted someone to talk to, the old woman didn't seem to care. She continued preparing tea.

Only after the water was ready and the cups were served did she finally ask, "Were you entrusted by Senior Brother Wu to return the Summoning Writ?"

Li Yan wasn't surprised she could smell it and nodded. "That was indeed the intention. But a complication has arisen..."

Since she referred to Wu Laosi as her senior brother and had spoken of personally dealing with her other martial disciple, Li Yan no longer concealed anything. He recounted the entire story from beginning to end.

***

"The Cold Altar Wandering Master?" For the first time, surprise appeared on the old woman's face. Eventually, she frowned and sighed. "Our lineage's incense is nearly exhausted, and I've never intended to take disciples. Where would a Cold Altar Wandering Master come from?"

Then something seemed to occur to her as her pupils contracted. "What did this Wandering Master look like?"

"His entire body was covered in blood. Chains pierced through his flesh..."

After Li Yan described him in detail, the old woman fell silent. When she looked at Li Yan again, her expression had become complicated. "So that's who it was. It seems he still hasn't given up."

Li Yan had no idea what she was talking about, but the old woman offered no explanation. Instead, she sighed and rose to her feet. "Come with me. You'll understand once you've seen it."

She didn’t wait for him as she walked into the rear cave. Filled with confusion, Li Yan followed. Beyond the temple lay an even larger cavern complex. Meditation chambers, training grounds, kitchens, and guest rooms had all been carved from the rock.

Clearly, their lineage had once been sizeable. Now, only a few areas remained in use. The rest were covered in dust.

The old woman lit a torch and continued deeper until the surroundings gradually changed. Natural cave formations appeared. The walls no longer bore signs of human excavation as water dripped from hidden springs.

After another few hundred zhang, a stone door covered in countless stone rings appeared ahead. Dense copper chains threaded through them, sealing it completely. Ancient yellow talismans covered the surface.

Seeing Li Yan's astonishment, the old woman said calmly, "The answer you're seeking lies inside.

"My master ordered that this door never be opened. But if he truly became a Cold Altar Wandering Master, then he has likely already perished."

She stepped forward and one by one, she removed the copper locks and tore away the talismans. When she was done, she unwound layer after layer of chains. Finally, she pressed a hand against the door.

Rumble!

The massive stone door slowly opened.

Holy shit! She’s in the Jin transformation Realm!

Li Yan was shocked, but his attention was immediately drawn to what lay inside. He saw a stone coffin sitting in the center of the chamber, with six stone lamps arranged according to the positions of the six stars of the Milk Dipper formation around it.

Li Yan had seen a similar arrangement before when Wu Laosi entered the underworld, but there was one crucial difference. Above the coffin hung a massive copper pillar! Wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, it resembled a gigantic spike poised to plunge into the coffin at any moment.

Inside the coffin, chains crisscrossed in every direction. A skeleton had been pierced through from every angle, as though to prevent it from ever escaping.

Li Yan felt a chill run through him. "W-what kind of cruel punishment is this?"

No wonder the Wandering Master had appeared covered in chains; it was the very same fate his skeleton had suffered!

"It isn't punishment." The old woman shook her head and sighed. "It's corpse suppression."

Li Yan gasped, "Did the corpse already become a zombie?"

The old woman shook her head again. "I don't know all the details. My master told me that this man's name was Ju Chengshan. He was the most talented disciple of his generation, with an aptitude that rivaled even the greatest talents of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.

"He became a living yin emissary at a young age, and everyone believed he would become the next sect leader. However, he traveled further and further down a certain path until he finally lost his mind.

"He claimed he had discovered a stairway to godhood."

Li Yan frowned. "What path?"

The old woman looked at him meaningfully. "A living yin emissary is merely an agent of the underworld walking among the living. There are things one may do, and things one must never do. However, some people insist on uncovering the truth of the underworld. It's like a summer insect trying to understand ice. The result can only be death.

"He was no different. He became increasingly insane. When his lifespan neared its end, he stole one of our lineage's forbidden arts, a taboo technique inherited from the ancient Daoists. He unleashed the Great Yin Corpse Refinement Art and slaughtered living beings to transform himself into a zombie and prolong his life.

"Our sect suffered countless casualties before finally capturing him. Then, we used secret methods to suppress both his corpse and soul; otherwise, he would have continued wreaking havoc.

"When the backlash from his evil art left him unable to escape, he begged my master to pass on his techniques, only for my master to refuse. In the end, he sealed this place and declared it forbidden ground.

"Our lineage possesses only a single Summoning Writ that Senior Brother Wu inherited. Perhaps he had already tampered with it then. After death, it seems he became a Cold Altar Wandering Master and began searching for a successor."

So that's what happened.

Li Yan rubbed his temples before cupping his hands respectfully. "Since it is an evil art, I naturally have no wish to inherit it. Senior, please show me how to break this connection."

To his surprise, the old woman shook her head. "Break it? It cannot be broken."

1. Cangjie is a legendary figure in Chinese mythology, said to have been an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. He is considered a legendary rather than historical figure, or at least not considered to be the sole inventor of Chinese characters ☜