[{"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-603":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},2262908,4415,"Chapter 603: Break the Array, Destroy the Altar","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-603",603,"\u003Cp>What led these Daoists to demonic corruption\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was not malevolent qi!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had only just now realized this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingyang Palace deployed the Two Yin-Yang Sword Array; Li Yan had previously fought against it and was familiar with its patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the enemy had mobilized in force—about a hundred men, seemingly enough to complete the number of Heaven’s Tians and Earth’s Shas, meaning their transformations must be far more complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But precisely because of this, they revealed their hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The malevolent qi gathered on their bodies coalesced into visible black mist that rose, twisting in the air to form a Taiji pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It congealed without dispersing, like a living thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a trait unique to yao sheng!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The qi of yao sheng is a mutated form of primordial heavenly and earthly malevolent qi—indestructible and immortal, capable only of being suppressed upon famous mountains and great rivers, gradually worn away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this substance is extremely dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had only ever seen Si Tu Qian use it sparingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingyang Palace’s lineage\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>certainly did not possess such methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one directing them just now was the true mastermind!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, upon hearing Li Yan’s words, a cold laugh echoed from within the Three Pure Ones Hall, “Knowing so much—what good does it do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You stay here and play your games…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the voice rapidly faded into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he had gone to the Doumu Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan gazed into the distance, a sense of unease rising in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had thought he only needed to deal with the Qingyang Palace, but now another faction had intervened—one capable of controlling yao sheng qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without their words, he had suspected as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when he and Yang Chenghua came to investigate, the altar outside the Doumu Courtyard bore carvings of the Dragon Maiden and the River God Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Qingyang Palace’s plan was precisely to draw upon the power of the temple’s mundane deities to suppress the Dragon Maiden, allowing the River God Lord’s strength to revive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been swayed by Lu Sheng to participate in this affair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, the ones acting were most likely the Worship the Dragon Cult!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang! Clang! Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Li Yan could think further, the Daoists below drew their swords in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wu Ba!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan likewise drew his blade and gave a low order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no time to break this array here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba landed behind them, shouldering the heavy Tiger Cannon, swiftly loading ammunition, then leapt onto the wall with a powerful kick of his legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Yin-Yang Brush” Wen Song quickly dodged aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen the power of this weapon before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it went off, everyone nearby would die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba chuckled, lifting a torch to light the fuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His massive frame, fingers as thick as radishes, held the Shenhuo Gun like a toy—he had no interest in it whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only this Tiger Squat Cannon truly suited his taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as the torch neared the fuse, the “Earth Listening String” beside him twitched his ears, his face turning pale—“Get out of the way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan reacted instantly, yanking Wu Ba down with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening explosion shattered the wall where they had stood; bricks and stones rained down like hail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enemy had marksmen too,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and they’d used concealment techniques!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s sharp eyes caught a flicker of flame near the Three Pure Ones Hall’s roof, mist dispersing to reveal a figure surrounded by array flags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Worship the Dragon Cult had also placed marksmen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan was angry, but not surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the emergence of new gunpowder and its devastating role in the Southwest War, such weapons had already taken the stage—and would reshape the cultivation world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most formidable experts could be killed by a single shot if careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such incidents would only grow more common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others who had come with the Bamboo Grove Six Idle, along with Golden Granny, also trembled with fear and leapt down from the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before they could think further, waves of swordlight struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch out for hidden guns!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan shouted a warning and charged forward with his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You break the array—I’ll handle him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Skin Painter” Cui Bai responded in a low tone, then yanked open the bundle behind him, pulling out a shadow puppet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike those used in shadow plays, this puppet was nearly child-sized, clad in a blue funeral robe, face painted white with red circles on the cheeks—deeply eerie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Bai was closest to Si Tu Bo and came from a fringe lineage; his family had generations operated funeral coffin shops, until they were framed and fell into ruin, forcing him as a youth to take up guarding corpses in a mortuary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his fate was cruel, he encountered a strange master in the mortuary and learned the Craft School’s Skin Painter techniques, formally entering the Daoist path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the puppet, bit his middle finger, and swiftly drew a talisman upon it, staring at the figure on the Three Pure Ones Hall roof while chanting a spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heeheehee~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange child’s laugh echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The puppet seemed to come alive, drifting with the wind, then crouching in midair, moving its arms as if reloading a gun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exactly like the figure across the roof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fix!