[{"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-694":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},2262999,4415,"Chapter 694: The Blood Night Never Ceases","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-694",694,"\u003Cp>Under the moonlight, Kong Hui’s blue robe fluttered in the night wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes glowed faintly red, a sneer curled on his lips, as if mocking them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had not expected this demon to appear so boldly before them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Daring insolence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s eyes blazed with killing intent as he gripped the Death Warrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had become a thorn in Jianmu’s side largely because of his identity as a Living Yin Officer. No matter how powerful these ancient demons were, they ran rampant in the mortal realm—and faced death the moment they encountered Yin Bureau troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as he held the Death Warrant, Li Yan frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Death Warrant gave no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must be carrying a national sacrificial artifact—he needed to get closer…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Li Yan pushed off the ground and shot forward eight meters in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Death Warrant was inlaid with a jade pendant, enhancing its sensitivity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at the same time, Kong Hui flew backward, faster than him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan immediately halted, raised his hand behind his back in a signal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei said nothing, raised his rifle and fired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was their team’s code—meaning fire support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rifle roared, lead bullets tearing through the air, striking straight for Kong Hui’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the smoke cleared, everyone’s pupils contracted sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large hole had shattered through the rooftop of the distant inn, bricks and tiles spraying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this range, the rifle should have been flawless—but before the shot even faded, Kong Hui’s black robe rippled like water—the gunpowder-driven bullets passed clean through his body, smashing the roof behind him, while only his sleeve stirred in the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is this possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei swallowed hard, face filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the new firearms appeared, they had been unstoppable, reshaping the martial world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how skilled you were, surrounded by a dozen rifles, you had to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some lamented that firearms might signal the decline of the martial world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Commandant’s Office had formed a dedicated rifle unit, drilling formations to counter Grand Masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time anyone had ever ignored rifle fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn coward!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei refused to believe it, cursed, and reached to reload.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t waste ammunition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan spoke sternly, halting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He possessed the Eye of Insight—his vision was superior—and had glimpsed seven lingering shadows in that instant. “This seems to be a certain body technique, shifting positions seven times in a breath. Ordinary people can’t perceive it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did everyone recall Kong Hui’s origins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the Ten Grand Masters of the Northern Song, a martial pinnacle, and once the Emperor’s Tutor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s ‘Yin Wen Ba Gu’!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Shangzhao, who had returned to the posthouse with Luo Mingzi, cried out from behind, voice trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan wanted to ask what “Yin Wen Ba Gu” meant—but now was clearly not the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the distant street, a dense drum of footsteps rolled like distant thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soldiers stationed near the posthouse had arrived, torches forming a winding dragon of fire through the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp-eyed soldier shouted, pointing his torch at the flickering figure on the rooftop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the heart of the capital, rifle fire had erupted—the soldiers instantly went to battle readiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ignored orders to capture alive, raising rifles and aiming without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>POP! POP! POP!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barrage of deafening shots tore through the night, lead bullets raining down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roof tiles shattered under the hail of bullets, shards spraying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Hui moved like a ghost, dodging and weaving through the storm of lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing reinforcements flooding in from all sides, he sneered, turned, and fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s eyes flashed with cold light; he pushed off and gave chase without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as Kong Hui opened and closed his folding fan, a strange rhythm emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura of gangsha stirred a gale—each flick of the fan made his form more elusive, as if merging with the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHOOSH! WHOOSH! The blue figure vanished at the end of the alley, leaving Li Yan standing still, fists clenched until his knuckles cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it!” Li Yan spat fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time he’d been utterly outmaneuvered in body technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Cheng Jianxian, famed for his lightness skill, likely couldn’t match this speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the main force of soldiers had surrounded the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead officer, seeing Luo Mingzi’s official token, immediately knelt on one knee:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant, Yuan Cheng, Commandant of the West City Military Bureau, pays homage, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi’s face was grim; he gestured with a hand. “Commandant Yuan, rise. You’ve arrived just in time—arrest these traitors immediately, then mobilize troops to besiege the Iron Anchor Society’s stronghold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This—” Yuan Cheng’s face twisted in distress, beads of sweat forming on his brow. “The Iron Anchor Society is entangled with powerful interests. Your servant fears—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hold the Emperor’s imperial token—this case was personally approved by His Majesty!” Luo Mingzi roared. “Who dares obstruct me, will be charged with treason!