《The Blade-Wielding Legend》


 Chapter 1: The Young Bladesman

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Young desman</h4>


    Dawn''s light was faint, and a gentle mist draped over thend.


    It was just past the time of "Grain Full," a period so named because the saying goes, "Grain Full, Grain Full, the wheat kernels gradually fill." North of the Yangtze River, the winter wheat began to fill with grain, gradually bing plump but not yet fully matured.


    On the Guanzhong in, thousands of years of frost and fire, and the sound of drums and bugles in battle, had long been buried in the yellow earth and ravines. Now, only the morning breeze swept through the wheat, shaking off dewdrops and creating a soft rustling sound.


    In Bailu in, at Li Family Castle.


    Outside the vige in the farnd, two young boys were walking slowly.


    The one following behind was lean and nimble, dressed in a short, coarse ck cloth garment wrapped with leggings, and also carrying a long spear with a wooden handle over his shoulder.


    The boy''s skin was dark, and a slight smile revealed a mouthful ofrge white teeth.


    This was the mark of many years ofbor in the fields.


    The children of farming families started working thend following behind the adults from a young age, braving the wind and rain, sweating three pounds under the sun. It was only natural for their skin to be dark.


    The one walking in front was noticeably taller, with a straight waist and fair skin, his features delicate, his hair casually tied in a bun.


    Wearing simr ck cloth garments and leggings, he instead had a bow on his back and a knife by his side.


    This boy wasn''t particrly handsome, but his features were fine, and his eyes were especially captivating.


    His eyes were narrow with long corners, typical of phoenix eyes, but his ck pupils were like dangling pearls; if one made eye contact, they would feel the chilling sharpness, a veiled sense of authority.


    This was known as dragon eyes, also called "Dragon''s gaze." The Observation Scripture states, "Dragon eyes possess a spirit unlike any other; their tranquil glow, akin to profound pearls, serene as autumn stillness in a cold pond, truly a rarity in the Human World."


    Phoenix eyes coupled with dragon gaze was an even rarer sight.


    The boy was named Li Yan, and he was not of this world.


    Walking between the ridges, he couldn''t help but gently touch the ears of wheat, feeling their fullness, his eyes slightly squinting as the intimidating cold light faded, a smile appearing on his lips.


    The wheat before him was all nted by his own hands.


    Sinceing to this world, Li Yan had initially struggled to adapt, but as the brilliance of his past life''s lights gradually faded from memory, he had grown ustomed to this life.


    The earth, which can embrace all things.


    Working at sunrise, resting at sunset, the restlessness and impatience of his previous life were long buried by thisnd of yellow earth and scattered by the joy of harvest after harvest.


    "Brother Yan."


    The lean, dark-skinned boy behind him interrupted his thoughts, looking around and saying, "''Blind Old Three'' might have fled early. Let''s head back."


    Li Yan turned his head and chided, "Coward, you''re not going to avenge Er Niu?"


    "What are you saying!"


    The lean boy reacted as if stepped on, his face reddening as he retorted, "Er Niu was my sister, if I don''t avenge this grudge, I, Hei Dan, will pluck out my hair and strangle myself to death!"


    "It''s just that when chicks roost and the old man sleeps, the wolves rejoice; we don''t go out at night or wander at noon, how can we find it in the early morning?"


    "You''re spouting idioms, are you nning to be a schr?"


    Li Yan cursed, then looked towards the distant mountains and sighed, "''Blind Old Three'' is no ordinary wolf..."


    Guanzhong had always been troubled by wolf menaces since ancient times.


    Especially in the past two years, something unknown happened in the Qinling Mountains, from which Evil Wolves often emerged, descending to the ins to cause disaster.


    These wolves wererger than before and even more ferocious and cunning.


    They didn''t just prey on livestock; they had a taste for young children.


    "Chickens roost" refers to the evening, and "the old man sleeps" refers to high noon.


    "Chickens roost, wolves eat children, the old man sleeps, wolves rejoice," means that wolves prefer to roam during these two hours.


    One might wonder, it''s understandable at night, but at noon, how could wolves dare to enter the vige to harm people?


    But what they don''t realize is that themon folk work from dawn to dusk and need to rest during the noon when the sun is at its fiercest, which is precisely when the wolves roam as well.


    They were incredibly cunning, taking advantage of the noon when adults were asleep, sneaking in to steal the children sandwiched in the middle, a tactic called "pulling the garlic scapes."


    They would even hide in the wheat fields, whining to mimic a baby''s cry. If curious children ventured into the wheat, they would be snatched away.


    "Blind Old Three" was a wolf that came down from Qinling.


    It was bulkier than other wolves.


    In the past two years, to prevent wolf attacks, the viges of Bailu in had set traps. "Blind Old Three," being new to the area, fell into one and lost an eye, harboring a grudge and repeatedly targeting Li Family Castle for revenge.


    Time and again, it had escaped the rounds of hunting.


    Since then, the name "Blind Old Three" began to spread.


    Some said that "Blind Old Three" was unlike other wolves, it grew up on Nanshan Mountain, absorbed the Spiritual Energy of the mountains, and attained Dao.


    Others feared it to the extent of wanting to erect a temple to worship it, hoping it would no longer gue the vige, but thankfully they were stopped by the head of the Li family.


    Regardless, "Blind Old Three" had be a sort of terror for Li Family Castle.


    Every year around the summer harvest was the time of greatest wolf cmities.


    Er Niu was Hei Dan''s sister, barely two years old. To ensure her safety when her parents worked the fields, they would carry her on their backs.


    Midway through work, because it was inconvenient, they left her at the edge of the field.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The edge was close to the official road, with many vigers passing by, making it seemingly safe.


    Yet in a split second, "Blind Old Three" burst out, grabbed Er Niu, and ran.


    The vigers of Li Family Castle, armed with sickles and hoes, chased for several miles, but by the time they found her, all that was left was a tattered bloody mess.


    Hei Dan''s mother cried as if her life was over, and his father, with a raging temper, rallied kinsmen to search day and night throughout the mountains, but sadly, to no avail.


    Later, some advised withholding the search, considering it was just a girl and during the busy farming season. The hunt eventually ceased.


    But Hei Dan couldn''t forget and sought Li Yan''s help.


    Li Yan also had his heart set on eliminating this scourge and pondered over it for a while.


    He spected that the "Blind Third" was indeed cunning and might, like a military sneak attack, not appear at night or noon but take advantage of the pre-dawn hours when people were in their deepest sleep, so these past few days, he had been taking Hei Dan out to search two hours earlier than usual.


    However, after several days in a row, they hadn''t even found a wolf hair.


    This made Li Yan begin to doubt his own judgment.


    During their conversation, the fish belly white of dawn was already apparent in the distance, casting a shadow over the meandering mountains; smoke from cooking fires was also rising from Li Family Castle.


    "Let''s go."


    Li Yan pressed the hilt of his de at his waist and shook his head, "We''ll continue tomorrow."


    Although Hei Dan was disappointed, he nodded his head.


    The children of Guanzhong were stubborn, and Hei Dan had made up his mind: the matter would not be settled until "Blind Third" was dead.


    The two didn''t take the main road but hurried down the hillside toward the vige.


    Hei Dan had sneaked out and needed to climb back into his home over the back wall of the vige before his parents noticed, or else he wouldn''t be able toe out again if they discovered his absence.


    The closer he got to the vige, the more downhearted Hei Dan became, not uttering a word.


    Li Yan nced at him, "What''s wrong?"


    Hei Dan mumbled, "In a few days, Dad is going to take me to work as a harvestborer."


    Li Yan frowned upon hearing this, "Not harvesting your own fields but going elsewhere, why?"


    Hei Dan replied, "My dad said thatst year many factories opened in Jinmen and Jiangnan, and many young people went there to make money. Now, there''s a shortage of hands on all the ins."


    "This year several major employers have already put out the word, offering good wages. My dad wants to take me around to save some money for my marriage."


    The role of harvestborer was an ancient profession.


    Due to climate differences, wheat in the vastnd of Guanzhong generally matured from south to north, from west to east in session.


    As the saying goes, "Three wheat harvests aren''t as good as one long autumn, three long autumns aren''t as hectic as one wheat harvest season." When the time for wheat harvestes, the activity is almost as intense as war.


    Although the climate in Guanzhong at this time typically features drought and scorching heat with scarce rainfall, the Dragon King might still sneeze unexpectedly.


    Wheat is most afraid of getting rained on; once wet, it can easily sprout or mold.


    There''s a folk saying: "Harvesting wheat is like fighting a fire, snatched from the jaws of the Dragon King."


    So, during this season in Guanzhong, there are those everywhere who help harvest wheat to earn their keep, known as harvestborers.


    In the past, they didn''t earn much; if the employer was kind-hearted and hosted them with white flour buns, theborers would be grateful.


    In years of poor harvest, they couldn''t even be provided with much coarse grain bread, let alone wages.


    Still, the harvestborers kepting, unabated.


    The reason was simple: eating someone else''s grain meant saving their own.


    In tough times, what''s selling somebor?


    Li Yan knew Hei Dan wasn''t afraid of the hard work; he feared that after the busy summer harvest, "Blind Third" would run off somewhere else or hide in Qinling and then the matter would be left unresolved.


    Thinking of this, he patted Hei Dan''s shoulder and said seriously, "Don''t worry, I ate one of your chickens, it''s like I''ve epted a deposit. I will take care of ''Blind Third''!"


    "Li Yan, I believe in you!"


    Hei Dan nodded earnestly.


    The eight-hundred-li expanse of Guanzhong in the Qin region has been enthused with the spirit of chivalrous warriors since ancient times.


    Now, there are also desmen in Guanzhong who are as good as their word.


    Li Yan''s father had once been a well-known desman making a name for himself in Guanzhong.


    Many in the vige believed that Li Yan would someday follow in his father''s footsteps.


    Seemingly setting aside his worries, Hei Dan looked toward the distant mountains, his eyes flickering with aspiration, "I heard that the young men who went out to be apprenticesst year, sent money back to their families before the new year..."


    "Li Yan, what do you think it''s like beyond those mountains?"


    Li Yan sneered, "What can it be? At the end of the day, there are still mountains and people."


    Before the words had left his mouth, his expression suddenly changed, and he pushed Hei Dan down, sniffing the air, and said in a low voice, "Hei Dan, do you smell something?"


    Hei Dan also sniffed but said with confusion, "No, I don''t smell anything."


    Li Yan didn''t say more, his expression growing more solemn.


    In the fields and at the edges of farnd, there are some stories that seem otherworldly, like "Ghost Blindness," "Collider," "Tigress Widow," and so on.


    In the vige where there was little entertainment, only during festivals or temple fairs would a troupe be invited from Chang''an City, drawing crowds from towns and viges far and wide.


    On ordinary days, beneath the old trees at dusk, the stories told by the vige elders became the pastime for the children, passed down from generation to generation.


    Those tales featured princes and generals, but most were absurd and bizarre.


    Some people were firm believers, emphatically iming that such incidents had urred in certain viges, yet none had ever seen them with their own eyes.


    Others scoffed, regarding them as jokes.


    Yet, Li Yan faintly felt that some of those events might be real.


    The reason was simple; a year ago, his sense of smell had begun to change, bing unusually sensitive, allowing him to scent certain odors others couldn''t detect.


    Like the Land God Temple at the entrance of the vige, even without burning incense, he could smell a faint aroma of incense burning...


    Or every time he passed by Widow Wang''s house in the vige, he could smell a certain scent of incense mixed with a rank fishiness...


    Now, he had caught another scent.


    Fetid, cold, alsoced with the smell of blood.


    And this rank fishy odor, he had encountered it before when they found the remains of Erniu...

 Chapter 2 - 2 Fight the Wolf!

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Fight the Wolf!</h4>


    It was Blind Old Third!


    Li Yan had already guessed it.


    Ordinary wild animals didn''t have such a smell.


    Could it be true as people said, that "Blind Old Third" had gained some Dao?


    Li Yan became alert, took down his bow with a backhand motion, and pulled an arrow without releasing it, signaling Hei Dan to crouch and follow him with quiet steps.


    Just that one move revealed the difference.


    Guanzhong had always been full of wandering heroes, and with centuries of wars and conflicts, martial arts practiced in various regions never faded. The Li Family Castle was once a military fortress, and many children began training in martial arts from a young age.


    Even the simple Red Fist had its unique styles and forms passed down in every vige.


    Hei Dan also practiced martial arts since childhood. During the farming off-season, his only entertainment was swinging a spear and practicing fist techniques; the spear shaft behind him had long since been polished like porcin.


    But when he walked, it was still heel first, then the ball of the foot. Even when moving lightly, his weight pressed on the weeds, causing slight sounds.


    Li Yan, on the other hand, was different.


    He stepped with the ball of his foot first, holding his bow steadily and tly, moving like a nimble cat. His spine maintained bnce without making a sound as he walked.


    The stability and nimbleness, two opposite states, were perfectly unified at this moment.


    Hei Dan watched from behind, filled with envy.


    Practicing martial arts required hard work, but it also depended on talent. Just mastering this Light Body Step Technique was something he could never achieve in his lifetime.


    The people in the vige praised Li Yan, but it was mostly out of respect for his grandfather, an old soldier, and his deceased father, who was once a desman.


    After all, how capable could a fourteen-year-old child be?


    But Hei Dan was different. He had secretly watched Li Yan practice martial arts before and was amazed by his Heavenly People-like abilities, which was why he sought his help immediately after the trouble arose.


    As he was lost in thought, Li Yan suddenly stopped ahead.


    Hei Dan quickly halted and peeked over, his eyes widening in shock.


    Behind the vige of Li Family Castle, there were still many earthen walls, remnants of the former military fortress, now just crumbling ruins.


    The darkness before dawn was dimmer, and the lighting was poor.


    At the break in the wall, arge shadow was wriggling.


    It was a giant mangy wolf with a mottled coat, stealthily stealing a pig.


    It gripped the pig''s ear with its sharp teeth, its big tail swinging, whipping like a horsewhip, and the fat pig followed obediently.


    Pigs were clever creatures, wailing sharply when caught by a butcher during New Year, knowing their end was near. But now, as if possessed, its head was covered in blood, yet it did not dare to make a sound.


    This wolf had only one eye left¡ªit was "Blind Old Third"!


    "Blind Old Third" truly entered the vige at the break of dawn.


    Moreover, why weren''t the vige dogs barking?


    This eerie scene made Hei Dan''s heart shiver, but hatred quickly overcame fear. His eyes reddened as he slowly took down the long spear from his back.


    Li Yan was also surprised, but grew even calmer.


    He signaled Hei Dan not to act rashly, then slowly raised his bow.


    However, he didn''t rush to shoot the arrow immediately. Instead, he drew the bow while adjusting his breathing, his eyes narrowing slightly, with a cold gleam gathering in his pupils.


    In the few years he had been in this world, his greatest hobby was practicing martial arts.


    The martial arts in this world were more like national arts, with no mention of spiritual energy or true energy, yet there were many instructions rted to breath, making breathing exceptionally important.


    For one''s energy to be concentrated, one''s breath must remain steady.


    Just as he had moved stealthily, maintaining a stable mind and steady breath, his body''s power and muscle control operated like an extension of his arm, allowing him to move like a nimble cat, harmoniously unified.


    Don''t underestimate this aspect¡ªthe essence of entering into martial artsy in it.


    Ordinary people, even if they practiced swinging stone locks and wielding long spears every day, gaining strength and knowing numerous moves, would still breathe unsteadily, their minds agitated in a real fight, their brains nk, and end up fighting clumsily.


    The technique of archeryy in this too.


    No matter how strong the bow or how much practice there was, hitting the target was the key.


    For controlling the body''s power, breathing was the switch.


    The evil wolf "Blind Old Third" might indeed be different, but since it fell into a trap and got one eye shot blind, it showed it was still flesh and blood.


    They were downwind at the moment, which was why they first smelled "Blind Old Third." Moving with stealth and the wolf busy stealing a pig, they had already closed the distance to a hundred meters.


    Li Yan believed that as long as he hit the target, one arrow could kill it!


    The bowstring creaked rapidly, with the arrowhead astonishingly steady.


    But at that moment, "Blind Old Third" suddenly raised its mane and looked up.


    It was discovered!


    Li Yan couldn''t figure out what he had done wrong or maybe the opponent sensed the killing intent, but there was no time to think it over.


    Thwang!


    The arrow shot out, as swift as light and shadow.


    Li Yan aimed for the wolf''s neck.


    It''s said that wolves have copper heads, iron tails, and tofu waists, because between their hips and ribs, there''s only a spine with little skeletal protection, rtively soft and housing vital organs.


    Few knew the area between its eyes and nose was the weakest part of its bones, where striking could lead to unconsciousness, and an arrow could be lethal.


    But this area was extremely hard to hit, and considering "Blind Old Third" was no ordinary being, Li Yan aimed for the neck instead.


    Thud!


    The arrow pierced through the fur.


    Blind Old Third managed to dodge slightly, so the arrow didn''t prate a vital spot but pierced through its right foreleg, blood bursting out.


    Without saying a word, Li Yan nocked another arrow, preparing to shoot again.


    Though it wasn''t a one-shot kill, with a long arrow crossing through, its mobility would decrease, allowing little chance for escape with a quick follow-up.


    Yet, something astounding urred to him.


    "Blind Old Third" didn''t rush to escape but leaped behind the wall, using its sharp teeth to bite and try to break the arrow off.


    Damn, it''s cunning like a spirit!


    Li Yan threw down his bow and charged forward swiftly.


    Like an arrow, he dashed while gripping the hilt of his knife.


    His knife was about three feet long and less than two inches wide, with a unique design, having a particrly narrow guard.


    This was a fast de from Guanshan Town near Lingtong.


    The Guan Mountain de was also the standard and symbol for desmen of Guanzhong.


    As Li Yan charged faster over the hundred-meter distance, dust kicked up underfoot. With a click, his left thumb pushed up the knife guard while his right hand hovered over the hilt, never drawing the de yet.


    The family-inherited fast de, Waist Strike Style.


    It looked somewhat like the de drawing skill from Japan in his past life, yetpletely different.


    The fast de''s "Waist Strike Style" was a knife technique meant for ambush, capable of charging and killing, shing like thunder.


    When crossing paths with an enemy, concealed killing intent, drawing and sheathing the de, left only walking corpses behind.


    Evil wolf "Blind Old Third" was flesh and blood, but the spirituality and wisdom it disyed were incredibly astonishing, defyingmon sense.


    Drawing the de, making the killing intent flow with the cold light, would definitely alert it.


    Li Yan chose the Waist Strike Style, akin to a beast striking with ws exposed at thest moment.


    As he expected, "Blind Old Third" was not of ordinary kind.


    As Li Yan charged out, the wolf bit off the arrowhead and pulled out the shaft, handling it like a human, minimizing damage.


    Despite the arrow piercing through, ordinary beings couldn''t endure this.


    Yet "Blind Old Third" seemed entirely unaffected, baring fangs, its nose wrinkling in folds, its blood-red lone eye pupil constricting as it leapt on the wall, jumping over again.


    In a leap, it jumped five meters high, aware of the perfect timing,nding right towards the charging Li Yan.


    Beastlybat skills, honed in the wilderness.


    As a top predator, in wolf packs surrounding prey, they often bark confrontationally, constantly testing, with the strongest attacking the throat for a kill, then the pack would tear in.


    A lone wolf''s strike emphasized ambush, often hiding beside a path, springing out at passing humans or prey.


    Like an innate instinct, they always found the most suitable method.


    And now it was the same.


    "Blind Old Third" leaped from the wall, and ordinary prey turning to flee or raising their heads in panic invariably exposed their necks.


    The wolf''s maw would break the throat, no matter the prey''s size.


    However, it faced no ordinary person.


    Feeling the bloody wind from above, Li Yan grew calmer, his almond-shaped eyes narrowed, with dragon-like pupils filled with cold intent. As Blind Old Third descended, he aimed for the vital spot, sidestepped and bent, his right arm trembling.


    ng!


    As they intersected, the Guan Mountain de shed past diagonally.


    Cold light shed, blood flowers burst.


    "Blind Old Third" plummeted with a thud, its neck cut open with a huge gash, blood spraying as it whimpered and struggled with its limbs.


    Meanwhile, Li Yan reached five meters away, back facing the wolf, flicked the de clean of blood in reverse, sheathed it, his movements as fluid as clouds and water.


    "Great de technique!"


    Hei Dan, watching from afar, was thrilled and cheered.


    This man-wolf confrontation happened instantly, yet it left him shaking, cold sweat dripping from his forehead and palms.


    On the other hand, Li Yan did not turn around even after resheathing his knife.


    Not because of showmanship but for another reason.


    His face darkened, he touched his neck, which also had a cut, only slightly grazing the skin but seeping blood, mere millimeters from an artery.


    "Blind Old Third" was indeed flesh and blood, but its movements and reactions far exceeded ordinary beasts. When he shed its neck, it managed to scratch back.


    "Yan brother, are you okay?"


    Behind him, Hei Dan ran over with his long spear, asking nervously.


    "How could anything be wrong with me."


    Li Yan replied, slowly turning.


    A strange event urred; as he turned, the neck wound vanished instantly, and the trace of blood seemed to be merely wolf blood sshed on him.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Hei Dan, who saw nothing, breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the downed "Blind Old Third."


    This evil wolf was indeed extremely fierce. Even with blood pooling and on itsst breath, unable to move, it still bared its teeth, staring viciously at Li Yan.


    Its gaze filled with venom, as if wanting to etch him in its memory.


    "You wretched beast, still not dead!"


    Hei Dan grew furious, shook his spear, and with a thud, drove the spearhead into the good eye of "Blind Old Third," piercing directly into the brain.


    Even then, "Blind Old Third" struggled a few times before it stilled.


    At this moment, Li Yan seemed to sense something, frowning.


    This "Blind Old Third" was as dead as could be, but its peculiar odor expanded, bing stronger and spreading.


    Like an invisible wind, it reached its peak and suddenly dispersed.


    Whether a figment of imagination or not, Li Yan felt an inexplicable chill on his back.


    But upon closer look, there was nothing around.


    "Hei Dan, do you smell anything foul?"


    "What? No..."

 Chapter 3 - 3 The Troublesome Ghost of Li Family Castle

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Troublesome Ghost of Li Family Castle</h4>


    ng! ng! ng!


    "Blind Third is dead!"


    The sound of the copper gong, apanied by shouting, shattered the tranquility of Li Family Castle.


    Not everyone suffered from wolf attacks, but everyone loved a spectacle¡ªespecially in the vige, where a brawl between neighbors would draw a crowd.


    At this moment, many people, who had been ready to go to the fields with their hoes, ran over upon hearing that "Blind Third" had died.


    "Tsck, tsck, this is ''Blind Third''?"


    "It''s this beast, I''ve seen it!"


    "And to think what a fuss you made, as if it had three heads and six arms¡ªlook how scared you all were..."


    "Fugui, what nonsense are you spouting? If you had the guts, you would''ve caught ''Blind Third'' yourself instead of making cool remarks now that it''s dead."


    "I didn''t have the time..."


    "My pigs, scared to death, ohhh..."


    Hei Dan''s mother ran over and, upon seeing the corpse of "Blind Third," the sorrow she had been suppressing surged forth; she sat on the ground and began to wail.


    Hei Dan''s father, Li Baoquan, arrived too, and upon understanding the situation, his face turned beet red. With a p, he smacked Hei Dan hard across the face and scolded angrily, "You rascal, who let you take matters into your own hands..."


    He seemed immensely angry and, ncing at the surrounding vigers, he gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Hu helped me a lot when he was alive; if anything happened to Yan boy, how... how could I face everyone?"


    "Let it go, it''s all in the past."


    People nearby hurriedly tried to pacify him.


    But Li Baoquan was still seething with rage, ready to beat Hei Dan.


    Li Yan interposed with a raised hand, giving a dismissive nce, "I''ve taken the money, one chicken."


    "Chicken?"


    Li Baoquan paused, halting his hand, and then awkwardly rubbed his palms together and mumbled, "This... look at how this turned out."


    Hei Dan''s father''s reaction wasn''t surprising.


    desmen might be known for keeping their promises and being as good as their word, but among those who dared to stake their lives on their belts, how many were pushovers?


    Some acted out of a sense of justice and chivalry, many killed for money.


    And their prices were never cheap.


    Of course, Li Yan''s father, Li Hu, was generous by nature; if someone from the vige came asking for help, he''d often readily agree, often taken advantage of as a result.


    But Li Yan didn''t have such a good reputation.


    The reason was simple: a difference in mindset.


    After all, he was a modern man who had died once before¡ªhow could he care about family honor or feudal ethics? He was not bound by others'' opinions and acted only to satisfy his own conscience.


    When it was time to act, he would never hesitate to draw his knife.


    And he wouldn''t let a single cent of the money he deserved slip through his fingers.


    Nobody would take advantage of him.


    What he considered normal seemed troublesome to others.


    Unexpectedly, this time, he had yed the hero.


    "I told you so, only Yan boy could take action!"


    "Like his father, he''ll be a fine man in the future!"


    The surrounding people raised their thumbs and praised in loud, ovepping voices.


    Li Yan just chuckled and did not speak.


    "The Vige Chief ising!"


    Just then, someone called out loudly.


    From the dirt path leading to the vige came several people, all of advanced age, but the one in the lead was a lean, old man with a goatee and wearing reading sses.


    Although Li Family Castle was home to many with differentst names, the only major family with the surname Li meant that for generations, the Li family head also served as the vige chief.


    This generation''s Vige Chief was named Li Huairen, the onlyndlord in the vige, from a family of schrs that had passed the exam, a man who cared deeply about face, and was known to have a rtively good reputation.


    He walked up and circled around the carcass of "Blind Third," and upon hearing the vigers recount what had happened, he stroked his beard and nodded, "Good, it''s the busy farming season. Eliminating this menace will let the vigers farm in peace. Well done."


    "Those who have done well deserve rewards. Zhou Juanzi, your pig died¡ªI''ll buy it from you and give it to Li Yan''s family as a token of the vige''s appreciation."


    Li Yan smiled and said, "That''s very kind of you, Vige Chief. Thank you."


    Martial arts practice used up a lot of energy, always leaving one hungry like a bottomless pit. These days, he had beencking in sustenance; a whole fat pig would keep him going for a while.


    This was one of the perks of having a fearsome reputation.


    The Vige Chief knew he was difficult to deal with, and would never allocate hard or menial work to Li Yan''s family, while making sure they never missed out on any benefits either.


    Even happier was Zhou Juanzi, who had raised the fat pig, waiting to sell it at a good price for New Year''s, and never intended to eat it himself.


    The Vige Chief''s decision was a pleasant and unexpected reward.


    To avoid any potential mishaps, he wanted to take Li Yan away immediately to butcher the pig¡ªon the one hand, to have fresh meat, and on the other, to make the arrangement official.


    "You''re in such a hurry!"


    Although Li Yan teased him, he still called Hei Dan to help with the pig.


    After they left, Vige Chief Li Huairen also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Some idle men in the vige, envying the scene, smirked and said, "Vige Chief, Yan Brother deserves a reward for taking care of the wolf, but instead of wasting ''Blind Third''s'' corpse, why not skin it and feast on its meat? It would satisfy a craving and also serve as revenge..."


    "You gluttonous ghost!"


    Before he finished speaking, someone scowled and cursed, "Blind Third has eaten so many people, how could you stomach its flesh? In my opinion, we should just burn it."


    At these words, Hei Dan''s mother began to cry out again, prompting murmurs of sympathy from others.


    Vige Chief Li Huairen stroked his beard and pondered, "In the old days, there were plenty of wolves in Guanzhong, and many old soldiers were still alive. After they killed the wolves, they''d hang them on the crooked-neck tree at the vige entrance as a deterrent, keeping things peaceful for a while."


    "Zhuzi, take some men and hang this ''Blind Third'' at the vige entrance!"


    "Yes, Vige Chief!"


    Immediately, several men stepped forward and dragged the wolf carcass away.


    "No! Please don''t!"


    Just then, a frail female voice rang out from the crowd.


    Everyone looked and saw a middle-aged woman standing at the back of the group, her pallid face and disheveled appearance, her stench so foul it made people recoil three feet.


    It was Widow Wang from the vige.


    Speaking of her, Widow Wang was truly a pitiable person.


    Her husband was an outsider and, moreover, had been a petty thief andyabout ever since childhood, never well-regarded in the vige. Even Widow Wang had been bought from a matchmaker.


    But even after getting married, her husband never settled down. He often went into Chang''an City to mingle with his good-for-nothing friends and, when drunk, woulde back and beat his wife.


    Later, he got into a drunken brawl and diedst year on the official road outside Chang''an City, leaving behind Widow Wang and a four-year-old daughter.


    Under such circumstances, Widow Wang could have remarried without anyone in the vige saying much about it¡ªmight have even been d to see it happen.


    After all, the life of a widow with an orphan was not easy, and there were a few bachelors in the vige still without wives.


    However, after her husband''s death, Widow Wang fell gravely ill, and when she awoke, she was dazed and disheveled, leaving her house as untidy as a pigsty, reeking to high heaven.


    Her poor daughter suffered with her, kept locked up in the house all day.


    "People would rather marry an ugly woman than azy one."


    With that, those few bachelors in the vige lost all interest, and there was no shortage of private ridicule.


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    No one in the entire vige wished to have any dealings with Widow Wang.


    Seeing the gaze of the others, Widow Wang shrank back, but still said in a low voice, "The corpse of that Blinded Third is unclean, and carries an ominous aura; it must be burned, then we should call someone to perform a ritual..."


    "Silence!"


    Before she could finish, the Vige Chief Li Huairen''s expression changed and he sternly rebuked, "Stop spreading such superstitious nonsense! You can burn your incense all you want, but if you dare believe in the likes of the White Lotus Mother, and implicate the vige, do not me me for being merciless!"


    With those words, everyone''s expression turned grim.


    There were no shortages of witches and wizards among themon folk, and incense burning was also thriving in City God Temples everywhere. On certain important holidays, the court would even hold grand ceremonies presided over by priests from the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.


    Yet, it would show no mercy to those involved in licentious and secretive cults.


    The Maitreya Sect was the most infamous, with many branches among its followers.


    Two years ago, a vige had secretly spread their teachings. When the court found out, it sent troops to execute a massacre and burned the vige to the ground.


    Not a single one of those thousands of people survived, and to this day, it remains Ghost Vige.


    Widow Wang always looked disheveled and rambled incessantly, and she also burned incense daily in her home, resembling those foolish cultists. Even without evidence, Li Huairen was very wary of Widow Wang.


    For a moment, everyone''s gaze turned darker.


    Seeing this, Widow Wang dared not speak further.


    The Vige Chief Li Huairen huffed, ordered someone to drag away the corpse of "Blinded Third," and hurriedly led his people away.


    As both the n head and the vige chief, his life wasn''t exactly carefree. With the Grain Full phase passing and the Grain in Ear phaseing, the summer harvest was imminent. He had to deal with a myriad of issues both in the vige and his own house as well as the grain inspectorsing from Chang''an City.


    The matter of "Blinded Third" was nothing but a small episode for him.


    The excitement having died down, the crowd dispersed, off to busy themselves in the fields.


    Only Widow Wang stood rooted to the spot, dully watching the wolf carcass being dragged away, a flicker of fear passing through her eyes, before hurrying home.


    Upon reaching the small courtyard, she immediately mmed the wooden door shut with a bang.


    In the dark, murky room, Widow Wang''s gaze changed; she no longer seemed weak. Lighting three sticks of incense, she ced them on her forehead and knelt down, endlessly bowing to the altar in the main hall, murmuring:


    "Third Auntie, disaster hase..."


    Zhou Guaizi''s movements were quick and efficient. In less than an hour, arge, fat pig had been neatly butchered.


    Li Yan stuffed several jin of pork into Hei Dan''s arms and then had him run errands, distributing some to the familiar streets and neighbors in the vige.


    After he finished these chores, Li Yan shouldered most of a pig carcass and headed for home.


    His home was located at the eastern end of Li Family Castle vige.


    It was a typical Guanzhong peasant courtyard, spacious with earth beaten t, where instead of growing vegetables, devices like stone locks and stone balls wereid out.


    Li Family Castle was originally a Military Fortress, and a few families still retained the old traditions, tending the farms and practicing martial arts¡ªLi Yan''s family was among them.


    However, what set them apart was the wooden que hanging above their front door, inscribed with the bold and powerful characters "Hundred Battle Valor."


    Beside the threshold, an old man crouched.


    The old man''s white hair was frosty, his body stooped, his face a sea of creases, and his eyes filmy and lifeless as he puffed on arge smoking pipe.


    One could see that inside the leg of his pants, nothing was there.


    This was his grandfather of this lifetime, Li Gui.


    Upon seeing this, Li Yan grinned and said, "Grandfather, the n leader gifted us a pig. Do you fancy meat sauce noodles or oil-sshed noodles for lunch?"


    However, Li Gui didn''t even nce at him, his face dark as he drew on his pipe.


    Li Yan chuckled silently, said no more, and went straight into the courtyard with the pig to ce it in the kitchen.


    There was too much pig for him and his grandfather to finish at once. Some needed to be salted, some turned intord¡ªit was a time-consuming process.


    Li Yan was in no rush. After setting down the pig, he moved to the center of the courtyard.


    The sun had already risen, and he stripped down to a vest, revealing a body of streamlined, well-defined muscles. After some warm-up exercises and breath adjustments, he suddenly ced both fists at his waist, his body stiff as a javelin.


    Next, he pushed up with one palm as if lifting a huge cauldron, then slowly lowered it down.


    Red Fist''s ten foundational exercises: Overlord lifting the cauldron.


    Guanzhong Red Fist had an extremely ancient lineage, with numerous branches. Every vige, every martial hall had its own tradition and trump cards.


    What he practiced was the old family Red Fist, taught by his ancestors, who had learned it from a military officer in the previous dynasty. It contained many subtleties and profound points.


    That military officer, often spoken of in teahouses and storytelling scripts, was known as a "warrior who could take on ten thousand men", his teachings were therefore extraordinary.


    His grandfather, Li Gui, was a fierce soldier with rich wartime experience.


    His father, Li Hu, was a desman from Guanzhong, who scuffled through the pugilistic world and had integrated many covert techniques, lending an extra edge of ferocity.


    But no matter what, the Red Fist''s ten foundational exercises were the bedrock.


