Blade - Unbound

Bang! Bang!

Lanterns blazed brilliantly amid drifting smoke along the ten li stretch of Zhuque Avenue. Elsewhere, the streets remained packed with revelers, filled with laughter and merriment.

But outside Anren Street, the atmosphere had become deathly tense.

Chang'an was a place where dragons and snakes mingled. Xiong Baodong had started from nothing and clawed his way to where he stood today. How could he possibly be nothing more than a thug who relied on schemes? The countless scars covering his body stirred the memories of those around him.

There had once been a time when the man ruled the night. Again and again, bloody battles had erupted along the long streets, spreading his reputation through every alley and corner of the city.

More frightening still, he had been intelligent. Before dawn, he would always have his men gather up every severed limb and shattered corpse. Even while wounded himself, he insisted on leading them to wash the streets clean with water.

Nearby residents heard the clash of weapons and the screams of dying men during the night many times. Yet when they awoke the following morning, only wet streets remained.

People had long called him the Old Black Bear. When calling others, the nickname was insulting. But when it referred to Xiong Baodong, it was born purely from fear.

The most terrifying thing about bears was their intelligence. Stories claimed they could even imitate the way humans walked, luring travelers closer. They could imitate people knocking on doors, tricking families into opening them.

It wasn't as though no so-called heroes had ever tried to deal with him. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Every failed attempt only made Xiong Baodong's reputation even more fearsome. Had his reputation not been so terrible, he might even have stood a chance of becoming the chairman of the Shanzhou Divine Fist Association.

Shopkeeper Wan panicked. "Don't fight!"

Quickly stepping forward, he grabbed Li Yan by the arm. "Where there's life, there's hope. This old man still has a few old friends..."

Before he could finish, Li Yan gently stopped him, shaking his head. "Senior Wan, I'm leaving Chang'an tomorrow. I won't leave behind a mess for others to clean up."

That was right. From the very beginning, his every move had been deliberate provocation. If Xiong Baodong had instead sent out those unorthodox mystic path cultivators to compete in mystic arts, Li Yan truly hadn’t been confident of victory. After all, he had only recently begun cultivating the Northern Emperor Scripture. The truly formidable techniques were still beyond his grasp.

More importantly, this was no longer about winning a contest of mystic arts. Even if he won them all, it would only leave endless trouble behind. The Fire Bear Gang were nothing but despicable scum. Shopkeeper Wan, the Li Residence, Heidan and his uncle... Any of them might one day suffer because of his actions.

The moment Xiong Baodong had come looking for trouble, Li Yan had already resolved to kill him. He had to eliminate this scourge once and for all!

Li Yan walked into the center of the clearing. Slowly assuming his stance, his expression grew solemn. His phoenix eyes and dragon-like gaze shone with icy brilliance. Gone was the smug confidence he had displayed only moments ago.

"Well now!" Xiong Baodong finally understood. A savage grin appeared on his face as he sneered. "So all that talking was just to force me into fighting you?

"Just as I thought. You’re just another little wolf pup fresh to the jianghu, eager to make a name for himself by biting someone. I've seen plenty like you. A few years back, there were even several so-called prodigies from noble families. After I killed a few of them, the rest all learned their place."

As he spoke, he removed a wooden token hanging around his neck and tucked it inside his clothing. With the smile on his face growing wider, he continued, "Don't think that knowing a little mystic art means you can no longer tell the heavens from the earth.

"The greatest mystic art in this world is money and power!"

The token was carved from thunderstruck wood. Gold wire had been inlaid throughout its surface, which was densely engraved with runes and incantations. It also depicted six divine generals.

The moment Gu Chenzi saw it, his expression changed. "The Six Ding Six Jia Protection Talisman!"

His voice turned cold as he spoke again. "That treasure is bestowed by the imperial court for military generals. Who gave it to you?"

There were all sorts of mystic arts in the world. Even great martial artists could easily fall victim to them if they were careless. Naturally, the imperial court had long established countermeasures. High-ranking civil officials possessed imperial plaques protecting their residences, while Military commanders carried protective talismans.

The Six Ding Six Jia Talisman was one such treasure. Only regional generals were qualified to wear it, and all such treasures were crafted by the Taixuan Orthodox Sect. Gu Chenzi recognized it at a glance.

But Xiong Baodong was nothing more than the leader of a jianghu gang. Where had he obtained such an object?

"Hahaha..." Xiong Baodong laughed coldly. "The imperial court never said these things couldn't be gifted to others. You may look down on me, Daoist, but don't underestimate money and power.

"Money and power are the strongest mystic arts under heaven!"