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Bai snorted, flipped his dagger, and pinned the puppet to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The puppet shrieked wildly, convulsing uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure across the roof also trembled violently, frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a certain spell of the Craft School.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such folk magical lineages, especially craftsmen, often possessed strange protective arts—though fringe, their power was genuinely formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the spell was cast, even if the enemy didn’t die, he could no longer attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one move lifted the threat from behind—now free of hidden gunfire, they could finally focus on the sword array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qingyang Palace’s sword array was truly difficult to confront.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though each Daoist in the array was far inferior in cultivation to any one of them, sword arrays by nature combine the strength of many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Shennongjia battle, Wudang Daoists formed a sword array that even held back the reincarnated leader of the Heavenly Saint Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Qingyang Palace’s reputation didn’t match Wudang’s, its lineage was older, and in Shu—the sacred land of sword immortals—its sword techniques naturally differed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of Daoists’ robes billowed, swordlight flashing like rain, surging and leaping; all felt dazzled, as if simultaneously attacked by a dozen swords with relentless, unceasing strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, their cultivation was deep enough to repel with brute force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the array’s transformations were exquisitely refined, and since the Qingyang Daoists had all fallen into demonic corruption, their blades were shrouded in malevolent qi—any spellcraft they tried would often be disrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang! Clang! Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan blocked several sword strikes in succession and swiftly retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cultivated the Northern Emperor’s Divine Step Art, which required understanding the mysteries of Qi Men Dun Jia; guided by Wang Daoxuan, he could now faintly perceive its patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Two Yin-Yang Sword Array had two yin-yang pivot points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It should be based on the yin-yang changes of the Zhou Yi, with “Heavenly Yang, Earthly Yin” as its two focal points—the key was to find the main controller…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he could only grasp the general outline, Yue San’er in the group was a true Earth Master; while holding his ground, he listened intently, then shouted: “Kan-Li!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words were simple, but all understood their meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking toward Kan-Li, they indeed saw two Daoists standing still, their swords flashing—but they themselves did not move, as if directing the array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire array’s malevolent qi flowed with their sword movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Help me, everyone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan let out a low cry and suddenly surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used the Northern Emperor’s Divine Step Art, his form flickering as he stepped across the swordlight toward the Kan-Li position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others saw this and likewise exerted force to distract the array. Li Yan moved swiftly, but the Daoists noticed the anomaly and immediately shifted positions; seven swords unleashed “Three Yangs Opening the Peace,” stabbing straight for his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eight other Daoists leapt to new positions, their robes swirling as they twisted their wrists, employing “Earthly Sha Transmitting Heart,” attacking his lower body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss! Hss! Hss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swordlight’s malevolent qi converged, carving visible grooves into the snow, sending snowflakes flying, lethal intent piercing the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone else would have been forced to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Yan did not dodge at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword sang like a dragon’s roar; beside him, two Soul-Severing Daggers suddenly shot forth, flashing through the air with blinding speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soul-Severing Daggers, forged from superior spiritual materials, rang out with sharp clinks and clatters, slicing through many sword blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan slashed left and right, advancing to the front of the main formation’s Daoist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two were older, both middle-aged men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Yan attack, they did not dodge—only turned sideways, instantly swapping positions, and simultaneously unleashed sword techniques to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One’s sword motion shifted abruptly between ferocity and deceit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other’s sword stances opened wide and closed broad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even stranger, the surrounding malevolent qi suddenly converged; black mist enveloped both men, making them resemble demons escaped from confinement, their eyes glowing red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan did not know this technique was called “Yin-Yang Yao Lock,” “Zi-Wu Tide Rise”—it appeared to be merely a positional exchange, but when combined with demonic qi and sword patterns, it had formed a trap to strangle the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, daring to enter the formation alone, he had prepared long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan swiftly formed a hand seal with his left hand, sweeping it across the blade’s edge—suddenly, lightning crackled and sparked with hissing arcs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new Dust-Cutting Blade was the Dragon-Slaying Blade, reforged by the master armorer Huo Toutuo; only thunder arts could unlock its true power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan swung the thunder blade, neither dodging nor evading, striking straight upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dragon’s roar rose—the Daoist at the Kan position, sword and all, was split diagonally from waist upward into two halves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid flying flesh and blood, Li Yan swiftly drew a flintlock pistol from his waist and spun to fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous blast sent the Daoist at the Li position, along with those rushing in with swords, flying backward like rag dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the main formation Daoist slain, the sword array faltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the malevolent qi suppressing them, others could now cast spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Gu Niang’s short knives danced