[{"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-58":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},2262363,4415,"Chapter 58: The Heavens Can","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-58",58,"\u003Cp>“So brutal—who did this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei heard this and found it unbelievable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Li Yan frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping out an entire family? That’s a grave taboo in the Jianghu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides were merely competing for profit; though they’d broken the peace, they still upheld Jianghu rules and never challenged the authorities’ bottom line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For all the current chaos, they might still shake hands and make peace later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So back then, I deliberately claimed I’d assassinate the Left Censor, pretending to be a fool, just to avoid getting too deep into the Zhang family’s affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that talk of generations of friendship? It vanishes the moment you betray them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this mess happen just one day after we left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhangs aren’t this stupid, are they?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The problem is right here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan the Shopkeeper shook his head in disbelief: “No one knows who did it. It was only discovered when neighbors noticed something odd in the morning and reported it to the authorities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The entire family—including several close disciples serving them—had their throats slit, and the weapon used was a Guanshan blade!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned. “A blade master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan the Shopkeeper sneered. “Everyone knows blade masters sell their lives for coin. If they don’t want to reveal their identity, they can just frame someone else—after all, Guanshan blades aren’t hard to get.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, Zhou family members stormed the Zhang Martial Hall demanding the killer’s handover. Naturally, the Zhangs denied it. Now both sides are bickering.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More critically, Zheng Xian’s status—officials had planned to pretend ignorance, but now they’re dragged in whether they like it or not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan nodded, recalling Zheng Xian’s identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhou family’s Eight Golden Spears each held different roles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Heibei and Yuan Qu controlled two major street gangs in the city, handling illicit tasks and collecting wealth for the Zhou family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Yao ran a clinic, treating injuries for the Zhou faction and two gangs, often offering free care to build reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide oversaw the Zhou Martial Hall’s operations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining four Golden Spears: two served as chief escorts in the city’s largest escort agency, the other two as instructors in the Divine Fist Society, teaching martial arts in the countryside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men dominated both legal and illegal circles, forming the Zhou family’s web of influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Xian was one of the Divine Fist Society’s instructors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By any measure, he held a semi-official status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xianyang authorities couldn't possibly ignore this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei sighed helplessly: “Only a fool would target him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan the Shopkeeper nodded: “Who says otherwise? But now it’s too late—even Zhou Pan can barely contain it. There’s already been street bloodshed today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To quell the unrest, the court has tacitly accepted it was a blade master’s doing. Now they’re sending constables to hunt everywhere. Li Shaoxia is one of the suspects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This morning, constables raided the Wendaoguan, accusing you of fleeing in guilt and planning to issue a manhunt—until Captain Guan Wanche intervened and called it off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei panicked: “This is clearly a frame job—shoving shit on someone with nowhere else to put it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan the Shopkeeper shook his head: “No choice—once the authorities speak, whether you’re guilty or not, you’re barred from entering the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stay here quietly. Once the storm passes, I’ll personally vouch for you and clear this matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Brother Wan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fellow Jianghu members—we’re obliged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan the Shopkeeper bowed politely, then ordered food and lodging arranged for them, before rushing off to carve the lightning-struck wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the room, the three exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good thing we left early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei, still shaken, said: “If we’d stayed one more day, we’d have been dragged off to jail at dawn. The Zhou family would’ve made sure we were executed by autumn!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were Jianghu veterans—they knew exactly what constables were capable of to meet their quotas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, who the killer was didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered was whether someone could be made to pay, to calm the unrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhangs, to clear their names, might just pretend ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And we’d die in prison, nameless and unexplained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hide for a few days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan mused: “I suspect someone orchestrated this to stir chaos, sow discord, and profit from it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They might strike again…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the incident had occurred, the three weren’t worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world was like this—who didn’t have enemies? Besides, they’d planned to sit back and watch from afar. So they decided to rest in Shangyi Village for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to that they’d stayed up all night yesterday, and after a hasty meal, they blew out the lamps and went to sleep early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, in the Jianghu, vigilance is never excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All three slept fully clothed, taking turns keeping watch…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candlelight dim, a woman’s sobs continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Bai lay on the bed, awake but pale, staring blankly at the ceiling beams like a corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart had truly died. From childhood, burdened with the title of prodigy, surrounded by praise, arrogant and proud, he’d dreamed of winning a grand tournament, then venturing into the Jianghu to make his name known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath Songshan in the Central Plains, martial arts flourished—masters abounded…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chief