Chapter 584: The Year

BOOM!

A deafening explosion shattered the silence of the night.

In the alleyways, dogs barked wildly; many civilians awoke startled, candles flickering to life in scattered homes.

Some civilians stepped outside, gazing uncertainly toward the distance.

The sound resembled firecrackers.

But ordinary firecrackers never sounded this loud.

Judging by the direction, it came from Xicheng.

What happened over there…

…………

Wensmiao Street was thick with smoke and littered with debris.

A massive crater had opened in the center of the street; nearby trees were snapped clean in half, and a section of the Wensmiao's wall had collapsed.

Moans echoed endlessly; limbs and severed limbs lay scattered everywhere.

"My leg! My leg!"

A scar-faced man clutched his twisted thigh, screaming in agony as he rolled sideways; corpses of Wei-suo soldiers surrounded him.

Not far from him, Situ Qian's face was grim.

Nie Sangu, who had led the operation, was dead—but the mission must continue. Under his orders, the encirclement persisted.

But he made two critical mistakes.

First, he acted out of self-interest, diverting time to rescue Bai Qihong and arranging for her safe placement, wasting crucial moments.

Second, his unit had lost control.

With Nie Sangu dead, the martial artists recruited by the Shu Prince were all slacking off, inciting the Salt Guild members to follow behind them.

It looked lively—but no one dared charge forward.

After all, the infamous Nie Sangu had her head cut off.

Gathered for profit—who needs to risk their life?

Added to this, the battalion commander in charge had fainted from the influence of the "Blood Basin Holy Mother," throwing the entire Wei-suo force into chaos.

They had followed here—and then fallen into the trap.

Two explosive packs, each mixed with a small amount of new-style gunpowder, had been thrown into the crowd, causing this carnage.

"Tend to the wounded, return and report!"

Looking at the scene around him, Situ Qian's face was grim.

Though they had seized the gunpowder, the losses were equally staggering.

The Nether Stage had been exposed, Nie Sangu was dead, Bai Qihong was out of action, and a major disturbance had been caused.

The Shu Prince will not be easy to appease…

Several hundred meters away, behind a rooftop, Li Yan watched silently.

He had used the Concealment Technique, and with the Dragon-Snake Talisman masking his presence, no one at this distance could detect him.

Seeing the pursuers halt their chase, he turned and leapt down into a hidden alley, circled around, and headed in the opposite direction.

Less than half a candle's time later, he saw a great river.

This river was perfectly straight—dug during the construction of the Shu Prince's mansion, encircling the entire estate and connecting all four city gates.

Li Yan sprinted along the riverbank, constantly watching behind him.

Sure enough, the small western gate of the Shu Prince's mansion had opened; numerous Black Feather Guards rode out toward Xicheng.

They paid no attention to his side at all.

Seeing this, Li Yan couldn't help but silently praise.

This escape route had been planned by the Wuxiang Young Master: exit from the rear secret channel of the Chengdu Prefectural Office, pass through back alleys to Wensmiao Street, then enter the Yushui waterway, hold breath, and flee.

No wonder he was Chengdu's underworld patriarch—the old fox the Shu Prince had failed to capture for years—his judgment of the mansion's movements was flawless.

Added to this, he had split his forces, drawing attention away.

These men had safely preserved their lives.

Li Yan kept running, soon reaching the northern city.

This was behind the Shu Prince's mansion.

Most residents of Beicheng were high-ranking officials of Chengdu, but due to superstition, no grand mansions had been built near the mansion's rear.

Descending stone steps, on either side lay either dense, uninhabited forests choked with weeds, or temples, monasteries, and warehouses.

The Yuwang Temple stood to the east; here, most structures were warehouses—either rented by wealthy families of Beicheng or seized by the Ningchuan Wei-suo.

Li Yan scanned the surroundings, chanted a spell, sniffed the air a few times, and soon found damp footprints along the riverbank.

He kicked up loose soil to cover them, then took a vial from his robe, sprinkled powder to erase the scent, and left.

Not long after, he arrived at a pitch-black warehouse.

DONG DONG DONG!

He tapped a pattern of long and short knocks, pushed open the wooden door, slipped inside, and carefully closed it behind him.

Inside, the space was piled high with clutter, shrouded in darkness.

Dong Cunshan stood waiting nearby; seeing him, he finally exhaled in relief. "Li Shaoxia, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. The pursuers have withdrawn."

After exchanging a few words, the two moved past the clutter.

Behind them, wooden panels had been cleverly arranged to form a hidden chamber, lit by a faint candle; inside were the escaped men.

"Li Shaoxia, thank you!"

Wang Yushi had regained his composure; he rose solemnly and bowed.

"Your Excellency is too kind."

Li Yan nodded slightly, then reached into a hidden compartment, pushed aside a wooden panel, revealing bundle after bundle—steamed buns and jars of water.

"This is a hideout of Chengdu's underworld."

