Blade - Unbound

Chapter 19: Mutation In Divine Ability

Just moments ago, in his sleep, his sense of smell had suddenly sharpened. Countless scents flooded in at once, jolting him awake. Li Yan quickly leaped to his feet.

It wasn’t the first time he felt something like that happen. The night he killed the Cold Altar Soldier, after the substitute statue extinguished one of its life flames, his sense of smell had improved, but not nearly as dramatically as this.

Now, the earthy scent of soil, the fresh fragrance of wheat, the sour tang of sweat from the harvest workers in the distance, and even the venomous musk of scorpions beneath the ground were all distinct and clear. But what stood out most was that strange, sweet fragrance.

At the same time, the substitute statue trembled faintly, sending him a sensation of longing. The statue he had obtained was clearly incomplete. Much of its functions had only been revealed to him through vague intuition, and it had taken him quite some time to understand how it worked.

Under normal circumstances, it lay dormant within his dantian, completely still. Only when exchanging injuries did it activate. Yet this time, it had reacted on its own.

Could there be a heavenly treasure within the estate capable of repairing the statue?

Li Yan’s heart began to race at the thought, his lips going slightly dry. When he had fought the Cold Altar Soldier, the substitute statue had lost one life flame. Though he still had two lives remaining, it was no longer whole. Who wouldn’t want an extra life? If there really was something that could restore the statue, what would he have left to fear?

He had come seeking a guide to enter the mystic path, yet he had unexpectedly stumbled upon something even greater. But just as he was about to move closer to investigate the estate, the scent suddenly vanished.

At the same time, torches flared to life within the Lu Manor. In the dead of night, the sudden light was glaringly obvious, accompanied by a loud commotion. There were voices shouting as chaos erupted.

Did something happen?

Li Yan frowned, his hand pressing against the hilt of his blade. The disturbance was impossible to miss in the silence of night.

Sha Lifei also jolted awake, grabbing his blade in a panic and running over. “What’s going on? What’s going on? Bandits hitting the place?”

Li Yan shook his head. “Not sure.”

Quite a few people were now awake. The veteran in the sheepskin jacket from Longxi County, Shan Laoquan, frowned. “Let’s go take a look. It’s the employer’s house after all; if something’s wrong, we can’t just sit by.”

With that, several bladesmen instructed the workers not to wander, then headed toward the Lu Manor.

Li Yan’s heart stirred, and he followed them.

When they arrived outside the estate, they knocked for quite a while before the steward finally opened the gate with several guards behind him, his expression calm. “What is it?”

The bladesmen were momentarily stunned. The question itself was absurd. The commotion was massive, yet the man was asking what they wanted.

Shan Laoquan narrowed his eyes slightly and cupped his fists. “We heard the noise and came to check. Is everything alright?”

The steward replied in an even tone, “Nothing serious. A wild cat got in and caused some trouble. Thank you for your concern. You’ll be harvesting early tomorrow, so best return and rest.” ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

“Good to hear.” Shan Laoquan nodded and turned to leave without further comment.

There was clearly something going on in Lu Manor, but after years in the jianghu, he had long learned to turn a blind eye. As long as the wages were paid on time, he had no interest in meddling in the affairs of others. After all, it was probably just the usual messy business within a wealthy household.

The others followed suit, not pressing further. But just as they were about to leave, the steward suddenly spoke again. “Brother Sha, please stay a moment. There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Huh? What is it?” Sha Lifei looked confused and stopped.

The others found it a little strange, but didn’t dwell on it. Sha Lifei’s martial skill might be average, but surviving in the jianghu required more than just a blade. Thick skin, a quick mind, and a slick tongue were just as important. Sha Lifei was exactly that kind of person. He was bold when the situation needed it, quick-witted, and always ready to strike up a conversation. Whether people liked him or not, he would latch on and make himself familiar.

It seemed trivial, but it mattered.

When people encountered trouble in unfamiliar territory, the first face they recalled was often the one they recognized. Even if no deal was made, a few exchanged words would be enough to earn a job running errands or acting as a middleman.

This harvest job itself was a result of Sha Lifei chatting people up along the road, making connections, and getting on familiar terms with the steward.

The others quickly dispersed. Only Li Yan waited with Sha Lifei. He had a feeling that the steward’s request had something to do with the earlier incident. If he could find a way to follow along into the Lu Manor, he might uncover what had triggered the substitute statue’s reaction. Even if he couldn’t take it, at least he could identify it and have a goal for the future.

He waited for quite some time. It was nearly the hour of Yin, and the harvest workers had already begun preparing for work, when Sha Lifei finally came out of the estate, his face beaming with excitement.

“What happened?” Li Yan immediately stepped forward and pulled him aside to ask in a low voice.

Sha Lifei hesitated, then said, “Walk with me. I’ll explain on the way.”

“Where to?”

