[{"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-71":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},2262376,4415,"Chapter 71: Strategy for Attacking the Mountain","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-71",71,"\u003Cp>Truly, flies only swarm around stinking latrines!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Li Yan did not know that the Iron Knife Gang had already been wiped out by Luo Shihai and others, he was not at all surprised by the arrival of these two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how good your kung fu is, you’re still scum!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the hoofbeats drew nearer, Li Yan saw them more clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men carried large cloth sacks on their horses; from their shape and the smell within, it was clear they were newly kidnapped children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the wind carried their words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Zheng, don’t blame me—this whole mess is entirely due to Zhou Peide’s incompetence, dragging us all down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the point of roaming the rivers and lakes? We have too many enemies, and the imperial court is hunting us—we won’t last many more days. Better to join Master Chen; at least we’ll have a backer…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, what’s the use of saying this now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With that old bastard’s nature, he’ll betray us eventually. I’ve long planned to escape, but damn it—all my savings were stolen by that fellow You!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it, all those years of hard work, and now I’m left with nothing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha, money comes and goes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Chen said that once he succeeds, we’ll head straight for the coast—far more prosperous than Guanzhong. I hear many wanted outlaws from the green woods have boarded ships and gone overseas, each one making a fortune!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, the two rode past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan remained hidden in the dense forest, not showing himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, though these two weren’t top-tier among the Eight Golden Warriors, they had cultivated dark force for years and moved with ease—he couldn’t possibly defeat them alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, he wanted to use them to confirm the location of Chen Fakui’s hiding place in the tomb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached the foot of the mountain, they hid their horses in a hollow and carried the sacks up the hill, their figures gradually shrinking into the dead trees and thick woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mountain offered better visibility; if Li Yan suddenly emerged from the forest below to follow them, they’d spot him immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Li Yan had another plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He formed the Yang Seal in his hand, pushed his spiritual power to its limit, took a deep breath, and faintly traced the scent trails of the two men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, his spiritual power was still limited—he couldn’t detect the scent beyond a certain distance—but he’d memorized the odor, and it wouldn’t fade for at least two days…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far down the official road, three riders galloped swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Sha Lifei and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they neared the location, the Daoist from the Enforcement Hall, Luo Mingzi, suddenly raised his hand, gazed into the distance, and said calmly: “Chen Fakui evaded the military’s search—he must be skilled at hiding. He’s likely prepared. We’d better dismount and move stealthily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Luo speaks wisely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Facheng of the Jiuyuan Sect nodded: “My elder brother Chen knows nothing of worldly affairs, but he has great talent for techniques—he must have made preparations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he dismounted and hid the horse in the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei, having listened to their exchange, felt slightly reassured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed that once the City God Temple received word, they’d immediately set up an altar and capture Chen Fakui—but he hadn’t realized the City God’s troops couldn’t move during daylight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse, they’d sent only two people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the heretic was only one, this was far too careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, he’d been uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, these two didn’t seem entirely incompetent…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hiding the horses, the three continued forward—not along the road, but along the tree-lined edge, concealing their forms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway there, Zhao Facheng suddenly raised his hand to signal a halt, then formed the Yang Seal, pressed his ear to the ground, and listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei was no longer a novice—he immediately guessed this man had awakened the ear spiritual power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, when Zhao Facheng rose again, he turned to Sha Lifei: “Someone is hidden in the dense forest ahead—likely your companion, Brother Sha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned slightly, turned, and gripped his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been using his spiritual power to probe the distance, when he suddenly smelled three people approaching from beyond the trees behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though one was Sha Lifei, the three were heading straight for him—he clearly had been spotted, and he must be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, the three soon entered the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their Daoist robes, Li Yan stepped forward: “Greetings, Elder Masters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei hurried forward and introduced them: “Young Li, this is Daoist Luo Mingzi of the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao Enforcement Hall, and this is Master Zhao Facheng of the Jiuyuan Sect. How’s it going? Found him yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he winked. Li Yan inwardly wondered: why were they sending his own sect members to capture Chen Fakui?