up and down; green mist spread from her sleeves, filling the air with tea fragrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the scent concealed poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding sword-wielders turned black-faced and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she were alone, it would be manageable—but the group held an even deadlier Jin Po Po, aged and wounded, yet far more skilled in poison arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She swung her dragon-headed cane while chanting incantations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoo~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, fierce winds surged, scattering the tea poison in all directions; more Daoists collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others too unleashed their unique arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue San’er dodged left and right, plucking the strings of his erhu; the mournful, heavy melody froze the surrounding Daoists, then shredded their bodies with metal threads…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yin-Yang Brush” Wen Song’s figure flickered, leaving afterimages; his iron brush danced, and with soft puffs, Daoists along the path bled from their death points and fell…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attacks were brutal; in moments, the sword array lay in ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wu Ba suffered—he had just reloaded his ammunition, yet dared not fire amid the chaos, frantically scratching his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Roar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He roared, dropped the Tiger Cannon, and charged like a bear into a flock of sheep, unleashing Baji Quan—bones cracked in a continuous chorus…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All struck without mercy; within mere breaths, nearly half the Daoists lay dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword array broken, the survivors were no match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, I’ll go ahead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the situation stabilized, Li Yan exploded hidden force beneath his feet; blade-light flashed with his motion, carving a bloody path through the crowd, then sprinting down the corridor toward the Doumu Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining possessed Daoists tried to stop him, but Wu Ba and the Six Leisure Bamboo Forest men grew even more ferocious, darting through the fray with no one able to stand against them…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the others behind, Li Yan moved faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most Qingyang Palace Daoists had been in the sword array; thus, no resistance blocked his path—he reached the Doumu Hall’s entrance in mere breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, something had already happened here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The altar had once been overseen by Qingyang Palace Daoists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, most were dead; on the ground beside the altar lay over a dozen old Daoists, sprawled haphazardly, faces black-blue, white hair and beards bristling, eyes wide with unending horror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were Qingyang Palace’s elite core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by their appearance, they had been ambushed and poisoned—none survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the altar stood a group of black-robed figures, all wearing dragon-patterned masks, waving ritual flags and activating the array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Yan moved forward, a young cultivator suddenly appeared, blocking his path with a curved blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a border dweller, with deep-set features—the reborn master of the Worship Dragon Sect, “Lang Wu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was youthful, yet his eyes were clouded; he held the curved blade horizontally, staring fixedly at Li Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had seen this old monk’s appearance in the Shituo Forest Secret Realm—he recognized him at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha! You dare show yourself before me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan was not startled—he was delighted, gripping the Gou Die at his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old devil, having reincarnated multiple times, must also be a Yin Offender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, gripping the Gou Die brought no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried a national treasure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan instantly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To send such a being into the Underworld, he could only expend one Gang Ling, summoning Yin Soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But without a mission, it would be pure loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sudden screams pierced Li Yan’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a rustling sound, the statues inside the Doumu Hall shed their lacquer in flakes, then collapsed and shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The worldly gods hiding within could not escape annihilation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, vast amounts of incense power surged from the Doumu Hall, converging toward the altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Worship Dragon Sect demons went mad, chanting the Dragon God’s Sacred Texts, bowing repeatedly before the altar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were loyal followers of the River God Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if they knew the Dragon God they worshipped had been possessed by a Celestial, stealing its spiritual essence, each would surely go insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Li Yan no longer hesitated—he gripped the Gou Die, stepped the Gang Step, and chanted: “Qing Jia! Above, black sky; below, black earth; black sky without light, black earth without gate—Yin soldiers march, Yang mortals retreat…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Worship Dragon Sect succeeded, the Dragon Girl would vanish utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all this effort, Li Yan would not abandon it halfway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boy, you seek death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Worship Dragon Sect master “Lang Wu” flew into a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he had no time to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoo~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around him, fierce winds howled; darkness abruptly deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visible shadows of blackness spread outward from Li Yan like a spreading tide…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lang Wu” finally lost his composure, furious—he pulled a bronze mask with protruding eyes from his robe and slammed it onto his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you took it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s eyes blazed with murderous intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew exactly why this artifact was forged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most likely, it was crafted to counter the Second Son of Heaven…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2576,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4f2fa321e0410e14276bb0418612fcc9a9a3712ad21afae7d78d1fdf8f9b8def","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-604","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-602",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]