Blade - Unbound

But how could a murder case trigger a response from the Summoning Writ? There was only one possibility: An escaped Underworld sinner had left behind some traces!

Curious, Li Yan quickly walked forward. Before long, the dense fog around him rapidly dispersed. As before, a well suddenly appeared ahead.

However, the moment Li Yan saw it, he froze. This well was made from an entirely different material than the ones he had seen before. The previous wells had been made from a material that resembled ancient, weathered bluestone. This one, however, looked as though it had been carved from obsidian. Its surface was covered in oracle-bone script and blood-red talismans.

The words written on them were so ancient that he could not understand them at all.

What is this?

Li Yan stepped forward and peered inside. A chill immediately surged through him. Within the black well was a pool of dark, filthy blood. It bubbled and shifted sluggishly, as though something were swimming beneath the surface. The sight was truly horrifying.

Why is it a black well filled with blood?

A sense of unease arose in Li Yan's heart; he could easily tell how inauspicious the damn thing looked. For the Underworld to use such an object to display and issue a mission, the target was surely no easy existence to deal with!

Feeling apprehensive, he placed both hands on the rim of the well.

Gurgle...

Sure enough, the thick blood inside began to churn. It quickly formed a vortex, and an image appeared at its center.

An enormous stone block, perfectly square on all four sides, rose from within black mist. It was clearly made from some kind of sandstone, and its surface was covered in dense, irregular indentations, all filled with cinnabar to form talismanic patterns of various sizes.

They closely resembled the markings on the well's rim.

What is this thing?

The more Li Yan looked, the more confused he became. Just as he was wondering, the sandstone suddenly turned transparent, revealing what lay inside.

A bronze coffin was sealed within it!

The ancient and heavy coffin was likewise covered in carved talismans, its surface mottled with verdigris. Soon, the bronze coffin lid also became transparent.

The moment Li Yan saw what was inside, his pupils contracted. A young woman lay within the coffin. She appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as white as snow. She wore an emerald-green bandeau dress of a style completely unfamiliar in Great Xuan. An egret-shaped crown rested on her head. Her features were breathtakingly beautiful, making her look like an immortal maiden. The only unusual feature was her pair of long purple eyebrows.

A young woman with long purple longevity brows. It was an awkward and deeply strange sight. Not only that, sharp bronze spikes had been hammered through her forehead, limbs, and five internal organs, yet not a single drop of blood seeped out.

What is this?

Li Yan was puzzled. Who would subject someone to such a cruel punishment? And what did any of this have to do with his mission?

He examined the scene carefully and soon noticed something strange. The bronze spike embedded in the woman's heart protruded noticeably farther than the others. It was loose and swayed from side to side on its own. A stream of red mist surged from the wound and vanished into the darkness.

The next second, a scroll appeared before his eyes, densely covered in writing. When Li Yan saw it, his eyes widened. The words on it shocked him even more than anything he had witnessed before.

He had long since discovered that none of these divine beings could be communicated with. Whether it was the former Mountain God of the mass grave, the Tiger Daoist beneath the Zhongnan Mountains, or even the Underworld itself, all remained silent, using strange visions to convey their hints.

Li Yan did not know why. Perhaps there was some unknown taboo separating gods and mortals. Even after serving as a living yin emissary for so long, this was the first time he had seen explicit information from the Underworld.

He focused on the scroll and read: This demon was originally a spirit-entity from the Shang dynasty. After escaping during the War of Investiture, it seized the body of a Qin Lady and cultivated demonic-body sorcery, disrupting yin and yang and bringing disaster upon the mortal world.

It was suppressed within the Mingchen Naifan Wucheng Heavenly Palace. It left behind the 'Demonic Body Immortality Art' within the Immortal Longevity Treasury, using promised benefits to deceive fools into offering worship, thereby allowing a wisp of its demonic qi to escape...

The more Li Yan read, the more alarmed he became. So this was connected to the Immortal Longevity Treasury. After they had captured the escaped criminal on Mount Taibai, Yu Linzi had revealed a secret to him.

