[{"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-634":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},2262939,4415,"Chapter 634: Slaying Out of Luoyang","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-634",634,"\u003Cp>The ones arriving were the Commandant’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, Li Yan wasn’t surprised at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Longmen Inn, the Earth Dragon Son was killed by these people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone must have been involved, perhaps even the entire Commandant’s Office had fallen—this was why Li Yan, despite his reputation in both the Commandant’s Office and the Enforcement Hall, never sought them out after arriving in Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected them to come to him directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Li Yan expose his identity, the man wasted no words; he yanked his long horizontal blade sharply backward, crouched low, formed a hand seal, and beneath his feet, dark winds spiraled, kicking up dust, while a faint green glow shimmered along the blade’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial Law?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan was slightly startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chang family blade originated from Zhoukou and was widely popular in Yuzhou, with many practitioners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But mastering Martial Law? That was reserved for inner-disciples alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This move must be the famed “Dragging Blade” initiation—yin embracing yang, softness concealing hardness—and with Martial Law enhancing it, no wonder the Earth Dragon Son couldn’t react in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s mind flashed only a single thought before the man struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strike sounded like a dragon’s roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the sound rose, the blade’s light was already upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man vanished from his spot, instantly crossing over a dozen steps, the blade’s glow resembling a white bolt of silk stabbing straight at Li Yan’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at the same time, a thunderous crash erupted from behind—Wu Ba had also struck, the earth beneath his feet exploding as his massive body surged forward in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He twisted his body, stomped the ground with force, and swung his fist downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His punch exploded like a snapped bowstring and thunderclap, yet his stance remained as immovable as Mount Tai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This punch landed perfectly, striking precisely on the opponent’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling Wu Ba’s overwhelming force, the Commandant’s Office man’s face darkened; he slammed his left heel down, halting his airborne body mid-flight, then spun using that momentum, pulling his blade back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reaction was swift, but still too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp *ding* rang out—the blade snapped clean in two, the immense force transmitted up the blade lifted his wrist, shattering his wrist bone, and half the horizontal blade plunged violently into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On his hand, he now wore a pair of iron gauntlets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gauntlets were forged from xuan iron, with four diamond-shaped spikes protruding from the knuckles, each spine coated in dark-gold patterns, three rings of crimson copper embedded at the wrist joints, and a relief carving of a taotie devouring mouth cast on the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wrist connection was bound by eighteen strands of braided oxhide in a spiral pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba clenched his five fingers—the gauntlets clicked sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a specialized artifact crafted for Wu Ba by the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba’s previous great axe, though made of decent material, had been brought from the Renxiao tribe and was crudely made; it had been destroyed in battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a vital damage dealer, he couldn’t remain unarmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These iron gauntlets were forged anew by melting down his old axe and combining it with spiritual materials purchased at the Qingcheng Open-Cellar Fair; their greatest feature was resilience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even an artifact’s slash could leave only a shallow mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with Wu Ba’s immense strength and Baji Quan, he was a living beast of destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiger squat cannon had also been specially modified—added grips and shock-absorbing pads made it easier to hold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With these two treasures, Wu Ba’s combat power could be fully unleashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another advantage of the Qingcheng Open-Cellar Fair was that many master artificers attended, buying any artifact they fancied on the spot—even if they didn’t use it, they’d keep it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through Lü Yunzi’s connections, Li Yan’s team hired two artisans who worked through the night, completing all their weapons before they descended the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, excluding those matchlock firearms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wu Ba’s ferocity, the man dared not advance further; he quickly retreated several steps and joined his reinforcements, raising their crossbows in unison to aim at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan ignored them entirely, his cold gaze fixed on the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the Commandant’s Office’s tricks well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men before him were merely decoys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real threat lay a hundred paces away—the marksmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had used array flags to conceal their aura, and since the moment they emerged, they had already aimed and fired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he raised his killing intent, he was detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Li Yan’s icy gaze—even from a hundred meters away—the marksman felt a chill crawl up his spine, as if a ferocious beast were fixed on his neck, ready to strike at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through countless battles, Li Yan was no longer the same man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cultivation of the Fourth Floor, half-step Golden Core, and refined, tempered killing aura allowed him to exert tangible pressure over these low-level sorcerers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This method he had learned from Cheng Jianxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when Cheng Jianxian’s cultivation was shattered and his energy exhausted, he still broke through Lu Sheng’s spells—this made Li Yan value spiritual power even more: fist intent, sword intent, fused with his mighty soul into a single, unified whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you waiting for?