    Red Fist emphasized "supporting and replenishing as the mother, hooking and hanging as skill, transforming the body as the wonder, cunning attacks as the method". Its varieties and techniques were endless, but without a solid foundation, it was all for naught.


    The ten foundational exercises had both hard and soft variants, and Li Yan, whether in storm or sunshine, scorching heat or freezing winter, had never missed a single day of practice.


    His method of practice, however, was different from others.


    Those who practiced martial arts knew that "the body of a boxer is as precious as gold", hence the need for a gradual and progressive approach. Rushing could cause lifelong problems.


    Yet Li Yan seemed to have broken through this realm.


    As he lifted with one palm, stretching his body to its limits, he seemed to truly be lifting a massive bronze cauldron, taut like a bowstring, and from within his body came a creaking noise.


    At the same time, Li Yan calmed his mind, focusing his spirit.


    Within his body, at the region of his Dantian, a stone statue was slowly levitating...

 Chapter 4 - 4 Substitute Divine Statue

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Substitute Divine Statue</h4>


    Within the Dantian, there was the statue of a Daoist.


    Sitting on a lotus tform, ancient in years, its facial features blurred and unrecognizable, even the folds in its Daoist robe had been smoothed out.


    It appeared quite ordinary, no different from ancient relics found in deste wilderness, but atop its head and on each shoulder, there was a cluster of blue ghostly fire.


    This object was the very culprit behind his transmigration!


    Li Yan, in his previous life, often had to travel for work and made it a point to visit museums and antique markets, being an amateur enthusiast.


    Of course, he knew his limits, having some understanding, but he was not a professional, so he only looked and never purchased anything.


    This item, however, lying unassumingly on a stall, looking nothing more than a worn fake, somehow captivated him and he ended up buying it.


    Not long after, he awoke in this world after falling asleep.


    Over the years, he had been researching.


    The origins of this treasure were mysterious, but he had figured out its function, simr to a substitute doll.


    The three mes on the head and shoulders could perform life recement.


    Whenever he encountered a deadly cmity, a me would extinguish.


    This meant he had three more chances to be reborn.


    Another effect of the statue was injury swapping.


    Whether internal injuries, poisoning, or wounds from weapons, all could be transferred to the statue in the blink of an eye.


    Simply put, it was akin to a limited ability of Deadpool.


    Now on the neck of the statue, there was clearly a new small w mark.


    Li Yan dared to hunt the blind Old Three because he had this treasure as his security.


    Not only that, over the years as he trained in martial arts like a madman, unafraid of internal or external injuries, repeatedly pushing his body to the limits, he used this Substitute Divine Statue for injury swapping.


    As the saying goes, chronic illness turns a patient into a good doctor, his formidable control over his body was also umted through numerous minor and major injuries.


    And his pale skin was a side effect of swapping injuries.


    Now the statue appeared intact, but inside it was full of cracks.


    Li Yan knew that he needed to be careful with its use in the future, not to rely on it too much, otherwise if the statue umted too many injuries, a me might extinguish.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Of course, with his current mastery over his body, he could easily hover at his limits and the Ten Pan Gong were as familiar as breathing; he would not be injured at all.


    After warming up, Li Yan started to move again.


    His movements appeared routine, but every move was varied and unpredictable.


    All these were his family''s true styles ofbat, the Thirty-Six Cloud Hands, Nine-Style Legs, and Thirty-Six Grabs, with chopping as the essence and arrangement the form, including dispersed strikespiled into sequences.


    Real fighting techniques were far less morous than choreographed routines, but as the saying goes, theyman watches the show; the expert appreciates the skill. Li Yan''s seemingly simple and inelegant movements were actually filled with murderous intent.


    Initially, Hei Dan was considered the strongest among the vige youths of his age, so proud and cocky, but it was only by seeing Li Yan practicing boxing that he broke into a cold sweat, realizing that there were always people better than him.


    Each move he made was powerful and robust, stretching his body with cracking sounds.


    Hisrge tendons vibrated, and his muscles and bones resonated together.


    ording to the Martial Arts General Scripture, he had reached the peak of Hidden Energy.


    Do not underestimate this achievement. Being able to reach this level was beyond ordinary; in any pugilistic world escort agency, he would qualify to be paid.


    Moreover, Li Yan was only fourteen years old.


    The next step would involve the swelling of the Qi membrane, wrapping the sinews into a circle, and cultivating Hidden Energy.


    In this world, where martial arts thrived, Hidden Energy alone made one a third-rate expert in the pugilistic world, capable of leading a team on escort missions, and he could carve out a niche for himself just like his father had.


    Moreover, with Li Yan''s age, if some of the martial arts academies in Chang''an City knew of his prowess, they would surelye bearing gifts to recruit him, potentially making him a chief pir of their institution in the future.


    However, a discordant voice came from the courtyard.


    "Humph, what''s the use in practicing all this!"


    The voice was old, unmistakably Li Yan''s grandfather, Li Gui.


    The old man had, unbeknownst to anyone, returned to the courtyard leaning on a cane.


    After finishing his boxing, Li Yan smiled and said, "Grandpa, why so temperamental, it''s just a wild beast, are you worried I can''t handle it?"


    "What''s a wild beast?"


    Li Gui tapped off ashes from his cigarette onto his foot, his face still dark, "I should never have passed down the boxing skills. Practicing martial arts stirs up a murderous heart and invites trouble."


    "Your dad didn''t listen and went to be a desman, ended up dead. You are also troublesome, are you trying to cut off our Li family''s lineage!"


    Li Yan followed up with apensatory smile, without arguing.


    This world and his previous life had many simrities, yet were also different.


    For instance, martial arts concepts like "embracing the elixir to form Qi" and "reversing the innate" existed only in novels before, but in this world, they were real.


    Geographically, it was quite simr to his past world, but the historical dynasties were different.


    Now was the Great Xuan Dynasty, the ninth year of Yuangheng, with the nation established for one hundred years.


    One more difference was that personal martial prowess in this world was astonishing. Some famous grandmasters could snatch the head of a man from amidst ten thousand troops and daringly infiltrate the pce for assassination.


    In times of regime change, they upied regions and made the winds and clouds cry out.


    His grandfather had once been a fierce soldier in the army, practicing his martial arts to the peak of Hidden Energy, just a step away from Force Transformation, with a bright future ahead. It was during the quelling of rebellion at the Northern Border that he lost a leg.


    Moreover, having offended a superior at that time, despite years in the military, all he got was somend and a "Hundred Battle Valor" que awarded by the Ministry of War.


    It was the one hanging outside the door.


    The que "Hundred Battle Valor" is not something just anyone can earn. By using it, his father could have be an arrest officer in the county government, but instead, he chose to roam the pugilistic world as a desman, which always irked his grandfather, Li Gui.


    Of course, elders should be respected, but that doesn''t mean you have to listen to everything they say.


    Nowadays the world seemed fairly peaceful, but Grandfather wanted him to live a stable life as a farmer.


    Yet Li Yan knew; in any world, one must be strong.


    Having a knife and not using it ispletely different from having no knife at all.


    Seeing Li Gui still angry, Li Yan quickly shifted his gaze and sat on the doorstep, grinning, "Grandpa, tell me again about what happened on the ice fields?"


    Li Gui snorted, "You''ve heard it so many times, yet you still ask!"


    Although he said so, he still lit his big pipe, took a few puffs, and seemed lost in memories, "That cursed ce is really not fit for humans..."


    "At that time, a major general from the Northern Border rebelled and even colluded with foreign tribes to move south, and upon orders, under General Zhang''s lead, we ventured into the deep North ice fields, determined to exterminate the rebels..."


    "The ce was all ice and snow as far as the eye could see, in the dense forests no matter if it was tiger or bear, even the Evil Wolves were frighteningly big, the Blind Old Three you killed is nothingpared to them..."


    "What was most terrifying was the weather, a vast icy fog, nothing was visible beyond a dozen steps away, many froze to death on the way..."


    "Besides those fleeing rebel remnants, there were people in the woods, with white skin, red hair, and blue eyes, wearing animal-skin clothes, who ran upon seeing us."


    "ording to the Schr apanying us, they were Rashan Shamans from even further north, I had never expected there to be people in that ursed ce..."


    "As time went on, more and more people died, they kept having nightmares, awoke only to freeze into ice statues, smiling, it was rather chilling..."


    "Eventually, we caught up with the enemy, but as both sides shed, suddenly a blizzard struck; many oldrades died, and the remaining rebels froze to death. Only because we dug ice caves were we able to barely survive..."


    "Although I ended up with a disabled leg,pared to thoserades buried on the ice field, I consider myself lucky..."


    Listening to the old man, Li Yan remained silent.


    Geographically, this world was simr to his previous life, and ording to his grandfather, the ce they went to must have been Siberia.


    Only, it seemed even more dangerous than in his former life.


    He had heard these stories many times, and pestering Grandpa to tell them again was merely a way to divert attention.


    Although he vehemently scolded, Li Yan knew, the death of his father, a white-haired person sending off a ck-haired one, had caused his grandfather immense pain.


    Elderly people like to recall the past, and the icy journey was the biggest aplishment of Grandpa''s life. Talking more about it prevented him from dwelling on the sad memories.


    After a while, the old man finished his story but seemed confused again, apparently forgetting what he had just been talking about. His eyes dull and cloudy, he looked at Li Yan for a while, then suddenly said, "Yan boy..."


    "Grandpa, please go ahead."


    "Remember when you marry, find a woman with a big behind."


    "A big behind is a bit ugly."


    "What do you know, big behinds are good for birthing."


    "Alright, as you say..."


    Li Yan smiled slightly, but there was a trace of sorrow in his eyes.


    In the past two years, Grandpa had be increasingly forgetful, and his health was failing.


    When his father was alive, he would return a few times each year to tell him about the storms of the pugilistic world, the covert signals of the Spring Festival, and those bizarre and legendary tales.


    Though interesting, if possible, he would rather have stayed forever in their little mountain vige and have Grandpa live a few years more...


    ......


    At the entrance of the vige, the corpse of Blind Old Three hung from the old locust tree.


    The adults from Li Family Castle nced at it as they passed by then hurried along; after all, they had seen wolves often enough.


    When "Blind Old Three" was alive, no matter how fierce, once dead, all those stories would turn into jokes; ultimately, working in the fields was more important.


    However, the vige mischiefs had found some fun, picking up stones.


    "Hit Blind Old Three!"


    "Smash, kill it!"


    Apanied byughter, stones flew, and the corpse of Blind Old Three hanging from the tree was battered and swaying left and right...


    ......


    Night fell, and the moonlight was cold as water.


    Yet tonight was somewhat different from usual.


    No insects chirped, no birds sang, even the frogs in the ditches had shut their mouths.


    By the dirt road at the vige entrance, "Blind Old Three''s" body hung silently, tattered and torn after being ravaged, its filthy blood long since turned ck.


    From afar in the wheat fields, shadows rustled out, looking up under the moonlight, they were several smaller wolves.


    The vige chief, Li Huairen, was totally wrong.


    Wolves can coborate to hunt, and likewise, they can hunt their kind.


    The elders could scare off the wolf packs because Li Family Castle still had many living old soldiers, and hanging numerous wolf corpses provided sufficient deterrence.


    However, the scent of a lone wolf could attract nearby wolves.


    Yet, looking at "Blind Old Three''s" distant body, the pack of wolves circled a few times, clearly cautious and never approaching.


    Suddenly as if startled, they whined and scattered, burrowing into the wheat fields, disappearing into the night.


    Then a cold wind arose suddenly, the great locust tree rustled, and amidst the darkness, vague and menacing shapes seemed to sway like a ferocious beast...

 Chapter 5 - 5 Midnight Knocking

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Midnight Knocking</h4>


    ```


    The delicacies of Guanzhong had a long history.


    As the capital city for several generations, cooks from all directions gathered in Chang''an, bringing together the mountain and sea treasures of Jiuzhou, not only of great variety but also with intricate culinary details.


    The staple foods, apart from noodle soup and tbread, also included Qingjing Rice from the south. This rice was soaked in juice made from the "southern bamboo" and then steamed and sun-dried nine times. The resulting grains were tight and small, ck like onyx beads, strengthening the body and enhancing theplexion, making one white after prolonged use.


    There were also rice cakes with more than a dozen ingredients, Qingfeng Rice which cooled the body in the heat, and Jade Well Rice steamed with lotus roots, not to mention locust leaf noodles and cold cherry dumplings.


    The preparation of various livestock such as pigs, sheep, cattle, and horses was even more dazzling. Although the capital had moved northward, some of these traditions continued.


    In his previous life, Li Yan had been a gourmet, so his culinary skills were naturally good.


    Now that the weather had turned hot, some foods weren''t suitable for preparation without an ice cer, and handling half a fatty pig focused on preservation.


    Guanzhong smoked meat was best made in the winter and twelfth lunar month, but making it now could easily lead to maggots and spoge.


    However, Li Yan clearly had his methods.


    He rendered pork fat, using part for cooking and the rest to seal offrge chunks of Five Flowers pork, which preserved them for a long time.


    The leftovers were made into braised meat and marinated meat, and there were also dry fried meatballs.


    Of course, a basin of fine meat sauce was indispensable.


    The fragrant aroma filled the courtyard, enticing the vige dogs to pace back and forth outside the gate.


    "Scram!"


    Li Yanughed and cursed, "Blind Thirdes to the vige, and you all get so scared you don''t dare to bark, useless things."


    Even though he said this, he was still puzzled.


    The vige dogs were brave enough to confront wolf packs; why then did they let "Blind Third" get into the vige?


    Unfortunately, the matter had passed, and no one knew the reason.


    At noon, they had meat sauce noodles, and in the evening, rice porridge with bread and pork fat-cooked dishes. The grandfather and grandson ate till they were full and sat on the doorstep enjoying the cool breeze, all their worries gone.


    Vige life was peaceful but also monotonous.


    When night fell, except for a few men still on the bed with their wives, the rest of the vigers had turned off their lights and gone to sleep early.


    The busy farming season had arrived, and they had to wake up early to work in the fields the next day.


    Before long, the entire vige was silent.


    ? ? ?


    In Widow Wang''s house, the main room was dimly lit by candlelight.


    In the room, an altar was filled with sacrificial offerings.


    On the open ground in front of it were inserted more than a dozen redwood sticks bound with red ropes, forming a circle within whichy a young girl.


    The girl, only four years old, was different from the disheveled Widow Wang, as she wore clean clothes and, having rarely seen sunlight, appeared pale and tender.


    The girl seemed trapped in a nightmare, her body curled up, face flushed red, eyes tightly shut, and her eyelids trembled ceaselessly, forehead covered in sweat.


    She was Widow Wang''s daughter.


    Widow Wang knelt on the ground, her face pale as she looked worriedly at her daughter, asionally ncing toward the door.


    It seemed she sensed something as she bowed repeatedly with three incense sticks held above her head, muttering,


    "Third Aunt bless, Third Aunt bless..."


    ? ? ?


    In the side room, Li Yan, who was asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.


    He jumped up, somewhat puzzled, and touched his back.


    His hand felt icy, yet the surrounding air was burning hot, as if he had touched ice in the scorching heat of summer.


    What was going on?


    Li Yan''s eyes were unpredictable.


    He had practiced martial arts for many years, though he had always been unable to break through Hidden Energy due to his age andck ofbat experience. His body perception and control, however, far exceeded that of ordinary people.


    If there were any issues, he''d be the first to notice them.


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    This feeling was very familiar, having appeared once before after he killed the Evil Wolf "Blind Third."


    However, it quickly disappeared, making him think it was just an illusion.


    Why did it appear again, and so noticeably this time?


    Could it be that the creature was unclean, causing him to catch a disease?


    Li Yan didn''t panic but attempted to use the Substitute Divine Statue.


    His treasure could rece any physical body injuries, whether poisoning, knife wounds, or even illnesses, as long as the three Life Fires hadn''t gone out, making him almost immortal.


    But something strange happened,


    the statue didn''t function!


    His back remained icy cold, even growing colder.


    How odd, could it be a psychological problem?


    Thud!


    Just then, a sound came from outside.


    It seemed something was tapping on wooden boards.


    Although faint, it was very evident in the quiet night.


    Li Yan''s sword-like brows furrowed, and he quickly got out of bed, casually put on his pants, took down the Guan Mountain de from the wall, and slowly pushed open the door a crack to peer outside.


    His movements were silent.


    Guanzhong, as peaceful and uneventful as vige life might be, was not without danger, wolves being just one of them. More fearsome were the bandits.


    Although the Li Family Castle''s solendlord, Vige Chief Li, might not have much to plunder, some crazed desperadoes couldn''t be ruled out.


    And there were some lesser figures from the pugilistic world.


    He had heard from his father that in the pugilistic world, the Five Flowers and Five Elements were as diverse as the Eight Professions, with those who honestly carried out their trade and more who specialized in deception and fraud.


    The Eight Gates were further divided into the Open Eight Gates and the Dark Eight Sects.


    The Open Eight Gates consisted of metal, skin, color, hanging, evaluation, formation, adjustment, and willow, while the Dark Eight Sects referred to ho, hemp, swallow, sparrow, flower, orchid, centipede, and auspiciousness.


    Within the Open Eight Gates, there were people who practiced fortune-telling and Fengshui. Some had genuine skills, while most were chatans, making a living with eloquence on the streets.


    The "hemp" faction of the Dark Eight Sects consisted of lone conmen.


    Some would disguise as Taoists and monks, duping wealthy families if they could or otherwise deceiving rural vigers.


    They would smear eel blood on your front door to make bats hit the door at night, creating the illusion of ghostly knocks.


    They would hide powdered water salt and sulfur within peach blossom paper, recing yourmp wicks to make candlelight flicker, creating the impression of ghostly extinguishing lights.


    In any case, they''d scare you half to death first before pretending to be a sage and swindling money.


    The various deceitful tricks in the pugilistic world were truly peculiar and strange.


    If they tried to fool him, it''d be an old tortoise eating arsenic, having lived too long and tired of life.


    Li Yan sneered inwardly, inspecting outside.


    However, under the dim moonlight, there was nothing in the courtyard.


    Thud!


    When he was in doubt, the sound appeared again.


    This time he heard it clearly, emanating from outside the courtyard gate.


    The sound was faint, could it be a rat or a cat?


    Regardless, Li Yan dared not be careless, narrowing his eyes as dragon-like coldness gleamed, drawing his de slowly and stealthily approaching the gate.


    His de was iparably sharp.


    If it turned out to be a thief or bandit, it could pierce them through the wooden door!


    But as he neared the gate, Li Yan''s expression changed instantaneously.


    He could feel that outside the door was empty, nothing at all, yet there was a stench, a blend of bloodiness and chill.


    The smell was very familiar, exactly "Blind Third!"


    Wasn''t this creature dead?!


    Li Yan felt chills in his heart, goosebumps rising.


    Uncertain, he probed again. Though nothing visibly apparent, the pungent scent thickened steeply, full of malignance.


    A spirit?


    The situation before him was beyond hisprehension.


    Although he felt "Blind Third" was peculiar at the time, it ultimately was made of flesh; white de into the flesh, red de out, killed it he did.


    But now, what to do?


    Why would even a creature''s menacing spirit seek revenge?


    Thud!


    The sound urred once more.


    Li Yan paused, raising his head to observe.


    This time, he heard more distinctly, emanating from above the courtyard gate, deducing it to be his grandfather''s "Hundred Battle Valor" que.


    At the same time, he caught another scent.


    It was the scent of metal and wood, with a hint of incense.


    This was a peculiar sensation as metal and wood have no smell, but upon smelling it, Li Yan''s first impression was this.


    "Blind Third''s" stench carried a chill.


    Yet the scent of the Hundred Battle te, oddly, bore warmth.


    Thud!


    The collision of the two scents produced the sound again.


    Li Yan had an epiphany.


    Unexpectedly, the que at his home was also a treasure, usually discreet, only activated when malevolent entities approached.


    And his bizarre olfactory sense, able to detect unusual scents.


    It was certain now it was unrted to the Substitute Divine Statue, but rather from his predecessor.


    What on earth was going on?


    Li Yan had sweaty palms, facing this iprehensible and eerie entity, feeling helpless for the first time, as if his life was beyond his control.


    Seemingly sensing his breath, "Blind Third''s" stench outside intensified markedly, colliding with the que more frequently.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    The sound was faint, not conspicuous in the night.


    But to Li Yan''s ears, it pounded like a death knell.


    He remained motionless, thinking of his grandfather sleeping inside, not daring to retreat nor risk opening the door, and the sharp Guan Mountain de in his hand provided nofort. He could only hope the "Hundred Battle Valor" que could withstand it.


    Thud, thud, thud, the sound continuously echoed.


    Li Yan felt his back grow colder as if ced against a block of ice, pervading coldness while "Blind Third''s" dying malicious gaze persisted in his mind.


    A curse?


    Li Yan surmised yet couldn''t be sure.


    Fortunately, he could feel as the two forces shed, the scents weakened respectively.


    Unknowingly, an entire hour passed.


    Thud!


    Finally, after the final collision, "Blind Third''s" stench outside faded gradually, vanishing entirely.


    Woof woof woof!


    In the darkness, the barking of dogs pierced the silence.


    The eerie stillness was thus broken.


    Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief, though his expression remained grave.


    The chill on his back still lingered...


    ```

 Chapter 6 - 6 King Wen’s Drum Sounds Loud

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter 6 King Wen''s Drum Sounds Loud</h4>


    ```


    The rooster crowed, and the world turned bright.


    Apanied by the crowing of roosters in the vige, a line appeared between night and day at the horizon. The Yin Qi sank as the Yang Qi rose, and gradually the vige was filled with the sounds of people.


    "Why are you sozy, kid?"


    "Hurry up and feed the pigs, we''ll have to go to the fieldster..."


    Li Yan hadn''t slept all night, guarding the courtyard with a knife in hand, listening to the neighbor''s voice scolding their child in the distance, before he gently pushed open the wooden door.


    Creak~


    The old doortch emitted a teeth-on-edge sound.


    Li Yan looked up as he stepped outside, his eyes filled with astonishment.


    The que hanging above with "Hundred Battle Valor" had lost much of its paint. The corners were visibly decayed, and there was even a crack appearing on the right side.


    Li Yan didn''t understand the principle behind this treasure''s ability to fend off evil, perhaps it had something to do with the court.


    But he could see clearly that after one night, the que had suffered significant damage, probably unable tost another night.


    And that "Blind Old Third" had merely been temporarily forced back.


    What should he do?


    Just as Li Yan was contemting a strategy, his grandfather, Li Gui, came out of the room leaning on his cane.


    The old man held arge smoking pipe, about to take a few puffs, but upon seeing Li Yan standing outside disheveled and holding a knife, he cursed, "You kid, you practice your de so much you don''t even eat; can''t you wear your clothes properly?"


    "Don''t stand there at the door so early in the morning; you''ll scare people. I''ll make you some food."


    With that, he hobbled towards the kitchen on his two canes.


    He was too old to have heardst night''smotion.


    Li Yan opened his mouth to stop him, but with no mind to cook, he hurried back inside and put on his clothes.


    Farm clothes were often not very particr, mostly made of ck coarse cloth, and now that it was getting warmer, they wore only a singleyer.


    The pants were usuallyrge,cking any style, hanging straight down, making movement inconvenient if not tied with leggings.


    After dressing, he went out the door, hurrying towards the vige entrance.


    He knew about "Blind Old Third" hanging from therge locust tree at the vige entrance but was toozy to check. Unexpectedly, something happenedst night.


    Before leaving, he nced back at the smoke rising outside the kitchen and clenched his fists tightly.


    With his grandfather still at home, he couldn''t leave.


    No matter what that thing was, he had to find a way to resolve it!


    At this time, the warm sun had just risen, the yellow earth wheat fields, blue skies, and white clouds¡ªa leisurely rural pastoral scene with people carrying hoes back and forth.


    It was a world apart from the weirdness ofst night.


    "Blind Old Third''s" body was hung from therge locust tree at the vige entrance, a battered mess from the yful children the previous day. Now, the idle men passing by even jokingly took a swing at it with their hoes.


    Li Yan didn''t rush closer but sniffed the air from where he was.


    He was positioned upwind, just fifty meters away, yet he couldn''t detect the unique fishy stench of "Blind Old Third."


    It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary wolf corpse.


    Li Yan frowned slightly, approaching to observe, but found nothing unusual.


    It was then that a man passed by, eximing with a tut-tut, "What a waste! I said we should eat it; it''s just going to rot here after a few days."


    Li Yan felt speechless, not knowing what to say.


    The man''s name was Li Shuanzhu, a bachelor known for his unruly behavior. Not only was he a glutton, but he also had a famously foul mouth, loved arguing, andcked poprity.


    If someone ate that thing, it would probably be his bad luckst night.


    Li Shuanzhu, unaware of his own repulsiveness, continued, "Widow Wang said this thing was unlucky, wanting to burn it and perform a ritual, but I don''t see anything..."


    Li Yan was startled, quickly asking, "What else did she say?"


    "What can she say that''s serious?"


    Li Shuanzhu shook his head, "She lives like it''s a stinkingtrine all day and keeps mumbling superstitiously; what a pity..."


    With that, he walked away, hoe over his shoulder.


    Li Yan didn''t mind, mulling over the situation and then walking towards Widow Wang''s house without a word.


    It wasn''t long before he arrived near Widow Wang''s house.


    It was an old courtyard, the gate tightly shut, with tufts of wild grass growing under the mud-brick walls, which were also cluttered with sundries covered in dust.


    Most of the vigers were out in the fields at this time, leaving the ce to resemble a deserted old house.


    Li Yan approached, eyebrows knitting tightly together.


    The vige''s eerie ces, aside from the Land God Temple, included Widow Wang''s house. But thebination of a fishy stench plus a foul odor was torturing his nose.


    Not to mention, widow''s doorsteps invited gossip, so even if curious, he rarely came close.


    But now he had no choice.


    "Blind Old Third" needed to be dealt with, and Widow Wang might know something...


    Creak~


    Just as he was about to step forward, the wooden door suddenly opened, and Widow Wang, looking disheveled, peeked her pale face out.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She first looked cautiously behind Li Yan, her eyes full of vignce, then spoke in a trembling voice, "Come in, the immortal wants to see you."


    Stunned by her words, Li Yan was taken aback.


    Widow Wang had actually anticipated his arrival!


    And... an immortal?


    Li Yan heightened his vignce, though his face betrayed no emotion, his hand gently pressing onto his knife''s handle as he confidently walked into the courtyard.


    As soon as he entered, the overwhelming stench assaulted him.


    Li Yan''s sense of smell was far more acute than ordinary people, and at that moment, it caused him to suffer. He quickly held his breath, frowning as he surveyed his surroundings.


    He saw that around the corners of the courtyard, there was a circle of rotten wood piled up, along with jars of pickles, filled with some sort of rotting liquid topped with white foam, and swarming with flies.


    The odor in this ce rivaled that of atrine.


    Li Yan couldn''t take it anymore and covered his nose. Just as he was about to speak, he paused, noticing something peculiar.


    Those jars holding foul substances seemed disorderly but were ced intentionally, clearly arranged ording to the positions of the Eight Gates: open, rest, life, hurt, block, scene, death, shock.


    Well-versed in martial de techniques, he had a slight understanding of these things.


    Was there a hidden meaning in thisyout?


    Before he could think further, Widow Wang gently opened the door, gesturing for him to follow.


    Her way of opening the door seemed odd, pulling it open from the side and hanging drapes to block the light, as if afraid the wind might blow in.


    This was more thorough than a postpartum confinement...


    Li Yan''s curiosity grew stronger as he followed her inside the house.


    Surprisingly, the interior wasn''t as smelly, though the light was dim, and it was stiflingly hot. The incense-like fishy stench grew more intense.


    Li Yan''s gaze was immediately drawn to the room''s setup.


    A square altar table leaned against the wall, holding four tes of steamed buns, three tes of fruits, a roast chicken,rd, and a wine jar.


    Three incense sticks were lit in the burner, with dim candlelight on either side.


    Behind the offerings stood a wooden que with red paper pasted in the center bearing the inscription "Seat of Hu Third Mistress," nked by a couplet:


    Cultivating truth and nurturing nature in the deep mountains,


    Emerging from the ancient cave, renown through the Four Seas.


    A horseback shaman?


    Li Yan froze slightly, as many faded memories surfaced in his mind.


    In his past life, besides dealing with various antiques, he had also dabbled in folklore.


    This originated from primitive shaman witchcraft, prevalent in the Northeast, where the family immortal and horseback shaman concepts were popr. In the Guanzhong region, it was rtively rare.


    Upon contemtion, he recalled Widow Wang had been bought by her husband from a human trader, and someone vaguely mentioned she was indeed from the Northeast.


    Yet what captivated him more was whaty before the altar table.


    The ground there was stuck with a series of red wooden sticks, encircled by red ropes, where a neatly dressed, clean-looking little girly.


    She was unconscious, her eyelids fluttering constantly.


    More bizarre was that from her head to shoulders and even her arms, areas over some acupoints on her skin were vibrating slightly, like the surface of a drum.


    What were they doing here?


    Everything before him felt absurd to Li Yan.


    But sincest night, much of his understanding had been overturned, and he knew that this world wasn''t simple; another type of power existed.


    Widow Wang didn''t exin much to him, merely pulling off arge piece of red cloth draped over a frame beside the altar, revealing a drum underneath.


    The drum skin was painted with the Eight Trigrams, with eight strings at the back, four pointing north and four south, adorned with hanging Copper Coins that jingled when picked up.


    And the drumstick''s handle had colorful red ribbons tied under it.


    King Wen''s drum, King Wu''s whip?


    Li Yan''s eyes narrowed with interest.


    Perhaps this world wasn''t just about folklore...


    Widow Wang picked up the drum and whip, seeming to transform, shaking her shoulders and head, drumming as she circled the red rope on the ground.


    Boom! Boom! Boom-boom!


    The drumbeats echoed rhythmically, and Widow Wang''s demeanor evolved from timid to solemn, reciting aloud,


    "The sun sets over the western hills, darkness falls, every household bolts their doors. Travelers rush to the inns, birds fly into the forests, tigers return to the mountains. Birds find a ce to roost, and tigers return safely..."


    With the song chant, her ent shifted.


    Even in his previous life, Li Yan had witnessed this spectacle.


    Everything appeared simr, but his abnormal sense of smell detected differences.


    He could sense that, with the drumbeats'' vibrations, the air around filled with the incenseden fishy stench mored for a home.


    As the rhythm pulsed, it continuously converged towards the center...


    ```

 Chapter 7: Yang Six Roots and Divine Skills

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Yang Six Roots and Divine Skills</h4>


    The light was dim, and the drumbeats were urgent.


    The candles on either side of the incense burner seemed to have gained a life of their own, flickering in time with the drums.


    Widow Wang''s eyes narrowed slightly. She shook her head and swayed her body, and her expression gradually changed.


    At first, it was solemn, then frenzied, with beads of sweat forming on her forehead.


    Her head shook ceaselessly as the rhythm of her chant elerated.


    "Immortal Lock, Binding Immortal Rope, Soul Bottle carried behind the horse. Three treasures thrown onto your disciple, if they don''t hold, kick with your foot, if they don''t bind, stomp with force, a brightmp in mind and eye..."


    Meanwhile, the little girl on the ground, her limbs trembled more violently.


    Apanying the chant and drumbeat, her body twisted, yawning and stretchingzily, and then, in an unnatural posture, she stood up straight.


    After she rose, her eyes remained closed, her head bobbing rhythmically.


    Li Yan''s pupils constricted slightly, and he subconsciously pressed down on his knife handle.


    In the past, he would have thought this mother and daughter were just pretending to be supernatural.


    But times had changed.


    Now, he could distinctly smell the scent of incenseden musk contracting from all directions, gathering within the little girl''s body.


    As the twobined, her temperament underwent a transformation.


    Boom!


    Finally, the drumbeats ceased.


    And that little girl suddenly opened her eyes.


    She shook her head, picked up a horsetail whisk ced beside her, and swayed it from side to side as if driving something away.


    Then her right leg crossed over her left, her toes supporting her weight as she leaned back, almost as if she were sitting on an invisible chair.


    Li Yan''s expression was calm, but inside he felt a sense of wonder.


    He had trained in martial arts from a young age, gaining strong bodily control with the help of the Substitute Divine Statue, and could perform such moves himself.


    But a four-year-old girl could never aplish these feats.


    Moreover, her expression, with her eyes slightly squinting, had a hint of a smile.


    It was a blend ofziness with a touch of chill, none of the innocence typical of her age.


    She inexplicably gave off the feeling of being fox-like.


    Faced with Li Yan''s vignce, the little girl seemed unfazed as she flicked the horsetail whisk.


    Swish!


    A wine jar on the offering table was directly swept into her hand.


    Li Yan''s eyelids twitched at the sight.


    Using a horsetail whisk as a weapon was not umon.


    Its handle could serve as a short stick or dagger, suitable for blocking, intercepting, pointing, kicking, and inserting, while the horsehair could function as a soft whip, suitable for wrapping, sweeping, and winding,bining softness and hardness, much like the fusion of Yin and Yang.


    Those skilled with it were all experts.


    The wine jar, at least weighing five pounds once unsealed, was lifted and held without a drop spilling, demonstrating perfect control of force.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    For a moment, he was at a loss.


    To invite an Immortal to possess her, allowing a four-year-old girl to achieve such feats, what had they trained so hard in martial arts for...


    The little girl, naturally unaware of his thoughts, used her right hand to wind the wine jar with the horsetail whisk, lifted it slightly with her left elbow, and raised her head, gulping it down.


    Hup~


    After downing the entire jar of wine, the girl let out a loud burp, finally satisfying herself by tossing the wine jar aside and wiping her mouth before squinting at Li Yan.


    Her eyes glinted with a mysterious light as if scrutinizing him.


    She then spoke, rapidly uttering a string of unintelligible sounds.


    The sound was sharp, carrying a hint of antiquity.


    Even more bizarrely, not a word could be understood, resembling a beast''s roar or a person''s muttering to themselves, very brisk and urgent.


    Hearing this sound, Li Yan actually felt a bit relieved.


    He had heard about this, known as the Upper Language.


    In simple terms, it was thenguage ofmunication between elves, simr to a mother tongue.


    But if the being spoke in humannguage, it would be an entirely different matter.


    It would suggest that the Dao of this Immortal was not ordinary.


