Blade - Unbound

"What happened?"

Li Yan remained in his state of meditation, guarding his soul. He sensed only that something was slightly amiss.

The white humanoid figure had been unimaginably fast. As he meditated within his sea of consciousness, he merely felt as though Heaven and Earth had suddenly brightened for an instant.

Of course, he had no time to dwell on it. The moment the humanoid figure of light entered the clouds surrounding the second floor of his inner temple, his sea of consciousness began to tremble.

Rumble!

The Yin Sea below erupted into turmoil once more, raising towering waves that crashed into the Heavens above. At the same time, the dense black-and-white clouds surrounding the second floor also changed dramatically. They churned violently, as though countless flashes of sword light were flickering within, spiraling endlessly up and down.

Soon, the clouds parted and the mist dispersed, revealing a somewhat smaller palace that was two storeys tall. It was an unmistakable sign that the second floor of his inner temple had been successfully constructed. Like the first, this second had taken shape from his visualization.

The only thing was, its material was different. This time, it gleamed with a silvery-white metallic luster. But before Li Yan could even react, an incomparably sharp and murderous aura descended upon him. It felt as though the deity he had visualized was being sliced apart by countless blades, the pain almost unbearable.

"Geng Metal Qi?! How can there be Geng Metal Qi?"

Li Yan was utterly shocked, nearly losing control of his consciousness. His sea of consciousness possessed no spiritual qi. Instead, everything had been divided into astral qi and killing qi.

The astral represented the yang while the killing represented the yin. Each was further divided into countless categories. For example, innate astral qi could be classified not only into yin and yang, but also according to the Five Elements, producing innumerable variations.

Astral qi and killing qi gathered, dispersed, and circulated, forming countless geomantic formations. Every Daoist art and cultivation method ultimately originated from them.

The technique he cultivated was the Luofeng Scripture, which used yin and yang qi to form Mount Luofeng and the Luofeng Divine Palace, embodying the verse: Above stands the imperial night light. Below sits the Nine Offices. Yin and yang, life and death, all are nurtured there. Misfortune and destiny pause between them.

By all rights, there should never have been any trace of Geng Metal Qi. Its sudden appearance had completely caught him off guard.

Could it be because of Mount Hua? Is the innate astral qi here naturally imbued with Geng Metal Qi?

Although filled with questions, Li Yan had no opportunity to think. Wave after wave of Geng Metal Qi nearly tore into his deity as he struggled desperately to endure. The Geng Metal Qi seemed inexhaustible, steadily wearing away at him.

Finally, unable to withstand it any longer, he began repairing himself with the Great Luo Dharma Body. If his deity were destroyed, the construction of the inner temple would fail, and he would have to begin cultivating all over again. Not only would that waste an enormous amount of time, he would likely end up bedridden for several months.

Fortunately, with the Great Luo Dharma Body, he had no such concern. The instant the Great Luo Dharma Body restored him, another torrent of Geng Metal Qi descended. Gritting his teeth, Li Yan continued resisting it. Before he realized it, it had once again reached the brink of collapse.

Helpless, he could only restore it again, over and over, again and again.

He had no idea how much time passed.

Crack!

A crisp shattering sound rang out as the Great Luo Dharma Body within his dantian suddenly fractured into countless pieces. Although it immediately restored itself, one of the Soul Flames burning upon its shoulders quietly went out.

Regret instantly welled up within Li Yan. Had he known this would happen, he never would have chosen to cultivate here on Mount Hua. Unfortunately, there was no turning back. All he could do was grit his teeth and continue resisting.

Fortunately, with each restoration performed by the Great Luo Dharma Body, the deity he had visualized gradually became more capable of contending with the Geng Metal Qi.

Eventually, the two fused together, scattering the clouds and dispersing the mist completely. The white figure of light also vanished without a trace.

Only then did Li Yan finally steady his mind and carefully inspect his sea of consciousness. The sight immediately startled him.

His inner temple had changed once again. The upper and lower stories remained constructed from bluestone. However, every supporting pillar throughout the pavilion had transformed into a gleaming silver-metal color.

Li Yan felt utterly bewildered as he mumbled to himself, "What the hell... What exactly happened?"

This entire cultivation session had been inexplicably strange from beginning to end. Fortunately, despite all the unexpected incidents, the second level of his inner temple had been successfully completed.

He spent a while stabilizing his cultivation before finally opening his eyes.

The chamber was completely dark. The lotus lamps around him had nearly burned themselves out. Being consumable spiritual artifacts, they became worthless after a single use.

