[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-cursed-blade-s-walk":3,"chapter-the-cursed-blade-s-walk-the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-57":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Cursed Blade's Walk",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2262362,4415,"Chapter 57: Shangyi Village","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-57",57,"\u003Cp>Compared to the wolves, the leopards’ speed was not just a notch faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, these two leopards moved with perfect coordination—one on the left, one on the right, shifting positions mid-attack, making their assault patterns impossible to predict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fssss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan felt a blur pass before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two stinking gusts of wind rushed at him, one from the front, one from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan snapped to attention, every pore on his skin flaring open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leopards’ speed was so great he couldn’t even see their vulnerable necks and bellies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he swung blindly, even if he landed a hit, the beast would close in and rip him open with a single claw swipe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t dodge either—because behind him stood Wang Daoxuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling the direction of the stinking winds, Li Yan arched his back, his spine like a coiled dragon, then snapped taut; with a powerful thrust from his right leg, he executed the Star General’s Reverse Kick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star General was the deity who governed literary fortune; his statue often stood with one foot planted on the head of a giant tortoise, symbolizing supreme supremacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the Ten Disciplines of Red Fist, one was the Star General’s Kick, modeled after the deity’s pose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s version, however, inverted his entire body—like a soccer player’s bicycle kick—but the force surged upward from below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, hidden power surged through his whole body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous crash rang out; Li Yan felt his right leg jolt as if he’d kicked a rubber tire—the leopard’s chest took the full impact and was flung eight or seven meters away, crashing into the rocks with a clatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blow also knocked Li Yan off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same moment, the other leopard lunged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To hell with you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan was just about to roll aside when a roar erupted beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Sha Lifei losing his temper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the Three Talismans of Devil-Subduing Coins, these two highly intelligent leopards saw only Li Yan as their true threat and attacked him together, completely ignoring Sha Lifei beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the limitation of beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with spiritual awareness, their instincts remained rooted in forest habits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many prey they encountered, they’d scatter in terror at the sight of such terrifying presence, allowing the hunters to pick them off one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But humans were different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This leopard focused solely on lunging at Li Yan, leaving its flank wide open to Sha Lifei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei stepped in close, pressed his knife against his elbow, and slammed sideways into the leopard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tall and broad, his body packed with dense muscle, he simply knocked the leopard flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, his knife pierced a bloody hole through the leopard’s belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Roar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leopard, ferocious to the end, rolled on the ground, sprang up again, ignoring the torrent of blood from its belly, fangs bared, snarling at the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter-clatter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leopard that had crashed into the hillside tumbled down with dirt and stones, struggling to rise—its mouth full of blood, swaying unsteadily, unable to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s hidden power had shattered its breastbone and caused internal bleeding, though no external wound showed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two leopards finally sensed the danger; despite their wounds, they relied on their fierce vitality, enduring the agony as they bolted into the woods and vanished in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t chase them—focus on the task!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan ignored them, immediately turning his gaze toward the center of the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For beasts, such grievous wounds in the wild were as good as death; if he remembered correctly, he’d heard tiger roars earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He worried this commotion might have startled the treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the spiritual light above the woods suddenly vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lucky break!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lüzi’s joyful voice rang out at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three burst into laughter and dashed into the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, they found Zhao Lüzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though smiling, his face was deathly pale; he sat on the ground, surrounded by wooden stakes and red strings—clearly, treasure-finding wasn’t simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attention, however, was drawn to the thunder-struck jujube wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jujube tree stood about one story tall, unremarkable in appearance, but its upper half was charred black, clearly burned away by lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire canopy was gone, bare and cracked, yet its vitality remained; new branches had sprouted all around, lush and green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iron-cloth rope was tied tightly to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t come any closer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Sha Lifei about to step over the stakes and red strings, Zhao Lüzi hurriedly stopped him, then fetched a long saw and spent ages cutting it free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a thunderous crash, the jujube tree collapsed. Zhao Lüzi wiped sweat from his brow and grinned sheepishly: “Now the heavenly lightning qi inside is preserved—worth a fortune even in Chang’an. Too bad it only withstood one strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan asked curiously: “What’s the significance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lüzi blinked