    Beside him, Widow Wang wore a peculiar expression, her eyes zed, respectfully listening on the side, then turned to Li Yan and remarked,


    "The Immortal says you''ve gotten yourself into big trouble, targeted by the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier,st night was merely a test. When the household protector breaks, cmity will befall you!"


    Indeed, they knew quite a lot!


    Li Yan''s eyes narrowed slightly, "What is the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier?"


    The girl snickered softly, speaking another string of gibberish.


    Widow Wang continued to trante, "You are not yet a person of the Mystical Sect, so even if we tell you, you won''t understand. When it''s time for you to understand, you naturally will. The Immortal asks, which root are you connected with?"


    What root?


    Li Yan listened, growing even more puzzled.


    Seemingly noticing his confusion, Widow Wang directly exined, "People have six roots: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, corresponding to the six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought."


    "The six roots are divided into Yin and Yang, most people possess Yin Six Roots, but some can awaken Yang Six Roots, perceiving the spiritual realm, which is the true step into the Mystical Sect."


    Li Yan grew interested, "Like the Yin Yang Eyes?"


    Widow Wang nodded, "Exactly, certain things can only be seen by mortals at the brink of death, affronted by Evil Qi, or when engulfed in misfortune, but with the Yang Six Roots, one can directly feel them. Some refer to it as Divine Skills."


    "However, having Divine Skills is both a blessing and a curse."


    "For instance, some children who have awakened the Yin Yang Eyes often lose their souls from fright, and those who awaken the ears often hear the words of phantoms, bing manic..."


    "Even more troublesome is that those who awaken the Yang Six Roots are also observed by Evil Spirits. Without guidance or protection, it''s hard to find peace."


    I see.


    His peculiar sense of smell was indeed unrted to the Substitute Divine Statue.


    Awakening to the realization, Li Yan decided not to conceal it, saying, "I can smell different scents."


    Widow Wang''s face showed a hint of distress, gazing at the little girl with eyes full of tenderness, she exined, "You needn''t be on edge with us, we mean no harm and speak frankly for a reason."


    "My ancestors established an incense hall, but unfortunately, my life was short and luck thin, even though I essed the Spirit Root, I couldn''t enter the door for a long time, so my mother sealed it, leaving me to live as an ordinary person."


    "Later, enemies came for vengeance, I was the only one who escaped unharmed, but got trafficked to Guanzhong, met an unreliable person, and lived a miserable life."


    "Pitifully, this little girl suffered with me. When her father died, she got frightened, opening her thought root, and was targeted by the Wandering Ghosts from the mountains."


    "To save the child, I had to retrain in the Magic Method, luckily our third aunt always followed us, that''s how the child stayed protected. However, the girl was too little, needing to get through twenty-four sr terms, a whole year''s reincarnation to break the cmity."


    "As for the stuff sticking to Blind Old Third, called Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, once losing control, it bes extremely bloodthirsty, and we can''t contend with it, nor dare provoke it."


    "If you were just an ordinary person, after destroying its physical body, it would scatter and seek another host, but you happened to attain the Spirit Root, and it targeted you, casting a curse."


    "It won''t stop until it consumes your three souls and seven spirits, taking over your body!"


    Hearing Widow Wang reveal the causes and effects, Li Yan felt a chill inside, yet remained calm, asking, "Why does Senior choose to share all this with me?"


    Upon hearing this, the little girl spoke more of the gibberish, seemingly agitated.


    Widow Wang said helplessly, "My Dao is insufficient, the protective methods inadequate. If you were possessed, the thing would also detect the girl, then we couldn''t escape either."


    I see.


    Li Yan asked solemnly, "Is there a way to solve it?"


    Widow Wang replied, "There are countless temples in Chang''an City, notcking Mystical Sect experts. If you could reach there before nightfall and find someone with high skills to shelter you, you might escape the cmity."


    "But your grandfather might suffer its vengeance."


    Li Yan shook his head upon hearing this, "That method won''t do."


    Given the current traffic, it''s impossible to reach Chang''an City in time, and even if he could, he couldn''t possibly leave his grandfather behind.


    Widow Wang seemed to know he wouldn''t agree, and after conferring with the little girl in whispers, she spoke again, "There''s another method that might work, depending on if you have the courage!"


    Li Yan responded seriously, "Please tell."


    At this point, he had no other choices left.


    Even if Widow Wang and the Immortal harbored secrets, for now, their objectives aligned, both aiming to dispel the cmity, leaving him no option but to trust.


    Widow Wang spoke, "You must prepare tworge roosters, soak millet in your own blood, then gather some peach wood scraps and your own hair ashes, mix them, and feed it to the roosters."


    "The thing will cause trouble at midnight. You use a red rope to tie the roosters outside the door, then dig a three-foot pit in the ground and bury yourself inside."


    "The Rampant Soldier, unable to find you, will mistake the rooster for you. At daybreak, open the dead rooster''s belly to see if the innards have ck water."


    "If ck water flows, burn the rooster at noon on a willow altar."


    "If it doesn''t work?"


    "If it doesn''t work, continue the practice the next night."


    "Remember, this method has taboos. No matter what you hear or see, hide carefully and mustn''t break the surface!"


    After speaking, the little girl yawned, tears and snot streaming, like a deted balloon, she copsed onto the ground and fell sound asleep.


    It was evident that speaking those few words had utterly exhausted her.


    Naturally, Li Yan needed to take his leave and prepare.


    Stepping outside, that stench hit him once more.


    Holding his nose, Li Yan nced at the foul-smelling earthen jars and couldn''t help asking, "Do these things block phantoms and evil beings?"


    With a bitter expression, Widow Wang shook her head,


    "They cannot block phantoms, but can fend off something far scarier."


    "And also, they keep away the idle..."


    ...


    In the vige, findingrge roosters wasn''t difficult.


    Li Yan''s family had a few, but to prevent his grandfather from bing suspicious and inquiring too much, he purchased two from other households.


    Both were redbed and splendidly feathered.


    Roosters, hailed as heralds of dawn, were believed to ward off evil and avoid cmity ording to folklore.


    However, seeing these two roosters, Li Yan could detect no unusual scent, and the method given by Widow Wang required no magic artifact whatsoever.


    What was the true principle behind it?


    Though puzzled, Li Yan meticulously followed the instructions.


    He crushed peach wood branches, cut his hair and burned it into ashes, mixed it with millet and fresh blood, starved the roosters for a day, and fed them as the sun was setting.


    As for the pit, he dug it in the daytime while his grandfather basked in the sun, securing it with oilcloth and covering it with loose dirt.


    It wasn''t long before night fell.


    Midnight not yet arrived, Li Family Castle already shrouded in darkness and silence.


    Approaching the fifteenth, the bright moonlight bathed the ground like white frost.


    Dressed in simple clothing, Li Yan secured his leg wraps and used blood-stained red ropes to tie the roosters to a small tree outside.


    Then, he tightly shut the door and returned to his room.


    The loose soil he had dug was piled on both sides of the pit. Pulling the oilcloth below, the soil cascaded down, burying him.


    Li Yan held the Guan Mountain de, breathing through a single bamboo tube.


    The sensation of being buried alive was unpleasant, though theyer of soil was thin, it felt like drowning, engulfed by darkness, powerlessness, and fear.


    Moreover, he had to face the unknown Cold Altar Rampant Soldier.


    Fortunately, years of martial arts training had made Li Yan mentally resilient, allowing him to remain calm and waiting.


    Being buried also impaired his hearing, eliminating the possibility of detectingst night''s faint knocking noise.


    Li Yan''s task was solely to wait.


    Unknowingly, a night passed.


    After thetter half of the night, hearing the faint crowing of the rooster, he immediately exerted force with his arms, pushing aside the oilcloth and emerging from the soil, rushing out with his de.


    The sky remained dark, yet the scene outside was fully visible.


    As Widow Wang said, the rooster tied outside was dead beyond recovery, feces strewn about, its neck twisted grotesquely.


    Without hesitation, Li Yan cut open the rooster''s belly, his expression darkening immediately.


    Inside the rooster''s belly, the internal organs were twisted into a mess.


    Blood and flesh were muddled, but no ck water flowed...

 Chapter 8 - 8 Trick the Ghost!

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Trick the Ghost!</h4>


    Failed!


    Although Li Yan was unwilling to admit defeat, he was helpless.


    When he was preparing for the ritual during the day yesterday, he had already faintly discerned the underlying principle, which mainly involved tricking the Ghost God.


    This method had a long history and varied forms.


    Amon practice among themon folk was to raise a boy as a girl or a girl as a tomboy if they had broken some taboo and feared the child wouldn''t survive.


    The method taught by Widow Wang was exactly like this, and even went a step further¡ªtaking advantage of the Cold Altar Rampaging Soldier being trapped inside a chicken''s body, they would burn it at noon to avert disaster.


    Li Yan didn''t understand the deeper principles.


    But clearly, the trick had failed.


    Looking at the mush of internal organs inside the chicken, his heart grew cold.


    Being possessed by that thing was truly terrifying.


    The Substitute Divine Statue would likely not withstand many encounters.


    He dared not be careless, immediately burning and burying the rooster, and preparing again using the same method.


    ording to Widow Wang, the ritual needed to be performed for two consecutive nights.


    Perhaps tonight he would seed.


    The wait was always somewhat long.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Finally, as night fell and all was silent, Li Yan tied another rooster outside the door and returned to his room to burrow into the ground.


    The moonlight this night was even cleaner.


    Unlike yesterday, as midnight approached, a sudden chilly wind arose within Li Family Castle.


    This wind twisted left and right, carrying dust and fallen leaves, entering from the edge of the vige, avoiding the Land God Temple, and spiraling towards Li Yan''s home.


    In Widow Wang''s home, the candlelight was dim.


    The young girl had awakened but still stayed within the red circle, holding a horsetail whisk in a strange pose as if listening intently.


    Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, staring fixedly outside and babbling incessantly.


    Widow Wang''s face turned instantly pale.


    "This is bad, the child is in danger!"


    ...


    The chilly wind swirled rapidly in front of Li Mansion.


    This wind spun from t ground, carrying flying dust.


    Commoners who saw it would not find it strange, as such dustden whirlwinds weremon when the weather suddenly changed.


    But therge rooster tied at the gate seemed to sense impending danger, its feathers bristling, pping its wings and trying to jump up and down to escape.


    However, it was knocked down by the gust.


    Soon, the robust rooster suddenly floated up as if held by an invisiblerge hand.


    With a crack, its head and feet twisted hideously, and its body, along with chicken droppings, fell to the ground, with another gust rising from the ground nearby.


    However, its presence was noticeably weakened.


    Apparently angered by being deceived repeatedly, the wind spun around in the air, carrying leaves, and flew towards Li Mansion from the side.


    Yet before it could get close, it was repelled.


    Thud!


    The que hanging at the doorway, "Hundred Battle Valor," emitted a muffled sound.


    This noise was much louder than the previous nights.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    After three consecutive collisions, another crack appeared on the "Hundred Battle Valor" que with a snap.


    This crack was deeper, and thecquer peeled off loudly.


    And the chilly wind seemed much weaker, no longer trying to force its way but rather circling left and right around Li Mansion.


    In the darkness, the chilly wind howled.


    In an underground room of the side house, Li Yan clutched a knife, vignt.


    Though he couldn''t hear the sounds outside, he could feel that the entity had arrived.


    The chilling sensation on his back was bing more distinct.


    What''s happening tonight?


    Something seemed different...


    Just as he was puzzled, suddenly he heard a voice next to his ear.


    "My boy, where have you gone?"


    Vague and tinged with vicissitude, it was his grandfather Li Gui!


    This was bad!


    A chill ran down Li Yan''s spine, his heart racing.


    He hadn''t been entirely unprepared these past two nights; while boiling porridge, he had added ingredients like schisandra and other calming and heart-nourishing herbs.


    There was a time when his grandfather was in poor health, suffering from insomnia and frequent nightmares, and ording to the doctor''s prescription, he took some herbs which allowed him to sleep through till dawn each time.


    Although the old man had been a fierce soldier in his youth, his spirit had been shattered by his father''s death, and his health declined more each year, hardly able to bear any shocks.


    He naturally dared not mention matters of dealing with Evil Spirits.


    Unexpectedly, there was a hitch at this moment.


    As Li Yan was bing increasingly anxious, he suddenly remembered Widow Wang''s warning.


    There were taboos with this method; no matter what he heard or saw, he must not recklessly show himself, or all would be lost.


    Was it true or false?


    Li Yan forced himself to calm down, listening intently.


    Finally, he noticed something strange.


    The voice was vague, echoing repeatedly in his ears.


    Logically, if his grandfather got up and didn''t see him, he would push the door in and look for him in the house.


    The hole he had dug was clearly visible, right in front of the bed, impossible to miss.


    The sound echoed from left to right, but still, there was no movement.


    It''s fake!


    Li Yan made this judgment immediately, his heart chilling at the same time.


    The Cold Altar Rampant Soldier could even do this?


    Not long after, the sound gradually faded away.


    Rustle!


    Suddenly, the violent trembling of the door threshold sounded again.


    It was as if something was furiously shaking the door.


    Then, Grandpa''s voice rang out again.


    "Who is it?"


    "Ah, help me, quick!"


    The voice was tragic, as if something ominous had urred.


    Li Yan, sweating from his forehead, was equally uncertain.


    How could he dare to gamble on such a thing?!


    At that moment, an idea shed in his mind and he pushed the bamboo tube he was using to breathe upwards against his nostrils.


    Fortunately, the oilcloth wasid out so that no dust would fall into his mouth.


    Through the bamboo tube, Li Yan took a deep breath.


    His sense of smell was exceptionally keen, not only capable of detecting those special items but he could also easily identify the scent of ordinary things.


    The earthy smell, the rotten smell of old furniture, the scent of deep-fried meatballs on the table...


    All these scents were distinguished one by one.


    The unique bloody stench of "Blind Old Three" was also present, but very faint, indicating that he had not entered the yard.


    And Grandpa''s scent was not in the yard either.


    Finally, Li Yan''s heart settled, cursing inwardly at the same time.


    This creature could still deceive people, truly cunning to a chilling degree.


    If he hadn''t opened his Spirit Root, he would have truly been fooled!


    The various sounds came and went; relying on his astonishing sense of smell, Li Yan was never deceived, but it exhausted him both emotionally and mentally.


    Eventually, the sound gradually disappeared and no longer urred.


    After an unknown amount of time, a faint crowing of a rooster could be heard.


    Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and emerged from the ground.


    But just as his head surfaced,


    a chill ran down his spine.


    The room was pitch-ck, and through the crevices of the papered windows, he could faintly discern the sky.


    Although it was after midnight, it was clearly not yet time for the roosters to crow.


    He had been fooled!


    Li Yan''s heart was full of regret.


    He hadn''t expected to be tricked at thest moment.


    Thump!


    Just then, a loud noise came from outside the courtyard gate.


    This time he heard it clearly, not a hallucination, but something striking the que.


    Li Yan no longer hesitated and rushed out of the room, knife in hand.


    ording to Widow Wang, the creature would leave between the end of 1 a.m and the beginning of 3 a.m when the rooster crowed for the first time.


    It was about time; he might make it through with the Substitute Divine Statue.


    Thump!


    Another strike, the sound louder than before.


    Even the wooden door of the yard rattled loudly.


    Li Yan stood with his knife drawn, his eyes continuously gathering a murderous intent.


    As the old saying goes, ghosts fear wicked people, and he, having practiced martial arts for many years, might be able to harm this creature with the fierce Sha residing in his heart.


    "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"


    Just then, the family''s big rooster jumped up on the perch, stretched its neck, and crowed loudly, the sound echoing far and wide.


    The striking noises outside also stopped abruptly.


    Simultaneously, the neighbor''s roosters began to crow.


    Through the crack in the door, Li Yan could smell the faint scent of "Blind Old Three" rapidly fading.


    Perhaps due to the collisions with the "Hundred Battle Valor" que, the scent of "Blind Old Three" became extremely faint, causing all the dogs in the vige to bristle and bark wildly.


    Even so, Li Yan did not act recklessly.


    Only when a hint of dawn appeared on the horizon did he finally step out the door.


    As expected, therge rooster tied at the gate had died again.


    Its death was even more tragic than yesterday, clearly showing that the creature was extremely angry after being deceived repeatedly.


    Li Yan''s face darkened, devoid of any joy from escaping death.


    He had witnessed just how cunning and terrifying this thing wasst night.


    What would he do the next time?


    Crack!


    The "Hundred Battle Valor" que finally could not hold up and cracked open a long gap from the bottom, while at the same time, the scent of incense quickly dispersed.


    Li Yan sighed in his heart.


    Another treasure guarding the house had been destroyed, really when it rains, it pours.


    Just then, from the crack in the "Hundred Battle Valor" que, some things fell out, clinking and rolling on the ground¡ªthree copper coins.


    Li Yan picked them up one by one and examined them carefully.


    He saw that the copper coins, round with square holes, had patternspletely different from the usual ones; one side was embossed with the image of a Divine General in armor, surrounded by tiny runes.


    On the other side, there were carvings of the sun, moon, stars...

 Chapter 9 - 9 Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin</h4>


    "Flower coin?"


    Li Yan looked at the Copper Coin in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly.


    In his previous life, he liked ancient artifacts, so he naturally knew about this thing.


    This type of flower coin, also called "Yansheng Money" or "folklore money," came in various types and had different effects. They were often used for exorcising evil, averting disasters, praying for blessings, and bringing good fortune but did not have cirction value.


    However, the coin in his hand was obviously not simple.


    Li Yan merely held it in his hand, and he could smell a strong odor, like sharp icicles, mixed with a scent of blood.


    The incense fragrance that the que had previously vanishedpletely.


    This thing exuded a strong, murderous aura, resembling a fierce de.


    The previous "Hundred Battle Valor" que seemed merely to be its scabbard.


    Now that the scabbard was damaged, the sharp de finally revealed itself.


    Creak~


    Just then, the sound of a door being pushed open was heard.


    It was his grandfather, Li Gui, awake and walking out from the house.


    Seeing this, Li Yan secretly thought it was not good.


    When pacifying the Northern Border turmoil, during the pursuit on the ice field, although his grandfather lost a leg, it was his greatest achievement in life.


    He knew how much his grandfather valued this "Hundred Battle Valor" que. He would often wipe it clean and offer incense every festival.


    Seeing the damaged que now, he feared his grandfather couldn''t take it.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sure enough, upon seeing the cracked and peeling que, Li Gui was stunned for a moment, opened his mouth but only sighed slightly.


    Li Yan carefully asked, "Grandpa, you..."


    "It''s nothing."


    Li Gui waved his hand, then lit his opium pipe, took a few puffs, and shook his head, saying, "It must be the dryness these days causing it to crack, just find someone to repair it."


    Finishing his words, he leaned on a crutch, hummed a tune, and went out for a stroll.


    Looking at his demeanor, it didn''t seem like he was lying.


    Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief, but he was secretly amazed.


    Ever since his father died, his grandfather had been in a bad mood, with a fiery temper, always cursing whenever he encountered something unpleasing.


    Why was he acting so abnormally today?


    Of course, he didn''t have time to think more, tidied things up, and hurried towards Widow Wang''s house...


    ...


    "It''s good to be alive, it''s good to be alive!"


    Upon seeing him at the door, Widow Wang''s first words were these.


    Li Yan frowned, "What do you mean?"


    "Come in and talk."


    Widow Wang closed the courtyard gate, led him into the house, and without wasting any words, directly exined, "Yesterday, we also miscalcted."


    "When the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier appeared, its Dao advanced a step further. It should''ve devoured all the wandering ghosts within a ten-mile radius, making it even more troublesome."


    "We thought you would lose your life, but unexpectedly, you are still alive..."


    "Miscalcted?!"


    Hearing this, Li Yan grew furious.


    Last night''s creature''s methods were much more ruthless than what the immortals described. From Widow Wang''s words, even if he hadn''t made a mistake, he wouldn''t have been able to capture it.


    How could something so life-threatening end up like this?


    Widow Wang''s face turned bitter, but she didn''t say much more. She knocked on the Wen Wang drum again, singing a spirit-inviting tune, summoning Hu Sangu to appear.


    Seeing him, Hu Sangu mumbled a lot once more.


    Widow Wang exined, "The immortal asks you to detail what happenedst night."


    "And what type of Magic Artifact are you carrying, for the fierce aura is too strong, making the immortal very ufortable. Move a bit further away, do not approach the red circle."


    Li Yan nodded, retreated a few steps, recountedst night''s events, and took out three Copper Coins, inquiring about their origin.


    The little girl stretched her neck for a look, her eyes filled with suspicion, agitatedly waving her horsetail whisk, indicating him to move further, then started speaking non-stop.


    Widow Wang listened and tranted on the side.


    "The immortal says that the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier is bloodthirsty and deceitful, with an extraordinary origin."


    "Also, did your family offend anyone?"


    Li Yan was slightly stunned, "What do you mean?"


    Widow Wang exined, "Flower coins are a very important type of Magic Artifact. Various Magic Veins, Sects, and even the court, would spend a significant effort to forge them."


    "The flower coin in your hand has a considerable background. Have you ever heard of Yang Yi?"


    Li Yan nodded, "Of course, Killing God''s fame reverberates like thunder."


    During the former Da Xing Period, when the Golden Tent Wolf Country invaded, upying half of the kingdom, leading to a century of warfare with Great Xing''s north and south, countless martial Grandmasters emerged.


    Yang Yi was among them.


    Skilled in using dual des, he reversed to Innate, achieving Grandmaster status.


    There were even folk rumors that he transcended the mortal realm,prehended the true Dao, and touched the pinnacle of the Grandmaster state, bing the martial arts peak of that era.


    His Two Instruments Six Harmonies de Technique still had many practitioners to this day.


    Of course, he was best known for his Killing God title.


    As a general of the Great Xing Dynasty, he once led a lone army into the prairie, ying till rivers of blood flowed. In hister years, he quelled the Jizhou rebellion, ughtering three cities consecutively.


    In folklore, he was almost regarded as an evil deity.


    Hu Sangu mumbled; Widow Wang continued, "Folk legends oftenck truth, some things only Mystical Sect insiders know."


    "Although Yang Yi was a Grandmaster, he couldn''t alone overpower the heroes. So, he enlisted Hidden Treasure Men to explore extensively, finding a Spiritual Treasure from heaven and earth. After spending significant manpower, they forged and refined a pair of Demon des, scaring even gods and ghosts away."


    "He cooperated with Taixuan Orthodox Sect, dispersing the Shaman line of the Golden Tent Wolf Country steppe, paving the way forter unification."


    "But this Demon de was extremely fierce, and in hister years, Yang Yi was also influenced by it, bing bloodthirsty and brutal. After his death, the Great Xing Dynasty melted the Demon des, casting them into one hundred and eight talismanic flower coins, then offering them at Taishan Temple, to dissipate the Demonic Qi."


    "This money is called Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin, with the sun, moon, and stars engraved on the back. The front features Yang Yi''s image and the incantation: Heaven''s rity, Earth''s tranquility, ying ghosts, destroying spirits, beheading demons, and exorcising evils, swiftly ording to themand."


    Li Yan was delighted upon hearing this, "So it''s a treasure?"


    "It''s indeed a good thing."


    Listening to Hu Sangu, Widow Wang exined, "Though this talismanic money is not top-grade, collecting the three talents of the sun, moon, and stars can suppress evil and y spirits."


    "However, hiding it in the Demon Suppression que was a malicious tactic!"


    "That que was bestowed by the court for merit. Even if it were to house flower money, it would usually be for blessing and peaceful residence, with incense offering and enlightenment."


    "But the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin, refined from the Demon des, wields a fierce aura to suppress evil. Hidden in the que and disguised with incense aroma, it''s like a needle concealed in cotton, with three ruthless des hanging above the door, considered a sophisticated Yansheng method."


    "If not mistaken, your family must have been sparse in numbers. Since your grandfather, your family''s fortune over three generations was burdened, all destined for violent deaths until bloodline extinction!"


    "What?!"


    Li Yan listened in disbelief.


    These matters concerning Qi fortune, mysterious and profound, he wouldn''t have believed in the past, but his experiences these days informed him that this world harbors mystical forces.


    Everything Hu Sangu said wasn''t wrong at all.


    His family line had single offspring, and ording to his grandfather, several children were born but all died young, leaving only his father as thest seedling.


    His father was a desman and a wanderer.


    Though he had a wife at home, he rued romantic debts outside, yet he also had only Li Yan as his only son, and his death was somewhat peculiar.


    Thinking back, his predecessor died mysteriously on a tomb one night before Li Yan''s soul took over, which was also a symbol of a violent death.


    Recalling this, a surge of killing intent arose in Li Yan''s heart, "Does the senior know who employed such methods?"


    "Don''t say you don''t know, even if you did, there''s nothing you can do!"


    Widow Wang shook her head, advising, "The Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin would attract any ordinary magician''s envy, yet it was used to harm your family, and they could tamper with the court-bestowed item. Is this something a boy like you can mess with?"


    "Revenge? Preserve your life first."


    As she spoke, she listened to the immortal''s words attentively, a hint of joy appearing in her eyes, and she said, "Though the chance was slim originally, having this item can dispel cmities!"


    "The method employed two days ago, although the Rampant Soldier wasn''t deceived, swallowing the peach wood inside the rooster''s belly and shing with your dwelling spirit objects, already harmed its Divine Soul."


    "The prior method works twice, but there''s no third time. When the Rampant Soldieres again tonight, it will surely seek you directly."


    "Tonight, conceal yourself beside the Land God Temple at the vige head, where the incense is strong. The Rampant Soldier must find a flesh body to approach, and it will be restrained by the Earth God."


    "The immortal will transform the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin into a de tassel with the Secret Technique, and at that time, behead its flesh body to achieve victory in the battle!"


    Having said this, the little girl possessed by the immortal requested Widow Wang fetch a red rope.


    First, she stained it with Li Yan''s blood, then reluctantly tore ten white strands from the horsetail whisk in her hand.


    Widow Wang followed the instructions, weaving the white strands and red rope into a peculiar knot, threading the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin through it.


    While weaving, she exined, "These horsetail whisk strandse from a spirit horse with the Dao, and after our incense hall''s cmity, this is the only one left..."


    "This knot is called the Evil Exorcism Auspicious Knot,bining with the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin as a de tassel, it can enhance the fierce aura in your de, y the Rampant Soldier, and ordinary evil objects wouldn''t dare approach. Consider it as gaining an advantage..."


    "But you are not from the Mystical Sect, and this item shouldn''t be worn frequently. When not in use, ce it in the red cloth bag, offer it incense on the first and fifteenth, or else it might backfire..."


    Widow Wang rambled on while Li Yan listened intently.


    After this incident, he dared not be careless.


    An hourter, the knot was finallypleted. Li Yan attached it to his Guan Shan de, revealing a hint of peculiar expression.


    He could smell the strong, bloody, fierce aura of the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin spreading from the hilt to the de, as cold as ice in his hand.


    Not only that, the Guan Shan de, originally left by his father and crafted by a renowned artisan with many souls beneath it, seemed to have its fierce aura evoked as well.


    A slight shake and the de''s glint was piercingly painful.


    Chilled to his core, Li Yan carefully removed the de tassel and took the red cloth bag offered by Widow Wang, cing it inside.


    After meticulously asking about the precautions, Li Yan bid farewell and left.


    What he didn''t know was, shortly after he left, the little girl possessed by Hu Sangu suddenly opened her eyes and spoke,


    "That Rampant Soldier appeared rather mysteriously; perhaps it was sent by a rival. Once resolved, we should immediately leave."


    Though her tone was sharp, it was no longer the beastly tongue.


    The immortal''s words, named upper speech, required disciples to trante.


    But being able to speak humannguage meant she was an old hand with profound Dao.


    Widow Wang was stunned, cautiously inquiring, "Third Aunt, should we induct that boy into the sect after he developed his Spirit Root?"


    The little girl shook her head, "He merely has a smell superpower. Besides, he''s not young, already missing his chance. Even if he reluctantly enters the Dao, he won''t amount to much."


    "Let him be; with his Spirit Root exposed, ghosts, gods, and high-caliber individuals watching..."


    "Sigh, even if he survives this cmity, he won''t live long..."


    As she spoke, her eyelids drooped, her voice trailing off as she fell back asleep.

 Chapter 10 - 10 Night Visit to the Temple

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Night Visit to the Temple</h4>


    ```


    "Grandpa, you seem to be in a good mood today."


    "That''s true, for some reason, I don''t feel suffocated or stifled today, and some things suddenly became clear. It''s really strange..."


    "Life is just like that!"


    Grandpa Li Gui felt quite unusual today. When he saw the que was broken, he wasn''t angry. Instead, he walked around the vige entrance a few times instead of sitting at the door smoking in frustration as usual.


    Li Yan naturally understood why.


    The que was damaged, and the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin inside fell out, breaking the curse on their family, removing the metaphorical des hanging over their heads, and as a result, people naturally felt relieved.


    This influence wasn''t apparent.


    The old man could feel it, more or less.


    Perhaps because he was in a good mood, after dinner Grandpa Li Gui sat at the door, took a few puffs of his pipe, and began to sing an old Qin Opera he hadn''t sung in ages:


    "With a golden circle on his head, wearing a Nine Pce Eight Trigrams robe. Waist tied with a Resurrection Grass belt, cloud-climbing shoes on his feet..."


    "Mysterious, mysterious, mysterious. We traveled through the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. If you want to know my name, turn your head, and it''s Shen Gongbao!"


    Qin Opera, Yellow River Formation.


    This world also had the Fengshen Legend, which was widely circted.


    The "Yellow River Formation" was a favorite song among the old and young in Guanzhong.


    Inside the room, listening to his grandfather''s Qin Opera, Li Yan squatted on a bench, holding a Guan Mountain de, grinding it on a sharpening stone.


    ng! ng!


    The rough Qin Opera and the sound of the de turning into one.


    At sunset, Li Yan held the de up to examine it.


    The cold de glistened sharply!


    ...


    The Land God Temple, also known as the Fortune and Virtue Temple, originated from the ancient belief in the Earth God.


    The "Ritual Records. Spring Officials" mentions that beyond the Great Spirits, there are Earth Spirits, after which the names of thend gods were given. The five earth spirits are the She.


    It can be said that it has permeated folk beliefs from ancient times to the present.


    Even the current court issued a decree stating that every hundred households should establish an altar to worship the gods of five earths and five grains.


    Therefore, Land God Temples are almost everywhere across the Jiuzhou territory.


    Of course, their scale varies, and so does the strength of the incense offerings.


    Most of the people in the Guanzhong region make a living by farming and are not afraid of hardship nor exhaustion. Their greatest fear is unpredictable weather.


    As a result, the incense offerings at both the Land God and Dragon King Temples are quite prosperous.


    The Land God Temple in the Li Family Castle was no exception.


    The Land God Temple here wasn''trge, just a y house built with blue bricks and yellow mud by the roadside, no taller than a person, with a length and width of no more than five steps.


    It was more like a shrine than a temple, barely providing shelter from the wind and rain.


    Inside, the effigies of the Earth Spirit and Earth Goddess were offered, their smiles gentle and kindly, yet due to the weathered paint, they appeared somewhat eerie under the moonlight.


    In front of the altar, piles of incense ashes and remnants of candles were heaped like a small mountain. The surrounding trees were also covered with red ribbons tied with blessings, clearly showing that the incense was quite abundant.


    Tonight, the moonlight was like frost, and the night fognguidly enveloped the area.


    A flicker of light approached from the vige, growing closer.


    The oneing was Li Yan.


    He wore rough cloth ck clothes, had leg wraps tied, and held the Guan Mountain de at his waist. In one hand, he carried a basket and in the other, antern.


    To avoid being seen, he also wore a rainproof bamboo hat.


    Walking alone at night induced a mysterious feeling.


    Arriving before the Land God Temple, Li Yan lifted his head slightly, and beneath the bamboo hat, his gaze was prating, filled with a chilling coldness.


    That afternoon''s de sharpening was nothing short of honing his intent to kill.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After ensuring no one was around, Li Yan set down the basket, took out fruits, sacrificial offerings, incense, and candles, even a piece of cooked meat and a jar of wine.


    Heid everything in order and lit the candles.


    Li Yan rubbed his face, shing a brilliant smile, then unsealed the wine jar and said softly, "Earth Spirit Grandfather, I''vee to see you."


    "You''ve watched me grow up, and you could say you''re like a senior to me. It was wrong of me not to burn incense before, but we can''t let that evil thing wreak havoc..."


    "Tonight, let''s borrow your sacred ground to join forces and exorcise the evil. What do you think?"


    Knowing the world wasn''t that simple, Li Yan naturally changed his demeanor.


    Toozy to burn incense on a usual basis, he decided to say some nice words to avoid any mishapster, whether it made a difference or not.


    There was something special about this Land God Temple.


    From a hundred meters away, one could smell the thick incense. After heid the offerings and lit the incense, he unexpectedly felt a warmth.


    It was somewhat simr to the feeling the "Hundred Battle Valor" que gave him but more gentle.


    The Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel in the red cloth bag at his waist grew increasingly cold.


    Apparently, these were two entirely different powers.


    However, the two powers did not sh. ording to Widow Wang, the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin was crafted by the previous dynasty and had been worshipped and tempered at the top of Taishan, turning it into a magic artifact.


    Yin and Yang could counteract but alsoplement each other.


    Li Yan was still an amateur and did not understand the underlying principles.


    But he could interpret facial expressions and saw that Widow Wang had no malice and truly wanted to eliminate the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier.


    Thinking of this, Li Yan chuckled:


    "Earth Spirit Grandpa, if you don''t speak, I''ll take it as your approval!"


    Saying this, he lit three sticks of incense and prayed sincerely.


    After offering the incense and respectfully kowtowing three times, he followed Widow Wang''s instructions, took the red cloth bag from his waist, and ced the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel before the Land God Temple.


    This immediately felt different.


    Although there wasn''t much of a reaction, he could smell the warm incense around him enveloping the de tassel.


    Bear in mind, Li Yan wasn''t from the Mystical Sect and hadn''t undergone training.


    Once enhanced by the de tassel, the Guan Mountain de burst with Evil Qi, causing him to feel icy cold within half a bag of smoke''s time, unable to resist.


    The incense from the Land God Temple allowed for prolonged use.


    Seeing no mishaps ur, Li Yan felt relieved, stood up, and circled around the Land God Temple, memorizing the surrounding terrain.


    Fighting at night, with insufficient light, made it crucial to be familiar with the environment.