Listening to the exchange, Li Yan immediately understood. What he had was an extraordinarily powerful protection talisman, one that was incredibly difficult to obtain.

After losing the jade pendant borrowed from the Shang Mountain lineage during the previous incident, Xiong Baodong had apparently paid an enormous price to acquire something even better.

Li Yan had specifically investigated such treasures afterward. Talismans refined from spiritual artifacts, arranged into formations of astral qi and killing qi, surrounded the wearer with divine protection.

It was essentially equivalent to carrying a miniature temple upon one's body. So long as it received offerings every morning and evening, a deity would personally protect the wearer, rendering them immune to evil spirits and malevolent ghosts.

Ordinary techniques to bewitch the holder or spirit possession would be scattered the instant they drew near. Even Wang Daoxuan's Secret Curse of the Seven Arrows would first have to destroy the talisman before the curse could kill its target.

Every one of those treasures was worth an astronomical sum. However, they also possessed a weakness. Their divine protection naturally rejected and interfered with mystic arts. As a result, they were unsuitable for cultivators themselves to wear.

Thinking it over, Li Yan's expression also became serious.

I wonder... Will the Soul-Hooking Chain divine ability work against something like this?

"Hahaha. Are you scared?" Seeing the change in Li Yan's face, Xiong Baodong burst into laughter. The look in his eyes grew increasingly savage.

Like a beast toying with its prey, he suddenly snarled, "Too late!"

With that, he strode forward. The moment he moved, it was like an old bear awakening from hibernation. His first two steps were slow, but the next two were explosively fast. Without assuming any formal stance, he simply stormed straight toward Li Yan.

Li Yan immediately shifted his footing. His expression remained grave as he quickly circled away. Baji Fist, also known as the Open-Gate Baji Fist, shared certain similarities with Pigua Palm.

Its core lay in six methods of opening the opponent's guard: pressing, embracing, single opening, lifting, hooking, and entangling. First the gate was opened, then came the killing blow.

Xiong Baodong's Baji Fist had been forged through countless life-and-death battles. Now, having entered the Jin Transformation Realm, combined with his astonishing physique, it was nearly flawless.

If Li Yan attacked directly with his Pigua Palm, not only would he likely fail to break Xiong Baodong's guard, his strike would instead be countered with a single elbow capable of smashing his skull apart.

Fortunately, Xiong Baodong's massive frame also meant his footwork lacked agility. He attempted to close the gap several times, but each time, Li Yan swiftly circled away.

Some of the more boisterous spectators immediately began jeering.

"Boooo!"

They had expected an exciting clash. Instead, Li Yan, who had spoken so boldly moments earlier, simply kept circling around.

To them, it was disappointingly dull.

Only genuine martial artists wore grave expressions. They understood the situation well. Life and death would be decided the instant the two men finally made contact. And the one most likely to die was Li Yan.

Nearby, Gu Chenzi's expression shifted repeatedly. His hand rose, then slowly fell again. He simply didn't know what he should do. Before leaving, Luo Mingzi had specifically asked him to look after Li Yan. Moreover, after fighting side by side with the young man, Gu Chenzi had truly developed some friendship for him. How could he bear to watch his blood stain the streets of Chang'an?

Yet the situation had reached this impasse. Not only did Xiong Baodong possess the protection of the Six Ding Six Jia Talisman, even if Gu Chenzi's mystical arts could break through it, interfering with the ritual itself would be a grave offense.

Should anything go wrong and should the Drought Wraith escape, his master and fellow disciples, currently suppressing it within the City God Temple, would all face mortal danger.

Thinking it through, Gu Chenzi let out a long sigh. Slowly lowering his hand, he inwardly complained that Li Yan had been far too reckless.

Elsewhere among the crowd, Yuan Ba also cursed softly. "Master, that kid seemed pretty clever. So why does he keep doing such stupid things?"

His master merely glanced sideways at him. "Perhaps he has something to rely on.

"Remember this. When traveling the jianghu, the greatest taboo is relying too much on your hidden trump cards."

While everyone continued discussing the situation, the battle suddenly changed.

Seeing Li Yan constantly retreating, Xiong Baodong's patience finally wore thin. He snapped, "So now you know fear? Where else do you think you can run?"

He bent his knees slightly, relaxed his hips, and shifted his waist. His elbows coordinated perfectly with his knees. His feet skimmed the ground without ever leaving it.

In a single explosive burst, he forced Li Yan into a corner. To the spectators, it looked as though a ferocious beast had suddenly leapt from hiding. The overwhelming pressure instinctively drove them backward.

