[{"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-631":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},2262936,4415,"Chapter 631: Old Tales of the Divine Capital","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-631",631,"\u003Cp>North bank of the Luo River, just past the hour of Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey ho~ Hey ho~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men of the Heluo Merchants’ Guild chanted the Yellow River hauling chants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Red sashes cinched their black cotton pants; despite the bitter cold, all were bare-chested, revealing muscular frames, either hauling ropes or raising heavy wooden mallets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, mud splattered as the black locust wood stakes, tied with red cloth, were driven deep into the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was faintly discernible that they were arranged in the Eight Trigrams pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All manner of offerings had already been laid out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The riverbank was crowded; bonfires blazed, and the scene was lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and the others stood at a distance, observing the ceremony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they prepared to leave, Madam Pei of the Longmen Inn extended an invitation, and only then did they learn that several of the Heluo Merchants’ Guild’s patrons had secretly gathered to plan the “Sacrifice to the River Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The decline of the Central Plains had struck not only the common folk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heluo Merchants’ Guild had ancient roots and remained firmly anchored in the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike merchants who could travel to the coast, the Heluo Guild’s foundation lay in the ancient Yellow River route and the Central Plains trade paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Going to the coast was crossing the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the best relationships could stir up turmoil in the martial arts world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the trade routes in decline and celestial signs shifting, the river ice had melted later than ever before; the elders feared the Yellow River’s channel might fail, even breach and unleash a great calamity, hence the planning of the Sacrifice to the River Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In past years, it wasn’t this complicated…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young attendant from the Longmen Inn sneered: “The court just issued a decree: all major sacrifices must be approved by the Profound Sacrificial Priest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But those folks at the City God Temple are always hard to deal with, and after the Paper Man case, they’ve used it as an excuse to make things difficult for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The elders and patrons secretly negotiated, spent silver to grease palms, and barely made it in time…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their words revealed deep resentment toward the City God Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After venting, seeing that the people carrying supplies were short-handed, he apologized and left—clearly someone who couldn’t sit still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will the Sacrifice to the River Lord even work?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei muttered, clearly skeptical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan shook his head slightly and said: “The River Lord, in ancient times, was both an ancient clan and a folk deity, revered with high status since the Shang Dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, he became dual-natured—both bringer of calamity and recipient of prayer; the Han Emperor Wu’s ‘Song of the Gourd’ mentions him as both afflicting and answering petitions, and the Daoist sects have long enshrined him as a god.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But since the Tang and Song dynasties, his status has gradually faded; the duties of water deities across the land have been absorbed by the Four Rivers’ Dragon Kings…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei exclaimed: “Didn’t expect Young Master Li to be into ancient lore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan chuckled softly: “I just looked into it specifically.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he had more he hadn’t said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his encounter with Erlang the True Lord, he had specifically asked Ling Yunzi to investigate, and the man had gladly agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a folk deity reincarnated as a true god was exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he found was astonishing—history held many suspected cases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take the “River Lord,” for instance—he was once rumored to be Feng Yi of Huayin Tongxiang, who, after death, transformed into the River Lord and presented the River Map to Yu the Great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan sensed something unusual in this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a folk deity to reincarnate and ascend to godhood like Erlang, he must gather immense incense power and become part of the state’s official worship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But later, the River Lord’s reputation grew worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Zhuangzi’s “Autumn Waters,” he is depicted as arrogant, defeated by the Ying Dragon, entangled with the Luo River Goddess and Hou Yi…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed two forces were entangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it appeared the River Lord had failed—perhaps mirroring the people of Shenzhou’s long-standing feelings toward the Yellow River.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei was right about one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The River Lord’s influence had been steadily declining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sacrifice to the River Lord would likely be useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the distant ritual was about to begin: Heluo Merchants’ Guild members bound a yellow ox and white sheep to the western side of the earthen altar, removed their organs, and placed them upon the five-colored earth; a black pig was bound with iron chains, its back plastered with mulberry-paper blood talismans, and laid upon a wooden raft…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This method of offering the three sacrificial animals seems wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned slightly, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had researched only folk deity champions; he knew nothing of sacrificial rites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is called ‘Sinking Sacrifice.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard: “Ancient sacrifices included ‘Burial Sacrifice’ and ‘Sinking Sacrifice,’ for mountain-forest and water deities respectively—the ‘Rites of Zhou: Grand Sacrificial Officer’ states, ‘Offer to mountains, rivers, forests, and marshes with burial and sinking.