    The Land God Temple backed against a small mound, was about a hundred steps from the official road, and a Por Foresty in the distance. The terrain was t with no ditches.


    For him, this was advantageous, no fear of stumbling in the dark.


    Afterpleting these tasks, Li Yan sat cross-legged before the Land God Temple, cing the Guan Mountain de across his knees. After ncing at the sky, he closed his eyes to rest.


    Behind him, the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel remained offered as a tribute.


    As advised by Widow Wang, this item should only be used after a Rampant Soldier attempted to possess its victim, to avoid alerting the adversary and wasting previous efforts.


    Incense smoke curled around, and the Earth Spirit and Goddess still smiled kindly...


    ...


    Finally, midnight arrived.


    It was a very special hour.


    Within the incense radius of the Land God Temple, Li Yan felt it acutely.


    Midnight was when the Yin Qi was heaviest, and even the warmth around the Land God Temple seemed suppressed, with coldness welling up from the ground.


    However, there was also a faint hint of nascent Yang.


    This was when rats came out to scavenge, making it the hour of the rat.


    There''s a folk saying that although rats are small, they are full of vitality and can gnaw a crack in the chaotic state of heaven and earth, allowing Yang Qi to gradually rise, rotating between Yin and Yang. Hence, there is a saying, "The rat bites the sky open."


    This is why the rat leads the twelve zodiac animals.


    Of course, this was also when ghosts and spirits were most rampant.


    The Yang energy of the world was suppressed, as was the Yang in the human body, making it easy for these entities to take advantage.


    Suddenly, Li Yan opened his eyes, which sparkled with cold light.


    Whoosh~


    In the distance on the official road, a gust of Yin Wind inexplicably arose, sweeping up dust and swirling in ce.


    Under the bright moon, it was especially striking.


    At the same time, Li Yan smelled a cold, nauseating stench.


    The cold feeling on his back intensified.


    He knew it was the curse ced on him, acting like some kind of mark, ensuring that even if he fled to the ends of the earth, it would pursue him relentlessly.


    Sensing his presence, the whirlwind moved toward the Land God Temple.


    Yet, as it approached the incense boundary of the temple, it was repelled, unable to enter despite left and right attempts.


    Whoosh~


    The Yin Wind whistled, and the cold stench grew stronger.


    The sound of the wind tranted into his grandfather''s voice in Li Yan''s ears.


    "Yan''er, where are you?"


    "Come on out, let''s go home..."


    The voice was old and mournful, exactly like his grandfather''s.


    Li Yan''s mouth curved into a cold smile, unmoved.


    Although not of the Mystical Sect, he had discerned some patterns.


    Firstly, this so-called Cold Altar Rampant Soldier had intelligence and was rather cunning, behaving more like a beast following a primitive set of rules. Itcked human depth of thought and had some limitations.


    Otherwise, why would it have fallen for his traps two days in a row?


    Secondly, it wasn''t knowledgeable of human secrets but could manipte the mind, needing the curse to release its influence.


    That night, his grandfather, who hadn''t been cursed, heard nothing.


    This trick yed specifically on human weaknesses.


    For instance, it used his concern for his grandfather to mimic the old man''s voice.


    It was insidious and found its way into every crack.


    The enemy was also adept at concealment.


    During the day, walking around the vige, he couldn''t detect its scent, nor did it alert any watch dogs when sneaking in.


    Only when it got hurt did the vige dogs be aware.


    ording to Widow Wang, it intended to possess his body.


    As long as he stayed within the incense radius of the Land God Temple, without being beguiled, the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier could only attempt to possess to get inside.


    Sure enough, there was a change.


    As the Yin Wind continued to batter, an unusual movement arose at the Land God Temple.


    The scent of incense became even more intense.


    Li Yan felt a warm sensation flowing in his heart, the cold curse on his back noticeably reduced, and even the beguiling cries faded away.


    The Earth Spirit was strong!


    Li Yan couldn''t help but silently praise it.


    Whoosh~


    Unexpectedly, the Yin Wind began to retreat slowly.


    From the looks of it, it was trying to leave.


    That wouldn''t do!


    Li Yan thought this was bad news.


    He didn''t have time to let it linger, and with the que protecting their home already destroyed, missing tonight might put his grandfather in danger.


    With that thought, Li Yan''s eyes flickered, hatching a n.


    Without any hesitation, he ran directly to the edge of the incense influence from the Land God Temple.


    "Don''t rush, keep ying."


    "Hey, I''ming out..."


    "Hey, I''m going back in..."


    "Come on, try and get me if you dare!"


    The tant provocation drove it utterly mad.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, the Yin Wind surged.


    Li Yan felt a chill in his heart, quickly retreating to the temple.


    But after the wind subsided, that particr icy, foul smell was nowhere to be found.


    Did it actually flee?


    Just as Li Yan felt a pang of annoyance, he sensed chills rise on his back.


    Rustling!


    In the far Por Forest, a flock of birds took flight, startled by the night.


    Amid the dense fog, a red-eyed Evil Wolf slowly emerged.


    Then, a dozen or so wolves of various sizes leaped out from different directions, encircling the Land God Temple...


    ```

 Chapter 11 - 11 Deathmatch

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Deathmatch</h4>


    ```


    This... damn it, it even summoned underlings!


    The sudden change caught Li Yan off guard.


    ns couldn''t keep up with changes. Although he didn''t know how the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier managed it, the situation had undoubtedly shifted from a duel to a brawl.


    It seemed the earlier provocation went too far...


    Li Yan couldn''t afford to regret and immediately got up, drawing his de.


    ng!


    He held the de in his right hand, the de tip angled upward, his stance half crouched. His left hand reversed its grip on the de''s handle, holding it horizontally in front of his waist, and he slowly stepped back.


    This was called the pressing de stance.


    It allowed for offense and defense; the de tip angled upward could instantly thrust at iing beasts, and the scabbard could act as a blunt weapon to strike or defend.


    Retreating to the incense burner in the Land God Temple, he stopped and crouched quickly, picking up the tribute de tassel, stuffing it into his chest.


    The wolf pack was fearsome, but the greater threaty with that Cold Altar Rampant Soldier.


    This Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel was the key to winning.


    Of course, it couldn''t be used recklessly yet.


    Without a moment''s pause, the wolf packunched their attack.


    Roar¡ª¡ª!


    Suddenly, three wolves in the front charged out.


    They bared their ferocious fangs, twoing from the ground, aggressively targeting Li Yan''s abdomen as if to disembowel him.


    The remaining one leaped suddenly, jaws wide, aiming for Li Yan''s neck.


    This was the wolf pack''s extremely savagebined attack skill.


    Ordinary prey, even if they avoided the neck''s vital point, would be knocked down, allowing the remaining two wolves to tear open his belly.


    However, Li Yan was prepared.


    With a half-step forward and before his right footnded, his de shed.


    It created the illusion that the de outpaced the man.


    This was the brilliance of the Guanzhong Fast de.


    Typical desmen strike by nting their foot firmly, channeling power from the ground to generate force through their waist and arms, whether shing or sweeping, the force was formidable.


    However, the Guanzhong Fast de was delivered before the footnded.


    The powerful arm and wrist strength,bined with a sharp de,pensated fully for theck of leverage.


    What use was strength if one''s throat was cut first?


    Guanzhong desmen earned theirrge reputations with this singr skill.


    Mastering this de technique made them so quick that others could hardly react.


    The charging Evil Wolf experienced the same.


    Mid-air, the de edge prated its throat, stabbing straight into its skull.


    The momentum didn''t lessen, and with the Guan Mountain de''s sharpness, half its head was directly sliced off, blood sttering everywhere.


    Meanwhile, the two ground wolves attacked.


    Li Yan stepped back ordingly, using his left hand to reverse grip the scabbard, thrusting it into the left wolf''s throat, making it shriek in pain. His right hand wielded the de to sweep downward.


    Splurt!


    The wolf attacking from the right had its forelimb sliced off, immediately losing bnce.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Li Yan stepped forward again with a tentative step, delivering a sweeping kick that sent the legless wolf flying seven or eight meters, rolling several times, kicking up dust.


    It had its leg severed, was kicked in the soft belly, thrashed while vomiting blood, and gradually grew quiet.


    Only then did Li Yan twirl the de, thrusting downward.


    The wolf on the left, with the scabbard in its throat, was madly biting, and this stab pierced from the back of the neck, pinning it to the ground, silencing it.


    Fwoosh!


    Wolf blood sprayed, sttering Li Yan''s face.


    His expression unchanged, his icy gaze remained fixed forward.


    The wolf pack''s attack had a pattern; they didn''t swarm but sought weaknesses, attacking in waves.


    Even if they failed, they attempted to wound the prey.


    No matter howrge the beast, under these waves of attacks, both flesh and spirit would rapidly copse.


    The advantage was minimizing losses.


    After all, injuries in the wild often led to death.


    The wolves'' tactics hadn''t changed, yet they hadn''t anticipated Li Yan''s de skills to be so sharp, killing three wolves in a breath.


    The follow-up attack was disrupted.


    Feeling the murderous intent emanating from Li Yan, the remaining Evil Wolves whimpered, circling but too afraid to advance recklessly.


    Li Yan''s attention was solely on the alpha wolf.


    He could smell the familiar stench emanating from it.


    Compared tost night, it was clearly weaker.


    Widow Wang was right.


    The Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, having been injured several times and devouring wandering souls and specters within ten li, was now at its weakest.


    The Evil Wolf it possessed was merely lurking just outside the range of the temple''s incense, without any intention of entering.


    It seemed it wanted the wolf pack to drag him out.


    Li Yan''s expression was cold and stern, standing motionlessly with the de.


    He wanted to exorcise this scourge; the opponent also coveted his soul and body.


    At this moment, it was just a matter of who would lose patience first.


    Roar!


    Perhaps fearing the dawn''s arrival and the rise of Yang energy, the Evil Wolf possessed by the Rampant Soldier suddenly let out a roar.


    The stink around it exploded, scaring several wolves to urinate on the spot.


    Under its coercion, they all charged towards the Land God Temple.


    "Kill!"


    Li Yan''s thunderous shout rang out. Backing against the Land God Temple, the Guan Mountain de shed left and right, even delivering a Skyward Kick that sent the charging Evil Wolf flying.


    The cold gleam burst forth, immediately butchering two wolves.


    But hisck of experience''s weakness began to show.


    With so many wolves attacking simultaneously, he couldn''t keep up. After one round of attacks, his moves became predictable; an opening appeared, immediately putting him at a disadvantage.


    Even his de-holding right hand was bitten down tightly by a wolf.


    The others bared their fangs to bite.


    Even when kicked away by Li Yan, they''d turn around and attack again.


    Awooo!


    From afar, another wolf howl resounded.


    It was the Evil Wolf possessed by the Rampant Soldier who feared the pack might destroy Li Yan''s body, issuing amand with a growl.


    Indeed, the wolves no longer attacked viciously but started dragging him outward by his limbs.


    Li Yan was in excruciating pain, his heart welling up with rage.


    He knew this was a critical moment.


    Even if he managed to break free, exhaustion from the pack''s siege would follow, and even with the Substitute Divine Statue''s recovery to kill the remaining wolves, facing that Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, he would still be doomed.


    Now, his only chance was to y that Rampant Soldier.


    Keeping this in mind, Li Yan, enduring the sharp pain, gripped the Guan Mountain de tightly, allowing the wolf pack to drag him towards the Rampant Soldier''s Evil Wolf.


    The dust flew up, leaving a blood-streaked trail across the ground, harrowing to look upon.


    Soon, he was dragged to the side of the official road.


    Here was beyond the incense coverage of the Land God Temple.


    The Evil Wolf, possessed by the Rampant Soldier, couldn''t hold back any longer, lunging forward, its forelimbs pinning Li Yan''s chest, baring its ferocious fangs, growling lowly.


    Li Yan could clearly feel the icy sensation at the back of his heart suddenly surging and spreading outwards.


    This chill was so startling, it seemed to invade his internal organs; his skin began to numb, even his consciousness grew hazy.


    Meanwhile, the Substitute Divine Statue began to take effect.


    Li Yan''s judgment was urate, the curse affected the spirit, but the Rampant Soldier''s attempt to possess and seize his soul inevitably altered his physical state.


    Ifpletely possessed, it would likely be as Widow Wang mentioned, with dark waters seeping from his internal organs.


    The repairs by the Substitute Divine Statue brought Li Yan back to rity.


    At this moment, without any hesitation left, he drew the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel from his chest, pressing it onto the Guan Mountain de, and thrust upwards fiercely!


    The Rampant Soldier was casting a possession spell, utterly unable to dodge.


    A "splurt" sounded as wolf blood mixed with ck water trickled down.


    Roar¡ª¡ª!


    From within the Evil Wolf, a bizarre howl emerged.


    The sound was part beast, part human, as if two voices ovepped, echoing all around.


    The remaining wolves seemed to break free from control, trembling all over, dirtying themselves while madly rushing into the bushes, vanishing from sight.


    Li Yan, at this point, couldn''t spare any attention.


    Upon thebination of the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin and the de, a bone-piercing coldness spread along the de, piercing the upper wolf.


    It pierced not only its body.


    Li Yan could keenly smell that as the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin merged with the de, it emitted a cold and bloody scent that pierced through the Rampant Soldier''s stench.


    The Yang Six Roots correspond to six senses, each representing a divine skill.


    The divine skill he awakened was smell¡ªwhile not as direct as Yin Yang Eyes, through scent, he deeply sensed the shift in forces between the two.


    The "Hundred Battle Valor" que, incense from the Land God Temple, seemed to possess a simr warmth, an attribute of Yang.


    In contact with the Rampant Soldier''s power, they mutually canceled each other out.


    Conversely, the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin held a Yin power, even colder than the Rampant Soldier''s, like ice entering water.


    It didn''t weaken, even absorbing the Rampant Soldier''s power.


    Roar¡ª¡ª!


    The bizarre howling grew ever fainter.


    Finally, as the Rampant Soldier''s stench thoroughly dissipated, the wolf above stilled, leaving only the scent of its corpse.


    Thud!


    Li Yan gave it a shove, and the wolf carcass tumbled aside.


    He breathed heavily, utilizing the Substitute Divine Statue.


    His wounds vanished in a breath.


    Except for the tattered clothing and fresh blood, there was no sign of his recent arduous battle.


    The Substitute Divine Statue could eliminate all adverse conditions of the body, including exercise-induced muscle soreness.


    Consequently, to some extent, it could restore stamina.


    However, while the physical body recovered, the exhaustion following extreme mental tension could not be dismissed, so Li Yany there a while before slowly climbing up.


    At that moment, his expression stiffened.


    Within his Dantian, the umted injuries in the Substitute Divine Statue finally reached the limit, densely packed cracks appearing, as though on the brink of copsing.


    Sigh~


    From the statue''s left shoulder, a phantom me suddenly extinguished.


    Like a restart, the statue instantly recovered, without a trace of damage.


    Did he just... lose a life?


    Li Yan fumed, unable to resist spitting angrily.


    But he also knew, without the Substitute Divine Statue, this cmity would''ve been inescapable.


    That which Widow Wang worshipped was supposedly a legendary spirit medium, although somewhat off, the Rampant Soldier didn''t even dare show its head, suggesting its formidable nature.


    Suddenly, his brows furrowed, feeling the Guan Mountain de in his hand growing increasingly cold, like grasping an ice shard.


    His bones ached from the chill, even his skin began to numb.


    Li Yan quickly discarded the de tassel.


    On the yellow earth, the previously intricate de tassel knots, including the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin, were all stained with wolf blood, emitting a bloody scent.


    Absorbing some power from the Rampant Soldier, it seemed to enhance this treasure!


    This wasn''t a good thing.


    It meant he''d find it increasingly difficult to wield this treasure in the future.


    He''d have to find a way to solve this.


    Or, better yet, find a master and delve into that mystical world!


    With this in mind, Li Yan tidied up the traces on the ground, carefully cing the Demon Suppressing de Tassel into a red cloth bag, and vanished into the night.


    Soon, he arrived outside Widow Wang''s.


    Before he even approached, his expression changed.


    The mixture of incense and the rancid smell had vanished.


    Indeed, upon pushing open the gate to the courtyard, it was empty inside.


    The offering table, memorial tablets, red ropes, incense burner...


    Widow Wang and that spirit medium, all traces of their existence had been cleaned up, leaving it indistinguishable from an ordinary residence.


    Something stirred in Li Yan''s mind as he looked around.


    Indeed, the peculiar formations made from clustered altars were haphazardly scattered, foul waters flowing freely.


    At this point, Li Yan was utterly certain.


    Widow Wang and herpanions were evading something...


    ```

 Chapter 12 - 12 Du Daya

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Du Daya</h4>


    The sun rose and set, and in the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    Widow Wang''s disappearance stirred up some noise in the vige.


    Some said she had taken her daughter beyond the borders, hoping to return to her hometown...


    Others said the woman was speaking nonsense and hadpletely lost her mind, wanting to sell her daughter to a broker in Chang''an City...


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    Of course, that was all just talk.


    A widow with a different surname, who smelled foul and was unpopr,


    who would care about her fate?


    At most, they wouldment that the child not yet four years old was pitiable.


    Vige head Li Huairen was even more indifferent.


    He simply sent someone to the government office to report a missing person, then had his servants seize thend left by Widow Wang, much to the annoyance of several others harboring the same intentions, who cursed him behind his back.


    This was all that remained of Widow Wang''s presence in Li Family Castle...


    ......


    Gurulu!


    Several old horses were struggling to pull the stone roller.


    Summer harvest was approaching, and the golden waves of wheat rolled in the fields.


    It wasn''t quite time to harvest, but there was no shortage of farmwork to be done.


    The women needed to pick mulberries and raise silkworms, cook meals for the family.


    The men took scythes, wooden rakes, shovels, and wooden harrows from the storage room to maintain and repair them, preparing for the summer harvest.


    Besides that, the threshing ground also needed to be rolled smooth and t with the stone roller.


    After all, gathering the harvest was like going to war; if the preparations were inadequate and a problem urred during the harvest¡ªand then it rained or something¡ªthere would be trouble for the whole year.


    Li Yan wasn''t idle, either, feeding the horses at the threshing ground.


    "Brother Yan, I must say these beasts are something else."


    The carter Du Sixi, with his big crooked teeth, was spitting while making his sales pitch.


    "These horses are about ten years old, best of their prime, never been wounded. They''re not up for a thousand li in a day, but daily travel to and fro Chang''an is a piece of cake..."


    "To roam the pugilistic world, you have a knife, but how can you manage without a horse?!"


    Li Family Castle wasn''t wealthy; only the vige head Li Huairen had a few old horses for work, and asionally rode around the vige.


    Even so, it was the envy of the local young men.


    Li Yan naturally wanted to get one too, not for the sake of vanity, but to practice horse archery, which would also make visits to Chang''an more convenient.


    However, at the moment, he was somewhat distracted.


    Looking at Du Sixi, who was forever boasting, a thought struck Li Yan, and he asked, "Old Du, are there any famous Taoist Temples in Chang''an City?"


    Widow Wang and her family had been gone for several days.


    No one knew that something terrifying had entered the vige to wreak havoc.


    Although the situation had been resolved, for Li Yan, it was just the beginning.


    For one thing, he knew that his own family''s misfortune, including his father and his own former untimely death, had been caused by an enemy using a suppression technique to cast a curse.


    The opponent was malicious and was powerful enough to tamper with items bestowed by the court. If they learned that their Magic Method had failed, they might cause more trouble.


    Furthermore, Li Yan had no intention of letting the matter slide.


    Secondly, ording to Widow Wang, he had acquired the smell superpower by opening the Yang Six Roots and would sooner orter be targeted by sinister forces.


    Therefore, entering the Mystical Sect had be his current urgent goal.


    The person in front of him, Du Sixi, was a carter from the neighboring Du Family vige, who regrly traveled between the nearby viges. He transported people to Chang''an or delivered goods.


    These past two days, he was helping the Horse Team haul stone rollers between several viges.


    Despite his unimpressive appearance, he was part of the pugilistic world.


    The pugilistic world was made up of the Five Elements and Eight Professions; the Five Elements refer to vehicle, boat, store, courier, and broker trades, while the Eight Professions refer to various manual craftspeople such as cksmiths, carpenters, leatherworkers, etc.


    The pugilistic world wasn''t just about fighting; it was also a means of livelihood.


    Moreover, some forces within the Five Elements and Eight Professions were so powerful that even notorious figures from the Green Forest Road had to offer them respect.


    For example, there was the Pai Sect in the south and the Cao Gang in the north for boats, and the Four Seas Gang at sea.


    And for the courier trade, despite it being strenuous work, there were gangs at every dock.


    Simrly, famous inns were not only ces for members of the pugilistic world to rest their feet but also hubs for the flow of all sorts of information.


    The vehicle trade was no exception.


    Just imagine, doing business in a ce and having customerse and go. How could you operate without someone backing you up, let alone travel around?


    So where there were people, there were interests, and where there were interests, there was the pugilistic world.


    There were two major escort agencies in Chang''an City, "Taixing" and "Ever Prosperous."


    Not just in Chang''an City, but throughout the Guanzhong region, all business rting to horses and carriages was controlled by them; they also had close ties with various escort agencies, famous inns, Cao Gang, brokers, and couriers.


    Their martial prowess might be ordinary, but their informationwork was especially well-connected.


    Du Sixi was a man from Taixing escort agency, known as Du Daya because of his big crooked teeth.


    While he wasn''t too capable and held a low position, only mingling among the viges, he was indeed well-informed.


    He had previously received favors from Li Hu, so Li Yan asked as soon as he opened his mouth.


    "What kind of question is that?"


    Du Sixiughed, "Although Chang''an City has seen its share of wars recently, it is after all the capital of many dynasties. Inside the city, there are one hundred and eight districts and countless Taoist temples big and small."


    "What, does Brother Yan want to go offer incense? I''ll be heading to Chang''an tomorrow..."


    Li Yan waved his hand to cut him off and said with a serious tone, "Old Du, I want to know where the real experts of the Mystical Sect are!"


    "Mystical... Sect?"


    Du Sixi was taken aback, "Why are you asking about this?"


    So he really knows something?!


    Li Yan''s heart leaped with joy, and he put on a smile, pulling Du Sixi to squat beneath the shade of a tree, "Old Du, no, Uncle Du, since you know, then tell me about it."


    Du Sixi, ttered by being called "Uncle Du," knew who Li Yan was and didn''t dare to take liberties, replying with augh, "Brother Yan, don''t make fun, your father, Lord Hu, is a man who''s made a ssh in Guanzhong."


    "The name of the ''Guanzhong Diseased Tiger,'' who wouldn''t know it, or be unaware of these matters?"


    Li Yan, as if in contemtion, said, "Just tell me, no need to talk about anything else."


    Speaking of which, his father had told him quite a few things about the pugilistic world, including the secret Spring Festival codenguage, but he really hadn''t spoken about the Mystical Sect.


    Could it be, he intentionally hid it...


    Seeing Li Yan''s expression darken slightly, Du Daya''s heart jumped, and he didn''t dare to talk nonsense anymore. He started exining, "In the pugilistic world of Three Religions and Nine Sects, aside from one''s abilities, there is also a hierarchy of status."


    "I''m just a cart driver. In the gang, I''m just a runner, I don''t know much, but I have asionally heard a bit."


    "The term ''Mystical Sect'' is broadly used; anyone with some strange skills can be called a member, but it''s a mix of good and bad, hard to distinguish the genuine from the fake. However, anyone with real power is respected by all who meet them."


    "There are two factions among them."


    "One faction is endorsed by the court, listed under the Ministry of Rites as Mystical Sect Priests, able to obtain Taoist and Buddhist certificates, managing Famous Mountain Taoist Temples and monasteries, iming to be the orthodox Mystical Sect, the most famous being the Taixuan Orthodox Sect."


    "The other faction is more numerous, including Yin Yang masters, witches and wizards, and those on the pugilistic paths that can perform Qimen Skill."


    "Even though the orthodox sect looks down upon them, calling them side door and evil practices, in the pugilistic world, their status is formidable, with the powerful among them revered by gangs."


    "But for themon folks, they can''t tell if they''re scammers or genuine heirs..."


    Li Yan quickly followed up, "Do you know any members of the Mystical Sect?"


    "Brother Yan, you jest."


    Du Daya replied with a forcedugh, "I, Old Du, just scrape by. In the gang, I''m less than a hair, let alone ordinary mortals like me recognizing those experts."


    Seeing Li Yan frown slightly, he hurriedly whispered, "Brother Yan, don''t be in a rush, I, Old Du, may not have much ability, but there''s someone with a widework and who also has rtions with your family, he might know."


    "Who?"


    "Sha Lifei!"


    "Him?!"


    Hearing this name, Li Yan''s face suddenly took on a strange expression.


    ...


    After a casual chat with Du Daya, Li Yan headed back home.


    As soon as he arrived, he saw his grandfather Li Gui squatting on the threshold, holding arge smoking pipe and puffing clouds of smoke, looking grumpy.


    Li Yan smiled and asked, "Grandpa, what''s wrong this time?"


    The old man, frowning, grumbled, "That dog Li Laosuan was cheating at chess, a good-for-nothing who has hardly had a fancy meal in his life!"


    Hearing this, Li Yanughed, "Calm down, we can deal with him tomorrow."


    These old men''s chess games weren''t really about skills, but about who could talk the loudest.


    It didn''t matter if you lost the game; losing the argument was what really made them angry.


    But, isn''t that a good thing?


    Since the suppression technique in the que was broken, Li Gui visibly changed, no longer brooding all the time, it seemed he hade to terms with a lot of things.


    He would either y chess with the elders of the vige or go fishing in the western river, even moring to go to Chang''an City to watch an opera.


    Seeing the old man like this ddened Li Yan''s heart, but at the same time, his resentment toward the curser grew stronger, igniting a desire for revenge.


    In his two lifetimes, he was never one to suffer losses silently.


    And on his way back, he had figured out some things.


    Logically, his father, being an old hand in the pugilistic world, should have known about the Mystical Sect, but despite having taught him everything else, this particr matter seemed intentionally concealed.


    Could it be that his father, Li Hu, was also investigating in secret?


    But it didn''t feel right; had he known about the curse ced upon the family, would his father have let that que hang over the door?


    And about his father''s death, which hadn''t seemed suspicious before, now appeared more and more peculiar...


    With that thought, Li Yan looked towards Li Gui, squatted down with a smile, and asked, "Grandpa, who exactly did you offend back then?"


    Li Gui''s eyebrows shot up, "Why are you asking this?"


    Li Yan yfully said, "Just curious. Besides, if it weren''t for that person, I might have be some official, and when I''m feeling disgruntled, I''d have a reason to curse."


    "An official, my foot!"


    Li Gui retorted with a puff from his pipe, "You''re destined to be a grubber for a living, don''t think about those highfalutin ideas. It''s been so many years, surely you aren''t thinking of having a go at them?"


    "And besides, that person is already dead."


    "Dead?!"

 Chapter 13 - 13 Sha Lifei

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Sha Lifei</h4>


    Dead?


    As Li Yan heard the news, he was momentarily stupefied.


    "Of course he is dead."


    Li Gui grumbled, "Yuan Xizhong, that bastard, was older than me and was left wounded all over his body after pacifying the rebellion at the Northern Border."


    "Ten years ago, I heard he was bedridden, suffered for three solid years before he died, looking nothing but skin and bones by the end. His children were good for nothing,mitted grave crimes, and were executed along with his entire family; he deserved such a fate!"


    So that''s how it is...


    After listening, Li Yan scratched his head, feeling somewhat ufortable.


    The sensation was like setting out to hack someone, only to find they had already been crushed to death by a cart.


    Unable to contain himself, Li Yan asked again, "What exactly happened at that time?"


    His grandfather, Li Gui, smoked silently for a long time before finally opening his mouth, "Well, it''s been so long, and I''ve no wish to keep it to myself and meet King Yan with it."


    "Back then, we had reached between the white mountains and dark waters, defeating the rebellious Commander Guo Mao at the Northern Border who incited the rebellion, along with several invading foreign tribes."


    "Because of the confrontational stances between the previous dynasty and the Jin Tent Khanate to the north and south of the Northern Border, there were many Han viges, Yuan Xizhong, for some insane reason, burned down every vige along the way, not sparing even the sick and elderly of the Han people..."


    "A few oldrades and I merely voiced our objections, and we were publicly whipped ten times by him and ridiculed verbally..."


    "If it had only been that, it would have been one thing. The horrors of war imed the lives of countless innocent victims, but when a group of royal Jurchen was fleeing, he acted blind and turned a blind eye..."


    "After the event, we tried to inform General Zhang about this matter but were barred from the camp. Yuan Xizhong obstructed us once again, ascending steadily through the ranks while we could only return to our fields."


    "Ah, the court is treacherous, the pugilistic world is perilous, but what''s wrong with living out my days peacefully as an ordinary man..."


    So, that''s how it is.


    Li Yan was thoughtful, feeling something was amiss.


    ording to his grandfather, Yuan Xizhong was only a subordinatemander during the pacification of the Northern Border, and his rise to power and wealth cameter.


    The court granted ques, magicians meddled, and the precious Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin...


    These were certainly not within Yuan Xizhong''s abilities.


    The culprit of the curse must be someone else.


    What feud would cause someone to go to such great lengths?


    "Grandfather, what about your oldrades?"


    "In the first few years after I returned to our hometown, we asionally exchanged letters, butter we lost contact; I fear the old are gone, and the dead are dead, likely not many left..."


    As he said this, the old man couldn''t help but sigh wistfully.


    Looking toward the distance, puffing on his pipe, he seemed to fall into reminiscence.


    Li Yan didn''t ask any further.


    He was already certain that there was more to the story.


    Of course, he wasn''t nning on telling his grandfather.


    The old man was already advanced in age and frail. He had just managed to rid himself of a curse and let go of the past. If he learned that his son''s death was manipted by someone, possibly rted to himself, it could cause issues.


    To put it inly, with demons and ghosts in this world, if the old man died with resentment, he would not rest in peace, and that would be Li Yan''s burden.


    Such vendettas were for the younger generation to resolve!


    After skillfully changing the subject, Li Yan returned to his room, casually whipped up a couple of dishes, and enjoyed a few drinks with his grandfather.


    He appeared nonchnt, but he had already made a resolute decision.


    The perpetrator of the curse would eventually appear, and when they did, he would repay them twofold.


    But right now, the most pressing matter was to enter the Mystical Sect.


    ording to Du Daya, Sha Lifei knew these people.


    Yet, he wasn''t rushing to find Sha Lifei.


    The reason was simple, with the summer harvest approaching, the man would surely show up...


    ...


    Speaking of which, the Li family and Sha Lifei had some connections.


    Sha Lifei''s real name was Sha Guangsheng.


    An old saying goes, those who roam the pugilistic world seek either profit or fame.


    That is, to make a name for oneself.


    But reputation, more often than not, is orded by others. For example, Li Yan''s father, Li Hu, received the nickname "Sick Tiger," implying he was unassuming normally but ferocious and tyrannical once provoked.


    As for the name "Sha Lifei," he chose it himself.


    It sounded imposing, but those who knew the ropes took him as a joke.


    However, the man was quite crafty, adept at sailing with the wind and catering to the powerful, well-acquainted with the rules of the pugilistic world, hence he never suffered much.


    Gradually, "Sha Lifei" became his recognized name, to the extent that many forgot his real name...


    Being a desman was not all about hacking at people daily.


    In the pugilistic world, gaining a good reputation, making connections, and being resourceful were all important.


    Even though the business of risking one''s neck for money was lucrative, there wasn''t always an opportunity to make such money, after all, it wasn''t a time of chaos.


    Moreover, a renowned desman always found patrons.


    But those novice youngsters just starting out or old desmen who couldn''t make a name had to find other ways to survive; they couldn''t just starve to death.


    There were generally three paths for them.


    One was to follow famous desmen, escorting valuables, guarding gang territories, or trafficking in private salt.


    Two was to be a bandit. Some of the famous brigands on the Guanzhong roads had once been desmen, either unwilling to work hard for their money or loathe to live under others, preferring to rob with their des.


    Three was to be a lone ranger, taking on whatever they could before making a name.


    Like his father, when young, had organized wheat-cutters from nearby viges during the wheat harvest season.


    It was an old custom.


    Nearly every group of wheat-cutters was led by a desman, not only tond profitable jobs but also to deterndlords from reneging on their deals.


    Of course, there was also a cut for themselves.


    inly speaking, it was somewhat like being a contractor.


    After Li Hu became well-known, he continued with these jobs.


    ording to him, he wasn''t interested in those meager profits; he mainly wanted to protect his fellow vigers and maintain a good reputation, avoiding idle gossip.


    Eventer on, he only helped secure work and never took money for himself.


    After his father died, the wheat buyers from several viges lost their leader.


    It was at this time that Sha Lifei came knocking.


    Aside from the martial arts passed down in his family, his father had also learned to wield des from a renowned old desman. Sha Lifei had been one of the disciples as well, making them fellows in the same sect.


    Butter on, they took different paths.


    His father made quite a name for himself.


    Sha Lifei, however, continued to wander about the viges in Guanzhong, making money from themon people based on a certain reputation, not daring to get close to Chang''an City.


    Leading the wheat buyers was indeed a chunky piece of meat that he naturally didn''t want to miss.


    As for the annual visits, they were a rule in the pugilistic world.


    At each ce, he had to pay homage, showing that he was freeload on someone else''s territory and then also taking advantage of being from the same sect, he was supposed to offer something each year.


    Considering Sha Lifei''s slippery nature, he wouldn''t give anyone something to hold against him.


    Of course, each time he just carelessly brought along some pastries to brush it off.


    Calcting the time, he should be arriving soon...


    ...


    The next day, a rider came flying down the official road.


    The horse was a chestnut with an old but wise look.


    A man sat on it, dressed in grey cloth and ck trousers,rge in stature, with dual swords at his waist, his face full of scars, sporting a full beard, which made him appear very valiant.


    What attracted the most attention was his bald head.


    Shiny and gleaming, it even reflected the sun.


    "It''s Sha Lifei!"


    "It''s Sha Lifei!"


    A few naughty children at the entrance of Li Family Castle shouted upon seeing him.


    Not to mention anything else, Sha Lifei certainly had an appealing presence.


    At least to these children, he appeared to be a heroic figure in the pugilistic world, causing them all to cheer with faces bright red.


    In their eyes, he was truly a gant man of the pugilistic world.