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though puzzled, seeing Sha Lifei’s signal, he knew not to press further, so he nodded: “He’s here, but there are many tombs on the mountain—I haven’t pinpointed his location yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Fakui has two accomplices: Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then recounted what he had just witnessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zheng Heibei is here too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sha Lifei cursed: “This bastard ended up here! Young Li, you don’t know—the Iron Knife Gang has been wiped out…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging information, Li Yan bowed and asked: “Elder Masters, when do you plan to strike?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi pondered: “Night would be ideal—my uncle, Qingyangzi of the City God Temple, will set up an altar and send troops to assist us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But they’ve risked kidnapping children again—likely they’ve gathered enough for the profane rites. Saving lives comes first—we climb the mountain now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Zhao Facheng quickly stopped him: “Not advisable!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan frowned and turned to him; Sha Lifei’s smile vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their expressions, Zhao Facheng shook his head and sighed: “Don’t suspect me, gentlemen—I’ve come under my sect’s orders, not to favor anyone. Whether Elder Brother Chen has committed grave sins or not, I will purge the sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But there’s something wrong here—we must not act rashly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Luo Mingzi: “Brother Luo, have you noticed the mountain’s terrain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi frowned, stepped to the edge of the woods, studied it for a moment, then nodded: “Indeed, there’s an issue—it’s a Taiyin Star terrain. I’ve heard the Jiuyuan Sect excels in yin tomb feng shui—no surprise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan mused: “If this Taiyin Star terrain is so dangerous, why are there so many tombs here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—it’s a blessed land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Facheng shook his head: “Feng shui has nine stars; Taiyin is one of them. It belongs to Metal in the Five Phases and Dui in the Eight Trigrams. Taiyin, by symbol, means yang is complete, yin is half—thus Taiyin is inherently deficient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A tomb is a yin dwelling; by balancing yin and yang, it becomes a great auspicious site. This technique was common in the Wei and Jin dynasties—these tombs on the mountain are almost certainly from that era.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’m right, Elder Brother Chen chose this place precisely to perform profane rites, borrowing lives to break through his cultivation barrier—he’s likely prepared for a long time, and the mountain must be rigged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It looks ordinary, but any outsider who climbs it will be detected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes softened with sorrow: “Elder Brother Chen once upheld justice, helping common folk rid themselves of demons. He had lung rock—thought he’d accepted his fate—but now he’s strayed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yan had no interest in the heretic’s past; he pressed sternly: “Climbing the mountain will alert him. Whether it’s our friend’s soul jar or those children, they’re all leverage he holds—we need a foolproof plan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were just a bandit stronghold, sneaking in at night to rescue them would suffice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with xuanmen involved, reckless force won’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Facheng said nothing, but turned to Luo Mingzi and bowed: “Brother Luo, you have more experience—you lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi didn’t refuse. He stared at the distant mountains, thought for a moment, then said: “Brother Zhao, can you draw Chen Fakui’s attention?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Facheng nodded: “We’re from the same sect. If I set up an altar at the mountain’s base, Elder Brother Chen will sense it—and then we can confront him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Mingzi stroked his beard, gazing into the distance: “When that happens, I’ll suppress my aura, climb the mountain from the side, rescue the captives, and destroy the altar to seize the soul jar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once my uncle’s troops arrive, we can wipe them out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the ancient tomb, candles flickered dimly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhao Facheng said, this was a Wei-Jin dynasty tomb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not an imperial mausoleum, it was spacious enough: after passing through the corridor, there was a front chamber, a rear chamber, and two side chambers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several looting holes dotted the walls; valuable burial artifacts had long been stripped away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the front chamber, twelve children, drugged into unconsciousness, lay sprawled on the ground, their faces flushed red. Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei, bored, held torches and studied the murals on the walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk tsk—these noble families were truly extravagant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What good is it? They only fight among themselves. When the north collapses, they all flee south. No matter how good their ancestral feng shui, it’s useless…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chen Fakui walked in from the rear chamber, calmly saying: “Feng shui is minor influence—blessing three generations is the limit. Under the tide of human destiny, minor forces mean nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled faintly: “Gentlemen, the hour grows late—take off your clothes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei exchanged glances, then began undressing, soon standing completely naked…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1607,"2026-06-19T18:28:32.159Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","02c69d29f80ba7bdd3a1df16f7c69095a1e3dd0715637d5be3ba126f631e970c","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-72","the-cursed-blade-s-walk-chapter-70",801,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-cursed-blade-s-walk-cover.jpg"]