There was a clandestine group of fangshi that had long excavated ancient battlefields from the War of Investiture. They had been active since the Zhou dynasty and eventually uncovered numerous secret arts. During the Qin and Han dynasties, those arts were compiled into a collection known as the Immortal Longevity Treasury.

The Fangxian Dao tradition had flourished during the Qin and Han dynasties. Though it was later eradicated, the Immortal Longevity Treasury continued spreading in secret, leaving endless calamities behind.

The treasury contained seventy-two immortality arts. Every one of them employed cruel and sinister methods and required blood sacrifices to seventy two demon lords.

The old Daoist Li Yan had captured on Mount Taibai had cultivated the Altar God Longevity Art and worshipped Demon God Gong Yeqiu, who was also rumored to have been a spirit-entity from the War of Investiture.

This time, the being involved was one of the seventy two demon lords, named Yuan Zimei. Because someone had offered it incense and worship, a wisp of its demonic qi had escaped.

It was no wonder the mission had been issued through a black well!

Did the Underworld not consider the assignee's strength when distributing missions?

He was no great immortal. How could he possibly deal with a demon king like this?

However, as Li Yan continued reading, he relaxed considerably. The mission was not compulsory. Whether he accepted it or not, and whether he succeeded or failed, there would be no punishment. All he needed to do was locate the target. He could then use the Summoning Writ to summon an Innate Yin Deity and have it seize the demon.

The case had indeed involved evil sorcery. The aura was simply too concealed and advanced, which was why none of the practitioners, including Li Yan, had detected it. The Summoning Writ, however, had sensed it and issued the mission.

The scroll not only explained the demon lord's origins but even described the characteristics of its evil arts in clear detail. The various bloody methods made Li Yan frown deeply. But when he reached the section describing the reward, his eyes immediately lit up, and he accepted the mission without hesitation.

The reward for capturing this wisp of demonic qi was not an astral decree, but a high-grade stream of astral qi capable of strengthening spiritual artifacts. More importantly, this baleful qi actually contained a blessing of heaven and earth.

Li Yan had never expected the Underworld's rewards to include such a thing. Whether he used it to strengthen a spiritual artifact or repair his Great Luo Dharma Body, it would be an excellent choice.

After he accepted the mission, the surrounding fog rapidly dispersed. To everyone else, only a single breath had passed.

Beside him, Sha Lifei and the others were just about to leave when he yelled, "Wait!"

Li Yan quickly followed up. "There is indeed something suspicious about this matter. Let me take another look."

Sha Lifei was startled, but after exchanging a glance with Wang Daoxuan, he said nothing more. They knew Li Yan was not the sort to meddle in unrelated affairs. If he had suddenly changed his mind, there had to be a reason.

Officer Guo, however, was delighted. He hurriedly cupped his fists. "Please enlighten us, sir!"

If this case was proven to involve a cultivator, and so many Daoist practitioners had failed to notice it, then more than half the responsibility could be lifted from their shoulders.

Li Yan nodded and returned to the main hall. After looking around once more, he asked, "Which one is Landlord Hu's body?"

Officer Guo hurried forward. "This."

He lifted the white cloth covering one of the corpses. Beneath it lay a large, burly man with a heavy build. He wore only a thin inner garment; his body was covered in blood; his face had turned iron-blue; and his eyes were wide open. A massive knife wound gaped across his throat.

Li Yan frowned slightly. "Why hasn't a coroner examined the body yet?"

Officer Guo smiled awkwardly and lowered his voice. "The county magistrate personally went to Yunyang Prefecture to report the matter, while Captain Qin of the Shangjin City garrison went into the nearby mountains to search for clues about the thief. Without the county magistrate's order..."

Li Yan glanced at him without speaking. Officer Guo was an experienced bureaucrat. When such a major incident occurred, the first person likely to suffer was his immediate superior. At a time like that, the safest course was simply to follow orders. Taking extra initiative might not earn any credit even if things went well, but one wrong step could easily turn him into a scapegoat.

Most likely, the county magistrate had instructed him before leaving to summon practitioners and search for evidence of mystic arts.