    The vige''s Li Yan was also a desman but looked more delicate and handsome than those artistic aristocrats and pretty boys in the dramas, and was even trickier and scrappier, nothing like a gant man.


    "Ha ha ha..."


    Upon hearing the children cheering, Sha Lifei felt delighted andughed heartily.


    He pulled the reins, causing the chestnut horse to neigh and stand up, then charged into the vige with a whoosh, as the children pped continuously.


    The horse trotted past the yellow dirt, and two copper coins clinked as they fell.


    An exuberant voice lingered in the air:


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Kids, take this and buy some candy."


    After Sha Lifei entered the vige, he first rode the horse around while ringing a copper gong, "Listen, everyone, if you want to make some money, bring your tools and follow me tomorrow morning!"


    A wheat buyer''s essential set included a sickle, a whetstone, and a bedroll.


    This year there was a shortage of hands, and the employers were willing to pay well.


    This news was already well-known, so those who wanted to earn some money had their tools and dried food ready.


    They were heading towards Xianyang and Xingping areas.


    If they moved quickly, after finishing the work there, they could return just in time for their own wheat harvest.


    When they heard Sha Lifei''s voice, many people came out to ask:


    "Big Hero Sha, how much will you pay this year?"


    "Big Hero Sha, are any jobs already secured?"


    Although the name "Big Hero" pleased Sha Lifei, he still kept a stern face and touching his bald head, he scolded:


    "What''s the use of asking so much, follow me, Sha Lifei, and you won''tck meat to eat!"


    After saying that, he jumped off the horse and casually threw the reins aside.


    "Tie it to the post, and make sure to feed the horse well."


    After this order, he took a package of snacks wrapped in oil paper from the saddle, humming a tune and walked towards Li Yan''s house.


    Just as he reached the entrance, he met Old Master Li Gui who was about to go out to y chess.


    Sha Lifeiughed heartily and said with a bow, "Old Master Li is in good health, I''vee to visit you, this is Osmanthus cake from the Xiangyuan Building in Chang''an, a fine delicacy indeed."


    "It''s fine, just don''te next year!"


    Li Gui huffed, leaning on his cane and walked away.


    The old man didn''t have a high opinion of Sha Lifei, finding him too slick and full of nonsense.


    Osmanthus cakes from Xiangyuan Building...


    Such a fine item would first be eaten by Sha Lifei himself until he was full; he wouldn''t care to give it away. It was clearly some random purchase from Lantian County, just to bluff.


    Most importantly, this person only visited as a formality.


    Only to amplify his own fame, causing a big stir each time.


    Sha Lifei, thick-skinned as he was, didn''t mind at all seeing the old man''s reaction. Heughed heartily and entered the house with his package.


    Li Yan was practicing martial arts, performing a fierce "Tiger Climbing the Wall" followed by a twist of the body, lifting his left elbow in a move "Leaf Hiding the Flower."


    "Great!"


    Sha Lifei apuded, a trace of admiration flitting across his eyes.


    He too practiced Red Fist and had spent many years in the pugilistic world with a discerning eye.


    Even though the adage of Red Fist stated, "Hands are like doors, legs do the beating," and "Hands contribute three parts, legs seven parts," the technique of the hands was critical.


    Thus, the propping and clouding hands could defeat anyone in the world.


    Li Binghu''s son, so young yet deeply skilled, moving with roaring fists and exploding sinews, had reached the peak of clear strength.


    In the future, he might be even fiercer than his father!


    Sha Lifei was already regretting a bit inside, nning to bring some decent pastries next year when visiting.


    Continuing to bluff might turn into a problemter.


    With this thought, he patted his bald head andughed, "Brother Yan, you''re busy, I have other matters to attend, so I won''t disturb you further."


    After saying this, he put down the things and was about to leave.


    Li Yan finally spoke with a smile:


    "Uncle Sha, no need to rush off, I wanted to ask you something."

 Chapter 14: Stepping Out onto the Road of the Pugilistic World

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Stepping Out onto the Road of the Pugilistic World</h4>


    ```


    Sha Lifei''s heart skipped a beat, "What''s the matter?"


    He was more than clear that this young man in front of him was no pushover.


    The first time he came years ago, he thought what trouble could an old crippled man and a half-grown child possibly cause?


    Justing to greet them was already showing them respect.


    No one would have anything to say if word got out.


    So that time, he swaggered in, acting all high and mighty.


    Not only was he discourteous, but he also barked orders, relying on his senior status to have Li Yan prepare food and wine to mooch a meal.


    Li Yan was young then, but he wasn''t one to suffer losses.


    He prepared the food and wine, quite a sumptuous spread, but added a bit of croton powder, controlling the dosage so that Sha Lifei suffered relentless diarrhea only after leaving the vige.


    It infuriated Sha Lifei at the time.


    But as he still had to escort the grain, looting from the dragon''s mouth was not a joke, he could only press on, nning to teach the youngd a lesson when he visited the following year.


    He had no murderous intent, though.


    He had many ways to deal with a young brat.


    Like iming a spar under the guise of martial arts practice and giving him a solid beating.


    He hadn''t anticipated that Li Yan, leveraging the power of the Substitute Divine Statue, would be a martial arts fanatic, achieving Minor Sess by the next year.


    Though stillcking experience, he was not so easily dealt with.


    From then on, Sha Lifei became much more polite.


    Now suddenly halted by him, could it be trouble, or was he trying to reim the leader of the grain escort?


    Thinking of this, Sha Lifei wore a smile but stayed vignt inside.


    These young wolves new to the pugilistic world were the most ruthless, reckless in their actions, and willing to do anything to make a name for themselves.


    He better not trip over himself today...


    While he was anxious, Li Yan asked, "I''ve heard Uncle Sha has connections with the Mystical Sect, could you perhaps introduce me?"


    Sha Lifei was taken aback, simultaneously relieved, his gossiping nature aroused, he curiously asked, "What, have you encountered trouble?"


    "Was it a collision with customers or is the Fengshui unfavorable?"


    Li Yan didn''t answer directly, "Nothing much, just curious. Uncle Sha, be honest, do you really have this connection?"


    "Of course I do!"


    Sha Lifei thumped his chest andughed heartily, "Aren''t you going to inquire, I am Sha Lifei, with friends all over the world."


    "There''s nothing I can''t handle on this Guanzhong road!"


    Seeing Li Yan remain expressionless, he widened his eyes, "What, you don''t believe me? I do know someone from the Mystical Sect."


    "This person is a Fire Living Daoist, skilled in Qimen Dunjia, fortune-telling, examining Yin houses, Yang houses, Fengshui, and exorcising ghosts and subduing demons. He''s proficient in everything and is sought after by the wealthy families in Chang''an City..."


    While Sha Lifei boasted, Li Yan found it increasingly unreliable.


    Though he was an amateur, in his previous life, he had some understanding of folklore.


    Just the divination alone included Four Pirs of Destiny, Six Divination, Mei Hua Divination, Six Ren, Qimen Dunjia, Taiyi Divination, Purple Star Astrology...many schools.


    Learning one required a considerable expenditure of effort.


    Without enough talent, one wouldn''t even be able to get started.


    Not to mention the ghost-catching and demon-subduing; it sounded like a big scam.


    Unaware, Sha Lifei continued boasting, "His name is Wang Daoxuan, rumored to have ties with the Taixuan Orthodox Sect in Chang''an City, and he even handled grievance charts in Xianyang..."


    Hearing this, Li Yan''s eyes lit up.


    The Taixuan Orthodox Sect was the true legitimate sect of the Mystical Sect.


    Handling grievance charts wasn''t something just anyone could do.


    Grievance charts were documents during funerals, recording the deceased''s birth and death dates, cremation, and burial specifics.


    With a grievance chart, the government granted burial permission.


    Du Daya had mentioned that the ones who handled grievance charts were generally from the Mystical Sect.


    In Li Yan''s estimation, handling grievance charts also temporarily served as a coroner''s role.


    For unclear deaths or poisonings, a Yin Yang Master had the right to refuse a grievance chart, reporting it for governmental handling, including those bodies possibly "problematic."


    Anyway, this Wang Daoxuan seemed to be an insider.


    At worst, he could inquire about entering the Taixuan Orthodox Sect for cultivation.


    Thinking of this, Li Yan smiled more warmly and spoke more courteously, "Then I''ll trouble Uncle Sha with this. There shall be a thank-you afterward."


    "No problem!"


    Sha Lifeiughed heartily, then shook his head, "But there''s trouble with this; you''ll need to apany me for a trip, joining the team tomorrow."


    Li Yan frowned slightly, "Why is that?"


    Sha Lifei clicked his tongue, "That Master Wang is very busy and values etiquette and rules in all things. You can''t let hime to see you."


    "Just as we''re headed to Xianyang, we can handle your matter along the way!"


    "Oh."


    Li Yan pondered for a moment, "That''s fine."


    This Sha Lifei''s words were half-truths, and he loved to exaggerate, but Li Yan guessed he probably just knew Wang Daoxuan, without much of a rtionship.


    Regardless, it was still a lead. Meeting might yield something.


    Entering the Mystical Sect was urgent.


    He had achieved Yang Six Roots; if something was eyeing him, he had no mounted deity to advise against evil.


    Xianyang wasn''t too far, nor too close; he could return in five or six days.


    Asking neighbors to watch over his grandfather, a trip wouldn''t be a problem.


    Seeing him agree, a trace of satisfaction shed in Sha Lifei''s eyes, and he waved his hand, "Alright, it''s settled, we set off early tomorrow!"


    With that, he hastily bade farewell and left.


    Watching him leave, Li Yan shook his head slightly, turned back into the house, and packed a traveling bag for tomorrow''s departure.


    .......


    The next day, before dawn, the sound of hooves approached the gate.


    "Brother Yan, it''s time to go!"


    Sha Lifei''s booming voice followed.


    Li Yan was already prepared.


    It was near the time of grain in ear, and hot, so he wore a ck short jacket, shaded by a straw hat, carrying a bag, with Guan Mountain de strapped across.


    He came to his grandfather Li Gui''s door, knocking, "Grandfather, I''m leaving."


    However, no one responded from within.


    Seeing this, Li Yan was a bit helpless.


    He had mentioned this yesterday; of course, his grandfather was unwilling.


    Unfortunately, where life and death are concerned, this trip was necessary.


    Just as he was about to turn, a hoarse voice came from inside the house, "The pugilistic world is dangerous. Stay alert in everything."


    "Okay!"


    Li Yan immediately brightened and departed with big strides.


    Creak~


    Just as he left, his grandfather Li Gui pushed open the door, watching the boy''s figure recede into the distance, heaved a sigh, and inexplicably thought of Li Hu in those past years.


    "Father, what is the pugilistic world?"


    "The pugilistic world?"


    "Once you step out this door, you''re in the pugilistic world..."


    ...


    Li Yan once thought that having lived two lives, nothing would excite him.


    Having seen the previous life''s colorful nightlife and magnificentndscapes, even the most bustling capital of this world seemed only quaint to him.


    Yet, the moment he left the mountain vige, he found himself mistaken.


    The shadow of Li Family Castle gradually vanished; loess valleys, golden wheat fields, verdant mountains, blue sky, and white clouds... the vastness of the Guanzhongnd enveloped him swiftly.


    It was an unpolluted world.


    Everything seemed remarkably clear.


    Coupled with the unknown Mystical Sect, Li Yan felt as if he turned back into that once-youngd, filled with curiosity and yearning for the world beyond.


    "Brother Yan, why must you leave too?"


    Hei Dan came over, interrupting his thoughts.


    The exuberant mood was also shared by this dark-skinned boy.


    Unlike Li Yan, apart from attending festivals in Lantian County, this was his first journey so far, casting aside usual calmness, chattering endlessly along the way.


    "Xianyang, I heard it''s very far..."


    "I wonder if we can see Chang''an City along the way..."


    Soon, he felt the difficulty of traveling.


    They trekked the official road under the zing sun. The dusty dirt road seemed to churn, with golden wheat fields on both sides, billowing like waves in the scorching summer wind.


    Moreover, the thick ck cloth absorbed heat, scorching under the zing sun, soon turning his face flush red, sweat dripping profusely.


    Sha Lifei gathered grain harvesters from viges surrounding Li Family Castle, about fifty people, all carrying backpacks, scythes, and whetstones on their waist.


    Upon setting out, their attire was fairly tidy.


    But now, most had undone their shirts, and some even stripped to their torsos, revealing bronze skin in the sunlight.


    Sha Lifei, although riding a horse, was equally sweltering.


    He asionally took down the canteen from his waist, sneaking nces at Li Yan.


    However, Li Yan marched silently, asionally admiring the surrounding scenery.


    They set off in the early morning and walked continuously until noon.


    By now, Hei Dan was drenched in sweat, eyes cking out, soles aching, ankles weak, each step felt like treading on cotton.


    Li Yan, also sweating all over, remained calm.


    After all, with regr martial practice, his footwork far exceeded ordinary people.


    Finally, Sha Lifei checked the sky, saw the sun was at its zenith, then announced, "Find a ce to rest, move again after the fierce sun subsides."


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    They needed to travel continuously for two more days.


    Traveling at noon consumed more energy, especially with many elderly in the team, better to preserve strength and cover more ground in the cool evening.


    As for staying in an inn, Sha Lifei didn''t even consider it.


    Even if he was willing, these poor folks wouldn''t spare the money.


    A resting spot was easy to find, a few big locust trees ahead along the official road offered ample shade for people to lie on.


    With Sha Lifei''s order, they hurried forward, found a ce to settle, taking out hard grain rolls to chew with cold water.


    Li Yan also sat, leaning against a tree, eating dry rations.


    With a tenacious mind, this journey was merely training footwork for him.


    Upon return, he could visit the mule market in Xianyang to see if he could afford a good horse with the money he carried.


    Dadada...


    While contemting, a string of hoofbeats sounded from afar.


    Li Yan squinted, looking up, and immediately heightened his alertness.


    More than twenty men were approaching, all mounted on fast horses, wearing bamboo hats, some with long knives, others carrying short swords, evidently people from the pugilistic world.


    Suddenly, Li Yan''s expression changed subtly; he gripped the knife handle.


    He smelled a scent of blood emanating from these people...


    ```

 Chapter 15: Bandit and the Strange Snake

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Bandit and the Strange Snake</h4>


    ```


    People in the pugilistic world could smell from miles away.


    This was originally a saying, meaning that fellow martial artists could easily see through each other''s little tricks and deception that might fool ordinary people.


    However, for Li Yan, he could truly smell it.


    Since that night, his sense of smell had be even more sensitive.


    The group was galloping along the official road, still a hundred meters away, but their heavy scent of blood could not escape Li Yan''s nose.


    It was the smell of human blood!


    Not only that, but there was also a hint of corpse stench.


    Fortunately, Li Yan could distinguish that these were genuine odors, unlike the peculiar smells of Rampaging Soldiers or the Land God Temple.


    He could see that Sha Lifei, the seasoned pugilist, was naturally more alert and immediately got up and said in a low voice to those around him, "Something''s wrong, be cautious."


    After saying this, he quickly stood up and assumed a stance with his feet, neither exactly standing in a T or at an eight, with his elbows slightly bent and his palm just three inches from the knife handle.


    This was a desman''s precautionary posture.


    When encountering unfamiliar martial artists, one neither drew their de to avoid misunderstandings nor dyed in drawing first to hold an advantage.


    Li Yan recognized the fast knife technique he shared with Sha Lifei from the same school.


    Moreover, he could see that the old fox''s center of gravity was held back, clearly ready to flee immediately upon sensing danger.


    The wheat harvesters hired the desman as a leader not only for the job but also to ensure safety because of the fierce Guanzhong people who nevercked for bandit robbers.


    But Sha Lifei clearlycked that kind of responsibility.


    The surrounding wheat farmers were tense and gripped their scythes tightly.


    Some of them had practiced wielding it; the rest, although unfamiliar with the Scythe Technique, had long been skilled with farming tools and, in a pinch, would cut people.


    And with the advantage of numbers, they were emboldened to stand firm instead of turning into chaos and fleeing.


    The sound of horse hooves grew near, and the group stopped their horses to look.


    Below the bamboo hats were faces etched with experience, each with a sullen face, their eyes either yful or full of disdain.


    At this moment, Li Yan also confirmed that these people were indeed bandits.


    Regardless of their attire or weapons, they all had a loosely tied ck cloth around their necks.


    This was the hallmark of bandits; if they wanted to operate, they could pull it to cover their faces.


    But even bandits had rules.


    It was broad daylight and they were swaggering about, were these people mad?


    Just at this moment, Sha Lifei barely stepped forward,ughed, sped his fists, and said, "The mountain has Five Sacred Peaks and the water has Five Lakes, the Northwest has a knife, you all look unfamiliar. Where do youe from?"


    This was martial arts code, which others found perplexing, but Li Yan understood.


    The Five Sacred Peaks and Five Lakes referenced the four corners of the Divine State.


    Sha Lifei saw they were unfamiliar, seemingly not from the Guanzhong way, and hinted at his identity in the martial world to make them wary.


    After all, there''s a saying that a strong dragon doesn''t suppress a local tyrant.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sha Lifei didn''t exactly qualify as a dragon, nor even a snake.


    But in the pugilistic world, it was about bluffing first to see what happened.


    Ordinarily, when Sha Lifei asked this, the others would respond by mentioning which mountain they lived on, which river they crossed, or which incense they worshipped.


    This was called checking each other''s background to avoid misunderstandings.


    Who would have expected they had no reaction at all?


    Some were even ying with their knives, their eyes filled with ill intentions.


    Then the leader called out, "Let''s go, they''re just a bunch of poor peasants. Don''t dy the hour."


    From his ent, it waspletely different from this part of Guanzhong.


    Shandong bandits!


    Li Yan''s heart skipped a beat, instantly guessing their identity.


    There were many strongmen along the Green Forest Road, with many famous ones like the Eastern Ouws, Guanzhong desmen, Central ins Rodsmen, Shandong bandits, and Tai Lake pirates.


    They were all involved in kidnapping and robbery, known as the Lan Family.


    Generally, each had their territories and barely crossed borders.


    This grand entrance surely held something strange.


    Sha Lifei also noticed this, his legs shaking.


    Fortunately, with the leader''smand, the bandits didn''t linger, urging their horses on amid a swirl of dust.


    After waiting a while, Sha Lifei suddenly stepped forward, with a ng drew his knife, and pointed toward the distance, cursing angrily, "Ignorant dogs, if I wasn''t leading the vigers, today I would teach you a lesson!"


    Li Yan rolled his eyes, speechless.


    They were gone, what was the point of saying this now?


    The surrounding harvesters hurried up to coax and advise.


    "Hero Sha, please calm down..."


    "Yes, don''t call them back..."


    Sha Lifei still put on an angry demeanor, sheathing his de with a curse, "A bunch of bandits, I, Sha Lifei, really don''t count them worth mentioning. If I wasn''t afraid you''d get hurt... hmph!"


    An old man spoke with lingering fear, "It''s not peaceful this year. Why don''t we get going early?"


    "What do you mean early?!"


    Sha Lifei red, "That group just left, maybe to fight ahead. Are you rushing to die? Let''s leaveter and avoid them."


    Hearing this, Li Yan nodded secretly.


    This guy was cowardly, but his experience in the martial world was undeniable.


    The harvesters all nodded in agreement. They were out to earn money, regardless of who those people were, avoiding trouble was best.


    However, not long after, Li Yan suddenly performed a kip-up, stood up, and drew his de with a tter, his eyes filled with tension as he looked into the distance.


    "What''s wrong now?"


    Sha Lifei was startled, hurriedlying to ask.


    Li Yan gripped the Guanshan Knife tightly and said in a deep voice, "Something''sing!"


    What he referred to as "something" was obviously not people.


    Shortly after the bandits left, he sensed another smell, cold and damp, full of a thick fishy scent.


    Much stronger than the previous "Old Three."


    Li Yan was startled, could it be that after he gained a Spirit Root, something had already set its eyes on him again on his journey?


    What daring creature would dare appear right under the midday sun...


    Sha Lifei was also taken aback, drew both knives to look around, but seeing nothing unusual¡ªno people, no horses¡ªhe couldn''t help but suspect, "Kid, are you hallucinating? There''s no one around."


    "What''s that!"


    Before he could finish, Hei Dan pointed to the left with a shout.


    The crowd looked up to see the wheat fields to the left of the road swaying and parting as if something was speeding through.


    Judging by the shakings, it had a considerable size.


    As everyone wondered, a giant snake the thickness of a bowl slowly lifted its head from the wheat field, hissing with its tongue flicking, its scales glistening in the sunlight.


    Strangely, its head also had something resembling a rooster''sb.


    "Rooster Comb Snake!"


    Many harvesters instantly turned pale with fright.


    There were folk tales that said a Rooster Comb Snake, with a head like a rooster''s, could spell sure death to a person.


    The snake had an insidious nature, loved to intrude on tombs and ancient graves, and was often mentioned in the stories old folks told of grave-digging rats meeting their doom.


    More crucially, it was said to be a monster snake with Dao.


    Li Yan was also terrified, he sensed more clearly than others, the Rooster Comb Snake exuded a cold fishy scent stronger than the incense at the Land God Temple.


    Moreover, its cold gaze seemed fixed on him.


    Li Yan reached for the red cloth parcel containing the Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel.


    Thankfully, it had a physical form he might be able to sh with the treasure.


    Though he wondered if ying it might turn into some strange entity clinging to him...


    "Nobody move recklessly!"


    At this moment, Sha Lifeimanded in a low voice, fixating ahead and trembling as he spoke, "I''ve heard these Dao-practicing snakes measure people."


    "As long as you''re taller, the creature would supposedly die of fear."


    "Quick, stack up like a pagoda!"


    Many also heard such tales.


    Even in ancient book stories told by storytellers, there recorded: snakes with Daopare lengths with people, if they surpass, they bite, if they don''t, they die on their own, inevitably making sure humans see them, and not secretlyparing. Seeing this on mountain paths, use an umbre overhead to make the snake die from fear.


    Not knowing if it''s true, they could only obey.


    They weren''t fools; they saw the speed of this Rooster Comb Snake earlier, no chance to escape.


    The harvesters quickly began stacking up.


    This childhood game was familiar to them, with the strong ones at the bottom while the slimmer ones climbed onto their shoulders.


    Though they couldn''t rival those martial street performers, soon they had threeyers.


    To their delight, the Rooster Comb Snake merely observed from the distant wheat fields, seemingly hesitant, not approaching.


    "It worked, see, I told you it would!"


    Sha Lifei, strong and capable, carried two people with pride.


    However, his face soon stiffened.


    The Rooster Comb Snake suddenly lifted its head, its body stood erect, growing taller and soon surpassing their human tower.


    "Quick, add more people!"


    "Who... who the hell chickened out!"


    In a panic, Li Yan jumped, standing on therge locust tree beside him, vaulting to the top of the human wall with his de at the ready.


    Confronted with such an unknown entity, he too had to trust Sha Lifei''s method.


    Yet, for some reason, he oddly felt the snake was mocking them.


    Then, the Rooster Comb Snake twisted its neck as though listening, then burrowed swiftly into the wheat fields, disappearing in a sh like the wind.


    The wind rustled the wheat waves, with distant breezes sounding like a flute...


    Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, weak from fright.


    An elderly harvester couldn''t help but grumble, "What''s with this year, bandits then a monster snake, did we offend Tai Sui going out?"


    Li Yan was deep in thought, looking into the distance.


    He had a feeling the Rooster Comb Snake''s target was indeed the bandits.


    After the constant scare, everyone was clearly anxious.


    Seeing the instability, Sha Lifei boasted and thumped his chest to gather the group to move on.


    Initially, they''d nned to take a short secluded mountain path.


    But under these circumstances, Sha Lifei too, was nervous, leading the group strictly along official roads, even if it meant an extra day''s journey.


    Fortunately, nothing bizarre happened along the way.


    As an experienced pugilist, Sha Lifei naturally inquired at tea stands and from travelers about the bandits'' whereabouts, finding they''d vanished after the road fork.


    Thus, after several days, they finally saw Xianyang City ahead.


    But they didn''t enter the city, instead, Sha Lifei led them to a nearby vige.


    Here, Sha Lifei boasted, "Our ce this year is generous, paying more than the others for morend."


    "Without Sha Lifei, you wouldn''t have this chance..."


    Li Yan, however, was distracted, looking around.


    Sha Lifei had promised, after settling the harvesters, he would take Li Yan to Xianyang City to meet Wang Daoxuan.


    Who knew if that person had genuine skills, or would be willing to take him as a disciple...


    ```

 Chapter 16 - 16 Ancient Water Village

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Ancient Water Vige</h4>


    Nearing evening, they finally arrived at their destination.


    They saw a vige nestled among several hills, with endless wheat fields stretching out in front of them and a meandering tributary of the Wei River passing by. It was clearly a vige with excellent fengshui.


    Under the setting sun, the golden waves of wheat surged, presenting a pastoral scene of beauty.


    "This is Ancient Water Vige."


    Sha Lifei, leading the way on horseback, exined, "There is an ancient spring on the mountain in the vige, hence the name. The biggestndlord here is Landlord Lu."


    "This Landlord Lu is quite something. I heard he used to be a wealthy merchant in the Capital, made his money, then returned to buy farnd. See, all these fields in front of us belong to him."


    "The key is, he''s generous. Who knows how many people have their eyes on this juicy bit ofnd; if it wasn''t for my strong reputation, you guys would only be able topete with the wheat workers from Longyou..."


    Wheat workers are not rare in Guanzhong, but even moree from Longyou.


    The people there can endure hardship, work hard withoutints, and aren''t picky about food, making them the favorite among the hosts and are known as the kings of wheat workers.


    "Big Brother Sha is tough!"


    "I told you, following Big Brother Sha, you can''t go wrong..."


    The crowd praised Sha Lifei, and he became even more proud.


    ...


    Landlord Lu''s estate was at the east end of the vige.


    Just as Sha Lifei had said, it was a truerge household.


    The whole estate was constructed in a quadrangleyout, with brick and wood architecture, consisting of four courtyards and three main buildings, surrounded by tall walls. Even the blue brick bases on the outside featured exquisite brick carvings.


    Archways, memorial arches, and Horse Ties, all were present.


    In the glow of the setting sun, it exuded a solemn ancient charm.


    Thergestndlord of Li Family Castle, Li Huairen, had nothing more than a two-courtyard house. The wheat workers had never seen such luxury and were all amazed.


    "My goodness, how rich one must be..."


    "This time we''ve really learned something..."


    It was clear that more than one group of workers was employed for Landlord Lu''s household.


    Outside the mansion''s gate was an open spacerger than a threshing ground, seemingly watered and rolled t with stone rollers.


    Willows surrounded the area, creating an impressive sight.


    At this moment, the space was already filled with groups of people carrying bedding, fastening sickles, squatting on the ground, either chatting idly or puffing on big smoking pipes.


    Sha Lifei instructed his people not to wander off and then approached the gate.


    There stood a lean old man, neatly dressed, wearing a small hat and with white hair. A pair of ck wooden-frame sses perched on his nose, with several attendants following behind.


    Sha Lifei seemed to recognize the man and went up to bow with his hands in respect, his face eager to please, "Housekeeper Lu, these are my people."


    "Why have you arrived a dayte?"


    "We ran into some trouble on the road."


    "Alright, wait until the master is done speaking before we make arrangements..."


    As the two of them talked, Li Yan looked around curiously.


    His sharp eyes, along with his knowledge of the pugilistic world, allowed him to immediately notice many things.


    The group on the right came from Longyou. Their ent was different, and their leader was clearly a desman from Longyou, no longer young, still wearing a sheepskin jacket despite the heat.


    Despite his white hair, his arms were muscr and knotty.


    Looking at his hands, he seemed to have practiced the Eagle w Skill.


    The attendants standing behind Housekeeper Lu, although not in a formal stance, were all broad-shouldered and bright-eyed, obviously protectors and bodyguards for the household.


    ording to the ng of the pugilistic world, they were the "Pegs" of the "Hanging" faction.


    People like them, whether working as bodyguards or escorting valuables, needed real skills and knowledge of the rules of the pugilistic world; not one of them was to be trifled with.


    Assuming the roles of servants meant a lifetimemitment, not a temporary hiring.


    This Lu family was much wealthier than an averagendlord...


    "Landlord Lu arrives!"


    Just as he observed, apanied by the chanting of servants, a group of people emerged from the mansion.


    The leader, naturally, was Landlord Lu himself.


    He was tall and stout, with a kind face and benevolent eyes. His long ck beard hung down to his chest. The brocade clothing he wore made him look very imposing.


    Following him, in addition to the bodyguards, were two women.


    One dressed in white, her appearance pure and pretty; the other in red, her face somewhat enchanting, skin fair, and a beauty mark on her chin.


    They differed in their grace and didn''t seem old, almost resembling daughters whenpared to Landlord Lu at their side.


    But it was clear to anyone that they were likely his concubines.


    On the square, most were hardworking farmhands, even the desman who often visited brothels had never seen women this beautiful, and their eyes immediately zed over.


    Sha Lifei swallowed hard, turned around, and whispered sternly, "Behave yourselves; don''t look, and don''t even think. If anyone embarrasses us and loses our job, I will kill him!"


    After hearing this, the wheat workers all lowered their heads.


    Sha Lifei understood the importance of decorum, and from a distance, he saw a group of wheat workers staring with drool practically dripping from their mouths, not caring to manage their own followers.


    Li Yan, noticing this, felt that something was off.


    Logically speaking, in order to avoid scandal, the concubines of the inner quarters of a wealthy family would rarely appear in the front court to greet guests, let alone in front of so many people.


    ```


    But this Landlord Lu seemed not to mind; he even appeared a bit proud.


    Facing everyone, he stroked his beard and smiled slightly, "Fellow vigers, returning to my roots, I may have acquired some wealth, but I''m not one to be rich without benevolence."


    "As for harvest time, when the grain is grabbed by the dragon''s mouth, if you work hard, the Lu family will definitely not let you suffer losses. Openly eat your fill of white flour buns and mutton offal soup!"


    "In addition, two liters of wheat as reward for every mu ofnd."


    "The more you work, the more you get!"


    The wheat harvesters below suddenly widened their eyes.


    In the past, cutting one mu ofnd would only yield one liter of wheat, a little over two pounds.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Many times, the reward would even be cut down.


    But this Landlord Lu was offering two liters right away, along with free white flour buns and mutton offal soup.


    Although it was offal, it was still meat!


    "Landlord Lu is benevolent!"


    The wheat harvesters immediately bent over to thank him in unison.


    "Hahaha, you''re wee, you''re wee."


    Landlord Lu smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting and then turned to enter the mansion with his people.


    Housekeeper Lu stepped forward, his face slightly stern as he said, "The master has a kind heart, but rules must be followed."


    "There''s enough white flour buns for all to eat, but you cannot take any with you..."


    "No one is allowed private entry into the inner courtyard of the mansion, if there''s an issue, please send someone to report it. Anyone who dares step through this door without permission, do not me me for being heavy-handed..."


    "Those who cheat, y tricks, or hide things will be sent straight to the authorities..."


    "Work begins at the hour of Yin, and only after the wheat is properly harvested and stored can you rest..."


    Housekeeper Lu was also formidable, organizing everything in an orderly manner.


    The wheat harvesters all nodded in agreement.


    Though the rules were strict, the offered reward was high.


    They hadn''t had such good fortune in previous years...


    After the arrangements, the wheat harvesters were escorted to the head of the vige.


    There awaited the shelters that had been set up in advance.


    For the duration of their stay there, they would work from dawn till dusk, with no spare time other than for eating and sleeping.


    It was tough, but this was what the harvest season was like; otherwise, how could they earn money?


    And next to the shelters, more than a dozenrge pots had already been set up.


    The bone-white broth ofmb boiled, with chopped mutton offal swirling within.


    Several stories'' high wooden steamers exuded the aromatic steam of wheat.


    The wheat harvesters hade from all directions, having sustained on cold water and coarse grain cakes during their travels. Upon smelling this aroma, they drooled instantly.


    Competing to line up, they squatted on the ground withrge bowls, devouring their food.


    Then Housekeeper Lu''s assigned helpersughed and said, "Everyone, eat to your heart''s content, but remember one thing: don''t eat too much and get sick. You won''t be able to work tomorrow."


    An old harvester chuckled, "Don''t worry, young man, although we''re peasants, we know the difference between a full meal and an excess."


    "Hahaha..."


    The people eating around him burst intoughter.


    They felt gratified; with such a host, they had nothing toin about.


    Even Li Yan couldn''t help but agree.


    He had been to the temple fairs in Lantian County, but the mutton offal soup there was made for the poor, with no attention to detail.


    Sometimes, there would even bemb''s wool and flies floating in the greasy broth¡ªsomething he could not stomach.


    The food cooked by the Lu family''s cooks at least looked clean; they even poured spicy chili oil over the mutton soup, sprinkling it with scallions and coriander.


    Together with the white flour buns, it was blissfully delicious!


    Being a young man with a big appetite, and also training in martial arts to build up his strength, Li Yan wolfed down fiverge buns and drank four bowls of mutton offal soup before wiping his mouth, putting down his bowl, and getting up to walk towards Sha Lifei.


    Because of the previous incident, everyone had been rushing on their journey without much talk. Now that they had settled down, it was the perfect time to ask about the itinerary.


    Sha Lifei was bragging with a few desmen.


    Seeing hime over, seeming to guess what he would ask, Sha Lifei shifted the subject and said with a teasing smile, "Fellow travelers, let me introduce you. This is Li Yan. His father is the famous ''Guanzhong''s Sick Tiger''¡ªyou must have heard of him."


    Upon hearing this, Li Yan immediately felt displeased.


    He hadn''te out here to make a name for himself in the pugilistic world.


    Even if he were after Xiang Man''er, he wouldn''t use his father''s fame, much less needed Sha Lifei to be so talkative.


    But since the topic had already been brought up, he could only smile and salute with cupped hands, "Greetings to the seniors."


    The old desman from Longyou, dressed in sheepskin, was squatting on the ground smoking and nodded at Li Yan''s words, saying in a husky voice, "I''ve heard of Tiger''s reputation, a man of righteousness, just a pity... Ah."


    The others also chimed in, "The young master looks extraordinary; he''s sure to be a famous figure in Guanzhong someday."


    That''s how things go in the pugilistic world; everyone knows how to say nice things.


    As long as it''s not aboutpeting for interests, they mostlypliment one another.


