[{"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-608":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},2262913,4415,"Chapter 608: Foggy Night Beacon Fires","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-608",608,"\u003Cp>Armor surged as footsteps shattered the snow-littered ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Red lanterns pierced through the snow mist, casting a dim crimson glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From above, the Chongqing reinforcements appeared like a black torrent, tearing through the crimson haze, heading toward the Shu Prince’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the center of the crowd, Yang Chenghua stared at the bronze flower basket in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After undoing the spell, the ancient state ritual artifact reverted to its original worn state, showing no sign of anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Yang Chenghua could sense a consciousness slowly gestating, wrapped in the power of incense offerings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt familiar, yet strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Familiar, because it originated from the River God Great Lord; since the Temple of Er Lang Zhenjun appeared, one of its key tasks had been suppressing this demon’s lingering will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could say the karmic bond had been forged from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange, because the Dragon Princess had seized its divine essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new, powerful water deity was about to emerge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Yang Chenghua’s gaze grew complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you leaving, friend?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A weary voice suddenly sounded behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Cheng Jianxin and Chang Tianque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have nothing left to cling to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Chenghua nodded, unsurprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among everyone present, only Li Yan had known his identity from the start; the rest were confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming Shanzi seemed to suspect something but dared not be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this Cheng Jianxian, though aged, had once entered the Divine Ascension realm and had recognized his true identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling what he’d occasionally heard, Yang Chenghua couldn’t help asking: “You were only one step away—why did you sever your own path?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Jianxin fell silent, then smiled on his aged face: “Perhaps it was disappointment. That place might grant immortality, yet still offers no true freedom—endless suffering, boundless ocean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve drawn my sword too many times in my life—I’m weary. I can’t bear to leave this mortal world, and I only wish to be buried here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are not of this world—you might still go there…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he continued forward, supported by Chang Tianque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Yang Chenghua remained, gazing at the basket in his hand, then at the thick fog and thunder overhead, shaking his head slightly…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no obstacles on the streets, the army moved faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, they reached the main street outside the Shu Prince’s Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Funeral lanterns glowed cold as snow; red lanterns swirled in thick mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between red and white, the two armies faced each other across hundreds of meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the Shu Prince’s side, countless firelocks raised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongqing reinforcements likewise leveled their firearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold wind blew; both sides held their breath, tense and still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new firearms had greater power; the Shu Prince’s side was better equipped, but they guarded every side of the mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of troops at the main gate was nearly equal to the Chongqing reinforcements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this situation, firing would benefit neither side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xianda, mounted and holding his saber horizontally, suddenly turned his eyes and shouted toward the distance: “Listen, comrades!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prince Xiao Qipan has long been controlled by demons—they’re performing dark arts within to destroy all of Sichuan! All these strange phenomena in the city are their doing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words clearly aimed to undermine morale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, they had some effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of these garrison soldiers had already doubted—after all, the scene before them was uncanny, and the Shu Prince’s Mansion had clearly prepared in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they all been manipulated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that disaster had been wrought, what could they do…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their hesitation, Zhao Xianda felt a surge of joy, drew his sword with a clang, and pointed at the churning fog above:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look at this city choked by nightmares—you’re all sons of Chengdu! Perhaps your wives, children, and elders are now raging on the streets—how dare you aid the tyrant?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice rang like a bell, echoing through the snowy night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bold!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Chengdu garrison soldiers hesitated, a Black Feather Guard captain suddenly rode forward, shouting:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Traitors and rebels—how dare you spread heresy to confuse the masses!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he raised his hand and fired a Divine Firelock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening blast, sparks flying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xianda felt a chill on his head—his headcloth and topknot were instantly shattered, his hair flying wildly in the wind; he ducked low in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He narrowly escaped, but a nearby soldier was not so lucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One man groaned as blood burst from his chest and abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another had his skull pierced by shrapnel and collapsed dead on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this single shot acted like a trigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chongqing reinforcements opened fire en masse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still using the three-stage volley, gunpowder roared in unison, streaks of flame shot out, smoke blending into the snowy night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang! Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Led by the Black Feather Guards, Divine Firelocks thundered; the remaining Chengdu garrison soldiers, tense and nervous, fired instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the guns fired, all reason vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone frantically pulled triggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, along both sides of the road to the Shu Prince’s Mansion stood numerous taverns and eateries, offering ample cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dozens fell, the Chongqing reinforcements quickly scattered—some climbed onto rooftops to fire, others slipped through hidden alleys to shoot from another street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before arriving, all had been given their orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their goal was to pin down the Shu Prince’s main gate troops, giving the other two factions time to prepare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shu Prince’s side suffered heavy losses too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had their heads explode and fall; their gunpowder and firelocks were immediately seized by others, who fired back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thick mist filled the air; the night was dim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At three hundred meters, these ordinary soldiers couldn’t see their enemies, couldn’t aim—only fired blindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, chaos erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark corner atop Yuanwang Tower, Li Yan watched it all, his eyes cold, his killing intent hard to suppress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he didn’t consider himself a good man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His father was a famed blade master who killed for money as a matter of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been cunning since childhood, never willing to be cheated, surviving in the Jianghu, knowing every trick of deception, and having harmed others in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along this journey, he’d seen far too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murder, robbery, framing, demonic arts to harm people…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d encountered every vile thing imaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhao Changsheng and his kind were truly unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They treated all living beings as ants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve their ends, they trampled without mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just these few days, countless lives had been lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li Yan suddenly thought the Heavenly Code was not so bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These demons lurking among mortals…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them should exist!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Shaoxia, focus!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warning came from behind—Ming Shanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, all Qingcheng disciples were in position; the banners of the Jingyang Altar pulsed with Gangqi , merging into one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Gangqi  was simulating “Jingyang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a warm, radiant force, like the sun breaking through a frozen winter, even melting the surrounding snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan stopped his wandering thoughts, picked up the “Bing Ding Sheng Gui Talisman,” changed his hand seals, and carefully sensed the power of Luo Feng Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All was ready—now they waited for Sha Li Fei to act…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark tunnel, torches flickered uncertainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Palace’s Water Mansion had descended, even affecting these hidden passages—walls and pits around them dripped with condensation, forming mud on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei and his companions were now covered in mud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they had no time to think much now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“San’er, still not there?” Sha Lifei grew impatient and couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San frowned, suddenly stopping at a fork in the path, glancing around with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei’s heart jolted, quickly asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San ran his hand along the stone wall, frowning. “Something’s off—I carved hidden marks at every point, but here, they’ve vanished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This tunnel should lead to the west city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei’s mind went blank. “San’er, this is critical—how dare you get lost?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earth Hearing String” Yue San’er shook his head slightly, forming a hand seal and listening intently. “The power of the Dragon Palace Water Mansion has seeped underground—the earth qi here is chaotic. We’ve likely encountered a ghost wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Use the Baopu Mountain Ascension Technique!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he pulled out yarrow stalks from his robe and handed them to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Daoist Chong Chenzi of Qingcheng Sect took his, wrapped them around his fingers without hesitation, formed the seal and stepped the Gang , activating the mountain-climbing art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others moved swiftly too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Sha Lifei looked embarrassed. “Uh, Old Sha here has some talent, but I just entered the Mystic Gate—I haven’t learned this technique yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem. Just follow us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earth Hearing String” Yue San’er took over from Lu San, pulled out a Luo Pan, and led the group forward again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the path ahead finally stayed consistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man Yue San’er used Earth Master techniques to sense the flow of earth veins, soon guiding them back on course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same fork as before—but now, there were rat gnaw marks on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San finally sighed in relief. “This underground tunnel was built by Mystic Gate craftsmen. What we saw earlier wasn’t false—it’s the same structure, designed to deceive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he checked every marker after each stretch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, the path ahead opened up into a cavernous warehouse, filled only with moldy cabinets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From here, we can reach the Shu Prince’s Mansion directly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San also sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clap! Clap! Clap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, applause echoed from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure slowly emerged from the tunnel leading to the Shu Prince’s Mansion, dressed in a plain robe, his face twisting unnaturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the leader of Chengdu’s underworld: Wu Xiang Young Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at Lu San and clucked admiringly. “No wonder you’re ‘Xu Quan’ Lu San—I hid my tracks carefully, yet you still found this place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei gripped his Divine Fire Gun, asking coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiang Young Master gave a dry laugh, his expression darkening. “I sincerely sought to cooperate with you, showed restraint, treated you with courtesy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet you all conspire against me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yan pretended to be virtuous, turning my men against me, forcing me to be hunted by the Shu Prince’s forces—my men dead or scattered, now I’m utterly alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I spent great effort finding this tunnel. If you don’t give me an explanation today, none of you will leave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he pulled a barrel of gunpowder from his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He brought it close to a torch, as if ready to ignite it at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had extensive underworld experience; though he’d never seen the Six Idlers of the Bamboo Grove, he’d heard of Qingcheng’s famed Chong Chenzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was alone—he stood no chance against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only threaten this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, let’s talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei hurried to stop him, grinning. “Old Sir, you’re blocking us here for a reason—why not tell us what you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Wu Xiang Young Master no longer wasted words, gritting his teeth: “You went to Dujiangyan—what did you find from the Dragon Palace Water Mansion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Find a damn thing~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei sighed. “I’ll tell you straight: Dujiangyan was a dead end. The Shu Prince tricked all of us—the fog covering Chengdu? That’s the Dragon Palace Water Mansion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re searching for the Nine Tripods—inside the royal courtyard, they set up a Faitong tree. If we’re late, the treasure will be taken…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter of the Nine Tripods had already been made public by Li Yan—even common soldiers of Chongqing Garrison knew—it was no longer secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, better to use this information to lure Wu Xiang Young Master away, so he doesn’t ruin our mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Nine Tripods?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Xiang Young Master’s eyes lit up, disbelief flickering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the others’ expressions didn’t seem fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, greed rose in Wu Xiang Young Master’s heart. Holding the gunpowder barrel, he slowly retreated from the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he spun and fled, vanishing into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei chuckled. “If he heads for the Shu Prince’s Mansion, he won’t know—we’re here to blow up a wall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry, before more trouble arises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group said nothing, pressing forward without delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After another half incense stick’s travel, Lu San suddenly stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone looked up—the tunnel’s stone walls had vanished, replaced by a wall built entirely of skulls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though no malevolent qi radiated, the sight weighed heavily on the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does Chengdu really have this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yin Yang Pen Cui Bai was also startled. “I reviewed old records—Chengdu once fought a great war with the Golden Tent Wolf Nation, killing countless enemies, then cast their corpses into a ‘Jinguan’ buried underground to suppress Chengdu’s earth fortune.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue San’er beside him shook his head. “Just superstition to fool the people—this thing has no real power…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pulled out his Luo Pan to check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he slapped his palm against a side pit. “The Shu Prince’s Mansion was built by compacting the ground tightly—this spot is better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without delay, Sha Lifei immediately tied his carried gunpowder packs, securing them with ropes, then stretched out a long fuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group fled swiftly, leaving only the fuse hissing as it burned…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Shu Prince’s Mansion, the battle grew fiercer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greatest threat remained the Black Feather Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their heavy-armored gunners weren’t just immensely strong—their firearms were noticeably thicker than others’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through coordinated attacks, they’d even toppled a century-old shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beat the drum! Switch to armor-piercing arrows!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xianda sensed the shift and immediately ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creaking~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soldiers of Chongqing Garrison immediately drew their weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a dense hail of arrows whistled forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With thuds and thumps, the heavy-armored gunners were instantly blackened like charcoal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the ground trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a thunderous crash, the main gate of the Mansion shattered into fragments, and surrounding walls began to collapse…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment had come!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes, forming hand seals and chanting incantations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Earth Spirits, Supreme Generals, Righteous Deities of Heaven and Earth, Commanders of Earth Spirits, Overseers of Temples, Aid the Law, Assist the Spirit, Illuminate the Martial Might, Great Protector. Purple-Haired Demon King, Iron-Masked Grand Judge…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the Wen Lingguan’s Sacred Litany.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after reciting it several times, there was no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Qingcheng’s people exchange doubtful glances, Li Yan gritted his teeth, formed the seal again, and channeled all his power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two soul-reeling chains flew from his back, absorbing vast amounts of yin and malevolent qi, wrapping his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Li Yan activating the Divine Transformation Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he was shrouded in black mist, commanding the altar, continuously chanting prayers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning flashed within the thick clouds above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive shadow seemed to dart swiftly through the clouds…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2478,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9b0b4c62c19e9e45702009ae8221c27410a818945cce815c7d8b3c1c1f46f359","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-609","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-607",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]