Li Yan thought for a moment, formed a Yang Seal, and drew in a deep breath.

In an instant, every scent in the surrounding area surged into his nostrils. His cultivation had advanced another level, and his supernatural ability had naturally grown stronger as well. He could now detect scents within a radius of three hundred chi.

He could even distinguish odors coming from over ten chi underground. The stench of blood and all manner of foul odors made Li Yan feel nauseated.

At the same time, however, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes as he thought, Just as I thought!

With that, Li Yan immediately said, "Quickly, summon a coroner to examine the body. There's something wrong with this corpse!"

"Quick, bring Old Liu here!"

Now that a problem had been discovered, Officer Guo did not dare delay any further.

Before long, a hunched old man came limping over. His complexion was bluish; both hands were blackened; and an unpleasant odor clung to his body. Before he even drew near, the people around him covered their noses and scattered.

Li Yan remained silent when he saw him and rose to make way.

The imperial court had several regulations governing autopsies. A coroner had to conduct them personally and record the findings in official documents, so Li Yan would not do it himself.

Officer Guo clearly could not tolerate the old coroner's smell either. Covering his nose, he waved a hand and stepped back. "Old Liu, this gentleman says there is definitely something wrong with the corpse. You had better examine it thoroughly for me!"

The old man cupped his fists and answered in a hoarse voice. "Yes, my lord."

He then limped forward, lowered himself to the ground with some difficulty, and set down the wooden case he carried on his shoulder.

The case was old and battered, with mottled and peeling lacquer over dark, weathered wood. The moment it was opened, a smell of decay wafted out. Inside were tools of every size. There were small knives, hammers, and awls forged from refined iron; various bottles and jars; and even a hoe and shovel.

Without a word, the old man took out some ginger and garlic, and crushed them. He then mixed the paste with vinegar, and smeared the mixture onto a cloth before covering his nose and mouth with it.

Li Yan immediately regarded him with respect. One glance was enough to tell that this was an experienced professional coroner.

The profession of coroner had existed since long ago, but it was only after Song Ci's Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified was written that a complete system had been established and the profession's status improved somewhat.

A cloth soaked in ginger, garlic, and vinegar could offer limited protection against the stench of corpses and infectious disease, but only from ordinary threats. Otherwise, the old man would not have ended up in such a condition...

The old coroner worked at an unhurried pace. First, he washed the wound with clean water and examined it carefully. Then he wiped the entire body with vinegar and used grease to inspect it against the light of a flame. This allowed to quickly find any broken bones.

Then, he inserted a thin silver plate the size of a little finger and soapberry water into the corpse's mouth to test for poison. Every step was methodical and orderly.

Although Officer Guo was growing impatient, he understood the importance of the procedure and did not rush him. Only at the end did the old man open his leather tool pouch, take out a small refined-iron knife, and begin cutting open the abdomen and chest.

Opening the chest cavity was no easy task. He inevitably had to use a hammer and axe to break through the bones. When the hammer struck and the axe chopped, dark clotted blood sprayed everywhere. Several soldiers present could no longer endure it. They abruptly turned away and vomited with a loud retch, filling the air with a sour stench.

Li Yan could not bear it either. He hurriedly shut off his divine ability and covered his nose. The old coroner seemed long accustomed to the disgust and aversion of those around him. He remained completely focused, his hands never pausing as he moved the internal organs and intestines back and forth.

Officer Guo finally could not help saying, "Focus on whether he was affected by evil mystic arts!"

The old coroner froze, then immediately took a measuring ruler from his case. Auspicious and inauspicious markings were inscribed along its various lengths.

In truth, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan had recognized as soon as he entered that the old man was a coroner of the mystic path. Using a Luban Ruler to determine fortune and misfortune according to measurements was one of his methods.

Of course, the old man had not even awakened a divine ability, much less learned to cast spells. He had most likely inherited a few techniques from earlier practitioners. When dealing with corpses that retained fierce baleful corpse qi, he could not always avoid being affected even with protective methods. That was probably how he had ended up in this condition.