    But a young man sitting far away scoffed, "Tsk tsk, Li Hu''s son, already out in the pugilistic world at such a young age. Your whiskers haven''t even grown in yet, have they?"


    "The wind and waves are rough in the pugilistic world; don''t go hurting your back..."


    ```

 Chapter 17: Turning to the Side, Changing Shoulders, and Striking with the Elbow to the Heart

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Turning to the Side, Changing Shoulders, and Striking with the Elbow to the Heart</h4>


    Someone was picking a fight!


    Li Yan was somewhat taken aback.


    In the pugilistic world, what counted was substance, but what was valued was face.


    Sometimes, face was more important than life itself.


    Hence, aside from bearing grudges, no one would stir up trouble without reason. Regardless of the stabbings in the back or how ruthless the confrontations were when turning on each other, at the very least, everyone spoke in pleasantries.


    Those with sharp tongues usually didn''t live long.


    He was just a teenager, who rarely left his vige, and everyone present was his senior without exception.


    Could it be that the person making these biting remarks was not in their right mind?


    The one who spoke was also a young man, around twenty years old, with a fairly square-looking face except for thin eyebrows, which gave him a certain fierceness.


    Li Yan''s expression did not change and his eyes narrowed slightly, "Do we know each other?"


    His eyes were naturally sharp and piercing, with an inherent cold authority. He usually had to try to hide it.


    When those eyes narrowed, his aura involuntarily rose, causing everyone around to inwardly shudder, not daring to underestimate him anymore.


    "What are you bbering about, talking all weird!"


    Sha Lifei saw what was happening and quickly stood up to retort before turning to Li Yan with a smile, "He''s not an outsider either, this is Meng Haicheng, a disciple of the Xianyang Divine Fist Association''s Chairman Zhou."


    Upon hearing this, Li Yan immediately understood the reason.


    The Divine Fist Association was not just a gang, but an organization recognized by the court.


    During the Da Xing Period of the previous dynasty, although it stood against the Khanate of the Golden Tent to the north, the samurai from the prairie were fierce,rge and sturdy, with a brave temperament.


    The Great Xing Dynasty often came out worse in their wars.


    The rise and fall of a nation was the responsibility of every individual.


    Several grandmasters of martial arts, with the support of the government, abandoned their sectarian views and formed a super-organization called the Divine Fist Association. Sects from all over the country joined in droves.


    Pugilistic folks, who could not abide by the strict militaryws of the government, found their ce in the Divine Fist Association. They infiltrated the North time and time again,mitted assassinations, arson, and gathered intelligence, earning great merits for their efforts.


    Later, when the Great Xuan Emperor seized power, he relied heavily on the Association, and ultimately united the Divine State, subsuming the entire Great Prairie.


    With the world at peace, however, the nature of the Divine Fist Association shifted.


    Though it wasn''t a case of "the hare executed once the hound has caught it," how could the government allow such a massive power to go unchecked? Various strategies were employed to strengthen control, and the Divine Fist Association gradually declined.


    Now, the Divine Fist Association had be a semi-official organization.


    The chairman of the Divine Fist Association and grandmaster, Huo Yin, was also an instructor for the royal family''s offspring.


    They served as intermediaries between the court and the pugilistic world and were an extension of the Great Xuan royal family reaching into the pugilistic world. They often worked with the government to suppress unrest in various regions, particrly against forces like the Maitreya Sect.


    Some in the pugilistic world disapproved,beling them as the emperor''s hounds.


    Conversely, the chairmen of the various Divine Fist Associations also received their share of benefits, with a sizeable following and considerable influence operating in both the shadows and the light.


    In the pugilistic world, disputes were inevitable.


    His father, Li Hu, known as the "Sick Tiger," intended to vie for the position of Chairman of the Xianyang Divine Fist Association, to make a future for the family. Unfortunately, heter met with misfortune.


    The so-called Chairman Zhou, whose real name was Zhou Pan, was adept at Red Fist and Xingyi Monkey Fist and was one of thepetitors. Because of his father''s misfortune, this man had managed to rise to his position.


    Known for being petty and holding grudges, Zhou Pan had not only grown his martial arts prowess in the past two years but raised tworge monkeys and taught them Monkey Fist.


    Those who visited for a challenge had to defeat the monkeys before they were deemed worthy to spar with him.


    Some disapproved of this practice on the Guanzhong roads, mockingly saying: "With no tiger in the mountains, the monkey ims to be king." It referred to Zhou Pan and his dealings.


    Given Zhou Pan''s nature, he would not demean himself by picking on those weaker than himself, but it was hard to swallow the resentment this stirred within.


    With this thought, Li Yan had his suspicions confirmed.


    This Meng Haicheng, acting as the toastmaster, indicated his middling status.


    It was clear he knew of Li Yan''s identity and wanted to harshly trample him, to earn favor with his master Zhou Pan by ridiculing Li Yan.


    Li Yan was not one to suffer losses silently. He nodded and said, "I understand now. You want to step on a junior like me to climb up and seek fame and profit. It''s understandable."


    The crowd''s faces turned awkward at these words.


    They were all old hands in the pugilistic world; they knew exactly what this fellow Meng Haicheng was up to just by the way he was acting, and they all held him in contempt.


    But evidently, the son of Li Hu was not a pushover.


    While Meng Haicheng needed a pretext for his provocation, this young man simply stated the truth.


    At times, the truth could hurt more than lies.


    Indeed, Meng Haicheng''s face turned red with anger, but he was at a loss for words and could only angrily retort, "You are so young, yet you have no manners. If you continue to spout nonsense, I''ll teach you a lesson on how to behave today!"


    Yet Li Yan did not get angry when he heard this, just shook his head slightly and said, "You have no shame, no dignity, and I suspect your martial arts must be mediocre. I don''t want to fight you."


    This was a critical hit.


    "All bark and no bite. Let''s see about that!"


    Meng Haicheng could no longer hold it in and swooped over in an instant.


    His leap was known as Monkey Pounce.


    Monkey Fist emphasized five essentials: resembling the form, genuine intent, lightness in stepping, denseness in technique, and agility in movements¡ªwithout the essence of the monkey, it would not be effective.


    When a monkey is startled while sitting in a tree, it leaps out instantly, and sometimes even fierce animals in the mountains cannot guard against its attack, scratched until they bleed.


    The emphasis was on surprise, speed, and destructive force.


    Meng Haicheng''s attack captured the essence, resembling arge monkey that had been startled. Despite being five or six meters away, in the blink of an eye, he lunged toward Li Yan.


    The spectators frowned, and some showed disdain.


    This Meng Haicheng was attempting a surprise attack in a fight with a junior, which was truly shameless.


    That''s why he had shouted "Let''s see about that!" but then used Monkey Pounce. What was the difference between announcing it and not?


    Fortunately, he knew some limits. His hands formed hooks, aiming not for Li Yan''s throat but reaching towards his right shoulder, indicating he wasn''t trying to kill.


    Even so, it was a low blow.


    If not mistaken, Meng Haicheng would immediately follow up with the Coiling Silk capture technique, using maniptions that could dislocate a limb. He was likely to dislocate the arm of Li Hu''s son and then humiliate him.


    Young men often bore too much pride and were rigid, but being too rigid can lead to breaking. For one who had just entered the pugilistic world, such a blow could be too much to recover from, and the person might be ruined.


    An attack on the heart could sometimes be more vicious than murder.


    Of course, they saw through it but would not point it out.


    After all, dealing with Zhou Pan and his narrow-minded nature was something they didn''t want to provoke; at most, they would just gossip afterward, to let people know what kind of people these master and disciple were.


    Li Yan had been prepared all along.


    At the very instant Meng Haicheng sprang forward, Li Yan''s body jolted, his hairs standing on end, and with a tiptoe of his right foot, his body shot back two meters. At the same time, he shifted sideways, his left hand slightly raised, and his right hand probing backwards in a cross.


    With this move, he instantly increased the distance between them.


    "Eh..."


    The old desman in sheepskin from Longyou saw this and his eyes showed a hint of surprise.


    He was the oldest and the most senior among those present.


    Despite not having made much of a name for himself in his life, he had traveled far and wide and had an abundance of experience, cultivating quite an exceptional Eye Power.


    Li Yan''s move just now was a fine disy of the subtlety of Red Fist.


    The sixteen-character mantra of Red Fist: to sustain andplement is the mother, to hook and hang is the ability, to transform is the wonder, and to strike with wiliness is the method.


    Especially his movement technique, emphasizing the body as a line, not a ne, changing the shoulder to be active, the steping before the moving shoulder, that is transformation.


    Neither left nor right is real, retreating is advancing, advancing is retreating, a sudden appearance of a "wonder" in change, which is the "transform into wonder."


    Themon saying goes, if you can exchange shoulders and sides to perfection, even immortals can''t touch you.


    Li Yan''s sidestep not only avoided Meng Haicheng''s sneak attack, he also managed the distance exquisitely. With the switching of hands from left to right, sustaining for defense andplementing for attack, he handled both offense and defense with ease.


    This is bad, the kid has some skills!


    In the heat of the match, Meng Haicheng too was startled.


    A real expert reveals himself upon making a move.


    Regrettably, it was already toote.


    Still in mid-air and not yetnded, with new strength not yet rallied and old strength faded, to reach out would be in vain, as it would leave him open to the opponent''s counter.


    Having roamed the pugilistic world for several years, Meng Haicheng immediately retracted his ws to protect his head and chest, at the same time twisted his body, attempting a turning side kick.


    Not aiming to injure the opponent but to increase the distance, preventing the other fromunching an attack.


    However, Li Yan was already in position, changing his moves even faster.


    As he sidestepped and retreated, he maintained the posture for both sustaining andplementing, and with his body pressing down, his weight already shifted to his right leg, the muscle contours became pronounced, his spine slightly arched, like apressed spring.


    Just as Meng Haicheng changed his move, Li Yan suddenly exploded forward, delivering a forceful elbow to the chest.


    Thump!


    A muffled sound echoed as Meng Haicheng was sent flying, rolling on the ground twice, clutching his chest, his face pale and gasping for air.


    Li Yan''s elbow strike had pierced through his central gate, hitting him solidly.


    "Good!"


    The crowd was surprised, but Sha Lifei was the first to praise.


    Others looked at each other in disbelief, some rather incredulous.


    At the moment Li Yan made his move, his tendons and bones had emitted a bursting sound, he was at the peak of evident energy.


    It was one thing for the move to be intricate, Li Hu was a known figure after all, and the Li family had its heritage, it''s possible that he found an expert to train him.


    In this world, so-called evident energy is the beginning of Martial Arts. Martial Artists train their bodies and temper their bones and muscles, to ensure that each move carries clear power.


    The sign of a sessful training was the quivering of major tendons and the unified sound from bones and muscles.


    The major tendons are attached to the skeleton, interlinked with each other, the trembling of the tendons can mobilize all the bones and muscles in the body, channeling the force into a single point upon impact.


    To reach the peak of evident energy at such a young age was truly rare.


    Meng Haicheng on the other side was extremely ufortable.


    He had taken a solid elbow strike to the chest, his breathing shut down, unable to draw breath for a long time, he was now massaging his chest trying to ease the pain.


    Thankfully, Li Yan was only at the level of evident energy. Had he cultivated Hidden Energy and intended harm, Meng would have suffered damage to his lungs and spewed blood ceaselessly.


    Even if he were to recover for a few years, he would be ruined.


    Moreover, Meng Haicheng had eaten quite a lot of sheep offal and tbread earlier, and now with his stomach churning like a turbulent river, he could no longer hold it in and let out a vomit.


    In an instant, the sour stench filled the air, carrying for miles with the wind, causing the bystanders to chuckle and step back.


    Though it was embarrassing, it did clear the blockage in his chest.


    Seeing the expressions of others, Meng Haicheng''s face turned shades of green and white, and not daring to talk tough anymore, he scrambled to his feet and ran off.


    He could tell, Li Yan, this youngster, although young, was ruthless.


    Having been beaten today, if he didn''t hurry, he might not even have a chance to save face.


    Li Yan nced indifferently and paid no attention.


    After all, it wasn''t a chaotic period; sparring and killing were entirely different matters, and under the broad daylight, thews of the Great Xuan Dynasty were equally merciless to those from the pugilistic world.


    And after this battle, he also had an epiphany.


    Stuck at the peak of evident energy, what hecked was experience. To break through, sparring seemed inevitable.


    With the Substitute Divine Statue, he feared no ordinary injury.


    As long as he did not die, he dared to face any number of opponents.


    "A chip off the old block indeed..."


    Several desmen around all praised.


    They were old hands at ttery, never missing an opportunity to offer praise.


    After all, the cub had barely left the mountain, and already, he had shown his prowess, likely to be formidable in the future.


    N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Gentlemen, you tter me," Li Yan handled the crowd, and then pulled Sha Lifei to a quiet spot, his eyes turning sharp, "Uncle Sha, you set me up. What are you ying at?!"


    Having dealt with many in his past life, and having been taught all manners of pugilistic tricks by his father, how could he not see that Sha Lifei had dug a hole for him?


    Knowing full well that Xianyang was Zhou Pan''s territory, with his disciples present, yet deliberately revealing his identity, it was clear he had a trap set.


    "What nonsense are you saying..."


    Sha Lifei started to protest with a jesting grin but his face suddenly stiffened.


    Li Yan''s hand, unbeknownst when, had produced a short de, seemingly in conversation, but had already probed from his sleeve, pressing against Sha''s chest.


    Sha Lifei swallowed hard, "Let''s talk, we can talk it over."


    Looking into Li Yan''s shing eyes, he felt a panic inside, an intuition that this youngster would really make a move if pushed.


    Now he dare not hesitate, he whispered something that made Li Yan stunned.


    "Don''t you want to know... how your father died?"

 Chapter 18 - 18 Past of the Sick Tiger

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Past of the Sick Tiger</h4>


    "What do you mean by that!"


    Li Yan rarely mentioned the death of his father, Li Hu, merely because it was somewhat dishonorable.


    His nickname, the Sick Tiger of Guanzhong, was also known as a phnderer.


    In this life, his mother was an ordinary farm woman, previously under the control of his grandfather, his father was still rtively stable, aside from practicing martial arts, he led a life where the men plow and the women weave.


    Until he was born the following year.


    Guanzhong experienced a severe drought, locusts gued the area, and epidemics broke out.


    In that same year, the Maitreya Sect also created havoc.


    His mother died of illness, the family couldn''t even put food on the table, so his father picked up his knife and went out into the pugilistic world to earn a living, gradually making a name for himself.


    But with that, he became like a tiger released from its cage, uncontroble.


    He not only killed people indiscriminately but also racked up a pile of debts from his love affairs.


    When Li Yan was young, he saw several beautiful aunties, raging and crying at his door, fighting at the doorstep, upsetting his grandfather so much that he couldn''t eat for days.


    The winter he died was also in a brothel in Chang''an City.


    ording to the constable and the head teapot of the brothel, he had suffered from apoplexy, and the coroner and his grandfather''s examination of the body confirmed this.


    Since then, his grandfather rarely spoke of his father and became increasingly aged.


    If before, Li Yan would have assumed Sha Lifei was lying.


    But since learning about the curse, he felt the matter was not so simple.


    Seeing the murderous intent rising in Li Yan''s eyes, Sha Lifei grew fearful and quickly offered an ingratiating smile, "I heard... well, I just heard that a few months after the incident, something happened at that brothel."


    "What happened?"


    "People died, several courtesans!"


    "What does that have to do with my father?"


    "I just like to pry into things, those who died, just so happens I know, were all your father''s old mes..."


    "Continue!"


    "Such the death of a few courtesans wasn''t usually a big concern officially, but back then it seemed quite serious, Zhou Pan even actively cooperated, leading a group of disciples to Chang''an City, searching everywhere in a frenzy."


    "You know what kind of person that old monkey, Zhou Pan, is: he seizes any advantage and shuns trouble, so acting with such zeal, there must be something fishy!"


    "Moreover, your father''s demise, he was the one who benefited the most."


    While he spoke, Sha Lifei observed Li Yan''s expression.


    Suddenly feeling a sense of relief, he looked down and realized that the short knife in Li Yan''s hand had silently retracted into his sleeve, unnoticed.


    Sleeve knife!


    Sha Lifei suddenly remembered what that was.


    While Li Hu was alive, there was a pugilistic tale that he was not only skilled with the Guanzhong quick knife but had also created his own technique by incorporating the kasaya skill and the sleeve technique, developing the sleeve knife.


    A knife hidden in the sleeve, used to describe someone who is affable on the outside but harbors malice within.


    Such was the technique of the sleeve knife, silently capable of taking a life.


    Li Hu had made quite a name for himself with these twin des, and now, it appeared he had passed this skill to his own son.


    This kid was even better suited for the sleeve knife than his father.


    Although Li Yan had sheathed the knife, his eyes remained icy cold, "Uncle Sha, let''s not beat around the bush. If there is indeed a problem with my father''s death, I''ll owe you a favor."


    "But let''s get this straight, why are you scheming against me?"


    "If you don''t rify, this isn''t the end of it today!"


    There was a reason Li Yan in the vige was known as a tough nut to crack.


    He had seen through many things in his two lives, caring little for propriety, rules, or systems, and had no interest in any cover-ups or pretenses.


    What was Sha Lifei''s n?


    He would get to the bottom of it today, even if he had to pull the truth out by the teeth!


    Looking into Li Yan''s eyes, Sha Lifei only felt his scalp tingle, awkwardly rubbing his bald head, he started, "Brother Yan, don''t be angry, you must not know, I''m famously loyal..."


    He swallowed the rest of his boastful words and said helplessly, "Actually, it''s nothing big, I recently offended one of Zhou Pan''s disciples by ident, and I had no choice but toe to Xianyang City."


    "I thought your family had a grudge with him as well, and I could use a helping hand..."


    "Oh, I see."


    Li Yan suddenly realized and nodded slightly, "Uncle Sha, you could have been upfront with me. Look at this, we nearly had an incident. No hard feelings, right."


    Sha Lifei nodded quickly, "Not at all, not at all, we''re on the same side. Also, that matter with Master Wang, I''ll take care of it tomorrow. But as we enter the city, we need to keep a low profile."


    "Of course."


    Li Yan smiled in agreement, as if the near altercation with the knife never happened, and casually walked away.


    Sha Lifei exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling his back covered in cold sweat, cursing silently: Damn it, this kid flips like a dog''s face, so unpredictable.


    Once this is over, it''s best to keep a distance from him in the future...


    ......


    Returning near his shanty, Li Yan simply found a secluded spot, leaned against a big tree, clutching his knife, and prepared to sleep.


    It was summer, and the nights were not cold, so he hadn''t brought any bedding when he left home, and he would just make do for the night, nning to leave after finding Wang Daoxuan.


    He took seriously what Sha Lifei had said.


    His father''s death, it seemed, was not merely due to misfortune brought on by the suppression technique, but there was another hidden story.


    Whether it was rted to Zhou Pan was yet uncertain.


    But some instinct told him that this matter was connected to the pugilistic magicians!


    No matter what he would do in the future, he first needed to step onto their path.


    Just then, footsteps approached from behind.


    Li Yan opened his eyes to see Hei Dan.


    The boy held a water dder, timorous, not daring toe closer.


    With an easy smile, Li Yan teased, "What''s wrong? Have I grown horns?"


    ```


    Thisd is the only one in the vige who gets along well with me, and he''s also known for his loyalty; therefore, when he first offered his help, he didn''t hesitate to lend a hand.


    Hei Dan scratched his head, revealing a simple and honest smile, as he handed over a water dder, "Brother Yan, have a drink. You were really impressive today!"


    "It wasn''t that I was impressive, but rather that he underestimated the enemy."


    Li Yan''s expression turned serious, and he recounted the details of the earlier duel.


    The face-off against Meng Haicheng seemed to be a one-move victory, but it was far from simple.


    First, he knew that Meng Haicheng was skilled in Monkey Fist, and by being younger, he made him let his guard down. He egged him on with words, thus creating the most favorable conditions.


    After all, Meng Haicheng was older with extensive experience in the pugilistic world. If he had been more cautious in fighting, it would have probably taken more effort to take him down.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Since the two had a close rtionship, Li Yan taught Hei Dan every detail without keeping any secrets, so that Hei Dan could be prepared if he ever encountered such a situation.


    Hei Dan listened, eyes wide and mouth agape, "Is it really soplex?"


    Li Yan smiled, "The hearts of Jianghu people areplex. Might is only used when thingse to blows¡ªhidden knives are far deadlier. Without being more vignt, how could one manage?"


    Of course, he didn''t say everything.


    Bringing down Meng Haicheng with one move wasn''t just to show off.


    From the moment he heard Sha Lifei stir the pot, he knew the man had no good intentions. It was only by exploiting the prestige of defeating his enemy that he could force this old slicker to spit out the truth.


    And these sighs came from the heart.


    shing swords was just the tip of the iceberg¡ªthe oddities of the Mystical Sect, if not understood and guarded against, could kill you in ways you wouldn''t evenprehend.


    Dumbfounded for a while, Hei Dan eventually said with a gloomy look, "No wonder my dad taught me techniques but told me to dig for food in the fields... This pugilistic world really isn''t for me."


    Speaking, his emotions clearly became agitated, "But Brother Yan, I''m not content with that! I don''t want to stay cooped up in the vige forever. Teach me what to do."


    Li Yan pondered for a moment, "Start by learning a skill. If you want to venture out, you need a way to feed yourself; otherwise, the only option is to gamble with your life, swords drawn, like I do."


    "Learn a skill..."


    Hei Dan thought it over and then nodded earnestly, "Brother Yan, I''ll listen to you. I have an uncle in Chang''an City who''s a leatherworker. If I say I want to learn a trade from him, I don''t think my dad would stop me."


    Saying this, a spark of hope lit up in his eyes, and he hurriedly left.


    Li Yan couldn''t help but chuckle and then closed his eyes, cradling his de.


    In his past life, he barely managed to scrape by with the skill of repairing vehicles.


    In this life, however, he felt the sword in his hand was far more useful...


    ...


    Unknowingly, the night quieted down.


    It was the time of the waning moon, and all around was dim without any light.


    In a hut at the edge of the wheat field, snores mixed with the sound of chirping insects filled the air.


    The wheat harvesters, after traveling for many days, would need to start work before dawn the next day, hence they all went to bed early to be well-rested.


    Far away, therge estate of Landlord Lu was simrly quiet.


    But in several key areas, bodyguards were patrolling.


    Zhao Jiu yawned and rubbed his face, feeling somewhat bored.


    Just as Li Yan had predicted, they were all disciples of the Zhao Family boxing style.


    Originally in Jinzhou, they escorted goods for wealthy merchants, facing risks but never worrying about food or shelter¡ªa livelihood passed down through generations.


    However, on one trip they ran into trouble and not only lost the cargo but the school suffered the loss of several mainstays, and its power declined, even their business got snatched away.


    It should have been the end for them but unexpectedly, someone connected them, and they became Protectors, following Landlord Lu to Guanzhong.


    Compared to those days of rambling everywhere, they now had much more stability.


    But it was a stability that made them itch for action; they hadn''t even seen a thief.


    At that moment, Zhao Jiu nced around carelessly, then suddenly his eyes widened.


    He felt that there was a faint figure in the distance.


    "Who''s there?!"


    Zhao Jiu wasn''t afraid, and he quickly chased after him with a cold sneer.


    They, as Protectors, had their own set of secret signals, which allowed them to identify their own men no matter how dark it was.


    Besides, if it were a renowned thief from the Jianghu, they would follow the rules of testing the waters with a rock and negotiating before they resorted to a fight to the death.


    If the figure didn''t respond, it was most likely an amateur thief.


    He didn''t draw the knife from his waist but instead picked up a rattan stick.


    The rattan sticks were extremely flexible and painfully effective when used on people. If it turned out to be just some desperate thief trying to break into homes, he thought it better to beat them than take their life.


    But when he reached a corner, he found nothing.


    Could it have been a trick of the eyes?


    As Zhao Jiu wondered, a sudden chill crept up his spine.


    He swung around immediately, turning pale with a prickling fear all over his body.


    He saw a vague figure standing there, with a hunched and small stature, and an abundance of wrinkles¡ªclearly an old woman.


    But this old woman''s face was green, her feet off the ground, floating in mid-air...


    "Ah¡ª!"


    Terror-filled screams shattered the silence of Landlord Lu''s estate...


    ...


    Under the big tree by the wheat field, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes.


    He sniffed, looking towards the distance with some confusion.


    He smelled a strange and distinct scent.


    It didn''t seem like the Rampaging Soldier''s icy bloodlust, nor did it have the Land God Temple''s peaceful incense. It was warm and sweet, much like delicious pastries.


    Pastries?


    Li Yan didn''t understand why such a thought came to mind.


    But soon, he would learn why.


    Inside his Dantian, the Substitute Divine Statue seemed eager and ready to pounce, like a hungry cat that had spotted a fish...


    ```

 Chapter 19 - 19 Anomalies of Divine Skills

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Anomalies of Divine Skills</h4>


    Li Yan''s eyes widened as he rolled over and rose to his feet.


    Just now, in his sleep, his smell superpower suddenly enhanced, and a surge of various scents woke him up.


    This was not the first time it had happened.


    The night he had in the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, the Substitute Divine Statue had extinguished a Life Fire, and his smell superpower had also increased, but not as noticeably as this time.


    The earthy smell of soil, the refreshing scent of wheat, the sweat stench from the reapers in the distance, and even the poisonous stench from scorpions under the ground, he could differentiate them all clearly.


    But even stranger was that sweet fragrance!


    The Substitute Divine Statue quivered because of it, conveying a sense of yearning.


    The treasure, the Substitute Divine Statue he had acquired, was obviously iplete, and many of its functions could only be vaguely sensed, thus it had taken a lot of time to figure out its purpose.


    Normally, it remained motionless, hidden away in his Dantian.


    It only came into y when activating the swap injury process.


    And this time, it had spontaneously be active.


    Could there be some kind of heavenly material or earthly treasure inside that could repair the Substitute Divine Statue?


    At this thought, Li Yan''s heart throbbed with excitement, his lips growing somewhat dry.


    In dealing with the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, the Substitute Divine Statue had extinguished one of his Life Fires; although he still had two lives left, it was ultimately iplete.


    Who wouldn''t wish for an extra life?


    If there really was something that could mend the Divine Statue, then what would there be to fear in the future!


    He hade seeking Dao Xuan, but he hadn''t expected to find this unexpected gain.


    However, as he was about to approach and investigate the residence, the scent suddenly vanished.


    At the same time, in the Lu family''spound, torches were lit one after another, unusually conspicuous in the ck night, apanied by noisy, chaotic voices.


    Had something happened?


    Li Yan''s eyebrows knit together slightly as he pressed his hand to the hilt of his sword.


    Such amotion in the dead of night was unmistakably peculiar; Sha Lifei also snapped awake with a jolt, running over in a panic with his sword in hand, "What''s going on, what''s going on, are bandits attacking the kiln?"


    Li Yan shook his head, "I''m not sure."


    By now, quite a few people had also been awakened.


    The old desman from Longyou, wearing a sheepskin coat, was named Shan Lao Quan. He frowned deeply, "Let''s go take a look; after all, it''s the master''s house. If something has happened, we can''t just stand by and watch."


    With that, several desmen instructed the reapers not to wander off and then walked towards the Lu family mansion.


    A thought crossed Li Yan''s mind, and he closely followed them.


    When the group reached the outside of the Lu family''spound and knocked on the door for quite some time, Housekeeper Lu emerged with several Protectors, his expression unchanged as he spoke, "What can I do for you gentlemen?"


    As soon as these words were out, several of the desmen were taken aback.


    Weren''t these words tantly superfluous?


    With such a ruckus, only a fool would be unaware.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The old desman from Longyou, Shan Lao Quan, narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in a deep voice, "We heard the noise and came to check. Nothing wrong in the mansion, I hope?"


    Housekeeper Lu remained serene, "Nothing''s wrong. A wild cat got in and caused somemotion. Thank you all for your concern."


    "We have to get up early tomorrow to harvest the wheat. You should all rest early."


    "That''s good then."


    The old desman from Longyou nodded his head and turned to leave.


    There was definitely something else going on at the Lu family, but having been in the pugilistic world for many years, he had long learned to turn a deaf ear. As long as his wages were paid promptly, he was indifferent to any side matters.


    In the end, it was just a mess within the walls of arge, deep-household.


    The others naturally wouldn''t ask further.


    But just as everyone was preparing to leave, Housekeeper Lu suddenly added, "Brother Sha, please stay for a moment, I have a question for you."


    "Eh, what is it?"


    Sha Lifei waspletely baffled, stopping in his tracks.


    Although the others were somewhat surprised, they too did not pay it much attention.


    Although Sha Lifei''s martial arts were mediocre, what allowed him to get by in the pugilistic world was not just his swordsmanship but also his thick skin, brains, and mouth.


    He had the nerve, the wits, and was smooth-talking, able to cozy up to anyone, spouting nonsense regardless of whether they liked it or not, just to get familiar.


    This was not to be underestimated.


    Often, when people needed something but were unfamiliar with the ins and outs of that particr field, the first impression that came to mind was this familiar face.


    After a few inquiries and a bit of back and forth, even if he couldn''t secure the job himself, he could still earn some money for running around and connecting people.


    It was precisely this kind of chatter and hobnobbing along the road that led Sha Lifei to rub shoulders with Housekeeper Lu and get acquainted with him.


    Others quickly left, but only Li Yan turned and stopped, continuing to wait.


    He had a premonition that Housekeeper Lu''s seeking out Sha Lifei was definitely rted to the earlier incident and perhaps there was a way to follow him into the Lu residence.


    There was no need to take anything, but at least he could figure out what it was that had caused the Substitute Divine Statue to react, giving him a target for the future.


    He waited quite a while, and by the time the third watch (approximately 3-5 am) came around, when the wheat harvesters had already started their work, Sha Lifei finally emerged from the Lu household, his face brimming with joy.


    "What happened?"


    Li Yan approached him directly, pulling him aside to inquire in a low voice.


    Sha Lifei hesitated for a moment, "Come with me, I''ll talk as we walk."


    "Where to?"


    "Xianyang City!"


    ...


    "The Lu family is looking for a Yin Yang master."


    After they were far from Ancient Water Vige, Sha Lifei exined: "Landlord Lu''s wife is in bad shape, and they want to hire a real yin yang master to choose the burial site and make arrangements for the funeral."


    "And they want to keep it quiet, not to make it widely known, so don''t bber about it."


    Li Yan was surprised, "A funeral, and they want to keep it quiet?"


    Sha Lifei chuckled, "I have some guesses."


    "This Landlord Lu, although his ancestral roots are in Guanzhong, doesn''t have many n rtives and fled to the Capital when he was very young. After a lifetime of struggles, he rued quite a fortune. Hence, after his ''leaves fell back to their roots,'' he had little to do with the surrounding wealthy households."


    "His wife is from the Capital and followed him to Guanzhong. It seems she was probably bedridden due to the vexation caused by Landlord Lu''s romantic endeavors and hardly ever saw outsiders."


    "Landlord Lu cares a lot about face; he definitely wouldn''t want idle gossip."


    Li Yan frowned, "That doesn''t make sense, the person is dying, what do they have to worry about? If he has the final say, avish funeral would leave no room for controversy."


    "Why do you care so much!"


    Sha Lifei scratched his bald head, "The Lu family''s business is none of our concern, but I did rmend Master Wang, which could earn me a bit of reward money for running errands. It''s also the perfect excuse to introduce you to him."


    "An excuse? Aren''t you well acquainted with him?"


    "This... this, even with acquaintances, there are different levels... Let''s hurry."


    With a dryugh, Sha Lifei urged him to move faster.


    Li Yan shook his head slightly but didn''t mind.


    He had already guessed that Sha Lifei didn''t have the clout he imed, and if he wanted to connect with Wang Daoxuan, he would have to employ some tricks of his own.


    What he was pondering now was whether the Lu family''s unusual actions had anything to do with that unknown treasure?


    Sha Lifei had a horse and had borrowed another from the Lu family when leaving.


    Li Yan wasn''t proficient in horsemanship, but he didn''t hold them back. By the time the sky was fully lit, the two men had already arrived outside Xianyang City.


    This world had a Qin too, but its era was even more ancient.


    Xianyang was the capital of the Pre-Qin dynasty, situated at the confluence of the Wei River and the Jing River, teeming with arge poption, and a gathering ce for the Three Religions and Nine Sects. The water andnd traffic was developed.


    As the two men rode in from a distance, they could already see numerous vessels of various sizesing and going on the Wei River, as well as the imposing Qingwei Tower next to the ancient city of Xianyang.


    With the city gates about to open, outside the city had already gathered many merchants and vigers from the surrounding countryside. The line stretched far back, with people carrying loads and pushing carts... The sounds of human voices were mixed with the braying of mules and horses.


    And at the ferry port, theborers had already begun offloading and transporting goods.


    They approached from the South City direction. To enter the city, they needed to cross the Wei River, but before they even got close to the ferry port, Sha Lifei stopped and chuckled, "Brother Yan, I''m afraid I''ll have to trouble you to go look for the person in the city?"


    Li Yan frowned, "You''re not going into the city?"


    Sha Lifei touched his bald head and said helplessly, "Didn''t I just have a skirmish with Meng Haicheng yesterday? My impressive appearance is too conspicuous in a crowd; they have eyes everywhere, and it would be noticed as soon as we enter the city."


    "I''m not afraid; I just don''t want to mess with the main task."


    Li Yan let out a scoff, "You sure know how to boss people around, fine."


    He had mentioned before that they need to disguise their tracks when entering the city. After all, this was Zhou Pan''s territory. But Sha Lifei''sst-minute change of ns, sending him into the city alone, was clearly out of fear.


    Sha Lifei, with his thick skin, hardly cared about Li Yan''s mockery, smiling impishly, "Brother Yan, you''re much shrewder than I am, but there are some things I need to remind you of."


    With that, he pointed to arge ship on the river.


    "Xianyang City is the Ancient Ferry; it''s a hub for the Three Religions and Nine Sects. There are quite a few figures from the pugilistic worlding from the north and south that you really shouldn''t provoke."


    "That boat belongs to the Cao Gang of Xianyang; they control the ferry. Whether it''s the porters or the Taixing transportationpany''s branch in Xianyang, they are closely connected. The boatmen on the Wei River also belong to them..."


