Blade - Unbound

On the bed, Li Yan's eyes suddenly snapped open.

He rolled upright, grabbed Earth Breaker, and went to the window. Opening it a crack, he peered outside.

He was no stranger to the sound of that gong. Every prefectural and county city in the Great Xuan Dynasty employed night watchmen who walked the streets after dark. Besides announcing the hours, they also patrolled and raised alarms. If a fire broke out in the middle of the night or thieves and bandits struck, they would beat their gongs to warn the city.

There was no fire in the city, so some sort of crime had probably occurred. Sure enough, Li Yan saw firelight appear in the distance before long. Torches swayed and voices rose in a clamor through the hazy drizzle.

Whether merchant or wanderer of the jianghu, anyone who traveled the roads had to remain somewhat vigilant. Thus, many people inside the inn were also awakened.

Soon, someone knocked on his door. Li Yan opened it and found Sha Lifei standing outside, still bleary-eyed.

He asked, "Everything all right over here?"

Li Yan replied, "Yes. What happened?"

Sha Lifei yawned. "I heard there was a murder in the city. Sounds like it caused quite a disturbance."

"Oh." Li Yan nodded calmly. "Tell everyone not to meddle. It has nothing to do with us."

It was not that he was coldhearted. Such things were simply too common. This was not some remote village where a single murder would be considered an enormous event.

Ports had been full of trouble since ancient times. Besides conflicts within the jianghu, plenty of people were often killed over disputes involving money. Such matters were for the authorities to handle.

As both martial wanderers and Daoists, they would inevitably draw suspicion if they rashly involved themselves. It was best to stay far away.

Sha Lifei was an old hand of the jianghu and naturally knew what to do. After saying a few words to Lu San and Wang Daoxuan, who had also awakened, he returned to his room and paid the matter no further attention.

They were all tired after days of travel, and with the continuous drizzle making travel inconvenient, they simply settled in and rested properly.

All of them slept until late in the morning. When they woke, they were naturally full of energy, but their empty stomachs soon became painfully noticeable.

Sha Lifei immediately summoned an attendant. "Ask around. Is there any good breakfast nearby?"

The attendant beamed, speaking with great enthusiasm. "Of course. Our local specialty is Yunyang Three-Combination Soup.

"As the saying goes, once you miss a bowl of Yunyang Three-Combination Soup, you'll crave it all day. Judging by your accents, you gentlemen must be from Shanzhou. It would be a real shame to come all this way and not try it.

"There's an old shop in the eastern part of town. Their Three-Combination Soup is the most famous in the city. There's usually a queue, but since you gentlemen woke late, there probably won't be many people left."

Sha Lifei laughed. "You're quite the salesman. After hearing you praise it like that, we definitely have to try some."

Li Yan, who had always enjoyed good food, naturally had no objections.

The group left the inn and walked along the damp street. Before long, they arrived at the shop the attendant had mentioned. It faced the main street and was built with old grey bricks, weathered roof tiles, and carved wooden doors. Even the door panels were coated in a thick patina, clearly showing their age.

Before they even entered, a fragrant aroma rushed toward them. Li Yan nodded in satisfaction. Though it was only a small local eatery, it was at least quite clean.

There was a saying in the Daoist world that most people with supernatural senses of smell were obsessed with cleanliness. Li Yan was no exception. Ordinary people might overlook filth hidden in corners, but nothing could escape his keen nose. If something was foul, moldy, or rotten, he found it almost impossible to endure. No matter how delicious the food might be, he would turn around and leave.

This shop, however, was exceptionally clean.

But Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly. He looked into a recess at the base of the wall opposite, and noticed traces of incense ash beneath it. He immediately tugged at Li Yan's sleeve and gave him a meaningful look.

Li Yan glanced over and instantly understood. The shop was most likely maintaining some form of spiritual offering.

Within the Daoist world, whether one worshipped immortal spirits, raised Gu insects, or kept minor ghosts, a clean environment was essential to keep stray and impure qi from interfering. Otherwise, over time, whatever was being nurtured would also be affected.