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Cheng dared not hesitate further; he turned and bellowed: “All units! Follow me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wounded Iron Anchor Society members were bound and dragged away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan stared at the direction Kong Hui had vanished, eyes glinting coldly. “Let’s go—deal with these scum together!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a lead finally found, they couldn’t afford delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Luo Mingzi issued order after order, elite troops from the Commandant’s Office and experts from the Enforcement Hall arrived in force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The East City Military Bureau had also received urgent reports and surrounded the Iron Anchor Society’s main hall before the assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torches lit the night sky bright; horses stamped nervously, snorting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the warehouse, the society members turned ashen, none daring to step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this warehouse had been fortified like a fortress, it could only deter martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With soldiers deploying in force, armed with heavy firearms, resistance meant certain death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the man with gold teeth stepped out trembling, face plastered with false smiles: “Your Excellencies, may I ask what crime we have committed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dog! Do you still recognize me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tiankui limped forward, leaning on his long blade, grinning with terrifying malice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The sky has fallen—brothers, grab your weapons, draw steel, raise red banners! We set incense at the gates of Hell—those who are brothers, submit death warrants!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gold-toothed man’s face turned ashen; he screamed and tried to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tiankui had escaped with the hostages; the society’s top experts had gone after him, and Kong Hui hadn’t bothered to warn him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So until now, he only realized the plot had been exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These martial underworld phrases were signals of no escape—fight to the death. Too bad—he’d taken two steps before a Commandant’s Office expert hurled an iron chain, wrapping it around his neck and dragging him like a dead dog into the formation, binding him tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANK! CLANK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same moment, doors and windows on the warehouse roof were smashed open, dozens of black rifle barrels protruding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, rifle fire erupted like thunder, smoke filling the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Iron Anchor Society” had long become a den of thieves. Even if they knew nothing of Wang She’s secret dealings, they’d frequently disguised themselves as river pirates to plunder and kidnap children. Now facing annihilation, the members fought like cornered beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet their ordinary firearms were useless against the Commandant’s Office’s twenty-odd Divine Fire Rifles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After one volley, the warehouse’s thick brick walls were punched with fist-sized holes; load-bearing beams shattered into splinters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire structure groaned, trembling as if ready to collapse at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperate men tried to break out—some had both legs shattered by lead bullets, others dragged back by iron hooks and chains, bound like zongzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In less than half a stick of incense, this long-established den was eradicated root and branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord! We’ve found something!” a searching officer suddenly cried out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone rushed over—inside a crate, curled up, were a dozen children, boys and girls, faces ashen, long dead from suffocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beast!” Luo Mingzi’s eyes burned with rage. “Take them all to the dungeon—tonight, we will interrogate until the truth is laid bare! Also, summon Luo Gongsheng of the Iron Anchor Society immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orders crashed down like thunder—this would be another sleepless night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Yan and the others could not hide their disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from these kidnapped children, they had found not a single trace of Jianmu’s organization…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the back hall of the “Rouyuan Posthouse,” candlelight flickered, illuminating the grim faces of those gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Shangzhao gently stroked a teacup on the table and spoke solemnly: “All of you know that our Confucian sect places paramount importance on cultivating righteous qi. Whether cultivating martial arts or performing rituals, all begin with a pure heart. Kong Hui, though born of the Kong clan, has fallen into heresy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed his temples, continuing: “He was once among the Ten Grand Masters of the Northern Song, and even served as Imperial Tutor. The Kong family records of Qufu state he later infiltrated the ancestral temple and burned countless scriptures, leaving only a few torn pages recording his heretical methods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He inverted Zhu Xi’s ‘Preserve Heavenly Principle, Extinguish Human Desire,’ and created the heretical art ‘Plant Human Desire, Corrode Heavenly Principle.’ Using the Eight Sufferings of Life as its foundation, he twisted Confucian orthodoxy into heresy—this is ‘Yin Wen Ba Gu.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just now, that was the Mourning Bier Step—stepping the Nine Palaces in funeral alignment, using the three transformations of 'opening the coffin, guiding the soul, and burying the dead' to confuse the opponent; in bygone days, it was famed for its unmatched footwork.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned tightly: \"Does he have a weakness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Shangzhao shook his head: \"His weakness is unclear. But since he powers his martial arts with dark thoughts, perhaps the Confucian righteous qi might break him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Daoxuan’s face grew grave. \"This demon is no easy foe. Could the master who attacked the living yin officer be him, as Wu Lao said?