Blade - Unbound

Late at night, the wild forest lay shrouded in complete darkness.

Yet in the remote place far from human habitation, a crude thatched cottage stood in a clearing among the trees. Bright moonlight spilled down as the night wind stirred, setting the wind chime beneath the eaves to tinkling.

The wind chime was fashioned in an unusual style. Its clapper was actually a bronze talisman, and every time it swayed with the wind and struck the bell, it produced a clear, crisp note.

The interior of the cottage was extremely simple. Its four walls were bare, with only a square table and a meditation cushion inside. A dim yellow candle burned on the table. Offerings were laid out in front, while on a tray behind them rested a heart that had already begun to blacken.

An old monk sat cross-legged on the cushion, chanting continuously as he moved the prayer beads through his fingers one by one. When midnight arrived, his eyes suddenly opened. He knelt on the cushion and repeatedly prostrated himself before the heart.

Suddenly, sinister winds rose from every direction. Even the moonlight outside the window seemed to grow brighter. At some unknown point, fierce winds began sweeping through the mountain forest, making the leaves rustle violently. Before long, countless cries echoed from all around. There were wails, sobs, pleas for mercy, and furious roars. They sounded like human speech and yet also like the voices of ghosts, strange and varied beyond measure.

At the same time, ghostly flames drifted through the dense forest. Pairs of blood-red eyes lit up among the dark trees, while the undergrowth swished and shook as though countless wild beasts were racing through it.

Such phenomena would have frightened an ordinary person half to death, yet the old monk paid them no attention. He merely continued prostrating himself before the heart.

As the night broke into the early hours of the morning, the strange noises gradually subsided. The earlier spectacle of demons running wild had all been nothing more than a phantom dream.

Inside the cottage, a trace of delight flashed through the old monk's eyes. He took a scented pouch from his robes and carefully placed the heart inside. Only then did he laugh out loud, lift the wine jars that had served as offerings from the table, and splash their contents everywhere. Finally, he set the cottage ablaze and strode away without looking back.

***

On Money River, the spring rain fell as fine as silk. Raindrops struck the water and spread in tiny ripples, while the green mountains along both banks appeared and disappeared through the mist. Rain pattered against the boat canopy and trickled through the gaps between the woven bamboo strips.

"Damn this weather!" Sha Lifei shuddered and cursed under his breath.

Although the first lunar month had already passed, the biting chill of early spring had yet to fade. When the continuous drizzle came down and inundated their clothes, the damp cold seeped straight into their bodies and left them trembling.

He picked up a wine jar and poured each of them a bowl. "Come on, hurry up and drink some to drive off the cold! We've been traveling for days without a single hot meal. Once we reach Shangjin City, I'm definitely getting a proper night's sleep."

Li Yan drained his bowl, wiped his mouth, and laughed. "Uncle Sha, have you grown weak now that you've got money? You used to travel through wind and rain without complaining once."

Sha Lifei's lips curled upwards. "Back then, poverty left me no choice. I had to be thick-skinned and tough. A person only gets a few short decades in this life. If you can live comfortably, who would willingly suffer?"

Wang Daoxuan beside him laughed helplessly. "Very true."

Sha Lifei sighed and shook his head. "It's not that I'm afraid of hardship. I'm just in a bad mood."

As he spoke, he glanced toward the luggage inside the cabin and lowered his voice. "That stuff got damp. I'm afraid it's all ruined."

He was referring to the gunpowder.

Li Yan shook his head, but said reassuringly, "Don't worry. We'll always find a way to get more. The docks of Yunyang Prefecture are filled with every sort of person from all walks of life. What could possibly be impossible to obtain there?"

As for Lu San, he was crouched in a corner tending to his hawk. From time to time, he reached outside the cabin and scooped up a handful of clear river water, immediately drawing schools of fish beneath the boat.

Just then, the boatman at the bow, dressed in a rain cape and bamboo hat, ducked inside and cupped his fists. "Everyone, we'll reach Shangjin City soon."

He then looked at Lu San, his eyes filled with apology. "Brother Lu, I'm truly sorry I couldn't help you before."

Wang Yong was one of the boat captains of the Canal Gang at Manchuan Pass. Back when Lu San had served as an honored retainer of the Canal Gang, he had helped them several times.

Later, because of Qiao Sanhu, Lu San had become a wanted man. In the end, the Canal Gang had chosen to stand aside, leaving old boatmen like Wang Yong deeply indignant.