Raising Gu insects or keeping ghosts was not particularly rare. Many Daoist lineages knew such methods, but the imperial court strictly forbade civilians from raising or releasing Gu insects. Daoist practitioners were likewise forbidden from teaching such arts to ordinary people.

Naturally, there were historical reasons for this. The shop openly conducted business in an important canal town, where many people of the jianghu came and went, including Daoists. If it practiced such things so openly, there was no way it could deceive an expert.

That left only one possibility. The household worshipped a family guardian spirit.

The custom of venerating family guardians existed in both the north and south. Such beings were essentially protectors of the household. They were not ghosts, but rather a small formation of divine influence. Of course, nurturing one until it developed spirituality was no easy matter.

A true method of venerating a family guardian required the household to observe strict rules.

Both Buddhism and Daoism had such practices. For instance, before cultivating certain special arts, members of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect first had to observe precepts, such as the Dongshen Precepts, the Three-Altar Great Precepts, the Precept Against Killing, and the Zhongji Precepts.

There were many varieties. The stricter the discipline, the stronger the resulting art.

In Buddhism, the representative tradition was the Vinaya School, which placed enormous importance on the transmission of precepts.

For family guardians, these precepts took the form of household rules and family traditions. If a family's conduct was corrupt and its members lacked kindness, then evil thoughts would fester even while outwardly observing the rules. In such a case, the thing nurtured through worship might instead harm them.

Since the family guardian had already reached such a scale, the shop's owners were probably exceptionally honest in their dealings. Someone from the Daoist world had almost certainly guided them.

Sure enough, there was a small shrine in the rear residence. Candlelight flickered faintly while delicate incense smoke curled through the air. On the spirit tablet were written the words: Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers.

The tablet had darkened after years of exposure to incense smoke, showing its great age, but it remained extremely clean, proof that it was wiped regularly. An elderly woman stood before the altar with her palms pressed together in prayer.

The moment Li Yan and the others entered, the tip of the incense suddenly flickered and burned fiercely. In the blink of an eye, it shortened by three inches.

The old woman's expression changed. She quickly rose and hurried into the front hall. When she saw Li Yan and the others, her eyes filled with vigilance.

She carefully cupped her fists and asked, "What brings you guests here?"

As Li Yan's cultivation had improved, his divine ability had also grown stronger. From the changes in the scents alone, nothing happening inside the shop could escape him.

Knowing that the family guardian had issued a warning, he smiled and shook his head. "Do not be afraid, shopkeeper. We are merely passing through. We heard this place was skilled at making Three-Combination Soup, so we came to try it."

"It is only thanks to the support of our neighbors..." The old woman replied politely, though the wariness in her eyes did not fade. She hurried into the kitchen and personally began working alongside two assistants.

Before long, steaming bowls of Three-Combination Soup were brought out.

Li Yan took one look and saw vermicelli, beef dumplings, and slices of braised beef inside, all generously covered with chopped scallions and dried chilies. The sight alone was enough to stir the appetite.

"Excellent!"

After drinking several mouthfuls, he found the broth rich and delicious. Medicinal herbs had also been added to dispel the cold and refresh the spirit, and he immediately praised it without restraint.

The grand cuisines of north and south might be more refined, but local foods like this carried a stronger flavor of ordinary life.

Seeing that the old woman was still somewhat afraid, Li Yan sighed helplessly and decided to speak plainly. "Rest assured. We follow the orthodox path and mean no harm. Someone from the mystic path must have taught you this method, correct?"

He had already seen that the old woman was only an ordinary person. The family guardian was maintained entirely through strict observance of its taboos.

Perhaps because his manner was gentle and Wang Daoxuan looked like a proper Daoist, the old woman finally relaxed slightly and nodded. "A passing immortal master from Yunyang Prefecture taught it to us.

"At the time, my father still ran this shop. Since he conducted business honestly, the shop gained some reputation. Someone grew jealous and released Gu insects in an attempt to seize it from us. Fortunately, that immortal master discovered the plot and saved us. He passed down this method so that this old woman and her orphaned child would have some means of protection."