“Xianyang City. The Lu family wishes to hire a fengshui master. Anyway, let’s talk more on the road.”

***

Only after they had moved far away from the village did Sha Lifei explain, “The Lu family’s main wife is on her last legs. They want someone with real skill to choose a burial site and arrange the funeral rites. Also, they want it done quietly, no publicity. Don’t go spreading this.”

Li Yan frowned. “A funeral that is to be kept secret?”

Sha Lifei chuckled in response, “I’ve got a guess. Master Lu may be from the Guanzhong Plains originally, but he has no real clan here. He fled to the capital when he was young and built his fortune there before returning home. Even now, he keeps his distance from the local gentry. His main wife is from the capital too. After coming here, she was probably angered by his wandering ways and fell ill. She’s been bedridden for years and rarely sees anyone. Master Lu cares about his reputation. He wouldn’t want gossip spreading.”

Li Yan shook his head. “That doesn’t quite add up. If she’s dying anyway, what’s there to hide? A grand funeral would silence any rumors.”

“Why think so much about it?” Sha Lifei scratched his bald head. “It’s their business, not ours. I recommended Daoist Wang, so I’ll get a runner’s fee, and it gives me a reason to introduce you to him.”

“A reason? I thought you were close with him.” A strange look appeared on Li Yan’s face.

“Well, there are different levels of acquaintances.” Sha Lifei laughed awkwardly and hurried him along.

Li Yan shook his head but didn’t press further. He had already guessed that Sha Lifei didn’t have much of a relationship with Wang Daoxuan. If he wanted to establish a connection, he’d have to rely on himself. What concerned him now was whether the Lu family’s strange behavior was connected to that unknown treasure.

Sha Lifei had a horse, and he borrowed another from the Lu family before leaving. Though Li Yan wasn’t particularly skilled at riding, he managed well enough not to slow them down. By the time daylight broke, the two of them had already reached the outskirts of Xianyang.

This world also had a Qin Dynasty, one even more ancient than Li Yan’s last life. Xianyang, the old Qin capital, lay at the confluence of the Wei and Jing Rivers. It was densely populated, with people from all walks of life, and bustled with trade along both land and river. From a distance, they could see ships of all sizes moving along the Wei River, as well as the towering Qingwei Tower beside the ancient city.

The city gates were about to open, and merchants and villagers had already formed long lines before them. There were people with poles slung over their shoulders and some on carts. Voices filled the air as mules brayed loudly. At the ferry crossing, laborers were already unloading goods.

Since they were approaching from the south, Li Yan and Sha Lifei still had to cross the river to enter the city. But before reaching the ferry, Sha Lifei suddenly reined in his horse and grinned. “Little Yan, I’ll have to trouble you to go in alone.”

Li Yan frowned. “You’re not entering the city?”

Sha Lifei rubbed his bald head helplessly. “Didn’t we just clash with Meng Haicheng yesterday? With my distinguished appearance, I stand out too much. They’ve got plenty of eyes in the city. The moment I enter, I’ll be spotted. Of course, it’s not that I’m afraid. I just don’t want to ruin what we’re supposed to do.”

Li Yan snorted. “You’re good at making others do the work. Fine.”

He had already been told to keep a low profile when entering the city. But Sha Lifei backing out at the last minute made it obvious he was scared.

Sha Lifei, thick-skinned as ever, ignored the jab and grinned. “You’re sharper than me, but there are still a few things you should know.”

He pointed toward a large ship on the river. “Xianyang is an ancient ferry hub. All kinds of people gather here, including plenty from the jianghu. There are a few you absolutely must not provoke.

“That ship belongs to the Canal Gang. They control the ferry crossing and have close ties with the labor guilds, the Taixing carriage gang, and even the boatmen on the Wei River.

“Then there’s the Beggar Sect. Their den is near the mass graves north of the city. It’s a strange place. The child beggars in the city all act as their informants. You know their tricks, just stay wary.

“Most important is the Divine Fist Association. Zhou Pan may not have a great reputation in the jianghu, but in Xianyang, he’s a tyrant. He has connections with the authorities, and even the leaders of two local gangs are his disciples. Luckily, Zhou Pan stays near Flower Market Street, while Daoist Wang lives near the City God Temple by the east gate. Stay careful, and you shouldn’t run into him.”

Despite his flaws, Sha Lifei’s information was thorough. Li Yan now had a clear understanding of the city’s power structure. He adjusted his clothing, threw on a white outer shirt, smeared a bit of dirt on his face as a disguise, and put on a straw hat before heading toward the ferry.

Sha Lifei, meanwhile, led the two horses into a nearby grove to wait.

Li Yan had thought nothing of it. In his past life, he had traveled far and wide, and in this life, he had inherited his father’s knowledge of the jianghu along with considerable skill. He had no fear of going anywhere. But the moment he approached the Wei River, his expression changed.

A barrage of scents exploded into his nose, and among them, were several of those strange ones.