Naturally, the miraculous phenomenon where divine radiance had illuminated the chamber had long since disappeared. Li Yan had remained in deep meditation throughout and knew nothing of it. Even if he knew, he paid no attention to any of that. Instead, he immediately directed his consciousness into his dantian.

Examining it carefully, he confirmed that one of the Great Luo Dharma Body's Soul Flames had indeed gone out. Not only that, fine cracks had appeared all across it, leaving it significantly damaged.

Li Yan nearly cursed out loud at the discovery. Fortunately, after examining himself carefully, he discovered no other abnormalities.

The deity in his inner temple had clearly grown much stronger, and he could now begin cultivating several techniques recorded in the Northern Emperor Scripture.

"Oh well... Fortune and misfortune always accompany one another. Perhaps this simply helped me avert a greater calamity."

That was the only way Li Yan could console himself. Finally, he stood up and slowly pulled open the stone door.

Wang Daoxuan and Lu San immediately hurried over. "Brother Yan!"

Seeing the unusual expressions on their faces, Li Yan asked in confusion, "What is it?"

Lu San pointed toward the sky with a grin on his face. "You lit nine Divine Lanterns of Mount Hua just now! Your potential must be greater than all the others!"

Li Yan frowned. "Nine?"

Could it have something to do with what happened during my cultivation?

It was now the latter half of the night. The mountain paths of Mount Hua were perilous enough during daylight, let alone during the dark. Although Li Yan's mind was filled with questions, the three of them had no choice but to spend the rest of the night there. Only after daybreak did they return to Wangxian Temple.

The very first thing Li Yan did was seek out Yu Fengzi and recount everything that had happened the previous night. Naturally, this included mentioning the disturbance caused by the Geng Metal Qi.

After listening, Yu Fengzi was delighted rather than surprised. "What tremendous fortune! This has nothing to do with the Divine Lanterns of Mount Hua. Other cultivators practicing within different blessed lands have occasionally attracted Geng Metal Qi as well.

"The Geng Metal Qi of Mount Hua is regarded by our Pure Yang Courtyard as a blessing bestowed by the Great Emperor of the Western Peak. However, in my experience, very few outsiders have ever received such a blessing. I never expected you to encounter it."

Li Yan looked puzzled. "It is considered a blessing?"

"Of course!" Yu Fengzi nodded. "With this Geng Metal Qi, so long as you endure it for three breaths, the deity you have visualized will absorb a trace of it, granting slight benefits when cultivating bladesmanship or swordsmanship. If you endure it even longer, your control over blades becomes even more fluid.

“It's difficult to describe. It feels like someone who has once swum freely in the open sea. Upon entering a small stream afterward, every movement comes naturally. To be honest, I encountered it myself back then and endured for a full two breaths. Fellow Daoist Li, how long did you last?"

Li Yan froze for a moment before he nodded slightly. "Well, I endured three breaths."

"Amazing!" Yu Fengzi smiled in admiration. "Fellow Daoist Li truly possesses extraordinary potential."

That single sentence made Li Yan's heart skip a beat.

So you're not supposed to resist it... You simply let go and absorb it! Last night, I relied on the Great Luo Dharma Body to fight against it, and probably held out for the better part of an hour. Nothing's going to go wrong, right?!

"There's such a wonderful blessing?" Sha Lifei, standing nearby, stared in utter disbelief, his eyes overflowing with envy. "This kind of fortune is enough to make anyone jealous. Little Yan, hurry and give it a try!"

With a metallic clang, he drew the blade from his waist and tossed it over.

The weapon Li Yan had been using recently belonged to Yao San. Since it had already been sent away to be melted down, he naturally wasn't carrying a blade at the moment.

He caught Sha Lifei's blade in one hand and swung it a couple of times. Yet the more he tested it, the deeper his brow furrowed.

"I don't feel anything..."

"Hahaha!" Yu Fengzi laughed and shook his head. "How can it happen so quickly? From now on, simply practice your bladesmanship regularly. Gradually, you'll begin to notice the difference."

"So be it." Li Yan sheathed the blade and stopped dwelling on the matter.

If things truly worked as Yu Fengzi described, then it was indeed a stroke of good fortune. After all, mastering the blade required not only relentless practice, but also refinement through one life-and-death battle after another.

Li Yan's bladesmanship had long since reached a bottleneck. No matter how hard he practiced, he found it difficult to make any further breakthroughs. Even the slightest improvement would be well worth it.