Li Yan smiled faintly and said no more. Truthfully, it was difficult to judge whether such an act had been wise. Passing a genuine spiritual method to ordinary people was risky. If they ever violated the taboos, for instance, if later generations committed crimes or harbored corrupt intentions, trouble would most likely follow.

At best, the fengshui of the family residence would deteriorate. At worst, someone could lose their life. Wang Daoxuan had dealt with such cases before. Even so, it was rare for this old woman to have nurtured her family guardian to such potency. After all, nothing was more fickle than the human heart.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside. A squad of soldiers ran through the rain carrying long spears. Splitting into groups of two or three, they went from house to house conducting searches.

"Have you seen any strangers recently?"

"Where were you last night?"

Their shouted questions were accompanied by the crash of breaking pottery and voices pleading for mercy.

Seeing them, the old woman hesitated before hurriedly lowering her voice. "Last night, Landlord Hu, the wealthiest man in Shangjin City, and his entire family were massacred. All the valuables in the house were also stolen. I'm afraid this matter is–"

Before she could finish, three soldiers entered the shop.

Shangjin City was an important canal transport town, and had also been granted county-level status. Besides the county office, it housed a small military garrison of roughly three hundred soldiers.

The squad leader at the front clearly knew the shop owner. He nodded slightly in greeting. "Madam Wu, don't be afraid."

He then turned toward Li Yan and the others, his eyes filled with vigilance as he barked, "Who are you?"

Before he could finish, one of the soldiers beside him hurried forward and whispered into his ear. It was the same soldier who had encountered Li Yan at the city gate the day before.

Upon hearing that they were Daoists, the squad leader's pupils immediately contracted. Even so, he gritted his teeth and asked, "Gentlemen, where were you last night?"

Li Yan found no reason to hide. He replied casually, "We were resting at the inn. The manager of Xiangfu Inn can confirm it."

The squad leader fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Something has happened in the city. It would be best if you gentlemen did not leave without permission for the next two days."

With that, he turned and led his men away.

Watching him go, Sha Lifei was rather speechless. "It was only a murder. What does it have to do with us?"

"Please don't take offense, honored guests," Madam Wu suddenly said, "That Landlord Hu was no ordinary man. He was not just the richest man in Shangjin City, but also had connections with officials in Yunyang Prefecture. With a case this serious, everyone from the county office to the garrison is probably in trouble. You gentlemen would be better off not provoking them."

Li Yan replied, "Thank you."

He and Sha Lifei exchanged a glance. Both understood what she meant.

After returning to the inn, Sha Lifei immediately cursed, "From what the manager here said, neither the officer nor the garrison here is trustworthy. They might be desperate to close the case and grab someone as a scapegoat. What if they come after us?"

Their vigilance was understandable. Such things had happened far too often. People of the jianghu moved between the lawful and unlawful worlds. Some upheld justice and intervened when they saw wrongdoing, but there were even more swindlers, thieves, killers, and robbers among them.

In operas, the common people praised heroic outlaws of the greenwood, but in reality, they had always kept their distance from members of the jianghu. The authorities were no different. When faced with a major case they lacked the ability to solve, they sometimes arrested wandering martial artists in desperation simply to make up the numbers.

Before Sha Lifei could finish speaking, Li Yan raised a hand, signaling that someone was approaching and that he should say no more.

Knock, knock, knock!

Sure enough, someone soon knocked on the door.

Sha Lifei stepped forward and pulled it open. Outside stood an official dressed in blue robes and a black cap, with two constables behind him.

At the sight of them, Sha Lifei immediately felt a headache coming on. His expression darkened. "What happened last night had nothing to do with us. You've got the wrong people!"

"Please don't misunderstand." The thin, goateed blue-robed official cupped his fists slightly as he said, "I am Guo Luqing, the county officer of this town. I heard that you gentlemen are orthodox Daoists from Shanzhou, so I came specifically to pay my respects.

"You must have heard something about last night's case. There are several suspicious aspects to it, and I would like to ask for your help in determining whether someone used evil arts to harm the victims."