Whether it was the Canal Gang or the Raft Sect, both were famous throughout the jianghu, but when all was said and done, most of their members were merely laborers struggling to make a living.

One of the most important reasons they had originally organized was to band together against the authorities and protect themselves from exploitation by corrupt officials.

Everyone at Manchuan Pass knew exactly what kind of man Qiao Sanhu was. Yet at such a critical moment, the Canal Gang had watched one of its own brothers suffer without intervening. It was inevitable that veterans like Wang Yong would feel bitterly disappointed.

Thus, when Li Yan and the others arrived at Manchuan Pass, they did not even need to look for a boat. Wang Yong heard the news and came to them of his own accord, offering to take them to Ezhou.

"It's fine." Lu San was clearly quite familiar with Wang Yong. He forced a smile. "The matter is already over. I'm doing very well now."

"That's good." Wang Yong nodded, then looked at Li Yan. "Young Hero Li, twisting off Xiong Baodong's dog head on the night of the Lantern Festival made your name resound throughout Guanzhong. With Brother Lu following Young Hero Li, he certainly won't suffer any losses!"

A gleeful, schadenfreude-filled expression appeared on his face. "Qiao Sanhu is dead, and everyone is fighting over his estate. Plenty of people have rushed to kick him while he's down.

"Without anyone left to protect those vicious dogs under him, they've either fled or scattered over the past few days. The brothers on the roads are all settling old scores and avenging past grievances. Not a single one of those bastards have managed to escape.

"Hmph. When he was powerful, he never understood the need to leave others a way out. Did he truly think he could rely on the skin of the authorities and live freely forever?"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Li Yan. Rumors in the jianghu claimed that Li Yan had also arranged Qiao Sanhu's death. There was simply no evidence, especially since the timing of the incident had been far too coincidental.

Wang Yong did not harbor any ill intentions. He merely had the habitual urge to hear some gossip.

Li Yan laughed and smoothly changed the subject. "Boat Captain Wang, I heard the Canal Gang and the Raft Sect have been fighting fiercely in Yunyang Prefecture?"

"That's right." Wang Yong did not hide it. Shaking his head, he continued, "Ever since the founding emperor sealed off the mountains and established Yunyang Prefecture, the place has changed with each passing day. It has now become a renowned dock along the waterways of the Divine Continent, connecting six provinces.

"Within Ezhou, it ranks second only to Hankou Crossing, which connects nine provinces. It is also the boundary between the territories of the Canal Gang and the Raft Sect.

"Originally, everyone kept to their own side. The Canal Gang controlled the docks in the northern city, while the Raft Sect controlled those in the south. But at the start of the year, no one knows what madness seized the Raft Sect. They insisted on swallowing our territory whole. Naturally, the brothers in the gang refused, so the conflict has become rather severe.

"Ah, it's nothing more than the east wind overpowering the west, or the south wind overpowering the north. Give it a few years, and everything will still be much the same."

He looked beyond the boat and smiled. "Everyone, we have arrived. Shangjin City borders Manchuan Pass, and likewise lies between Qin and Chu. Once you reach this place, you can consider yourselves inside Ezhou.

"Rest for the night and change into dry clothes. Tomorrow, I'll take you to Yunyang Prefecture."

"You're far too courteous, Brother Wang." Li Yan shook his head slightly and smiled. "We've been traveling continuously for days, so we’re somewhat exhausted. We plan to rest in the old town for another two days before continuing. Brothers of the jianghu all travel back and forth trying to make a living. If we continued troubling you, it would mean we did not understand the rules."

In truth, although they had traveled down from Mount Hua while sleeping outdoors and enduring the elements, without much proper rest along the way, they were not so exhausted that they could not endure another night.

But Li Yan had said so deliberately. No matter how much importance one placed on brotherhood in the jianghu, there were limits. Helping transport someone was one thing. Becoming too deeply entangled with them was another.

Halfway through the journey, Sha Lifei had already learned that the Canal Gang and the Raft Sect were fighting with both sides blinded with rage. If they became too closely associated with the Canal Gang, they might be dragged into the conflict. It was better to avoid such trouble.

Wang Yong might speak boldly and straightforwardly, but when old hands of the jianghu set their minds on scheming and trapping others, each could be more ruthless than the last.