With the construction of his inner temple complete, the group had nothing pressing to do for the time being. They remained at Wangxian Temple, spending their idle hours sightseeing around Mount Hua while waiting for the weapon to be forged.

Li Yan had once thought about watching the forging process, but Yu Fengzi had shut that down instantly. According to him, the senior hated having people watch while he worked. If anyone disturbed him, he would fly into a rage. If the distraction caused the blade to be ruined, Li Yan would be the unlucky one.

Wang Daoxuan, meanwhile, had not been idle. He sought advice from Yu Fengzi and the other Daoists, purchased high-quality ritual red cord, and fashioned the newly purchased coin charms into a Coin Sword.

Before they realized it, several more days had passed until the first lunar month had come to an end.

A muffled clap of thunder rolled across the sky, followed by a steady drizzle. The accumulated snow atop Mount Hua gradually melted away. The rushing water formed sizable mountain torrents, reducing the roads leading off the mountain to a muddy mess.

Li Yan and Sha Lifei specifically went to inspect the situation. Fortunately, they had not purchased very many items. Had they been hauling box after box like everyone else, descending the mountain would probably have become a problem in itself.

At the same time, Li Yan noticed that the atmosphere on the mountain had become somewhat unusual. Yu Fengzi no longer wore his usual smile and the Daoists hurrying back and forth all wore solemn expressions.

As for the Pure Yang Courtyard, incense offerings continued day and night without pause, while the sound of bells echoed continuously, as though they were conducting some grand rite of blessing.

Unable to hold back any longer, Li Yan finally asked about it.

Yu Fengzi did not conceal the truth. Sorrow filled his eyes as he said softly, "The Abbot of our Mount Hua Pure Yang Courtyard has suddenly fallen gravely ill. I'm afraid... he is about to attain feathered ascension."

Hearing this, Li Yan naturally refrained from asking anything further. With the entire mountain immersed in such an atmosphere, everyone else was occupied preparing for the elder's passing. The longer they remained there, the more out of place they felt, like complete outsiders.

Fortunately, the very next day, word finally arrived that his treasured blade had been completed. Yu Fengzi was busy with other matters, so Li Yan went alone. When he arrived at the mountain hollow, it too had been ravaged by the mountain torrents.

Mount Hua consisted almost entirely of exposed bedrock, with very little loose soil. The pond remained crystal clear, though the ground had been carved into muddy channels by the floodwaters.

Don't tell me something went wrong while forging the blade...

Seeing the scene, Li Yan's heart immediately sank.

At that moment, the old man's aged voice rang out from inside the cottage.

"What are you standing there for? Get in here!"

Li Yan hurried inside. The senior was still seated cross-legged upon the earthen kang bed. A dim candle burned nearby, leaving his features hidden in the shadows.

Seeing Li Yan enter, the old man wasted no words. He picked up a long blade lying beside the bed. With a metallic shing, he suddenly drew it from its scabbard.

Li Yan felt only a flash of white before an overwhelming aura of killing intent shot straight toward the space between his brows. He instinctively sniffed the air, his heart filled with astonishment.

That feeling was simply the scent released the instant the blade left its sheath. It was cold, razor-sharp, and saturated with murderous intent.

The spiritual artifact had only just been completed, yet its mere presence and scent already made him feel threatened. There was no doubt about how extraordinary it was.

Looking more closely, he noticed that its appearance had changed considerably. It no longer resembled the Guanshan blade he usually wielded. Instead, it looked much more like a Tang blade.

The center of the blade was golden in color. It was clearly forged from the Shoushan Copper Essence, within which faint dragon-shaped patterns could be seen. The edges, however, gleamed with brilliant silver-white coldness, evidently forged from Yao San's meteoric iron blades.

Somehow, by using some unknown method, the old man had even caused that steel to inherit the aura of the Shoushan Copper Essence.

The old man casually formed a Sword Seal with two fingers and slowly drew them across the blade as the blade immediately began humming. Its vibrations resembled distant thunder.

The old man nodded slightly. "The Shoushan Copper Essence forms the heart, while the hundred-forged steel forms the edge. This blade possesses exceptionally fierce killing intent. It matches the shape of your hand well, and after much consideration, I made a few additional changes."

As he spoke, he flipped his wrist to reveal the hilt. It had been carved from black ebony. The Twelve Earthly Branches coins that Li Yan had purchased at such tremendous expense had each been inlaid directly into the grip. Six coins lined each side, arranged according to the order of the twelve zodiac.