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this ritual method has been passed down for a long time…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they discussed, the ritual finally began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black-robed elder of the Heluo Guild stood before the wooden altar, unfurled mulberry paper, and dipped a Luozhu sandalwood brush in rooster’s comb blood to write the prayer: “With sturdy bristles and soft fur, I humbly proclaim to the Mighty and Manifest River Lord…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, twenty-four disciples of the Heluo Guild struck their scabbards in unison, their rhythm echoing like hauling chants through the morning mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the prayer ended, four bare-chested men carried the ox and sheep off the high platform, dug a pit three zhang deep, and buried the three sacrificial animals according to the “Three Talents” number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black pig, however, was dragged by iron chains toward the rapids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of guild disciples pulled the chains together; the frail raft instantly broke apart. The pig never even squealed before vanishing into the swirling current.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the ritual nearing its end, Li Yan said gravely: “Let’s go. We have other matters to attend to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bidding farewell to Madam Pei, the group mounted their horses and continued on their way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were now close to Luoyang City; in the distance, the tall, crumbling city walls glowed in the morning sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after they left, the ritual ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fellow martial brothers and sisters,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Pei smiled and bowed: “Having sacrificed to the River Lord, this year shall bring favorable winds and timely rains. Please join us—we’ve prepared a feast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She, too, doubted the efficacy of the Sacrifice to the River Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What mattered more was the gathering of guests: not only martial figures from Yuzhou, but also nearby merchants, wealthy gentry, and countless common folk who came to join the rites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was one of the Heluo Guild’s goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By hosting the ritual, they invited people to calm their fears and promote the Guild’s business for the year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look! What’s that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone suddenly cried out in alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Pei looked up and her face darkened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a nearby tributary, several objects floated slowly, bobbing in the murky current.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were coffins—black coffins!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hush fell over the riverside crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For these to appear during the Sacrifice to the River Lord—no one could mistake it for an omen of ill fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pull them ashore!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the elders’ signals, Madam Pei immediately ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This could not be taken lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Yellow River, ancient water burials existed, but they were typically boat burials—drifting to the river’s center before being scuttled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes coffins were placed; if the ropes binding them were weak, they might float to the surface—unusual, but not unheard of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But appearing during the Sacrifice to the River Lord? It must be investigated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, rumors would spread by tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guild had many bold, skilled swimmers; they immediately cast iron hooks and dragged the coffins to shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s locust wood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they were pulled ashore, someone whispered in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surrounding villagers recoiled in fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Folk tradition held that coffin wood followed strict rules: “Cypress first, pine second, elm third; if none available, use willow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Locust and chinaberry wood were absolutely forbidden for the dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Locust”—the character for wood beside the character for ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make a coffin from locust wood invited ghostly affliction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Open them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Pei’s face was grim; she scanned the crowd, suspecting sabotage meant to embarrass the Guild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when opened, even the Guild disciples turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the coffins lay—paper men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crafted with lifelike detail, terrifyingly vivid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam Pei clenched her teeth and looked upstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mount Mang…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they drew closer, Li Yan and the others saw that Luoyang City was even more dilapidated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where the city wall’s brick cladding had peeled away, exposed were the rammed earth foundations of Han and Wei dynasties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the collapsed section of Changxiamen Gate, wooden palisades had been hastily patched in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After paying the entry fee, the group pressed onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, they saw countless refugees and beggars huddled in straw huts beneath the arrow towers of the wengcheng; the cart ruts of canal transport had carved deep grooves into the blue stone paving, and standing water reeked of livestock dung and urine, frozen solid, then shattered by the iron hooves of horse caravans…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene left the group in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could scarcely imagine this was once the glorious Divine Capital, Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan sighed faintly, “Let’s find a place to rest first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After passing through the gate and entering Tongtuo Street, conditions improved noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun had climbed past the broken pillars of Tianjin Bridge, casting long shadows; from the shops on either side came the spicy aroma of hu la tang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man selling noodle broth squatted outside a shop, wiping sweat with a cloth, shouting loudly: “Our broth is thick, our donkey meat topping salty—gentlemen, shall I save you a bowl from the first pot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good! Add an extra ladle of apricot broth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fresh wheat buns! Still hot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crispy fried dough, sweet sugar cakes—three cash will fill you till noon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the street’s end, a blind fortune-teller plucked his three-stringed lute and sang in a Central Plains tune: “I read birth charts and match marriages, break door curses—should your new bride grind her teeth at midnight, or your child cry in the dark, beware!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spitting! Spitting!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passersby nearby muttered curses under their breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and the others hadn’t eaten yet; hearing the street vendors’ calls, their stomachs growled, so they found a clean mutton broth shop and each ordered a large bowl, plus a basket of Guanxi guanque.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mutton broth was fresh and white; the guanque was crisp and fragrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier gloom was dispelled by this street-side flavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a nearby conversation caught their attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you hear? Master Wang the Half-Sage was arrested.