Blade - Unbound

Chapter 23: Returning To Gushui Village

“Paying the debt?” Sha Lifei rubbed his bald head, playing dumb. “Daoist, you must be mistaken. You’re a master of the mystic path, how would I dare owe you money?”

Wang Daoxuan was speechless. “That spring, at Drunken Flower Tavern in Chang’an...”

“Oh, now I remember.” Sha Lifei immediately began spinning lies. “You forgot what happened back then. I only invited you for drinks. But you got drunk and insisted on calling for the top dancer. I couldn’t stop you!”

Wang Daoxuan looked doubtful. “Did that really happen?”

“Of course! And I didn’t abandon you either. A fellow brother from the jianghu was in danger, so I had to go save him. I couldn’t delay a moment. You know me, I value loyalty above all...” freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Wang Daoxuan sighed. “Haha, forget it. Let’s say I treated you to that experience.”

“Daoist, about that. Next time, next time I’ll treat you!”

“Will you?”

“Of course! Don’t you know who I am? I’m Sha Lifei!”

On the yellow dirt road, three riders kicked up dust as they traveled. Perhaps it was because Li Yan looked unfamiliar and had disguised himself, or perhaps because Meng Haicheng was of low status and his defeat wouldn’t draw the attention of the Divine Fist Association. In any case, leaving the city had gone smoothly.

Sha Lifei was a slick opportunist, while Wang Daoxuan was sincere to a fault. No one knew why those two completely mismatched men could talk endlessly. They chatted idly the whole way. Li Yan, riding beside them, remained silent, lost in thought.

It was already nearing dusk. Since he had lingered at Wang Daoxuan’s place to ask questions, he had finally gained a rough understanding of the mystic path. The world was far more complex than he had imagined.

The path of martial artists progressed through stages. It started with the Light Jin Realm, the Dark Jin Realm, the Jin Transformation Realm, the Core Transformation Realm, the Astral Jin Realm, the Xiantian Realm, and finally, the Grandmaster Realm after transcending the Xiantian Realm. Each step depended on one’s cultivation, and every advancement greatly increased the lethality of one’s techniques.

The mystic path, however, focused on spirit visualization. The first step was to visualize a deity, borrowing its power to control the soul and one’s divine abilities. If successful, he could suppress his nearly out-of-control spiritual sense.

But that was only the beginning.

Humans consumed grain, possessed emotions and desires, and were burdened by worldly troubles. Even after successfully visualizing a deity, the construct could collapse at any time. When that happened, one had to start over.

The solution was to build temples within the mind. A ritual would allow one to construct a palace for the deity within one’s sea of consciousness, allowing it to stabilize. Only then could one truly be considered to have entered the mystic path, what they called the first level of cultivation.

The stronger the deity visualized, the taller the temple, and the deeper the cultivation. Thus, when people spoke of powerful masters, they would mention that their cultivation was “several levels high.”

Martial arts and the mystic path did not conflict. Some high-ranking masters were also skilled in Daoist martial arts. But since a person could not divide their mind, and energy was limited, few reached mastery in both. Some chose one path over the other entirely, like Wang Daoxuan, who only knew basic combat skills. It was enough to deal with petty troublemakers, but helpless against true experts.

But both paths revealed one key truth. There was no such thing as spiritual energy in the world. No matter how strong one became, death still came. Instead, the world revolved around astral qi and killing qi, in countless forms.

Sacred mountains and rivers gathered innate astral energy. Many such places were lush and serene, even harboring cultivated beasts. Martial force and spiritual techniques generated acquired astral qi. Temples and totems, sustained by incense and faith, produced divine astral qi. Even powerful weapons and artifacts could accumulate astral qi.

Killing qi was tied to demons, ghosts, and all manner of malevolent beings. Yet neither astral qi nor killing qi was inherently good or evil. Used for good, it was righteous. Used wickedly, it became evil. For instance, his Three Talents Demon Suppressing Coin tassel was a weapon of killing qi used to suppress evil. All techniques, rituals, even feng shui, were built upon them.

But what troubled Li Yan now was spirit visualization. There were many methods, but the principle was the same. One had to manifest a deity from within one’s heart. It could not be mere imagination, but something deeply imprinted in the mind.

The mystic path had long developed effective systems. Children who awakened the six yang senses were selected early, made to recite scriptures daily, meditate, and imprint their ancestral deities deep within their minds. When the time came, visualization followed naturally.

Wang Daoxuan’s method was similar. It came from the Scripture of the Profound Darkness of the Western Mystery. The deity was the three-eyed sword-bearing figure, Heavenly Monarch Chen. According to the text, the deity came from the mysterious west.

Over countless years, cultivators had mapped out all lands rich in innate astral energy. Those became known as blessed realms and holy lands. However, time had erased many. Some could still be found, others had become legends.