Li Yan explained: "They prepared some dry rations. The taste is poor, but they're life-saving. You'd best not wander for now—wait until the storm passes."

All fell silent.

Morale was clearly low.

This was not surprising.

They had come from the capital; whether from Bagua Gate or Baiyun Temple, they hadn't come merely for the reward.

If they could topple the Shu Prince, their sects could immediately forge ties with the Open Sea Faction and several high officials in court, riding the wind upward.

The Dong family had a Grand Master, but he was elderly.

With the tide of human change, they had sensed the danger.

But now, all was ruined.

The Shu Prince struck suddenly, and with snow blocking the roads, no reinforcements could be summoned from afar—their early advantages vanished.

Now, merely surviving was a problem.

Wang Yushi pondered, then spoke gravely: "Li Shaoxia, given the current situation, do you have a plan?"

"Difficult."

Li Yan spoke bluntly: "The Shu Prince has been possessed by a demon. His ambitions are vast. The orthodox Daoist sects of Shu will not stand idle—reinforcements will arrive soon."

"But their numbers are limited. The Shu Prince commands a large army, armed with firearms. How to break the deadlock—I do not know."

At these words, Wang Yushi's eyes dimmed. He sighed: "We have neither heaven's timing, nor earth's advantage, nor human unity."

"Forgive me for saying so, but self-preservation is human nature. Those martial artists who came will likely watch from the sidelines. Li Shaoxia, should you not flee Chengdu to seek safety?"

Li Yan replied coldly: "Your Excellency underestimates us."

"Heaven's weather is unpredictable; walking through the world, no path is smooth. Every barrier is hard—but every barrier must be crossed."

"Not all martial artists are cowards. We will stay."

"If Your Excellency wishes to leave, I can arrange your escape—but you will owe a debt. Consider it."

He bowed and took his leave.

He had contacted Wang Yushi and his group hoping to use their strength to strip the Shu Prince of his military power—but he never expected this.

Seeing Wang Yushi's hesitation, he was clearly unreliable.

After he left, the hidden chamber fell into silence.

Dong Cunshan glanced at his fellow disciples and sighed inwardly, bowing: "Your Excellency, as long as the green hills remain, firewood will never run out. It would be safer to leave Chengdu first and summon troops from Chongqing."

To be honest, he didn't want this either.

But the disciples brought along were the future of Bagua Gate—if they all perished here, the consequences would be unbearable.

With great wealth and influence, one must act with greater caution.

"I do not see it that way," said the lead Daoist of Baiyun Temple, shaking his head. "From Li Shaoxia's words, the Shu Prince has been possessed by a demon. Combined with his recent actions, he will surely perform some dark ritual on the fifteenth day of the first month."

"Reinforcements may not arrive in time. If the entire city's people perish, we Daoists will never sleep peacefully again."

Dong Cunshan gave a bitter smile and said nothing.

He knew full well how grave the situation was.

What to do now depended on Wang Yushi's decision.

"I will not leave!"

After a long silence, Wang Yushi finally spoke.

He said gravely, "If that demon truly stirs up something that shakes Shenzhou, given the Emperor's nature, we'll all suffer the consequences afterward."

"There is no turning back now!"

"Master Dong, you must leave tomorrow for Chongqing Prefecture to seek aid; I shall remain in Chengdu Prefecture to see if I can find an opportunity…"

!

"Seize military command!"

…………

For the next two days, Chengdu Prefecture remained calm.

The Shu Prince's mansion issued a public notice stating that the city's gunpowder depot had been poorly guarded, resulting in an explosion with many casualties, including Minister Wang.

To be honest, no one believed it.

Yet the high officials and nobles of Chengdu were now as terrified as startled cicadas, all locking their gates and hiding from disaster, daring not utter a single word.

As for the common folk, rumors spread everywhere.

But rumors were rumors; life still had to go on.

The Salt Guild continued distributing aid; the Shu Prince strictly ordered the army not to harass the people, and the populace gradually grew accustomed to it—even beginning to watch the elites fight each other like dogs.

The streets slowly regained their prosperity.

Li Yan no longer provoked trouble; after seeing Dong Cunshan safely out of Chengdu, he spent his days patrolling the city and finally made contact with the Six Idle Bamboo Forest members hiding in a derelict house in the southern quarter.

On the other side, the Shu Prince's blood Nuo masters and the Black Sect lama Duoji Zaxi returned, cooperating with the Black Feather Guard to secretly search the city, even killing several of the Formless Young Master 's men.

Facing overwhelming force, Li Yan and his companions could only lie low for now.

Amid this tense and bustling atmosphere, the New Year drew near…

…………

On New Year's Eve, as the sun set into twilight.

After several rare clear days, snow suddenly fell again on the last day of the twelfth month.

The stilted houses along the Jinjiang River seemed draped in three inches of plain white gauze; the bronze bells on the eaves of Qingyang Palace had frozen into ice pendants, tinkling like shattered jade in the wind.