Li Yan frowned. "Doesn't this town have temples?"

While Shangjin City was not large and did not have a City God Temple, it did have a Land God Temple and a Buddhist monastery, both visible through the window.

Officer Guo looked somewhat helpless as he sighed. "They have already examined the scene, but their abilities are limited, and they found nothing. Please help us take a look. If you truly discover something, the imperial court will certainly reward you generously!"

If they were merely being asked to examine the scene, there was no real harm in it. Since the local officer had personally come to request their assistance, Li Yan and the others could hardly refuse. They followed him to a large residence in the eastern part of the city.

The entire alley had been sealed off. Curious townspeople were held back outside, craning their necks and whispering among themselves.

"Move aside! All of you, move!"

After several shouts from the soldiers, the crowd dispersed.

"Gentlemen, please enter." Officer Guo raised a hand and invited Li Yan and the others inside.

The townspeople behind them continued whispering.

"Look, another one has come."

"They look unfamiliar. Outsiders, perhaps?"

"Even Master Kuxin couldn't do anything. What could they possibly find?"

Li Yan and the others paid them no attention as Officer Guo guided them into the large residence. The moment they stepped inside, their expressions grew solemn.

Bloodstains covered the courtyard. Washed by the fine rain, crimson water flowed in every direction. Inside the main hall of the front courtyard, more than twenty bodies had been arranged neatly in rows, all covered with white cloth. Some were large, but others were small. Judging from the outline, the smallest was merely an infant still wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Damn it, whoever did this was vicious!" Sha Lifei cursed. "Even those who kill for wealth in the jianghu follow certain rules. Anyone who casually exterminates entire families is treated with suspicion wherever they go. To spare not even an infant... it must have been some roaming brigand!

"This was definitely not done by an outsider."

Officer Guo shook his head slightly and looked at them with a grave expression. "Every one of them was killed by Landlord Hu himself. The night watchman was the one to notice something wrong and raised the alarm. We have already examined the scene.

“Landlord Hu murdered his entire family, then slit his own throat in the courtyard. Only afterward did someone sneak into the residence and loot all the gold, silver, and valuables. That is why we suspect someone used mystic arts to control or harm him."

Li Yan and the others exchanged glances. If it was put that way, there were indeed many suspicious points.

Li Yan's nose twitched and carefully started distinguishing between the scents throughout the residence. Aside from the smell of blood, the odors here were exceptionally mixed. It had also rained the previous day, so even if the thief had left a scent behind, it had already dispersed.

More importantly, Li Yan detected nothing unusual. He turned toward Wang Daoxuan and shook his head slightly.

Wang Daoxuan immediately understood. Stepping forward, he uncovered several of the bodies, took out talismans from his robes, formed hand seals over each corpse to collect traces of qi, then drew out a separate talisman and tapped it against Landlord Hu's forehead.

He then burned all the talismans, mixed the ashes into water, stirred it, dipped a finger into the mixture, and tasted it. Shaking his head, he said, "There are indeed no traces of the mystic arts."

Officer Guo's brows furrowed deeply. "I see."

Disappointment flashed through his eyes. One glance was enough for Li Yan and the others to understand what he had been hoping for. If the mystic arts had caused the deaths, much of the responsibility could be shifted away from them.

After all, when matters involved the Daoist world, the failure of authorities to detect them could be dismissed as a lack of ability. But if ordinary bandits of the jianghu had infiltrated the town and committed the crime, there would be no avoiding the blame.

Sha Lifei chuckled and shook his head. "Official Guo, my apologies. We are only traveling Daoists. Investigating crimes truly isn't our specialty."

Clearly, he was signaling that they intended to leave. Li Yan naturally knew nothing about solving criminal cases either. Though he despised the murderer's cruelty, the rain had washed away the scents, leaving him with no way to help. He offered his farewells and turned to go.

But at that moment, the Summoning Writ inside his robes suddenly grew hot and dense fog began rising around him.

Li Yan froze.

Is this... a new assignment?

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