    "In the city, there''s also the Beggar Gang; their hideout is near the Chaotic Burial Mound in the north of the city. They can be quite malicious, the little beggars in the city are their eyes and ears. The various tricks they y in the pugilistic world are something you are probably already familiar with, just be careful..."


    "The most crucial is the Divine Fist Association; Old Monkey Zhou Pan might have a bad reputation in the pugilistic world, but in Xianyang City, he''s the top dog. He not only has connections with the officials, but also both of the gang faction leaders in the city who are his disciples."


    "However, Zhou Pan lives near Flower Shop Street, and that Daoist master lives near the City God Temple at the East Gate. Just be cautious, and you shouldn''t run into..."


    Although Sha Lifei was slippery and unreliable, he was well-informed about various pieces of intelligence, rapidly exining the different forces within Xianyang City.


    Some pugilistic world intricacies are not clear to outsiders, but Li Yan, with his extensive family education, understood it all upon Sha Lifei''s exnation.


    He made some preparations, donning a white smock, dabbed some grey on his face, and, after a simple disguise, headed to the ferry port wearing a straw hat.


    Sha Lifei, on the other hand, led the two horses into a nearby grove to wait.


    Li Yan initially thought nothing of it; he had wandered north and south in his past life. In this life, with his father''s teachings of numerous pugilistic ways and his own considerable skills, he feared nothing.


    However, as he neared the Wei River, his expression changed abruptly.


    An explosion of various scents flooded his nostrils.


    Among them were even a few that seemed mystical and exceptional...

 Chapter 20 - 20 Xianyang Ancient City

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Xianyang Ancient City</h4>


    How could this be!


    There were quite a few passengers waiting for the ferry, the smell of tobo from an old man, the scent of perfume powder from women, the odor of sweat, the stench of fish, the decay of the dock''s wood... they all rushed into my nostrils.


    Thisbination of smells was oddly refreshing.


    Li Yan nearly fell over from the overpowering scents.


    He realized that his smell superpower had once again suddenly intensified.


    Since that night he fought a deathmatch with the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, this was the third explosive enhancement in a short period.


    Besides thesemon scents, he could smell many unique odors.


    Hundreds of meters from the dock, there was a gloomy and sticky scent, seemingly left by some kind of malevolent entity, resistant to thepping water waves, lingering for ages...


    On the big Cao Gang ship on the river, someone was burning incense and tying red cloth at the prow, also sprinkling paper money and pouring the blood of livestock, a zing aura swirling around the prow...


    Even more terrifying was the distant Xianyang City.


    It was like a fierce beast, perched on the ins, exuding an ancient and bleak fragrance, with various incense odors within the city.


    Any of these was dozens of times more intense than what the Land God Temple at the Li Family Castle emitted.


    Is this the real world...


    Li Yan was profoundly shaken.


    Since awakening his smell superpowerst year, he had not set foot in Chang''an City or even Lantian County, staying put in the Li Family Castle.


    Now that he had arrived at Xianyang City, he immediately noticed the difference.


    No wonder Widow Wang and the others chose to hide in the secluded rural area of the Li Family Castle; if they went to Chang''an, they would likely be immediately exposed and draw the attention of their enemies.


    Just then, Li Yan''s vision suddenly darkened.


    Waves of dizziness washed over him, and the astonishing sense of smell disappeared.


    Li Yan clutched at a willow tree beside him, taking a good while to recover his strength.


    He looked unwell and cursed silently in his heart.


    Clearly, this divine ability came at a price.


    Widow Wang hadn''t mentioned it, perhaps because she hadn''t anticipated his smell superpower would undergo such explosive enhancements again and again.


    Worse, his divine skill was now out of control.


    Any loss of control was a big problem.


    It must be resolved quickly!


    "The boat is here¡ª!"


    The boatman''s voice interrupted his thoughts.


    Fortunately, his smell superpower had already turned off at this time. Despite his head spinning and breaking out in a cold sweat on his back, Li Yan still headed towards the ferry.


    The ferry was not big, about seven or eight meters long, without any canopy for cover.


    After paying the fare, Li Yan casually found a ce to sit down.


    The breeze over the river was refreshing, and the chatter from the surroundingmoners continuously entered his ears:


    "Widow Wang, why aren''t you in a hurry to harvest the wheat? Why are you going to the city?"


    "I''ve hired wheat workers from Longyou this year. I need to go to the city to offer incense to pray that it won''t rain these days. After that, I''ll hurry back..."


    "You have plenty of maleborers at home."


    "Don''t mention it, my second and third sons ran off to Jinmen, saying that the factories there pay well and won''t being back for the New Year. I figure, we don''t have muchnd at home; the eldest son is enough, and the second and third need a way to make their own living..."


    Li Yan was already aware of their situations from the vige.


    The Great Xuan Dynasty had been established for a hundred years and was now at its peak.


    But beneath the prosperous times, undercurrents were stirring.


    Large-scalend annexation began to appear, and the number of disced people increased. In the past decade, quite a few troubles arose.


    But at the same time, the court announced the opening of seas for trade and many coastal cities builtrge-scale workshops, absorbing many disced people.


    At the court, it was said to be restless, with factions forming and attacking each other.


    Of course, Li Yan had no interest in these matters.


    He only wanted to solve his own predicament as soon as possible.


    After crossing the Wei River, Li Yan''s mind was noticeably clearer, and the divine sense of smell returned, but it was much weaker, about the same as before he fought "Blind Third".


    Li Yan could not be concerned with that, he lowered his straw hat and entered the city.


    After all, it was the ancient capital of the Pre-Qin era, described in the ssics as "Imperial pces and vis, pavilions and towers, stretching for more than three hundred miles, blocking out the sun and sky."


    Although it had undergone several battles and reconstructions, resulting in a reduced city size, it was still bustling. As soon as he entered the city, the hustle and noise were overwhelming.


    Unlike Chang''an City''s one hundred and eight organized blocks, theyout of Xianyang City was irregr. Entering from the South Gate, close to the docks, Li Yan directly encountered the crisscrossing oldmercial street.


    Stores lined the streets, various signboards and gs fluttered, calls of hawkers were incessant, and the mixing of mule carts from the docks and pedestrians made it appear prosperous and chaotic.


    Of course, beggars were not absent.


    Perhaps because of the knife Li Yan carried, no one bothered him, but othermerce travelers newly entering the city were immediately surrounded by a gang of beggar children.


    Their clothes were torn, some were even missing limbs, surrounding people with their pleas, "Kind sir, may you profit a thousand in gold this year," "Graciousdy, may you be blessed with children and grandchildren"...


    Li Yan nced at them, turned his head, and walked away.


    In the pugilistic world, the Beggar Gang was divided into the Eastward and Westward factions.


    Eastbound begging involved soft begging, primarily through performing arts in the marketce, with a variety of acts such as "Singing Bads," "Martial and Literary Performance," "Worshiping the Divine Lord," and "Traveling the Five Lakes."


    These beggars were mostly nomadic, wandering from the south to the north, following the tides of life.


    Westbound begging, on the other hand, mostly consisted of stationary beggars who typically entrenched themselves in a city, led by a head beggar who would take a cut of the daily earnings from begging.


    Beggars from the eastbound pugilistic world who arrived in a city would certainly need to first pay respects to the local westbound beggars'' den to obtain permission to perform and also get their earnings skimmed.


    If they did not understand the rules, they would end up a dead body before the night''s end.


    Among the westbound head beggars, there were also many "pseudo-beggars," with their roles passed down through generations, controlling the beggars'' dens in towns. By day they were d in rags, but at night they would wear brocade and wander the pleasure quarters.


    What''s more despicable, some even engaged in the business of trafficking and human trade, maintaining close rtionships with the city''s brokers.


    What they were skilled at was aggressive begging; although those child beggars looked pitiful, they were indeed ruthless and not someone ordinary people could afford to offend.


    Indeed, as soon as they saw that the unfamiliar merchant was not giving them money, the beggars immediately changed their countenance, banging on their broken bowls and singing curses of the falling lotus.


    "If you don''t give money, I won''te, and you can use the leftover money to buy your coffin!"


    "If you don''t give, I won''t beg, let''s see if this grandson gets anxious!"


    The merchant, furious, chased after the beggar, not realizing his money pouch had already been stolen...


    Of course, there were also many eastbound beggars who wandered the pugilistic world.


    Li Yan passed through the streets, where a blind old beggar was storytelling on the street corner.


    His eyes were cloudy, his tone carried the weight of the ages, exuding an ancient charm.


    "Glory, wealth, and rank pursue each day, fleeting are riches and splendor vast,"


    "The mortal world churns like tides, few be immortals..."


    "Obtained the Dao!"


    ......


    "Excuse me, is Daoist Wang Daoxuan present in this ce?"


    Outside a small shop, Li Yan inquired of the shopkeeper.


    Near the City God Temple in Xianyang City, aside from small eateries and breakfast stands, most of the establishments were ces like Paper Mache Shops, Incense and Candle Shops, Coffin Shops, and Funeral Clothing Shops. Not to mention, there were many establishments for fortune telling and divination.


    The shop Li Yan was asking about, for instance, was an Incense and Candle Shop, where one could find everything from ordinary y incense to arm-thick long incense sticks, from regr red and white candles to magnificent dragon and phoenix shaped candles, and all sorts of paper money and gold ingots¡ªeverything one might need.


    Upon arriving here, Li Yan felt the rich aroma of temple incense making him feel dizzy and overwhelming, so he did not approach closely, and instead directly searched for the address given to him by Sha Lifei.


    ording to Sha Lifei, Wang Daoxuan had also opened a shop where he did divination, selected fengshui sites, handled festive and funeral events, and caught demons¡ªall sorts of jobs.


    However, the shop at the given address had changed owners.


    Left with no choice, Li Yan had to ask around.


    "Wang Daoxuan?"


    The owner of the Incense and Candle Shop was a squint-eyed fat man who first looked confused upon hearing the name, then as if suddenly realizing something, he eximed with a sudden understanding, "You must be talking about Old Wang the cker!"


    After saying this, his eyes held a smile as he continued, "He owed a buttload of debt and has already sold his shop to me. Now, he is running his business from home."


    Wang... Old cker?!


    Li Yan''s face stiffened, feeling a surge of anger welling up.


    Sha Lifei was indeed unreliable.


    Although it had been mentioned earlier that Wang Daoxuan would take on any job, mostly as a chatan, at the very least he was a member of the Mystical Sect, and one could still inquire about certain matters.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But from what the owner was saying, it was probably worse than Li Yan had imagined.


    Owing debts, not even able to keep his shop...


    The name Wang Daoxuan, he estimated, was much like Sha Lifei''s¡ªa stage name boasted outwardly!


    Li Yan was already having trouble with uncontroble divine skills, and at that moment, his indignation red up even more.


    Seeing his reaction, the shop owner already had calctions in mind and took a step forward with a smile on his forehead, "Do you wish to have your fortune told or arrange a festive or funeral event? Just say the word¡ª I''m well acquainted with all the shops on this street, and I can get you a discount..."


    "Thank you, I''ll talk about itter."


    Li Yan spoke politely, but he had no intention to trust the owner.


    He had seen plenty of such people, capable of tearing each other down within the same trade. Facing customers, wouldn''t they be even more ruthless?


    Moreover, the items in this Incense and Candle Shop¡ªhe could tell from one whiff¡ªwere allmon goods, even the divine statues for worshipcked the scent of incense; the owner was clearly an amateur.


    As expected, seeing Li Yan show no interest, the shop owner''s attitude immediately turned cold.


    Li Yan had an idea and his face showed a trace of anger as he bowed with his hands sped, "I have some ounts to settle with that Old Wang the cker, please inform me."


    With a sideways nce, the shop owner saw the knife strapped to Li Yan''s waist and revealed a hint of schadenfreude as he raised his hand to point, "Sure, do you see that alley over there? Walk down three hundred meters and you''ll find Wendao Temple on your right!"


    ......


    The shopkeeper pointed to an old residential alleyway.


    Li Yan entered, and as far as the eye could see, all were quaint old houses. Although they were separate households, it was clear from their secluded and narrowyout that they were ordinary people''s dwellings.


    Many of the courtyard walls were indeed constructed with ancient Qin bricks scavenged from olden times in Xianyang, coupled with the mottled bluestone bs on the ground, creating quite the ancient ambiance.


    Upon advancing three hundred meters, he quickly found the ce.


    A pair of ques hung above the door of an old house.


    Made of ordinary jujube wood, merely coated with some paint, not evenparable to a restaurant''s sign, yet the three characters for "Wendao Temple" were rustic and powerful, quite exceptional.


    A bit of Li Yan''s anger inexplicably faded away.


    Then, he took a sniff.


    Inside the small courtyard, there was indeed an array of special scents...

 Chapter 21 - 21 First Encounter with Wang Daoxuan

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21 First Encounter with Wang Daoxuan</h4>


    The special smell in the small courtyard was exceptionally mixed.


    There was a scent simr to that of the Land God Temple, a warmth resembling bedrock, a strange earthy smell, and even a coldness like that of the Three Talents Demon Suppression Coin...


    The feeling it gave was truly like a grocery store.


    These scents were very faint, clearly not top-quality goods even among those of the Mystical Sect.


    But this had already proven that the other party was an expert!


    Li Yan, turning anger into joy, saw that the courtyard door was wide open and stepped inside.


    The small courtyard wasn''trge but was very neatly kept, with a jujube tree nted on the left and a stone trough fish tank on the right, where several little red fish swam merrily to and fro.


    In the northwest corner hung a copper mirror of the Eight Trigrams, and in the center, there was a stone stump.


    The entire courtyard gave off a refreshing and tranquil vibe.


    Li Yan took a nce around and quickly had a measure of the ce.


    Jujube wood represented Wood, the fish tank Water, the Eight Trigrams copper mirror Metal, and the central stone stump Earth anchoring the house, evidently a Fengshui arrangement ording to the Five Elements, onlycking Fire.


    Li Yan turned his head and smiled upon surveying the area.


    There was a kitchen over there, dedicated to the God of Stove¡ªwasn''t that Fire?


    The main house of the courtyard, too, had its door wide open, revealing an incense altar within, along with a divine statue and numerous offerings.


    The statue depicted a three-eyed daoist cradling a long sword, his Daoist robe adorned with the sun, moon, stars, and the four symbols: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Xuanwu, looking somewhat garish.


    On the tablet above was written "Xuan Qi Manifests Might, Chen Tianjun."


    Li Yan, not recognizing it, still could detect the incense smell, somewhat simr to that of the Land God Temple, more subdued yet more majestic.


    Inside, a middle-aged Daoist was sitting upright and still in front of the altar.


    Naturally, this Daoist was Wang Daoxuan, who dressed amusingly in casual neat ck attire with a white vest, the Eight Trigrams embroidered behind, a squared scarf around his head, and squared ck cloth shoes on his feet, adorned with auspicious clouds.


    The outfit was not cheap, and although washed to a whitish shade, it was still neat.


    Most attractive was his appearance: lean and tough, with ck beard hanging to his chest, features upright and clear, and his gaze very gentle. Although not exactly exuding an aura of an immortal, he nheless inspired immediate goodwill in those who saw him.


    Daoist Wang held a Wolf Brush in hand, busily writing and drawing on a piece of paper.


    Opposite him sat a young man, appearing to be a schr, his face full of bitterness and his brows furrowed with worry.


    Li Yan took one look and knew that they were engaged in fortune-telling.


    This craft, in the pugilistic world, ranked as Gold Sect,


    Gold Sect, being the foremost among the Eight Gates, principally involves nine arts including fortune-telling, face-reading, character testing, divination, aura reading, Zou Yin, astrology, Mage, and Duan Gong. Hence, there''s a catchy rhyming saying, "Nine Gold, Eighteen Leather, Seventy-Two Monopolist Tricks."


    It''s called the foremost among the Eight Gates because people of the Gold Sect are adept at observing others and debating, possessing many techniques. Learning the methods of the Gold Sect, one gains insights into the other Gates.


    For example, the methods of the Gold Sect can be directly applied to the Leather Sect, involved in medicine selling, phrased as "Gold turns into Leather, in an early morning."


    Moreover, this profession brims with mixed characters, many of whom are tricksters, yet one might also encounter someone from the Mystical Sect with real magic skills, so people from the pugilistic world generally show some respect when they meet.


    Even the bandits of the Lan Family have eight things they don''t plunder, one of which is the Gold Sect.


    Seeing the other party engaged in business, Li Yan stood silently outside the door.


    Wang Daoxuan had clearly noticed him, but did not pay heed, instead setting down his brush, picking up the paper full of writings and considering it for a while before, under the young man''s anxious gaze, stroking his beard and saying,


    "You provided a ''Metal'' character, Metal, the treasure of the world, the encumbrance of man, refined long to be superior."


    "Based on your Four Pirs of Destiny analysis, you should have an untroubled youth, but these years your fate has been rough and your family fortune has declined..."


    "Furthermore, your financial luck has been poor recently, and there are petty people causing harm..."


    "Yes, yes, yes, Daoist speaks the truth!" the young man immediately nodded, his face full of admiration.


    Seeing this, Li Yan couldn''t help but chuckle internally.


    He had seen some things firsthand and had developed an interest in the Mystical Sect, but harbored doubts about this matter of fortune-telling, disbelieving that mortals could foresee the future.


    Moreover, he hadn''t detected any special scent.


    This trick, as his father had broadly exined, was called "Horse Tie," essentially binding the customer tightly at first, then drawing them deeper into the scheme.


    This young man before him looked frail, with uncalloused hands, yet wore somewhat ragged clothes, clearly a schr who had enjoyed prestige but had fallen on hard times.


    Moreover, who would resort to fortune-telling if life were smooth sailing?


    The young man hade for a ''Metal'' reading¡ªwithout even dissecting the character, it was evident how much he needed money recently.


    As for petty people, who the hell doesn''t have some backstabbers!


    Li Yan saw through it yet said nothing.


    First, as per the rules of the pugilistic world, revealing someone''s scheme amounted to smashing their livelihood, tolerable only if one couldn''t bear to watch.


    Second, this trick was nothing novel.


    In his past life, shouting false slogans to sell goods, stirring emotions to harvest fools, luring with profits to swindle capital... countless techniques abounded, each a Horse Tie.


    The pugilistic world remained unchanged, human hearts still the same, only presenting a different facade.


    As expected, the time for reaping was next.


    Indeed, without Wang Daoxuan having to borate, the young man already beganmenting with a distressed face, "Honest to say, I''m originally from Xingping County. Our family owned a silk shop, but we were swindled by deceivers and cheated out of everything."


    "My father was literally infuriated to death, my mother cried until she went blind, and my studies never bore any results. Only then did I realize that all a schr has is useless knowledge."


    "Pity my wife and children who suffered with me, and the ridicule from my schoolmates, I truly can''t go on living, what should I do..."


    Li Yan was somewhat speechless.


    In times of suffering, most people prattle endlessly, seeking someone to confide in.


    But this young man, he essentiallyid bare his family''s situation entirely, a mere novice could easily manipte him.


    Wasn''t this akin to amb walking into a tiger''s den?


    Yet, Wang Daoxuan wasn''t hurried, his expression unchanging as he stroked his beard and listened intently.


    After the young man finished speaking, he picked up a piece of paper and gazed at it thoughtfully for a while before saying, "There might indeed be a solution."


    The young man''s eyes lit up, "Please, Daoist, provide your guidance."


    Wang Daoxuan pointed at the paper and said, "Look at this ''gold'' character with the ''person'' radical at the top, vigorous and upright, indicating that the solution lies within ''person''!"


    "A nobleman?"


    The young man pondered, "Does the Daoist mean that a nobleman wille to help?"


    Wang Daoxuan gently nodded, "Of course, there will be a nobleman, but this nobleman is none other than you yourself."


    "Me? How could that be!"


    The young man was clearly stunned.


    Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and said, "You have this tribtion in life, but there''s a saying: no gold is pure, and no one is perfect. True gold must be tested by fire, and if you endure this ze, your fortunes will change for the better. While you may not be immensely rich, you will live a stable life."


    "This ''person'' radical also represents the petty people who suppress your luck, and you should avoid them so the bad fortune will leave as well."


    A glimmer of hope arose in the young man''s eyes, but he hesitated before asking cautiously, "Daoist, a Yin Yang Mage came to our house, advising my mother to worship a Yin Immortal, iming it could change our fate and protect us..."


    "Nonsense and absurdity!"


    Wang Daoxuan''s brow furrowed sharply, "Confucius once said, to be close with the gentleman but distant from petty people, to respect the divine but keep away. It''s easy to invite gods but hard to send them away. By entertaining those people aren''t you just inviting trouble in?"


    "If your real gold fears the fire''s test, then how are you different from rubble?"


    "To cut off your own fate is beyond remedy!"


    The young man was immediately ashamed, "Daoist speaks wisely. I was wrong."


    He then fumbled inside his robe, showing a troubled expression, "I''m not sure about the fortune-telling fee..."


    Wang Daoxuan extended three fingers and said calmly, "Your fortune is obstructed, I dare not take much, three copper coins. If you withstand the refining fire, you can return and pay the rest."


    The young man immediately showed gratitude, deeply bowing with sped hands,


    "Thank you, Daoist."


    After saying this, he took out three copper coins and turned to leave.


    When he walked out, his gaze had turned resolute.


    Li Yan watched, somewhat taken aback, respect arising in his heart.


    Ghostly gods cannot change fate, the human heart can.


    He had realized that the young man''s fate might have already begun changing at that moment.


    This was the true guidance through confusion!


    Thinking this, he strode confidently into the room, first bowing with sped hands, then smilingly said, "Master Wang, your releasing the tied horse could have lost you the sheep, are you smashing your own pot?"


    His advance had a dual purpose, to identify his status and to discuss the event just unfolded.


    Upon hearing this, Wang Daoxuanughed heartily and rose, shaking his head, "My words could be the key between life and death, and also umte moral virtue, I dare not act recklessly."


    "Besides, that lean sheep had little fat, no need to bother with it."


    Li Yan nodded slightly, "Daoist is benevolent."


    However, Wang Daoxuan seemed not to hear his courtesy and first nced at the de by his waist, then at the window, shaking his head and sighing, "Last night I dreamed of evil spirits haunting me, and today I saw a magpie carrying flowers, predicting someone''s visit. Yet, whether it''s a blessing or a curse, I cannot deduce."


    "A desman visits, does someone intend to take my poor life?"


    "Daoist, please don''t misunderstand."


    Li Yan quickly bowed, "I''m actually here to consult on a doubt. If the Daoist can resolve my difficulties, a substantial reward will surely follow!"


    His Divine Skills were out of control at that moment, barely managing to cope with the issue with the Lan Family.


    Wang Daoxuan breathed a sigh of relief internally, stroking his beard and smiling, "Layman, do you wish to consult about the divination or choose a Fengshui site?"


    Li Yan solemnly asked, "May I inquire, what is the ''Cold Altar Rampaging Soldier''?"


    Hearing this, Wang Daoxuan almost pulled at his beard, his expression subtly changing as he asked,


    "Sir, who exactly are you?!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 22 - 22 Mystical Sect Iceberg Corner

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Mystical Sect Iceberg Corner</h4>


    Hearing of the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, Wang Daoxuan''s expression changed drastically.


    Li Yan had been observing his reactions all along andpletely rxed upon seeing this change.


    He brought it up directly as a way to test the waters.


    Although Wang Daoxuan made a good first impression on him, he appeared somewhat down-and-out. If he hadn''t even heard of the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, then there were some things that did not need to be mentioned to him.


    "In all honesty, I''ve encountered some trouble..."


    Once he confirmed that the other party was knowledgeable, Li Yan dispensed with beating around the bush and revealed the matter of the Cold Altar Rampant Soldier directly.


    Of course, the pugilistic world is perilous, and it is prudent to reveal no more than a third of what you know. Therefore, he also concealed a few important issues.


    For example, regarding Widow Wang, he merely mentioned she was a vige priestess who had mysteriously disappeared, without giving away any details to avoid causingplications.


    They were in hiding from enemies, after all, and could not afford to repay kindness with malice.


    There was also the suppression technique.


    These were matters of familial enmity; utmost caution was necessary, as the hidden hand could well be rted to someone from the Mystical Sect.


    The Substitute Divine Statue was something he would never reveal to anyone.


    However, he fully disclosed the matter concerning the smell superpower.


    Wang Daoxuan listened intently, his expression first puzzled, then frowning in contemtion, and finally staring at Li Yan with disbelief as he spoke,


    "Your Four Pirs of Destiny must be incredibly strong!"


    Strong destiny?


    With the Substitute Divine Statue, his fate indeed had to be robust.


    Li Yan quickly bowed with sped hands, "I hope the Daoist can enlighten me."


    Wang Daoxuan pondered for a moment then shook his head, saying, "Never mind, since you have already awakened your Divine Skills, it means you are destined to be involved with the Mystical Sect. Moreover, this isn''t really a secret; with careful inquiry, one could find out anyway, so there''s no harm in telling you."


    "Speaking of Rampaging Soldiers, one has to mention the armed forces of the Mystical Sect. Whether it''s the Proper Xuan Sect or local Magic Veins, or even some heretical practices, raising armies ismon."


    "There are numerous types of these forces: the Proper Xuan Sect''s Lu Soldiers, the City God and Land God Temples'' ritual armies, and the various local Magic Veins'' Five Directions and Five Camps of Ghost Soldiers, the Immortal Families'' Five Directions Immortal Soldiers, and the popr worship''s Five Passes Army..."


    "These forces are intangible and invisible;mon folks can''t see them. Mages can use them to search mountains and ruined temples, drive out demons and capture evil spirits, duel with others, and even take human lives..."


    "The sources of Rampaging Soldiers are many, and hard to specify in a short time, but their traits include fierce temperaments and difficulty in control, yet their power is not insignificant."


    "As for cold altars, these are pathways that have died out, with no disciples to continue the incense offerings, turning into abandoned temples."


    "There are many supporters of Rampaging Soldiers, but there is a problem: once the incense offerings cease, they will go out of control, attaching themselves to wild beasts or humans, searching everywhere for blood."


    Speaking thoughtfully, he said, "On the surface of Guanzhong, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect chooses fixed times to search mountain ruins, so there are few cold altars. This Rampaging Soldier likelyes from the Qinling."


    "That Cold Altar Rampant Soldier, as fierce as a fierce ghost, although you have awakened Divine Skills and been guided on how to counter them, surviving it alone means your life-force is incredibly strong!"


    Li Yan reflected for a moment and then asked, "Are there many such forces within the Mystical Sect?"


    Wang Daoxuan nodded, "The Taixuan Orthodox Sect has countless Lu Soldiers, whose numbers are unknown to anyone, undoubtedly abundant; they are practically equivalent to Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, otherwise how could they serve as the leaders of the Xuanzheng Sect, financially supported by the court generation after generation?"


    "Not to mention the various local Magic Veins, some inheritances are ancient, with Ancestor Master''s troops numbering in the hundreds of thousands, adding to those unknown folk sects, the number of these forces in the world is simply incalcble..."


    Li Yan was inwardly shocked, and it took him a long while to calm down.


    One single Cold Altar Rampant Soldier had nearly cost him his life; the thought of thousands was utterly terrifying.


    He couldn''t help but ask, "With such formidable power, isn''t controlling the world effortless for the Mystical Sect?"


    "It''s not that easy."


    Wang Daoxuan scoffed lightly and shook his head, "Although there are many forces, sufficient Daoist practice is required to mobilize them. To control millions of these forces, numerous highly skilled Mages are needed, alongside conducting grand ceremonies; sometimes, it even takes days to prepare."


    "Moreover, the Grand Dao maintains its bnce; these forces are not invincible. For example, if you were hiding in a City God or Land God Temple with thriving incense, small-scale forces couldn''t even enter..."


    "There are numerous Methods within the Mystical Sect, and these forces are but one aspect..."


    "And as for famous mountains and great rivers, Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands, they all have Innate Astral Qi gathering ces, such as Taishan, the first of the Five Mountains¡ªwho would dare to gather forces to attack it?"


    "Not to mention the risk of the altar exploding, but also the forces could turn on their summoner and could even disturb the residing Divine Spirit..."


    Li Yan blurted out, "Are there really Divine Spirits?"


    Wang Daoxuan nodded, "That''s natural, but it''s different from the folk tales. The intricacies are soplex that even high-ranking members of the Orthodox Sect might not fully understand, let alone a half-baked Daoist like me."


    Li Yan''s eyes lit up with curiosity, "Then... what about immortals?"


    Wang Daoxuan sighed, "Immortality is nothing but illusion; the path of the immortals is also vague. Although there are legends of immortals, they are mostly known by name and not seen in person. I don''t dare to make careless statements."


    Li Yan asked again, "Then after cultivation, can one fly through the skies and move the stars and moon? Or extend one''s life by hundreds of years?"


    Wang Daoxuan was somewhat speechless, "Even the leader of the orthodox doesn''t have that capability. When it''s time to die, they too must meet the Ancestor."


    Saying so, feeling a bit thirsty, he picked up the cold tea beside him and drank.


    Li Yan was silent for a moment. Although disappointed, he still asked, "Master Wang, I have awakened my Divine Skills. Could you refer me and let me join the Taixuan Orthodox Sect?"


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Pfft!


    Wang Daoxuan sprayed out a mouthful of tea, coughed for a long time, and then shook his head, "Your fate is tough; you can''t just hope for all things good."


    "Those who cultivate the Mystical Sect all need to Storing God and Visualize. The older one gets, the more scattered their thoughts and the harder it is to begin. Thus, whether it''s the orthodox or Magic Veins, they mostly recruit children to nurture."


    "Some folk Magic Veins help with rituals, and if theye across a child who has awakened Divine Skills, they find ways to take them under their wing. As for the Proper Xuan Sect, they have their own unique processes and aren''tcking disciples."


    Saying so, he gave a rueful smile, "There are quite a few who awaken their skillste in life, like me. Unwilling to ept fate, I forced my way into the Mystical Sect and spent ten years using up my family''s wealth, changing from the original shopkeeper Wang into poor old Wang."


    "After a thousand hardships to enter the sect, although I im to be Dao Xuan, in the eyes of my peers, I''m still a joke, not fit for high society."


    "If you want to solve problems, that''s easy too. I know the local City God Temple Priest, who can perform a ritual for you to seal your Yang Six Roots Divine Skills, so you can at least live as a normal person without being targeted by Evil Spirits."


    "If you really want to go to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, they too will seal your Divine Skills and make you a Daoist who burns incense and sweeps floors, chanting the Huang Ting daily, also entering the Dao and departing from the mortal world."


    Li Yan was silent for a moment, then looked up, "I do not wish to ept my fate!"


    "Not epting fate is good," Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard, "If everyone epted their fate, how could the human world flow, dynasties change, and the Human Dao won''t enter a dead-end."


    "I also have a technique of Storing God. Although it''s not from the Proper Xuan Sect, it''s a millennium-old magic lineage. If you can sessfully Store God, you can freely control your Divine Skills, and even learn some simple spells."


    Li Yan felt grateful and quickly asked, "How much money for the Master''s method?"


    He had noticed that although Wang Daoxuan had fallen on hard times, he still had a righteous mind and was sincere in his dealings with others; he surely wouldn''t cheat money with a fake technique.


    "How much money?"


    Wang Daoxuan said reflectively, "When I exhausted my family''s wealth, seeking help everywhere, I couldn''t find the true method and was deceived many times. Disheartened, I met a dying itinerant Daoist who granted me the true technique, only wishing to preserve the lineage unbroken."


    "This lineage''s reputation, how could I charge money for it? And whether it turns out to be a blessing or a curse for you is still unknown. If you struggle to Store God and get targeted by Evil Spirits, wouldn''t I be harming you?"


    "I dare not take such money."


    Saying so, he stood up, took a secret book from the bookshelf behind, "This is a Secret Book. I''ve made several copies and checked them carefully; there are no mistakes. Anything you don''t understand, just ask, and I''ll tell you truthfully."


    Li Yan was still somewhat incredulous, "Master, aren''t you afraid I''m a bad person who will learn this technique andmit wrongdoing?"


    Wang Daoxuan couldn''t help but give a wry smile, "You''re also a man of the pugilistic world. Even if you learned some simple martial arts, you could kill, but would you dare to kill indiscriminately?"


    "In the Mystical Sect, there are rules too. The Law Enforcement Hall of the Taixuan Orthodox Sect is no joke, and people within the Mystical Sect must also obey thews of the Great Xuan Dynasty."


    Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief, taking the book, only to see the words "Western Grotto Dark Truths" inrge characters on the cover. Opening it revealed densely packed characters: The path of Storing God, not to associate with the wrong types, avoid worldly concerns, maintain aura stealth, hold the vision in mind, subtly preserve the vital, calm the spirit, stabilize the form, then thousands of harms will not touch you, hundreds of ghosts will scurry away, thousands of demons will not tread...


    He felt dizzy reading it, so he put it aside and said, "I came for another important matter, Master. Do you remember Sha Lifei?"


    "Sha Lifei?"


    Wang Daoxuan was confused, frowning as he recalled.


    That guy was definitely bluffing!


    Li Yan had anticipated this and described, "Bald, with a face full of horizontal flesh, a beard around his chops, likes to boast and talk nonsense..."


    "Oh!"


    Wang Daoxuan suddenly realized and said, "I remember now, a few years ago, I met that Mr. Sha once, and we had a pleasant conversation."


    "I remember it was a spring, he invited me for drinks at Chang''an Zuihua Building, even calling many girls to join. But while I was drunken, he sneaked away alone."


    "I almost got a beating, but luckily that brothel had some spirits causing trouble; I was helping people perform exorcisms, so they covered the bill..."


    "What, is Mr. Shaing to repay the money?"

 Chapter 23 - 23 Return to Ancient Water Village

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Return to Ancient Water Vige</h4>


    ```


    "Repay the debt?"


    Sha Lifei rubbed his shiny bald head, pretending to be puzzled and feigning ignorance, "Master, you must be mistaken. You are a revered figure of the Mystical Sect. How could I, Old Sha, dare to owe you money?"


    Wang Daoxuan was taken aback, "That spring, at Zuihua Building in Chang''an..."


    "Oh~ now I remember."


    Sha Lifei began to tantly lie, "You forgot, I was only buying drinks. That day, you got drunk and insisted on calling the most popr dancing girl. I couldn''t stop you..."


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Is that what happened?"


    "Of course, and I didn''t just leave you. In fact, a fellow from the pugilistic world was in trouble. Saving a life was an emergency, I couldn''t dy."