In Chengdu's brick alleyways, the painted images of Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong on vermilion doors stood out vividly against the snow.

Crackling, crackling—the sound of firecrackers.

They startled sparrows from the branches and set stray dogs barking wildly through the snow.

Though the wind and snow howled and the streets were nearly empty, with every household door tightly shut, the night was lively.

According to Shu customs, everyone must honor ancestors and stay awake through the night.

At noon, they ate the "New Year Meal," gathering as a clan.

At night, they drank the "Reunion Wine," feasting on cured delicacies.

Whether in royal courtyards or humble homes, people carried torches to light every dark corner.

Candles were lit in kitchens and well platforms too.

They burned all night to deter rats from stealing grain.

This custom was called "Lighting the Emptiness."

During the New Year, besides the Nian Beast, folk tales spoke of a "Spirit of Emptiness" that hid in dark corners of the home.

If not driven away, one would fall ill and suffer misfortune in the coming year.

Wealthy households were especially meticulous: they used cypress oil from Mount Qingcheng to make eternal lamps, mixing the wicks with natural salt crystals from Qionglai's Fire Well Town.

When lit, they crackled loudly to frighten off the "Spirit of Emptiness."

At the home of the wealthy Mr. Wang in southern Chengdu, the old steward personally carried the eternal lamp, leading men to light every corner—even under the beds.

Finally, they reached the animal shed.

A Shu farming proverb said: "If oxen and horses are afflicted by emptiness, spring plowing will fail."

This place was especially critical.

After a full day's work, the young assistant was weary; the old steward yawned repeatedly, turning with the lamp in hand: "Snap out of it—we still have to stay awake with the master tonight."

"Sigh~ In past years we could hire an opera singer; this year it's so dull…"

Before he finished speaking, the assistant stared wide-eyed.

"What's wrong?"

The old steward frowned.

The assistant swallowed hard. "I… I saw a shadow—vanished in the blink of an eye. It must be the Spirit of Emptiness!"

"Pfft! What nonsense are you spouting?"

The old steward cursed, but still lit up the entire animal shed inside and out. "Nothing's there—your eyes are playing tricks. Don't go blabbing later, or the master will beat you."

With that, he turned and left with the assistant.

From behind the hay bales, Li Yan slowly stepped out.

He carried a sack of items, carefully concealed the secret passage entrance, then scaled the wall and escaped.

This was one exit of Chengdu's underground tunnels—he'd used it often, never expecting to nearly be caught.

Li Yan walked the streets, carrying the sacks.

Perhaps because of the New Year, guards were noticeably thinner; only occasional Black Feather Guard riders galloped past.

In the snowstorm, the night watchman huddled under his straw cloak, shivering, stomped his feet, then banged his wooden clapper and shouted, "Peace and good fortune—!" leaving a trail of footprints behind.

Amid the city's festive atmosphere, Li Yan donned his Jia Ma, leapt onto the city wall, and soared into the air, departing from the southern quarter.

In the distant slums, bonfires blazed.

This too was a Chengdu New Year custom: burning root knots to keep warm through the night, called "Baking Away Illnesses."

The slum dwellers used this to endure the cold night.

The flickering fires in the snowstorm made the surrounding darkness deeper.

Li Yan, carrying two heavy sacks, trudged through the snow until he reached the confluence of the Fu River and the Nan River.

There stood Hejiang Pavilion, isolated and surrounded by howling snow and wind; yet inside, candles glowed, and a man sat drinking.

"Snow blocks the Blue Pass—horses cannot advance—!"

The rough voice rang out—it was the reincarnation of Erlang Shen.

"Senior Yang, what fine spirits you're in!"

Li Yan laughed, entered the pavilion, shook the snow from his hood, and unrolled the bundle on the ground.

"I brought some pepper-cypress wine, and this— their 'beaten rice cakes' are excellent, made with red sugar from the Sichuan Basin…"

"Stop!"

Yang Chenghua waved his hand, frowning. "It's the New Year—why aren't you staying with your companions to keep watch? What are you doing here?"

Li Yan smiled. "I was afraid you'd be lonely."

To confront the Shu Prince, this reincarnation of Erlang Shen, Yang Chenghua, was essential—but he'd always hidden near the docks, refusing to join them.

Yang Chenghua gazed into the distance; though snow and darkness obscured everything, the lights of Chengdu's city walls were still faintly visible.

"Lonely?"

He shook his head slightly. "I'm merely a passerby—what is there to be lonely about?"

Li Yan fell silent, unsure what to say.

"Hmm~"

Suddenly, Yang Chenghua frowned, pressing his forehead.

"Senior, what's wrong?"

Li Yan's heart leapt, asking urgently.

Yang Chenghua lifted the wine flask, drank deeply several times, then stared at Chengdu's city wall and grunted, "These past few days, voices fill my head—too noisy, even sleep won't come easy…"

Li Yan understood at once.

This reincarnation of Erlang Shen was absorbing vast amounts of incense and prayer energy…

(End of Chapter)