He was truly someone at the bottom of the Daoist world. People like him worked in all manner of professions, and had not even awakened supernatural abilities. They merely knew a few skills and techniques, followed ancient taboos, and effectively risked their lives to earn a living.

The use of the Luban Ruler was one such method. Normally, he would have to measure every part of the corpse, its wounds, and the bruising on its body to judge whether the signs were auspicious or ominous. It was clumsy and time-consuming.

Li Yan could not bear to make the old coroner labor unnecessarily.

He said directly, "The problem should be in the heart. Just cut it open."

The old coroner paused. The heart showed no obvious swelling or congestion, so why would the problem be there? Though curious, he knew that Li Yan and the others were genuine cultivators and did not dare question him. Thus, he sliced the heart open with his knife.

Officer Guo sucked in a sharp breath at the sight. The heart still looked fresh on the outside, but its interior had already turned black and rotten. Large amounts of clotted blood had accumulated within it, and tiny white worms wriggled through the flesh.

Officer Guo’s expression immediately brightened. "It's Gu Poison."

Li Yan glanced at him. "No. It's demonic arts."

Officer Guo frowned in confusion, not understanding the distinction. "Demonic arts?"

Wang Daoxuan's expression changed slightly as he explained gravely, "Mystic arts that commands demonic creatures to cause harm are called demonic arts."

Li Yan nodded. "This technique is known as the Fox-Heart Art. It requires taking the heart of an old fox that has become a spirit and worshipping it. While cultivating the art, fox ghosts wail all around. Once cast, it can confuse a person's mind. It is not an illusion, which is why no killing qi could be detected.

"Landlord Hu likely mistook his own relatives for bandits and slaughtered them in a frenzy. Then, overcome with despair, he slit his own throat.

"This art has one weakness during cultivation: it earns the hatred of fox spirits. Officer Guo, you can secretly capture some foxes and use them to search throughout the city. Wherever the foxes begin wailing in grief will be where the culprit is hiding. But be careful. That person will likely be difficult to deal with and may have accomplices."

Li Yan spoke with complete confidence. Although the information provided by the Underworld had not explained the cultivation method in detail, it had clearly listed every characteristic and weakness of the Demonic Body Immortality Art.

In a sense, it had also imparted knowledge to him.

Officer Guo immediately grasped his meaning. "I understand!"

He abruptly rose, his expression turning stern as he swept his gaze over everyone present. "No one here is permitted to leave."

He then summoned a trusted subordinate, wrote a letter with brush and paper, and instructed him, "Ride out of the city at once. Find Captain Qin immediately and deliver this letter to him!"

Li Yan silently approved of his actions. Officer Guo might be an old bureaucratic fox, but he handled matters cautiously. Knowing that they were dealing with a practitioner, he prevented everyone present from leaving so that word would not leak out.

Barring any surprises, the letter would surely instruct the captain to capture some foxes on his way back.

Sure enough, less than an hour later, several hundred soldiers returned. Leading them Captain Qin had a tall, powerful build and a fierce bearing. He was armored, and carried a single-edged blade in one hand, with a bow and arrows strapped across his back.

The moment he reached the city, he commanded, "Seal the city and establish checkpoints!"

As soon as he spoke, several archers ran up onto the walls, nocked arrows to their bows, and guarded every major passage.

As the captain led his troops into the city, the gates rumbled shut behind them.

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers behind him immediately released foxes from the bamboo baskets on their backs. Each fox had a hemp rope tied around its neck.

Faced with the fierce soldiers, the foxes all trembled in fear. The officer ignored them and ordered his men to lead the foxes throughout the city.

Shangjin City was not large, so it did not take long for them to discover something. When the soldiers passed the monastery, all the foxes suddenly seemed enraged, instantly losing their earlier fear. Their eyes widened; their previously smooth fur stood on end; and their tails rose high as they thrashed and struggled wildly. At the same time, they bared their fangs at the monastery and released low, furious growls.

They looked as though they wanted to tear the entire monastery apart and devour it, a sight that sent chills down the spine...

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