However, there were still people behind them. Pushing and stumbling into one another, entire rows of spectators fell to the ground.

In the end, many people ended up sprawled across the street. But surprisingly, no one laughed. The tension within the battlefield had reached its absolute peak.

The instant Xiong Baodong lunged forward, a brilliant light flashed through Li Yan's eyes. He stopped retreating, and instead suddenly stepped in. His palm descended like muffled thunder, aiming for Xiong Baodong's chest and abdomen.

At the same time, his left hand rose slightly.

Clatter...

The sound of chains echoed beside his ears. The Soul-Hooking Chain had already shot forth from the center of his left palm.

Naturally, everything happened in an instant. The Soul-Hooking Chain was invisible and formless. Even the cultivators present who possessed hearing or sight related divine abilities would have struggled to notice it amid the split-second exchange between two martial artists.

Xiong Baodong roared, "Excellent!"

He stepped forward with a crushing step. In an instant, his hips trembled and his waist twisted as his entire body snapped forward like a released bow. His enormous fist exploded outward with the force of a thunderclap.

During Li Yan's earlier fights, he had already recognized that despite his young age, Li Yan had reached the peak of the Dark Jin Realm. His talent was indeed remarkable.

However, Xiong Baodong had never feared even famous masters of the Jin Transformation Realm. How could he possibly fear a little brat whose hair hadn't even fully grown?!

He intended to overwhelm Li Yan with sheer force, killing him outright to establish his authority.

Yet halfway through throwing his punch, Xiong Baodong's expression suddenly changed as he felt something abruptly burrow into his body. Although it had been momentarily blocked by the Six Ding Six Jia Protection Talisman, his mind went blank.

It was as though he had fallen into an icy abyss. The sounds around him faded into the distance, and darkness swallowed his vision.

It worked!

Li Yan silently rejoiced. The Six Ding Six Jia Protection Talisman truly possessed formidable defensive power, but the Soul-Hooking Chain was clearly of an even higher grade. Though it had been delayed for an instant, it still pierced into Xiong Baodong's body.

The divine chain hooked his soul, and Xiong Baodong's body instantly grew rigid.

Li Yan naturally did not miss the opportunity. Effortlessly avoiding Xiong Baodong's punch, he unleashed hidden force and drove three heavy punches into Xiong Baodong's chest and abdomen in rapid succession.

The three strikes descended from high to low, each infused with hidden force and faster than the last, targeting the three vital acupoints of Shanzhong, Jiuwei, and Juque.

The Shanzhong acupoint lay midway between the nipples, where qi converged in the chest. A blow there caused one's internal qi to scatter, inducing palpitations, confusion, and mental disorientation.

The Jiuwei acupoint lay seven cun above the navel. A strike there violently shook the liver, gallbladder, and other internal organs, affecting the heart as well and causing the circulation of blood and qi to stagnate.

The Juque acupoint lay six cun above the navel. Striking it likewise sent violent shockwaves through the liver and gallbladder.

They were all deadly acupoints located along the body's central line. No matter what martial art one practiced, these regions had to be protected.

However, when one's guard was completely open, they were utterly exposed.

Although the Soul-Hooking Chain had suppressed Xiong Baodong's soul, the Six Ding Six Jia Protection Talisman prevented Li Yan from actually pulling it from his body. Still, it had severed the connection between Xiong Baodong's soul and his flesh.

Even a master of the Jin Transformation Realm still possessed a mortal body. All those vital points were still dangerous places that had to be protected. As Li Yan's hidden force struck them, Xiong Baodong suffered catastrophic internal injuries.

Everyone else, however, only heard three dull impacts.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Xiong Baodong's massive body bent forward as blood sprayed from his lips. The violent pain snapped his soul back into place.

His eyes filled with terror. With a furious roar, he raised both arms, attempting to seize Li Yan in a crushing embrace and strangle him to death.

Unfortunately for him, Li Yan's Soul-Hooking Chain lashed out again. As Xiong Baodong's body stiffened once more, Li Yan raised both hands and drove a reverse palm strike directly into the center of his navel.

The strike landed upon the Shenque death point. A blow there shocked the intercostal nerves, temporarily robbing the body of all function.

After suffering another devastating strike, Xiong Baodong instantly lost his balance. His enormous body lurched unsteadily as it began to topple.

Li Yan immediately changed techniques. Abandoning the Pigua Palm, he shifted into the grappling methods of Red Fist. Turning sideways and lowering his body in one fluid motion, he wrapped both arms around the back of Xiong Baodong's right knee.