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The marksman, dazed and stunned, was now panicked by the Chang family blade wielder’s roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shout snapped the marksman back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, what the hell…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered, then reached to pull the trigger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Matchlocks weren’t invincible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experts possessed keen spiritual senses; at this range, using buckshot couldn’t guarantee a kill, so someone had to distract, forcing the target to expose a weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But under these circumstances, firing was pure luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he didn’t notice was that a strange little insect had silently landed, slipping soundlessly into his ear canal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The marksman, just as he prepared to pull the trigger, suddenly realized his entire body had locked rigid—he couldn’t even bend his fingers, and his consciousness began to blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind Li Yan, Long Yan’s fingers subtly formed a hand seal; the marksman’s eyes went vacant, slowly turning his firearm to aim at the Commandant’s Office men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei spat on the ground and cursed: “You’re nowhere near good enough with guns.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their journey hadn’t been a sightseeing trip—they’d practiced constantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were always ways to handle this situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan glanced coolly at the Commandant’s Office men. “Are you still going to fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ghost Market was crowded and full of eyes; he had no desire to slaughter them publicly—once he did, no matter the reason, the Yuzhou Commandant’s Office would hunt him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men clearly knew his identity, and hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan smiled faintly, about to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men, familiar with the truth, were one of the key breakthroughs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, from the crowd watching in the distance, a whistle pierced the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whistle was strange, like the cry of some night owl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing it, the Commandant’s Office men instantly paled, raising their crossbows to fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan shouted low, his ankle exploding with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reappeared beside several Commandant’s Office men, and the Dunchen blade clanged free, slashing left and sweeping right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two *pops*—two heads flew into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they wanted to fight, Li Yan wouldn’t hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After slaying the two, he didn’t look back, pushing off again, leaping onto a wooden hut, then two bounds carried him toward the crowd where the whistle had come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one whistling was the key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Commandant’s Office men had no time to pursue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous explosion behind them sent smoke scattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two Commandant’s Office men, one in front and one behind, were cut clean in half by the Divine Fire Gun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Sha Li Fei and Lu San shielded Wang Daoxuan, swinging their bone clubs and Guanshan blades to deflect incoming crossbow bolts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Roar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba leapt out with a bellow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His towering frame should have made him an easy target, yet he didn’t retreat an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man drew in his chest, lifted his back, as if his ten toes gripped the earth, twisted his waist and hips sideways, stomped a crushing step, and charged after Li Yan into the enemy ranks, raising his massive iron elbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Earth-Piercing Heaven-Striking Cannon” struck—the victim flew six meters into the air, his ribs shattered mid-flight, life gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba didn’t even look; his left palm stabbed the throat, his right iron mountain shoulder struck “like a kiss,” then followed with a sweep, a reverse punch, and a downward chop—the Three Points of Yama combo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a tiger among sheep, Wu Ba was “eyes everywhere, hands everywhere,” smashing wildly—no one remained standing; Sha Li Fei and the others had no chance to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In martial talent, Wu Ba was the team’s best—even Li Yan couldn’t match him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always possessed astonishing strength; after learning the Eight Gates Opening, he became even more fearsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey~ leave one alive…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei rushed forward in alarm to check.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the only one still alive on the ground was choking on blood, his gaze gradually dimming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ba’s eyes lost their red hue, and he awkwardly scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His only weakness was this—he lost control once he got hooked on killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei had no time for words; he whispered, “Leave first, San’er, go help Li Yan block them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were sharp—he had already spotted a dark shadow sprinting from the crowd, clearly using a concealment technique, moving at incredible speed, while Li Yan followed right behind, vanishing without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, only Lu San could catch up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San nodded silently, leapt onto the wooden hut, his figure dancing like a Nuo ritual dancer, wild winds howling around him, with the little white fox hopping beside him—before vanishing in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bout of fighting lasted only a few breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the ground was littered with corpses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone’s been killed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, they used firearms—get out quick!