Sure enough, a trace of disappointment flashed through Wang Yong's eyes. Still, he did not insist. After delivering them to the ferry landing, he waved goodbye and turned back toward Manchuan Pass.

Once they were ashore, Li Yan and the others looked up. Ahead stood a small city built from stacked bluestone, its ancient walls mottled and weathered.

"This is Shangjin City?" Li Yan was somewhat surprised. "Wasn't it said to be the gateway to Yunyang Prefecture? It doesn't look very large."

Wang Daoxuan smiled. "I've been here before. Don't be fooled by its size. It has served as a canal transport dock since the Tang dynasty, and has long been a resting place where merchants gathered. Even the four city gates have interesting names: Receiving Qin, Reaching Chu, Connecting Han, and Linking Yun.

"It's simply that the town was burned down several times during uprisings by mountain folk and had to be rebuilt, so it looks somewhat run-down."

"Oh, so that's how it is..." Li Yan immediately understood what Wang Daoxuan meant.

There was also some history to this location. The region lay near the mountainous lands of Jingxiang, and had been a gathering place for displaced people since ancient times. Whenever the realm fell into chaos, refugees would inevitably flood into the area.

For instance, during the turmoil of the Qin dynasty, many people fled here to live in seclusion. The famous line from Tao Yuanming's Peach Blossom Spring: They knew nothing of the Han, let alone the Wei and Jin referred to Wuling County in Yunyang Prefecture.

Later on, there came the War of the Eight Princes during the Western Jin, the wars between the Song and Jin, and the standoff between north and south in the previous dynasty. In short, refugees had continued pouring into the region without end, eventually numbering in the millions.

The vast mountains of Jingchu provided them with plenty of places to settle. However, once hidden deep in the hills, they paid no heed whatsoever to the imperial court's commands. With millions of displaced people concealed throughout the mountains, successive dynasties had all regarded them as a grave concern and repeatedly sent troops into the region to suppress them.

Yet not only had those campaigns failed, they had instead provoked popular uprisings.

After the founding of Great Xuan, the imperial court issued an order sealing the mountains and clearing the land, then established Yunyang Prefecture specifically to handle the displaced population in the surrounding region.

Naturally, their measures had also triggered several major uprisings across Jingxiang.

The most recent had been led by a formidable man who named himself the "Heavenly Saint King" who gathered hundreds of thousands of refugees and attempted to establish an independent state in a mountain somewhere, refusing to submit to imperial law.

The result, naturally, was a brutal campaign of extermination. Yet in his day, the Heavenly Saint King had been one of the foremost figures in the jianghu. Even decades later, remnants of his followers still caused trouble in secret, seeking revenge on his behalf.

In the previous year, displaced people had attacked the county seat of Shangyong. Even though Li Yan and the others had been far away in Xianyang, they had still heard about it.

Wang Daoxuan had brought it up precisely to warn them to remain vigilant.

Understanding his meaning, the group lowered their bamboo hats and headed toward the city gate. However, no matter how low-profile they tried to be, there was no hiding them.

After all, their group was composed of a blade-wielding martial artist, a Daoist, a fierce-looking bald man, and a tiny fellow with a hawk perched on his shoulder. Wherever they went, they naturally became the center of attention.

Sure enough, they were stopped before they even entered the city.

"Halt! Where are you from?"

The guards at the gate looked at them with obvious wariness.

Li Yan had no choice but to produce his Dao Permit. "We came from Chang'an and are traveling to Ezhou to visit friends. Rest assured, we will register at the City God Temple in Yunyang Prefecture."

Although the imperial court had tightened its control over the Daoist sects, the restrictions were not entirely without benefits. His Dao Permit, for instance, served as a pass recognized throughout the realm. Whenever he arrived somewhere new, he only needed to register at the local City God Temple before he could accept various forms of work related to the Daoist community.

That was also one of the imperial court's smarter policies. The Orthodox Taixuan Sect might be vast, but the many members of the Daoist world were still thinly scattered across the Divine Continent.

Whenever evil spirits caused trouble in certain places, people often had to invite practitioners from elsewhere. With a Dao Permit, so long as Daoist cultivators did not mislead the people or use their arts to commit crimes, the imperial court was more than happy for them to travel from place to place, expelling demons, catching ghosts, and suppressing evil.