    "You know me, I''ve always been the most loyal..."


    "Hahaha, never mind, let''s just say it was my treat."


    "Master, look... next time, next time it''s my treat!"


    "Will you really?"


    "Absolutely, you know what kind of person I, Sha Lifei, am..."


    Three horses trotted along the dusty official road made of yellow soil.


    Perhaps it was because Li Yan was unfamiliar,bined with his disguise, or maybe because Meng Haicheng had such a low status that even if he suffered, it wouldn''t attract the attention of the Divine Fist Association.


    In any case, leaving the city went very smoothly.


    Sha Lifei was just a slick hustler from the pugilistic world, while Wang Daoxuan had a sincere heart. It was unclear how these two mismatched individuals always had so much to talk about.


    The two continued their idle chatter along the way.


    Meanwhile, Li Yan remained silent, burdened with thoughts.


    By now, it was near dusk. Because he lingered at Wang Daoxuan''s for a while, asking detailed questions, he finally got a general understanding of the Mystical Sect''s situation.


    This world was moreplex than he imagined.


    The cultivation of a martial artist involved stages such as Ming Jin, Hidden Energy, Force Transformation, Dan Strength, Astral Force, Innate, and Grandmaster. Each stage depended on one''s cultivation level, and with each step forward, their techniques became exponentially more devastating.


    In contrast, cultivation in the Mystical Sect focused on Storing God.


    The first step was to visualize a deity, borrowing its power to manage the divine soul and control divine skills.


    If he seeded, he could suppress almost uncontroble divine skills.


    However, this was only the beginning of cultivation in the Mystical Sect.


    People eat grains and have seven emotions and six desires, coupled with numerous worldly worries. Even if one visualized a deity, they constantly faced the risk of it dissipating.


    When that happened, they would need to store the god and visualize again.


    The solution was to build temples and pces.


    Through a ritual, they would construct a pce in the sea of consciousness for the visualized deity, ensuring its stability.


    This was the true entry into the Mystical Sect, described as ayer of Dao skill.


    The stronger the deity visualized, the higher the building constructed, the deeper the Dao skill.


    Thus, when people in the Mystical Sect spoke of the high aplishments of an orthodox sect or magic veins, they often said their Dao skill was as high as several floors.


    Additionally, martial artists and the Mystical Sect weren''t in conflict. Some great aplishments in the Taixuan Orthodox Sect were also proficient in Taoist martial arts. However, with limited time and energy, it was rare for someone to excel in both martial arts and Dao.


    Some simply gave up, like Wang Daoxuan, who was only rough in the use of fists and feet. He could handle one or two punks but would be beaten by a real practitioner.


    Nheless, both martial artists and the Mystical Sect highlighted one key point:


    This worldcked what was known as Spiritual Energy!


    Even with the highest cultivation, one could still die when it was their time.


    This world concentrated on Gang Qi and Sha Qi, with various types.


    For instance, many famous mountains and great rivers absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, concentrating innate Gang. Most of these ces were picturesque, and even some Dao-cultivating animals roamed their mountains.


    Storing God spells or Martial Astral Force were considered the innate Gang after one''s birth.


    The spiritual power condensed by the incense and wishes in Taoist temples and divine statues was called Divine Astral.


    Powerful weapons and magic artifacts could also gather Gang Qi.


    On the other hand, Sha Qi connected with all sorts of demons and ghosts.


    Of course, Gang Qi and Sha Qi had no inherent good or evil.


    Using them for good was righteous; using them for evil was malicious.


    For example, his Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin de Tassel was a tool to suppress evil Sha.


    Various spells and rituals, including Fengshui, were based on this foundation.


    Currently, Li Yan faced the biggest dilemma of how to store the god.


    The method of Storing God also came in many forms. As long as one could visualize the deity in their heart, it was possible. Nevertheless, it was not mere imagination but a reflection of one''s heart.


    Years of exploration by the Mystical Sect yielded a practical method.


    They chose children with awakened Yang Six Roots, made them recite Dao scriptures from a young age, meditated daily, and deeply imprinted the revered Ancestor or Immortal in their mind. The Storing God process naturally followed.


    The Dao techniques taught by Wang Daoxuan also included this.


    The Dao technique passed down was called the "West Xuan Grotto Mystical Scripture," and the Ancestor worshipped was the three-eyed sword-wielding Daoist, named Chen Tianjun of Mystic Qi Power.


    ording to the book, this Ancestor hailed from the mysterious West Xuan Grotto Heaven.


    Over countless years, people of the Mystical Sect traveled across mountains and rivers, discovering all the innate Gang famed mountains in Shen Zhou. These became known as Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands.


    Yet due to the passage of time, some were found, while others became legends.


    For instance, the West Xuan Grotto Heaven, rumored to be in Jinzhou, Guanzhong, or even Hua Mountain in Xiyue. No one knew its exact location, let alone found the crucial Fengshui spiritual acupoint.


    Therefore, Wang Daoxuan spected that this legend was mostly false.


    Many magic veins gave themselves glorious titles for their Ancestors, adding bizarre tales that not only propagated their fame but also eased the Storing God process.


    This was precisely Li Yan''s challenge.


    Adults typically hadplex thoughts, and with two lifetimes of memories, it was practically impossible for him to unreservedly believe in the existence of a deity.


    Hence, he had only one path left.


    Visualize and store the god, reflecting the divine of the true self.


    At this point, Li Yan had a n: use the divine statue within his Dantian as the target for visualization and Storing God.


    Yet this object was too mysterious, with unknown risks.


    Concerning such a life-sustaining divine treasure, consulting others was impossible.


    Fortunately, the Storing God process required many days of pure meditation.


    Li Yan decided to first follow Wang Daoxuan into the Lu family, figure out what triggered the Substitute Divine Statue''s reaction, then return to Li Family Castle to conduct Storing God.


    ......


    By the time they returned to Ancient Water Vige, it was already close to dusk.


    The harvesters in the surrounding fields were still busy. Each was tanned dark and drenched in sweat, yet their sickles continued to swing relentlessly.


    Wagonloads of wheat were carted to the threshing grounds.


    They had to dry and store quickly to avoid unexpected rain.


    It was a race for survival, as tense as a battlefield.


    The trio rode past, and the harvesters didn''t even bother to look up.


    Beside the fields, a makeshift canopy stood, with Landlord Lu, his two concubines, and the housekeeper-standing guards within.


    Grain harvests were major events for allndlords.


    Landlord Lu personally supervised to prevent idleness and at the right time, provided rewards for a bountiful yield this year.


    However, he was distracted, frequently ncing at the official road.


    "Why haven''t they arrived yet?"


    Upon hearing his boss'' inquiry, Housekeeper Lu broke out in a cold sweat, quickly bowing his head, "The master instructed discretion, so I could only seek these people. I heard there''s a Taixuan Orthodox Sect temple priest at the City God Temple in Xianyang City..."


    Landlord Lu''s face immediately turned cold, "I have my own judgment on how to act. Do you need to teach me?"


    "You are absolutely right, master."


    Housekeeper Lu dared not say more, silently cursing Sha Lifei.


    He knew that despite his seemingly kind appearance and generous personality, Landlord Lu was ruthless and cold-blooded when angered.


    Even the two concubines beside him had eyes filled with fear, their bodies slightly trembling.


    At that moment, distant hoofbeats sounded.


    Seeing Sha Lifei and the others return, Housekeeper Lu let out a sigh of relief, quickly rushing forward to have the horses fed, then leaned over to Sha Lifei, gritting his teeth and whispering, "Why are you sote?"


    The dy urred because of Li Yan, but Sha Lifei dared not speak out. He chuckled and made up, "Master Wang has many engagements. There are many who want his services. Even the gentry in Chang''an have been inviting him today. If it weren''t for my influence..."


    Wang Daoxuan couldn''t take it anymore. Stepping forward, he said, "Boundless longevity and happiness, I was dyed by personal matters. I hope theyperson won''t mind."


    Though not particrly skilled, Wang Daoxuan exuded an aura of honesty and sincerity. His mere presence engendered a sense of goodwill in others.


    Housekeeper Lu was no exception. He hurriedly said, "Not at all, not at all, Daoist Master. Your exhaustion is duly noted."


    Then, he led them toward the cool shelter.


    Landlord Lu had already risen, exchanging pleasantries before gesturing, "Master Wang, you''vee from afar. I''ve prepared food and drinks. Please join me."


    "Thank you, Layman Lu."


    Wang Daoxuan nodded slightly, following Landlord Lu forward.


    Li Yan and Sha Lifei were about to follow but were stopped by Housekeeper Lu, who whispered, "Why are you two going with them? Come with me to the side courtyard for a meal."


    Before Sha Lifei could say more, Wang Daoxuan turned back and smiled, "Landlord Lu, Sha Layman will apany me to the mountain to choose the site. This young friend Li has already joined the Mystical Sect and is my junior. Is it possible..."


    This was the story they devised on the way.


    They were seasoned wanderers, full of cunning. This job at the Lu family seemed to harbor hidden intentions, and having more people meant they could look out for each other.


    Landlord Lu hesitated for a moment, "Very well."


    With that, he led everyone into the Lu family mansion.


    The Lu family mansion had tall walls, and outsiders could only vaguely see the trees and pavilions. Only upon entering did they realize how vast it was.


    With fourrge courtyards as its axis, surrounded by an academy, flower garden,borers'' courtyard, and enclosed courtyards, connected by alleys, each adorned with exquisite brick and wood carvings.


    Even the arrangement of flower pots along the way had its own unique touch.


    Sha Lifei''s eyes sparkled with envy, eximing, "Truly worthy of Landlord Lu. If that old rascal from the Rong Family Gate came, he''d get lost in here."


    Behind them, a hulking man heard this and looked displeased, sneering, "With us around, not a single mouse from the Rong Family Gate would dare step in!"


    This man was Zhao Cheng, the senior disciple of the Zhao family boxing school, and the leader of the guards.


    These people made their living as bodyguards, making the way they responded to suchments understandable.


    Sha Lifei chuckled, "Just kidding, don''t take it to heart."


    As they spoke, they passed throughyers of gates into a side courtyard, marked by the que "Lanfang," with servants bustling about inside, and the aroma of food wafting in the air.


    Landlord Lu spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Lanfang Courtyard, designated for amodating guests. I''ve prepared a feast to wee you all."


    The table had an assortment of eight cold dishes and eight hot dishes, half meat and half vegetarian.


    Though the food wasn''t particrly luxurious, the cold dishes included pig''s ears, cowpea, cucumber sd, spinach with vermicelli, braised beef, and others. The hot dishes had fried hairtail, braised prawns, red-cooked pork, steamed perch, and more.


    But such fare was typical only at events hosted by wealthy families.


    Sha Lifei had been drooling, but Wang Daoxuan remained indifferent, raising a hand, "No rush, Landlord Lu. Though I''m here, I may not dare dine here."


    "Why not first share what exactly happened on your estate?"


    "Surely it''s not just about choosing a site..."


    ```

 Chapter 24 - 24 Summoning the Soul

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Summoning the Soul</h4>


    "This..."


    Landlord Lu hesitated, his face wearing an expression of displeasure as he looked to the side.


    Housekeeper Lu, who was standing by to attend to him, had a bitter expression and hastily protested, "My Lord, I didn''t say anything..."


    Before he finished speaking, he inwardly cursed his luck.


    It was practically a confession that there was a problem with the Lu Family.


    He had always been meticulous in his tasks, but the fear he felt towards Landlord Lu had, in a moment of panic, led to a slip.


    The demeanor of Landlord Lu, of course, became even uglier.


    But before he could explode with anger, Wang Daoxuan spoke up, "Layman need not me others, the housekeeper did not say much; it''s just that this priest has noticed a problem."


    Saying so, he led everyone outside the courtyard, pointed at a corner of the wall, and then pointed at a distant tree, speaking, "Despite days of zing sun and no rain, there is moss and mold growing on this wall corner. The jujube wood is damp, and dead birds have fallen... There must be Yin Evil Qi here."


    Everyone looked and, indeed, it was as he said.


    These seemingly negligible incidents now seemed to be full of mystery.


    Li Yan, standing behind the crowd, chuckled to himself.


    Though Wang Daoxuan was quite amicable, his pugilistic world tricks were equally slick.


    Ever since this Daoist resolved to join the Mystical Sect, he had traversed north and south of the country, visiting renowned masters. Though he didn''t seed and was often cheated, he nevertheless gained some insights.


    He had some understanding of the various aspects of the Mystical Sect.


    Logically, with these abilities, earning a living wouldn''t be a problem.


    But the Divine Skill that Wang Daoxuan had awakened was the Tongue Divine Power; he could only discern information by tasting things with his mouth.


    He surely couldn''t just lick everything he saw, could he?


    How could he lick zombies or fierce ghosts?


    And if a youngdy were possessed by evil, would he also lick her body?


    Fortunately, heter found a method. He would use talisman paper or other means as a guise and discern by tasting the vors that rubbed off on them.


    Even so, his mostmon undertaking was that of a Fengshui Earth Master.


    After all, there are secret skills among Earth Masters, such as tasting soil.


    Of course, the Tongue Divine Power wasn''t without potential. When his Dao reached a certain level, uttering True Words and incantations could unleash greater power than others.


    Wang Daoxuan obviously hadn''t reached that level of capability.


    When performing the Storing God ritual, he had exhausted all his savings and incurred substantial debts, which left him in a state of destitution.


    After meeting Li Yan, he also hatched a n.


    Li Yan could smell specific scents, from which he could discern omens.


    Together, theyplemented each other perfectly.


    They did not speak along the way; they were engaging in this very partnership.


    Li Yan had sensed a faint whiff of Yin Evil Qi, so he turned his hands palm-side up behind his back, as the palm is yang and the back of the hand is yin.


    Lifting his little finger, he pointed it toward the abnormal area in the courtyard.


    Wang Daoxuan was ever observant, and as he entered the door, he already had a clear idea in mind and decided to show off his prowess before the Lu family, firmly driving in the "Horse Tie."


    "Master Wang is indeed brilliant!"


    Sha Lifei feigned surprise, pping his hands in prompt apuse, ying the role of an admirer.


    Three mediocre heads together could yet rival Zhuge Liang.


    Sure enough, Landlord Lu''s expression changed subtly and he looked at Wang Daoxuan deeply, respectfully bowing with his hands sped, "Master Wang is brilliant. Please, take a seat."


    Everyone returned to the room and sat down.


    Landlord Lu hesitated for a moment, "It''s not that I intend to withhold information, it''s just that this matter..."


    "Layman, rest assured."


    Wang Daoxuan knew what he wanted to say and nodded with a smile, "This priest''s Dao is modest, but I am very discreet."


    Landlord Lu then sighed, "This matter is very peculiar."


    "Last night, Protector Zhao Jiu heard a noise during his patrol and went to investigate. He saw a figure floating in the air, which was none other than my wife."


    "Zhao Jiu cried out in rm, and many others came out and saw it as well. Afterwards, she vanished in full view of everyone."


    Wang Daoxuan frowned, "This is bizarre, how can it be?"


    Hearing this, Li Yan also found it strange.


    Be it ghosts, soldiers, or immortals, all are formless beings, only discernible to those who have awakened their Divine Skills.


    Ordinary people, unless they are on the brink of death, entwined with Yin Evil Qi, or visited by yin souls in dreams¡ªonly under these special circumstances¡ªare they likely to see such entities.


    For so many people to see it at the same time was quite odd.


    Sha Lifei, not caring about all this, was already unable to restrain himself, stuffing his mouth with food and gulping down drinks, muttering, "Has thedy passed away?"


    "The problem lies right here."


    Landlord Lu gave a wry smile, "My wife has been bedridden for many years due to poor health, only to have been groggy and unconscious for the past several months."


    "After the incident, we went to check."


    "The person, she''s still alive!"


    Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and furrowed his brows, shaking his head, "This is a case of the living soul leaving the body. We need to perform a Soul Summoning and Soul Calming Ceremony. But as living souls are also formless, it is unheard of for so many people to be able to see one."


    Sitting beside him, Li Yan was no slower in action; his chopsticks whirled, shovingrge slices of soy sauce beef and bass into his mouth.


    Seemingly engrossed in his meal, yet a sh of sharpness sparkled in his eyes.


    Could this special phenomenon be rted to the treasure he was seeking...


    Landlord Lu bit his lip, "Master, how can this be resolved?"


    Wang Daoxuan contemted for a moment, "The living soul separating from the body can happen for many reasons. ording to this priest''s guess, thedy has been ill and bedridden for a long time, her yang energy is weak, leading to the dispersal of the soul."


    He continued, "Let''s perform a ritual to summon the soul first."


    ...


    In the still of the night, without a breath of wind, the Lu Mansion was brightly lit with candles.


    Despite what Sha Lifei had said, even though Landlord Lu had married two beautiful concubines, he had not abandoned his wife of bitter circumstance, showing her exceptional respect.


    The inner yard of the main residence, which had been transformed into thedy''s dwelling, remained exceptionally tidy despite her being bedridden and nearly as unresponsive as a vegetative person. The household was well-maintained and staffed with many servants.


    More importantly, this was the inner quarters of the owner.


    Landlord Lu had vacated it, moving with his concubine to another courtyard residence.


    At this moment, a magic tform had been erected in the courtyard.


    The so-called magic tform was in fact just a square table on which was ced the Divine Statue and Token of Chen Tianjun, who was renowned for demonstrating the power of Xuan Qi. Arrayed behind were a pair of red candles, Sandalwood Incense Burner, Sandalwood te, a bowl of clear water, a Magic Scroll, a Token, a wooden fish instrument, Peach Wood Sword, Yellow Paper, and various other items.


    There was even the Wandering Soul Vase.


    This small ck vase was wrapped with red rope and sealed with a yellow cloth, bearing talismans and emitting a faint flow of Yin Evil Qi.


    Inside was a small yin soldier that Wang Daoxuan had managed to capture; although not very powerful, it could be used for sending messages or searching for items.


    Having secured a significant task, Wang Daoxuan brought all his gear with him.


    Landlord Lu and all the Protector servants of the household were present.


    Wang Daoxuan pinched his fingers and said solemnly,


    "Thedy is born in the year of the Tiger. All those born in the years of the Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Monkey must leave the residence immediately, and only return after dawn tomorrow..."


    "All mirrors in the house must be covered..."


    "The personal maids who usually take care of thedy will stay behind..."


    "All the other idle people should stay away, hiding in their rooms, and no matter what they hear, they must not rashlye out..."


    A stream ofmands spilled forth, leaving everyone somewhat bewildered.


    Landlord Lu scolded sharply, "What are you waiting for? Get to it!"


    The servants immediately sprang into action. Several members of the Zhao Family boxing club, acting as Protectors, looked at each other but did not say much more, and turned to leave.


    Only Landlord Lu asked cautiously, "Do I also need to stay out of the way?"


    Wang Daoxuan nodded, "The living soul is easily frightened; if handled improperly, it may scatterpletely, so it''s best to be cautious."


    "Alright then, I''ll leave it to you, Master."


    Landlord Lu didn''t waste words; he turned and left.


    At this point, only Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan remained in the courtyard, along with a maid as instructed; she entered the room and cut a lock of hair and a piece of clothing from the emaciated, unconsciousdy.


    Taking this opportunity, Li Yan whispered: "Landlord Lu reeks of urine, masked by expensive fragrances; I can hardly bear to be near him..."


    "I noticed long ago."


    Wang Daoxuan wasn''t surprised and shook his head, "When I traveled through different states, I once came across a vige where peasants would oftenmand their second sons to castrate themselves to seek fortune in the Imperial Pce. Through the generations, many high-ranking eunuchs emerged, who would return and buildvish mansions, setting an example for others."


    "But the pce is treacherous, and not everyone can make it big. There are many who can''t enter the pce, and in the vige, some idle men are just like that, potbellied, pale with no facial hair, and bby skin..."


    "Did your Divine Skillse back?"


    "They are intermittent."


    Li Yan said with a somewhat helpless expression.


    Ever since his Divine Skills erupted outside Xianyang City, they had been abnormal, sometimes weak, sometimes suddenly strong, then followed by exhaustion of the Divine Soul.


    Just now, he caught the smells surrounding Landlord Lu.


    No wonder this man kept two beautiful concubines by his side, indifferent to the gaze of others, even somewhat proud; it would make sense if he were a eunuch.


    He came to the Lu Mansion in search of that mysterious treasure.


    Was he perhaps a eunuch from the Capital...


    Could it be a treasure that had leaked from the Imperial Pce?


    Unfortunately, his Divine Skills were not shining brightly at the moment; such bad luck.


    Wang Daoxuan certainly had no idea what he was thinking and began to exin, "The method of soul summoning originated from Ancient Witchcraft rituals, and mentioned in ''The Rites of Zhou. Funeral Rites'', saying, ''retaking someone` denotes the officer summons the soul and restores the spirit''. It also notes that the ritual of soul summoning epasses a range of activities during the burial process."


    "Judging by thisdy''s condition, I''m afraid once her soul is summoned back, it will be time for the funeral rites."


    As he spoke, he cut paper.


    Arge piece of Yellow Paper, skillfully formed into a Soul Banner with his scissors, featured not only cloud patterns but also small figurine designs.


    Li Yan couldn''t help but praise, "Master Wang, you''re quite skilled."


    Wang Daoxuan shook his head and chuckled, "If you evere across a paper mache craftsman from the Mystical Sect, you''ll understand what true skill is; I''ve merely learned the basics..."


    He kept talking, imparting Mystical Sect knowledge to Li Yan.


    It was a tacit understanding between them; Li Yan would assist him, and in return, Wang Daoxuan would introduce him to the profession, teaching him various secret techniques.


    As they conversed, the maid returned with the hair and clothes.


    Wang Daoxuan first burned the hair into ashes, then sprinkled it into the Clear Water Altar to observe its patterns. After watching for a while, he stuffed the cloth fragments into the Soul Banner''s stick and said, "When midnightes, hold this Soul Banner at the northeast corner rooftop of the courtyard and wave it to call back the wandering soul."


    "Remember, do not be afraid. If you feel a chill, close your eyes and keep shouting. Once you hear the sound of the wooden fish, immediately run back."


    "If someone calls you from behind, never look back!"


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The maid was already trembling with fear, but recalling the promise of a substantial reward from Landlord Lu, she gritted her teeth and said, "Don''t worry, Master Daoxuan, I have remembered."


    Saying so, she carefully carried the Soul Banner away.


    Li Yan found something odd, "Calling from behind is something done by demonic spirits and fierce ghosts, can living souls also harm people?"


    Master Wang spoke in a low voice, "The living soul cannot withstand shock, much like someone with somnambulism; it must be guided back."


    "I''m afraid she might scatter the living soul out of fear."


    Li Yan heard this and couldn''t help butugh softly.


    Master Wang''s considerations were indeed thorough...


    ...


    It wasn''t long before midnight fell, and the entire Lu Mansion was shrouded in darkness.


    The maid had already climbed onto the roof, eyes closed, swinging the Soul Banner and calling out with determination, "Soul return, soul return..."


    Her prolonged calls frightened many servants into hiding under their bedding.


    Meanwhile, in another side courtyard, Landlord Lu and his two concubines were also hiding in a pitch-dark room.


    At this moment, he had a more dignified look, turned to the two concubines, and said coldly, "Take them out."


    The concubines quickly reached beneath themselves and each produced a jujube.


    Lu took them, threw them into his mouth, chewed as he listened to the calls outside the window, his eyes shing with indecision...

 Chapter 25 - 25 Topple the Doll

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Topple the Doll</h4>


    "Soul, return, soul, return~"


    At midnight, the mournful calls echoed incessantly in the darkness.


    This personal maid was quite the character too.


    At first, she had been shaking with fright, but as she kept calling out, she grew ustomed to it and was no longer afraid. She remembered the kindness her mistress had shown her before falling unconscious, and sadness welled up in her heart.


    The calling, mingled with sobs, sent chills down the spines of many servants.


    Wang Daoxuan''s expression was grave at the moment as he picked up several small oilmps, lighting them in session from the entrance of the courtyard, finally cing one in front of the unconscious woman''s head...


    Li Yan stood by, observing without daring to speak too much.


    The two of them had reached an agreement.


    Wang Daoxuan would help him with Storing God and constructing buildings, while he would for the time join forces with him, using his own Divine Skills to help the Daoist with some big jobs, earn some Silver Coin, and escape the predicament.


    He would also narrate some of the principles of the Mystical Sect.


    The various teachings of the Mystical Sect seemedplex but actually followed a set procedure.


    During Ancient Times, natural disasters were frequent, and malevolent entities ran rampant.


    Faced with this mystical and unknown world, people began to seek out patterns.


    They observed lightning striking trees and discovered the use of fire...


    Watching the seasons change and the stars shift, they developed a calendar...


    The Mystical Sect did the same, only more mystical. But, in essence, they too were summarizing patterns to deal with events unnoticed by ordinary people.


    This process can be roughly divided into three steps: signs, taboos, and dispelling.


    Signs involved deducing and calcting the root of the problem based on various phenomena and information perceived through Divine Skills.


    Various methods of Divination were born from this.


    Taboos pertain to the nature of the event, and there are two ways to deal with it.


    One is to abide by the principle of taboos, avoiding the descent of disasters.


    For example, one shouldn''t whistle in the middle of the night; some may do it without consequence, but those who have awakened the Tongue Divine Power or ordinary people in a ce with strong Sha might attract malevolent entities.


    There are also rules about not pointing at Divine Statues, not looking back when someone calls out to you on a night journey, and various customs associated with weddings and funerals.


    Over time, these rules became what are known as taboos.


    As long as one doesn''t vite the taboos, one can generally avoid disaster.


    If one can''t avoid it, then one must perform the ritual to dispel it.


    These three are the basic processes; all Mystical Sect spells evolved from them, resulting in the current flourishing state of the Mystical Sect.


    What Wang Daoxuan did before with the burning ashes was a form of simple Divination.


    He calcted the position of the living soul to perform the soul summoning.


    The next step is to perform a ritual after the living soul returns to the body, to recite the soul calming incantation, ensuring that the soul does not leave the body again.


    Wang Daoxuan had nurtured a yin soldier who should have been able to easily find it, but he was afraid of frightening the soul away, which would be almost like killing someone. So they had to choose this gentler method.


    Li Yan''s task was to use his smell superpower to detect any movement of the living soul and remind Wang Daoxuan not to miss the moment to stabilize the soul, which could lead to the failure of the ritual.


    There are pros and cons to each of the Yang Six Roots'' Divine Skills.


    In terms of direct perception, the Yin Yang Eyes stand out. Everything within sight is visible, and an Earth Master who has awakened this skill can survey Qi from a high ce. A Mage facing an evil entity will be more urate...


    In terms of marvel, it''s the Intention Spiritual Root. Witches, Divine Hans, rice witches, and those who deal with the dead need only stay at home tomunicate with Ghost Gods...


    In terms of searching, it''s the nostril''s spiritual root. A powerful sniff can detect anomalies within several miles, more sensitive than a dog''s nose.


    At the moment, Li Yan was feeling a bit disgruntled.


    With all the idle people in Landlord Lu''srge estate having been sent away, he took the opportunity to perform an exorcism under that pretense, carrying a willow branch and making a round throughout the estate.


    s, he could not catch that sweet scent from the other night.


    What kind of treasure could it be?


    Could it be hidden in Landlord Lu''s treasury?


    As he pondered, there was amotion in the distance.


    The maid stood on the roof waving the Soul Summoning Banner, continuously calling out for a full hour, her throat growing hoarse.


    With all fear gone, doubt arose in her mind.


    Could the master have hired a fraud?


    Just then, a gust of yin wind blew by, and the maid suddenly felt a chill on her back, as if something had appeared and stood behind her.


    The feeling was so distinct.


    The maid immediately had goosebumps all over and was about to scream, but then she remembered Wang Daoxuan''s instructions, decided to close her eyes, and continued calling out, her voice trembling.


    The silence of the deep night and the changing tones caught the attention of the two men in the courtyard.


    Li Yan took a deep breath and faintly sensed a scent.


    It was cold, but not with the bloodiness of a Rampaging Soldier.


    "Here ites!"


    He nodded at Wang Daoxuan and whispered a warning.


    Wang Daoxuan immediately picked up a bowl of water from the altar, murmured an incantation, and changed his footsteps - one step forward, one step back, two steps to the right...


    Li Yan watched intently, unblinking.


    This was called the Astral Step, which in coordination with the Magic Spell and the magic tform, could cast spells.


    Each tradition had its differences, including varying levels of proficiency. ording to Wang Daoxuan, highly skilled Magicians could perform the Step Gang Qi with the constetions, connect with the Innate celestial spirits, and invoke Innate Astral Qi for their own use in spells.


    It sounded like something out of a myth.


    But as Wang Daoxuan performed the ritual, Li Yan also felt the difference.


    Surrounding the magic tform, a special odor arose, carrying a hint of warmth that enveloped the entire tform as if it were a single entity.


    Gang Qi!


    Li Yan immediately understood what it was.


    At this moment, Wang Daoxuan had also entered the state, holding the bowl of water in his hand. First, he recited a spell, then he took a mouthful and violently sprayed it out.


    Puh!


    The mist of water churned and fell upon the wooden fish.


    It was as if the wind stirred the waters, making the Gang Qi around the magic tform revolve around the wooden fish.


    Wang Daoxuan then set down the bowl, and struck the wooden fish.


    Dong! Dong! Dong!


    The sound of the wooden fish resonated in the night, mysteriously bringing a sense of peace to all who heard it.


    Li Yan could sense the Gang Qi surrounding the tform, forming a cohesion, then spreading outward with the sound of the wooden fish.


    The maid heard it and felt as if granted a great reprieve, immediately stopped screaming, picked up the Soul Summoning Banner, and shakily climbed down from the rooftop.


    Although adder had been set up beforehand, the maid was in a panic, squinting her eyes, daring not to look around, her body also going limp.


    Plop!


    Halfway down, she slipped and fell to the ground.


    Fortunately, the maid was alert; though her bottom hurt from the fall, she held the Soul Summoning Banner aloft, uncrushed.


    After picking herself up, she cared not to pat the dust off herself, her face mournful, eyes brimming with tears, holding the Soul Summoning Banner and running towards the back courtyard.


    Thankfully, no human sounds followed her from behind.


    In the dark courtyard, the maid, relying on the dim moonlight and her familiarity with the terrain, quickly made her way to the backyard.


    Only upon seeing the oilmps Wang Daoxuan had lit earlier, did the maid''s heart rx, feeling as though she''d reached the end of this haunted path.


    Wang Daoxuan and Li Yan, too, inhaled sharply in shock.


    They saw a silhouette standing, atop the banner the maid held!


    In the Central ins region during temple fairs, there was a tradition called "carrying dolls."


    Robust men stood down below, d in specially made iron frames, while boys and girls stood atop, their faces painted red, dressed in brocade clothes, embodying various immortals and historical figures, marching with the procession of moving deities.


    It was a type of entertainment and folkloric activity to amuse the spirits.


    The current situation was very simr to that of "carrying dolls."


    However, the difference was that the old woman on the Soul Summoning Banner was d in ck, emitting Yin Qi, her face ashen and terrifying, her eyes dark and lifeless, a sight so unnerving it chilled to the bone.


    One could actually see the living soul with the naked eye, a truly inconceivable phenomenon.


    The maid had just breathed a sigh of relief, but sensing the gaze of the two men, she immediately realized something was amiss and, trembling, whispered without daring to look up, "Dao... Dao... Daoist..."


    "Don''t be afraid!"


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Though unsure of the reason, Wang Daoxuan knew that now was a critical time to avoid anyplications.


    Living souls, like timid rabbits, instinctively hide away, buried within the crevices of the ground by day, yet yearning for the flesh, only appearing at specific moments.


    If startled, they might vanish in an instant, fleeing to the wilderness, and searching for them again would be exceedingly difficult.


    If frightened into being scattered and dissipated, thedy of the house within would meet her demise.


    Wang Daoxuan did not dare to be negligent and deliberately slowed his speech and lowered his voice as he cautioned the maid, "It''s alright, don''t be afraid. Just walk back to the house slowly, and don''t extinguish the nearby Soul Summoning Lamp."


    "Mhm."


    The maid nodded, holding the Soul Summoning Banner and gingerly walked toward the house.


    Meanwhile, thedy''s living soul atop the Soul Banner, with its increasingly dense Yin Qi, caused the Soul Summoning Lamps along the way to flicker uncertainly, looking as if they were about to extinguish at any moment, which filled Wang Daoxuan with anxiety and dread.


    Seeing this, Li Yan also held his breath, daring not to exhale loudly.


    After all, sensing an odor and witnessing it with one''s own eyes are two very different matters.


    Fortunately, the short distance was crossed without incident.


    As the maid stepped into the house, the oilmp at the head of thedy''s bed suddenly red, and her living soul disappeared.


    Wang Daoxuan hastily looked at Li Yan.


    Li Yan had been observing all along and could smell that the cold scent previously emitted by the living soul was now attached to thedy''s body, and it was fading.


    This was a sign of Yin and Yang harmonizing, a state of neutral equilibrium.


    He said nothing, but nodded to Wang Daoxuan.


    Without another word, Wang Daoxuan rushed into the room, took a long red rope in his hands, and wound it around thedy, changing his technique rapidly, soon forming an intricate knot.


    During this process, thentern of the Soul Summoning in front of the bed also flickered wildly.


    Finally, after trapping the living soul, Wang Daoxuan unsheathed a bell from his waist, shook it a few times, and began reciting an incantation:


    "Supreme tform star, responsive without end, protect life and body, wisdom calm and bright, mind and spirit at peace, three souls eternal, vital essence undamaged, soul return to pce, essence support the frame..."


    Despite only possessing the Dao equivalent to a single story building, Wang Daoxuan had clearly put in the diligent effort in everyday practice, and as he recited the spell, he immediately became immersed in the state.


    His voice carried a certain melody, serene and far-reaching.


    As the incantation was chanted, the Soul Summoning Lamp gradually stabilized.


    Seeing this, Li Yan exhaled in relief.


    Wang Daoxuan had said, this was the sign of sessful Soul Stabilization.


    If this endeavor seeded, Wang Daoxuan could escape his current predicament and devote himself to helping him with Storing God and building the foundation to formally step onto the path of Mystical Sect cultivation.


    Huu~


    Just then, a gust of Yin wind blew through.


    Li Yan immediately widened his eyes and looked around frantically.


    That mysterious aroma had once again emerged!


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