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn, he should’ve been caught long ago—that man’s a notorious lecher, ruined countless decent families; if not for the Wang Fu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say monks from Baima Temple, accompanied by Commandant’s Office troops, raided Tianxiang Pavilion and took him—along with the Prince’s heir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh heh… the scene…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and the others exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of their main objectives in coming here was the Commandant’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth Dragon Child was assassinated by them; Zhao the Donkey’s case might be connected to some of these people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it seemed they were entangled with Baima Temple as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waters of Luoyang run deep…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast, the group headed toward the East Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tang-era layout of the Divine Capital was divided by the Luo River into northern and southern cities, vast in scale; but after the turmoil at the end of the Tang, repeated fires destroyed the city, and the southern city has long since vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they passed through earlier, it had become vast farmland, with only occasional stone pillars and carved lintels emerging from the fields, testifying to its former glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old Tang palace had also disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current layout resembled Chang’an, with the new royal palace built in the northern part of the city—though much smaller than Chang’an.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at the East Market, the streets were far narrower than Tongtuo Street; though lined with many shops, most buildings were patched-up old walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold wind blew, making yellowed wine flags flutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At every alley and corner, local folk set up stalls with baskets, selling game from the hills, handmade wooden farm tools, hemp ropes, iron pots—anything you could imagine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even, some sold Tang tri-color pottery and ceramics right on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most were broken, clearly just dug up from the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though crowds bustled, an inexplicable air of desolation hung over the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and the others clearly looked dangerous, so the city rats, street urchins, and beggars all kept their distance, avoiding any trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They reached the street’s end, where another Longmen Inn stood—the very place Pei Niangzi had arranged for them to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you Master Li?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper had already received word and waited outside; seeing them, he hurried forward to greet them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Longmen Inn in Luoyang was smaller and lower in status than the one at Yi River Wharf, but built more elegantly and cleanly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After showing them to their rooms, the innkeeper immediately pulled a sealed letter from his robe and bowed respectfully: “Gentlemen, this is what Master Pei ordered me to gather. Luoyang’s atmosphere is tense—we dared not act rashly. If anything is incomplete, please forgive us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan asked, “Something else happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper did not conceal anything, explaining directly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This concerns the Buddhist and Daoist factions. Two years ago, Shangqing Palace and Baima Temple fought bitterly over farmland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later, a high official from court visited Luoyang, saw the situation, and mocked them with a poem: ‘Buddha’s bones have turned to dust, only the will to save remains; Dao sustains the people’s full bellies—why bother refining golden elixirs?’ Only then did both sides temporarily cease hostilities…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the Paper Man Case erupted, they resumed their feud, exploiting the incident to strike hard—when open conflict failed, they targeted anyone closely linked to the other side.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baima Temple has some Japanese monks; Shangqing Palace claims they’re connected to the remnants of the Maitreya Cult and arrested them all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In Luoyang, there’s a man called Master Wang the Half-Sage, expert in bedroom arts, deeply connected to many high officials, and close friends with several Daoists from Shangqing Palace—he was also arrested last night…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In short, it’s chaos. You must be extremely cautious in your actions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he bowed and took his leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he left, Sha Li Fei shook his head: “I wonder if the court, seeing Luoyang like this now, regrets what they did back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He referred to the old Luoyang Prince case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Longmen Inn, they had already gathered some Luoyang intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former Luoyang Prince was once a capable and enlightened ruler, managing the city well and gradually rising in prominence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, he backed the wrong side; now that the Emperor has ascended, despite the Prince’s repeated pleas for mercy, his entire family was executed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Luoyang Prince is in fact a fool who seized power by luck—greedy, stupid, and utterly unable to control the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luoyang’s decline, though shaped by broader forces, cannot be separated from this Prince’s misrule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those in power care nothing for such things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan shook his head and examined the intelligence in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Pei Niangzi’s earlier report, two names were emphasized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was “Earth Dragon Zhang,” publicly a Luoyang wealthy merchant, but secretly the leader of the Yuzhou Probing Line; he vanished mysteriously, and his old mansion beneath Mang Mountain now stands empty—rumors say strange things happen there…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other was “Golden Eye Feng,” a famed master of Luoyang’s Ghost Market, erudite and knowledgeable in identifying rare treasures and artifacts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao the Donkey had sought him out before disappearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet after reading the report, Li Yan was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan asked quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan shook his head: “This ‘Golden Eye Feng’—because of the Paper Man Case—he’s already been thrown into the yamen jail…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2716,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6768c15729e3e34d0bce5368029c4f569195854e0a22344e4c2288949990bf6f","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-632","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-630",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]