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ghost Market still held many fences and street rats; seeing this, they screamed in alarm and fled in a flash, plunging the market into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t fools—they had also recognized the men from the Commandant’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Luoyang Commandant’s Office wasn’t a soft target; they’d just set a trap to frame the Luoyang Prince’s heir, and even the Luoyang Prince himself dared not provoke them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they didn’t know the full details, the Ghost Market would surely face major trouble soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk tsk, Luoyang probably won’t be safe anymore…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yanfeng also wore a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that after this, he’d have to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking advantage of the Ghost Market’s chaos, everyone slipped away easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they emerged from the underground tunnel, Sha Li Fei saw Li Yan and Lu San dragging someone toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a short man, his clothes torn, his face swollen into a steamed bun from several stings by Lu San’s poison bees, groaning weakly, his consciousness fading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More strangely, the fake hair glued to his head had been ripped off—revealing a completely bald scalp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure enough, a monk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei sneered upon seeing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They already understood the situation in Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First came the Buddhist-Taoist rivalry: Baima Temple and Shangqing Palace engaged in open and covert struggles, sabotaging each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Various factions had also become involved, to varying degrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, the Luoyang Prince was incompetent but constantly dreamed of longevity and virility, so he maintained close ties with Shangqing Palace, which sold elixirs and pills, offering them ample favors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baima Temple couldn’t directly confront Shangqing Palace, so it struck from the periphery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Wang Banxian, the master of bedchamber arts, was captured and thrown into prison under the paper-man case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Commandant’s Office carried out the arrest; the Luoyang Prince’s heir was also implicated. Though he wasn’t imprisoned, he certainly dared not meddle in the Buddhist-Taoist conflict again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Shu Prince incident, the court’s signs of reducing the feudal lords’ power had become increasingly clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From all available clues, the Commandant’s Office had allied with Baima Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why Li Yan hadn’t provoked them immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dang dang dang~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Sha Li Fei finished speaking, a faint bell tone drifted through the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yanfeng looked up and cried out, “From Nanguan—that’s the City God Temple!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Luoyang City God Temple is in Tiekuo Alley, Nanguan, next to the Luohé River docks—not far from here. They’ll launch a City God patrol—hurry and leave!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan and the others wasted no time; they grabbed the monk and headed toward the city wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn’t even covered two streets when the pursuers arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, fierce winds erupted down the street, sand and dust howled, frost spread across the ground, and countless footprints appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re done!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yanfeng turned pale and collapsed onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luoyang had once been the Divine Capital; even in decline, its City God Temple was no trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Great Xuan Dynasty was founded and the City Gods of the realm were officially enfeoffed, a fallen general was granted the title of Duke Weiling, equal in rank to the Six Ministries’ Ministers—thousands of years of incense offerings had granted him formidable power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More terrifyingly, Luoyang bordered Mangshan Mountain, and the City God Temple held the duty of guarding it, frequently dispatching troops to patrol and gathering vast numbers of She Ling soldiers—truly a force with many generals and abundant troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was why both Buddhist and Taoist factions in Luoyang vied for control of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoever controlled the City God Temple would see their power surge dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet what puzzled him was that Sha Li Fei and the others showed no fear at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan reached into his robe and pulled out a summoning warrant, chanting a hand seal and coldly ordering, “Heavenly Official on patrol—no restrictions! Retreat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zizizi~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arcs of electricity sparked from the warrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strangely, as soon as Li Yan spoke, the surrounding winds vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The frost, footprints, and the faint black shadows within the sandstorm all rapidly withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, they disappeared without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yanfeng stared at Li Yan, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No time for talk—move!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Li Fei grabbed him and dragged him away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luoyang’s city wall loomed high, but it couldn’t stop them—Li Yan and Sha Li Fei used the Gecko Wall-Climbing Skill and scrambled up with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the unconscious monk, Wu Ba slung him over his shoulder, leapt upward, his iron claws digging into the wall, and with a single push, he soared onto the rampart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zong~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the soldiers on the wall gathered, Long Yan waved her water sleeves, releasing a vast swarm of frost moths that shimmered with glowing light—the soldiers were instantly ensnared by illusions, their eyes vacant as they walked past without seeing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the group slipped out of Luoyang City effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, a group of people walked down the street below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were monks, Commandant’s Office Company Commanders, and common laborers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the Heavenly Official!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces darkened as they gazed upward at the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick, report to His Majesty—we may need to accelerate our plans…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, in the outskirts of Luoyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames roared as Jin Yanfeng carefully flipped through the books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Found it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened a page, his face alight with excitement: “Wang Xuanmo was no ordinary man—his true identity was the last patriarch of the Northern Wei’s Xuanmen sect, the Yinfu Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It records that during the early Northern Song, an eerie phenomenon called ‘Yin Soldiers Borrowing the Road’ appeared on Mangshan, followed by torrential rain, a landslide, and a stone stele rolling out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On the stele were carved four characters…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xuanmo Returns to Mang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2648,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","da0d653e8ef1cacf1820dba51d5d6143b8486f2adf4cd57189cf1fcd3dd94974","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-635","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-633",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]