escorts of Jinzhou all possessed unique skills…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jiaozhou, Xiangxi, Jiangnan—in the eight secret sects—extraordinary talents emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these stories since childhood, he’d longed for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, all of it was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a cripple who couldn’t even urinate standing up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fat woman sat by the bed, weeping—his mother, Jia Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide stood at the door, face dark, irritated by her crying. He snapped: “What’s all this weeping for? Does it help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he spoke, the fat woman leapt up like a cat with its tail stepped on, shrieking: “You old bastard! Your son’s been crippled and you say nothing—now you take it out on me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, she lunged forward, scratching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Shi of the Zhou family was infamous for her vicious, sharp tongue—she never lost a fight in Xianyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide, already holding back fury, got his face scratched again. Enraged, he slapped her twice—hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Shi fell to the ground, pounding her chest and wailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Bai, jolted awake by the noise, flushed crimson, veins bulging on his forehead, trembling hands clutching the quilt as he glared at Zhou Peide:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father… avenge me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, White. I’ll take that brat’s head for you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide’s eyes blazed with malice as he turned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the courtyard, Zhou Peide hadn’t walked far when a patrol disciple blocked him, bowing respectfully: “Third Master, where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide coldly replied: “Do I need to report my movements to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disciple flushed with embarrassment, quickly apologized: “Forgive me, Third Master. But Master Zheng just died, and the Private Secretary warned us someone’s trying to profit from the chaos—he ordered everyone to stay alert and not leave the compound at night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have urgent business. Get out of my way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide shoved the disciple aside, then turned back and threatened: “Act as if you saw nothing. If you speak out, you know the consequences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Third Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The patrol disciple’s face fell, and he stayed silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide snorted, turned, and slipped out the side gate of the Zhou manor, vanishing into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved swiftly, soon arriving at a courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtyard glowed with bright candles—it was Yuan Qu’s home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Disciples waited outside. A call was made, and Yuan Qu hurried out to personally greet Zhou Peide inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide’s face was grim. Without preamble, he entered the main hall and sat in the seat of honor, coldly asking: “Any results?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu hesitated. “We’ve found some leads—but it’s complicated…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just speak plainly! Why the stalling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide slammed the table, scolding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, he looked down on Yuan Qu—especially since Yuan had indirectly caused Zhou Bai’s injury. He’d been lucky not to be beaten already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no choice. He controlled only the martial hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the disciple he sent out was discovered, all trace of Li Yan’s group vanished. In the dark, he had no option but to turn to Yuan Qu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu wiped sweat from his brow and bowed quickly: “The information came from Taixing Carting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know, Taixing Carting has always been at odds with us and has been cozying up to Old Zhang and his crew. So I planted a man inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today, our spy learned these three rented horses and headed to Chunhua County—no one knows why. They’ve returned and are hiding in Shangyi Village outside Xianyang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go arrest them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide barked in anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu smiled bitterly. “Brother, calm down—this Shangyi Village isn’t ordinary. The manager Wan of the Wensheng Pavilion isn’t just a Daoist artisan; he’s tied to the Grand Xuan Orthodox Sect and is also an elder of the Xianyang Artisans’ Guild.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Things are already chaotic enough. The Artisans’ Guild may seem insignificant, but it harbors many experts. If we drag them into this, our master won’t forgive us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Zhou Peide frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Artisans’ Guild belonged to the “Eight Trades” among the Five Elements and Eight Trades of the martial world, overseeing carpenters, stonemasons, and bricklayers within the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people appeared to merely conduct business and cultivate harmony for profit, but he knew certain secrets—many Daoists lurked within, and they were not to be trifled with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we enter the village demanding someone and they refuse, claiming nothing happened, we’d have no recourse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, seeking revenge after a duel is inherently unjust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Zhou Peide tightened his brow, fixing Yuan Qu with a cold stare. “I know you’re full of schemes. Since you brought it up, you must have a plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu glanced around, then ordered his disciples out, before bowing respectfully. “There is a plan—if it succeeds, we not only get our revenge, but the Artisans’ Guild will have no grounds to interfere. The question is, brother, do you dare?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide let out a hollow laugh, his eyes brimming with grief and fury. “At this point, what is there left for this old man to fear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu whispered, “I know a master of the Dao lineage. If he intervenes, he can lure Li Yan out of the village, then dispatch swordsmen to surround and kill him—leave him no grave to rest in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this master’s price is high.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Peide shot him a cold glance. “How much? I’ve saved up some over the years, and I have a treasured artifact to guard my home—if it’s done, I’ll give it to him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He doesn’t want money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu lowered his voice further. “He… wants boys and girls!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1791,"2026-06-19T18:28:32.159Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c610b6212cdfafe1d10525dfb02d30ba7dafd098146c46d124ee355fc2067dd5","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-59","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-57",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]