His hands interlocked before hidden force burst forth. It was the Red Fist's Sword-Carrying Leg!

With a thunderous crash, Xiong Baodong's enormous body slammed heavily onto the ground. Blood poured continuously from his mouth.

Qiao Sanhu's face changed drastically as he shouted in alarm, "Stop!"

However, Li Yan had already resolved to kill. How could he possibly stop now?

He strode forward. Driving his right foot into the ground, he concentrated every ounce of hidden force in his body into a single kick that landed viciously on Xiong Baodong's temple.

Crack!

Xiong Baodong's head snapped violently to one side. Half of it caved in into a mangled mass of flesh and bone as blood sprayed everywhere. He died instantly.

"Hahaha!" Li Yan's face was splattered with blood, yet his heart felt incomparably exhilarated. Stepping forward, he grabbed Xiong Baodong's severed head by the hair, lifted it high into the air, and shouted, "On this Lantern Festival, Li Yan of the Guanzhong Plains has rid Chang'an of this scourge!"

Bathed in blazing firelight, his face covered in blood, he resembled a demonic god.

Many of the surrounding spectators were completely stunned.

What... had just happened?

Xiong Baodong was dead?

"Hahaha!"

At that moment, a frenzied laugh rang out. A beggar pushed his way through the crowd. His clothes were tattered; his hair was filthy and matted; both legs were crippled; and the stench of his body was overwhelming.

Limping toward Xiong Baodong's corpse, he howled in his hoarse voice, "You villain... so this day has finally come!"

He threw himself onto the corpse and bit into it savagely.

"Where did this lunatic come from?"

"Wait... I think I've seen him before. Isn't that Lu Kang's son? Lu Kang used to be the Left Minister. I heard the Fire Bear Gang framed him, seized the family's fortune, beat him half to death, and left him to wander the streets..."

"He deserved it!"

"That bastard is finally dead!"

Many of the surrounding townsfolk had suffered under the Fire Bear Gang's oppression. Now that Xiong Baodong was dead, finally, the root of their fear faded away. They cheered as loudly as they wanted

"Chief!"

"Kill him!"

Chaos erupted among the Fire Bear Gang. Many of its members had been personally promoted by Xiong Baodong. Their eyes immediately turned bloodshot. No longer caring how terrifying Li Yan's martial skill was, they drew their blades and prepared to charge.

Realizing the situation was turning dangerous, Sha Lifei immediately yelled, "Xiong Baodong's dead! The Fire Bear Gang's warehouses are packed with silver, go loot them!"

The chaotic crowd abruptly froze. The Fire Bear Gang had depended entirely upon Xiong Baodong. Now that he was dead, wouldn't the gang collapse into chaos immediately?

Many jianghu wanderers immediately exchanged meaningful glances before quietly leaving. Even a large number of the Fire Bear Gang's own members fled on the spot.

Qiao Sanhu bellowed, "Hold the line! Keep carrying the Divine Tower!"

His alliance with Xiong Baodong had always been one of mutual convenience. Now that matters had reached this point, he might as well keep the remaining ritual banners and continue striving for Mount Hua Wine Unsealing ceremony.

With Xiong Baodong gone, the benefits would all belong to him alone. He himself possessed considerable prestige within the Fire Bear Gang. Now that the group had lost its leader, a few decisive commands were enough to stabilize the situation.

Just then, Li Yan's nose twitched and his brows furrowed.

The smell of gunpowder!

The instant he turned his head, he saw a cloaked figure dressed in black within the crowd pulling something from his waist. It was Fire Ghost's unique bone-club firearm.

A deafening explosion suddenly rang out. Qiao Sanhu, who had been shouting commands only a moment earlier, suddenly froze. His head exploded like a watermelon as his body collapsed onto the ground.

"Murder!"

"A firearm!"

"Someone's using a firearm!"

The crowd instantly descended into utter chaos, and the Fire Bear Gang's ranks fell into complete disarray. Even their Divine Tower crashed to the ground.

Seeing what happened, Gu Chenzi roared, "Everyone, get back!"

He shot forward in a single leap, tore the remaining ritual banners from the Divine Tower, and stuffed the entire bundle into the hands of the utterly dumbfounded Shopkeeper Wan.

"You've won! Hurry, finish the ritual!"

In the distance, the troops of the Military Surveillance Department who had heard the gunshot forced their way through the crowd and rushed toward the scene. Amid the confusion, the black-robed figure who had fired the weapon turned around and disappeared into the sea of people.

Li Yan was briefly taken aback. Then, a smile spread across his face.

He had caught a familiar scent.

Lu San!

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