The Mysterious Cave of the West was one such legend. Some claimed it lay in Jinzhou, while some claimed it was in the Guanzhong Plains, and still others argued for Mount Hua. No one knew its true location, let alone the vital core within it. Thus, Wang Daoxuan believed the story was likely fabricated.

Many lineages gave their founders grand titles and mysterious origins to enhance their prestige, and to make visualization easier.

That was Li Yan’s greatest obstacle. Adults had complex minds. Moreover, he carried memories from two lifetimes. To wholeheartedly believe in the existence of a deity was nearly impossible.

In the end, he had only one path left. He had to visualize a deity reflecting his true self. He had already made a decision. He would use the substitute statue within his dantian as the focus of his visualization. The only thing was, that object was far too mysterious and it carried unknown risks.

Since it concerned his very life, he could not consult anyone. Fortunately, visualization required days of mental clarity.

Li Yan decided to first accompany Wang Daoxuan to the Lu Manor, determine what had triggered the statue’s reaction, and then return to Li Clan’s Fort to begin his cultivation.

***

By the time they returned to Gushui Village, dusk had fallen.

The wheat fields were still bustling with activity. The workers, tanned and drenched in sweat, swung their sickles without pause. Cart after cart of wheat was hauled to the threshing ground. They had to dry and store it quickly, lest sudden rain ruin everything.

Harvesting was a race against fate. It was as intense as a battlefield.

The three riders passed by, but no one even looked up.

A temporary canopy had been erected near the fields. Under it sat Master Lu, his two concubines, and his steward with several guards.

Harvest season was critical. Master Lu personally supervised the matter, not only to ensure no one slacked off, but also to reward diligence and secure a good yield.

However, he seemed distracted as he frequently glanced down the road.

“Why aren’t they here yet?” His anxious voice rang through the air.

The steward wiped sweat from his brow. “Master instructed discretion, so I could only find these people. I heard that there are priests from the Taixuan Sect in Xianyang’s City God Temple.”

Master Lu’s expression turned cold. “Do I need you to tell me how to act?”

“Yes, Master.” The steward dared not speak further, inwardly cursing Sha Lifei.

He knew his employer well. Though Master Lu appeared benevolent, once angered, his methods were ruthless. Even his concubines trembled slightly, fear evident in their eyes.

At that moment, the sound of hoofbeats approached.

The steward finally relaxed when Sha Lifei and the others appeared. He stepped forward, had servants take the horses, and whispered through clenched teeth, “What took so long?”

The delay had been Li Yan, but Sha Lifei would never admit it. He grinned and bluffed, “Daoist Wang is a busy man, so many people seek him out. Even nobles from Chang’an came calling today. If not for my reputation...”

Wang Daoxuan couldn’t bear it anymore and stepped forward to interrupt him. “Infinite blessings to all of you. I was held up by something, please forgive me.”

Though his abilities were modest, his upright bearing made him instantly likable. The steward quickly replied, “Not at all, Daoist, you’ve worked hard.”

He then led them toward the canopy, where Master Lu rose to greet them. After a round of polite exchanges, he gestured. “Daoist Wang has come from afar. I’ve prepared a feast, please.”

“Many thanks, Master Lu.” Wang Daoxuan nodded.

As Li Yan and Sha Lifei followed, the steward suddenly blocked them. “Where do you think you’re going? Come with me to the side courtyard.”

Before Sha Lifei could protest, Wang Daoxuan turned and smiled. “Master Lu, Fellow Daoist Sha will accompany me to select burial grounds, and this Youngster Li is already a practitioner. Consider him my junior. Would it be possible to...”

This had been their prearranged excuse.

Master Lu hesitated, then nodded. “Very well.”

With that, everyone entered the Lu Manor. From outside, its high walls revealed little, but within, it was another world entirely. Four grand courtyards formed the central block, surrounded by study halls, gardens, worker quarters, and enclosed yards. They were all connected by narrow passageways adorned with exquisite carvings. Even the placement of flower pots followed deliberate design.

Sha Lifei’s eyes sparkled with envy. “As expected of Master Lu. Even a master thief would get lost here.”

A towering man behind them frowned and sneered. “With us here, not even a rat would get in.”

The person who spoke was Zhao Cheng, the senior disciple who trained in the Zhao Fist and head of the estate guards.

Sha Lifei laughed awkwardly. “Just joking, just joking.”

After passing through multiple gates, they entered a side courtyard labeled Lanfang.

Servants bustled about, and the aroma of food filled the air.

Master Lu said, “This is my Lanfang Courtyard, reserved for guests. I’ve prepared a banquet to welcome you.”

The table was filled completely. There were eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, eight meats, eight vegetables. It was not overly extravagant, but still a feast by any standard.

Sha Lifei was practically drooling. Yet Wang Daoxuan remained calm. He raised a hand. “No rush. Though I’ve come, Master Lu, I’m not certain I dare partake in this meal.

“Why not first tell me what exactly has happened in your residence? I suspect this is not merely about selecting a burial site, is it?”