The city guards had most likely been instructed regarding such matters. Sure enough, the moment they saw the black Dao Permit, alarm flashed through their eyes. They hurriedly lowered their heads.

"Please forgive us, honored sirs. You may enter the city."

"Would you like this humble one to escort you to an inn?"

Li Yan waved him off. "That won't be necessary. Just tell us where one is."

After obtaining directions, he led the group into the city.

Shangjin City was laid out around a single main street and nine alleys. The street running through the town was itself quite narrow, no more than six hundred zhang long and less than twelve chi wide. It was paved with bluestone slabs, with the fine rain flowing through the cracks between them.

Shops lined both sides of the street, while carts, horses, and pedestrians moved constantly along the road. Old brick walls and wooden doors stood beneath corners covered in moss. Though the town was small, it appeared exceptionally prosperous.

Since it was an important center for canal transport, the city also contained many inns. Most were crude establishments catering to laborers and carters, while only one could be considered somewhat respectable.

Of course, even the finest inn here could not compare with those in Chang'an. It was merely a large courtyard residence, with rooms available both upstairs and downstairs.

Li Yan and the others had no intention of staying long, and only rented four adjoining rooms on the second floor. Then, they had the attendants bring hot water, and ordered some wine and food, which they ate without ceremony before preparing to rest.

They had not even stopped at Manchuan Pass. Here, at last, they could enjoy a peaceful night's sleep.

The rain outside had only grown heavier. Li Yan opened the window, taking in the entire small city veiled beneath mist and rain. The sky was already beginning to darken. Dim candlelight glowed across the ancient town while cooking smoke drifted upward. Beneath the building opposite the inn, an elderly man squatted outside a general store, puffing clouds of smoke from a pipe four or five feet long. It was an image of complete peace and tranquility.

Only the carters' inns in the distance disturbed the calm. Boatmen sheltering from the rain drank aged yellow wine, played drinking games, and laughed boisterously, their voices carrying along the entire street.

Li Yan paid them no mind. After changing out of his wet clothes, he sat down on the bed, picked up Earth Breaker, and carefully ran his hands over it as he examined it.

His fingers brushed across the hilt, and he focused his spirit for a moment. The twelve ancient coins embedded there immediately flickered with electricity, crackling sharply.

Li Yan could not help but smile. The old man on Mount Hua had unquestionably been a master swordsmith. The ability was simply too useful. All twelve copper coins now stored Yin Lightning. Li Yan could activate them in battle with just a moment’s focus, allowing the force of the Yin lightning to shake his opponent's soul.

In combat with weapons, victory and defeat were often decided in the narrowest instant. Losing focus in the middle of a fight could be fatal, even if the Yin Lightning itself could not directly injure the opponent's soul. And as Li Yan's cultivation deepened, his understanding of the Lightning Arts would inevitably become stronger.

A metallic ringing echoed in the air as Li Yan drew the treasured blade. Imitating the old man, he formed a seal with his fingers and lightly brushed them along the blade. Of course, he could not produce that extraordinarily subtle and refined force, so he could not make the blade sing like a dragon merely by stroking its edge.

Even so, the blade shone brightly enough to reflect a person's face. There was also a dark yellow dragon, formed through embossing and debossing portions of the copper. The old man had not possessed any of the machinery available in Li Yan's previous life. To create such a design, both practical and exquisite, was nothing short of divine craftsmanship.

But there was also the matter of the blade's altered shape.

Li Yan gripped it and thrust it sharply forward. He could almost treat the blade like a natural extension of his arm. It was no wonder the old man had measured the shape of his bones and hands.

His family's old Guanshan blade had felt familiar through long practice. This blade, however, felt as though he had been born to wield it. Still, now that the blade's form had changed, his blade techniques would have to change with it. That meant another period of arduous training was unavoidable.

He had also reached the cultivation threshold to start practicing several arts recorded in the Northern Emperor Scripture, but practicing them was extremely troublesome and required special materials. Once they reached Yichang and rescued Yan Jiuling's mother, they would find a place to settle down. He would first master those arts, then spend some time refining his blade techniques...

After thinking over his future plans for a while, Li Yan also began to feel deeply fatigued. He briefly entered meditation and focused his spirit, then lay down on the bed and fell into a heavy sleep. Without him noticing, the night gradually deepened, while rain clattered loudly outside the window.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Just before dawn, the urgent beating of gongs shattered the ancient city's tranquility.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!