in surprise: “You don’t know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan chuckled wryly: “I’m a penniless Daoist—my talismans are just ordinary peach wood. How could I have seen such a high-grade treasure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re too modest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lüzi flushed slightly and quickly explained: “In crafting talismans, maple is Heaven, jujube is Earth. Maple is the essence of all trees; jujube is the emissary of all trees—hence, the Two Celestial Woods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Peach wood repels evil better, but it’s too soft to survive a lightning strike. Thus, superior talisman materials are almost always thunder-struck jujube wood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ordinary thunder-struck jujube wood isn’t rare—but only those that endure the heavenly lightning and retain the full qi of the strike can become Celestial Earth Treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s like a spirit’s cultivation: once it becomes a Celestial Earth Treasure, after a certain time, a second heavenly lightning strike comes. If it endures and absorbs the lightning qi, the talisman made from it grows far more powerful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My father told me the Celestial Thunder Seal and Celestial Devil-Slaying Sword of the Profound Heaven Sect were forged from jujube wood that withstood six heavenly strikes—but such things are exceedingly rare, attainable only by those with great fortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down at the thunder-struck jujube wood and shook his head: “My father discovered this tree years ago, sensed its uniqueness, and thought to wait a few more years to see if it could endure a second strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But after all these years, no second strike came—and Master Wan’s shop took on a major commission requiring this exact wood, so we had to harvest it early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s get to work—the roots are valuable too. Even without heavenly lightning qi, they can be carved into a household guardian statue. We’ll split the proceeds equally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a generous brother, Zhao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing there was money to be made, Sha Lifei perked up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone swung their hoes; after much effort, they dug out the entire root system, chopped some logs, and used them as rollers to drag it along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once out of Leopard Gully, they dumped it into the small river with a splash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made hauling much easier—they tied ropes and pulled it along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they left Yetai Mountain, the eastern horizon had begun to pale with dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei raced back to Chunhua County, summoned the laborers he’d pre-arranged, and returned with an ox cart. They loaded the thunder-struck wood; Zhao Lüzi covered it with red cloth and bound it with red ropes—only then was the job complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they returned to Xianyang City, evening had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan, having received word, arrived with several disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They did not enter the city, but headed to a village near Xianyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lüzi bowed and took his leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed ancestral custom: never enter another’s home. He lived in a nearby Mountain God Temple, guarding the incense and offerings, spending most of his time in the wilds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan noted the address, made plans to drink with him another day, then followed Master Wan’s group away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village they went to was called Shangyi Village—Master Wan’s hometown, once an ancient artisan hamlet, where every household still made their living as carpenters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, what a treasure!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the thunder-struck wood entered the village, a crowd gathered to gawk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan beamed, bowing to the villagers: “Friends, time is tight—every skilled hand in the village must help. If we finish before Winter Solstice, I guarantee you all a fat New Year!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan clearly held high status; the villagers shouted their agreement in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they were carpenters, every household had a large yard; Master Wan’s was especially spacious, filled with artisans sawing, chiseling, and showering the air with wood shavings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the courtyard’s corner, several large drum frames already stood arranged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei, ever quick-tongued, asked: “Master Wan, you’ve got quite the setup—what big job are you taking on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t hide it from you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan invited the three inside, smiling: “The Doumu Court’s Taibai Mansion is holding a grand ritual on Winter Solstice and needs a complete set of ceremonial drums and musical instruments. If I complete this, my disciples’ livelihoods are secured for good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three bowed in unison to offer their felicitations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Master Wan cared so much—it was a task from the Profound Heaven Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Profound Heaven Sect was the state religion, it was vast and not monolithic, divided into factions that worshipped different deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their factions were organized by “Court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, the Doumu Court primarily venerates the celestial star deities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below that are “Mansions”—the Taibai Mansion is under the Doumu Court, located on Mount Taibai, connected to Mount Zhongnan, one of the Thirty-Six Minor Cavern Heavens, of great prestige.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, just luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan exchanged polite pleasantries, then his expression turned grave. “Gentlemen, Xianyang City is in complete chaos. You’ll stay here for now—under no circumstances enter the city in the coming days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned. “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Wan sighed and shook his head. “Zheng Xianhuai of the Eight Golden Giants is dead. His entire family—wife, children, elders—none survived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now both sides have drawn blades and abandoned all rules…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1686,"2026-06-19T18:28:32.159Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","427b32e43bb432fd1c577b514654848f0b62b7c76eb81e079ca1568dec93bc6e","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-58","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-56",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]