The old man said solemnly, "Since you know Lightning Arts, making these into a mere blade tassel would have been a terrible waste. I simply embedded them directly into the blade instead.

"These Natal Primordial Spirit Coins can store astral qi and killing qi. During your daily cultivation, you may store your Lightning Arts within them. When facing an enemy, you need only form the appropriate hand seal to release them.

"You'll catch your opponent completely off guard and assault their mind. It makes for quite a formidable weapon."

As he spoke, he produced the blade tassel. The Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coins had likewise undergone a complete transformation. Originally, Shopkeeper Wan had braided the tassel together using rhinoceros hide.

The senior had completely dismantled that. Instead, the coins were now linked together by dragon-shaped clasps forged from the Shoushan Copper Essence.

The old man said in a deep voice, "The Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coins were originally forged into Yang Yi's demonic blade during the previous dynasty. Every method employed afterward merely concealed their true brilliance. This is their proper form.

"If you can gather the remaining one hundred and eight coins, they can be forged according to the proper method into a Coin Whip. It will bind demons, suppress evil, and prove unstoppable.

"I've already written down the method for linking them together. When the time comes, simply find any craftsman from the Daoist world, and they'll be able to assemble it accordingly."

Then, giving Li Yan a meaningful look, he asked, "Are you prepared to receive your blade?"

Li Yan froze for a moment before his expression turned serious. Cupping his hands respectfully, he said, "This junior is ready."

The old man nodded. Without another word, he tossed the blade. As it flew, the blade shot point-first directly toward Li Yan's forehead.

His heart skipped a beat and the hairs on the back of his neck stood upright.

Fortunately, the old man clearly had no intention of harming him, and the blade traveled rather slowly. Li Yan sidestepped smoothly and reached out in one fluid motion, catching the hilt. The instant his hand wrapped around it, an overwhelming aura of slaughter surged straight toward his brow.

His vision blurred.

Outside, within the misty drizzle, he suddenly saw an elderly Daoist with white beard and flowing robes charging directly at him, his face filled with murderous intent. Sword intent blazed within the old man's eyes.

The terrifying pressure emptied Li Yan's mind completely. Acting purely on instinct, he swung the blade. At the same time, a change occurred in his sea of consciousness. He felt a surge of Geng Metal Qi erupt from his inner temple. It was cold and sharp, filled with killing intent. In an instant, it fused together with the blade's intent.

Shwing!

It felt as though he had struck something.

Li Yan frowned as he abruptly came back to his senses. He exclaimed, "Who's there?! How dare you sneak an attack?!"

The old man asked calmly. "What happened?"

Li Yan remained on full alert, looking around, only to find the room completely empty. Frowning in confusion, he said, "It seemed as though something attacked me just now."

The old man replied indifferently, "This blade carries exceptionally fierce killing intent. You simply couldn't bear it. Your vision blurred, and you imagined things. Your cultivation is still far from sufficient."

Li Yan admitted it openly. "That's true. This junior has only just begun cultivating."

Looking back down at the treasured blade in his hand, the more he examined it, the more he liked it.

The old man spoke again. "A blade should not remain nameless. Give it a name."

Li Yan nodded slightly and thought for a moment before answering, "This blade contains the Twelve Earthly Branches. How about calling it the Twelve Earthly Branches blade?"

"Nonsense!" The old man shook his head.

"It can contain Lightning Arts... then perhaps I should call it the Ziwu Lightning blade?"

"Vulgar. Far too vulgar!" The old man snorted, clearly displeased.

Li Yan instantly understood. Quickly sheathing the blade, he bowed deeply with cupped hands. "Then I ask Senior to bestow a name upon it."

Only then did the old man nod in satisfaction. "Call it... Earth Breaker."

Earth Breaker?! What kind of name is that...

Li Yan grumbled to himself, but still nodded in agreement. What the blade was called mattered very little to him. As long as it was powerful enough, that was all that counted.

"Go on, then." The old man suddenly looked rather tired and no longer seemed inclined to speak. "Once you walk out that door, don't tell anyone you've ever met me."

"Yes, Senior."

Li Yan understood that the old man's identity was undoubtedly a closely guarded secret. That was a world far beyond his current reach.

Asking nothing further, he cupped his hands in farewell and departed.

The old man remained silent for a long time as he watched Li Yan's figure disappear into the fine rain. Only after some time did he turn his gaze toward the Pure Yang Courtyard.

His eyes were filled with sorrow when he spoke again. "May your journey be peaceful, old friend."