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hard to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. \"The living yin officers were attacked after the fifteenth of the first month. Kong Hui had been active in Cangzhou, scheming for the Ji Zhou ding. The timing doesn’t quite match—but we can’t rule it out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s another matter,\" Kong Shangzhao suddenly lowered his voice. \"Kong Hui doesn’t merely excel in Confucian learning—he’s also skilled in feng shui construction. In past years, temples and shrines across the land often invited him to oversee their building.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone naturally knew this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grand hall of the Shangqing Palace on Mangshan had been tampered with by him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, Long Yan came in, wiping her hands. \"The young man has woken up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone rose at once and went to the adjacent side room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the room, \"Dog’s Mother’s Son\" had been bandaged and coated with herbal medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long Yan’s medical skill far surpassed Wang Daoxuan’s; she was now the physician of the Twelve Yuan Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dog’s Mother’s Son\" had only external wounds—nothing beyond her ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Li Yan’s face, \"Dog’s Mother’s Son\" sighed in relief, then burst into muffled sobs. \"They killed Old Crooked Mouth. I searched the whole city for you, couldn’t find you, then went to Wu Lao—but when I got there, Iron Anchor Society men grabbed me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They beat me, trying to find out about Wu Lao.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to his account, Li Yan understood the full chain of events. He sighed softly and said: \"This is my fault—I didn’t realize they had so many eyes in the city. Don’t worry—I’ll arrange for Old Crooked Mouth to be buried with proper rites. After we settle this, I’ll find you a position.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead cannot be brought back. All he could do was this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dog’s Mother’s Son\" nodded, his spirit weary and wounds still unhealed; he sank back into deep sleep…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a night of chaos, by noon the next day, Luo Mingzi arrived again at Rouyuan Inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve extracted all the confessions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He handed Li Yan several pages of paper and said gravely: \"Those gang members are just fools who follow orders—they only know Wang She pays well, and know next to nothing about the Jianmu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The gold-toothed thug is from the Iron Anchor Society’s dirty-work squad. According to his confession, under Wang She’s orders, he frequently abducted boys and girls. We were looking in the wrong direction—all our attention was on the Western Traveling Beggar Sect…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The head of the Iron Anchor Society came to me himself. They knew nothing of Wang She’s involvement—they’re now sending men to search the entire city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan said coldly: \"Can you just brush this off with 'oversight'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi hesitated, then shook his head. \"All I can do is this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Luo Gongsheng of the Iron Anchor Society is under Prince Xiao Jinglie of Yan. He’s also a disciple of Huo Yin of the Divine Fist Society. Even if we report this to His Majesty, it won’t necessarily bring down the entire Iron Anchor Society—it’ll only make us enemies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed. \"This is the capital—everything is constrained. We must focus on our mission. Don’t touch those people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Li Yan instantly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor had not named an heir for years, and the princes had been locked in fierce rivalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This year, due to his failing health, he finally named a Crown Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that Crown Prince, it was said, was timid and rigid—disliked by the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the struggle for the throne was far from settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren’t part of court politics—there was no need to get entangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving his instructions, Luo Mingzi hurried away again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter of the Ying Prince’s mansion wasn’t over—and now the Iron Anchor Society had created this mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they’d gained valuable information, it was undeniable: since Li Yan entered the capital, Luo Mingzi had been running nonstop, going days without a full night’s sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he left, the group fell into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei shook his head. \"This capital is a nightmare. You can’t do anything without worrying about this and that. Even investigating a case requires constant caution. The court has already sent its own experts—why don’t we just leave it to them? Let them sweat it out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You make it sound so easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu San, usually silent, suddenly spoke: \"We can’t avoid this. I’ve figured out why Kong Hui appeared last night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Jianmu demon we encountered—Lu Sheng, the Northern Mang Mountain Ghost Emperor—they all had the 'Earth Official’s Sutra of Pardon and Absolution.'\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suspect he planned to lure Xiao Ge away last night. Once you were gone, he’d use the 'Earth Official’s Sutra' to drive off the yin court troops. With his skill, you’d be trapped—and Zhao Qingxu might have been hiding nearby.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once you were gone, who could stop this demon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, everyone fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Lu San was right, someone among them might have died last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan placed the intelligence on the table and said gravely: \"Lu San is right—we must strike first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m going out. Stay here. Don’t wander off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he rose and walked out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was another bright, sunny day; the noon sun was almost blinding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan pulled a badge from his robe and examined it carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the token from the Golden Swallow Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this powerful intelligence network could help him find Kong Hui and Zhao Qingxu’s whereabouts…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2580,"2026-06-19T18:28:35.913Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0442ff8345753dc04af046a5d378cbfd0583f2724f394f5cf0bed17288585ea8","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-695","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-693",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]